Since our posting days for the Valentiny Contest this year are February 13th and 14th, and February 13th falls on a Friday. . .
The Contest: Since writing for children is all about “big emotion for little people” (I forget who said that, but someone did so I put it in quotes!) and Valentine’s Day is all about emotion, write a Valentine story appropriate for children (children here defined as ages 12 and under) maximum 214 words in which someone feelsSUPERSTITIOUS! Think of all the things kids are superstitious about – Friday the 13th, sidewalk cracks, black cats, broken mirrors, ladders, four-leaf clovers, lucky pennies, lucky charms, a rabbit’s foot, ladybugs, the number 7, crossing your fingers, knocking on wood etc., or even something that your individual, original character is superstitious about for their own reasons (as long as you let us know what and why), and choose one (or more!) that could affect your character – negatively or positively! – as they navigate their Valentine’s Day experience . . . anything you like! Sky’s the limit! Just make sure it is clearly Valentine-centered and that superstition is central to your story! Think beyond the obvious! Your story can be poetry or prose, sweet, funny, surprising or anything in between, but it will only count for the contest if it includes someone who is superstitious (can be the main character but doesn’t have to be) and is 214 words (get it? 2/14 for Valentine’s Day 😊 ) You can go under the word count but not over! (Title is not included in the word count.) If you are so inclined, you are welcome to enter more than one entry – just remember you’ll be competing against yourself 😊 No illustration notes please!
Post your story in the comment section below between right now this very second and Saturday February 14th by 11:59 PM Eastern. There will be no regularly scheduled posts for the duration of the contest (Tuesday Debut or PPBF), so this post and all of your entries will stay up for everyone to enjoy.
The Judging: over the following days, my lovely assistants and I will narrow down the entrants to around 12-14 top choices, depending on number and quality of entries, which will be posted here and voted on for a winner as soon as we can get them up. The winners and Honorable Mentions will be announced a few days after the vote. (I’m not even going to try to hazard a guess on exact dates!)
Judging criteria will include:
Kid-appeal/Kid-friendliness – remember, this is a story for kids!
Creativity in using superstition, and success in making us feel the superstition! Superstition must be central to the story line, not just mentioned briefly in passing in a story about something else entirely.
Valentine’s Day appropriateness – this is a VALENTINE story and Valentine’s Day must be central to it!
Quality of story – we will look for basic story elements and a true story arc
Quality of writing – use and flow of language, correctness of mechanics, excellence of rhyme and meter if you use it, PROOFREADING!
Originality – surprise us with something new and different! 😊
How well you followed the Submission Guidelines – agents and editors expect professionalism. This is a chance to practice making sure you read and follow specified guidelines.
The Prizes: So many amazing prizes from such generous kidlit folks!
Get Your Manuscript on the Editor’s Desk!
⭐️ A Picture Book Manuscript Read and Critique from Michele McAvoy, Founder/Publisher, author and all-around #kidlit champion at The Little Press!
Michele McAvoy is a multi-award-winning children’s book author, publisher, attorney, and educator from New Jersey. While Michele wears many hats, they all point towards a single goal, bring entertaining and meaningful stories to kids. Michele’s published titles include Willa the Werewolf (The Little Press, Sept. 15, 2023), Buckingham Gets A New Shell (The Little Press, June 9, 2026), Cookie & Milk (Cardinal Rule Press, October 1, 2019), and Toby Undone.
Kathy Halsey, children’s author, is a former English teacher and K-12 school librarian with an M.Ed. in Curriculum and Supervision who coordinated 15 successful school visits. She is the founder of Ask Infowoman: A Library Consult, a service for children’s authors and illustrators designed to make school visits more fun, instructive, and engaging. She is the author of Be A Rainbow (KiwiCo Press, 2023)
⭐️ AFree Admission Ticket to Rosie Pova’sMarch or April Workshop + A Breakthrough Consultation With Rosie for unagented and unpublished PB writers! The Breakthrough Consultation with Rosie is a one-on-one session with her, designed to help the writer identify and overcome any challenges they’re facing—whether it’s related to story craft, manuscript submissions, finding an agent, building an authentic author brand, or strengthening their online presence. During your session, Rosie will help them pinpoint what’s holding them back and create an actionable plan to help them move forward!
