Just One More Book!! » Interviews

Interview with Rukhsana Khan

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 10:10:07 +0000

It’s no mystery that books are powerful. They teach us skills and history, and take us to places we’ve never been or that never existed. Many of the best books take us to a place inside of ourselves where we can connect with other stories and escape our own realities.

The Roses in my Carpets tells the story of a young boy, his mother and sister, living in a refugee camp. The camp serves merely as a setting for this family as we experience the common reality of feeling out of place while dealing with life around us.

Author Rukhsana Khan joins Mark to talk about how books saved her, writing politics out of children’s books and her thoughts on life as a marathon and books as sprints.

Photo provided by Rukhsana Khan.

Love of Reading Gallery – Lily (age 6)

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 11:00:50 +0000

I’ve had the privilege of interviewing authors, illustrators and book people of all walks of life and spanning both ends of careers. Today, I break new ground for me as I interview a six year-old who’s not my own daughter.

Lily was five when she submitted an illustration to our Love of Reading Gallery, making her the youngest contributor to our collection of art. She never named her piece so I’ve called it Books and Friends. On this edition, I speak with blogger and budding author/illustrator, Lily, about her illustration, the tools she uses and the projects she’s working on.

Listen to interviews with other members of Lily’s family:

Author/illustrator, Aaron Zenz
Gracie
Isaac

Be sure to enjoy all of the amazing artwork in our Love of Reading Gallery.

Interview with Shauntay Grant

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 17:20:32 +0000

While her book Up Home may be set in the one of Canada’s most important black communities, author Shauntay Grant’s story is universal. As noted in the jacket flap, the book celebrates growing up and remembering our roots.

On this edition of Just One More Book!!, Mark speaks with Shauntay Grant about turning a spoken word performance piece into a children’s book, the role of verse in children’s literature and sharing the experience of growing up.

Photo of Shauntay Grant by Raul Rincon.

Love of Reading Gallery – Isaac (age 10)

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 06:00:30 +0000

We opened our Love of Reading Gallery in July 2008 and invited all illustrators to submit original artwork that promotes a love of reading. Submissions spanned the globe including Venezuela and Romania and covered all age ranges.

On this edition, Mark speaks with artist, blogger and budding author, Isaac, now 10 (he was 9 when he created his illustration) about Bedtime Snack, his contribution to our Love of Reading Gallery and a book he’s creating with his father, author/illustrator Aaron Zenz.

Be sure to enjoy all of the amazing artwork in our Love of Reading Gallery.

Love of Reading Gallery – Gracie (age 7)

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 06:00:59 +0000

We opened our Love of Reading Gallery in July 2008 and invited all illustrators to submit original artwork that promotes a love of reading. Submissions came from as far as Brazil, Vietnam and South Africa and covered all age ranges.

On this edition, Mark speaks with artist, blogger and budding author, Gracie, now 8 (she was 7 when she created her illustration) about Love for Reading, her contribution to our Love of Reading Gallery, her illustration technique and a book idea she has.

Be sure to enjoy all of the amazing artwork in our Love of Reading Gallery.

Did you notice Gracie’s reference to The HICCUPotamus (on JOMB)?

Love of Reading Gallery – Aaron Zenz

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 06:00:15 +0000

As part of the second anniversary celebrations of the Just One More Book!! children’s book podcast, we invited illustrators to submit artwork that promotes a love of reading. Now, well into our fourth year, we’re still conducting short interviews with contributors to our Love of Reading Gallery.

On this edition, Mark speaks with author/artist Aaron Zenz (on JOMB) about The Big One (his contribution to our Love of Reading Gallery), reading with his children and pencil technique.

Be sure to enjoy all of the amazing artwork in our Love of Reading Gallery.

Love of Reading Gallery – Patricia Storms

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 17:18:01 +0000

As we find ourselves soldiering into our fourth year of Just One More Book!!, we’re still catching up on interviews with illustrators that contributed original work to our Love of Reading Gallery as part of our second anniversary celebrations. Yes, we’re a little behind.

On this edition of Just One More Book!!, Mark speaks with illustrator Patricia Storms about her contribution – All the Hep Cats are Reading — and how cats and books go well together, some of her favourite children’s book authors and re-illustrating a book by Maurice Sendak.

Be sure to enjoy all of the amazing artwork in our Love of Reading Gallery.

Love of Reading Gallery – Candace Trew Camling

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 06:00:42 +0000

As we find ourselves soldiering into our fourth year of Just One More Book!!, we remain in the process of catching up on interviews with illustrators that contributed original work to our Love of Reading Gallery — part of our second anniversary celebrations. Yes, we’re a little behind.

On this edition of Just One More Book!!, Mark speaks with designer and children’s book illustrator hopeful Candace Trew Camling about her contribution titled Bookworm, still reading children’s books at age 25 and the genius of Adam Rex.

Be sure to enjoy all of the amazing artwork in our Love of Reading Gallery.

Interview with Donalyn Miller

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 06:00:54 +0000

She can turn even the most reluctant — or, in her words, dormant — reader into a student who can’t put their books down. With talent and passion like that, it’s a benefit to children that she abandoned her career as an accountant to become a grade six language arts and social studies teacher.

She is The Book Whisperer.

On this edition, Mark speaks with Donalyn Miller about safe territory, books in the classroom and her advice to parents, principals and politicians.

Also mentioned in this episode:

Interview with Francesca Simon

Photo courtesy of Donalyn Miller.

Interview with Crystal Beshara

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 06:00:45 +0000

There’s a cosmic connection between farm animals and children. So, as long as there are farms, we’ll have ample inspiration for children’s books.

