Steve Light, author illustrator of Gus & Sully All Week Long (Candlewick), joins Matthew to talk about distilling ideas to their most accessible and truest forms for our youngest readers.

Visit Steve Light online at stevelightart.com

Other helpful links:

• Steve Light at Boyds Mills

• Summer Camp for Writers and Illustrators: Session Two! - Get away for five days at our Summer Camp for fiction and nonfiction storytellers who are looking for inspiration, guidance, mentorship, community, fun, creativity, and…a place to dream!

• Steve Light Scholarship - Steve Light and Christine Cincotta have established a scholarship to support attendance at our Summer Camp in Illustration.

• Steve light & Christine Cincotta Cabin (Whiskers Hollow) at Boyds Mills - Honoring Illustrators. Steve Light and Christine Cincotta are frequent visitors to our Retreat Center and Steve has been part of our faculty for illustration workshops.

Learn more about Boyds Mills and their upcoming programs by visiting www.boydsmills.org.

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/).

Our music is by Podington Bear.

Podcast hosting by Libsyn.

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at matthewcwinner.com or by clicking the link in the show notes.

Be well. And read on.

*This episode is a rebroadcast. The original episode aired April 26, 2025 .

Lil Miss Hot Mess (Make Your Own Rainbow: A Drag Queen's Guide to Color) shares what is giving her hope today: drag. Drag is all about changing how we look and how we show up in the world as a way of making the world more fabulous and more just and joyful for everyone in it.

This is a new miniseries of indefinite length in which I invite my friends from the kidlit community to share what is giving them hope today.

Learn more about Boyds Mills and their upcoming programs by visiting www.boydsmills.org.

Visit Lil Miss Hot Mess online at lilmisshotmess.com

Matthew Burgess and Cátia Chien, author and illustrator of Fireworks (Clarion Books), join Matthew to talk about becoming a mirror for feelings and experiences in their ode to a summer day.

Visit Matthew Burgess online at matthewjohnburgess.com

Visit Cátia Chien online at catiachien.com

Learn more about Boyds Mills and their upcoming programs by visiting www.boydsmills.org.

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/).

Our music is by Podington Bear.

Podcast hosting by Libsyn.

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at matthewcwinner.com or by clicking the link in the show notes.

Be well. And read on.

Jordyn Taylor, author of The Rebel Girls of Rome (HarperCollins), shares what is giving her hope today: remembering that even small acts of bravery can make a big difference.

This is an ongoing miniseries of indefinite length in which I invite my friends from the kidlit community to share what is giving them hope today.

Visit Jordyn Taylor online at jordynhtaylor.com

Learn more about Boyds Mills and their upcoming programs by visiting boydsmills.org.

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/).

Our music is by Podington Bear.

Podcast hosting by Libsyn.

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at matthewcwinner.com or by clicking the link in the show notes.

Be well. Read on. And don't lose hope.

Chris Tebbetts, co-author of Dr. Zeus (Jimmy Patterson), with James Patterson, joins Matthew to talk about free-form school visits and moving stuff off the desk.

Visit Chris Tebbetts online at christebbetts.com

Other helpful links:

• Chris Tebbetts at Boyds Mills

• Just Do It! Your Collaborative Support Group for Finishing Your Draft (Spring) - Reach your writing goals! This workshop provides the structure, support, and accountability you need to get to a finished draft.

Learn more about Boyds Mills and their upcoming programs by visiting www.boydsmills.org.

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/).

Our music is by Podington Bear.

Podcast hosting by Libsyn.

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at matthewcwinner.com or by clicking the link in the show notes.

Be well. And read on.

Selina Alko, illustrator of The Keeper of Stories (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers), written by Caroline Kusin Pritchard, shares what is giving her hope today: the power of communities to come together..

This is an ongoing miniseries of indefinite length in which I invite my friends from the kidlit community to share what is giving them hope today.

