All picture books, all the time

A FISHTASTIC! Interview and Giveaway!

There is a new picture book swimming about in the world— And it’s called Fishtastic!! The subtitle is, “A Tale of Magic and Friendship” which is extremely apropos. Because, you see, this book is written by my very dear friend, Tess Weaver, and I had the privilege to illustrate it. …

OUTSIDE THE BOX with Jody Jensen Shaffer!

To say that Jody Jensen Shaffer likes to keep herself busy is an understatement, as you’re about to see. I only met this talented writer a couple of years ago, when she graciously allowed me to hitch a ride from Kansas City to NerdCamp Kansas and back again. Ten minutes …

A Visit with Tom Lichtenheld (+ MOO-MOO, I LOVE YOU Giveaway!)

Hello, all— I’ve been a fan of Tom Lichtenheld’s books since picking up DUCK! RABBIT! many moons ago, one of his many collaborations with the multitalented and much-missed Amy Krouse Rosenthal, who passed away in 2017. His books are funny, smart, eye-catching, kid-friendly and highly-acclaimed—and more than a few have …

Manuscript Transformations: Staying Open to New Approaches & Books!

I have accumulated a big, beautiful pile of rejection letters over the years. I believe the more rejection letters you get, the easier it is to let them roll off your back and keep writing. But what really makes my pile beautiful is that I have identified some interesting patterns …

MARS IS: Stark Slopes, Silvery Snow, and Startling Surprises (+ Mars Freebies!)

Mars fascinates me! It’s Earth’s closest neighbor in the solar system, and we can see Mars faint reddish light with our own eyes. With the recent landing of Perseverance rover, Mars seems to be in the news more than ever. So with great enthusiasm I introduce a new picture book, …

OUTSIDE THE BOX with Lita Judge!

I can’t imagine that anyone reading this isn’t familiar with the work of creative whirlwind Lita Judge– one of those rare folks equally gifted at both art and storytelling. If you don’t yet know of her, this post is definitely a case where showing is more effective than telling. So …

Be a Tree, Q&A w/Maria Gianferrari + GIVEAWAY!

“Maria Gianferrari has climbed fig trees in Italy, stood under stately coastal redwoods and twisted Torrey pines, marveled at mitten-shaped sassafras leaves, colorful coral trees and sawtooth oak acorn nests. She lives with her family, including dog, Maple, in a house encircled by trees.” Jennifer: Maria, your book, Be a …

TEN BEAUTIFUL THINGS is one beautiful book

Sometimes, life is hard. And, when it is, remembering that there are lovely things alongside the hard ones can be helpful. Not that that’s easy to do when you’re sick, sad, scared or angry. That’s one reason why TEN BEAUTIFUL THINGS by Molly Beth Griffin and Maribel Lechuga (Charlesbridge, 2021) …

Not Now, Cow by Tammi Sauer/Troy Cummings (+ GIVEAWAY)

Hello, Picture Book Builders people. I hope you’re in the mooooooood for a book that features one cow, four seasons, and lots of silliness. NOT NOW, COW is written by yours truly and illustrated by the one-and-only Troy Cummings. Rooster and his farm friends are ready for springtime play. But …

King of the Birds

My agent has challenged me to consider a young graphic novel, so I’ve spent the past few weeks (and a good number of dollars) exploring graphic novels for the very young. There are a lot of them. One that stuck out to me, with characters I instantly liked is Arlo …