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.
Category: Uncategorized
The 2025 Writers’ Rumpus Year in Review
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. Click on a date link below, and you’ll be magically whisked to the complete post, no sleighs or reindeer required!
FROM IDEA TO IMPACT: WRITING SEL PICTURE BOOKS
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
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
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
WRITING CHAPTER BOOKS WITH HUMOR
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
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!
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
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
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!
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.
Interview with Nonfiction Kidlit Author Amy Cherrix…plus a TRIPLE giveaway!
Guest Post by Janet Daniels I met Amy Cherrix at Simmons University in 2008, when we began our master’s programs through the Center for the
Interview with the amazing #kidlit author, Linda Elovitz Marshall
Carol Gordon Ekster: Linda and I first connected at Jane Yolen’s Picture book boot camp about ten years ago, but have continued to cross paths
How to Become Your Own Copy Editor
“Impossible!” you cry. “Nonsense!” I reply. Here are ten common issues found in novel manuscripts and tips to help you avoid or correct them.
WRITERS' RUMPUS 