Little Thoughts Press Issue Twelve: Better Together with a sneak peek of the poem "Not One More Acre" by Melinda Szymanik Melinda Szymanik writes all sorts of things for children and most of them are poems and picture books. Her picture books are usually published in Aotearoa New Zealand where she lives, but a couple have appeared in the USA, including My Elephant is Blue (Flyaway Books, 2023). Her poems have been published in anthologies, and by The Toy , Paddler Press , The

Little Thoughts Press Issue Twelve: Better Together with a sneak peek of the poem Eli's House by Amanda McKenzie Amanda McKenzie is a children’s writer and poet, mother of two and library fanatic. Her poetry has been published in The School Magazine, Little Thoughts Press and The Dirigible Balloon . Her poem ‘Peacock Mantis Shrimp’ was joint winner of The Poets XYZ 'Big Things, Little Things' Poetry for Children competition in 2025. You can find her playing with words and

Little Thoughts Press Issue Twelve: Better Together with a sneak peek of the poem "Before My School" by Jenn Gaulding. Jenn Gaulding is a math and science educator and a picture book writer who believes even small exchanges of empathy and kindness make the world a better place. Jenn lives near Atlanta, GA, and is a member of the 12x12 Picture Book Challenge and SCBWI. In 2025, her short stories and poems were selected as finalists or runners-up in several kidlit writing comp

Little Thoughts Press Issue Twelve: Better Together with a sneak peek of the poem "School Library Donation Day" by David McMullin. David McMullin is a picture book author, illustrator, and children’s poet. His books include Free to be Fabulous (HarperCollins), Rock ‘n’ Roll Baby (Penguin/ Random House—March 3, 2025), and a soon-to-be-announced early reader series. His poems can be found in many magazines and anthologies. Honors include an SCBWI Ann Whitford Paul Award, an Ast

Thank you to everyone who shared the love in our Silly Love Sonnets kidlit poetry contest! It was such a delight to read through all of the incredible entries about the sweet and silly little things you all love! We are excited to announce our WINNER... artwork by Little Thoughts Press cover artist, Rachael Taylor JENN GAULDING When Some-bunny Gets You Every day Marie comes home with me. We race to space aboard my tire swing or host a tea with acorns from my tree. Together, w

Valentine's Day is almost here! To celebrate and spread a little kidlit love, we are excited to once again host our "Silly Love Sonnets” Kidlit Poetry Contest! This year, we are happy to welcome our guest judge, Linda Hofke! Linda was our 2025 Silly Love Sonnets winner ! artwork by Little Thoughts Press cover artist, Rachael Taylor It's time again to celebrate the little things you love the most! Blue M&Ms, kitty cat sneezes, cupcake frosting, absolutely nailing a backflip wh

Better in Nature As night turns into day, And the sun shines through the trees The sound of a squirrel Scampering through the forest With a fruit in its mouth, Dropping the seed, The start of a sprout Drops of rain, Pitter Patter Giving rise to the growth of a tree As the wind rustles through the leaves And the bees pollinate the flowers Something magical happens Signs of life Every force of nature Working together to create A beautiful ecosystem For us to enjoy Zara Furnitur

Lollie Say What? by Harper Thayn One fall mid-morning, my friend, Zoe, my two-year-old sister, Indie, and I went to the park with my Grandma Winnie. When we were playing, Indie started yelling my name. “Harper! HARPER!!!” she yelled. When I went over to her, I saw something very mysterious. I told Zoe to come over to me to show her what I found, green goop on a sparkly, glowing tree! With little pops of colorful smoke, lollipops began appearing on the tree. “Pease?” said Ind

Lionfish by Isabelle Paruzel-Gibson Reef for One, and Reef for All. by Isabelle Paruzel-Gibson When most people think about supporting their community, they likely imagine helping an elderly across the street or picking up litter. Those are both great ideas but, have you thought about helping life below the surface? I’m talking about the underwater life that lives on earth. One of the many ways of making a positive impact is lionfish hunting. People are always saying fishing

Us Together We link together,  Like trees intertwine, To show the passion We share, Hand and hand, A  Sweet Flowing  Symphony. We are a Team, As our puzzles connect,  The powerful memories, Make a masterpiece, Of a  Million  Years Together,  And Forever. 

