A question that picture book writers often ask is: “Should I paginate my picture book before I send it to an editor or agent?” Today, Carol Hinz, editorial director at Millbrook Press and Carolrhoda Books at Lerner Publishing Group, shares a post she wrote addressing that very topic. Take it …
I recently read a delightful picture book I’m pleased to share with you. It’s AMY WU AND THE PERFECT BAO, written by Kat Zhang and illustrated by Charlene Chua and published by Aladdin. What makes it delightful, you ask? It’s a warm and charming, perfectly structured story with an endearing …
Woo hoo! Today we celebrate a magnificent picture book releasing soon, The Superlative A. Lincoln, plus an author interview with Eileen Meyer, and an incredible SWAG offer. (Really!) Glad you’re here to join in the fun! So let’s get to those questions … Q. Can you tell us about the …
I could not be happier to bring you a chat with debut author Cathy Ballou Mealey. Cathy’s a long-time subscriber to PBB, so I’ve been counting down the weeks until I could post about WHEN A TREE GROWS! First, a look at her delightful book: From the publisher: “When Moose …
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 …
Tomorrow is Halloween. So, of course my post topic pondering drew me to the obvious, “Favorite Halloween Picture Books of Yore.” Which then led me to skip down memory lane and remember my favorites. But that all seemed lovely, predictable, and over-done. So, then I began to wonder about what …
Most of my books have some sort of story about how they came to be. BE KIND was inspired by the time I spilled grape juice in my then-boyfriend, now-husband’s car. WIDE-AWAKE BEAR was inspired by an epic meltdown my youngest daughter had. WHEREVER YOU GO was inspired by all …
A few weeks back, I was fortunate to interview Katherine Roy, author and illustrator of the Sibert Honor Book Neighborhood Sharks and her title from this past spring, How To Be An Elephant. And also (lucky me!) my partner as illustrator of our upcoming picture book Otis & Will Discover the …
Maria Gianferrari has another beautiful nature book hitting shelves this Friday, Hawk Rising (Roaring Brook Press, illus by Brian Floca). I started writing this post three or four times, but I kept getting hung up … where to begin, where to begin… because the book has so many great elements …
Have you been to a bookish baby shower? I’ve been invited to several where guests were encouraged to bring a book as part of their gift to the baby-to-be. As a lover of books and a writer of them, I think this is a marvelous idea. Yes, babies need clothing …