I’m thrilled to reveal the cover of my next picture book, WORTHY: THE BRAVE AND CAPABLE LIFE OF JOSEPH PIERCE, illustrated by Youa Vang! It’s a nonfiction biography of a Chinese boy who was sold to an American ship captain in 1855 and raised by the captain’s family in Connecticut. …
The winter solstice has passed. Every year, I look forward to the sense of renewal and hope that comes with the lengthening days, the additional sunlight. Today I want to call attention to people who bring light and hope to others. As author Deidre Havrelock and illustrator Aphelandra share in …
I was in Singapore recently to speak at the Asian Festival of Children’s Content and was incredibly fortunate to meet Melanie Lee. Melanie was not only the moderator of one of my panels, but is also a children’s book author, a journalist, a multimedia project creator, and a teacher of …
The first picture book I pick up is rarely nonfiction, whether science, history, biography, nature, whatever. But when I DO pick up a nonfiction picture book, I am usually fascinated. Which kind of makes sense. In high school I avoided classes like history and science because I thought they were …
Today’s picture book bounty is a double feature of new books by Maria Gianferrari: Thank a Farmer (illustrated by Monica Mikai) and Fungi Grow (illustrated by Diana Sudyka). Before my interview with Maria, here are quotes from a few reviews: “Rooted in gratitude, this educational title explains in simple yet …
For the past week, one picture book has been on my mind a lot. Love in the Library, by Maggie Tokuda-Hall and illustrated by Yas Imamura, was published in February 2022. It received multiple starred reviews and I added it to my extensive TBR list. There it stayed until last …
Hello, PBB friends! We have a special guest posting for us today — my good friend Maria Gianferrari! Thank you, Maria! Take it away! ~Andrea Happy Spring! Calling all ailurophiles/cat lovers—it’s an almost BEING A CAT book birthday and the cat’s out of the bag: curiosity did not kill the cat! Are …
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 …
All primates climb and breathe in air. They have big brains and hands and hair… But not all primates are alike. From funny faces and colored butts, to flossing teeth and thumping chests, discover the peculiar ways primates look and act in this delightful non-fiction follow up to Freaky, Funky …
What’s better than ice cream on a hot summer day? A cool new picture book to go with it, of course! I was delighted to have a chance to interview Stacy Innerst, the illustrator of THE SWEETEST SCOOP: BEN & JERRY’S ICE CREAM REVOLUTION, written by Lisa Robinson. Chunky Monkey. …