YIPPEE!!! What a wonderful way to start the month of August!!! And I’m so very happy that you all are joining me here for the unveiling of a new picture book cover!!! Author Donna Cangelosi is a dear friend and I am thrilled and honored to help celebrate this fabulous book, illustrated by the talented Elisa Paganelli.
Oh my gosh! I absolutely LOVE this cover! It totally draws me in and makes me want to open the book and start reading!
And how lucky are we? Donna stopped by to share a bit about the book and also the story behind the story.
ME: Welcome, dear Donna! Thank you so much for agreeing to tell us about the book…and how it came to be.
DONNA: Hi Vivian…thanks for having me and helping to celebrate the fabulous cover of my newest book.
Light, Letters, and Love : How Jo van Gogh Saved Vincent’s Paintings for the World
Written by: Donna Cangelosi
Illustrated by: Elisa Paganelli
Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press
Release date: March 16, 2027
Thank you, Vivian for helping me share the cover of this special book with the world! Here’s a little bit about the book...
Summary:
Vincent van Gogh’s priceless paintings, bursting with swirling colors changed the world of art. Today, he is one of the most beloved artists of all time and his paintings are admired in every corner of the world. But few people know that one woman spent her life championing Vincent’s artwork. Jo van Gogh was Theo’s wife and Vincent’s sister-in-law. She channeled her grief after their deaths into a campaign to ensure that van Gogh’s artwork received the recognition it deserved.
This heartfelt picture book is about loss, hope, persistence, and lifting others. It captures the bond between family members, the healing powers of art, and shows how challenges can be transformed into beauty.
What inspired me to write this book:
I’ve always loved Vincent van Gogh’s art and knew that I wanted to write a picture book about him. But after reading Barb Rosenstock’s beautiful picture book, Vincent Can’t Sleep, I realized it can’t get better than that, so I let go of the idea. Then, in April 2021, I came upon an article in The New York Times Magazine, “The Woman Who Made van Gogh!” Before I even read the entire article, I knew I had to write a story to shine a light on Jo, the way she shined her light on Vincent. I jotted down a sentence, “Without Jo, there would be no van Gogh.” And from that moment, you could say Jo moved in with me.
A challenge I faced on the path to publication:
Soon after Jo moved in, Vincent arrived as well. So, I used a parallel structure to write the story. After many revisions, the original version went on submission and every editor passed. I then had a professional critique, and the editor suggested that I try rewriting the story about Jo, weaving Vincent’s struggles into the plot. Ouch! Cut Vincent? I’ve cut sentences and spreads and all sorts of darlings, but this was a hard one. It was half of my manuscript. I put the story aside for a while and thought about it. But it didn’t take long to realize I had to give it a try. With my renewed clarity, I rewrote the story and Jo’s struggles, passion, determination, and accomplishments came through. This also helped me get to the takeaway for kids—to shine their light on others the way Jo shined hers on Vincent.
ME: Thank you so much, Donna. We always love to hear what inspired the books we fall in love with…and I have a feeling that there will be many who fall in love with this one. And, dear friends, here is a little bit about the creators of this book.
Donna Cangelosi is a children’s book author and psychologist. She spent her career counseling children in schools, clinics, and her psychology practice and now, she also writes stories to inspire and uplift them. Donna enjoys writing about people who made the world a better place and the wonders of childhood, animals, and nature. She is the author of Mister Rogers’ Gift of Music. When she’s not writing, Donna loves exploring nature and traveling. She has journeyed far and wide to see Vincent van Gogh’s magnificent masterpieces and thanks Jo each time she encounters one. https://www.donnacangelosi.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/donnacangelosi2 Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/donnacangelosi.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/donna.cangelosi.5/
Elisa Paganelli is an Italian illustrator and creative designer born in Modena, Italy, and based in Buckinghamshire, UK. With a background in advertising and over 20 years in the creative field, she creates illustrations for picture books, middle- grade fiction, and cover art. Her work includes bestselling and award-winning titles such as the Greenwild series, the Adventures on Trains series, The House with Chicken Legs, and books by Ben Miller, among others. Elisa finds inspiration in nature, quiet moments, books, and long walks with her dog Miranda. Her curiosity for psychology and human experience influences the warmth, empathy, and storytelling behind her work. https://elisapaganelli.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/elisapaganelli_illustration Twitter: https://twitter.com/elisaupsidedown
AND NOW, BECAUSE I KNOW MANY OF YOU WILL WANT TO GRAB YOUR OWN COPY AND HELP THIS BOOK BECOME A SUCCESS…HERE ARE SOME PRE-ORDER LINKS:
Thank you, dear friends, for spending your precious time with us. I hope you have a wonderful August! As you’ve probably noticed, I’ve stepped back a bit from blogging…but we have a couple of posts coming up this month…and a bunch in September…so please stay tuned.
