The Unraveller

November 24, 2025 by Colby Sharp

A Conversation with Betsy Bird about A Fuse 8 Production

COLBY: I had the best time chatting with SLJ blogger and librarian Betsy Bird for The Yarn. We chatted about the origins of her blog, her 31 lists and 31 days project, and the current state of children’s literature. I hope you’ll give it a listen on your podcast listening app of choice. If you […]

November 16, 2025 by Travis Jonker

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.

October 27, 2025 by Colby Sharp

Derrick Barnes Visits The Yarn

COLBY: Every time I have the opportunity to chat with Derrick Barnes I feel so alive after the conversation. He cares so much about the work that he does, and the stories that he puts out into the world are important and amazing. I hope you enjoy our conversation about his new book The Incredible […]

More Recent Posts

“It was mass psychosis.” Katie Kennedy Talks About DID YOU HEAR WHAT HAPPENED IN SALEM?

October 18, 2025 by Travis Jonker

Travis: Back in June at the American Library Association Annual Conference in Philly, I sat down with Katie Kennedy to talk about her excellent middle grade nonfiction book Did You Hear What Happened in Salem? The Witch Trials of 1692. In this episode, Katie talks about what it was like to revisit one of the […]

Making SUNDUST with Zeke Peña

September 29, 2025 by Travis Jonker

Travis: Back in June, I talked with author/illustrator Zeke Peña about his beautiful new picture book, SUNDUST. In this episode, Zeke talks about the unique way SUNDUST was created, and his unconventional path to making picture books. We hope you enjoy this episode. Subscribe below to catch every episode of The Yarn: iTunes Spotify Stitcher

Nicholas Day on Connecting Frankenstein to a Volcano Eruption

September 21, 2025 by Colby Sharp

COLBY: I am always on the lookout for great middle grade nonfiction. It is a hole in both my classroom library and in my own personal reading. I’m thankful that authors like Nicholas Day are creating books that are filling that hole. In this episode, I chat with Nicholas about his new book A World […]

Barbara O’Connor Stops by to Talk Dream

September 2, 2025 by Colby Sharp

COLBY: Barbara O’Connor is always one of the most popular authors in my fifth grade classroom. Kids cannot get enough of her stories. I am so excited to share my conversation with Barbara about her new book Dream (a companion to Wish). Subscribe below to catch every episode of The Yarn: iTunes Spotify Stitcher

The Lost Sophie Blackall Interview

August 16, 2025 by Colby Sharp

COLBY: Back in the summer of 2016, I interviewed Sophie Blackall the day before she gave her Caldecott acceptence speech for Finding Winnie. It was a huge honor to get a little bit of her time right before this huge moment in her life. I selfishly never shared our conversation. It was mine, and sort […]