Take note, picture book lovers: There’s a new book in town. And you could win a copy. It’s PENNY & JELLY: SLUMBER UNDER THE STARS by the wonderful Maria Gianferrari who is so busy writing books she hasn’t had much time to slumber under the stars or anywhere else. We’ll …
Lisa Moser takes a different turn in her latest picture book STORIES FROM BUG GARDEN (Candlewick Press, 2016). Moser is known for traditional picture book stories like WATERMELON WISHES, KISSES ON THE WIND and RAILROAD HANK. But in her recent release, she creates a collection of delightful poems about a …
Love is a wonderful thing. And if you’re lucky, it lasts for always. Of course, always is a relative term. When Isaac and Monica — characters in John Green’s THE FAULT IN OUR STARS — text each other “Always,” they have no idea how short that time period will be. …
The summer before my freshman year of high school, I decided I wanted to be a sportswriter. I devoured the sports section of my local newspaper, The Oshkosh Northwestern, and the sports section of The Milwaukee Sentinel. I also read Sports Illustrated magazine and books by Frank Deford, the sportswriting king …
Some stories stay with you. I don’t remember exactly when I first heard the story of Wilma Rudolph. It was probably sometime in grade school. But I do remember the details of her life. Wilma grew up in a low-income family with 22 children in Clarksville, Tennessee, a segregated town. …
It’s the day after Thanksgiving. If you’re a holiday purist like me, that means you can start thinking about what comes next. In my case, the next holiday I celebrate is Christmas. And that means it’s the perfect time to look at STAR BRIGHT, an enchanting picture book written by Alison …
If you’ve read previous posts of mine, you’ll know I’m a fan of picture books that make me say, “Awww.” Somehow, some way, they have to touch my heart and remind me of an emotion I thought I’d forgotten. There are lots of ways picture books can do this. And …
I’m a picture book junkie. I love them truly, madly and deeply, and believe they are for everyone. Babies — They can drool on the edges. Toddlers — They can sit in a lap, help turn the pages and listen. Beginning readers — They can sound out words or call out refrains. Kids …
First things first. My last post included a giveaway, so I’m happy to announce that the WINNERS of the newest Explore My World books from National Geographic Kids are: Baby Animals – Katy Duffield Nighttime – Kathy Doherty Congrats, you two, and a big THANK YOU to all who entered. …
One thing aspiring picture book writers often are advised to do is take a favorite, modern-day picture book and type out the text. Why? Because doing so shows writers how spare and essential words in a picture book really are. Once they see how the text looks on a page, …