The New Yorker Radio Hour

Episode: The Cartoonist Liana Finck Picks Three Favorite Children’s Books
Host: David Remnick
Guest: Liana Finck, New Yorker cartoonist and author
Date: September 23, 2025

Overview

This episode explores the artistry and influence of children's books through the perspective of New Yorker cartoonist Liana Finck. Host David Remnick and Finck discuss the unique qualities that make children’s books special, the overlap between cartoons for adults and children, and the enduring magic of illustration. Finck shares her three favorite children’s books, reflecting on their personal and artistic impact.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Thematic Power of Children’s Books

• Artistic Roots and Emotional Impact:
  • Liana discusses how children's books were her first experience of art and foundational for her career (03:15).
  • "They're really why I do what I do. I loved them. I think I stopped loving them when it stopped being socially appropriate." – Liana Finck [03:19]
• Children’s Books vs. Cartoons for Adults:
  • Remnick and Finck explore the overlap between whimsical, direct forms of storytelling in both genres (02:06).
  • "I would compare them to fairy tales. Like they're right." – Liana Finck [02:06]
• Changing Nature of the Genre:
  • Finck observes contemporary children's books are "more sophisticated, and in other ways they're less weird. And that's a little bit sad." (02:36)

Book 1: C D B! by William Steig

• Book Structure and Appeal:
  • C D B! is a puzzle-based children’s book where phrases are represented only by letters (04:14).
  • "The phrase 'see the bee' is written as the letters C, D, and B." – Liana Finck [04:22]
• Steig’s Illustrative Style:
  • Praise for Steig’s "anarchic, super emotional, super simple drawings" and refusal to "talk down to children." (04:31, 06:07)
  • Example: "He doesn't talk down to children. ...So 'envy' probably isn't a word you would normally see in a children's book. And he's boiling it down to make it so essential." – Liana Finck [05:48]

Book 2: What Pete Ate from A–Z by Maira Kalman

• Personal Connection and Influence:
  • Kalman was an influence since Finck's childhood. The first kids' book that deeply inspired her was Kalman’s Sayonara, Mrs. Kackleman (06:18).
  • "I think Myra Kellman might be my favorite kids book author and illustrator." – Liana Finck [06:28]
• Internship Experience:
  • Finck interned for Kalman as a teen: "She had me organize her moss collection and walk Pete." (07:18)

Book 3: Tell Me a Mitzi by Lore Segal, illustrated by Harriet Pincus

• Narrative Structure and Illustration:
  • Book features stories told by parents to a child, centered on the titular Mitzi in mid-century New York (11:21).
  • Finck admires Segal’s storytelling approach: "She wrote...a little bit tedious. There’s a ton of tedious detail, and I think it’s really soothing for kids." (13:24)
• Emotional Resonance:
  • Pincus’s illustrations are "so appealing and so delicious. ...when we look at pictures, it brings us back to exactly who we were when we were kids, which is magic." – Liana Finck [13:52]

Reflection: Endurance of Cartoons and Drawing

• On the Future of Cartoons:
  • Remnick asks if cartoons will survive digital change (14:08). Finck disagrees with the idea that only some people should draw, likening drawing’s universality to music (14:25).
  • "I think it's very similar to music. It's just like something that comes out of us." – Liana Finck [14:38]

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• "Kids books were my first experience of art. They're really why I do what I do." – Liana Finck [03:15]
• "He doesn't talk down to children. He uses big words, he talks about complex things." – Liana Finck on William Steig [05:44]
• "I think myra kellman might be my favorite kids book author and illustrator." – Liana Finck [06:28]
• "She had me organize her moss collection and walk Pete." – Liana Finck on being Maira Kalman’s intern [07:18]
• "When we look at pictures, it brings us back to exactly who we were when we were kids, which is magic." – Liana Finck [13:52]
• "Everyone's different. I should draw, but I'm kind of changing my mind. I think it's, like, so essential. I think it's very similar to music." – Liana Finck [14:32]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 01:05 – Introduction to Liana Finck and overview of her career
• 02:06 – Discussion: Cartoons for adults vs. children’s books
• 03:15 – How motherhood and art intersect for Finck
• 04:14 – Book 1: William Steig's C D B!
• 06:18 – Book 2: Maira Kalman’s What Pete Ate from A–Z; intern anecdote
• 11:21 – Book 3: Tell Me a Mitzi by Lore Segal and Harriet Pincus
• 14:08 – Reflection: Will cartoons last forever?

Conclusion

Through humor, nostalgia, and insight, Liana Finck and David Remnick showcase the artistry of children’s books and their continued significance for both readers and creators. Finck’s selections highlight works that are inventive, emotionally resonant, and deeply influential, suggesting that children’s literature never loses its magic—regardless of age.