I love the first line of Jack Wong’s new picture book, ALL THAT GROWS. “Magnolias smell like lemon cake,” the protagonist informs the reader, recounting what his older sister has told him. It’s both an inviting and a surprising line — I found myself trying to remember what magnolia flowers …
Hello, Picture Book Builders people. When you are a part of a critique group and one of your critique buddies has a brand new book, you want to celebrate it, right? I know I sure do! Today, I am so excited to share Jessica Young and Chelsea O’Byrne’s Two Homes, …
I always say that Creatives are extremely brave. To share one’s work is such a vulnerable thing to do and I am proud of and applaud every single one of us for doing it. That might be why I adored this book so much. How Dreadful!, by Claire Lebourg and …
The best picture books often accomplish a lot of things. They can: But, as picture book creators know, doing some or all of these things in 32 pages and a limited number of words is difficult. Where should the focus be? What’s the right balance? How do all these elements …
Hello, readers. Happy Women’s History month! I’m thrilled today to introduce my newest book (illustrated by the extremely talented Rebecca Gibbon and published by Calkins Creek), a biography of author Gene Stratton-Porter. One hundred years ago, Gene Stratton-Porter was a monstrously popular woman. She’d written 26 books, both fiction and …
Sleep is important. Not that anyone needs convincing. The lack of sleep—or not enough sleep—is unhealthy and we are reminded of this often; in the news, online, wherever we get our information. As an adult I know this first hand. I love sleep and celebrate every morning I wake up …
I’m very excited to welcome to Picture Book Builders one of the most generous and kind-hearted people in the KidLit Community! Vivian Kirkfield has supported me and so many others on our journeys, whether it be by hosting cover reveals or book birthdays on her amazing blog, offering inspiration and …
One of the best things about my path to publication has been the formation of Kidlit Works, the fantastic debut group I am a member of. I got to know other writers with books coming out this year—and their stories. And now that it’s 2024, I get to talk about …
Today I want to share a lovely picture book pairing: one is a nonfiction biography and the other is a fictional tale written by the subject of the biography and her daughter. Who else could it be but the amazing and multitalented Dame Julie Andrews! In SONG AFTER SONG: THE …
Hello, Picture Book Builders people. One of the picture books that brought me a whole lot of joy in 2023 was Down the Hole, written by Scott Slater and illustrated by Adam Ming. It has humor! It has drama! It even has the barcode incorporated into the art! Evidence: But …