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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 Thoughts Press: " Cats and Dogs" has an infectious rhythm. When you’re writing poetry, how do you decide whether a poem will be rhyming and rhythmic or whether it will be more free-flowing? Webb Smith: Whenever I jot down thoughts for a poem, a rhythm always seems to emerge. It’s like a catchy song that suddenly gets stuck in your head. In this case, it happened to be iambic. It’s never predetermined, but once it appears, I try to stay consistent throughout the poem.   Little Thoughts Press: There’s a wonderfully exuberant feel to "Cats and Dogs" that leaves readers feeling joyful. How would you advise young writers to tap into their emotions as they’re writing? Webb Smith: Great question! As we age, I think our emotions become “diluted” or cluttered with practical thoughts. We might still enjoy a fresh snowfall, but we also stress about road closures and shoveling the driveway. Kids are able to fully embrace their emotions. I often make a conscious effort to suspend practical notions and inhibitions. In other words, dance like no one is watching. Little Thoughts Press: Our Stirring Words issue is all about odd, interesting, or inspiring words and phrases. What is your favorite word right now? Why do you love it? Webb Smith: My family and I often invent new words. Recently, I started saying “Bluzya,” which is a mashup for “But I love ya.” If someone is having a rough day, they might hear me yell, “Bluzya!” Little Thoughts Press: Why did you choose the word(s) you chose to feature in your Stirring Words piece? Webb Smith: Topics such as the weather are extremely fun because the vocabulary can be scientific (precipitation), common (downpour), regional (plothering) or slang (gully-washer). I tried to put a bit of each in my poem (nimbus, billabong, cats and dogs).  Little Thoughts Press: How did you get started writing kid-lit and what do you find most challenging and rewarding about writing for kids? Webb Smith: As a career firefighter, writing kid-lit was a great escape. It’s been a “quiet hobby” for a long time. I love the wild imaginations that children possess and their willingness to “believe.” The most challenging part is editing and trying to comply with the unwritten rules of picture books. The most rewarding part is definitely reading with kids and watching their reactions.  Little Thoughts Press: Which kid-lit authors and books were your favorites growing up? Webb Smith: Green Eggs and Ham was the first book I could read by myself, so it will always be special. I also love There's a Nightmare in My Closet by Mercer Mayer and Matt's Mitt (Marilyn Sachs) about a boy and his baseball glove.  Little Thoughts Press: And what about today? Any kid-lit writers you love and want to shout out? Webb Smith: I really enjoy Jon Klassen’s work. Sam and Dave Dig a Hole , This is Not My Hat and The Skull are fantastic. Little Thoughts Press: What advice would you give to young writers? Webb Smith: Writing is often solitary. The rest of your life shouldn’t be. Make lots and lots of friends from all walks of life. Play games, hold conversations, appreciate differences, go on adventures, find joy in the small things, and never, ever stop learning. That way, you’ll have plenty to write about. Little Thoughts Press: Is there anything else you wish I had asked? Any upcoming projects, publications, or other news you'd like to share? Webb Smith: I truly appreciate the opportunity to be a part of Little Thoughts Press . Magazines like this are incredibly valuable. I have a dozen manuscripts that I’m currently shopping around. I’m also working on a second book of silly poems that I hope to self-publish in 2026. My first book of poems ( Spoiled Endings: Tales of Mishap and Misfortune ) is still available on Amazon or my website ( www.webbsmithbooks.com ). And, of course, I plan to send more submissions to Little Thoughts !

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 PB Rising Stars program. Over the past year, Shaunessy was honored to be recognized in writing competitions like 50 Precious Words, the Halloweensie Contest, the KidLit Chuckle Challenge, and the Valentiny Contest. She now lives in Los Angeles with her husband where she enjoys writing, reading, dancing, and hiking. Little Thoughts Press: Part of the charm of "Hurkle-durkle" is its use of repetition in every stanza. Did you know that you wanted to use repetition at the outset, or did you come to this idea during the process of drafting the poem?  Shaunessy Sinett: I did not originally plan for the word “hurkle-durkle” to repeat. I often let the rhythm lead when I write. In this instance, the repetition just fell into place.   Little Thoughts Press: One of the things that appealed to us about "Hurkle-durkle " is that it has no extra padding: every word plays an important role in the poem. In your revision process, how do you decide whether certain words should stay in a poem or be cut? What advice can you offer young writers for how to approach this kind of decision-making in their own writing?  Shaunessy Sinett: I am merciless when it comes to cutting words out! I try to imagine the poem like a little play the reader performs. When I’m drafting, I aim to make it as easy as possible for the reader to succeed in delivering every stressed and unstressed syllable. If I’m even a little in doubt about how a phrase will be read or interpreted, it’s GONEZO. Hehe!  For younger writers, I would encourage them to read the story or poem aloud and listen for any inconsistencies in the metre. Do not be afraid to search for a word or phrase that brings more clarity, a better image, or a better sound! Another idea is to keep a “graveyard” at the bottom of the page for lines or sections that you’ve cut. You may need to resurrect something! Little Thoughts Press: Our Stirring Words issue is all about odd, interesting, or inspiring words and phrases. What is your favorite word right now? Why do you love it? Shaunessy Sinett: I loved this issue for its many interesting words! I learned so much! Right now, I am fascinated by words that don’t seem to have an English equivalent; we can learn so much from other languages. I recently learned the Japanese word “tsundoku” which means buying books and letting them pile up unread. I, of course, would know nothing about this. (Pay no attention to that stack of unread books over there.)  Little Thoughts Press: Why did you choose the word(s) you chose to feature in your Stirring Words piece? Shaunessy Sinett: The word hurkle-durkle has it all: Rhyme! Rhythm! It’s fun to say aloud! It’s a little silly! The Scots really made a winner when they thought of hurkle-durkle, hehe! I also loved its meaning: spending a little longer in bed than you ought to. It reminded me of the final page in Great Day for Up! by Dr. Seuss. It’s a cosy scene of a little boy in his bed. The rest of the book features everyone and everything else in the world getting UP! This was my inspiration for both the poem and illustration.  