You May Contribute A Verse

Today we cross into uncharted realms! It's a podcast head-to-head-to-head as we talk to Danielle Render Turmaud, picture book author, therapist, and host of the podcast You, Me, and The Writing Journey! (check out this same conversation and all her others over on her feed!) Danielle's virtual event Take Your Kid to Publishing Day is Saturday, July 19, and registration is still open through late June! This event will introduce kids to the business of publishing, and maybe help some of our kids understand what the heck we spend so much time doing. Sign up today! This episode is an emotionally honest doozy and a great one for those of us (meaning all of us) who sometimes have to build a little resilience to withstand the waiting, frustration, and rejection.   Show note: early in the chat we reference Michele Ziemke's Mighty Kidlit community. Check it out!   This episode was proudly sponsored by Tielmour Press. -------- DON’T MISS AN EPISODE! Sign up for our newsletter here!   This episode’s book reviews: PRAIRIE

I don't think we've ever talked about Jared Leto on the podcast before. Or the board game Clue for that matter. Katie Venit is here with the niche hits! FORTS and CASSINI'S MISSION are out, respectively, in July and August and to be perfectly honest it's a crime you can't get them now, because they're great and Katie is amazing. We all vibed!   This episode was proudly sponsored by Tielmour Press. Shoutout this week from Brittany Pomales to Elayne Crain for her debut There's Something Odd About the Babysitter! -------- DON’T MISS AN EPISODE! Sign up for our newsletter here!   This episode’s book reviews: SPARKLE PIGS by Kit Holliday MUNCHPIE MORGAN by Merry Lorenz, illustrated by Kenneth Anderson CACTUS QUEEN by Lori Alexander, illustrated by Jenn Ely   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

This episode gets philosophical! As you listen, stand up, spread your arms wide, and tell yourself you are a writer (if you in fact identify as such)! Bonni Goldberg is a poet, author, public speaker, teacher, and really great podcast guest. Check out her picture book Doña Gracia Saved Worlds and her books on writing! This was a wonderful chat!   This episode was proudly sponsored by Tielmour Press. -------- DON’T MISS AN EPISODE! Sign up for our newsletter here! Help support Trenise and Travis after a devastating theft here.    This episode’s book reviews: CAMILLA, CARTOGRAPHER by Julie Dillemuth, illustrated by Laura Wood THE PHONY BALONEY OF GRETA MALONEY by Karla Clark and illustrator Emma Clements THE GHOST WITH THE SMELLY OLD UNDERWEAR by Jose Carlos Andres illustrated by Gomez    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 S

Proudly portraying professionalism per perennial plans, presenting: Prittany Pomales... I mean Brittany! It Started with a P just released in April! (But obviously it hadn't yet when we first recorded this chat last year)  Enjoy - she is a pleasure! --------- Our sponsor is Tielmour Press! Check out Fungi Are More than Mushrooms, out March 2025, AND Jon's new kids' show, Hook Book Barrel! Our reviews this week: I ROCK MY HAIR by Angel Tate BEING A DOG: A TAIL OF MINDFULNESS by Maria Gianferrari, illustrated by Pete Oswald THE BAKERY DRAGON by Devin Elle Kurtz   DON’T MISS AN EPISODE! Sign up for our newsletter here! 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

Our response to meeting Vicky Fang? Charmed, I'm sure.  Check out Vicky's chapter book series Ava Lin, the latest installment, Ava Lin, Super Duper Happy, out June 2025!   Our reviews this week: LLAMAS GO BANANAS by Briony Britten, illustrated by Pauline Gregory THE INTERPRETER, by Olivia Abtahi, illustrated by Monica Arnaldo IT STARTED WITH A P, by Brittany Pomales, illustrated by Andrew Joyner   DON’T MISS AN EPISODE! Sign up for our newsletter here! 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!

