Picture Book Summit Podcast

Julie Hedlund and Angela Dalton are both authors of picture book biographies about well-known celebrities. Julie wrote SONG AFTER SONG: The Musical Life of Julie Andrews and Angela authored TO BOLDY GO: How Nichelle Nichols and Star Trek Helped Advance Civil Rights. Before their books were acquired, they did everything wrong. In this snippet from a past Picture Book Summit workshop, Julie and Angela reveal a couple of mistakes they made so you don't have to.

Can a car company executive help you find your picture book writing why? Grace Lin thinks so! In a past Summit, Grace divulged an insightful (and relatively easy) way to find your why. She challenged us to look at our picture book manuscripts and ask if those stories really want to be picture books or if they are served better in a different kidlit genre. If you've been fighting with a work-in-progress, Grace Lin is here to help!

What makes a great picture book? Artistic duo The Steads share their approach to picture books and how something seemingly so simple actually takes a lot of work, nuance, and collaboration. Philip C. Stead and Erin E. Stead are the author and illustrator of the Caldecott Medal Book A Sick Day for Amos McGee. They have collaborated on many books together, including Bear Has a Story to Tell, Lenny & Lucy, Music for Mister Moon, and The Sun Is Late and So Is the Farmer. Philip and Erin create their books in the hayloft of an old barn at the edge of the world. Time is running out! Get your ticket to Saturday's online Picture Book Summit today!  www.picturebooksummit.com

What in the world is going on in picture book publishing? Is it slow for everyone or is it just you? Are global events affecting the industry? Surely, COVID-19 isn't still impacting our market. In this episode, Emma, Julie, and Kelli explore what publishing looks like currently for picture book creators, what we hope it looks like in the future, and what we can do about it right now. With the current state of picture book publishing, every submission opportunity counts. Lucky for you, there's still time to get a Summit + Submissions Ticket to Picture Book Summit 2025 and take advantage of our SEVEN manuscript submission opportunities. Go to www.picturebooksummit.com.

One of the big advantages of attending a conference—online or in-person—is the opportunity to submit to Featured Agents and Editors. Many agents and editors are open to submissions from conference attendees, even when they aren't open to general submissions. Simply by making the effort to attend a conference, you demonstrate to agents and editors that you are committed to refining your craft.  This episode also includes:  Tips for making a good first impression. What to include in your query letters. How to research agents and editors to target your submissions. Why you should have 3-4 polished manuscripts ready to go. What to put in your bio paragraph if you don't have any published work. Why you need comp titles and how to choose them. Bonus: A Fun Writing Exercise! There's still time to get a Summit + Submissions Ticket to Picture Book Summit 2025 and take advantage of our SEVEN manuscript submission opportunities. Go to www.picturebooksummit.com.

Every year, we host what we like to call a "mini" Summit. It's a short webinar to give writers a taste of what we offer at our full-day event. In this episode, we share a past Mini Summit all about creating Game Changing ideas. Our goal is to spark your imagination and creativity by showing just a few ways other picture book creators have turned ideas on their heads. Get ready to be inspired by the Picture Book Summit Founders and be sure to find out about our latest event by going to picturebooksummit.com.  Books mentioned in this episode: Follow That Frog by Philip Stead and Matthew Cordell There Are No Ants in This Book by Rosemary Mosco and Anna Pirolli  Who Hops? by Katie Davis One Fox: A Counting Book Thriller by Kate Read  Waiting in the Wings by Julie Andrews, Emma Walton Hamilton, and E.G. Keller Tumblebaby by Adam Rex The Story of the Saxophone by Lesa Cline Ransome and James E. Ransome School's First Day of School by Adam Rex XO, Exoplanet by Deborah Underwood and Jorge Lacera A River of Dust by Jilane Hoffman and Eugenia Mello Vlad the Fabulous Vampire by Flavia Z. Drago The Bees of Notre Dame by Meghan P. Browne and E.B. Goodale Mole is Not Alone by Maya Tatsukawa Snail in Space by Rachel Bright and Nadia Shireen There was a Party for Langston by Jason Reynolds and the Pumphrey Brothers Mel Fell by Corey Tabor Ursula Upside Down by Corey R. Tabor Big by Vashti Harrison Days Like This by Oriane Smith and Alice Gravier Mr. S by Monica Arnaldo Spencer's New Pet by Jessie Sima    