 I Run I run through the forest, I run through the meadow, Just looking for you. We can be a dream The strength of power With your smile, My day is like the colors of a sunset. Me alone; I am those fields Of rights  And wro

Coffee Shop our local coffee shop is not closed it is open but no one is at it at least, no one who cares. the food is good, so that’s not why we don’t go there anymore we like the baristas and the music but we don’t like where the money goes at least, no one who cares. mum says it will be forced to close soon, or change without any business, no money to pay the rent more importantly, no money to give to career politicians or big corporations people we don’t tolerate, too, li

Little Thoughts Press Issue Eleven: Stirring Words with a sneak peek of the poem "Elf-Locks" by Mims Sully, featuring artwork by Kim Wagner Nolan. Mims Sully  is a prize-winning poet from Sussex, England, who writes for both adults and children. Her poetry for children has been published in Tyger Tyger , The Dirigible   Balloon , The   Changeling, The   Toy and Little Thoughts Press . When not writing, she enjoys baking, swimming, playing board games and exploring the country

Little Thoughts Press Issue Eleven: Stirring Words with a sneak peek of the poem "Cats and Dogs" by Webb Smith, featuring artwork by Kim Wagner Nolan. Webb Smith is a retired firefighter from metro-Atlanta with a master’s degree in biomechanics. He has written, illustrated, and self-published three books that can be viewed at www.webbsmithbooks.com . His bucket list includes scuba diving with great white sharks and going to a Nippon League baseball game in Japan. Little Thou

Little Thoughts Press Issue Eleven: Stirring Words featuring the poem and illustration "Hurkle-durkle" by Shaunessy Sinnett. Shaunessy Sinnett grew up in Goderich, Canada. She used to tell stories as a professional dancer in Riverdance until she discovered that telling stories on paper hurt her feet a lot less. Now, Shaunessy enjoys writing sweet, spooky, and humorous stories for young readers. She is a member of SCBWI, 12x12, and was selected this spring as a mentee in the

Little Thoughts Press Issue Eleven: Stirring Words, showcasing the illustration A Murklin Sonata by Stephanie Buosi. Stephanie Buosi is a Canadian illustrator and graphic designer who loves drawing animals, fantasy creatures, and kids on adventures. She’s an environmentalist, and in her spare time volunteers with Turtle Protectors in Toronto, assisting mama turtles throughout the nesting season. When she’s not doodling in her sketchbooks, you can find her outside among the t

Thank you to everyone who participated in this year's “From Trash to Treasure” Kidlit Poetry Contest! After reading through the many humorous, lyrical, wonderfully creative entries we received, here's what our guest judge, Tracie Renee, had to say: Thank you for entrusting me with your revised lines! Each one was truly a treasure that stood out in its own way, so be sure to check the comments . I’ve posted a personal response for each entry because daring to show up and keep

It's time again for our annual From Trash to Treasure Kidlit Poetry Contest! November 13th - 15th This year, we are excited to welcome as a special guest judge 2024's From Trash to Treasure winner, Tracie Renee! artwork by Little Thoughts Press cover artist, Rachael Taylor Rather than throw out our darlings, what if we remade them? Take a discarded darling and make something new! Send us a lyrical haiku, funny limerick, inspiring quintains, creative free verse, or whatever y

Little Thoughts Press Issue Eleven: Stirring Words with a sneak peek of the story "Bocha Bocha Brothers" by Shawna Cain. Shawna Cain writes with a mission to bring lighthearted fun to both kids and their grown ups. Before writing for children, she spent over a decade working in social justice and corporate responsibility within food systems. She has a Master’s Degree in Sustainable Systems, and was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Lesotho, Southern Africa. She currently lives in Or

Little Thoughts Press Issue Eleven: Stirring Words with a sneak peek of the poem "My Grandmother's Words" by Barbara Bleiman. Barbara Bleiman is a London-based ex-English teacher and education consultant at the English and Media Centre (EMC), with a keen interest in poetry. She has written a book about English teaching, What Matters in English Teaching , and has published two novels and two collections of short stories. She is also a children’s poet, with several poems up on

Little Thoughts Press Issue Eleven: Stirring Words with a sneak peek of the poem "A Pebble Remembers" by Mona Voelkel. The poem is accompanied by artwork by Kim Wagner Nolan. Mona Voelkel is a reading specialist and writer. Words are the heartbeat of her teaching and writing life so she is especially honored to contribute to Stirring Words. Her poetry has been published by The Dirigible Balloon and The Milford Journal. A new picture book, Moon Choo-Choo , illustrated by Nancy