WRITERS' RUMPUS

Ooh! Ahhh! Whoaa! Interview and Giveaway with Chana Stiefel and Susan Gal, the AWEsomely Creative Team Behind AWE!

June 16, 2026 Laura Fineberg Cooper

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.

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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

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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,

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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

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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

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#kidlit Interview with Brooke Hartman, Author of Lotte’s Magical Paper Puppets

December 8, 2020 Carol Gordon Ekster

CAROL GORDON EKSTER: Your recently released picture book, Lotte’s Magical Paper Puppets, with Page Street Kids is a lyrical, lovely and unusual picture book biography

Reimagining a classic: The Great Gatsby as a graphic novel

December 4, 2020 Joyce Audy Zarins

To transform a preeminent and beloved literary work into a graphic novel for young adults is a challenge for the brave. K. Woodman-Maynard’s adaptation of

ON A GOOD HORSE

November 27, 2020 Marti Johnson

by Darby Karchut Released November 2020 by Owl Hollow Press, Utah Alex Nash is supposed to be living in Los Angeles with his mother, playing

Interview with Summer Rachel Short, debut author of The Mutant Mushroom Takeover

November 24, 2020 Laura Fineberg Cooper

The book is a lightly spooky STEM novel that features eleven-year-old aspiring naturalist, Maggie, and her conspiracy theorist/YouTuber best friend, Nate, who have to solve the mystery surrounding a strange glow-in-the-dark fungus that’s spreading through their small town. Kirkus Reviews called the book, “packed to the gills with fun.”

Beautiful Board Books!

November 20, 2020 Marcia Strykowski

Candlewick Press has done it again. They are consistently publishing gorgeous books for all ages, from babies to young adults. I received the following board