SCBWI Podcasts

Erin Entrada Kelly has received numerous awards and recognition for her work, including the 2025 Newbery Medal for The First State of Being, 2018 Newbery Medal for Hello, Universe, a 2021 Newbery Honor for We Dream of Space, the 2023 NAIBA Book of the Year Award for Those Kids From Fawn Creek, and 2017 APALA Award for The Land of Forgotten Girls, among many other honors. She is also a National Book Award Finalist and author/illustrator of Marisol Rainey and Felix Powell, stand-alone stories for younger readers. Her books are New York Times bestsellers. Before becoming a children's author, Erin worked as a journalist and magazine editor in her home state of Louisiana. She received numerous awards from the Louisiana Press Association and the Associated Press for community service journalism, feature writing, and editing. She has published more than thirty short stories and has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and the Philippines Free Press Award for Short Fiction. Erin has a bachelor's degree in women's studies and liberal arts from McNeese State University and an MFA in fiction from Rosemont College. She lives in Delaware and teaches in the MFAC program at Hamline University. Support the show

In this episode we are joined by Neal Shusterman! Neal Shusterman is the New York Times bestselling author of more than fifty award-winning books for children, teens, and adults, including Challenger Deep, which won the National Book Award, Courage to Dream, a Sydney Taylor Honor Book, Scythe, a Michael L. Printz Honor Book, the Unwind Dystology, which won more than thirty domestic and international awards, and the highly acclaimed novels, Dry, and Roxy which he co-wrote with his son, Jarrod For his body of work, Neal won the 2024 Margaret A. Edwards Award, and the ALAN Lifetime Achievement Award. His novel, Unwind, has become part of the literary canon in many school districts across the country-and has won more than thirty domestic and international awards. Many of his novels are in development as TV series and movies. Shusterman has also received awards from organizations such as the International Reading Association, and the American Library Association, and has garnered a myriad of state and local awards across the country. His talents range from film directing, to writing music and stage plays, and has even tried his hand at creating games. Shusterman has earned a reputation as a storyteller and dynamic speaker. As a speaker, he is in constant demand at schools and conferences. Degrees in both psychology and drama give him a unique approach to writing, and his novels always deal with topics that appeal to adults as well as teens, weaving true-to-life characters into sensitive and riveting issues, and binding it all together with a unique and entertaining sense of humor. Neal lives in Jacksonville, Florida, but spends much of his time traveling the world speaking, exploring, and signing books for readers. . Visit Neal at www.storyman.com, facebook.com/NealShusterman, and on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter @nealshusterman Purchase his latest book, All Better Now here: https://bookshop.org/a/19191/9781534432758 This episode of the podcast is sponsored by Listen In: conversation & cultivation, a writing program from award-winning authors Elana K. Arnold and Nina LaCour Learn more at ninalacour.com Support the show

In this episode we are joined by Paul O. Zelinsky! Paul O. Zelinsky grew up in Wilmette, Illinois, the son of a mathematics professor father and a medical illustrator mother. He drew compulsively from an early age, but did not know until college that this would be his career. As a Sophomore in Yale College he enrolled in a course on the history and practice of the picture book, co-taught by an English professor and Maurice Sendak. This experience inspired Paul to point himself in the direction of children's books. His first book appeared in 1978, since which time he has become recognized as one of the most inventive and critically successful artists in the field. He now lives with his wife in Brooklyn, New York. They have two grown daughters. Among many other awards and prizes, he received the 1998 Caldecott Medal for his illustrated retelling of Rapunzel, as well as Caldecott Honors for three of his books: Hansel and Gretel (1985), Rumpelstiltskin (1987), and Swamp Angel (1995). In 2018, Paul was given the Carle Honor Award for Illustration. Support the show

In this episode we are joined by Oliver Latsch! Translator and agent Oliver Latsch grew up bilingual in German and English in East Africa and Germany. He trained to be a scientist and had just completed his PhD in Biology in the U.K. when he was asked to help get some best-selling German children’s books published in English. This led to a career as a literary agent and translator. Since then, he has accumulated 17 published book translations both from German to English and vice versa. His translation of Cornelia Funke's The Thief Lord from German into English was shortlisted for the 2003 Mildred L. Batchelder Award for an outstanding translated book and his most recent translations include The Magicians Map by Mikki Lish and Kelly Ngai (into German) , The Silver Tracks (Mirrorworld 4) by Cornelia Funke, Robin Hood and Erik the Red by Tilman Röhrig, and Save Our Freedom: A Wake-Up Call in Digital Times by Bijan Moini (into English). Check out his site here: https://latschlit.wordpress.com/ Support the show

