The Children's Book Podcast

Five books reviewed in five minutes.

- Farewell Floppy by Benjamin Chaud

- Black and White by Dahlov Ipcar

- By Mouse & Frog by Deborah Freedman

- A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to School... by Davide Cali and Benjamin Chaud

- Mr. Pants #2: Slacks, Camera, Action! by Scott McCormick, pictures by R. H. Lazzell

Aaron Starmer (@aaronstamer), author of The Whisper (@fsgbooks), the sequel to 2014's The Riverman, stops by to talk about competing narratives, building suspense, and world-building in the fantasy genre.

Paul Czajak (@PCzajak), author of Seaver the Weaver (@MightyPress), which is illustrated by Sean and Ben Hilts (@BrothersHilts), and author of the Monster & Me series, stops by to talk about orb spiders, the slush pile on the shelf, and the problem with connecting with "just one kid".

Sean and Ben Hilts (@BrothersHilts), illustrators of Seaver the Weaver (@MightyPress), written by Paul Czajak (@PCzajak), as well as the critically reviewed The Insomniacs (@PenguinKids), written by Karina Wolf (@wolfandfox), stop by to talk about building visual literacy and art appreciation through picture books, admitting what your collaborator can do better than you (especially when it's your brother), and bringing the rhythm of repetition into the art to accentuate the story.

Tina and Carson Kugler (@tinatheatre and @CarsonKugler), creator of the In Mary's Garden (@HMHkids), stop by to talk about "the witch's house", an artist who worked in found and recycled materials long before upcycling become trendy, and not trying to control the whole process.

Five books reviewed in five minutes.

- Changes: A Child's First Poetry Collection Poems by Charlotte Zolotow, illustrated by Tiphanie Beeke

- The Baseball Player and the Walrus by Ben Loory, illustrated by Alex Latimer

- Ready Rabbit Gets Ready! by Brenna Malony

- Edmund Unravels by Andrew Kolb

- Where Bear? by Sophy Henn

James Kochalka (@GlorkAcademy), creator of the Glorkian Warrior graphic novel series including the newest title, The Glorkian Warrior Eats Adventure Pie (@01FirstSecond), as well as the Johnny Boo and Dragon Puncher graphic novel series (@TopShelfComix), stops by to talk about his term as the Cartoonist Laureate of Vermont, a sentient backpack that shoots lasers, and how "stupid" is not a big deal.

Greg Pizzoli (@GregPizzoli), author illustrator of Tricky Vic: The Impossibly True Story of the Man Who Sold the Eiffel Tower (@PenguinKids) and Templeton Gets His Wish (@DisneyHyperion), stops by to talk about the zine roots of his nonfiction picture book, betraying your character, and talking cons to kids.

Kate Messner (@KateMessner), author of the Ranger in Time series (@Scholastic) and Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt (@ChronicleKids), illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal, stops by to talk about her secret wish of time travel, considering golden retreivers throughout time, the "What else?" that makes the illustrations in her new picture book so outstanding, and connecting authors and classrooms through Skype.

Christian Robinson, illustrator of Last Stop on Market Street (@Penguinkids) by Matt De La Pena, Gaston (@SimonKids) by Kelly DiPucchio, and Josephine (@ChronicleKids) by Patrcia Hruby Howell, stops by to talk about the art of fun, trusting the process, desigining illustrations to bring himself the most joy.