Interview: Max & Ruby Author/Illustrator Answers Kids' Biggest Questions!

Welcome friends! In this Interview episode, Todd chats with legendary author and illustrator Rosemary Wells, creator of the beloved Max & Ruby series — and two very special kid interviewers, Ripley, age eight, and Journey, age eleven — who you may remember from season one.

Together, they dig into what it means to write stories that make readers see themselves — and explore how the characters Max and Ruby were inspired by Rosemary's own two children! They find out what it was like too see characters go from the pages of books to the TV screen like Max and Ruby did when they were turned into a show on Nick Jr. Ripley and Journey come prepared with sharp questions about rhyming, getting unstuck, and which of her own books Rosemary loves most. Rosemary answers with warmth, humor, and more than five decades of hard-won wisdom about creativity, confidence, and why the very best thing any author can do is write stories that make a reader say, “I see myself in that."

Perfect for kids ages 3 to 11 and for listening together as a family.

In This Episode, Kids Will:

Hear how the Max & Ruby series was born when Rosemary heard her own children talking when they thought no grown-ups were aroundDiscover why creative writing is the last gift to show up, and why that is okayLearn how getting unstuck works the same way for authors as it does for scientistsFind out what Rosemary believes are the two most important things any young writer can doBe inspired to pay attention to the ideas that go bing in their minds

Grown-Ups, You Can Extend the Learning By:

Asking your child: "Which character in a book have you ever felt like?"Reading a Max & Ruby book together and talking about which sibling feels most familiar.Encouraging your child to read their own writing out loud to catch their mistakes.Talking about what it means to have someone believe in you the way Rosemary's parents believed in her as a child.About Rosemary Wells: Rosemary Wells is the author and illustrator of more than 120 books for children, including more than 40 about the beloved bunny siblings Max and Ruby. Born in New Jersey to a playwright father and a ballet dancer mother, she began drawing early and never stopped. Her books have been adapted for television by Nelvana, airing on Nick Jr. for over a decade and available now on streaming. She travels widely as a passionate advocate for literacy and visits schools to teach her Seven Steps to Writing Success. Visit her at rosemarywells.com.

About Little Kids, Big Hearts:

Little Kids, Big Hearts is a social and emotional learning podcast where kids lead the conversation. Through real discussions, imaginative stories, songs, and Kidventures, children explore feelings, relationships, kindness, and what it means to care for others.

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Credits:

Little Kids, Big Hearts is hosted by Todd Loyd. It's produced by Julia Levy at Sparkler Learning, with support from Meaghan Penrod and Adrianna Arocho. Sound design and mixing by Ryan Marth. Special thanks to Noggin for their support and the song “Like Nobody Else” from the Big Heart Beats album.

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