Search Results

Little Thoughts Press Issue Thirteen: Head, Shoulders, Spleen and Nose with a sneak peek of the poem "Bald Lady" by Annelies Judson Annelies Judson is a children's author and poet from Aotearoa New Zealand. She loves cooking, cricket and her kids (not in that order). She also has alopecia, but that is neither hair nor there. Her debut picture book, Turkey Hurly-Burly, was released in 2025. You can find her at anneliesjudson.wordpress.com. Little Thoughts Press: Your poem "Bald Lady" features a long list of delightfully creative reasons for the speaker's baldness. Some are wondrous and weird, some are very silly, others have an element of logical realism to them—"I want to be an Olympic swimmer / and baldness makes me very fast". Can you talk a bit about your process in brainstorming all of these wild ways of going bald? How would you advise fellow writers to break free from the constraints of reality if they are looking to add more playfulness and whimsy to their writing? Annelies Judson: As a teacher and children’s writer, I work a lot with kids. Many of the ideas in the poem were off-the-cuff comments that I made to children who asked why I was bald. So some of the ‘brainstorming’ was actually just living my life as a bald teacher with a creative brain. A lot of the other ideas were things I came up with to try and fit the rhyme scheme! That might sound a bit boring, but I actually think there’s a lot of magic to be found in constraints. For example, I had the line, I woke up one day and it was gone. So then I needed to find a rhyme for ‘gone’. I looked at the options to see if any of them could be applied to hair, and the obvious choice was ‘long’ (a slant rhyme, I know!). So then I came up with the idea of long, invisible hair, which led to the following lines, it’s there but it’s invisible/and it’s actually very, very long. The restriction of the rhyming lines means that you have to force yourself to consider how to use the limited rhyme options that you’ve got. Of course sometimes you don’t find a rhyme, and that leads you down a different path, but that too can force you into creativity. In general I think that constraints are actually very helpful for the creative process. I love writing to a brief because it forces me to come up with ideas that fit that—and only that!—thing. You can create your own constraints or use others’. For example, there’s a children’s poetry team called The Poets XYZ (you can find their page on Facebook), and for the last three years they’ve promoted a challenge where you have to write 100 poems in 100 days. It’s hard to do, but it’s been great for getting the creative juices flowing. Little Thoughts Press: In your author's note that accompanies this poem you write about how you have alopecia and explain, "When I lost my hair I decided that it was important to show people that it is OK to be bald, and hopefully to teach people about accepting people's differences." Do you think kid-lit writers have a responsibility to demonstrate vulnerability to young readers? As writers, how can we best encourage both compassion and courage and are there any books or other pieces of writing that you think are especially adept at this task? Annelies Judson: That’s a really interesting question. I don’t think that kid-lit writers have a responsibility to be anything really, beyond just good human beings. But I think the kid-lit community as a whole has a responsibility to show vulnerability, whether that is the illustrators and writers themselves, or the characters they create. Not every creator will want to show or represent vulnerability. You may not want your characters grappling with deep subjects, either because you don’t want to write that kind of book, or because it doesn’t fit the concept or vibe of what you’re doing. (Books like How To Count To One or Oi Cat are hardly the place for emotional discussion.) And many people don’t want to be personally vulnerable, because they’re human, and that’s hard! But those of us who feel that they have the confidence or good humour to wear their vulnerability openly do, I think, have some level of responsibility. Children who are minorities of any sort, from cultural minorities to medical minorities, deserve to have role models and characters in which they can see themselves. Adults too, for that matter! But representation is more than just for minorities. All children (and adults!) should have exposure to all the different parts of being human—not just the happy parts or the pretty parts or the parts that look and sound like their own experiences. The more that people are exposed to something, the more normalised it becomes for them. And children’s literature is a wonderful way to give that exposure, either directly via the characters and themes, or indirectly through illustrations or incidental characters. How we encourage compassion and courage is a different part of the puzzle. Exposure is only the first step. It’s all nice and well for children to see people and stories that reflect minorities, and for kids who are part of the majority (whatever that may be in their own context), this is certainly an important part of recognising the similarities between themselves, and others who may be quite different. But I think the more important part is the discussions that we as adults have with children. If children have questions or comments about a character or a person, then by answering them with honesty and thoughtfulness, and posing questions for children to reflect on themselves, we can build up their own ability to think and reflect. And that’s the first step to compassion. For example, my daughter recently asked about a character who was referred to by the pronoun ‘they’. (We were reading the junior fiction series Violet and the Velvets, if anyone wants to find it!) I explained about how ‘they’ is a gender-neutral version of ‘he’ or ‘she’, and why people might choose to use it. Not long afterwards, I was talking about one of our local library staff, who also uses the pronoun ‘they’. Again my daughter asked about the use of ‘they’, but this time the explanation was pretty quick because she was able to make the connection. Then she went on her merry way, because the pronoun ‘they’ is now just a non-notable part of her experience of the world. Neither of these were super deep conversations: just a few questions, honestly answered. Any kind of difference you can think of will have been dealt with in picture books. Bodies Are Cool by Tyler Feder is great. A writer I follow online, Ryan Rae Harbuck, has just published When I Grow Up I Want To Be A Chair, which is about a kid in a wheelchair. I’m also a big fan of having incidental characters who ‘just happen to be’ different. Harriet Gets Carried Away by Jessie Sima is one of my favourite picture books, and the fact that Harriet has two dads is irrelevant to the storyline. In the middle grade/junior fiction realm, I think that R.J. Palacio’s Wonder (and the picture book version We Are All Wonders) is a stand-out example for people with physical differences. I loved Simon Sort-Of Says by Erin Rew for the way it dealt with emotional/psychological challenges. There are incidental examples in books of this level too, like Violet and the Velvets that I mentioned before. Little Thoughts Press: How did you get started writing kid-lit and what do you find most challenging and rewarding about writing for kids? Annelies Judson: I had wanted to write for kids for years before I started in earnest. I remember coming up with an idea for a picture book while I was in the university library writing my dissertation, and accidentally-on-purpose spending an hour of my precious study time coming up with a plot. That book has been swallowed up by the gods of obsolete hard drives. I started writing properly when my first child was young. I distinctly remember lying on my side on the carpet by his cot, holding his hand in one hand and my phone in the other, drafting a book. I wrote the whole thing in that position, just a little bit each night. The turning point for me was 2023. That year I won a poetry competition run by The Poets XYZ, which connected me with other children’s poets. That same year I entered an award which I went on to win, and that led to my first picture book being published. All the while I was writing picture book reviews and interviewing people for a children’s literature website here in Aotearoa New Zealand (shout out to The Sapling!). Over those years I’ve become more and more connected with the kidlit community here. Making connections is really valuable because writing is a lonely business in some ways. Having a community means you get to talk shop sometimes. Plus you always have someone to turn to who can give you an opinion on a manuscript, offer advice about publishers and the publishing process, or answer random questions you have about punctuation. What’s challenging about writing for kids is avoiding didacticism, particularly in picture books. Children’s literature has a long history of being used to educate children on the values and expectations of society. We’ve come a long way since the days of ‘the moral of the story is…’ but some books still manage to moralise in a way that I find pretty distasteful as a reader and parent. But yet as a writer, I do sometimes fall into that trap! Books should first and foremost appeal to emotion, whether that’s joy or pathos or something else. I want children and parents to read my books and poems because they get some kind of satisfaction from the story, not because they want to learn a lesson. If they gain something more from the text then that’s a bonus. What’s rewarding about writing, for me, is the feeling of getting something ‘just right’. I love it when I find the perfect last line for a poem, or manage a great ‘mic drop’ moment, or write a metaphor that works perfectly, or find an ending for a book that brings everything together, or find a way to represent an emotion or character that feels pitch perfect. That’s not unique to writing for children of course. What is special about writing for children is that you get to share all those things when you do school visits. Adult authors are a lot more limited in their options for talking directly to their audience, I think. I love the fact that I get to regularly work with my readers. Little Thoughts Press: Which kid-lit authors and books were your favorites growing up? Annelies Judson: How much space have I got? Haha. Poetry-wise, I loved, and to this day continue to love, A.A. Milne. I can still recite entire poems of his off by heart. Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes was another favourite. I also remember very clearly a poetry book in my primary/elementary school library that I issued over and over again. I can remember what it felt like and vaguely what it looked like, but not the title. Unfortunately I’ve never been able to find it again! That was definitely very influential in my love of poetry. Plus of course all the rhyming picture book writers, especially those from Aotearoa New Zealand, like Lynley Dodd and Pamela Allen. When I was a teenager I discovered Ogden Nash and Edward Lear, who both write things that can be enjoyed by children too. I read a lot of fiction from Aotearoa New Zealand as a child. Hairy Maclary was a mainstay, and Margaret Mahy’s books. As I got older, Joy Cowley, Tessa Duder, Lisa Vasil and David Hill were all in my bookshelf. I was a big re-reader as well. Although I remember going to the library and I’m sure I must have read quite widely (I was described as a ‘voracious’ reader on one of my school reports), I read the books I owned over and over. As a child of the 80s, I also remember reading lots of Judy Blume, the Anastastia Krupnik series, The Baby-Sitters Club, and my absolute favourite, Animorphs. Plus a lot of modern classics like Charlotte’s Web, Playing Beatie Bow and Bridge to Terabithia. I think kids often don’t remember non-fiction books as clearly, but I have a strong memory of the book Tell Me Why, which I received from my grandparents with the inscription, “So you can out-knowledge the knowledgeables.” I read that book so many times. I also received a book about the natural world for Christmas one year, and I remember taking it to school stuffed with bookmarks, and sharing it with my class. I recall vaguely knowing that my teacher wanted me to finish talking but I was desperate to share everything so I just kept going, bookmark after bookmark. The class must have been so bored! Haha. Little Thoughts Press: And what about today? Any kid-lit writers you love and want to shout out? Annelies Judson: I’m a massive fan of Julia Donaldson’s incredible rhyming and rhythm skills. The pared-back writing and dry wit of Oliver Jeffers really appeals to me too. I also love Kes Grey, Shaun Tan (for both his writing AND his art), Philip and Laura Bunting, and Jessie Sima. And I absolutely must shout out the book Du Iz Tak? by Carson Ellis. It’s so very clever. We have wonderful writers in Aotearoa New Zealand too. I love the linguistic nerdery that Juliette MacIver brings to her writing, and Gavin Bishop makes the most amazingly beautiful, thoughtful books. Those are just two examples from the picture book realm, but I won’t start naming more, because I’m sure to leave someone out! I should also mention Joy Cowley. She isn’t writing any more, but two books of her writing have been published in the last few years, and books like Greedy Cat and Mrs Wishy-Washy are still being reprinted! She is hugely influential in the children’s literature community both here and overseas, and there’s a beautiful documentary about her available online, which I think everyone should watch. Little Thoughts Press: What advice would you give to young writers? Annelies Judson: Write. That’s it. Don’t worry if your spelling is wrong or you can’t remember which punctuation to use. Don’t worry if your poem isn’t perfect or your rhymes don’t work. Just write. Then, if you feel really inspired by a particular thing you’ve written, go back and fiddle with it. Change some words around. Change them back if they don’t work. I love working on a computer for this reason. You can make multiple copies of a piece easily, and then you can compare to see if you like a previous version better. But I would only fiddle with the things you really like. I’ve written hundreds of poems and many of them I’ve never looked at again once I’ve finished them! Maybe one day I will. But I only bother to work on the ones that really capture me, or that I want to send to a magazine or a competition. You can get too caught up in trying to make everything perfect. I don’t have the time or energy to work on everything I write, but the act of just writing them in the first place is valuable. For the same reason, don’t even feel like you need to finish every piece of writing. I have so many poems and stories that I’ve started, but then never finished. Sometimes it’s because I realise the idea isn’t as good as I thought, sometimes it’s because something else has captured my interest, and sometimes it’s simply that I’ve forgotten about them! Obviously you want to finish SOME pieces of writing—don’t leave everything incomplete!—but definitely don’t feel obliged to keep working on something just because you started it. For me, it’s finding the balance between pushing through the challenging parts (eg. not giving up just because I can’t find a rhyme for one particular word) but also making sure that I spend time on things that I find satisfying, rather than slogging through something that I don’t think is working. And especially when you’re young, I think just continuing to write is the most important thing you can do. Little Thoughts Press: Is there anything else you wish I had asked? Any upcoming projects, publications, or other news you'd like to share? Annelies Judson: I’m currently writing a novel-in-verse for young adults, which has been a good new challenge. I have no publishing news to share, but the nature of writing is that you never know when that might change! People can follow me on Instagram @annelies_judson_writer and anneliesjudson.wordpress.com for updates.

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 corner of the United States, from the bayous of Louisiana to the shrubland of California, from the watering holes of Oklahoma to the northern woods. Although many of the creatures love to dine on unsuspecting humans, some of them just enjoy a bit of mischief: the argopelter, for instance, perches high up in conifers and pelts passersby with splinters. The table of contents is a feast for word lovers. Who could resist learning about creatures called gillygaloo, gumberoo, sheepsquatch, or whiffenpoof? My favorites are the foopengerkle, a 15-foot-long vegetarian (thankfully!) worm, and the humpdumple, which makes potholes in roads. Great care has been taken with the look and feel of the collection. The pages have the worn, sepia-toned look of antique books, and each poem is anchored in a rustic twig frame. The fonts used for the poems could have come straight out of a 19th century typesetter’s lead type drawers. Many of the poems provide a taste of old, almost-forgotten American dialects, and archival illustrations of several of the creatures add to the effect. The collection is a window into a time before there was K-Pop on every cellphone and Netflix on every tablet, when the evening’s entertainment was cousin John playing his fiddle and Grandpa spinning tales by the hearth, while dear knows what lurked outside in the dark. Reading these poems is like listening to the hiss and pop of a scratchy antique recording of an old-timer singing folk tunes. There are poems in this collection to fire the imagination of young readers, and there’s plenty of sly humor for older readers: Everyone who likes to fish has probably encountered the sizzerbill, which snatches prize fish from fishermen: “I almost caught the big one, the biggest fish you’ve ever seen / They woulda put my picture inside a magazine.” If you’re a 10-year-old, ask an adult to buy this book for you so that you can start planning your Great American Road Trip when you grow up: which creatures are you going to try to find? If you’re an adult, buy this book to reconnect with your 10-year-old self. Once you’ve got your copy, read it with a flashlight when you’re tucked into your sleeping bag at night on a camping trip. It will help you to figure out what’s snapping the branches and crunching through the leaves just outside the tent wall. Perhaps you’ll even see a snipe, which is part-jackrabbit, part-squirrel, and maybe part-bird: “Its glowing eyes give off bright sparks / It’s really quite a sight / The fellas swear I’ll catch a glimpse / If I stay here all night.” Shaun Jex is a poet living in the Oklahoma City area with his wife, two children, three cats, a pair of snakes, and a bearded dragon. His poems have appeared in publications such as Dirigible Balloon, The Caterpillar Magazine, Little Thoughts Press, and others. When he isn't busy writing, he spends time peeking under rocks to see the bugs living there. Jennifer Thomas is a Canadian word fan who loves writing children’s poetry and helping kids to unleash their imaginations in poetry-writing workshops. She enjoys poring over very old dictionaries, blowing the dust off beautiful and oddball long-forgotten words, and sharing them. She’s at her happiest walking in the woods near her home in Canada with her dog, letting words for new poems bounce around in her head while she watches the world change through the four seasons. Find some of Jennifer’s poems and a few of her favourite old words at jenniferthomaswords.com.

