Interviews (scroll down) with book creators and others in the children’s book community. I’m still gradually moving these over from the old site; thanks for your patience.
Many of these book creators were kind enough to offer useful Advice For Young Writers and Illustrators.
By Julie Damerell Jody Jensen Shaffer is an award-winning poet and the author of more than 80 books for children, including PRUDENCE THE PART-TIME COW, IT’S YOUR FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, BUSY BUS!, A CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK, EMERGENCY KITTENS! and more. You can learn more about Jody at . . .
Author photo credit: Randi Childs. Interview by Julie Damerell Ronni Diamondstein spent her life surrounded by books and immersed in the world of children’s literature. As a school library media specialist and teacher of gifted and talented students in the United States and abroad, Ronni nurtured her students’ creativity by . . .
Daphne Benedis-Grab is the author of the middle grade novels I KNOW YOUR SECRET, I KNOW YOU’RE LYING, and CLEMENTINE FOR CHRISTMAS as well as the young adult book THE GIRL IN THE WALL. Her middle grade book THE ANGEL TREE was made into a Hallmark Original movie. She earned . . .
Editor’s note: It’s more of a challenge to get books noticed these days! You can help boost this book and its creators by helping to spread the word on Bluesky, X/Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Substack. BEATRICE AND BARBAuthor: Kate Jenks Landry ~ Illustrator: Vivian MinekerPublisher: Kids Can Press (Oct. 3, . . .
Sara Truuvert is the author of Mira and Baku, her debut picture book, published by Annick Press. Sara’s short fiction and poetry have appeared in publications like Ploughshares, the Chicago Quarterly Review, Witness, and PRISM international. She lives in Ontario. You can find her at saratruuvert.com. Michelle Theodore is an illustrator . . .
Benson Shum is a children’s book author and illustrator. He uses watercolor, ink and digital tools to create his illustrations. His books, Anzu the Great Listener and Anzu the Great Kaiju were selected as Kid’s Indie Next List Recommended by American Booksellers Association, and received a starred review from School . . .
By Julie Damerell Tyler Charlton is an illustrator and children’s book author living in northern Virginia with his wife and three children. He is a native of Southern California and grew up near the beach where he played in actual, real waves. That experience gave him a way to think . . .
By Julie Damerell Born in Hong Kong and raised in Vancouver, Jack Wong (黃雋喬) now calls Halifax (Nova Scotia, Canada) home, where he works as a children’s author/illustrator. A self-declared actual Jack-of-all-trades, he’s also tried his hand at bridge engineering, psychology research, bookkeeping, and running his own bicycle repair shop—a . . .
By Julie Damerell Karen M. Greenwald hopes that the stories she tells about real heroes hidden by history inspire, educate, and delight. She co-founded #SunWriteFun, an annual online kidlit nonfiction writing contest, and raises money for need-based kidlit charities. She is also an international award-winning brand strategist. Her debut, A . . .
MIRA AND BAKU is written by Sara Truuvert and illustrated by Michelle Theodore, and launches from Annick Press this fall! It will be Sara’s debut into children’s books. Annick Press found Sara through her poetry, and had no idea that Sara had both a mother and aunt in the children’s . . .