Meet the Author (Reading Rockets)
Kids & Family Podcasts
Reading Rockets' interviews with top children's book authors and illustrators are an excellent way to introduce students to those who create books kids know and love. Not just for children, these interviews are also enjoyed by parents, teachers, librarians, and other educators who appreciate the value of children's literature and get a kick out of putting a face and voice to the authors and illustrators whose work we enjoy. These interviews are available from ReadingRockets.org in audio and video formats. To see a transcript from these interviews, to find out more about each author, or to watch the full interview, see Reading Rockets' Books & Authors section.
Location:
United States
Description:
Reading Rockets' interviews with top children's book authors and illustrators are an excellent way to introduce students to those who create books kids know and love. Not just for children, these interviews are also enjoyed by parents, teachers, librarians, and other educators who appreciate the value of children's literature and get a kick out of putting a face and voice to the authors and illustrators whose work we enjoy. These interviews are available from ReadingRockets.org in audio and video formats. To see a transcript from these interviews, to find out more about each author, or to watch the full interview, see Reading Rockets' Books & Authors section.
Language:
English
Episodes
Sam McBratney
6/25/2012
Meet Sam McBratney, author of the international best seller Guess How Much I Love You, who has been writing children's books across all genres for more than 30 years.
To view the full version of this and other author interviews, visit us at www.readingrockets.org, a national education service of public television station WETA. Funding is provided by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education.
Duration:00:34:00
Jarrett Krosoczka (The Lunch Lady Series)
1/30/2012
Children's Choice Book Award winner Jarrett Krosoczka (the Lunch Lady series) talks about his very first book (an original Greek myth in the third grade), the inspiration for his books, and why he writes for kids.
To view the full version of this and other author interviews, visit us at www.readingrockets.org, a national education service of public television station WETA. Funding is provided by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education.
Duration:00:34:19
Lois Ehlert (Color Zoo)
10/4/2010
Lois Ehlert's unique children's books, such as Color Zoo, reflect her creative and curious mind. In this exclusive video interview with Reading Rockets, Lois Ehlert discusses her early love for art and how she continually strives to create highly original children's books.
To view the full version of this and other author interviews, visit us at www.readingrockets.org, a national education service of public television station WETA. Funding is provided by a grant from the U.S. Department of...
Duration:00:15:34
Lois Lowry (Number the Stars)
8/30/2010
Lois Lowry is the highly acclaimed author of more than 30 books for young people. Over the years, she has received numerous awards, including two Newbery Medals. Lowry has written such a wide range of books that her body of work cannot be categorized easily. Her genres range from contemporary fiction to historical fiction to fantasy to autobiographical. Her audiences range from elementary school children all the way up to young adults. Some of Lowry's books are light-hearted, but others deal...
Duration:00:17:08
Pam Muñoz Ryan (Esperanza Rising)
8/30/2010
Pam Muñoz Ryan isn't afraid of indomitable women. In fact, she's inspired by them! Just look at her 2000 Pura Belpre Medal winning book, "Esperanza Rising". In this exclusive video interview with Reading Rockets, you'll hear how this author quickly learned the value of a public library and how she's always been surrounded by strong-spirited women, both fictional and real.
To view the full version of this and other author interviews, visit us at www.readingrockets.org, a national education...
Duration:00:08:33
Bruce Degen (Magic School Bus)
8/30/2010
If a picture can speak a thousand words, Bruce Degen's illustrations can spark a thousand smiles. From sixth-grade, this illustrator of the wildly popular "Magic School Bus" series knew that art would be a big part of his life. In this exclusive video interview with Reading Rockets, Degen talks about his early artistic roots, the inspirational value of fruit, and what it's like to collaborate with author Joanna Cole.
To view the full version of this and other author interviews, visit us at...
Duration:00:09:32
Gail Gibbons (From Seed to Plant)
7/30/2010
Gail Gibbons writes the kind of non-fiction books that young children pore over. In this exclusive video interview with Reading Rockets, Gail Gibbons discusses how she comes up with the idea for her books and the daunting task of explaining complex topics in a few pages.
To view the full version of this and other author interviews, visit us at www.readingrockets.org, a national education service of public television station WETA. Funding is provided by a grant from the U.S. Department of...
Duration:00:13:03
Eve Bunting (Fly Away Home)
7/26/2010
Eve Bunting is a storyteller who can't help but be spellbinding. In this exclusive video interview with Reading Rockets, the ever-charming Eve Bunting shares her literary roots in Ireland, her feelings about coming to a new country, and what it means to write books that "heal the world."
To view the full version of this and other author interviews, visit us at www.readingrockets.org, a national education service of public television station WETA. Funding is provided by a grant from the U.S....
Duration:00:11:33
R.L. Stine (Goosebumps)
6/30/2010
The author of the Goosebumps series writes books that creep kids out, and boy do they love it! More than 220 million of his books have sold worldwide, a Guinness World Record. Watch this exclusive video interview with Reading Rockets and meet the scarily creative, always funny R.L. Stine.
To view the full version of this and other author interviews, visit us at www.readingrockets.org, a national education service of public television station WETA. Funding is provided by a grant from the...
