What if your students could paint with emotions, write with memory, and hear music in everyday sounds? In this first-ever guest episode, Adam chats with award-winning author and library teacher Lisa Rogers about how nonfiction picture books spark creativity across the curriculum.

If you're looking for authentic, project-based learning that builds background knowledge, vocabulary, and student confidence—this one’s for you.

Guest Info

Name: Lisa Rogers
Bio: Lisa Rogers became inspired to write for children during her career as an elementary school librarian. She is the award-winning author of Beautiful Noise: The Music of John Cage, illustrated by Il Sung Na (Random House/Anne Schwartz Books); 16 Words: William Carlos And “The Red Wheelbarrow”,” illustrated by Chuck Groenink (Random House/Schwartz & Wade), and Hound Won’t Go, illustrated by Meg Ishihara (Albert Whitman), inspired by her rescue dog.
Website: lisarogerswrites.com

Instagram: @LisaLJRogers

BlueSky: @lisaljrogers.bsky.social

Chapters

• 0:00 – Welcome + Adam’s mission for the show
• 1:30 – Lisa’s journey from daydreaming kid to nonfiction author
• 6:00 – Building background knowledge through nonfiction
• 9:00 – Art, poetry, and music as entry points for self-expression
• 11:10 – Mining memories with Joan Mitchell + sensory writing prompt
• 14:00 – Picture books as powerful writing mentors
• 18:45 – 📚 Adam’s Book Bag: Max, wants vs. needs, and Where the Wild Things Are
• 20:50 – Revision lessons + juicy verbs with Watercress and 12 Kinds of Ice
• 22:57 – 💡 Story Sparks: Personal connections to history + second-person POV
• 26:30 – Synaesthesia, color as emotion, and emotional trust in picture books
• 29:45 – How to connect with Lisa + free activity guide download

Books Mentioned:

• Joan Mitchell Paints a Symphony – Lisa Rogers (Amazon) | Art, poetry, emotional expression, sensory writing
• Beautiful Noise – Lisa Rogers (Amazon) | Music, creativity, second-person POV writing
• 16 Words – Lisa Rogers (Amazon) | Poetry, imagery, mental pictures
• Where the Wild Things Are – Maurice Sendak | Character development, SEL (wants vs. needs)
• Watercress – Andrea Wang | Word choice, sensory writing, SEL
• 12 Kinds of Ice – Ellen Bryan Obed | Imagery, anticipation, descriptive writing
• One Girl’s Voice – Vivian Kirkfield | Biography, social studies, women’s history
• Hiding in Plain Sight – Beth Anderson | History, problem-solving, creative empathy

If you loved this episode, don’t keep it to yourself—share it with a teacher friend or librarian who needs a spark this week. Subscribe to Picture This for more creative classroom ideas, free resources, books, and author visit options. And hey—drop us a review or tag us on social to tell us your favorite picture book lesson!