PICTURE BOOK AUTHOR INTERVIEW & BOOK REVIEW : I am a Spicy Nugget by Loryn Brantz

 

I AM A SPICY NUGGET

written and illustrated by Loryn Brantz

Viking, 2026

ISBN: 979-8-217-04214-2

Source : publisher for review (Thanks!)

Ages 4-8

All opinions expressed are solely my own.

Book cover & summary provided by the publisher.

Thanks to the publisher for arranging the interview!

Thanks to Loryn Brantz for taking the time to answer my questions!

ABOUT THE BOOK

From the New York Times bestselling creator of Feminist Baby and Poems of Parenting comes the hilariously relatable story about a girl whose big emotions turn her into a spicy nugget!

Angry?

Overwhelmed?

Confused that a simple request for a pet penguin has been unreasonably denied?

Then you might be at risk of becoming . . .

A SUPER HOT SIZZLING EXTRA SPICY NUGGET!

Follow one such nugget as she releases fiery fury on all who dare approach (stuffed animals, beware!). But big emotions and even bigger personalities are no match for a little patience and a lot of love—the best remedies for soothing even your spiciest feelings.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR

Loryn Brantz is an Emmy Award–winning author, artist, poet, and director. She is the creator of numerous beloved children’s books and characters, including the best-selling series Feminist Baby and It Had to Be You (Love Poems Your Baby Can See). Her work can be seen on Sesame Street, Jim Henson’s Pajanimals, Ms. Rachel, and more. Her latest book, Poems of Parenting, is a New York Times bestseller, and her new book, I am a Spicy Nugget, is available for pre-order now!

She created the popular animated web series The Good Advice Cupcake in 2017. In 2026, it was misused by AI without her consent. She is now working to protect other artists through legislation, entitled The Creativity Protection Act, or Cuppy's Law.

Her greatest desire is to make the world a better place through art, even if just a little — but hopefully, a lot. Loryn lives in New York City with her husband, architect Jake J. Brotter, and children, Dalia and Ronen.

Photo by Brittany Bartley

INTERVIEW with LORYN BRANTZ

What is the 'story behind the story'?

Spicy Nugget was inspired by my daughter, who can reach atomic levels of spicy, and by that, I mean she’s extremely sensitive, empathetic, wonderful, magical, and at times quite explosive. We tried everything and found that the only strategy that seemed to help with her tantrums was humor and imaginative play. So, one time, she was about to have a major meltdown, and I said cheekily, “Are you a Spicy Nugget?? I’m going to dip you in some cold buttermilk to cool you off!” I have no idea what that means, but we both thought it was funny, so I went with it, picked her up, and pretended to dunk her onto the couch, which was a “glass of buttermilk.” We were able to take a breather and calm down from the big feeling, and that’s where the idea of a Spicy Nugget originated.

What has your writing journey been like?

Long! I Am a Spicy Nugget will be my 13th published book. It has been such a journey from book one to here. My first book was never picked up after two years of pitching; my second book received more personalized rejections for over a year, so I knew I was getting closer. Finally, a small press picked up my third book, and it kept growing from there. Publishing is a slow process; you really have to keep plugging away! 

Which comes first: words or illustrations?

It depends, but often it starts with the general concept and a character design, then the words.

 

Why do you feel it's so important to write a story like this one?

I wanted to make a book that reflects the realities of big emotions in childhood. I found many of these books were too preachy or educational-feeling, so my kids didn’t enjoy them. I hoped to make a version that was immersive and totally fun for kids to read. To help make parents and kids laugh, feel seen, and know that everyone can be a spicy nugget sometimes, and that’s OK!

What did you find difficult about illustrating this book?

For sure, trying to capture feelings on the page. I ended up going down a rabbit hole with the “emotion lines.” I must have tried over a hundred options: pastels, scanned-in threads, markers, every medium possible. I was actually about to resign myself to scanned-in embroidery thread because it looked really cool even though I wasn’t 100% happy with it, and I had pretty much run out of time. But then I happened upon an art gallery that had these beautiful Keith Harings and Jean-Michel Basquiats, and seeing them reminded me what a difference it makes when you can see the pressure of the medium applied to the canvas. Basquiat’s scribbles and words in oil stick hold so much emotional power. So I went back to colored pencil and tried to push the pencil harder and with more emotion for effect, and loved it!

BOOK REVIEW

When her mother declines to provide a penguin as a pet, a young girl's emotions get the better of her and she becomes a 'spicy nugget'. Depicted as a nugget during her tantrum, the young girl throws her teddy bear, screams, and emphasizes that telling her to 'chill out' doesn't help. But taking a moment to herself, breathing deeply for a few seconds, and hugging herself do help her to regain control and revert back to her adorable self. The teddy's comments soften the danger of flying across the room (the teddy says Wheee! every time). Once calmed down the mother comes in to talk to her. Now that she's calmed down she realizes that she isn't her emotions and she can learn to manage them (although the teddy does go flying again, this time inadvertently). The illustrations combine black lines with dashes of color highlighting the teddy bear and the clothes of mother and daughter. And the last line is an amusing reminder of what often happens when our emotions run away with us. Recommended for both one-on-one reading or use at school. Young readers will likely pick up the book just because of the words Spicy Nugget and the girl with her bright red cheeks on the cover.