Little Thoughts Press: How did you get started writing kid-lit and what do you find most challenging and rewarding about writing for kids? Shaunessy Sinett: I have always been interested in children’s literature, but I did not start studying it in college until the pandemic! I come from a dance/performing arts background, so I was surprised to find that writing picture books specifically felt like theatre on the page.  The most challenging element of writing for kids? For me, it’s plotting. This is less of a concern with poetry, thank goodness, but sometimes I will draft a manuscript based on just “vibes.” No plot in sight. I need to stop doing this. * internal screaming *  The most rewarding thing about writing for young people is bringing some sort of joy. It’s tough to compete with technology, but if something I write can entertain a reader, or bring a smile, or teach them something? That’s about as good as it gets.  Little Thoughts Press: Which kid-lit authors and books were your favorites growing up? Shaunessy Sinett: We had a LOT of Seuss in my family home! Of course I liked the aforementioned Great Day for Up! , but I also remember loving There's a Wocket in My Pocket . And like all children, I enjoyed torturing my parents by asking them to read Fox in Socks no less than twice a week.  Little Thoughts Press: And what about today? Any kid-lit writers you love and want to shout out? Shaunessy Sinett: Oh my goodness, there are so many! And I’m still discovering some of the greats! I have a particular soft spot for my fellow Canadian writers and right now I’m loving Casey Lyall’s work! I think she is a genius. Little Thoughts Press: What advice would you give to young writers? Shaunessy Sinett: Read! I’m sure young writers hear this a lot. I would also encourage young writers to pay attention to other forms of art: visual art, theatre, film, dance, etc. It’s all storytelling and we can learn from it!  Little Thoughts Press: Is there anything else you wish I had asked? Any upcoming projects, publications, or other news you'd like to share? Shaunessy Sinett: It was a pleasure to answer these questions, Claire! I just finished a wonderful mentorship program called PB Rising Stars. I felt so fortunate to be selected as one of 28 mentees from over 2400 applicants. My mentor, Shana Keller, and the program directors taught me SO MUCH. Soon, I will be bravely entering the querying trenches in search of an agent. I am excited to use my new skills to create, create, create! No more hurkle-durkling: I have work to do!

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 trees, or escaping into new fantasy worlds with a good book and a cup of tea. See more of her work at stephaniebuosi.com  and at @ stephaniebuosi.com on BlueSky and @stebuosi_ on Instagram. Little Thoughts Press: Your illustration A Murklin Sonata  is such a dreamy scene. All of the onlookers seem so peaceful and entranced by this nighttime serenade and we too are able to imagine the sounds of the music that they are hearing. What advice would you offer to young artists and illustrators for how to create a sense of peace and pleasure in their artwork? Stephanie Buosi: I think colour is a huge factor in creating peace and pleasure in your artwork. Colour has its own language, and it’s fascinating once you dig into it a little. Want to build excitement? Reds and yellows are your friends! Peace and calm? Blues and greens are the way to go. The best advice, and what helped me a lot, is to do colour studies. Create an outline of your work. Then try colouring it in two different ways, with two different colour palettes. It’s easiest to do this digitally, but you can definitely practice with paper, markers, paints, whatever you have! And be sloppy! At this stage you are testing and experimenting, and it’s always best to be messy! Little Thoughts Press: Was there a particular song you had in mind when creating this piece and what did you do to try to capture the feeling of that song in this image? Stephanie Buosi: Ooo this is a great question! So I created this piece while my daughter was only a few months old and she would take her naps on my lap. I’d often play lo-fi music to help her sleep, and I found this one playlist that was all about Nintendo and the Legend of Zelda. The song that we’d  listen to on repeat was “Zelda’s Lullaby” by Mipsick. It’s a very peaceful, calming song.  Little Thoughts Press: Our Stirring Words issue is all about odd, interesting, or inspiring words and phrases. What is your favorite word right now? Why do you love it? Stephanie Buosi: I love the word querencia  which is Spanish and means “a place from which one’s strength is drawn, where one feels at home; the place where you are your most authentic self.”  I think as artists we are constantly creating from a place inside ourselves, and as a visual artist I am always searching for my “style.” I love this word when you connect it to your art practice because it helps remind me to try and be authentic, to create from an honest place that feels like me. Does that make sense? Little Thoughts Press: Why did you choose the word(s) you chose to feature in your Stirring Words piece? Stephanie Buosi: When I first saw the word Murklin, it made me giggle a little. What a fun word to say! Then when I read the definition, I immediately thought of night critters. We live in an older neighbourhood in Toronto, and there are many, beautiful, hundred-year old trees that support a lot of animal life and biodiversity. When we would go on evening walks we would often catch sight of raccoon families, possums, skunks, cats, rabbits. The dark is so full of animal life, and it’s a little magical when you can spot a critter at night. Little Thoughts Press: What initially brought you into the world of kidlit and what do you find most challenging and rewarding about making art that will appeal to children? Stephanie Buosi: The world of kidlit can encompass so much creativity, and variation of style, it’s so amazing to me! Every time I browse my local library or bookstore’s children’s book section I discover a new artist or illustration style that I fall in love with. So I was naturally drawn to the world of kidlit as an artist. Growing up, I was also a huge reader, but my little  sister wasn’t and that really bothered me. I think I just wanted her to feel that excitement that a great book can inspire. So she wouldn’t read novels or chapter books, but she loved picture books and comic books. When I grew a bit older, I realized that kidlit and illustrated stories have a super power—they encourage reading! So I suppose the most rewarding part of making art for kids is making reading really fun for kids who don’t really like to read. Because reading is amazing and can change your life in so many good ways. Okay, challenges. The many many many many hours of practice to get to where I am today. I am good at drawing, but I wasn’t always! Many people will say to me “I wish I was talented like you and could draw,” but you know what? I’m not talented! I just practiced. A lot. And it can be hard to practice and keep going when you don’t think you are very good at art. I am always happy to show you my drawings from 10 years ago… oh man they were bad. Actually, if you have the time, scroll very very very far back on my instagram page and you’ll see some pretty bad drawings! And I am still practicing! I still sometimes think my art is bad, but you just have to keep going.  