Little Thoughts Press Issue Thirteen: Head, Shoulders, Spleen and Nose with a sneak peek of the story "Benny's Bellybutton" by Rachel Burrows. Rachel Burrows' writing for children can be found in Northern Gravy, The Toy, Tyger Tyger, Little Thoughts Press and The Dirigible Balloon. She is an Undiscovered Voices 2026 Winner and was also shortlisted for the Cheshire Novel Kids Prize 2025 and the Write Mentor Picture Book Writing Competition 2023. Her work was recently selected by John Agard to appear in the Poems on the Move Exhibition for The Guernsey Literary Festival. She teaches and runs the library in an SEMH school near Stonehenge in England and has her best ideas whilst walking her dog, Fennel. She is happiest in the sea. Little Thoughts Press: "Benny's Bellybutton" is such a fun, lively story that wonderfully captures the goofy, playful nature of young kids. What was the initial spark for this story and how did you go about deciding which body parts would speak up? Rachel Burrows: Initially, I think it was watching the youngest children at school lifting the fronts of their T-shirts over their faces or poking their elbows out of their jumper sleeves and finding it so funny. But then I started to think about how hard it is when you are small to sit still to listen to a story when there is so much in the classroom to be distracted by—not least of all your own imagination and wonder! And it doesn’t mean you aren’t listening! Body parts—well it had to be the bellybutton didn’t it! What a wonderfully weird thing it is. It sounds so great to say too with the rhythm of the word and all those ‘l’s and ‘b’s —such friendly sounding letters! And knees—well that was a no-brainer, they deserve a moment don’t they. And with more ‘l’s and ‘b’s—the elbows of course. I love the word elbow. It’s even better in German—Elbogen. And three was enough—the power of three is a wonderful thing. Little Thoughts Press: What advice can you offer fellow writers for crafting lively, active scenes like you've created in "Benny's Bellybutton"? Rachel Burrows: I see it in my mind’s eye. What is happening? What noises are there? What are the reactions? What is it building up to? How is it building? Having said that, I don’t really plan that—it’s just in my head as I’m writing. My main editing question to myself is always, ‘Can I feel it?’ If I can’t, I play with it some more. I love writing dialogue, I think that helps. Little Thoughts Press: I think at some point or another, we've all imagined our belly buttons talking. If your belly button could talk, what would it say today? Rachel Burrows: Today it would be a muffled squeak! It might ask me why I don’t show it the sun anymore! And I would ask it, what’s on the other side—what’s on the inside of a bellybutton? Little Thoughts Press: In a past interview you shared your favorite kid-lit books and recommendations. Are there any recent books you've read and really enjoyed that you can share with us? Rachel Burrows: I adore The Gnome Book by Loes Riphagen—ust so much to look at and enjoy. Don’t Trust Fish makes me laugh just to think about. And The Unfairies by Huw Aaron is so much fun too. I read Tuck Everlasting for the first time recently and thought it was extraordinary. Anthony McGowan has a new book out called Birdlands which I can’t wait to read. I will always adore So Devin Wore a Skirt because the author Shireen Lalji was the first one in my fabulous crit group to get published—so I feel like the proud aunty of 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? Rachel Burrows: Well I have had the most extraordinary writing month and time after time I have had to pinch myself and wonder about the fact that my writing has taken me to these places. A few weeks ago I went to the beautiful island of Guernsey for their literary festival because my poem had been chosen by John Agard to be part of a Poems on the Move Exhibition. And just a few days ago I was celebrating being an Undiscovered Voices ’26 winner at an incredible ceremony in London. I got to meet Louis Stowell! I have made so many new friends which is not something you think about when you start writing! I am busy submitting my middle-grade novel now—and it’s looking hopeful. Thank you so much for choosing "Benny". It’s the best feeling ever when someone loves a character and story as much as I do!

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. Little Thoughts Press: Your poem "Esophagus" makes great use of the s sound to create a sense of movement that resembles the movement of food down the esophagus and into the stomach. The poem feels a bit icky to read—in a good way! For younger writers, can you talk a bit about how sound and language choices can be used to create different sensations for a reader? Janice Scully: I love language and words, most writers do. When I decided that I would have a career in science and became a doctor, I didn’t leave behind my love of writing and books. But I did add many new words to my vocabulary. Words like “esophagus” are not used every day by most people. But like all the organs that make up our bodies, life would be impossible without an esophagus. So even as the job of delivering chewed up food to our stomach seems icky, I feel quite grateful for what the esophagus does. And because our bodies are made in much the same way, and do amazing things, all humans have a lot in common. So why celebrate it in poetry? It helps, when writing about something icky or gross like the esophagus, to use humor. Laughing makes things seem less gross. The shape of the poem, long and skinny like the esophagus, helps us imagine the esophagus like a character in a story. Words like snake shaped, smooth, slippery, and simmering, help us imagine this “character,” this mysterious hidden part of us. Having all these “S” words also makes the poem fun to hear, like music. Sound is part of the magic of poetry. Little Thoughts Press: In addition to writing for children, you are a physician. You must know so much about the human body! Can you share with our readers a few facts about the body that you think are especially surprising or fun? Janice Scully: The poem “Esophagus” is part of a larger collection of poems about the body that I’m still working on. I’m trying to make all the poems as fun as this one. What I find amazing about the digestive system is that after we eat, food gets mixed up and taken apart. The stomach and small intestine turn all our food into it’s smallest pieces, called nutrients. Then, these smallest nutrients can be used used to repair parts of us, like our muscles. It is also used to make the energy we need to play and go to school. The food we eat that we can’t use, we get rid in the bathroom. That’s all pretty remarkable! If you respect how your body works, you won’t take your good health for granted. Little Thoughts Press: How did you get started writing kid-lit and what do you find most challenging and rewarding about writing for kids? Janice Scully: I became interested in writing for kids when I had my own two little boys. The biggest challenge was writing from a child’s point of view. I started to observe nature more closely, to ask more questions, be curious. The first story I published was about a chipmunk burrow under our sidewalk. I noticed a burrow and took our brick sidewalk apart to see it. I snapped a photo of the long skinny burrow and wrote a story for Highlights Magazine. I’m still proud of that. Little Thoughts Press: Which kid-lit authors and books were your favorites growing up? Janice Scully: When I was growing up, there were very few kid-lit authors. I remember a series of biographies for kids I particularly liked, one about Elizabeth Blackwell, the first woman doctor, and loved reading about George Washington Carver, the famous scientist and inventor. I found them both at the public library. I would search the shelves and would take out any book that interested me. My fifth grade teacher recommended books. I read anything I wanted. Little Thoughts Press: And what about today? Any kid-lit writers you love and want to shout out? Janice Scully: There are too many, and I don’t want to leave anyone out. But when I studied kid-lit at Vermont College, I was drawn to middle grade authors such as Katherine Patterson, Beverly Cleary, and Jerry Spinelli. I began writing poems and discovered the poetry anthologies of Lee Bennett Hopkins and others that contained the writing of many amazing children’s poets. I read as many different authors and genres as I could. Little Thoughts Press: What advice would you give to young writers? Janice Scully: My advice is to read as much as you can and observe the people around you. Consider keeping a journal to jot down your thoughts. I wish I had. Little Thoughts Press: Is there anything else you wish I had asked? Any upcoming projects, publications, or other news you'd like to share? Janice Scully: Besides more poems about digestion, there is another project I’m finishing, inspired by my older brother. A few years ago I discovered a number of letters he wrote while he was a combat soldier in the U.S. war in Vietnam. I didn’t know he had written them. Using his letters, I have imagined a story written by a soldier’s fourteen-year-old sister during his absence. It’s written in poems. Where this war adventure will find a home, I don’t know yet, but I have enjoyed the writing.

