You May Contribute A Verse

Winsome Bingham on Friday!

Winsome writes. Winsome reads. Winsome cares. And Winsome Bingham speaks. About her editorial voice, her lyricism, her Reycraft family, her views on humor, joy, trauma, craft, and the perfect mix of art and words.
Winsome Bingham is the author of several very acclaimed books, including Soul Food Sunday, Fish Fry Friday, The Walk, Missing Momma, The Table, Life is Beautiful, and, coming September 1, 2026, On Fridays, her latest collaboration with Jason Griffin (go listen to our conversation with him if you haven't yet!).
Today our reviews are for On Fridays, because you should go and preorder it or request it from your library immediately!
You are going to love Winsome's verse!
 
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The artwork for You May Contribute a Verse features our 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 and as always, let us know what you think via a rating, review, or comment!

Right Moves and Mistakes with Jason Griffin

The Michaelangelo to Bob Ross to Akira Kurosawa to Jason Griffin pipeline is strong.
Master Collaborator and accomplished visual artist Jason Griffin is a Caldecott Honoree for his work with Jason Reynolds on their 2022 collaboration Ain't Burned All the Bright, their third book together (we'll talk about the others in this episode).
But his work with our friend and future guest Winsome Bingham is what brings us here today. The 2024 multicultural, multi-generational picture book collab The Table will be followed in September by the amazing, poignant, gorgeous On Fridays.
Check out our Instagram later this week (on Friday, actually) for some very cover-y things to be revealed!
Resources to consume that were discussed in this episode:
Elizabeth Gilbert's TED Talk featuring THE Tom Waits anecdote
Akira Kurosawa's iconic blood spray oopsie
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This episode’s book reviews: 
RAINBOW PANDA, words by Lisa Muchnik, pictures by Emilie Timmermans
ALBERTO SALAS PLAYS PAKA PAKA CON LA PAPA, words by Sara Andrea Fajardo, pictures by Juana Martinez-Neal
THE BLACK MAMBAS THE WORLD’S FIRST ALL-WOMAN ANTI-POACHING UNIT by Kelly Crull
 
The artwork for You May Contribute a Verse features our 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 and as always, let us know what you think via a rating, review, or comment!

Jess Yoon's Jeong

Jess Yoon stands on business. And she's doing way more than sitting in her little room, typing away. She's tapping into her inner child to great effect!
She manifested a Little Golden Book into being and now her Blackpink biography is out in the world! Her picture book Jeong Is Jeong JUST released this month (February 2026), AND her junior novelization of K-Pop Demon Hunters comes out next month! 
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This episode’s book reviews: 
 
SLEEP TIGHT, DISGUSTING BLOB by Huw Aaron
SEALS ARE JERKS by Jared Chapman
 
The artwork for You May Contribute a Verse features our 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 and as always, let us know what you think via a rating, review, or comment!

Abominable Steph Lau!

Now with 100% more consternation! Or less. Not sure where we landed on consternation.
Steph Lau has gotten some good experiences over the years. Some published, some TBD. But at least we have thus far been graced with ABOMINABLE SNOW DANCER, and will be graced with MEDUSA'S PET ROCK later this year! And more to come!
Steph, you'll have to come back on so we can talk more about pancakes and pastries. 
 
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This episode’s book reviews: 
THE CAVE DOWNWIND OF THE CAFE by Mikey Please
DESERT QUEEN by Jyoti Rajan Gopal, illustrated by Svabhu Kohli
 
The artwork for You May Contribute a Verse features our 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 and as always, let us know what you think via a rating, review, or comment!

AI Incidents and Control Freaks with Jan (J.E.) Thomas

We make it so today with author Jan (J.E.) Thomas, author of The AI Incident and Control Freaks. Lots of good habit discussion, some Star Trek, and exactly how you can be a certified Human Author. Jan is a delight!
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This episode’s book reviews: 
HOW TO GROW A FAMILY TREE by Bea Birdsong, illustrated by Jasu Hu
THIS BOOK IS ON FIRE! by Ron Keres, illustrated by Arthur Lin
CASSINI'S MISSION by Katie Venit, illustrated by Julia Blattman
 
 
The artwork for You May Contribute a Verse features our 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 and as always, let us know what you think via a rating, review, or comment!

