Even though I’m mostly traditionally published, I’m fascinated by the evolution of self-publishing in the past decade. A couple of years ago, I did manage to stick with a manuscript long enough to write a nonfiction book for children’s writers about how to do author visits. In such a tiny …
My students are really into inventing lately, filling my classroom with incredible oddities. For anyone who ever wished turtles came with more cuddly shells, please take note of Feel Good Turtle, lovingly built with pom poms and feathers. And if you want to house two distinct beverages in a single …
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 …
Hello, wonderful Picture Book Builders people. I have a treat for you that is as delicious as sweet potato pie! Tameka Fryer Brown, author of Twelve Dinging Doorbells, dropped by to give us 12 facts about this warm and wonderful book that was illustrated by Ebony Glenn. Get comfortable so …
This book, was an easy YES, PLEASE! for me. I’m an Andrea Zuill fan and was excited to get my hands on this one. Written by Laura Gehl and illustrated by Andrea Zuill, Donut, The Unicorn Who Wants to Fly, doesn’t hit you over the head with layers of moral …
If you’re like me, you’ve got a drawer in your kitchen, or a shelf in your closet, or a corner of your spare room where you keep … stuff. Stuff that hasn’t yet found it’s way into a formal place in your home. Stuff you definitely intend to use someday. …
Hello! I’m short of time this month, since my buns have been pretty much glued to the tractor seat for the past three weeks … …so, since I haven’t had time for a library run, I’m pulling a current favorite from my own bookshelf to share. After lots of raucous, …
Full disclosure: I have been a birdwatcher for decades. Without giving away how many decades, I’ll tell you I was 16 when I picked up a pair of binoculars and identified my first bird. Over the years, as an enthusiastic but casual birder, adulting limited my opportunities to get out …
I’ve been thinking a lot about picture book structure lately. In fact, I wrote two Picture Book Builder blog posts about it not so long ago. Here’s one. And, here’s the other. I’ve become a firm believer that the best picture books have a very solid structural foundation that elevates …
The Tower of Life: How Yaffa Eliach Rebuilt Her Town in Stories and Photographs, a stunning biography written by Chana Stiefel and illustrated by Susan Gal, hit shelves this week. Yaffa Eliach grew up in the Polish town of Eishyshok, helping her grandmother in her photography studio. When Nazi soldiers …