Educational Activities: Hey, Bruce!: An Interactive Book by Ryan T. Higgins

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Hey, Bruce!: An Interactive Book
Author: Ryan T. Higgins
Illustrator: Ryan T. Higgins
20 September 2022
Disney Hyperion
48 pages

Book description from Goodreads: “In Hey, Bruce!, Bruce the bear experiences … well, whatever readers want him to.

Rupert, Thistle, and Nibbs, the fun-​loving mice in Bruce’s begrudgingly expansive family, guide readers on a quest for a fun reading experience, with Bruce the ever-​reluctant star. As readers turn the page, flip the book, and follow the mice’s increasingly silly instructions, Bruce is sent flying and tumbling—all as he looks right up the reader’s nose! How will you interact with Bruce?

Bruce’s life is what YOU, the reader, make it in this special interactive addition to the award-​winning Mother Bruce series.”

Educational Activities inspired by Hey, Bruce!:

  • Before Reading–From looking at the front cover: 
    • Take a good look at the cover. What clues can you find about what might happen in the story? What does Bruce’s expression tell you?
    • Knowing it’s an interactive book, what sorts of silly things do you think the mice might ask you to do?
    • What questions would you like to ask the author–or the Bruce himself!–before reading the book?
    • Have you read any of the other Mother Bruce books by Ryan T. Higgins? If so, what’s one thing you remember about them?
  • After Reading–Now that you’ve read the story: 
    • One mouse says he can see up the reader’s nose. How did you react to that?
    • What was the funniest or most surprising thing that the mice asked you to do?
    • What did you want to do beyond what the mice asked you to do?
    • Did you feel sorry for Bruce at any point?
    • What was your favorite part of the book and why?
    • Which illustration surprised you the most? Which did you like best?
    • Would you recommend this book to a friend? What part would you tell them about first?
  • Bruce Says! Play a round of “Bruce Says” – have one person be “Bruce” and give silly commands from the book (“Pat Bruce’s head!” or maybe “Tickle Bruce’s toes!”).
  • The Giggles Report: Draw a picture of the funniest part of the book. Write a silly caption to go with it!
  • Build a Bruce Fort: Build your own cozy naptime fort with blankets and pillows – just like Bruce would love!
  • Rhyme Masters: Pick a word from the book (shake, wiggle, nose) and write as many rhymes for it as you can!
  • Your Interactive Story: What silly things would YOU put in an interactive book? Write or draw your ideas!
  • Further Reading: Hey Bruce! An Interactive Book isn’t your typical picture book. It breaks the fourth wall, meaning the characters in the story know they’re in a book and directly talk to the reader!

    Here are some other picture books that use this playful technique. Which of these have you read before? Which would you want to read first?

Author Interview: Rob Sanders

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Welcome back to Rob Sanders, the first person we’ve asked to come back for a second interview. He was the first-​ever Author Interview when we launched OPB exactly six years ago, and his career has taken off in a way that makes asking him for a follow-​up interview a no-brainer.

Now, if you want to know about Rob’s past, hit up that other interview. This one’s going to dig into all Rob’s been up to lately, what’s he doing now, and what’s coming up later. Plus, we’ll tackle some bigger aspects of the industry because Rob’s the right person to offer real insight.

Let’s get right to it, then!

RVC: Since our last interview (April 2018), how has your approach to storytelling evolved? What do you know/​do now that you didn’t know/​do then?

RS: Probably the only way I can answer that question is to say I’ve stayed open to possibilities. Since 2018, I’ve written books (or had books acquired) that are fiction and nonfiction picture books, worked in collaboration with another author on two nonfiction biographies, published my first historical fiction middle grade novel in verse, and have a book of poetry releasing this year. Many authors have a “writing lane” in which they are marvelously successful. That model just doesn’t work for me. I guess I’m a drive-​all-​over-​the-​road kind of writer. I like variety. I like finding unique approaches to stories. I like finding the one best way for me to tell a story.

The more I write and the more I’m published, the more I know how much I don’t know. Authors I teach and critique often want me to tell them which of their manuscripts will be the most successful, which will be the right one to submit, which will get published. Golly-​gee-​willikers, I don’t know. No one does. The industry is far too subjective for that kind of prediction. (And if I did have that kind of crystal ball, I wouldn’t experience rejections myself, would I?)

Every story is one “yes” away from being published. Writing takes perseverance, tenacity, and a pretty thick skin. But to answer the question … since 2018, I think I’ve become braver. Braver in my selection of topics. Brave enough to stand up for and represent my work to others. Brave enough to take risks.

RVC: I get your drive-​all-​over-​the-​road kind of writer approach because it’s what I do, too. But one of the challenges I’ve faced as a result of that is that branding becomes more of a challenge. 

RS: Honestly, Ryan, I spend very little time thinking about platform, brand, and the like. Maybe I should be thinking about that, but I don’t. What do I do? I think of my published work as my brand. In query letters, my agency always includes something like “Rob Sanders, a pioneer in LGBTQIA+ nonfiction and the author of …” which firmly establishes or reestablishes me in the mind of an editor. I keep a list of reviews, honors, and awards for all my titles and have them available for publishers who request that.

Years ago, I had a wonderful website built and over time, my designer helped make it everything I envisioned and more. I send updates to my designer once or twice a year and/​or when there’s new information (a review, award, new book, etc.) to share. I have a presence on Facebook and Instagram (I recently gave up Twitter/​X) and I grow my reputation further by judging writing contests; teaching classes; serving as a mentor for various organizations; writing for blogs, newspapers, etc.; critiquing; and more. I feel that my time is best spent when I’m creating and focusing on my writing and when I’m helping others on their creative journeys.

RVC: How do you specifically navigate the challenge of writing for a dual audience—engaging both children and the adults who read to them (and who most often buy the books)?

RS: Can I say golly-​gee-​willikers again or is this a family show?

RVC: We’re a hearty bunch. We can take it!

RS: How do I write for two audiences? Well, I don’t.

RVC: Interesting. What do you do then?

RS: I find the best way into a story, the best way to “package” it or tell it and I write the best story I can. I stay open to input from others and revise my pants off and then I work with my agent to find the best editorial/​publishing fit for each manuscript. Truthfully, that match takes a bit of serendipity or a bit of luck. But when an editor makes an emotional connection to a story, they will become that story’s champion to others on the acquisition team. When that acquisition team begins to feel the same passion for a story, they will represent it positively to their sales staff who will represent it positively to book buyers who represent it to customers. Ultimately, a well-​written children’s book will attract adults—the purchasers—precisely because they know or feel that kid readers will make a connection with the book—just like that acquiring editor did.

