In this episode, we welcome Sonja Thomas, an acclaimed author renowned for her middle-grade novels featuring diverse characters and compelling stories. Sonja takes us through her literary journey from her childhood fascination with storytelling to becoming a published author. She shares the inspirations behind her celebrated books, 'Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence' and 'Olive Blackwood Takes Action.' We delve into themes such as financial insecurity, faith, anxiety, and the signifi...
Aug 06, 2025•1 hr 2 min
Join us as we talk with the incredible Sasha Saidman, a children's book author who brings joy, laughter, and important messages to every page. She tackles big topics like adoption, postpartum depression and neurodivergence. Listen to how her personal experiences shape her stories for kids and parents/guardians alike. You can find information about Dr. Elisabeth Paige at www.mindfulhappykids.com.
Jul 11, 2025•37 min
Join us as we welcome Erin Entrada Kelly, acclaimed author and Newbery Medalist, to our show. Erin dives into her multifaceted writing career, discussing her award-winning middle grade fiction, picture books, and nonfiction work. She shares her journey from writing Sweet Valley High knockoffs as a child to becoming a celebrated author. Erin talks about her forthcoming books, writing challenges, and her passion for teaching other writers. A highlight includes an in-depth discussion about her most...
Jun 20, 2025•49 min
Join us in this captivating episode as we chat with Muslim author and illustrator Huda Fahmy, who shares her journey from teaching English to creating beloved comics and graphic novels. Huda discusses her career beginnings, challenges faced with memoirs, and how she transitioned to writing for young adults inspired by her own life experiences. She explains the importance of representation in literature, her use of humor to address serious topics, and the process she follows for creating her grap...
Jun 02, 2025•1 hr 2 min
Kick off Mental Health Awareness Month with an insightful interview featuring Christine Webb, author of 'The Art of Insanity.' In this episode, Christine talks about her journey as a young adult author and teacher, the inspiration behind her book, which centers on a young girl dealing with bipolar disorder, and the personal experiences that shaped her writing. The conversation dives into themes of mental health, the importance of transparency and support, and the role of creativity in coping wit...
May 18, 2025•34 min
In this episode, Elisabeth Paige interviews Maria Van Lieshout, a Dutch American author and illustrator whose latest graphic novel, 'Song of a Blackbird,' is critically important for today's youth. Maria delves into her personal history, growing up in Amsterdam, and how the resistance efforts in the Netherlands during WWII inspired her work. She emphasizes the pivotal role of women and artists in the resistance movements and discusses her novel's two interwoven plots set in 1942 and the present ...
Apr 23, 2025•1 hr 6 min
Elisabeth and Deb delve into an engaging conversation. Deb, a native New Yorker, is a freelance illustrator including independent movie posters and the illustrations for graphic novels and the illustrations and writing of her own graphic novel, "In Limbo." They highlight their challenges and learnings in writing, their unique approach to drawing and the compelling themes in their works, "The Other Side of Tomorrow" and "In Limbo". The discussion also touches on Deb's non-binary identity, their s...
Mar 21, 2025•57 min
In this episode, we delve into a conversation with Sonora Reyes, acclaimed author of young adult and adult books such as 'The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School,' 'The Luis Ortega Survival Club,' and 'The Broposal.' Reyes shares their writing journey as an autistic writer, starting with fanfiction and evolving into published novels centered on queer Mexican characters. They discuss the importance of representation in literature, touching on themes of mental health, complicated familial relation...
Mar 01, 2025•40 min
Join us for an engaging conversation with Hanna Khan, a prolific Pakistani-American children's book author from Rockville, Maryland. In this episode, Hanna talks about her life journey, growing up with Pakistani immigrant parents, and her extensive career in writing children's literature over the past 24 years. Discover her writing process, how she finds inspiration from her family and cultural heritage, and the challenges and joys of writing for young readers. Hanna also delves into her experie...
Jan 21, 2025•1 hr 6 min
Byron Graves, author of the middle grade novel "Rez Ball," talks with Elisabeth Paige about his experiences playing basketball on the Ojibwe reservation. According to Byron, basketball is everything on the reservation with standing room only crowds and players who turn into heroes. The book deals with grief, alcohol abuse, and emotional dysregulation along with joy and fun play by play action. You can find information about Dr. Elisabeth Paige at www.mindfulhappykids.com.
