Theo Baker speaks with award-winning and best-selling author Daniel José Older. In this two part interview, they cover craft, process, diversity, and so much more!

Part One: Daniel speaks about the difference between genre and literary, his background as a musician, and opens up about his process.

Part Two: Daniel considers the editorial process and how it shapes publishing, speaks of the movement towards a more diverse body of children’s literature, talks world-building, his embrace of bringing Civil War history to life (along with dinosaurs), and much more.

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Daniel José Older is the award-winning and best-selling author of middle grade, young adult, and adult books, including Shadowshaper, Half-Resurrection Blues, and Dactyl Hill Squad. Daniel speaks with Theo Baker about craft, process, diversity, the “secret heart” of a story, and much more!

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Theo Baker speaks with best-selling and award-winning author and illustrator Peter Brown. Their conversation includes Peter’s process, from creating characters to the evolution of his illustration style, how writing his novel was like writing multiple picture books, and so much more.

Part One: Peter speaks about his career, creating characters, and illustration.

Part Two: Peter shares about writing his novel, and details his creative process.

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Peter Brown has written and illustrated many best-selling and award-winning picture books, including Mr. Tiger Goes Wild, Children Make Terrible Pets, and The Curious Garden. His illustrations for Creepy Carrots, written by Aaron Reynolds, earned him a 2013 Caldecott Honor. His first novel for young people is The Wild Robot. Peter speaks with Theo Baker about the evolution of his style, his process and the use of technology.

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Connie Hsu, executive editor at Roaring Brook Press/Macmillan Publishing speaks with host Theo Baker in a  conversation that spans Connie’s journey to becoming an editor, the evolution of her understanding of what an editor should do, how she judges new manuscripts, and what she’s looking for in a new book.

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Connie Hsu is an executive editor at Roaring Brook Press/Macmillan Publishing, a founding member of the Children’s Book Council Diversity Committee, and a member of the Brooklyn Book Festival Children’s Planning Committee. Her authors include Vera Brosgol, Ruth Chan, Angela Dominguez, Shannon Hale, Kathryn Otoshi, Dan Santat, Steve Sheinkin, Mariko Tamaki, Susan Tan, and Tillie Walden. Connie speaks to. Theo Baker about her journey to being an editor, how she sees an editor’s role, and what she’s looking for in a manuscript.

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Graphic novelist and children’s book author/illustrator Sara Varon covers the evolution of her art, the challenge of time management, and the insight she gained on the Maurice Sendak Fellowship residency.

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Sara Varon is a graphic novelist and children’s book author/illustrator living in Brooklyn. Her books include Odd Duck, which was selected by Kirkus Reviews as one of the Best Children’s Books of 2013, Bake Sale, which was named a YALSA Great Graphic Novel for 2012, and Robot Dreams, which was on Oprah’s Kids’ Reading List in 2008 and selected by Publishers Weekly as one of the 150 best books of 2008. She was a recipient of the 2013 Maurice Sendak Fellowship and an Eisner nominee in 2014, and currently teaches at the School of Visual Arts in New York. In this interview with Theo Baker, Sara shares about the evolution of her art, her style, and insights she’s gained on the journey.

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Theo Baker’s conversation with award-winning and best-selling author Gail Carson Levine.

Part One: Levine speaks about her journey to writing, and shares about her writing process.

Part Two: Levine tells us about her work-in-progress, revision, how poetry helps, and offers advice to other writers. 

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Gail Carson Levine’s first book for children, Ella Enchanted, was a Newbery Honor Book. Levine’s other books include Ever, a New York Times best seller; Fairest, a Best Book of the Year for Publishers Weekly and School Library Journal, and many others. In this conversation with Theo Baker, Gail shares about her career, her process, and some of the lessons—and techniques—she’s learned along the way.

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