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Saguaro Bird, by Jess Burbank. in Issue 10: An Ekphrasis Adventure Issue 10: An Ekphrasis Adventure is an appreciation of artwork and the poetry and stories a work of art can inspire. We're excited to feature stories and poetry by young writers who submitted their work for this theme. Thank you to Lowell Biller for sharing his story, "The Shrimp," which was inspired by the illustration, Saguaro Bird, by Jess Burbank. Once upon a time, there was a cactus who was friends with a bird, and right now they are fighting a big shrimp.  “Shoot your spikes at it!” said Birdy.  “Okay, Birdy!” POKE! “We beat it, Cactus,” said Birdy. “Now let's eat cake and celebrate that we—oh no!” “We what?” “Look behind you, he’s still alive!”  “Wait, that’s a different shrimp!”    “And it is super fierce,” said Cactus. “Look out!”    The shrimp whacked Birdy with its foot.  BAM! “Oh no!” said Cactus. “Your wing got injured by the shrimp. Let’s get home, Birdy.”  They ran super fast to their house and they locked the door. “Phew,” said Cactus. “I have some tools to fix your wing.” “Oh no, he’s gonna destroy our home!” said Birdy.  BAM! “Don’t worry, I built another house that is more secret than this house,” said Cactus.  “Let’s go to the house!” said Birdy.  Birdy went inside Cactus’s hole. It was very cozy. They ran to the secret house. “We made it,” said Cactus. “I don’t have any more spikes.” Birdy poked his head out of the hole. “I can’t see anything,” said Birdy.  “Don’t worry, Birdy. I found the light switch.” “Phew,” said Birdy.  And then Cactus found some tools to fix Birdy’s wing. “Isn’t that great, Birdy?” said Cactus. “Yep,” said Birdy.  THE END Lowell Biller is a first grade student. He's seven years old, and he likes reptiles, video games, movies, pugs, baking treats, eating treats, Ghostbusters , and Minecraft . Our Ekphrasis Adventure issue is about using visual art as inspiration for poetry and storytelling. Can you tell us about what stood out to you in the illustration you chose to write about? What in the image sparked the idea for your story? I like cactuses! I liked how the bird lived inside the cactus. Do you have a favorite artist, or a picture book, comic, or graphic novel that you love and want to shout out? I like the books I make! I also like the Battle Bugs series. What is your favorite topic to study in school? Science! What is the most interesting thing you recently learned? I learned what congruent means! What book are you currently reading or read most recently? Would you recommend this book to other readers? Battle Bugs # 5, The Cobra Clash . I would recommend it!

Fire Dragon, by Finn J. in Issue 10: An Ekphrasis Adventure Issue 10: An Ekphrasis Adventure is an appreciation of artwork and the poetry and stories a work of art can inspire. We're excited to feature stories and poetry by young writers who submitted their work for this theme. Thank you to Ellis Biller for sharing his story, "The Dragon," which was inspired by the illustration, Fire Dragon, by Finn J. Once upon a time, there was a small village. It was a nice place. But then, the villagers realize that every night, one sheep disappears. The villagers decide to have one of them stay up all night and watch the sheep to see what happens.  When the villager named Bob watches the sheep, he gasps when he hears a loud, whooshing sound. To his terror, he sees an enormous dragon land on the ground near the pen where the villagers keep the sheep. The beast is red and scaly with a forked tongue. When it breathes, small sparks fly out of its mouth, giving Bob a hint that the dragon breathes fire. The dragon lifts up a leg, which shows Bob long, sharp claws.  The dragon grabs the sheep with its claws and takes to the air, slowly flying away towards a cave in a mountain. Bob steps backwards to turn around, but he steps on a twig, which makes a loud snap! Even from a few yards away, the dragon's head jerks around to face in Bob's direction. The creature drops the sheep, and flies directly towards Bob!  Bob runs and alerts the villagers! The warriors grab their weapons and run towards the dragon! But the dragon lands and swats them back with its large wing. Then the dragon lumbers through the village. It breathes fire on one house, then steps on another. The people who live inside run out of their homes just in time!  The warriors get back up and run at the dragon once more. The dragon slices its wing at them, but one warrior slides under the wing and stabs the dragon’s leg.  The dragon roars in pain, then grabs the warrior and flings him far. It looks like a devastating blow, but the warrior lands in a lake and survives because the water breaks his fall. The other warriors grab spears, bows, and arrows and attack again. One spear flies through the air and hits one of the dragon’s horns and breaks it off. The dragon is forced back to the mountain by a rain of spears. Most just bounce off its tough red scales, but a few of them hit the dragon’s wing, letting the beast not be able to fly.  The dragon climbs back into its cave. The warriors follow. All except one of them wait before entering. The dragon knocks a large rock from its cave down the mountain. It hits the one warrior, and he falls all the way down the mountain.  The dragon thinks that it was only the one warrior who came, so it comes back out of its cave.   “Charge!”  All the warriors jump out at the beast and shoot about thirty-five arrows at it.  ROAR! It roars in pain and retreats into a side tunnel.  “How do we stop this beast for good?” the warriors think. “It will just come back out.”   But then the warriors get an idea. On the mountain there is a large heavy rock. They roll it to the mouth of the cave. It is so heavy the warriors need to call all the villagers to help them roll the stone. They hear the dragon come to the mouth of the cave. It tries to push the rock out of the way, but it doesn't work. No matter what the dragon tries, the rock stays put. The monster is trapped for good. All the people of the village have a large party to celebrate. Ellis Biller is a fourth grader who is ten years old. He likes Ghostbusters , monsters and dragons, reptiles, mythology, Minecraft , video games, and the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man. Our Ekphrasis Adventure issue is about using visual art as inspiration for poetry and storytelling. Can you tell us about what stood out to you in the illustration you chose to write about? What in the image sparked the idea for your story? I really liked the dragon. I like monsters, and I like writing about them! Do you have a favorite artist, or a picture book, comic, or graphic novel that you love and want to shout out? I like graphic novels, including the Power Rangers graphic novels.  What is your favorite topic to study in school? I like the Advanced Learning class at my school. What is the most interesting thing you recently learned? I learned that people don’t know where the word “pug” (for the dog breed) came from. What book are you currently reading or read most recently? Would you recommend this book to other readers? I have been reading the Nnewts series. I do recommend it!

Colors Galore, by Charlotte M. Issue 10: An Ekphrasis Adventure is an appreciation of artwork and the poetry and stories a work of art can inspire. We're excited to extend our Inspired by Illustrations series to feature illustrations by young artists who submitted their work to Issue 10: An Ekphrasis Adventure. We hope you will use these illustrations as creative sparks to craft new poems and stories. We encourage you to share your drafts, brainstorms, or reactions to the featured artwork in the comments below. Thank you to Charlotte M. for sharing her artwork with Little Thoughts Press! Please enjoy this interview with Charlotte where she shares a bit about her artistic interests, book recommendations and more! Charlotte M. is 9 years old and enjoys being creative in everything, especially drawing and painting. Our Ekphrasis Adventure issue is about using visual art as inspiration for poetry and storytelling. Can you tell us about the inspiration behind your illustration? What made you choose this subject? What story do you imagine your artwork is telling? When I was little, I loved to draw and use my imagination with everything. When I put these colors on a page, I ended up seeing a woman in the art. Colors can make anything you imagine - I think the story my artwork is telling is don’t be afraid to take a chance on throwing colors on a paper and seeing what happens. What is your favorite thing to draw? How does creating art make you feel? I like drawing portraits of myself and my future style. It helps me to relax when I have big feelings. Do you have a favorite artist, or a picture book, comic, or graphic novel that you love and want to shout out? I love the illustrations in The Baby-Sitters Club graphic novels, and Dork Diaries . What is your favorite topic to study in school? History, art, and writing. What is the most interesting thing you recently learned? I learned that airplanes can’t fly into space because there is no air in space.  What book are you currently reading or read most recently? Would you recommend this book to other readers? Dork Diaries and The Baby-Sitters Club - I would recommend both!