More and more picture books include backmatter these days—including fiction picture books. In today's Roundtable discussion, Julie Hedlund and the team share many different ways to include backmatter with your manuscript, including dos and don'ts of creating additional content. Books mentioned in this episode: The First Notes by Julie Andrews, Emma Walton Hamilton, and Chiara Fedele Tricky Chopsticks by Sylvia Chen and Fanny Liem Reindeer Remainders by Katey Howes and Marie Hermansson Over, Bear! Under, Where? by Julie Hedlund and Michael Slack Grand Canyon by Jason Chin Hurricane by Jason Chin If You Come to Earth by Sophie Blackall To Boldly Go: How Nichelle Nichols and Star Trek Helped Advance Civil Rights by Angela Dalton and Lauren Semmer Wood, Wire, Wings:  Emma Lilian Todd Invents an Airplane by Kirsten W. Larson and  Tracy Subisak Shell Song by Sharon Fujimoto-Johnson Springtime Storks by Carol Munro and Chelsea O'Byrne Unspeakable by Carole Boston Weatherford and Floyd Cooper The Bees of Notre Dame by Meghan P. Browne and E. B. Goodale Waiting in the Wings by Julie Andrews, Emma Walton Hamilton, and EG Keller The Very Fairy Princess by  Julie Andrews, Emma Walton Hamilton, and Christine Davenier Webinars on Backmatter: Backmatter: Form and Function with M.O. Yuksel Backmatter Matters with Heidi E.Y. Stemple      

The amazing and talented Caldecott Medal Winner Vashti Harrison is one of our Superstar Speakers for 2025. Vashti won the Caldecott Medal in 2024 for her beautiful picture book BIG. Shortly after that win, the PBSummit Team discussed the brilliance of this book in our Caldecott video series. We bring that discussion to our podcast today to help you get to know Vashti Harrison and her wonderful book. Be sure to grab your ticket to our online Picture Book Summit 2025 on October 4, 2025, at picturebooksummit.com. Get Early Bird pricing through August 28, 2025. So go get your ticket now. Enjoy this insightful discussion of BIG, written and illustrated by Vashti Harrison. Emma Walton Hamilton leads our discussion with insight from Julie Hedlund and Katie Davis.  Grab your ticket to hear Vashti Harrison at Picture Book Summit 2025 today: www.picturebooksummit.com. Get $100 off with Early Bird pricing available through August 28, 2025.    

"Oh my" is right! If you don't know the difference between homage, parody, and plagiarism, and your story references another work in some way, your book might be dead in the water before it even gets out of your inbox. In this PBSummit Roundtable, Emma, Julie, Katie, and Kelli define homage, parody, and plagiarism and what you, as a picture book writer, need to know about these important topics, including how we've navigated these obstacles in our own work. Mentioned in this episode: The First Notes: The Story of DO, RE, MI by Julie Andrews, Emma Walton Hamilton, and Chiara Federle This Old Van by Kim Norman and Carolyn Digby Conahan Mary Had a Little Glam by Tammi Sauer and Vanessa Brantley-Newton Journey Trilogy by Aaron Becker Wicked by Gregory Maguire 7 Ate 9 by Tara Lazar and Ross MacDonald The Creative Act by Rick Rubin   Join the conversation LIVE at Picture Book Summit 2025. Early Bird tickets available through August 28, 2025. Go to www.picturebooksummit.com to get your ticket today!

It's that time of year! Early Bird tickets for Picture Book Summit 2025 are now available and in this episode, we share all about our 2025 Superstar Speakers! It's quite a lineup for this year's conference: Big, Bold, and Brave: Supercharge Your Picture Books! This year's online conference takes place on October 4, 2025. Everything happens in our Zoom webinar room, so you can attend from anywhere in the world with a decent Internet connection. We are thrilled to welcome true picture book superheroes NYT Bestselling author Susan Verde, Caldecott Winner Jason Chin, and Caldecott Winner Vashti Harrison! Listen to the episode to learn more about our speakers and their presentations. Then go to www.picturebooksummit.com to get your ticket today!

