Meet the Author
Format
Format
User Rating
User Rating
Release Date
Release Date
Date Added
Date Added
Language
Language
audiobook
(0)
An Interview With Francisco Alarcón
by Francisco Alarcón
read by Francisco Alarcón
Part of the Meet the Author series
Francisco X. Alarcón is an award-winning poet who grew up in two countries: he spent time as a child in both Mexico and the United States. Songs he heard from his indigenous grandmother first inspired Alarcón's poetry, which he presents for readers in both English and in Spanish. In this exclusive video interview with ¡Colorín Colorado! Francisco Alarcón speaks about his Hispanic heritage and how it makes him a "a bi-national, bicultural, bilingual poet."
audiobook
(0)
An Interview WIth Lois Lowry
by Lois Lowry
read by Lois Lowry
Part of the Meet the Author series
Lois Lowry's first children's book, "A Summer to Die", was published in 1977. In 1979 Lowry finished Anastasia Krupnik, the story of a quirky 10-year-old girl who wants to become a writer. During the 1980s, Anastasia reappeared in numerous books. In 1990 Lowry's novel, "Number the Stars", received the prestigious Newbery Medal. Four years later, Lowry won a second Newbery Medal for her most well-known book, "The Giver." More recently, Lois Lowry has been writing a lighthearted series for younger readers about a spirited second-grade girl named Gooney Bird Greene.
audiobook
(0)
An Interview With Bruce Degen
by Bruce Degen
read by Bruce Degen
Part of the Meet the Author series
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.
audiobook
(0)
An Interview With Eric Rohmann
by Eric Rohmann
read by Eric Rohmann
Part of the Meet the Author series
Eric Rohmann believes that each story needs illustrations that match its tone, content, and sensibility. As a children's book illustrator, this means knowing how and when to use different media and techniques.
audiobook
(0)
An Interview With Nikki Grimes
by Nikki Grimes
read by Nikki Grimes
Part of the Meet the Author series
Nikki Grimes was born in Harlem, but grew up in many different parts of New York. As a foster child from a broken home, she moved from place to place, always saying goodbye to new friends. Reading and writing became her survival tools. When she had no one else to talk to, Grimes wrote poems and stories about the things that were bothering her. As an avid reader, she checked out library books by day and read at night by flashlight.
audiobook
(0)
An Interview With Peter Sis
by Peter Sis
read by Peter Sis
Part of the Meet the Author series
Peter Sís is the celebrated writer and illustrator of "Madlenka" and the Caldecott Honor book "Starry Messenger: Galileo Galilei.". In this exclusive video interview with Reading Rockets, Peter Sís talks about the winding path that led him to New York City, his father's Tibetan journey, and how his own children have influenced his work.
audiobook
(0)
An Interview With E.B. Lewis
by E. B. Lewis
read by E. B. Lewis
Part of the Meet the Author series
Lewis's interests in fine arts & illustration led him to coin the term "artistrator" to describe his work. Lewis's illustrations have been described as "uniquely captivating" have earned him the Coretta Scott King Award & a a Caldecott Honor.
audiobook
(0)
An Interview With Sherri Smith
by Sherri Smith
read by Sherri Smith
Part of the Meet the Author series
Sherri Smith writes novels that feature strong female protagonists dealing with issues of racial and ethnic identity. One critic described her work as a "gumbo of cultural collisions and discoveries." In "Hot, Sour, Salty Sweet," Ana, a 13-year-old Chinese-American/ African-American girl, grapples with her family as both a source of strength and deep embarrassment. In the award-winning "Flygirl," Smith tells the story of Ida Mae, a young African-American woman who dreams of serving in the Women's Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) during WWII, but encounters discrimination.
audiobook
(0)
An Interview With Linda Sue Park
by Linda Sue Park
read by Linda Sue Park
Part of the Meet the Author series
Linda Sue Park, Korean American author of children's fiction, has been an avid reader and writer her entire life. In fact, she began poetry and story writing before kindergarten -- at the age of four. Linda's mainly focuses on historical fiction. "Seesaw Girl", "Kite Fighters", "A Single Shard" (2002 Newbery Medal winner), "Project Mulberry," "Bee-Bim Bop," and "Archer's Quest" all delve in to the Korean culture and history -- embroidery, kite fighting, celadon pottery, silkworms, and Korean food.
audiobook
(0)
An Interview With Mary Brigid Barrett
by Mary Brigid Barrett
read by Mary Brigid Barrett
Part of the Meet the Author series
Barrett talks about her childhood filled with books, how she teaches with literature, what inspired her to start the National Children's Book and Literacy Alliance, and why she's so excited by the new book Our White: Looking In, Looking Out.
