My View Book Review: THE WHISKER CITY AIR RACE by J.M. Chrismer

Title: The Whisker City Air Race

Author: J.M. Chrismer

Illustrator: Ilya Fortuna

Publisher/Year: BookBaby/2024

Format: Hardcover, paperback, eBook

December is National Cat Lovers Month. One way to mark the occasion is by reading picture books about cats! The Whisker City Air Race is the fourth book in the exciting aerial adventure series Miso and Kili’s Flying Adventures. Miso and Kili are adorable little cats who love to fly their shiny Red Rider plane all over the world.

In The Whisker City Air Race, they’re taking part, along with their feline friends, in a high-flying annual race from Whisker City over the Catfish Ocean to the Golden Paw Desert and, continuing from there, past the Panther’s Tail Jungle through the Yarn Ball Rolling Hills and back to Whisker City. Along the way, they’ll contend with some Alley Cat antics, a dangerous thunderstorm, and a detour to the finish line.

Author J.M. Chrismer has created an action-packed story that kids will surely enjoy. Though the book is a tad text heavy, there’re plenty of thrills to keep the story moving and the young reader turning the pages. Kids will especially love artist Ilya Fortuna’s bright, engaging illustrations featuring six different delightful airplanes, lots of cute and cuddly cats, and more. This is a fun read that will leave you wondering where Miso and Kili will fly off to next!

The United States has more domestic cats than any other country, over 70 million. The top three countries with the most pet cats, in descending order, are the United States, China, and Russia.

Happy Book Birthday to I HEAR THE SNOW, I SMELL THE SEA by Janice Milusich!

Title: I Hear the Snow, I Smell the Sea

Author: Janice Milusich

Illustrator: Chris Raschka

Publisher: Anne Schwartz Books

Release Date: October 7th, 2025

Format: Hardcover, audiobook

Summary: In this lyrical picture book illustrated by a two-time Caldecott Medalist, share in a blind child’s joyful experience of the changing seasons.

Where I live, seasons change. I know because my fingers and toes, my ears, my mouth and nose, all tell me so.

Neveah is blind, but that doesn’t mean she can’t enjoy each of the four wondrous seasons of the year.

She knows it’s winter when her boots go scruuunch in the snow and cold flakes land softly on her tongue.

She knows spring has come by the smell of hyacinths, the bzzzz of a bee in her ear.

Summer is a trip to the beach, where she can hear the crash of ocean waves and the keowww of seagulls overhead.

And when Neveah’s rake goes scritch scratch over fallen leaves and the air turns brisk, she knows it’s autumn. Soon the cycle of seasons will begin anew.

Join Neveah as she uses her senses of touch, taste, hearing, and smell to vividly describe the changing seasons and the unique delights they each have to offer.

Do you have a children’s picture book coming out soon? I’d love to wish it a Happy Book Birthday here on Frog on a Blog! For more information, CLICK HERE.

Happy Book Birthday to JUST DUCKY: A FRIENDSHIP TAKES FLIGHT by Berrie Torgan-Randall!

Title: Just Ducky: A Friendship Takes Flight

Author: Berrie Torgan-Randall

Illustrator: Berrie Torgan-Randall

Publisher: Cardinal Rule Press

Release Date: October 1, 2025

Format: Hardcover

Summary: Margaret “aka Ducky” loves ducks and knows everything there is to know about them. However, she soon realizes that not everyone shares her same passions when she’s at a day camp with some other students and things go “fowl”. Through a struggle to make a friend, Ducky discovers the value of listening, promoting kindness and understanding without sacrificing her own interests!

Do you have a children’s picture book coming out soon? I’d love to wish it a Happy Book Birthday here on Frog on a Blog! For more information, CLICK HERE.

How to Christmas by Robin Currie

Hey, picture book authors, do you hope to one day write a Christmas story? I know I do. That’s why I’m super excited to welcome multi-published children’s book author Robin Currie to Frog on a Blog! Robin’s sweet picture book Just Enough Room for Christmas officially launched yesterday. And Robin stopped by today to share “easy steps to writing a holiday picture book.” Let’s hear from Robin!

How to Christmas

by Robin Currie

Ever since the Grinch stole into our holidays in 1957, authors have been spinning the “How xxx Christmas” tales. Take an unlikely hero and save the day! It’s holiday magic!

