Q&A with Kathy Watson

 

 

 

Kathy Watson is the author of the new novel Orphans of the Living. She has worked as a public relations executive, a journalist, a chef, and a restaurant owner. She lives in Hood River, Oregon. 

 

Q: How much was Orphans of the Living inspired by your own family history?

 

A: The inspiration was 100 percent my mother's family. Of course, that doesn't make it biography. I knew the basic arc of my mother's life, and a great deal about the people who inhabited it, but much of it is fiction.

 

In her amazing collection of short stories, The Unforeseen: Stories, Molly Gloss writes that a scientist's journal was "the skeleton of facts dressed in the clothes of complete sentences." I had the skeleton of facts, and clothed them in flesh, bone, love, longing, conflict, pain, redemption. 

 

Q: How did you research the novel, and what did you learn that especially surprised you?

 

A: I mostly stumbled around like Columbo in a raincoat. I really had no idea what I would find.

 

I started at Ancestry.com, just getting a timeline for the birth, death, and significant events that left a trail, such as when the male members of her family responded to the draft in WWI and WWII, or in census data. I spent a lot of time at Newspapers.com.

 

Whenever I was tempted to use an idiom, I researched to make sure the term was in use at the time. When I wanted to know what Glen's army uniform looked like, or what he would have been issued to wear while on a run, I researched.

 

I visited (virtually) state archives and special library collections of football memorabilia. I read the board meeting minutes of orphanages in Montana. I researched how acreage was dispersed through the Homesteader's Act. I tracked down the history of California merchant ships.

 

I read nonfiction historical accounts of the era such as The Worst Hard Time, Timothy Egan's book on the dust bowl and Great Depression, and Hard Times by Studs Terkel, among others. And this is only a short list. 

 

What surprised me? Things I learned that confirmed the bits and pieces my mother told me about.

 

When she said, "My father heard you could make money growing strawberries in Mississippi," I was skeptical. How would a man farming (or starving, actually ) in Montana hear of such a thing? And then I found a poster in an archive of Mississippi history advertising exactly that.

 

I posited in the novel that he saw it hanging on the wall of the feed store, and took it home. I quote directly from the poster in the novel. 

 

Q: The writer Jane Kirkpatrick said of the book, “Each voice is unique, memorable, and invites us to the Southwest and West of Steinbeck and Barbara Kingsolver.” What do you think of those comparisons?

 

A: I'm flattered, obviously. They are both extraordinary authors who have had a lot of influence on me.

 

When I was in elementary school, I frequently rode my bike down to the little stone house that served as the library in Soquel, California. The librarian there guided my reading choices for years, and took me through most of Steinbeck, starting with The Red Pony.

 

She gave me East of Eden when I was 10. That was probably the biggest literary mind-blowing experience of my life. All these people living these lives I could not imagine, only 30 miles away from me!

 

And I've followed, and read, everything of Kingsolver's since The Bean Trees. 

 

Q: What do you hope readers take away from the book?

 

A: The origins of our own national struggles today have roots in earlier times. It's easy to think of poverty, lack of education, inequality, our wars, from revolution, to civil, and onward, as things that happened to "them." But they are truly happening to us today: generational national trauma, if you will.

 

So I hope readers take away a more profound feeling of connection with who their grandparents and parents were on this continent, and how they were buffeted, fed, perhaps, unrealistic notions of wealth accumulation, by people who used them for their own gain. 

 

Q: What are you working on now?

 

A: I'm doing a thorough rewrite of a memoir that is in essence a sequel to Orphans of the Living. It will be coming out with She Writes Press in Spring of 2027.

 

And I'm about halfway through writing a third book, a novel, set in the near future, a political thriller. In fact, I'm out in Idaho right now on the Nez Perce reservation, doing some research for it. 

 

Q: Anything else we should know?

 

A: Yes! My book launch for Orphans of the Living will be Sept. 30 at the Hood River County Library, with Waucoma Books, our wonderful indie bookstore.

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb 

Q&A with Lily Murray

 

 

 

 

 

Lily Murray is the author of the new children's picture book A Dragon Called Spark. Her many other books include The Girl Who Loves Bugs. She is based in the UK.

 

Q: What inspired you to write A Dragon Called Spark, and how did you create your character Eva?

