I always love featuring books that entertain and educate…and when they are written by dear kid lit friends. Author Candace Spizzirri and I met a few years ago when she wrote her first Finley book, Finley: A Moose on the Caboose. When I discovered that she has a new book, Finley: A Moose in Chartreuse, … Read more
Fear is a natural part of childhood. First day of school. A first tryout for a team.Reading out loud.Sleeping in a dark room. These moments can feel big—sometimes overwhelming—for young children. But here’s something important: Confidence doesn’t come from avoiding fear.It comes from learning how to move through it. When we support children with patience, … Read more
When we think about helping young children learn, we often picture flashcards, worksheets, and structured lessons. But the real magic?It usually looks like crayons, costumes, cardboard castles, and made-up stories. What may seem like “just play” is actually some of the most powerful learning happening in a child’s brain. Creativity in early childhood isn’t extra … Read more
Confidence is one of the most important skills a child can develop—and it plays a huge role in learning to read. For children ages 4–8, confidence often determines whether reading feels exciting or overwhelming. That’s where picture books come in. Picture books aren’t just tools for learning letters and sounds. They help children see themselves … Read more
I always love featuring books that entertain and educate … and when they are written by one of my dear kid lit friends, that makes it even more enjoyable! Author Liliana Tommasini and I met at Miriam Laundry’s Believe Conference in Canada last fall … and what a wonderful event for picture book authors. When … Read more
Fall means it is time for brilliant colored leaves in shades of red, orange, yellow, and purple. It’s time for the sweet and warm smell of cinnamon, pumpkin spice, and hot apple cider. And pumpkins, bright orange pumpkins in all sizes. For me, it is also time for a fall refresh for this blog! Hello, … Read more
Whether you’re just starting out or deep into your publishing journey, one of the most powerful tools in your writing toolkit is read picture books like a picture book author. It’s not just about enjoying the story — it’s about analyzing structure, language, pacing, and illustration interplay. In my last post I challenged you to read … Read more
Last weekend I had the pleasure of participating in a library author event for picture book and teen local authors. It went seamlessly because I like preparing for a library event. Want to know my secrets? Keep reading. In person author events are wonderful. I enjoy meeting parents, teachers, children and other authors. I love … Read more
Let’s be honest, picture book critiques are hard. Whether you are giving the critique or receiving a critique. Over the last few years I have participated in several critique groups. Some groups were a good match and others, not so much. The critiques however, were always respectful and useful. I have just joined a new … Read more
I am celebrating Little Free Library Week by sharing my books. Copies of Gertie Saves the Day and Two Wins for Wiley were added to my local Little Free Library. I sign each copy and add a note. Sometimes, I get an email from a child who has just read my book. It is a … Read more
