BONUS: Books Are Magic with John Sazaklis
6/30/202615 min
Mike and Chanel continue their conversation with author John Sazaklis about red-eyed tree frogs, Mad Magazine, the joy of animal education, and how John became a best selling children's book author!
John Sazaklis is the New York Times bestselling author of over 100 titles. He has illustrated Spider-Man books for Marvel, made pop-culture props for MAD magazine, written for the BEN 10 animated series, and even voiced The Grinch for a Dr. Seuss audiobook. John loves to learn. Art and Science are two of his favorite subjects. He loves animals and nature and creatively combines them in his work. John lives in New York City with his wonderful wife, dazzling daughter, and a bunch of books!
Be sure to visit thezooquarium.com/podcast to download quizzes, activity sheets, and bonus materials, upload YOUR art, and submit YOUR animal questions!
RECOMMENDED: WATCH this episode on Apple Podcasts, YouTube and Spotify!
- Learn more about John Sazaklis
- Buy John's books
- Follow John on Instagram: @johnnysaz
- Learn about the Portland Aquarium
- Shop the Mike Bennett Studios store
- Follow us on Instagram: @thezooquarium
- Follow Mike on Instagram: @mikebennettart
- Follow Mike on TikTok: @mikebennettart
- Subscribe to the Mike Bennett Studios YouTube Channel
- Follow Chanel on Instagram: @pschanel
- Learn about The Elakha Alliance: elakhaalliance.org
The Zooquarium releases episodes about different animals every other Tuesday with bonus content for each episode the following week. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts so you’re informed when new episodes come out! Video versions are available on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, and thezooquarium.com/podcast
Credits
- Hosted by: Mike Bennett & Chanel Hason
- Guest: John Sazaklis
- Produced & Edited by: Jon Richardson
- Music by: Gretchen Lohse & Thomas Hughes of Carol Cleveland Sings
- Intro Animation by: Silas Bell & Kyle Bell of Castle Animation
- Artwork by: Fuzzzbrain
Special thanks to
Maybelline & Maybelline's family, John Sazaklis, Michele Kraus Bennett, Cayley Pater, The Elakha Alliance, Teddy Albertson, and red-eyed tree frogs all over the world!
Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsSunny the Snail0:00
This bonus episode features more from Mike and Chanel's conversation with author John Szaszaklis. Enjoy.
Mike Bennett· Host0:05
Well, this My Life as a blank series, you cover all sorts of animals, and you know, we're talking about the red-eyed tree frog today, but I'd love to know some of your other favorites from that series 'cause, 'cause looking at the list, it's, it's pretty fun.
John Sazaklis· Guest0:20
Yeah. Uh, there's eight books in the series so far. Two of them are actually not animals. One is the life of the, the oak tree, and one is the life of the dandelion.
Mike Bennett· Host0:30
Oh.
John Sazaklis· Guest0:30
The dandelion book I wrote first. It's the only one that rhymes. Uh, I couldn't keep it up after the first book. [laughs] So I, I apologize for that. [laughs] So save that one for last. Um, but then out of the, um, like... I got them right here. If I could just flip through them. There's the unicorn of the sea, the narwhal. I mean- The narwhal.
Mike Bennett· Host0:51
Classic.
John Sazaklis· Guest0:52
[laughs] How awesome is that? Here's said dandelion. Uh, sea turtle. We just had National Turtle Day, but next Monday, I believe, is World Ocean Day, so better get on that. [laughs] [laughs] Uh, the monarch butterfly.
Mike Bennett· Host1:07
Oh.
Chanel Hason· Host1:08
Nice.
John Sazaklis· Guest1:08
And like I mentioned before, the great white and the emperor penguin. I think that's all eight.
Chanel Hason· Host1:13
Love.
Mike Bennett· Host1:14
Amazing. I, I have an almost two-year-old, and, and we are definitely having our first, like, dandelion summer or spring- [laughs] ... or whatever. [laughs] Who knows what M- what season it is. But it's become an obsession of hers, and I really want to pick up this My Life as a Dandelion book,