WRITERS' RUMPUS

#Kidlit Interview with the Effervescent Children’s Author Kelly Swemba

August 26, 2026 Monica Acker

Friendship is a special, wondrous thing. Great thinkers and creatives throughout time have shared their thoughts about how special friendship is: Kelly Swemba and illustrator

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Meet #kidlit Debut Author Evgenia Mantikas

August 18, 2026 Carol Gordon Ekster

CAROL GORDON EKSTER: I met Evgenia at the Kindling Words East retreat in 2026. What sweet and contagious energy she has! I am so excited

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Researching and Writing Nonfiction

August 11, 2026 Alumni & Guests

Guest Post by Lauren H. Kerstein I am beyond thrilled to be here. I’ve long enjoyed reading Writers’ Rumpus posts and am excited to share

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Transitional Readers – Diving into Early Readers and Chapter Books

August 4, 2026 Alumni & Guests

I recently launched my newest series, One Mad Cat. My publisher calls it a “graphic reader.” SLJ calls it an “early reader.” JLG calls it a “chapter book.” So what on earth is it? And does it even matter? I’m going to talk about the world of early readers, including the various formats, craft considerations, and pitching.

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The Puffin Who Whispered: Interview with #kidlit talent Marcia Strykowski … and a giveaway, too!

July 28, 2026 Laura Fineberg Cooper

In this interview, I’m excited to interview my gracious and uber talented friend about The Puffin Who Whispered on its fledgling day. Although this charming book is fiction, I guarantee you’ll be as puffin-obsessed as I am after reading Marcia’s responses!

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Book Review: Louise Loves Art, by Kelly Light

September 23, 2014 Alumni & Guests

IT’S HERE!! LOUISE LOVES ART BY KELLY LIGHT IS NOW IN BOOKSTORES!! I preordered Kelly Light’s debut picture book, Louise Loves Art, in August. I had

What’s in a Character’s Name? Part 1

September 19, 2014 Alison Potoma

The etymology of names is something that has always interested me. When I was in high school, writing plays, I went to the local book

Back to School, Back to Work!

September 16, 2014 Alumni & Guests

By Carrie Charley Brown You’ve taken the first day of school pictures, posted them on Facebook, and sent the kids back to school, backpacks and

Meet amazing author/illustrator: Jenny Kostecki-Shaw

September 12, 2014 Carol Gordon Ekster

I loved Jenny Kostecki-Shaw’s work from the minute I read her books. They are beautifully illustrated with wonderful themes – kid friendly and parent friendly.