Rajani pours her heart and incredible talent into each new story for children she writes: it’s no wonder she has garnered so many well-deserved awards!
Category: Writing
Interview with talented #kidlit author/illustrator, Kari Percival
CAROL GORDON EKSTER: I met Kari when a mutual friend started a critique group. I was instantly impressed by Kari’s writing and illustration talents as
Helping Writers and Readers Cope
The themes in picture books are intended to assist children in dealing with the world around them, and authors benefit in the same way. These
2025 Caldecott Contender: The Yellow Bus by Loren Long
School buses have been an inspiration for lots of picture books over the years. Just peruse any children’s library and you’ll find stories about nervous
Annie Barrows and Sophie Blackall Are Back At It…With STELLA & MARIGOLD!
One of the great highlights of my summer, besides attending a fantastic writing retreat in the green mountains of Vermont, was receiving an advanced reader copy of Stella & Marigold from Chronicle Books (thank you from the bottom of my book-loving heart, Chronicle). It’s the first book in a brand-new early reader series for children 6-9 years old, by the magical author-illustrator duo Annie Barrows and Sophie Blackall.
Happy New Year to Kidlit Creators: Embrace the Journey!
But wait, where is the Picture Book Opportunities post for January, 2025? The monthly blog posts listing courses, conferences, contests, and other events ended with
The 2024 Writers’ Rumpus Year in Review
Whether you’ve been naughty or nice, you’re invited to peruse my 2024 Writers’ Rumpus Year in Review! As another year draws to a close, I continue to marvel at the variety and quality of our posts, and thank all of our authors and readers for your commitment to our kidlit blog. Once again, I’ve been honored and challenged to highlight one post from each of our talented contributors with an image, date link, and brief summary. Enjoy!!
Interview with Cathy Stefanec Ogren, #kidlit talented author
CAROL GORDON EKSTER: Cathy Ogren is one of those talented writers we’re all glad to have in our critique groups. Lucky me! She’s in two of my groups. And she’s an inspiration. She has hung in there for many years while she waited for her next book contract. Let’s get inspired!
World of Books 13: Spain
Here are two picture books by different author-illustrators from Spain that encourage individuality and whose characters are insects and other arthropods. Coincidentally, among the protagonists
December Picture Book Opportunities
Online events, classes, and contests for picture book writers and illustrators for December, 2024
Interview With Debut Picture Book Author Madhu Messenger…And a Giveaway!
There’s not a social event I love more in this world than a wedding–the exquisite clothes, mouth-watering morsels of food, music, dancing, and beautiful, once-in-a-lifetime moments between family and friends.
November Picture Book Opportunities
Events, courses, and contests for picture book writers and illustrators happening or starting in November, 2024
THE CURSE OF WILLOW COVE by Josh Roberts
Owl Hollow Press, 2024 THE WITCHES OF WILLOW COVE is a wonderful MG debut released in 2020 and I am delighted that the girls and
Books Make the Perfect Gift
We all know a book that touched our life, that made us cry or laugh out loud. I know I’m preaching to the choir here.
WRITERS' RUMPUS 