Storyland Podcast

嘉宾 | Guest： Antoinette Portis is an award-winning American author and illustrator of picture books. Her debut title Not a Box became a contemporary classic, followed by Not a Stick, Wait, A New Green Day, Hey, Water! and others. Her work is celebrated for its elegant minimalism, visual wit, and a profound respect for children’s creativity and perception. Before becoming a full-time author-illustrator, she worked as a creative director at Disney. Portis's books invite readers to rediscover the extraordinary hidden within the ordinary. 01:56 — Staying Connected to the Inner Child Portis shares how curiosity and noticing small things fuel her creativity. 03:48 — Why Structure Matters in Picture Books She explains how structure creates page-turn magic and supports imagination. 06:43 — Early Creative Memories Childhood moments that shaped her as an artist and maker. 09:30 — Encouragement vs. Discouragement How adults influence a child’s sense of creative identity. 13:09 — The Making of Not a Box The writing class insight that transformed her approach: honesty over cleverness. 14:32 — Sparks Behind Hey, Water! and Other Books How observing shapes in nature became a foundation for new ideas. 16:54 — Children’s Emotions Are as Complex as Adults’ Portis discusses how picture books should honor children’s inner lives. 19:10 — Powerlessness & the Story Behind Wait A real-life moment becomes the seed for a book about noticing. 23:34 — Creative Blocks & Letting Ideas Breathe Why not every idea opens up right away—and that’s okay. 24:14 — Longing as a Creative Force The emotional core behind A Penguin Storyand her process of 87 drafts. 29:31 — When a Book Feels Like Wrestling an Alligator Portis reflects on creative struggle and persistence. 35:31 — Advice for Young Creators The episode ends with encouragement for kids and aspiring storytellers. 你可以在这里找到我们 | Where to Find Storyland： https://storyland.education/ wechat: Storyland童书研究所（ID:STORYLIVING)

【本期嘉宾】 李卓颖，童书与绘本创作者，毕业于广州美术学院，后赴荷兰圣优斯特艺术学院攻读动画硕士。她以鲜明的视觉语言、敏锐的儿童观察力与轻松幽默的叙事著称，已创作与绘制三十余本童书，其中《公主怎么挖鼻屎？》获得信谊图画书奖入围奖，并长期位列畅销榜。她的作品常关注孩子真实的情绪与需求，风格温暖、轻盈，却富含深刻的儿童视角。 本期节目主要围绕卓颖的桥梁书《妙奇奇事务所》展开。从绘本到桥梁书，从一只小猫的速写到完整的冒险世界，卓颖在节目中分享了她的创作方法、生活灵感与陪伴孩子成长的初心。她相信：故事好玩，孩子就会愿意读；而理解孩子，故事才会真正动人。 节目时间线 01:03｜新书《妙奇奇事务所》的诞生 从小红书上一只小猫的日常速写，发展成四本世界观完整的桥梁书系列。 02:21｜从绘本到桥梁书：创作形式的挑战 如何从依赖视觉叙事的绘本，转向以文字结构为主的桥梁书写作。 03:56｜世界观与角色设计 狐狸所长、野猫闪闪，以及“妙奇饼耳朵”的设定如何形成一个稳定又有张力的角色网络。 07:36｜反派“咕咕力”的人气与魅力 为什么孩子们都特别喜欢这个“坏得可爱”的角色？ 08:44｜“阅读延伸成游戏” 小读者会模仿书中机关、任务，把故事带入自己的现实生活。 09:26｜四本书亮点导览 从暴雨危机、女王演讲、花精美食节到秘密基地，每本书都设计了独立又关联的谜团。 10:53｜创作方法：四本书同时搭结构 用大表格进行世界观、线索、伏笔统一管理，让系列间自然呼应。 15:43｜“爱心回礼”：贯穿系列的温柔主题 灵感来自孩子真实的心愿清单：从丢东西到道歉、交朋友。 18:41｜引导孩子独立思考 哪些问题需要求助？哪些其实能自己解决？故事中的“任务”就是练习。 22:32｜互动阅读的未来可能 有机会让读者“加入故事”，成为角色世界的一部分。 23:21｜灵感来源：自由画画、写生、徒步与生活采集 创作能量来自日常的观察与随手记录。 30:12｜创作初心：为孩子减压，也治疗自己 童书是理解孩子、陪伴孩子，也是在安慰成长过程中的自己。 【关注我们】 音频：喜马拉雅、苹果播客、小宇宙、Spotify 小红书：Storyland故事星球|Ella在童书研究所|徐小创 公共号：Storyland童书研究所（ID： STORYLIVING)|Storyland故事星球 英文官网：https://storyland.education/

嘉宾 | Guest： Matthew Forsythe Join us in this in-person conversation with Matthew Forsythe—acclaimed creator of Poko and the Drum, Mina, and Aggie and the Ghost. Known for his cinematic pacing, emotional subtlety, and the stillness of his characters, Matthew talks about how his picture books grow from sketches, memories, and one core emotion—whether courage, anxiety, or the shadows we carry. In this episode, we explore: • how he balances introvert–extrovert energies in storytelling • how animation influences his sense of drama • the emotional “keywords” behind each book • the invisible dialogue between reader and creator ... Whether you’re a parent, educator, or picture-book lover, this episode opens a window into the craft, psychology, and surprising tenderness behind Matthew’s work. Books mentioned: Poko and the Drum, Mina, Aggie and the Ghost. 你可以在这里找到我们 | Where to Find Storyland： https://storyland.education/ wechat: Storyland童书研究所（ID:STORYLIVING)

【本期嘉宾】 程翊欣 高级工程师，生态规划与设计师，华东师范大学生态学硕士，九三学社资源环境建设专门委员会委员，上海科普作家协会会员。《儿童时代》专栏作者，译有《鸟类行为图鉴》《生态学通识》等，参与撰写多部科普书籍。 本期节目我们围绕她的新书《沿着海岸线的旅程--鸟类为什么要迁徙？》展开，聊了聊程老师是如何走上观鸟的道路的，家长在日常生活中可以如何带领孩子观察、亲近自然、观鸟需要准备哪些材料、以及这本书中的种种彩蛋等内容。欢迎收听！ 【关注我们】 音频：喜马拉雅、苹果播客、小宇宙、Spotify 小红书：Storyland故事星球|Ella在童书研究所|徐小创 公共号：Storyland童书研究所（ID： STORYLIVING)|Storyland故事星球 英文官网：https://storyland.education/