Welcome, Kidlit Kitchen readers! Today, I’m serving up an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the making of DOWN THE HOLE, one of my favorite picture books from 2023. Join me as I chat with author Scott Slater and illustrator Adam Ming, the dynamic duo behind this hilarious tale. From the inception of the story to the details of its illustrations, get ready to explore the journey of bringing this fantastic book to life.

I’m thrilled to share that today’s post was written by Jessica Whipple, author of two children's picture books that were published in 2023: Enough Is…(Tilbury House, illus. by Nicole Wong) and I Think I Think a Lot (Free Spirit Publishing, illust. by Josée Bisaillon). Jessica shares some invaluable insights and advice that I'm honored to host here at the Kidlit Kitchen.

The advice shared in today’s post has been crowdsourced via Twitter, which is kinda awesome, and I'll be acknowledging the various kidlit creators who contributed each piece of advice. I’ll also share a few thoughts of my own related to each bit of advice. Let's dive in!

Amanda, who has navigated through a lot in the past few years, embodies the spirit of truth-telling in her work. Despite facing challenges, she remains unwavering in her commitment to providing a safe haven for her students and ensuring diverse voices are heard through the books on her shelves.

I’ve been on a major productivity kick lately. I’ve been spending quite a bit of time studying how to be more productive, and I have to say: it’s actually working. I’m not striving to more productive in a “I need to churn out a bunch of stuff” kind of way. I’m simply doing more of what I want to be doing, like reading books that have been in my to-read pile for a long time. And it feels really good. One of the books I recently finished—and loved—is Conversations with Maurice Sendak, edited by Peter C. Kunze.

Today, we're diving into the world of Ollie, the Acorn, and the Mighty Idea with the talented author, Andrew Hacket. Get ready for a short but sweet conversation as we explore the inspiration, character dynamics, and the artful collaboration that brought this super exciting children's book to the table.

Today I’d like to chat about some books I’ve read and loved recently and also some thoughts I’ve had about, well, a variety of things. Rather than put these thoughts in any kind of order, or try to find some unifying theme, I’m just going to jump from one to the next. I kinda like this approach, so future posts are very likely to take a similar form–or similar lack of form. So grab some coffee, or tea, or at least some water, and let’s talk about childhood, puppets, my first ARC of my first picture book, organizational psychologist Adam Grant, and news sobriety. Intrigued? LET’S GO!

Today, we dive into the captivating world of Cecilia Ruiz’s MR. FIORELLO’S HEAD. Learn about the inspirations behind the character, Cecilia’s approach to illustrations, the significance of wordless spreads, and more. Join us on a journey through the creative process that brought this fabulous picture book to life.

Greetings, fellow kidlit enthusiasts! I'm Ryan Bani Tahmaseb, and I'm excited to extend a warm welcome to the Kidlit Kitchen, a virtual space where we can come together, swap stories, and savor the delightfully creative world of children’s literature.