when I actually realized that and went back and started writing something purely for that age range, it really worked. It was basically, for a slightly different sub genre of children's literature. And after a brief, perhaps not so brief foray into YA, which turned out not to suit me at all, I kind of came back to the drawing board, as it were, the writing board and then realized everything I'd written in the YA books, only one of which was public, that was the strongest was basically middle grade in tone. And it was not enough 500 words on a 12 spread format wasn't enough. I was already writing the picture books as well as illustrating them, but I was I really wanted to explore language. But at which point, it was pretty clear that I really wanted to write. So I had a whole career in picture books for up until about 2007. So I and I went almost straight into illustrating children's books. Yeah, so I mean, I started out as an illustrator. Let us know about you and how you got started. But I think it's also great to talk about you as a writer, and and helping teachers know how to inspire kids to write these types of amazing characters, and fun plots and mystery and science fiction and fantasy. So I wanted to start by you, because this is for teachers to hopefully want to read this aloud to their students. They yell, 'NOOO!' in unison, so.so Malamander is a fantastic book. It is quite an honor to have the author of the book that my students yell at me when I try to stop reading it. I am thrilled to have Thomas Taylor here on The Teacher As. It helps the podcast reach more educators. If you enjoy The Teacher As., please rate it on Apple podcast and leave a review.

and it's exciting to see the growth in how many educators are listening. This is the fourth season of The Teacher As. And I hope with each season, you find episodes that speak to you in your work as an educator. I'm your host Melissa Milner, a teacher who is painfully curious and very easily inspired.

Malamander by Thomas Taylor