Little Thoughts Press Issue Twelve: Better Together with a sneak peek of the story "The Perfect Collection" by Mary Munson. Mary Munson is a children’s author and early childhood special education teacher who believes the best stories make children laugh while helping them grow. Inspired by many years working with young children, she writes stories that nurture kindness, resilience, and joy while inviting readers to feel a sense of wonder about the world around them. Her books blend meaningful learning with humor and heart in ways that feel natural, engaging, and full of discovery. When not writing, Mary enjoys being in nature, playing the drums, doing puzzles, cooking and laughing with friends and family. Little Thoughts Press: Your story “The Perfect Collection” wonderfully captures the particular anxieties and small, but very real emotional turmoil in the lives of young children--something like not having a proper collection for Show and Tell is a big deal for little kids! Right now, families and communities are confronted with so many upsetting and truly harrowing experiences that it can be hard to remember that in addition to these larger world problems, our kids are also still facing the everyday emotional struggles that come with growing up. Drawing on your experience as a special education preschool teacher, what advice can you offer to parents, fellow educators, and anyone who works or regularly interacts with young children about making space for the full spectrum of children's emotional experiences and struggles? How can fellow kid-lit writers bring this same awareness and connection to their own writing? Mary Munson: This is a great question, because as you mention, the larger world problems are very real and some of the smaller emotional struggles that children face can be overlooked. I think the most important part of recognizing and helping children with their emotional experiences and struggles is really tuning into their expressions, body language, and the questions they ask. Children are pretty transparent with their feelings even before they can name them or begin to know how to manage them. Stating how they may feel, “you look sad,” or “your body looks tight, are you angry?” can help them begin to express themselves and open up conversations. We use simple picture cards of emotions to help children show how they feel and then offer one or two strategies for calming like “belly breaths,” or counting while inhaling and exhaling. There are lots of great images children can use, like “smell the flowers” (for deep inhales), “blow out the candles” (for exhales). It's important to remember that all behaviors are a form of communication. Keeping a consistent routine and schedule also helps children feel safe in their lives. For kid-lit writers, remember that kids may feel deeply about some things and not others. So, it is important to stay true to your character’s personality. Do they get so angry and run away? Climb a tree?  Throw things? Or withdraw? What happens to your character's body when they are happy? Are they skipping, jumping, or rolling on the floor laughing? There are so many ways to show readers how your character experiences emotions. Pick what works for your character and story and show the complexity of emotions children have. They may be young, but they do feel big feelings and the more we write about them, the more children will be able to understand how they feel and what to do with those feelings. One of my favorite books that shows the complexity of a child’s emotions is When Sophie Gets Angry , by Molly Bang. It shows a child who moves through the cycle of anger and back to calm, ending in the loving welcoming of her family. It’s perfect for young children. Little Thoughts Press: What is your favorite thing about working in a preschool classroom and what advice would you give to fellow writers about depicting this specific age group in books and stories? Mary Munson: This is a hard one because I really love my job. I was a classroom teacher for 22 years and now I am a special education teacher in a public-school pre-k program. I think my favorite part is watching children learn and make connections.  For example, we just had a lesson on sap and maple syrup and watching them realize that the syrup for their pancakes starts out in a tree, was incredible. Seeing their world expand like that is incredible. And then all the questions they have about it, “Can my tree make syrup?” “How does it get to the store?” “Can you eat it right out of the tree?” We are fortunate enough to go to a farm to see the process firsthand. Some children come back with new words like, “spile” and “evaporator.” Some kids talk about eating pancakes. Others simply love the bus ride. Seeing the different takeaways from the same experience is always fascinating to me. It really speaks to the uniqueness of children. This age group is excited and is experiencing so many new things every day. I prefer reading stories that are shorter and inspire big questions and thoughts. When writing for this age group, keep it simple, honor real life and how a child experiences it physically and emotionally. I love writing lyrical stories with sparse text and onomatopoeia. Expressing big ideas or feelings with a well-chosen word excites me as a writer. Little Thoughts Press: Our Better Together issue is all about community and people working together to make the world a better place. What are some actions, big or small, that you take to help make the world better? Are there any organizations that are doing good, important work that you want to shout out? Mary Munson: I help the world be a better place by focusing on children’s wellbeing. Teaching feelings first seems to be the most useful approach in all of teaching. People need to learn how to get along and listen to each other. We value kindness at our school, so practicing kindness does make the school a wonderful place to be. My debut picture book, Love Will Turn You Around (2023), is about kindness, friendship and working together. I often do author readings around town that focus on love, turning tough situations around, problem-solving and teamwork. Living in CT I want to give a shout out to the Choose Love Movement that helps make schools the kind and loving places they should be.   Little Thoughts Press: How did you get started writing kid-lit and what do you find most challenging and rewarding about writing for kids? Mary Munson: I wrote stories in elementary school and was fortunate enough to have teachers who encouraged me to continue writing.  Over the past thirty years, I’ve connected with SCBWI, 12x12 Picture Book Challenge, and many online parts of the kid-lit community. I have met incredible authors, illustrators, and visionaries, all working to bring important messages to children. I find the most challenging part to be waiting, waiting for responses from agents and editors, and waiting for publications. Little Thoughts Press: Which kid-lit authors and books were your favorites growing up? Mary Munson: Oh, I loved the greats! I loved Alan Alexander Milne for Winnie the Pooh , Astrid Lindgren for Pipi Longstocking and Judy Bloom for knowing how I felt as a pre-teen! Little Thoughts Press: And what about today? Any kid-lit writers you love and want to shout out? Mary Munson: Peter Reynolds, I love so many of his books and I had the chance to meet him a year ago, he is a wonderful man, but you can also tell that from his books. Chris Rashka intrigued me early in my writing career for telling stories using very few words, my favorite is Yo! Yes! And David Shannon, for No! David! This is a book I use every year in every classroom. It’s simple and perfect for young children who are learning about rules. Little Thoughts Press: What advice would you give to young writers? Mary Munson: Certainly to keep writing, write what you know, what you think, and write how you feel. Write and enjoy the process, embrace creativity–it truly is the highest form of intelligence.  Little Thoughts Press: Is there anything else you wish I had asked? Any upcoming projects, publications, or other news you'd like to share? Mary Munson: I just got some encouraging news about the very first manuscript I ever submitted for publication. Now it has undergone numerous revisions over the years but in the last revision, I feel it is stronger than it has ever been. It is currently sitting on an editor's desk...so yes, I am again waiting. You may then ask, when did you write this original manuscript? I will take a breath and say... over thirty years ago! And one more thing to the aspiring young writers, don’t ever give up.

