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Dear Lina, we're friends. Lina Haldar's Dear Math, We're Not Friends is on full display in this episode, and we dive deep into what it means for kids to have a positive math identity and for an author to use their background and passion to help kids embrace a growth mindset.  This episode is gonna do numbers! (get it?) _________   This episode’s book reviews:  MEDUSA'S PET ROCK by Steph Lau VAMPURR, words by Justin Colon, illustrations by Lenny Wen _________ The artwork for You May Contribute a Verse features our quokka mascot, Versey, and was generously created by the great Maddie Frost! Find her on IG @hellomaddiefrost or on her website Maddie-Frost.com  Our theme music is So Happy by Scott Holmes. You can find more of his music at scottholmesmusic.com   Love the podcast and wanna support more episodes like this? Find Community Shoutouts, Merch and our Patreon here!!  Find us on Bluesky @joshmonkwords and @brennajeanneret and as always, let us know what you think via a rating, review, or comment!

Jasmine Fang joins us to discuss her debut picture book, BENEATH THE SAME ROUND MOON, out in September 2026 from Beaming Books! We also chat about her path to publishing, revising OUR CHINATOWN MARKET, balancing the demands of writing and promotion, international affairs?, and creating joyful stories that help young readers feel seen. _________ This episode’s book reviews:    HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A GHOST?, words by Daniel Kwan and Julia Pott, illustrations by Sean Lewis NICE TO EAT YOU, words by Karen Yin, illustrations by Carolina Coroa   _________   The artwork for You May Contribute a Verse features our quokka mascot, Versey, and was generously created by the great Maddie Frost! Find her on IG @hellomaddiefrost or on her website Maddie-Frost.com    Our theme music is So Happy by Scott Holmes. You can find more of his music at scottholmesmusic.com     Love the podcast and wanna support more episodes like this? Find Community Shoutouts, Merch and our Patreon here!!    Find us on Bluesky @joshmonkwords and @brennajeanneret and as always, let us know what you think via a rating, review, or comment!

For real though, Tara Hannon did show up for today's podcast in a big way! Check out her series with Birtle and Ghostie, and her illustration work alongside podfriend Lydia Lukidis for Groucho the Grouchy Groundhog! Enjoy Tara, her pregnant unicorn, and all our collective ideas that came out of this chat! _________   This episode’s book reviews:  ON FRIDAYS, words by Winsome Bingham, pictures by Jason Griffin PUMPKIN SMASH!, words by Michelle Schaub, pictures by Rilla Alexander _________ The artwork for You May Contribute a Verse features our quokka mascot, Versey, and was generously created by the great Maddie Frost! Find her on IG @hellomaddiefrost or on her website Maddie-Frost.com  Our theme music is So Happy by Scott Holmes. You can find more of his music at scottholmesmusic.com   Love the podcast and wanna support more episodes like this? Find Community Shoutouts, Merch and our Patreon here!!  Find us on Bluesky @joshmonkwords and @brennajeanneret and as always, let us know what you think via a rating, review, or comment!

Ann Koffsky is a fount of wisdom, overflowing with experience but also books publishing this year with back-to-back-to-back releases early this year in THE MIRACLE OF MATZAH PIZZA, WHAT EMMA WROTE, and BLAZING HUMOR: MEL BROOKS IS SERIOUSLY FUNNY. Ann is seriously great.  _________ This episode’s book reviews:  FALL: A SEASONS STORY, words by Kelsey Gross, pictures by Renata Liwska BECAUSE OF A SHOE, words by Julie Fogliano, pictures by Marla Frazee _________ The artwork for You May Contribute a Verse features our quokka mascot, Versey, and was generously created by the great Maddie Frost! Find her on IG @hellomaddiefrost or on her website Maddie-Frost.com  Our theme music is So Happy by Scott Holmes. You can find more of his music at scottholmesmusic.com   Love the podcast and wanna support more episodes like this? Find Community Shoutouts, Merch and our Patreon here!!  Find us on Bluesky @joshmonkwords and @brennajeanneret and as always, let us know what you think via a rating, review, or comment!