 

A: I grew up celebrating Hanukkah so I really wanted to write a Hanukkah story - but one that wasn't just about Hanukkah, and the how-to of celebrating it. I wanted to take the values of Hanukkah - the light in the darkness, the candles as a symbol of hope and remembering, and weave that into a story.

 

I imagined a young girl, feeling lonely, in need of hope, and that's how Eva and Spark came to be.

 

Q: What do you think Kirsti Beautyman’s illustrations add to the story?

 

A: What I love about picture books is the way the illustrator brings their own touch to the story in a way you never imagine as an author. I think her illustrations bring a beautiful calm and stillness to the story - they let the narrative unfold gently - and they bring magic, too.

 

Q: How would you describe the dynamic between Eva and Spark?

 

A: Spark represents Eva's fears. He also represents the power of Eva's imagination. The relationship between Eva and Spark is also a model of a wonderful friendship.

 

Q: What do you hope kids take away from the story?

 

A: I hope they enjoy it, first and foremost, that it sparks their imaginations and that next time they hear about Hanukkah, or celebrate it, it will make them feel connected to it in a new way.

 

Q: What are you working on now?

 

A: I'm working on new picture book ideas! I wish I could tell you but they are SECRET! 

 

Q: Anything else we should know?

 

A: I had a tiny dragon as an imaginary friend when I was a child.

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb 

Q&A with Roselee Blooston

 

 

 

Roselee Blooston is the author of the new essay collection Including the Periphery: Personal Essays. Her other books include Dying in Dubai. She lives in New York's Hudson Valley.

 

Q: Over how long a period did you write the essays collected in Including the Periphery?

 

A: The 14 essays in the collection were written over a 23-year period––between 2001(“Shadow Career”) and 2024––though most (nine) were written in the past three years.

 

Ironically, “Puberty” (the first essay) was written most recently, though it is about the most distant incident. Coming of age looks different decades later.

 

I’m glad that I waited, because now I see that facing that early setback gave me on a lifelong habit of resilience. The arc of the collection traces a dialogue between past and present with many such insights.

 

Some of the essays (“Shadow Career,” “the W Word,” and “Writing Life”) had been previously published. Portions of “Not Penelope Anymore” appeared in my first memoir, Dying in Dubai (2016); for this collection, I deepened it.

 

The title essay was short-listed in a 2007 contest but never published. I thought that it was high time!

 

Q: How was the book’s title chosen, and what does it signify for you?

 

A: When I decided to put together a collection, I immediately knew that the essay “Including the Periphery” would give the book its title. It seemed to me to be an expansive idea, encompassing themes of change, renewal, and perspective. I wanted to make sure that each of the other essays addressed those themes in some way.

 

In the title essay, “including the periphery” applied to my eyesight, but in the years following, it became a broader touchstone for navigating life, a reminder to widen my perception to absorb the outside edges of my personal experiences, that I had forgotten, ignored, or trivialized.

 

The past is the periphery of the present (see the essays “Reunions,” “Best Day,” and “On Longing and Old Men”) and as such, continues to be meaningful.

 

Q: What do you see as the relationship between this book and Dying in Dubai?

 

A: I think of Including the Periphery as an informal companion to Dying in Dubai. I’m in my 70s and felt that it was the time to address the aftermath of that first memoir, which covered my marriage and the first year mourning the sudden death of my husband.

 

For instance, “The W Word” delves into ongoing aspects of widowhood, and “Hudson Valley Happiness” is a direct follow-up to Dying in Dubai’s epilogue––my arrival in this stunning part of New York and the inner renewal this outer landscape allowed.

 

Q: What impact did it have on you to write the book, and what do you hope people take away from it?

 

A: Writing the book had a big impact on me, a surprising one. When I began creating the collection, I considered it to be “minor” in comparison to my previous memoirs (the above-mentioned one, and Almost: My Life in the Theater) or my novel (Trial by Family), but I was wrong.

 

Yes, it’s a slim volume, but Including the Periphery not only sums up my life, but does so with a lighter touch than my longer works, and that’s a good thing. Working on these essays reminded me how far I’ve come and how well-earned my perspective and wisdom, if you will, are.

