You May Contribute A Verse

Everything but the Kat Chen Sink!

A yoga instructor's guide to demon hunting? Not this time. It's Kat Chen and her Play with Me series! A hoot indeed. Thank you to Joyce Sweeney for hooking up this conversation and - in the intervening months - signing me (Josh) as a client! This conversation serves as a huge endorsement of working with The Seymour Agency through the lens of Kat's super charming experience.
Our little podcast is sponsored by Tielmour Press! For a two-moon special, check out and order Sue Lancaster's Supermoon and/or (preferably and) Neigh Kid by Alan Mayfair!
-------
DON’T MISS AN EPISODE! Sign up for our newsletter here!
This episode’s book reviews:
I HATE EVERYONE by Naomi Danis
NUTSHIMIT: IN THE WOODS by Melissa Mollen Dupuis and Elise Gravel
REAL TO ME by Minh Lê and Raissa Figueroa
The artwork for You May Contribute a Verse features our quokka mascot Versey, and was generously created for us by the great Maddie Frost! Find her on IG @hellomaddiefrost or on her website Maddie-Frost.com 
Our theme music is So Happy by Scott Holmes you can find more of his music at scottholmesmusic.com  
Love the podcast and wanna support more episodes like this? Find Community Shoutouts, Merch and our Patreon here!! 
Find us on Bluesky @joshmonkwords, @brennajeanneret, and @jonseym0ur as always, let us know what you think via a rating, review, or comment!

Showing up With Brian LaRossa

Our guest today is Brian LaRossa editor at Scholastic. We talk about lowering the barrier to entry, mentorships and imposter syndrome. At its core the conversation explores inclusivity at every level and having more voices at the table.
This episode was proudly sponsored by Tielmour Press
You can find Brian here.
DON’T MISS AN EPISODE! Sign up for our newsletter here!
This episode’s book reviews:
If you want to be a part of the #KidlitForKamala movement or want more information click here.
THE FIRST CAT IN SPACE ATE PIZZA by Mac Barnett and Shawn Harris
WHERE ARE YOU FROM? by Yamile Saied Mendez
THE AMAZING POWER OF GIRLS by Maria Marianayagam and Skyler White
The artwork for You May Contribute a Verse features our new quokka mascot, Versey, and was generously created by the great Maddie Frost! Find her on IG @hellomaddiefrost or on her website Maddie-Frost.com 
Our theme music is So Happy by Scott Holmes you can find more of his music at scottholmesmusic.com  
Love the podcast and wanna support more episodes like this? Find Community Shoutouts, Merch and our Patreon here!! 
Find us on Bluesky @joshmonkwords, @brennajeanneret, and @jonseym0ur as always, let us know what you think via a rating, review, or comment!
Thanks and see ya next time. 
You May Contribute a Verse is a homespun production, produced, edited, recorded, conceptualized, and marketed by Josh Monken, Brenna Jeanneret, and Jon Seymour.

Reading a Cartoon with Justin Colon and James Rey Sanchez

Lucky you if you happen to listen to this episode the day it's released because it's also publication day for Justin Colon and James Rey Sanchez's Impossible Possums!
You're also lucky in the future because now you can go read Impossible Possums and then use this episode as a behind the scenes sneak peek into the possum sausage-making, which I guarantee is more fun than it might sound like.
-------
DON’T MISS AN EPISODE! Sign up for our newsletter here!
This episode’s book reviews:
ABZUGLUTELY! by Sarah Aronson, illustrated by Andrea d'Aquino
WHAT'S IN THE COOKIE TIN? by Yolanda T. Marshall, illustrated by Golnoush Moini
WHOLE WHALE by Karen Yin, illustrated by Nelleke Verhoeff
The artwork for You May Contribute a Verse features our quokka mascot Versey, and was generously created for us by the great Maddie Frost! Find her on IG @hellomaddiefrost or on her website Maddie-Frost.com 
Our theme music is So Happy by Scott Holmes you can find more of his music at scottholmesmusic.com  
Love the podcast and wanna support more episodes like this? Find Community Shoutouts, Merch and our Patreon here!! 
Find us on Bluesky @joshmonkwords, @brennajeanneret, and @jonseym0ur as always, let us know what you think via a rating, review, or comment!