Tonnye Fletcher sprouts into the podcast today and our conversation will be music to your ears. Tonnye's book Music Plants Hope is about a COVID-era symphonic performance to an audience of plants and is delightful, poetic, and touching. Tonnye's story for how this book came to be, in partnership with editor Winsome Bingham and agent Joyce Sweeney, is a doozy that's worth hearing! _________ This episode’s book reviews:  A BIKE IS NOT JUST A BIKE by Brenna! Illustrated by Michelle Pereira SOUNDS OF TRASH, words by Tina Athaide, pictures by Neha Rawat _________ The artwork for You May Contribute a Verse features our quokka mascot, Versey, and was generously created by the great Maddie Frost! Find her on IG @hellomaddiefrost or on her website Maddie-Frost.com  Our theme music is So Happy by Scott Holmes. You can find more of his music at scottholmesmusic.com   Love the podcast and wanna support more episodes like this? Find Community Shoutouts, Merch and our Patreon here!!  Find us on Bluesky @joshmonkwords and @brennajeanneret and as always, let us know what you think via a rating, review, or comment!

It's Max Beaudry / He'll make your dreams come true Just kidding, those are mostly lyrics to the Muppet Babies theme song. But Max is with us and we talk about his debut graphic novel AW, NUTS! THE CRUMBELIEVABLE ADVENTURES OF PEANUT AND JELLY. Which is just the start, with volume 2 to hit the shelves in 2027! Max has a bunch of experience making characters and concepts leap off the page into our lives with his work in TV, and he connects all the dots for a wonderful chat. Thanks, Max, and glad Peanut and Jelly have more adventures on the way!  _________ This episode’s book reviews:    GO PLAY by (friends!) Kate Allen Fox and Gennie Gorback JUST A SHELL... OR IS IT? words by Becca McMurdie, illustrations by Paula Escobar   _________   The artwork for You May Contribute a Verse features our quokka mascot, Versey, and was generously created by the great Maddie Frost! Find her on IG @hellomaddiefrost or on her website Maddie-Frost.com    Our theme music is So Happy by Scott Holmes. You can find more of his music at scottholmesmusic.com     Love the podcast and wanna support more episodes like this? Find Community Shoutouts, Merch and our Patreon here!!    Find us on Bluesky @joshmonkwords and @brennajeanneret and as always, let us know what you think via a rating, review, or comment!

Stick with our conversation and you will be handsomely rewarded, as was today's guest, Heather Preusser, for her own tenacity and dedication. Heather is the author of the Hedgehog Whodunit chapter book series, the third of which (the Protective Order of Peanuts) releases later this year! Heather is amazing. We hope you enjoy our chat and her books! _________   This episode’s book reviews:  RIVER by Elisha Cooper LANDING IN A NEW POND, words by Marisa Ramel, pictures by Jennifer Doehring _________ The artwork for You May Contribute a Verse features our quokka mascot, Versey, and was generously created by the great Maddie Frost! Find her on IG @hellomaddiefrost or on her website Maddie-Frost.com  Our theme music is So Happy by Scott Holmes. You can find more of his music at scottholmesmusic.com   Love the podcast and wanna support more episodes like this? Find Community Shoutouts, Merch and our Patreon here!!  Find us on Bluesky @joshmonkwords and @brennajeanneret and as always, let us know what you think via a rating, review, or comment!

Episode title sure would make a good indie rock band name. Natasha Zimmers is our guest this week, bringing the outdoor passion and her perspective on writing TINY HIKER, out in March from Orca Books. This episode was plagued with internet troubles, which should be mostly invisible to you the listening audience, but which I mention because we persevered like a proper hiker through rough terrain. _________ This episode’s book reviews:  BASEBALL FOR BREAKFAST, words by Judy Campbell-Smith, pictures by Maggie Carroll THE UNBUDGEABLE CURMUDGEON, words by Matthew Burgess, pictures by Fiona Woodcock _________ The artwork for You May Contribute a Verse features our quokka mascot, Versey, and was generously created by the great Maddie Frost! Find her on IG @hellomaddiefrost or on her website Maddie-Frost.com  Our theme music is So Happy by Scott Holmes. You can find more of his music at scottholmesmusic.com   Love the podcast and wanna support more episodes like this? Find Community Shoutouts, Merch and our Patreon here!!  Find us on Bluesky @joshmonkwords, @brennajeanneret, and @jonseym0ur and as always, let us know what you think via a rating, review, or comment!

