We have bookmarks to share! So excited that this is starting to come together! And ooh, some magnets for handout too! We really want to work on awareness and advertising the upcoming book!
BookMarks!
Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators
Back in December we had learned about the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and Natalie was able to join and subscribe to the SCBWI Utah/Southern Idaho Picture Book Critique Group.
In addition to the informal critique groups, there are workshops and formal reviews with art directors, editors and publishers for childrens books.
This is a really big step, and it’s going to be a little nerve wracking to share our progress with people in the industry!
In-Person Critique Groups
Salt Lake City, Utah–Meets every third Thursday at 7:00pm at the Kearns Library (4275 West 5345 South – Kearns, UT 84118). Co-sponsored by the Salt Lake County Library System. All genres, age groups, and stages of writing and illustrating for children are welcome. For more information, contact Mattie Noall mattienoall@gmail.com.
Online Critique Groups
Online Picture Book Group–Meets every second and fourth Tuesday. For more information, contact Kathy Dye utahsouthidaho-ara2@scbwi.org.
Online Group–Meets 3rd Wednesdays of the month @ 7pm MT via Zoom. We prioritize writers who fully participate, which means leaving comments in Google Docs before the meeting AND attending the online meeting. Word count maximum: 1250 words. All kidlit genres/ages welcome: board book, early readers, picture book, middle-grade novels, and YA. To participate or for more information, contact Bruce Luck or Stephanie Jackson at makestoriesbetterscbwi@gmail.com. Stephanie’s website can be accessed here: https://www.stephaniewritesforkids.com/.
Events
Critique-a-Palooza (May – July 2025)
- Andy Lopez Soberano, Assistant Editor, Scholastic
CRITIQUING: Picture Books, Early Readers/Easy Readers; Board Books
INTERESTS: Andy is an assistant editor on the 0-8 team at Scholastic with a focus on board books, picture books, and early readers and early chapter book series. She’s interested in stories by and for marginalized creators/communities - Bobbie Bensur, Publisher & Editorial Lead, Paw Prints Publishing & Cam Cat Books:
CRITIQUING: Picture Books, Middle Grade, Young Adult, Graphic Novels
INTERESTS: Bobbie is interested in humorous picture books, SEL-driven picture books; multicultural picture books; picture books with diversity and representation; creative nonfiction for ages 4-8 - Bonnie Bader, Acquisitions Editor, Marble Press
CRITIQUING: Picture Books, Middle Grade, Graphic Novels, Non-fiction
INTERESTS: I am looking for books that will inspire children: books that will challenge their imagination and ignite their curiosity, books that make a difference, books that stand out because of their style and substance. - Jen Newens, VP and Senior Literary Manager, Martin Literary Management
CRITIQUING: Picture Books, Middle Grade, Young Adult, Graphic Novels, Non-fiction INTERESTS: Children’s/MG/YA/Graphic Novels. Books that portray historically excluded voices, disability, neurodivergent characters, LGBTQ topics. - Katie Erickson, Agent, The Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency
CRITIQUING: Picture Books, Middle Grade, Young Adult, Graphic Novels, Illustrator portfolios
INTERESTS: I love character-driven stories and art that explore what it means to be human while leaving room for hope. I love reading books with a diverse cast of characters, as well. - Saribel Pages, Literary Associate, Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency
CRITIQUING: Picture Books, Graphic Novels
INTERESTS: In picture books, I’m looking for commercial, kid-focused stories as well as engaging non-fiction. I also love stories that highlight different kinds of friendships and families of all shapes and sizes.
Fall 2025 Workshop (October 18, 2025)
- Adria Goetz, Senior Literary Agent, KT Literary
CRITIQUING: Picture Books, Middle Grade, Graphic Novels, Illustrator Portfolios, Picture Book Dummies
INTERESTS: For picture books, I love hilarious, commercial-feeling picture books with an irresistibly clever premise, as well as magical picture books that will stick with a child for the rest of their life. For middle grade, I love fantasy, magical realism, mysteries, and anything with an unconventional format. For graphic novels, I’m open to anything. Across the board, I love stories with heart and whimsy, a unique atmosphere/strong sense of place, a strong hook, and projects with multiple marketing entry points. - Esther Cajahuaringa, Editor, Alfred A. Knopf BFYR
CRITIQUING: Picture Books, Illustrator Portfolios, Picture Book Dummies
INTERESTS: I’m looking for stories whose words I want to live in and whose characters take up room in my heart like a dear, old friend. I want to be transported to a time or a place! I mainly acquire picture books as well as graphic novels (early to middle grade only). I love humor, heartfelt, lyrical stories and open to fiction and nonfiction picture books as well. - J. Scott Savage, Publishing Executive, Cedar Fort Publishing
CRITIQUING: Picture Books, Middle Grade, Young Adult, Graphic Novels, Non-fiction
INTERESTS: LDS/Inspirational non-fiction, How-to (ie. cook books, gardening, grilling, etc.), Romance, Middle Grade, Picture Book Kristie Choi, Editor, Atheneum Books for Young Readers/S&S
CRITIQUING: Picture Books, Middle Grade, Young Adult, Picture Book Dummies.