How the Grinch Stole Christmas! by Dr. Seuss (Random House)

Unicorn and the Rainbow Poop Save Christmas by Emma Adams (Scholastic)

‘Twas the Night Before Christmas: A First for Gus by Sherry Roberts (Lee Press)

The Tinysaurs Save Christmas by Patricia Hegarty (Tiger Tales)

Little Bird Finds Christmas by Marianne Richmond (Jabberwocky)

How Winston Delivered Christmas by Alex T. Smith (Silver Dolphin)

Dasher: How a Brave Little Doe Changed Christmas Forever by Matt Tavares (Candlewick)

Elbow Grease Saves Christmas by John Cena (Random House)

How Winston Came Home for Christmas by Alex T. Smith (Silver Dolphin)

How the Villains Ruined Christmas by Serena Valentino (Disney Press)

How the Crayons Saved Christmas by Monica Sweeney (Sky Pony)

Pete the Cat Saves Christmas by Eric Litwin (Scholastic)

So how do we get our “How to xxx Christmas” books on the publishers’ lists?

WHERE?

Snow is not always in the weather forecast for December 25! Our northern hemisphere Christmas visions are based on European traditions, but Christmas comes worldwide and through time.

Thailand
South Africa
Australia
Underwater
The far future
Prehistoric times

How does the change in location impact how Santa dresses, who pulls the sleigh, and what they eat for Christmas dinner?

WHO?

Christmas-saving protagonists are unlikely but possess a unique talent.

Wombats dig deep tunnels.
Prairie dogs communicate and do “The Wave.”
Plumed Basilisks walk on top of the water.
Dung beetles roll up to 10 times their weight.
Hummingbirds fly backward.
Bats use sounds to guide them in the dark.

WHAT?

Our spunky protagonists need an insurmountable obstacle to overcome!

Blizzard
Air pollution
Monsoon
Living in a new place
Monsters
People who don’t believe in Santa!

AND A TWIST…

We need to know enough about the one who saves Christmas to care about the struggle and cheer for victory.

Has the protagonist been an outcast from the group, mocked for his size or lack of ability?

Does our protagonist display courage, compassion, or creativity? Will there be unlikely helpers or encouragers along the way?

What obstacles will cause failure (usually 2 times) and then be overcome by the unique skill?

Then a sprinkle of Santa’s magic and we take flight!

PS: Do let me know if you manage “How Dung Beetle Saved Christmas in South Africa!”

Robin Currie spent her library career in the children’s department, where she could baa, moo, and honk without getting shushed. Her writing engages children not only in noisemaking but jumping, waving, and face making. So do her sermons.

Despite her incessant need to wiggle, Robin earned a Master’s Degree in Library Science and worked in public libraries before answering the call to seminary. She holds a Master’s of Divinity and Doctorate of Preaching, and remains active in area churches.

She and her husband have 4 mature children and a crop of grown-up grandchildren who keep them from becoming Old Foggie’s. Because there is no fun noise for that.

Robin has traditionally published more than 45 picture books. She writes stories to read and read again!

To learn more about Robin and her books, visit her online:

Landing page: Robin Currie | Substack

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/robincurrie

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/165559.Robin_Currie

Facebook: Robincurrieauthor

LinkedIn: rc2147/

Instagram: authorrobincurrie/

BlueSky: @robincurrie.bsky.social

Happy Book Birthday to JUST ENOUGH ROOM FOR CHRISTMAS by Robin Currie!

Title: Just Enough Room for Christmas

Author: Robin Currie

Illustrator: Estelle Corke

Publisher: Good Books

Release Date: September 2, 2025

Format: Hardcover, eBook

Summary: In a tiny barn in Bethlehem, Old Hannah the cow lives alone until the cold wind drives other animals to seek shelter. One by one, they squeeze in, but when a tiny mouse stirs up trouble, the barn erupts into chaotic mooing, meowing, and barking. Will there be enough room for a little family to have a silent night?

Just Enough Room for Christmas is written to be read aloud, at home, in preschool classes and church children’s messages, or even Christmas Eve services. Families often get distracted by all the noise of the Christmas season. When we clear away all the clutter and distractions, we find, in our homes and hearts, just enough room for the newborn King.

Come back tomorrow for a special guest post by Robin Currie where she shares easy steps to writing a holiday picture book!

Do you have a children’s picture book coming out soon? I’d love to wish it a Happy Book Birthday here on Frog on a Blog! For more information, CLICK HERE.