Hello dear friends…and Happy Perfect Picture Book Friday! I had taken a step back from blogging last month to prepare for and attend the New England SCBWI conference in Stamford, CT…which was AMAZING. And also to enjoy a trip to Scotland and England…which was INCREDIBLE. If you are on social media, hopefully you saw some of the photos…I even got to enjoy a high tea at Jane Austen’s house in Bath…and try on some period costumes. But, when I discovered that a dear friend, Deb Williams, had a debut picture book launching on June 16, I knew I’d want to spread the word and share it with all of you.
Version 1.0.0
NIGHTY NIGHT, DINOS
Written by Deborah Holt Williams
Illustrated by Anna Doherty
Published by Familius (June 16, 2026)
Ages: 3-5
Themes: Bedtime, Rhyming, Dinosaurs
Why I Love This Book 1. I love lyrical, many-layered books – this one is so relatable for young children – focusing on the importance of sleep – using dinosaurs and rhyming text to entertain. 2. I love illustrations that engage and keep kids turning the pages. 3. I love new bedtime stories…I think we never have enough of them.
And now, dear friends, because we are SO lucky…and because author Williams is SO generous, we get to chat with her…and learn the story behind the story.
ME: Welcome to Picture Books Help Kids Soar, dear Deb. I know that everyone is excited to learn more about you…and how this wonderful picture book came to be. Is Nighty Night, Dinos your first published book?
DEB: I have five small early readers published for the educational market, but this is my first hard-cover picture book, and I’m delighted with it!
ME: Did you always envision Nighty Night, Dinos as a picture book?
DEB: Actually, it began in 2020 as an entry in a bedtime story contest that did not win. But I really liked it, so I started submitting it as a board book. Familius responded the day after I sent it in 2021, but they had quite a few dino books already. We kept in touch though, and in 2023 the publisher at Familius asked if I would add a few more stanzas so it could become a 32-page picture book. I was thrilled!
ME: When did you first start submitting your writing?
DEB: I started to get serious about writing and submitting when the youngest of my five children went to school full-time. I joined SCBWI in 1998 and started sending stories out.
ME: Do you have an agent?
DEB: I’ve had two agents in the past and we parted amicably. I am currently un-agented, which is fine because I’ve had better luck on my own.
ME: Between when you started submitting in 1998 and your first picture book contract in 2026, did you have any stories that came close to being published?
DEB: Yes. I had a New Mexican version of The Gingerbread Man called Biscochito Man (that’s the state cookie of NM) and it made it to the acquisitions committee at a major publisher. But the final “No” came while I was going through chemo for breast cancer. (That was 14 years ago and the treatment was successful. Yay!) Then 5 years ago I had a contract with a publisher for a lyrical biography of the glass artist Chihuly, with an illustrator who knew and loved Chihuly’s work, and the week it was to go out on sub the agent left the agency and decided she would no longer represent picture books. I had to write to the agency and request the termination of my contract. That was painful! But the agent and I still keep in touch and she’s happy for my success.
ME: With so many years of collecting rejections, how did you stay motivated to keep going?
DEB: At a Highlights workshop in Chautauqua, NY in 2011, author Eileen Spinelli handed everyone a little rubber ball to remind us to bounce back from rejections, and I still have mine in my writing desk. I keep going because it’s been a dream of mine to be an author since I learned how to write in first grade, and I know the only guaranteed way to fail is to quit. Plus I had successes along the way with poems and non-fiction pieces sold to magazines and websites for kids. Entering and doing well in contests helped, too. I find I’m more motivated to succeed now that I have grandchildren, because I want them to see that they should follow their dreams. And I want to make them proud of their Nana!
ME: Tell us about the illustrator of your book.
