Worth Noting

Julie Paschkis (@jpaschkis), author illustrator of P. Zonka Lays an Egg, published by Peachtree Publishers (@PeachtreePub), stops by to talk about her sister's egg decorating party, the imprint a special library bag made on her as a young reader, and feeding the creativity in every way possible.

Ovi Nedelcu (@OviOvined), author illustrator of Just Like Daddy, published by POW! Kids Books (@POWkidsbooks), stops by to talk about being a visual storyteller, giving yourself permission to not be in love with the dialogue, and losing arts supplies to the dog and kids.

Steven Malk (@StevenMalk), literary agent at Writers House, stops by to talk about the way every single decision an author makes has a large or small impact on a career, how his clients all believe making a picture book is *the best* thing in the world, and the reverential feeling he experienced meeting authors at his parent's bookstore when he was young.

Maripat Perkins (@MaripatPerkins), author of Rodeo Red (@PeachtreePub), illustrated by Molly Idle (@MollyIdle), stops by to talk about writing "sturdy" girls, respecting the boundaries of your siblings, and reading Chinese folktales in a Western accent.

Leslie Bulion (@LeslieBulion), author of Random Body Parts: Gross Anatomy Riddles in Verse (@PeachtreePub), illustrated by Mike Lowery, stops by to talk about the rhythmic language of science, double dactyls, and determining what is the most obvious for of poetry for each part of the body.

Five books reviewed in five minutes.

- Bird & Diz by Gary Golio; art by Ed Young

- Spots In a Box by Helen Ward

- The Death of the Hat: a Brief History of Poetry in 50 Objects selected by Paul B. Janeczko, illustrated by Chris Raschka

- Orion and the Dark by Emma Yarlett

- Sweep Up the Sun by Helen Frost and Rick Lieder

Rowboat Watkins, debut picture book author illustrator of Rude Cakes (@ChronicleBooks), stops by to talk about trust, avoiding ego as much as possible, and learning how to be a better listener.

Jake Marcionette (@jakemarcionette), author of the Just Jake series (@GrossetPSS), stops by to talk about the newest installment in the Just Jake series, his work as a motivational speaker, and how "a book by a kid, for a kid, and from a kid's perspective" allows him to connect with his readers in a way few can.

Play, Memory is a new podcast started by Julie Sternberg (@SternbergJulie), author of Like Pickle Juice on a Cupcake and The Top-Secret Diary of Celie Valentine series. Julie graciously allowed me to share her debut episode "Secrets within Secrets" with all of you. In her first episode, Julie explores the power of secrets to change us and to inform our actions. Everyone has a secret they're keeping from the world and, most pertinent to the Play, Memory podcast, so does every author. These secrets can reveal the "why" behind our favorite book characters and stories and help us to understand and appreciate them even more deeply. Enjoy the listen!

Miriam B. Schiffer, author of Stella Brings the Family (@ChronicleKids), illustrated by Holly Clifton Brown (@HollyRCB), stops by to talk about knowing your family is enough, the dilemma that occurs when a child doesn't see him or herself in the commonplace, and feeling liberated knowing the illustrations would share in carrying the story.