I Heard A Song, by Imogen Hartland in Issue 10: An Ekphrasis Adventure Issue 10: An Ekphrasis Adventure is an appreciation of artwork and the poetry and stories a work of art can inspire. We're excited to feature stories and poetry by young writers who submitted their work for this theme. Thank you to Nathan Boatright for sharing his story, "Thoughts," which was inspired by the illustration, I Heard a Song, by Imogen Hartland. My mom makes me do everything! She makes so mad it makes me want to run away and never come back. To get it off my mind, me and my friends went for a walk. Out of nowhere I had a thought. What would it be like I lived on a rock? Would it be peaceful? I went home and thought nothing about it. When I woke up I was on a rock stranded in the middle of the ocean! It was horrendous! As days passed I saw millions of boats but none of them stopped for me. I had to consume raw fish, and soon I got delirious and fell off the rock. I screamed, “Help!” But no one answered. Until I heard a sound. It was a dolphin. It helped me get back on the rock, and it swam to the bottom of the ocean, and brought me a drone that was sealed in a bag. To my surprise there was no water in the bag, but it had no controller. So I went to sleep, and when I woke up I looked beside me. I saw the controller to the drone, and batteries. I flew it up in the air. It looked so high it could touch the top of Mount Everest! It took about one hour for somebody to see it. I got picked up by a rescue boat and got sent back home. It took about two days to get home, but I got home safely and was reunited with my family. I told my mom sorry. She forgave me. Until this day it haunts me, but I live a happy life now. Nathan Boatright is nine years old. His favorite food is pizza and favorite dessert is yogurt. If he could go anywhere it would Japan. Our Ekphrasis Adventure issue is about using visual art as inspiration for poetry and storytelling. Can you tell us about what stood out to you in the illustration you chose to write about? What in the image sparked the idea for your story? I started out with the t-rex,but I decided to do the boy on the rock. Do you have a favorite artist, or a picture book, comic, or graphic novel that you love and want to shout out? I would love to shout out R.L Stine.  What is your favorite topic to study in school? My favorite topic to study is math. What is the most interesting thing you recently learned? The most interesting thing I have learned is what interrogative means. What book are you currently reading or read most recently? Would you recommend this book to other readers? The book I was reading was a Goosebumps  book. It was called Be Careful What You Wish For .

Choo Choo Ride, by Emery L. Issue 10: An Ekphrasis Adventure is an appreciation of artwork and the poetry and stories art can inspire. We're excited to extend our Inspired by Illustrations series to feature illustrations by young artists who submitted their work to Issue 10: An Ekphrasis Adventure. We hope you will use these illustrations as creative sparks to craft new poems and stories. We encourage you to share your drafts, brainstorms, or reactions to the featured artwork in the comments below. Thank you to Emery L. for sharing her artwork with Little Thoughts Press! Please enjoy this interview with Emery where she shares a bit about her artistic interests, book recommendations and more! Emery is 5 years old and aspires to be an illustrator when she grows up. She loves drawing and playing with her toys and friends. What is your favorite thing to draw? How does creating art make you feel? I like drawing cats and bunnies. Drawing makes me happy. Do you have a favorite artist, or a picture book, comic, or graphic novel that you love and want to shout out? Carina Felina by Carmen Agra Deedy and Little Dog Lost by Monica Carmelo are my favorite picture books right now. What is your favorite topic to study in school? My favorite subjects in school are P.E. and art. What is the most interesting thing you recently learned? The most interesting thing I learned about recently was soldiers.  What book are you currently reading or read most recently? Would you recommend this book to other readers? I read Little Dog Lost a lot. I would recommend it. I love it!

A photograph of Little Thoughts Press Issue Nine: Go Wild featuring the story "Save the Polar Bears" by Sarah Atherton. Sarah Atherton’s debut picture book, Bella’s Butterflies , was published by Sage’s Tower Publishing in June 2021. She has been featured in her local newspaper and on the Reading With Your Kids podcast. Sarah won the #KidlitChuckleChallenge 2024 and the #SpringflingKidlit contest 2023. Sarah was a picture book mentor for the WriteMentor Summer Mentoring Programme 2023. She lives in England and works as a special educational needs coordinator in a primary school. Sarah loves cats, coffee, and wildlife. Little Thoughts Press: I have such a fondness for stories that use epistolary elements. The Jolly Postman was one of my favorite books growing up. In your story “Save the Polar Bears,” a kid, Grace, learns that polar bears are in danger of extinction and sends a letter to the Arctic asking the polar bears how she can help save them. Can you talk about why you chose letter writing as a framework for this story? There’s a lovely little twist at the end. Did you have that idea in mind from the start or did it develop as the rest of the story came together? Sarah Atherton: I chose letter writing as a framework for "Save the Polar Bears" because I wanted to get inside the mind of an inquisitive child and I wanted to make the connection possible for long-distance communication. I kind of had the twist in mind from the start because I wanted