It isn't every day that I get to welcome an agency sibling to The Backstory. It is my pleasure to introduce Christina Dendy and her latest picture book, HIDE AND SHH! (Cardinal Rule Press, 2023) with illustrations by Nathalia Takeyama. Keep reading to learn all about this story of empathy and understanding. Welcome to The Backstory and thank you for joining us and sharing the inspiration behind HIDE AND SHH! First off, please tell us a little bit about your story. Thank you f

Vivian Kirkfield's #50PreciousWords is back! This is my favorite of all of the kidlit writing competitions and I am so excited to join in again this year. The teeny, tiny word limit is the perfect exercise in precision word choice and you can't find a more supportive community. The submission window is open from 3/3-3/5 so if you haven't already submitted there's still time. Find all of the rules here. And check out my entry, MY MOUNTAIN, coming in at exactly 50 words, below.

I am so excited to introduce my friend and incredible author, Federico Erebia. I met Federico through our local SCBWI meetings and feel lucky to play a small part in spreading the word about his amazing debut novel, PEDRO & DANIEL (Levine Querido, June 6). This is a beautifully written and emotion evoking book. following two brothers and their unbreakable bond through overwhelming hardship. Regardless of your background or experiences you will find yourself connecting with th