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 critique groups, her two amazing kids, and her two mischievous cats. By day she works as an optometrist in nursing homes across New Hampshire, and by night she and her kids (14, 10) kick-butt in American Kenpo Karate. Little Thoughts Press: Your poem “Recycled Fashion” is full of fun, and at points delightfully outlandish, descriptions of recycled and repurposed clothing items. Some of the visuals (like the melted down cookware) call to mind the sort of imaginative ideas that young children often create. As we grow and especially if our writing is more based in and directed to the adult world, it can become difficult to untether ourselves from a need for realism. Do you have any tips or techniques you can offer to fellow writers, particularly those who may be new to kid-lit, about how to break free from the constraints of reality and infuse their writing with more oddness, imagination, and childlike whimsy? Sarah Hetu: Sure! Here are three of the rules I live by: First: Spend time around kids! I feel like I cheat—I have a fourteen-year-old and a ten-year-old, and we’re always playing imagination games. So not only do I get to spend time with kids, I get to brainstorm with them. My kids and I love to create crazy stories by building on “What if” questions. Sometimes we’ll tell a tale by taking turns, each adding one sentence—or even one word—and going around until we have a whopper of a story. Second: My daughter is crafty, and I believe that creativity builds upon creativity, regardless of medium. So (should I admit this??), I save junk. I have a bin full of cool junk that my kids and I make things out of— all sorts of creatures and contraptions. Although I haven’t tried actually melting cookware down—but only because I’m really good at setting accidental fires, both in and outside of the house. Third: When writing creatively in general, I like to follow the “No idea is stupid” rule. Accept all that silly and outlandish stuff that runs from your brain onto the paper, and then, once all the ideas are out, sift through them looking for the gold. Little Thoughts Press: In addition to your kid-lit writing, you work as an optometrist in nursing homes. So you're splitting your time serving two populations on opposite ends of the age spectrum! How has working with older adults informed or influenced your writing for young kids? And how about the other way around--is there anything you've learned through your experience as a writer that has helped you connect with your nursing home patients? Sarah Hetu: My geriatric patients teach me so much about life—I am constantly getting story ideas when I’m around them. For example, I wrote a #SpringFling (honorable mention) contest entry based on a child coming to terms with the death of a grandparent. I couldn’t have written it well if I didn’t have all that experience working in nursing homes. On the opposite side of the spectrum, kids teach me to observe my elderly patients. Just as a child can’t always tell you what’s wrong with them or what they need, sometimes elderly patients with dementia get stuck communicating. A lot of my doctoring centers on making decisions based largely on what I see, not just on objective tests, and the power to observe is very useful to any writer. In general, the way I connect best with nursing home patients is the same way I connect with anybody—I listen to learn and ask clarifying questions. With the elderly, I usually try to add a joke or two because most of my patients could use a few good laughs.  Little Thoughts Press: Our Better Together issue is all about community and people working together to make the world a better place. What are some actions, big or small, that you take to help make the world better? Are there any organizations that are doing good, important work that you want to shout out? Sarah Hetu: One of the rules my grandmother used to live by was, “Do at least one good deed a day.” I have tried to incorporate that in my life. If a patient in a wheelchair loses a shoe, I help them put it back on (and I HATE feet). If I see someone drop something, I pick it up for them. If a question needs to be asked, I ask it. I try to keep myself open to helping, however that may manifest for the day. Additionally, I am very excited to share that I am training to become an instructor in American Kempo Karate. Martial arts has empowered my kids and me with confidence and determination, as well as a sometimes superhuman ability to remain calm when stressful things happen. I can’t wait to help other kids learn and master the same. Little Thoughts Press: How did you get started writing kid-lit and what do you find most challenging and rewarding about writing for kids? Sarah Hetu: I’ve always written. My parents still have a poem about politicians taped to their fridge. I won a Young Authors award in elementary school for my story, THE AVOCADO SEED . My first professional submission—a case presentation of a patient I examined during residency—was accepted for publication in an optometry magazine. I’ve written across the spectrum of genres, and about ten-ish years ago, I discovered that my heart and home are in the kidlit world. I blame my kids. Most rewarding: Being the reason a kid smiled, laughed, or learned something. Most challenging: Taking rejections like a big girl, not a big baby—and hopefully someday, like an adult. Little Thoughts Press: Which kid-lit authors and books were your favorites growing up? Sarah Hetu: Here are some of my favorite kid-lit books and authors: Anderson: Billy and Blaze The Berenstain Bears  Cleary: Ramona Quimby, Age 8 Cole:  The Magic School Bus Frost: “The Road Not Taken” Highlights magazine Keene: the Nancy Drew  series (a collective pseudonym) Lewis: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe Parish: Amelia Bedelia Poe: “The Raven,” “The Tell–Tale Heart,” among others Rowling: the Harry Potter  series Sachar: Sideways Stories from Wayside School Shakespeare Wilder: Little House on the Prairie Now I need to reread several of these! Little Thoughts Press: And what about today? Any kid-lit writers you love and want to shout out? Sarah Hetu: I would like to give a shout-out to all kidlit writers, with a special thank-you to the following superhero critiquers: David, Jackie, Jenna, Jill, Kate, Kalee, Kim, Lauri, Lynsey, Mike, Niki, Susanne, and Susannah. Little Thoughts Press: What advice would you give to young writers? Sarah Hetu: Write. Take breaks to recharge. Know when you need to kill a darling or let a manuscript go. Find or create an awesome critique group. Excel at receiving constructive criticism. Follow your muse. Little Thoughts Press: Is there anything else you wish I had asked? Any upcoming projects, publications, or other news you'd like to share? Sarah Hetu: I have a poem in Issue 13 of Little Thoughts Press , as well as a nonfiction article forthcoming with High Five Magazine . I have several amazing, super-secret upcoming projects. Thank you, Little Thoughts Press , for your thoughtful questions, as well as the opportunity to sparkle on your blog.

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 Dirigible Balloon and the Australian School Magazine . Her poem “Night Craft” was highly commended for the 2025 Caterpillar Prize. Little Thoughts Press: Your poem "Not One More Acre" is based on a real-life march organized by Māori activist Dame Whina Cooper. Rather than focused specifically on Dame Whina Cooper or the historical details and catalyst for this march, the speaker of this poem is a child who has joined in the protest. Can you talk about your choice to write this poem from a first-person perspective centered within the action of the march? What message do you hope young readers will take from this poem? Melinda Szymanik: There is a famous photo from this march which shows Dame Whina Cooper holding the hand of a child at the end of a long dusty road. This was my ‘springing off’ point for writing the poem. What were they talking about? What did the child think was going on and how might the Kuia explain it? This was an appealing way into the subject of protest action which would make it accessible to the target audience.  Little Thoughts Press: Can you give us some background to your connection to the Māori Land March? What is the significance of this event in your community? How did you come to learn about it and how have the impacts of this march and Dame Whina Cooper's work continued in Aotearoa New Zealand today?  Melinda Szymanik: I was a teenager when the march happened and in all honesty, I didn’t fully understand the gravity of what was happening. We didn’t really discuss it at school. We didn’t really discuss it much at home although it was on the TV news and in the papers. I do think it began something amongst many Māori adults, though. And since then I’ve learned more about Dame Whina Cooper and about the march and the issues close to the hearts of Māori in this country. And as a country we have been making progress over the years toward a more respectful and inclusive society. Unfortunately the last few years have seen an erosion of that progress. It seemed timely to revisit the 1977 march and remind myself and others about its central purpose and power to share an idea amongst multitudes.  Little Thoughts Press: Our Better Together issue is all about community and people working together to make the world a better place. What are some actions, big or small, that you take to help make the world better? Are there any organizations that are doing good, important work that you want to shout out? Melinda Szymanik: I have never made submissions on bills before parliament before, but over the last few years I have submitted five times. One of these bills sought to undermine our founding Treaty—Te Tiriti O Waitangi—and weaken the rights of our Tangata Whenua (our indigenous people) and I wanted to oppose this and support Māori and the Treaty. In addition to submitting on bills I also participate in protests for issues I believe in. And of course voting for central and local government representation is hugely important.  I’m a fan of ‘A Mighty Girl’ which has been celebrating women and their stories of courage and strength and excellence for decades. A group doing this seems more important than ever these days. Little Thoughts Press: How did you get started writing kid-lit and what do you find most challenging and rewarding about writing for kids? Melinda Szymanik: I started out with a passion for reading which quickly developed into a secret desire to be a writer. But being born in the antipodes and believing all the writers I loved best came from centuries-old literary cultures in Europe and the Americas, I was sure I could never be a writer. It wasn’t until I was a grown up with children of my own that I felt brave enough to try. And despite loving both adult and children’s books it was children’s literature—writing that feels the most exciting and dynamic and adventurous to me—that stole my heart. I’ve been writing for around thirty years and the biggest challenge is how to avoid falling down a dark hole of obscurity and indifference—across society reading for pleasure has become a ‘nice to have’ rather than the necessity it should be and getting books into the hands of readers can be incredibly difficult. The most rewarding thing is when a child reader is changed or excited or empowered by a story I have written.  Little Thoughts Press: Which kid-lit authors and books were your favorites growing up? Melinda Szymanik: Margaret Mahy, Maurice Sendak, Joan Aiken, Susan Cooper, Alan Garner, LM Montgomery, CS Lewis, Laura Ingalls Wilder, JRR Tolkien, Michael Bond, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, A.A.Milne, Hergé, Goscinny and Uderzo, and many, many, many more. Little Thoughts Press: And what about today? Any kid-lit writers you love and want to shout out? Melinda Szymanik: Jonathan Stroud, Maggie Stiefvater, Frances Hardinge, Phillip Pullman, Oliver Jeffers, Jon Klassen, Elizabeth Acevedo, Kate Wakeling and many, many, many more. Little Thoughts Press: What advice would you give to young writers? Melinda Szymanik: Read! All the things you love to read are teaching you good spelling and grammar and how good stories and poems are put together while you are busy enjoying yourself. And reading grows your imagination and can make you think in new and exciting ways. And then write as much as you can, because the more you write the better you get.  Little Thoughts Press: Is there anything else you wish I had asked? Any upcoming projects, publications, or other news you'd like to share? Melinda Szymanik: My favourite numbers are 3 and 7, my favourite colour is black, and my favourite food is cheese.  I have a new picture book coming out in October with a New Zealand publisher, called Runaway Rooster . And I’m working on a middle grade novel, and trying to write more children’s poetry so I have enough for a collection.