it to be real. I liked the idea of children perhaps believing that the polar bears were answering Grace’s questions but then wanted it to finish with a touch of reality. Little Thoughts Press: I think, more than ever, it feels important to combat doom about the future by providing young readers with examples of agency and the ability to effect change in the world. “Save the Polar Bears” offers many specific actions kids can take to help protect wildlife and fight climate change, and even the inclusion of letters brings to mind the idea of a letter-writing campaign, which is an accessible way for kids to share their concerns and try to influence policy decisions. In this story, you address climate change and the threat of extinction. In your picture book, Bella’s Butterflies, you write about managing anxiety. These are tough, serious topics. In writing for children, how do you balance tackling difficult and distressing topics with proactive ideas that readers can draw from and utilize in their own lives? How has working with children influenced your approach to writing for a young audience? Sarah Atherton: You’re right – these are tough, serious topics. I think more than ever, we are educating children to be real-life warriors to help with real-life problems. Working in a school, I see first-hand how proactive children can be with a little guidance from adults. Children are remarkably resourceful and they inspire me every day. Little Thoughts Press: Issue 9: Go Wild! is about bringing attention to endangered and vulnerable animal species, and spotlighting conservation efforts that can help protect wildlife and their habitats. First, what is your favorite animal? And second, what are some things that you and your family do to help care for and protect wildlife and the natural world? Sarah Atherton: My favorite animal in the wild is definitely the elephant. They are so playful and they have amazing strength. My family and I are all members of a zoo near to where we live and by being members we are helping to fund wildlife conservation. We are also National Trust members which is Europe’s largest conservation charity. 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 Atherton: I have always enjoyed writing. In 2018, I was diagnosed with breast cancer and I started writing for children as a distraction to what I was going through. The most challenging thing about writing for kids is standing out from the rest – there are so many great books for children out there, almost everything has been done before so you have to find a way to be different. What I find most rewarding is the pure enjoyment of coming up with an idea and then seeing the reaction of my critique group. Little Thoughts Press: Which kid-lit authors and books were your favorites growing up? Sarah Atherton: Oh my goodness, I had so many favorites! I was (and still am) a real bookworm. I loved Dr Seuss, Roald Dahl, Enid Blyton and Roger Hargreaves, author of the Mr Men series. Little Thoughts Press: And what about today? Any kid-lit writers you love and want to shout out? Sarah Atherton: I have a huge list of writers I love! Featuring heavily on that list are Mo Willems, Ed Vere, Jeanne Willis and Morag Hood. Little Thoughts Press: What advice would you give to young writers? Sarah Atherton: I would say, follow your dream and write because you enjoy 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? Sarah Atherton: I will be a mentor for the 2025 summer mentoring programme organised by Writementor. If you’re reading this and you are a picture book writer, please consider sending me your work. I’d love to hear from you.

SUBMISSIONS ARE CLOSED ekphrasis , noun: a literary description of a visual work of art A picture is worth a thousand words, and for this issue, we want illustrations to lead the conversation. Submissions for stories and poetry that are inspired by, in response to, or in conversation with the following illustrations will be accepted from February 24th - March 31st . We welcome up to three poems and two prose pieces (maximum of 600 words each) per submission, but please note the following guidelines: All submissions must be connected to the artwork featured on this page . Any poems or stories that are not inspired by or related to the illustrations presented here will not be considered. All written pieces should be submitted in a single document with the titles of each piece clearly marked (.doc/.docx, or pdf preferred).  Please do not submit multiple pieces in response to a single illustration. For example, if you are submitting three poems, those three poems should be in response to three separate works of art. Please be sure to list on our submission form the title of each of your pieces and the number for the image that each piece is connected to. (For example: My Great Poem--Image 3). I f your artwork has been selected to appear in this issue, you are welcome to submit poems or stories for consideration, but please do not send written submissions that respond to your own illustration. As always, no AI-generated work . We are looking for your original ideas! Unpublished work only please! For our purposes, a piece is considered published if it has appeared online or in print in an existing journal, magazine, anthology, or other books. Work that has appeared on personal blogs, social media, or as part of a class assignment is okay.  Remember, though, for this issue we only want writing that responds to the artwork featured on this page so please keep that in mind before you submit a piece that was written prior to seeing the featured illustrations. We will happily accept simultaneous submissions, but please let us know if your submission is accepted elsewhere by emailing us at littlethoughtspress@gmail.com  to withdraw your piece.  We are a publication for readers ages 10 and under. Please make sure your submissions are appropriate for our audience. We welcome submissions from writers and artists of all ages. A number of spots per issue will be reserved for our youngest submitters ages 12 and under.  When you are ready to submit, send your work through our submission form. Please do not email your submission. If you have difficulty using our submission form, please email Claire at littlethoughtspress.gmail.com for assistance. IMAGE 1 IMAGE 2 IMAGE 3 IMAGE 4 IMAGE 5 IMAGE 6 IMAGE 7 IMAGE 8 IMAGE 9 IMAGE 10

