Bianca with Matthew Cordell on the Cornbread and Poppy Series

Matthew Cordell discusses the Cornbread and Poppy series. Cordell
draws from his personal experiences to create playful and
adventurous stories that kids will love. With Cornbread and
Poppy, he focuses on building a cozy and entertaining world for
beginning readers to explore. We hope you enjoy listening to this
interview about his creative process!


Matthew Cordell is the author and illustrator of many celebrated
picture books, including Hello, Neighbor!: The Kind and Caring
World of Mister Rogers, and Wolf in the Snow, recipient of the
2018 Caldecott Medal. As an illustrator he has collaborated with
many more authors including Gail Carson Levine, Philip C. Stead,
and Rebecca Kai Dotlich. Matthew lives with his wife, author
Julie Halpern, and their two children in suburban Chicago.





Transcription:


You can read the transcription on ⁠The Children's Book Review⁠.





Order a Copy:


Poppy and Cornbread At the Museum on Amazon or Bookshop.org





Resources:


For more information about Matthew Cordell and his books, visit
https://www.matthewcordell.com/.





Discussion Topics:


Matthew Cordell talks about:


His motivation for creating books for kids

Using personal experiences and observations to create stories

Shifting towards writing fun adventures as an escape from
darker themes in children's literature

Improving writing skills through reading books for young
readers, being around kids, and being immersed in the world of
publishing

Showing, not telling in picture book storytelling

His love for loose and expressive art, particularly in pen
and ink and watercolor

The characters of Cornbread and Poppy and how their
contrasting traits complement each other

Creating endings that leave a lasting impact on readers

The friendship between Cornbread and Poppy and how they
overcome their differences to make each other feel better

Providing a cozy and humorous world for readers to escape
into while also pleasing both adult and child readers