Little Thoughts Press: I have asked these questions of the young artists we’ve featured on our blog and I am curious to know your answers as well: What is your favorite thing to draw and how does creating art make you feel?  Stephanie Buosi: Bird. Hands down. When I doodle, it always seems to be birds in fun hats.  Creating art is such an integral part of myself I couldn’t imagine myself never not creating! When I haven’t been able to pick up my pencil in a couple days, because of other life priorities, I feel incomplete and anxious. Creating art is my happy place, and I could draw for hours (and have). Little Thoughts Press: Which kid-lit authors, illustrators and books were your favorites growing up? Stephanie Buosi: The Chronicles of Narnia were a big favourite. Especially when I was sick. It was so easy to slip into this amazingly magical world of talking trees and animals, and the adventures were always so fun. I also loved the Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket (Daniel Handler) as well as Brett L. Helquist who illustrated all the covers. I was also super into Pony Pals and Saddle Club . For illustrators, I loved Phoebe Gilman ( The Balloon Tree , Something From Nothing ). Growing up, I was also a huge reader of Archie comics! I think those comics probably influenced quite a bit of my more cartoony-style of work.  Little Thoughts Press: What advice would you give to young artists? Stephanie Buosi: Practice. I really can’t stress how important it is to practice. And doodle! Because it’s fun and you are practicing while you doodle so you’re doing both at once! I love to doodle while watching movies at night with my family. Or when I’m chatting on the phone with a friend. Sometimes I even doodle outside in the park!  I would also recommend grabbing a dollar store sketch and doodling in that. Because when you have a fancy-smancy sketchbook you don’t always want to get messy in it, or you feel your drawings have to be really good and there’s a pressure there. But with a dollar-store sketchbook? I always feel I can draw really ugly doodles in there and have a blast doing it! Little Thoughts Press: Is there anything else you wish I had asked? Any upcoming projects, publications, or other news you'd like to share? Stephanie Buosi: I’m currently (slowly) working on a detective hummingbird book for early readers! It’s still in its early stages of character development, but I’m very excited to start creating some fun misadventures for Detective Zip!

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 writing is something that deserves to be celebrated.     I’ll be honest: it wasn’t easy to pick a winner here, nor was it easy to pick the honorable mentions. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t see your name here. At one point, picking a winner seemed entirely impossible so I (briefly) gave up and commemorated the feeling with a limerick, since that form was trending in the submissions:    There once was a poet who trudged  home from her day job to judge  a contest so fine  each poem was divine—  so she gave up and just ate some fudge.    My limerick is...not great. Definitely more trash than treasure, and not nearly even as good as the almond butter I had to pretend was fudge because that’s all we actually had in the kitchen. But eventually, after re-reading all the submissions countless times, I found that I kept coming back to these three. Congrats, poets! May you keep finding treasure in your trash.  We are thrilled to announce our WINNER... artwork by Little Thoughts Press cover artist, Rachael Harbert ERIC PETERSON SUPPER GROSS Remember when Grandmama yelled?   Her dentures were quickly expelled;  They bounced off her shoe,  And plopped in the stew,  Which might be why it then smelled.   Tracie says: Congratulations, Eric! I’m really glad that I wasn’t at this particular dinner with Grandmama. But at the same time, this is delightfully limerick-ed, completely hilarious, and the backstory is every bit as fun as the poem itself AND the fresh direction that your revision gave to the excised line. Tooth-fully terrific, with a bold bite of humor.  And please join us in congratulating our two HONORABLE MENTIONS... CHARLOTTE SHEER THE MIMIC I don't understand their words.  They're smarter than most other birds.  Crows can mimic a voice  or caw as their choice  like flying ventriloquist nerds!  Tracie says: Congratulations, Charlotte! This poem ends with a fun and unexpected image and brings together unique words in exciting ways while also teaching the reader a bit about crows. Absolutely mag(pie)nificent!  MOE PHILLIPS   The rainstorm left diamond droplets  on spider webs along the path today.  Tiny chandeliers clung to low branches.  My footsteps set them to tinkling.  Tracie says: Congratulations, Moe! These lines use lucid imagery to awaken the readers’ senses and distill the quiet that so perfectly captures the calm of the rained-on world—what a breathtaking slice-of-life scene.  Eight-year-old Ben represented young readers by selecting his favorite. The winner of our KID CHOICE is... PAM ADAMS Stealthily, carefully, quietly sneaking— The cunning black cat eyes the prey he's been seeking. In ambush position, he's poised, at the ready. He leaps off his haunches! His focus is steady! "Squeak" says the little grey rubber toy teddy~ Ben says: You can picture this cat being super serious and stalking real prey, so the twist in the ending is especially funny. Plus, I love cats. Thank you to all of the poets who participated this year! We loved seeing the treasures you created and we hope you'll join in when we do this again next year! In the meantime, Issue 12: Better Together launches on December 15th and is currently available for pre-order! A celebration of community and collective action, Better Together is a wonderfully uplifting way to end a year that has been full of difficulty and heartache for so many. Please consider ordering a copy and sharing this inspiring issue with a young reader in your life. Submissions for Issue 13: Head, Shoulders, Spleen & Nose open this Thursday, November 20th. Read all about this theme and check out our submission guidelines . Congratulations again to all of our winning poets! Eric, please reach out to Claire to claim your prize!

