Hello, Picture Book Builders people. We are ALL such lucky ducks that Greg Pizzoli wrote and illustrated another delightful picture book. This latest book is Lucky Duck. I have been a fan of Greg’s for a long time. I did the math. That long time equals eleven years. How did …
Picture books are mostly meant for small people. So, perhaps, it’s not surprising that there are lots of picture books about small people and small things. I even have one of my own — NOT SO SMALL with Paola Escobar (HarperCollins, 2022). But, today, I want to share two new …
Stories Close to Home “Write what you know,” the advice goes. Instead, for years I wrote what I didn’t know. I’ve found most of my nonfiction topics by traveling (physically or through primary research) far away from my home. Searching for unusual stories (or unique takes on known stories,) I wound …
As soon as I heard the premise of Tricky Chopsticks by Sylvia Chen and Fanny Liem, I immediately added it to my school library wishlist. Following the story of Jenny Chow, who must come up with a solution for her chopstick troubles in order to succeed at the family Chopsticks …
As you all know by now, I’m a sucker for books with rhyme and lyrical language, great use of metaphor, and sweet, beautifully illustrated stories with a subtle message. HOPE IS A HOP by Katrina Moore, illustrated by Melissa Iwai, is all that (and a bag of chips! Hmm, think …
I love the first line of Jack Wong’s new picture book, ALL THAT GROWS. “Magnolias smell like lemon cake,” the protagonist informs the reader, recounting what his older sister has told him. It’s both an inviting and a surprising line — I found myself trying to remember what magnolia flowers …
Hello, Picture Book Builders people. When you are a part of a critique group and one of your critique buddies has a brand new book, you want to celebrate it, right? I know I sure do! Today, I am so excited to share Jessica Young and Chelsea O’Byrne’s Two Homes, …
I always say that Creatives are extremely brave. To share one’s work is such a vulnerable thing to do and I am proud of and applaud every single one of us for doing it. That might be why I adored this book so much. How Dreadful!, by Claire Lebourg and …
The best picture books often accomplish a lot of things. They can: But, as picture book creators know, doing some or all of these things in 32 pages and a limited number of words is difficult. Where should the focus be? What’s the right balance? How do all these elements …
Hello, readers. Happy Women’s History month! I’m thrilled today to introduce my newest book (illustrated by the extremely talented Rebecca Gibbon and published by Calkins Creek), a biography of author Gene Stratton-Porter. One hundred years ago, Gene Stratton-Porter was a monstrously popular woman. She’d written 26 books, both fiction and …