Happy Book Birthday to GRANDMA YOGINI by Raven Howell!

Title: Grandma Yogini

Author: Raven Howell

Illustrator: Alexander Santos

Publisher: Nymeria Publishing

Release Date: August 5th, 2025

Format: Paperback

Summary: Henry and his sister, Meredith, can hardly wait for Grandma to arrive for a visit. But what should they expect? Among the children’s diverse friends and their grandmothers who bake, create art, and speak Spanish, will Grandma be able to share something unique and fun with the kids?

Henry’s fears are alleviated when, not long after arrival, they flutter like butterflies, slither like snakes, and enjoy other challenges of stretching their muscles and calming their minds. This is no run-of-the-mill grandma, and, when it’s time for goodbye, the kids know this was the BEST grandma visit ever.

Do you have a children’s picture book coming out soon? I’d love to wish it a Happy Book Birthday here on Frog on a Blog! For more information, CLICK HERE.

My View Book Review: FREE BIRD by Christine Mott

Title: Free Bird: Flaco the Owl’s Dreams Take Flight

Author: Christine Mott

Illustrator: Ofra Layla Isler

Publisher/Year: Lantern Publishing & Media/2025

Format: Hardcover, eBook

Happy HELP ANIMALS DAY! I have a great book to share for the occasion.

Free Bird: Flaco the Owl’s Dreams Take Flight, written by Christine Mott and illustrated by Ofra Layla Isler, will officially be available May 6th from Lantern Publishing & Media, an American non-profit book publisher with a mission I can really get behind. It’s “to inform and inspire new generations of global citizens to create a healthy, compassionate, and resilient world for animals and humans alike.”

Free Bird is a fictional children’s picture book based on the true story of an owl named Flaco, a Eurasian Eagle Owl, which is one of the largest species of owl in the world, who escaped from his enclosure at the Central Park Zoo in New York City. Fifty percent of the author’s royalties will be donated to the Wild Bird Fund.

Flaco the owl dreams of flying free. So when an opening appears in the metal wire surrounding his zoo habitat, he carefully climbs out, opens his enormous wings, and jumps into the night sky. His flying skills are a little rusty, but with a bit of practice, he’s soon soaring over the zoo and into the bustling city where the lights and noise and cars and people are overwhelming. So he settles in the park where there are plenty of trees and food to eat. Before long, he’s exploring the whole city and making new animal friends. And, best of all, he’s enjoying his life of freedom.

Through lovely poetic text and Flaco’s own words, Free Bird offers an optimistic message to young readers about being brave, believing in yourself, and following your dreams. My favorite lines are the last two: Any dream needs a plan; there’s the “how” and the “when.” But the most important part of it is the “WHOOO”–and that “who” is you.

The illustrations are realistic and sweet, depicting many New York City sites as well as some of the animals who call the city home. Flaco is, of course, prominently featured soaring across the pages. A bonus “Fun Facts About Owls!” section can be found at the end of the book. Did you know there are over 200 owl species in the world?! And Flaco belonged to one of the biggest, the Eurasian Eagle Owl, with a 6-foot+ wingspan!

Free Bird: Flaco the Owl’s Dreams Take Flight is perfect for owl, animal, or NYC fans of all ages or simply for people you know who may need a bit of encouragement to follow their dreams.

The Central Park Zoo in Manhattan, NY, is home to hundreds of animals, including several bird species, like four distinct species of penguins: chinstrap, gentoo, macaroni, and king penguins.

“The Central Park Zoo is part of an effort to save wildlife that began 120 years ago with the creation of the New York Zoological Society, an organization founded on science and hope which has since grown to become the Wildlife Conservation Society.”

My View Book Review: COUNTING WINTER by Nancy White Carlstrom

Title: Counting Winter

Author: Nancy White Carlstrom

Illustrator: Claudia McGehee

Publisher/Year: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers/2024

Format: Hardcover

Counting Winter, written by Nancy White Carlstrom and illustrated by Claudia McGehee, was published by Eerdmans Books for Young Readers in 2024. In this fun seasonal tale, readers count woodland animals (and some exuberant children) from 1 to 12, beginning with 1 red fox silently walking through the forest.