Judy Campbell-Smith is here! Check out her books Baseball for Breakfast (coming 2026), Ice Cream Everywhere, and AJ's Neighborhood, AND make sure and join PB Power Hour if you can. It's a great resource for the community. Enjoy! ----- Our sponsor is Tielmour Press! Check out Fungi Are More than Mushrooms, out March 2025, AND Jon's new kids' show, Hook Book Barrel! Our reviews this week: THE BAKERY DRAGON by Devin Elle Kurtz ELWOOD BIGFOOT: WANTED: BIRDIE FRIENDS! by Jill Esbaum and Nate Wragg KAT HATS by Daniel Pinkwater   DON’T MISS AN EPISODE! Sign up for our newsletter here! 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 Blu

Today’s guest is picture book author Carrie Finison make sure to check out her newest release, Pigs Dig A Road illustrated by Brian Biggs to see her incredible rhyming skills in action! We chat about Carrie’s start with Baby Bug magazine and writing short snippets, Latin scansion, of all things, and how rhyme has ruined radio for her! We also dove into the Rutgers conference and Carrie was kind enough to share the intro to a piece that landed her her agent along with the query letter!  Team Versy is Brenna Jeanneret, children’s lit author, mother, rock climber, outdoors person, and podcaster, Josh Monken, children’s lit author, father, science communicator, and podcaster Jon Seymour, podcast wizard, author/illustrator and family man.  This episode was proudly sponsored by Tielmour Press Our guest for this conversation was Carrie Finison. You can find Carrie here.  DON’T MISS AN EPISODE! Sign up for our newsletter here! This episode’s book reviews: TOO MUCH! AN OVERWHELMING DAY by Jolene Gutiérrez and illustra

Do you know Bitsy Kemper? You should. She's fastidious, fanatical, and fantastic. If you've never seen it before, check out her List O'Publishers and all her books, especially her two upcoming books, Best Friends with Grandma and Best Friends with Grandpa! ----- Our sponsor is Tielmour Press! Check out Fungi Are More than Mushrooms, out March 2025, AND Jon's new kids' show, Hook Book Barrel! Our reviews this week: THE CAFE AT THE EDGE OF THE WOODS by Mikey Please RIDING THROUGH RICE FIELDS: A TRIP TO THE PHILIPPINES by Michelle Sterling, illustrated by Bianca Austria CRANKY FRANKY: THE SELFISH SHELLFISH by Michelle Chu and Joseph Penner, illustrated by Sonya Abby   DON’T MISS AN EPISODE! Sign up for our newsletter here! 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 scotthol

Team Versy is Brenna Jeanneret, children’s lit author, mother, rock climber, outdoors person, and podcaster, Josh Monken, children’s lit author, father, science communicator, and podcaster Jon Seymour, podcast wizard, author/illustrator and family man.  This episode was proudly sponsored by Tielmour Press Our guest for this conversation was Alastair Heim. You can find Alastair here.  DON’T MISS AN EPISODE! Sign up for our newsletter here! This episode’s book reviews: OLLIE, THE ACORN, AND THE MIGHTY IDEA by Andrew Hacket and Kaz Windness WHEN ISAAC HEARS THE RAIN by Julie Thompson and illustrated by Leah Giles URSULA UPSIDE DOWN by Corey R. Tabor 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? Fi

Carter Higgins, author, illustrator, motion designer, librarian, great thinker, is here! You have probably read her books already because they're great, but one of Josh's favorites is discussed within! And hey, not that you weren't going to anyway, but stay til the very end for an introspective discussion about Carter's next book, Round and Round the Year We Go, which is delightful and contains human children! ----- Our sponsor is Tielmour Press! Check out Fungi Are More than Mushrooms, out March 2025! Our reviews this week: TUMBLEBABY by Adam Rex and Audrey Helen Weber MUNCHPIE MORGAN by Merry Lorenz and Kenneth Anderson EVERY SECOND by Bruno Gibert   DON’T MISS AN EPISODE! Sign up for our newsletter here! 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 

Team Versy is Brenna Jeanneret, children’s lit author, mother, rock climber, outdoors person, and podcaster, Josh Monken, children’s lit author, father, science communicator, and podcaster Jon Seymour, podcast wizard, author/illustrator and family man.  This episode was proudly sponsored by Tielmour Press Our guest for this conversation was Erika Cohen Lyons. You can find Erika here.  DON’T MISS AN EPISODE! Sign up for our newsletter here! This episode’s book reviews: MILLIE FLEUR’S POISON GARDEN by Christy Mandin PARROTFISH HAS A SUPERPOWER by Jill Esbaum and Bob Shea THE ISLAND BEFORE NO by Christina Uss and illustrated by Hudson Christie 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 Com