Karen Chan of Gloo Books is with us today! Not only is Karen a wonderful editor and publisher with a really crystal clear vision for the Gloo Books vibe, but she has leveraged that vibe into an even better book called A Bike is Not Just a Bike: An Ode to Girls Who Dare to Ride, by a talented author named Brenna Jeanneret!   Gloo Books isn't old as publishing houses go, but Karen and team have come a long way in a short time. Enjoy Karen's verse! _________   This episode’s book reviews:  MY SUBWAY RUNS by James Gladstone and Pierre Pratt WHEN THE WITCH WROTE BACK, words by Nathan Christopher, pictures by Pablo Pino _________   The artwork for You May Contribute a Verse features our quokka mascot, Versey, and was generously created by the great Maddie Frost! Find her on IG @hellomaddiefrost or on her website Maddie-Frost.com    Our theme music is So Happy by Scott Holmes. You can find more of his music at scottholmesmusic.com     Love the podcast and wanna support more episodes like this? Find Community Shoutouts, Merch and our Patreon here!!    Find us on Bluesky @joshmonkwords, @brennajeanneret, and @jonseym0ur and as always, let us know what you think via a rating, review, or comment!

Andrew Hacket is back to discuss his book In This Classroom and his ongoing Leonardo DiCaprio-style work with Red Comet Press! His is the ultimate champagne pass success story and we hope you enjoy! _________   This episode’s book reviews:    RAMP IT UP, words by Katrina Tangen, pictures by Wendy Wen   THE RARE BIRD by Elisha Cooper   _________   The artwork for You May Contribute a Verse features our quokka mascot, Versey, and was generously created by the great Maddie Frost! Find her on IG @hellomaddiefrost or on her website Maddie-Frost.com    Our theme music is So Happy by Scott Holmes. You can find more of his music at scottholmesmusic.com     Love the podcast and wanna support more episodes like this? Find Community Shoutouts, Merch and our Patreon here!!    Find us on Bluesky @joshmonkwords, @brennajeanneret, and @jonseym0ur and as always, let us know what you think via a rating, review, or comment!

Here's to Cowboy!  Jessica Milo is here. We talk (way too late) about her debut book My Pony Wonder, how she came up and with whom, and most importantly, Uber for Unicorns. Despite the episode title, this is a really fun chat! _________ This episode’s book reviews:  KICKS IN THE SKY by CG Esperanza THE GHOST WHO SAVED HALLOWEEN, words by Jen Anyong, pictures by Kaly Quarles _________ The artwork for You May Contribute a Verse features our quokka mascot, Versey, and was generously created by the great Maddie Frost! Find her on IG @hellomaddiefrost or on her website Maddie-Frost.com  Our theme music is So Happy by Scott Holmes. You can find more of his music at scottholmesmusic.com   Love the podcast and wanna support more episodes like this? Find Community Shoutouts, Merch and our Patreon here!!  Find us on Bluesky @joshmonkwords, @brennajeanneret, and @jonseym0ur and as always, let us know what you think via a rating, review, or comment!

How to pee your pants, the Rachel Michelle Wilson way! Rachel was a delight and if you don't know her work, you do now. She's got hustle, she's got skills, she's got bubble wrap and ghosts (but no play dates). Since we last talked in August, aside from her books To Catch a Ghost and How to Pee Your Pants (the Right Way), she's also announced How to Escape a Playdate, out October 13! _________   This episode’s book reviews:    Mike Mongo's ASTRONAUT INSTRUCTION MANUAL GROUCHO THE GROUCHY GROUNDHOG (VOLUME 2): THE TERRIFYING TURNIP TAKEOVER! by Lydia Lukidis and Tara Hannon HOW TO PEE YOUR PANTS (THE RIGHT WAY) by Rachel Michelle Wilson   _________   The artwork for You May Contribute a Verse features our quokka mascot, Versey, and was generously created by the great Maddie Frost! Find her on IG @hellomaddiefrost or on her website Maddie-Frost.com    Our theme music is So Happy by Scott Holmes. You can find more of his music at scottholmesmusic.com     Love the podcast and wanna support more episodes like this? Find Community Shoutouts, Merch and our Patreon here!!    Find us on Bluesky @joshmonkwords, @brennajeanneret, and @jonseym0ur and as always, let us know what you think via a rating, review, or comment!

