Samantha Berger and Mike Curato (The Children's Book Podcast #431)
WHAT IF...
Samantha Berger is the best-selling picture book author of CRANKENSTEIN, SNOOZEFEST, and MARTHA DOESN'T SAY SORRY. Mike Curato is the author illustrator of the LITTLE ELLIOT series, and the illustrator of WORM LOVES WORM by JJ Austrian and ALL THE WAY TO HAVANA by Margarita Engle. They first picture book together is called WHAT IF... and it publishes on April 10, 2018. Sam and Mike are no strangers to this podcast, and I learn something new each time I talk to them. Today our conversation illuminated turning pain into art, the indomitable triumph of the human spirit and creativity, but one of the things I valued most was the emphasis on the truth that nothing can take away from you, who you are, and what you have to say.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Creativity, the power of imagination, and the importance of self-expression are celebrated in this inspiring picture book written and illustrated by real-life best friends.
This girl is determined to express herself! If she can't draw her dreams, she'll sculpt or build, carve or collage. If she can't do that, she'll turn her world into a canvas. And if everything around her is taken away, she'll sing, dance, and dream...
Stunning mixed media illustrations, lyrical text, and a breathtaking gatefold conjure powerful magic in this heartfelt affirmation of art, imagination, and the resilience of the human spirit.
SHOW NOTES:
What If... book trailer
ABOUT THE AUTHOR and ILLUSTRATOR:
Samantha Berger writes and writes and writes
She has written comic books and commercials. She has written movie trailers, theme songs, slogans, magazine articles, poems, TV-books, sticker books and professional books. You name it, Sam writes it.
And when she ISN'T WRITING.... She's doing voice-overs, traveling the world, and helping rescue dogs. THEN... she writes about that, too! Samantha splits her time between New York City and sunny Santa Monica with her dog Polly Pocket.
Purchase Sam's books for you or your readers HERE.
And visit Samantha Berger online at http://www.samanthaberger.com/
Mike loves drawing and writing almost as much as he loves cupcakes and ice cream (and that's a LOT!). He is the author and illustrator of everyone's favorite polka-dotted elephant, Little Elliot.
His debut title, Little Elliot, Big City, released in 2014 to critical acclaim, has won several awards, and has been translated into over ten languages. There are now four books in the Little Elliot series, including Little Elliot, Big Family; Little Elliot, Big Fun; and Little Elliot, Fall Friends. Meanwhile, Mike had the pleasure of illustrating What If... by Samantha Berger, All the Way to Havana by Margarita Engle, Worm Loves Worm by J.J. Austrian, and contributed to What's Your Favorite Color? by Eric Carle and Friends.
He is currently working on his first graphic novel! Publishers Weekly named Mike a "Fall 2014 Flying Start." In the same year he won the Society of Illustrators Original Art Show Founder's Award.
Purchase Mike's books for you or your readers HERE.
And visit Mike Curato online at https://www.mikecurato.com
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