If any editors are listening, Adria Goetz loves you! Adria stays open. She reads your queries. She tracks editor interest (even poop jokes). She's thoughtful and nice and get ready for an educational chat. This conversation was recorded so long ago (April 2024!) that we still called Twitter Twitter (and we still enjoyed a community there). I think the state of the industry is just as glacial and frustrating as it was way back then, but either way this is a valuable inside look into the mind and ways of working of an inspirational and considerate agent. The two client books Adria mentions at the back of the episode are linked here too! MILLIE FLEUR'S POISON GARDEN by Christy Mandin IN THE GROVES by Andrea Cruz Floren ----- Our sponsor is Tielmour Press! Check out Fungi Are More than Mushrooms, out March 2025! Our reviews this week: GRAVITY IS BRINGING ME DOWN by Wendelin Van Draanen, illustrated by Cornelia Li SOME DADDIES by Carol Gordon Ekster, Illustrated by Javiera Mac-Lean Alvarez MOST PEOPLE by Michael L

Today’s guest is Chiara Colombi, author of Rocket Ship, Solo Trip and the follow-up Rocket Beams, Lunar Dreams both illustrated by Scott Magoon. We chat about marketing your debut, being your own advocate, and asking yourself why you write. But you’ll have to listen all the way to the end to hear our ideas on revolutionizing the query process and to hear Chiara’s Dead Manuscript! But, really, agents, if you’re listening, please chime in, we’d love to hear your thoughts on querying. Team Versy is Brenna Jeanneret, children’s lit author, mother, rock climber, outdoors person, and podcaster, Josh Monken, children’s lit author, father, science communicator, and podcaster Jon Seymour, podcast wizard, author/illustrator and family man.  This episode was proudly sponsored by Tielmour Press Our guest for this conversation was Chiara Colombi. You can find Chiara here.  DON’T MISS AN EPISODE! Sign up for our newsletter here! This episode’s book reviews: SCHOOL’S FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL written by Adam Rex illustrated by Ch

Zany hijinks ensue with Kirk Reedstrom! News flash, we had this conversation six months before publishing it, and wouldn't you know it, it's dated because there's now a FOURTH book in Kirk's Duck and Moose series out next year! The man is hustling! ----- Our sponsor is Tielmour Press and our reviews happen to be coincidentally for Neigh Kid, by Alan Mayfair and Gabi Moraes, just out as of December 7, 2024 <3 DON’T MISS AN EPISODE! Sign up for our newsletter here! 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,

Team Versy is Brenna Jeanneret, children’s lit author, mother, rock climber, outdoors person, and podcaster, Josh Monken, children’s lit author, father, science communicator, and podcaster Jon Seymour, podcast wizard, author/illustrator and family man.  This episode was proudly sponsored by Tielmour Press Our guest for this conversation was Phaea Crede. You can find Phaea here. And Phaea’s podcast Brodents can be found here. DON’T MISS AN EPISODE! Sign up for our newsletter here! This episode’s book reviews: THE PIRATE’S BED, written by Nicola Winstanley and illustrated by Matt James DAVID GOES TO SCHOOL, by David Shannon SHARING IS UNBEARABLE, by J. E. Morris 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

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 Scot

Team Versy is Brenna Jeanneret, children’s lit author, mother, rock climber, outdoors person, and podcaster, Josh Monken, children’s lit author, father, science communicator, and podcaster Jon Seymour, podcast wizard, author/illustrator and family man.  This episode was proudly sponsored by Tielmour Press Our guest for this conversation was Brian LaRossa. 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 sco

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 s

Team Versy is Brenna Jeanneret, children’s lit author, mother, rock climber, outdoors person, and podcaster, Josh Monken, children’s lit author, father, science communicator, and podcaster Jon Seymour, podcast wizard, author/illustrator and family man.  Our guest for this conversation was Maria Marianayagam. 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 thi

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