Knowledge Quest: CBC Columns

The Children’s Book Council collaborates with the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) in a series of Meet the Author/Illustrator columns for the AASL journal Knowledge Quest.

Each column embodies common goals that AASL and CBC share: belief in the power of reading, immersive learning, and a commitment to a high level of literacy for every child. Some previous topics include oral storytelling, diverse libraries, empathy, and accessibility.

Columns are written by authors and illustrators with a wide variety of styles and genres. The opportunity to submit authors and illustrators for consideration is only available to CBC member publishers.

Read previous Knowledge Quest “Meet the Author/Illustrator” columns by clicking the links below.

2024

September/October – Hilda: Community Spirit in Comics (Luke Pearson, Flying Eye Books)
November/December – The Circumstance of Assessment (Liz Montague, Scholastic)

2023

November/December – It Is Not Hard to Talk About Skin Color (Holly Y. McGee, PhD, Catalyst Press)
September/October – Working at the Children’s Book Council and Every Child a Reader (Jenna Groshek, Children’s Book Council)
March/April – The Picture Book That Made It Despite the Pandemic (Danny Ramadan, Annick Press)
January/February – Walking Books and Pixie Dust: The True Magic at Arm’s Length (Charity Alyse, Simon & Schuster)

2022

November/December – Chapter Books Can Make a World of Difference (Judy Bradbury, City of Light Publishing)
September/October – Writing as Activism (Sheila Modir, PhD & Jeffrey Kashou, LMFT, Familius)
May/June – Covid Kills Books, Too (Lois Wickstrom, Gripper Products)
March/April – Representation Matters (Chris Singleton, Bushel & Peck Books)
January/February – Connecting Authors to Young Readers: Using the Virtual Landscape to Bring New, Diverse, and Inclusive Books Into Your Schools (Payal Doshi, Mango & Marigold Press

2021

November/December – Raising Young Thinkers (David Miles, Bushel & Peck)
September/October – Mouse’s Last Visit (Dori Hillstad Butler, Holiday House)
May/June – Connecting with Young Learners during the Pandemic (and a Thank You to School Librarians) (Debbie Ridpath Ohi, Simon & Schuster)
March/April – Black History is American History (Don Tate, Peachtree Publishing)
January/February – Falling Though the Cracks (Angela Shanté Johnson, West Margin Press)

2020

November/December – How Do You Mend a Broken Heart? Ask a Librarian (Kate and Sarah Klise, Algonquin Young Readers)
September/October – The Importance of Providing Challenging Materials to Students (Mark Oshiro, Tor Teen)
May/June – Using Oral Storytelling Techniques in Reading Sessions (Srividhya Venkat, Yali Books)
March/April – Choosing Books for Today’s Children (Marcia Strykowski, Regal House Publishing)
January/February – Behold the Gatekeepers: Unlocking an Equal and Diverse Library (Tiffany Rose, Little Bee Books)

2019

November/December – Making Mirrors (David Bowles, Cinco Puntos Press)
September/October – From Head to Toe and in Between: Scientists Get Dressed! (Deborah Lee Rose, WunderMill Books)
May/June – Why I Wrote about Libraries in My Debut Novel (Allison Varnes, Random House Children’s Books)
March April – Author Visits can Spark a Sense of Wonder and Enhance Content Areas (Michelle Cusolito, Charlesbridge)
January/February – In the Field and in the Literacy Lab: Science Poetry! (Leslie Bulion, Peachtree Publishers)

2018

November/December – Science Nonfiction: A Gateway to the Outdoors (Anita Sanchez, Charlesbridge)
September/October – Fake News: Teaching Skeptics, Not Cynics (Darcy Pattison, Mims House)
May/June – Teaching Empathy for a Better World (Francesca Sanna, Flying Eye Books/Nobrow)
March April – Reading to Dogs — How a Loyal Listener Can Help (Lisa Papp, Peachtree Publishers)
January/February – Circling Back to Start (Xelena González, Cinco Puntos Press)

2017

November/December 2017 – Literacy: Learning and Loving It! (Molly Hurd, Lorimer/Formac Publishing)
September/October – Coloring beyond the Lines (April Chu, Creston Books)
May/June 2017 – Reading Can Save Lives (Peter Brown Adam Hoffmeister, Knopf Books for Young Readers)
March/April 2017 – Adventure Play (Adam Shaughnessy, Algonquin Books for Young Readers)
January/February – Take Another Look (Kody Keplinger, Scholastic)

2016

November/December – Walt Disney, Easter Eggs, and Monsters (Wendy Grieb, Mighty Media)
September/October – How to Build a Bridge (Eva Murray, Tilbury House Publishers)
May/June – Picture Books and Schoolhouse Rock! (Paul Czajak, Mighty Media Kids)
March/April – Hacking for Good and Bad, and How to Protect Yourself against Hacks! (Barnas Moneith, Tumbledown Learning)
January/February – The Art of Storytime (Ellen Fischer, Mighty Media Press)

2015

November/December – Always Feed the Clowns (Jason Edwards, Rogue Bear Press)
September/October – Books Unchained: The Protective Power of Access to Ideas (Blythe Woolston, Candlewick)
May/June – Drawing a Ring around the World (Tricia Springstubb, HarperCollins)
March/April – No More Silence in the Library (J.J. Howard, Point)
January/February – Adventures of a Research Geek (Kate Messner, Scholastic)

2014

November/December – The Role of Inquiry & Research in Hatching the Glorious Goddesses (Shirin Yim Bridges, Janie Havemeyer, and Gretchen Mauer, Goosebottom Books)
September/October – Accidental Finds (Julie Fortenberry, Alazar Press)
May/June – Writing Historical Fiction (Or How Research and Creativity Go Hand In Hand) (Markiia Lucier, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
March/April – Ripples (Amy Gordon, Holiday House)
January/February – Storytelling Your Way into the Common Core and Beyond (Margaret Read MacDonald, Jennifer MacDonald Whitman, and Nathaniel Forrest Whitman, August House).

2013

November/December – How Dewey Find What We’re Really Looking For? (Chris Grabenstein, Random House Children’s Books)
September/October – Seeing Things Through (Beth Finke, Blue Marlin)
May/June – Nurturing the Pursuit of Learning (Tanya Lee Stone, Wendy Lamb Books)
March/April – How to Work With Your Brother and Survive (Shirin Yim Bridges, Goosebottom Books)
January/February – Let Your Imagination Soar: Collaboration Between Creators and Readers is Essential (Charles Vess, Viking Juvenile)

2012

November/December – PLNs From Authors’ Perspectives (Alison Formento, Albert Whitman & Co. )
September/October – Producing and Consuming Content: Participating in the Online Social Culture (Darcy Pattison, Sylvan Dell)
May/June – Mrs. Thornton, ‘The Ghost House’, and the Remarkable Value of Care (J.J. Johnson, Peachtree)
March/April – There’s A Book Looking For You! (Carmen Agra Deedy, Peachtree)
January/February – Thinking Outside the Cover (Pendred Noyce, Scarletta Press)

2011

November/December – It’s All Story (Patricia Reilly Giff, Zigzag Books)
September/October – Gaming and Core Content: Conjoined Twins (Doris Settles, Pelican)