Poetry Can Change the World – Or At Least, How We View the World

Julie Andrews Collection of Poems, Songs & Lullabies My mother and I have always believed that poems, songs, and lullabies have the power to transform into family treasures. Poetry, in particular, is the perfect shared family experience - as a "read-aloud" it can be one of the best ways to introduce young people to the joys of reading. Great poems make children want to read - they give us a vision of beauty and joy in the world, and an awareness of the richness and power of language. We are therefore very excited about our most recent collaboration, a ...

FREE Jumpstart Guide

This guide was written by Emma Walton Hamilton, bestselling author of numerous books including "Raising Bookworms: Get Your Kids Reading for Pleasure and Empowerment". Emma is passionate about helping parents raise children who love to read and her strategies have been proven to work over and over again. Here's what you'll discover inside the FREE Jumpstart Reading Guide... 1. WHY is it so important that we raise our kids to be readers? 2. Emma’s 25 Reasons To Read Checklist 3. 5 Key Strategies to Get Your Kids Reading 4. Tips and Resources for Reading with Babies, Toddlers, & Elementary Aged Kids 5. Tips and ...

Raising Bookworms

“How can I get my child to turn off the Gameboy (TV, computer etc.) and pick up a book?!” This is the question that Emma Walton Hamilton, the best-selling children’s book author, educator, and Editorial Director of the Julie Andrews Collection publishing imprint, hears the most often. Whether on a book tour with her mother and co-author, the legendary actress Julie Andrews, at speaking engagements in schools, libraries and other public arenas, or in casual conversation, this question surfaces again and again, with increasing urgency, from parents, grandparents, educators, librarians and caregivers across the country. In fact, eighty-two percent of parents wish ...

Children’s Book Editorial Services

Need an Experienced, Effective Editor? Emma Walton Hamilton is a best-selling children's book author (4 times on the NY Times Bestseller list, including #1). And, as Editorial Director of the Julie Andrews Collection publishing program, she has shepherded dozens of books by other authors through the publication process. Because she is an author as well as an editor, Emma uniquely understands the challenges and nuances of creating a successful children's book... Click here to see Emma's books Click here to see books edited by Emma. "Emma is a talented developmental editor. She is adept at giving editorial feedback in a constructive way to ...

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Marketing Mondays #8: Agents and Publishers

Two of the most frequently asked questions I hear from aspiring authors are: “Do I really need an agent?” and “How do I get one?” The answer to the first question is: Ideally, yes. Agents handle everything...

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Marketing Mondays #7 – Cover and Query Letters

Whether you are submitting to an agent or a publisher, you must include a cover letter and an up-to-date bio with your manuscript. Keep in mind the following: - Be brief and respectful of the agent or editor’s time and expertise....

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Marketing Mondays, #6 – Submissions 101

So, you’ve written a children’s book and you’re ready to submit it to an agent and/or a publisher. The following are the industry standards for manuscript submission, regardless of whether the manuscript...

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Penning Picture Books #8: Show, Don’t Tell – or, a Tribute to Mo Willems

Some picture books are narrative all the way through with no dialogue, and some are only dialogue with no other narrative, as in Mo Willems’ wonderful “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus” series. Most often, they are...

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Marketing Mondays #5 – Gotta Getta Website!

You knew this was coming (and hopefully most of you have already done this): You must have your own website. Even better is to have a website for yourself as an author, and one for each of your book projects. The URL (web address)...

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Penning Picture Books #7 – The Building Blocks of Plot, or “Dramatic Arc”

Basic plot structure for a picture book is the same as for any other kind of dramatic structure, be it a novel, a play or a film: 3 acts – or, beginning, middle, and end. Each one takes up roughly one third of the book, and...

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