The Picture Book Buzz - Interview w/Paige Towler and Matthew Carlson
- Maria Marshall
- Jul 1
- 8 min read
Updated: Jul 3
Paige Towler is a is a children’s author and editor who lives in Washington, D.C..
With more than a decade’s experience in the publishing industry, she is the author of 25+ children’s books with publishers such as National Geographic Kids, Penguin Random House, Highlights, Scholastic, Sleeping Bear Press, and more. children's book author She has written books for National Geographic, National Geographic Kids, Scholastic, Highlights, and more.
Paige’s books include Mindful Nature: Connecting with Our Great Green World (2025), Baby Bat Bedtime co-authored with Smithsonian Bat Lab, illustrated by Gavin Scott (2024), Mysterious, Marvelous Octopus! (2024), How It Happened: Pizza (2023), Yoga Animals: A Wild Introduction to Kid-Friendly Poses (2020), and more. Her poetry has appeared in anthologies such as National Geographic’s The Poetry of Us (2018) and Book of Nature Poetry (2015).
Matthew Carlson is an illustrator, game designer, and graphic designer in Northern California.
He studied art and English literature at the University of California, Berkeley. He's illustrated projects for Robert Mondavi Wines, Facebook, and Twitter, and is currently the director of UX Design for Education, Fonts, and Drawing & Painting at Adobe. Originally from Seattle, Washington, Matthew now lives in Marin, California, with his partner, two kids, two dogs, and a growing collection of rocks.
This is Matthew’s debur picture book.
Their new picture book, Talking Rocks and Minerals: Fact-Packed Guide to Geology, releases July 1st.
Welcome Paige and Matthew, thank you so much for stopping by to talk about yourselves and your newest book.
Tell us a little about yourself. (Where/when do you write or illustrate? How long have you been writing or illustrating? What is your favorite type of book to write or illustrate?)
PAIGE - I’ve enjoyed writing since I was a kid—I was lucky to have lots of family members and teachers encourage me! Now, I write kids’ books for a living. Most days I work from my home office, where I keep lots of fun pieces of inspiration. I have a giant robotic triceratops in there, tons of comic books, and really cool wallpaper with flying cats on it. I also have some trilobite fossils that were fun for inspiration while writing about rocks! I love working on anything weird, gross, or scary—and I love puns.
MATTHEW - During the day I work as a design director, on the drawing & painting, fonts and education team at Adobe. I illustrate at night, and in the early morning, sometimes in my tiny home office at the top of the stairs, sometimes at the dining room table and sometimes at the cafe with my sketchbook and iPad.
I've been illustrating for about 25 years, mostly on commercial projects, wine labels and packaging, and more recently on my own game, WanderSquares. Talking Rocks and Minerals is my first (and favorite) children’s book.
It is so fun to "meet" you both! Who was your favorite author, illustrator, and/or your favorite book as a child?
PAIGE - There are so many amazing authors in the world! I especially loved Alexandra Day, who did the Good Dog, Carl series, and anything by Maira Kalman or William Joyce. When I got a little older, I loved scary stories by R.L. Stine and Christopher Pike.
MATTHEW - I loved the Moomintroll series by Tove Jansson, for the whimsical stories and the illustrations. And of course I loved Dr. Seuss, especially On Beyond Zebra and McElligot’s Pool. I loved thinking about imaginary creatures and all the strange environments they might live in.
I adore the Good Dog, Carl series and actually got to meet Alexandra & Carl at my library years ago. And thanks Matthew for a series to explore! Paige, what was the inspiration or spark of interest for Talking Rocks and Minerals: Fact-Packed Guide to Geology?
PAIGE - The idea for this book actually came from Matthew’s illustrations and a group called WonderLab Group! I was really excited when they asked if I wanted to come on board as the author because Matthew’s illustrations are so fantastic—and, of course, rocks are pretty cool.
That's a more unusual way for picture books to start. But it's so cool! Matthew, what about the Talking Rocks and Minerals manuscript appealed to you as an illustrator?
MATTHEW - Pretty early in the process we decided that we needed a narrator to bring us from rock to rock. We called our hero Pebble, the Rock Reporter, and I liked how Paige crafted the story around her journey. I loved all the facts that Paige packed into the manuscript and how she turned each spread into a mini adventure.
I think WonderLab did a great job pairing the two of you. What is a (or the most) fun or unusual place where you’ve written a manuscript or created an illustration?
PAIGE - Most days I’m in my office or snuggled with my dog, Calbee, on the couch, but a couple of times I’ve needed to make a deadline while traveling. So, once I wrote a manuscript by a pool at a hotel in Nashville, and another time I wrote overlooking the canals in Venice, Italy!
MATTHEW - I did a lot of early sketches in a beach house near Bodega Bay. Every day different rocks would wash up on the shore and there were some amazing cliffs and rocks out in the water. I would sketch rocks or snap pictures and bring them straight into my drawings at night.
Oh my gosh, writing along the canals in Vencie would be heavenly! Matthew, that sounds equally amazing. Paige, what was the toughest part of writing Talking Rocks and Minerals? What was the most fun?
PAIGE - The toughest part was definitely probably trying to contain a lot of science in just a few words. One of the best parts was writing the puns … I’m really fond of the alien space rocks that “come in pieces.”
