Mike Lowery, author-illustrator of The Pursuit of the Pesky Pizza Pirate!, the newest in his Doodle Adventures series, stops by the podcast to talk about reaching the reluctant artist, writing a book that a kid can co-author, and food jokes... lots and lots of food jokes.

Jake Parker (@mrjakeparker), author-illustrator of Little Bot and Sparrow, stops by the podcast to talk about the transition to when you're not needed anymore, developing positive drawing habits, and being dragged into writing for children.

Elise Parsley (@eliseparsley), illustrator of The Magic Word, a new picture book written by Mac Barnett, stops by the podcast to talk about what you can learn about a person from the stuff they keep around them, making illustrations for kids to go back and study, and the basic desire of wanting a cookie.

Mac Barnett (@macbarnett) and Adam Rex (@MrAdamRex), author and illustrator of How This Book Was Made, stop by the podcast to talk about Mac's interest in form and the picture book as a live performance, as well as the value Adam sees in taking time to make distance from your work in progress in order to reach a final illustration that feels, to the reader, inevitable.

Danielle Smith (@the1stdaughter), literary agent at Red Fox Literary, stops by the podcast to talk about asking "what's important to you?", knowing not everybody works well with everybody, and wearing her heart on her sleeve.

Brendan Wenzel (@BRENDAN_WENZEL), author-illustrator of They All Saw A Cat, stops by the podcast to talk about expressing perception, building in a lot of questions, and aspiring to create a book that children could use as a diving off point.

Jenni Holm (@jenniholm), author most recently of Full of Beans and perhaps most widely known for the Babymouse graphic novel series, stops by the podcast to talk about learning about things slowly, listening to radio archives, and that point when she became enthusiastic over reading.

Rich Wallace (@RWallaceBooks) and Sandra Neil Wallace (@SandraNWallace), authors of Blood Brother: Jonathan Daniels and His Sacrifice for Civil Rights, stop by the podcast to talk about breaking through to the humanity in all of us, the hope that there will always be people who help, and how one person can change history.

Mrs. P (@MrsPstorytime), founder of Mrs. P's Magic Storytime, stops by the podcast to talk about her annual "Be A Famous Writer' contest, the first rule of comedy, and how the need to be perfect stops us from writing.

Kelly DiPucchio (@kellydipucchio) and Greg Pizzoli (@gregpizzoli), author and illustrator of Dragon Was Terrible, stop by the podcast to talk about making kids livid while reading aloud, a story beginning to tell itself, and being surprised by the voice that comes out while writing a first draft.