Author and Illustrator Spotlight

The Power of Her Paintbrush: An Interview with Author Janice Hechter

Theresa Bernstein started drawing at seven and honed her talent at the Philadelphia School of Design. In New York, she challenged societal norms and painted real-life women at a time when female artists were largely ignored. The Power of Her Paintbrush tells the story of how Theresa overcame sexism and discrimination to leave a lasting […]Read more

Beyond Seven Forests: An Interview with Author Amanda McCrina

Beyond Seven Forests is a survival story in more than one sense. In the winter of 1916 a blizzard traps eighteen-year-old Polish countess Renata in her home with two Polish deserters from the Russian army. Together they must not only survive but grapple with wartime scars. This young adult historical novel is both a page-turning […]Read more

Choir Grrrl: An Interview with Author Ashley Granillo

Sing it loud, sing it proud! In Choir Grrrl, thirteen-year-old Alondra was born into a musical family; her dad, former frontman of an alt-rock band, has taught her and her sisters to follow in his footsteps. Despite secretly liking quieter music, Alondra is committed to the band she and her sisters have formed. But when […]Read more

Rules for Liars: An Interview with Author Debra Garfinkle

Rebecca is overwhelmed by the pressure of preparing for her bat mitzvah while grieving the loss of her mother and dealing with growing insecurity. Her friendship with Hailey is fraying, leaving Rebecca to find comfort in her dog, Meatball. Meanwhile, Nikki’s family has lost their home, forcing them to move into a smaller, less glamorous […]Read more

A Home on the Page: An Interview with Author Kao Kalia Yang

Award-winning author Kao Kalia Yang and dynamic illustrator Seo Kim team up once more to create the heartfelt picture book A Home on the Page. In this story, young Nou finds the hateful message “Asians Go Home” spray-painted outside on her family’s mailbox. She starts to wonder where home truly is. Family members share how […]Read more

Revolutions Are Made of Love: An Interview with Authors Mélina Mangal and Sun Yung Shin

Revolutions are made out of love for people and for place. This was a core belief of activists and married couple James Boggs and Grace Lee Boggs. In the new picture book biography, Revolutions Are Made of Love: The Story of James Boggs and Grace Lee Boggs, inspiring poems and bold art introduce young readers to […]Read more

Author Interviews

Lullabies for the Insomniacs: An Interview with Author Ella Grace Foutz

In Lullabies for the Insomniacs: A Memoir in Verse, Ella Grace Foutz weaves an intimate and gripping chronicle of her experience with mental illness. Amidst the turbulence of manic and depressive episodes, often accompanied by insomnia, she relentlessly pursues stability and self-understanding. Balancing poignancy with moments of levity, Foutz invites the reader along for her […]Read more

Author Interviews

The Writing Room: An Interview with Author Marcia Argueta Mickelson

The Writing Room is a slice-of-life coming-of-age story that gracefully addresses larger themes of immigration, economic disparity, and familial struggles. Immediately after high school graduation, eighteen-year-old Maya is kicked out of her wealthy dad’s NYC home. She struggles to find her footing until she gets access to a “writing room,” a shared workspace where she […]Read more

Returning the Sword: An Interview with Author Caren Stelson

Returning the Sword: How a Japanese Sword of War Became a Symbol of Friendship and Peace is a powerful true story of cross-cultural friendship and reconciliation. Minnesota soldier Orval Amdahl served in World War II, arriving in Nagasaki, Japan, in the autumn of 1945 to keep the peace in the aftermath of the atomic bombing […]Read more

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