As 2022 came to a close, I had the incredible honor of being asked to write a review for The New York Times. The two picture books I reviewed were My Strange Shrinking Parents, written and illustrated by Zeno Sworder, and The Boy Who Tried to Shrink His Name, written …
A million kisses!Hugs! Hooray!Our grand day begins this way.Whether planting a garden, having a picnic, or baking, any day spent together is sure to be GRAND. This rhyming, warmhearted picture book celebrates the unique bond between grandparents and grandchildren in every kind of family. ~ A Grand Day flap copy …
Last weekend I attended the annual convention of the National Council of Teachers of English in balmy Anaheim, CA. The last time the convention was in person was 2019, and it was great to see many author/illustrator friends again! The NCTE convention is a great way for authors and illustrators …
Wally was the world’s greatest piano-playing wombat—until he realized there was an even more talented piano-playing wombat in town! This funny picture book’s bright colors and imaginative musical scenes teach children to have self-confidence when faced with competition. ~Wally the World’s Greatest Piano-Playing Wombat, flap copy Andrea: Hi Ratha! Thank …
All primates climb and breathe in air. They have big brains and hands and hair… But not all primates are alike. From funny faces and colored butts, to flossing teeth and thumping chests, discover the peculiar ways primates look and act in this delightful non-fiction follow up to Freaky, Funky …
I am a huge fan of Bao Phi’s work. His debut picture book, A Different Pond, won the Asian Pacific American Librarians Association Award, a Caldecott Honor for illustrator Thi Bui’s amazing artwork, as well as many other accolades. It was also a mentor text for my own picture book, …
I wish I’d picked up a copy of AMAH FARAWAY by Margaret Chiu Greanias and illustrated by Tracy Subisak before I presented to bilingual and ESL educators a couple of weeks ago. This book explores the feeling of living in and between two cultures in a heartfelt but fun and …
What’s better than ice cream on a hot summer day? A cool new picture book to go with it, of course! I was delighted to have a chance to interview Stacy Innerst, the illustrator of THE SWEETEST SCOOP: BEN & JERRY’S ICE CREAM REVOLUTION, written by Lisa Robinson. Chunky Monkey. …
Andrea: If you read my previous blog post interviewing Maria Gianferrari about Bobcat Prowling, then you know that she had two books release this year. I’m excited to interview Maria again, this time for her second 2022 book baby, Being a Dog: A Tail of Mindfulness. Hi Maria! Congratulations on …
I don’t know when it began, my interest in how seemingly disparate things are connected. Maybe it was all the mysteries I read as a kid, trying to suss out what the clues were and how they fit together before the detective did. Maybe it was learning about the butterfly …