It’s that wonderful time again…time to reveal the cover of an upcoming board book, written by David McMullin and illustrated by Allison Black and published by Penguin Random House…ROCK’N’ROLL, BABY!
Oh my goodness…just look at that stunning cover art! Joyful! Engaging! Vibrant! And Simple! Everything we want in a board book for our youngest story lovers! And we are so very lucky because author David has stopped by to chat about the story behind the story.
ME: Welcome, David! Thank you so much for stopping by. We all love to discover how books came to be…please share.
DAVID: Thank you for having me, Vivian. I’m a huge fan of your blog…and your #50PreciousWords Contest. I’d love to share how the book came to be:
ROCK ’N’ ROLL BABY is a rhyming board book featuring different types of rock music while following a diverse group of babies through their daily routines.
I wrote the first draft way back in 2016 when fractured fairy tales were having their moment. I looked for a well known children’s story that hadn’t been explored yet and was surprised to discover that no one had given the lullaby, Rock-a-bye Baby, a good rock ’n’ roll makeover. The word play seemed obvious, so I gave it a go.
It’s route to becoming a board book was not straight forward. I wrote a four verse version that I hoped could be a picture book. In 2020 my agent submitted widely, but regardless of some close calls, it didn’t sell. In 2023, my agent suggested we revisit the manuscript, but also advised that it felt like a board book and if I wanted to sell it as a picture book, I should do some rewrites. This is when I expanded the text and gave it a new arc. Who would have guess that within an hour of my agent submitting we would get an email from an editor stating that they may make an offer if I was willing to sell it as a board book? I was willing!
David McMullin is a picture book author, illustrator, and children’s poet. His books include FREE TO BE FABULOUS (HarperCollins), ROCK ’N’ ROLL BABY (Penguin/Random House) and a soon-to-be-announced early reader series. Honors include an SCBWI Ann Whitford Paul Award, an Astra International Picture Book Writing Contest award, a Madness Poetry championship and he was a Picture Book Rising Stars mentor. David and his husband are currently full time world travelers, bird nerds, and YouTubers. In past careers he was a Broadway actor, an educator, and a children’s librarian. Website: http://www.davidmcmullinbooks.com/welcome/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidmcmullinpb/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@tendegreeswarmer
The Illustrator – New York-born illustrator Allison Black started her own stationery company, Hip Hip!, in 2015 and is experienced in creating artwork for fashion, homeware, stationery, and books. https://www.allisonblackillustration.com/ to see all of her amazing books and products.
Thank you so much for sharing all of this with us, David. And, dear blog friends, please do what you can to help this book become a success. You can: Buy the Book Review the Book Tell friends about the book (please share this post on your social media) Ask your local library to purchase copies of the book for their shelves
HURRAY! Book birthday posts are my favorite because it means we are welcoming a new book baby into the world! And this one is so special because it focuses on the importance of a child’s name…and especially in the early years, your name is a large part of your identity, who you are. And if folks mispronounce it or have trouble saying it and stumble each time they try, that can make a child feel like there is something wrong with them. I’m so happy to welcome Maria Wen Adcock and her debut picture book, MY NAME IS AI LIN, illustrated by Yu Ting Cheng, and published by Sleeping Bear Press…it launches TODAY!!!
In this empowering story, one child shows that by making the effort to properly pronounce someone’s name, we send the welcoming message that everyone is worthy of respect and dignity.
When Ai Lin starts school, none of her classmates can say her name. The children make several attempts, but they still cannot pronounce it properly. They ask Ai Lin if they can just call her by another name. It’s not that important, right? But Ai Lin knows the significance of her Chinese name. No, it can’t be changed. Her name is part of her identity and heritage. Her name was chosen not only for what it means, but also for how it sounds. It ties her to her family—present and past—and to its traditions.
When Ai Lin shares her family history with her classmates, they come to understand that a name can be a person’s story, special and unique. Ai Lin’s name, and all that it means and stands for, is as personal as a fingerprint, as distinct as a snowflake.
And we are so lucky…author Maria has stopped by to share the story behind the story…what inspired her to write this.
ME: Hello Maria! Thank you so much for visiting Picture Books Help Kids Soar! And CONGRATULATIONS!!! What a beautiful book this is! And an important one! Can you tell us why you wrote it?