A photograph of Little Thoughts Press Issue Nine: Go Wild featuring the poem "The Tiger and the Wren" by Christiana Doucette and an illustration of a tiger by Liz Woodward. Christiana Doucette spends mornings in her garden weeding, because just like her poetry, flowers grow best with space to breathe. She has judged poetry for San Diego Writer’s Festival for the past three years. Her poetry has appeared in anthologies, been set to music by opera composers, and performed on NPR. She is the 2024 Kay Yoder Scholarship for American History recipient. Her full-length verse novel works are represented by Leslie Zampetti of Open Book Literary. You can find her recent and forthcoming poetry in County Lines , Boats Against the Current , Full Mood Magazine , The Zinnia Journal , The Creekside Magazine , Frazzled Lit ., Wildscape Literary Journal , Paraselene , engine(idling , and Wild Peach . Little Thoughts Press: Your poem “Boundary Waters Dark Sanctuary” is an atmospheric, sensory delight. The reader is immersed in the images and sounds of this space—the mesmerizing expanse of glittering stars and the colors of the Northern Lights, the sounds of trees and of animals shrieking and bellowing—and yet there is a feeling of such peace and quiet reflection among all this noise (especially contrasted with the clatter and sensory overload of zooming headlights and booming construction crews that start the poem). You make the dark come alive in a way that is both haunting and comforting. Can you take us through how this poem came together? What images did you start with? How did you choose which sounds to include and how to describe them? Do you have any tips for creating such an immersive setting in the short space of a poem? Christiana Doucette: I wrote "Boundary Waters Dark Sanctuary" specifically for this issue of Little Thoughts Press . We'd recently had several space events happen that left our family scrambling for a place where it was dark enough to actually see the meteor shower, or comet, or planet conjunctions. And I'd spent time reading about the dark sanctuaries of the world. The beautiful thing about a place secluded enough to minimize light pollution is that it often shelters a variety of endangered animals, such as some I reference within the poem. When I began drafting, I knew that I wanted the poem to move. And to do that, I needed to take the reader from somewhere to the dark sanctuary. A bustling city full of sound and light seemed the right contrast, so I began there. My hope is that the contrast allows the reader to better enjoy the stillness, the nature, and the light that is not artificial and everywhere. When you turn out the lights, all other senses intensify. That element seemed vital to this poem. It led to the final stanza full of nature's endangered sounds. I'm always drawn to verse that weaves sounds together to create an aural experience that mirrors the story. A poet I admire who uses this technique is Christian Wiman. His lines cascade with sounds echoing and chiming off each other. That's what I want happening in this poem. I'd love for it to be read aloud to someone who has closed their eyes and is just listening to a sound waterfall in the stillness of their own mind. I listen for similar vowel sounds like "shriek/tree," "canvas/dance" or "sphinx/drinks." In portions I just pour a rich helping of internal rhyme into a line like "perch on a boulder shoulder to shoulder and listen to older sounds." I wanted nature to feel rich and real and full of connection. As I worked through this portion of the poem there were animals I added and then took away because they did not add to that sound experience/endangered animal element that I wanted. Tips for immersive setting? Set yourself in that place. However you need to do that. Maybe look at pictures. Maybe find Youtube clips of people there so you can get a taste of the sounds. How something looks is just one sense, and there are five senses. Use them! Here I use a lot of sound. But if I'd wanted to create something longer I might have gone further into the piney smell of the wood, the damp moss on the boulder's earthiness, or what the air tastes like next to the water at night. Layering senses is a great way to create immersion. Little Thoughts Press: Let’s not beat around the bush: hatred, anger, and intolerance are proliferating in our society right now, and these messages are undoubtedly reaching our children. One of the things I love about your poem “The Tiger and the Wren” is that it offers a quiet message of harmony and tolerance without stating it too plainly or didactically. It reminds me of Aesop’s Fables.  