Hello, people. Have you ever had a best friend…until you didn’t? Deborah Underwood and Sergio Ruzzier explore this experience in their heartfelt book Walter Had a Best Friend. Behold the opening spreads: This delightful opening establishes the friendship between Walter and Xavier. Then something occurs. And that something occurs slowly…and …
Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone! A day full of love and I’m excited to celebrate a picture book with which I am quite enamored ❤️ The Big Bath House, written by Kyo Maclear and illustrated by Gracey Zhang. The story is narrated by a little girl going to visit her Baachan which, …
People who have hung out with me for any period of time have probably heard me talk about picture books I want to hug. These are books I love so much, I just have to hug them and re-read them, and then go off and attempt to write something even …
I’ve been following the work of illustrator Rebecca Gibbon for a couple of years now, ever since learning she’d be illustrating my 2024 biography with Calkins Creek, BIRD GIRL. So when I heard that Rebecca had illustrated author Gretchen Woelfle’s new book, A TAKE-CHARGE GIRL Blazes a Trail to Congress: The …
The new picture book by Dan Richards and illustrated by Shanda McCloskey, Nubby, takes a new look at a familiar old chestnut or two. It is the story of a stuffy that is loved so much and so hard that their mere existence—and survival—is a wonder. The wear and tear …
Every Friday from March through November my daughter and I stop for a scoop of ice cream on our way home. I miss this weekly tradition now while our favorite spot is closed for the season. But Ice Cream Man: How Augustus Jackson Made a Sweet Treat Better by Glenda …
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 …
Oh, people. There is not much more that I love than a good sweater. Sweaters have even made an appearance in two of my books. In I Love Cake!, illustrated by Angie Rozelaar, Moose is always in a sweater, and, when he finally owns up to eating all of Rabbit’s …
A Day for Sandcastles is a wordless picture book by JonArno Lawson and illustrated by Qin Leng. And I absolutely love every single grain of sand about it. I read several comments about the book wondering how, or why, it lists an author when there are no words. And I …
For most of my writing career, I never considered writing with a co-author. I was happily writing my own picture books with no shortage of inspiration or ideas. And, then, my long-time writing friend, e.E. Charlton-Trujillo said: “I’ve got this idea for a picture book.” e. is no stranger to …