I sat down with fellow zealot Emily Chang from the online secondhand children's book store Little Modern Reader to talk about running a small business, her "past life" as a Chinese antiques specialist, discovering the joy of picture books as an adult and so much more. This episode is not to be missed as it is bubbling with picture book enthusiasm and love!

This episode was recorded on Gadigal Land.

Books, humans and websites mentioned:

• www.littlemodernreader.com.au
• Magic Beach (1990) by Alison Lester
• Window (1991) by Jeannie Baker
• Enjoying the Film Adaptations of Children's Books With Your Kids, an Interview with Nazanin Forghani
• Australian Refugee Volunteers
• The Pyjama Foundation
• Oi Frog (2014) by Kes Gray and Jim Field.
• Heywood Hill in Mayfair
• Pokko and the Drum (2019) by Matthew Forsythe
• Meg and Mog (1972) by Helen Nicoll and illustrated by Jan Pieńkowski
• Waiting (2015) by Kevin Henkes
• The Worrysaurus (2000) by Rachel Bright
• Little Modern Reader's Donations Guidelines
• Each Peach Pear Plum (1978) by Janet and Allan Ahlberg
• The Very Cranky Bear (2008) by Nick Bland
• Henri's Walk to Paris (2012) Saul Bass (illustrator) and Leonore Klein (contributor)
• Step into the world of award-winning illustrator Max Hamilton.
• Antonia Pesenti (author)
• Hilary Bell (illustrator)
• Bruno Munari's ABC (2003)
• Miffy by Dick Bruna
• Leo Lionni
• Little Blue and Little Yellow (2009) by Leo Lionni
• The Little House (1942) by Virginia Lee Burton
• This Small Blue Dot (2021) by Zeno Sworder.
• Jon Klassen (author/illustrator)
• Interview with Picture Book Activist Lara Cain Gray

More from Emily:

• To the Moon Kids
• www.littlemodernreader.com.au
• @littlemodernreader
• Sign up for bookish news here

Deep dive into the stories behind the picture books with award-winning Australian author/illustrator Zeno Sworder.

In this conversation with Zeno I do not talk about the experiences of neurodivergent children or their parents. I am currently researching and learning more about neurodivergence but the stories and advice in this podcast episode may not be relevant to families navigating neurodiversity.

This episode was recorded on Gadigal and Wurundjeri Lands.

Books, films and humans mentioned

• Once I was a Giant (2025) by Zeno Sworder This Small Blue Dot (2021) by Zeno Sworder
• My Strange Shrinking Parents (2023) by Zeno Sworder
• The Red Tree (2001) by Shaun Tan
• The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
• The Maze Runner (2009) by James Kushner
• Divergent Trilogy by Veronica Roth
• Ready Player One (2011) by Ernest Cline
• The Hunger Games Series by Suzanne Collins
• Terminator books
• Waterworld (1995) (film)
• The Day After Tomorrow (1994) by Allan Folsom
• NBC News
• Little People, BIG Dreams series
• Michelangelo (sculptor and painter)
• Dr Seuss (author/illustrator)
• The Happy Prince (1888) by Oscar Wilde
• Need a House Call Ms Mouse (2022) By George Mendoza, illustrated by Doris Susan Smith
• Du Iz Taz (2016) by Carson Ellis
• The Incredible Painting of Felix Clousseau (1988) by Jon Agee
• I Can Explain (2022) by Shinsuke Yoshitake

More from Zeno:

• zenosworder.com
• @zenosworder

What's in this episode?

In this week's episode, Australian author/illustrator Max Hamilton takes us through what a typical day of work looks like when she is creating a children's picture book. We also talk about her past career, how she tackles a new project, how she organises her picture books and the importance of community for children's book creators.

This episode was recorded on the land of the Gadigal and Dharawal People.

Books, humans (and other interesting things) mentioned:

• My Possum Plays the Drums (2020) written by Catherine Meatheringham, illustrated by Max Hamilton
• When the Waterhole Dries Up (2021) written by Kaye Baillie, illustrated by Max Hamilton
• Tasmanian Devil (2022) written by Claire Saxby, illustrated by Max Hamilton
• Where the Lyrebird Lives (2022) written by Vicki Conley, illustrated by Max Hamilton
• The Beehive (2024) written by Megan Daley, illustrated by Max Hamilton
• Our Home (2024) written by Catherine Meatheringham, illustrated by Max Hamilton
• Cockatoo (2024) written by Kaye Baillie, illustrated by Max Hamilton
• Dogs with Jobs (2025) written and illustrated by Max Hamilton
• The Wilder Zoo Trilogy by Tina Strachan, illustrated by Max Hamilton
• Australian Society of Authors [ASA]
• Erica Wagner (artist and editor)
• Shirley Hughes (author/illustrator)
• Maurice Sendak (author/illustrator)
• Bob Graham (author/illustrator)
• Jeannie Baker (author/illustrator)
• Anna Pignataro (author/illustrator)
• Rachel Robson (children's book buyer for Gleebooks in Australia)
• Gleebooks
• @gleebooks_kids
• The Society of Children's Book Writer's and Illustrators [SCBWI]
• Margaret Hamilton (author and publisher)
• Margaret Hamilton Books
• Pinerolo - The Children's Book Cottage
• Antonia Pesenti (illustrator)
• Hilary Bell (author)
• Alphabetical Sydney (2013) By Antonia Pesenti and Hilary Bell
• Numerical Street (2015) By Antonia Pesenti and Hilary Bell
• Summer Time (2019) By Antonia Pesenti and Hilary Bell
• The Lion and the Bird by Marianne Dubuc
• Gnomes by Wil Huygen and Rein Poortvliet
• Richard Scarry's Best Story Book Ever
• Phoebe Wahl (author/illustrator)
• Little Golden books
• Beatrix Potter (author/illustrator)
• May Gibbs (author/illustrator)
• The Brambly Hedge Series by Jill Barkley
• Windy Hollow Books

More from Max:

@mhdesignillustration

maxhamiltonillustration.com.au