Little Thoughts Press Issue Twelve: Better Together with a sneak peek of the story "Newsgirl" by Lauren N. Simmons Lauren N. Simmons is a writer who lives in the Kansas City area with her husband and daughter. Her work has appeared in various publications, including Cadet Quest , Deaf Devo , Focus on the Family (as a Hacks & Facts contributor), Keys for Kids/ Unlocked , Kosmeo , Pure in Heart Stories , and The Old Schoolhouse . Little Thoughts Press: Your story “Newsgirl” is based on a real historical event. What is it about history that sparks your creativity as a storyteller? What advice do you have for new writers who are interested in writing historical narratives? Lauren Simmons: My favorite thing as a storyteller is taking a real historical event and imagining it from the perspective of someone who lived through it. How might they have thought or felt? Often, I choose a fictional character because it allows me to fully explore and truly “walk in their shoes.” While imagining the inner world of a real historical figure is fascinating, it can feel limiting. What matters most to me is the emotional resonance. That is what connects with a reader and lingers long after they finish the story—far more than memorizing a date. It’s the human experience of history, and how events shaped the people who lived through them, that stays with us. Little Thoughts Press: When crafting a story that is about a real-life event, how do you balance having enough detail and factual information to accurately portray the event, but not so much that it ends up reading more like a report than a story? What advice can you offer for incorporating historical details in a way that will be engaging for readers? Lauren Simmons: Of course, start with research. Learn everything you can about the time period in which you’re setting your story. What did people eat? What did they wear? How did they speak? If the era truly interests you, you’ll naturally want to absorb as much about it as possible. Then, find the twist that makes the story uniquely yours. In this case, the focus is the Newsboys’ Strike of 1899. But how might a news girl  have experienced those events—especially since there were female newspaper hawkers at the time? Shifting the perspective can open up an entirely new emotional landscape. One of the most helpful tools for striking that balance between historical accuracy and emotional depth came from advice by Laurie Calkhoven in an interview for KidLit Summer Camp 2024. She spoke about using meditation for character development. Paraphrasing her guidance: picture your character walking toward you. What are they wearing? Notice how they swing their arms. Are they carrying anything? What’s in their pockets? Study their facial expression. Let them come closer—ten feet away, then five. As they approach, you may begin to sense their memories, their fears, even a secret they’ve been holding. When I imagined the protagonist of "Newsgirl," I could clearly see a young girl raising her voice with a newspaper in hand, standing proudly beside her carefully organized stand—something she takes great pride in. In that moment, she became real to me. Little Thoughts Press: Our Better Together issue is all about community and people working together to make the world a better place. What are some actions, big or small, that you take to help make the world better? Are there any organizations that are doing good, important work that you want to shout out? Lauren Simmons: My church helps package meals for a local food pantry, and I’ve had the opportunity to volunteer with that effort. It’s a reminder that it truly takes all of us to make the world a better place—and no role is too small. Every contribution matters. Little Thoughts Press: How did you get started writing kid-lit and what do you find most challenging and rewarding about writing for kids? Lauren Simmons: I’ve always wanted to be a writer—especially for the 8–12 age group. That was the time in my life when books truly came alive for me, and characters felt as real as any friend. The work I did as a young adult was demanding, and I wasn’t able to pursue writing the way I wanted to. But when I had my daughter, that long-dormant dream was awakened as I read her so many wonderful stories. Since then, I’ve immersed myself in learning the craft—reading articles, attending webinars, and continually working to grow. Writing for children is a challenge because every word counts in a way it simply doesn’t in adult writing. But that’s also what makes it so rewarding and fun. There’s something deeply satisfying about finding the “just right” word. Little Thoughts Press: Which kid-lit authors and books were your favorites growing up? Lauren Simmons: Catherine, Called Birdy  by Karen Cushman left a profound and lasting imprint on my life and sparked my enduring love for historical fiction. Little Thoughts Press: And what about today? Any kid-lit writers you love and want to shout out? Lauren Simmons: I recently read  A Christmas Wish for Little Dala Horse  by Sonja Anderson (published September 2025), and it is exceptional in every way. The story beautifully echoes  The Velveteen Rabbit  through the perspective of the toy dala horse, creating a touching and meaningful parallel. The gentle integration of learning about Saint Lucia celebrations adds depth, and the illustrations are absolutely stunning. Together, these elements create a truly memorable reading experience.   Little Thoughts Press: What advice would you give to young writers? Lauren Simmons: Don’t ever give up. Rejection is part of the journey—we all experience it—and you’re in very good company. If you’re tired, allow yourself to rest. Read. Refill the well. Then come back when you’re ready. Writing will always be there for you.

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 reviewing children’s books on Instagram @theplaypoet. Little Thoughts Press: Your poem “Save the Skink” was inspired by the conservation efforts of Haumoana Primary School in Hawke’s Bay, Aotearoa, New Zealand. Can you tell us a little more about the school and its efforts to protect the spotted skink?  Amanda McKenzie : Haumoana School is a small semi-rural primary school that I once attended as a child and now my two children both attend. Haumoana is a beautiful coastal settlement nestled alongside a shingle beach that is home to many creatures including the kōkōwai/northern spotted skink (native to Aotearoa)  but unfortunately their numbers are dwindling due to predators and habitat loss. In 2025, the school organised fundraisers in support of the National Aquarium of New Zealand’s new predator-proof skink enclosure that has since been built along Napier’s Marine Parade.  Little Thoughts Press: Are there any other conservation efforts or organizations in Aotearoa that you'd like to call attention to? Amanda McKenzie: Aotearoa is home to thousands of unique and wonderful native species but, like the kōkōwai,  a large number of them are endangered. The Department of Conservation does great work to help educate people about how to protect these taonga. You can find more information about the work they do at doc.govt.nz . Little Thoughts Press: Your poem “Eli’s House” beautifully and expertly tackles the topic of how we support each other in times of difficulty and grief. The loss of a person we love, and especially a parent, is a heavy subject for young readers, but of course one that many kids will experience in their childhoods. How did you approach writing this poem, and more generally, what advice would you offer to fellow writers for handling heavy, upsetting subjects with the kind of care and compassion you’ve exhibited in “Eli’s House”? Amanda McKenzie: I approached this poem the way I do for all of the poems that I write for children—I imagine that I am my child self again. I thought of what a child would miss most about their parent and it often comes down to those small details (a favourite piece of clothing, their laugh, a weekend tradition) that carry so much of what a person means to us. My advice for those approaching heavier subjects would be to start with empathy at the forefront. Although "Eli’s House" is about something so inherently sad, I wanted the reader to feel a glimmer of hope as a reminder that there is light to be found, even in times of darkness.   Little Thoughts Press: Our Better Together issue is all about community and people working together to make the world a better place. What are some actions, big or small, that you take to help make the world better? Are there any organizations that are doing good, important work that you want to shout out? Amanda McKenzie: I think the small actions that we do every day all add up to a better world and raising readers plays a big part in that. Encouraging children to read widely and to embrace many different ideas, perspectives and ways of life is one of the best ways that we can contribute to a thriving future society. I also acknowledge that having books at home is a privilege. There are some great organisations out there ensuring that all children have access to books. In Aotearoa, Books in Homes NZ , The Storytime Foundation , and Kiwi Christmas Books are doing amazing mahi (work) in this space.  Little Thoughts Press: How did you get started writing kid-lit and what do you find most challenging and rewarding about writing for kids? Amanda McKenzie: I started writing stories for children when I had my first child after rediscovering how much I enjoy reading kid-lit myself. I started writing poetry for children a year and a half ago. I was inspired to start thanks to a fantastic group of children’s poets in Aotearoa who run an annual poetry for children competition via their Facebook page, The Poets XYZ.  The most challenging part of writing for young people is finding an idea that will resonate with them. Luckily I have two young people in my home who are constant sources of inspiration (and excellent critics!) I find it most rewarding when something I have written inspires a child to pick up a pen themselves. I like to think that being part of the kid-lit community is doing my part in growing readers, writers and as a result, more empathetic, open-minded adults.  Little Thoughts Press: Which kid-lit authors and books were your favorites growing up? Amanda McKenzie: I was lucky enough to be raised by a family of book lovers and my parents read many Aotearoa based authors to me. I loved picture books by Margaret Mahy. The Witch in the Cherry Tree, The Boy with Two Shadows, and The Man Whose Mother Was a Pirate are three of my favourites). I also loved the classic Hairy Maclary series by Lynley Dodd. Roald Dahl was another favourite author as I moved onto chapter books and I remember Goosebumps , The Baby-Sitters Club and Sweet Valley High were top of my list (showing my age!) Little Thoughts Press: And what about today? Any kid-lit writers you love and want to shout out? Amanda McKenzie: Humour is big in our house and I think Andy Griffiths is a master at this. His Treehouse series was devoured by my family and we are currently enjoying his latest You and Me series. Swapna Haddow is another favourite author—her Bad Panda , Dave Pigeon and Terrible Trio books are all winners for both me and the kids. My son has read Li Chen’s Detective Beans graphic novels about three times—they are hilarious. I also adore the Rabbit and Bear books by Jim Field and Julian Gough. Poetry wise, I have collections by Attie Lime, Sarah Ziman, Paula Green, Elena de Roo and a chapbook by Annelies Judson on my bookshelf that bring much joy when I pick them up for a quick fix of word play and juicy language.  Little Thoughts Press: What advice would you give to young writers? Amanda McKenzie: Write down all of those fantastic ideas you have. Keep an exercise book or a notebook and fill it with any weird and wonderful thoughts that pop into your brain. You never know when you might get the urge to turn one of them into a story or poem.  Little Thoughts Press: Is there anything else you wish I had asked? Any upcoming projects, publications, or other news you'd like to share? Amanda McKenzie: I’m very excited to have a few poems coming out in The School Magazine later this year. As an aspiring writer it is still surreal to me to see my words in print and a real thrill to see the illustrations that accompany them. I was very grateful to Little Thoughts Press for including two of my poems in Issue 12.

