Author Interviews – Page 17

Brontë: An Interview with Author and Illustrator Manuela Santoni

Brontë, Manuela Santoni’s graphic telling of the lives of Emily, Charlotte, and Anne Brontë, arrived in the United States earlier this month. This sweeping work of graphic biography, originally published in Italy and translated by Matteo Benassi, explores the sisters’ tumultuous family and literary awakenings. To celebrate the occasion of its stateside release, the Lerner Blog asked Santoni about bringing the Brontës to life.

Author Interviews

How To Build an Insect: An Interview with Author Roberta Gibson

See what the buzz is about in this fresh, fun look at insect anatomy. In the pages of How to Build an Insect, you’ll find a workshop filled with everything you need, including a head, a thorax, an abdomen, and much more. This wonderfully original take on insect anatomy sparks curiosity and engages even those who didn’t think they liked creepy, crawly things!

Read on to discover author and entomologist Roberta Gibson’s first literary favorites and how she began to write picture books.

Author Interviews

The Spy Who Raised Me: An Interview with Author Ted Anderson

The Spy Who Raised Me by Ted Anderson and illustrated by Gianna Meola is a super-spy adventure and hilarious satire about the demands parents place on children. The story follows teenager Josie Black who can infiltrate any building and move like a martial artist. But no one told her that. When she discovers her mom secretly programmed her to be a special operative, spy family drama breaks out.

Author Ted Anderson joins us today to give us the inside scoop of how he wrote his new graphic novel!

Author Interviews

Beyond: An Interview with Author Miranda Paul

Beyond: Discoveries from the Outer Reaches of Space takes readers on a profound journey beyond our solar system and explores the marvels of interstellar space. A wonder-filled poem and spectacular illustrations explore everything from dwarf planets and black holes to dark matter and brand-new stars.

Today author Miranda Paul joins us to discuss her inspiration for Beyond, the picture book’s unique format, and her favorite celestial body!

Author Interviews

No Way, They Were Gay?: An Interview with Author Lee Wind

History has often ignored men who loved men, women who loved women, and people who lived outside gender boundaries. In No Way, They Were Gay?: Hidden Lives and Secret Loves, author Lee Wind examines primary source letters, poems, and more to rethink the lives and loves of historical figures.

Today Lee joins us to give readers insight into the inspiration and purpose of this fascinating YA nonfiction!

Author Interviews

The Floating Field: Interviews with Scott Riley and KAA Illustration

The Floating Field: How a Group of Thai Boys Built Their Own Soccer Field follows the inspiring true story of Prasit Hemmin and his friends as they find a way to play soccer on Koh Panyee, Thailand. Because their home didn’t have enough open space for them to play on, the teen boys could play only twice a month when the tide was low enough for a sandbar to serve as a field.

Inspired by the 1986 World Cup, Prasit and his friends built their own floating soccer field, unlike any other playing surface in the world. Their field’s quirks prompted some unusual rules—anyone who kicked the ball out of bounds had to jump into the ocean to retrieve it—but they also helped the players develop exceptional footwork. This celebration of ingenuity and determination is perfect for fans of stories about sports, beating seemingly impossible odds, and places and cultures not often shown in picture books.

Debut author Scott Riley and illustrators Nguyen Quang and Kim Lien join us to day to answer some questions about their inspiration and creative process!

Author Interviews

Classified: an Interview with Author Traci Sorell

In Classified: The Secret Career of Mary Golda Ross, Cherokee Aerospace Engineer, Cherokee author Traci Sorell and Métis illustrator Natasha Donovan trace Ross’s journey from being the only girl in a high school math class to becoming a teacher. Ross continued onward to earn an engineering degree, join the top-secret Skunk Works division of Lockheed, and become a mentor for Native Americans and young women interested in engineering. Find out how Ross’s passion for math and the Cherokee values she was raised with shaped her life and work.

Today author Traci Sorell shares her experience writing Classified and why the story of Mary Golda Ross is so important.

Author Interviews

Rissy No Kissies: An Interview with Author Katey Howes

A lovebird who doesn’t like kisses? Rissy’s friends and family wonder if she’s sick, confused, or rude. But kisses make Rissy uncomfortable. Can one little lovebird show everyone that there’s no one right way to show you care?

Rissy No Kissies carries the message that “your body and your heart are yours, and you choose how to share.” A note at the end provides further information for kids, parents, and educators about body autonomy, consent, and different ways to show affection.

Today author Katey Howes joins us to discuss her inspiration, creative choices, and why it’s important to introduce consent to young readers.

Author Interviews

The Secret Life of Kitty Granger: An Interview with Author G. D. Falksen

The Secret Life of Kitty Granger is a suspenseful thriller and a nuanced portrayal of neurodivergence set in 1967 London. Sixteen-year-old Kitty Granger hates noise and crowds, tends to fixate on patterns, and often feels acutely aware of her surroundings even as she struggles to interpret the behavior of people around her. When Kitty’s keen observation and quick thinking help her survive a dangerous encounter, two secret agents working for Her Majesty’s government offer her a job in their espionage operation. On her very first mission, she must foil a fascist plot and save the country!

Today author G.D. Falksen discusses his writing process, research strategies, and creative life.