WRITERS' RUMPUS

Interviews with Elly Berke and Luciana Navarro Powell, the gifted author and illustrator duo of LISTEN, WONDER, ASK … and a giveaway, too!!

January 20, 2026 Laura Fineberg Cooper

It’s my great honor to introduce Listen, Wonder, Ask (Tilbury House Publishers, September 17, 2024) and the gifted author/illustrator team of Elly Berke and Luciana Navarro Powell to our Writers’ Rumpus audience in my first post of 2026.

Meet the Talented Alexandra Thompson, Author & Illustrator!

January 13, 2026 Amy Amberg

Amy Amberg (AA): Hi Alexandra! I’m looking forward to the publication of your newest book, Hazel and Herbert, due out at the end of February!

Growing the Creepy: How Aaron Reynolds’s Jasper Rabbit’s Creepy Tales! Grows With Young Readers

January 6, 2026 Hilary Elizabeth Margitich

A look at how Aaron Reynolds and Peter Brown grow their beloved Creepy picture books into early chapter books — and why spooky stories work year-round for young readers.

The 2025 Writers’ Rumpus Year in Review

December 30, 2025 Laura Fineberg Cooper

Before we close the book on 2025, I welcome you to peruse my annual Writers’ Rumpus Year in Review. As with my first review post back in 2017, my goal for 2025 is to showcase the breadth and depth of our offerings from our talented contributors with a single post from each.

FROM IDEA TO IMPACT: WRITING SEL PICTURE BOOKS

December 23, 2025 Alumni & Guests

Guest Post by Danna Smith What are SEL Picture Books? An SEL picture book teaches children about emotions, life skills, and empathy. Creating one can

Interview and Inspiration with Tenacious #Kidlit Author Pam Vaughan

December 16, 2025 Monica Acker

Pam Vaughan is one of the most supportive creators in the kidlit community. She cheers everyone on with her positivity. It came as no shock

Interview with author/illustrator, Joy Nelkin Wieder

December 9, 2025 Carol Gordon Ekster

Carol Gordon Ekster: Our guest today is Joy Nelkin Wieder, a talented long time New England creative. It is my pleasure in this holiday season

Recent Reads Roundup

December 2, 2025 Marcia Strykowski

There have been so many great books released this past year, I had to squeeze in one more multi-book post highlighting some of my favorites.

WRITING CHAPTER BOOKS WITH HUMOR

November 25, 2025 Alumni & Guests

I’m hoping to build on Vicky Fang’s blog post, focusing specifically on humor: How do you create a humorous chapter book series that engages young readers and keeps them turning page after page after page?

New in Picture Books: Hello, Tobi! by Andrea Cáceres

November 18, 2025 Keri Demers

Hello, Tobi (Candlewick, 2025), by Author/Illustrator Andrea Cáceres had me at hello. Literally. The cover is a playful invitation, with an illustration of Cáceres’s 15-year-old

Interview with Kimberly Tso, Debut Author of TIC-TAC-TOE CHICKEN…and a GIVEAWAY!

November 11, 2025 Laura Fineberg Cooper

Kimberly, it’s my pleasure to welcome you to Writers’ Rumpus! Congratulations on your debut picture book, Tic-Tac-Toe Chicken, published August 19, 2025 by Third State

Writing Across Genres & Empowering Indie Authors: Author-Publisher Donna L. Martin

November 4, 2025 Hilary Elizabeth Margitich

I met children’s author and indie publisher Donna L. Martin through a #BookHero school library book drive I coordinate every March with fellow kidlit authors

Interview with LIMELIGHT author Renée M. LaTulippe

October 28, 2025 Monica Acker

Liesl in the Sound of Music; Beth in Little Women; Helena Landless in The Mystery of Edwin Drood. This seemingly random string of characters are

Interview with Ainissa Ramirez, author of SPARK … and a giveaway!

October 21, 2025 Laura Fineberg Cooper

Spark – Jim West’s Electrifying Adventures in Creating the Microphone is the first nonfiction picture book biography in the Black Innovators Series by MIT Kids Press, an imprint of Candlewick. Today is this remarkable book’s birthday, and I’m honored to welcome talented author Ainissa Ramirez to Writers’ Rumpus.

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