On this edition, Mark visits the Central Experimental Farm with Ottawa author and illustrator, Crystal Beshara, to talk about growing up on a hobby farm, personification of our animal friends and her new book, When I Visit the Farm.

Other farm selections featured on Just One More Book!!

Photo: crystalbeshara.com.

Interview with Hugh Brewster

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 06:00:51 +0000

There are parts of being in this world that many parents want to shield their children from. War, with its toll on lives, communities and countries is one of those controversial topics for children’s books that’s either hotly debated or blatantly dismissed.

For Canadians, August 19, 1942 carries even more significance because many were led to believe the British organized battle at Dieppe was an important victory, not a bloody defeat. As we honour the 67th anniversary of Dieppe later this month, a new children’s book will be published that explores the reasons, strategy, horror and incredible survival that are part of this Canadian tale.

On this edition of Just One More Book!!, Mark speaks with author and historian Hugh Brewster about his new book Dieppe: Canada’s Darkest Day of World War II, and the importance of sharing the stories of the events and the people in war and remembrance.

Other books by Hugh Brewster:

More about war and remembrance on Just One More Book:

You can hear more of Mark’s chat with Hugh Brewster on the Electric Sky podcast.

Photo of Hugh Brewster from HughBrewster.com.

Interview with Francesca Simon

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 06:00:09 +0000

Here’s something unusual… there’s a series of books, 17 strong, that have been growing in popularity in more than 24 countries since the first book came out in 1994. And, would you believe, these books are just now becoming available in the United States. The biggest market in the world is one of the last major markets to get on board.

Francesca Simon, author of the Horrid Henry books, joins Mark for what may be one of the most important interviews we’ve ever done on Just One More Book!! as they talk about books with universal themes, the penalty of growing old enough to read by yourself and Storybook Dads — breaking the cycle of crime through a literacy and family connection program for convicts in a high-security prison.

Mentioned in the interview:

Two of the Horrid Henry books are mentioned in our 500th episode, Chapter Book Chatter. By the way, we’re 9 episodes away from 600, now (not including our 21 part Rock Stars of Reading series).

We encourage you to learn more about the Storybook Dads program.

Photo: Francesca Simon’s website

Interview with Raul Colón

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 06:00:03 +0000

His art has graced the New York Times, Time Magazine, The New Yorker and the Wall Street Journal as well as record sleeves, theatre posters, annual reports and advertisements. His most important work, though, has been as an illustrator of children’s picture books.

Raul Colón’s illustrations together with Richard Michelson’s engaging storytelling earned the 2009 Sydney Taylor Book Award for their book As Good As Anybody: Martin Luther King and Abraham Joshua Heshcel’s Amazing March Toward Freedom.

Illustrator, Raul Colón, joins me during a quiet moment at the Association of Jewish Libraries 2009 Convention to talk about illustrating the intersection of two lives in one event, getting excited about a book project and striking the balance between fact and fantasy.

MORE RAUL COLON: Click here to listen to Raul Colón talk about arming yourself with inspiration and exercising your creative muscles.

Exploring Jewish Books and Literacy Programs at AJL09

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 19:52:59 +0000

The 44th annual convention of the Association of Jewish Libraries took place July 5-9, 2009 at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel. I was honoured this year to be part of the speaking program having been invited to talk about the role of social media in promoting Jewish literature.

On this edition of Just One More Book!!, follow Mark as his audio recorder captures forgiveness, education and pop-culture, how Jewish books have evolved and become exciting for young readers.

Segment 1: April Halprin Wayland is the author New Year at the Pier, a book about forgiveness which is rooted in the the Tashlich ceremony of the Jewish New Year celebrations of Rosh Hashana. This segment includes April reading the beginning and end of her book, New Year at the Pier.

Segment 2: Librarian Toby Rossner shares her approach to creating educational programs about universal values using picture books including Chicken Man, a book about someone who made the most out of any job he did.

Segment 3: Ann Abrams is a musical librarian who serenades us with her own songs and sings a musical parody using a popular song for which she rewrote the lyrics — both to help get children excited about Jewish children’s books.

This episode includes two brief excerpts of Mark’s session on using social media to raise awareness of great Jewish literature using social media, presented at AJL09.

Thanks to the Association of Jewish Libraries, Heidi Estrin and Cheryl Banks, Esme Raji Codell and our interview guests author April Halprin Wayland and librarians Toby Rossner and Ann Abrams.

Love of Reading Gallery – Helene Boudreau

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 06:00:52 +0000

As part of the second anniversary celebrations of the Just One More Book!! children’s book podcast, we invited illustrators to submit artwork that promotes a love of reading. Now, as we head towards our third anniversary, we’re in the process of catching up on our series of short interviews with each of 51 contributors to our Love of Reading Gallery.

On this edition, Mark speaks with author/artist Hélène Boudreau about her contribution called Story Time, the complex art of story telling through illustration and the difference and similarities between her own childhood experiences with books and the experiences of her own daughters’.

Be sure to enjoy all of the amazing artwork in our Love of Reading Gallery.

Globe-Trotting Gastronomy: The King’s Taster

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 06:00:40 +0000

Author: Kenneth Oppel (on JOMB)
Illustrators: Steve Johnson (on JOMB) &
Lou Fancher (on JOMB)
Published: 2009 Harper Collins (on JOMB)
ISBN: 0060753722

Dexterous textile, text and recipe clipping collage are the pièce de résistance of this delectable adventure in talent, teamwork, travel — and sneaked treats!

More gallivanting animals on JOMB:

More food on JOMB:

More kings on JOMB:

More dogs on JOMB here.

