I review children’s books from picture books to YA for Armadillo Magazine, The Children’s Book Review, iReadBooks Tours and was a former reviewer for the Children’s Book Council of Australia. Here you’ll find links to all of those reviews, guest posts, author interviews and giveaways.
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Book Review + Giveaway: Ripples
Title: Ripples | Author: Katie Yamasaki | Illustrator: Katie Yamasaki | Genre: Picture Book | Publisher: Norton Young Readers (2026) | ISBN: 978-1324053941 Publisher’s Book Summary: A young girl and her Aunty set sail on their river raft, basking in each other’s company and in the beauty of the world around them. Along the way, they pass friends and…
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Book Review + Giveaway: Hope Rode
Title: Hope Rode: The Promise of the Packhorse Librarians | Author: Lauren H. Kerstein | Illustrator: Becca Stadtlander | Genre: Picture Book | Publisher: Union Square Kids (2025) | ISBN: 978-1454948483 Publisher’s Book Summary: An empowering ode to the brave librarians from Kentucky. Following the Great Depression, literacy rates in the country had dwindled, and education and opportunities were…
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Book Review + Giveaway: Calliope Callisto Clark and the Search for Wisdom
Title: Calliope Callisto Clark and the Search for Wisdom | Author: Claudia Mills | Genre: Middle Grade | Publisher: Holiday House (2026) | ISBN: 978-0-8234-6050-2 “A love letter to seekers, as heartfelt as it is wise”—Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review) Publisher’s Book Summary: “Difficult” student Callie joins a philosophy club seeking the wisdom she needs to keep her beloved but equally…
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Words to Write By
“I have only made this letter longer because I have not had the time to make it shorter.” — Blaise Pascal (The Provincial Letters) – A passage from Dear Genius: The Letters of Ursula Nordstrom, edited by Leonard S. Marcus. I immediately thought of picture book writers when I read this quote, and the incredible…
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Announcing Orion & Cosmo!
I’m excited to finally be able to shout about my upcoming chapter book series, especially because it will be illustrated by the uber-talented Jessica Goecke. I’ve gotten a sneak peek at Jessica’s illustrations and they are truly out of this world! Plus, the text is written in a variety of formats — logs, charts, post-it…
Stephanie Ward 