 

I hope that readers of Including the Periphery, from any generation, will take away the joy of life, no matter the challenges, as well as the sense that you can befriend yourself, and make peace with anything that comes your way.

 

Q: What are you working on now?

 

A: I find that I can’t write much while in the promotional phase for this book; however, I do know that I want to go back to fiction, perhaps a novella or two.

 

Q: Anything else we should know?

 

A: If you would like information on book tour appearances, go to the events page on my website: https:// roseleeblooston.com. My books are available wherever books are sold.

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb. Here's a previous Q&A with Roselee Blooston. 

Q&A with Claudia Mills

 

 

 

Claudia Mills is the author of the middle grade novel The Last Apple Tree. Her many other books include The Lost Language. She teaches at Hollins University, and she lives in Boulder, Colorado. 

 

Q: What inspired you to write The Last Apple Tree, and how did you create your characters Sonnet and Zeke?

 

A: Years ago, I read an article in a University of Colorado newsletter about the Boulder Apple Tree Project, created to locate and preserve heirloom apple trees in Boulder County, as well as the stories that go with them. That was the seed that planted this book.

 

At first, I just dimly knew I wanted to write about my own fictional heirloom apple tree, lone survivor of a vanished orchard, and the stories hidden in its bark and branches.

 

There would be an old man who loved the tree, and there would be two kids, a girl and a boy, who would interview the girl’s grandfather for a school oral-history project, the characters who became Sonnet and Zeke.

 

I wanted the two characters to have contrasting personalities which would bring them into conflict – all stories need conflict! The contrasts and conflicts would emerge as they conducted the interviews, so these would need to have something to do with their respective interviewing styles.

 

So, I decided that Sonnet would be protective of her recently widowed grandfather, unwilling to elicit any painful memories connected with the recent death of his beloved wife.

 

Zeke would be the braver of the two, asking the deeper questions that would upset Sonnet, but lead to the revelation of long-hidden family secrets.

 

But why would he be that way? What would be the backstory that led him to be the more fearless questioner? I began pondering. Ahh, he could be the son of a journalist father, an environmental activist, himself a fearless questioner, who has previously homeschooled Zeke.

 

And (as I wanted both kids to be dealing with difficult issues within their families), Zeke would be all too aware that his father is disappointed in him for not sharing his environmental zeal.

 

Now each character had a contrasting interview style that would reveal something important both about themselves and about their families.

 

Q: How would you describe the dynamic between them? 

 

A: As the story began to unfold, the contrasts I just described perfectly set up the two kids for conflict.

 

This conflict became aggravated by the fact that Zeke has his own secret he wants to hide from his new classmates: that his father has notoriety as the “local tree hugger” who once chained himself to an ancient oak tree to prevent it from being bulldozed for a construction project (another threatened tree, which help me carry out the “save the trees” theme in the story).

 

Just as Zeke is the one responsible for the revelation, against Sonnet’s will, of long-hidden secrets in her family, Sonnet ends up being (unintentionally) responsible for revealing this secret of Zeke’s. I would have plenty of conflict – and then, ultimately, plenty of common ground for new understanding. Whew!

 

Q: Did you know how the novel would end before you started writing it, or did you make many changes along the way?

 

A: When I started writing, I knew that the two kids in the story would learn a lot about Sonnet’s grandfather, and about themselves, in the course of the oral history project. But I didn’t yet know what they would learn. I knew they would uncover some family secret hidden in the tree, but I didn’t yet know what the secret would be.

 

Some of those things I figured out as the story progressed, by making dozens of pages of notes to myself in my tiny, almost unreadable handwriting.

 

But sometimes – and I think all authors experience this – the characters themselves do something that surprises me.

 

I knew the two kids would be paired together to conduct the interviews. But I had envisioned that the teacher would assign them to be partners. I was stunned when Zeke himself signed up to interview Sonnet’s grandfather (who is also his neighbor)!

 

And while I had already decided that, to Zeke’s horror, the middle school would invite his father to speak at an Arbor Day assembly, I had no idea that Sonnet, looking to find a way to fit in at her school, would impulsively join the school’s Green Club – and would then be the one to issue the invitation – never guessing that  the “local tree hugger” would turn out to be Zeke’s dad. I love it when my characters surprise me!