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 competitions, including Valentiny, Spring Fling, SunWriteFun, and Halloweensie. Visit her at JennGaulding.com and on Instagram @jenngauldingbooks and BlueSky @ jenngauldingbooks.bsky.social . Little Thoughts Press: Your poem “Before My School” was inspired by the real-life Miss Debbie, the crossing guard at your children’s school! First off, can you tell us more about the real Miss Debbie? Does she know you wrote a poem for her?  Jenn Gaulding: Yes, my poem was inspired by one of the superheroes in my real life, Ms. Debbie. She has been a staple at my kids’ elementary school for over a decade now; can you imagine the difference a person can make when they are the first adult to greet a child each morning before school and the last one to tell them goodbye each afternoon?  Though some parts of the poem are exaggerated with the intent of capturing Ms. Debbie’s impact, other parts of the poem are true. She really brings her dogs (first Rufus and now Jasper) to greet the children each morning, and the high schoolers in our neighborhood still talk about Ms. Debbie’s Popcorn Days! Ms. Debbie did not know that I wrote a poem that she inspired… until it was published! We purchased a copy of Little Thoughts Press , Issue 12 just for her, though. My daughter and I wrapped it up and presented it to her just before winter break this year. Ms. Debbie seemed to be very touched by it, and my daughter snapped a photo of us to remember the moment. Little Thoughts Press: And second, how often do the people and experiences from your everyday life feature in your writing? What are some additional sources of inspiration or sparks for your creativity? Jenn Gaulding: Noticing how the people around me think and feel about big events, tiny moments, and everything in between inspires almost all of my writing. I’m lucky to be a mom and a teacher, so of course, my children, their friends, and my students definitely spark new story ideas nearly every day. Little Thoughts Press: Crossing guards are a wonderful example of people in our communities whose work and presence make our communities safer, more pleasant and better connected. Can you offer young readers some more examples of community members whose everyday acts of care and assistance help to make the world better? What is your advice for how we can all do a better job of recognizing and celebrating small acts of kindness, empathy and care in our lives and our communities? Jenn Gaulding: There are so many community members whose actions make the world a better place, but I would say, it’s not so much what  you do in this world as it is how  you do it. There are people who show up to do their jobs and get their work done, and that’s fine. But then there are people who show up to do their jobs but then go above and beyond what’s required – those are the difference makers! Maybe you serve food at a restaurant, and you go the extra mile to find and contact a customer who has left a treasured item behind — that makes a difference. Or, you are a dental hygienist, and you take time to explain to your nervous patient how your tools work, sound, taste, and feel before beginning to clean their teeth — that matters, too. For me, it always comes back to that golden rule — consider what others may be feeling, and respond to them with the empathy and kindness that you would want to receive if you were walking in their shoes. And when someone is kind to you, make sure to tell them that you noticed their efforts and appreciate it. Using the words “thank you” and calling the person who helped you by name can go a long way! Little Thoughts Press: Our Better Together issue is all about community and people working together to make the world a better place. What are some actions, big or small, that you take to help make the world better? Are there any organizations that are doing good, important work that you want to shout out? Jenn Gaulding: One of our family’s favorite annual traditions is to countdown to Christmas with our beloved kindness calendar. For the first 25 days of December, we challenge ourselves to complete an act of kindness each day. Some days have small challenges, like giving someone a genuine compliment or holding the door for another person. Other days have larger challenges, like hosting a drive where we collect canned goods for our local food pantry and make holiday cards for residents at a nearby senior center.  Because of our kindness calendar, we’ve met and served alongside the Galucki family, creators of the Neighborhood Christmas Train Experience, located in Norcross, GA. The Galucki family found a way to combine their passions — for model trains and for helping neighbors — and create an exhibit with a lasting impact. Their elaborate collection of model trains and tiny villages is open to the public each weekend in December. Ticket sales have climbed with each of the four years the Galucki family has opened their display, and all proceeds go directly to the Neighborhood Cooperative Ministries, a non-profit that supports low-income and homeless families with food, clothing, medical expenses, housing assistance, and more. I just love when people find creative ways to use their own interests and passions to help others – everyone benefits! Another organization that is near and dear to my heart is The SebiStrong Foundation, which works to support families who have recently been diagnosed with childhood cancer. Soon, I am hoping to share a story I’ve written about the incredible family behind this foundation! Little Thoughts Press: How did you get started writing kid-lit and what do you find most challenging and rewarding about writing for kids? Jenn Gaulding: I actually started writing kid-lit after my daughters published eBooks about their favorite holiday traditions through a competition offered by our local library. It seemed like so much fun that I decided to try to write my own story (and, you guessed it, I wrote about our Christmas kindness calendar!). I’ve been hooked ever since!  For me, the most rewarding part about creating picture books is finding and spotlighting those small moments of truth that matter to kids. The hardest part, though, is figuring out how to place those moments within the context of a story that has a beginning, a middle, and an end. Little Thoughts Press: Which kid-lit authors and books were your favorites growing up? Jenn Gaulding: Even as a kid, I was captivated by stories with rhythm. Well before I could actually read, I would remember and recite stories that were read aloud to me, which made them so accessible and fun. The first book I could “read” was the classic Madeline . I also loved The Night Before Christmas and Shel Silverstein’s collection of poems in Where The Sidewalk Ends . Little Thoughts Press: And what about today? Any kid-lit writers you love and want to shout out? Jenn Gaulding: There are so many! But I especially love picture books by Rebecca Gardyn Levington and Katrina Moore, which are often written in perfect rhyme and meter and so full of heart.  Little Thoughts Press: What advice would you give to young writers? Jenn Gaulding:   Notice. Notice the little moments of life that make your world turn. Notice the moments that make the kids around you (or the kid inside you) feel big feelings. Then, write them all down. Little Thoughts Press: Is there anything else you wish I had asked? Any upcoming projects, publications, or other news you'd like to share? Jenn Gaulding: This year, I’m excited to keep creating new drafts and polishing current stories, but I am also ready to start querying in the hope of finding an agent who can help me publish my stories. I am always eager to meet others in this kidlit community. Please feel free to reach out and connect!

