Disney-Hyperion Books, 2011. Adorable illustrations by David Walker! ISBN 978-1-4231-3400-8
Ask Baby what birds say, what horses say, or what dogs say, and Baby has only one answer: "Moo!"

Ride along with Baby and family from the busy, dizzy city to the quiet countryside. They just might spot the animal that actually makes Baby's favorite sound!


Waiting Out the Storm includes lovely, perfect illustrations by Susan Gaber.
Mama?

Yes, Buttercup?

What's that I hear?

Wind whistles in the treetops, thunder rumbles, and lightning flashes and dashes between raindrops. Snug inside, a mother and child listen, watch, and wonder what the animals will do during the storm.

Paired with beautiful illustrations evoking the moods and mysteries of the natural world, this lyrical call-and-response text is a lullaby to stormy weather--and to the warmth and safety of home.

Candlewick Press,2010
ISBN: 978-0-7636-3378-3

Waiting Out the Storm won an Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Book Award in two categories, Preschool Years and Early School Years!

Waiting Out the Storm

Read the reviews!


Flip, Float, Fly: Seeds on the Move includes gorgeous illustrations by Pam Paparone.
Flip, Float, Fly: Seeds on the Move has received the following honors:

* Growing Good Kids - Excellence in Children's Literature Award from the American Horticultural Society and the National Junior Master Gardener Program

* Kansas State Reading Circle 2009 Recommended Reading List

* Honorable Mention, Tofte/Wright Children’s Literature category, Council for Wisconsin Writers 2008 Annual Awards Competition


ISBN: 978-0-8234-2043-8

Flip, Float, Fly: Seeds on the Move

With a gust of wind a dandelion seed takes off soaring through the sky. Who knows where it will land? Seeds use ingenious methods to travel to new places, from bobbing along through waves to spinning like green helicopters. A glossary is included.


Sing-Along Song by JoAnn Early Macken Illustrated by LeUyen Pham
Sing-Along Song, illustrated by LeUyen Pham

Busy buzz, dizzy fuzz!
Bumble like a bee does!

What's that you hear? From a robin chirping in the morning to a lazy dog snoozing on the kitchen floor, from a squirrel's chitter chat to Daddy's home-at-last footsteps in the evening, everyday sounds can inspire the sweetest melodies.

Vibrant illustrations and a toe-tapping, sing-it-out-loud story are sure to make this a young child's favorite book any time of the day.


ISBN: 0-670-05890-4 Age Level: 3 & up

Illustration copyright © LeUyen Pham 2004.

Sing-Along Song

Reviews and inspiration!

Cats on Judy
by JoAnn Early Macken
Illustrated by Judith DuFour Love
ISBN: 1-879085-73-9

Within the pages of this book, Judy and her fabulous furry felines will fill your heart with fun and frivolity. Join in on this hilarious romp through a day in young Judy's cat-filled life.
Illustration copyright © Judith DuFour Love 1997.

Cats on Judy

Read about the inspiration for the book!

Biographies

Gary Paulsen: Voice of Adventure and Survival by JoAnn Early Macken
Gary Paulsen’s life is a story of determination. He had to learn to take care of himself when he was still a child. As a teen, he often escaped to the woods, trapping, hunting, and fishing for food. He has sailed alone on the Pacific Ocean and mushed thousands of miles with a dogsled team. He has also been nominated for, and won, many awards for his writing.

In his long and prolific career, Paulsen has authored hundreds of books, short stories, and magazine articles, as well as several plays. Drawing upon his own real-life experiences as an outdoorsman and traveler has helped Paulsen captivate countless readers, both young and old. These readers find hope in his tales of adventure and survival.

This biography of author Gary Paulsen was published in 2007 as part of the Enslow Publishers series Authors Teens Love.


ISBN-10: 0-7660-2721-X
ISBN-13: 978-0-7660-2721-3

Easy Biographies
Scholastic, 2007 (coauthor)
Abraham Lincoln: Road to the White House
George Washington: Founding Father
Abigail Adams: Young Patriot
Elizabeth Blackwell: First Woman Doctor
Paul Revere: Son of Liberty
Ben Franklin: Extraordinary Inventor, Brave Leader
Daniel Boone
Davy Crockett
Babe Ruth
Roberto Clemente

Easy Biographies
Scholastic, 2006 (coauthor)
Thomas Edison: Incredible Inventor
The Wright Brothers: The Flight to Adventure

Nonfiction Series for Beginning Readers


Construction Zone series
(Capstone Press, 2009)
Building a Bridge, Building a House
(Capstone Press, Spring 2008)
Building a Road, Building a Skyscraper, Construction Crews, Construction Tools, Demolition!, Digging Tunnels

from Weekly Reader Early Learning Library/​Gareth Stevens Publishing:

Seasons of the Year series, 2006
Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter

Animals That Live in the Mountains series, 2006
Bighorn Sheep, Condors, Cougars, Elk, Golden Eagles, Mountain Goats