 

Q: The Publishers Weekly review of the book says, “Mills...centers characters navigating personal changes against a potent backdrop of tree conservation in this emotionally authentic novel.” What do you think of that description?

 

A: Of course, I’m always thrilled if Publishers Weekly gives me a glowing review! But I do especially appreciate this particular comment.

 

While the apple tree is in some sense the star of the story, and I wanted to shine a spotlight on the importance of saving heirloom apple trees and their one-of-a-kind genetic material, it’s always the emotional growth of my characters and their interrelationships that are most important to me as I write.

 

Both when I’m writing my own books and when I’m reading books written by others, I’m less interested in what happens in a story than why it matters: how do the events of the story change the characters so that they are different on the last page of the book from who they were at the beginning?

 

In The Last Apple Tree, Sonnet comes to realize that it’s okay for her grandfather to be sad, rather than suppressing his grief, and Zeke and his father come to recognize that they have more in common than either one previously realized.

 

Q: What are you working on now?

 

A: My book that will be published in March of 2026, Calliope Callisto Clark and the Search for Wisdom, also involves an intergenerational relationship; my main character, Callie (who gives herself a fancier, ancient-Greek-inspired name), is being raised by her elderly grandparents after her parents’ death in a car accident when she was very young.

 

An emotionally intense, “difficult” child, she joins a philosophy club seeking the wisdom she needs to keep her beloved but equally difficult dog.

 

This book is especially dear to my heart, as I fell in love with philosophy when I was not much older than Callie and ended up becoming a philosophy professor at the University of Colorado at Boulder. So, this book brings together my philosophy self and my children’s book self.

 

The book I’m writing this very minute – I just received the critiques from my writing group on the full first draft yesterday! – is for younger kids: a third-grade-level chapter book focused on a Little Free Library and the child who creates it and proudly serves as its “librarian.” I am now obsessed with Little Free Libraries. They are all I can think about!

 

Q: Anything else we should know?

 

A: Lately I’m finding that all my recent books are in some way celebrations of stories themselves, stories about the importance of stories.

 

In The Last Apple Tree, the stories Gramps shares with Sonnet and Zeke, revealing a hidden family tragedy, are crucial for the healing of long-buried pain for Sonnet’s mother and grandfather – and for Sonnet, too, who has been working so long and hard at the doomed project of making sure nobody in her family is ever sad.

 

In Calliope Callisto Clark and the Search for Wisdom, Callie finds her own badly needed bit of wisdom in the stories told by Socrates, Plato, and the great Stoic philosopher Epictetus (my most favorite philosopher of all).

 

As for my as-yet-untitled book about a Little Free Library, a library is first and foremost a storehouse of stories, shared with all who come to receive them.

 

Hooray for stories!

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb. Here's a previous Q&A with Claudia Mills. This Q&A was conducted in partnership with Claudia Mills. Enter this giveaway for a chance to win one ten signed paperback copies of The Last Apple Tree by Claudia Mills. But wait, there’s more! One lucky grand prize winner will get a special one-hour Zoom author visit with Claudia herself, plus signed copies of The Lost Language and a book from her wonderful chapter book series.

Sept. 30

 

 

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY
Sept. 30, 1924: Truman Capote born.

Q&A with Sherri L. Smith

 

 

 

Sherri L. Smith is the author of the new middle grade novel Candace, the Universe, and Everything. Her other books include Pearl. She teaches at Hamline University, and she lives in Los Angeles.

 

Q: What inspired you to write Candace, the Universe, and Everything?

 

A: Initially, I was interested in the idea of a girl finding a notebook from a previous student that helps her navigate her friendships.  

 

But I quickly realized the notebook would not just be a “left behind” item, but something more unusual, which lead to the idea of the wormhole in her locker, and the link to earlier generations.  

 

From there, I leaned into different elements, like a bird I saw fly overhead one day that seemed to have translucent wings, and the “visual snow” I see when I stare into a blue sky. It looks like a boiling pot, so why not a portal?

 

Q: The writer Gene Luen Yang called the book a “delightful celebration of intergenerational friendship that blends history, mystery, and science!” What do you think of that description?

 

A: I’d say it’s pretty darn accurate!  Having read the book, wouldn’t you agree?