DEB: Her name is Ana Doherty and she is Scottish but lives in Switzerland. She’s been illustrating books since 2017 and this is her third book with Familius Publishing. She says she enjoyed creating the little touches she added to the pictures, like the tiny bunny slippers under the triceratops’ bed. Familius has been very good about asking for my input on her illustrations. When they told me she was thinking of clouds for the end papers, I asked if the clouds could be shaped like puffy dinosaurs, and that’s what she did.
ME: Do you have other books coming out and are they also written in rhyme?
DEB: Yes, I’m happy to have contracted with Familius for two more in the series, due to be released in 2028: Nighty Night, Puppies and Nighty Night, Bears. Like the dinosaur book, they are also rhymers. It’s often said that rhyme doesn’t sell, because it doesn’t always translate well for foreign markets. But children love it, and I really enjoy the challenge of writing in rhyme.
ME: What advice would you give to aspiring children’s book writers?
DEB: Get involved: join SCBWI and participate with your local chapter, join a critique group, follow other writers like Vivian on social media, read books on writing, take classes, follow sites like Kidlit411, Harold Underdown’s Purple Crayon and Literary Rambles, enter contests, write and submit a wide variety of work from poems to stories to non-fiction pieces, and volunteer at your local library once a week to see what’s new in kids’ books. I go in and wipe down the picture books and check for books in the wrong place, and I often snap a picture of a publisher’s name when I see a book that looks like one I might submit to.
ME: What is one of the best things about writing for children?
DEB: The best thing is reading your words to a child and seeing the enjoyment on that little face. And I love that writers can keep on being writers all their lives. I’m in an online group of women authors over 60 who are all “late bloomers,” finally having time to devote to writing and submitting, and getting published. I feel like I’m hitting my stride at the age of 74, and I plan to keep at it!
ME: Can you tell us about yourself?
DEB: I live in the mountains of Colorado with my husband and three adopted senior pets, a cat and two dogs. I have five children and six grandchildren, and my hobby is making enormous bubbles for events.
Thank you so much, dear Deb! I LOVE that you never gave up…and I am so very happy to help you celebrate your success!
Happy Mother’s Day to every person who fills that role – moms, grandmothers, teachers, babysitters, daycare providers, neighbors…and yes…sometimes dads!
My daughter and grandson – 17 years ago!
The past week was also Children’s Book Week…and for the past 9 years, I’ve hosted #50PreciousWordsforKids, an international writing challenge for young people. It’s so important for us to encourage kids to believe that their voices matter…and, no matter how young or how old we are, we all have a story to tell.
Screenshot
I tried to respond to each child, mentioning some of the reasons why I loved their story…I hope that when parents and teachers share that praise with them, they will grow in confidence. Each child receives a Certificate of Participation…early successes can become cornerstones in a strong foundation of self-worth.
Stories came from NY, California, Iowa, Minnesota, Florida, North Carolina…as well as Canada and Angola. The topics were varied…and the ages of these young authors varied…the youngest storyteller is 3…and the oldest is 16.
Congratulations to all – and a huge thank you to the parents and teachers who encouraged and supported and took the time to send the stories to me.
DRUMROLL PLEASE…….
THE TINY MOUSE’S CRACKER CHALLENGE by Lauren S. – Grade: 5 – Age 10 – USA
Creak! The mouse froze. Behind him, the cat snorted, eyes fluttering. Heart pounding, the mouse gripped his giant cracker and crept toward the kitchen door. Closer. Suddenly—aaah-CHOO! The cat, now awake, pounced. Whoosh! The tiny mouse slid under the door just as a heavy paw collided with the door.
A RAINY DAY by Emily – Grade 2 – Age 8 – North Carolina
It’s a Saturday and it’s raining. Most people would say “Aw man, it’s raining.” But I went out in the rain. I checked on my garden. I splashed in puddles. I rode my scooter in the rain. I didn’t just watch the rain; I felt the rain on my skin.
BLUE SKIES AND BLISS by Aiden Parker – Grade 8 – Age 13 – Florida
He stepped outside. Sunlight warmed the green hills under the bright blue sky, the city resting in the distance. The Bliss background glowed in his mind, a memory from long‑ago screens. Technology had failed, but his reasoning saved the day. The world felt calm again, so he walked toward the hills.
