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BUY HERE: https://amzn.to/47aMeTz Writing for Children from a Fresh Perspective by Leah Schanke Have you ever found a historical figure you would love to write about, only to discover there are already multiple biographies about them on the shelf? This is exactly what happened to me, and I put the manuscript aside for years until I decided to explore a different perspective. Perspective should not be confused with point-of-view (POV). The perspective or angle of a story can o

BUY HERE: https://amzn.to/4b5LYGF Conjuring magic in picture books isn’t as easy as it may seem. First, the magic must be seeded in the ordinary world. It can’t just come out of nowhere, magically or not. Since essentially everything a picture book should be seeded in the beginning – this just makes sense.  With my rhyming picture book BroomMates (co-authored in rhyme by Brenda Reeves Sturgis and illustrated by Nico Ecenarro), it was easy – the main characters I created were

Lauren H. Kerstein Boosts Bold Backmatter That Grabs the Reader as Much as the Text   Everything I’ve ever learned, I learned from a picture book!   The beauty of writing nonfiction picture books is that you have the opportunity to dive down deep rabbit holes and dig up diamonds to share with readers.   The challenge of writing nonfiction picture books is that you may end up with so many diamonds, they won’t all fit into a 32-page, 40-page, or even a 48-page picture book.   W

Buy Here: https://amzn.to/4aKHrdX As a teacher librarian, many of the resources I share with my students feature important history. Dry nonfiction isn’t enough to hook readers--these stories need to have heart. I want my students to walk in others’ shoes. I hope they’ll learn from the past so we don’t keep repeating it. I need them to feel something. I center these goals as both a teacher and as a writer.   A book that hooked my readers by getting them to not just walk  in s

Writing the Unexpected: Crafting Unique Picture Book Biographies About Famous People By Selene Castrovilla Buy Here: https://amzn.to/4smjfob Growing up, I always knew I was a writer. But if you’d told me I would one day write about George Washington, I would have laughed. “He’s boring,” I would’ve said. That changed when a friend casually mentioned that Washington had been a spymaster. A spymaster? That single detail cracked open my assumptions. I began researching and quickl

First of all, we'd like to wish everyone a Happy National Meatball Day! Celebrate with Jeanette's book, Meatballs for Grandpa ! Inviting Engagement in Character- Driven Stories by Jeanette Fazzari Jones Again! Again! Again!  If you’ve ever read a great picture book to a child, you’ve absolutely heard that exclamation.  But what makes a child ask over and over to hear the same book? And how can we create that level of enthusiasm in a character-driven text? Narratives give you

THE POWER OF THE PAGE TURN By Danna Smith   There’s a subtle, yet incredibly powerful, moment in every children’s book that often goes unnoticed by adults but is keenly felt by young readers: the page turn .  It’s more than just flipping a piece of paper; it’s a carefully orchestrated pause, a build-up of anticipation, and a reveal that can make or break the magic of a story. As authors and illustrators, understanding the power of the page turn is essential. It allows us to c

https://amzn.to/4lbe7AL Humor is often treated as light or silly—but in picture books, humor is powerful. It can open emotional doors, soften hard conversations, and create instant connection. As author-illustrator Eliza Kinkz puts it: “Humor is a superpower as it can make you connect with someone instantly! We don't agree on so much these days, BUT we all react the same when we hear a fart. As laughter is healing, and can make hard conversations easier to swallow, having th

https://amzn.to/46zy12m I love picture book stories that practically force you to turn the page right from the very start.   The recipe is not rocket science. Start with something mysterious. Something unexpected, something strange, incongruous. Or just get the story going on the very first spread.   Starting early in a picture book makes a lot of sense. After all, kids have lots of books to choose from and limited attention spans. So do the folks reading them to the kids. A

The Engine of a Strong Cultural Picture Book – by Namrata Agarwal   A cultural story often focuses on a small, relatable moment rather than trying to represent an entire culture. It might center on cooking with a grandparent, getting dressed for a festival, or opening a food box. These stories don’t explain culture outright; they reveal it through everyday actions. Sensory details, smells, textures, sounds, ground the story and make it feel authentic. At the heart of the narr

By Beth Anderson   While fiction books may portray emotions as monsters or other types of characters, nonfiction seems to present a different kind of challenge when you’re working with complex concepts for children. Of course, much falls to the illustrator, but the author sets the tone  and must make core concepts clear  before handing it over to an artist. A great way to work with mentor texts for these kinds of books is to type up the text so you’re able to analyze how the

As someone who hails from a family of educators and has been an elementary teacher for twenty years, I am certainly mindful of teachable moments! When I draft and revise stories, I always consider curriculum connections. My larger goal, however, is to write big-hearted, engaging stories. So, how does one craft a compelling narrative that connects with curriculum expectations without being didactic? I believe that one way is to start with a relatable problem or strong hook and

Making Big Concepts Kid Relatable: Courage, Persistence, Forgiveness and Faith “Courage is the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently.” – Maya Angelou“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. …” -  Calvin Coolidge Kudos to Vivian Kirkfield for successfully tackling the big concepts of both courage and persistence in he

You might have heard that, as far as stories, everything has been done before, and that there’s nothing truly new under the sun . Well, that’s not exactly true! Yes, it’s correct that with most tales, there are countless variations that have been written before. But definitely, there’s room for more and the sky’s the limit !   When I decided to expand my Fairy Tale Elementary Series, my first step was to make a list of fairy tales that interested me. Then, I searched for rela

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March 31, 2025 [Note: Use the Links to buy the Books] When I saw Brittany Pomales' debut IT STARTED WITH A P , I clapped! What Fun! And,...

March 28, 2025 [Note: Click on the Titles/Links to buy Books.] When I began to learn the craft of writing picture books, a key takeaway...

March 27, 2025 [Note: Click on the Links/Titles to buy books.] Ways to Amuse Your Audience With Alliteration Hello, March on Mentor Text...

March 25, 2025 [Note: Click on the Title / Links to buy the Books.] If you’ve ever searched for “page turns in a picture book manuscript”...

March 24, 2025 MOWMT: Three Ts: Theme, Tone, and Takeaway [Click on the Titles / Links to buy the books.] My newest picture book, Gilbert...