Shaunessy Sinnett

A graphic with a spaceship and stars against a black background introduces various PB Rising Stars Mentors. Text says: WHO SHOULD I APPLY TO?  Mentors Seeking: Author-Illustrators Headshots and names of the following mentors appear in the left corner: Charles Lian Julia Natasha Jenny Kathryn Aya Nadia F. Anne Steph Adam A banner below reads "review each mentor's profile to check if you're eligible to apply". Please visit www.pbrisingstars.com/mentorsto learn more! ----------

A graphic with a spaceship and stars against a black background introduces various PB Rising Stars Mentors. Text says: WHO SHOULD I APPLY TO?  Mentors Seeking: Illustrators Headshots and names of the following mentors appear in the right corner: Jenny Anne Lian Steph Nadia F. Julia Adam A banner below reads "review each mentor's profile to check if you're eligible to apply". Please visit www.pbrisingstars.com/mentorsto learn more! ----------

Image 3: A yellow and orange graphic with a space suite and star balloon. Text says: Apply now February 27-March 13

Image 4: A How to Apply Checklist: - click on a mentor’s profile - scroll down- click apply button - fill out google form and submit - check your email and spa folder after submitting for an email confirmation - subscribe to our newsletter

⭐️Calling all Illustrators and Author-illustrators⭐️

This year, we received more interest in #pbrisingstars than ever before from the #kidlitart community! So we listened! We invited more artists than ever before to mentor for our fifth and FINAL year!
#illustration #picturebook #illustrator #author

Huge Critique Giveaway & PBParty Prep Replay ⋆ Mindy’s Writing Wonderland If you're planning to enter the 2026 PBParty contest, here are TONS of critique prizes you can win to help prepare. Good luck. :)

The 2026 #PBParty contest has 39 participating agents/editors so far. Wahoooo!

It's only been a few days since e-mailing editors & a bit longer for agents, so I'm hoping we'll have tons more yeses by the showcase.

Enter to win one of over 45 critiques!

Maple Syrup Time
Maud Lewis
c. 1960

Landscape with Snow
Tom Thomson
1916

A graphic with yellow and orange buttons and a photo introducing PB Rising Stars Mentor, Lian Cho Text says: Unagented AND agented illustrators and author-illustrators may apply. Www.pbrisingstars.com/lian Wish list: Silly and goofy books Absurd premises Imaginative stories with twists and turns Authors/illustrators who want to push the genre Snarky/flawed but likable characters Hard lessons learned in an unusual way This is only a snapshot. Please visit Lian’s mentor page for a full wishlist at www.pbrisingstars.com/lian

Got a picture book full of big laughs, absurd ideas, and unexpected heart? 👀
Check out our FINAL #PBRisingStars mentor Lian Cho!
Lian helps creators find the heart of their story, sharpen their voice, stick the landing on the perfect joke, and make every page turn count.
#kidlit #author #illustrator

William Blake’s illustration for “The Tyger” has what appears to be a dippy grin for some reason.

The wonderful thing about Tyggers
Is Tyggers are burning bright
Their tops are made out of rubber
In the forest of the night

What bouncy, trouncy, flouncy, pouncy,
Immortal hand or eye
Did frame the most wonderful thing about Tyggers,
Their fearful symmetry!

I’m going to pretend I never read this. Chicken with a spoon is DIABOLICAL.

Lots of folks are sharing the love for 12x12 today! It’s a wonderful community of PB creators. The monthly webinars are my favourite part: they’re informative and inspiring!

Find out more below:

www.12x12challenge.com/membership

@12x12challenge.bsky.social #12x12PB

Perfect for Valentine’s Day, Brooke! Hehehe 👻🧟‍♀️ 💕 @brookebaum.bsky.social

👏👏 Awesome!

Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: 2026 PB Rising Stars Application Prep Party. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar. Application Prep Party (Virtual/Zoom) — Attend our first-ever mentee application prep party event! This live session will break down the application step by step, highlight what makes submissions shin...

We will still be hosting the Application Prep Party on February 12th, where @ebonylynnmudd and @kaileipewbooks will get you more ready than ever to apply to PB Rising Stars. Register now!

us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

#picturebookauthor #picturebookillustration #illustration #kidlit

Hi! Yes, this is correct in my experience! Without the 1, the call from a Canadian number wouldn’t go through to a USA number. (I’m a Canadian now living in the USA and ran into this issue with my Canadian cell service provider, Telus.)

2026 Hans Christian Andersen Award Shortlist Announced buff.ly/bPfd0yi

Goldmine at Redlake, Ontario
A.Y. Jackson
1945

Wonderful! ✨

Thanks so much for this info!

Hi Jennifer! I wanted to ask your opinion about art notes in picture book manuscripts. Would you hate to see a PB manuscript with several NECESSARY art notes cross your desk? Would it take you out of the narrative too much? Thanks in advance!

Dear #Querying #Writers,

Come join me here on #Bluesky for an #AskMeAnything session, this coming Wednesday, January 14, from 5pm - 6pm PT / 8p.m. - 9pm ET.

Happy to share #tips for #Writing #Revising #Querying + anything I can to help you succeed.

See you Wednesday evening!

#StarlingLit

happy new year written in gold balloons on a purple background ALT: happy new year written in gold balloons on a purple background

🎆Happy new year #writingcommunity!

Let’s start 2026 off with a bang AND a #PB critique giveaway from Peak Team Critiques!

To enter:
1- Follow @teachertoauthor.bsky.social and me
2- Tag a friend in the comments
3- Repost

Winner will be announced Friday afternoon! 🥳

@zohracwrites.bsky.social 🤍

There’s just ONE week left until registration opens for the 12 x 12 Picture Book Writing Challenge!

Be the first to know when doors open—sign up for our email list and get a FREE webinar!
👉 buff.ly/cljGUvl

#12x12PB #kidlit

A page from Little Thoughts Press Issue 11: Stirring Words with a sneak peek of the poem Hurkle-durkle by Shaunessy Sinnett, accompanied by an illustration of a smiling child in bed long after the sun is up.

The week between Christmas and New Year was made for hurkle-durkle. Let's stay in bed all day and read @shsinnett.bsky.social's delightful poem "Hurkle-durkle" in Little Thoughts Press Issue 11: Stirring Words, available in print and pdf.

www.littlethoughtspress.com/issues

🎨 by Shaunessy Sinnett

YESSSSS. This is peak hurkle-durkle season! Happy new year Little Thoughts Press team! ✨🥳

Inspiring! Thank you for sharing this 🤍🧛

When Letting Go Doesn’t Mean Giving Up,  by Casey Lyall Cover of Vampire Jam Sandwich

A little something I wrote for the @picturebookseh.bsky.social blog as we're all having our end of the year reflections: picturebookseh.weebly.com/blog/when-le...

Hope the new year brings some great publishing news for you! 🙏

In a new comic, Liana Finck writes about rediscovering the joys of William Steig as a parent. Read it here: newyorkermag.visitlink.me/Ose0u5

💙💙

Love this ✨

I was delighted to end up in even the top 14 of 333 wonderful entries in this contest. I know it won't move the needle on my career as a writer, but heck, I hope it shows that I'm out here trying like The Little Engine That Could. 👻🎃