I don’t usually review concept books, but I love, love, love picture books set in winter! Just the dreamy way the snow is often illustrated with whites and blues and other hues warms my heart. And this book is no exception. The illustrator used scratchboard and watercolor to create the dynamic art featuring all of the creatures that the author introduces and the reader follows deeper and deeper into the snow-covered, tree-dotted woods. Along with the stealthy fox, we meet talkative ravens, silent snowshoe hares, soaring golden eagles, strong musk oxen, bright-eyed owls, and more.

I like the simplicity of the text, conveying what each type of animal might do in nature, and the author includes a bit of internal rhyme (tracking, cracking) with each page turn and ends each line with winter.

“One red fox walks across the white snow quietly stalking winter.”

“Two ravens croak and gurgle cutting the sounds out of forty below raucously talking winter.”

Perfect for this time of year, Counting Winter is a lovely picture book showcasing a winter wonderland, dozens of busy animals, and lots of swirling, twirling snowflakes. Back matter features an author’s and an illustrator’s note imparting their inspiration and creative process, respectively, as well as more information about each species of animal.

Common Ravens are considered highly intelligent birds and have been known to mimic the calls of other birds and even human words. They’re also skilled flyers and can also, surprisingly, fly upside down!

Interview Alert: Jami Gigot (+ a Giveaway!)

Please welcome kidlit friend Jami Gigot to Frog on a Blog! Jami is an author, an illustrator, and a Texture Supervisor at LucasFilm’s Industrial Light & Magic. I recently featured a Happy Book Birthday post for Jami’s brand-new picture book The World In Our Backyard, which was published in May. I also interviewed Jami way back in 2015 when her book Mae and the Moon came out with Ripple Grove Press shortly after my book did.

I’m excited to welcome Jami back during the month of July, which happens to be Park and Recreation Month, to talk about The World In Our Backyard. This lovely and imaginative book is all about spending time and having fun in the great outdoors, especially our own backyards, and features a diverse group of kids from the city, the suburbs, and the country. It’s perfect for summer reading! Let’s hear more from Jami, and be sure to read to the end for details about how to win a copy of her book!

Congratulations on the publication of your beautiful new picture book The World In Our Backyard! Tell us the inspiration behind the story.

JG: Thank you so much! This book was inspired by my love of nature and my constant awe of our incredible world. One of my favorite things about writing for children is putting my mind back in the state where I try and think like I did as a child, and it was wonderful to revisit my own childhood memories and feelings of exploration and play. I had the thought, what would the world look like to a group of insects? It dawned on me that a clover patch would seem like a forest to them, and I made a sketch, which eventually became the first spread of the book. From that initial image, the rest of the story began to unfold. I thought, well, if there is a forest in a backyard, maybe there is a mountain, or a desert, or an ocean and so on. It was important to me to also explore the idea of backyards themselves and expanded the definition to include not only suburban households, but balconies, city parks, community gardens, or wherever we find joy exploring outside.

What was your process like when creating the illustrations for the book? And what’s your favorite spread?

JG: Whenever I start illustrating a book, I first sketch out a very rough version of the book in its entirety in pencil or on my tablet, blocking out the layout and text on every page. This helps me feel the pacing and overall balance of the book. In terms of final art, I never know exactly how it will work, but it usually ends up being a collage of traditional and digital mediums. Often I will use watercolor or colored pencil and then mix that with digital painting and do the final layout in photoshop. For the spread with the kids making chalk drawings, I incorporated some photos of the chalk art my children and I drew on the street behind our home.

What do you hope kids will take away from reading the book?

JG: Kids already have incredible imaginations, and I hope this book reminds them of all the joys and wonders around us in our natural environments and encourages them to explore creatively. In a time when we have so much stimulation from screens and electronic devices, I think it’s more important than ever to get outside and play.

What outdoor activities do you and your kids enjoy doing together?

JG: I have always been very active with the kids, and we spend a lot of time exploring outside. We have done things like making a bed for a fairy out of a chestnut shell, or making art from leaves we collected. When they were very small, I would plop them in a baby carrier to go snowshoeing or push the double stroller around on my rollerblades through the city. Now that my kids are a little older (12 and 14), we do a lot of activities like playing lawn games, hiking, and stand-up paddle boarding, but we are still very curious and love spotting slugs or collecting shells and rocks.

Can you give us a sneak peek of any projects you’re working on right now?

JG: I’d be delighted to show a little sneak peek of my next project! I am currently working on a humorous picture book called A BIGFOOT FIELDGUIDE TO CAMPERS (and other mysterious creatures), which will be published by Kids Can Press next Spring 2025. It is a story about not being afraid of the unknown and listening to your heart and is written in a guidebook format where the words and pictures completely contradict each other, so makes for a very fun read aloud!