RVC: You brought up three intriguing ideas there, and I want to talk about each in greater depth. The first one is the idea of revising your pants off. What does the revision process look like for you? 

RS: Each project presents its own revision demands. Of course, we all begin by looking at word choice, story arc, character development, and the like. But there are other things that may be even more important. To me entry point, structure, and presentation are huge. By entry point I mean that “thing” that helps pull a kid into a story, gets them to keep reading, and what they relate to in the story. Structure refers to how the story is told, built, sequenced, and so on. And presentation—probably a sibling of structure—is how the manuscript actually appears on the page. I can give you an example …

RVC: Please do!

RS: When I was writing about the first legal gay marriage in the US, the story of Michael McConnel and Jack Baker was compelling to me. There were twists and turns, legal battles, court cases, intrigue, and a wedding. I wrote the first few drafts recounting those events. But each draft seemed to lack kid appeal. I kept asking myself, “Why would a kid care about this?”

So, I started to think about what I enjoyed most about the many weddings I attended as a kid. And the obvious answer was—cake. I decided that the wedding cake (prominently featured in the photos from Michael and Jack’s wedding) had to be included in the story. The cake became the entry point. But how would I tell the story, how would it be structured? I decided that parallel narratives—one that told the story of how a cake is made and the other telling the story of how a relationship is formed—would be my structure. To present that on the page I literally wrote the cake’s story flush left and indented three or four times over whenever I was telling the relationship story. Throughout the manuscript the typed page presented that back-​and-​forth story telling which gave a visual clue to my agent and potential editors about how the story could be shown in a book.

This is a nonfiction example, but the same three things—entry point, structure, and presentation—apply to my revision of fiction, too.

RVC: What do you think is the most common misconception writers have about revision?

RS: I think most of us writers fall into one of two revision camps—the this-​is-​too-​hard camp and the that’s‑good-enough camp. Most writers stop revision too soon because of the difficult nature of what they’re facing or because they’re content with the progress they’ve made. We have to fight our way through those two roadblocks to really dig into revision successfully. Beyond that, I think many writers feel revision is completed once a manuscript is acquired. Oh, no, my friend, it’s just begun. Even the “simplest” of picture books, a concept book, or a wordless picture book may have multiple revision notes from an editor. And there may be multiple rounds of revisions. The two ways to be successful at this level of revision are to be professional and to meet deadlines.

Being professional includes taking the comments to heart, revising the best that you can, and noting for the editor any revision comment with which you don’t agree and explaining why. At this stage, revision really becomes a conversation (usually on paper) between the editor and the writer. My goal with revision deadlines is to return my work well before a stated deadline. That’s the kind of thing editors appreciate and remember.

RVC: You also said you “work with my agent to find the best editorial/​publishing fit for each manuscript.” What’s your role in that? I think some people assume that they only need to hand a manuscript to an agent, and then they can/​should wipe their hands clean of it. It’s all on the agent now. “Go make the publishing magic happen, Agent! Make the royalty checks rain!”

Are you regularly discussing publishing houses and editors with your agent? Are you checking the Rob Sanders submission database and strategizing?

RS: Regularly, no. As needed, yes. Because I attend live and virtual writing events and am often on faculty for events, I meet lots of editors and hear them speak. Sometimes I’ll hear an editor say something that prompts me to think that one of my manuscripts might be a fit for them. I let my agent know that right away. When I’m at a convention wandering through the booths of various publishing companies, I pay attention to the books on display. I introduce myself and chat up the folks in the booth and hear them talk about their books. If I feel that my work might fit with that publisher’s goals or aesthetic, I remember to let my agent know. Or I might text my agent right then and there asking, “What do you know about Publisher B and Publisher T? They have some great work on display.” When my agent is ready to send something out on submission, we look at the proposed submission list together. I might suggest an editor or two to add to the list, or editors that we might send to if we have a round two of submissions, and I might even suggest someone on the list be removed. I don’t demand anything from my agent. We discuss things and come to an agreement. Sometimes my suggestions pay off. (Of course, sometimes they don’t! LOL!)

RVC: Another topic you mentioned above is about readers (including editors) and making an emotional connection with them. Clearly, an obvious way to do that is to have a topic that’s inherently emotional, such as your fine book, Stonewall, A Building, an Uprising, a Revolution. But I get the sense that you do more than simply choose a topic that’s inherently emotional. What kind of specific things do you do in terms of creativity and craft to create or heighten the emotional impact of a picture book story?

RS: We all wonder what makes an editor or an acquisition team say, “Yes!” to a manuscript. Undoubtedly, there are many answers to that question, but I don’t think an emotional topic alone is the answer. To me, the main reason an editor and/​or acquisition team says, “Yes!” is because they feel something when they read a manuscript. An emotional connection is made. Wiley Blevins from Reycraft once said that every editor on the Reycraft team had to emotionally connect with a manuscript for the company to make an offer to acquire. In other companies, you may just need to make that connection with the acquiring editor who will then champion the book to others in the company.

Many people at Random House have told me a story about Michael Joosten, who was my editor for Pride and Stonewall. When Michael pitched Pride to the folks at his company he welled up and began to cry.  Michael was so convinced of the need for that book and so related to its content that his emotional connection came pouring out. His connection helped others connect and be enthusiastic about the book, too.

Of course, the emotional connection doesn’t have to be tears. It might be belly laughs; a warm, fuzzy feeling; a stirring of memories; or a million other things. Robert Frost is credited with saying, “No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader.” Your own emotional connection to the story is a hint that others may connect with it, too. If you don’t feel that emotional connection, then others may not feel it either.

RVC: Let’s circle back to you and how you operate. Some writers fuel their creative efforts with constant reading, but others insist that they must put aside books when the muse strikes. Where’s the intersection of creativity and reading for you?

RS: They say the first step to healing is admitting you have a problem, so here goes: I’m a picture book-​aholic. I’m constantly reading new books, dipping back into favorite books, ordering books that I hear others talk about, etc. And I always have writing projects going on. So, creativity and reading are smashed together for me. I have to feed my creative muse and I do that by reading, going to museums, spending time at the beach, seeing plays and musicals, and more. For me creativity and reading go hand in hand. I’ll be quick to add that one size does not fit all. Each of us has to find what works for us and then work it!

