Leanna Mora, Author at Multicultural Children's Book Day

IG Live Series for Autism Acceptance Month

Throughout April, as part of our focus on Autism Acceptance Month, MCBD is highlighting autistic authors and illustrators and allies in our IG live series! Each week, we cover a different genre of children’s literature, from picture books and middle grade novels to graphic novels and YA books. In each interview, an #OwnVoices autistic creator is interviewed by an ally who is also a fellow author. They share the story behind their work, as well as challenges they have faced and insights they have gained. Videos are uploaded to our YouTube channel afterwards for viewing at your leisure!

Becoming an Author

March 30, 2022

Interview with librarian and soon-to-be-published author Adriana L. White.

Adriana White is an autistic librarian, former special education teacher, and writer. She is a staff editor for the website A Novel Mind, and frequently writes and speaks about neurodiversity and mental health in children’s books. You can visit her website adrianalwhite.com to learn more about her work, or follow her on Twitter at @Adriana_Edu.

Picture Books

April 6, 2022

Author/illustrator Sivan Hong interviews author Lindsey Rowe Parker & illustrator Rebecca Burgess

Lindsey Rowe Parker is a mom at the tail-end of toddlerhood, embracing the next phase of parenting while learning to navigate and advocate for her autistic daughter. With a recent adult diagnosis of ADHD, and a new deeper understanding of her own sensory experiences, she has begun to delve into the neurodiversity community learning all she can from neurodivergent voices. Wiggles, Stomps, and Squeezes Calms My Jitters Down is her first picture book, and she hopes it connects with everyone who has felt the need for a wiggle, stomp, or squeeze! Find out more on the website.

Rebecca Burgess is a comic artist and illustrator working in the UK, creating award winning published and small press work. Outside of drawing comics and cuddling their cat, Rebecca also loves playing RPGs with friends, going on deep dives into history and growing vegetables in their humble Bristol garden. Find out more on their website.

Sivan Hong authors and illustrates the best-selling children’s book series The Super Fun Day Books, including Benny J. and the Horrible Halloween, George J. and the Miserable Monday, Emily D. and the Fearful First Day and Avery G. and the Scary End of School. Her inspiring books focus on neurodiverse children, who overcome their challenges with perseverance and bravery. Sivan also serves as a Trustee on the Boards of the Westport Public Library, the Rita Allen Foundation, Multicultural Children’s Book Day and the ASPCA. Find out more at SivanHong.com, on LinkedIn, and on Instagram.

Middle Grade

April 13, 2022

Sivan Hong interviews Sally J. Pla

Sally J. Pla is an award-winning author of books about young people whose brains work a bit differently, including the novels The Someday Birds and Stanley Will Probably Be Fine, and the picture book Benji, The Bad Day, And Me. Her newest contemporary middle-grade novel, The Fire, The Water, and Maudie McGinn, will be out in Summer 2023. Sally’s also co-founder and editor of A Novel Mind, a web resource on mental health and neurodiversity representation in children’s lit. Find out lots more about her on linktree, at sallyjpla.com, and on Twitter @sallyjpla.

Graphic Novels

April 20, 2022

Led Bradshaw of Jet Pulse Comics interviews son & co-creator Jacob Bradshaw

Led Bradshaw is an American comic book illustrator, autism advocate, and graphic artist. He is the creator of Jetpulse Studios and the illustrator for his flagship title “The New Adventures of Jake Jetpulse,” a comic book adventure featuring a superhero team led by a young boy with autism who is gifted with magnificent superpowers. It is an educational comic book series that was inspired by his son Jacob Bradshaw, who was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder at the age of four. Find out more on their website and on Instagram.

Young Adult

April 26, 2022, 3 pm ET

Brian Tashima interviews Meg Eden

Meg Eden Kuyatt is a 2020 Pitch Wars mentee, and teaches creative writing at Anne Arundel Community College. She is the author of the 2021 Towson Prize for Literature winning poetry collection “Drowning in the Floating World” (Press 53, 2020) and children’s novels, most recently “Selah’s Guide to Normal” (Scholastic, 2023). Find her online at www.megedenbooks.com or on Twitter at @ConfusedNarwhal and Instagram at @meden_author.

Brian Tashima is an author, screenwriter, musician, and philanthropist. His credits include the award-winning Joel Suzuki series—a set of young adult sci-fi/fantasy novels about a teenage boy who travels to a world where music is magic and autism is a superpower—and the manga-style comic book series Glorified. He also sings and plays guitar for the nerd-punk band Second Player Score and serves on the Board of Directors for Autism Empowerment, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for people and families in the autism community. Find out more at joelsuzuki.com.

Our IG live series continues every Wednesday at 3 pm ET, on our Instagram page, where each week we chat with the movers and shakers in the world of diverse children’s literature. Can’t watch the interviews live? Watch them all later on our YouTube channel!