Rosie J. Pova is an award-winning, multi-published children’s author, poet, and writing coach. Her books include Sunday Rain, featured in The New York Times, The School of Failure, a Readers’ Favorite silver medalist, and her latest title, Sally’s Musical Tale. She is also the founder of Picture Book Author Academy, where she mentors aspiring authors toward publishing success. In addition, Rosie hosts monthly workshops with agents and editors, offering exclusive learning and submission opportunities for the kidlit community.
Rosie J. Pova
Zoom AMAs + !
⭐️ A 30-min Zoom AMA PLUS A Signed Copy of The Littlest Solstice Tree from talented author Lisa Varchol Perron! Do you have questions? Chat with Lisa!
Lisa Varchol Perron is a children’s author and poet based near Boston, Massachusetts. She especially enjoys writing about our natural world, including in her most recent picture books, The Littlest Solstice Tree(which began as a Holiday Contest Entry! 😊) (Beaming Books, Sept, 23, 2025), Wonder Why (HarperCollins, April 15, 2025), and All the Rocks We Love(Rise x Penguin Workshop, July 16, 2024), and Kite Day (forthcoming from Penguin Random House, April 21, 2026)!
⭐️ A 30-minute AMA Zoom chat with accomplished author Jolene Gutiérrez! Do you have questions? Chat with Jolene!
⭐️ Winner’s Choice of a signed Picture Book w/ Swag, Query Letter Critique, OR 3 Pitch Critique from gifted author Jilanne Hoffman!
Jilanne Hoffmann is the author of the award-winning picture book A River of Dust: The Life-Giving Link Between North Africa and the Amazon,illustrated by Eugenia Mello (Chronicle Books, July 25, 2023); two board books The Honey Bear Hive and Happy Camper (Amazon Editor’s Choice); and the nonfiction picture book The Ocean’s Heart, illustrated by Khoa Le, forthcoming from Millbrook Press (March, 2026). HeartLand, her historical middle grade novel in prose/verse, is forthcoming from Little Brown (July, 2026).
Picture Book Manuscript Critiques!
⭐️ A Picture Book Manuscript Critique (Historical NF) from author Sharon Wilson! (apologies – no images available or provided!)
Sharon teaches picture book and basic novel writing at her local tech schools and colleges as well as at local libraries. She has an adult historical novel and juvenile historical novel on submission. She won first prize in the Oklahoma Federation of writers annual contest for both middle grade historical novel and adult historical novel and has won either second or first prize every year for each picture book that I have entered since 2014. She takes great care with her in-depth critiques.
⭐️ A Picture Book Manuscript Critique from author Gabi Snyder!
Gabi Snyder is a fan of the unexpected and the celebrated author of several picture books including Two Dogs On A Trike (Harry N. Abrams, May 19, 2020), Listen (S&S/Paula Wiseman Books, July 13, 2021), Count On Us: Climate Activists From One To A Billion (Barefoot Books, Sept. 20, 2022), Today (S&S/Paula Wiseman Books, Jan. 30, 2024), and Look (S&S/Paula Wiseman Books, April 16, 2024). Gabi studied psychology at the University of Washington and creative writing at The University of Texas. When she’s not writing, she loves taking nature walks, visiting Little Free Libraries, and baking sweet treats. She lives in Oregon with her family.
⭐️ A Picture Book Manuscript Critique (fiction, no rhyme) PLUS A Copy of Each of her Picture Books from authorKris Tarantino!