Do you have other examples you can share, either of your own work or other poems you admire, where this ability to subtly and deftly convey a greater meaning is on display? Do you feel a responsibility to use your poetry as a way to comment on the state of the world and promote the ideals that are most meaningful to you? If so, how do you balance that effort with the kind of lightness and joyfulness that is often needed to get young readers to initially engage with poetry? Christiana Doucette: You are spot on picking up on the layering of the poem! I wrote "The Tiger and the Wren" for two of my daughters when they were preschool/kindergartners, each of whom has one of those animals as a nickname. They share a room, and sharing space can be difficult. The story under the story here is one sister upset at her sibling for invading her bed after a naptime nightmare. The sister whose bed was invaded was initially really grumpy about it, but then as the space invading sister snuggled in it ended up being a really sweet moment between the two of them. The frightened Wren started singing to herself and it calmed both of them back to sleep. The Tiger who'd been so grumpy came out after a nap, telling me how I needed to be very quiet so I wouldn't wake up Wren. But you're absolutely right. I saw the story in multiple layers. I could see an animal level where it's reduced to only prominent character traits, as well as on the level of watching my children work through a struggle, and broadly, like you referenced, finding a way to appreciate how someone different than us adds light and beauty to our world.  I have a tendency to layer things pretty heavily. It's in a lot of my poetry. There's usually a surface story, with more beneath. I fairly regularly contribute to #HaikuSaturday on BlueSky and my haiku have multiple meanings. Some meanings may stay private, and others I hope readers will also pick up on. I have several published poems where that layering is especially present: "Ocean Haiku Sequence " in LitShark has a whole parade of two world, one breath haiku that I wrote picturing a school field trip using public transportation. There's such a long history of poets using similar layering, but for "The Tiger and the Wren" I especially think of Emily Dickinson. She wrote of nature, but some of those nature poems during the Civil War I believe referenced events current to her beneath the nature references. I especially think of " They dropped like flakes " written in 1862, and " The name of it is 'Autumn' " which might actually be describing the Battle of Antietam. I don't know that I approached this poem particularly thinking of lightness. But perhaps the sweetness of the moment between sisters brought the light. It may also be the rhyme/slant rhyme and meter that help lift the feet of this poem. Where the first poem needed the freedom to be a fountain, this one stayed within careful syllabic boundaries, giving it a little bit of a bounce. Little Thoughts Press: Issue 9: Go Wild! is about bringing attention to endangered and vulnerable animal species, and spotlighting conservation efforts that can help protect wildlife and their habitats. First, what is your favorite animal? And second, what are some things that you and your family do to help care for and protect wildlife and the natural world? Christiana Doucette: My rescue puppy would be very offended if I didn't say he's my favorite animal. But among endangered animals, I'm especially drawn to the tigers and rhinos. One local species I hope will soon have its own endangered status and associated protection is the Carolina Hellbender, a variety of salamander native to our area. It's one of the largest salamander varieties in the United States. As for how we help care for and protect wildlife, when we moved into our current home, the backyard was a tangle of broken shopping carts, thorns, plastic grocery bag litter and debris. We had no idea a creek ran through the back! But slowly over that first year we cleared away the invasive vines and the litter. I'll never forget dumping a load of leaves into the wheelbarrow and hearing the water come back to life and start running the way it was meant to. Now springs are full of tadpoles. My kids observe salamanders. We watch Blue Heron catch minnows in the creek. And at night, we are woken by a parliament of owls that like to hold their meetings in the trees out back. I love the slice of nature we get to help nurture from our own home. Little Thoughts Press: How did you get started writing kid-lit and what do you find most challenging and rewarding about writing for kids? Christiana Doucette: Growing up, my mom was a writer. She gave me my first poetry book when I was six. I still have it. There was a Kid Lit author in my neighborhood who would come visit us every few weeks to read aloud his story for feedback. I started writing a series of short stories about a frog that I'd share with him, too. And he encouraged my writing so much. During college I didn't write much besides papers, though I sometimes took notes in verse. I started writing Kid Lit again in 2017 during a very difficult surgery recovery for my husband. For nine long weeks he needed help for even simple tasks like rising from his chair, or laying down. And I had two toddlers to care for as well. I began writing during Nanowrimo that month as an escape since I couldn't bodily go anywhere and needed some place to not be responsible for anyone but myself. Of course then I was responsible for all of my characters. But it's a different type of responsibility. After finishing the story that month, I stumbled into the PitchWars community, found my first critique partners, and began querying. I love the community. I already loved writing for kids. Often my kids are the first to hear my kid-related work. I especially love sharing history and science in memorable ways. Once I started back into writing, it was like a water hose had turned on. I couldn't bear to stop. Little Thoughts Press: Which kid-lit authors and books were your favorites growing up? Christiana Doucette: I was obsessed with The Boxcar Children , and all the horse books. I also loved retold fairy tales like Ella Enchanted and Rose's