Things with Wings series, 2006
The Life Cycle of a Bat, The Life Cycle of a Cicada, The Life Cycle of a Dragonfly, The Life Cycle of a Flamingo, The Life Cycle of a Hummingbird, The Life Cycle of a Moth

Where on Earth? World Geography series, 2006
Deserts, Lakes, Mountains, Plains, Rivers, Seas

Animals That Live in the Desert series, 2005
Coyotes, Gila Monsters, Jackrabbits, Rattlesnakes, Roadrunners, Vultures

Water Habitats series, 2005
Beaches, Coral Reefs, Lakes, Ocean Floors, Rivers, Wetlands

Animals That Live in the Forest series, 2005
Black Bear, Deer, Moose, Opossum, Owl, Porcupine

After-School Fun series, 2005
Art Classes, Bike Riding, Gymnastics, Karate, Music Lessons, Swimming

Animals That Live on the Farm series, 2004
Chickens, Cows, Goats, Horses, Pigs, Sheep

Let’s Read About Pets series, 2003
Goldfish, Guinea Pigs, Kittens, Parakeets, Puppies, Rabbits

People in My Community series, 2003
Mail Carrier, Nurse, Sanitation Worker, School Crossing Guard, Teacher, Veterinarian

Animals I See at the Zoo series, 2002
Bears, Camels, Elephants, Giraffes, Hippos, Lions, Monkeys, Penguins, Sea Lions, Snakes, Tigers, Zebras

Animal Worlds series, 2002
African Animals, Farm Animals, Polar Animals, Rain Forest Animals

Science Books

Ecosystems: Full of Energy (Grade 6)
Macmillan/​McGraw-Hill, 2006

Invertebrates: Life without a Backbone (Grade 3)
Macmillan/​McGraw-Hill, 2007

Auroras and White Nights: Light at Earth’s Poles (Grade 4)
Macmillan/​McGraw-Hill, 2007


All content on this site copyright © 2012 by JoAnn Early Macken except as otherwise noted.
Please do not copy without permission.

Do You Want to Publish
a Children's Book?


Getting a children's book published by a reputable publisher typically requires huge amounts of research, hard work, perseverance, and luck. Unfortunately, there are no shortcuts--most authors work for years before having a manuscript accepted. Here are some tips that might help you speed up the process.

1. If you are not already a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), I urge you to join. Tons of information about publishing and publishers is on the web site (www.scbwi.org), and even more is available to members only. Local chapters often host meetings, conferences, and other networking opportunities. You may even be able to find other members who are interested in forming a critique group. Another helpful web site is The Purple Crayon (www.underdown.org).

2. Only submit your very best work. Know the requirements for the genre. Revise, revise, condense, pare down, and make the text as close to perfect as you can. Join a critique group so you can get input from other writers. Then revise again.

3. Prepare your manuscript properly. Editors are so swamped with submissions these days that they will not seriously consider a manuscript that is improperly formatted or full of typos or grammatical errors. Take your time and make yours look good. For instructions on how to format a manuscript, see "Manuscript Format Basics" at www.underdown.org/​manuscript-format.htm.

4. Read lots of recent children's books, understand what is being published today, and decide which publisher's books seem to match your style.

5. Check those publishers' web sites to find out more about the kinds of books they publish. Study their catalogs and look for writers' guidelines.

6. Use a market guide such as the annual Children's Writer's and Illustrator's Market to find submission requirements for publishers. (Some publishers require agents, some require exclusive submissions, some require query letters, etc.) You can also find a list of children's book publishers and their preferences at the web site of The Children's Book Council: http:/​/​www.cbcbooks.org/​about/​ourmembers.aspx.

7. Different editors can have very different tastes. Try to find the name of an editor at each company you plan to submit to, and then research what kinds of books each editor has worked on. You can do this by studying SCBWI publications and attending conferences. You might also find this information from author web sites, by general web searches, and in the books you read.

8. Don't give up! If you love to write, enjoy the process for its own rewards. Practice really does improve your writing and your chances of publication. Good luck!

Critiques


Is your manuscript ready to submit to a publisher? Give it the benefit of a review by a published author, writing instructor, and former editor. For $100, I will read your picture book manuscript of up to 600 words. I'll send you both detailed comments within the manuscript and a letter discussing big-picture issues. For details or information about longer manuscripts or other formats, send me a message!



Educational Publishing


Laura Purdie Salas provides excellent advice about writing for the educational market in this interview with Donna Bowman Bratton.

Evelyn Christensen's List of Educational Markets is a comprehensive list of companies that publish educational books for children. Visit her site to find links, guidelines, and additional information.



Freelance Writing
Partial Client List


Anthology, Inc.
Black Rabbit Books
BrainWorx Studios
Capstone Press
CTB/​McGraw-Hill
Enslow Publishers
Gareth Stevens Publishing
Harcourt Assessment
Mazer Creative Services
Pearson
Quarasan
Scholastic
Time for Kids
Weekly Reader Early Learning Library