About Mel Rosenberg

Dr. Mel Rosenberg wanted to become a children's book author, but ended up becoming a university professor (microbiology) and inventor. In his forties, he returned to writing for children. Many of his children's stories are available for free on www.Ourboox.com, a website and platform for authors which he co-founded with Ran Shternin. Currently, Mel teaches introductory academic courses on popular music and personal development writing and pursues his ambitions as a picture book author. His first traditionally-published children's book was published by Tal-May in Hebrew in 2023. Mel is represented by the Liza Royce Agency.

Mel Rosenberg is a scientist who fell in love with children's books as a small child in Ottawa and now writes his own. He is co-founder of Ourboox, a web platform with over 300,000 ebooks that

Mel is represented by the Liza Royce Agency.
Mel's website

NBN Episodes hosted by Mel:

Sarah Aronson, "Abzuglutely!:Battling, Bellowing Bella Abzug" (Calkins Creek Books, 2024)

November 3, 2024

Abzuglutely!

Sarah Aronson
Hosted by Mel Rosenberg

In this lively interview with author Sarah Aronson, we celebrate her brand new picture book, Abzuglutely!: Battling, Bellowing Bella Abzug, illustrate…

Childrens' Books in Public Libraries: A Discussion with Pat (Patrick) Gracey

October 27, 2024

Childrens' Books in Public Libraries

Patrick Gracey
Hosted by Mel Rosenberg

Pat (Patrick) Gracey is a senior librarian at the Toronto Public Library where he is a children's services specialist, leading the team that selects n…

Jane Yolen and Heidi E. Y. Stemple, "We Celebrate the Light" (Penguin, 2024)

October 16, 2024

We Celebrate the Light

Jane Yolen and Heidi E. Y. Stemple
Hosted by Mel Rosenberg

In our three-way interview, I celebrate with world-renowned children's authors Jane Yolen and Heidi Stemple (who is also Jane's daughter), their brand…

Tina Shepardson, "The Sorry Seeds" (Gnome Road, 2024)

October 15, 2024

The Sorry Seeds

Tina Shepardson
Hosted by Mel Rosenberg

Tina Shepardson and I celebrate her wonderful new picture book The Sorry Seeds, just published (two days ago!!) by Gnome Road with gorgeous illustrati…

Kimberly Wilson, "A Credit Card Takes Charge" (Page Street Kids, 2024)

October 12, 2024

A Credit Card Takes Charge

Kimberly Wilson
Hosted by Mel Rosenberg

Are you ready for the story of a credit card that takes cash on a spending spree? In my interview with picture book author Kimberly Wilson, we celebra…

Cathey Stefanec Ogren, "The Little Red Chair" (Sleeping Bear Press, 2024)

September 14, 2024

The Little Red Chair

Cathey Stefanec Ogren
Hosted by Mel Rosenberg

In this, our second interview, Cathy Stefanec Ogren talks about her brand new, wonderfully written and illustrated (by Alexandra Thompson) picture bo…

On Haya Shenhav's "100 Rooms": A Discussion with Yirmi PInkus

September 8, 2024

On Haya Shenhav's "100 Rooms"

Haya Shenhav
Hosted by Mel Rosenberg

Professor Yirmi Pinkus celebrates with us the rerelease of the classic Hebrew children's book, 100 Rooms by Haya Shenhav, in a new American edition (K…

Ruth Spiro, "One Small Spark: A Tikkun Olam Story" (Dial Books, 2024)

September 7, 2024

One Small Spark

Ruth Spiro
Hosted by Mel Rosenberg

In this, our second interview with prolific author Ruth Spiro, we celebrate the publication of her brand new book, One Small Spark: A Tikkun Olam Stor…

Dan Gutman, "The (Mostly) True Story of Cleopatra's Needle" (Holiday House, 2024)

August 4, 2024

The (Mostly) True Story of Cleopatra's Needle

Dan Gutman
Hosted by Mel Rosenberg

Dan Gutman is the renowned, prolific author of some 190 books for kids from kindergarten up to middle school. His books include Rappy the Raptor (pict…

Don Tate, Children's Book Illustrator and Author

July 13, 2024

Don Tate, Children's Book Illustrator and Author

Don Tate
Hosted by Mel Rosenberg

Don Tate is the award-winning author and/or illustrator of numerous picture book biographies, including Pigskins to Paintbrushes: The Story of Footbal…

Bonni Goldberg, "Doña Gracia Saved Worlds" (Kar-Ben Publishing, 2023)