 

Q: How did you research the novel, and did you learn anything that especially surprised you?

 

A: As mentioned above, I learned that I see a blue sky differently from most people. I’d never heard of visual snow before, but it seems to manifest in different ways, so that was really interesting. We always wonder if we are literally seeing things the same way other people see them.  It turns out we’re not! 

 

Because interdimensional magpies play a role in the story, I did research by going on my first bird watching walk and a bird sit, where you bring a chair out into the wilds and draw the birds you see. 

 

From that I learned that not far from my house in Southern California, we get hundreds of species of birds, some from as far away as Africa! I think that’s pretty amazing.

 

Q: What do you hope readers take away from the story?

 

A: I hope it opens them up the possibilities, writ large. I find there’s a lack of curiosity these days. People barely go past the first page of a search engine response. Think of what they’re missing out on! 

 

Talk to your grandparents, ask them things! Imagine “what if” in every situation. Whether it’s science-based, like in Candace, or purely imaginative, it will open up your mind and your world to engage with the possible. 

 

I also hope they get some laughs and a bit of “it’s going to be okay” for any reader going through their own friendship challenges.

 

Q: What are you working on now?

 

A: I have a few irons in the fire right now. You can expect to see my first picture book next year, and there’s another graphic novel with the artist. And then I’m hoping to return to middle grade with a ghost story. Fingers crossed! I’ll be sure to let you know what happens!

 

Q: Anything else we should know?

 

A: This is a hard time for books and librarians and teachers. Thank your book people, folks! They’re working hard to connect you with stories that will light up your life. Here’s to keeping both our minds and hearts open. Now, go hug a book!

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb. Here's a previous Q&A with Sherri L. Smith. 

Q&A with Ariel Slick

 

 

Ariel Slick is the author of the new novel The Devil Take the Blues. Her other books include The Royals of Sea and Song. She is from Fort Worth, Texas.

 

Q: What inspired you to write The Devil Take the Blues, and how did you create your cast of characters?

 

A: This book started out as kind of a love letter to my sister, but also to process a lot of the thoughts and feelings I had around a relationship with her that I knew wasn’t a good one. Beatrice’s story is a lot like mine—I had to learn to let my sister make her own decisions and make her own mistakes.

 

But I also just love stories about the Devil and how we can beat the Devil at his own game, sometimes. This was really fun to write, and it was my second full-fledged attempt at a novel.

 

For the cast, I wanted to create villains with some good trait, however small (sympathy for the Devil, if you will). Some of the characters stand for historic trends. For instance, Angelo highlights some of the ways Black musicians were taken advantage of in the ‘20s, and Pastor Stevenson symbolizes the racism of the era.

 

Q: How was the novel’s title chosen, and what does it signify for you?

 

A: Originally, the title was going to be “Crossroad Blues,” which was a reference to Robert Johnson’s song, and of course a reference to the crossroads legend.

 

However, an editor suggested that I change it to “The Devil Take the Blues,” with a reference to the phrase, “The Devil take you!” I think the final choice grabs people’s attention more.

 

Q: How did you research the book, and did you learn anything that especially surprised you?

 

A: Goodness, I did so much research. I have a background in library and information science, so I use those research skills. Mostly reading books, articles, and scouring the internet for primary sources.

 

A: I think one of the most surprising tidbits I learned was that the KKK was like a huge multi-level marketing scam. The “leaders” would get paid based on dues, and each level took a fraction from the next level. People were also required to purchase items, like sheets, Bibles, and so forth. They even sold hard candies with the insignia. I tried to poke fun at this because it was ridiculous.

 

Q: The writer Mark Spencer said of the book, “Powerful and original, funny and tragic--and most of all, true.” What do you think of that description?

 

A: It’s really an honor to have someone say that about my book. I think it’s what every author wants to hear, that their work is original. It’s also humbling in a way because I need to “out-do” myself on the next book.

 

Q: What are you working on now?

 

A: I’m currently working on a Dan Brown-style thriller about a disgraced veteran who goes on quest to find the largest cache of buried gold in history. Along the way, she learns the value of self-worth. It will be set in the present day, but it will still include a lot of historical research.

 

Q: Anything else we should know?

