Meet Newbery winner Susan Cooper (Dark Is Rising series) whose work weaves rich language and contemporary concerns with fantasy, history and traditional literature to create compelling, timeless novels for a wide range of readers.To view the full version of this and other author interviews, visit us at www.readingrockets.org, a national education service of public television station WETA. Funding is provided by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

Meet Chris Raschka, author, illustrator, musician and winner of three Caldecotts (most recently for A Ball for Daisy). Find out how Raschka creates his deeply expressive illustrations and how he's able to reveal the rhythm, experimentation and play of jazz through image and word.To view the full version of this and other author interviews, visit us at www.readingrockets.org, a national education service of public television station WETA. Funding is provided by a grant from the U.S. Department...

Meet writer Herman Parish, who has been writing stories about the literal-minded Amelia Bedelia since 1995, inventing new adventures for the beloved character his aunt, Peggy Parish, created 50 years ago.To view the full version of this and other author interviews, visit us at www.readingrockets.org, a national education service of public television station WETA. Funding is provided by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

Vicki Cobb, the Julia Child of hands&on science, is a former science teacher with a playful and accessible approach to science. She has published more than 85 books for grades K&8 that explore physics, chemistry and biology, biographies, geography, and the human body. Her new Science Play series targets kids 3&5 years old, who are already natural scientists with their interest in the world around.To view the full version of this and other author interviews, visit us at...

Meet husband/wife team Sarah Stewart and David Small. Together, they've created a number of award-winning picture books. Learn how they work together, their creative process, and all about their sixth collaboration, The Quiet Place.To view the full version of this and other author interviews, visit us at www.readingrockets.org, a national education service of public television station WETA. Funding is provided by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

Tomie dePaola, the author and illustrator of Strega Nona and many other favorite books, always knew he wanted to be an artist. In this exclusive video interview with Reading Rockets, Tomie dePaola tells comical childhood tales, reflects on his career, and suggests ways to encourage young readers and artists.To view the full version of this and other author interviews, visit us at www.readingrockets.org, a national education service of public television station WETA. Funding is provided by a...

Jeff Kinney is perhaps best known as the creator of Greg Heffley, the wry adolescent hero of Kinney&s best-selling Wimpy Kid series. Publisher#38;s Weekly says, 'Kinney has a gift for believable preteen dialogue and narration, and the illustrations serve as a hilarious counterpoint to Greg#38;s often deadpan voice.'To view the full version of this and other author interviews, visit us at www.readingrockets.org, a national education service of public television station WETA. Funding is...

Reading Rocket's exclusive interview with author and illustrator Henry Cole -- creator of Celeste, The Worrywarts, Katy Duck, and many other beloved characters -- talks about his early career as a science teacher (who always drew for his students!), why it takes patience to draw what you really see, how he gets those comical animal faces to look just right, and why he loved using a plain Number 2 pencil to create the evocative illustrations for his book A Nest for Celeste.To view the full...

Meet author/illustrator Chris Van Dusen, whose rich imagination has produced a lively collection of interesting characters (King Hugos Huge Ego), adventures (The Circus Ship), and delightful rhymes (If I Built a Car).To view the full version of this and other author interviews, visit us at www.readingrockets.org, a national education service of public television station WETA. Funding is provided by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

Meet Sam McBratney, author of the international best seller Guess How Much I Love You, who has been writing children's books across all genres for more than 30 years.To view the full version of this and other author interviews, visit us at www.readingrockets.org, a national education service of public television station WETA. Funding is provided by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

Meet the Feiffers! Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist dad, Jules, is well-known for his social commentary, but also writes and illustrates books for young readers. So does his daughter, Kate. Whether working alone or in collaboration, Jules and Kate Feiffer's books are funny and observant, with stories drawn from very real and familiar family situations.To view the full version of this and other author interviews, visit us at www.readingrockets.org, a national education service of public...

