Author Interviews – Page 18

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.

Author Interviews

My Ex-Imaginary Friend: An Interview with author Jimmy Matejek-Morris

In the middle-grade novel My Ex-Imaginary Friend, eleven-year old Jack thought he’d outgrown his imaginary friend, George. But when his family hits a crisis, Jack decides that George may hold the key to putting his life back together. Meanwhile, the imaginary George—half-walrus, half-human, all magic—has a problem of his own: with nobody to believe in him, he is slowly disappearing. This humorous and heartrending adventure is about being there for friends in need, believing in yourself as well as others, and redefining what “growing up” looks like.

Today we welcome Jimmy Matejek-Morris, author extraordinaire of My Ex-Imaginary Friend, to answer a few questions. Read on to discover Jimmy’s inspiration for the story, thoughts on imaginary friends, and most challenging moments of writing the novel.

Author Interviews

#MeToo and You: An Interview with Author Halley Bondy

The #MeToo movement has changed the way many people view the world, but how well do tweens understand it? #MeToo and You: Everything You Need to Know about Consent, Boundaries, and More explores the nuances of emotions, comfort, and discomfort in sexually charged and emotionally abusive situations. Tween readers will learn about consent, harassment, abuse, and healthy boundaries in all types of relationships.

Today author Halley Bondy joins us to answer a few questions!

Author Interviews

Bionic Beasts Author Interview with Jolene Gutiérrez

By Carol Hinz, editorial director of Millbrook Press and Carolrhoda Books

I still recall how excited I was when I read Jolene Gutiérrez’s initial idea for the book Bionic Beasts. I don’t often see middle grade nonfiction that brings together engineering and biology in this way. Bionic Beasts highlights the innovation and problem-solving skills people around the globe are using to build prosthetic body parts for animals including a sea turtle, an elephant, and a goose. Jolene was kind enough to answer several questions about her book.

Author Interviews

Creating a Garden : An Interview with Masha d’yans

Your belly is full of tiny creatures! A Garden in Your Belly: Meet the Microbes in Your Gut by Masha D’yans uses striking watercolors and lively text teach kids about the garden of microscopic flora growing inside them, how it keeps them healthy, and how they can help it thrive.

Masha wrote and illustrated A Garden in Your Belly, and today we’ve asked her a few questions about her artistic process.

Author Interviews

Monkey with a Tool Belt: Interview with a Young Fan

by Carol Hinz, Editorial Director of Millbrook Press and Carolrhoda Books

The original Monkey with a Tool Belt book by Chris Monroe came out in 2008, and I don’t think anyone who worked on that first book ever dreamed that twelve years later, we’d be on book #6 in the series and that there would be a show streaming on Netflix!

I certainly never dreamed that in the year 2020, I’d be the mother of a seven-year-old kid who thinks Chico Bon Bon is awesome–or that I’d have the great fortune to work with Chris Monroe as the editor of her newest book, Monkey with a Tool Belt Blasts Off! I thought it would be fun to interview my son and get some of his thoughts on both the new book and the show, so here we go…

Author Interviews

An Interview with Barbara Lowell, Author of “Behind the Bookcase”

By Taylor Elgarten, Kar-Ben

Today we welcome Barbara Lowell to the blog to share her inspiration and hopes for her new picture book Behind the Bookcase: Miep Gies, Anne Frank, and the Hiding Place in which the story of Anne Frank is retold from the unique perspective of her protector, Miep Geis.

Author Interviews

Podcast Interview with Jeff Fleischer, author of Votes of Confidence, 2nd Edition

Listen in as Votes of Confidence author Jeff Fleischer covers what teens, young adults, and voters in need of a civics refresher ought to know about government, politics and elections. From the importance of primaries and mid-term elections to how student council can prepare participants for a life in politics to why teens should care about local politics even if they think they’re not interested, Jeff presents a compelling portrait of politics in everyday life. The book goes in-depth with clear explanations about how our election process actually works, why it matters, and how voters can become involved. Using real-world examples and anecdotes, this book provides readers with thorough, nonpartisan explanations about primaries, the electoral college, checks and balances, polls, fundraising, and more. Updated with statistics and details from the 2018 elections, the revised second edition will prepare the next generation of voters for what is sure to be a fascinating 2020 election cycle.