INTERESTS: I’m open to picture books and novels and graphic novels for middle grade and young adult/teen readers. My taste tends to run literary or “upmarket,” and I love when writing doesn’t underestimate the intelligence of young readers. For picture books, I’m currently looking for high-concept, funny stories with silly and absurd humor that isn’t message-y. In middle grade: verse novels and high-concept fantasy/speculative in the vein of The Last Cuentista, The Girl Who Drank the Moon, or The Last Tiger. In YA: standout queer/trans voices; complex characters; voice-y or lyrical and romantic coming-of-age or genre fiction (mystery, fantasy, horror).- Mina Chung, Art Director, Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group
CRITIQUING: Picture Books, Illustrator Portfolios, Picture Book Dummies
INTERESTS: I am interested in illustration portfolios that focus on picture books.
Additional Resources
Amazon Book Publishing
For self-publishing
https://amazonpublishing.amazon.com/
Query Tracker
Find an agent or a publisher to work with.
https://querytracker.net
Storyboarding
There have been several versions of the story since it was originally created. Natalie created the original story and drew out storyboards for the sequence of pictures that would be used along with text in the book. The pictures were developed in color for a second round, then standardized and set with text for page layouts.
This is what the first three drafts looked like:
Marisa was able to take these storyboards and begin work on transforming the art for the book. She started by creating concepts of the book cover and inset for the published book.
At this point we still don’t know what publisher we’ll be working with, and have only estimated the dimensions and material for the book.
The next step was to transform Natalie’s pictures into pages, with a better idea of the number of pages that will be in the book.
The Passion Project
Special Olympics Utah (SOUT) received a grant from the Diana Davis Spencer Foundation. The grant’s overall goal is to promote impactful advocacy by people with ID through the funding of passion projects designed and carried out by SOUT athlete leaders.
SOUT selected project pairs (an athlete leader and a mentor) from across the state of Utah to create a passion project. The training covered project management, goal setting, telling your story, and project presentation.
Michelle Wolfenbarger and Emily Rissinger are the support coordinators for the project.
Project Goal
The project targets outreach of 1,500 to 4,000 people. Using the outline below, if we just hit 35% of this it would give us a baseline of 1,500 people in outreach.
At Publication
- Engage Champion School programs in Utah
- The Utah PTA Advocacy Conference would be an ideal space for us to present. We would ask for support from SOUT and ShowUp Utah can help us get a spot in the conference
- Local bookstore events, and Public Library events
- School District invites would likely require some work, with focus on speaking to SpEd classes, assemblies, and inclusion clubs
- Work with local media (Good Day Utah, ABC4, etc) to promote a young author with a disability publishing a book on why inclusion matters, it could be significant as well.
The Start
Natalie’s first proposal for her book was made at the 2021 Aerie Real Change Makers program. As a Special Olympics Youth Ambassador and an advocate for people everywhere who live with disabilities, she wanted to write a book about inclusion and anti-bullying that could be distributed to grade schools as part of social emotional learning programs in schools.
Stories help us shape our compassion and understanding, and they open kids to conversations about empathy, dignity, purpose and character. Her story is about a girl named Amelia, who is bullied at school for having a prosthetic leg. She meets Cooper, Harper and Violet who become her best friends. Harper has an intellectual disability (like Natalie) and has been bullied too. Together they decide that they will do something to change how people are treated by working to build inclusion and respect.
It can be difficult for kids to fit in, and it’s even harder when someone has a disability. We all want a sense of belonging, we want purpose; we want to be valued and appreciated. We want to be heard, and know that our voices do matter. There is more that connects us than divides us. Inclusion means getting to do what you love.
Her message is that we’re stronger together, but only if we stand up for others until they can stand up too.