Image from A BIGFOOT FIELDGUIDE TO CAMPERS/copyright © 2025 by Jami Gigot

Giveaway

Jami has generously offered a copy of her beautiful book The World In Our Backyard to one lucky person who comments on this blog post! For your chance to win, just leave a comment on this post by July 15th. I will choose a winner at random and connect them with Jami. This giveaway is limited to residents of the US and Canada only.

Jami Gigot is the author-illustrator of many books for children, including Starboy: Inspired by the Life and Lyrics of David Bowie, Imagination Vacation, Seb and the Sun, Mae and the Moon, and The World in Our Backyard and the illustrator of My Daddy Can Fly!. She is also a Texture Supervisor at LucasFilm’s Industrial Light & Magic, and has worked on many award-winning films. In her free time, she can be found in a hammock in her small and lovely backyard, bird-watching and listening to the buzzing of bees. She lives in Vancouver, BC, with her husband, two children, and a big orange cat.

Visit her at www.jamigigot.com or on Instagram @jamigigot.

Interview Alert: Laura Roettiger (+ a Giveaway!)

Please welcome author Laura Roettiger back to Frog on a Blog! Laura’s been here several times. She reviewed a few picture books here in 2018, she wrote a guest post in 2019 about her debut picture book Aliana Reaches for the Moon, and I reviewed her debut that same year.

Today, it’s my extreme pleasure to feature an interview with Laura about her brand-new picture book An Accidental Hero: A Mostly True Wombat Story, which just published on February 12th by Eifrig Publishing. This adorable book, told in a “news report” style, stars a loveable and humble little wombat, a creature we don’t often see in picture books, along with a cast of other cute animals. Another great feature of the book are all of the factual elements that Laura expertly weaved into the story and included in the back matter about forest fires and about several of Australia’s unusual animals, many of which can’t be found any place else on Earth, like wombats, which, like their well-known koala cousins, are also marsupials!

Let’s hear more from Laura about An Accidental Hero: A Mostly True Wombat Story. And be sure to read to the end for information about how to win either a picture book manuscript critique or a 30-minute Ask Me Anything session from Laura!

Congratulations on the publication of your amazing new picture book An Accidental Hero: A Mostly True Wombat Story! Tell us about the story and what inspired it.

LR: Lauri, thank you so much for having me on your blog! Four years ago, one of the biggest international news stories was the devastating bushfires in New South Wales, Australia. Day after day, the news felt overwhelming, until I saw a story that showed rescuers found other animal species sheltering in wombat burrows. It was early 2020, before the global pandemic, and resulting shutdowns took front and center on everyone’s minds.

Why was this story important to tell?

LR: The bushfires were scary to see, and children were seeing daily reports of animals dying. As a teacher and now an author, my goal is finding a way to take a scary subject and make it manageable. How do we allow children to process the reality of bad things happening?

The cover of An Accidental Hero is really eye catching! How do you feel about Debbie Palen’s incredible illustrations?

LR: The cover, the color palette, and the illustrations are all fantastic. I know it’s unusual in publishing, but the editor wanted my input, so he set up Zoom meetings for the three of us. I had ideas, of course, so I made a few suggestions and some input early on in the process. You mentioned the cover, at one point, Debbie and I shared covers we liked based on color, layout, or other factors to get a sense of what she would create. It was fun to see how those ideas became the eye-catching cover of An Accidental Hero: A Mostly True Wombat Story. It was collaborative in the planning stages, and Debbie definitely brought her own ideas and talent to make the book what you see.

I enjoy seeing the photographs you post on social media of sunrises, the moon, and the outdoors. Tell us about your love of nature and how that translates to your picture book writing.

LR: Thank you, Lauri! I am fortunate to live in Colorado where it is beautiful, and I don’t have to go far to take great pictures. But, truthfully, I have a collection of photographs of roses that people love from my last visit to Evanston, IL. And, of course, people can see the moon or a sunrise wherever they are. I think it’s about stopping to admire the beauty, and I’ve been told I have “an eye” for photography. It’s my art. Just as Debbie creates art through illustration, I create art through photography. I think spending time outdoors is part of my writing process. Nature is always changing if you look closely.

Why do you feel picture books are important for children?

