WRITERS' RUMPUS

Yes, the title of this post borrows from this gloriously AWEsome picture book (published March 3, 2026 by Scholastic Press), but I totally couldn’t resist! Both a visual treat (thank you, Susan) and an inspiring read (thank you, Chana), what makes AWE! vault into being one of the best picture books I’ve ever read is how the words and pictures meld together to create a memorable, soul stirring, heart lifting experience.

Interview with #Kidlit Coauthor of Unbreakable – Jolene Gutiérrez

June 9, 2026 Monica Acker

Storytelling unites generations, preserves culture, and shares the human experience. It can connect us to the past in the hope of a better future. This

When Narration and Puzzles Intertwine: Creating Storified Puzzle Books

June 5, 2026 Alumni & Guests

Guest Post by Derek Reid I’ve always dealt in the truth and glory of the real universe. When I was five or six years old,

Picture Book Review: In The World of Whales

June 2, 2026 Genevieve Rossi

In The World of Whales, written by Michelle Cusolito and illustrated by Jessica Lanan, was published by Neal Porter books on June 17, 2025. Upon

I Wish I Didn’t Have To Tell You This

May 26, 2026 Marti Johnson

I WISH I DIDN’T HAVE TO TELL YOU THIS was written and illustrated by Eugene Yelchin, a Russian-born American author and an artist of many

Shape Your Story, Part Three: Summon the Middle School Teacher in Yourself

March 24, 2015 Alumni & Guests

By Carrie Charley Brown As you might have noticed from Shape Your Story, Part One and Two, using a formula can often springboard me smack

Audiobooks as Leisure Time: Part II

March 20, 2015 Alison Potoma

In Part I of Audiobooks as Leisure Time, I discussed considering the hours I spend in the car commuting back and forth to work leisure time.

3 Secrets to School Visit Success

March 17, 2015 Kirsti Call

Schools visits are magical…most of the time. My very first school visit started with technology issues. After struggling for half an hour, I decided to give

Meet book marketing expert, Deborah Sloan

March 13, 2015 Carol Gordon Ekster

REMEMBER, NOBODY BUYS A BOOK THEY HAVEN’T HEARD OF.* Read this interview with children’s book marketing expert, Deborah Sloan, to find out how to get

Why Does it Take Sooooooo Long for a Book to Come Out?

March 10, 2015 Alumni & Guests

There are two questions I get most often from well-intentioned family and friends. The first is “You must be so rich now that your book

Writing Devices: Pros and Cons of Connectivity

March 6, 2015 Joyce Audy Zarins

Mobility increases productivity. Although you write B.I.C. (Jane Yolen’s famous rule #1 on writing: keep your “Butt in Chair”), that chair now has wings. With