It's Not A Book Until It's A Book with Matt Forrest Esenwine

Today's second-timer is our last-timer of 2025! Matt Forrest Esenwine graces us once again with his delightful, radio-ready voice for a soothing exit to the year. 
In addition to Matt's twelve other books (some of which you can hear about in our first conversation from 2021), this year Matt released his anthology A Universe of Rainbows: Multicolored Poems for a Multicolored World.
We don't get to talk a ton about anthologies, so this was a delight! 
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This episode’s book reviews: 
JOVITA WORE PANTS by Aida Salazar, illustrated by Molly Mendoza
THIS BOOK IS PERFECT by Ron Keres, illustrated by Arthur Lin
MY DAD IS THE BEST by Fran Pintadera, illustrated by Joan Turu
 
The artwork for You May Contribute a Verse features our 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 and as always, let us know what you think via a rating, review, or comment!

Karyn Friedman-Everham Captivates!

Karyn Friedman-Everham (Josh's agent sibling - hi, Joyce!) has a fascinating story that's a little bit backwards from how most of us approach our debuts, but that's what makes her story fascinating and very endearing! 
Her 2024 debut was Otter Oughta Know, followed in October 2025 by Chesed. Two different paths, one cool convo!
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This episode’s book reviews: 
NUNU AND THE SEA by Isabella Kung
ERNO RUBIK AND HIS MAGIC CUBE by Kerry Aradhya, illustrated by Kara Kramer
 
The artwork for You May Contribute a Verse features our 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 and as always, let us know what you think via a rating, review, or comment!

Allison and Rafael Rozo's Great Big World

It's been almost five years and THIS is our first episode that includes a singalong?
Today it's Rafael and Allison Rozo day! Check out Diego Fuego the Firefighting Dragon, out July 2025, and Unique Like You, out September 2025!
Allison and Rafael are a delight and we hope you enjoy getting to know them as much as we did!
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This episode’s book reviews: 
THE FABULOUS FANNIE FARMER by Emma Bland Smith, illustrated by Susan Reagan
THE A-TO-Z TEACHING TOOLKIT by Alicia Meyers
 
The artwork for You May Contribute a Verse features our 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 and as always, let us know what you think via a rating, review, or comment!

Close Your Eyes and Jump with Alicia Meyers!

We've known Alicia Meyers since we were all three kidlit babies back in pandemic days when we had no idea what we were doing! Josh still doesn't know what he's doing. Long live Totally Funny Critique Group! 
Alicia's educational book The A-to-Z Teaching Toolkit came out this month (November 2025) and we're eagerly awaiting her picture book debut Tic-Errific Me, coming next June! 
Alicia hustles. And also rocks a mean teddy bear Halloween costume (check out her socials for evidence).
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This episode’s book reviews: 
ALL MY STRIPES by Shaina Rudolph and Danielle Royer, illustrated by Jennifer Zivoin
ZOMBEES by Justin Colon, illustrated by Kaly Quarles
THE WORLD'S BEST CLASS PLANT by Audrey Vernick and Liz Garton Scanlon, illustrated by Lynnor Bontiago
 
The artwork for You May Contribute a Verse features our 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 and as always, let us know what you think via a rating, review, or comment!

Ainissa Ramirez's SPARK!

Ainissa Ramirez has something in common with the subject of her debut picture book, Jim West, inventor of the microphone: the passion, the drive, and the creative spark to turn her commitment into her reality.
It was an honor to talk to Ainissa, and if you want to hear more of her voice, listen to her podcast Science Underground, or maybe her TEDx Talk!
 
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This episode’s book reviews: 
THE WALK, by Winsome Bingham, illustrated by E.B. Lewis
EVERY MONDAY MABEL, by Jashar Awan
 
The artwork for You May Contribute a Verse features our 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 and as always, let us know what you think via a rating, review, or comment!