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 your imagination dreams up. What: Take a discarded-but-loved line from one of your kidlit pieces and use it as a starting point for a poem. Be it fiction or nonfiction, funny or a little dark, quirky or inspirational—whatever direction you go, the work should be appropriate for kids 12 and younger. LGTBQT+ and diverse themes are welcome. The first line of your new poem must be a line that you previously cut from a different piece. We're working on the honor system here! Please do not submit a poem that doesn't include a previously discarded line. Who: Agented, pre-agented, published, pre-published, kids and writers of all ages—any and all kidlit creatives are welcome to enter! When: The contest submission period is from November 13th - 15th . A winner, two honorable mentions and a kid's choice winner (selected by our EIC's 8-year-old) will be announced here, on the Little Thoughts Press blog, and on our social media sites on Tuesday, November 18th! Selected poems will be featured on the blog and the winner will receive a free copy of their choice of one our magazine issues . Short list will be selected by Little Thoughts Press editor, Claire, and guest judge, Tracie Renee! Tracie will choose our 1st place finisher! How to enter: Post your entry as a comment on this post anytime between November 13th and November 15th. Comments will be closed on this post except for during the contest window. Please include your name in your comment! Details: There is no word limit, BUT there is a maximum length of five lines per piece. 1 entry per kidlit creator. Feel free to include a sentence or two about the reason this is a “darling” and the inspiration behind the reimagining of it. Grab your copy of our Revision Raccoon participant badge and help spread the word by sharing #trashtotreasure25 on your socials! We can't wait to see how you turn your trash into shiny new treasures! Need some inspiration? Check out last year's entries and winners !

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 Oregon with her two toddlers, husband and terrier. She loves messy, muddy nature play and the bocha bocha bathtime that follows. Little Thoughts Press: Bocha bocha is a perfect word for a children’s story. Have your husband and his family introduced your children to other Japanese words that have become part of your family’s vocabulary? Shawna Cain: My husband’s family has brought many Japanese words into our day-to-day life. One we have been saying a lot lately is “Abunai!” (pronounced ah-boo-nah-ee, with the emphasis on the first syllable "ah"). It means “dangerous,” but I’m starting to think my 2-year-old thinks it means “Exciting!” Little Thoughts Press: The bathtime challenges associated with the “stinging” shampoo in "Bocha Bocha Brothers" are ones that many families will be able to relate to. How much of an influence do your experiences with your children have on the types of stories you write?   Shawna Cain: My young children give me endless ideas for picture books. The scene in BOCHA BOCHA BROTHERS where Kenji is resistant to washing his hair was inspired by my eldest son. He once had the misfortune of experiencing shampoo in his eyes with adult shampoo, and held a grudge against all shampoos, even “tear-free,” for ages. After many weeks of trying to come up with a suitable solution for him, he eventually found his own.  Little Thoughts Press:   For young writers who want to try their hand at writing short stories, what do you think are some of the key ingredients that make a good story? Shawna Cain: You know best what kids want to read. Start there. Then, make your story focus on a main character—your story’s hero, and follow them through the journey of overcoming a problem. A good story needs growth. A surprise ending is always a great bonus! Little Thoughts Press: Our Stirring Words issue is all about odd, interesting, or inspiring words and phrases. What is your favorite word right now? Why do you love it? Shawna Cain: I was a Peace Corps volunteer in Lesotho, Southern Africa where they speak Sesotho (pronounced Se-SOO-TOO). Some words have this wonderfully fun “click” sound you make by popping your tongue on the roof of your mouth. My host family taught me to click like a local, and I just loved it. Why shouldn’t language be fun?!  My favorite word in Sesotho is “senqanqane,” wherein both “qa” sounds are a hard click. Try it:  SEN-click-on-click-on-EE. It’s a riddle for your tongue! It means frog.  Little Thoughts Press: How did you get started writing kid-lit and what do you find most challenging and rewarding about writing for kids? Shawna Cain: I began writing kid-lit when my eldest son was 2 and became interested in picture books. I was impressed by the emotional depth of many picture books. In less than 500 words they could contain whole universes. What a challenge for a writer!  I also appreciate that kid-lit has to reach two audiences: both a child, generally aged 4-8, as well as an adult. All these elements make it like a puzzle to write.  I’ve been a writer of other genres for most of my life, but once I found picture books, there was no going back. Picture books are my happy place.  Little Thoughts Press: Which kid-lit authors and books were your favorites growing up? Shawna Cain: Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein for its humorous poetry and mischievousness.  Adventures of Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne for its cast of lovable characters and story of friendship.  Little Thoughts Press: And what about today? Any kid-lit writers you love and want to shout out? Shawna Cain: Some recent favorite fiction include: MIXED RICE: A MULTICULTURAL TALE OF FOOD, FEELINGS, AND FINDING HOME TOGETHER by Sophie Dipti Sarkar for its tale of managing family conflict, mixed cultural ancestry, and introduction to mindfulness. BOOKIE AND COOKIE by Blanca Gomez for its creative interactivity between pages and its message of compromise in friendship.  