In this episode of the SCBWI Podcast, we are joined by Erin Lee! Erin Lee is an elementary school teacher and artist living in Long Sault, Ontario. She graduated from the University of Ottawa with an Honors degree in Fine Arts, Visual Arts. Erin has published three award-winning children’s books: Benjamin and the Backyard Beast, Out of Season, and Maggie the Magnificent. Erin has written short stories and novels since she was a child. As a young student, she idolized authors such as Robert Munsch, Dr. Suess, and Roald Dahl. Having adventures of her own that she wanted to share, Erin began to write stories herself. Erin's love of literature is what inspired her to become a teacher, so that she could share her passion for reading and always be surrounded by books. Erin currently teaches Kindergarten and though, at times, she feels like Ms. Frizzle with her wild avant-garde lessons, she adores her students and often draws upon memorable classroom moments in her stories. It is also through childhood stories that she addresses important topics, such as bullying, inclusion, and anxiety within the classroom setting. She believes that no matter how subtle or minuscule these issues may manifest within the classroom, ensuring that they do not go unheard is crucial for the growth of a child. https://www.erinleeauthor.com/ Support the show

In this episode of the SCBWI Podcast, we are joined by artist John Parra! John Parra is an award-winning artist, illustrator, author, and educator, best known for his, Latino themed, children’s picture books. His work on, Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos, was named a New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Book of the Year. His MTA artcard poster, Birdhouse Subways, was displayed throughout NYC subways and his art was seen on six U.S. Forever Postage Stamps titled: Delicioso. He regularly speaks as a visiting artist at schools and literary conferences across the country, advocating art and reading education and was also invited by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NY to present a special event about his career and illustrations. His book, Growing an Artist: The Story of a Landscaper and His Son, is his debut as both author and illustrator and has received numerous starred reviews and recognitions. John currently lives with his wife, Maria, in Queens, New York. You can check his books out here: https://johnparraart.com/books/ Follow him on IG here: https://www.instagram.com/johnparraart/?hl=en Support the show

In this episode of the SCBWI Podcast, we are joined by Michael Dante DiMartino! Michael Dante DiMartino is an American animator, producer, writer, and director. He is best known, together with Bryan Konietzko, as the co-creator of the animated TV series Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra, both on Nickelodeon. He has also written for podcasts and has authored novels. You can purchase his latest, Both Here And Gone on his website: https://www.michaeldantedimartino.com/product-page/both-here-and-then Follow him on IG here: https://www.instagram.com/mike_dante_d/ Support the show

In this episode of the SCBWI Podcast, we are joined by Desmond Hall! Desmond Hall was born in Jamaica, West Indies, and moved to Jamaica, Queens. He has worked as a high school biology and English teacher in East New York, Brooklyn; counseled teenage ex-cons after their release from Rikers Island; and served as Spike Lee’s creative director at Spike DDB. Desmond has served on the board of the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids and the Advertising Council and judged the One Show, the American Advertising Awards, and the NYC Downtown Short Film Festival. He’s also been named one of Variety magazine’s Top 50 Creatives to Watch. Desmond is the author of the gritty YA novel Your Corner Dark which confronts the harsh realities of gang life in Jamaica and how far a teen is willing to go for family. He lives outside of Boston with his wife and two daughters. Purchase his book here: https://bookshop.org/p/books/better-must-come/18934206?ean=9781534460744 Support the show

