You May Contribute A Verse

AI Incidents and Control Freaks with Jan (J.E.) Thomas

We make it so today with author Jan (J.E.) Thomas [https://jethomasauthor.com/], author of The AI Incident and Control Freaks. Lots of good habit discussion, some Star Trek, and exactly how you can be a certified Human Author. Jan is a delight! _________   This episode’s book reviews:  HOW TO GROW A FAMILY TREE [https://bookshop.org/p/books/how-to-grow-a-family-tree-bea-birdsong/085705a1a3c0cd61?ean=9780823453962&next=t] by Bea Birdsong [https://beabirdsong.com/], illustrated by Jasu Hu [https://www.jasuhuart.com/] THIS BOOK IS ON FIRE! [https://ronkeres.com/this-book-is-on-fire/] by Ron Keres [https://ronkeres.com/], illustrated by Arthur Lin [https://www.arthurdraws.com/] CASSINI'S MISSION [https://bookshop.org/p/books/cassini-s-mission-a-spacecraft-a-tiny-moon-and-the-search-for-life-beyond-earth-katie-venit/baf3b214d31e4422?ean=9781536232325&next=t] by Katie Venit [https://katievenit.com/], illustrated by Julia Blattman [https://www.juliablattman.com/]     The artwork for You May Contribute a Verse features our quokka mascot, Versey, and was generously created by the great Maddie Frost! Find her on IG @hellomaddiefrost  [https://www.instagram.com/hellomaddiefrost/]or on her website Maddie-Frost.com  [https://www.maddie-frost.com/]   Our theme music is So Happy by Scott Holmes. You can find more of his music at scottholmesmusic.com [https://scottholmesmusic.com/]     Love the podcast and wanna support more episodes like this? Find Community Shoutouts, Merch and our Patreon here [https://linktr.ee/VerseShow]!!    Find us on Bluesky @joshmonkwords [https://twitter.com/JoshMonkwords], @brennajeanneret [https://twitter.com/BrennaJeanneret], and @jonseym0ur [https://twitter.com/JSeym0ur] and as always, let us know what you think via a rating, review, or comment!

It's Not A Book Until It's A Book with Matt Forrest Esenwine

Today's second-timer is our last-timer of 2025! Matt Forrest Esenwine [https://mattforrest.com/] graces us once again with his delightful, radio-ready voice for a soothing exit to the year.  In addition to Matt's twelve other books (some of which you can hear about in our first conversation from 2021 [https://jmonken.podbean.com/e/introverted-extrovert-an-interview-with-matt-forrest-esenwine/]), this year Matt released his anthology A Universe of Rainbows: Multicolored Poems for a Multicolored World [https://www.eerdmans.com/9780802855718/a-universe-of-rainbows/]. We don't get to talk a ton about anthologies, so this was a delight!  _________   This episode’s book reviews:  JOVITA WORE PANTS [https://bookshop.org/p/books/jovita-wore-pants-the-story-of-a-mexican-freedom-fighter-aida-salazar/5627aeb9b94957cf?ean=9781338283419&next=t] by Aida Salazar [http://www.aidasalazar.com/], illustrated by Molly Mendoza [https://www.mollymendoza.com/] THIS BOOK IS PERFECT [https://ronkeres.com/product/this-book-is-perfect/] by Ron Keres [https://ronkeres.com/], illustrated by Arthur Lin [https://www.arthurdraws.com/] MY DAD IS THE BEST [https://bookshop.org/p/books/my-dad-is-the-best-fran-pintadera/d2c9916cd29e07f4?ean=9781623544911&next=t] by Fran Pintadera [https://www.franpintadera.com/], illustrated by Joan Turu [https://www.charlesbridge.com/pages/joan-turu?srsltid=AfmBOooqhkBl96okxhlVgGXQSZgPl_ChBCigFMMiwg-JTFq71Gwy25QS]   The artwork for You May Contribute a Verse features our quokka mascot, Versey, and was generously created by the great Maddie Frost! Find her on IG @hellomaddiefrost  [https://www.instagram.com/hellomaddiefrost/]or on her website Maddie-Frost.com  [https://www.maddie-frost.com/] Our theme music is So Happy by Scott Holmes. You can find more of his music at scottholmesmusic.com [https://scottholmesmusic.com/]   Love the podcast and wanna support more episodes like this? Find Community Shoutouts, Merch and our Patreon here [https://linktr.ee/VerseShow]!!  Find us on Bluesky @joshmonkwords [https://twitter.com/JoshMonkwords], @brennajeanneret [https://twitter.com/BrennaJeanneret], and @jonseym0ur [https://twitter.com/JSeym0ur] and as always, let us know what you think via a rating, review, or comment!

Karyn Friedman-Everham Captivates!

Karyn Friedman-Everham [https://www.karynfriedmaneverham.com/] (Josh's agent sibling - hi, Joyce!) has a fascinating story that's a little bit backwards from how most of us approach our debuts, but that's what makes her story fascinating and very endearing!  Her 2024 debut was Otter Oughta Know [https://bookshop.org/p/books/otter-oughta-know-karyn-friedman-everham/e6241f2171c58a66], followed in October 2025 by Chesed [https://pjlibrary.org/books/chesed/if02012]. Two different paths, one cool convo! _________   This episode’s book reviews:  NUNU AND THE SEA [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/748267/nunu-and-the-sea-by-isabella-kung/] by Isabella Kung [https://isabellakung.com/] ERNO RUBIK AND HIS MAGIC CUBE [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/743836/erno-rubik-and-his-magic-cube-by-kerry-aradhya-illustrated-by-kara-kramer/] by Kerry Aradhya [https://www.kerryaradhya.com/], illustrated by Kara Kramer [https://karakramer.com/]   The artwork for You May Contribute a Verse features our quokka mascot, Versey, and was generously created by the great Maddie Frost! Find her on IG @hellomaddiefrost  [https://www.instagram.com/hellomaddiefrost/]or on her website Maddie-Frost.com  [https://www.maddie-frost.com/]   Our theme music is So Happy by Scott Holmes. You can find more of his music at scottholmesmusic.com [https://scottholmesmusic.com/]     Love the podcast and wanna support more episodes like this? Find Community Shoutouts, Merch and our Patreon here [https://linktr.ee/VerseShow]!!    Find us on Bluesky @joshmonkwords [https://twitter.com/JoshMonkwords], @brennajeanneret [https://twitter.com/BrennaJeanneret], and @jonseym0ur [https://twitter.com/JSeym0ur] and as always, let us know what you think via a rating, review, or comment!

