Picture book biographies are some of my favorite things to read. Why? Well, first, I always learn something new. And, I love learning new things. I think that’s part of what makes me a successful writer. If you don’t understand the power of picture books, you might wonder how an …
Hello, picture book people! When I ran into my Missouri friend Jody Jensen Shaffer at the Marvelous Midwest conference this past spring, we had a lot of catching up to do. (See this 2023 interview with Jody about CREEP, LEAP, CRUNCH!, which went on to WIN an SCBWI Crystal Kite …
I’m so excited to celebrate the book birthday of the adorable rhymer, PIGS DIG A ROAD, written by Carrie Finison and illustrated by Brian Biggs! WhooHoo! My sons would have absolutely LOVED this book when they were little as they were OBSESSED with construction equipment and trucks. (Side note: for …
It takes about 4 hours to make a challah and about 6 years to make a book about one. At least this was my experience for my most recent picture book, Challah for Shabbat Tonight. Below is a behind-the-scenes look at my sometimes-messy writing kitchen, plus a GIVEAWAY! Recipe timelines …
In the spirit of “Every day is Earth Day,” every day is also a great day to read a conservation-themed book! Here are two new picture books to inspire readers of all ages to help protect our planet. MAYA MAKES WAVES, written by Maya Gabeira and illustrated by Ramona Kaulitzki, …
Answer: She wanted a good BAWK! If you know me, you know I love chicken books. Chickens have starred in many of mine. Evidence: I also own a lot of chicken-y books written by other people. Chicken Big by Keith Graves, however, is one of my all-time favorites. I would …
In a sea of picture books that look so much alike… HEATWAVE, written and superbly illustrated by Lauren Redniss burns right off the shelf. It almost looks too hot to touch. Lauren Redness uses just three colors: red, blue, and black (plus, minimally, the white of the page) along with …
If you haven’t yet seen Kristen Remember and Matt Faulkner’s new picture book, SQUIRREL NEEDS A BREAK (Charlesbridge), I hope you’ll do so soon. The topic here is something you don’t see every day, which is one reason I think it really stands out. The cover gives a clue. Squirrel …
Today on the blog, I am absolutely honored to interview author Danielle Sharkan about her gorgeous, timely, and important book, SHARING SHALOM, illustrated by Selina Alko. It releases on Sept. 17th with Holiday House. The story is about a little girl who is very proud of her Jewish identity, customs and …
Seeker of Truth: Kailash Satyarthi’s Fight to End Child Labor by Srividhya Venkat and Danica da Silva Pereira is a new picture biography detailing the work of the Indian children’s rights activist. Readers begin our look at Satyarthi’s life with a story in a story. As a young child, Satyarthi …