In this episode of the SCBWI Podcast, we are joined by Lawrence Schimel! Lawrence Schimel is a full-time author, writing in both Spanish and English, who has published over 120 books in a wide range of genres. He is also a prolific literary translator, working into both English and Spanish, of over 140 books.His picture books have won a Crystal Kite Award from the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, been selected for the White Ravens from the International Youth Library in Munich, Germany and have been chosen for IBBY's Outstanding Books for Young People with Disabilities three times, among many other awards, honors, and distinctions.For his adult books, he has won the Lambda Literary Award (twice), the Spectrum Award, the Independent Publisher Book Award, and many others.His translations have won a PEN Translates Award from English PEN three times and a National Endowment for the Arts Translation Fellowship (with Layla Benitez-James for HIJA DEL CAMINO by Lucía Asué Mbomio Rubio), and have been an Honor Title for the Américas Award and the Global Literature in Libraries Best Translated YA book Award, and been finalists for the Eisner Award, the Thom Gunn Award, and the Lambda Literary Award, among other honors.His writing has been published in over 50 languages, including Afrikaans, Arabic, Armenian, Basque, Catalan, Changana, Chinese, Croatian, Czech, Dutch, English, Esperanto, Estonian, Farsi (Dari), Filipino, Finnish, French, Galician, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Icelandic, Indonesian, isiXhosa, isiZulu, Isindebele, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Kurdish, Latvian, Luxembourgish, Macua, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Romansh, Romanian, Russian, Scots, Sena, Sepedi, Serbian, Sesotho, Setswana, Siswati, Slovak, Slovene, Spanish, Swedish, Tshivenda, Turkish, Ukrainian, Welsh, and Xitsonga translations.He started the Spain chapter of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators and served as its Regional Advisor for five years. He also coordinated the International SCBWI Conference in Madrid and the first two SCBWI-Bologna Book Fair conferences. Follow Lawrence Schimel on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/LawrenceSchimel Buy BEDTIME, NOT PLAYTIME! here: https://bookshop.org/p/books/bedtime-not-playtime-lawrence-schimel/16170723?ean=9781459826731 and check out the rest of his books here: https://bookshop.org/contributors/lawrence-schimel SCBWI on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scbwi/ SCBWI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/scbwi Become an SCBWI member today: https://www.scbwi.org/join-scbwi/ Shop the SCBWI Bookshop.org page: https://bookshop.org/shop/SCBWI Support the show Support the Show.

In this episode of the SCBWI Podcast, we are joined by Elana K. Arnold! ELANA K. ARNOLD is the author of critically acclaimed and award-winning young adult novels and children’s books, including the Printz Honor winner Damsel, the National Book Award finalist What Girls Are Made Of, and Global Read Aloud selection A Boy Called Bat and its sequels. Several of her books are Junior Library Guild selections and have appeared on many best book lists, including the Amelia Bloomer Project, a catalog of feminist titles for young readers. Elana teaches in Hamline University’s MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults program and lives in Southern California with her family and menagerie of pets. Follow Elana K. Arnold on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elanakarnold/ Buy An Ordinary Day here: https://bookshop.org/p/books/an-ordinary-day-elana-k-arnold/218301?ean=9781481472623 SCBWI on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scbwi/ SCBWI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/scbwi Become an SCBWI member today: https://www.scbwi.org/join-scbwi/ Shop the SCBWI Bookshop.org page: https://bookshop.org/shop/SCBWI Support the Show.

In this episode of the SCBWI Podcast, we are joined by Shadra Strickland! Shadra Strickland studied, design, writing, and illustration at Syracuse University and later went on to complete her M.F.A. at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. She won the Ezra Jack Keats Award and the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award for New Talent in 2009 for her work in her first picturebook, Bird, written by Zetta Elliott. Strickland co-illustrated Our Children Can Soar, winner of a 2010 NAACP Image Award. She has published with Lee and Low Books, Simon and Schuster, Random House, Candlewick, Chronicle Books, and Little Brown. Her books have received recognition from the American Library Association, Junior Library Guild, and other prominent literary organizations. Shadra currently teaches illustration at Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, Maryland. Her online picture book course, The Art of the Picturebook is available at Craftsy.com. https://www.jumpin.shadrastrickland.com/ Follow Shadra Strickland on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shadrieka/ Buy Jump In here: https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/jump-in-9781619635807/ SCBWI on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scbwi/ SCBWI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/scbwi Become an SCBWI member today: https://www.scbwi.org/join-scbwi/ Shop the SCBWI Bookshop.org page: https://bookshop.org/shop/SCBWI Support the Show.

