Revisiting THE DAY YOU BEGIN. What a great book about walking into a room and not quite fitting in. Enjoy some fresh reading prompts and activities for it. www.onlypicturebooks.com/2026/08/17/r... #mondayblogs #picturebooks #kidlit

I chose Christian Robinson for this week's creator spotlight. Swing by the post to find out what I love about his writing and art! www.onlypicturebooks.com/2026/08/10/c... #kidlit #picturebooks #Mondayblogs

The August batch of five-word picture book reviews is up. Here are five recent releases from my stack. www.onlypicturebooks.com/2026/08/03/p... #kidlit #picturebooks #bookreviews

I sat down with Mela Bolinao, founder of MB Artists, to talk about how agents spot new talent and the specific portfolio missteps artists need to avoid. Check out the interview here: www.onlypicturebooks.com/2026/07/27/a... #kidlit #picturebooks #kidlitart #amwriting

Revisiting Cherry Mo's Home in a Lunchbox today. It's a terrific example of trusting the art to do the talking. Here are some new activities and discussion prompts for it. www.onlypicturebooks.com/2026/07/20/r... #picturebooks #Mondayblogs #teachingideas #educators

Whenever I teach a picture book writing class, Oge Mora’s books are almost always on the syllabus. I put a few reasons why on the blog today. www.onlypicturebooks.com/2026/07/13/b... #KidLit #PictureBooks #WritingCommunity #Mondayblog

Back from teaching at the WIFYR conference! I put a quick photo recap on the blog today. (Spoiler: there was a lot of root beer involved.) www.onlypicturebooks.com/2026/06/29/c... #KidLit #WritingCommunity #MondayBlogs

The new Creator Spotlight is up. If you want to study how to balance visual storytelling with simple text, join me in looking at a few of Corey R. Tabor's books. www.onlypicturebooks.com/2026/06/08/b... #PictureBooks #KidLit #WritingCommunity #Mondayblogs

The June review roundup is live! I’m back at it with the five-word review challenge for a new batch of picture books. Curious which new release earned its score in "seabed sighs" or "bacon breakfasts"? Check out the list. www.onlypicturebooks.com/2026/06/01/p... #KidLit #PictureBooks #Mondayblogs

This week's Industry Insights post is live. If you write or teach nature-focused picture books, I found a great online resource. Head over to the blog to see the site I'm recommending this week! www.onlypicturebooks.com/2026/05/25/i... #PictureBooks #KidLit #WritingCommunity #Mondayblogs

Need a gentle way to get kids interested in the dirt? Today's post has discussion questions and hands-on projects for Kari Percival's How to Say Hello to a Worm. www.onlypicturebooks.com/2026/05/18/r... #KidLit #PictureBooks #readingactivities #MondayBlogs

Who's in the Creator Spotlight this month? It's Matt Forrest Esenwine. If you want to study how to blend poetry, pacing, and visual storytelling, his work is well worth the read. www.onlypicturebooks.com/2026/05/11/b... #KidLit #PictureBooks #MondayBlogs

The May review roundup is live! I gave five spring picture books the five-word review treatment. Come see which new releases earned what on the "polite refusals" or "fish hats" rating scale. www.onlypicturebooks.com/2026/05/04/p... #KidLit #PictureBooks #Mondayblogs

If you're the kind of creator who appreciates great endpapers and spine design... On the blog today, I wrote a post about why Mel Schuit's site, Let's Talk Picture Books, is a must-read. Check out my thoughts here: www.onlypicturebooks.com/2026/04/27/i... #KidLit #PictureBooks

Need some fresh classroom activities? I just posted a batch of discussion questions and writing prompts for Ryan T. Higgins's MOTHER BRUCE. (Plus a few read-alikes for when they inevitably ask for more!) www.onlypicturebooks.com/2026/04/20/r... #KidLit #PictureBooks

