by Bryan Patrick Avery

​In magic, some of the greatest rewards come from taking risks. Magicians like Eric Jones, David Blaine, and the late Daryl all have built reputations in magic by taking the biggest risk of all – making the magic happen in the spectator’s hands. There are, of course, many thing that can go wrong. But when things go right, the impact of the effect is heightened.
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The same is true of success in the field of writing children’s books. There’s not much success to be had if we stay in our comfort zones. It can be tempting to sit at our desks and write in solitude but we all know that publication is only a possibility if we are willing to send out creations out into the world. I usually use this space to highlight a few books I think can help us on our journey to becoming better writers. This month, I’d like to offer you a few real-world risks that you can take to help you on the journey to getting published.

​First, if you haven’t done so already, join SCBWI. In SCBWI, you’ll find a group of writers just like you. Some are just starting out, some have achieved a bit success, and some are incredibly successful and well know. SCBWI will afford you the opportunity to learn and grow while helping others on their journey. If you’re already a member, take advantage of the many local and national events to network, learn, and hone your craft. You won’t be sorry.

​Another great risk to take is to set a goal to push yourself. Earlier this year, I participated in StoryStorm. Formerly known as Picture Book Idea Month (PiBoIdMo), Storystorm was started by author Tara Lazar (7 Ate 9, The Untold Story) as challenge. The challenge? Create 30 story ideas in 30 days. Sound daunting? Maybe a little. But with daily blogs from authors, editors, and illustrators to help you along the way, it’s achievable and quite rewarding.

Because learning is a life-long pursuit, another risk you may wish to explore is taking a writing or illustrating course. There are many available but I’m partial to the courses from the Children’s Book Academy. In addition to top notch instructors, CBA has some of the most supportive students. Many of the courses include critique groups made up of other students. Though it may be a bit scary to share a work in progress and request feedback, it will help you grow as a writer. In addition, there is an opportunity to get feedback from the instructors during weekly webinars. Imagine getting feedback on your story’s pitch from an editor at a major publishing house. I’d say it’s worth the risk.

Perhaps the best part of the CBA courses is the Golden Ticket contest. At the end of the course, students are able to post a pitch for review by a group of agents and editors. If their pitch is selected, the student gets to bypass the slush pile and submit directly to the agent or editor. A number of students have found their agents or sold their work to editors as a result of winning a Golden Ticket.

As you can see, there’s an upside to taking some risk in pursuing publication. Still not convinced? I’ll share my personal journey with you:

In 2015, at the suggestion of a friend, I joined SCBWI. I had never published a children’s book before. Determined to take advantage of the benefits of SCBWI, I went to a mixer in December of that year where I met Hillary Homzie (Queen of Likes, Pumpkin Spice Secrets). She encouraged me to take a course at the Children’s Book Academy (I’ve now taken several) where I met Dr. Mira Reisberg. Mira mentored me and helped me grow as a writer. Through some CBA students, I learned about Storystorm which I participated in this past January. One of my 30 ideas was a story about a historical event my grandfather was a part of during World War II. During the CBA Picture Book course this year, I worked on the story and submitted it for the Golden Ticket Contest.

My pitch was selected by three editors and one agent and just last week, I signed a contract with a Clear Fork Publishing for my story, The Freeman Field Photograph.
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As you can see, myrisks paid off. Yours will too. And that’s pretty magical!

Mandy Yates

Broken into three short stories of poetry and petty crime, this charming chapter book will have young readers in search of a rhyme in no time. Book 1 in the Marty Frye series!
Marty Frye is not your ordinary sleuth. Marty Frye is a poet detective--he makes up rhymes as he solves small crimes. When his friend Emma's diary is missing, Marty is on the case. When Katie's flour is nowhere to be found, Marty tracks it down. And when the brand-new Action Chuck figures mysteriously vanish from the toy store, Marty unravels the mystery. Will there ever be a case too hard for Marty to solve? Or a word too impossible to rhyme?
Broken into three short stories of poetry and petty crime, this charming chapter book will have young readers in search of a rhyme in no time.

Celery and Winston are a typical brother-and-sister pair. They play together and get along, but occasionally—well, more than occasionally—they engage in those oh-so-familiar sibling antics. The twins' good-humored attempts to outwit each other, from "stop copying me" to "it's opposite day," will ring true to brothers and sisters everywhere.
This Jump-Into-Chapters title is actress Katie MacNichol's debut children's book. Its combination of fraternal affection and sibling rivalry, along with its plucky lead characters, will appeal to boys and girls alike.

Introducing Clover, the newest character in Blue Apple's Jump-Into-Chapters series! Kids will make a great new friend-on-the-page when they meet the sunny-funny, no-holds-barred Clover in her debut school-centered adventures.
Whether she's trying to sit still during story time, or singing a little louder during music hour, or cracking the tough-girl shell of a new kid who says she's "bad news," Clover is a fizz-and-pop girl! The school setting and everyday activities provide a relatable backdrop to the growing-up experiences showcased by Clover and other characters.
With a strongly appealing character at its center, kids will be excited to see what Clover's up to next. 

The Read & Bloom line offers high interest, character driven stories for newly independent readers that feature full-color illustrations throughout and will transition kids from leveled readers to a lifetime of reading.
In this charming series, perfect for newly independent readers, kids will be treated to simple whodunit mysteries as an utterly delightful owl duo put their heads together. In their first adventure, Wallace and Grace meet a rabbit who is sure he saw a ghost! But the clues lead them in a different direction. Something is spooking the garden . . . can Wallace and Grace solve this case?

For fans of Captain Underpants or Sideways Stories from Wayside School, this new chapter book series is perfect for reluctant readers.

When unlucky teacher Ms. Linda LaCrosse wins the lottery, she shares her winnings with her class--giving each student over a BILLION DOLLARS!


You might think this was nice, but it was not. It was a nasty idea! With great money comes horrible allergies, steep taxes, exploding volcanoes, and other problems. As the students of Classroom 13 are about to learn, winning the lottery is not always lucky.

What would YOU do if you won the lottery? The final chapter encourages young readers to write their OWN chapter and send it in to the author, Honest Lee.

The Unlucky Lottery Winners of Classroom 13 is the first in a new chapter book series of hilarious stories about a rather unlucky classroom. Each story is full of humor, action, and fun, and will prompt hours of conversation among friends, families, and classrooms.

If you like the Avengers, Justice League, or The Incredibles, then you'll love this family of superheroes! This new chapter book series is perfect for reluctant readers.

Everyone in Peter Power's family has super awesome superpowers--except Peter. All he can do is make ice cubes and freeze stuff. But when Peter fibs to his teacher, the lies begin to snowball. Before he has time to tell the truth, Boulder City encounters earthquakes and a friendly group of lizard people!

But soon, the lizard people reveal their lying colors and take over the town. Now, it's up to Peter and his super-powered family to save their hometown. Will they be able to defeat the League of Lizards' giant Gila monster, or will they be stomped flat?

Welcome to The Lost Plains!
A wild west frontier where dinosaurs never went extinct.
It's time for the families of Trihorn to participate in the annual iguanadon drive to Scaly Point. Josh Sanders and his friends Abi and Sam are thrilled to join the drive...until an avalanche comes down and cuts them off from the group!
To top it off, Josh's arch-nemesis, Amos, has been trapped with them. With no other choice, the group will have to band together to make it back to Scaly Point―and escape a blood-thirsty T-Rex!
This wildly entertaining new chapter book series for ages 7 and up features exciting illustrations and real dino facts! A great way to get kids reading.