I was given copies of these books courtesy of Tommy Nelson in exchange for my honest review. In He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands, Jack and Scarlett find a baby bird who is separated from his parents and learn to trust God when they’re afraid. In I’ve Got the Joy, Jack and Scarlett…
Tag: kidlit
Review: The Best News of All by Sally Michael
I was sent an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book from New Growth Press in exchange for my honest review. This simple, gentle retelling of Luke chapter two will help little readers memorize a familiar verse. The Best News of All written by Sally Michael and illustrated by Sengsavane Chounramany is a sweet Christmas…
5 Tips for Self-Publishing Your Picture Book
This year, I had the opportunity to write a book for my church’s Operation Christmas Child (OCC) shoeboxes. OCC, run by the international ministry Samaritan’s Purse, sends boxes full of toys, school supplies, and hygiene items to children in need around the world. Churches use these boxes to introduce children to the Gospel, the greatest…
6 Songwriting Tips for Your Children’s Story
This summer, I had the opportunity to write lyrics for a children’s musical. It was a huge honor, but there was one problem – I had never written a song in my life! Sure, I like to make up little tunes as I walk around the house, but lyrics? That was a whole different ballpark….
Have Hope When Pitching Your Book
The title seems counterintuitive, right? Pitching a book is difficult for all writers. With all this talk of rejection in the industry, why should you have hope that someone will accept it? It’s better to be realistic and expect the worst. Right? Not exactly. Let me explain. Though I didn’t anticipate it, God gave me…
4 Tips for Writing Emotions in Your Christian Picture Book
Mister Rogers had a dilemma. Superman was at the height of his popularity, and every child in America was recreating the hero’s battles. Mister Rogers believed in the power of play as “the work of the child”. He knew play was integral to child development. But what he read in the newspaper that day shocked…
What Makes a Story “Christian”?
“We want to avoid writing films that are preachy,” said my film professor. “We are Christians and our faith motivates everything we do, but we don’t want our work to sound cheesy.” I stared at my professor, confused. What did that mean? At that time, I hadn’t had much experience with explicitly “Christian” films outside…
Review: Lost! by David McPhail
A city boy helps a lost bear find his way home to the forest. Lost! is a sweet book with gorgeous watercolor illustrations that start the story before we even read the first word. Children will spy a bear who stows away in a moving van. When he wakes up, he’s in an unfamiliar city….
Why it Works: Writing Strong Characters with The Backyardigans
Nick Jr.’s The Backyardigans is known for its rich storytelling, excellent music, and detailed animation. While all of those things are wonderful, for me, the best part of the show is its brilliant characters. There’s Pablo, the determined penguin, Tyrone, the chill moose, Tasha, the bossy hippo, Austin, the shy kangaroo, and Uniqua, the kindhearted…
Writing Introverted Characters: An Ode to Toad
As a child, I wasn’t a fan of characters who were grumpy. I liked Ernie, but I didn’t like Bert. I wanted to befriend Pooh Bear, but not Eeyore. Then there was Frog and Toad. My sister and I loved these characters, but I didn’t fully understand them. Six-year-old me would tell you Frog was…
Emma Holley 