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: Writing
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
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
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 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.
Show and Tell: Back to School Books
September may be shouting “Back to the books!” but let’s be real— kid-lit writers (hi, that’s us) never actually put them down. The shelves keep
Writing About a Living Person: A Conversation with Author Danna Zeiger and Dr. Kathleen Friel
If you’ve been keeping up with our wildly engaging Writers’ Rumpus blog this summer, then you’ve already become well-acquainted with debut author Danna Zeiger and
Meet the Talented #kidlit #debut author, Danna Zeiger, plus #giveaway
CAROL GORDON EKSTER: Danna is in my Andover, MA SCBWI critique group. Her debut book comes out this September, and I want to introduce you
INTERVIEW WITH #KIDLIT #RHYMING #PICTUREBOOK AUTHOR CHRISTINA SHAWN AND ILLUSTRATOR SHAHRZAD MAYDANI ABOUT PICTURE BOOK AND THEN CAME YOU
By Danna Zeiger Christina has been a long-time beloved critique partner and friend. We have journeyed through the wild path of publishing together, and I
Where Are the Women? Interview With Author-Illustrator Janice Hechter…And a Giveaway!
“An inspiring true story of female empowerment.” -KIRKUS REVIEWS
WRITERS' RUMPUS 