RVC: What books are on your nightstand right now?

RS: I don’t have a nightstand, but I have books to read piled up in my office, on my dresser, in a chair in the living room, and in the bathroom. (And that doesn’t include books that are in research stacks.) I pulled one book from each of the four stacks mentioned above and here’s what I found:

Your Guide to Not Getting Murdered in a Quaint English Village by Maureen Johnson and Jay Cooper

Reimaging Your Nonfiction Picture Book: A Step-​by-​Step Revision Guide by Kirsten W. Larson

Desert Queen by Jyoti Rajan Gopal

Farmhouse by Sophie Blackall

RVC: What question are you asked most frequently about your writing career?

RS: I’m frequently asked about my nonfiction: “Why do you write controversial books?”

RVC: What’s the answer?

RS: I don’t write controversial books. I write about history. History is not controversial. But not teaching history is controversial.

RVC: Here’s the last question for this part of the interview, Rob. What’s on tap for you next? What upcoming things are you most excited about? 

RS: I have three books slated for release this year and three more next year. Coming this year are:

Queer and Fearless: Poems Celebrating the Lives of LGBTQ+ Heroes
April 2024
Illustrator: Harry Woodgate
Publisher: Penguin Workshop

 

We Are a Class!
July 2024
Illustrator: Hannah Abbo
Publisher: Beaming Books

 

Between You and Me
December 2024
Illustrator: Raissa Figueroa
Publisher: HarperCollins

RVC: Alrighty now…it’s time to sound the alarm, buckle your literary seatbelts, and batten the hatches because we’re going to plunge straight into the high-​stress depths of THE LIGHTNING ROUND!!! Six questions followed by six answers in zippy-​skippy fashion, please. 

Rob…are you prepared for the electrifying challenge?

RS: Bring it on!

RVC: What outdated slang do you use on a regular basis?

RS: Coolio.

RVC: What’s the most interesting or unusual talent you have?

RS: I don’t know if I can still do it, but I used to be able to twirl a baton.

RVC: If you could sip lemonade on the porch all afternoon with three kidlit creators, who would it be?

RS: Jane Yolen, Tomie dePaola, and Maurice Sendak. (I’m pretty sure they all knew one another so it would be a lively time.)

RVC: Who’s a nonfiction picture book writer you want everyone to read?

RS: Barb Rosenstock.

RVC: Who sets the standard for funny picture book rhymes?

thumbnail (1).jfifRS: I have to name two people—I love the humor of Tammi Sauer and the rhyming of Lisa Wheeler.

RVC: Complete the sentence in six words or fewer. Rob Sanders is a writer who…

RS: … teaches and a teacher who writes.

RVC: Thanks, Rob. It was great having you back here with us at OPB.

Picture Book Review: A Party for Florine by Yevgenia Nayberg

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A Party for Florine: Florine Stettheimer and Me
Author: Yevgenia Nayberg
Illustrator: Yevgenia Nayberg
Neal Porter Books
16 July 2024
40 pages

This month’s PB review is by Ryan G. Van Cleave (Owner/​Operator of Only Picture Books) and author-​illustrator Bonnie Kelso, a good friend of the OPB family.

Ryan’s Review of the Writing

I’ve been a fan of Yevgenia Nayberg’s books since the publication of Martin & Me, which eschewed the typical picture book biography format and instead offered parallel stories of Martin Luther King Jr. and Anne Frank. Similarly, her new book, A Party for Florine is an unusual take on the life and work of a famous person–Modernist painter Florine Stettheimer.

The story begins with a girl entering a museum and coming across a painting of a girl that looked a lot like herself. The girl in the painting “was holding a palette and brushes.” The narrator says she’s an artist, too, so she decided: “I must learn all about her!”

Here, we get some of the typical picture book biographical material, such as the artist’s full name, her date of birth, and where she lived. But it’s filtered through the narrator’s mind, which works to contextualize the information through her own life. Perhaps the artist’s Jewish family “was just like my Jewish family” she wonders. It’s an effective technique.

The narrator is charmed to learn about the famous people who visited Florine and attended her parties. And the narrator has an artist’s eye for colors and images throughout all she shares with the reader. Even in her regular life (sitting in her room during a rainstorm or walking outside the next day, etc.), she’s clearly affected by the effect of Florine–she sees more brightly and brilliantly similar to how Florine painted (and lived).

I’m especially taken by how often the narrator reframes things in her own world, such as her striped T‑shirts, comparing Florine’s art teacher to her own, or noting how the Alwyn Court building “looked like a slice of giant cake”. When she imagines a party she’d like to hold for Florine, she does even more of this: “I would decorate the table with giant flowers as big as bicycle wheels.” Lovely. I think young readers will respond quite well to this kind of evocative language here and elsewhere in the text.

The story ends with the narrator seeing the world anew, which demonstrates the positive effect of Florine’s influence on her. Would it be more pronounced if we had a stronger sense of how the narrator saw the world prior to this seminal museum experience? Perhaps.

The book includes a lengthy Author’s Note which explains how the author first learned about the painter. It also offers many of the details I yearned for earlier in the story, such as:

  • Was the narrator researching the girl in the painting or the author of the painting? (It was a self portrait, so both)
  • How big was Florine’s family? (She was the fourth of five siblings, one of four girls)
  • Did Florine’s famous friends become characters in her paintings? (Frequently they did!)
  • How famous/​successful was Florine in her own time? (It seems as if she enjoyed modest success in her lifetime but after her death, her reputation grew a good deal)
  • Did success matter to Florine? (Apparently, she was independently wealthy–though I had to Google for this)
  • How did Florine feel about sharing her art? (“Letting people have your paintings is like letting them wear your clothes,” is SUCH a good line that I wanted it in the main text vs the two pages of Author’s Notes)
  • Did Florine write poetry as the main character (perhaps) did? (Yes)

The Author’s Note gave me pause by mentioning how Florine studied art in Germany (Stuttgart) with “Fräulein Sophie von Prieser,” but in the main text, it was in Vienna (Austria). I might be missing an implied transition somewhere, though I always worry that young readers will miss as much (or more) than I do, so this is the type of thing I focus on as a picture book creator and editor. (It’s important to note that young readers also see more than some adults via their own creative observations and connections–they’re not less capable, just different!)