In this episode, we're thrilled to bring you an excerpt from Nikki Grimes' presentation The Music of Language. Nikki's accolades include the Virginia Hamilton Lifetime Achievement Award, the ALAN Award for outstanding contributions to young adult literature, the Children's Literature Legacy Award, the Virginia Hamilton Literary Award, the NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children, a Sibert and a Printz Honor as well as the Coretta Scott King Book Award among others. Nikki is here today to share how lyrical picture books can help children learn to love language and how you can be a part of building that appreciation for reading (and daydreaming). We think Nikki's poetry will inspire you too! Check out the next Picture Book Summit at www.picturebooksummit.com!

We are especially excited about today's episode because we get to bring you a snippet of a past Summit presentation with the one and only Julie Andrews along with her daughter and our friend Emma Walton Hamilton! This duo has written over 30 books for children, including 9 New York Times Bestsellers.  Their picture books include The Very Fairy Princess, Dumpy the Dump Truck, The First Notes: The Story of Do-Re-Mi, The Enchanted Symphony, and Waiting in the Wings. So, what started this fruitful partnership? Where do they get their ideas? What strengths do they each bring to their projects? Julie Hedlund is here to ask those questions and more. Don't miss this delightful look behind-the-scenes with a true creative icon!

You might know about refrains in music, but they're also in picture books! The Picture Book Summit Founders get together to discuss what refrains are, define the different types of refrain, and share how to use them strategically in your own picture book writing! Spoiler alert! There are some excellent mentor texts in this episode. *Books mentioned in this episode: Finding Papa by Angela Pham Krans and Thi Bui Hurry, Little Tortoise, Time for School! by Carrie Finison and Erin Kraan I Hate to Go to Bed! by Katie Davis The Very Fairy Princess by Julie Andrews, Emma Walton Hamilton, and Christine Davenier The Yellow Handkerchief by Donna Barba Higuera and Cynthia Alonso Choosing Brave by Angela Joy and Janelle Washington Bug on the Rug by Sophia Gholz and Susan Bartori Curve & Flow: The Elegant Vision of L.A. Architect Paul R. Williams by Andrea J. Loney and Keith Mallett Song After Song: The Musical Life of Julie Andrews by Julie Hedlund and Ilaria Urbanati.       *Picture Book Summit may receive a small commission at no cost to you when books are purchased through the link above.

In this episode, Julie Hedlund interviews Jane Yolen and Heidi E.Y. Stemple. With over 400 children's books to her name, Jane shares how she chooses the words and what influences her choices. The pair touch on the impact of banned books and how their writing partnership has evolved over the years. So, what's one key to being prolific? Always be learning and growing as a writer.  Books mentioned in this episode: Janie Writes a Play: Jane Yolen's First Great Story written by Heidi E.Y. Stemple and illustrated by Madelyn Goodnight Check out our previous episode with Jane Yolen here: 008 - Jane Yolen  

It's time for How to Analyze a Picture Book - Part 2. In this episode, we talk about how to analyze a picture book's illustrations and other things to look for when analyzing a mentor text. First up, illustrations: What's the job of the illustrations? What do they add to the story? How does color make a difference? If you're an author-only creator, how can you leave room for the illustrator and still get your story across? Is it okay to use art notes? Then we jump into a variety odds and ends to consider and pay attention to as you continue to analyze and study picture books, including "is this book for kids" or "what makes this story uniquely kid-centric"? Download the How to Analyze a Picture Book Handout HERE and use it with your next haul of library books! Books mentioned in this episode: Me...Jane written and illustrated by Patrick McDonnell No More Señora Mimí written by Meg Medina and illustrated by Spencer's New Pet written and illustrated by Jessie Sima Hot Dog written and illustrated Doug Salati Where the Wild Things Are written and illustrated Maurice Sendak Song After Song: The Musical Life of Julie Andrews written by Julie Hedlund and illustrated by Ilaria Urbanati Waiting in the Wings written by Julie Andrews and Emma Walton Hamilton and illustrated by EG Keller The Enchanted Symphony written by Julie Andrews and Emma Walton Hamilton and illustrated by Elly McKay Press Here written and illustrated by Hervé Tullet The Pink Hat written and illustrated by Andrew Joyner Dr. Fauci: How a Boy From Brooklyn Became America's Doctor written by Kate Messner and illustrated by Alexandra Bye River of Dust written by Jilanne Hoffmann and illustrated by Eugenia Mello   If you didn't catch part 1 of How to Analyze a Picture Book, listen HERE.

