SCBWI Podcasts
The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators conversations with publishing pros, and award-winning and bestselling writers and illustrators who inform and inspire about the ins and outs of the children's book industry. Find out about the craft and creative process behind young adult novels, picture books, middle-grade fiction, graphic novels, and nonfiction.
SCBWI Podcasts
A Conversation with Erin Entrada Kelly
In this episode we are joined by Erin Entrada Kelly!
Erin Entrada Kelly has received numerous awards and recognition for her work, including the 2025 Newbery Medal for The First State of Being, 2018 Newbery Medal for Hello, Universe, a 2021 Newbery Honor for We Dream of Space, the 2023 NAIBA Book of the Year Award for Those Kids From Fawn Creek, and 2017 APALA Award for The Land of Forgotten Girls, among many other honors. She is also a National Book Award Finalist and author/illustrator of Marisol Rainey and Felix Powell, stand-alone stories for younger readers. Her books are New York Times bestsellers.
Before becoming a children's author, Erin worked as a journalist and magazine editor in her home state of Louisiana. She received numerous awards from the Louisiana Press Association and the Associated Press for community service journalism, feature writing, and editing. She has published more than thirty short stories and has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and the Philippines Free Press Award for Short Fiction.
Erin has a bachelor's degree in women's studies and liberal arts from McNeese State University and an MFA in fiction from Rosemont College. She lives in Delaware and teaches in the MFAC program at Hamline University.
Buy Erin's books here: https://bookshop.org/contributors/erin-entrada-kelly
This episode of the podcast is sponsored by Listen In: conversation & cultivation, a writing program from award-winning authors Elana K. Arnold and Nina LaCour @elanakarnold @nina_lacour
Learn more at ninalacour.com