The Amazing Power of Girls with Maria Marianayagam

Our guest for this conversation was Maria Marianayagam, kidlit author, known for her STEM and girl power books. We talk preempts, option clauses and subbing on proposal.
You can find Maria here.
DON’T MISS AN EPISODE! Sign up for our newsletter here!
This episode’s book reviews:
If you want to be a part of the #KidlitForKamala movement or want more information click here.
SPIDER IN A WELL by Jess Hannigan 
THE NOTEBOOK KEEPER by Stephen Briseño and Magdalena Mora
A SONG FOR NOLAN by Rushie Ellenwood and Sally Chen
The artwork for You May Contribute a Verse features our new quokka mascot, Versey, and was generously created by the great Maddie Frost! Find her on IG @hellomaddiefrost or on her website Maddie-Frost.com 
Our theme music is So Happy by Scott Holmes you can find more of his music at scottholmesmusic.com  
Love the podcast and wanna support more episodes like this? Find Community Shoutouts, Merch and our Patreon here!! 
Find us on Bluesky @joshmonkwords, @brennajeanneret, and @jonseym0ur as always, let us know what you think via a rating, review, or comment!
Thanks and see ya next time. 
You May Contribute a Verse is a homespun production, produced, edited, recorded, conceptualized, and marketed by Josh Monken, Brenna Jeanneret, and Jon Seymour.

Kidlit for Kamala! with Martha Brockenbrough

Bedrooms, bathrooms, and bookshelves. All other people's places we should be staying out of unless invited. Especially if you're a fascist.
Martha Brockenbrough is here! Talking Kidlit for Kamala, continuing children's lit education, and the frankly shocking number of books about bigfoot that one person can write.
But mostly Kidlit for Kamala!
A reminder from Martha: everything is political. All the things we take for granted, all the comforts and joys and holidays and benefits ingrained in our lives were things our forebears had to fight for until codified through political processes.
Politics isn't the start of change, it's the end result of action.
-------
DON’T MISS AN EPISODE! Sign up for our newsletter here!
This episode’s book reviews:
THE LAW OF BIRTHDAYS by Brenna! Illustrated by Marina Kondrakhina
A COSTUME FOR CHARLY by CK Malone, illustrated by Alejandra Barajas
The artwork for You May Contribute a Verse features our quokka mascot Versey, and was generously created for us by the great Maddie Frost! Find her on IG @hellomaddiefrost or on her website Maddie-Frost.com 
Our theme music is So Happy by Scott Holmes you can find more of his music at scottholmesmusic.com  
Love the podcast and wanna support more episodes like this? Find Community Shoutouts, Merch and our Patreon here!! 
Find us on Bluesky @joshmonkwords, @brennajeanneret, and @jonseym0ur as always, let us know what you think via a rating, review, or comment!

Up, Up, Ever Up With Anita Yasuda

Our guest for this conversation is Anita Yasuda. We chat about her start in the educational market, her journey to an agent and her new book UP, UP, EVER UP JUNKO TABEI: A Life In The Mountains illustrated by Yuko Shimizu. 
You can find Anita here.
DON’T MISS AN EPISODE! Sign up for our newsletter here!
This episode’s book reviews:
If you want to be a part of the #KidlitForKamala movement or want more information click here.
THE PRESIDENT OF THE JUNGLE  by André Rodrigues, Larissa Ribeiro, Paula Desgualdo, and illustrated by Pedro Markun
THE BOO BOOS OF BLUEBELL ELEMENTARY written by Chelsea Lin Wallace’s and illustrated by Alison Farrell
STRONG written by Rob Kearney and Eric Rosswood illustrated by Nidhi Chanani
The artwork for You May Contribute a Verse features our new quokka mascot, Versey, and was generously created by the great Maddie Frost! Find her on IG @hellomaddiefrost or on her website Maddie-Frost.com 
Our theme music is So Happy by Scott Holmes you can find more of his music at scottholmesmusic.com  
Love the podcast and wanna support more episodes like this? Find Community Shoutouts, Merch and our Patreon here!! 
Find us on Bluesky @joshmonkwords, @brennajeanneret, and @jonseym0ur as always, let us know what you think via a rating, review, or comment!
Thanks and see ya next time. 
You May Contribute a Verse is a homespun production, produced, edited, recorded, conceptualized, and marketed by Josh Monken, Brenna Jeanneret, and Jon Seymour.

Kindness is Easy with Dianna Wilson Sirkovsky

All it takes is one person to believe in your work for you to break through this crazy industry.
And all it takes is several hundred persons to listen to this interview with kind soul and skilled author Dianna Wilson Sirkovsky! 
Dianna's books, James's Reading Rescue and Just One Pebble, are kind acts of writing based on kind acts of goodness. Give them a read and get inspired!
-------
DON’T MISS AN EPISODE! Sign up for our newsletter here!
This episode’s book reviews:
WE ARE DEFINITELY HUMAN by X Fang
ON A MUSHROOM DAY by Chris Baker, illustrated by Alexandra Finkeldey
JET THE CAT (IS NOT A CAT) by Phaea Crede, illustrated by Terry Runyan
The artwork for You May Contribute a Verse features our quokka mascot Versey, and was generously created for us by the great Maddie Frost! Find her on IG @hellomaddiefrost or on her website Maddie-Frost.com 
Our theme music is So Happy by Scott Holmes you can find more of his music at scottholmesmusic.com  
Love the podcast and wanna support more episodes like this? Find Community Shoutouts, Merch and our Patreon here!! 
Find us on Bluesky @joshmonkwords, @brennajeanneret, and @jonseym0ur as always, let us know what you think via a rating, review, or comment!

