Author Interviews – Page 6

The Gender Binary Is a Big Lie: Author Interview with Lee Wind

Undertake a journey to examine gender identity and representation throughout history in The Gender Binary Is a Big Lie: Infinite Identities around the World by Lee Wind. The idea that all humans fall into one of two gender categories is largely a construct created by those who benefit from that belief. Historical evidence and primary sources reveal the infinite variety and beauty of everyone’s gender.

Today author Lee Wind join’s us to reveal why he wrote this book, why it’s important, and stories yet to be told. Read on to download a free educator guide!

Author Interviews

Eyes Open: An Interview with Author Lyn Miller-Lachmann

Thoroughly researched and resonant with our own times, Eyes Open is a historical novel in verse which follows on young woman’s coming of age during the Salazar dictatorship in 1960s Portugal. Sónia’s comfortable middle-class life is upended when her boyfriend is arrested for anti-government activities and her family’s restaurant is closed for its association with “undesirable” artists. Sónia is forced to leave school and take a low-paying job at a hotel laundry to support her family. There, she bonds with her coworkers and joins efforts to improve working conditions.

Today author Lyn Miller-Lachmann shares how she first came to learn about Portugal’s history, how her translation work influenced her poetry, and more. Photos are from Lyn’s travels in Portugal during April of 2024. Read on to download a free teaching guide!

Author Interviews

Touch the Sky: An Interview with Author Stephanie V.W. Lucianovic

Learning to pump on the swings is a rite of passage for many young children. In Touch the Sky Vern longs to be one of the kids who swoop until their toes touch the sky. A chance encounter with precocious (and hilarious) Gretchen gives him just what he needs to know, and he finally learns to soar. Hilarious and heartfelt, this story is for every child on the cusp of learning something new and just needs that extra push to get there.

Today author Stephanie V. W. Lucianovic joins us to discuss her own experiences learning how to pump, the song stuck in her head as she wrote this charming picture book, and more! Read on to download the free educator guide!

Author Interviews

Hotelitor: An Interview with Author and Illustrator Josh Hicks

Welcome aboard Hotelitor: Luxury-Class Defense and Hospitality Unit. This is the finest hospitality craft in its colony, equipped with jet feet, a hyperspace engine, and single, double, and adjoining rooms. When an alien attack strands the craft in deep space, 18-year-old intern Anna Greene must save its guests from chaos!

Today comics extraordinaire Josh Hicks joins us to share his inspiration for this wacky premise, his artistic process, and some work-in-progress sketches. Read on to watch the official book trailer!

Author Interviews

Wildfire: An Interview with Authors Ferin Davis Anderson and Stephanie Sammartino McPherson

Wildfire is a natural process that takes place in forests and grasslands all over the world. Although commonly seen as destructive and deadly, fire is a necessary part of ecosystems; they refresh the land and allow for new plant growth. Wildfire: The Culture, Science, and Future of Fire examines how Indigenous people, farmers, and forestry departments have used fire to manage resources and how climate change is impacting the future of fire.

Today authors Ferin David Anderson and Stephanie Sammartino McPherson join us on the Lerner blog to discuss the initial inspiration behind the book, the collaboration process, and more. Read on to find a free downloadable discussion guide!

Author Interviews

The Lost Forest: An Interview with Author Jennifer Swanson

After local fishers noticed a large swarm of fish in an unlikely area in the Gulf of Mexico, a team of divers found the remains of a forest deep beneath the waves. The ancient trees had been undisturbed for more than fifty thousand years before finally being uncovered by Hurricane Ivan in 2004. The Lost Forest: An Unexpected Discovery beneath the Waves by Jennifer Swanson takes readers on a deep dive with the scientists exploring the sunken cypress forest.

Today Jennifer Swanson joins us to discuss what drew her to this story, her hopes for young readers, and more. Read on to watch the official book trailer!

Author Interviews

Just Another Story: An Interview with Author and Illustrator Ernesto Saade

Thousands migrate every year in search of a better life. Just Another Story: a Graphic Migration Account goes beyond headlines or statistics to provide a powerful individual account of this journey. When Carlos was nineteen, his mother decided to leave her life in El Salvador. Refusing to let her go without him, Carlos joined her journey north. Together they experienced the risks countless people face as they migrate.

Comic author and artist Ernesto Saade tells his cousin’s story with the nuance and human emotion every person deserves. Today he joins us to share how he entered the comic industry, his favorite artists, and what inspires his work. Read on to find an exclusive excerpt!

Author Interviews

Cruzita and the Mariacheros: Author Interview with Ashley Granillo

Lighthearted and honest, Cruzita and the Mariacheros explores music, family, heritage, and legacy with a touch of sweetness from delicious treats. Cruzita dreams of becoming a pop star, but for now she has to help out at her family’s struggling bakery, where nothing’s been the same since her beloved great-uncle’s death. And when she’s not rolling uneven tortillas or trying to salvage rock-hard conchas, she has to take mariachi lessons, which she dreads even more—until she and her fellow mariacheros come up with a plan to save her family’s struggling bakery and to let Cruzita shine.

Today author Ashley Granillo joins us to discuss her own musical talents, her relationship with the Spanish language, and her hopes for young readers. Keep reading to download the free discussion guide!

Author Interviews

Mami King: An Interview with Illustrator Kristin Sorra

Ma Mon Luk left China and everything he knew behind to seek his fortune in the Philippines. Desperate to earn a living—and the approval of the parents of the woman he loved—he created a chicken noddle soup he called mami—”ma” for his name and “mi” for noodles. Peddling it as a street vendor, he earned enough money to open his own restaurant and returned to China to find his true love waiting. Mami King: How Ma Mon Luk Found Love, Riches, and the Perfect Bowl of Soup by Jacqueline Chio-Lauri and illustrated by Kristin Sorra tells his story.

Today illustrator Kristin Sorra joins us to share how she created such rich art for this picture book. Read on to find some initial sketches and to download the free activity guide!