An Interview with Lana Button | The Book Faire Podcast: February 20, 2025

In this episode of the Book Fair Podcast, an interview with children's author Lana Button about her new book, 'Brianna Banana, Helper of the Day.' We discuss the character of Brianna, who is perceived as the 'bad kid' in class but is actually misunderstood and dealing with various challenges. The conversation explores themes of empathy, social-emotional learning, and the importance of children's literature in helping kids navigate their feelings and behaviors. Lana shares her journey as an author, the transition from writing picture books to chapter books, and the impact her stories can have on young readers.

Headlines include:

• Freckleface Strawberry Gets Banned
• Librarians stand against laws targeting freedom to read
• Proposed NM bill would protect librarians from book bans

New Releases:

• Halfway to Somewhere written and illustrated by Jose Pimienta
• Includes preface stating “Halfway to Somewhere was penciled and inked traditionally, and colored and lettered in Photoshop” meaning that it did not use generative AI
• The Enemy’s Daughter by Anne Blankman
• Cassi and the House of Memories by Dean Stuart
• How Do I Wonder? By Gianna Davy, illustrated by Brenda Rodriguez
• Oasis written and illustrated by Guojing

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

01:15 Understanding Brianna: The Misunderstood Child

06:09 Empathy and Social Emotional Learning

12:22 The Importance of Representation in Children's Literature

20:11 The Future of Brianna Banana

22:33 Transitioning from Picture Books to Chapter Books

26:20 The Impact of Stories on Children

29:03 Recent Releases

37:24 Freckleface Strawberry Gets Banned

38:58 Arkansas Librarians Fight Book Bans

41:00 New Mexico State Legislature Introduces Anti-Book-Ban Law