Boss Notes with Sylvie Frank

Our guest for this conversation is, the amazing and delightful Sylvie Frank, editorial director at Disney Hyperion. We chat behind-the-scenes at Disney, context switching, and trusting your critique groups.
You can find Sylvie here.
DON’T MISS AN EPISODE! Sign up for our newsletter here!
This episode’s book reviews:
If you want to be a part of the #KidlitForKamala movement or want more information click here.
THE LION INSIDE by Rachel Bright illustrated by Jim Field
JUDGE JULIETTE by Laura Gehl illustrated by Mari Lobo
SYDNEY’S BIG SPEECH by Malcolm Newsome illustrated by Jade Orlando
The artwork for You May Contribute a Verse features our new quokka mascot, Versey, and was generously created by the great Maddie Frost! Find her on IG @hellomaddiefrost or on her website Maddie-Frost.com 
Our theme music is So Happy by Scott Holmes you can find more of his music at scottholmesmusic.com  
Love the podcast and wanna support more episodes like this? Find Community Shoutouts, Merch and our Patreon here!! 
Find us on Bluesky @joshmonkwords, @brennajeanneret, and @jonseym0ur as always, let us know what you think via a rating, review, or comment!
Thanks and see ya next time. 
You May Contribute a Verse is a homespun production, produced, edited, recorded, conceptualized, and marketed by Josh Monken, Brenna Jeanneret, and Jon Seymour.

Chickens, Birds, Bees and Compost with Melody Plan

Our guest today is Melody Plan, author of Inside the Compost Bin illustrated by Rong Pham and Vinh Nguyen. We talk birds and animal care, how Melody got her agent, and saying no to an opportunity when it doesn’t line up with your goals.
You can find Melody here.
DON’T MISS AN EPISODE! Sign up for our newsletter here!
This episode’s book reviews:
If you want to be a part of the #KidlitForKamala movement or want more information click here.
I VOTED: MAKING A CHOICE MAKES A DIFFERENCE by Mark Shulman and Serge Bloch
LUNCH EVERY DAY  by Kathryn Otoshi
BITZY BAT SCHOOL STAR  by Kaz Windness
The artwork for You May Contribute a Verse features our new quokka mascot, Versey, and was generously created by the great Maddie Frost! Find her on IG @hellomaddiefrost or on her website Maddie-Frost.com 
Our theme music is So Happy by Scott Holmes you can find more of his music at scottholmesmusic.com  
Love the podcast and wanna support more episodes like this? Find Community Shoutouts, Merch and our Patreon here!! 
Find us on Bluesky @joshmonkwords, @brennajeanneret, and @jonseym0ur as always, let us know what you think via a rating, review, or comment!
Thanks and see ya next time. 
You May Contribute a Verse is a homespun production, produced, edited, recorded, conceptualized, and marketed by Josh Monken, Brenna Jeanneret, and Jon Seymour.

Like A Good Neighbor, Stay Over There with Steph Henson

Our guest Steph Henson is great! As summer wanes and the school year waxes, we catch up with Steph on her recent release No School, My Rules with Tielmour Press!
 
-------
 
DON’T MISS AN EPISODE! Sign up for our newsletter here!
This episode’s book reviews:
MONSTER HANDS by Karen Kane and Jonaz McMillan, illustrated by Dion MBD
DEEP, DEEP DOWN: THE SECRET UNDERWATER POETRY OF THE MARIANA TRENCH by Lydia Lukidis, illustrated by Juan Calle Velez
POPI'S ALL SOULS SONG by C.K. Malone, illustrated by Shelly Swann
The artwork for You May Contribute a Verse features our quokka mascot Versey, and was generously created for us by the great Maddie Frost! Find her on IG @hellomaddiefrost or on her website Maddie-Frost.com 
Our theme music is So Happy by Scott Holmes you can find more of his music at scottholmesmusic.com  
Love the podcast and wanna support more episodes like this? Find Community Shoutouts, Merch and our Patreon here!! 
Find us on Bluesky @joshmonkwords, @brennajeanneret, and @jonseym0ur as always, let us know what you think via a rating, review, or comment!