Author Interviews – Page 6

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!

Author Interviews

Nature Spy Guide: An Interview with Author Shelley Rotner

With spring on the horizon, children will be exploring the outside world. Encourage close observation and foster connection with nature with Nature Spy Guide by Shelley Rotner. With simple text and photos featuring kids in nature, this book invites children to search for colors, shapes, and more in the world around them.

Today author and photographer Shelley Rotner shares what inspired her to write this book, how she incorporated all five senses, and more! Read on to download the free activity guide.

Author Interviews

The Color of Sound: An Interview with Author Emily Barth Isler

In The Color of Sound violin prodigy Rosie desperately wants the chance to experience a “normal” life and refuses to play her instrument for a summer. Upset, her mother sends her to her grandparents’ house where she meets another girl her age hanging out on the property. The girl is familiar, and Rosie quickly pieces it together: somehow, this girl is her mother, when her mother was twelve. Rosie begins to understand her mother, herself, and her love of music in new ways.

Today author Emily Barth Isler joins us to talk about her inspiration for this middle grade novel, her experience with synesthesia, and more! Read on to download the free discussion guide and watch the official book trailer.