Dec 24, 2024•44 min
This video podcast features an in-depth interview with acclaimed author T.J. Klune, known for his vibrant queer, diverse, and fantastical characters. Klune discusses his journey as an author since 2011 and his notable works, including "The House in the Cerulean Sea," "Under the Whispering Door," and the "Green Creek" series. He delves into his latest projects, such as "Somewhere Beyond the Sea,” the sequel to “The House in the Cerulean Sea” and the re-release of "The Bones Beneath My Skin," expl...
Nov 03, 2024•1 hr 3 min
Join us for an in-depth conversation with Brian Anderson, creator of the beloved 'Dog Eat Doug' comic strip, as he shares his journey from a young artist to a celebrated author and illustrator. Brian discusses his inspirations, including personal anecdotes involving his pets, and how they influence his work. Dive into the evolution of his characters across various mediums, including his 'Sophie' graphic novels and the middle-grade fantasy series 'The Conjurer'. Discover the creative process behi...
Oct 25, 2024•58 min
This script provides an in-depth look at Dan Gutman's successful career as a children's author, detailing his journey from aspiring photographer to writer of over 200 books. Gutman shares his transition from nonfiction sports journalism to crafting engaging children's literature, discussing series such as 'My Weird School' and 'The Genius Files’ as well as his many other series and his stand-alone books. He reflects on using historical settings and humor to engage young readers, particularly rel...
Oct 12, 2024•1 hr 31 min
In this episode of 'Mindful, Happy Kids', hosted by Dr. Elisabeth Paige, we delve into the creative journey of Pedro Martin – author and illustrator of "Mexikid," a graphic memoir for middle graders. Pedro shares his experiences from his early beginnings in California to his career at Hallmark as a greeting card artist, and eventually transitioning into a graphic novelist. He discusses the importance of Mexican culture and representation in his work, as well as the unique challenges and joys of ...
Sep 28, 2024•36 min
Ever wondered how to blend art, history, and storytelling? 🎨📖 Don't miss our latest podcast episode featuring the incredible Marissa Moss! Discover her secrets behind beloved series like Amelia's Notebook and more. Listen today! In this extensive interview, Marissa Moss, a prolific author and illustrator, discusses her diverse body of work, including narrative prose, graphic novels, a hybrid between the two, historical fiction, and biographies, spanning from picture books to young adult litera...
Aug 20, 2024•46 min
In this episode of 'Mindful Happy Kids', hosted by Dr. Elisabeth Paige, children's book author Ann Marie O'Brien discusses her journey as a writer, her love for dogs, particularly Borzoi, and the inspiration behind her middle-grade novel 'Lara's Gift'. O'Brien shares her experience working in Russia during the late 1980s, her fascination with Russian culture and history, and how these influenced her writing. She also talks about the challenges she faced in her writing career, the importance of p...
Jul 08, 2024•29 min
Navigating Writing and Publishing with Book Coach Julie Artz In this episode, Elisabeth interviews Julie Artz, a seasoned book coach and author who assists writers crafting empowerment and justice-driven stories. Julie discusses her journey from technical writing to book coaching, her services, and the importance of finding the right critique partners and support systems. She also introduces the WYRD Writers Collective, a community for writers to gain craft knowledge and peer support. Julie emph...
Jun 14, 2024•44 min
Join an interview of Nicole Chen and Elisabeth Paige as we wrap up Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month with an insightful interview featuring children’s author, Nicole Chen. Amidst Covid-related tensions, Nicole shifted her focus to portraying Taiwanese families, aiming to dismantle Asian stereotypes. Her debut, "How We Say I Love You," emphasizes actions over words in expressing affection across cultures. From challenging misconceptions in "Lily Xiao Speaks Out" to defying familial expect...
May 31, 2024•43 min
NYT best-selling graphic novelist and syndicated cartoonist Maria Scrivan have a lively discussion about Maria's process, her books and her comic strip, "Half Full." Maria lives her dream as both a syndicated cartoonist and graphic novelist, where everyday emotions blend into her creative canvas. Amid deadlines, she finds joy in her craft, using exercise and yoga to break creative blocks. Maria believes humor lightens even heavy subjects, infusing laughter into her storytelling. Pets hold a spec...
May 24, 2024•31 min
Picture book author and illustrator Steven Salerno has written and illustrated 5 books and illustrated an additional 32. His books range from initiating a conversation about death to a fashion designing carrot. He illustrated a book on the history of Hershey’s chocolate and a Ferris wheel as big as the Eiffel Tower. His future plans include writing nonfiction books, but so far, the books he has written are fiction. He has illustrated many nonfiction books. We take a deep dive into his writing an...