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 Astra International Picture Book Writing Contest award, and Madness Poetry champion. David is a full-time world traveler, bird nerd, and YouTuber. In past careers, he was a Broadway actor, an educator, and a children’s librarian. Little Thoughts Press: "School Library Donation Day" is quite a feat of rhyme and rhythm! Do you have any tips or techniques to offer to young writers who are experimenting with rhyme or meter for the first time? Can you recommend a few rhyming poems that are your personal favorites and that you think are especially strong examples of the form?  David McMullin: First, don’t worry about the rhyme and rhythm. Most important thing is a good idea or story. If the story is bad, no one will want to read it in the first place. If the rhythm and rhyme aren’t perfect, no one will care. But, it’s always nice to get it right. The easiest way to start is to copy. Find a popular nursery rhyme and exchange its words with for own. Don’t be afraid to use online resources like a rhyming dictionary or thesaurus. I’ve heard people ask, “Isn’t that cheating?” No way!  They are great tools. While using them, I often find new ideas that make my writing even more creative. Some poems I recommend are: "Sick" by Shel Silverstein from Where the Sidewalk Ends . This is the first poem I ever memorized. "A Visit from St. Nicholas" by Clement Clarke Moore is expertly written! I also recommend all young poets take a look at the Mother Goose  nursery rhymes. Little Thoughts Press: You’ve had a number of careers in addition to being a writer, including as an educator, a children’s librarian, and a Broadway actor! How have these past experiences informed and influenced your approach to writing and specifically your writing for children? David McMullin: It is definitely all connected. From acting, I learned to be creative, to take chances, to tell a strong story, and to collaborate. As an educator, I spent time with hundreds of kids, and as a librarian, I read thousands of children’s books. It all led to where I am today. Little Thoughts Press: Our Better Together issue is all about community and people working together to make the world a better place. What are some actions, big or small, that you take to help make the world better? Are there any organizations that are doing good, important work that you want to shout out? David McMullin: If you are a writer, you have a great head start. A good story can entertain, teach, help the reader understand themself better, and help them understand others. I always like to consider how my actions affect others. I’m happy to see We Need Diverse Books  making positive changes in the world, and I’ll give a shout-out to all the librarians out there! Little Thoughts Press: How did you get started writing kid-lit and what do you find most challenging and rewarding about writing for kids? David McMullin: After I left my career as a singer and dancer, my brain kept letting me know that it needed me to stay creative. My free time was too  free. Art and writing seemed like a natural way to fill the void. When I was young, I had a few learning disabilities. Reading was challenging, and I never wanted to pick up a book. Now, I want to help kids who are like I was, by creating fun, short poems and stories that encourage them to give reading a try. Little Thoughts Press: Which kid-lit authors and books were your favorites growing up? David McMullin: My all-time favorite book is The Little Prince  by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. The Roald Dahl books are a close second, especially James and the Giant Peach . I also loved the Dr. Seuss books. Those started my love of rhyme. Little Thoughts Press: And what about today? Any kid-lit writers you love and want to shout out? David McMullin: From the books that came out last year, I loved Dinos that Drive by Suzy Levinson and Boing! by James Carter. Little Thoughts Press: What advice would you give to young writers? David McMullin: My advice is to start small. A poem can be short, just one to three lines. Have fun, make it simple. Little Thoughts Press: Is there anything else you wish I had asked? Any upcoming projects, publications, or other news you'd like to share? David McMullin: March 3rd is the release of my board book Rock ’n’ Roll Baby with Penguin/Random House, and I have an early reader series coming out next fall. I can’t wait to share those books with the world!

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, we imagine everything.   Today, we find two bunnies in my shed. We scoop them up and hold them oh-so-tight! “I’ll name mine Hops,” I wink. “Let’s call yours Fred.” We pet and hug them, giggling with delight.   We’re all in now ­— devoted to their needs. We build them shelters, colorful and strong, then pick and fix them yummy bowls of weeds. Marie and me, we love them all day long.   Our friendship’s full of silliness and trust, and afternoons with bunnies ­— made from dust. Congratulations, Jenn! Here's what guest judge, Linda Hofke, had to say about our winner: Not only did Jenn capture the love between best friends in her sonnet but she also added the element of humor with her twist ending. To get to the last lines and realize the bunnies they've been pampering all day are actually dust bunnies...well, that is just plain silly. The combo of heart and humor always works for me. Plus, it reminded me of all the weirdly creative things my childhood bestie and I did when we were young.  AND OUR HONORABLE MENTIONS ARE... LAURA WIPPELL Ode to Cat Hair I can’t imagine life without a mess of little gray mementos left for me. They’re sprinkled with such love and great finesse. I know there’s many more I cannot see.   She rubs and rolls and flicks her tail just so. I try the brush but she will not behave. The hairs fly out, they know just where to go. Tsunami! We are surfing a gray wave.   My winter coat, my pillow case, oh dear! What other hairy tokens lie in wait? They’re up my nose! I’ll smell  more out, I fear. They’re floating through my tea! They’re on my plate!   I can’t imagine life without her here. Her hair reminds me she is always near.  Linda says: When deciding who or what to write a love sonnet about, one wouldn't normally think of cat hair. Such a ridiculous idea. And the reader learns that it's not just a bit, it's everywhere! After much lament about all the places the cat hair appears, the closing lines take us from humor to heart and a reminder of the things we tolerate for those we love.  & ISABELLE PARUZEL-GIBSON Fourteen in the Fourteen February the fourteenth marks romance It started in the fourteenth century The love day customs started to advance This day would stay in people’s memory Valentine’s Day is now about a sweet The fourteenth century flew like a dove Back then you’d be lucky to get a treat This day was noted to be one for love People drew names to pick a valentine Hung up everywhere lights like a fairy Outside all you hear is will you be mine Children play in the snow couples marry It was honoured in history’s pages So it kept flowing throughout the ages Claire says: Without Valentine's Day, there would be no Silly Love Sonnets and Isabelle's ode to February 14th is a perfect way to honor the reason for our contest season! I liked how Isabelle constrasts modern and historical Valentine's Day customs, but incorporates such classic and universal images of love and joyful celebration that beautifully bridge the divide between the 14th century and our current day. And lastly, my nine-year-old's favorite and the winner of our KID'S CHOICE is... ERIN ZAMPAGLIONE To Snooze in Bed This Morning To snooze in bed this morning. Could there be A greater tale of love that’s e’er been told? To drift twixt wake and slumber, thinking free Within my mighty fortress from the cold. The pillow is a cloud upon which rests My heavy head, in cotton candy sky. It cradles me, as gently as the nests Of baby birds who have no need to fly. The blanket is a chrysalis of down. And I, the caterpillar, do implore To thee, please do not rouse me, for I’m found Not yet a butterfly. Five minutes more? What tears me from this warm embrace, so cruel? The beeping, harsh alarm: it’s time for school! Here are a few thoughts on his choice: "Oh man, this relates so much to my life. This is definitely my winner." Linda adds: This sonnet reads like a classic sonnet and I like the beautiful wording and imagery used. Plus, I totally understand a love poem to slumber. Who doesn't like to be snuggled warm in bed. The unfortunate twist--the alarm signalling it's time to wake and go to school--is relatable to most kids. A nice combination of elements.  Congratulations to all our winners! Please email me at littlethoughtspress at gmail to claim your prizes and coordinate shipping. Our Winner, Honorable Mentions, and Kid's Choice winner will receive a copy of one of our issues and a bookmark featuring cover art from Little Thoughts Press. Thank you again to everyone who participated! It was such a treat to read through your entries . And thank you as always for reading and supporting Little Thoughts Press! Our 14th issue will open for submissions in March and the theme will be announced soon, so keep your eye on this space !