What makes a great read-aloud?

Join author and librarian Betsy Bird for an entertaining look examination of what separates the good picture book read-alouds from the great picture book read-alouds. Librarians have always known that picture books can often break down into two groups: one-on-one titles and read-aloud titles. One-on-ones are great for getting snuggly at bedtime, but if you want to engage a large crowd of kids, you need a text that pops in an entirely different way. Betsy breaks down some of the most successful read-alouds, from classics to lesser known titles and more recent favorites.

Hold on to your seat because this is one thrilling ride!

Listen in as Emma Walton Hamilton and Julie Hedlund share their submission expertise and give you the key components of a killer query letter and plus top tips for improving your own query letter. You’ll leave this episode with actionable items you can apply immediately to your own queries. Get ready to polish those queries until they shine brighter than you thought possible.

In Part 3 of Where the Ideas Are, let's talk about how to develop your picture book ideas into a strong manuscripts.

At the core of every good picture book is a central dramatic question. What is that, anyway? Picture Book Summit co-founder Emma Walton Hamilton discusses the importance and function of the central dramatic question and how to find it. 

Be sure to catch Parts 1 and 2 of Where the Ideas Are in podcast episode 031 Generating Ideas with Katie Davis and episode 032 Assessing Ideas with Laura Backes!

In Part 2 of Where the Ideas Are, PBSummit co-founder Laura Backes shares how to assess if your idea is one worth pursuing including...

• Finding out if there's room in the market for your idea
• Deciding if your has kid-appeal
• Determining if your idea is the right size for a picture book

Catch part 1 of Where the Ideas Are in episode 030 Generating Ideas with Katie Davis.

Welcome to our three-part series Where the Ideas Are! We'll finding, assessing, and developing ideas for marketable picture books stories.

While we can’t tell you exactly where to get your next great idea, Katie Davis can give you tips for harvesting the ideas that are cropping up all around you.

Look for parts 2 and 3 in episode 031 with Laura Backes and episode 032 with Emma Walton Hamilton.

In today’s episode, we’ll hear from Samantha Berger, a twice Emmy-nominated writer and award-winning author of over 80 books for young readers, including Crankenstein, Monster’s New Undies, Snail Mail, and Rock What You Got! Samantha wrote for Nickelodeon for 12 years and now she writes for Sesame Street. Now, she's revealing five things you need to know about being AND writing funny.

In this episode, Emma Walton Hamilton talks about the three things you should do before you start submitting, the key components of your query letter, including how to craft your hook and what to include in your bio, query etiquette, and submissions dos and don’ts.

Today’s episode showcases literary agent Jennie Dunham, founder of Dunham Literary Inc. Her clients have appeared on the NYT Bestseller list and have won numerous awards including the Schneider Family Award, the Boston Globe Horn Book Honor, and NYT Best Illustrated Book. Jennie shares insight on what agents do, what they don't do, and how to prepare for working with an agent.

You vow again and again, “Today I will work on my book!” But something just keeps getting in the way. In this episode, Katie Davis shares insights and tips for avoiding procrastination and getting your "BIC" or Butt In Chair. Listen in for a few tricks that will give you the motivation needed to complete the next phase of your work.

Nonfiction picture books are one of the fastest-growing segments of the market today, but how do you make them accessible and fun, even for the youngest of audiences. In this episode, award-winning author Ruth Spiro explains how to introduce complex scientific topics in a way that makes them understandable and engaging for younger readers, and even babies. Listen in to sharpen your skills related to STEM-based writing for children.