MARIA: The idea for this book came about because I know many people who have assumed “American” names for various reasons. Sometimes they wanted to fit in, so they changed their names. For example, “Jose” became “Joe.” Other times, someone else asked them to change their names because to make it easier for them to remember or say – this is what happens to Ai Lin in my story. And then there were other times when it was not their choice, such as with my dad. When he immigrated to America, someone in the processing center told him he needed an American name and picked out “William” for him. I’m guessing it’s because my dad’s last name, Wen, started with a “W”, so the guy chose a first name with the same letter. My dad had no say in it.
For parents and children with diverse backgrounds, I hope they will be proud of their names. If it’s an uncommon one, they should know they don’t need to change it to make other people feel more comfortable unless they want to. Their names are their identities.
For those who are curious about other people’s names that are different than what they’re used to, I’d encourage them to make an effort to pronounce someone’s name correctly. It’s okay to ask someone how to pronounce their name if their not sure how to say it.
Oh, that’s wonderful, Maria! Thank you for sharing all of this!
And thank you, dear blog readers, for spending your precious time with us. I hope you love this book as much as I do…and please remember that books become a success and get into the hands of the children who need them when we:
Buy the book Review the book Tell friends about the book – please share the post on your social media Ask your local library to purchase copies for their shelves
Happy 4th of July week and weekend, dear friends. Please stay safe and share positivity!
FOR WRITERS, ILLUSTRATORS, PARENTS, TEACHERS, LIBRARIANS, AND BOOK LOVERS EVERYWHERE
TODAY’S GUEST
LINDSAY LESLIE
I’ve known today’s guest quite a few years. We first met virtually, as most of us in the kid lit world do…on social media, in Facebook groups, and perhaps at an online class or webinar. But in 2018, we were part of a debut picture book group, New in 19…and we formed a panel, along with Monica Fields, Ishta Mercurio, Bea Birdsong, and a few others to put together a panel proposal for NCTE Conference that was going to take place in Baltimore that next November. Luckily, our proposal was accepted…and, although I dragged my feet booking a hotel room and found myself without a spot to stay, Lindsay was amazing and offered to let me room with her! She’s the BEST!
And so, when I heard that Lindsay has a NEW book, GUS HEARTS THE BUS, coming out in just a few days, I just had to let everyone know about it. She’s a fabulous person…and a fabulous writer.
Lindsay Leslie is the award-winning author of So You Want to Build a Library (Capstone), Dusk Explorers, Nova the Star Eater, This Book is Spineless (Page Street Kids), and Rock & Moss: The Physics of Friendship (Kiwi Co.). Her next picture book, GUS HEARTS THE BUS (illus. by Geeta Ladi), hits the shelves on July 1, 2025, with Sleeping Bear Press. She lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband, sci-fi/fantasy/horror novelist Ryan Leslie, two teenagers, and two fur-beasts (a.k.a. dogs). Visit her at lindsayleslie.com. Website: www.lindsayleslie.com IG: @lindsaylesliewrites Threads: @lindsaylesliewrites Bluesky: @lindsayleslie.bsky.social
Geeta Ladi is a passionate picture book illustrator who began her creative journey working with children to address learning challenges in math and science. For over a decade, she designed learning toys, led creativity camps, and used storytelling to simplify complex concepts. These experiences led her to illustrate picture books, including the award-winning My Brain Is Magic by Prasha Sooful. Based in Chennai, India, Geeta loves to travel and draw people and architecture.
IG: @geetaladi_illustration
ME: And now that we know a little bit about our guest and her illustrator, let’s welcome Lindsay! Lindsay, thank you so much for stopping by to chat with us. And thank you for the generous giveaway of a copy of GUS HEARTS THE BUS…note to blog followers: please make sure you leave a comment at the end of the post for a chance to win…and please share the post on your social media for extra tickets in the giveaway hat. And now…for our chat with Lindsay! Who were your favorite authors/illustrators when you were a child?
