You May Contribute A Verse

Danielle Sharkan and Uniting Against Things That Are Bad

Danielle Sharkan is our guest this week! On her writing journey, debuting with some heavy topics, eggplants (or aubergines?), and more! 
Danielle debuted last year with SHARING SHALOM, following up this year with ELLIE THE EGGSPERT. 
Enjoy!
 
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This episode’s book reviews: BORED PANDA by Mike Bender, illustrated by Chuck DillonBEST BUDS by Becky Scharnhorst, illustrated by Jiarui Jiang
 
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!

Darrin Macleod, Out of the Fungeon

Darrin MacLeod (of Mrs. and Mr. MacLeod!) is here. We explore their collaboration, how The Grunions came to be, and Darrin's history as a traveling, writing vagabond who used to run a surf school.
 
Mrs. and Mr. MacLeod wrote HOW TO EAT A BOOK and THE DOOR THAT HAD NEVER BEEN OPENED BEFORE (whew, long title) and the forthcoming BIRTHDAY BEAR. 
 
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This episode’s book reviews:
 
I COME FROM ANOTHER GALAXY by James Kwan
TEENY TINY TOADY by Jill Esbaum, illustrated by Keika Yamaguchi
 UP UP EVER UP by Anita Yasuda, illustrated by Yuko Shimizu
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!

Steena Hernandez is Here to Do the Thing

It's Steena Hernandez day! Show up and do the thing, claim your agency, and bring your A-game.
Steena's debut book Lupita's Brown Ballet Slippers is available today!
What's pancaking? How do you plan a school visit? What's Josh's favorite shape? All these answers and more await you.
 
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This episode’s book reviews:
 
I HATE EVERYTHING by Sophy Henn
VALLEY: THE WIGGLE-BUTT PUP by Jae Lynn, illustrated by Juliette Miron
CHURRO STAND by Karina N. Gonzalez, illustrated by Krystal Quiles
 
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!

Jyoti Rajan Gopal is Here with You

Since we first recorded this episode, our guest Jyoti Rajan Gopal has had two books published, and that should tell you a great deal about her hustle and her dedication. 
Desert Queen is one we talked about most in this conversation, but 2025 has also seen Love is Here with You: A Lullaby of Blessings and The Power of Your Name as well! Congrats, Jyoti!
Jyoti has also started a podcast called In the Picture, which you should check out here!
 
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This episode’s book reviews:
 
INVESTIGATORS by John Patrick Green
FEELING BOO by Alex Boniello and April Lavalle, illustrated by Olivia Chin Mueller
KAFKA AND THE DOLL by Larissa Theule, illustrated by Rebecca Green
 
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!

Words Matter a Lot to Cedar Pruitt

Whoa, whoa, whoa. Where's the fire? Cedar Pruitt is here and it's been a long time coming!
Her book FIRE FLIGHT: A WILDFIRE ESCAPE was out in early 2024 and we are sandwiched right in between that delight and her 2026 book WHAT MARCEL FOUND: THE INCREDIBLE DISCOVERY OF THE LASCAUX CAVE PAINTINGS.
 
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This episode’s book reviews:
WHISPERS FROM MOTHER EARTH by Maryam Khalifah
 
TINY HIKER by Natasha Zimmers, illustrated by Jaimie MacGibbon
 
OSCAR'S AMERICAN DREAM by Barry Wittenstein, illustrated by Kristen and Kevin Howdeshell
 
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!

This One’s for The Daydreamers with Meg Auchenbach

Today’s guest is Meg Auchenbach, author illustrator of If You Are An Artist! We talk about what it actually looks like when an editor asks for more work, an inside look at what it  takes to be an author/illustrator in today’s market, joining a debut group and the mystery of all mysteries: how do you manage your writing time with other commitments and life! 
 
Make sure to listen until the end for Meg’s Dead Manuscript and my impersonation of Kip from Napoleon Dynamite!
 
Team Versy is Brenna Jeanneret, children’s lit author, mother, rock climber, outdoors person, and podcaster, and Josh Monken, children’s lit author, father, and science communicator.
This episode was proudly sponsored by Tielmour Press
Our guest for this conversation was Meg Auchenbach. You can find Meg here. 
This episode’s book reviews:
OLIVIA by Ian Falconer
 
VERA LA VALIENTE IS SCARED by Ana Siqueria illustrated by Teresa Martinez
 
TO CATCH A GHOST by Rachel Michelle Wilson 
 
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 IG @joshmonkwords and @brennajeanneret 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 and Brenna Jeanneret.

Girl Cheese with Rushie Ellenwood

Content advisory: Portland, rainbows, girl cheese, gender expansiveness, A Song for Nolan, Rushie Ellenwood, and big energy! (And Vicki Johnson)
 
Enjoy responsibly!
 
This episode was proudly sponsored by Tielmour Press.
 
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This episode’s book reviews:
 
VERA LA VALIENTE IS SCARED by Ana Siqueira, illustrated by Teresa Martinez
ISLAND STORM by Brian Floca, illustrated by Sydney Smith
 
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!

Ana Siqueira La Valiente!

Ana Siqueira is a beacon of dedication and inspiration! Her latest books VERA LA VALIENTE and STICKY HERMANA come out in August and October 2025, respectively, and both are equally wonderful.
 
This episode was proudly sponsored by Tielmour Press.
 
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DON’T MISS AN EPISODE! Sign up for our newsletter here!
 
This episode’s book reviews:
 
MISTACO! A TALE OF TRAGEDY Y TORTILLAS by Eliza Kinkz
DINOSAURS: A SHINE-A-LIGHT BOOK by Sara Hurst, illustrated by Lucy Cripps
FORTS by Katie Venit, illustrated by Kenard Pak
 
 
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!

Don't Toy with Sue 'Sue-permoon' Lancaster

Sue Lancaster is here to enrich your ears with her voice and your eyes with her books... and her magazine, The Toy! Check out last year's Supermoon (from Tielmour Press!) and, out in May, Outside the Box! 
 
This episode was proudly sponsored by Tielmour Press.
 
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DON’T MISS AN EPISODE! Sign up for our newsletter here!
 
This episode’s book reviews:
 
SANTIAGO'S DINOSAURIOS by Mariana Rios Ramirez, illustrated by Udayana Lugo
GROUCHO THE GROUCHY GROUNDHOG by Lydia Lukidis, illustrated by Tara Hannon
I AM COW, HEAR ME MOO by Jill Esbaum, illustrated by Gus Gordon
 
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!

Jenna Elyse Johnson's Kidlit Joy

It's Brenna, Jenna, and Josh. Oh my. Jenna Johnson joins us today for discussion of her debut books EVERY BODY MOVE! (out in September 2025, and a singalong!) and I SPARK LIKE LIGHTNING (out in winter 2026).
And believe us when we say there's more goodness to come from Jenna soon! 
Our chat with Jenna goes way beyond her debuts to permission, persistence, passion, and the agonizing roller coaster that is the publishing industry. We hope you enjoy!
 
This episode was proudly sponsored by Tielmour Press.
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DON’T MISS AN EPISODE! Sign up for our newsletter here!
This episode’s book reviews:
CARSON CROSSES CANADA, written by Linda Bailey and illustrated by Kass Reich
THE BABY WHO STAYED AWAKE FOREVER, by Sandra Salsbury
SAFE CROSSING, by Kari Percival
 
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!