Kris Tarantino is a children’s book author whose writing is filled with humor and heart. BedSlime Blues is her second book (WaterBrook/PRH, 2/3/2026). Her debut picture book, Be My ValenSlime (WaterBrook/PRH 2023), illustrated by New York Times bestselling illustrator Cori Doerrfeld, received a Starred Review from School Library Journal. A third book in the Slime series is planned for 2026. Kris is a member of SCBWI, and speaks frequently at conferences and schools. Most recently, she was selected to participate in the 2025 Storyfest literacy day in San Antonio, Texas. And in 2024, she was picked as a faculty presenter for the All Texas Y’all SCBWI Conference. Kris holds a B.A. in Business, Marketing, and Art. Prior to writing children’s books, she worked in marketing, licensing popular entertainment characters for companies that make fun products like toys, books, and balloons. You can find her online at https://kristarantino.com, as well as Twitter/X, FacebookLinkedIn
⭐️ Winner’s Choice of a Picture Book Manuscript Critique (rhyme or prose) OR A Query Letter Critique from author Kelly Conroy!
⭐️ A Picture Book Manuscript Critique from author Stacy Jensen!
Stacy S. Jensen is a children’s book author with a passion for history, research, and exploring new topics like she did as a newspaper journalist. Her debut book BEFORE I LIVED HERE, illustrated by Victo Ngai (Neal Porter Books, Aug. 26, 2025), was written while she lived in Colorado—inspired by her neighborhood.
⭐️ A Picture Book Manuscript Critique (Rhyming, 300 words or less) from author founder of Rhyme Revolution, Angie Karcher!
⭐️ A Picture Book Manuscript Critique (fiction) AND a signed copy of IF A BUMBLEBEE LANDS ON YOUR TOE from author Cynthia Mackey!
Cynthia Mackey is a children’s author and poet living in Victoria, British Columbia. When she’s not reading or writing, she’s Zumba dancing to latin rhythms, chasing after butterflies to get photos, or listening for bird songs on her morning walks. Her books include IF A BUMBLEBEE LANDS ON YOUR TOE, illustrated by Vikki Zhang (Yeehoo Press, May 2025), and the forthcoming BUTTERFLY SEA, illustrated by Marie-Laure Couët (pub date: Tielmour Press, Jan 30, 2026)
⭐️ A Bundle of Two Books by talented authors Pamela Courtney and Ann Magee!
1. From Pamela Courtney, a signed copy of A SEASON FOR FISHIN’: A Fish Fry Tradition
Pam’s Louisiana upbringing inspired her 2025 debut A Season for Fishin’, A Fish Fry Tradition and nurtured her life’s passion for writing, teaching, music. Combining these loves, Pam brings the eyes of a classroom teacher to each narrative she crafts and created MyLMNOP, a literacy and music program for early learners “My duty is great,” says Pam. “I am a writer who teaches. I am a teacher who writes.”
Ann Magee is an elementary school educator, children’s writer, and lifelong learner. She lives in NJ and is an active member of SCBWI. Stories that especially interest her are ones of unknown, yet significant people and historical events. She also is drawn to stories that reveal the positive ways people (and children) impact the environment.
Please join me in thanking these very generous authors and other writing professionals for contributing their books and writing expertise as prizes by visiting their websites and blogs, considering their books and services for birthday, holiday or other gift purchases, rating and/or reviewing their books on GoodReads, Amazon, B&N, or anywhere else if you like them, recommending them for school and library visits, recommending their books for school and library purchases, and supporting them in any other way you can dream up! 😊
Now! Cross you heart (and maybe your fingers, toes, etc!) and post your entries!
With so many great prizes up for grabs I hope there will be a lot of entries – the more the merrier! And you’ve still got a couple days to write, so you can squeeze in under the wire if you haven’t written yet. Feel free to spread the word to your writing friends as well. And your reading friends – parents, teachers, etc. The more people who read and enjoy your stories, the better!!!
Contest Entrants, remember you MUST post your entry in the comment section below and include title, byline, and word count.
Eager Readers – just go along the list of links below, click on them (they’ll take you directly to whichever story you click on), and enjoy the stories!
So let the Valentiny Contest begin!
Happy Writing and Happy Valentines Day! 🩷💕🩷💕🩷
I can’t wait to read your entries!!!
