All picture books, all the time

The Journey continues…

Hey Picture Book Builders. Today is my last post on the blog as I’m stepping away from being a regular contributor here while continuing my journey in publishing. I’ve not been here nearly as long as some, but I have thoroughly enjoyed my time and will continue to check in …

CELEBRATING YOU (Yes, you!)

As 2019 winds to a close, I’d love to celebrate you, our wonderful blog readers. Many of you are fellow picture book writers (some pre-published, others well-published.) So let’s take a moment and share your hard-earned writing accomplishments this year! If you achieved any of the following in 2019, please …

Everybody Says Meow by Constance Lombardo (+ GIVEAWAY!)

I am a former pre-k teacher and library media specialist. Both of these positions helped me to develop a love of and appreciation for a good read aloud. Today I give you… Five Reasons Why Everybody Says Meow by Constance Lombardo is Story Time Gold According to Tammi: 1–The opening …

Happy Thanksgiving!

We are very thankful and grateful to be working in a community of picture-book-lovers. Thank you for your continued support. We wish you a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

Could you bake … a wintercake?

It’s time for another periodic installment of “Picture Books I Want to Hug.”™ These are books I love so much that I simply want to read them. And hug them. And re-read them. And re-hug them. Re-lentlessly. Re-peatedly. Re-ally. The last book that inspired this feeling in me — and …

An almost-the-holidays treat: A conversation between author Mylisa Larson & illustrator Taia Morley about their new Christmas book. READ and ENJOY!

It’s mid-November! That means I get to feature a holiday book I’ve been looking forward to–Mylisa Larsen and Taia Morley’s Ho Ho Homework (HarperCollins). This one’s bright and festive, and it wasn’t created in the usual way. So I thought it would be fun to just let the author and …

BAD DOG by Mike Boldt + Giveaway

My latest book, BAD DOG, was released earlier this week! If you remember, I talked a bit about it in my series “Idea to Book Deal” back in April 2018 (yes publishing can feel slow sometimes). But it’s finally here, and looking-back never takes as long as the waiting-for-it-to-be-here part! …

Picture Books in Space?

Picture books are great travelers. You can toss one in a tote bag and head out to a beach or park. Sleek and lightweight, these beautiful books are easy to take along on car, bus, or plane trips. My picture book Astronaut Annie recently embarked on an out-of-this-world trip — …

Editorial Director/Debut PB Author(!!) Frances Gilbert (+ GIVEAWAY)

Oh, people. Grab your favorite beverage, settle into your coziest chair, and soak up the brilliance of the one and only Frances Gilbert! Not only is Frances a gifted editor and my favorite Canadian, she is an author as well. SHE’S ONE OF US! This, by the way, is what …

ONE DARK BIRD by Liz Garton Scanlon and Frann Preston-Gannon

There are a lot of counting books in the world. So it seems to me, if you are going to make one it has to be extra special. Which is why I enjoyed One Dark Bird, written by Liz Garton Scanlon, and illustrated by Frann Preston-Gannon. To look at the …