“There once was a boy shot from a bow like an arrow. / Strong and straight, he flew across the world, connecting many people with
Author: Joyce Audy Zarins
A member of SCBWI, the Writer’s Rumpus, and NEST, Joyce is the author of five books for young readers and illustrator of twenty. She is currently working on new YA, MG and a non-fiction PB. Sculpture is her other passion. Life is a creative experience.
I’m a Neutrino: Tiny Particles in a Big Universe
If you are a bit unclear about what a neutrino is, you need this picture book. And if you wonder what makes a good non-fiction
Kids Fight Climate Change
Be a 2-minute superhero! “Our planet is in trouble. It needs YOU.” Today, April 22nd, is Earth Day, time for some action. Kids who read
Interview with Valerie Bolling: Together We Ride
Joyce: Valerie, you certainly have been busy since I interviewed you for your first book Let’s Dance! Congratulations on your newest–Together We Ride from Chronicle
World of Books #12 Costa Rica
When my family met in Costa Rica in November, I bought a charming picture book there by a well-known local author. It is inspiring to
Plotting Great Escapes: Two New Books from Candlewick
While seeming to have little in common, the urge to escape can unite those who otherwise live separate lives. That unity benefits all. How might
A Book About Generosity? A challenge.
Allow me to propose a writing challenge. That thought was inspired by two books that have missed their mark. See if you agree that the
About the Hook
What lures a teen to read a multi-hundred-page book? The author has carefully written and revised a terrific narrative, but where is the hook, the
The Power of No Words at All: Henry Cole’s “One Little Bag”
In April of 2020 a remarkable picture book was released into the world. Inspired by the author’s childhood experience, the story follows the life cycle
¡Oye, niños! Lucky Diaz’s Paletero Man
Latin Grammy award winner Lucky Diaz’s Paletero Man has boogied from a finger-snapping song into a delectable picture book with a dramatic twist. Just as in the
Five Page Layout Tips
All picture book author-illustrators need to consider how your story and images fit together. Even when the narrative is not told in actual words, it
Picture Book Toolbox
There is a surprising range of tools available for you when constructing a memorable, even classic, picture book. Some are obvious: You will want the
WRITERS' RUMPUS 