Stories & Case Studies Archives

Stories & Case Studies

Magic Tree House Books in Order (Complete Series Guide)

Finding book series that children genuinely want to read can be surprisingly difficult. Finding books parents enjoy reading aloud night after night can be even harder. After hearing countless recommendations for the Magic Tree House Books by Mary Pope Osborne, our family decided to take a chance on a boxed set. What started as an experiment quickly became one of the most successful additions to our home library. If you're wondering whether Magic Tree House is worth reading, what age group it works best for, or what order the books should be read in, this guide covers everything you need to know.

March 3, 2020

What It’s Really Like to Be a Children’s Book Author-Illustrator

Many aspiring creators dream about publishing books for children, but few understand what life actually looks like once those dreams begin becoming reality. Behind every published picture book are deadlines, revisions, school visits, creative challenges, business decisions, and years spent developing both craft and career. In this interview, author-illustrator Shanda McCloskey shares an honest look at the realities of children's publishing, including creativity, time management, school visits, technology, illustration, and navigating the ups and downs of a professional creative career. Whether you're an aspiring author, illustrator, or simply curious about the publishing industry, her journey offers valuable lessons about persistence, growth, and building a creative life.

December 3, 2019

Behind Grama’s Hug: Amy Nielander on Writing, Illustration, and Persistence

Creating a picture book often looks simple from the outside. A reader sees a finished story, beautiful illustrations, and a book on a shelf. What they rarely see are the years of revisions, rejected drafts, critique sessions, conference feedback, and creative persistence required to bring that book into existence. Many successful children's books spend years evolving before finding the right publisher and audience. In this interview, author-illustrator Amy Nielander and editor Courtney Burke share the journey behind Grama's Hug, a picture book that took nearly seven years to develop from its original concept into a published book. Their conversation offers valuable insights into revision, resilience, author-illustrator careers, and the collaborative process that transforms an idea into a finished picture book.

November 19, 2019

Earth Hour Book Interview: Nanette Heffernan on Writing Environmental Picture Books

Environmental challenges can often feel too large for any one person to influence. Climate change, conservation, pollution, and sustainability are global issues that affect billions of people. Yet meaningful change rarely begins with governments or organizations alone. It often starts with individuals who choose to take small actions and encourage others to do the same. Children's books have a unique ability to introduce these ideas early, helping young readers understand both the challenges facing our planet and their role in creating positive change. In this interview, author Nanette Heffernan and editor Julie Bliven discuss the creation of Earth Hour, a picture book inspired by the global conservation movement that encourages people around the world to turn off non-essential lights for one hour each year. Their conversation offers valuable insights into environmental storytelling, the picture book publishing process, and how books can inspire readers to think differently about their impact on the world.

November 12, 2019

Writing Books That Matter: Charlotte Watson Sherman and Jes Negron on Brown Sugar Babe

Some books entertain. Some educate. A rare few are created because their authors believe the book needs to exist. Brown Sugar Babe is one of those books. In this interview, author Charlotte Watson Sherman and editor Jes Negron discuss the purpose behind the picture book, the importance of representation in children's literature, the realities of the publishing process, and the role stories can play in helping young readers see themselves with confidence, dignity, and hope. Their conversation offers valuable insights not only into publishing children's books, but also into creating work that serves a meaningful purpose beyond the page.

November 5, 2019

Behind Go, Girls, Go!: Frances Gilbert on Writing, Editing, and Publishing Children’s Books

Few people get to see the publishing industry from multiple angles. Frances Gilbert has spent decades helping bring children's books into the world as an editor while also experiencing the uncertainty, vulnerability, and excitement of being an author herself. In this interview, Frances shares lessons from her work as Editor-in-Chief of Doubleday Books for Young Readers and discusses the release of her picture book, Go, Girls, Go! Along the way, she offers valuable insights into storytelling, publishing, platform building, creativity, and what separates successful children's book creators from those who never quite break through.

October 14, 2019

What Picture Book Critique Fest Taught Me About Creative Growth

One of the fastest ways to improve any creative skill is to seek thoughtful feedback from people with more experience than you. Whether you're a writer, illustrator, entrepreneur, or artist, growth rarely happens in isolation. We learn through studying our craft, practicing consistently, and receiving outside perspectives that help us see what we cannot see on our own. Back in 2019, I participated in Picture Book Critique Fest (#PBCritiqueFest), a community event that connected aspiring children's book creators with literary agents, authors, and illustrators willing to provide critiques and guidance. While the event itself has long since ended, the lessons behind it remain highly relevant today because the principles of creative growth never change. The experience reinforced something every creator eventually discovers: improvement requires knowledge, practice, and feedback.

October 7, 2019

My KidLit Fall Writing Frenzy 2019 Entry (And What I Learned From Entering)

Writing contests can be intimidating, especially for newer writers. It’s easy to assume your work isn’t ready, that other writers are more talented, or that there’s little chance of being selected. Yet contests offer something valuable regardless of the outcome: a reason to create, finish a piece of work, and put it into the world. In 2019, I entered the KidLit Fall Writing Frenzy, a picture book writing contest built around visual prompts and strict word-count limitations. The challenge encouraged creativity, brevity, and experimentation. While the contest itself has long since ended, I wanted to preserve both my entry and the experience because it represents an important part of my growth as a writer. To my surprise, the submission was selected for a picture book manuscript critique prize. More importantly, it reminded me that opportunities often come from simply showing up and participating. Below is the original contest entry exactly as submitted.