Storyland Podcast

嘉宾 | Guest：

Antoinette Portis is an award-winning American author and illustrator of picture books. Her debut title Not a Box became a contemporary classic, followed by Not a Stick, Wait, A New Green Day, Hey, Water! and others.

Her work is celebrated for its elegant minimalism, visual wit, and a profound respect for children’s creativity and perception. Before becoming a full-time author-illustrator, she worked as a creative director at Disney. Portis's books invite readers to rediscover the extraordinary hidden within the ordinary.

01:56 — Staying Connected to the Inner Child
Portis shares how curiosity and noticing small things fuel her creativity.

03:48 — Why Structure Matters in Picture Books
She explains how structure creates page-turn magic and supports imagination.

06:43 — Early Creative Memories
Childhood moments that shaped her as an artist and maker.

09:30 — Encouragement vs. Discouragement
How adults influence a child’s sense of creative identity.

13:09 — The Making of Not a Box
The writing class insight that transformed her approach: honesty over cleverness.

14:32 — Sparks Behind Hey, Water! and Other Books
How observing shapes in nature became a foundation for new ideas.

16:54 — Children’s Emotions Are as Complex as Adults’
Portis discusses how picture books should honor children’s inner lives.

19:10 — Powerlessness & the Story Behind Wait
A real-life moment becomes the seed for a book about noticing.

23:34 — Creative Blocks & Letting Ideas Breathe
Why not every idea opens up right away—and that’s okay.

24:14 — Longing as a Creative Force
The emotional core behind A Penguin Storyand her process of 87 drafts.

29:31 — When a Book Feels Like Wrestling an Alligator
Portis reflects on creative struggle and persistence.

35:31 — Advice for Young Creators
The episode ends with encouragement for kids and aspiring storytellers.

你可以在这里找到我们 | Where to Find Storyland：

https://storyland.education/

wechat: Storyland童书研究所（ID:STORYLIVING)

【本期嘉宾】

李卓颖，童书与绘本创作者，毕业于广州美术学院，后赴荷兰圣优斯特艺术学院攻读动画硕士。她以鲜明的视觉语言、敏锐的儿童观察力与轻松幽默的叙事著称，已创作与绘制三十余本童书，其中《公主怎么挖鼻屎？》获得信谊图画书奖入围奖，并长期位列畅销榜。她的作品常关注孩子真实的情绪与需求，风格温暖、轻盈，却富含深刻的儿童视角。

本期节目主要围绕卓颖的桥梁书《妙奇奇事务所》展开。从绘本到桥梁书，从一只小猫的速写到完整的冒险世界，卓颖在节目中分享了她的创作方法、生活灵感与陪伴孩子成长的初心。她相信：故事好玩，孩子就会愿意读；而理解孩子，故事才会真正动人。

节目时间线

01:03｜新书《妙奇奇事务所》的诞生
从小红书上一只小猫的日常速写，发展成四本世界观完整的桥梁书系列。

02:21｜从绘本到桥梁书：创作形式的挑战
如何从依赖视觉叙事的绘本，转向以文字结构为主的桥梁书写作。

03:56｜世界观与角色设计
狐狸所长、野猫闪闪，以及“妙奇饼耳朵”的设定如何形成一个稳定又有张力的角色网络。

07:36｜反派“咕咕力”的人气与魅力
为什么孩子们都特别喜欢这个“坏得可爱”的角色？

08:44｜“阅读延伸成游戏”
小读者会模仿书中机关、任务，把故事带入自己的现实生活。

09:26｜四本书亮点导览
从暴雨危机、女王演讲、花精美食节到秘密基地，每本书都设计了独立又关联的谜团。

10:53｜创作方法：四本书同时搭结构
用大表格进行世界观、线索、伏笔统一管理，让系列间自然呼应。

15:43｜“爱心回礼”：贯穿系列的温柔主题
灵感来自孩子真实的心愿清单：从丢东西到道歉、交朋友。

18:41｜引导孩子独立思考
哪些问题需要求助？哪些其实能自己解决？故事中的“任务”就是练习。

22:32｜互动阅读的未来可能
有机会让读者“加入故事”，成为角色世界的一部分。

23:21｜灵感来源：自由画画、写生、徒步与生活采集
创作能量来自日常的观察与随手记录。

30:12｜创作初心：为孩子减压，也治疗自己
童书是理解孩子、陪伴孩子，也是在安慰成长过程中的自己。

【关注我们】

音频：喜马拉雅、苹果播客、小宇宙、Spotify

小红书：Storyland故事星球|Ella在童书研究所|徐小创

公共号：Storyland童书研究所（ID： STORYLIVING)|Storyland故事星球

英文官网：https://storyland.education/

嘉宾 | Guest：

Matthew Forsythe

Join us in this in-person conversation with Matthew Forsythe—acclaimed creator of Poko and the Drum, Mina, and Aggie and the Ghost. Known for his cinematic pacing, emotional subtlety, and the stillness of his characters, Matthew talks about how his picture books grow from sketches, memories, and one core emotion—whether courage, anxiety, or the shadows we carry.