Allison and Rafael Rozo's Great Big World

It's been almost five years and THIS is our first episode that includes a singalong? Today it's Rafael and Allison Rozo [https://www.rozobooksart.com/blank-1] day! Check out Diego Fuego the Firefighting Dragon [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/735300/diego-fuego-the-firefighting-dragon-by-allison-rozo-and-rafael-rozo-illustrated-by-vanessa-morales/], out July 2025, and Unique Like You [https://www.beamingbooks.com/store/product/9781506492544/Unique-Like-You], out September 2025! Allison and Rafael are a delight and we hope you enjoy getting to know them as much as we did! _________ This episode’s book reviews:  THE FABULOUS FANNIE FARMER [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/735152/the-fabulous-fannie-farmer-by-emma-bland-smith-illustrated-by-susan-reagan/] by Emma Bland Smith [https://emmabsmith.com/], illustrated by Susan Reagan [https://www.susanreaganart.com/] THE A-TO-Z TEACHING TOOLKIT by Alicia Meyers [https://www.routledge.com/The-A-to-Z-Teaching-Toolkit-for-Early-Childhood-and-Elementary-Educators-Best-Practices-for-Classroom-Management-and-Student-Engagement/Meyers/p/book/9781041019787]   The artwork for You May Contribute a Verse features our quokka mascot, Versey, and was generously created by the great Maddie Frost! Find her on IG @hellomaddiefrost  [https://www.instagram.com/hellomaddiefrost/]or on her website Maddie-Frost.com  [https://www.maddie-frost.com/] Our theme music is So Happy by Scott Holmes. You can find more of his music at scottholmesmusic.com [https://scottholmesmusic.com/]   Love the podcast and wanna support more episodes like this? Find Community Shoutouts, Merch and our Patreon here [https://linktr.ee/VerseShow]!!  Find us on Bluesky @joshmonkwords [https://twitter.com/JoshMonkwords], @brennajeanneret [https://twitter.com/BrennaJeanneret], and @jonseym0ur [https://twitter.com/JSeym0ur] and as always, let us know what you think via a rating, review, or comment!

Close Your Eyes and Jump with Alicia Meyers!

We've known Alicia Meyers [https://www.byaliciameyers.com] since we were all three kidlit babies back in pandemic days when we had no idea what we were doing! Josh still doesn't know what he's doing. Long live Totally Funny Critique Group!  Alicia's educational book The A-to-Z Teaching Toolkit [https://www.byaliciameyers.com/atoz] came out this month (November 2025) and we're eagerly awaiting her picture book debut Tic-Errific Me [https://viviankirkfield.com/2025/11/17/cover-reveal-tic-errific-me/], coming next June!  Alicia hustles. And also rocks a mean teddy bear Halloween costume (check out her socials for evidence). _________ This episode’s book reviews:  ALL MY STRIPES [https://bookshop.org/p/books/all-my-stripes-a-story-for-children-with-autism-danielle-royer/c73c3dbad477f0e4?ean=9781433819162&next=t] by Shaina Rudolph [https://shainarudolph.com/] and Danielle Royer [https://lernerbooks.com/contributors/16807?srsltid=AfmBOooNTiba9eVLqNNddMjVjY0XdZVJ24gktHcTDMsrY4B0uDOpQhq4], illustrated by Jennifer Zivoin [https://www.jzartworks.com/] ZOMBEES [https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-zombees-justin-col-n/79c34e3285a4bba8?ean=9781665922500&next=t]by Justin Colon [https://justincolonbooks.com/], illustrated by Kaly Quarles [https://www.kalyquarles.com/] THE WORLD'S BEST CLASS PLANT [https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-world-s-best-class-plant-audrey-vernick/bc1e14f7ffeba9f5?ean=9780525516354&next=t] by Audrey Vernick [https://www.audreyvernick.com/] and Liz Garton Scanlon [https://lizgartonscanlon.com/], illustrated by Lynnor Bontiago [https://www.lynnorbontigao.com/]   The artwork for You May Contribute a Verse features our quokka mascot, Versey, and was generously created by the great Maddie Frost! Find her on IG @hellomaddiefrost  [https://www.instagram.com/hellomaddiefrost/]or on her website Maddie-Frost.com  [https://www.maddie-frost.com/] Our theme music is So Happy by Scott Holmes. You can find more of his music at scottholmesmusic.com [https://scottholmesmusic.com/]   Love the podcast and wanna support more episodes like this? Find Community Shoutouts, Merch and our Patreon here [https://linktr.ee/VerseShow]!!  Find us on Bluesky @joshmonkwords [https://twitter.com/JoshMonkwords], @brennajeanneret [https://twitter.com/BrennaJeanneret], and @jonseym0ur [https://twitter.com/JSeym0ur] and as always, let us know what you think via a rating, review, or comment!