Breezing through Facebook tonight, I happened upon a link a friend posted to Upstart Crow Literary . Agent Michael Stearns has written an excellent piece on Agenting Picture Books v. Agenting Novels. It’s one of the most insightful posts I’ve seen on the subject of picture books – both the art of writing them and [...]
Read full post...So reads the tagline on author/illustrator Meghan McCarthy’s website and I couldn’t agree more.
Though I’d skimmed through Strong Man: The Story of Charles Atlas (Alfred A. Knopf, 2007) in the book store soon after it was published, only recently did I pick up a copy to share with my third grade class.
Here’s what we loved:
* [...]
NaPiBoWriWee has come and gone, and while I have to admit that I have not even one completed picture book to show for my efforts, I do have a few new ideas in the works.
In the meantime, I’ve been working on a revision of another story, and I think it might finally finally (!) be [...]
Paula Yoo put out the challenge to write 7 picture books in 7 days and I decided to give it a try. Oh, I how I wish I hadn’t, because the fact that I’ve got the beginnings of 10 new picture books isn’t much consolation when only one of them is actually far enough along [...]
Read full post...I have absolutely positively over-estimated the amount of time I’ll have this week to write new picture books, but I’m going to give it a try anyway! I just put my name in as one of some 75 (so far!) people who are pledging to write 7 new picture book drafts in 7 days.
Check out [...]
In spite of the huge number of picture books filling my home and school book shelves, there are some books that I pick up while browsing in the bookstore that I know I simply must buy.
That Book Woman by Heather Henson, pictures by David Small, is one such book.
This lyrical and deeply moving story centers [...]
I’ve added a new page: PICTURE BOOKS: ART AND CRAFT. Click here or on the GREEN tab in the banner above and take a look!
Read full post... photo credit: San Jose Library
Yesterday I attended the California Literature Council’s Spring Workshop: “I Can Read It By Myself… But Do I Want To? Inspiring Emergent Readers” presented by Megan Lambert of the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art.
Among other things, Lambert discussed The Whole Book Approach, which she described as [...]
Over the past few years I’ve been thinking very much about what an amazing gift it is for those picture book authors who are also illustrators. Most especially those who choose to write for the very young.
I could be wrong, but I have this sense that an ability to call upon the visual creative side [...]
By lucky coincidence I picked up two terrifically fun books the other day at the bookstore: Gossie by Olivier Dunrea and Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed
by Mo Willems; later the same day I happened upon another Mo Willems at the library - I Am Invited to a Party!
Though I’m not at all surprised that [...]
I've lived and traveled around the world, but now make my home in California.
By day, I teach; evenings and many weekends, I write.
My teaching, reading, and writing eventually led to a degree in Language and Literacy, and later, an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts.