Teen Librarian Toolbox
Posts by Travis Jonker
Aaron Reynolds Takes Us Behind the Scenes of The Jasper Rabbit Universe!
Travis: I had a great time talking with author Aaron Reynolds about the entire Jasper Rabbit universe – beginning with Caldecott Honor winner Creepy Carrots! (and its sequels), to the new Creepy Tales chapter book series. We hope you enjoy this episode: Subscribe below to catch every episode of The Yarn: iTunes Spotify Stitcher
Nancy Hudgins, Ursula Nordstrom, and BOOKS GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU
Travis: It was a pleasure talking with Nancy Hudgins about her biography of Ursula Nordstrom. In this episode Nancy takes us behind the scenes of the life and work of this legendary children’s book editor. We hope you enjoy this episode. Subscribe below to catch every episode of The Yarn: iTunes Spotify Stitcher
Philip Stead Tries Something New . . .
A middle grade novel! A Potion, a Powder, a Little Bit of Magic is out now and has already received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, School Library Journal, and Booklist. I sat down with Philip back in October, as he had just put the finishing touches on the book. We talk about his path […]
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Jasmine Warga Visits The Yarn!
Jasmine Warga takes us behind the scenes of her latest middle grade novel.
A Very Special Fuse 8 n’ Kate Crossover Spectacular!
Travis: To celebrate the 400th (!) episode of the Fuse 8 n’ Kate poscast, Colby Sharp and I joined Betsy Bird and her sister Kate to discuss THE INVENTION OF HUGO CABRET. Is it a classic? Is it a picture book? We look at the matter from all angles. We hope you enjoy this episode: […]
Elisha Cooper Visits The Yarn!
Travis: It was a pleasure to talk with Caldecott Honor winning author/illustrator Elisha Cooper about his latest book, The Rare Bird. In this episode, Elisha talks about the push and pull between making art and considering your audience, and the importance of coffee in his creative process. We hope you enjoy this episode. Subscribe below […]
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Our 2026 Preview Episode!
Travis: In the latest episode of The Yarn, Colby and I look ahead to 2026. We talk about upcoming books, make some predictions, and realize that fanclubs don’t exist anymore. We hope you enjoy this episode. Subscribe below to catch every episode of The Yarn: iTunes Spotify Stitcher
Taking a Look Back: Our 2025 Year-in-Review Episode
Travis: Every December Colby and I like to look back at the year in children’s books. We had a lot to talk about. In this special extended episode we discuss our favorite books, memorable moments, Newbery/Caldecott predictions, and many other topics. We hope you enjoy this episode: Subscribe below to catch every episode of The […]
Newbery Winner Rebecca Stead on THE EXPERIMENT
Rebecca Stead takes us behind the scenes of THE EXPERIMENT.
POP! Betsy Bird is on The Yarn
Back in late June I talked with author, librarian, and Fuse #8 Production blogger Betsy Bird about her excellent 2025 picture book POP! GOES THE NURSERY RHYME.
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