In this episode of the SCBWI Podcast, we are joined by Varian Johnson! Varian was born in 1977, and grew up in the thriving metropolis of Florence, SC (population 30,248—2000 Census). He has a twin brother and a younger sister, and his parents, unlike many of his characters, were actually pretty good in the parenting department. Varian excelled in many subjects while growing up, specifically math and science. He was the typical high school “geek”—he played the baritone in marching band, was a member of the Wilson High School Academic Challenge Team, and he counted his Hewlett-Packard 48G calculator as one of his most prized possessions. However, Varian also enjoyed English—especially creative writing. After writing novels for older readers, Varian began writing middle grade novels. His caper novel, The Great Greene Heist, is his first work for younger readers. It was recently named a Publishers Weekly Best Summer Book of 2014. Kirkus praised the novel in a starred review, stating, “The elaborate bait and switch of this fast-paced, funny caper novel will surprise its readers as much as the victims. They’ll want to reread immediately so they can admire the setup.” Varian’s puzzle mystery, The Parker Inheritance, has been called The Westing Game meets The Watsons Go To Birmingham—1963. The Parker Inheritance, released in 2018, reviewed starred reviews from Kirkus Reviews, School Library Journal, Horn Book, and the Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, and was named a 2019 Coretta Scott King Honor Book and a 2018 Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Honor Book among other accolades. Twins, illustrated by Shannon Wright, is Varian’s debut graphic novel. It received five starred reviews, and was named an NPR best book, and a Washing Post Best Children’s Book, and a Texas Library Association Little Maverick Reading List Selection among other accolades. Varian loves traveling around the world (seriously, the world!) talking about writing and books. Please contact him if you’re interesting in having him speak at your school or event. https://varianjohnson.com/ Follow Varian Johnson on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrvarianjohnson/ Buy Playing the Cards You're Dealt here: https://bookshop.org/p/books/playing-the-cards-you-re-dealt-varian-johnson/17371581?ean=9781338348538 SCBWI on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scbwi/ SCBWI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/scbwi Become an SCBWI member today: https://www.scbwi.org/join-scbwi/ Shop the SCBWI Bookshop.org page: https://bookshop.org/shop/SCBWI Support the Show.

In this episode of the SCBWI Podcast, we are joined by Deborah Halverson! Deborah Halverson was an editor at Harcourt Children’s Books for ten years—until she climbed over the desk and tried out the author’s chair on the other side. Now she is the award-winning author of Writing Young Adult Fiction For Dummies, Writing New Adult Fiction, the teen novels Honk If You Hate Me and Big Mouth, the picture book Letters to Santa, and three books in Remix series for struggling readers. Armed with a master’s degree in American literature and a fascination with pop culture, she sculpts stories from extreme events and places—tattoo parlors, fast-food joints, and, perhaps most extreme of all, high schools. In addition, Deborah is a freelance editor, writing instructor, and founder of the popular writers’ advice website DearEditor.com. She serves on the advisory board for the University of California San Diego Extension “Children’s Book Writing and Illustrating” certificate program and speaks extensively at writing conferences and workshops. She has been working with authors—bestsellers, veterans, debut, and aspiring—for over twenty-five years. She specializes in editing picture books and middle grade, teen, and new adult fiction and nonfiction. The books she’s edited have garnered awards and rave reviews, and many of the aspiring writers she’s coached have landed agent representation and book deals. She lives with her husband and triplet sons in San Diego, California. For more about Deborah, visit www.DeborahHalverson.com. Follow Deborah Halverson on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deborahhalversonbooks/ Buy Writing YA Fiction for Dummies here: https://bookshop.org/p/books/writing-young-adult-fiction-for-dummies-deborah-halverson/8821834?ean=9780470949542 SCBWI on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scbwi/ SCBWI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/scbwi Become an SCBWI member today: https://www.scbwi.org/join-scbwi/ Shop the SCBWI Bookshop.org page: https://bookshop.org/shop/SCBWI Support the Show.

In this episode of the SCBWI Podcast, we are joined by Jessixa Bagley! JESSIXA BAGLEY grew up in Portland, OR. Upon becoming an adult, she decided to follow her childhood dreams of being a picture-book maker. Her debut picture book, Boats for Papa, has earned many accolades and awards, including a Junior Library Guild selection, 2016 ALA Notable, the SCBWI 2016 Golden Kite Award for Best Picture Book Text, as well as the 2016 Washington State Scandiuzzi Children's Book Award. Her recent picture book Laundry Day was a Junior Library Guild Selection and also received a 2018 Ezra Jack Keats Award Honor. She lives in Seattle, WA, with her husband, son, and a slew of houseplants that all have names. http://www.jessixa.com/ Follow Jessixa Bagley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessixabagley/ Buy Courage Hats here: https://www.chroniclebooks.com/products/courage-hats SCBWI on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scbwi/ SCBWI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/scbwi Become an SCBWI member today: https://www.scbwi.org/join-scbwi/ Shop the SCBWI Bookshop.org page: https://bookshop.org/shop/SCBWI Support the show Support the Show.