audiobook
(0)
An Interview With Carole Boston Weatherford
by Carole Boston Weatherford
read by Carole Boston Weatherford
Part of the Meet the Author series
Carole Boston Weatherford is a children's book author and poet who "mines the past for family stories, fading traditions, and forgotten struggles."
audiobook
(0)
An Interview With Margaret Peterson Haddix
by Margaret Peterson Haddix
read by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Part of the Meet the Author series
As a kid, Margaret Peterson Haddix was a real bookworm. was so attached to reading, that she considered the characters in books like Harriet the Spy and Little Women to be her friends.
audiobook
(0)
An Interview With Norton Juster for readingrockets.org
by Norton Juster
read by Norton Juster
Part of the Meet the Author series
The world knows and loves The Phantom Tollbooth and its creator, Norton Juster - a professional architect who also loved writing delightfully inventive books for children.
audiobook
(0)
An Interview With Norton Juster for adlit.org
by Norton Juster
read by Norton Juster
Part of the Meet the Author series
"It seems to me that almost everything is a waste of time," Milo laments. "[T]here's nothing for me to do, nowhere I'd care to go, and hardly anything worth seeing." And so we are introduced to young (and so very bored) boy named Milo, a tollbooth, and an adventure in a very strange place called Dictionopolis. The world knows and loves "The Phantom Tollbooth," and its creator, Norton Juster - a professional architect who also loved writing delightfully inventive books for children.
audiobook
(0)
An Interview With Jesus Cortez
by Jesus Cortez
read by Jesus Cortez
Part of the Meet the Author series
Dr. Jesus Cortez offers some ideas engaging ELLs as readers, as well as tips for choosing culturally diverse titles for the classroom.
audiobook
(0)
An Interview With Christopher Paul Curtis
by Christopher Paul Curtis
read by Christopher Paul Curtis
Part of the Meet the Author series
After high school graduation, Christopher took a well-paying job at an automobile factory. At first he bought a new car and enjoyed the perks of making high wages, but soon Christopher grew tired of the monotonous work. During breaks from the assembly line, Christopher began to write. After 13 years at the factory, Christopher took a year off to write a novel. That novel, The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963, won both a Newbery Honor and a Coretta Scott King Honor.
audiobook
(0)
An Interview With Seymour Simon
by Seymour Simon
read by Seymour Simon
Part of the Meet the Author series
Seymour Simon is a man in love with science. As a kid he was even president of the Junior Astronomy Club at the American Museum of Natural History. Now, this writer uses his talent to share his love of science with others. With over 200 children's books in print, he has covered topics ranging from oceans to trains to the human heart.
audiobook
(0)
An Interview With David Adler
by David Adler
read by David Adler
Part of the Meet the Author series
"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.
audiobook
(0)
An Interview With Kate DiCamillo
by Kate DiCamillo
read by Kate DiCamillo
Part of the Meet the Author series
At first glance, it may appear that Kate DiCamillo waltzed onto the children's book scene and experienced nothing but success. Her first published novel, Because of Winn-Dixie, won a Newbery Honor in 2001. In 2004 DiCamillo's book, The Tale of Despereaux, received the coveted Newbery Medal.
audiobook
(0)
An Interview With Christopher Myers
by Christopher Myers
read by Christopher Myers
Part of the Meet the Author series
Christopher Myers comes from a long line of creative storytellers. In this exclusive video interview with Reading Rockets, Christopher Myers talks about his Brooklyn neighborhood, his work, and how reading touches every part of his life.
audiobook
(0)
An Interview With Lois Ehlert
by Lois Ehlert
read by Lois Ehlert
Part of the Meet the Author series
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.
audiobook
(0)
An Interview With Tanya Stone
by Tanya Stone
read by Tanya Stone
Part of the Meet the Author series
Tanya Lee Stone began making up stories when she was a kid.Stone has written nearly 100 books about animals, nature, science, history, and biography. Many of the stories she writes now deal with themes of strong women and empowering girls.
audiobook
(0)
An Interview With Laura Vaccaro Seeger
by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
read by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
Part of the Meet the Author series
Laura Vaccaro Seeger writes and illustrates children's books that seem disarmingly simple at first but reveal complex, conceptual ideas with every reading. She tackles big themes like friendship (Dog and Bear) and creativity (One Boy), and uses her design and animation background to bring a visual freshness to her books.
