Rephonic
Artwork for The Yarn
Children's Literature
Graphic Novels
Creativity
School Library Journal
Children's Books
Education
Writing Tools
Procrastination Techniques
The Invention Of Hugo Cabret
Writing Process
Reading
Chooch Helped
Caboose
Santa's First Christmas
Spider In the Well
The Kids In Mrs. Z's Class
Newbery Honor
Jovita Wore Pants
A Hero's Guide To Summer Vacation
The Experiment

The Yarn takes listeners behind the scenes of children's literature. Each episode features an author or illustrator talking about how they create books for young readers.

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes271Founded11 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
BooksArtsEducation

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for The Yarn

Latest Episodes

In this episode, author/illustrator Rhode Montijo takes us behind the scenes of his picture book, SKULLY'S BEST DÍA EVER!

Subscribe to Sharp Read on Substack

Join thousands of children's lit supporters reading Colby's weekly dispatches from the clas... more

In this episode, Caldecott Medal winning author/illustrator Matthew Cordell takes us behind the scenes of his picture book 102.

Subscribe to Sharp Read on Substack

Join thousands of children's lit supporters reading Colby's weekly dispatches from th... more

In this episode, two time Newbery Medalist Lois Lowry takes us behind the scenes of her latest novel, BUILDING 903.

In this episode, author Rex Ogle takes us behind the scenes of his latest book, ABSENT.

Subscribe to Sharp Read on Substack

Join thousands of children's lit supporters reading Colby's weekly dispatches from the classroom.

Subscribe to 100 Scope Not... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

The Book Case
The Book CaseABC News | Charlie Gibson, Kate Gibson

Recent Guests

Rhode Montijo
Author and illustrator of the Skeletown picture book series
Episode: #271 Rhode Montijo - SKULLY'S BEST DÍA EVER! Unravelled
Matthew Cordell
Caldecott Medal winner, author/illustrator of 102
Self-published/Scholastic involvement not specified
Episode: #270 Matthew Cordell - 102 Unraveled
Lois Lowry
Two-time Newbery Medalist, author of Building 903 and The Giver
Author
Episode: #269 Lois Lowry - BUILDING 903 Unraveled
Rex Ogle
Author of Absent; discusses his life and the book
Episode: #268 Rex Ogle - ABSENT Unraveled
Micha Archer
Caldecott Honor–winning illustrator of While We're Here
Episode: #267 Micha Archer - WHILE WE'RE HERE Unraveled
Candace Fleming
Author; Children's Literature Legacy winner
Candlewick Press (as a publisher, implied)
Episode: #266 SPEED ROUND! Candace Fleming, Zeke Peña, Jasmine Warga, Rebecca Stead
Zeke Peña
Caldecott honor-winning author/illustrator
HarperCollins (implied via works)
Episode: #266 SPEED ROUND! Candace Fleming, Zeke Peña, Jasmine Warga, Rebecca Stead
Jasmine Warga
Newbery Honor-winning author
Dutton Books (implied)
Episode: #266 SPEED ROUND! Candace Fleming, Zeke Peña, Jasmine Warga, Rebecca Stead
Rebecca Stead
Newbery Medal-winning author
Random House (implied)
Episode: #266 SPEED ROUND! Candace Fleming, Zeke Peña, Jasmine Warga, Rebecca Stead

Hosts

Travis Yonker
Host of The Yarn
Colby Sharp
Host of The Yarn

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 161 ratings
  • amazing podcast!

    This was such a compelling episode to listen to, especially hearing Sara Pennypacker unpack the inspiration behind Lucas’ story in THE LION’S RUN. I loved how the conversation highlighted courage as the choice to act despite fear in difficult circumstances. It left me thinking about how impactful these kinds of stories can be for readers of all ages.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Mary Burruss
    United States5 months ago
  • Thank you

    As a listener from Spain, I never miss an episode of The Yarn. Travis and Colby bring such genuine love, curiosity, and care to every conversation about books, authors, and the craft of writing. The way you celebrate stories and the people who create them, makes a real difference far beyond borders. Thank you for your dedication to the children’s book community and for constantly growing my reading pile. Colby, I also love your book talk videos on YouTube; they’re such a joy to watch! How I wish... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    pori00
    Spain9 months ago
  • Love this podcast!