LR: Picture books are an excellent way for anyone, not just children, to be entertained, to learn, to have their imagination and curiosity sparked, and to have their world expanded.

How does your experience as a reading specialist help you as you write, and what are you working on now? More STEM picture books?

LR: My background as a reading specialist allows me to consider different audiences for my writing, and it helps me add different layers and themes in one story. It’s always fun when someone notices another layer I’ve woven in that’s subtle, but important, because I know it spoke to them as a reader. I’m currently working on a middle grade novel, and I always have picture books in the works. I have one picture book that’s newer. It’s a lyrical intergenerational story that I’m revising, and I hope the world loves it as much as I do.

GIVEAWAY!

Laura is generously giving away, to one person who comments on this blog post, their choice of either a picture book manuscript critique or a 30-minute Ask Me Anything session. Just comment on this post by Thursday, March 7th, for your chance to win. I’ll choose the winner at random and connect them with Laura. Good luck!

Laura Roettiger is a reading specialist and award-winning elementary teacher from Chicago, IL, who weaves her passion for STEM learning and fostering kindness into stories for children. Her roots in Chicago remain deep, but now her home and heart are firmly settled in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado with her Goldendoodle Charlie.

After moving to Colorado, Laura focused on writing for children, working in environmental education, and mentoring new teachers at a STEM school. She focuses her writing on characters demonstrating creativity and kindness.

Her debut, Aliana Reaches for the Moon (Eifrig Publishing, 2019) combines science information with the story of a girl whose curiosity and patience pays off with the light of the full moon.

Her book, An Accidental Hero: A Mostly True Wombat Story (Eifrig Publishing, 2024), is based on events during the aftermath of Australian bushfires in 2019-2020. When Wombat sees the bushfires raging out of control, she learns that helping those in need of sanctuary in a time of crisis provides unexpected rewards.

Laura combines her enthusiasm for helping others with the knowledge and experience she’s gained along the way. This is most recently evidenced in her co-creating the promotion group https://picturebookgold.wixsite.com/website.

To connect with Laura or learn more about her books, please go to her website LauraRoettigerBooks.com or visit her on social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laura.roettiger

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ljrwritenow

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18549873.Laura_Roettiger

Blog: https://lauraroettigerbooks.com/blog/

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/ljrwritenow.bsky.social

Interview Alert: Gayle C. Krause (+ a Giveaway!)

Please welcome multi-published children’s book author Gayle C. Krause to Frog on a Blog. Gayle’s new picture book, Zadie and the Witch’s Tea, was just released this past July from Trowbridge Books. The book stars an adorable little witch, and absolutely no prince, in this clever reimagining of the Cinderella story. Perfect for Halloween or anytime, Zadie and the Witch’s Tea will enchant kids with Gayle’s delightful rhyming text and Kate Talbot’s bold, colorful illustrations.

Gayle is definitely a fan of both fairy tales and holiday stories, as evidenced by a few of her published books, including the picture books Once Upon a Twisted Tale and Rock Star Santa. Let’s hear more about Zadie and the Witch’s Tea from Gayle in the interview below. Be sure to read to the end for information on how you can win your very own signed copy of Zadie and the Witch’s Tea along with some fun swag!

Congratulations on your fantastic new picture book Zadie and the Witch’s Tea, which was charmingly illustrated by the talented Kate Talbot! Tell us a little bit about the story and what inspired it.

GK: As a Pre-K Director in a Laboratory Program in an upstate New York Career/ Technical Center, I trained prospective Early Childhood Education teachers and incorporated Children’s Literature, most specifically fairy tales, into the secondary and preschoolers’ curriculums.

Since the Cinderella tale is well-known to children, and Halloween is a dress-up event they love, (it happens to be my favorite holiday), coupled with my own family fun time (Witchy Sisters Weekend), I couldn’t help but write Zadie’s story. Zadie and the Witch’s Tea is a retelling of Cinderella with a little witch, a Hairy Godspider, and no prince.

When a little witch’s two older sisters dash her hope of attending the biggest event of the Halloween season because she has no magic, her determination and a surprising spider enchantment sends her there. The adult witches compete to become the assistant to the most powerful witch in the land, The Grand Witch. But a kind gesture from Zadie wins the night and the title, proving kindness is stronger than magic!

As someone who’s authored picture books, middle grade novels, and young adult novels, which type of book is your favorite to write?

