New Books in Children's Literature

• Rachelle Bergstein, "The Genius of Judy: How Judy Blume Rewrote Childhood for All of Us" (Atria, 2024)

  Everyone knows Judy Blume. Her books have garnered her fans of all ages for decades and sold tens of millions of copies. But why were people so drawn to them? And why are we still talking about them now in the 21st century? In The Genius of Judy: How Judy Blume Rewrote Childhood for All of Us (Atria, 2024), her remarkable story is revealed as never before, beginning with her as a mother of two searching for purpose outside of her home in 1960s suburban New Jersey. The books she wrote starred regular children with genuine thoughts and problems. But behind those deceptively simple tales, Blume explored the pillars of the growing women’s rights movement, in which girls and women were entitled to careers, bodily autonomy, fulfilling relationships, and even sexual pleasure. Blume wasn’t trying to be a revolutionary—she just wanted to tell honest stories—but in doing so, she created a cohesive, culture-altering vision of modern adolescence. Blume’s bravery provoked backlash, making her the country’s most-banned author in the mid-1980s. Thankfully, her works withstood those culture wars and it’s no coincidence that Blume has resurfaced as a cultural touchstone now. Young girls are still cat-called, sex education curricula are getting dismissed as pornography, and entire shelves of libraries are being banned. As we face these challenges, it’s only natural we look to Blume, the grand dame of so-called dirty books. This is the story of how a housewife became a groundbreaking artist, and how generations of empowered fans are her legacy, today more than ever. Roberto Mazza is currently a visiting scholar at the Buffett Institute for Global Affairs at Northwestern University. He is the host of the Jerusalem Unplugged Podcast and to discuss and propose a book for interview can be reached at [email protected]. Blusky and IG: @robbyref Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• Sam Arthur on Publishing Children's Books

  In this, our first interview with Sam Arthur, co-founder and creative director of Flying Eye Books, talks about his love for visual books led him into children's publishing, how he decides on which manuscripts to pursue, and his tips for aspiring authors of picture books: play close attention to the picture book format, usually 12 or 13 double spreads, write stories with humor and characters that we feel for, and write primarily for the children, not the adults. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• Bea Birdsong, "Goat Is the G.O.A.T." (Nancy Paulsen Books, 2025)

  In this, our third interview, we celebrate the brand new picture book of Bea Birdsong, Goat Is the G.O.A.T. (Nancy Paulsen Books, Feb. 2025), illustrated by Kelly Murphy. Bea is also the author of I Will Be Fierce!, Sam’s First Word, How to Spot a Best Friend, Boop!, with many more books coming out over the next two years. We talk about Bea's meteoric career, and how her unconventional approaches led her to find her agent, to book deals with major publishers, and international success. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• Vivian Kirkfield, "One Girl's Voice: How Lucy Stone Helped Change the Law of the Land" (Calkins Creek, 2025)

  In this, our second interview I speak with award-winning children's author Vivian Kirkfield about her gorgeous, brand new picture book, One Girl's Voice: How Lucy Stone Helped Change the Law of the Land (Calkin's Creek, Feb. 2025, illustrated by Rebecca Gibbon). We talk about the life and pioneering career of Lucy Stone, how the book came about, and some of Vivian's own trials and tribulations on the way to literary success. Vivian shares her advice for aspiring authors (perseverance, passion and more...), and talks about '50 Precious Words,' her free annual contest for authors with the courage to write a story in fifty words or less, and the careers that she has spawned as a result. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• Erica Lyons, "On a Chariot of Fire: The Story of India's Bene Israel" (Levine Querido, 2024)

  In this lively and fun interview, we celebrate award-winning author Erica Lyons' new picture book, On a Chariot of Fire: The Story of India’s Bene Israel, illustrated by Siona Benjamin (Levine Querido, 2024). We talk about her childhood passion for writing, and how her careers in law and publishing gave her the tools that helped catapult her into the world of children's publishing. We discussed her love of historical fiction, particularly on Jewish themes, and the importance of learning the rules, and then breaking them when there is good reason to do so. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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