Picture Book Spyglass: Writing through the Lens of Children’s and YA Literature

Why every writer should know picture books: in this workshop, emerging and experienced writers will return to the source and hone their skills through a selection of outstanding picture books. We will learn wisdom, gain inspiration, and rediscover the joy of word-sounds and word play. We’ll find eye-popping object lessons in voice, character, plot, and surprise—while renewing our delight in language. 

Be prepared to articulate your own writing goals for this session to receive personalized prompts. Or feel free to just explore, through collaborative and individual writing time and assignments. Whether you are casting for new reveries, or seeking to push forward on a particular project, let the concise brilliance of picture books light your way.

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Raquel Rivera is a two-time winner of the QWF Prize for Children’s and YA Literature; her books were selected for CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens (starred selection), USBBY Outstanding International Books (Grades 3-5), Quill & Quire’s “Best of 2007” (Children’s), and more.

Raquel has lived and worked in Washington DC, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Barcelona, and Toronto (where she was born and raised as a first-generation Canadian). These experiences, and her own mixed heritage, engender her deep interest in history, culture, social roles, and norms. Cultures in cooperation is the theme that runs through her writing.