Kids fall in love with all sorts of things. Some expected and some not so much. I wrote SOPHIE’S SQUASH, a picture book about my daughter’s real-life love affair with a butternut squash. And, picture books have been written about kids developing strong attachments to other unexpected things like a …
From the publisher’s description: From internationally renowned, award-winning artist Edel Rodriguez comes The Mango Tree, an enchanting wordless picture book and a moving, fantastical take on his childhood experience as an immigrant. In a quiet village on a small island, two boys spend their days in a mango tree. High above the rest …
BOXER BABY BATTLES BEDTIME! is a new picture book from author Mia Wenjen and illustrator Kai Geitzen. The flap copy reads, “Mom is counting on Dad to get Boxer Baby down for her nap, but Boxer Baby is the G.O.A.T. of sleep avoidance. This hilarious face-off mimics a three round …
Picture books are mostly meant for small people. So, perhaps, it’s not surprising that there are lots of picture books about small people and small things. I even have one of my own — NOT SO SMALL with Paola Escobar (HarperCollins, 2022). But, today, I want to share two new …
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 …
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 …
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 …
I like picture books about gardens. Which is kind of funny, because I don’t have a garden and never will. I manage to keep one houseplant alive, and that’s about the extent of my gardening abilities. But hypothetical gardens in picture books are a wonderful thing. And, I love all …
Publisher’s book description: With a pinch of hope and a dash of zing, we can do anything! The bakerinas are hard at work creating holiday goodies for kids around the world when a blizzard whips up trouble. Will the bakerinas deliver their treats in time? With enchanting illustrations and charming …
Small people can feel big emotions. But, they might not have the skills or life experiences to know how to deal with them. That’s part of the reason Tamara Ellis Smith and Nancy Whitesides created GRIEF IS AN ELEPHANT, a picture book about loss that releases Oct. 24 from Chronicle …