It's Joan Marie Galat day! We've been waiting a long time for this one. Joan writes because she's curious, she's dedicated, and she cares deeply about sharing her passion and quiet activism with her audience.  She has a lot to show for her passion! From DOT TO DOT IN THE SKY to WILDLIFE CROSSING, Joan's exploration of the world comes through clearly. _________   This episode’s book reviews:  MY DADDY IS A COWBOY, words by Stephanie Seales, pictures by CG Esperanza TIC-ERRIFIC ME, words by Alicia Meyers, pictures by Cait Brennan _________   The artwork for You May Contribute a Verse features our quokka mascot, Versey, and was generously created by the great Maddie Frost! Find her on IG @hellomaddiefrost or on her website Maddie-Frost.com    Our theme music is So Happy by Scott Holmes. You can find more of his music at scottholmesmusic.com     Love the podcast and wanna support more episodes like this? Find Community Shoutouts, Merch and our Patreon here!!    Find us on Bluesky @joshmonkwords, @brennajeanneret, and @jonseym0ur and as always, let us know what you think via a rating, review, or comment!

It's author and educator Andrea Caulfield on the podcast today! Andrea is World Language Curriculum Specialist for Denver Public Schools and is quadrilingual, something I (Josh) hope to be when I grow up. Andrea has partnered with Voces Digital to publish Les Zombies Attaquent Quebec, a French-language short novelette for French learners. Andrea's perspective on language learning is refreshing and new here. Her experiences with Voces and path to publishing her book are both entertaining and enlightening, which is also all you can hope for when you're reading something educational in a language you're trying to learn! Shout out to our friend Jan Thomas for connecting us to Andrea! This chat was absolutement un plaisir. PS I had one good window to record my intro, found my mic settings all messed up, and then a crew started jackhammering the street right outside my window. Apologies for the very poor quality on my end! _________   This episode’s book reviews:    STILL FRIENDS, words by Troy Wilson, pictures by Mike Deas VIGDIS: A BOOK ABOUT THE WORLD'S FIRST FEMALE PRESIDENT by Ran Flygenring _________ The artwork for You May Contribute a Verse features our quokka mascot, Versey, and was generously created by the great Maddie Frost! Find her on IG @hellomaddiefrost or on her website Maddie-Frost.com  Our theme music is So Happy by Scott Holmes. You can find more of his music at scottholmesmusic.com   Love the podcast and wanna support more episodes like this? Find Community Shoutouts, Merch and our Patreon here!!  Find us on Bluesky @joshmonkwords, @brennajeanneret, and @jonseym0ur and as always, let us know what you think via a rating, review, or comment!

Otherwise known as The Many Misfortunes of Stan Yan's Internet Connection, which we managed around quite successfully, I'd say! Join us for a chat with Stan Yan, author-illustrator-graphic novelist-comic artist of (yes, I already made the book title puns above) There's a Zombie in the Basement and (JLG Gold Standard) The Many Misfortunes of Eugenia Wang! Despite our intermittent connection issues this was an absolutely wonderful chat as we got to know the breadth of Stan's educational and illustrative chops. Next time we'll talk more about his history as a stockbroker. _________ This episode’s book reviews:  THE STUFF BETWEEN THE STARS, words by Sandra Nickel and illustrations by Aimee Sicuro SPARKLE PIGS by Kit Holliday (hi Steph!) _________ The artwork for You May Contribute a Verse features our quokka mascot, Versey, and was generously created by the great Maddie Frost! Find her on IG @hellomaddiefrost or on her website Maddie-Frost.com  Our theme music is So Happy by Scott Holmes. You can find more of his music at scottholmesmusic.com   Love the podcast and wanna support more episodes like this? Find Community Shoutouts, Merch and our Patreon here!!  Find us on Bluesky @joshmonkwords, @brennajeanneret, and @jonseym0ur and as always, let us know what you think via a rating, review, or comment!