Interview: Rob Sanders

SARAH STEINBACHER: Kirkus called your picture book, A FAMILY OF READERS, “a hopeful and joyful love letter to the public library.” What’s your favorite library? Do you have any special library memories as a kid?

ROB SANDERS: I suppose my favorite library is the one I’m in! When I travel, I always search for a library. Just being with books and readers makes me feel right at home. I have fond memories of libraries from growing up. My mom would take us kids to the public library, and we also had a wonderful (and large) library in our church. We didn’t have libraries in our elementary schools when I was growing up, so the school district sent a large wooden box filled with books to every class once a month. We’d rip into that box like it was Christmas morning. Members of our class had all month to read those books, and then we’d put them back in the box and they’d be shipped away. Of course, we’d be waiting with excitement for the next book box to arrive.

SARAH STEINBACHER: In BOOK COMES HOME you explored book banning through the lens of a library book. According to Kirkus, you showed “the power of organizing and the value of the freedom to read.” Was there a particular banned book that impacted you as a child? How does book banning impact some of your other stories?

ROB SANDERS: I was totally unaware of book banning when I was growing up. Undoubtedly it was going on—but I was in the Midwest, and I was oblivious to anything going on in the world that was in the encyclopedia or reported by Walter Cronkite. Sadly, I now know a lot about book banning and most kids do, too. Most challenged and banned books are by and/or about people of color and by and/or about members of the LGBTQIA+ community. All of my nonfiction books have been challenged if not outright banned. A couple of years ago PRIDE: THE STORY OF HARVEY MILK AND THE RAINBOW FLAG was tied for first place as most-banned picture book in the US. It’s a dubious honor. What’s the real impact of book bans? The real impact is on readers who can’t find and read books that reflect themselves and/or their families, books that allow them to learn about and grow empathy toward people who might be different than them, and books that could empower them to create and live in a world that is informed and accepting of others.

SARAH STEINBACHER: Your upcoming picture book shares 60 inspiring queer athletes who PLAY PROUD. Based on your research for the book, what advice would you give to LGBTQIA+ kid athletes and their families on their participation in sports? Do you play any sports?

ROB SANDERS: The author’s note in the back of PLAY PROUD features the only photo of me playing sports. It’s probably the summer before third grade and I’m in a baseball uniform swinging the bat (and undoubtedly missing) a pitch. I grew up in a sports-minded family, but I loved other team activities—musicals, art fairs, and speech and debate tournaments! I wrote PLAY PROUD specifically because I knew kids didn’t have access to stories about queer athletes and there certainly would never be 60 biographies about different queer athletes. My advice to LGBTQIA+ kid athletes and parents would be the same as to any other kids and parents—find the activities you love to do, participate, do your best, have fun, and proudly be yourself.

SARAH STEINBACHER: Kirkus called your rhyming picture book WE ARE A CLASS “an enthusiastically inclusive treatise for kids wondering—or worrying—about what to expect from school.” How has your experience as a teacher influenced your writing and how has your writing influenced your teaching?

ROB SANDERS: Teaching has greatly influenced my writing and vice versa. Though I’m now retired from teaching I still am in schools, and that continues to guide my writing. Three-fourths of my published books were written while teaching. At least two fictional books were actually inspired by events that occurred at school. Several of my nonfiction books were written because I knew there were no books like them and consequently my students had holes in their knowledge and in their education. Being a writer while I taught helped me empathize with students as they struggled with writing and revising. Being a writer also helped me to be able to show students tangible examples of the writing process, rejection, editor’s notes, and of writing success. The most fun thing was that whenever a new book released, my students and I would have a book birthday party together and read and celebrate the book.

SARAH STEINBACHER: You collaborated with Carole Boston Weatherford on two picture book biographies: A SONG FOR THE UNSUNG: BAYARD RUSTIN, THE MAN BEHIND THE 1963 MARCH ON WASHINGTON and ANDRÉ: ANDRÉ LEON TALLEY—A FABULOUSLY FASHIONABLE FAIRY TALE. What did you like best about the collaboration process and what did you find most challenging?

ROB SANDERS: I love collaboration and thoroughly enjoyed working with Carole Boston Weatherford. Carole and I knew one another before starting our projects and we taught together at writing conferences a few times. The process that worked for us was Zooming together for a few hours at a time, sharing our research, and actually writing together using the “share screen” feature on Zoom. It was an amazing feeling to share back and forth and truly collaborate. Most challenging? Well, that would be deciding which project we will work on next!

SARAH STEINBACHER: What are you reading right now?

ROB SANDERS: The last two years I’ve been reading more fiction and nonfiction for adults. My current read is MY FRIENDS by Fredrik Backman. I’m also reading biographies—the adult kind and the picture book kind—about Beatrix Potter.

SARAH STEINBACHER: Which do you like most—coffee, tea, soda, juice, or water?

ROB SANDERS: Tea. The next time you’re at a coffee shop order a London Fog. It will change your life.

SARAH STEINBACHER: What’s your favorite place in the whole world?

ROB SANDERS: I love traveling to the UK. Anywhere in Scotland and London is my favorite city in the world. A couple of years ago I discovered the town of Rye, England. It’s a magical place and I have promised myself that I’m going to find a way to stay in Rye for a month and write, walk, drink tea, eat fish and chips, and visit charity (aka thrift) shops every day.

SARAH STEINBACHER: What’s one writing tip you swear by?

ROB SANDERS: The best writing tip is to write. Sounds simple, right? But for most of us it’s not easy at all. As a matter of fact, I think many of our homes have never been cleaner than on the day we promised ourselves we’d sit down to write. Our inner critic and our inner saboteur will try anything to keep us away from paper or the computer screen. My advice is to sit down and write. Then repeat.

Follow Rob on his website, on Facebook, and on Instagram.

*****Pre-order Rob’s upcoming book PLAY PROUD here, available 5/5/26.*****