Apr 28, 2024•1 hr 13 min
Rebecca Balcarcel, award winning middle grade novelist and poet takes us into her life through her work. As a half Guatemalan woman, she believes it important to be authentic in her writing. Her characters, struggle with identity issues along with autism, cancer, Parkinson's disease, and even death. She believes that middle graders are ready to hear the truth and read about their own experiences both the joyful and the challenging. You can find information about Dr. Elisabeth Paige at www.mindfu...
Apr 10, 2024•1 hr 11 min
Jerry Craft, #1 NYT best selling author and only winner of the John Newbery Medal for outstanding contribution to children’s literature for a graphic novel as well as other awards speaks with Dr. Elisabeth Paige about his life, his writing and publishing journey, and his work. He wrote over 30 books, primarily for African American kids that were, in his eyes, less about what you usually see in children’s books targeting African American kids such as single parenthood, gun and police violence and...
Mar 23, 2024•1 hr 21 min
Dr. LaRocca's joy and brilliance are obvious as we take a deep dive into her award-winning middle grade novels and her picture books. Her books capture her love of medicine, Shakespeare, cooking, baseball, math, and her SE Asian heritage. She confronts tough issues like cancer, anxiety, and loneliness and fun topics like magic and music. I can't recommend more highly her books for kids of all ages. You can find my website at: www.mindfulhappykids.com. You can find information about Dr. Elisabeth...
Feb 29, 2024•56 min
Yoga and mindfulness are helpful for anxiety, depression, strength training and exercise for both children and adults. Audrey works as a yoga and mindfulness practitioner with both adults and children. She talks about her own yoga practice and her teaching. You can find information about Dr. Elisabeth Paige at www.mindfulhappykids.com.
Feb 17, 2024•25 min
In this exciting and energetic interview, #1 NYT best selling author Dan Gemeinhart talks with Dr. Elisabeth Paige about his writing journey, each of his five middle grade books, his upcoming books, and his advice for authors. You can find information about Dr. Elisabeth Paige at www.mindfulhappykids.com.
Jan 19, 2024•56 min
In this engaging conversation between Dr. Elisabeth Paige and Chris Baron, Chris talks about his middle grade novels addressing sensitive topics such as body image, anxiety and other mental health concerns, eczema, and selective mutism. He writes in verse, narrative and multi-media. Any college student would love him as a professor. You can find Dr. Paige on her website, "www.mindfulhappykids.com". You can find information about Dr. Elisabeth Paige at www.mindfulhappykids.com.
Dec 17, 2023•1 hr 7 min
In this conversation between Kate McKinney and Dr. Paige, Kate talks about her new book, "When to Hold On" about female relationships, both love interests and friendships, grief and holding space for silence. The book also focuses on finding beauty in nature. Written in verse it's a wonderful read. Spoiler alert: I highly recommend that if you are at all interested, that you read the book first as there are lots of spoilers in the interview. You can find information about Dr. Elisabeth Paige at ...
Nov 11, 2023•51 min
I've chosen this moment to introduce you to a lovely picture book, Vivienne in Paris, introducing children to the beauty of mindfulness. As the world around us is in chaos and horror, I believe we can have a reprieve using our senses to appreciate what we have . Maria is as lovely as her book. She talks about her journey as a mother of four young kids, an entrepreneur, a journalist and finally a children's books author. I hope you enjoy. You can find more about Dr. Paige on her website: www.mind...
Oct 16, 2023•28 min
In this Simple Petting Petitation, created and recorded by Dr. Elisabeth Paige, you will stroke your pet to a count of ten and then repeat for 3 minutes. If you lose count, don't worry about it, just start over. Even short meditations can help with health, mood and relationships. Music was composed and recorded by Steve Gruskin. You can find information about Dr. Elisabeth Paige at www.mindfulhappykids.com.
Oct 01, 2023•3 min
In this conversation between Dr. Paige and Lisa Fipps, Lisa talks about what it was like to be a "fat" child and all of the bullying that kids and adults go through when they are different. Her book is beautifully written in verse, interesting for a children's book. Lisa talks about her process and why she chose this technique. Find Dr. Paige's other work at her website: www.mindfulhappykids.com. You can find information about Dr. Elisabeth Paige at www.mindfulhappykids.com....
Sep 19, 2023•1 hr 18 min