LINDSAY: It’s a joy to be here, Vivian. I have a hard time reaching back to when I was reading picture books as a young kiddo, but know I loved them! The only ones that come forward in my memory, which makes me assume they were my favorites, were the Sweet Pickle series. I remember reaching for Stork Spills the Beans, Very Worried Walrus, and Zip Goes Zebra a lot. When I got a little older, my favorite authors were Beverly Cleary, Judy Blume, Roald Dahl, and Shel Silverstein. My GOATs!
ME: What do you know now that you wish you knew when you first started writing?
LINDSAY: That Twitter would blow up? I jest, but not really. I invested a lot of time building a wonderful community there filled with writers and authors across the world, and I enjoyed the heck out of it in its prime. But then, we know how that story goes. I’m still struggling to find that same feel with the other social media offerings, and I’m also more than a bit exhausted with social media. Raise your hand if you agree! Also, I had great connections via Facebook only to have a hacker come through my linked Instagram account and lock me out of my Facebook account. I couldn’t regain control and had to restart, so goodbye to that community. I guess what I’m trying to say here is, social media will come and go. Find your community in other ways and hold them dear. I’m so glad to have my awesome critique group, my local SCBWI chapter, 12×12, and my writerly husband, plus the connections I’ve made over the years that I foster the best I can. Surrounding yourself with wonderful and talented writers is the best thing you can do. You will learn so much and have fun along the way.
ME: Where do you like to write – inside, outside, special room, laptop, pen and paper?
LINDSAY: I’m a fan of my office, which I recently repainted a deep teal. The room is so moody and snuggly, which makes me feel ready to write. When I get to writing, I love pencil and paper, specifically—a really sharp Ticonderoga and a pad that flips top to bottom rather than a spiral notebook.
ME: When do you write – early morning, late in the day, middle of the night, on schedule, as the muse strikes?
LINDSAY: I’m all over the place on this one. It’s mostly when I have the time coupled with when the mood strikes. Sounds not very productive, yes? And you’re right. I think this year I’m going to have a serious chat with myself and figure this out. A lot of this comes from the COVID years. It took my mental focus away. I also have an issue with having too much time and then getting complete paralysis as to what to do, so I do housework. Again, can anyone relate?
ME: Why do you write for children?
LINDSAY: I have so many answers to this question, but the answer jumping out to me right now is I write for the child in my heart—the one who is taken with an idea, because I think there is a child out there who might be taken with it, too. With my most recent book, GUS HEARTS THE BUS, illustrated by the talented Geeta Ladi, I became fascinated with childhood passions. They are like a first love. They take over your mind and space as a child, and there’s nothing more precious. I also believe that those passions tell a child a lot about themselves and what might be down the road for them. So, that idea became my passion, and I had to write the story.
ME: Also, if you have any thoughts or advice for aspiring writers, please share.
LINDSAY: Advice can be a double-edged sword. Just as I say when I give a critique, take what works for you and pitch the rest. So, what I would say is don’t believe the hype. Yep. When folks say, agents are looking for author-only clients or this market is sooooo tough. You know what? Just move forward and keep trying. Read all the picture books (current, yes, believe this hype). Be a keen observer and write down your ideas in a notepad. Create a writing process that works for you, because we are all different and that’s a wonderful thing. If you can’t find your way with a particular story, put it away and give it time. Build up your tolerance to rejection, because it’s going to happen when you are pre-agented and after. Don’t let rejection stop you from doing what you love, as that would be such a disservice to yourself and your future readers. And be the most persistent (but kind and considerate) person ever, as that will move the needle.
ME: Oh my goodness! Lindsay, thank you so much for sharing so much of your journey…with such honesty and authenticity. Can you tell us a little bit about what inspired you to write this story and/or any humorous incident and/or challenging moment on the path to publication?
LINDSAY: I love the inspiration for this story, because it was my son, Mars! When Mars was about five, we took him (and his younger brother) on a city bus for the first time, so we could go explore downtown Austin. From the moment we stepped on that bus, something lit up inside Mars. He became fascinated. What happens in GUS HEARTS THE BUS happened in real life, for the most part. I, of course, took writerly liberties. Now that Mars is 17, I see how his passion for buses has evolved and where it might lead him. I know that so many kids will see themselves in GUS, whether they love buses, too, or they can relate to having such a passion. Also, the way I wrote GUS pulls from Mac Barnett’s The Important Thing About Margaret Wise Brown (artfully illustrated by Sarah Jacoby). I built in a lot of room for children to ask themselves questions and think about themselves as they listen or read the story. I would love nothing more for a young reader to connect some dots as they read GUS.
