The Picture Book Buzz - Interview with Elizabeth Brown
- 2 minutes ago
- 6 min read
Elizabeth Brown is a children’s book author, writer, film producer, and college teacher. Born in Illinois, she grew up in both Illinois and Vermont.
Additionally, she is a contributor to Stream This Next (edited by Liane Bonin Starr), published in March 2022 by Rizzoli and The Bright Press (UK). Her YA fiction has appeared in Immediate Fiction published by St. Martin’s Press and her book reviews, short prose, and essays have appeared in the Mom Egg Review, Emerge, the Illinois Association for Gifted Children Journal, and other publications.
She earned her MFA in Creative Writing from Goddard College as well as a Post-MFA Certificate in the Teaching of Creative Writing from Antioch University Los Angeles. She is also a graduate of the Writer’s Studio at Simon Fraser University.
Ms. Brown teaches writing and the humanities at Saint Augustine College in Chicago and Lewis University as well as teaches creative writing for children K-12 at The Center for Gifted in the Chicagoland area. She has taught Screenwriting, Playwriting, Documentary Film Writing, and Writing Books for Children at Oakton Community College ALL and Evanston Township High School Adult and Continuing Education as well as other writing workshops. She has served as a judge for the Torrance Legacy Creative Writing Awards.
She is the author of The Right to Play: How Jane Addams Fought for America’s Playgrounds, illustrated by Olga Lee (2025), Like a Diamond in the Sky: Jane Taylor’s Beloved Poem of Wonder and the Stars, illustrated by Becca Stadtlander (2022), and Dancing Through Fields of Color: The Story of Helen Frankenthaler, illustrated by Aimee Sicuro (2019).
Elizabeth’s newest picture book, The World Entire: A True Story of an Extraordinary World War II Rescue, was released on September 2, 2025.
Welcome Elizabeth,
Tell us a little about yourself. (Where/when do you write? Is there something not in your bio that you’d like to share with us?)
Thanks so much for the opportunity to share my ideas and work. I am honored to discuss my writing process and The World Entire. I usually write in the mornings or afternoons, depending on my teaching schedule. I also write on weekends. I usually write at home in my living room or office. I also write in my college office. A favorite place to write is the public library and outside at the park when it’s nice.
Most people don’t know that before I was an author and writing teacher, I was (and still am) a professional violinist and violin teacher.
It is wonderful to "meet" you. Thank you for sharing that special information with us. What is one of the most fun or unusual places where you’ve written a manuscript?
I remember writing on a boat in New York, which was a first for me. The water was peaceful, the lake was quiet, and I got a lot of writing done. I feel it’s great to write in different spaces to see what works best for your writing process. A change of place can really help with writing flow and help to solve any writing problems you might be facing at any time in your manuscript. I often write with music, usually classical or movie soundtracks. I also do some of my best writing in libraries, as I can focus deeply on whatever project I am working on.
Drafting on a boat sounds like a lot of fun. What was your inspiration or spark of interest for The World Entire: A True Story of an Extraordinary World War II Rescue?
I read an article about Aristides de Sousa Mendes, and I was hooked. I felt his story would make a great children’s book. Once I started researching, I kept seeing the possibilities. I did try to write it as a middle-grade book, but ultimately, creating the story as a picture book was the best choice for this project. This allowed the story to become more visual, which I felt was important for Aristides’ story. As a picture book, his story could reach all ages, even adults.
I like that picture books have the ability to attract such a wide range of readership. Do you have a particular process for starting a manuscript and writing? Did it change at all for The World Entire?
Once I have completed my research, I begin working on a manuscript. Later on in the writing process, I create a book dummy to see how the manuscript would look as a picture book. With The World Entire, I created scenes on scene cards since Aristides’ heroic rescue is very active and has an almost cinematic quality with its emotional impact and subject matter. I did this a few times to get a good sense of the story and its flow as a picture book. From there, I continued working on revisions and reading the story aloud until it was ready to submit. I feel each book has its own “process” after the initial drafts and revisions, as I learn more and more about my story through its creation from start to finish.
Thank you for sharing this process. What was the hardest part of research and/or writing The World Entire? What is the most fun part?
The hardest part of researching for The World Entire was digging deep to find Aristides’ story. When I first started working on the research, the information was difficult to find. I spent long hours reading, interviewing, and searching for the information that was not readily available. Using help from the Sousa Mendes Foundation made a difference, especially for any questions I had. Additionally, I researched many of the refugees' testimonies. Reading their stories and knowing what they had been through was fascinating. This made it easier to detail their experience in the story, which was important to me.
What a blessing for the foundation to exist and be able to help with your research. How long did it take from the first “seed” of the idea to publication for The World Entire?
This story took several years to research and write. It was actually the first picture book manuscript I wrote and the fourth one to publish. Once it was sold, it took a few more years to release. I enjoyed the process. Seeing how it changed and evolved during each step helped me understand the book-making process.
Interesting. Did anything surprise or amaze you when you first got to see Melissa Castrillón’s illustrations? What is your favorite spread?
Text © Elizabeth Brown, 2026. Image © Melissa Castrillón, 2026.
When I first saw Melissa’s art, I was stunned. The illustrations were beautiful and powerful. Her art does so much to depict Aristides’ journey. My favorite spread is the first one, as it shows Aristides and his family in earlier days. The bright colors are luminous, and the intricate details of setting and time period make the story come alive for young readers. I also love the final illustration, when Aristides meets one of the children to whom he gave a visa. It holds so much emotional impact and really says so much about Aristides and his impact on the future generations of those he rescued.
This is a great image, both for the colors, but also for showing the reader what was most important to Aristides. Was there anything you discovered in your research about Aristides de Sousa Mendes and his rescue of refugees that you weren’t able to fit into the book or the back matter?
I would have liked to add more information about how the Sousa Mendes family worked to preserve Aristides de Sousa Mendes’ legacy and heroic rescue so that future generations might know of his bravery. I am honored to have written this book to help young readers learn about Aristides’ actions and impact. I hope more people learn about Aristides de Sousa Mendes because of it.
I think you have succeeded and I am very glad that you did tell his story. Is there anything special you want your readers to know or hope they discover about The World Entire?
I hope young readers everywhere can take away the message that one person can make a difference. I want readers to learn about his story. I wrote the book so readers of all ages can learn more about Aristides, World War II, and this little-known story of courage.
If only we can all learn from history and not repeat it. Are there any projects you are working on now that you can share a tidbit with us?
Currently, I am working on two new nonfiction picture books and drafting new projects. Stay tuned!
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?
The Pogue, Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park.
Woodstock, VT. Photograph by Carol Betsch, 2014.
I would want to go to any park in Vermont since I grew up there in my middle and high school years. Vermont is my favorite state! Additionally, I would love to visit Rabbit Island (Okunoshima) in Japan. I have always wanted to see it after reading about its history. I love rabbits and have always wanted to travel to Japan!
Thank you, Elizabeth, for sharing about yourself and your newest book with us.
Be sure to come back on Friday for the #PPBF review of The World Entire: A True Story of an Extraordinary World War II Rescue.
For more information about Elizabeth Brown, or to contact her:
Website: https://elizabethbrownbooks.com/
X (Twitter): https://x.com/ebrownbooks
