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
The OPB Best of 2025 list is live! 📚✨
www.onlypicturebooks.com/2025/12/29/2...
#KidLit #BestOf2025 #PictureBooks #MondayBlogs
Today on the blog, I'm sharing the simple file naming convention that editors actually love (and that keeps your work from getting lost).
www.onlypicturebooks.com/2025/12/22/i...
#WritingCommunity #KidLit #PublishingAdvice #Querying #picturebooks
Whoops! Monday got away from me, but this post is worth the wait. 🕰️
I've created a set of reading activities for GIRLS ON THE RISE by Amanda Gorman & Loveis Wise. Find the post right here.
www.onlypicturebooks.com/2025/12/17/r...
#KidLit #AmandaGorman #PictureBooks
New on the blog: An interview with award-winning poet and author @Irene_Latham! We discuss poetry, collaboration, and THE MUSEUM ON THE MOON, which I had the pleasure of editing. 🌙
www.onlypicturebooks.com/2025/12/08/a...
#KidLit #AuthorInterview #Poetry #TheMuseumOnTheMoon
What happens when leftover Halloween candy crashes the holidays? 🍬🎄
I'm joined by illustrator Edna Cabcabin Moran (@kidlitedna) to review CANDY CORN CHRISTMAS by Jonathan Fenske. Read our thoughts about it right here:
www.onlypicturebooks.com/2025/12/01/p...
#PictureBooks #KidLit #BookReview
Your picture book needs to answer one question fast: So what?
If you can't answer it, neither can an editor (or a sales rep, or a buyer). Today's post explains exactly how to fix that.
www.onlypicturebooks.com/2025/11/24/i...
#PictureBooks #WritingTips #KidLit
This week's post is all about the slimy, sweet, and very funny monster bedtime book, Sleep Tight, Disgusting Blob by Huw Aaron! To celebrate, I've created a new set of reading activities.
www.onlypicturebooks.com/2025/11/17/r...
#PictureBooks #KidLit #BedtimeStories #Monsters #ActivitiesForKids
Super Bowl champion Keyshawn Johnson & singer/voice actress Bettina Bush discuss their new picture book, Once Upon a You. Learn about their creative process, friendship, and passion for empowering kids.
www.onlypicturebooks.com/2025/11/10/a...
#KidLit #OnceUponAYou #KeyshawnJohnson
It's the first Monday of the month, and a new list of five-word reviews is live! It's a great batch of funny, strange, and beautiful books here.
www.onlypicturebooks.com/2025/11/03/5...
#PictureBooks #BookReviews #KidLit
New Industry Insights post, fresh from the hiring trenches! I just hired an editorial assistant & am sharing the 11 green lights (and 5 red flags) I saw in the submissions pile.
www.onlypicturebooks.com/2025/10/27/i...
#Publishing #JobSearch #CareerAdvice #KidLit
This week’s post is about The Glass Pyramid, the inspiring story of architect I.M. Pei and his vision for the Louvre. To go with it, I've developed a new set of reading activities. Enjoy!
www.onlypicturebooks.com/2025/10/20/t...
#KidLit #PictureBooks #Architecture #STEM #ReadingActivities
This week's interview is with Joan Schoettler, whose new book BOOKS TRAVEL THE WORLD I had the honor of editing. We discuss her journey from professor to author & her passion for cross-cultural stories.
www.onlypicturebooks.com/2025/10/13/a...
#AuthorInterview #WritingCraft #KidLit #PictureBooks
A new batch of five-word reviews is up! This week's list features a must-see from Stephen King & Maurice Sendak (!), plus heroism with "snotty flair," a daring duck, and more.
www.onlypicturebooks.com/2025/10/06/p...
#KidLit #StephenKing #PictureBooks #BookReview
It's that time of year when the light shifts and the air thins. To capture that unique mood, I've curated a new list of 12 picture books that feel just like September.
www.onlypicturebooks.com/2025/09/29/p...
#PictureBooks #BookList #KidLit #AutumnReads #September
Does every spread in your picture book have a job?
New post on the blog, inspired by my class this week, shares a checklist to help you dummy-test your manuscript.
www.onlypicturebooks.com/2025/09/22/i...
#WritingTips #KidLit #PictureBooks #AmWriting
This week’s post dives into the gorgeous book THE TRUTH ABOUT DRAGONS by Julie Leung, a lyrical look at biracial identity. To go with it, I’ve developed a full set of reading activities.
www.onlypicturebooks.com/2025/09/15/r...
#PictureBooks #KidLit #Identity #AAPIHeritage #ActivitiesForKids
Thrilled to share a new author interview with the brilliant Susan Hughes! We discuss her journey writing books, and as a freelance editor, she shares common pitfalls she sees in manuscripts.
www.onlypicturebooks.com/2025/09/08/a...
#AuthorInterview #PictureBooks #WritingCraft #KidLit
New on the blog: Five-word reviews for five new picture books! It's my way of capturing the spark of a story in a nutshell. Check out all the quick takes right here!
www.onlypicturebooks.com/2025/09/01/p...
#PictureBooks #KidLit #BookReviews #NewBooks
Here's a great picture book tip from our ACQUIRED! workshop, courtesy of guest illustrator Fred Koehler. It's called "illustrator bait"—writing lines that give artists room to invent and create magic.
www.onlypicturebooks.com/2025/08/25/i...
#WritingCraft #KidLit #PictureBook #WritingCommunity
This week's post is all about the fantastic SHARK GIRL by Kate Beaton! To celebrate, I've developed a new set of reading activities for the book.
Find all the fun here: www.onlypicturebooks.com/2025/08/18/r...
#PictureBooks #KidLit #KateBeaton #Reading #ActivitiesForKids
New on the blog! I talked with award-winning nonfiction author Lindsay H. Metcalf about the surprising science of Beatrix Potter, and why the Supreme Court once declared tomatoes a vegetable.
www.onlypicturebooks.com/2025/08/11/a...
#KidLit #WritingCommunity #Nonfiction #AuthorInterview #Books