There’s a noticeable emotional undercurrent here that I’m unsure what to do with. It starts at first glance of the painting, where the narrator is talking about herself as “someone I knew too well.” And lines later, the girl she’s identifying with in the painting is described as someone with fiery eyes who could “start crying at any moment.” There’s also the self-​doubt revealed by her being unable to believe her art teacher who says “Good job.” There’s more here beyond this, but as I said, it’s not a clear throughline that informs the story despite catching my attention.

In sum, this is a story that goes beyond the typical picture book biography in an imaginative, interesting way. In one sense, it’s also the story of how one creative finds inspiration in the life and work of another, but it’s also about helping readers of today learn about neglected figures from the past. Clearly, Florine is someone whose life and work is well worth considering.

4 out of 5 pencils

Bonnie’s Review of the Illustrations

Yevgenia Nayberg’s illustrations perfectly complement her story about New York painter, poet, and salonnière Florine Stettheimer. Colorful figures bend and float expressively in ever-​shifting planes of existence as Nayberg evokes the spirit of the celebrated Modernist’s style. It’s no wonder she has created this book, for when you see the first spread, a self-​portrait of Florine stares back at you, and it could very well be the face of the author-​illustrator as well.

As you move through the story the present is juxtaposed with the past as the young narrator leans into her imagination. Clever details piqued my interest, like the large still life with our narrator miniaturized and perched on a peach. Next to her a bouquet of flowers—mixed with artist tools—is tagged with a mysterious love note from Marcel Duchamp to Florine’s sister.

Visible brush strokes, collage elements, subtle textures, and charming speech bubbles add to the delightful Jazz Age renderings. Spot on portraits of historical figures pepper the scenes and give  you a sense of the high society world Florine was a part of.

A particularly beautiful spread near the end of the book resonates like poetry as the text and imagery bring to mind the Greek goddess Persephone. Florine leaves the scene as a trail of flowers bloom behind her. Like demigods, artists find a version of immortality through the sharing of their work past their natural life. I encourage any lover of art, young or old, to add this book to their collection.

5 out of 5 paintbrushes

Bonnie Kelso loves diving into the details of art history, especially when it’s about an artist who rubbed elbows with Gertrude Stein and Georgia O’Keeffe.

Bonnie is the author and illustrator of three picture books with more on the way. Her debut, Nudi Gill: Poison Powerhouse of the Sea, was selected to represent Nevada at the 2023 National Book Festival in Washington, D.C. Her most recent release, Sea Smiles, is the first book in a series that blends childhood milestones with fascinating facts about sea animals.

A graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, Bonnie’s past experience in art spans a spectrum, from abstract painting on canvas to museum-​quality exhibit design. She has worked with clients such as the Smithsonian, National Geographic, and NASA.

She lives in Las Vegas with her partner, two sons, a Boston Terrier, and an unruly cat. To learn more about Bonnie’s work, please visit www.BonnieKelso.com.

Agent Interview: Rachel Orr (Prospect Agency)

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Welcome to Rachel Orr, a longtime literary agent with Prospect Agency. Instead of going with the standard biography here, I’m going to include a few key things she’s said—or others have said about her—that are especially telling.

  • “values her close relationships with authors and believes that nothing feels as good as a fresh, clean line edit.”
  • “loves authors who have more than one idea and are willing to revise.”
  • “has no spare time—but, if she did, she would spend it dancing, running and reading, of course.”

With that, let’s get to the interview itself to learn more about her. Here we go!

RVC: Let’s start with the here-​and-​now instead of diving into the deep past. You’ve been agenting for a good while. In all your experience, what has most surprised you?

RKO: I think what has most surprised me most about agenting itself is the close relationships I’ve been able to establish and maintain with my clients.

When I worked as an editor at HarperCollins, I really valued the relationships I had with my authors—and I worried that I would lose that as an agent. However, one agent assured me that I would have even stronger relationships with my clients. After all, an editor may only work with a creator on a single book, but an agent ideally works with a creator over the course of an entire career. That was really exciting to me, and has also turned out to be quite true.

RVC: That’s great to hear!

RKO: I do, however, make sure to respect the author-​editor relationship, and feel that part of my role is to place the right author with the right editor. That’s a fun challenge in this ever-​changing industry, for sure.

RVC: I’m noticing that you like to use RKO as your initials. Is there a special story or meaning behind that choice? Are you secretly a huge fan of old-​school wrestling moves?

RKO: Great question, but not a very exciting answer, I’m afraid. They’re just my initials, and that’s how my name was abbreviated when materials were circed around the editorial department at Harper, so I just got used to it. Plus, I like that there was once an RKO film production company (which produced Citizen Kane, though I’ve never seen it). Kind of cool!

RVC: Fair enough. You’ve been at the Prospect Agency since 2007. What’s special about it, and why’s it such a good fit?

RKO: I love that Prospect Agency is a small agency made up of smart women who care deeply about books and also have a savvy business sense. We get the job done, but I don’t think we present ourselves as intimidating. (I hope not, at least!)

I was fairly intimidated by many agents when I worked at Harper—though there was one agent, Liza Voges, whom I found to be incredibly approachable. She has an amazing roster of talented clients and a solid knowledge of the industry, yet she is so incredibly down-​to-​earth and makes people feel at east. That’s how I strive to be as well.

I also appreciate the fact that while my colleagues and I will often collaborate and confer on various matters, we have autonomy, too. There’s a lot of trust involved. The president of Prospect, Emily Sylvan Kim, really allowed me to grow the children’s division of the agency when I began, and to start the illustration branch (Prospect Portfolio) from scratch. She always listens to the wild ideas I have for expanding promotion and fostering community, and I’m so grateful for that.

Lastly, what I feel is most special about Prospect is the close-​knit feel we’ve been able to establish. My clients consider each other family. I love when I get a photo of my clients helping each other out at a trade show, or simply having coffee together. It warms my agent heart!

RVC: Thanks for the great answer! Now, by reputation, you’re a hands-​on, editorial agent. True? 

RKO: Yes, absolutely. I’m an editor at heart, and I suppose that’s really the only way I know how to agent.

RVC: Please give me an example of what that looks like. 

RKO: Well, it looks a bit different for each client, depending on their needs. With some clients, I might play an editorial hand early on, talking through different possibilities for a new project and then helping to flesh out the characters and plot line. With others, I might not get involved until after they’ve already written a manuscript, and then provide (hopefully) helpful feedback by means of line edits.

