The Yarn

By Travis Jonker and Colby SharpEducation Arts Books

The Yarn episodes

May 31 #262 Nancy Hudgins - BOOKS GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU Unraveled
In this episode, author Nancy Hudgins takes us behind the scenes of her nonfiction debut, BOOKS GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU: The Storied Life of Ursula Nordstrom, Editor of Extraordinary Children's Books.
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19 min
May 24 #261 N. West Moss - BIRDY Unraveled
In this episode, author N. West Moss takes us behind the scenes of her debut middle grade novel BIRDY
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Join thousands of children's lit supporters reading Colby's weekly dispatches from the classroom.

Subscribe to 100 Scope Notes on Substack
A bi-weekly deep dive into the world of picture books, delivered to your inbox.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

24 min
April 26 #260 Philip Stead - A POTION, A POWDER, A LITTLE BIT OF MAGIC Unraveled
In this episode, author/illustrator Philip Stead takes us behind the scenes of his first middle grade novel, A POTION, A POWDER, A LITTLE BIT OF MAGIC.
39 min
April 13 #259 Dan Santat - SASHIMI Unraveled
In this episode, Caldecott Medal winning author/illustrator Dan Santat takes us behind the scenes of his graphic novel series, SASHIMI.
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Join thousands of children's lit supporters reading Colby's weekly dispatches from the classroom.

Subscribe to 100 Scope Notes on Substack
A bi-weekly deep dive into the world of picture books, delivered to your inbox.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

36 min
March 22 #258 Sara Pennypacker - THE LIONS' RUN Unraveled
In this episode, bestselling author Sara Pennypacker takes us behind the scenes of her latest historical fiction novel, THE LION'S RUN.
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Join thousands of children's lit supporters reading Colby's weekly dispatches from the classroom.

Subscribe to 100 Scope Notes on Substack
A bi-weekly deep dive into the world of picture books, delivered to your inbox.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

20 min
March 07 #257 Jasmine Warga - THE UNLIKELY TALE OF CHASE AND FINNEGAN Unraveled
In this episode, Newbery Honor-winning author Jasmine Warga takes us behind the scenes of her latest middle grade novel, THE UNLIKELY TALE OF CHASE AND FINNEGAN.
20 min
February 25 #256 THE INVENTION OF HUGO CABRET - A Fuse 8 n' Kate Crossover Episode!
Welcome to a special crossover episode with Fuse 8 n' Kate! For their 400th episode, Betsy and Kate invited Colby Sharp and Travis Jonker to debate the longest Caldecott Medal book of all time: THE INVENTION OF HUGO CABRET. Is it a classic? Is it a picture book? The group ponders these big questions.
42 min
February 07 #255 Elisha Cooper - THE RARE BIRD Unraveled
In this episode, Caldecott Honor winning artist Elisha Cooper takes us behind the scenes of his latest picture book, THE RARE BIRD.
28 min
January 17 #254 Kelly Yang - StoryKind
In this episode, author Kelly Yang takes us behind the scenes of her new podcast with Kate DiCamillo: StoryKind.
18 min
January 02 #253 Colby & Travis - 2026 Preview
In this episode, Colby and Travis look ahead to the new year in children's books.
30 min

About The Yarn

From the publisher's feed

The Yarn takes listeners behind the scenes of children's literature. Each episode features an author or illustrator talking about how they create books for young readers.