Visit Selina Alko online at www.selinaalko.com

Learn more about Boyds Mills and their upcoming programs by visiting boydsmills.org.

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/).

Our music is by Podington Bear.

Podcast hosting by Libsyn.

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at matthewcwinner.com or by clicking the link in the show notes.

Be well. Read on. And don't lose hope.

Kaz Windness, author illustrator of Worm and Butterfly are Friends Always (Simon Spotlight), joins Matthew to talk about constantly dealing with loss and change.

Visit Kaz Windness online at www.windnessbooks.com/

Other helpful links:

• Kaz Windness at Boyds Mills

• Early Readers and Chapter Books: A Creative Retreat - Kids who are starting to read on their own need to find the books that meet them creatively, inspirationally, and more! This engaging retreat will help you understand the needs of this market and how to create with these transitional readers in mind.

Learn more about Boyds Mills and their upcoming programs by visiting www.boydsmills.org.

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/).

Our music is by Podington Bear.

Podcast hosting by Libsyn.

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at matthewcwinner.com or by clicking the link in the show notes.

Be well. And read on.

Laurel Snyder, author of The Book of Candles: Eight Poems for Hanukkah (Clarion Books), illustrated by Leanne Hatch, shares what is giving her hope today: watching neighbors come together and support each other in the city of Minneapolis.

This is an ongoing miniseries of indefinite length in which I invite my friends from the kidlit community to share what is giving them hope today.

Learn more about Boyds Mills and their upcoming programs by visiting boydsmills.org.

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/).

Our music is by Podington Bear.

Podcast hosting by Libsyn.

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at matthewcwinner.com or by clicking the link in the show notes.

Be well. Read on. And don't lose hope.

Introducing the winners and honors of the Sydney Taylor Book Award (2026), presented annually by the Association of Jewish Libraries to outstanding books for children and teens that authentically portray the Jewish experience.

Links:

• Sydney Taylor Book Award Website - https://jewishlibraries.org/sydney_taylor_book_award/

• 2025 Sydney Taylor Book Award Blog Tour - https://jewishlibraries.org/2026-blog-tour-sydney-taylor-book-awards/

Learn more about Boyds Mills and their upcoming programs by visiting www.boydsmills.org.

You can pick up your own copy of any of the titles featured today wherever books are found. Consider supporting independent bookstores by shopping through Bookshop.org. You can support this show in the process by using my affiliate link by clicking on the book's name in our show notes.

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/).

Our music is by Podington Bear.

Podcast hosting by Libsyn.

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at matthewcwinner.com or by clicking the link in the show notes.

Be well. And read on.

I have a favor to ask you. Could you please write us a review wherever you listen to the show?

Tell us what you like about the podcast and who you'd love to hear next!

Maybe you love when we feature young adult authors. Maybe your favorite episodes are when we dig deep on craft. Maybe you find yourself looking forward to the Hope mini-episodes each week.

Whatever it is, we want to know! Are you going to recommend we interview your favorite author? Or will you suggest that one illustrator who inspired you when they spoke at your conference? Or maybe you'll give us the name of your best book pal so that even more folks can hear their stories.

I cannot wait to hear what you share! Write us a review wherever you listen to podcasts.

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/).

Our music is by Podington Bear.

Podcast hosting by Libsyn.

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at matthewcwinner.com or by clicking the link in the show notes.

Be well. And read on.

Abby White, author of D.J. Rosenblum becomes the G.O.A.T. (Levine Querido), shares what is giving her hope today: pockets of people are taking wonderful care of each other, despite the world being bad in a thousand ways right now.

This is an ongoing miniseries of indefinite length in which I invite my friends from the kidlit community to share what is giving them hope today.

Learn more about Boyds Mills and their upcoming programs by visiting boydsmills.org.

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/).

Our music is by Podington Bear.

Podcast hosting by Libsyn.

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at matthewcwinner.com or by clicking the link in the show notes.

Be well. Read on. And don't lose hope.