RVC: Which has proven more valuable to you as an agent—your work as an editor at HarperCollins Children’s Books, your stint as a Barnes & Noble bookseller, or your time as a student at Kenyon College (where you had cool internships at The Kenyon Review and Highlights for Children)?

RKO: While every experience has helped to shape my career in some way, of course, I’d definitely say that my work as an editor has been the most valuable. On a broad level, it helped me to gain an understanding of how a publishing house operates, which I would not have been able to get otherwise. On a more personal level, it’s where I met so many wonderful mentors—Barbara Lalicki and Rosemary Brosnan, in particular—who were instrumental in my development as an agent. From them, I learned how to write editorial letters—specifically, how to request changes to help improve the story while still honoring the creator’s intention. Also, I was often invited to join them for meals and events with their authors and illustrators, which taught me so much about building these creative relationships. In addition, they placed a lot of trust in me, which helped to firmly establish my own confidence in my work.

RVC: If I spoke with Emily Sylvan Kim (owner of Prospect Agency) or fellow agent Charlotte (Wenger), what would they say is your agenting superpower?

RKO: They might say my knack for carefully reviewing contracts (though that is, admittedly, not my favorite part of my job). Hopefully, they might say planning events (since I’m the one in charge of our retreats and soirée), which is much more fun!

RVC: Just between us, what’s your REAL agenting superpower?

RKO: Maybe diplomacy? (My former boss at Harper used to say that I should have been a diplomat.) Either that or juggling so many different projects and creators. I believe that it’s essential for client care to respond to them as promptly as possible (at least to their emails, even if I can’t get to their manuscript right away) and always make time for phone calls if they need to talk something through. So I try my very best to make that a priority.

But, honestly, the variety of projects and clients is what I love most about my job. I love people, and I love figuring out exactly what each individual client needs in order to thrive. And I love giving feedback on a tender, lyrical middle-​grade novel about a girl whose mother struggles with mental illness, and then wracking my brain trying to figure out where to send a poetry collection about animals in pants. It’s what keeps things interesting.

RVC: So, you’re looking for “short, punchy picture books (either in prose or rhyme) that are humorous and have a strong a strong marketing hook.” What are some mentor text examples that’ll give a clear(er) sense of what you mean?

RKO: One example of a humorous picture book in prose that I’m really excited about is Lauren Glattly’s debut Proper Badger Would Never!, forthcoming from Flamingo/​PRH on April 2. This was a story that I fell in love with as soon as it hit my inbox. It’s fresh and unexpected and a little bit naughty (okay, a lot bit naughty) with a surprising ending that is far from being sweet and wrapped up in a bow. And while the marketing hook may not be completely clear at first (the way a hook might be if it’s, say, a seasonal title), I do think it could be a fun (and funny) way to open up conversations with kids about manners in terms of what not to do.

In terms of verse, I would suggest reading anything by Sudipta Bardhan-​Quallen, who has an excellent sense of rhyme and meter and is also very intentional about considering marketing hooks. Check out her picture book Roxie Loves Adventure (Abrams) about pugs and love; Chicks Rock! and Chicks Rule! (companion titles, also both from Abrams) about girl power and music and STEM; and the forthcoming Cats in Construction Hats (Random House Books for Young Readers) about construction vehicles and colors.

RVC: How much do industry trends/​marketplace changes affect what you’re looking for?

RKO: I would say that it doesn’t affect what I’m looking for so much so much as it affects when I send a particular project out. For example, if I fall in love with a manuscript about, say, a narwhal, and the market is flooded with narwhal books at the moment, then I’ll ask the writer to send me more manuscripts to consider. Then, if the writer and I decide to work together, then we can keep the narwhal manuscript in our back pocket for when the market would be more favorable. This is why, in my opinion, it’s crucial for writers to have at least five polished manuscripts (preferably in different styles and on different subjects) ready to share when querying agents.

RVC: That’s great advice! In a 2021 Good Story Company interview you did with my buddy, Mary Kole, you talked about how some picture books eventually transform into other formats, like graphic novels. 

RKO: Yes, it’s something that definitely happens from time to time. Author-​illustrator Steve Breen’s young chapter-​book graphic-​novel Sky and Ty (forthcoming from Pixel + Ink on April 2) was initially conceived as a picture book. The first dummy, however, was about twice the length of a standard picture book. It didn’t have very much text, but it did had have a lot of art and a lot of story that seemed to naturally break into chapters. Given that Steve was already using a limited palette of two colors for the art (along with the fact that he worked as a cartoonist at his day job), it made sense to go in the direction of a graphic novel, especially since the market was so hot for them.

RVC: I don’t think writers fully appreciate this—having a literary agent doesn’t mean guaranteed sales. Sometimes it simply doesn’t work, right? Even when a writer and an agent are 100% onboard with a project.

RKO: Yes, unfortunately, that’s true. (Teardrop!)

RVC: What do you do when that happens?

RKO: Well, I feel that it’s important for the author to keep on writing and for me to keep on supporting that author. It sometimes happens that I might not immediately sell that first manuscript that made me fall in love with the author’s work, but I might sell the second manuscript, and then the third. And then, once the author has established a relationship with an editor, I might be able to go back and sell that first manuscript. (This happened fairly recently, actually.)

Or it might be that we revise the manuscript after getting solid, consistent feedback from editors. We also might decide to shelve the project and pull it out again when the market for that particular genre is better, or when one of us has another idea on how it might be strengthened. Sometimes I might ask one of my illustrators to do a sample that we can submit with it, if we think that might help an editor to better visualize the book. (This strategy once helped to sell a manuscript eight years later!)

In a worse-​case scenario, I just pull the manuscript out from time to time, read it again, and weep that it hasn’t sold. (Maybe not really—I’m not a bit weeper—but I’m definitely crying inside!)

RVC: Since we’re talking about things not being what people expect…what do you think is the most common misconception about literary agents?

RKO: I think there’s possibly the misconception that literary agents are scary, which is absolutely true. Joking! We are not scary. And we do not only care about money. (That was one misconception I had when I was an editor, at least.)

My guess is that most of these misconceptions stem from the age when you didn’t necessarily need to have an agent to get a book published. I feel like there were fewer agents then, and those agents primarily focused on the business side of publishing. That’s not necessarily the case today.

RVC: What’s a typical workday look like?

