Neurodivergent author and creative-writing instructor, Meg Eden Kuyatt, shares her debut novel geared towards middle-grade readers in Good Different. “So, Good Different is about an autistic girl who wishes she was powerful like a dragon and learns to find her power through writing poems.” Written in verse, the heroine, Selah, is experiencing what many middle-school age children do – finding Read More
Deborah Wiles Remembers ‘Bobby’
Children’s book author, Deborah Wiles, chats with us about her biography picture book, Bobby: A Story of Robert F. Kennedy. Beautifully illustrated by Tatyana Fazlalizadeh, Bobby tells the life story of President John F. Kennedy’s younger brother and covers the assassinations of JFK, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Robert Kennedy himself. “Bobby is really a picture book for all ages. Read More
Children’s author, Rachel Vail, chats with us to discuss her newest book, Sometimes I Grumblesquinch. The story, a companion title to her best-seller,Sometimes I Bombaloo, tells of a girl named Katie who has big, angry feelings towards her little brother, Chuck. As readers engage in the story, they see as Katie grumblesquinches and suppresses her emotions, until she can’t hold Read More
Children’s book author, Tui Sutherland, joins us to discuss the latest book in her Wings of Fire series,The Flames of Hope. Named the #1 New York Times best-selling series, Wings of Fire begins with seven dragon kingdoms that are based on the habitats they live in. “There are mud dragons, and sky dragons, and ice dragons, but then in book Read More
I survived the attacks of September 11, 2001 – the graphic novel version of the latest in Lauren Tarshis popular I Survived – series for children. She talks about how it began. “I started writing the series more than ten years ago. And I would say it was shaped by a couple of different forces. One – I had spent Read More
I dream of Popo, a richly illustrated children’s book, shares it’s creators childhood immigrant experiences. It’s author, Livia Blackburn immigrated from Taiwan with her family at age five. The illustrator, Julia Kuo’s family immigrated from Taiwan before she was born, Both of them leaving their culture and extended families behind. “There are a lot of little things in the book, Read More
This episode of Writers’ Voices focuses on government, politics, and activism. In the first half, Monica and Caroline speak with Jeff Foster, Parkland, FL advanced placement government teacher, about his new illustrated guide for young (and old) readers: “For Which We Stand: How Our Government Works and Why It Matters.” This was recorded a week after the 2020 Presidential election, Read More
“My over all goal was to harness the spirit of fun and whimsy and a kind of madcap adventure, and have that spirit infuse my novel.” Giggle and laugh along with Writers Voices as we talk with Rajani LaRossi about her new novel for children – Midsummer’s Mayhem. “She ( the main character) thinks of everything in terms of food… Read More
Tyler Knott Gregson and Sarah Linden
“The first year that I did it I remember kind of thinking ‘What did I get myself into?’ ’cause every night I’d have to come up with a mission for the next morning.” Sarah Linden joins Writers voices to talk about the creation of – North Pole Ninjas – Mission Christmas, along with her co-author poet Tyler Knott Gregson. “I Read More
Marie Unanue talks with Monica and Caroline about her new children’s book – The Adventures of Phatty & Payaso, Central Park. “Characterlab.org (has) researched children.. they have come up with the character skills that are missing in today’s children…Empathy is such a hard skill to teach, because you have to ask the child to be able to put themselves in Read More
“I wrote it and it was the truest truth I could write” Writer’s Voices spends a delightful hour with the author of – Almost Paradise. A novel for young and old. “Something about the words on the page coming out of your deepest places perfect. I don’t know how it works.”The important thing is to sit down and know what Read More
Laura Schroff is the co-author, along with Alex Tresniowski ,of the #1 New York Times bestseller, “An Invisible Thread,” based on Laura’s own story of how she befriended Maurice, a boy she met panhandling on the street. Tune into this interview to hear the remarkable tale of serendipity that resulted in both that first book, and this version for Read More
Sharelle Byars Moranville, the award-winning versatile author of fiction for all ages, has had her recent book, “The Hop”, published by Disney/Hyperion. The book chronicles the intertwined stories of Tad, a small toad trying to save his home, and Taylor, a girl determined to stop her grandmother’s pond from being turned into a strip mall as their quests take many Read More
Jeanette Hopkins-Wendy Cavanaugh
Cheryl Fusco Johnson speaks with three Iowan children’s books creators on this week’s Writers’ Voices. First, conversations with the writer and illustrator of “The Juggler”(published by Ice Cube Press). “The Juggler” follows the wiry and tan young farmer, who desperately wants to be a great juggler. Children’s author and educator, Jeanette Hopkins provided the words, with artist Stormy Mochal providing Read More
Cheryl Fusco Johnson welcomes children’s author Dori Butler and her publicist Michelle Bayuk. Dori is the author of many children’s books and stories. Her book “The Buddy Files: Case of the Lost Boy” won the 2011 Edgar Award. Dori has been “ghostwriter” for ten Sweet Valley Twins and Boxcar Children books. With 20 years experience in children’s publishing, Michelle F. Read More
2011 saw two children’s books released by Iowa author Wendy Henrichs. “I Am Tama, Lucky Cat” (Peachtree) retells the 17th-century Japanese legend behind the beckoning cat figurines commonly displayed in Japanese shops and restaurants, with pictures by award-winning illustrator Yoshiko Jaeggi. “When Anju Loved Being an Elephant” (Sleeping Bear Press), illustrated by accomplished artist John Butler, reveals how a lonely Read More
On this Writers’ Voices, Cheryl Fusco Johnson visits with children’s book illustrator, Jeni Reeves. Jeni has been illustrating children’s picture books, since 1998, for the Lerner Publishing Group. Her work ranging from American biography and history to world culture and folklore, She recently began illustrating for a new series, ‘History Speaks’ which dramatizes important events in U. S. history. Jeni Read More
Children’s book author, Kathy Brodsky, makes a visit to Writers’ Voices. “The Winner Is…”, her most recent book, tells the humorous story of a dog who tries to be someone else in order to win a contest. Her other books include,“My Bent Tree”, “The Inside Story”, “Just Sniffing Around” and “Purrsnikitty”. Having worked as a psychotherapist for almost 40 years, Read More
This Writers’ Voices features Cheryl Fusco Johnson speaking with children’s book author Jacqueline Briggs Martin. Jacqueline’s most recent book is “The Chiru of High Tibet”. The book tells the true story of how a scientist and four mountain men set out to save the antelope-like creature called the chiru. Chirus are sought for their incredibly soft wool, however they can Read More
On this Writers’ Voices, Cheryl Fusco Johnson talks with children’s book author, Rebecca Janni. Rebecca recently sold four books, despite having four young children at home. Dutton Children’s Books released her first picture book, “Every Cowgirl Needs a Horse”, in 2010 and has purchased two sequels, including “Every Cowgirl Needs Dancing Boots”, slated for publication in June 2011. Another slated Read More
Frances Kennedy speaks with us about her award winning childrens’ book, The Pickle Patch Bathtub. Iowa’s first lady Christy Vilsack selected this book to be given to each of Iowa’s 42,000 kindergartners in 2006. Christy was then delighted to find out as she toured the state, that this book also struck a chord with Iowa’s senior citizens. The Pickle Patch Read More