Through her career, Melissa has been able to travel all over the world. It allows her to see the animals firsthand and to really understand how they thrive in their environment, how they move, what they eat. These up-close encounters infuse her writing with more vibrancy.
Melissa has been keeping nature journals since she was 20 years old. She often goes back to those journals for inspiration, but also for the observations she’s made of certain animal behaviors.
Children’s nonfiction writer Melissa Stewart has published more than 200 books on a wide range of science and nature topics. Melissa says she writes for children because books for young people can change the way that they see themselves and the way that they see the world.
Award-winning author and illustrator Grace Lin talks about her mom’s secret plan to spark Grace’s interest in her own culture through Chinese fairy tales.
Award-winning author and illustrator Grace Lin talks about the ways in which her own experiences find their way into the middle grade books The Year of the Dog, The Year of the Rat, and Dumpling Days.
Caldecott Medal-winning author and illustrator Michaela Goade talks about the importance of diverse books in developing empathy and compassion. Ms. Goade is an enrolled member of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska.