BENJAMIN WORLD RECORDS By Milo – Kindergarten – Age 5 – Massachusetts
Papusa—Cutest Stuffed Cat Sonia—Best Artist Dan—Tallest Man Top Ramen—Ramenest Dog Cup of Noodles—Noodlest Dog Dreidel—Cutest Cat Snowman’s Twinkle Star—Best Flashlight Kelley Burger—Biggest Burger with a Face and Ears Coddy—Biggest Avocado with a Face Mom and Dad—Happiest Grown-ups Juniper—Cutest Cousin
DREIDEL THE CAT’S GUIDE TO LICKING by Sonia – Grade 4 – Age 9 – Massachusetts
First, you find a spot to lick. Then you lick and lick and lick and lick. If itchy, you lick. If red, you lick. If balled, you lick. If mommy gives you gross medicine, you lick. Even if you puke.
BASEBALL CHICKEN by Myles – Grade 2 – Age 8/second grade – North Carolina
One day I was playing baseball when I saw a chicken. I fell in love with it. I brought it home and kept it. I gave it food, and water, and a wedding ring. In ten years, I got married with a chicken.
THE MISSING SLEEPOVER ITEMS by Nicole Xie – Grade 4 – San Francisco, CA
“Where is my plush? Where’s my hat? Is my candy gone?” She searched everywhere and questioned everyone. Then she found all of it with her little sister. “It’s time to go!” exclaimed Ella.
THE MISSING BACKPACK by Cindy Zhang – Grade 4 – San Francisco, CA
“It’s time for school!” Mila ran down the stairs. “Where’s your backpack?” asked Mom. “I can’t find it,” replied Mila. She ran up the stairs and looked for her things. She saw her books laying on the step. Afterwards, she found her homework. A backpack strap peeked from her closet.
ANNA’S TEST by Huiyan Chen – Grade 4 – San Francisco, CA
Anna has a test today. Yesterday Anna practiced and practiced. Anna is practicing Chinese and English. Her mom gave Anna a hug and told Anna to drink a glass of milk. The day of the test Anna is ready. Anna is confident she will get good grades on her test.
THE JAMMED FINGER by Kitty Wen – Grade 4 – San Francisco, CA
Mia closed the door on Mar’s finger. “AHH!” yelled Mars Mars opened the door, seeing her finger red. It looked like there would be a bruise. Mars’s mom tried to heal it with ice. “It’s not working,” says Mom “Try not to think about it.” Mia handed them a bandage.
A SWIM AT THE POOL By Karris Guo – Grade 4 – San Francisco, CA
“Yay! Pool!” It was Fifi’s first time at the pool. Her parents were terrified to let her swim, she was only 4 years old. The crystal clear water brought Fifi closer to the pool. Hesitant but determined. “SPLASH!” “I want to come here everyday!” Fifi’s parents breathed a sigh of relief.
LOST IN THE MALL by Crystal Li – Grade 4 – San Francisco, CA
Juan ran everywhere screaming. “Where is my dad?” “Horror and fantasy books aren’t his favorite.” “Not here!” There are too many lines. Dad wouldn’t dare to wait. “Well, I guess I can wait.” Juan walked out of the mall and saw a bright orange car. “DAD!”
Fire Engine by Keon – Age 3 – Angola
The fire engines are sleeping at the station. The phone rings. Emergency! Two men are stuck in a tree. The sirens go nee-naw, the lights flash, the fire engines rush to the tree. They rescue the people. Hooray! Everyone is happy. They go back to the fire station to sleep.
MAYA STANDS UP by Becky Zhen – Age 10 – Grade 4 – California
It was Maya’s first day of school. Her mom dropped her off early. Maya walked near a group. Kids laughed at her height. Maya wasn’t brave. She was filled with desperate tears. “Leave me alone!” The kids walked away gossiping. Maya felt a relief and calmer. RING…it was class time.
A TRUE TREASURE by Sonora – Grade 10 – Age 16 – Minnesota
All pirates want certain kinds of treasure. Some look for maps, jewels, and gold. Though for me, marbles bring pleasure. I don’t scavenge for lots of colors so bold or for pieces of a game played between a few. Rather, I seek them for adventure with my crew.
