Emma Walton Hamilton is an author, editor, arts educator, arts and literacy advocate, and a parent. She has co-authored 16 children’s books with her mother, Julie Andrews, including board books, picture books and The Great American Mousical.

There’s no one like William Joyce. In this exclusive video interview with Reading Rockets, the unconventional and highly creative author and illustrator of George Shrinks and Rolie Polie Olie discusses topics ranging from King Kong to whoopee cushions to ice cream planets.

Sid Fleischman has written dozens of books for children, and each one is crafted carefully with vivid detail and expressive language. Fleischman knows that a great children’s book will live with readers for a long, long time and he wants to get it right. It took him more than 10 years and several false starts to complete his Newbery-winning book, The Whipping Boy. His ideas can spring from just about anywhere — his time travel story, The 13th Floor, was inspired by the superstitious fear of the number thirteen (triskaidekaphobia). Often, his stories hint at the possibility of magic in our lives, not surprising for someone who once toured as a professional magician.

Kirkus Reviews called him the “dean of science writers.” The Smithsonian Institution re-published 12 of his books. The National Science Teachers Association has named more than half of his books “Outstanding Science Trade Books for Children.” Through his ability to write about science in a way that is accurate, interesting, and accessible, Seymour Simon has earned his reputation as a trusted source of information for curious young minds across the country.

Marilyn Singer has written all kinds of great books for children and young adults — picture books, fairy tales, mysteries, non-fiction, and novels — but poetry is her favorite. Singer is on a mission to “knock poetry off its pedestal” and to introduce kids to the pleasing rhythms and powerful emotion of poems, but also to encourage kids to express themselves through verse.

Lulu Delacre has been writing and illustrating children’s books for almost thirty years, striving to create quality literature. Her Latino heritage and her wide-ranging life experiences inform her books. In this interview, Lulu talks about her experiences growing up in Puerto Rico, her work, the treasures of the public library, and why familiar rhymes, games, and songs can help children build the skills they need to become strong readers.

Laurence Yep writes books that draw from his Chinese American background yet speak to common feelings and experiences. In this exclusive video interview with Reading Rockets, Laurence Yep discusses his love for his work and the gratification of writing stories.

Lane Smith recently described his artwork as a mixture between his fine arts background and low-brow influences like Monty Python and Mad magazine. He has tried making children’s books that are sweet and cute, but inevitably they take a turn toward the edgy. “I try to do serious stuff,” he explains, “but it just comes out screwy.” Lane Smith’s unconventional approach has resulted in many fans, numerous bestsellers, and a prestigious Caldecott Honor. Smith has collaborated with author Jon Scieszka on many favorites, including Math Curse, Science Verse, The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs! and The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales.