Here’s a really special book I’m recommending for Perfect Picture Book Friday about connecting across cultures, respect, empathy, and so much more. This book, a finalist for the Jane Addams award, should not be missed! The winner of the giveaway for Cow Boy is Not a Cowboy by Gregory Barrington is Cathy Ballou Mealey! Congratulations! … More The Day Saida Arrived
Authors get advice from all sorts of people – their family, critique partners, agents, and editors. Sometimes it takes a while to nail down exactly what’s needed, and the path to publication can be long. Here, Gregory Barrington shares how he stayed the course and put the advice he received to good use, turning his idea into … More Behind the Scenes: “The Advice that Created a Story” by Gregory Barrington
As a former ESL teacher, immigrant stories are near and dear to my heart. OSCAR’S AMERICAN DREAM by Barry Wittenstein caught me eye, and, as I turned each page, I was amazed at how Barry embedded heart and so much more in a story about a building. As you’ll see in this post, the heart that … More Mining for Heart: “Heart of a Building” by Barry Wittenstein
Lindsay Metcalf is having a big year! Today she takes us behind the scenes again with another new release: NO VOICE TOO SMALL: FOURTEEN YOUNG AMERICANS MAKING HISTORY. This anthology was a team effort. Thank you, Lindsay for sharing how this collaborative effort came together. And also thank you for offering a signed copy as … More Behind the Scenes: “A Case Study in Collaboration” by Lindsay Metcalf
Rejections never feel good, but sometimes, they actually serve us well. And Lindsay Metcalf’s post here is a great example. I hope you’ll take a few moments to read this outstanding post that proves that “breaking the rules” and defying traditional book categories can work with the right editor. Thank you, Lindsay for sharing your … More Behind the Scenes: “The Path to the Perfect Editor” by Lindsay Metcalf
Family stories are near and dear to our hearts, but it can be a challenge to shape them into a story. Here, Melissa Stoller shares her process of crafting her own story into Sadie’s Shabbat Stories. Melissa is offering a GIVEAWAY! Just leave a comment below for a chance to win a signed copy of … More Mining for Heart: “Using Family History to Write Your Story” by Melissa Stoller
Here’s a book I just became aware of and wanted to share as a Perfect Picture Book Friday recommendation. It’s the story of how one person can make a difference, about an unsung heroine, about the people behind the scenes of social change. Title: Pies from Nowhere: How Georgia Gilmore Sustained the Montgomery Bus Boycott … More Pies from Nowhere
It’s been a while since I shared a favorite picture book for Perfect Picture Book Friday due to all the fantastic new books coming out with creators willing to share part of their process on the blog. And so many terrific giveaways! Which reminds me… The winner of LOUIS from illustrator Julie Rowan Zoch is…Tina … More Carter Reads the Newspaper
What a special treat to feature one of my local critique partners, Julie Rowan-Zoch! She’s guided me from the start! Here she shares her process of creating illustrations for Tom Lichtenheld’s text for Louis. Such a perfect match of text and art has resulted in an irresistible book! AND…Julie’s offering a giveaway! A copy of … More Behind the Scenes: “Easy as Working with an AD” by Julie Rowan-Zoch
Just take a look at that book cover…who hasn’t felt like that a time or two recently? And that just might be the key to the heart of this new picture book. Welcome, Kirsti Call, co-author of Mootilda’s Bad Mood. Thank you for sharing your process of adding the heart to the humor in your … More Mining for Heart: “We are all Mootilda.” by Kirsti Call