THE 186 ENTRIES! (Anyone who feels nice can start at the bottom of the list so that the later entries get read too! 😊)
It’s Tuesday, and I’m so excited to introduce you to a new debut-ess! Let’s give a warm welcome to the lovely and talented Jolene Gutiérrez and have a look at her book about learning to respect personal space!
Mac and Cheese and the Personal Space Invader written by Jolene Gutiérrez illustrated by Heather Bell published on August 11, 2020 Clear Fork/Spork Publishing Fiction, ages 5-9
Oliver hopes he can learn to be a good friend by observing how guinea pig friends Mac and Cheese interact. Snuggling might be OK for guinea pigs, but Oliver’s classmates don’t like him getting in their personal space bubbles!
SUSANNA: Thank you so much for joining us today, Jolene! We are all excited to hear about your journey to publication! Where did the idea for this book come from?
JOLENE: Based on some of my experiences as a teacher librarian and a parent, I know that many kids struggle with the concept of personal space and friendship/social skills. I wanted to write a story that would give kids and adults talking points and tools around these topics.
SUSANNA: How long did it take you to write this book?
JOLENE: My first draft took me a few weeks to write, but something about it wasn’t quite right. I tinkered with it on and off over a couple of years (in addition to writing other things).
SUSANNA: Did you go through many revisions?
JOLENE: Yes, I went through many revisions! Originally, the story included tiny aliens in flying saucers who were zooming into people’s personal space. In 2018, I had a critique with Callie Metler-Smith, owner of Clear Fork Publishing. While we were looking at the manuscript, Callie said, “Why not take out the aliens and just make this about a boy who struggles with personal space? Lots of people can relate to that.”
SUSANNA: When did you know your manuscript was ready for submission?
JOLENE: After my initial critique with Callie, she said she’d be interested in seeing the edits I made to my manuscript, so I shared them with her. We went back and forth for 3 or 4 months, tweaking the story and making edits.
SUSANNA: When and how did you submit?
JOLENE: At the same time I was making edits on Mac and Cheese and the Personal Space Invader with Callie, I was wrapping up one of Mira Reisberg’s Children’s Book Academy courses, the Craft and Business of Writing Children’s Books. I didn’t have an agent at this time, but Mira had invited me to submit one of my other manuscripts to Clear Fork Publishing and Callie invited me to submit Mac and Cheese (then called The Personal Space Invader), so in the summer of 2018, I submitted both manuscripts to Clear Fork.
SUSANNA: When did you get “the call”? (Best moment ever! 😊)
JOLENE: At the end of October in 2018, Callie reached out via email and asked for my address and phone number. . .I was cautiously optimistic. I didn’t want to get too excited and be disappointed. 😉 So when Callie called me and said she and Mira would like to publish Mac and Cheese and the Personal Space Invader, I was over the moon happy!!
SUSANNA: How did you celebrate signing your contract?
JOLENE: After I finished screaming and jumping up and down, my family and I went out for dinner at a nice restaurant and I ate chocolate!
SUSANNA: Can you tell us a little about the editorial process?
JOLENE: Much of the revision process happened before Callie offered me a contract. After I signed the contract, there was more work with fine-tuning the manuscript and language and making sure the pagination worked. Although I never say it in the text, my main character Oliver is a boy on the autism spectrum, so I had a few sensitivity readers including people with autism and school counselors who have worked with children with autism, and I incorporated their feedback into my edits as well.
SUSANNA: What can you tell us about your experience of the illustration process?
JOLENE: Before Callie and Mira signed an illustrator, they did show me a few options and asked their favorite illustrator, Heather Bell, to create character sketches. When they shared Heather’s character sketches, I fell in love with her gorgeous illustrations. Mira hosted various video meetings with Heather and I where we looked at the spreads and talked through edits.
From the very beginning, I knew I wanted Oliver to have a notebook where he wrote and sketched his observations about the world, so I included that information in the form of art notes. My first art note in the manuscript read: Mac and Cheese are guinea pigs. Oliver watches them and takes notes/sketches pictures in notebook. Oliver’s notebook is with him throughout the book, and I love the adorable sketches Heather created within. Here’s an example of Oliver with his notebook and one of the sketches he made based on what he saw Mac and Cheese doing.
