Interview with Jan Milusich, Author of “I Hear the Snow, I Smell the Sea”
Bicultural Mama is excited to share our interview with Jan Milusich, author of I Hear the Snow, I Smell the Sea! Published by Penguin, Random House, Jan Milusich delves into her experience as a teacher for the visually impaired to bring us a picture book featuring a blind child as the main character. The story, written through the child’s eyes, is full of heart and joy. I Hear the Snow, I Smell the Sea launches on October 7, 2025. Pre-orders are available now anywhere books are sold.
Publisher’s Description of I Hear the Snow, I Smell the Sea:
In this lyrical picture book, share in a blind child’s joyful experience of the changing seasons. Neveah is blind, but that doesn’t mean she can’t enjoy each of the four wondrous seasons of the year. In this poetic story with art by a two-time Caldecott Medalist, join Neveah as she uses her senses of touch, taste, hearing, and smell to vividly describe the changing seasons and the unique delights they each have to offer.
How has being a teacher for the visually impaired and blind influenced your writing?
Jan Milusich (JM): What a great question, Maria! Being a teacher for visually impaired and blind preschool students has influenced my writing in many ways. To best support my students’ success, I work to perceive tasks as they might. I keep in mind their height, reach, visual condition, other disabilities they may have, sensitivities, fears, and interests too. That focus helps me tailor their lessons. Similarly, when writing a story, it helps me hone in on the point of view of my characters, who are often of a similar age. And as a picture book writer, I couldn’t be in better or more imaginative company than 3-5-year-old children. At that age, instead of brainstorming ideas, they brain-rainbow them.
Another way that being a teacher for visually impaired and blind students has influenced my writing is in my efforts to make I Hear the Snow, I Smell the Sea as accessible as I can. I’m thrilled that National Braille Press is adding the book to its Children’s Braille Book Club in 2026. The book will feature transparent braille that overlays the print so the book can be read by sighted, visually impaired, and blind readers.
What is the book about, and what inspired you to write it?
JM: I Hear the Snow, I Smell the Sea tells the story of a young blind girl’s experience of the changing seasons. My students throughout the years have been my inspiration, from my very first to my present-day learners. The perspectives they share with me, the experiential learning we mutually grow from, and in turn share with their peers and classroom teachers, inspired the idea for the story.
Originally, I wrote the story in third person. When my editor asked me to change it to first person, I reached out to one of my former students—now a teacher and poet—to ask how she felt about me, a sighted teacher for the visually impaired, writing a first-person narrative from the perspective of a blind child. Her supportive answer highlighted my years of teaching. She noted that as a blind writer, she has often written from the point of view of a sighted person. With her as my sensitivity reader, I took on the challenge of revising the point of view of the story.
It’s my hope that with I Hear the Snow, I Smell the Sea, visually impaired and blind readers will find themselves portrayed in a way that empowers their understanding of the world by demonstrating the nuances the senses of hearing, smell, taste, and touch can offer to the perception of our surroundings. I also hope that sighted readers will gain a greater understanding of the competence and capability of blind or visually impaired individuals.
It’s amazing the illustrator for this book is Chris Raschka! How did you react to this news?
JM: I was blown away when I heard the news! I was so excited that I got on the phone with my family right away, but as they’re not picture book writers or illustrators, I had to explain my excitement. “He’s a picture book rock star!” I told them.
What level of interaction did you and the illustrator have during the process?
JM: Chris and I didn’t personally interact, but I couldn’t be more pleased with the art he envisioned and rendered. I appreciate the subtle portrayal of the main character’s disability, and how her and her mother’s skin tone reflect the changing seasons. Equally, I admire the warmth and emotion in his portrayal of their bond, the qualities of movement he gave to his illustrations, which make you want to mimic the action of the main character, and how he transformed the onomatopoeia I wrote into a facet of many of the illustrations’ composition.
What was your initial reaction to the cover?
JM: My initial reaction was one of surprise, only because the main character’s name in the book, Neveah, belonged to a former student of mine who was Latina. As such, the name will always bring her little face haloed by black curls to my mind. But the book is an amalgamation of learning experiences I’ve shared with my students, past and present. The main character, on the cover, displays an open expression of curiosity and joy. It’s a reflection I’ve been fortunate to see on the faces of many of my students.
Where can readers find your book, and what events can they find you at?
JM: I Hear the Snow, I Smell the Sea is available anywhere books are sold. Readers can purchase the book at retailers such as these sites: Bookshop.org, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon.
Events:
Bookstore Book Launch: 1:00 pm, Saturday, Oct. 11th at Global Language Reads, 402 Main Street Port Jefferson, NY. There’ll be an interactive reading of I Hear the Snow, I Smell the Sea, sensory exploration activities, and a book signing!
Library Book Launch: 2:00 pm, Sunday, October 19th @ Huntington Public Library, 338 Main Street, Huntington, NY. There’ll be an interactive reading of I Hear the Snow, I Smell the Sea, sensory exploration activities, a craft, book signing, and refreshments!
Sensory Storytime: 2:00 pm, Sunday, Nov. 2nd, Port Jefferson Library, 100 Thompson Street, Port Jefferson, NY. Enjoy an interactive reading of I Hear the Snow, I Smell the Sea, sensory exploration activities, and a craft!
Sensory Storytime-Barnes & Noble, Smith Haven Mall, Lake Grove: 11:00 am, Saturday November 22nd. Enjoy the author reading of I Hear the Snow, I Smell the Sea and participate in sensory exploration activities!
About the Author – Jan Milusich
Janice Milusich is a children’s author and a teacher for the visually impaired, working with preschool students. Her students and their imagination often inspire her writing. She’s a graduate of Stony Brook’s Children’s Literature Fellowship and Renee LaTulippe’s Lyrical Lab. Her newest picture book, I Hear the Snow, I Smell the Sea, illustrated by Chris Raschka and published by Anne Schwartz Books, an imprint of Penguin, Random House, launches October 7, 2025. Her other works for children include the picture book, Off Go Their Engines, Off Go Their Lights, published by Dutton, and the chapter book series, Cleo’s Big Ideas, published by Eifrig Publishing. Janice has also been published in the Cricket Media magazines, such as Spider and Muse. To learn more about Janice, visit her website at www.janmilusich.com and follow her on social media: Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky.
About the Illustrator – Chris Raschka
Chris Raschka is a multi-award-winning author/illustrator of over seventy books for children. Named “one of the most original illustrators at work today” by Publishers Weekly, Raschka has won two Caldecott Medals (for A Ball for Daisy and The Hello, Goodbye Window), as well as a Caldecott Honor Award for Yo? Yes! His titles also include Everyone Can Learn to Ride a Bicycle and Daisy Gets Lost, both of which received numerous starred reviews; Mary’s Idea, which was named a 2023 New York Times Best Illustrated Book; and The Blue Table. He lives in New York City.
Hi Maria–I loved reading your interview of Jan and learning more about her inspiration from her students. What a beautiful book this is and looking forward to attending a few of the upcoming local book events as well.
Thank you for your nice comment, Annina!