audiobook
(0)
An Interview With Patricia Polacco
by Patricia Polacco
read by Patricia Polacco
Part of the Meet the Author series
Patricia Polacco tells warm family tales drawn from her own childhood among an extended immigrant family of grandparents and cousins. In this exclusive video interview with Reading Rockets, Patricia Polacco talks about writing and illustrating and the passing down of family history whose themes resonate with readers of all backgrounds.
audiobook
(0)
An Interview With Jerry Spinelli
by Jerry Spinelli
read by Jerry Spinelli
Part of the Meet the Author series
Jerry Spinelli still remembers the night when he was awakened by a phone call. His novel, Maniac Magee, had just won the 1991 Newbery Medal. "Life hasn't been the same since," Spinelli recalls.
audiobook
(0)
An Interview With Jon Scieska
by Jon Scieska
read by Jon Scieska
Part of the Meet the Author series
Jon Scieszka (which rhymes with Fresca) is the playful and cheeky author behind "The True Story of the Three Little Pigs" and "The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales". In these exclusive audio and video interviews with Reading Rockets, Jon Scieszka talks about his "weird" style and his concern about boys and reading.
audiobook
(0)
An Interview With Jane Yolen
by Jane Yolen
read by Jane Yolen
Part of the Meet the Author series
Jane Yolen has written stories about toads in space, dinosaurs at bedtime, and much more. In this exclusive video interview, Jane Yolen recites the first poem she ever wrote and talks about how to encourage creative writing in kids.
audiobook
(0)
An Interview With Pamela Duncan Edwards
by Pamela Duncan Edwards
read by Pamela Duncan Edwards
Part of the Meet the Author series
Pamela Duncan Edwards often teams up with illustrator Henry Cole to create alliterative children's books like "Some Smug Slug". In this exclusive video interview with Reading Rockets, Pamela Duncan Edwards talks about her years as a school librarian and the joys of her work.
audiobook
(0)
An Interview With Emily Gravett
by Emily Gravett
read by Emily Gravett
Part of the Meet the Author series
British author and illustrator Emily Gravett brings a fresh perspective to her children's books.
audiobook
(0)
An Interview With Denise Fleming
by Denise Fleming
read by Denise Fleming
Part of the Meet the Author series
As a young girl Denise Fleming used to spend hours in her father's workshop cutting, gluing, carving, and building things. Today, she spends many hours in her own workshop, where she makes the paper that she uses to illustrate her picture books.
audiobook
(0)
An Interview With Marilyn Singer
by Marilyn Singer
read by Marilyn Singer
Part of the Meet the Author series
Marilyn Singer has written all kinds of great books for children and young adults - picture books, fairy tales, mysteries, non-fiction, and novels - but poetry is her favorite. Singer is on a mission to "knock poetry off its pedestal" and to introduce kids to the pleasing rhythms and powerful emotion of poems, but also to encourage kids to express themselves through verse.
audiobook
(0)
An Interview With Mem Fox
by Mem Fox
read by Mem Fox
Part of the Meet the Author series
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.
audiobook
(0)
An Interview With Laurie Halse Anderson
by Laurie Halse Anderson
read by Laurie Halse Anderson
Part of the Meet the Author series
In elementary school, Laurie was terrified that she'd never be able to learn how to read. With help from her teachers, Laurie did crack the code and then became one those students who hide library books inside textbooks during class. Now, she's the award-winning author of Young Adult books like Speak, Chains, and Wintergirls.
audiobook
(0)
An Interview With Anita Silvey for adlit.org
by Anita Silvey
read by Anita Silvey
Part of the Meet the Author series
The author of 100 Best Books for Children and 500 Great Books for Teens, Anita Silvey has devoted 35 years to promoting books that inspire children to become enthusiastic, lifelong readers. In this interview, find out what Silvey thinks about the future of the book and listen to the thrilling real-life anecdote about the creators of Curious George. As she says, "every children's book tells a story, but every children's book has a story behind it."
audiobook
(0)
An Interview With Chris Van Allsburg
by Chris Van Allsburg
read by Chris Van Allsburg
Part of the Meet the Author series
Chris Van Allsburg is the author and illustrator of many celebrated children's books such as The Polar Express and Jumanji. In this exclusive video interview with Reading Rockets, Chris Van Allsburg talks about his big breakthrough, his books, and their transformation into movies.