LEIF AND THE FALL by Allison Sweet Grant and Adam Grant is a new seasonal favorite for its message of learning by failing (i.e. experimentation). It’s the perfect kid’s version of what in business school we called, “fail fast.” Some recent nonfiction include: ONE DAY THIS TREE WILL FALL by Leslie Barnard Booth for its beautiful imagery and message of growth, death, and rebirth. Little Thoughts Press: What advice would you give to young writers? Shawna Cain: Write what stirs you. What makes your heart jump. What you see that no one else does.  Write from your heart.  Then, hone your craft. Learn about storytelling by taking notes on your favorite stories. Get advice (“critiques”) from trusted mentors, but always follow your own intuition to keep the parts of your story you feel are important.  Also, writing doesn’t have to be done in a silo. My picture book writing group keeps me accountable, asks hard questions and pushes me to be a better writer. Gather some friends who like to write and make space and time to be together while you write. Share your work with one another, and encourage each other to submit your work to magazines like Little Thoughts .  Little Thoughts Press: Is there anything else you wish I had asked? Any upcoming projects, publications, or other news you'd like to share? Shawna Cain: I have several seeds I’m planting that I hope to blossom in good time. Until then, you can follow me @Shawna_Cain_Books

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 the Dirigible Balloon website and one in their anthology Surfing the Sky . She was a featured poet in Northern Gravy (Issue 13), has a poem in Tyger Tyger Issue 9, and in a forthcoming MacMillan anthology of poetry for teens. Her debut collection of children’s poetry Snap! Poems for Children was published in July 2025 (Blue Door Press) and is available on Amazon. Little Thoughts Press: The wistfulness in "My Grandmother’s Words" is quite touching. If you had a chance to talk with your grandmother today about her “puree of languages,” what would you say to her? Barbara Bleiman: I’d ask my grandmother all about her past, her childhood and her experiences of growing up in South Africa as the child of immigrants from Eastern Europe, where her parents spoke one language, Yiddish, while the community spoke English and Afrikaans. In typical teenage fashion, all I could think of was my feelings of embarrassment at her oddity when she visited us in England, rather than wanting to find out more about her and her life. Now, through my education work, I’ve become fascinated by children’s complex linguistic heritage and how that enriches and shapes their identity. It makes me much more curious—and celebratory—about my own.  Little Thoughts Press: Have intergenerational relationships been a recurring theme in your writing, or is this the first time you have explored this theme? If the former, how have you touched on these relationships in other pieces of writing? Barbara Bleiman: I’ve written a novel, Off the Voortrekker Road , about my South African family. It focuses particularly on my father’s childhood and early adulthood under apartheid. My grandmother’s story is told there, in fictional form—a much more sympathetic portrayal of her life than my teenage self ever managed to conjure up, trying to understand the complexities of her world, her family, her financial difficulties and the tensions in her marriage. In my more recent poems for children, I often find myself writing about parent/child or grandparent/child relationships, inspired by watching and participating in the everyday interactions, arguments and emotionally resonant moments with my own grandsons. Poems in my recent collection , Snap!  include several in the voices of children, feeling cross or sad, being silly, interacting with each other, their parents or with Granny and Grandpa. I love the way poetry offers children ways of recognising and thinking about their own feelings and experiences. And I especially love it when my poems allow children to laugh about these things. Several of my poems also aim to provoke laughter about silly grown-ups like me!   Little Thoughts Press: It can be hard for children to imagine a time when their grandparents will no longer be around. What sorts of questions would you recommend that young writers ask their grandparents, while they still can? Barbara Bleiman: I’d recommend asking questions with a ‘Tell me about…’ opening. Tell me about what it was like when you were a child. Tell me about your parents. Tell me about the games you played. Tell me about a time when you were sad. Tell me about your friends.  I was very lucky that, despite living half way across the world, my grandfather (my mother’s father) wrote long letters to me and my brother, telling us about his life, so we had that opportunity to hear his stories and he opened up a window for us into another time and world. Either in conversation, or in writing, these windows expand one’s own world. Little Thoughts Press: Our Stirring Words issue is all about odd, interesting, or inspiring words and phrases. What is your favorite word right now? Why do you love it? Barbara Bleiman: I love ALL words, so, strangely perhaps, having a favorite word doesn’t really feature for me. I’m not a fan of ‘big words’ for their own sake, though I do really love the sound of words, especially in combination with each other. It’s usually the context and the combinations that really float my boat. So, for instance, in Snap!  The word ‘no’ always gives me a little thrill when I read it aloud in the poem ‘The Wheels of the Bus Have Fallen Off’ and I see children’s reactions to these lines: ‘Oh no, oh no, oh, no, oh no,/Oh no, now what can we do?’ The exaggerated repetition of that simple word, and the rhythm of the line, works much better for me than having come up with a more elaborate word like ‘disaster’, ‘catastrophe’, ‘calamity’ or ‘cataclysm’.  (Having said that, if I found a good excuse to match ‘cataclysm’ with ‘barbarism’ or ‘optimism’ or ‘cannibalism’ in a poem, I’d be pretty pleased with myself!) Little Thoughts Press: How did you get started writing kid-lit and what do you find most challenging and rewarding about writing for kids? Barbara Bleiman: I’m always spurred on by having an audience for my writing. Many years ago, I wrote two children’s novels, prompted by my own children’s reading interests. I had an agent who almost got one of them published but not quite! More recently, I found myself making up little rhymes for my grandson but, much to his annoyance, when he said, ‘Again!’ or ‘More!’ I couldn’t remember them well enough to repeat them. So I started writing them down. And then, bit by bit, I found myself getting them accepted onto websites, into magazines or anthologies, and finally into a published collection of my own, Snap! . The joy of writing for children is getting their honest, unvarnished reactions. My grandsons sometimes give me a thumbs up, laugh uproariously and ask for repeats—but sometimes I get a thumbs down, telling me that a poem was no good. Both reactions are important for a writer. When I’ve performed the poems, or seen photos of children reading the book, I love the reactions. Children are the best audience one could hope for! Little Thoughts Press: Which kid-lit authors and books were your favorites growing up? Barbara Bleiman: Strangely, I have very few memories of my early reading of children’s picture books—apart from a terrifying copy of Struwelpeter— poems with moral warnings and ghastly pictures that gave me nightmares. I wonder whether there were fewer picture books around in 1960s childhoods, or families just didn’t buy them for their children? I suppose I must have read some, along with the Janet and John  books that taught me how to read. Later, I loved C.S. Lewis’ The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe  series. I’m not generally a big fan of fantasy, nor was I then, but those children and their adventures felt real to me. I stepped through that wardrobe with them. Likewise with The Borrowers, living under the floorboards. Maybe it was the transformation of life in a boring, ordinary house that felt so special in both of these books.  By the time I was ten or eleven, the local librarian started suggesting adult novels to me, literally taking me through the swing doors from the children’s to the adult library and metaphorically helping me step into new territory. From then on it was Jane Austen, Jean Plaidy and romantic historical fiction. I’d said goodbye to books for children, until I came back to them with my own children and discovered a whole new world of writers. Little Thoughts Press: And what about today? Any kid-lit writers you love and want to shout out? Barbara Bleiman: I love what’s going on in poetry and verse novels at the moment. Sarah Crossan is a superb YA verse novelist, as is Tia Fisher. I also highly rate Coral Rumble’s recent book Jakub’s Otter , which is very inventive in the way it includes poetry, written by one of the child characters. Poets like Sarah Ziman, Attie Lime, Joshua Seigal, A.F. Harrold and Carole Bromley are all writing brilliantly for children, and, of course, Michael Rosen. In fiction, there are some stunning writers. Geraldine McCaughrean is an all-time favourite but there are newer writers too, especially writers of color like Sita Brahmachari (with her new book Phoenix Brothers ) and Hiba Noor Khan with her marvellous book Safiyyah’s War , a wonderful story about the Great Mosque of Paris and the role it played in rescuing Jews from the Nazis.  I also love the way some writers are managing to write really high quality, accessible books for struggling readers that are full of interest, complexity and depth. Barrington Stoke is a UK publisher specialising in these. Anthony McGowan’s series of books including Lark and Brock, and Keith Gray’s The Climbers  are all absolutely terrific. Little Thoughts Press: What advice would you give to young writers? Barbara Bleiman: 1. Read. Every writer draws on their reading. You can barely start writing a line of a poem or a sentence of a story without your own reading influencing it, consciously or subconsciously. The more you read, the more ideas and options are available to you, with chances to borrow, imitate, adapt and try out the things you yourself most like as a reader. 2. Be fearless and take risks. Everything good starts off with an experiment—‘what if I do this?’ Being playful and exploring different options can take you to surprising places. Your brain is a thinking, feeling, flexible thing, filled with half-memories and ideas that surface in ways that aren’t always predictable or planned for, especially with poetry and storytelling! Get going, be open to all those unplanned things and be unafraid to see what happens and where that leads you. Little Thoughts Press: Is there anything else you wish I had asked? Any upcoming projects, publications, or other news you'd like to share? Barbara Bleiman: Of course I’d love more children to read the poems in Snap!   It’s available in both paperback and hard cover. I also wonder if your readers might like to see another poem I wrote recently about that same grandmother and my grandfather, exploring their past lives? It shows what a different world they came from and perhaps explains why I found the gulf between their world and mine so huge.  My Grandfather’s General Store In Parow, Cape Town, 1940s My grandfather owned a general store, like no shop you’ve ever seen before. On an empty street, in a long ago place filled to the brim, not an inch of spare space with wood and leather, glue and flax seed tacks, screws and nails, sacks of chicken feed paint and paraffin, hinges and locks hammers and chisels, rubber tubes in a box bicycle tyres and sheets of clear glass door knobs and handles in shiny gold brass broken fig biscuits in a big row of jars a few wooden toys and small Dinky cars biltong – dried meat – hanging on hooks manuals and machine instruction books bricks and cement out in the yard pipes for plumbing and a steel fireguard. My grandfather worked in the store every day the little bell tinkled and customers came  to buy, to chat, to hear all the news to scan the goods, to pick and choose. No plastic bags, no swipe-your-card tills no delivery vans, no credit card bills. Just grandpa and grandma and their general store open at 7, closed at 4  when they’d pull down the blinds  and lock the door.

