For Writers
SCBWI - If you want to write for children, join the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.
Purple Crayon - The website of Harold Underdown, author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Publishing Children's Books.
There's lots of info here about the business of children's publishing.
Vermont College - If you're serious about writing for children, seriously consider Vermont College. The website of Vermont College faculty member Cynthia
Leitich Smith has lots of resources for writers — and readers.
Manuscript Tracker - A manuscript tracking program for Macs.
In New England
For Readers [Check out these authors and their websites]
Jane Yolen - A writer of fantasy for all ages, Jane is also a master of humor, poetry, and poetic picture books including Owl Moon, which won the Caldecott Medal, and her best selling dinosaur series, beginning with How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight. I adore her Commander Toad series of easy readers.
Kathi Appelt - Got to read her Bubba and Beau picture books!
Liza Ketchum - Her historical novel, Where the Great Hawk Flies won the 2006 Mass. Center for the Book Award for Children's Fiction.
Ellen Wittlinger - If you love contemporary Young Adult fiction, she's your woman!
Jeannine Atkins - Jeannine and I share an editor at Farrar, Straus. She writes picture books and biographies about strong women. We met at the SCBWI workshop Jane Yolen ran for many years in the Hatfield Library. The workshop is still held there, but it's now run by Jeannine and Marguerite Davol. Both are talented and generous writers. Check out Marguerite's picture books, Heart of the Wood and The Paper Dragon.
Leda Schubert - I met Leda at Vermont College when we were both students there. (She's now on the faculty.) Her Ballet of the Elephants is one of the most gorgeous picture books ever.
Debby Dahl Edwardson - Debby lives in the far north in Barrow, Alaska, and has amazing stories to tell about her world. One of them she captured in a beautiful picture book called Whale Snow.
M. T. Anderson - One of my favorite authors on the planet. Check out his books and you'll find out why. He doesn't have a website, but if you Google him, you'll find lots of interesting stuff. His books range from quirky picture books to the very funny chapter book series beginning with Whales on Stilts, to intense Young Adult Novels with a bit of a science fiction/fantasy bent. His novel Feed was a National Book Award finalist, as is the remarkable The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume One the Pox Party.
