Alison Formento (@AFormento), author of These Rocks Count (@AlbertWhitman), the newest offering in the These Count nature series illustrated by Sarah Snow, stops by to talk about book hangovers, searching for the pith in every story, and the tension of words moving forward and pictures keeping you hooked. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Five books reviewed in five minutes. - On My Beach by Sara Gillingham, illustrated by Lorena Siminovich - Hop, Hop Bunny by Betty Ann Schwartz and Lynn Seresin, illustrated by Neiko Ng - Polar Bear's Underwear by Tupera Tupera - Hypnotize a Tiger: Poems about just about everything by Calef Brown - A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi (Star Wars Epic Yarns) by Jack and Holman Wang --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Timothy Young (@TimSYoung), author illustrator most recently of The Angry Little Puffin (@SchifferBooks), stops by to talk about creating animations for Pee Wee's playhouse, hiding hundreds of his favorite pictures books into one of his stories, and the amazing way he's connecting with his school visits this year. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Steve Light (@SteveLight), author illustrator most recently of Have You Seen My Monster? (@Candlewick), stops by to talk about incorporating the 20 Motessori shapes into his newest book, turning new mistakes into better drawings, and why every illustrator needs a good fountain pen. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Carter Higgins (@CarterHiggins) and Julie Falatko (@JulieFalatko) join me to talk about our favorite books of 2015 so far in this all new segment of the Let's Get Busy podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Kimberly Willis Holt, author most recently of Dear Hank Williams (@henryholt, @mackidsbooks), stops by to talk about writing letters to her great grandmother, adding little things in the story to say big things, and how sometimes the pieces all come together when you finally sit down to write. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Five books reviewed in five minutes.

- Stanley the Farmer by William Bee

- Spectacular Spots by Susan Stockdale

- Rodeo Red by Maripat Perkins, illustrated by Molly Idle

- P. Zonka Lays an Egg by Julie Paschkis

- Random Body Parts: Gross Anatomy Riddles in Verse by Leslie Bulion, illustrated by Mike Lowery

Joyce Wan (@Wanart), author illustrator most recently of The Whale in My Swimming Pool (@fsgbooks, @mackidsbooks), stops by to talk about cute, chubby, adorable images, creating her first greeting card at age 6, and the Japanese pop culture engrained in her aesthetic.

Michelle Eastman (@meastmanbooks), author of The Legend of Dust Bunnies: A Fairy's Tale, illustrated by Kevin Richter (@KevinRichter), stops by to talk about investing time in building a presence on social media, finding your way in the world of self-publishing, and how connecting kids with books absolutely can make a difference.

Amy Krouse Rosenthal (@missamykr), author most recently of I Wish You More (@ChronicleBooks), illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld (@tlichtenheld), stops by to talk about her love letter to those that she loves, how Amy's a person who likes to make things, and how sometimes "you just have to begin".