Rephonic
Artwork for The Yarn
Children's Literature
Creativity
School Library Journal
Graphic Novels
The Kids In Mrs. Z's Class
Procrastination Techniques
Spider In the Well
Santa's First Christmas
Collaboration In Storytelling
Character Creation
My Weird School
American Library Association
Newbery Honor
Writing Tools
The Ship In the Window
Not Nothing
The First Cat In Space
Writing Process
Curiosity Academy
Peppermint Falls

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 monthlyEpisodes258Founded11 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
EducationBooksArts

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Artwork for The Yarn

Latest Episodes

In this episode, bestselling author Sara Pennypacker takes us behind the scenes of her latest historical fiction novel, THE LION'S RUN.

In this episode, Newbery Honor-winning author Jasmine Warga takes us behind the scenes of her latest middle grade novel, THE UNLIKELY TALE OF CHASE AND FINNEGAN.

Welcome to a special crossover episode with Fuse 8 n' Kate! For their 400th episode, Betsy and Kate invited Colby Sharp and Travis Jonker to debate the longest Caldecott Medal book of all time: THE INVENTION OF HUGO CABRET. Is it a classic? Is it a p... more

In this episode, Caldecott Honor winning artist Elisha Cooper takes us behind the scenes of his latest picture book, THE RARE BIRD.

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Jasmine Warga
Newbery Honor-winning author
Episode: #257 Jasmine Warga - THE UNLIKELY TALE OF CHASE AND FINNEGAN Unraveled
Betsy Bird
Children's librarian and creator of the blog A Fuse 8 Production.
School Library Journal
Episode: #250 Betsy Bird - A FUSE #8 PRODUCTION Unraveled
Derrick Barnes
Award-winning New York Times bestselling author
Episode: #248 Derrick Barnes - THE INCREDIBLY HUMAN HENSON BLAZE Unraveled
Katie Kennedy
Author of the book Did You Hear What Happened In Salem?
Episode: #247 Katie Kennedy - DID YOU HEAR WHAT HAPPENED IN SALEM? Unraveled
Zeke Peña
Author and illustrator of children's books, known for his debut picture book Sundust
Episode: #246 Zeke Peña - SUNDUST Unraveled
Nicholas Day
Author of children's non-fiction, known for works like "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" and "A World Without Summer".
Episode: #245 Nicholas Day - A WORLD WITHOUT SUMMER Unraveled
Barbara O'Connor
Children's author and New York Times bestselling author of "Wish" and "Dream".
Publisher: MacMillan
Episode: #244 Barbara O'Connor
Ruth Behar
Episode: #242 Newbery Winners 2025 (Part II) SPEED ROUND!
Chanel Miller
Episode: #242 Newbery Winners 2025 (Part II) SPEED ROUND!

Hosts

Travis Yonker
Host focused on kids' literature, often interviewing authors and illustrators, with ties to School Library Journal.
Colby Sharp
Teacher and writer who co-hosts discussions with a focus on children's literature, education, and author interviews.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 156 ratings
  • 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
    Spain3 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 States5 months 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 Statesa year 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 Statesa year ago
  • Best Kid Lit Podcast

    I stumbled upon The Yarn podcast in December of 2020, when our library was only doing curbside service and I was terribly missing the kids and their parents and hooking them up with books. It was a “pandemic highlight” for me—I listened to Travis and Colby as they reviewed the books of that year, and practically cried tears of joy! i’ve since kept up with it, and have listened to many of the back episodes, sometimes more than once (Gary Paulsen). Travis and Coby interview authors and illustrator... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Losing Steadily
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Many note how the episodes are concise yet informative for classroom use.
Fans highlight the hosts' shared enthusiasm and thoughtful interviewing.
Listeners praise warm, genuine conversations and deep book insights.
Educators find it a reliable source for discovering new titles to read aloud.
Audiences appreciate the approachable style and practical book recommendations.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#193
Hong Kong/Arts/Books

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

#255 Elisha Cooper - THE RARE BIRD Unraveled
Q: What new things did you have to learn when you were working on this book?
Elisha mentions he learned the challenges of drawing birds in flight, which is difficult for him.
#255 Elisha Cooper - THE RARE BIRD Unraveled
Q: What's it like when you're, what's a day of work like for you?
Elisha describes his day as playful rather than work, emphasizing coffee, drawing, and the importance of inspiration from daily life.
#254 Kelly Yang - StoryKind
Q: What is your hope for StoryKind?
My biggest hope is that it connects us, and that it makes us all feel like we're able to have a real, honest, human conversation around some of the challenges that are going on with regards to storytelling, reading and writing.
#251 Rebecca Stead - THE EXPERIMENT Unraveled
Q: Can you talk a little bit more about that? Like, what's the feeling that you hope people get as they're reading this book?
Stead hopes readers feel a significant emotional connection, often revolving around themes of love and personal sacrifice as they read her story.
#247 Katie Kennedy - DID YOU HEAR WHAT HAPPENED IN SALEM? Unraveled
Q: Can you talk a little bit about the sort of, without giving it away, the kind of conceit of the book?
I wanted to deal with the horror of the events in a way that was fun for nine-year-olds, so I leaned into a snarky and sarcastic tone which was encouraged by my editor.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Yarn

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

This show spotlights authors and illustrators who create books for young readers, offering intimate conversations about the craft of storytelling, illustration, and publishing. Episodes frequently unpack creative processes, research methods, and the collaboration between writers and artists, often weaving in themes like empathy, history, and classroom relevance. Short-form interviews and behind-the-scenes discussions make it a practical listen for educators, librarians, and book lovers seeking timely recommendations, trends in children's literature, and insights into how standout works come to life. A notable strength is the breadth of guests—from debut picture-book creators to established authors—paired with thoughtful, accessible dialogue... more

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Which podcasts are similar to The Yarn?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Yarn:

1. Creative Pep Talk
2. Design Matters with Debbie Millman
3. The Preamble
4. Fresh Air
5. Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus

How many episodes of The Yarn are there?

The Yarn launched 11 years ago and published 258 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on The Yarn?

Recent guests on The Yarn include:

1. Jasmine Warga
2. Betsy Bird
3. Derrick Barnes
4. Katie Kennedy
5. Zeke Peña
6. Nicholas Day
7. Barbara O'Connor
8. Ruth Behar

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.

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