In this episode, we explore:
• how he balances introvert–extrovert energies in storytelling
• how animation influences his sense of drama
• the emotional “keywords” behind each book
• the invisible dialogue between reader and creator

...

Whether you’re a parent, educator, or picture-book lover, this episode opens a window into the craft, psychology, and surprising tenderness behind Matthew’s work.

Books mentioned:

Poko and the Drum,

Mina,

Aggie and the Ghost.

你可以在这里找到我们 | Where to Find Storyland：

https://storyland.education/

wechat: Storyland童书研究所（ID:STORYLIVING)

【本期嘉宾】

程翊欣

高级工程师，生态规划与设计师，华东师范大学生态学硕士，九三学社资源环境建设专门委员会委员，上海科普作家协会会员。《儿童时代》专栏作者，译有《鸟类行为图鉴》《生态学通识》等，参与撰写多部科普书籍。

本期节目我们围绕她的新书《沿着海岸线的旅程--鸟类为什么要迁徙？》展开，聊了聊程老师是如何走上观鸟的道路的，家长在日常生活中可以如何带领孩子观察、亲近自然、观鸟需要准备哪些材料、以及这本书中的种种彩蛋等内容。欢迎收听！

【关注我们】

音频：喜马拉雅、苹果播客、小宇宙、Spotify

小红书：Storyland故事星球|Ella在童书研究所|徐小创

公共号：Storyland童书研究所（ID： STORYLIVING)|Storyland故事星球

英文官网：https://storyland.education/

【本期嘉宾】

Helen H. Wu——吴卉婷

她既是绘本作家、插画师、翻译家，也是一位出版人。

Helen生并成长在安徽合肥，后来在美国学习、生活、工作。原本经济专业的她自学插画，最终走向了童书创作和出版的道路。 她的书有一个很鲜明的特点——巧妙融合东西方文化的差异与共通，把中国特色元素做得非常“世界化”，让不同国家、不同文化背景的读者都能产生共鸣和启发。本期内容我们围绕“创作”进行了深度交谈，你不仅能听到Helen创作每本书背后的心路历程，还能听到她给大小朋友们的创作建议，创作、出版之路上需要哪些思维方式和方式方法。欢迎收听！

Helen的代表作：

《和奶奶一起做豆腐》

《神龙学院》

《Ping’s Perfect Pot》

《A Cup of Happy: Capybara Bubble Tea》

《Capybara Zen: A Story and Coloring Book》

【关注我们】

音频：喜马拉雅、苹果播客、小宇宙、Spotify

小红书：Storyland故事星球|Ella在童书研究所|徐小创

公共号：Storyland童书研究所（ID： STORYLIVING)|Storyland故事星球

英文官网：https://storyland.education/

嘉宾 | Guest：

Laura Ljungkvist

In this episode, we enter the visually mesmerizing world of Laura Ljungkvist—illustrator, author, and master of the continuous line.

Best known for her Follow the Line series, Laura talks about how a single line can become a narrative, a rhythm, even a way to make sense of a messy world. From growing up in Sweden and becoming a commercial illustrator in New York to creating books that blend structure and spontaneity, Laura shares how memory, motherhood, and motion all shape her creative process.

Whether you’re a visual thinker, a picture book fan, or simply curious about how artists use design and concept to engage young readers, this episode will spark your imagination—one line at a time.

提到的书 | Books mentioned:

线系列Follow the Line books：

Follow the Line(2006)

Follow the Line through the House(2007)

Follow the Line Around the World(2008)

Follow the Lineto school(2011) 

A LINE CAN BE (2015) BOARD BOOK

你可以在这里找到我们 | Where to Find Storyland：

https://storyland.education/

wechat: Storyland童书研究所（ID:STORYLIVING)

嘉宾 | Guest： 

Charise Mericle Harper

In this episode, we dive into the wonderfully creative world of Charise Mericle Harper—author, illustrator, and all-around imagination expert. With simple shapes and a great sense of humor, Charise shows us how stories come to life, how drawing is really about sharing ideas, not making things perfect, and how limitation sparks her creativity. 