 

A: If you’d like sneak peeks of the thriller, or deleted scenes from Devil, be sure to sign up for my email newsletter by going to www.arielslickwrites.com.

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb. Here's a previous Q&A with Ariel Slick. 

Q&A with Andrew Maraniss

 

 

Andrew Maraniss is the author of the new kids' chapter book Hut! Hut! Hike!, part of his new Sports Zone! series. His other books include Strong Inside. He lives in the Nashville area. 

 

Q: Why did you decide to write a fiction series for kids age 6-8?

 

A: I’ve been writing books for progressively younger audiences! After adapting my first book for adults, Strong Inside, for young readers, I’ve written other nonfiction for high school, middle school, and elementary school students. This is my first venture into fiction.

 

With all my books, I’m interested in writing the kind of books that reach a certain reader: the kid who might be labeled a “reluctant reader,” who just hasn’t discovered the kind of books that they’re interested in yet.

 

The opportunity to write a series for Scholastic’s “Branches” series came about in a way that really underscores the magic of independent bookstores.

 

The children’s manager at our great Nashville indie, Parnassus Books, was talking to the Branches editor, who also happens to live here in town and was in the store to shop, about the number of families interested in sports books. The editor asked for ideas on potential authors and my name came up. I feel very fortunate to have this opportunity.

 

Q: How did you create your character Jasper, and why did you decide to focus on flag football?

 

A: Jasper is one of three main characters in the series, with the other two being his neighborhood friends Ruby and Mo. The series follows these kids and their classmates as they begin to participate in organized sports.

 

In the first book, as you mentioned, they try out for a flag football team for the first time – in the next two books, they play soccer and baseball.

 

While I’m a big college and NFL football fan, I think flag football is a much safer and better alternative for kids, and it is a sport whose popularity is soaring. Both boys and girls enjoy playing, and with the book releasing in the fall, it made sense to lead with a fall sport.

 

Q: What do you think the book says about friendship?

 

A: While these kids have their moments of disagreement and have some friendly rivalries with other kids in their town, at its heart this is a book about the way that friends support one another.

 

Even when they’re having fun, kids who play sports are dealing with adults in stressful environments – parents and coaches with demands and expectations. Things don’t always come easy on the field. There’s a lot to learn, with successes and failures playing out in front of friends, parents, and opponents.

 

Through it all, the kids in this series understand what their friends are going through and they choose to lift each other up.  

 

Q: What do you hope kids take away from the story?

 

A: Most of all, I hope kids have fun reading these books. Aishwarya Tandon did a great job with the illustrations, including some sections that resemble a graphic novel treatment.

 

The important thing at this age is just to get kids reading, and to enjoy reading. This book, like the whole series, is just intended to be fun, with some gentle messaging on friendship and sports facts thrown in.

 

Q: What are you working on now?

 

A: I’m finishing the next books in the series and also writing a young adult book on the first Special Olympics, which took place in the summer of 1968.

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb. Here's a previous Q&A with Andrew Maraniss. 

Q&A with Bianca Schulze

 

Photo by Susan English

 

 

Bianca Schulze is the author of the book 101 Books to Read Before You Grow Up: Timeless Tales and New Adventures Kids Will Love to Read, which is now available in a revised edition. Her other books include the picture book Cattitude. She is the founder and editor of The Children's Book Review and the host of the Growing Readers Podcast, and she lives near Boulder, Colorado.

 

Q: What inspired you to write 101 Books to Read Before You Grow Up?

 

A: As the founder of The Children's Book Review, I've had the privilege of reading thousands of children's books over the years. Through this experience, I discovered that not every book is for every child, but for every child, there is a book.

 

I wanted to create a guide that would help parents, teachers, and young readers themselves navigate the wonderful world of children's literature. The inspiration came from seeing how transformative the right book can be for a child—it can spark a lifelong love of reading, open new worlds, and help kids understand themselves and others better.

 

Q: How did you choose the books to include?

 

A: Selecting these 101 books was both exciting and challenging! I drew from my years of experience reviewing children's literature, considering books that have proven their staying power as well as newer voices that reflect our diverse world today.

 

Reworking this revised edition was particularly important to me. I looked for books that span different reading levels, genres, and formats—from picture books to graphic novels.

