Every once in a while, kid lit creators get a chance to create a sequel to a picture book they’ve done and let their beloved characters live on. Yay! But there are a few important things to consider. Isabella Kung takes us through her process of creating a sequel to NO FUZZBALL!—her latest release, NO … More Behind the Scenes: “Writing a Picture Book Sequel” by Isabella Kung
Though we often hear the phrase, “write what you know,” a good many of us are drawn to topics and ideas that we don’t know about, by a natural urge to know more. And kids are, too! I can totally identify with author Kristen Nordstrom’s experience. In this post, Kristen shares how she turned a … More Behind the Scenes: “Find the Spark that Ignites Your Story” by Kristen Nordstrom
After a short lull in posts, we’re back digging into the “heart” of a story. I’m guessing most all of you are familiar with Mister Rogers and know that he made music a part of his show. Here Donna Cangelosi examines music as her focus in writing a bio on Fred Rogers. GIVEAWAY! For a … More Mining for Heart: “Highlighting the Essential in Biographies” by Donna Cangelosi
If there ever was a dream team to share a Thai woman’s story with children, it’s Dow Phumiruk and Christina Soontornvat! Here we get to hear from Dow about the thought process of illustrating the story. GIVEAWAY! For a chance to win a copy of A LIFFE OF SERVICE, just leave a comment below! Behind … More Behind the Scenes: “Illustrating ‘A Life of Service: The Story of Senator Tammy Duckworth'” by Dow Phumiruk
In the classroom, I found that mentor sentences and mentor texts provided opportunities for student writers to amaze themselves and tackle many forms of writing with confidence. Now, as an author, I analyze mentor texts for my own learning. Thank you, Annette Whipple for this post for educators on using your nonfiction series in the … More Especially for Educators: “Nonfiction Mentor Texts for the Classroom” by Annette Whipple
TOMATOES IN MY LUNCHBOX hit me right in the heart! It’s truly a special picture book. Here’s a post from author Costantia Manoli all the way from Cyprus in which she shares how she built this story. GIVEAWAY! Leave a comment below for a chance to win a copy of the book! Layering and … More Mining for Heart: “Layering & Language- Moving Beyond Autobiography & Into the Universal” by Costantia Manoli
I love discovering old photos when I research a subject! They’re such an essential and valuable part of learning about another time and place. But they can also be the inspiration for the dive into the past or a driving push through the writing process. Here, Elisa Boxer shares how one photo sustained her as she wrote. … More Behind the Scenes: “How a Single Photo Can Bring a Book into Focus” by Elisa Boxer
Ahhh, social media…love it? hate it? Social media elicits a full range of emotions! Here’s Margaret Aitken’s positive approach and how she found her agent on Twitter. Congratulations to Margaret on her debut picture book OLD FRIENDS! Margaret is offering a GIVEAWAY of a picture book critique. If you’d like to enter, just leave a note in … More Behind the Scenes: “Finding My Agent on Twitter + Social Media Tips” by Margaret Aitken
I can totally identify with the problem of finding so much goodness in a story that it becomes overwhelming! Megan Hoyt shares how she pulled multiple threads into one in THE GREATEST SONG OF ALL: HOW ISAAC STERN UNITED THE WORLD TO SAVE CARNEGIE HALL (releases 7/5/22). Megan is offering a GIVEAWAY of a picture … More Behind the Scenes: “A Perfect Symphony, Mining for Gold in The Greatest Song of All” by Megan Hoyt
Here’s a great story of the birth of MIGHTY MAHI from Suzanne Jacobs Lipshaw, a story that sprang from project-based learning with excited and engaged students. Authors will enjoy learning about the genesis of the book, and educators will surely find inspiration for their own classrooms. While Suzanne wrote the book as a result of … More Especially for Educators: “Climb Aboard the Yellow Submarine: A Study in Research and Activism” by Suzanne Jacobs Lipshaw
Beth Anderson, Children's Writer 