The Art of Arguing: Corinna Luyken on Finding Humor in Human Nature

In this episode of The Growing Readers Podcast, host Bianca
Schulze interviews award-winning author-illustrator Corinna
Luyken about her latest picture book, The Arguers. They discuss
Luyken's decade-long journey developing this story about a royal
kingdom where everyone argues, her evolution from a dark
cautionary tale to finding hope through humor, and how she
captures universal human nature through whimsical observations
about the silly things we fight over and the deeper issues
beneath them.


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


Highlights:



Creative Persistence: How Luyken held onto The
Arguers for 10 years, working through multiple endings to find
the right balance of honesty and hope


Artistic Process: Her mixed-media printmaking
techniques using foam rollers, acrylic washes, and charcoal
pencils that sometimes "argue" with each other


Color Philosophy: How she uses controlled
palettes to evoke specific emotions, focusing on greens and
oranges for this royal fairy tale world


Story Evolution: Transforming from a
never-ending argument concept to finding humor and humanity in
our universal tendency to bicker


Writing Craft Wisdom: Finding inspiration in
George Saunders' Substack about focusing on line-level
storytelling rather than grand visions


Classroom Connections: The enthusiastic
response from students when given permission to talk about
their own silly arguments


Visual Storytelling: How art guides story
development, like discovering the unraveling bows during storm
scenes






Notable Quotes:


"The people that we love the most are the people we argue
with the most." —Corinna Luyken on family dynamics

"Sometimes the silly argument is the sign that something else
is actually really wrong. There is something out of balance."
—Corinna Luyken on the deeper meaning behind surface conflicts

"We are never going to stop arguing, all of us ever. And
thinking that is gonna happen is futile." —Corinna Luyken on
accepting human nature

"It can be so refreshing and also soothing to feel like
you're not alone and to have something called out for what it
is." —Corinna Luyken on addressing uncomfortable subjects in
picture books






Books Mentioned:


The Arguers by Corinna Luyken: Amazon or ⁠⁠⁠⁠Bookshop.org⁠⁠⁠⁠

ABC and You and Me by Corinna Luyken: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Amazon⁠⁠⁠⁠ or
⁠⁠⁠⁠Bookshop.org⁠⁠⁠⁠

In the Dark by Kate Hoefler, illustrated by Corinna Luyken:
⁠⁠⁠⁠Amazon⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠Bookshop.org⁠⁠⁠⁠

Patchwork by Matt de la Peña, illustrated by Corinna Luyken:
Amazon⁠⁠⁠⁠ or Bookshop.org

The Book of Mistakes by Corinna Luyken: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Amazon⁠⁠⁠⁠ or
⁠⁠⁠⁠Bookshop.org⁠⁠⁠⁠

Adrian Simcox Does Not Have a Horse by Marcy Campbell,
illustrated by Corinna Luyken: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Amazon⁠⁠⁠⁠ or
⁠⁠⁠⁠Bookshop.org⁠⁠⁠⁠

The Very Persistent Gappers of Fripp by George Saunders,
illustrated by Lane Smith: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Amazon⁠⁠⁠⁠ or Bookshop.org

A Swim in a Pond in the Rain by George Saunders:
⁠⁠⁠⁠Amazon⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠Bookshop.org⁠⁠⁠⁠

The Butter Battle Book by Dr. Seuss: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Amazon⁠⁠⁠⁠ or
⁠⁠⁠⁠Bookshop.org⁠⁠⁠⁠






About Corinna Luyken: Corinna Luyken is the
author-illustrator of The Book of Mistakes (which The Wall Street
Journal called "sublime"), My Heart (A New York Times Best
Seller), and The Tree in Me (an NCTE Notable Poetry Book). She's
also the illustrator of Patchwork (A New York Times Best Picture
Book of 2022) by Matt de la Peña and several other acclaimed
picture books. She studied dance improvisation, poetry, and
printmaking at Middlebury College and now lives in Western
Washington, near the Salish Sea, where she enjoys surfing,
gardening, and reading with a cat (or two) on her lap.





Connect and Follow:


Learn more about Corinna Luyken⁠⁠⁠:
⁠https://www.corinnaluyken.com/⁠

Follow George Saunders' Substack: ⁠⁠⁠"Story Club"⁠⁠⁠

Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Children's Book Review⁠⁠⁠






Credits:


Host: Bianca Schulze

Guest: Corinna Luyken

Producer: Bianca Schulze






Sponsor:


The Best Bunny: The Adventures of Lil Shen:
https://www.chefaloconsulting.com/best-bunny