π Award Winners π
Just a few of the many decorated writers who have appeared on First Draft, including many fan favorite episodes.
Find more at First Draftβs searchable archive of previous episodes!
hold your square with jason reynolds
2020β2021 National Ambassador for Young Peopleβs Literature, Jason Reynolds, whose many books include All American Boys (cowritten with Brendan Kiely [listen to his First Draft interview here], As Brave as You, For Every One, the Track series, Look Both Ways, Stamped: Racism, Anti-Racism, and You and Long Way Down, which received a Newbery Honor, a Printz Honor, and a Coretta Scott King Honor.
jollying yourself along with kate dicamillo
Kate DiCamillo is one of six people to win two Newbery Medals, for her novels The Tale of Despereaux and Flora & Ulysses, and author of Newbery Honor book Because of Winn-Dixie, National Book Award finalist The Tiger Rising, as well as New York Times bestselling novels The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, The Magicianβs Elephant, ο»Ώthe Mercy Watson series, and more. DiCamillo was the U.S. National Ambassador for Young People's Literature for 2014 and 2015. Her most recent novel, Beverly, Right Here completes the trilogy of Raymie Nightingale and Louisianaβs Way Home.
jon klassen
Jon Klassen, Caldecott Award-winning and New York Times bestselling author and illustrator of the βI Want My Hat Backβ 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.
Borrowing to Make With Elizabeth Acevedo
Elizabeth Acevedo, New York Times bestselling author of The Poet X, winner of the 2018 National Book Award for Young Peopleβs Literature, the Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Fiction, the CILIP Carnegie Medal, and the Boston Globe-Hornbook Award. She is also the author of With the Fire on High and Clap When You Land.
nina lacour
Nina LaCour, author of We Are Okay, winner of the 2018 Printz Award, and other contemporary YA titles like Everything Leads to You and Hold Still, joins me to talk about how sheβs expanding her teaching role with The Slow Novel Lab, and an exciting new podcast venture called Keeping a Notebook.
Dan Santat
Dan Santat, is the #1 New York Times bestselling author/illustrator of over one-hundred titles including the Caldecott Award-winning The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend, graphic novels Comic Squad: Recess! and Sidekicks, and several picture books including After the Fall, as well as creator of the Disney animated show The Replacements.