Tag: Creator Spotlight

Behind the Books: Spotlight on Oge Mora

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Oge Mora was an easy yes for this month’s Creator Spotlight. Why? Because her work has so much life on the page. For example–torn paper, bold color, and people moving through spaces that feel warm and familiar.

I’ve taught quite a few books she’s made or illustrated in my Writing Picture Book class, though I’ll limit myself to three here and share a few of the things I frequently say about them.

Thank You, Omu!

Omu makes a big pot of stew, the smell drifts out, and before long one visitor turns into many.

A few things worth noticing:

  • The knock-​at-​the-​door pattern gives the book readaloud rhythm.
  • The collage art makes the whole neighborhood feel like a place where people all actually know each other.
  • Oge lets generosity build bowl by bowl.
  • The ending works because the neighborhood has been taking shape all along.

Saturday

A mother and daughter have a whole Saturday planned, but then the day starts slipping away from them.

A few things worth noticing:

  • Oge gets how kid disappointment works when one letdown turns into another.
  • The city matters here. It feels like a real day out instead of merely being a backdrop.
  • The mother-​daughter bond keeps the story grounded.
  • The recovery works because the book lets the bad mood stay on the page for a bit.

The Oldest Student

Mary Walker wanted to read for most of her life, and finally learned at 116. Wow, right?

(Note: Rita Lorraine Hubbard wrote this one, and Oge Mora illustrated it)

A few things worth noticing:

  • Rita keeps the throughline clear from the start: Mary wants to read.
  • Oge’s collages bring texture to Mary’s world.
  • Mary’s determination is shown so well through “small” visual choices, like how she sits, watches, and waits.

If you’ve got a favorite Oge Mora title, share that in the comments. I’d love to hear which one stays with you most.

Behind the Books: Spotlight on Corey R. Tabor

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Corey R. Tabor was an easy pick for this month’s Creator Spotlight.

He’s very good at making a picture book feel easy and effortless when it absolutely isn’t. And he keeps things kid-​friendly without making them bland.

Yes, I could’ve picked more than three to talk about here, but I stuck with the structure I’ve been using with these creator spotlights. So, three it is!

Mel Fell

A little bird takes the leap, drops fast, and suddenly the reader is right there in the fall with her.

A few things worth noticing:

  • Turning the book as Mel drops is what gives this story its kick. You feel the fall instead of just reading about it.
  • The animals along the tree keep the book playful even while Mel is plummeting. They break up the tension and also give the descent some humor.
  • Corey keeps the text light and lets the art handle plenty.
  • Mel is scared, she jumps anyway, and the book lets that be enough. That gives the book a nice little bravery angle.

Fox Has a Problem

Fox gets a kite stuck in a tree, then keeps “solving” the problem in ways that make everything worse.

A few things that caught my eye:

  • Fox is so sure of himself the whole time. That confidence makes every bad idea funnier.
  • The repeated problem/​big idea/​new problem pattern gives the book a strong shape. Very young readers get it fast.
  • Corey lets the short, repeated sentences play things straight while the illustrations carry a lot of the comedy.

**A quick note: this title is technically an early reader, though it nicely shows the humor and visual storytelling that make Corey’s picture books terrific.

Simon and the Better Bone

Simon spots another bone in the pond and quickly decides it’s way better than his, so he goes all in trying to get it.

What I noticed:

  • Corey takes an old Aesop setup and gives it more warmth, more humor, and a sweeter ending.
  • The vertical format is a smart choice. Kids can watch Simon and his reflection at the same time, so they’re in on the joke before he is.
  • The friendship and sharing angle works because Corey never turns it into a lecture.
  • The ending stays sweet without getting gooey.

If you’ve got a favorite Corey R. Tabor title, drop it in the comments.

Behind the Books: Spotlight on Matt Forrest Esenwine

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This month’s Creator Spotlight shines on Matt Forrest Esenwine.

He’s one of those picture book creators whose poetry background shows up on the page in all the right ways. His books have music, momentum, and a sense of wonder, and they clearly come from someone who understands how picture books work as visual experiences. That combination makes him well worth a closer look.

He’s got plenty of books worth considering, but I’m limiting myself here to three favorites.