HOTLINE VOICES: Eden Spodek — who will be at PAB09 — has fabulous childhood and parenthood memories of Where the Wild Things Are (by Maurice Sendak)

We’d love to hear your thoughts on a favourite children’s book. Leave a voice message on our JOMB listener hotline, +1-206-350-6487, so we can include your audio in our show.

Love of Reading Gallery – Daniele Rossi

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 06:00:53 +0000

You meet a lot of talented people in the podcast community. Daniele Rossi, illustrator and producer of the Stuttering is Cool podcast, is a perfect example. We became good friends after meeting at the Podcasters Across Borders conference in 2007 and that led him to respond to our open invitation for illustrators and artists to contribute to our Love of Reading Gallery.

Incidentally, Daniele is part of the speaking program at this year’s PAB09 event, taking place in Kingston, Canada from June 19-21.

During a recent trip to Toronto, Mark spoke with Daniele about his contribution to our Love of Reading Gallery, Now This One, digital sketchbooks and the beauty of seeing eraser marks on real paper.

Love of Reading Gallery – Roberta Baird

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 06:00:35 +0000

As part of the second anniversary celebrations of the Just One More Book!! children’s book podcast, we invited illustrators to submit artwork that promotes a love of reading. Now, as we head towards our third anniversary, we’re in the process of catching up on our series of short interviews with each of 51 contributors to our Love of Reading Gallery.

On this edition, Mark speaks with illustrator Roberta Baird about her contribution called Book Talk, the convergence of traditional and digital illustration, and her hope to one day write and illustrate her own children’s book.

Be sure to enjoy all of the amazing artwork in our Love of Reading Gallery.

Love of Reading Gallery – Katie Davis

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 06:00:44 +0000

As part of the second anniversary celebrations of the Just One More Book!! children’s book podcast, we invited illustrators to submit artwork that promotes a love of reading. We are now catching on our series of short interviews with each of 51 contributors to our Love of Reading Gallery.

On this edition, Mark speaks with illustrator Katie Davis about her contribution called Get Into Books and not being able to time travel.

Be sure to enjoy all of the amazing artwork in our Love of Reading Gallery.

Sheree Fitch on Awards, Writing and Movie Deals

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Mon, 25 May 2009 06:00:26 +0000

In one of our very early interviews on Just One More Book!!, Sheree Fitch shared her thoughts on writing for children, the Theology of Nonsense and the power of poetry (A Conversation with Sheree Fitch). A few months ago she returned to talk about bringing back a classic children’s book that had been out of print for 5 years (Sheree Fitch: Reviving Sleeping Dragons).

On this edition, Sheree Fitch is a guest of our home to talk about being shortlisted for the highest honour in Canadian adult humour — The Stephen Leacock award, the differences between writing adult fiction and children’s books, and the movie deal for her YA novel The Gravesavers.

Other books by Sheree Fitch:

Rock Stars of Reading part 20: Advice for aspiring readers

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Mon, 11 May 2009 09:43:54 +0000

Click here to view the embedded video.

It’s customary for interviewers to ask authors and illustrators to share their advice for aspiring book creators. During the 19th Annual Children’s Illustration Show at the R. Michelson Gallery, Mark instead asked authors and illustrators to offer advice for aspiring readers. Everyone was willing to pitch in. This video features responses from Jeanne Birdsall, Diane de Groat, Tony DiTerlizzi, Jane Dyer, Paul Jacobs, Norton Juster, Jarrett Krosoczka, Jeff Mack, David Mazor, David Milgrim, Barry Moser, Lesléa Newman, Shelley Rotner, Ruth Sanderson, Heidi Stemple, Mo Willems and Jane Yolen.

Also included is an interview with David Mazor, Founder and Executive Director of Reader to Reader — a non-profit organization that distributes books to schools and libraries in need. Reader to Reader honoured author Norton Juster for his generosity and passion in promoting literacy.

MUSIC

Theme: Woolly Mammoth by Robert Farrell (from Sun House Fury, part 1)
Timber and Wood by Xavier Rudd (from To Let), used with permission

Rock Stars of Reading part 19: Jane Yolen and Heidi Stemple

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Fri, 08 May 2009 06:00:38 +0000

Authors Jane Yolen and Heidi Stemple (Jane’s daughter) tell stories about the good writing genes in their family, growing up with Jane Yolen as a mother and how Jane and her late husband David Stemple inspired their three children (all now working in the children’s book world).

Books by Jane Yolen you may recognize…

Books by Heidi Stemple you may recognize…

MUSIC

Theme: Woolly Mammoth by Robert Farrell (from Sun House Fury, part 1)
Tractor Part by Zubot and Dawson (from Tractor Parts: Further Adventures in Strang)

Rock Stars of Reading part 18: Mordicai Gerstein

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Thu, 07 May 2009 06:00:41 +0000

Listen to author/illustrator Mordicai Gerstein tell Mark about his turbulent career, imagination and his idea that children’s books as the perfect combination of film, theatre and drawing.

Books by Mordicai Gerstein that you may recognize…

MUSIC

Theme: Woolly Mammoth by Robert Farrell (from Sun House Fury, part 1)
Soon Enough by John Williams (from Dusty Porch), found on Magnatune

Rock Stars of Reading part 17: Jane Dyer

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Wed, 06 May 2009 06:00:31 +0000

Listen to Mark and illustrator Jane Dyer (on JOMB) talk about Jane’s fine brushwork, painting movement and imagination, and her own masterpiece.