GK: That’s an interesting question, Lauri. When I met with my editor and the editorial director of Scholastic Books for my first picture book, Rock Star Santa, I distinctly remember telling them that I loved to write in rhyme, but thought I had a YA voice. They disagreed with me.

Truth be told, as the years have passed, I’ve been attracted to writing MG novels as well as picture books. So, I guess they were right. At this point I switch back and forth. After completing a picture book (which is usually in rhyme), I write a MG novel (a whole different mindset).

How does your experience as a teacher influence how you write for children?

GK: Another great question. Yes. My students, both high school and preschool, have played significant parts in my writing. I had a little boy in the nursery who was so shy he wouldn’t talk to anyone, but a junior girl, who was also painfully shy. (She went on to become an actress in Hollywood.) Go figure! 😊

I had another boy who, at the time, was not diagnosed as neurodivergent, but, looking back, was clearly on the spectrum. Brilliant! And an expert on dinosaurs. He could identify a dinosaur by its footprint cast. (I do have a picture book about him, but it was never published.)

I also had a little girl who was adopted from China and shared her favorite Chinese holiday and folktale with the class. I have a picture book about her life story, as well, but unless I get her to co-author it with me, it won’t be published.

And, of course, the high school kids will recognize their personalities in the attitudes of my novels’ characters.

How important were books to you as a child?

GK: I loved to read. I still have my favorite Little Golden Book from, let’s just say, a very long time ago, Uncle Mistletoe. A few years ago, one of the department stores in NYC came out with an Uncle Mistletoe stuffed doll and a Christopher Radko ornament of both Uncle Mistletoe and Aunt Holly. They are on my tree every year.

I also read every Grimm’s fairy tale, and it wasn’t until I studied Children’s Literature in college, that I was introduced to the other creators of fairy tales like Carlo Collidi (Pinocchio), Hans Christian Andersen (The Snow Queen, Little Mermaid), and Charles Perrault (Little Red Riding Hood, Puss in Boots, Cinderella, and Sleeping Beauty) to name a few. I could go on forever about fairy tales. 😊

What do you believe makes picture books so magical?

GK: I believe it starts with the author’s vision. For me, I see the pictures as I write. It’s important to leave room for the illustrator, but it’s equally important to make sure the story stays true to your vision. I couldn’t see Zadie as a black-outlined graphic or an abstract illustration. Kate had the exact style and vision that coincided with mine. We were a perfect fit. I especially love how she portrayed the magic of the Hairy Godspider transforming Zadie’s dress into a spooktacular spidery sensation.

Please share some words of advice for aspiring children’s book authors.

GK: This business is so much harder than it looks, but don’t give up on your dream. Here is a mantra to follow:

Persevere! Persist! Proceed!

And even when you get frustrated and you think your dream will not happen, just take a break. The drive and creativity never leave you. It always comes back stronger and better. And, this time, it might be the manuscript that delivers your dream!

Thank you for having me, Lauri, and letting me share Zadie’s story with your readers.

Giveaway

Gayle is generously offering a signed copy of Zadie and the Witch’s Tea + some fun swag to one lucky winner who comments on this blog post by October 4th. And if you share news about the book on social media, mention it in your comment here for additional chances to win. I’ll choose a winner at random and connect them with Gayle. Good luck! (Giveaway open to US residents only)

Named the 2022 MG first-place winner of the Kid’s Choice KIDLIT Writing Contest, Gayle C. Krause is a PAL SCBWI member and a past member of The Historical Novel Society, and The Poets’ Garage. She served on the National Rhyme Revolution Committee, choosing the best rhyming picture book from 2015-2018. She teaches writing seminars to published kid-lit creatives and new children’s writers. She’s a former Education Academy Chair in an upstate NY Career and Technical school, where she taught prospective Early Childhood educators and directed a Laboratory Pre-K in conjunction with her program.

She writes PB, MG, and YA and has six published books. Her picture book Rock Star Santa (Scholastic – 2008) was performed as a play in Australia and presented at Storytime in Montserrat, British West Indies with a real British Rock Star. Her picture book Daddy, Can You See the Moon? (Clear Fork/SPORK – 2019) shares royalties with Our Military Child, an organization that helps veteran’s children deal with their parent’s war injuries. And her new picture book, Zadie and the Witch’s Tea, a retelling of the Cinderella tale with a little witch and no prince, emphasizes kindness and has an international following.

Discover more about Gayle and her books on her website https://www.gayleckrause.com.

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