How do you engage readers? There are so many ways! High-interest content, gorgeous thought-provoking illustrations, impeccable rhymes and lyrical language, or my personal favorite, gift readers a gigg...

Picture Books About Cultural Name Awareness by Maria Wen AdcockWhat’s in a name? In a very practical sense, our names are our identities. When someone says our names, we know they’re talking to us. Cu...

It’s All in the Details by Lisa RogersPrecision in writing can be hard-won. As writers, we can get carried away by our words, without making sure that each one communicates what we intend. Sometimes, ...

Finding the Right Voice & Tone in Nonfiction Picture Books By Lydia Lukidis Writing compelling nonfiction for children isn’t just about sharing facts, it’s about sparking curiosity and making learnin...

Squirrels, Porcupines, and Bears--oh my!Mentor texts with animal characters and how the rules, as well as my upcoming book Squirrel Draws Big Feelings evolved… No animals allowed!Twenty years ago, whe...

MOWMT: The Secret to Writing Page-Turning NonfictionBy Mary BooneFacts matter. Accuracy matters. Research matters.But here’s the truth: Kids don’t fall in love with books because of footnotes, bolded ...

Children have a natural curiosity about the world. How and why were Band-Aids invented? Who created the giant balloons for Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade? How did Winnie the Pooh and Teddy Bears get t...

When I transitioned from writing picture books to writing board books, I was struck by their unique challenge. Instead of a focus on plot and story, the focus is on rhythm and participation. One of th...

Writing for Children from a Fresh Perspective by Leah SchankeHave you ever found a historical figure you would love to write about, only to discover there are already multiple biographies about them o...

Conjuring magic in picture books isn’t as easy as it may seem. First, the magic must be seeded in the ordinary world. It can’t just come out of nowhere, magically or not. Since essentially everything ...

Using Metafiction To Turn Reading Into A GameGreetings, March on Mentor Text readers!When I was inspired to attempt to write a story based on a childhood game after being dazzled by THE LEGEND OF ROCK...

As a teacher librarian, many of the resources I share with my students feature important history. Dry nonfiction isn’t enough to hook readers--these stories need to have heart. I want my students to w...

Writing the Unexpected: Crafting Unique Picture Book Biographies About Famous PeopleBy Selene CastrovillaGrowing up, I always knew I was a writer. But if you’d told me I would one day write about Geor...

First of all, we'd like to wish everyone a Happy National Meatball Day! Celebrate with Jeanette's book, Meatballs for Grandpa! Inviting Engagement in Character- Driven Storiesby Jeanette Fazzari Jone...

THE POWER OF THE PAGE TURNBy Danna Smith There’s a subtle, yet incredibly powerful, moment in every children’s book that often goes unnoticed by adults but is keenly felt by young readers: the page tu...

By Beth Anderson While fiction books may portray emotions as monsters or other types of characters, nonfiction seems to present a different kind of challenge when you’re working with complex concepts ...

As someone who hails from a family of educators and has been an elementary teacher for twenty years, I am certainly mindful of teachable moments! When I draft and revise stories, I always consider cur...

Making Big Concepts Kid Relatable: Courage, Persistence, Forgiveness and Faith“Courage is the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistentl...

You might have heard that, as far as stories, everything has been done before, and that there’s nothing truly new under the sun. Well, that’s not exactly true! Yes, it’s correct that with most tales, ...

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ALT: a red and white stamp with the word cancelled on it

Hi, parents, librarians, book fanatics, writers, and readers of all sorts! Did you enjoy the13 frightfully fun days with #SeasonsOfKidLit? We certainly had a boo-tiful time with YOU. It’s been a real ...

Hi, readers, writers, and querying creators of all kinds! Today is #SeasonsOfKidLit’s last day of our 2025 Trick-or-Treat Event, and we’re closing it out in an extremely BIG way! We’re thrilled to wel...

Hi readers, writers, and pumpkin-lovers, too! What’s better than having tea? Having tea with a friend, of course.We're thrilled to celebrate the season with author Laura Sassi and her beautiful new bo...

Hi readers, writers, and ghosties of all sorts! We're thrilled to have author and illustrator Tara J. Hannon back on our blog today sharing her newest chapter book series, perfect for fright-filled re...

Hi readers, writers, and book lovers of all kinds! We're thrilled to have an incredible guest with us today. Anthony Barlow, Marketing Manager at Tiny Tree Books, is here to share more about the books...