Books by Jane Dyer you may have seen…

MUSIC

Theme: Woolly Mammoth by Robert Farrell (from Sun House Fury, part 1)
Razorback by Robert Farrell (from Elegant Chaos)

Rock Stars of Reading part 16: Paul Jacobs

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Tue, 05 May 2009 06:00:24 +0000

Listen in as Mark and Author/Poet, Paul Jacobs, chat about the differences between children and adults as book and reading audiences, writing with a playful spirit and the collaborative nature of children’s books.

Books you may have seen by Paul Jacobs…

MUSIC

Theme: Woolly Mammoth by Robert Farrell (from Sun House Fury, part 1)
Funky Instrumental by Steffen Coonan found on the Podsafe Music Network

Rock Stars of Reading part 15: Lesléa Newman

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Mon, 04 May 2009 06:00:25 +0000

Author/poet Lesléa Newman, author of the groundbreaking book Heather Has Two Mommies, talks to Mark about seeing in words (not images), writing for adults and children, and treasures in our brains.

MUSIC

Theme: Woolly Mammoth by Robert Farrell (from Sun House Fury, part 1)
Red Mood by Jami Sieber (from Hidden Sky), found on Magnatune

Book by Lesléa Newman you may have seen…

Rock Stars of Reading part 14: Richard Michelson

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Sun, 03 May 2009 10:49:31 +0000

Click here to view the embedded video.

We spent a lot of time becoming familiar with the creative process of illustrators during our trip. So, it was exciting to spend time in Richard Michelson’s (on JOMB) studio getting introduced to his writing process.

During the hour he and I spent in his studio, Richard showed me the working papers for books including Tuttle’s Red Barn and As Good As Anybody and shared some of the valuable lessons he’s learned from reading and writing children’s books.

MUSIC

Theme: Woolly Mammoth by Robert Farrell (from Sun House Fury, part 1)
Gruncharsko by Panacea (from Songs and Dance Music of Europe East and West), found on Magnatune

Selected books by Richard Michelson…

Rock Stars of Reading part 13: Making Children’s Books Count

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 16:56:46 +0000

Mark, Richard Michelson (on JOMB), Tony Diterlizzi and Scott Fisher spoke for three hours about almost everything related to children’s books and the publishing industry. It was a very cerebral conversation, much of which revolved around print and digital books, the future of the industry and competing with technology for reader attention. There were light moments, too, like when they did an analysis of Jon Scieszka’s (on JOMB) reign as the first National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature.

MUSIC

Theme: Woolly Mammoth by Robert Farrell (from Sun House Fury, part 1)
Skittles at Buckley Bay & Mischief in the Garden by Jaime RT (from Reach)

You may have seen these books by Richard Michelson…

…these by Tony Diterlizzi…

…and these by Scott Fischer…

Jason Low speaks to the New York PEN Group

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 06:00:09 +0000

According to pen.org, PEN is an association of writers working to advance literature, defend free expression and foster international literary fellowship. There are chapters all over the world and not long ago, we connected with author Fran Manushkin (on JOMB), regarding an event of the New York PEN group of which she is co-chair.

A member of the group audio recorded the March 16, 2009 presentation by Jason Low of Lee and Low Books (on JOMB) and we are lucky to include excerpts of Mr. Low’s talk — anecdotes of the origins of Lee and Low, the amazing story behind some of their award winning books and insight into the term “multicultural”.

Thanks to Fran Manushkin, Paul O. Zelinsky, Susanna Reich, Betsy Bird and Lyn.

Books mentioned:

Be sure to listen to our interview with Lee and Low co-founder, Philip Lee (now retired).

Photo: Lee and Low website

Rock Stars of Reading part 7: Creators of the Round Table

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 05:19:14 +0000

Mark spent two amazing hours at a table with Jeanne Birdsall (on JOMB), Jane Dyer, Jarrett Krosoczka (on JOMB) and David Ezra Stein, sharing a common love of children’s books and talking about how each found their way into writing and illustrating, children’s books vs. traditional publishing and what keeps them in an industry that isn’t known for generating a lot of wealth for the people in it.

MUSIC

Theme: Woolly Mammoth by Robert Farrell (from Sun House Fury, part 1)
Cliffhanger by the Eternal Jazz Project (from Season), found on Magnatune

Conversation with Robert Paul Weston

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 06:00:27 +0000

Among the many jobs he’s held is trampolinist, lifeguard, computer programmer, English teacher and editor. He’s written short stories and scripts, and his book Zorgamazoo — 283 pages of flawless rhyme — was one of thirty books chosen by the Children’s Literature Assembly as as a notable book for 2009.

On this edition of Just One More Book!!, Robert Paul Weston talks to Mark about his long history with marble tracks, writing an entire book in rhyming accentual verse and the publishing industry’s reaction to it, and the emotional connection readers experience with Zorgamazoo.

Exciting news!!! Zorgamazoo is on the E. B. White Read Aloud Award shortlist (official information).

Relevant links:

Rock Stars of Reading part 6: Corinne Demas

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 23:01:22 +0000

Listen in as we grab a spot of floor in the home office of author Corinne Demas to talk about books and how stories are researched, the similarity between poets and picture book creators and the best job in the world. Lucy started us off with a read-aloud of Corinne’s new book, Always in Trouble, and Corinne explains the origins of Lucy’s favourite phrase from the book “quiet as a goldfish”.

MUSIC

Theme: Woolly Mammoth by Robert Farrell (from Sun House Fury, part 1)
Dragondance by Art Turner (from Jade)

Conversation with Troy Wilson

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 06:00:26 +0000

It’s a winning combination of comic book superheroes, children’s book storytelling and real life role models. It’s a book called Perfect Man and it’s written by super down-to-earth guy, Troy Wilson. The same Troy Wilson that tracked down one of his own heroes, comic book legend Stan Lee, whose work entertained and inspired Troy since he was a kid.