Today, I'm kicking off a brand new series: Creator Spotlight! First up is Pat Zietlow Miller. We're studying three of her picture books to see how she nails "kid logic," grounds big themes, and keeps concept books playful. www.onlypicturebooks.com/2026/04/13/b... #KidLit #PictureBooks

April is here, and so is a new batch of five-word picture book reviews. Check out the roundup on the blog, and let me know your own five-word takes in the comments. www.onlypicturebooks.com/2026/04/06/p... #KidLit #PictureBooks #BookReviews

For today's Bonus post, I’m highlighting a fantastic kidlit site that's all about how picture books and music work together. Really thoughtful stuff for teachers and writers alike. www.onlypicturebooks.com/2026/03/30/i... #PictureBooks #KidLit

From Scottish folklore to high school English to agenting at Howland Literary... Ashlee MacCallum has an incredible background. And yes, she wants your "creepy" picture books. 👻 www.onlypicturebooks.com/2026/03/23/a... #KidLit #MSWL #WritingCommunity #AmQuerying

Ever wonder what a dancing octopus or a sleeping salamander dreams about? 🐙🦎 This week’s reading activities feature EVERY DREAMING CREATURE by Brendan Wenzel. www.onlypicturebooks.com/2026/03/16/r... #KidLit #PictureBooks #BrendanWenzel

Just finished a picture book draft? Before you start revising, step back and look at the foundation. Today on the blog, I'm sharing 5 key questions to ask your early draft. www.onlypicturebooks.com/2026/03/09/b... #WritingTips #KidLit #PictureBooks

What do lace-up shoes have to do with growing up? Quite a bit, actually. Fred Koehler joined me to take a closer look at Caldecott Honor winner Jashar Awan’s new picture book, Loops. Here’s our full review: www.onlypicturebooks.com/2026/03/02/p... #mondayblogs #picturebooks #bookreview

In picture books, every spread needs to do heavy lifting. Today on the blog, I explain why you should cut the setup and start one beat later. www.onlypicturebooks.com/2026/02/23/i... #PictureBooks #KidLit #AmWriting #PublishingAdvice

We were saddened to hear of the passing of Hudson Talbott. To honor him, this week’s reading activities focus on his autobiographical picture book book, A Walk in the Words. www.onlypicturebooks.com/2026/02/16/r... #PictureBooks #KidLit #HudsonTalbott #ReadingActivities

Is your picture book idea "too small"? Does your draft feel rushed at the end? 🤔 Today on the blog, I’m addressing 3 of the most common early-draft worries. www.onlypicturebooks.com/2026/02/09/b... #WritingTips #KidLit #PictureBooks #AmWriting

February’s Five-Word Reviews are here! We’re keeping it brief this week with 5 new picture books you should have on your radar. www.onlypicturebooks.com/2026/02/02/p... #KidLit #PictureBooks #BookReview #Mondayblogs

Confession: If your cover letter is longer than your picture book manuscript, I probably won’t read it. 🫣 Today’s Industry Insights post offers a solution: The Two-Sentence Cover Note. www.onlypicturebooks.com/2026/01/26/i... #WritingCommunity #KidLit #Querying #MondayBlogs

This week on the blog, we’re stepping into the 1920s with Flora and the Jazzers by Astrid Sheckels. I’ve created a new set of reading activities to go with it. www.onlypicturebooks.com/2026/01/19/r... #PictureBooks #KidLit #Music #ReadingActivities

As an editor, I see the same specific mistakes in the slush pile over and over. Today, I’m sharing 10 resolutions that actually made a difference. www.onlypicturebooks.com/2026/01/12/b... #PictureBooks #WritingTips #KidLit #MondayBlogs

The first batch of reviews for 2026 is live! We’ve got Jory John’s latest Food Group book, winter vibes from the Pumphrey brothers, and hiccups. Lots of hiccups. www.onlypicturebooks.com/2026/01/05/f... #KidLit #PictureBooks #BookReview #MondayBlogs