In this episode of the SCBWI Podcast, we are joined by Tracey Baptiste! Tracey Baptiste is a New York Times bestselling author of Minecraft: The Crash, as well as the creepy Caribbean series The Jumbies, which includes The Jumbies (2015), Rise of the Jumbies (2017), and The Jumbie God’s Revenge (scheduled for 2019). She's also written the contemporary YA novel Angel’s Grace and 9 non-fiction books for kids in elementary through high school. She is a former elementary school teacher, she does lots of author visits, and she is on the faculty at Lesley University’s Creative Writing MFA program. Her name is pronounced buhTEEST. https://traceybaptiste.com/ Follow Tracey Baptiste on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/traceybaptistewrites/ Buy Mermaid and Pirate here: https://bookshop.org/p/books/mermaid-and-pirate-tracey-baptiste/18417484?ean=9781643750774 Buy The Jumbies here : https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-jumbies-tracey-baptiste/12562827?ean=9781616205928 SCBWI on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scbwi/ SCBWI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/scbwi Become an SCBWI member today: https://www.scbwi.org/join-scbwi/ Shop the SCBWI Bookshop.org page: https://bookshop.org/shop/SCBWI Support the Show.

In this episode of the SCBWI Podcast, we are joined by Jason June! You’ve come here wondering, “What is the meaning of life?” Er, I mean, Jason June’s life. Jason June (it's a two-name first name, like Mary-Kate without the hyphen or the Olsen twin) is a New York Times best-selling author who loves to create picture books that mix the flamboyantly whacky with the slightly dark, and young adult contemporary rom-coms full of love and lust and hijinks. When not writing, JJ zips about Austin, Texas. He loves dinosaurs, unicorns, Pomeranians, and anything magical that takes you to a different world or time. JJ is a tried and true Laura Dern stan, and he is actively looking for an Andalite friend. ​ ​His picture books include WHOBERT WHOVER, OWL DETECTIVE, illustrated by Jess Pauwels, and PORCUPINE CUPID, a queer-inclusive Valentine’s Day story, illustrated by Lori Richmond, both from Margaret K. McElderry Books/Simon & Schuster. For under-the-sea whimsical adventures, check out the MERMICORN ISLAND chapter book series from Scholastic! For YA queer YA rom-coms, check out JAY’S GAY AGENDA and the finstant NYT ​best-seller OUT OF THE BLUE, both from HarperTeen! https://www.heyjasonjune.com/ Follow Jason June on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heyjasonjune/ Preorder Riley Weaver Needs a Date to the Gaybutante Ball here: https://bookshop.org/p/books/riley-weaver-needs-a-date-to-the-gaybutante-ball-jason-june/18811863?ean=9780063260030 Buy Jay's Gay Agenda here: https://bookshop.org/p/books/jay-s-gay-agenda-jason-june/17354307?ean=9780063015159 SCBWI on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scbwi/ SCBWI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/scbwi Become an SCBWI member today: https://www.scbwi.org/join-scbwi/ Shop the SCBWI Bookshop.org page: https://bookshop.org/shop/SCBWI Support the Show.

In this episode of the SCBWI Podcast, we are joined by Golden Kite Winner Ariel Henley! Ariel Henley is an author, DEI consultant, and thought leader with expertise in disability rights, disfigurement, and belonging. Ariel aims to educate, empower and partner with individuals and companies in creating accessible environments and products so that everyone can thrive. As a DEI consultant, she partners with individual and corporate clients to create more inclusive workplaces, incorporate accessible processes and materials, navigate difficult conversations, and thoughtfully meet clients on their journey by providing them with customized tools, guidance, and educational resources to better foster inclusive and diverse environments and create sustainable change. With a passion for writing as a form of activism, much of Ariel’s work explores her experiences growing up with a facial disfigurement, as a result of Crouzon syndrome — a rare craniofacial disorder where the bones in the head fuse prematurely. She writes to explore issues related to beauty, equality, human connection, and trauma. She shares her story in an effort to help eliminate stigma, educate others about the importance of facial equality, and promote mainstream inclusion for individuals with physical differences. Her writing has appeared in outlets like Bright Magazine, Teen Vogue, The Washington Post, The Rumpus, and Narratively. In her work on disfigurement, Ariel combines the history around lookism, ableism, and disfigurement; current data; and personal narratives to help clients gain a nuanced understanding of what it means to exist in an appearance-based society with a face that is different. Research shows that looking at statistics and reading about trends isn’t enough to drive change. By using a narrative approach, Ariel provides a comprehensive overview of how pervasive discrimination against individuals with disfigurements is. With a passion for bridging the gap between ableism and lookism, Ariel also believes in the importance of taking an intersectional approach to help clients unpack their own biases and understand the links between topics like ableism and lookism, and racism. As a thought leader, Ariel has appeared in The New York Times, The Lily, CBC Radio’s Ideas, BBC World Service, The New York Times’ Dear Sugars, SXSW, and The Atlantic. She is represented by Rachel Letofsky at CookeMcDermid Literary Management. Ariel earned her B.A. in English and political science from the University of Vermont and her Master’s in Education, with a specialization in Organizational Leadership and Student Affairs. She combines her educational background, professional experience in disability support services, and her lived experience, to offer unique, tailored services to fit client’s needs. — Her memoir, A Face for Picasso, is out now from Farrar, Straus, Giroux (BYR), an imprint of Macmillan — https://www.arielhenley.com/ Follow Ariel Henley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arielhenley/ Buy A Face for Picasso here : https://bookshop.org/p/books/a-face-for-picasso-coming-of-age-with-crouzon-syndrome-ariel-henley/18581599?ean=9780374314071 SCBWI on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scbwi/ SCBWI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/scbwi Become an SCBWI member today: https://www.scbwi.org/join-scbwi/ Shop the SCBWI Bookshop.org page: https://bookshop.org/shop/SCBWI Support the show Support the Show.