On this edition, author Troy Wilson reflects on how his own book would have impacted him when he was a child, doing pro bono work and making ends meet as he builds a career for himself and comparing his own experiences to those of Michael Maxwell MacAllum, the main character in his book, Perfect Man.

Conversation with Greg Pincus about 30 Poets in 30 Days

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 06:00:17 +0000

April is poetry month. Which means that if you haven’t spent much time with poetry, you can enjoy it guilt-free — and maybe discover you like it. There should be lots to enjoy. Especially since the people who love poetry are going to be all over it.

One such example is Greg Pincus. Greg is a screenwriter, author, poet and the entertaining blogger of Gotta Book. And this year, he’s the founder and host of 30 Poets/30 Days, an event that will see his Gotta Book blog host new and original work by thirty guest poets, a new poem for each day of the month. Contributors include Mary Ann Hoberman, Jon Scieszka and Jane Yolen, and will kick off on April 1st with a contribution from Jack Prelutsky.

On this edition, Greg Pincus on 30 Poets/30 Days.

Check out Greg’s poem, I’m Pretty Well Connected, which speaks to our own fascination with social media. Unfortunately, there’s no mention of podcasting in it.

Photo courtesy of Greg Pincus.

Buiding a Library for Flying Horse Farms

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 05:26:23 +0000

We learned about a public service video for Flying Horse Farms when author Sara Lewis Holmes blogged on October 27 that her twelve-year old niece, Emily, stars in it. Emily was diagnosed with cancer a little over two years ago and has attended Hole in the Wall camps twice.

One month after the post about the video, Sara kicked off a campaign to build a library of books about horses and camp-related activities for Flying Horse Farms using a Wishlist.

On this edition of Just One More Book!!, Mark speaks with Flying Horse Farms Camp Director W. Patrick Smith, and author Sara Lewis Holmes about building Flying Horse Farms, spectacularly average experiences and the role of books at a camp for children with serious illnesses.

Relevant links

Library Wishlist (please consider making a purchase for the camp)
Flying Horse Farms
Sara Lewis Holmes

Traits, Stains & Self-Restraint: The Lime Green Secret

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 06:00:40 +0000

Author: Georgia Graham (on JOMB)
Illustrator: Georgia Graham
Published: 2009 Tundra Books (on JOMB)
ISBN: 0887768415

Offbeat chalk pastel illustrations and delicious defiance are the stars of this giggle-inducing tale of wedding wear, willpower and sibling solidarity.

More wedding books on JOMB:

HOTLINE VOICES: Bill Rowland raves about Olive, the Other Reindeer (by Vivian Walsh and J. Otto Seibold) as a book that appeals to all ages.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on a favourite children’s book. Leave a voice message on our JOMB listener hotline, +1-206-350-6487.

Interview with Jane Cutler

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 13:48:31 +0000

Some children’s authors end up in their career following a series of events, even misadventures. In the process, they discover that writing was the right fit all along.

Author Jane Cutler is a perfect example. After serving as an editor and a failed attempt at being an agent, Ms. Cutler fell into writing with the book Darcy and Gran Don’t Like Babies. And even though none of her other books took thirty-five minutes to write (yes, thirty-five minutes), Ms. Cutler’s other books reflect that same style and attention to characters.

Mark recently spoke with Ms. Cutler. We pick up the conversation with a story about her book The Cello of Mr. O, a remarkable story of a concert cellist who performed his beautiful music in the public square of a war torn city.

Ms. Cutler’s new book, Guttersnipe, is due for release next month (April 2009).

Interview with Kathryn Lasky

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 06:00:49 +0000

We’ve heard it said that a writer should write what they know. So, it stands to reason that many authors write from personal experience. That doesn’t explain how some authors can write amazing books on subjects that they haven’t directly experienced.

Kathryn Lasky is one example. Her books include One Beetle Too Many: The Extraordinary Adventures of Charles Darwin, Pirate Bob and She’s Wearing a Dead Bird on Her Head. We’re pretty sure that she doesn’t have specific first-hand experiences with the subjects of those books (exploring with Charles Darwin, plundering with Pirate Bob and being at the centre of the suffrage movement). And yet, her books makes readers feel as though they’re right there.

On this edition, author Kathryn Lasky talks about relating to characters, taking twenty-four years… literally… to write One Beetle Too Many, and giving the reader room.

Interview with Kim Hix

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 06:00:47 +0000

Most people are likely to pretend that mental and emotional health issues do not affect them or their loved ones. Yet, whether you’re prepared to admit it or not, mental and emotional health problems do exist in children.

Kim Hix wrote the book No One is Perfect and YOU Are a Great Kid as a gift to her son, Zack, who struggles with ever changing moods, severe anxiety and Tourettes Disorder. He was diagnosed at age four. He’s now thirteen.

This is an interview we would have done under any circumstance. As it turns out, we’re doing this interview as part of Kim Hix’s blog tour: our first blog-tour experience. Kim paid Women on Writing to arrange the tour and, in exchange for our participation, Just One More Book!! was listed on the February edition of the WOW! Women on Writing website and newsletter.

On this edition of Just One More Book!!, author Kim Hix talks about her son Zack’s mental health disorders, the confidence of her family to embrace the person Zack is and helping to raise awareness of mental and emotional health in children through her book.

More on emotional health in children’s books on JOMB:

Photo from Intense Kids, Great Kids photos.

