Did you ever wonder how some authors end up with a picture book series? @carriefinison.bsky.social shares the story of her path to multiple picture book series. alaynekaychristian.wordpress.com/2026/10/10/o...

OUR PATHS TO WRITING A SERIES by Carrie Finison, Tina Cho, and Vivian Kirkfield

A Note From Alayne: I often hear kid-lit writers talk about writing a series. Everybody’s dream, right? And over the years, I’ve learned that many editors won’t consider a series or sequel until th…

alaynekaychristian.wordpress.com

Looking for a fun picture book? Don't miss out on this one! ellenleventhal.com/2026/10/alay...

Alayne Kay Christian, TURKEY ON THE RUN, and a Giveaway!

EL: RUN, RUN, AND TAKE A GOOD LOOK! YOU SURELY WON’T WANT TO MISS OUT ON THIS BOOK! Yes, there’s an adorable twist on the Gingerbread Man to talk about, and it’s one of the best I…

ellenleventhal.com

I'm honored that @viviankirkfield.bsky.social chose to feature my book for her Picture Book Friday post where I share turkey and fall crafts for kids. viviankirkfield.com/2026/09/18/p...

Perfect Picture Book Friday: TURKEY ON THE RUN!

Happy Perfect Picture Book Friday, dear friends! I always love sharing brand-new picture books…and when they are written by a dear kid-lit friend, it’s even more fun. And today, I&#8217…

viviankirkfield.com

I didn't see this on our book birthday, but I'm still celebrating! Thank you @dawnprochovnic.bsky.social and 12X12 for sharing and the inspiring wishes.

Dawn Prochovnic@dawnprochovnic.bsky.social · 2w ago

Happy Book Birthday to @alaynekaychristian.bsky.social ! This is such a fun, fun book. Run, run, run to your nearest bookstore and get yourself a copy!

Thanks to Kathy Halsey @infowoman.bsky.social, Tina Cho, and the GROG group for giving me this opportunity. I hope my mini-webinar is helpful to some picture book writers.

Kathy Halsey@infowoman.bsky.social · 2w ago

@alaynekaychristian.bsky.social shares her newest PB Turkey On the Run & other great examples of how a picture book hooks readers in the first several spreads! Congrats again! groggorg.blogspot.com/2026/09/a-st...

So happy that I'll be mailing a copy of this fun-filled action-packed book to someone soon. Check out the KIDLIT411 Weekly for a chance to enter and win!

Kidlit411@kidlit411.bsky.social · 2w ago

We are pleased to host a giveaway of the picture book, TURKEY ON THE RUN by @alaynekaychristian.bsky.social illustrated by @neharawatart.bsky.social (Flamingo Books) out on Sept. 29. To enter, L + RP and confirm your entry in our Friday weekly: kidlit411.com/2026/09/the-... (+ more ways to win)

Our weekly big list of kid lit links is up (Sept 25): kidlit411.com/2026/09/the-... Inside: 5 Tips for MG authors, 10 PB Tips, Humor in Kidlit, etc. Thanks Annette Kraus of the illustration, @jengelmattern.bsky.social and @alaynekaychristian.bsky.social for the MG & PB giveaways.

The Weekly 411 (9/25/26)

A one-stop place for all your kid lit information needs.

kidlit411.com

🎉 We’re celebrating longtime #12x12PB member @heidikyates.bsky.social and her book, MONSTER MANNERS A TO Z! 📚 Illustrated by Yana Kozak & published by @beamingbooksmn.bsky.social. Find it here: buff.ly/zhWQajV #kidlit

frogonablog.net/2026/09/01/f...

Thanks to @vlorencen.bsky.social for having me as a guest on her blog and offer readers a chance to win a copy of my next picture book TURKEY ON THE RUN! vickylorencen.com/2026/08/27/h...

@melissastoller.bsky.social gives tips on how to put or find heart in your picture book stories. alaynekaychristian.wordpress.com/2026/06/05/h...

HOW HEART MOMENTS HOOK READERS by Melissa Stoller

I’m happy to share this wonderful guest post by Melissa Stoller. No wonder she has a skill for creating heart moments in her picture book writing. Afterall, she has one of the biggest hearts you wi…

alaynekaychristian.wordpress.com

Happy National Vegetarian Week! In celebration Turkey says, "Save some turkeys. Please think twice. Try some tofu over rice! Meatless soup or fresh stir-fry, plums and kumquats, all fun to try!" Pre-order TURKEY ON THE RUN! at any book store.

Humor has a magical way of making an old idea feel fresh. In this week's post, we discuss the magic of picture book humor! ⁠ These ideas and books are sure to give you a laugh! picturebooksummit.co... #amwriting #picturebook #kidlit #PBSummit #booksky

Love penguins!!!

Thinking about writing a board book? Here are some great tips and mentor texts that might help you along the way. www.rateyourstory.org/post/mowmt-1... #picturebooks #boardbooks #Seder

MOWMT 16: Board Books with Claire Freeland

When I transitioned from writing picture books to writing board books, I was struck by their unique challenge. Instead of a focus on plot and story, the focus is on rhythm and participation. One of th...

rateyourstory.org

Give your story movement and spark with strong verbs. Here is the link to my post. See how strong verbs work in fiction, nonfiction, quiet stories, and funny stories. Enter to win a PB critique. [https://www.rateyourstory.org/post/mowmt-23-the-value-of-strong-verbs-with-alayne-kay-christian

MOWMT 23: The Value of Strong Verbs with Alayne Kay Christian

Simply stated, the value of strong verbs is movement. They define action that serves to move the story forward and give it spark. Strong verbs paint pictures that give the illustrator more to work wit...

rateyourstory.org

This is a good post that gives tips on how to make your rhyming picture book stand out and avoid being singsongy. www.rateyourstory.org/post/mowmt-1... #picturebooks #rhyme

MOWMT 18: Surprising Rhyme with Laura Lavoie

If you’ve read any blog posts I’ve written for Storystorm or Picture Book Builders, you probably know that I tend to brainstorm the titles of my picture books before I draft. When I came up with the t...

rateyourstory.org

Writing a nonfiction PB? Thinking about writing nonfiction? This post talks about how considering different perspectives can make all the difference. And truly, the same can be applied to fiction. #picturebooks www.rateyourstory.org/post/mowmt-1...

MOWMT 15: Fresh Perspectives with Leah Schanke

Writing for Children from a Fresh Perspective by Leah SchankeHave you ever found a historical figure you would love to write about, only to discover there are already multiple biographies about them o...

rateyourstory.org

Picture books about magic need to be grounded in the ordinary world to make it believable. Books that work this magic are discussed in this post about mentor texts. @literallylynne.bsky.social #picturebooks www.rateyourstory.org/post/momwt-1...

MOMWT 14: Magic in Mentor Texts with Lynne Marie

Conjuring magic in picture books isn’t as easy as it may seem. First, the magic must be seeded in the ordinary world. It can’t just come out of nowhere, magically or not. Since essentially everything ...

rateyourstory.org

Do you struggle with writing picture book beginnings. Mel Rosenberg has some great tips and a little exercise to give you some practice. www.rateyourstory.org/post/mowmt-6...

MOWMT 6: Jumping Right In with Mel Rosenberg

I love picture book stories that practically force you to turn the page right from the very start. The recipe is not rocket science. Start with something mysterious. Something unexpected, something st...

rateyourstory.org