RKO: Well, one aspect of my job that I love is that there is no typical workday. Also, I’ve also had the luxury of working from home (before it was even popular to do so), which gives me the flexibility to mix things up a bit, if need be.

But, in general, I usually start my workday around 8am after my teenage son and daughter have gone off to school. I might begin with work that requires more quiet and focus (since I won’t have a ton of emails to answer just yet)—something like getting back to a client with editorial notes on a manuscript or dummy, or drafting a pitch letter for a submission that I’m planning on sending out that day, or reviewing a contract. At 9am, when emails start coming in, I try to answer them promptly, but thoughtfully (though sometimes they come in quickly and it’s like a game of Whack-​a-​Mole). Around 10am, I might have a call with a client to discuss the status of a project, or brainstorm ideas for future projects. In the afternoon, if I’m not having lunch with an editor in the city (which is always a treat!), I try to get more work done that requires concentration before my kids get home from school.

Then it’s usually a mad rush of making dinner and picking kids up from their activities and helping with homework (which mostly involves me frantically looking up Khan Academy videos on the slope-​intercept form while my son figures it out on his own).

RVC: As a part of two teens, I’ve been there, and I have that URL handy. Here you go!

RKO: Finally, I’ll catch up with more emails in the evening while my husband watches basketball on TV. I realize that doesn’t sound very exciting—but it is, I promise you.

RVC: What’s something that makes it all worth it?

RKO: Absolutely, hands down, the best part of my job is when I have the chance to call a client and share the good news that we’ve received an offer from an editor. It’s most thrilling, of course, if it’s the client’s first book, but even the twenty-​first book is really pretty great.

RVC: Totally agree with that! Now, one of your clients, Cori Doerrfeld, had a surprise hit with The Rabbit Listened. What’s the story behind that story?

RKO: Well, first off, what I’ve always found to be most surprising is that so many people viewed this book as a surprise. 🙂 True, this was definitely the book that put Cori on the map, so to speak, but she had been illustrating children’s books for nearly a decade by this point. In fact, we had just sent one of her dummies (Good Dog) out on submission the same day I read The Rabbit (as it was called then). It was a Wednesday afternoon in May, and I remember sitting in the reading room of the Hoboken Public Library and thinking, OH! This is good. Often I’ll make a lot of edits before sending a project out, but I made very few tweaks to this dummy (like, maybe only one).

Our only slight hesitation with sending it out immediately was that we had just gone out on submission with Good Dog. We didn’t want editors to feel like they had to choose between the two projects. But then we decided just to go for it! I sent it out late on Thursday afternoon and started getting offers the very next day while I was driving to my family’s house in Pittsburgh. When I stopped halfway for lunch, I called Cori and and gave her an update, and we discussed how we would proceed. Funny—I always imagined big deals going down over a three-​martini lunch, rather than in the parking lot of McDonald’s, but that’s exactly how it happened. We sold the book to Kate Harrison at Dial/​Penguin Random House. Since then, it has been on The New York Times bestseller list and translated into over 25 languages. Cori’s fourth book with Dial, Ready to Soar, will came out March 12.

(Oh, and for the record, we did sell Good Dog as well to Chris Hernandez at HarperCollins. Hurrah! 🙂

RVC: Two more questions for this part of the interview. What was your first special experience with a picture book?

RKO: I would say Aunt Lucy Went to Buy a Hat by Alice Low, illustrated by Laura Huliska-​Beith. It was the first picture book that I acquired as an editor at HarperCollins, so it will always hold a special place in my heart (cliché as that sounds!). Laura was especially amazing to work with, and it was fun to see her solve artistic challenges. For example, Aunt Lucy needs to lose her hat in the beginning of the book and then have it by the end, but we didn’t want it just magically flying behind her on every spread. So Laura came up with the idea to show Aunt Lucy looking in the mirror at the beginning of the book, and she thinks her hat is gone, but it’s really tied around her neck with ribbon and hanging behind her (which the reader can clearly see). It was such a fun solution, and taught me the importance of trusting an illustrator, too.

RVC: Last question! What are some cool upcoming things you’d like to brag about?

RKO: Oooooo…let’s see! A few upcoming projects that I’m excited about include the picture books Métis Like Me by Tasha Hilderman (Tundra/PRH)—her debut!; My Towering Tree by Janna Matthies (Beach Lane/S&S); I Worked Hard on That by Robyn Wall (S&S Books for Young Readers) and the middle-​grade graphic novel Blake Laser by Keith Marantz and Larissa Brown (HarperCollins). Can’t wait!

RVC: Alright, Rachel. It’s time for the SPEED ROUND. Let’s get zip-​zappy fast here with the questions and answers. Are you ready?

RKO: Sure am!

RVC: Which picture book world would you most want to visit?

RKO: The Paper Party by Don Freeman.

RVC: What’s something you think you’re much better at than you actually are? 

RKO: Giving interviews?

RVC: What word do you always mispell misppel get wrong?

RKO: brocolli

RVC: Who sets the standard for picture book rhyme?

RKO: Suzy Levinson

RVC: What’s the One That Got Away?

RKO: Gentlemen by Michael Northrop.

RVC: What’s a favorite line from a picture book you repped?

RKO: “…so he can go bite them.”

RVC: Thanks so much, Rachel! This was a hoot!!

Educational Activities: Gina Kaminski Saves the Wolf by Craig Barr-​Green, illustrated by Francis Martin

On By Only Picture BooksIn Educational Activities

Gina Kaminski Saves the Wolf
Author: Craig Barr-​Green
Illustrator: Francis Martin
30 March 2024
Kane Miller EDC Publishing
32 pages

Book description from Goodreads: “An empowering retelling of Little Red Riding Hood about challenging the traditional narratives we are told, with a confident, autistic character at its heart.

Gina Kaminski is here to tell you three facts.

1 – Little Red Riding Hood is full of BIG mistakes.
2 – She is off to fairy tale land to fix them.
3 – She WILL save the wolf.

Who’s afraid of the big bad wolf? Certainly not Gina as she takes the narrative lead and tells the story in her own distinctive way. With fantastic illustrations from Francis Martin, and an innovative use of pictorial emoji language, this is the ideal book to empower every child to be the hero of their own story.”

Need some reviews for Gina Kaminski Saves the Wolf?