Duration:00:06:32
Jack Prelutsky (It's Raining Pigs & Noodles)
5/31/2010
Jack Prelutsky likes nothing better than to make people laugh. Lucky for us! His off-kilter poems and wacky rhymes can't help but put a smile on everyone's lips. This exclusive video interview with Reading Rockets will help you understand why this writer once thought poetry was hazardous to his health.
To view the full version of this and other author interviews, visit us at www.readingrockets.org, a national education service of public television station WETA. Funding is provided by a...
Duration:00:15:19
Bryan Collier
11/3/2009
Award-winning illustrator Bryan Collier began creating art at the age of 15. Using his signature style, a vibrant mix of watercolor and collage, he brings stories to life. He's already lent his talents to such books as Visiting Langston, Rosa, and his own book, Uptown. Reading Rockets sat down with the artist for an exclusive interview.
For more author interviews, visit us at www.readingrockets.org, a national education service of public television station WETA. Funding is provided by a...
Duration:00:31:47
Henry Cole (Victor Vito)
11/3/2009
Henry Cole was once a beloved teacher, so much so that decades after he left teaching to pursue an illustrating career, a parent working for Reading Rockets fondly recalled Henry Cole's influence on his own, now-grown children. In this exclusive video interview with Reading Rockets, Henry Cole talks about his teaching background, describes the book illustration process, and sketches a new canine character.
For more author interviews, visit us at www.readingrockets.org, a national education...
Duration:00:31:47
Laurie Halse Anderson (Chains)
11/3/2009
Laurie Halse Anderson struggled with learning to read. Once she cracked the code, she became a voracious reader. And then discovered writing - leading to numerous picture books, middle-grade titles and award-winning teen and historical fiction, including National Book Award finalist, Speak, and National Book Award finalist, Chains.
For more author interviews, visit us at www.readingrockets.org, a national education service of public television station WETA. Funding is provided by a grant...
Duration:00:43:26
Mem Fox (Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes)
2/17/2009
Mem Fox is Australia's best-known children's book author. Her books are tremendously popular in the U.S. as well, and she has traveled widely as a writer, teacher, and passionate proponent of reading aloud to children.
For more author interviews, visit us at www.readingrockets.org, a national education service of public television station WETA. Funding is provided by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education.
Duration:00:31:47
Marc Brown (Arthur)
7/21/2008
Marc Brown is the author and illustrator of Arthur, everyone's favorite aardvark. In this exclusive video interview with Reading Rockets, Marc Brown chats about his childhood, the Arthur television shows on PBS, and his friendship with the late Mr. Rogers.
For more author interviews, visit us at www.readingrockets.org, a national education service of public television station WETA. Funding is provided by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education.
Duration:00:08:15
Avi (Crispin- The Cross of Lead)
6/23/2008
Avi is the 2003 Newbery Medal award winning author of "Crispin- A Cross of Lead", and widely acclaimed for his works of historical fiction for middle grade readers. In this exclusive video interview with Reading Rockets, Avi talks about the challenges of writing, his years as a librarian, and his symptoms of dyslexia.
For more author interviews, visit us at www.readingrockets.org, a national education service of public television station WETA. Funding is provided by a grant from the U.S....
Duration:00:13:20
George Ancona (Bario: José's Neighborhood)
5/27/2008
In 2002, George Ancona received the Washington Post-Children's Book Guild Nonfiction Award for work that "has contributed significantly to the quality of nonfiction for children." In this exclusive video interview with Reading Rockets, George Ancona talks about his photo-illustrated books and how he uses photography to offer insight into the everyday lives of children from different cultures.
For more author interviews, visit us at www.readingrockets.org, a national education service of...
Duration:00:14:10
David Adler (Cam Jansen Series)
5/19/2008
"Blink your eyes and say click!" Cam Jansen, David Adler's heroine with a photographic memory, has captured the imagination of millions of readers. The prolific Alder has also written several picture book biographies for children, bringing historical figures to literary life. In this exclusive video interview with Reading Rockets, David Adler discusses the "Supermarket Room" of his teaching career, simple math methods, and the reason why Benjamin Franklin never wore a wig.
For more author...
Duration:00:09:04
Janet Wong (You Have to Write)
5/9/2008
Janet Wong's career switch was so dramatic that she was featured on a segment of The Oprah Winfrey Show. When Wong left her job as Director of Labor Relations at Universal Studios in Hollywood, she dreamed of becoming a children's book author. Over the next two years, she took a writing class, submitted manuscripts, and piled up more than two dozen rejection letters. Through a combination of practice, persistence, and talent, Janet Wong quickly became a successful writer of poetry and...
Duration:00:19:22
Betsy Lewin (Click, Clack, Moo)
5/6/2008
Betsy Lewin, the illustrator of Click Clack Moo, takes a playful approach to her work. In this exclusive video interview with Reading Rockets, Betsy Lewin discusses her career goals as a child and the inspiration she gets from exotic trips abroad.
For more author interviews, visit us at www.readingrockets.org, a national education service of public television station WETA. Funding is provided by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education.
Duration:00:10:44