# Ep 40: The Secret to Writing Children's Books

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/journey-of-the-art-7113065/ep-40-the-secret-to-writing-children-s-books
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/journey-of-the-art-7113065/ep-40-the-secret-to-writing-children-s-books.md
Podcast: [Journey of the Art](https://stenobird.com/podcast/journey-of-the-art-7113065)
Published: 2026-03-12T12:30:00+00:00
Episode link: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/journey-of-the-art/episodes/Ep-40-The-Secret-to-Writing-Childrens-Books-e3gaoob
Audio file: https://anchor.fm/s/f62876d8/podcast/play/116793547/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2026-2-12%2F419840476-44100-2-23c0f508fe33.m4a
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/journey-of-the-art-7113065/episodes/ep-40-the-secret-to-writing-children-s-books
Duration seconds: 1795

## Resource

In Episode 40 of the podcast, I have the privilege of speaking with adult and children’s book writer Caroline Adderson, writer of A Pond, A Poet, and Three Pests . A Pond, A Poet, and Three Pests is a brilliant children’s book about thinking and finding quiet moments in a chaotic world. Illustrated by Lauren Tamaki, the book imagines how an old haiku by Japanese poet Matsuo Basho came to be. Readers will enjoy the vivid storytelling, be amused by the silliness of the animals, and be truly inspired by the old poet’s tenacity. Before we get into the intricacies of her work, I ask Caroline about her relationship with TV (it’s impressive!) and her love for cherry blossoms. We talk about how she gets unstuck in her writing and the door she unlocks to write children’s books . If you’ve ever wondered about writing children’s books or if you love haikus, this is the episode for you. It was an all-round joyful conversation, and I’m grateful that I get to share it with you. Show highlights 00:00 - Introduction 2:40 - The deal with TV 4:18 - Cherry blossoms vs Plum trees 6:21 – Why haikus don’t explain 7:59 – What is the importance of silence? 10:28 - The gestation of a poem 15:50 - A game of consonants 17:33 - Writing for kids vs. writing for adults 20:20 - How does a writer find joy? 23:51 - How to get unstuck in writing 26:37 - The secret to staying on the journey of the art _____________________ Listen on Spotify: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/journey-of-the-art _____________________ Guest’s links Buy A Pond, A Poet, and Three Pests : https://houseofanansi.com/products/a-pond-a-poet-and-three-pests?srsltid=AfmBOopY1872Domhwo66iCzcFm_XOzijIououUBi6Tqe5tIAjxV3bnoS Visit Caroline’s website: https://www.carolineaddersonkids.com _____________________ Host’s links Find out…

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