Interview with Gijsbert (Nic) van Frankenhuyzen

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 06:00:58 +0000

No matter how you look at it, picture book illustration is art. And when it comes to realism, illustrators face many challenges including visual storytelling and being true to the subject.

It took Gijsbert (Nic) van Frankenhuyzen about forty years to realize his childhood dream of becoming an illustrator. Nic joins Mark to talk about his move from Art Director to Illustrator, visual inspiration on books including Saving Samantha and one of his greatest challenges, illustrating the book The Edmund Fitzgerald: Song of the Bell.

Photo courtesy of Gijsbert (Nic) van Frankenhuyzen.

Rhyme Is The New Prose: Zorgamazoo (A Novel in Rhyme)

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 06:00:48 +0000

Author: Robert Paul Weston (on JOMB)
Illustrator: Victor Rivas (on JOMB)
Published: 2008 RazorBill (on JOMB)
ISBN: 1595141995

Two hundred and eighty three pages of flawless rhyme whisk us through joy, sorrow, suspense, giggles, bliss, shock and triumph in this beautifully illustrated and designed adventure in friendship, self-discovery and the power of engagement.

Other books mentioned:

Pop over to The Holly and the Ivy for today’s full menu of poetry offerings. Poetry Fridays are brought to us by Kelly Herold of Big A, Little A.

HOTLINE VOICES: Author Kirby Larson shares how the book How to Steal a Dog (by Barbara O’Connor) stole her heart.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on a favourite children’s book. Leave a voice message on our JOMB listener hotline, +1-206-350-6487.

Interview with Giselle Potter

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 20:26:00 +0000

Some authors and illustrators have a knack for weaving personal experiences and family history into children’s books. The written and illustrated stories compliment each other in a way that invites the reader to be a part of the book.

On this edition, author/illustrator Giselle Potter talks about how her life experiences have influenced her style, offers thoughts on effective journaling and the challenge of making a personal experience interesting for others.

Among our favourite books by Giselle Potter:

Choe’s Birthday… and Me
The Year I Didn’t Go To School
Kate and the Beanstalk (with Mary Pope Osborne)
The Boy Who Loved Words (with Roni Schotter)

Conversation with Paul Rogers

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 06:00:03 +0000

His work has included posters, murals, magazine art and logos. Only recently has he become known for his children’s picture book illustrations with two books that carry musical themes; Jazz A-B-Z: An A to Z Collection of Jazz Portraits with poems by Wynton Marsalis and the warmly illustrated Forever Young (the song by Bob Dylan). He’s also a contributor to the Just One More Book!! Love of Reading Gallery.

On this edition, Graphic Artist and Illustrator Paul Rogers speaks with Mark about new collaborations with Wynton Marsalis, finessing with a computer and the permanence of children’s books.

Relevant links:

Paul Rogers’ blog
Images from Jazz A-B-Z
Paul’s blog posts about Forever Young (includes images)

Just One More Book!! Love of Reading Gallery illustration by Paul Rogers.

Conversation with Barry Root

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 06:00:21 +0000

The economics of his first book experience had him doubting if being a children’s book illustrator was a viable career. We’ll spoil the story for you; it all works out. He continues to illustrate, and we get to enjoy books like The Araboolies of Liberty Street, Pumpkins: A Story for a Field, By My Brother’s Side and The Birthday Tree.

On this edition of Just One More Book!!, illustrator Barry Root talks about his relative anonymity on the web (his own website will be available soon), the time investment for illustrating books and turning down work.

Interview with Neil Gaiman

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 21:56:13 +0000

He’s the inspiration for many things in pop-culture including a race of aliens on Babylon 5, the name of a planet in the Star Wars: Rebellion video game and a CD of music. He’s written almost every type of literature. His book Coraline will be released as a movie on February 6th of this year, and yesterday, he won the 2009 Newbery award for The Graveyard Book.

On this edition of Just One More Book!!, author Neil Gaiman talks about blogging, giving his books away for free on the Internet and keeping his fans up to date using Twitter.

Concise version of Neil Gaiman on the web

Neil Gaiman’s journal (blog)
Neil Gaiman on Twitter
Browse Coraline online until February 5, 2009
Browse The Graveyard Book online
The Graveyard Book video tour

Photo from Neil’s Twitter feed.

Conversation with Matt Tavares

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 06:00:43 +0000

Natural talent and dedication still need good role models, mentors and a few lucky breaks. In the context of today’s conversation, that applies equally to baseball and being a creator of children’s books.

To continue with the baseball motif, author/illustrator Matt Tavares has all the tools. He’s also a huge fan of baseball, as evidenced by many of his books, and he even has a baseball sounding name. It makes you wonder if his business card features his photo, position and career stats.

On this edition of Just One More Book!!, Mark speaks with Matt Tavares about turning his senior thesis into his first published book, the ageless appeal of baseball stories and a kindergarten teacher who fostered his passion for art.

Thanks to Daniele Rossi and RuthDFW for submitting questions to ask Matt.

Books mentioned:

Jack and the Beanstalk
Lady Liberty: A Biography
Mudball
Zachary’s Ball [formerly Sebastien's Ball]

Music: Excerpt of Take Me Out to the Ballgame used as the conversation’s seventh-inning stretch.

Photos for the collage courtesy of Matt Tavares.

Interview with Kinuko Craft

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 06:00:47 +0000

There’s long been a distinction made between pure art and children’s picture book art. Picture book art has a tradition of being playful in all manner of stories, fun and serious, an approach not yet adopted by art puritans.

