Lauri Fortino's Blog, page 7
August 22, 2023
Interview Alert: Heather Pierce Stigall
Hooray! Please join me in wishing Heather Pierce Stigall’s debut picture book, Paisley’s Big Birthday, a very Happy Book Birthday today! This book, released by Clavis Publishing and illustrated by Natallia Nushuyeva, is Adorable, with a capital A, in both text and art and will ultimately be published in four additional languages besides English.
Heather is an active member of the kidlit community, especially in the Eastern Pennsylvania Chapter of the SCBWI where she is the Critique Group/...
July 26, 2023
Interview Alert: Dr. Artika Tyner
It’s my pleasure to welcome author, educator, attorney, and motivational speaker Dr. Artika Tyner to Frog on a Blog. Artika designs programs to drive Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives for companies and organizations of all sizes from Fortune 500s to startups and grassroots groups.
Artika is passionate about inspiring social change, which includes closing the literacy gap, and one of the many ways that she does that is through writing children’s books. Artika has publishe...
July 18, 2023
Happy Book Birthday to A BOOK FOR BEAR by Ellen L. Ramsey!
Title: A Book for Bear
Author: Ellen L. Ramsey
Illustrator: MacKenzie Haley
Publisher: Flamingo Books/Penguin Books for Young Readers
Release Date: July 18, 2023
Format: Hardcover
Summary: A book-loving bear and a book-loving girl hatch a plan to find the perfect book for them to read together. But sneaking a bear into a school, a library, and a bookstore proves harder than they thought. Will Bear ever find a book of his very own, a book the color of ripe, red raspberrie...
June 20, 2023
Interview Alert: Leejone Wong
Please welcome author and illustrator Leejone Wong to Frog on a Blog! The third book in her Momma Comma and Friends picture book series, Queenie Question Finds a Key, came out last month. This series features adorable punctuation mark characters, cute animal characters, and bright colors. And the charming stories introduce kids to the concept of punctuation in a way that is entertaining and fun. Kids won’t even realize they’re learning!
These books would make great additions to an elemen...
May 17, 2023
Interview Alert: Jennifer Raudenbush (+ a Giveaway!)
Please welcome children’s author and poet Jennifer Raudenbush to Frog on a Blog. Jennifer and I first crossed paths during a critique session on the online writing platform Inked Voices. I’m thrilled to have her with us today to talk about her beautiful debut picture book In the Palm of My Hand, which just released in March by Running Press Kids. Jennifer and I are both nature lovers, and clearly the natural world was a huge inspiration for her when she wrote the text of this expressive book...
May 10, 2023
Happy Book Birthday to MATTISON MOUSE COUNTS by Raven Howell!
Title: Mattison Mouse Counts
Author: Raven Howell
Illustrator: Keeshan Defay
Publisher: AM Ink Publishing
Release Date: May 10, 2023
Format: Hardcover
Summary: Wearing his favorite hat, Mattison Mouse is happy to venture outside on a beautiful day. But soon the little mouse hears mysterious footsteps. Mattison and his animal friends help young children count from one to ten as, joyfully, the day’s counting adventures lead to a surprise birthday party.
Do you have a c...
May 9, 2023
Interview Alert: Sarah Kurpiel
It is my extreme pleasure to welcome multi-published author/illustrator Sarah Kurpiel to Frog on a Blog. You may be familiar with Sarah’s other books, including her debut Lone Wolf, which received a starred review from School Library Journal and was a Summer 2020 Kids’ Indie Next Pick.
Today, we get to celebrate the birthday of her brand-new book Snake’s Big Mistake! Sarah has a knack for creating adorable animal characters and kid-relatable stories with lots of heart. She’s shared a l...
May 5, 2023
Writing a Single Story Using a Variety of Poetry Styles by Kathleen Long Bostrom
It is my pleasure to welcome multi-published, award-winning children’s book author and poet extraordinaire Kathleen Long Bostrom back to Frog on a Blog. I featured Kathleen in the summer of 2020 when her board book Will You Be Friends with Me? came out. She spoke about the connection between writer and illustrator and trusting the publisher and illustrator to help bring your story to life. To read that post, please click HERE.
Today, Kathleen’s here to share her latest picture book Since...
May 2, 2023
Happy Book Birthday to SINCE THE BABY CAME by Kathleen Long Bostrom!
Title: Since the Baby Came: A Sibling’s Learning-to-Love Story in 16 Poems
Author: Kathleen Long Bostrom
Illustrator: Janet Samuel
Publisher: Waterbrook & Multnomah Kids
Release Date: May 2, 2023
Format: Hardcover
Summary: Since the Baby Came offers a unique take on a timeless topic. The heartfelt and humorous drama unfolds completely in verse, addressing the full range of emotions a young child experiences when a new baby joins the family—from surprise and confusion to fee...
April 25, 2023
The Joy and Healing of Creative Collaboration by Laura Shovan
Please welcome author, educator, and poet Laura Shovan to Frog on a Blog! Laura is perhaps best known for her award-winning middle grade novels, including A Place at the Table, written with Saadia Faruqi. But today we celebrate the publication day of her new children’s book Welcome to Monsterville, which is perfect for Poetry Month and features 16 poems she wrote to accompany artist Michael Rothenberg’s whimsical monster illustrations. Welcome to Monsterville is a “celebration of friendship,...
