Author Interviews – Page 14

A Hot Mess: An Interview with Author Jeff Fleischer

Over the next several years, the world can expect to see some drastic changes thanks to the climate crisis. A Hot Mess: How the Climate Crisis Is Changing Our World by journalist Jeff Fleischer takes an informed, approachable look at how our world will likely change as a result of our actions, including suggestions on what we can still do to slow down these unprecedented effects.

November 15th is National Recycling Day and to prepare for this holiday we’ve invited Jeff Fleischer to answer a few questions. Read on to discover Jeff’s research process, the most impactful moments of the writing process, and his hopes for young readers.

Author Interviews

The Call of Antarctica: An Interview with Author Leilani Raashida Henry

In November 1939, George Gibbs Jr. set out on an expedition to Antarctica aboard the USS Bear and became the first person of African descent to go to Antarctica. Eighty-two years later Leilani Raashida Henry, daughter of this brave explorer, takes readers on a journey to the rugged Antarctic landscape in The Call of Antarctica: Exploring and Protecting Earth’s Coldest Continent. Filled with diary entries from Gibbs’ expedition, she recounts her father’s expedition while educating readers on the incredible geography, biodiversity, and history of the continent.

Today we asked Leilani Raashida Henry a few questions about her experiences writing the book, her research process, and more! Read on to discover why Antarctica is one of the coolest places in the world and why it’s so important to protect this unique wilderness.

Author Interviews

Eighth Grade vs. the Machines: AN Interview WITH AUTHOR Joshua S. Levy

Get ready for a fast-paced, sci-fi adventure in Eighth Grade vs. the Machines! After the entire population of Earth’s solar system is whisked away by alien technology, Jack and his classmates and teachers aboard the PSS 118 are the only humans left. It’s up to them to find and rescue the rest of humanity—if they can avoid the aliens hunting them down, steer clear of a robot civil war, and figure out who among them might be a traitor.

Today Joshua S. Levy, author of the Adventures of the PSS 118 series joins us to answer a few questions. Read on to discover what books inspire his writing, his opinion on space stories, and a brand new book trailer.

Author Interviews

From the Tops of the Trees: An Interview with Author Kao Kalia Yang

Even in the most difficult circumstances there is joy and love. From the Tops of the Trees is a powerful true story of a young girl who has never known life outside the Ban Vinai Refugee Camp. For Kalia and her cousins, life isn’t always easy, but they still find ways to play, racing with chickens and riding a beloved pet dog. When she asks her father if all of the world is a refugee camp, he climbs with her to the top of a tree so she can see the world beyond the fences that confine them. With sensitive prose and evocative illustrations, this beautiful picture book encourages young readers of all ages and circumstances to believe in their dreams.

Award-winning author Kao Kalia Yang joins us today to discuss her inspiration for this story, the special relationship between fathers and daughters, and much more.

Author Interviews

Glorious Wrestling Alliance: An Interview with Cartoonist Josh Hicks

Newly released, the Glorious Wrestling Alliance: Ultimate Championship Edition gathers the best wrestlers in the universe to compete for championship title! The Great Carp, an amphibious wonder, is feeling the weight of his championship. Miranda Fury has donned a mask to smash wrestling’s glass ceiling. And Gravy Train is desperate for a new gimmick, but it’s hard when you’re shaped like a giant gravy boat. This hilarious graphic novel pays homage to the surreal theater of pro wrestling while diving deep into the identities and anxieties of these zany characters.

Today author and cartoonist Josh Hicks shares his favorite comics, the start of Glorious Wrestling Alliance, and why wrestling provides the perfect backdrop for this story. Read on to find a special video and book trailer!

Author Interviews

Just Ash: An Interview with Author Sol Santana

Set in contemporary Salem, Massachusetts, Just Ash is a heartrending but ultimately empowering journey of an intersex boy learning to embrace both his body and his identity. Ash Bishop has never thought much about being intersex. But when he gets his period during soccer practice his friends and teachers start to view him differently, and his own mother thinks he should “try being a girl.” Gradually, Ash realizes that he needs to stand up for who he really is, or the cost of his silence might destroy his life. With Intersex Awareness Day coming on October 26th, this book is the perfect addition to your fall TBR list.

Today we welcome author Sol Santana to talk about the decisions she made while writing, the story’s setting, and her hopes for young adult readers.

Author Interviews

A Peek at Beaks: An Interview with Author Sara Levine and Illustrator Kate Slater

Have you ever seen a bird with a beak like a straw? How about a bird with a beak that looks like a pair of tweezers? Get ready to see these birds and many more in A Peek at Beaks: Tools Birds Use by Sara Levine and illustrated by Kate Slater. Structured as a guessing game, this playful picture book introduces young readers to the science and anatomy of different bird species. Discover how birds’ beaks resemble—and can be used like—tools!

Today author Sara Levine and illustrator Kate Slater join us to share their most surprising moments while creating the book, their hopes for young readers, and much more.

Author Interviews

Where I Belong: an Interview with Marcia Argueta Mickelson

The new YA novel Where I Belong follows Guatemalan American high school senior Millie Vargas as she struggles to balance her family’s needs with her own ambitions. Then Mr. Wheeler, a U.S. Senate candidate and her mother’s employer, mentions Millie’s achievements in a campaign speech about “deserving” immigrants. It doesn’t take long for people to identify Millie’s family and place them at the center of a statewide immigration debate. Millie must confront the complexity of her past, the uncertainty of her future, and her place in the country that she believed was home.

Read on to hear how author Marcia Argueta Mickelson started writing, which authors influence her work, and more! Don’t forget to download the FREE discussion guide.

Author Interviews

AfterMath: An Interview with Emily Barth Isler

In AfterMath, twelve-year-old Lucy is still grieving her little brother, Theo, who recently died from a congenital heart defect. Her parents are so intent on a “fresh start” that she doesn’t know how to talk to them anymore. And the other kids in her grade are survivors of a very different kind of tragedy: a school shooting that devastated their small town four years ago. Without the shared past that both unites and divides her classmates, Lucy feels lost. Even her love of math doesn’t offer the absolute answers she craves. But when an after-school mime class gives her a chance to forge new kinds of connections, Lucy finds that while grief can take many shapes and sadness may feel infinite, love is just as powerful.

Debut author Emily Barth Isler shares her writing journey and the books that inspired her. Read on to find a book trailer, free discussion guide, and so much more!