Inspired by the her grandfather’s books of renaissance art she enjoyed as a young girl, Kinuko Y. Craft has been creating some of the most sophisticated art ever to appear in picture books — books that she insists are mistakenly viewed as exclusively for children.

K. Y. Craft speaks with Mark about storytelling through art, the time it takes to complete each of her illustrations and her quest for the perfect painting.

The following books, illustrated by K. Y. Craft, are mentioned in the podcast:

Photo courtesy of K. Y. Craft.

Extra! Extra! My Own Book to distribute 8000 books!

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 21:32:45 +0000

I first spoke with Kyle and Brady Baldwin in August of 2007. They were 16 and 14 respectively and the founders of the My Own Book Foundation, created to bring top quality books to the less fortunate.

It’s 2009, now. Kyle is 18 and a freshman in college, Brady is 16 and was at school when I called in response to an email they’d sent about the BestBuy @15 Challenge, which, in conjunction with GenV Youth Venture, was giving away money to youth changemakers.

As of today (January 16, 2009), My Own Book has distributed 17,311 books. Listen to this phone conversation find out how the @15 Challenge will help the foundation distribute another 8,000 books to people who need them.

Relevant links

My Own Book promotional video
Start your own chapter of My Own Book

Conversation with David A. Carter

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 06:00:32 +0000

There’s something about pop-up books, and books with tabs, levers and dials; they make a two dimensional book extend into the world of the child in a way that makes the opposite seem true. The book literally explodes off the page.

You’ve probably had experiences with pop-up and movable books. And then there’s the Bug Books. Have you seen those before? They present textures and other tactile experiences to the reader.

David A. Carter is an author, illustrator and perhaps most importantly, a paper engineer. He makes those interactive experiences a reality. A creator of more than sixty books including The Elements of Pop-Up, a veritable how-to guide for aspiring pop-up artists.

David Carter joins Mark to speak about an art that has largely been about reverse engineering and apprenticing on this edition of Just One More Book!!

David Carter’s top-10 pop-ups not including his own work (some of these are out of print):

International Circus by Lothar Meggendorfer
The Bookano series
Robot by Jan Pienkowski
Dinner Time by Jan Pienkowski
The Human Body by David Pelham and Jonathan Miller
Universe by David Pelham and Heather Cooper
The National Geographic Pop-Up series
Peek-A-Boo by Jean Claverie
The Christmas Alphabet by Robert Sabuda
ABC3D by Marion Bataille

David Carter’s top-3 works of his own:

To hear more of the conversation with David A. Carter, sign up for our monthly newsletter on our website, justonemorebook.com/newsletter, in time for the January 2009 issue which will include a link to more of our conversation.

Interview with Betsy Bird

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 06:00:23 +0000

Long before Mark turned thirty-eight, his vision of a librarian was that of a stiff, grey-haired woman with horned-rimmed glasses and a bun who shushed people. Now, he sees that librarians are increasingly younger than he and they’ve embraced some incredible new technologies to spread a love of reading and to promote their craft.

Elizabeth Bird, or Betsy Bird, is one of a new generation of librarians. She has achieved a lot very early in her career including sitting on the Newbery award committee in 2006 and, following the success of Fuse #8, her own blog about children’s books, has become a blogger for the web edition of the popular print magazine School Library Journal. Betsy’s also been known to produce episodes of her Fuse#8 podcast. [NOTE: Betsy's Fuse #8 blog site is only used for podcasts since she became a blogger for School Library Journal]

Betsy Bird joins Mark at the 2008 Kidlit Conference in Portland, OR, on this edition of Just One More Book!!

Photo of Betsy Bird from the School Library Journal flickr account.

The Children’s Book Bank of Toronto, Canada

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 06:00:56 +0000

The Children’s Book Bank of Toronto, Canada is a charitable organization designed to support children’s literacy by providing free books and literacy support to children in lower income neighbourhoods. We learned about it from our good friend and podcaster, Sage Tyrtle, in an email she sent us offering to help record an interview with founder Kim Beatty. We managed to convince her to do more than that.

On this edition of Just One More Book!!, correspondent Sage Tyrtle of the QN Podcast introduces us to The Children’s Book Bank.

By the way, Sage’s QN podcast is definitely for adults, not children, and frequently includes strong language and political views.

Sheree Fitch: Reviving Sleeping Dragons

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 06:00:19 +0000

You could say that Sheree Fitch became a part of our family long before we met her in 2006. Ahhh… the mark of a great author, that their books are so good that you wake up with them each morning, hang out with them all day and go to bed with them at night. That’s what made it so sad when we found out that a large portion of Sheree’s books were no longer in print.

In November 2006, we spent a few hours with Sheree when she was in Ottawa. We talked about children’s books and our daughter Lucy read aloud the amazing book Sleeping Dragons All Around. We brought Mocha Maple Chocolate cupcakes as a treat. And so began our campaign to have Sleeping Dragons reprinted.

On this edition of Just One More Book!!, author Sheree Fitch talks about the 20th anniversary edition of Sleeping Dragons All Around, being the author of a book that’s reaching a second generation and how Sleeping Dragons became and will always be a part of a family that suffered a tragic loss.

More Sheree Fitch on Just One More Book:

This is the second in a two-part series about Sleeping Dragons All Around. In part one, we replayed our original review of Sleeping Dragons, complete with questionable recording quality.

Interview with Zetta Elliott

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 06:00:11 +0000

Remember that ad in which a not-so-grown boy said “things sure have changed since when I was a little kid”? We like to think that’s true of children’s books and, when we think about it, it must be. If children’s books hadn’t come as far as they have, we wouldn’t have books that tackle issues; books like Not in Room 204, Gleam and Glow and Bird.