THE STOLEN CANDY by Conrad Xu – Grade 4 – San Francisco, California
Robert came home to see his candy was gone. Crash! He went into the room Nope. Not there He was hungry for candy already but he couldn’t find his candy. So he went out to ask for more candy. And then Robert saw his little brother eating his only candy.
GEAR FINDING by Kevin Zeng – Grade 4 – San Francisco, California
My brother screamed, ”I LOST MY HEADPHONES.” I replied, ”Maybe it’s at school.” He said, ”Nah, I don’t think it’s there.” I said, ”JUST CHECK!” Then we found nothing. He said, “We searched everywhere.” I said, ”How about your classroom?” Then we saw his headphones on his desk.
THE GREAT TREE (Graphic story) by Gemma – Age 10 – Grade 5 – NY
MR. BANANA by Avery W. – Grade 4 – Age 9 – WA
One day at Fred Meyer, a banana came to life! His name was Mr. Banana. Mr. Banana has never been alive before. He explored the shop. “Hmmm…” he said, “I wonder if there is any other alive foods.” Then, “Hello! I’m apple.” “I’m Mr. banana. Do you want to play?”
SPORTS by Natalie M. – Grade 4 – Age 9 – Puyallup, WA
I like football! My dad and brother play football too. My dad throws far, he can throw across a whole yard. My brother can throw across a road. I can’t really throw that far. So, my mom taught me crocheting and she said I was getting it. So for now I do that instead.
MONKEY- CRAZY BANANA by Traizen P. – Grade 4 – Age 9 – Puyallup, WA
A monkey had a banana and then a gorilla took it and said “ha-ha I took your banana.” The monkey said, “Hey give me that back!” The gorilla said, “Not a chance!” and thew it in a tree. Monkey knocked him out.
THE STORY OF AN EGG by Indica D. – Grade 4 – Age 9 – Puyallup, WA
Once there was an egg named Billy. Billy had a friend named Jimbob. “Hi Billy!” said Jimbob. “Hello,” Jimbob said. “Billy, do you want to go on the swings?” asked Jimbob. “Ok,” said Billy. They both went to the swings and after they went home.
ONCE UPON A BADMINTON DREAM by Johnson Zhang – Grade 4 – Age 10 – San Francisco, CA
I think about a badminton dream The next day, I told my mom that I want to play badminton. Mom said “Sure, but you need to promise that you will be on the International Stage.” 18 years later, I am 28, I success the promise and even win the champion.
TWO NEW KITTENS by Kelan Huang – Grade 4 – San Francisco, CA
Sophia skipped down the block to get a new kitty. She adopted a white one. “It’s so cute and furry!” The kitten purred softly and cried. Sophia was confused. Then she remembered that the kitten had a friend. She adopted him too. “You now are Yin and you are Yang!”
THE BULLIED PERSON by Darren Chen – Grade 4 – San Francisco, CA
A person called Joseph got bullied. Then he told them to stop but they didn’t stop. Then Joseph told them to stop again but they still didn’t stop. Then he told the teacher. They finally stopped. And he was happy that they finally stopped. “Yay. I’m not getting bullied anymore!”
DANNY’S NEW FRIEND by Jacob zhou – Grade 4 – San Francisco, CA
Danny had a new school. He missed his old friend. At school, everyone was staring at him. He didn’t even know what the teacher was saying. At lunch time, a classmate asked him about things. Danny didn’t answer. Then the classmate asked him, want to be a best friend.
THE ICE CREAM PROBLEM by Vivian Wu – Grade 4 – San Francisco, CA
Andrew wanted to get ice cream. He went to pick one. The great tasty flavors waited upon him to pick. Andrew gets chocolate. “Yum!” said Andrew. “Plop” the ice cream fell. Andrew sniffed and cried of his ice cream. Andrew decided to get a new one and ate it happily.
PETS IN THE TUB Maya – Senior kindergarten – Age 6 – Ontario, Canada
I wanted a pet whale. I put him in the bathtub. I gave him a kiss. EWWWWWWW!!! Shampoo-y kiss! I don’t want a pet whale. I get a pet dog. I gave him a kiss. EWWWWWWW!!! Shampoo-y kiss! Maybe the bathtub is the problem.