In this episode of the SCBWI Podcast, we are joined by Lamar Giles! Lamar Giles writes for teens and adults across multiple genres, with work appearing on numerous Best Of lists each and every year. He is the author of the acclaimed novels Fake ID, Endangered, Overturned, Spin, The Last Last-Day-of-Summer, Not So Pure and Simple, The Last Mirror on the Left, The Last Chance for Logan County, and The Getaway as well as numerous pieces of short fiction. He is a founding member of We Need Diverse Books and resides in Virginia with his family. Follow Lamar on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lamargiles Follow Lamar on Twitter: https://twitter.com/LRGiles Purchase The Getaway here https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-getaway-lamar-giles/18073727 SCBWI on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scbwi/ SCBWI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/scbwi Become an SCBWI member today: https://www.scbwi.org/join-scbwi/ Shop the SCBWI Bookshop.org page: https://bookshop.org/shop/SCBWI Support the Show.

In this episode of the SCBWI Podcast, we are joined by Corinna Luyken! Corinna Luyken is the author-illustrator of ABC AND YOU AND ME (June 2023); THE TREE IN ME (an NCTE Notable Poetry Book and Indie Bestseller); MY HEART (A New York Times Best Seller); and THE BOOK OF MISTAKES (which The Wall Street Journal called “sublime”). She is also the illustrator of IN THE DARK (Aug 2023) and NOTHING IN COMMON, both written by Kate Hoefler; PATCHWORK (A New York Times and Kirkus Best Picture Book of 2022), written by Matt de la Peña; SOMETHING GOOD and ADRIAN SIMCOX DOES NOT HAVE A HORSE, both written by Marcy Campbell; and WEIRD LITTLE ROBOTS, written by Carolyn Crimi. She was raised in Oregon, California, and Hawaii; and studied dance improvisation, poetry, and printmaking at Middlebury College in Vermont. She now lives near the Salish Sea in Olympia, WA with her husband, daughter, and two small cats. Follow Corinna on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/corinnaluyken/ Purchase ABC and You and Me (2023): https://bookshop.org/p/books/abc-and-you-and-me-corinna-luyken/18822676?ean=9780593530467 SCBWI on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scbwi/ SCBWI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/scbwi Become an SCBWI member today: https://www.scbwi.org/join-scbwi/ Shop the SCBWI Bookshop.org page: https://bookshop.org/shop/SCBWI Support the Show.

On the season's final episode, we are joined by James Ransome, the iconic illustrator of classics like Before She Was Harriet (written by Lesa Cline-Ransome), Uncle Jed's Barbershop, Visiting Day, and so many more incomparable titles. James never does the same thing twice, and in our expansive and focused conversation, we discussed ways of seeing, color and quilts, his mentorship with the great Jerry Pinkney, and how his love of Parliament Funkadelic keeps him experimenting. Follow James on Instagram: jransomillustr Follow James on Facebook: James Ransome Illustration James's Website: https://jamesransome.com Follow SCBWI on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scbwi/ Follow SCBWI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/scbwi Follow SCBWI on Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@therealscbwi Join SCBWI: https://www.scbwi.org/join-scbwi/ Support the show