It’s been a while since I’ve done a post for Perfect Picture Book Friday. Here’s a new picture book that caught my attention. It’s creative nonfiction or possibly informational fiction—it’s hard to determine the lines these days—combining the fun of fiction with the joy of science. And…Thanks to all who participated in the Everyday Hero Giveaway … More Old Rock (is not boring)
166 years ago today, Elizabeth Jennings boarded a streetcar in New York City. She was in a hurry to get to church. But, when the conductor ejected her because of her race, too-late-for-church took a backseat to too-late-for-equality. Seven months later, the young school teacher sat in a Brooklyn courtroom, waiting for the white judge … More 166 years ago today, Elizabeth Jennings boarded a streetcar…
My two 2020 picture books are both set in New York City, both feature transportation, and both highlight heroes. But the stories are very different. Lizzie Demands a Seat, released in January, is the story of how Elizabeth Jennings won the first courtroom victory against segregation on transportation in 1855. She was bold and brave, … More James “Smelly” Kelly, Everyday Hero
What a treat to have an author/illustrator share the process of “mining for heart”! I’m always fascinated to learn more about how illustrators think. Here, the amazing-how-does-she-get-so-much-done Dow Phumiruk shares her process with her forthcoming book, Hugsby. AND…Dow is generously offering a GIVEAWAY of one of her books – your choice! Just leave a comment … More Mining for Heart: “Mining for Hugsby’s Heart” by Dow Phumiruk
When Kataneh Vahdani jumped from the animation world into children’s literature, she found she had a lot to learn. But, with one look at her bio, you’ll see she doesn’t shy away from new experiences! In this Behind the Scenes post, Kat shares lessons from her first picture book – the kind of lessons you … More Behind the Scenes: “Lessons from Kat and Juju” by Kataneh Vahdani
Here’s an essential picture book for everyone—black and brown and white, young and old, now and forever. A beautiful and powerful collection. Title: We Are the Change, Words of Inspiration from Civil Rights Leaders Written by: Harry Belafonte (introduction) Illustrated by: Selina Alko, Alina Chau, Lisa Congdon, Emily Hughes, Molly Idle, Juana Medina, Innosanto Nagara, … More We Are the Change
There’s no denying it – we are living in difficult times. Helping kids make sense of what’s happening in the world isn’t easy. Picture books offer opportunities to process tough topics, see how people responded in times of crisis, and how they persevered with the power of hope. Today in Behind the Scenes, Amalia Hoffman … More Behind the Scenes: “Tackling Difficult Topics” by Amalia Hoffman
Happy Perfect Picture Book Friday, a day late! Here’s a fascinating story for all those kids into video games. The seeds of invention always seem to be planted in childhood! Title: The Boy Who Thought Outside the Box: The Story of Video Game Inventor Ralph Baer Written by: Marcie Wessels Illustrated by: Beatriz Castro Sterling, … More The Boy Who Thought Outside the Box
Don’t know what to do with all that amazing information you dug up in your research? You hate to waste all those fascinating tidbits….but word count worries creep in…what’s an author to do? Here’s Laurie Wallmark to the rescue! Back Matter to the Rescue! by Laurie Wallmark One of the challenges in writing a nonfiction picture … More Behind the Scenes: “Back Matter to the Rescue!” by Laurie Wallmark
I’ve found that I really enjoy exploring structure as a writer. Readers experience all kinds of text structures, but they seldom have a chance to learn all the planning and puzzling involved in the process of writing. Here, author Keely Parrack gives us a peek behind the scenes at how MORNING, SUNSHINE came to be. … More Behind the Scenes: “Puzzling Out a Picture Book” with Keely Parrack
Beth Anderson, Children's Writer 