    The book joy is flowing in the short and sweet episodes! Such great conversations. Thanks!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    DDebrovner
    United Statesa year ago
  • Thanks from the public library!

    This podcast makes me a better children’s librarian for my public library kids. It helps me discover books I haven’t read yet, which I then read and suggest to patrons. I also recommend The Yarn to the public school teachers I work with. This improves our relationship, which is already strong thanks to our shared commitment to children and books. I consider Colby and Travis partners in my work. Thanks!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Library Mary
    United States2 years ago
  • Best kidlit podcast

    The Yarn is my favorite podcast about children’s books. I learn about many new books along with books that have been out a while but slipped past me. Thank you, Travis and Colby, for all of the interviews and insights you share with listeners!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    AMO545
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Peers note strong rapport and thoughtful questions from hosts that elevate conversations with authors and illustrators.
Audiences value the concise episodes that fit well for classroom discussions and library recommendations.
Listeners praise the show for its warmth, insight, and accessible depth into book creation.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#100
Saudi Arabia/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#173
Saudi Arabia/Arts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

#271 Rhode Montijo - SKULLY'S BEST DÍA EVER! Unravelled
Q: Tell us about Skeletown. Tell us about Skully's Best Día Ever.
Skeletown is a town full of skeletons, inspired by Día de los Muertos. The book follows an energetic skeleton boy searching for the best day in town while his worry doll Wilfredo frets about his adventures.
#271 Rhode Montijo - SKULLY'S BEST DÍA EVER! Unravelled
Q: Can you tell us a little bit about your journey to becoming someone who makes books for kids?
A high school art teacher encouraged Montijo to study illustration. He later took a children's book course, pitched Cloud Boy to publishers, and received support from editor Kevin Lewis, who recognized the story's connection to art.
#270 Matthew Cordell - 102 Unraveled
Q: Can you remember how you got the initial idea for this book?
The initial idea grew from a real moment rescuing a frog from a window well, which sparked a small, tangible family scene that the author then expanded into a larger narrative about problem-solving, care, and resilience.
#265 Chanel Miller - THE MOON WITHOUT STARS Unraveled
Q: How do you handle the pressure and expectations after winning such an award?
She compares past and present selves, noting that the 'statue' of the early success remains inspiring, but the current author must meet ongoing demands, remain honest with readers, and keep writing.
#265 Chanel Miller - THE MOON WITHOUT STARS Unraveled
Q: What was the seed or initial idea for the book?
The initial seed was the concept of a book doctor who prescribes books to address real-life issues, a framework Miller connected to from personal experiences with reading as a source of help.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The Yarn

What is The Yarn about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Short, insightful conversations with authors and illustrators about how they craft children's books, from picture books to middle grade and graphic novels. Episodes often explore the writing process, publishing journeys, collaboration with editors and designers, and the balance between storytelling and education. The shows tend to spotlight behind-the-scenes decisions, inspiration sources, and the practical realities of creating kid-lit that resonates with both young readers and adults such as teachers, librarians, and parents. A notable strength is its time-efficient interview style and a mission to illuminate the craft for classroom and library audiences, making it a strong fit for teachers, librarians, and industry professionals seeking ... more

Where can I find podcast stats for The Yarn?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Yarn. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to The Yarn and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The Yarn get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for The Yarn, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for The Yarn?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The Yarn, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does The Yarn have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Yarn has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The Yarn?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Yarn:

1. Totally Booked with Zibby
2. School of Practice
3. Science of Reading: The Podcast
4. Angela Watson's Truth for Teachers
5. The Book Case

How many episodes of The Yarn are there?

The Yarn launched 11 years ago and published 271 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Yarn?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Yarn?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Yarn from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for The Yarn?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The Yarn. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on The Yarn?

Recent guests on The Yarn include:

1. Rhode Montijo
2. Matthew Cordell
3. Lois Lowry
4. Rex Ogle
5. Micha Archer
6. Candace Fleming
7. Zeke Peña
8. Jasmine Warga

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days