TURTLE WANTS A HUG Arthur – Preschool – Age 3 – Ontario, Canada
Turtle is in the bathtub playing with toys. He sees dad and wants a hug. He gets a hug. He is happy.
GETTING A NEW GAME by Aiden Huang – Grade 4 – San Francisco, CA
So one day there were named John and Chris They both wanted to get a game called Minecraft But they got no money so they went to the bank And when they were excited the ATM said Error Then a miracle happened. A billionaire came and gave out games
JOHN’S FAVORITE MISSING LEGO by Justin Huang – Grade 4 – San Francisco, CA
As John was playing with his legos, He found out that his favorite lego piece was missing. John searched everywhere and even asked his mom and dad. But even they didn’t know, so John gave up. But when he went back to playing legos John found it in his hands.
MY FIRST FLIGHT by Caroline – Grade 8 – Age 13 – Iowa
I’m trapped in my nest. I try to spread my wings and lift my tail feathers. I jump up and down, but no luck. I try again and again. I jump out of my nest, and spread out my wings, and I…. SOAR!! I can fly!! Where should I go?
THE GREAT HIKE by Skyler S. – Grade 4 – Age 10 – Puyallup, WA
Jack, Bill, and Bob were ready for an adventure. Jack said,” I think we should take a hike”. Bill asked, “what’s a hike and what will we have to do”. Bob said”, it is exploring by walking”. Jack had food, water, clothes, and tools in everyone’s backpack. They started the long hike then it got cloudy and cold. They saw a trail and followed it till they got to the end. It was a week, they survived.
THE HAPPY PLACE by Addison J. – Grade 4 – Age 10 – Puyallup, WA
The happy place is a place where dogs live. One dog named Darly, with a head full of wounders, goes to see a dog named Fother. Darly says “hi, want to play?”. Fother says “yes”. He says “let’s go to the park”. Darly says “ok”. They are friends.
SNOWBOARD KING Kaleb M. – Grade 4 – Age 10 – Puyallup, WA
December 2205 Kaleb is a boy that loves snowboarding and math. So one day in December 2205 he went to a mountain and started to snowboard and when he got to this ramp, he hit a backflip and someone saw him and then he got selected for the X Games.
LONELY DOG by Gianna H. – Grade 4 – Age 10 – Puyallup, WA
There once upon a time, a dog was on a street. Lonely, scared, cold, and sad. Until some people grabbed her and put her in a cage. She was at a adoption center. She waited until it was time. They sacrificed her. She is in heaven.
THE MISSING ARTIFACT by Lexi T. – Grade 4 – Age 10 – Puyallup, WA
Once upon a time there was an older sister and a younger brother, they both were investigators. Then a person came and said, someone stole an ancient artifact’!
They looked all over town but didn’t find them so they looked at the festival and found them, so they got arrested.
UNICORNS by Addison P. – Grade 4 – Age 10 – Puyallup, WA
Unicorns: there is a situation – please save us – bye. “What are we going to do” the stinky ones said. Then the purity ones said “we are going to kick buts.” Then the librarian said “SHHHHH” Then we went there and we won – bye.
The Best Cake Ever by Emily Jin – Grade 5 – San Francisco, CA
“Good luck!” “I’m making the best cake ever!” Sharky said He tried to make a seven layer cake. The layers tipped and tumbled down. He decorated with unicorns. The horns fell off. Finally, he added berries on top. The berries made a flower. First place. “Delicious!”
The PUMPKIN TRICKS by Ella T – Age 5
There was a pumpkin and he was nice. He trick-or-treated every day. One day, he trick-or-treated, and when he looked in his bucket, there was no candy. A skeleton had taken it. And then the pumpkin asked him to give it back. And the skeleton did.
DAISY’S STOLEN MILK by Beatrix T – Age 10
Daisy the grumpy dairy cow and her herd were mad. The farmer was stealing their milk and selling it. Daisy and the herd planned to get payment for their milk. Reluctantly, the farmer paid. After eating their payment, the farmer sold chocolate milk for twice the price of regular milk.
THANK YOU TO ALL THE COURAGEOUS KIDS WHO SHARED THEIR WONDERFUL STORIES WITH US. Please keep making your voices heard…we are listening!
Remember the photo of my daughter and her son…here they are…17 years later. it was prom night for him….