You definitely paced in the puns. Matthew, what’s the hardest part of illustrating picture books? What was the toughest part of illustrating Talking Rocks and Minerals? What was the most fun?
MATTHEW - The hardest thing about illustrating Talking Rocks and Minerals was making sure we were telling scientifically accurate stories in a fun and exciting way. We worked pretty hard on the layout and rhythm of each spread, and sometimes Paige would tune and adjust the manuscript to make the artwork and the visual story flow. We had a great designer on the project as well, Rachel Hamm Plett, who helped layout the facts and information.
The most fun part was working with Paige, Rachel, and the Wonderlab team to scheme out the visual stories and imagine a few big surprises.
I do love all the facts and science you have included. How long did it take from the first draft to publication for the text and illustrations of Talking Rocks and Minerals?
PAIGE - Probably about 18 months from my end, from the very first draft to the book coming out on July 1st. Books are a huge team effort, and there is a lot that happens behind the scenes. We worked with WonderLab Group, a really wonderful designer named Rachael Hamm Plett, fact checkers, copy editors, and more!
MATTHEW - Paige captured the timeline! There was a very busy 9 months in the middle when we were working through the layouts and blocking out the text, then approving spread by spread so I could move on to creating final illustrations.
WOW! That's speedy for a picture book. Not to mention a science-based informational fiction picture book. Paige, did anything surprise or amaze you when you first got to see Matthew’s illustrations? What is your favorite spread?
Text © Paige Towler, 2025. Image © Matthew Carlson, 2025.
PAIGE - I was always delighted to see the little details that Matthew gave Pebble, whether Pebble is holding a magnifying glass or a hard hat. I love them all, but I think my favorite spread is the feature on pyrite! I’m from California so I love Gold Rush history, and seeing Pebble with an old-timey prospector’s hat delighted me.
It is a great series of spreads! Matthew, is there a spread of which you are especially proud? Or perhaps is your favorite spread?
Text © Paige Towler, 2025. Image © Matthew Carlson, 2025.
MATTHEW - I love the spread when Amethyst is revealed, from deep inside a Geode. It was one of the first concepts developed, full of beauty, volcanoes and hardening lava bubbles! And I also loved the fossil spread where I make dinosaur bones cringe at one of Paige’s many puns.
Okay, the readers will have to go look for the amethyst spread - I adore the idea of a dinosaur fossil cringing at a pun! Is there anything from your research that you just couldn’t fit into the text or back matter?
PAIGE - Absolutely—there are so many rocks in the world, this is just the start! One tidbit we weren’t really able to get into is that the process of erosion (that is, the wearing away of something through factors like wind, rain, and more) can create some really awesome rock formations in the world that look like tall towers or wacky natural sculptures. I definitely encourage any rockhounds to use this book as a starting place and then keep learning!
MATTHEW - I had some wonderful sketches of rock structures from around the world to illustrate the effects of wind and erosion that had to be left out. They were lovely, but they weren’t telling that personal rock-to-rock story.
Am I sensing a sequel in the works? What's something you want your readers to know about Talking Rocks and Minerals?
PAIGE - This book gives you the scoop on rocks … from the rocks themselves! You’ll find tons of punny rocks who are excited to introduce themselves and tell you all about how they formed.
MATTHEW - That rocks are all around us and they are really, really old. And they are constantly changing. I learned that from every rock and gem story in the book, and from illustrating the Rock Cycle!
I think kids (and adults) are going to love this book. Matthew, many illustrators leave treasures or weave their own story (or elements) throughout the illustrations. Did you do this in Talking Rocks and Minerals? If so, could you share one or more with us?
MATTHEW - The opening spread where we meet Pebble for the first time takes place on Ring Mountain, a big rock-filled preserve in Marin, California. The rocks, grasses and poppies are what I see on my hikes!
I had fun looking through photos of Ring Mountain Preserve; it is a beautiful area. Are there any new projects you are working on now that you can share a hint or tidbit with us?
PAIGE - This year, I have a wonderful, wintry picture book on penguins coming out late fall called Penguin Palooza. And then next year there should be some spooky projects on the horizon! And, of course, there may be some other talking characters coming up in the Talking Rocks series … !
MATTHEW - We just might be working on another book in our Talking Series, and I'm designing and illustrating my next tabletop game.
Well then we might just have to keep our eyes open for a sequel. Good luck! Last question, what is your favorite National Park or Forest, regional park, or city park (anywhere in the world)? Or the one you’re longing to visit. Why?
PAIGE - I grew up right next to Topanga State Park in California. I loved the scents of sage and dry brush and all the small wildflowers. I also love Arches and Bryce Canyon is Utah: those parks have some of the coolest rock formations I’ve ever seen!
MATTHEW - Humboldt Redwood State Park is one of my favorites. Walking through ancient forests and seeing trees bigger than you can imagine is pure magic. And the rangers are fantastic guides.
Thank you, Paige and Matthew, for sharing with us a bit about yourselves and your newest picture book.
To find out more about Paige Towler, or to contact her:
Website: https://www.paigetowler.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paigetowlerbooks/
To find out more about Matthew Carlson, or to contact him:
Website: https://www.dreamjar.com
Instagram: : https://www.instagram.com/dreamjar415
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