Daughter . I read everything Enid Blyton wrote, all I could find from C.S. Lewis, George McDonald, Robin McKinley, and others. My brother and I were limited to checking out 10 books a week. I'd check out almost all fantasy and horse books, he'd go for the sci-fi. Within a day or two we'd finish our own books and swap. We are both still fast voracious readers. Little Thoughts Press: And what about today? Any kid-lit writers you love and want to shout out? Christiana Doucette: Oh, so many! My mentor Joy McCullough has such a lovely modern secret garden inspired book titled Across the Pond . I love Nedda Lewer's Daughters of the Lamp , Aisling Fowler's Fireborn trilogy, Rebecca Weber's The Painter's Butterfly , and Miriam Franklin's  Extraordinary . I'm pretty obsessed with one particular form, the novel-in-verse. And I could probably list dozens of those. But I'll limit myself to: The Girl in the Walls by Meg Eden Kuyatt: A neurodivergent girl spends the summer with her undiagnosed neurodivergent grandmother in a house haunted by a vengeful ghost. It deals with generational trauma and breaking cycles in such a powerful accessible way. It comes out this year. I am Kavi by Thushanthi Ponweera: A Sri Lankan girl sees the scholarship she just won as a way out for herself and her mother, only to learn her mother will be staying behind with her stepdad. Desperate to fit in at the elite school, she begins a life of deception that escalates, endangering her ongoing education, and way forward. Flooded by Ann E. Burg: The way the author weaves points of view! If you like Spoonriver Anthology , it reminds me a bit of that poetry collection. It's the story of the Johnstown Flood when a dam failed, drowning whole towns in a valley. It's a fascinating read, and fascinating history. After reading I wanted to look up all I could on the event. Force of Nature: A Novel of Rachel Carson by Ann E. Burg: A non-fiction story in verse following the life of the renowned naturalist who first wrote of the impact pesticides were having on nature in her Silent Spring . It's told on a middle grade level. And I just love how the story is brought to life. Little Thoughts Press: What advice would you give to young writers? Christiana Doucette: Read broadly! Read what you love! Talk with others about what you love. It's helpful to think of what movement is going to happen in a short piece, whether poetry or prose story. Use all your senses as you write! And find others who love writing too. You can encourage each other along the way in ways that won't happen on your own. Little Thoughts Press: Is there anything else you wish I had asked? Any upcoming projects, publications, or other news you'd like to share? Christiana Doucette: I have a whole page where I link to places my poetry has published. You can f ind that here . I also share novel-in-verse statistics about once a year on a portion of my website. Like I mentioned above, it's my favorite form. I've just shared one with a masterlist of all the middle grade novels-in-verse I can find, along with infographics about this year and last year's titles. You can see that post here . Thank you for the opportunity to share. And I loved the compelling questions you explored!

Here at Little Thoughts Press, we want to shine a spotlight on some of the amazing artwork we have featured in our issues over the years, and celebrate the talented illustrators and artists who have shared their work with our readers. We hope that our Inspired by Illustrations series will spark new poem and stories ideas for writers of all ages and encourage you to share your drafts, brainstorms, or reactions to the featured artwork in the comments below. If you are inspired to craft a piece and wish to share it on social media, or a personal blog or website, we ask that you please include a link to our blog post and tag Little Thoughts Press and the artist whenever possible so that we can help spread the word and shout-out our talented contributors. Today we have an illustration, MerDads, by Kati Fernandez Lambert that originally appeared in our Pride issue . Kati Fernandez Lambert (she/her/hers) is an illustrator and artist who lives in Madison, Wisconsin, with her family, cat, chickens, and fish. She loves to make drawings that celebrate love and connection. If she could, she would draw pictures all day long, stopping only to snack on cookies. Her home is on occupied Ho-Chunk Land, where she enjoys finding inspiration in nature, catching frogs, and wildlife tracking. Find more of Kati's work at www.coyotefirearts.com .

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 Harbert LINDA HOFKE Raccoon's Sonnet for Trash Cans Oh, wondrous trash cans, lining city streets, we topple you to let the scraps spill out, and cherish the discarded tasty treats, like chocolate-covered cake with sauerkraut. The mighty depths of your gourmet cuisine keep we raccoons a-digging through the night, discovering a donut or sardine, or ketchup-coated morsels of delight. Some apple cores in gravy mixed with peas, potato peels in homemade apple sauce, a giant chunk of moldy cheddar cheese-- we never know what we will come across, each trash can a mysterious food tower with succulent surprises to devour. Congratulations, Linda! Were we swayed by the focus on raccoons and what felt like an intentional nod to our contest mascot? Sure, but we also really loved the playful, gross-out humor in Linda's clever food combinations and the specific love not just for the disgusting delights found in the garbage, but for the trash cans themselves as a source of mystery and joy. AND OUR HONORABLE MENTIONS ARE... SARAH CLAXTON SONNET FOR A BUMBLE BEE As you put the treasures in your pocket And stuff full your pantaloons It’s