Picture books are known for their rhythmic, almost musical language. But what are the challenges in writing nonfiction when the story is ABOUT a musician? One of my most difficult writing projects was a picture book biography about musician Bill Monroe. Struggling to find how to explain music in words …
Huge thanks to Picture Book Builders for an opportunity to share THE PATRIOTS AND THE POX: GEORGE WASHINGTON’S BATTLE TO SAVE THE CONTINENTAL ARMY! Andrea invited me to write a bit about an aspect of the writing, so I’m going full nerd mode here with one of my favorite tools…imagery. …
Hello Picture Book Builders! Today, I am so honored to be able to share a truly special book with you all: UNBREAKABLE: A Japanese American Family in an American Incarceration Camp, written by Minoru Tonai and Jolene Gutiérrez, illustrated by Chris Sasaki. Here’s my review: Wow. This masterfully written and …
Please welcome Maria Gianferrari back to Picture Book Builders to talk about her two new books, JUST ONE OAK and PUFFINS! Although both books are very different in style, they both have a ton of appeal for readers and will keep them engaged while absorbing information about these two species. …
In the past, I’ve taken on nonfiction picture book subjects that are a bit obscure, bluegrass legend Bill Monroe, outsider artist Nek Chand, the creatures in the Sargasso Sea. Those kinds of topics come with challenges: huge gaps in the historical record, few experts to draw on, and issues of …
Hello, Picture Book Builders! I’m so excited to have the wonderful Carmela LaVigna Coyle on the blog today! Carmela’s most recent book is titled, Anyone Else Awake? A Dawn Chorus, which is a fun and clever introduction to birds and their songs. According to the publisher, “This lyrical book about …
December is a month full of lists: to-do lists; wish lists; gift lists; and, of course, book lists of every category and description. So I’m jumping on the listicle bandwagon with six picture books that I read this year and why I think they’re great for this holiday season (as …
Sometimes, I see several new picture books about similar topics. A few years ago, for example, there seemed to be a plethora of picture books released about trees. And, I remember another year with multiple picture books celebrating hair. This year, within a week, I’ve read two 2025-released lyrical nonfiction …
My latest picture book, WORTHY: THE BRAVE AND CAPABLE LIFE OF JOSEPH PIERCE, is a whole two weeks old today! 🎉 But of course, this manuscript began much earlier than that. And the research took longer than I expected. Why? Well, I sold this book on spec to my editor, …
I’m very excited to share with you all a wonderful picture book biography called REWRITING THE RULES: How Dr. Kathleen Friel Created New Possibilities for Brain Research and Disability, written by Danna Zeiger and illustrated by Josée Bisaillon. It comes out from Millbrook Press on September 9th. Here’s my review …