 

I wanted to ensure the list represents and reflects the current needs of today's children, whoever they may be—each book had to meet specific criteria: literary quality, appeal to young readers, and the ability to spark meaningful conversations or personal growth.

 

Q: The first book on the list is the Maurice Sendak classic Where the Wild Things Are—why did you choose this as the number-one book?

 

A: Where the Wild Things Are holds the number-one spot because the list is organized by format and begins with picture books; however, this book also perfectly captures the essence of childhood imagination and emotional complexity.

 

Sendak's masterpiece speaks to something universal in the child experience—those big feelings of anger, adventure, and the ultimate comfort of home and being loved unconditionally.

 

It's a book that works on multiple levels, engaging very young readers with its wild rumpus while offering deeper themes that resonate as children grow.

 

It's also a book that has stood the test of time, continuing to captivate new generations of readers more than 60 years after its publication. It's a perfect specimen of a picture book!

 

Q: What do you think Shaw Nielsen and Clémence Langevin’s illustrations add to the book?

 

A: Shaw and Clémence's illustrations serve as both a celebration of these excellent books and an invitation for new readers to discover them.

 

They've created artwork that complements each book entry while maintaining their own distinctive style throughout the guide—their artwork captures the essence and spirit of each featured book without directly copying the original illustrations.

 

I think they've managed to create visual connections that will help readers immediately recognize beloved characters and stories while adding fresh, engaging elements that make young readers want to dive in.

 

Q: What are you working on now?

 

A: I'm constantly juggling multiple projects! I continue to host The Growing Readers Podcast and run The Children's Book Review, which keeps me connected to the latest and greatest in children's literature.

 

I also have notes and notes of ideas for new books, so I'm in the process of fine-tuning (or completely rewriting—ha!) a few manuscripts. The challenge, as always, is finding the time to develop all these ideas while continuing to support other authors through my review platform.

 

Q: Anything else we should know?

 

A: I think it's important for people to know that this revised edition isn't just an update—it's a reflection of how children's literature continues to evolve and grow more inclusive. We've added graphic novels and ensured we're representing voices from many different backgrounds and experiences.

 

The interactive elements of the book are also crucial to me—I want kids to see themselves as active participants in their reading journey, rating books, taking notes, and discovering what they love.

 

Reading should never feel like a chore; it should be an adventure, and I hope this book helps families create those magical reading moments together.

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb. Here's a previous Q&A with Bianca Schulze. This Q&A was conducted in partnership with The Children's Book Review. You could win a signed copy of 101 Books to Read Before You Grow Up (Revised Edition) by Bianca Schulze! But wait, it gets even better—one incredibly lucky grand prize winner will score the most wonderful cozy reading bundle ever: a signed copy of the book, a perfect reading light, the snuggliest blanket, and a $25 gift card to Bookshop.org to get this literary adventure started! Here's the giveaway form.

Q&A with William Cooper

 

 

 

William Cooper is the author of the new novel The Trial of Donald H. Rumsfeld. His other books include How America Works...and Why It Doesn't. He is also a lawyer and a columnist.

 

Q: What inspired you to write a novel based on an alternative story of the late defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld (1932-2021)?

 

A: I have long been fascinated by his unique personality and his experience over many decades in American politics. For example, he was famous for recognizing the limits of human knowledge, yet didn't see his own limits when it came to Iraq. 

 

Q: How did you research the book, and did you learn anything that especially surprised you?

 

A: I read a number of books and lots of articles and watched his famous press conferences on C-SPAN. I was surprised to learn of his friendships across the political aisle, including with Larry Summers.

 

Q: What did you see as the right balance between fact and fiction as you wrote the novel?

 

A: It's about 50-50. Lots of real facts; lots of imagined stories. The aim for the mixture was to entertain readers. 

 

Q: What do you hope readers take away from the book?

 

A: An understanding that famous political figures are human, like everyone else, and that great historical events are often driven by everyday human factors much more than we think. 

 

Q: What are you working on now?

 

A: I’m considering making this a series. Next up, either The Trial of Donald J. Trump or The Trial of Elon R. Musk.

 

Q: Anything else we should know?

 

A: The mysterious narrator is likely not who you think it is.

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb. Here's a previous Q&A with William Cooper.