On this edition of Just One More Book!!, Mark speaks with Zetta Elliott, author of the book Bird, about publishing picture books that tackle real-life issues like drug addiction, getting published in foreign markets and being daring as both book publishers and book buyers.

To hear more of the conversation with Zetta, sign up for our monthly newsletter on our website, justonemorebook.com/newsletter, in time for the December 2008 issue which will include a link to more of our conversation.

Interview with Karen Raab

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 06:00:02 +0000

Perhaps because of the dedicated children’s picture book art galleries there has been a rise in dedicated children’s picture book art sections in traditional galleries and we keep learning about special events for children’s picture book artists. Anyway, it seems that children’s picture book art is becoming increasingly recognized and respected.

We were recently contacted by the Chemers Gallery (Chemer’s Gallery Blog) in Tustin, California to inform us of their 17th annual Children’s Book Illustration Show taking place from December 6 through 20, 2008, with a special event for the show opening taking place from 1-5pm on the 6th.

Our guest on this edition of Just One More Book!! is Karen Raab, owner of the Chemers Gallery, who tells us more about their exciting event which benefits Orange County Ronald McDonald House.

This year’s artists:

Photo of Karen Raab by Paul Rodriguez, The Orange County Register.

A Soothing Celebration: Snow

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 06:00:41 +0000

Author: Cynthia Rylant (on JOMB)
Illustrator: Lauren Stringer (on JOMB)
Published: 2008 Harcourt (on JOMB)
ISBN: 0152053034

Welcoming snowscapes, glowing orange coziness and carefully, crafted verse capture our very personal yet wonderfully universal relationship with snow in this exquisite reflection on the fleeting sweetness of life.

Interview with Rebecca Sherman

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 06:00:01 +0000

It’s probably safe to say that most people, even when holding one in their hand, don’t consider all of the work and the people involved in creating a children’s picture book. Behind the names of the authors illustrators, within and beyond the names of the publishing houses are the often overlooked people we call agents.

On this edition of Just One More Book!!, we turn the spotlight on Rebecca Sherman, an agent with Writers House LLC, who tells us a bit about her job as an agent and shares stories about some of her clients.

Authors/illustrators mentioned in this program:

Grace Lin (on JOMB)
Jarrett Krosoczka and his video: Making of A Monkey Boy (on JOMB)
Alvina Ling
Scott Magoon (on JOMB)
Rebecca Doughty (on JOMB)
Amy Krouse Rosenthal
Lisa Railsback
Ann Halladay
Dan Santad
David Ezra Stein

Peggy Collins and Kendra Marcus and the pursuit of representation

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 06:00:39 +0000

On Saturday, October 4, 2008, the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators held an event in Ottawa, Canada that focused on the relationship between children’s book creators and agents. The day included presentations, group discussions and private meetings with agents to review manuscripts.

On this edition of Just One More Book!!, Mark speaks with author/illustrator Peggy Collins and Agent Kendra Marcus about their private meeting in which Kendra reviewed and commented on Peggy’s latest project.

We’ve stayed in contact with Peggy since this interview was recorded. We provide an update on Peggy’s career and agent representation at the end of the interview.

A Bear in War

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 06:00:24 +0000

It’s November 8, 2008, three days before the 90th anniversary of Armistice Day, the end of World War I. A crowd has gathered in a big hall in the Canadian War Museum. Among the historic military machines on exhibit is a small glass display case, one foot by one foot, set atop a narrow pedestal. In the display case is “Teddy”, a child’s stuffed toy.

The crowd is here to celebrate the launch of the book A Bear in War, written by Stephanie Innes and Harry Endrulat and illustrated by Brian Deines. In the book, “Teddy”, that stuffed toy on display in the museum, tells the true story of a family affected by World War I; Lt. Lawrence Browning Rogers, his wife Janet May Weaver Rogers and their two children Aileen and Howard.

MUSIC: Poor James from the CD Tractor Parts: Further Adventures in Strang by Zubot and Dawson.

Richard Michelson on the 19th Annual Children’s Illustration Show

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 05:00:27 +0000

On November 16, The Richard Michelson Gallery will host it’s 19th annual Children’s Illustration Show. The event which is open to the public coincides with the launch of a new exhibit of children’s picture book art and attracts some of the biggest names in the industry. And this year, Just One More Book is going to be there.

On this edition of Just One More Book!!, author, poet and gallery owner Richard Michelson walks Mark through the origins of the Children’s Illustration Show, who will be there this year and what people who attend can expect.

This discussion sets up a series of audio and video podcasts we expect to publish that will cover the Just One More Book!! experience as we travel through Connecticut on our way to the Richard Michelson Gallery’s 19th annual Children’s Illustration Show in Northampton Massachusetts — the unofficial centre of the children’s book industry.

Interview with Werner Zimmermann

justonemorebook@gmail.com (Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross) — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 05:00:14 +0000

There’s no shortage of amazing people in the children’s book industry, and since Just One More Book!! is a mere two-and-a-quarter years-old, we’re still meeting people we’ve never heard of on a regular basis.

Werner (pron. Verner) Zimmermann is a children’s book author and illustrator, and a teacher of illustration and animation at Sheridan College. I happened upon a conversation he was a part of at a recent event of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) held in Canada’s National Library and Archives in Ottawa.

On this edition of Just One More Book!!, Werner Zimmermann talks about using illustration to portray what we see, the role of illustrations and the children’s book illustrations as art.

Werner’s books include:

Snow Day!
Listen Said the Donkey (with Jean Little)
Farmer Joe’s Hot Day (with Nancy Wilcox Richards)