Picture Book Picnicker Lauren Korn invites the National Ambassador of Young People’s Literature, writer Mac Barnett, and illustrator Carson Ellis on a picnic to talk about their newest collaboration, a re-telling of Rumpelstiltskin (Orchard Books, Scholastic Inc.).
Lauren’s friend, Cly Rasile, chimes in with a question for Mac, too, and mentions one of Mac’s many collaborations with Jon Klassen, The Three Billy Goats Gruff (Orchard Books, Scholastic Inc.).
This conversation has been edited for time; an extended version will soon replace this one.
About Mac:
Mac Barnett is the ninth U.S. National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, appointed by the Library of Congress and Every Child a Reader. He’s a New York Times-bestselling author of stories for children and the writer, with Jon Klassen, of Looking at Picture Books, a newsletter for adults about how picture books work. Mac’s work has been translated into more than 30 languages and sold more than 5 million copies worldwide. Mac’s books have won many prizes, including two Caldecott Honors, three New York Times/New York Public Library Best Illustrated Awards, three E.B. White Read Aloud Awards, the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, Germany’s Jugendliteraturpreis, China’s Chen Bochui International Children’s Literature Award, The Netherlands’ Silver Griffel, and Italy’s Premio Orbil.
About Ellis:
Carson Ellis is the author and illustrator of the bestselling picture books Home and Du Iz Tak? (a Caldecott Honor book and the recipient of an E.B. White Read Aloud Award). She has illustrated a number of books for kids including The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart, The Composer Is Dead by Lemony Snicket, and The Wildwood Chronicles by her husband, Colin Meloy. Carson is the illustrator-in-residence for Colin's band, The Decemberists, and received Grammy nominations in 2016 and 2018 for album art design. She works ocassionally as an editorial illustrator for The New Yorker, The New York Times, The New York Review of Books, and other publications. She also exhibits paintings and is represented by Nationale in Portland. Carson lives on a farm in Oregon with Colin, their two sons, three cats, three llamas, three goats, and some chickens.
Mac read these books as a child:
The Frog and Toad series written and illustrated by Arnold Lobel (HarperCollins)
Goodnight Moon written by Margaret Wise Brown, illustrated by Clement Hurd (HarperCollins)
The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis (HarperCollins)
George and Martha written and illustrated by James Marshall (Clarion Books)
The Stoopids Step Out written by Harry Allard, illustrated by James Marshall (Turtleback Books)
The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales written by Jon Scieszka, illustrated by Lane Smith (Viking Books for Young Readers)
Carson read these books as a child:
The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis (HarperCollins)
d’Aulaire’s Book of Trolls by Ingri and Edgar Parin d’Aulaire (NYRB Classics)
Lauren loves picture books! She recommends:
Rumpelstiltskin re-told by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Carson Ellis (Orchard Books, Scholastic Inc.)
Rumpelstiltskin re-told and illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky (Dutton Books for Young Readers; this is the version Lauren grew up reading!)
Extra Yarn (HarperCollins) and Sam and Dave Dig a Hole (Candlewick Press) by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Jon Klassen
Du Iz Tak? written and illustrated by Carson Ellis (Candlewick Press)
The Frog and Toad series written and illustrated by Arnold Lobel (HarperCollins)
The original Amelia Bedelia series by Peggy Parish, illustrated by Barbara Siebel Thomas and Fritz Siebel (Greenwillow Books)
Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña, illustrated by Christian Robinson (G. P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers), now available in Spanish! Listen to Lauren’s conversation with Matt here!
The Search for the Giant Arctic Jellyfish written and illustrated by Chloe Savage (Candlewick Press)
Mel Fell written and illustrated by Corey R. Tabor (Greenwillow Books)
Bathe the Cat written by Alice B McGinty, illustrated by David Roberts (Chronicle Books)
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Picture Book Picnic is supported by a co-op of four independent bookstores, encouraging a lifetime of learning through storytelling and conversation: Chapter One Bookstore in Hamilton, Montana; Montana Book Co. in Helena, Montana; Fact & Fiction Books in Missoula, Montana; and Bookworks of Whitefish.
Funding for The Write Question and its series comes from members of Montana Public Radio; and from the Greater Montana Foundation—encouraging communication on issues, trends, and values of importance to Montanans. A hat-tip to Humanities Montana for supporting The Write Question since 2008.
The Write Question and its series are productions of Montana Public Radio.
