Worth Noting

Jennifer Gray Olson (@jgrayolson), author and illustrator of Ninja Bunny, published by Alfred A. Knopf (@AAKnopf), stops by to talk about abounding confidence, her mental commute to work, and how one day ninja bunny just sort of showed up in her sketchbook.

Adam Rex (@MrAdamRex), author and illustrator of Smek for President, published by Disney Hyperion (@DisneyHyperion) and sequel to the best-selling The True Meaning of Smek Day, stops by to talk about writing as he goes, his massive project for which no one was paying him and no one knew about, and the standard of bad kickball playing.

Five exceptional graphic novels reviewed.

- Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales #5: The Underground Abductor by Nathan Hale (Amulet Books)

- Fable Comics edited by Chris Duffy (First Second)

- Dragons Beware! written by Jorge Aguirre, art by Rafael Rosado  (First Second)

- Sunny Side Up by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm (Scholastic Graphix)

- The Last of the Sandwalkers by Jay Hosler (First Second)

Russ Cox (@smilingotis), author and illustrator of Faraway Friends, published by Sky Pony Press (@skyhorsepub), stops by to talk about playing outside, always learning, and knowing when "it's just not the right person for me."

Marcus Ewert (@MarcusEwert) and Lisa Brown (@lisabrowndraws), author and illustrator of Mummy Cat, published by Clarion Books (@HMHKids), stop by to talk about writing with ideograms, how Yale is a good word for capricorns, and doing something you aren't supposed to do.

Five books reviewed in five minutes.

- Welcome to the Neighborwood by Shawn Sheehy (Candlewick Press)

- The Cow Tripped Over the Moon: a nursery rhyme emergency by Jeane Willis, illustrated by joel Stewart (Candlewick Press)

- Nuts in Space by Elys Dolan (Nosy Crow)

- Hungry Roscoe by David J. Plant (Flying Eye Books)

- Marilyn's Monster by Michelle Knudsen, illustrated by Matt Phelan (Candlewick Press)

Jory John (@joryjohn), author most recently of I Will Chomp You!, illustrated by Bob Shea (@bobshea) and published by Random House (@randomhousekids), stops by to talk about solving problems in a really nice way, complimentary characters, and stop sign food.

Louise Borden (@LouiseBorden), author most recently of Kindergarten Luck, illustrated by Genevieve Godbout and published by Chronicle Books (@ChronicleBooks), stops by to talk about the sounds of words, writers as witnesses to a historical event, and the great things going on at Nerd Camp.

Five books reviewed in five minutes.

- The Fly by Petr Horacek

- Sophie's Animal Parade by Amy Dixon, illustrated by Katia Wish

- Sock Monkey Takes a Bath by Cece Bell

- The Big Princess by Taro Miura

- Migloo's Day by William Bee

Kody Keplinger (@Kody_Keplinger), author most recently of Lying Out Loud, published by Scholastic Press (@Scholastic), stops by to talk about being a cautious pessimest, the difference between writing responsibly and writing honestly, and the universal feeling of insecurity.