Children's Choice Book Award winner Jarrett Krosoczka (the Lunch Lady series) talks about his very first book (an original Greek myth in the third grade), the inspiration for his books, and why he writes for kids.To view the full version of this and other author interviews, visit us at www.readingrockets.org, a national education service of public television station WETA. Funding is provided by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

Julianne Moore, author of the Freckleface Strawberry series, talks about falling in love with storytelling and reading as a young child, why she writes for kids, and how to encourage young writers.To view the full version of this and other author interviews, visit us at www.readingrockets.org, a national education service of public television station WETA. Funding is provided by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

Caldecott winner Allen Say talks about living alone in Tokyo at age 12, studying with cartoon master Noro Shinpei, his career as a photographer, and finally returning to his love of storytelling through words and pictures.To view the full version of this and other author interviews, visit us at www.readingrockets.org, a national education service of public television station WETA. Funding is provided by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

Katherine Paterson, Newbery winner and the 2011 National Ambassador of Young Peoples Literature, talks about families reading aloud together, the joys of writing historical fiction, and the challenge of adapting classic works.To view the full version of this and other author interviews, visit us at www.readingrockets.org, a national education service of public television station WETA. Funding is provided by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

In his two books, An Awesome Book! and An Awesome Book of Thanks!, writer-illustrator Dallas Clayton shares his exuberance for life. In this interview, he talks about his inspirations, connecting with his readers, and his literacy foundation.To view the full version of this and other author interviews, visit us at www.readingrockets.org, a national education service of public television station WETA. Funding is provided by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

Author and illustrator Rosalyn Schanzer sees history as series of grand adventures and stories just waiting to be told. She brings people like George Washington and Charles Darwin to life through vivid storytelling and rich in detail illustrations.To view the full version of this and other author interviews, visit us at www.readingrockets.org, a national education service of public television station WETA. Funding is provided by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

An interview with writer Mary Quattlebaum, author of picture books such as 'Jo MacDonald Saw a Pond' and 'Pirate vs. Pirate' as well as the Jackson Jones series for independent readers.To view the full version of this and other author interviews, visit us at www.readingrockets.org, a national education service of public television station WETA. Funding is provided by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

Watch our interview with Erica Perl, author of the wonderfully silly, begging to be readaloud picture book, Chicken Butt, as well as Dotty, a story about school days and imaginary friends, and Ninety-Three in My Family, a tall-tale counting book.To view the full version of this and other author interviews, visit us at www.readingrockets.org, a national education service of public television station WETA. Funding is provided by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

Marilyn Singer has written all kinds of great books for children and young adults 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. To view the full version of this and other author interviews, visit us at www.readingrockets.org, a national education service of public television station WETA. Funding is provided by a...

E.B. Lewis's interests in fine arts, illustration, and art education led him to coin the term 'artistrator' to describe his work. As a children's illustrator, Lewis has contributed beautiful watercolors to 'The Other Side' by Jacqueline Woodson, 'Fire on the Mountain' by Jane Kurtz, 'Down the Road' by Alice Schertle, and many other titles. Lewis's illustrations, which have been described as 'simply stunning' and 'uniquely captivating' have earned him the Coretta Scott King Award and a...

As a kid, Margaret Peterson Haddix was a real bookworm: she remembers her mother asking her to please put down her books to enjoy some of the scenery on family vacations. Haddix was so attached to reading, that she considered the characters in books like 'Harriet the Spy' and 'Little Women' to be her friends. Haddix herself writes YA fiction that critics have called 'absorbing and realistic;' science fiction that is 'chilling and intelligent,' and younger grades fiction that is 'sympathetic...

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. Meet Juster in this exclusive interview from Reading Rockets. To view the full version of this and other author interviews, visit us at www.readingrockets.org, a national education service of public television station WETA. Funding is provided by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

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. To view the full version of this and other author interviews, visit us at www.readingrockets.org, a national education service of public television station WETA. Funding is provided by a grant from the U.S. Department of...