Little Thoughts Press Issue Fourteen: Traditions and Rituals featuring the poem "Peppers in His Pockets" by Diane Gonzales Bertrand. A quick glance at any book written by Diane Gonzales Bertrand shows a writer who grabs inspiration from her family life in San Antonio, Texas. She captured her experiences in her short story collection Upside Down and Backwards, in her novel The Ruiz Street Kids, and in her poetry book, The Taco Magician/El Mago de los Tacos. She is the auth

Little Thoughts Press Issue Fourteen: Traditions and Rituals featuring the poem "Raise the Rainbow Flag" by Mary E. Cronin Mary E. Cronin lives on Cape Cod in Massachusetts. Her books include Trucks, Boots, and Bells, a poetry collection set in a busy city firehouse, and Like a Mother Bear, a picture book biography of PFLAG founder Jeanne Manford. Mary’s poems have appeared in numerous children’s anthologies and in The New York Times. www.maryecronin.com. Little Thoughts Pre

My Family and I When Eid arrives my family and I celebrate with our amazing friends Sometimes my mum invites friends to our home Other times, we gather up in a hall filled with many people We eat flavourful biryani and creamy sweet sheer khurma I wear a purple gharara stitched with delicate floral embroidery feeling bright and new But, sometimes I wonder will there be a year I will spend Eid alone? and will the generations after me celebrate Eid? and will my descendants celeb

Easter At Easter we go to the beach My family and I Mum tells me of when she did the cold plunge in Antarctica I wonder if the sea in New Brighton is as cold as Antarctica Jessica Pollard is 10 years old and is a student at Te Paritō Kōwhai Russley School in Ōtautahi Christchurch. Visiting the beach sounds like such a fun and unique Easter tradition! Why does your family choose to celebrate the holiday this way? What kinds of things do you do at the beach together? How cold i

The Warmth of the Diya The vibrant diya It’s light flickers from the winds trying to extinguish it My hands shields it from the harsh winds coming for it It’s light shines in the cold darkness of the night Signifying the warmth of my loved ones Helping me through the darkness of my life I set it down outside my doorstep Luring good luck and love towards my house It’s light shines brighter now I think it’s gained strength And can now handle the cruel winds tormenting it Holi F

on the last day of school on the last day of school me, my brother and my dad go out to the scrumptious avonhead tavern I smell lovely fish’n’chips floating to my mouth I feel drool s l i d i n g down my chin I see people gobbling delicious doughnuts I hear people yapping as

there’s always something to do at a hockey game a crowd full of loud cheering a ball getting hit hard into a goal a team of speeding players a coach who encourages us to play like professionals on the field team mates running like 100 gazelles with me Kieran Beckingham is 8 years old and in year 4 at Te Paritō Kōwhai Russley School in Ōtautahi Christchurch. Your poem wonderfully captures the energy and collaboration of a team sport. Why did you choose this topic as the focus

Chinese New Year a festival in spring the start of the year everyone celebrating people from around the world come back home to eat and share delicious beef dumplings happy children hopping away with red pockets from the elders filled with money and their best wishes Everyone laughing Everyone having a splendid time Ryan Cui is 8 years old and in year 4 at Te Paritō Kōwhai Russley School in Ōtautahi Christchurch. Your poem wonderfully demonstrates the way traditions bring joy

Reviewed by Jennifer Thomas Some people collect shells, comic books, or keychains. Shaun Jex collects tales about American creatures that most of us have never seen, “the type that people tell stories about while sitting around a campfire, or just before bedtime,” as he says at the start of his new poetry collection, A Catalog of Curious Creatures. He has written poems about 81 of these creatures, from the agropelter to the whirling whimpus. They lurk in just about every corn

Little Thoughts Press Issue Thirteen: Head, Shoulders, Spleen and Nose with a sneak peek of the poem "Esophagus" by Janice Scully. Janice Scully is a physician and loves to write for young people. Her stories have appeared in Highlights Magazine. Her poetry has appeared in several anthologies including Thanku: Poems of Gratitude (Millbrook 2019) and If I Could Choose a Best Day (Candlewick 2025) and online, including, The Dirigible Balloon. Janice Lives in Upstate New York. L

Little Thoughts Press Issue Twelve: Better Together with a sneak peek of the poem "Recycled Fashion" by Sarah Hetu. Sarah (Sezza) Hetu loves thunderstorms, beaches, rockhounding, and finding just the right word. Her poems and other writings may be found in several magazines, with a publication forthcoming in High Five . She won a young authors award for her story, “The Avocado Seed,” in elementary school, and hasn’t stopped writing since. She is grateful for her two magical c

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

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

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