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 Kincade, is a rhyming celebration of creative collaboration. She was born in the Bronx, lives in Westchester County, New York, and loves to spend time with friends. Little Thoughts Press: " A Pebble Remembers"   is a very creative way of introducing young readers to an element of medieval life. Did you know from the start that you wanted to explain how a trebuchet works by telling a story from a pebble’s point of view? Or did you come to this realization after you’d started working on the poem?  Mona Voelkel: I loved  the word "trebuchet," and wondered if I could write a poem about this medieval boulder-throwing machine. My first drafts focused on the boulder, not the pebble. It took several drafts (and feedback from writing partners) for the pebble's voice to emerge. Once that happened, the poem became the story of a pebble sharing its regret about the damage caused when it was a boulder. Little Thoughts Press: How would you advise young writers who are interested in history to approach writing stories or poems about historical subjects?   Mona Voelkel: Know your historical subject well. Make a list of twenty questions about your topic that intrigue you and research the answers. Then, set a timer for seven minutes and write what comes to mind about your topic. Underline the words, phrases, or sentences that most appeal to you and use those as a possible way to begin your poem or story. Little Thoughts Press: Our Stirring Words issue is all about odd, interesting, or inspiring words and phrases. What is your favorite word right now? Why do you love it? Mona Voelkel: I just read an essay by Mary Ruefle with the phrase, "wild forest blood runs in your veins," and I love that because it feels mysterious and elusive. I also love the word "serendipity" because I am thrilled by the people, places, and things that pop up unexpectedly in my life. Little Thoughts Press: Why did you choose the word(s) you chose to feature in your Stirring Words piece? Mona Voelkel: I originally described some of the people inside the castle as "servants" but then changed that to "vassals" to better fit the medieval setting. I also changed the word "fraction" to "fragment" because it was more of a "rock" word. Little Thoughts Press: How did you get started writing kid-lit and what do you find most challenging and rewarding about writing for kids? Mona Voelkel: I think I got started writing kid-lit by having the honor, over 25 years as a reading specialist, of reading notable children's literature (poems, picture books, novels) to my students and seeing how books can comfort, transport, educate, and uplift us. After I retired from the classroom in 2021, I started writing for adults and children full-time, even though I was not sure if it was something I could do. I took the advice I would give my students: "Just write and see what happens." The most challenging part is always when a story or poem is not working and I feel like there is no way I can fix it. I have learned, over time and from my experiences guiding young writers, that feeling is part of the writing process. I developed strategies (put the draft in a drawer for a few days, ask for help, work on another project) to ride that wave. By far, the most rewarding part of writing for kids is being able to encourage young writers. At a recent school visit, a 3rd-grader asked me, "Did you always know you were going to be a writer?" I replied, "No, because I never thought that was something I could do." I want every child to know that writing is something they can do to express themselves, as an outlet for their creativity, and as a possible career. Little Thoughts Press: Which kid-lit authors and books were your favorites growing up? Mona Voelkel: Growing up in the Bronx, I practically lived in the Fordham Road branch of the New York Public Library. The Poky Little Puppy , Dick and Jane , The Hundred Dresses, The Nancy Drew Series , The Once and Future King, Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Shakespeare were my favorites growing up.  My parents were both from Ireland so I was also influenced by their oral stories of growing up in rural Leitrim and Sligo, and my father's ghost and fairy stories, along with his ballads. Little Thoughts Press: And what about today? Any kid-lit writers you love and want to shout out? Mona Voelkel: So many! I especially love Georgia Heard, Rebecca Kai Dotlich, Irene Latham, Charles Waters, Suzy Levinson, Kristine O'Connell George, Dashka Slater, Katey Howes, Joyce Sidman, Julia Donaldson, Jon Klassen, Marzieh Abbas, Lisa varchol Perron, and Julie Fogliano. Little Thoughts Press: What advice would you give to young writers? Mona Voelkel: Read. Read. Read. Take yourself seriously as a writer by giving yourself the gift of time to write. Draw your story or poem out first, if that's what you want to do. Jot down wonders and noticings in a notebook. Have fun! Enter writing contests and submit to magazines like Little Thoughts Press . Little Thoughts Press: Is there anything else you wish I had asked? Any upcoming projects, publications, or other news you'd like to share? Mona Voelkel: I would love to give a special shout-out to the amazing illustrators of the Stirring Words  issue, including Kim Wagner Nolan, who brought my poem to life with her gorgeous illustration.   "A Pebble Remembers" is also a poem in my upcoming poetry collection, Pebble Ponderings , which I am currently querying. I am also excited that my new poem, "The Boat Beach" will be included in the December 2025 "Better Together" issue of Little Thoughts Press .   I also want to thank you, Claire, for creating such a gorgeous magazine for writers and readers of all ages. Each edition is a joy to behold and is infinitely inspiring. I feel so honored to have my work appear on your pages alongside writers I so admire.

