Roger and the City: Part 2   listen
Roger’s NYC tour continues, with a visit to the Metropolitan Museum of Art to pay homage to some classic children's book characters. Next, at Central Park’s Frances Hodgson Burnett memorial fountain, Roger talks with children’s literature historian Leonard S. Marcus, who tells us about his new book, Minders of Make-Believe (Houghton). Comment at Read Roger.
Posted June 25, 2008
14:55

Roger and the City: Part 1   listen
On a recent trip to New York, Roger Sutton spent an evening with author Richard Peck and Egmont USA publishers Elizabeth Law and Douglas Pocock. Sitting in Elizabeth’s living room, the four talked about Harry Potter, Gossip Girl, Philip Pullman, and just what draws adult readers to young adult books. Be sure to listen to the whole episode; midway through, Richard Peck reveals his current project (hint: “I’m bringing Grandma Dowdel back”). Comment at Read Roger.
Posted June 3, 2008
9:25

Catherine Gilbert Murdock   listen
Catherine Gilbert Murdock’s first two YA novels, Dairy Queen and The Off Season (both Houghton), feature laconic Wisconsin farm girl — and football player — DJ Schwenk. Murdock’s latest novel, Princess Ben (Houghton), stars a very different type of character in an imagined fantasy world. Executive editor Martha Parravano spoke with the author about this shift from contemporary realism to fairy-tale fantasy. Comment at Read Roger.
Posted April 16, 2008
13:32

Photo © Greg Martin

Lee Kingman & Virginia Lee Burton 
 listen
Lee Kingman is the author of The Best Christmas and many other books for children. A children’s book editor at Houghton Mifflin in the 1940s, she worked with Virginia Lee Burton, author-illustrator of Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel and other classics. Horn Book designer Lolly Robinson visits Lee at her house in Gloucester, Massachusetts, to talk about writing, editing, and design. Comment at Read Roger.
Posted February 11, 2008
11:48

Read more about Lee's almost eighty-year association with the Horn Book.
Photo: Lolly Robinson

Caldecott 2008   listen
Caldecott committee member (and roving reporter) Roger Sutton brings us along for the announcement that The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick won the 2008 Caldecott Medal. From croaky pre-dawn thoughts to giddy post–press conference reactions, Roger and his recorder are there. Cameo by Newbery Honor–winner Gary Schmidt (The Wednesday Wars). Comment at Read Roger.
Posted January 17, 2008
12:25

More ALA Awards | More Brian Selznick

Holiday Gift Books   listen
Terri Schmitz, owner of the Children's Book Shop in Brookline, Massachusetts, and a frequent Magazine contributor, helps Kitty Flynn with her holiday shopping. Comment at Read Roger.
Posted December 14, 2007
14:57

List of recommended books
photo: Gay Pampalone

Philip Pullman   listen
From his home in England, author Philip Pullman talks with Roger Sutton about The Golden Compass movie and responds to the recent controversy here in America surrounding his trilogy, religion, and politics. Comment at Read Roger.
Posted December 4, 2007
14:16

Read a transcript | More Philip Pullman

Grace Lin & Alvina Ling   listen
Grace Lin, author-illustrator of many picture books including The Ugly Vegetables (Charlesbridge), worked with her childhood friend and editor, Alvina Ling, on her novel, The Year of the Dog (Little). Horn Book designer Lolly Robinson talks with them about friendship, blogging, and Robert’s Snow, a cancer-research fundraising auction taking place online this November and December. Comment at Read Roger.
Posted November 9, 2007
10:33

Lois Lowry   listen
The author of The Giver and other books discusses movies and books with Roger Sutton. Comment at Read Roger.
Posted October 15, 2007
9:34

Photo: Neil Giordano

M. T. Anderson   listen
Author M. T. Anderson talks about The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume One: The Pox Party (Candlewick), winner of the 2007 Boston Globe–Horn Book Award for fiction as well as the 2006 National Book Award for Young People's Literature. Comment at Read Roger.
Posted September 28, 2007
13:02

Read M. T. Anderson's acceptance speech

Photo: Richard Asch

Roger Sutton   listen
The Horn Book's editor in chief chats with Kitty Flynn about current trends, popular series, and choosing books for kids. Comment at Read Roger.
Posted September 12, 2007
11:01

Photo: Alison Gontarz

Jon Scieszka   listen
Roger Sutton visits author Jon Scieszka (The Stinky Cheese Man, Time Warp Trio series) to discuss teaching, reading, and second-grade humor. Comment at Read Roger.
Posted August 29, 2007
11:21

Photo: James Schuck