I’m so excited! One of the #50PreciousWords judges, Leah Moser, has her debut SEL picture book, I AM A THUNDERCLOUD, illustrated by Marie Hermansson, launching next year from Running Press Kids, on April 2, 2024 – and guess what??? We are doing a COVER REVEAL for her – right here – right now! And all of you are getting the very first peek!

Here’s a little bit about the book from the Amazon sales page:
Big feelings are hard to manage, especially when you’re a small person trying to understand yourself and the world.  For those confusing stormy days, I Am a Thundercloud helps readers relate to their feelings through the sounds, sensations and colors of nature, making them feel comfortable and lighter.

Having emotions, even angry ones, is a part of being human. In Leah Moser’s I Am a Thundercloud a young child is having a bad day—they BOOM, ROAR, CRASH, and CRACKLE like an angry thundercloud. Tense body language, an inability to say the “right” words, the instinct to hide are like a brewing storm within the child. But like the sun breaking through, our protagonist processes big emotions by relaxing, asking for help, opening up, and pausing to permit themselves to breathe. This powerful picture book reminds us that having the ability to recognize how we are feeling not only increases our emotional intelligence and helps us process our own emotions, but it also allows us to recognize and empathize with others who are struggling with their emotions.

I asked Leah about the path to publication for this book – HER ANSWER IS A TESTATMENT TO HOW PERSISTENT AND PATIENT WE NEED TO BE IN THIS BUSINESS:
LEAH: The road to publication certainly wasn’t easy! 

I had 74 Agent nos before the YES from the fabulous Dan Cramer of Page Turner Literary Agency. I had 84 Publishing House nos before my first YES from Running Press Kids. And yes, I have kept a detailed spreadsheet of every single one.

I have three young children and finding time to write throughout the day has been a challenge. I wish I had uninterrupted, focused blocks of time carved out in my day, but in reality, I’ve been squeezing my writing in between (or during) baby feedings, nap times, pick ups, and meltdowns. Despite the hard days, I have remained an enthusiastic member of the SCBWI/KidLit community and have grown as a writer.

If you’d like to find out more about Leah and connect with her:
Leah Moser is a children’s book author living in Northern Virginia. With degrees in Elementary Education and Psychology, Leah has spent years as a classroom teacher. She loves sharing her passion for picture books with her husband, three daughters, dog, and readers of all ages. I Am a Thundercloud is her debut book.

https://linktr.ee/leahmoser
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LeahMoserWrites
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leahmoserwrites/
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@leahmoserwrites

If you’d like to find out more about the illustrator, Marie Hermansson:
Marie Hermansson is an illustrator who lives in North Carolina with her family. She loves how children’s books have the ability to teach kids about complex topics in a simple and fun way and firmly believes that children’s books aren’t just for children. https://www.mariehermanssonillustration.com/

The best way to thank an author and illustrator for creating a beautiful book is to buy it and tell others about it.
Here is a pre-order sales link for I AM A THUNDERCLOUD:
https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/leah-moser/i-am-a-thundercloud/9780762482184/
But even better would be to go to your local indie bookstore and Pre-Order it there – that lets your indie know that it’s a desirable book and they will order more copies to have on hand!

Another important thing we can do is to review the books that we love on Amazon (when they launch) and on Goodreads (right away!) – if you can’t review the book yet because you haven’t read it, you can put it on your WANT TO READ shelf on Goodreads.

And we’ve got a fabulous giveaway thanks to Leah!
She;s giving away a copy of I AM A THUNDERCLOUD Plus, she’s starting editing services and is excited to offer a picture book critique as well. That means there will be TWO WINNERS! Please make sure you let us know in the comments on the blog which prize you would prefer if you are one of the lucky winners! (book to U.S. address only, please) I can also give away a picture book critique. As a note, Please Follow both Leah and Marie, comment on the blog, and retweet to be entered to win. 
So dear friends, if you want to be in the running to win one of these fab prizes, you need to follow Leah on Twitter:https://twitter.com/LeahMoserWrites
And follow Marie on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarieHermansson
And retweet this post…and leave a comment.
I know some folks have left Twitter – if you are not on Twitter, please let us know in the comments and tell us on what social media platform you will be sharing this post.

I hope you all have a wonderful week!