ME: You are the best! So I’ll keep on going…do you have anything else you want to talk about that parents, educators, writers, librarians might want to hear. 🙂
Fewer than half of parents of children up to 13 years old say reading aloud to children is “fun for me”. Gen Z parents, who grew up with technology themselves, are significantly more likely than Millennials or Gen X to view reading as “more a subject to learn” rather than a fun or enriching activity.
Almost one in three (29%) children aged 5–13 think reading is “more a subject to learn than a fun thing to do”, up from 25% in 2022. This growing association of reading with pressure rather than pleasure is contributing to disengagement.
More than one in five boys (22%) aged 0-2 are rarely or never read to. Only 29% of boys in this age group are read to daily, compared to 44% of girls, underscoring early disparities in exposure to books.
I have so many thoughts and questions about these findings, but I can’t pretend to know everyone’s situation, and it’s unfair to generalize or conjecture. But what I do know is my lived experience as a parent. I found such joy in reading to my boys. At first, I made up my own (shortened) stories to go with the illustrations of board books and picture books, as my kiddos only had so much attention to give. Then, I loved reading all the words verbatim and acting out the various characters while pointing to the pictures together. Then, I loved reading chapter and middle grade books to them, sharing in the delight of what’s-going-to-happen-next and the anticipation of being able to read another chapter. And to this day (my kids are now 15 and 17), I love talking about the books we read and reminiscing about the times we did read together, because they remember. All of this reading together impacted them in ways I see and ways I won’t ever see, because it’s hidden in the fabric of their being. Reading books to your kiddos is love. Goodness, I hope this trend turns around.
ME: I hope so, too! Lindsay, this has been fabulous…and I know you are not done yet because this is Will Write for Cookies and I know you have a wonderful recipe to share with us…so, take it away, dear friend.
LINDSAY: OK, so I’m not doing a cookie recipe. Eek! Since I am an ex-pie company owner, I probably should offer up a pie recipe and my never-fail crust recipe. Here’s one of my favorites
Tart Cherry Pie
Crust (Makes two):
3 cups of all-purpose, unbleached flour (King Arthur is the absolute best) 1 tablespoon sugar 1 teaspoon salt ½ cup of vegetable shortening 1 stick of refrigerated unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-sized cubes 9 tablespoons ice water
Combine flour, sugar, salt, vegetable shortening and butter into the food processor. Pulse ten times, one second for each pulse. Add three tablespoons of ice water, then turn on the processor for 10 seconds. Add three more tablespoons of ice water and turn on processor for 10 more seconds. You might need to shake the food processor a bit. Add three more tablespoons of ice water and turn on the food processor. Wait for the dough to become one large clump. Divide the dough in half, flatten each into a disc and cover with foil; refrigerate.
Filling:
2 – 14.5 oz cans of tart cherries in water (This is important. Don’t get the cherries in syrup or pre-made filling) 3/4 cup white sugar 1/4 cup of cornstarch 1/8 teaspoon of salt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
Drain cherries and reserve the liquid. In a saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch and salt. Turn on medium/low heat and stir in cherry liquid. Bring to a boil, stirring often. Reduce heat and let simmer until thickened. Add butter, almond extract and cherries.
Heat oven to 450 degrees. Roll out dough into a 9-inch pie pan. Add filling. Place in oven for 10 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350 and place a sheet of foil over the pie to protect the crust from burning. Continue to bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Enjoy!
This looks like the PERFECT summer pie…maybe some of you will try it for your 4th of July picnic or BBQ. Meanwhile, we are all grateful to Lindsay for sharing so much insight and love with us…and for her generous offer of a giveaway of a copy of GUS HEARTS THE BUS when it launches on July 1st from Sleeping Bear Press. Of course, you probably don’t want to wait to see if you are the one lucky winner…so you can preorder from her favorite indy bookstore, and get a SIGNED copy delivered to you as soon as it launches. Here is the preorder/order info: Sales order links:
VIVIAN KIRKFIELD - Writer for Children 