A year ago, I got real on Facebook with this post: The writing life.Here on FB, those of us who write tend to share the yippee stuff and clam up regarding our failures. Who wants to admit those and feel like a loser? Bleh. But a comment somebody made a …
Okay, sorry writers, this is really illustration-oriented. My illustrations have been called cartoon-like in the past, and I’m fine with that. In the most basic sense, my illustrations seem to be black lines with color fills. Which can be, well…cartoon-like. The second to the last book I did (Swamp Gas) …
So, the holiday hubbub has passed, and we’re in that long wintry stretch that has many of us yearning for spring. Yes, it’s still a few months away, but today’s book—A ROUND OF ROBINS by Katie Hesterman—offers a lovely dose of springtime to help tide us over. MORE good news: …
Welcome to 2019! I hope everyone enjoyed their 2018 with us here on the PBB Blog as much as I did. There were some really amazing books covered. And speaking of amazing books, I’m happy to to have Jon Agee’s THE WALL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BOOK as my …
Last January 1st, my New Year’s Day post shared tips on setting S.M.A.R.T. goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, & Timely.) Many of you shared your goals and hopes (Tina, Kathy H., Linda, Lynne, Jill, Rebecca Kathy D., Mike, Patty), while others privately set plans for the next year. So let’s look back …
Writers seldom sit down at their desks, pop their knuckles, and proceed to churn out breathtaking poems, stories, and books. Writers experience a wide variety of feelings during the creation of each new manuscript. In honor of the emotional rollercoaster faced by writers everywhere and in honor of those people …
If you are here, then we must have Picture Book Love in common. Somehow PBL was genetically passed down through my family and every Christmas from the time I was tiny, until present day, included the gifting of beautiful books. Instead of writing about a particular book today I want …
Hard to believe how 2018 has flown by. I didn’t want it to end without thanking YOU, loyal readers, for dropping in on us again and again, keeping up with us as we talk all things picture books. Thanks, too, for your occasional comments. Not much fun writing if nobody’s …
I have a love/hate relationship with wordless picture books. Well, not really “love/hate,” more like a “love/um?” relationship. As an illustrator, my love for them is obvious. A whole story told in pictures! How cool is that? As a parent, “reading” wordless picture books to kids, for me, was occasionally …
Recently, while skimming the New York Times obituary section, I was sad to see a name I recognized: Louise DeSalvo, author of numerous memoirs, essays, fiction and writing books. Although I didn’t know Louise, I’ve admired her from afar. Her book The Art of Slow Writing is one of my favorite …