Little Thoughts Press Issue Eleven: Stirring Words with a sneak peek of the poem "Pandemonium" by Rachel Burrows. The poem is accompanied by artwork of musical instruments by Imogen Hartland. Rachel Burrows and her stories grew up in Wales though she now lives near Stonehenge with her family and dog, Fennel. Her children’s poems can be found in The Dirigible Balloon , Tyger Tyger , The Toy , The Yorkshire Times , Northern Gravy and Little Thoughts Press . She has read her poetry and stories on BBC Radio and Book Jive Live and recently featured as Brian Moses’ Guest Poet. She shortlisted for Write Mentor’s Picturebook Competition 2023 and The Cheshire Novel Kids Prize 2025 and longlisted in The Guppy Open Submission 2025. Little Thoughts Press: One of the things that drew us to "Pandemonium" as we were selecting pieces for this issue was its quirky humor, with lines like “Carlos killed the bassoon like a pro.” How do you decide whether to inject humor into the story or poem that you’re working on? Rachel Burrows: I don’t ever try to—it just happens. And sometimes it doesn’t! It’s funny you should choose that line as an example because I wondered if it was too serious! My favourite line is the trombone one—just because I can imagine it so clearly—poor old Trent! I used to sit in front of the brass section in the orchestra at school and they always did things like squirting us with water, so it has links to good memories too. I’m a bit scared of poems that are very sweet or cute—I’ll always add something to surprise or tickle. My poems about nature are my least humorous—I really try hard to just convey my awe in those—they don’t need me as a sidekick! Little Thoughts Press:  Your classroom experience really shines through in "Pandemonium." In what sorts of ways does your experience working in schools influence your writing for children?  Rachel Burrows: You get to know what makes a room full of kids laugh or gasp! I do love a reaction! I think I have a good memory for funny events that have happened in the classroom but also I remember funny things that happened at school to me. Sometimes these make for better poems as we used to have far more freedom—so there were far greater mishaps! When I write a poem about a class, I am the child not the teacher in it. At the moment I work with teenagers who have had a really bad time. I write poems to help me process some of the things I know they have been through. These tend to be for older children and adults to read though. Little Thoughts Press: Our Stirring Words issue is all about odd, interesting, or inspiring words and phrases. What is your favorite word right now? Why do you love it? Rachel Burrows: Flabbles! It’s a word my kids made up to describe our dog’s jowls. Jowls is quite an ugly word to describe such lovely soft, whiskery things! He is a pointer x labrador and has a very floppy face—his flabbles sometimes get caught on his teeth giving him a very goofy smile.  Little Thoughts Press: Why did you choose the word(s) you chose to feature in your Stirring Words piece? Rachel Burrows: I like to use prompts from online poetry groups to inspire me. One week it was pandemonium. I love the word because I hear it in the South Wales accent that I grew up with—it sounds very lyrical and goes on forever! When I realised euphonium sort of rhymed with it, the poem took off. Little Thoughts Press: How did you get started writing kid-lit and what do you find most challenging and rewarding about writing for kids? Rachel Burrows: I only started writing for children three years ago when I left the primary classroom. I wrote a lot of poetry as a child though. The most challenging thing for me is levelling it right. I am very sensitive to things being patronising, but I don’t want my poems to be difficult either. I love the range of things you can talk about in children’s poems—fox’s bums, snail parties and crocodile dentists, to name just a few! Those kinds of things still delight me and make me laugh! I can have fun illustrating them too.  Little Thoughts Press: Which kid-lit authors and books were your favorites growing up? Rachel Burrows: I loved Peter Pan and Wendy —it was one of the first I read independently. My dad always used to read me Milly-Molly-Mandy and I especially like the map at the front of those books. I struggled to find fiction that I enjoyed after about 12 and read a lot of non-fiction about nature. Little Thoughts Press: And what about today? Any kid-lit writers you love and want to shout out? Rachel Burrows: So many! I wish we had the choice of today when I was young. Picturebooks: anything by Jon Klassen, Wolf Erlbruch and a new favourite, Chloe Savage. Middle Grade: everything by Zillah Bethall, Katya Balen, Sophie Anderson, Phil Earle, Matt Goodfellow. YA: anything by Anthony McGowan and Sarah Crossan Little Thoughts Press: What advice would you give to young writers? Rachel Burrows: Don’t try to rhyme! Concentrate of choosing exactly the right word for that moment, not one that rhymes! Controversial! I like to reread my work to see if I can ‘feel it’, and if I can’t, I go and make it bigger or better. It’s like what they say about dancing—dance as if no one is watching, well I think you should write as if no one is reading! Read it out loud to yourself—if you  like it, job done! Don’t tell your teachers I said that! Little Thoughts Press: Is there anything else you wish I had asked? Any upcoming projects, publications, or other news you'd like to share? Rachel Burrows: Maybe what am I most proud of writing? My friend, the poet Mark Bird, asked me to contribute a poem to an anthology he was compiling for the family and school friends of two of his kindergarten students who were lost in the Air India crash. It was the hardest and easiest thing I have ever written. I am so pleased I could do something at such an awful time for them. I am waiting for a few adult poems to appear in anthologies. One is about being 12 and not loving pop music like my best friend did.  You can check out more of my poems on The Dirigible Balloon and Brian Moses’ blog site .

Riley T. is seven years old. She is going into 2nd grade. She likes to play tennis. She also enjoys crafting and reading. One day, she would like to travel to Paris, France! Her illustration, Lemonade on the Water, for our Stirring Words issue was inspired by the word summer. Be sure to check out Riley's poems "What is Red?" and "Spring," along with our interview with Riley here .

Gobbledygook by Flora Mitchell Flora Mitchell , aged 4, loves face painting and tigers. Although she can't talk yet, she has a lot to say. Flora enjoys playing and drawing with her sister Leonor. This is her very first submission. Her illustration, Gobbledygook, for our Stirring Words issue was inspired by the word gobbledygook.

Snoozy Platypus by Leonor Mitchell Quirky Uniraffee by Leonor Mitchell Leonor Mitchell , age 6, likes bats (at the moment) because she likes scary stuff. She enjoys spending time with her friends and cuddling up with her sister, Flora. When she grows up, she wants to be an engineer to help nature. She lives with her Mummy, Daddy and sister, Flora. Her illustration Snoozy Platypus , for our Stirring Words issue, was inspired by the word snoozy, and her illustration Quirky Uniraffee was inspired by the word quirky.