the flowers that will profit In the summer month of June Flitting about from tulip to daisy Sniffing inside to gather the nectar The bee-hind emerging makes me crazy You are by far the cutest collector The way you float and wiggle near The delight you bring I cannot inhibit The sight of you I hold so dear I plant your favorites so you’ll visit It’s no wonder you’re the knees Sweet and plump, silly bumblebee & JESSE ANNA BORNEMANN ODE TO U From the Ural Mountains' peaks to Uruguayan beaches, From Utah 'cross the pond to the UK, Your unique and undying charm ubiquitously reaches. Your fame is universal, I should say! You're zesty like umami, an uncommon sort of flavor. Like unicorns, you show a sparkly flair. Your upside-down umbrella smile is poetry I savor— So crisp and bright, like brand-new underwear! I might appear without you in qat, Qatar, or qi, but It's by your side I'm anxious to remain. I understand, so many times, you slyly stray from me, but "It's U for me!" shall be my bold refrain. I promise to be steadfast, sweet, and true— Your utterly devoted letter Q. And lastly, my eight-year-old's favorite and the winner of our KID'S CHOICE is... BENNY ZADIK SCREAM TIME Dare not take away my screen, Brave not my wrath, my howls, my scream, Of course I jest! (though I can  play mean), Should disturb you my screen-time regime, ’Tis not my want to throw a scene, A tantrum, fit, or fiendish scheme, But should you prove less than keen, To expedite this YouTube stream... Resign your protest, forswear routine, Just tap four digits, sight unseen, Thy passcode unlocks my imprisoned queen, My blue-tint love, my iPad screen, Huzzah! Regret-not what you here bestow, How now?! What treachery! “BATTERY LOW!” Here are a few thoughts on his choice: "This is so relatable. Me and all of my friends love our screen time and we've all been there where you're like, 'Oh man, low battery?!'" 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 10th issue: An Ekphrasis Adventure will be opening for writing submissions later this week, so keep an eye on this space!

Valentine's Day is almost here! To celebrate and spread a little kidlit love, we are excited to once again host our "Silly Love Sonnets” Kidlit Poetry Contest! artwork by Little Thoughts Press cover artist, Rachael Harbert It's time again to celebrate the little things you love the most! That first sip of coffee in the morning, the distant sound of a train whistle, the teeny tiny chocolate chips in a granola bar, or your softest, most comfortable t-shirt. Give us unusual perspectives: a poem from a dog who stops to sniff at every tree on a walk, a thundercloud ready to burst with rain, an earthworm making its way through the dirt. Don't let the form scare you away. We are looking for sonnets but aren't sticklers for specific rules. Just give us fourteen lines about something silly you love. Rhyme and meter are a plus, but aren't required. What: A fourteen-line poem celebrating any little thing you love. The sillier the better! This is all about spreading joy, and saluting the small pleasures in life. All submissions should be appropriate for a readership of kids ages 12 and younger. Who: Agented, pre-agented, published, pre-published, writers of all ages and stages— all kidlit creatives are welcome to enter! When: The contest submission period is from February 12th - 14th . A winner, two honorable mentions, and a kid choice winner will be announced here, on the Little Thoughts Press blog, and on our socials on Monday, February 18th! Selected poems will be featured on the blog and winners will receive a free copy of their choice of one of our issues & a bookmark featuring Little Thoughts Press cover art. Winning entries will be selected by Little Thoughts Press editors, Claire and Carrie. How to enter: Post your entry as a comment on this post by 11:59 pm (EST) on February 14th. Comments will be turned on starting February 12th. Entries posted outside of this window will not be considered. Please include your name with your poem so we know for sure whose entry it is! Details: Rhyme and meter are not required, but your sonnet must be fourteen lines. 1 entry per kidlit creator. Grab your copy of our participant badge and help spread the word by sharing #sillylovesonnets on your socials! We can't wait to see all the silly things you can't help but love!

Here at Little Thoughts Press, we want to shine a spotlight on some of the amazing artwork we have featured in our issues over the years, and celebrate the talented illustrators and artists who have shared their work with our readers. We hope that our Inspired by Illustrations series will spark new poem and stories ideas for writers of all ages and encourage you to share your drafts, brainstorms, or reactions to the featured artwork in the comments below. If you are inspired to craft a piece and wish to share it on social media, or a personal blog or website, we ask that you please include a link to our blog post and tag Little Thoughts Press and the artist whenever possible so that we can help spread the word and shout-out our talented contributors. Today we have an illustration by Jess Burbank that originally appeared in our Fabulous Facts issue . Jess Burbank is a picture book author/illustrator, working primarily with traditional media every day from her art studio in Bellevue, Washington. Named a 2023 PB Party Finalist and a 2023 PB Rising Star Runner-up, Jess is a member of Storyteller Academy and SCBWI where she continues to hone both her writing and illustration skills. She enjoys nature walks admiring the many mosses of the Pacific Northwest with her corgi, playing board games with her husband, and traveling as much as possible. Find more of Jess's work at www.jessburbank.com .