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

We are pleased to announce our newest Rate Your Story Judge - multi-published PB author Sue Heavenrich who will be giving Ratings and Feedback on fiction and non-fiction manuscripts. Many of you may know Sue as one of the Gurus in our RYS Kidlit Creators Forum, as well as one of th voices of experience in our weekly Thursday Mentor Text Talks (more information here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2705342229746385 ) . Rate Your Story Members get 15 Ratings and Feedback from

WELCOME to our FOURTH annual Rate Your Story March On With Mentor Texts event! Mentor Texts are very important to us as writers and I am happy to be able to have an event to inspire writers and authors to use them effectively and successfully and well as to introduce new books to read! REGISTRATION: Register at the bottom of this post by typing your name and sharing a favorite mentor text and telling us why it's good. We are happy to take registration comments all month -- I

This month, up to four (4) 2026 Rate Your Story Members will have the opportunity to submit and get feedback and a rating from Melissa. Members can request this perk from Judy, Admin Assistant and In-box Coordinator ( RateYourStory@gmail.com ), and if there are spots available and your manuscript seems like a good fit, you will receive the benefit.  Non-Members, enjoy learning more about Melissa and her latest book, as well as her path to success! Q: What did you love about b

Donna Marx and Good Luck, Puck! Before I introduce this month’s featured author (who, as the editor of her book, I am very excited about), I want to discuss – just what is luck?  Here are two variations of luck’s definition success or failure apparently brought by chance rather than through one's own actions. chance considered as a force that causes good or bad things to happen. I personally believe that luck is a combination, with a twist. While “chance” can certainly be a f

*Note: Originally scheduled for 1/5 but we encountered a glitch. Check Out Danna's Books HERE: https://amzn.to/45EWYbY The holidays can be busy and loud – for adults, especially for kids, and even more so for kids with anxiety. So, this is a perfect book for January – one that reminds us all to chill, ground and find our special calm amidst the after celebration chaos! We’re grateful for this cool opportunity to Interview Danna Smith, the author ! RYS: Which came first, the T

Who: Rate Your Story Members as well as Non-Members can participate! But only Members will get support and badges, with the exception of our participation badge (see below) and any end-of-year completion badge, which will be posted on our blog for all to grab.  Goals: To keep exploring new ideas with an eye toward seeing which ones work, which ones don’t and why. To keep practicing writing and exploring different techniques and options. To have drafts to fall back on and deve

Our director, Lynne Marie, is excited to start off her sixth year at the helm of Rate Your Story as our January Guest Guru. Up to eight 2026 Members will have the opportunity to get a feedback and rating from her. Members can request Lynne Marie as a Guru from Judy, Admin Assistant and In-box Coordinator ( RateYourStory@gmail.com ), and if there are available spots and your manuscript seems like a good fit, you will receive the benefit. Remember, if you sign up for 2026 Membe

We are very excited to feature our November Guest Guru ( Heather Stigall ) who has penned two fun and festive picture books. She will give a rating and feedback to four lucky Rate Your Story Members this month. Members can request Heather as a Guru from Judy, our in-box coordinator ( RateYourStory@gmail.com ), and if there are available spots and your manuscript seems like a good fit, you will receive this benefit. Q: What did you love about being a child? A: I loved having t

First Page events are wonderful ways to not only get your manuscript beginnings critiqued, but also to get your work in front of editors...