audiobook
(0)
An Interview With Mark Teague
by Mark Teague
read by Mark Teague
Part of the Meet the Author series
Mark Teague likes to find humor in the everyday events of childhood. In this exclusive video interview with Reading Rockets, Mark Teague talks about his books, the kids he meets when visiting schools, and his books "Dear Mrs. LaRue: Letters from Obedience School" and "How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?"
audiobook
(0)
An Interview With Jack Gantos
by Jack Gantos
read by Jack Gantos
Part of the Meet the Author series
Jack is an award-winning author of a wide variety of books. He writes picture books for young children and chapter books for middle-schoolers. His Joey Pigza Loses Control, a book about a boy with ADHD, received a prestigious Newbery Honor. Jack also published a book about the time he went to prison. This nonfiction book for teens, Hole in My Life, has won lots of awards and reached many troubled teenage boys.
audiobook
(0)
An Interview With Jack Prelutsky
by Jack Prelutsky
read by Jack Prelutsky
Part of the Meet the Author series
Jack Prelutsky writes wonderfully wacky poems that children find irresistible. In this interview, Jack Prelutsky explains why he used to equate reading poetry with eating liver and considered writing poetry a hazard to his health.
audiobook
(0)
An Interview With Janet Wong
by Janet Wong
read by Janet Wong
Part of the Meet the Author series
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 picture books for young people.
audiobook
(0)
An Interview With Deborah Heligman
by Deborah Heligman
read by Deborah Heligman
Part of the Meet the Author series
Deborah has written more than 26 books, including the acclaimed Holidays Around the World and Charles and Emma: The Darwins Leap of Faith. Deborah is an active blogger on the I.N.K. (Interesting Nonfiction for Kids) blog and helped establish a companion site for teachers called INK Think Tank, which connects great nonfiction books to curriculum standards.
audiobook
(0)
An Interview With Eve Bunting
by Eve Bunting
read by Eve Bunting
Part of the Meet the Author series
Eve Bunting is a spellbinding storyteller, both in conversation and in writing. In this exclusive video interview with Reading Rockets, Eve Bunting relates amusing stories from her childhood in Ireland and offers insights into her books, some of which are unflinching in tackling tough subjects.
audiobook
(0)
An Interview With Pam Muñoz Ryan
by Pam Muñoz Ryan
read by Pam Muñoz Ryan
Part of the Meet the Author series
Pam Muñoz Ryan isn't afraid of indomitable women. In fact, she's inspired by them! Just look at "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.
audiobook
(0)
An Interview With Henry Cole
by Henry Cole
read by Henry Cole
Part of the Meet the Author series
Illustrator Henry Cole explains the inspiration, experiences, and processes behind his work.
audiobook
(0)
An Interview With Kadir Nelson
by Kadir Nelson
read by Kadir Nelson
Part of the Meet the Author series
Kadir Nelson is a naturally gifted artist whose extraordinary talent continues to develop and be discovered. Before the age of 30, Nelson had already illustrated children's books, sold paintings to celebrities, and worked on a movie directed by Steven Spielberg.
audiobook
(0)
An Interview With Pat Mora
by Pat Mora
read by Pat Mora
Part of the Meet the Author series
Pat Mora is a Mexican-American author and poet. She writes short books for children about families, Mexican-American culture, and the desert. In this exclusive video interview with ¡Colorín Colorado! Pat Mora tells us about her childhood, her books, and Día de los Niños/Día de los libros
audiobook
(0)
An Interview With Laurence Yep
by Laurence Yep
read by Laurence Yep
Part of the Meet the Author series
Laurence Yep writes books that draw from his Chinese American background yet speak to common feelings and experiences. In this exclusive video interview with Reading Rockets, Laurence Yep discusses his love for his work and the gratification of writing stories.
audiobook
(0)
An Interview With Marc Brown
by Marc Brown
read by Marc Brown
Part of the Meet the Author series
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.
audiobook
(0)
An Interview With Ashley Bryan
by Ashley Bryan
read by Ashley Bryan
Part of the Meet the Author series
Ashley Bryan is an eclectic artist who uses painting, poetry, music, collage, and prose to tell stories. Bryan fuses these seemingly separate art forms within his books for children. "I try not to accept walls and boundaries and definitions in a strict way," he says. "I would hope that everything I do is interrelated." Bryan is known for retelling African folktales in a distinct, rhythmic prose that is heavily influenced by African-American poetry. In 1981, his collection of Nigerian folktales, Beat the Story-Drum, Pum-Pum, received the Coretta Scott King Book Illustrator Award. In 2012, Bryan was awarded the Coretta Scott King - Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement.