Six Questions with Megan Clendenan

Megan Clendenan is the author of Just In Case: Saving Seeds in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault  (Charlesbridge, 2025, illustrated by Brittany Cicchese), the 2026 NCTE Orbis Pictus Winner and a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection. She loves to write about topics that explore the connections between society, history, and the environment. Her books include Cities: How Humans Live Together, Fresh Air, Clean Water: Our Right to a Healthy Environment (2023 Green Earth Book Award Winner), and more books are on the way! Megan lives with her family near Vancouver, BC. Visit Megan’s website to learn more. 

1. How did you begin your journey as an author?

I started my career as a communications writer for a social/environmental focused non-profit. In my free time—during evenings, at lunch, and on the bus to work—I played around with writing for children. I took writing classes and joined organizations like SCBWI to learn as much as possible about the craft of writing, and eventually, I started submitting to publishers. I gravitated towards writing non-fiction because I enjoy both researching and writing!

2. Do you ever get stuck creatively? If so, how do you get unstuck?

Nature! Often, my best ideas come when I’m out on my local trails running or biking. I always bring my phone so I can type out my thoughts before I get home. I’m also inspired to write by reading. I read a wide variety of fiction and non-fiction, and I’ve been ‘unstuck’ many times by something I read. It’s pretty awesome that reading is a part of my job description.

3. Do you work on multiple projects at the same time?

Yes! I love variety and find I’m more productive when I have different types of work in a day. At the moment, I’m working on some non-fiction picture book ideas, and I also have two upcoming middle-grade non-fiction books in the works. And alongside my non-fiction projects, I’m also working on some fiction projects, and they all have STEM elements.

4. Where did you get the idea for Just in Case? What was your inspiration?

I first learned about the Svalbard Seed Vault from a podcast. I was astounded that someone built a vault in a mountain to protect our seeds! I set out to learn as much as I could, then I reached out to request an interview with Dr. Cary Fowler, one of the people who was deeply influential in creating the Svalbard Vault. He kindly agreed to meet with me, and I learned more about how and why the seed vault was developed and constructed. I chose to focus the story on the construction of the vault because I thought the excitement of a construction project would be a great entry point into the subject for picture book readers.

5. What was the most challenging thing you faced while writing/researching this book?

The most challenging part was crafting the words to explain why it’s important to save seeds. There was a lot of complex science about climate change, seed varieties, and farming practices to parse out in only a few pages. I wanted the story to be exciting and fascinating for readers, and set the stage for the importance of building the seed safe. That was a big challenge! I wrote those few pages many, many times before I landed on a version I felt worked.

6. If you read this book to a room filled with kids, what message would you want them to leave with?

That Just In Case is a hopeful story about the power of cooperation. The seed vault is a positive example of people working together for the greater good. I hope this inspires a sense of hope, even in the face of climate change and ongoing conflicts worldwide. There are also lots of fun details about the construction process, including how they got diggers and excavators to a tiny Arctic island. Finally, I’d like readers to see they can take action. They can choose to plant a seed or to try a new food. Many local libraries have a “seed library,” where people can borrow and exchange local seeds.