Charise makes all kinds of books: picture books, early readers, graphic novels, chapter books… and she even experiments with embroidery and stop-motion animation. Come hear how she brings it all to life!

Charise's food truck studio in the backyard

提到的书 | Books mentioned:

I Cannot Draw a Horse

I Cannot Draw a Bicycle

你可以在这里找到我们 | Where to Find Storyland：

https://storyland.education/

wechat: Storyland童书研究所（ID:STORYLIVING)

嘉宾 | Guest：

Nadine Kaadan

Nadine is a Syrian-born author and illustrator, best known for her picture books that explore themes of displacement, identity, and resilience, often focusing on the experiences of Syrian refugees. Her works aim to raise awareness about the struggles faced by displaced children and families, while also celebrating their strength and hope.

节目中提到的书 | Books Mentioned：

Tomorrow

The Jasmine Sneeze

The Power of Welcome

A Child Like You

你可以在这里找到我们 | Where to Find Storyland：

https://storyland.education/

wechat: Storyland童书研究所（ID:STORYLIVING)

嘉宾 | Guest：

Jeanne Willis, a very prolific British author, with over 400 books published.

Jeanne's books are known for surprising, humorous twist, thus very unforgetable. Apart from being an author, Jeanne is also a very interesting person, she had her wedding in London Zoo and her studio is like a mini Insect Garden. We had this conversation at her attic which is also her home studio in North London.

01:46 Quick Q&As

06:27 Childhood influence-- how Jeanne began her first book at 5

08:42 Jeanne's souces of inspiration

14:31: Jeanne talk about her favorite picture book Tadpole's Promise

22:01 Jeanne's advice to young parents

25:29 How has being a copywriter influenced Jeanne's writing style?

27:12 How Jeanne's style evoled over the years?

33:33 On Boa's Bad Birthday

35:49 Jeanne's advice on writing

42:12 important things for children

节目中提到的书 | Books Mentioned：

The Bog Baby

Tadpole's Promise

Stardust

Boa's Bad Birthday

你可以在这里找到我们 | Where to Find Storyland：

https://storyland.education/

wechat: Storyland童书研究所（ID:STORYLIVING)

【本期嘉宾】

卢心远：新锐中国原创绘本创作者。她曾经是一名产品设计师和设计策略师，但因为对童书的浓厚兴趣，选择去英国剑桥艺术学院就读儿童图画书插图专业。毕业后，心远成为了一名自由童书创作者。心远荣获过包括博洛尼亚插画展优胜奖等多种奖项。目前，她出版了三本自己写、自己画的绘本，其中《这里，那里》和《虫虫艺术家》已经在中国引进出版；另外一本《潜入深海》也会很快和中国读者见面。性格活泼直率的心远喜欢在创作中不断的探索各种各样的可能性——对她来说，创作有的时候就像玩一样，玩的过程中又会获得许多意想不到的惊喜。让我们从创作出发，透过创作背后的故事，一起走进这位创作者吧！

【本期主播】

Ella：Storyland资深童书研究员，采访了四十多位世界各国的优秀绘本创作者。Storyland中文教育项目【创意故事家】负责人。探索创新教育12年。

3:30， 哪两本童书心远逢人便推荐？

8:33，《虫虫艺术家》是一个怎样的故事？

11:08，《虫虫艺术家》创作灵感来源是什么？

15:56，网纹瓜皮也可以用来创作？

21:07，创作时的错误也可以被利用？

24:45，《虫虫艺术家》其它语言版本是什么样的？

29:26，做书还能改变自己对虫子的态度？

33:26，换个视角，放下人类的自我中心和自大

36:55，心远如何从设计师变成了绘本创作者？

40:00，在剑桥艺术学院学习是一种什么样的体验？

45:51，《这里，那里》是一个怎样的故事？

46:34，《这里，那里》的创作灵感是什么？

56:55，如何通过左右对称设计推动情节发展？

1:02:11，创作时，如何吸引孩子在绘本里寻找细节？

1:05:19，绘本也可也很深刻？

1:08:36，亲子阅读除了贡献时间，还有什么其它意义？

1:11:16，出版一本绘本需要考虑哪些因素？

1:20:40，一位快乐、直率的艺术家拥有怎样的童年？

【本期制作】

Shownotes+音频剪辑+原创BGM：哩哒哩

【关注我们】

音频：喜马拉雅、苹果播客、小宇宙

小红书：Storyland故事星球|Ella在童书研究所|徐小创~Storyland在伦敦

公共号：Storyland童书研究所（ID： STORYLIVING)

英文官网：https://storyland.education/

【采访中提到的书和内页】