Educational Activities inspired by Gina Kaminski Saves the Wolf:

  • Before Reading–From looking at the front cover: 
    • Look at the book’s cover. What do you think this story will be about? What clues does the cover give you?
    • Based on the title, Gina Kaminski Saves the Wolf, what do you think will happen in the story?
    • The cover and illustrations inside use emojis. How do you think emojis will be used to tell the story?
    • The back cover mentions that Gina thinks the story of Little Red Riding Hood is full of mistakes and that she will fix them. 
      • What do you know about the story of Little Red Riding Hood?
      • How do you think Gina will change this story?
    • Why do you think Gina wants to save the wolf? What does this tell you about her character?
    • What questions would you like to ask the author–or the illustrator!–before reading the book?
  • After Reading–Now that you’ve read the story: 
    • How did you feel about Gina’s journey? Could you relate to her feelings and reactions?
    • How did Gina challenge the traditional narrative of Little Red Riding Hood? What does this teach us about storytelling?
    • How did the use of emojis enhance your understanding of Gina’s feelings? Was there a particular emoji that stood out to you?
    • How does Gina’s interaction with the wolf change your perspective on “villains” in fairy tales?
    • How does Gina’s neurodivergence influence her adventure in fairy-​tale land? What strengths does she demonstrate?
    • If you could change one thing about a classic fairy tale, what would it be and why?
    • What was your favorite part of the book and why?
    • Which illustration surprised you the most? Which did you like best?
    • What was your favorite part of the story, and why?
    • Would you recommend this book to a friend? What part would you tell them about first?
  • Create Your Adventure Hat: Design and create your own adventure hat inspired by Gina. Think about what makes you unique and how you could represent that on your hat. Use craft supplies to bring your design to life.
  • Be a Story Fixer: Choose another fairy tale you think could use an update. Write a new version where you fix any “mistakes” or update the story to reflect modern values. Share your new tale with classmates or family members.
  • Wolf Awareness Poster: Research real wolves and their habitats. Create an informative poster that explains why wolves are important to the environment and how we can help protect them. Present your poster to your class or family.
  • Sensory-​Friendly Reading Nook: Inspired by Gina’s search for a sensory-​friendly environment, design a cozy reading nook in your home. Consider what makes a space comfortable for you and try to include these elements.
  • Emoji Emotions Diary: Keep an emotions diary for a week using emojis to describe how you feel each day. Reflect on what made you feel that way and if there’s a pattern to your emotions.
  • Further Reading: Gina Kaminski Saves the Wolf takes us on a journey with Gina as she embarks on an adventure to right the wrongs of a classic fairy tale. This story, rich with themes of empowerment, courage, and creativity, invites us to think differently about the stories we know so well. Here’s a selection of picture books that challenge traditional narratives and celebrate diversity. Each book offers its own twist on friendship, adventure, and the importance of being true to oneself. Which of these stories are you eager to dive into next?

Author Interview: Candy Wellins

On By Only Picture BooksIn Author Interviews

Welcome to Candy Wellins, a former teacher who has a BA in journalism and an M.Ed. in literacy education. In addition to writing picture books, she’s a full-​time Texas mom to “three wonderful children who keep me up-​to-​date and immersed in children’s literature.”

When she’s not reading, writing, or mothering, she loves to:

  • Run
  • Travel
  • Run and travel together. She’s currently on a quest to run a half marathon in each state.
  • And after all that, she loves to nap!

With that, let’s get right to it so we can find out more about Candy’s story and her books!

RVC: What aspect/​part of yourself today gives away where you’re from and how you were raised?

CW: Not to be too on the nose, but my books are a pretty good reflection of that. Saturdays Are For Stella reflects my close relationship with my grandparents and Mabel’s Topsy-​Turvy Homes showcases the mixed feelings of growing up in a divorced home. Although it’s a biography at heart, The Stars Beckoned imparts my overall love of family. And my latest book, A Geoduck Is Not A Duck is certainly an homage to the place I grew up, Washington state.

RVC: What influence did your parents have on you as a future writer?

CW: They read to me and always made sure I had access to lots of books.  I can’t think of anything more special or important to a child than owning books and having a library card. I still remember the excitement I had of signing up for my first library card and checking out my first book (Little Bear by Else Homelund Minarik and Maurice Sendak).

RVC: Let’s jump ahead a bit and talk about college. What was the plan for that journalism degree?

CW: I loved writing and telling stories from a young age—and I was good at it.  A journalism degree felt like a way to do that and make money, but ultimately a journalist’s life was not for me. I’m not that extroverted!

RVC: What’s the #1 thing from your journalism days that serves you best as a picture book writer?

CW: Not to overwrite. Keep it clear and concise and get to the point!

RVC: Please explain the shift to the master’s degree in education.

CW: I always loved working with children. I babysat all through high school and was a substitute teacher as I worked my way through college. Eventually I decided my heart was more in education than journalism so I went that route instead.

RVC: What was the turning point for you as a writer? When did you fully commit? 

CW: Being a picture book writer was always a pipe dream. It felt so fantastical—like being a Olympic gold medalist or Oscar-​winning actress. It sounds fun, but it will never happen.

Then in early 2016, I met a new neighbor who happened to be a children’s author. My mind was blown. She was so normal and her path toward publishing felt so doable. That night, I sat down at my computer, found a class for picture book writing and enrolled. It started less than a week later and I’ve been in, fully committed since then.

RVC: Describe what it took from that turning point to your first sale.

CW: It took writing (in some form or another) practically every day. Now, mind you, writing is not always pencil to paper (or finger to keyboard). Sometimes it’s analyzing the latest picture books, attending a class or workshop, networking in the industry or participating in a critique.  Even letting ideas percolate as I run or shower or cook dinner counts as writing. But ultimately, it’s about doing some form of work daily. It has to become routine and you have to love doing it.

RVC: What’s the story behind your first picture book?

CW: I really wanted to write a grandparent story so I started brainstorming every idea I could associate with grandparents and grandchildren. One thing I wrote down was “Pictures all over the fridge” because one of my grandmothers had her entire refrigerator covered with photos of the grandkids. It reminded me a bit of teenage girls who cover their bedroom walls floor to ceiling with posters of the boys they like. I started imagining a love story that centered around a grandparent/​grandchild but also showcased the same emotions as first crush.

