Yesterday (August 1) an inspiring picture book released into the world — SEVEN AND A HALF TONS OF STEEL (published by Peachtree Publishers.) This gorgeous book shares the true story of a powerful event in recent history that is filled with hope. To celebrate this release author, Janet Nolan, kindly agreed …
Hey, everyone. I have some big news. I sold a rhymer! It’s called Mary Had a Little Glam. The book’s official release date is August 2, but Mary has proven to be fashionably EARLY. She’s already strutting her stuff in a bookstore near you. Today on Picture Book Builders, I …
When we’re little, there’s an awful lot of stuff that’s bigger than we are. And it makes for a very scary world for a little boy named Toby. Toby is quite afraid of heights, and carries a parachute which “was most useful for getting out of bed in the morning, for …
I have a new book out. A sequel to my debut book, SOPHIE’S SQUASH. It’s called SOPHIE’S SQUASH GO TO SCHOOL And, I cannot lie. I’m kind of excited. So I made a list … Five Things You Should Know About This Book It’s partly inspired by my daughter Sonia. When Sonia …
Last month I posted about Elise Gravel’s I Want a Monster, and I loved her work so much I had to visit her website (which, by the way, is available in both English and French. Cool, eh?) to see what other books she had in the pipeline. When I saw that …
I love books with visual humor—especially when the jokes sneak up on me over multiple readings. Take, for example, Rob Biddulph’s debut picture book Blown Away (HarperCollins, 2015). The first time I read it, I was taken with the charming art and simple rhymes that propel the story forward. And …
Summer is in full swing, and there’s no better place to experience it than in a garden. And there’s no better book to inspire getting your hands in the dirt than ‘Dig In!‘ with art by Mary Peterson and words by Cindy Jenson-Elliott. The story opens in a garden with a little boy who …
A few months ago, two fiction picture books with same title, Are We There Yet?, released in the spring. Since we’re in the middle of the summer vacation season, I thought it would be interesting to take a look at these two books about a long car ride. And to get into …
Hannah E. Harrison, author and illustrator of Extraordinary Jane and Bernice Gets Carried Away, offers readers another heartfelt book later this summer. It’s called My Friend Maggie (Dial, August 9). Paula and Maggie have been friends forever. Paula thinks Maggie is the best—until mean girl Veronica says otherwise. Suddenly, Paula …
This book just looks magical. The Bear and the Piano by David Litchfield looks and reads like a classic fairy tale and I find that really refreshing and appealing. I want to dive into David Litchfield’s gorgeous, light emitting paintings. This beautiful book reminds me of many of the classic picture books of yore ( …