First Draft Episode #288: Matt de la Peña

Matt de la Peña, author of seven critically acclaimed young adult novels including Mexican Whiteboy and Newbery Medal–winning author of Last Stop on Market Street talks about his newest collaboration with illustrator Christian Robinson, Milo Imagines the World.

This episode is brought to you by Plotting With Revelations, the three-unit online character arc workshop created by critically-acclaimed, Edgar Award-nominated author Erin Bowman (hear her First Draft interview here). Register at embowman.com/workshops by February 7th. and use special coupon code FIRSTDRAFT to save $100.

Links to Topics Mentioned In This Episode:

The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
Maya Angelou, poet and author of memoir I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
Ball Don’t Lie (movie)
Elizabeth Acevedo, New York Times bestselling author of National Book Award and Printz-winning The Poet X, as well as With the Fire on High and Clap When You Land. Listen to her First Draft interview here.
A.S. King, author of Printz-winning novels Dig and Please Ignore Vera Dietz and many more
Steven Malk, Matt’s literary agent at the Writer’s House literary agency
The Color Purple by Alice Walker
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
Kadir Nelson, artist and illustrator of A Nation’s Hope: The Story of Boxing Legend Joe Louis and winner of the Coretta Scott King award for writing and illustrating Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African-Americans
Christian Robinson also wrote and illustrated New York Times bestselling picture books you matter, another, and more
Stephen Malk also represents Amanda Gorman, National Youth Poet Laureate and youngest inaugural poet in U.S. history, and author of the forthcoming Change Sings: A Children’s Anthem
Sales of Milo Imagines the World will benefit The unPrison Project's UP with Books program, which purchases, ships, and donates new children’s books to interested prisons, then facilitates a reading day to help incarcerated mothers stay connected and involved with their children on visiting day. The child then takes the book home.

🎙️ Enjoy this episode? Check out…

Oliver Jeffers, visual artist, illustrator of The Day the Crayons Quit, and author and illustrator of How to Catch a Star, The Fate of Fausto, and Here We Are talks about his newest picture book, What We’ll Build.
Carson Ellis, author and illustrator of bestselling picture books Home and Caldecott Honor book Du Iz Tak?, talks about her newest picture book, In the Half Room.
Jon Klassen, Caldecott Award-winning and New York Times bestselling author and illustrator of the I Want My Hat Back series, as well as the illustrator of Sam and Dave Dig a Hole and Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett; The Dark by Lemony Snicket; House Held Up by Trees by Ted Kooser; Cats' Night Out by Caroline Stutson; and many more.

Thanks for Listening!

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