Emily Barth Isler
Author/Writer

Can you tell us a little bit about what you do?
I’m an author of books for young people and their families. In 2021, I published AFTERMATH, an award-winning middle grade novel about grief, resilience, friendship, math, and mime. Comedian and activist Amy Schumer called AFTERMATH “A gift to the culture,” and author Judith Viorst pronounced it “pretty close to perfect.”

In 2024, my second middle grade novel, THE COLOR OF SOUND, was published, receiving starred reviews from both Publishers Weekly and School Library Journal. It has since been longlisted for the 2025 Pedro and Daniel Intersectionality Book Awards in the middle grade and young adult category, and was selected as a Middle Grade finalist in the California Independent Booksellers’ Alliance’s 2024 Golden Poppy Book Awards. Actor and author John Cho calls THE COLOR OF SOUND “… a valentine to families everywhere. Isler explores multiple intergenerational relationships lovingly and honestly, while keeping a gifted and vulnerable girl firmly at the center. It’s hard to imagine a book that I would want both my parents and my children to read, and yet, here is one.”

I have two more books coming out in 2026, both of which are Picture Books. The first one is called THREE PIECES OF BROKEN GLASS, which will be published by Abrams Children’s, and the other, ALWAYS ENOUGH LOVE, will be published by Nancy Paulsen Books/Penguin RandomHouse.

I am also a freelance journalist– I write regularly about sustainability, organic/eco-friendly skincare, and healthy beauty products for Oprah Daily, Allure, Organic Spa Magazine, and Yahoo. My 2023 feature for Oprah Quarterly Magazine, What “Clean Beauty” Means Now, investigates the science and ethics of sustainability, consumption and beauty. In my capacity as a journalist and essayist, I write and speak about mental health and neurodiversity, appearing frequently on podcasts and writing in print about flourishing with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Anxiety, and Synesthesia.

A passionate advocate for gun control in America, I have written extensively on the topic for publications like Publisher’s Weekly, Today.com and Kveller.com, as well as donating a portion of proceeds from AFTERMATH to gun violence prevention organizations such as Everytown, Moms Demand, Teachers Unify, Survivors Empowered, and March for our Lives.

How did you first become interested in writing / the arts?
I’m a third generation writer, actually! My father is a retired TV journalist, and his father, my grandfather, was an editorial writer for the Washington Post. I was really lucky to grow up seeing many examples of how one could make a living as a writer. That’s one thing I really appreciate about Burbank—kids growing up here have the opportunity to meet and observe so many artists working in all different areas of creative fields. As the expression goes, if you can see it, you can be it.

I didn’t start out as a writer, though, even though I knew it was something I eventually wanted to pursue. I got started in the arts as a child actor in musicals and plays, in the Baltimore/Washington, DC area where I grew up. I started acting professionally at the age of five, and just kept performing through college and beyond. I loved being a storyteller, working with talented, compassionate people towards a common goal, but as I got older, I got more and more interested in the “story” part of the storytelling, wanting to be part of deciding what happened to the characters next and who said what.

I have always loved books and reading, and was frequently writing in my spare time, but I decided to make it my career about fifteen years ago and have been so happy and lucky to get to tell stories that matter to me ever since. I love writing for kids because I know how impactful a story can be when it makes someone feel seen or less alone, and how books are excellent conversation starters for families. As a journalist, I love shining spotlights on issues that are important to people, highlighting individuals and companies that are making the world a better place with sustainable innovations, and generally raising awareness about the kinds of things I think people need to think about more.

Again, I was so lucky to be raised in a family and a community that really, really supported and valued the arts. I want all kids to know that the arts are not just worthy but impactful.

How does art enrich a community, and what are some ways people can engage with art in Burbank?
I am so proud and honored to be one of the co-founders, along with fellow author and friend Erin La Rosa, of the Burbank Book Festival. We had our first festival at Three Sisters Coffee and Tea on August 10, 2024, and will officially make it an annual festival with our second installment on November 8, 2025! (Follow @burbankbookfest on Instagram for all the information!)

We wanted to start the book festival here so that authors could connect with readers and with each other, since we know it’s such a vibrant community for writers. We also wanted to show the city that there is interest in and appetite for an indie bookstore in Burbank! I think it would be such a nice addition to our community.

Through launching the Burbank Book Festival, I’ve had the chance to meet even more writers and creators who live here, and many people are surprised that there are so many “book people” in a town famous for TV and Film studios.

I think it makes sense there would be lots of book people in Burbank—any city that values public education and the arts the way that Burbank does is bound to attract readers, writers, and book lovers of all kinds. When my husband and I moved here from New York City with our two kids back in 2019, Burbank was our first choice as a place to live. We did so much research on towns and neighborhoods in the LA area, seeking great public schools, a family-friendly atmosphere, some walkable areas, public parks, and public pools to swim in, and Burbank really checked all the boxes!!

Burbank has welcomed my family and me with open arms, and it’s exciting to be able to be so involved so quickly in something like the Burbank Book Festival. We’re hosting the second annual festival at the Buena Vista branch of the Public Library, which is an incredible way to involve even more people who love books and want to encourage reading and writing in Burbank.

If you could share with our community one thing about art and/or your creative process, what would it be?
I wrote most of my second book, THE COLOR OF SOUND, while swimming laps at the Verdugo Pool! I swim there twice a week and just love being able to use my time in the water to think and brainstorm and get creative, without all the distractions of everyday life. I’ve made some great friends at the pool—some of whom are fellow artists who love swimming for the same reasons I do—and just adore how creativity is found absolutely everywhere in Burbank. If you see someone taking notes on her phone or talking into voice memos between sets of laps at the pool, it’s probably me. I’m working on another book now, and my lap swim time is where I get all my best ideas and inspiration.

To find out more about Emily and her work, visit https://emilybarthisler.com/