Today we share how to analyze a picture book. In many of our discussions and presentations, the Picture Book Summit Team and our guest speakers analyze picture books and use that analysis to illustrate the point we're teaching. When you as a picture book creator learn how to analyze a picture book, you can turn reading picture books into your own writing class. As you look for and identify the key elements of a picture book we discuss today (and in our next episode!), you'll be able to more easily spot revision opportunities in your own work—getting you that much closer to a publishable picture book. Download the How to Analyze a Picture Book Handout HERE and use it with your next haul of library books! Books mentioned in this episode: The Very Fairy Princess written by Julie Andrews and Emma Walton Hamilton and illustrated by Christine Davenier Over, Bear! Under, Where? written by Julie Hedlund and illustrated by Michael Slack Springtime Storks: A Migration Love Story written by Carol Joy Munro and illustration Chelsea O'Byrne Party Animals written and illustrated by Katie Davis Kitty and Cat Bent Out of Shape written and illustrated by Mirka Hokkanen B is for Bananas written by Carrie Tillotson and illustrated by Estrela Lourenço Look for Part 2 in two weeks!  

Today in our Picture Book Summit Roundtable discussion, we tackle the touchy topic of celebrity picture books. So, what's the truth about celebrity picture books? Do celebrities get to cut the line when it comes to publishing? Are they held to a lower standard than lesser-known writers? Do they help or hurt the industry? We have the opportunity to hear what it's like to be and/or work with a celebrity author as Emma Walton Hamilton shares her experience of writing with her mother, actress Julie Andrews. You might be surprised what it's like on the flip side of the celebrity book coin. Then we discuss the frustrations that come when picture book authors see another debut celebrity picture book author. There's lots to say on both sides of the great celebrity picture book debate. Let's jump right in!

What is the appeal of dark picture books? Do kids want to read (and re-read) books about tougher topics? How do you make these books kid-friendly?  Julie Hedlund leads our Roundtable discussion about dark picture books, what place they have in children's lives, and why they can be so important.  Books mentioned in this episode: The Rough Patch by Brian Lies The Longest Letsgoboy by Derick Wilder and Catia Chien Show Way by Jacqueline Woodson and Hudson Talbott Kamau & ZuZu Find a Way by Aracelis Girmay and Diana Ejaita Finding Papa by Angela Pham Krans and Thi Bui Lubna and Pebble by Wendy Meddour and Daniel Egnéus The House Before Falling into the Sea by Ann Suk Wan and Hanna Cha The Skull by Jon Klassen The Cat Man of Aleppo by Karim Shamsi-Basha, Irene Latham, Yuko Shimizu The Circus Comes to the Village by Yutaka Kobayashi Let this episode linger and check out a few of these picks as you discover the world of dark picture books.

Picture book authors are closer in their craft to screenwriters and playwrights than any other kind of author. Why? Because picture book writers direct their readers on how to read the book. It's your job as a writer to make your (often adult reader) look like a rockstar. Emma Walton Hamilton shares how to make your manuscript reader-proof.

It seems nothing is more fun to read aloud than lyrical or rhyming picture books. A common misconception is that it's easy to write rhyme: just count the syllables and make the end words sound alike, right? Wrong. Good thing you came across this episode, where Julie Hedlund—rhymer extraordinaire—gives examples of what good rhyme and lyrical writing actually is, what makes it work, and how to write it yourself.