Show Notes
More and more picture books include backmatter these days—including fiction picture books. In today's Roundtable discussion, Julie Hedlund and the team share many different ways to include backmatter with your manuscript, including dos and don'ts of creating additional content. Books mentioned in this episode: The First Notes by Julie Andrews, Emma Walton Hamilton, and Chiara Fedele Tricky Chopsticks by Sylvia Chen and Fanny Liem Reindeer Remainders by Katey Howes and Marie Hermansson Over, Bear! Under, Where? by Julie Hedlund and Michael Slack Grand Canyon by Jason Chin Hurricane by Jason Chin If You Come to Earth by Sophie Blackall To Boldly Go: How Nichelle Nichols and Star Trek Helped Advance Civil Rights by Angela Dalton and Lauren Semmer Wood, Wire, Wings: Emma Lilian Todd Invents an Airplane by Kirsten W. Larson and Tracy Subisak Shell Song by Sharon Fujimoto-Johnson Springtime Storks by Carol Munro and Chelsea O'Byrne Unspeakable by Carole Boston Weatherford and Floyd Cooper The Bees of Notre Dame by Meghan P. Browne and E. B. Goodale Waiting in the Wings by Julie Andrews, Emma Walton Hamilton, and EG Keller The Very Fairy Princess by Julie Andrews, Emma Walton Hamilton, and Christine Davenier Webinars on Backmatter: Backmatter: Form and Function with M.O. Yuksel Backmatter Matters with Heidi E.Y. Stemple
More from Picture Book Summit Podcast
Yes, your picture book's title, hook, and opening are important to getting a reader to actually pick up and READ your book, but it's the picture book ending that defines their experience. Is the ending satisfying? Does it answer all the questions asked in the story? Does it make the reader gasp (or laugh) at the surprise? Most importantly, does is make them want to read your book again and again? With only a few hundred words at your disposal, you must stick the landing. In this excerpt from a past Picture Book Summit, Katie defines many types of picture endings and digs deep into two types with examples and questions to ask yourself to achieve your desired goal. Listen now so you can stick the landing in your next picture book! Books mentioned in this episode: Truman by Jean Reidy and Lucy Ruth Cummins 100 Mighty Dragons Named Broccoli by David LaRochelle and Lian Cho Your Place in the Universe by Jason Chin Thomas Jefferson Builds a Library by Barbara Rosenstock and John O'Brien Find these books* and more in the Picture Book Summit Bookshop! Resources mentioned in this episode: Get 30% off Katie's full STICKING THE LANDING IN PICTURE BOOK ENDINGS workshop here. Use coupon code PODCAST.
Every industry has a language all its own and writing and publishing are no different! In fact, it takes two episodes for the Picture Book Summit team to cover the basics. In our last episode, we focused on the lingo used in talking about writing and revising. Today, we talk about the all-important language around submitting your manuscripts to agents and editors and common phrases used during the acquisition and publishing process. We even learned things in this episode! This is a must-listen for anyone hoping to have a published book! Books mentioned in this episode: Where The Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak Song After Song: The Musical Life of Julie Andrews by Julie Hedlund and Ilaria Urbinati Waiting in the Wings by Julie Andrews, Emma Walton Hamilton, and EG Keller Who Hops by Katie Davis Who Hoots by Katie Davis Find these books* and more in the Picture Book Summit Bookshop! Resources mentioned in this episode: Free submissions training from Emma and Julie here. Learn even more about how the children's publishing industry works ONLINE at Picture Book Summit on October 3, 2026: Grab your ticket today!
Once you decide to dive into writing picture books and trying to get published, you quickly realize this industry has a language all its own. Today, the Picture Book Summit Team translates the publishing lingo you might run into on the writing and revising side of things. In the next episode, we dive into the publishing lingo surrounding submissions and publishing. Books mentioned in this episode: Life After Whale by Lynn Brunelle and Jason Chin Stalactite & Stalagmite by Drew Beckmeyer Shark vs. Train by Chris Barton and Tom Lichtenheld The Book with No Pictures by B.J. Novak The Blue Jays That Grew a Forest by Lynn Street and Anne Hunter Dalmartian by Lucy Ruth Cummins
Today's episode is the third in our series discussing the amazing books written and/or illustrated by our 2026 Superstar Speakers. Check out our episode on Derrick Barnes' books here and Deborah Underwood's books here. In this episode, we get to chat about Brian Lies' books. We talk about the in-depth work that goes into his words and illustrations and how he expands the worlds he shares with us. Books mentioned in this episode: Good Night, Good Night, Construction Site by Sherri Duskey Rinker and Tom Lichtenheld Cat Nap by Brian Lies More by I.C. Springman and Brian Lies Bats at the Ball Game by Brian Lies Got to Get to Bear's by Brian Lies The Rough Patch by Brian Lies Diffy by Brian Lies Resources mentioned in this episode: Check out the video version on our YouTube channel to see the books discussed. Our podcast interview with Brian Lies Katie's Summit Workshop: Sticking the Landing: Endings in Picture Books Don't miss Brian revealing how to use everything in your toolbox to engage readers at Picture Book Summit on October 3, 2026: Reel Them In: Using All the Lures in Your Tackle Box to Engage Readers NY Times bestselling author/illustrator and Caldecott Honoree Brian Lies discusses things he's learned over 30 years in the kidlit world. He'll reveal how to hone YOUR individual style and the power of adding unique details to your stories—all while not getting beached on ever-shifting career sands or sucked in by shiny whirlpools. Grab your ticket today!
Our book discussion continues today with Deborah Underwood's books! Get your TBR list out and start writing down Deborah Underwood's books we chat about in this episode. They are a masterclass in figuring out the heart of the story—no matter the theme, genre, tone, or style. We think you're going to love her books as much as we do! Books mentioned in this episode: The Quiet Book by Deborah Underwood & Renata Liwska Ducks! by Deborah Underwood and T.L. McBeth Ogilvy by Deborah Underwood and T.L. McBeth Bearnard's Book by Deborah Underwood and Misa Saburi Bearnard Writes a Book by Deborah Underwood and Misa Saburi Tiny Garden by Deborah Underwood and Jax Chow The Man Who Didn't Like Animals by Deborah Underwood and LeUyen Pham The Panda Problem by Deborah Underwood and Hannah Marks Outside In by Deborah Underwood and Cindy Derby Good Night, Baddies by Deborah Underwood and Juli Kangas Interstellar Cinderella by Deborah Underwood and Meg Hunt Fairy Tale Fixers by Deborah Underwood and Jorge Lacera