July 7, 2024

Doña Gracia Saved Worlds

Bonni Goldberg
Hosted by Mel Rosenberg

Bonni Goldberg, award-winning poet, writer, and educator, writes non-fiction for children and adults. In our animated discussion, we talk about how he…

The Business of Publishing Children's Books: A Discussion with Elizabeth Law

June 19, 2024

The Business of Publishing Children's Books

Elizabeth Law
Hosted by Mel Rosenberg

Elizabeth Law has worked in the publishing field her whole life, first as an Editor at Viking Children’s Books and Puffin Books, as Associate Publishe…

Lesléa Newman, "Like Father, Like Son" (Abrams, 2024)

June 5, 2024

Like Father, Like Son

Lesléa Newman
Hosted by Mel Rosenberg

In our animated interview with prolific, award-winning children's author and poet Lesléa Newman, we celebrate two of her picture books which have just…

Robin Newman, "Who's Writing This Story?" (Creston Books, 2024)

May 25, 2024

Who's Writing This Story?

Robin Newman
Hosted by Mel Rosenberg

Robin Newman was a practicing attorney and legal editor but has more fun writing children's books about witches, mice, pigs, and peacocks. In our inte…

Jennifer Berne, "A Tour of the Human Body: Amazing Numbers--Fantastic Facts" (Astra Publishing House, 2024)

May 22, 2024

A Tour of the Human Body

Jennifer Berne
Hosted by Mel Rosenberg

In this wonderful second interview with Jennifer Berne we celebrate the launch of her newest picture book, and the first in a series: A Tour of the H…

Marie-Louise Gay, "Walking Trees" (Groundwood Books, 2024)

May 11, 2024

Walking Trees

Marie-Louise Gay
Hosted by Mel Rosenberg

Marie-Louise Gay is an internationally-acclaimed, multi-award winning Canadian author and illustrator of over 60 books. In our interview, we celebrate…

Julie Carpenter, "Harry and the Highwire: Houdini's First Amazing Act" (Green Bean Books, 2024)

May 4, 2024

Harry and the Highwire

Julie Carpenter
Hosted by Mel Rosenberg

In this interview, we celebrate Julie Carpenter's first picture book, Harry and the Highwire: Houdini's First Amazing Act (Laura Catalán, illustrator)…

Laura Bower, "The Imposter" (Gnome Road Publishing, 2024)

March 30, 2024

The Imposter

Laura Bower
Hosted by Mel Rosenberg

In this heartwarming interview with Laura Bower, we celebrate the launch of her brand new, debut picture book, The Imposter, illustrated by Kerisa Gre…

Michelle Knudsen, "Luigi, the Spider Who Wanted to Be a Kitten" (Candlewick Press, 2024)

March 24, 2024

Luigi, the Spider Who Wanted to Be a Kitten

Michelle Knudsen
Hosted by Mel Rosenberg

Michelle Knudsen is the New York Times best-selling author of fifty books for young readers of all ages, including the award-winning picture books (an…

Sue Fliess, "Octopus Acrobatics" (Albert Whitman & Company, 2024)

March 18, 2024

Octopus Acrobatics

Sue Fliess
Hosted by Mel Rosenberg

Sue Fliess ("fleece") is the award-winning, bestselling author of over 50 children's books including Sadie Sprocket Builds a Rocket, How to Trap a Lep…

Emily Barth Isler, "The Color of Sound" (Carolrhoda Books, 2024)

March 17, 2024

The Color of Sound

Emily Barth Isler
Hosted by Mel Rosenberg

Emily Barth Isler is the author of AfterMath, an award-winning middle grade novel, and of the forthcoming picture book Always Enough Love. In our inte…

A Chat with a Children's Book Illustrator: Erin Kraan

March 10, 2024

A Chat with a Children's Book Illustrator: Erin Kraan

Erin Kraan
Hosted by Mel Rosenberg

Erin Kraan has illustrated over half a dozen children's books, with more on the way. In our interview we celebrate her latest illustrated picture book…

Suzanne Slade, "The Music in George's Head: George Gershwin Creates Rhapsody in Blue" (Astra, 2021)

March 9, 2024

The Music in George's Head

Suzanne Slade
Hosted by Mel Rosenberg

Suzanne Slade is the Sibert Honor author of more than 170 books for children. A mechanical engineer by degree, Suzanne writes about STEM topics, fasci…

Heather L. Montgomery, "Sick!: The Twists and Turns Behind Animal Germs" (Bloomsbury, 2024)

March 2, 2024

Sick!

Heather L. Montgomery
Hosted by Mel Rosenberg

Heather L. Montgomery writes for kids who are wild about animals, masterfully employing yuck appeal to engage young minds. Her 17 nonfiction books inc…