My critique group thought it was cute, but had trouble figuring out the characters and distinguishing them as grandparents and grandchildren. In revisions I focused on making clear it was a grandparent story and even included the grandma’s death. Another critique showed me I was on the right track, but still needed something to make the story meaningful. I kept thinking about how no matter how much we love our grandparents, it’s inevitable that our time together is brief. How do we make the moments last? That pushed me toward thinking about how a grandparent’s impact lasts long after they’re gone. Adding a new sibling to the story was the perfect touch to Saturdays Are For Stella.

RVC: What’s the most useful lesson that book taught you?

CW: Get a good critique group and listen to them. We are often so invested in our work it’s hard to hear an outside perspective. But when we listen to constructive feedback, it really can make all the difference in our work.

RVC: What do you like most about Charlie Eve Ryan’s art?

CW: I especially love her soft color palette and her ability to showcase emotions.

RVC: You had a stretch where you were publishing a book a year there. How did that happen?

CW: Luck? Timing? Persistence? I’m constantly creating, revising, and submitting. When I go on a hot streak, I soak it up because there are long dry spells in publishing too.

RVC: I hear you there! Now, I’m a sucker for nonfiction picture book biographies, and when they’re lyrical, too? Yes, please. Tell me about The Stars Beckoned.

CW: First of all, I’m not a space person at all. I have no interest in exploring anything that isn’t firmly rooted to planet Earth. But I love interesting people. In 2018, I was teaching a group of middle schoolers and we were talking about the US/​Soviet Space Race. They were mostly interested in America’s firsts—the first to go to space, the first woman in space, the first to walk on the moon. I knew the answers to all those, but I didn’t know who the first to walk in space was. When I looked up the answer, I discovered Ed White’s name along with an interesting quotation. Upon finishing his spacewalk, he said, “This is the saddest moment of my life.”

I got goosebumps. Here was a picture book waiting to be told. After all, what kid can’t relate to such big emotions as the saddest moment ever? But was I the person to do it? I quietly did the research and decided that I didn’t need to be a space enthusiast to tell his story. Space exploration was just one aspect of Edward White. More importantly he was a passionate person who followed his dreams relentlessly and that was something I could really connect with.

RVC: Something most people don’t realize is how much over-​researching and overwriting we nonfiction picture book writers tend to do. What’s the coolest thing that didn’t quite make it into the book?

CW: Just one? Ok, here’s a fun one. NASA used to let each crew name their own missions. For White’s Gemini IV flight, he and pilot James McDivitt wanted to call the mission Eagle. They had even planned an Eagle emblem they would wear as a patch on their spacesuits. NASA ultimately decided against letting them call their flight Eagle as they wanted to save it for a more monumental mission (You may recall hearing the words “The Eagle has landed” on such a mission a few years later).

Left without a plan B, White and McDivitt went without a name and just had drugstore American flag emblems sewn on their suits instead.  Wearing the American flag has since become a tradition and every American astronaut since them has worn one.

RVC: Since that book uses rhyme, I’ll ask the question most writers want me to ask. What’s the most common misconception about rhyming picture books?

CW: The mistake I see most often is focusing only on rhyme and forgetting all about meter. If the story doesn’t have rhythm, even a good rhyme can sound bad.

RVC: What’s your best tip for getting rhymes right?

CW: Read lots of good rhyming books. Hearing it done right is the best teacher.

RVC: Tell me about a time in your writing career where things didn’t go the way you wanted.

CW: I’ve been working on a picture book biography since 2016. I’ve tried telling it as a picture book, a novel-​in-​verse, a graphic novel. So far, nothing is working, but I love this person’s story and I’m not giving up on it yet.

RVC: Good for you–I’m sure you’ll nail it eventually. Now, who are your literary heroes? What have they meant to you?

CW: I think the great thing about books is there are so many people doing it well in so many different ways. I’m constantly finding inspiration—from authors who wrote decades ago to debut writers. Everyone who’s persevering and sharing stories is a hero of mine.

RVC: In all your experience with the picture book industry, what has most surprised you?

CW: I’m still surprised by the reaction some of my books get.  Of course, I have very visceral reactions to a lot of things I read, but it still blows me away when someone has that response to something I wrote. A young reader told me after reading Mabel’s Topsy-​Turvy Homes that it was the first time she felt seen by a picture book. That one got me!

RVC: If you had to summarize the most important thing you’ve learned about writing picture books, what would it be?

CW: To slightly misquote the great Winston Churchill: never, never, never give up. Writing picture books is all about the long game.

RVC: Great point! After COVID, I try to ask a health and wellness question each time, so here’s yours. What do you do to de-​stress or for downtime?

CW: I prioritize exercise every day. And I love doing puzzles—jigsaws, Wordle, crosswords. I think I’m up to about six different ones I do every morning before any real work begins.

RVC: One final question for this part of the interview. What is something upcoming that you are excited about, or really want to promote?

CW: My latest picture book, A Geoduck Is Not A Duck, comes out on March 5. I’m super excited because this is my first funny picture book and I really hope it gives readers a good chuckle. It’s the story of a misguided news crew on the hunt for a gooey duck spotted on a Pacific Northwest beach. What the hapless crew doesn’t realize is that a geoduck (pronounced “gooey duck”) is nothing like the slime-​covered aquatic bird they are looking for. It’s a comedy of errors mixed with lazy journalism all done in comic format.

RVC: Okay, Candy. It’s time for the much ballyhooed SPEED ROUND. Zippy fast questions followed by zoomy quick answers. Are you ready?

CW: I was born ready.

RVC: What’s the most interesting or unusual talent you have?

CW: I can name every British monarch in order from 1066 to today.

RVC: If you could instantly become an expert in any field, what would you choose?

CW: Genetics. I’m so fascinated by the subject.

RVC: If you could spend a day inside the world of one picture book, what would you pick?

CW: Anything by Richard Scarry. I’d set myself up nicely in one those little Swiss chalets and be very comfortable. Skiing by day, books by the fire at night, and a hundred labeled foods to choose from whenever I get hungry.

RVC: What’s the last picture book you read that actually made you LOL?

CW: It’s not a picture book, but the entire Dory Fantasmagory series by Abby Hanlon is absolutely hilarious. My kids can’t get enough of them. I will randomly say a line from one of the books every now and then just to get my kids to laugh. It  works every time.

RVC: Finish the sentence. I’m not ready for a writing session without…

CW: A little peace and quiet.

RVC: What’s your picture book philosophy in five words or fewer?

CW: The world needs your stories.

RVC: Thanks so much, Candy!