| Interview by Piranha T. Rosaria Munda is the author of the young adult fantasy novels Fireborne and its sequel, Flamefall (which was released last month), the first two books in the Aurelian Cycle. We loved Fireborne for its intricate world-building, strong character arcs, and unexpec-ted twists--Flamefall is next on our to-read list! We were thrilled to interview Rosaria Munda about Fireborne for this month’s feature. Rapunzel Reads: Fireborne is full of twists on clichés and classic plotlines. Did these come about as the story progressed, or were some of them in your mind initially as you wrote? Rosaria Munda: Lee’s inversion of the deposed aristocrat was probably the main reason I wrote the book, so it was there from the start. Other things came later. RR: I read on your website that you initially had another point of view in Fireborne. How did the process of editing out that character change the way you told the story? RM: Originally Duck was a POV character, but it didn’t work because he didn’t have a story | 
Author photo credit: Brooke Amber Photography 2019 |
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 Interview by Piranha T. and Super Kitty
Jasmine Warga is the author of three acclaimed novels, as well as the upcoming novel The Shape of Thunder. Other Words for Home (one of our favorites from 2020), which centers around Jude’s journey to finding a new home in an unfamiliar country, is the recipient of many starred reviews and awards, including the John Newbery Honor. We were thrilled to interview her for this month’s post! RapunzelReads: Other Words for Home is written in (gorgeous!) free verse—what made you choose that style of writing? Jasmine Warga: Thank you! Initially, the book was written in prose, but I didn't feel like Jude's voice felt right. Verse helped me to capture the immediacy and rawness that I wanted her narration to have. RR: Jude is both inspiring and deeply relatable—what inspired her character? JW: She is loosely based upon my own cousin who is also named Jude! I borrowed my cousin's love of American movies, specifically, and her large heart. That said, Jude is an entirely fictional character, and I built her the way I build all my characters--through lots of brainstorming and daydreaming. RR: Who is your favorite character in Other Words for Home, and why?  Interview by Piranha T. and Super Kitty
Jennifer Swender is the author of several picture books and early readers. Her debut novel, Solving for M, tells the story of Mika, a girl whose new math class helps her deal with her mother’s cancer diagnosis. We loved this book for its elements of realism and the unique, sympathetic characters. We were thrilled to interview Jennifer Swender about Solving for M for this month’s feature. RapunzelReads: Who is your favorite character in Solving for M, and why? Jennifer Swender: Hmmm. That's a tough one. My favorite character can change depending on how I'm feeling or what I'm thinking about, and I like them all for so many different reasons. I like Mika's honesty and willingness to grapple with tough ideas. I enjoy Mr. Vann's wackiness, but also his quiet understanding of how best to reach his students. I love Dee Dee's confidence and Chelsea's thoughtfulness. I like Mika's mom's quiet logic and her friend Jeannie's flair for the dramatic. I love the way illustrator Jennifer Naalchigar drew Mika's Math Journal #22 where we see how the various people in Mika's life would approach a “real life problem.” They are all different. They are all right. They are all necessary. RR: What inspired you to write Solving for M?  Interview by Piranha T. and Super Kitty
Hayley Chewins writes books about magical girls with secrets. We read and loved her debut, The Turnaway Girls (one of our favorites from 2020), for its lyrical writing and vivid worldbuilding. Her second novel, The Sisters of Straygarden Place, will be released in September 2020. Her books are outstanding for their beautiful prose and interesting characters. We were thrilled to get the chance to interview her for this month’s post. RapunzelReads: Who is your favorite character in The Turnaway Girls, and why? Hayley Chewins: I adore Linna. She’s just so full of joy and light. And she’s kind. I like kind. RR: The Turnaway Girls takes place in a vivid, detailed world—what inspired it? HC: It was mostly inspired by language. What I mean by that is: I didn’t think up a place, and then find words to describe it. I wrote, and the world sprang up. RR: What is your favorite part of the world of The Turnaway Girls? HC: I love the cloister, even though it’s a dark, scary place. I just love the idea of a  Interview by Piranha T. and Super Kitty
Sarah Marie A. Jette is the award-winning author of What the Wind Can Tell You, which tells the story of seventh-grader Isabelle Perez and her older brother Julian, who has epilepsy. We love her strong, relatable characters and lyrical writing. We’re thrilled to present our interview with her, where she discusses her inspiration for What the Wind Can Tell You, her tips for aspiring writers, and more! RapunzelReads: What inspired you to write What the Wind Can Tell You from Isabelle’s perspective? Sarah Marie A. Jette: Many years ago, I nannied for a friend of mine whose son was recently diagnosed with epilepsy. He was only a few months old and seemed to be startling himself when he was falling asleep. His parents soon learned that he was having small seizures. His parents asked me to babysit him on Sundays and I did so for about two years. I fed him with a bottle, administered medication, suctioned him when he had too many fluids, and soothed him through seizures. When swallowing became difficult, I learned how to use a feeding tube. A few years later, he became a big brother. I raced over as soon as I could to meet the new baby. I started imagining  Interview by Piranha T. and Super Kitty
Kate Messner is the author of dozens of books for kids, from picture books to novels. She’s won numerous awards and garnered starred reviews. Her middle-grade novel Breakout is the recipient of many of these, a book told entirely in documents about a rural town and a prison break which talks about many hard-to-discuss modern-day issues. We were thrilled to interview her about Breakout and her writing in general for this month’s feature! RapunzelReads: Who is your favorite character in Breakout, and why? Kate Messner: Originally, I think I would have told you that it was Nora. She's the character with whom I have the most in common. Like Nora, I grew up in a small town. My dad was the school superintendent rather than a prison superintendent, though. And like Nora, I was a journalist. That's what I studied at Syracuse University, and I worked in TV news for seven years before going back to school for my teaching degree. But as I wrote and rewrote the book, I think Elidee came to be my favorite. I love how she stands up for herself and ends up finding her voice. RR: What books inspired you when you were growing up? KM: I loved everything by Beverly Cleary, especially the Ramona books! And I also  Stacy McAnulty is the author of numerous picture books, chapter books, and novels. Her novel The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl, which centers around a girl who was struck by lightning and became a math genius, has received numerous acclaim and awards, and was a fun read particularly for people (like Piranha T.) who love math as well as reading. We were thrilled to get the opportunity to interview Stacy McAnulty about this book.
RapunzelReads: Who are your favorite characters in The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl, and why? Stacy McAnulty: Lucy has to be a favorite character because we know her best. The book is in her perspective. We see and feel everything through her. She makes the story work. (As a dog person, I also love Pi.) RR: I love both math and reading, but it isn’t a combination I come across in many books. I loved how The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl incorporated both! What inspired you to write that kind of book? SM: I’m a former mechanical engineer, so in college, I took a lot of math classes (and no Language Arts classes for a grade). When my children ask for help with homework, I always hope it’s math homework they’re struggling with. I enjoy doing math and I’m good at it (not at Lucy’s level, but still good). It made sense for me to write about a character who also loves math. And you’re right, we don’t see it a lot of |
Book Reviews By & For KidsEveryone knows that Rapunzel spent her early years locked up in a tower. We’d like to think she had plenty of books to while away the time, and that she’d appreciate our own favorites. 
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