After being on a revision marathon all summer, Susanna Leonard Hill's 11th annual Halloweensie contest was just what I needed to spark some creativity and write something new. I hope you enjoy my entry, loosely inspired by my 4-year-olds bathroom antics. THE HALLOWEEN POTTY By Andrew Hacket 100 Words Halloween night. Goosebumps bristle as monsters arrive, goodies in hand. Time to party. “Too little,” they say. I’m ushered away. I stand in my lavatory, laboratory. My cauldron,

Dr. Amitha Jagannath Knight joins The Backstory today with the scoop on her picture book, USHA AND THE BIG DIGGER (Charlesbridge, 2021) with illustrations by Sandhya Prabhat. Read on to discover what inspires Amitha and for your chance to win a copy of her book. Welcome to The Backstory and thank you for joining us and sharing the inspiration behind USHA AND THE BIG DIGGER. First off, please tell us a little bit about your story. Usha and the Big Digger is about three girls:

Derick Wilder joins us today to share the backstory behind his debut picture book, THE LONGEST LETSGOBOY (Chronicle Books, 2021) with illustrations from Cátia Chien. Read on to learn the real-life inspiration behind this story and learn about his "Always, Always, Never, Ever Rule." Welcome to The Backstory and thank you for joining us and sharing the inspiration behind THE LONGEST LETSGOBOY. First off, please tell us a little bit about your story. This is a circle-of-life tal

Cynthia Argentine is here with us today to share the inspiration behind her latest release, NIGHT BECOMES DAY: CHANGES IN NATURE (Millbrook, 2021). This stunning, nonfiction picture book will leave children in awe and ready to observe and explore the world around them. Welcome to The Backstory and thank you for joining us and sharing the inspiration behind NIGHT BECOMES DAY: CHANGES IN NATURE. First off, please tell us a little bit about your story. Thank you for having me, A