All picture books, all the time

Going Down Home With Daddy (Caldecott Honor Book 2020!)

You’ve probably enjoyed many of the 2020 Caldecott winning books by now. What as outstanding collection this year! Today I’d like to highlight one of the gorgeous Honor Books: GOING DOWN HOME WITH DADDY by Kelly Starling Lyons, illustrated by Daniel Minter (and published by one of my favorite houses, …

Here Comes Ocean by Meg Fleming (+GIVEAWAY)

Oh, Picture Book Builders people, summer is here! Author Meg Fleming and illustrator Paola Zakimi have just the book for us. This is what School Library Journal and Kirkus had to say: This first purchase is a perfect storytime choice to usher in the beach season, and the rhyming, repetitive …

Playing Possum & Giveaway!

I’d like to introduce you to my dear friend, Alfred. Today is his birthday! He and I have gotten very close over the past four years. It all began a long time ago when I saw a cousin of his in our trashcan. This is how Cousin first looked, and …

You’ll want to visit THE PAPER KINGDOM

If you’re a writer or a reader, you may have heard someone say: “There’s no such thing as a new story — there are just different ways of telling the same ones.” That might be true from a thematic or structural standpoint, but I recently read a picture book — …

Author Linda Skeers drops by to chat about her new book, DINOSAUR LADY + a giveaway!

Today I’m excited to chat with my good friend Linda Skeers about her new book, DINOSAUR LADY, the Daring Discoveries of Mary Anning, the First Paleontologist (Sourcebooks, illus by Marta Alvarez Miguens). Linda and I have been writing friends since…well, as she put it when she signed my copy: “since …

CAN I BE YOUR DOG? by Troy Cummings

Back in the Before Times when we were still crowding into libraries, I’d checked out stacks of picture books to prepare for a writing workshop (which happened) and my weekly one-on-one, side-by-side reading sessions with two first graders (not happening any time soon). I’ve since returned the books to our …

CHARLOTTE THE SCIENTIST: Interview with Camille Andros (+Giveaway)

Join me in welcoming Camille Andros! What do you get when a smart, confident bunny knows all about the scientific method and loves to solve problems? Charlotte the Scientist to the rescue! Written by Camille Andros and illustrated by Brianne Farley, these delightful books feature fun stories and colorful illustrations. …

THE SEA KNOWS (Coauthoring a PB)

Today I have the pleasure of showcasing a lovely, new pb THE SEA KNOWS (Simon and Schuster) by Alice B. McGinty and Alan Havis, illustrated by Stephanie Laberis. As you can tell from the colorful cover, this is a glorious, gorgeous book from start to finish. It’s seemingly simple, yet …

Frog Meets Dog by Janee Trasler (+giveaway)

My pal Janee Trasler is an author, illustrator, and esteemed member of PBJeebies, our critique group with Kim Norman and Jessica Young. I asked Janee to stop by Picture Book Builders and give us a little insight into creating an early reader series. Lucky for us, she said YES! The …

It Began with a Page

It Began with a Page; How Gyo Fujikawa Drew the Way, written by Kyo Maclear and illustrated by Julie Morstad. Here is a photo of one of my favorite picture books. Tattered and worn, splintered binding, and detached cover— this book was magical to me. My mother and I spent …