Inspiration

A tribute to the classic authors and illustrators who have come before me.

Kevin Henkes

I am inspired by the dynamic character development in Kevin Henkes' works. I believe my writing style is influenced by his calm, flowing rhythm and use of repetition. I also love his artistic style as an illustrator.

Shel Silverstein

My earliest inspiration was the poems of Shel Silverstein. The introduction of rhyme and rhythm made me realize how fun writing can be.

Fun fact: I won the "When I Grow Up" speech contest in 4th grade by sharing my desire to become a poet like Shel Silverstein. I delivered a poem in the speech called "Cafeteria Food."

Stan & Jan Berenstain

I was always a huge fan of the Berenstain Bears series as a child. As an adult, I still appreciate the depth and complexity of the stories. Each book introduced a problem, and the characters learned a lesson as they reached the resolution.

While some of the stories seem slightly outdated today, I still have a deep appreciation for this style of children's literature. Recent industry trends have emphasized books with as few words as possible. As an educator, I believe there is still a place in the market for more complex storytelling in picture books.

Beverly Cleary

Beverly Cleary books were such a joy in my childhood. Not only did they allow me to brag that I was "reading chapter books!" at a young age, but her writing style and rich characters really spoke to me.

I read most, if not all of her books. Ramona and Henry Huggins were my favorite characters. But Socks is the book that I devoured over and over again. When I had my first child, I thought about poor Socks having to adjust, and I tried to give my cat extra love during that time!