Happy Perfect Picture Book Friday! I never knew how Title IX came to be until I read GIRLS WITH GUTS: THE ROAD TO BREAKING BARRIERS AND BASHING RECORDS by Debbie Gonzales. What better way to tell about the landmark legislation that opened the door to girls’ athletics than to start with some history and highlights … More Girls With Guts!
Last week Cathy Ballou Mealey shared her process in “Start with the Heart!” Here’s more about WHEN A TREE GROWS for Perfect Picture Book Friday…. Title: When A Tree Grows Written by: Cathy Ballou Mealey Illustrated by: Kasia Nowowiejska Sterling 2019 fiction Suitable for ages: 3-8 Themes/topics: cause/effect, friendship Opening: When a tree grows in … More When a Tree Grows
Thank you, Cathy Ballou Mealey, for sharing your process in writing WHEN A TREE GROWS. Besides the quest for heart, Cathy gives us a peek into how she worked out the unique structure for her concept. As I began writing WHEN A TREE GROWS, I envisioned a series of calamitous, connected events that would be … More Mining for Heart: “Start with the Heart!” by Cathy Ballou Mealey
Stardust! We are made of stardust! What a mind-boggling concept! Today’s Perfect Picture Book takes a complex topic, makes it beautifully simple, and aims it straight at the heart. Amazing! Title: The Stuff of Stars Written by: Marion Dane Bauer Illustrated by: Ekua Holmes Candlewick 2018 Suitable for ages: 5-10 Themes/topics: universe, nature, stardust Opening: … More The Stuff of Stars
There are so many recent wonderful picture books about kindness and gifts from the heart. Here are three that stand out to me as having actionable examples we can bring to our own lives. Title: Emma’s Gems Written by: Anne Renaud Illustrated by: Leanne Franson Peanut Butter Press 2019 Suitable for ages: 4-8 Themes/topics: kindness, … More 3 Picture Books—3 Kinds of Gifts
A big THANK YOU to Sarah Jane Abbott, associate editor at Simon and Schuster, for sharing her thoughts today on Mining for Heart. I love opportunities to get a peek into the editorial process and learn how editors see and evaluate manuscripts. Tips for Writing a Picture Book with a Mission I’m a firm believer … More Mining for Heart: “Tips for Writing a Picture Book with a Mission” by Sarah Jane Abbott
Take a magical trip to the New York Public Library for Perfect Picture Book Friday. Here’s a touching tale of stories, loved ones, precious memories, and the magical power of the library lions that stand guard in the front.. Title: The Night Library Written by: David Zeltser Illustrated by: Raul Colón Random House 2019 Suitable for … More The Night Library
Last week, Dow Phumiruk shared her illustration process for Titan and the Wild Boars. This week, for Perfect Picture Book Friday, learn more about this outstanding new book. Title: Titan and the Wild Boars, The True Cave Rescue of the Thai Soccer Team Written by: Susan Hood and Pathana Sornhiran Illustrated by: Dow Phumiruk Harper Collins … More Titan and the Wild Boars
Today I welcome the amazing Dow Phumiruk to share what goes on “behind the scenes” for illustrators. Dow writes and illustrates multiple books each year. And this project presented several challenges – time -wise, emotionally, creatively. Thank you, Dow, for taking the time to share your experiences! The process of illustrating a picture book is … More Behind the Scenes: Illustrating Titan and the Wild Boars by Dow Phumiruk
If you’re a kidlit writer and aren’t familiar with KidLit 411, you need to check out their website. It’s hands-down the site with the most and best info on a plethora of topics for writers. There’s a FaceBook group, too. And a bonus to all this goodness – lots of giveaways! I recently got lucky. … More Her Fearless Run