Here’s the setup for Flashlight Night: three kids head out into the backyard with a flashlight, and that ordinary nighttime adventure keeps opening into something bigger, stranger, and much more bookish. Along the way, they encounter tigers, pirates, and more before circling back to the books that sparked it all.

Some craft things worth noticing:

  • Matt gives the book an imaginative engine right away. The flashlight beam becomes the doorway, and sure enough, that just gives the whole story instant energy.
  • The language has a lovely musical quality (which makes sense given Matt’s poetry background), and he still keeps the story moving.
  • The book keeps one foot in the real world and one in the imagined one. That tension gives the illustrations a lot to do (in a good way).
  • This is a terrific example of a book that celebrates reading by showing what books do to a kid’s mind instead of simply announcing that books are wonderful.

In I Am Today, a young girl finds a sea turtle tangled in wire on the beach near her town and realizes she doesn’t have to wait until she grows up to take action. The publisher describes it as an empowering story about a child who chooses to make change now, and that feels spot on.

Some craft things worth noticing:

  • Matt builds the book around a big idea, though he gives it a very concrete starting point.
  • The text is spare and poetic, which leaves a lot of storytelling room for the illustrations. In fact, the turtle-​saving narrative is carried heavily by the art, which is part of what makes the book so worthy of studying.
  • The title itself has oomph. It turns the usual “what will you be someday?” question into something much more immediate.
  • This is a useful book for anyone trying to write toward activism, stewardship, or social awareness in a way that still feels kid-​centered and alive on the page.

The publisher frames A Beginner’s Guide to Being Human one as a humorous and heartfelt look at what it means to be human and how to be a good one, and that’s a pretty apt summary. And Matt runs with that idea.

Some craft things worth noticing:

  • Matt takes a potentially heavy social-​emotional topic and keeps it light on its feet.
  • The voice speaks directly to the child reader in a way that feels inviting rather than finger-waggy.
  • The book appreciates that warmth can carry a lot of wisdom.
  • This is a first-​rate mentor text for anyone trying to write a concept-​driven picture book with an emotional or behavioral focus that still has a lively reading experience.

If you’ve got a favorite Matt Forrest Esenwine title, drop it in the comments.

Behind the Books: Spotlight on Pat Zietlow Miller

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I suddenly find myself without an author interview ready for this Week 2 spot, so I’m trying something new here at OPB. I call it…Creator Spotlight!

Think of it as part appreciation, part mini craft study, and part nudge to go add a few great books by a specific picture book creator to your shelves.

This first one was an easy call for me. Pat Zietlow Miller is a fellow Wisconsin book person. I was born in Wisconsin, lived there for my first eleven years, then returned in my early twenties to teach at UW–Madison and UW–Green Bay. So yes, I’ve got a soft spot for writers with Wisconsin roots. And thinking about my days there reminds me fondly of cheese curds, Friday fish fries, and weekend farmers markets. Good times.

She’s got plenty of books worth considering, but I’m limiting my focus here to three of my faves.

So here’s the setup for Sophie’s Squash: a girl becomes besties with a squash she names Bernice. That premise could have worn thin in a hurry, yet Pat makes it feel emotionally true.

Some craft things worth noticing:

  • She fully commits to kid logic. Sophie’s attachment feels real because the book treats it as real.
  • The voice stays steady. It never winks at the adult reader.
  • The emotional turn grows out of character instead of any type of plot machinery.
  • The whole thing is a great reminder that “odd” and “deeply felt” can absolutely live in the same book quite comfortably.

This one starts with a very small classroom moment and allows the meaning to grow from there. That’s just one reason Be Kind works so well.

Some craft things worth noticing:

  • Pat opens with a concrete situation instead of a giant abstract idea.
  • The text keeps its focus on what kindness looks like in a child’s actual world.
  • The language is clean and readable, though it still has shape.
  • This is a strong book to study if you’re writing toward a theme and want the story to stay alive on the page.

A rock’s about as simple a starting point as you can get, which makes What Can You Do with a Rock? well worth digging into for anyone writing concept-​driven picture books.

Some craft things worth noticing:

  • The core idea is instantly accessible for kids.
  • The text keeps opening outward, which means the book keeps gaining energy.
  • You can just feel the visual possibilities all the way through.
  • The tone stays playful and inviting, which keeps the concept from feeling stiff or overly school-ish.

If you’ve got a favorite Pat Zietlow Miller title, drop it in the comments.