Recently, I was online looking — not at all compulsively — for news or reviews of my latest picture book ONE CAN BE. I found my book, but I also found a picture book I hadn’t heard of before called ONE CAN written by Lana Button and Eric Walters and …
When my family gathers for Thanksgiving, we have food and games. This year, we’ll also have a story. The idea to share a story for the holiday came when I first saw GATHER GRATEFUL (Candlewick Press, 2025), written by Megan Litwin and illustrated by Alexandra Finkeldey. And, yes, in my …
Sometimes, I see several new picture books about similar topics. A few years ago, for example, there seemed to be a plethora of picture books released about trees. And, I remember another year with multiple picture books celebrating hair. This year, within a week, I’ve read two 2025-released lyrical nonfiction …
New books are released every week — on Tuesdays if they’re traditionally published. And, while I try to stay on top of what’s coming out, there are SO MANY BOOKS. And, lately, I’ve felt like I’m falling behind. So, last week, I reacquainted myself with the library loan program and …
One of my absolute favorite parts of creating picture books is discovering which illustrator will be working on a manuscript I’ve written. No matter who it is, I’m guaranteed to have one more creative, talented person in my mental Rolodex. I recently got to know Annie Cron, who illustrated One …
One of my favorite things to do is listen to picture book authors talk about how they create their stories. I love the sneak peek into their heads to see how they do what they do. So I’m thrilled to welcome poet and author Eileen Rajala Meyer to share her …
Hello fellow children’s book lovers. Today’s post is a collection of things I’ve stumbled across recently in the picture book world that I’ve really, really liked. Let’s begin. A BOOK If you’d asked me to name Australian picture book authors, I would have started and ended with Mem Fox, the …
I bought piles of picture books before I ever had children. And well before I wrote my own books. I read those books myself, of course, reveling in each word. And, when my two daughters — who are now 27 and 23 — arrived, I read to them. When Gwen …
My first career was as a newspaper reporter. There, I learned that — to quote former Washington Post journalist Maxine Chesire: “With a roll of quarters and a phone, you can find out anything.” (Side note: If you want a great look at how Maxine overcame sexism and racisim to …
If you’ve got children in your life, you probably want to remind them just how awesome and full of potential they are. If you’re looking for a book to help you do just that, a great candidate is ALL THE GREATNESS IN YOU by Tameka Fryer Brown and Alleanna Harris. …