SUSANNA: Did you get to see advance reviews from Kirkus, SLJ, etc.? What was that like?
JOLENE: Yes, and that was tough. I made a conscious choice not to label Oliver as a boy with autism, and my reviewer from Kirkus didn’t like that. The reviewer wrote, in part, “Gutiérrez’s simple story, sprinkled with a few Spanish words from the teacher, lacks the context needed to explain why this young, apparent middle grader has no socialization skills, introducing his difficulty with the simple line “I’ve always wondered how to be a good friend.” The author’s note discusses how acceptable personal-space boundaries can vary culturally and individually but does not illuminate Oliver’s particular challenges further.”
I still feel strongly that a person (or reader) doesn’t need to know a child’s diagnosis (if they have one) to treat them as an individual and with respect and compassion. Many people are challenged by personal space, and I didn’t want it to be viewed as something that only people with autism struggle with.
SUSANNA: I understand your reasoning and think it is sound! (And a lot of us have had less than complimentary reviews from Kirkus! 😊) How long did it take from offer to having the first copy in your hand?
JOLENE: A little over 1½ years—it felt like a long time, but honestly, this is pretty fast in the picture book world!
SUSANNA: What kind of marketing and promotion has your publisher done for this book?
JOLENE: They’ve promoted Mac and Cheese in blog posts, on their websites, in Mira’s Children’s Book Academy, and on social media.
SUSANNA: Describe any marketing/promotion you did for this book.
JOLENE: I created a teacher’s guide, activity guide, and craft sheets (with the help of illustrator Heather Bell and my daughter, Shaian Gutiérrez), and created book swag like bookmarks, stickers, and pins (again, with the help of Shaian). I made a book trailer and sell sheets. I am a member of debut book groups Picture Book Buzz and Perfect2020PBs. I was part of a blog tour, participated in Twitter parties, and have done a few virtual school visits. I partnered with my local SCBWI chapter on some events, did a book launch party with local book store Second Store to the Right, was hosted on the Reading with Your Kids podcast, and presented to the Detroit Writing Room. I’m scheduled as a guest presenter for Children’s Book Academy as well.
SUSANNA: Wow! You’ve been busy! How long was it between the time you started writing seriously and the time you sold your first picture book?
JOLENE: Oh, boy. Well, I joined SCBWI in 2008, and at that time, I wanted to write picture books. A friend who was also a writer told me that the picture book market is really difficult to break into, especially since I’m not an illustrator, so she encouraged me to write within another genre. I tried young adult first, but in 2013, I joined Julie Hedlund’s 12×12 group. I still worked on young adult and middle grade as well, but I finally allowed myself to follow my heart write picture books. I received my contract in 2018.
SUSANNA: What is the most important/helpful thing you learned on your way to publication? (Or what is your most helpful piece of advice for up and coming writers?)
JOLENE: I always knew the writing journey would teach me patience. It has also taught me persistence. There were times during this journey that I considered giving up. I’m a teacher/librarian as well, so I would say to myself, “What are you doing? You already have a day job and there aren’t enough hours in the day! You don’t need to write.” But the truth was, I did need to write. Not to pay the bills, but to feed my soul. So I told myself I’d just keep writing as long as I was moved to do so. I gave myself permission to stop if the joy in the process disappeared. But the joy never disappeared, because writing is like magic—you’re conjuring something larger than yourself. I self-talk like that a lot, and another thing I’ve told myself in regards to reaching my goals is that I have two choices: to stop working toward a goal (in which case I’ll never reach that goal), or to continue working toward a goal (in which case I’ll get there eventually). The other thought I would offer is try to surround yourself with a supportive community. The KidLit community is one of the kindest communities you’ll find anywhere. Connect with others who are moved to make magic like you are. Share tips and tricks. Read others’ work. Read their books and leave reviews. Settle in with the people who will hold you up when you’re falling and lift you up when you’ve done well.
This is me with Daffodil, a baby squirrel we found right before a blizzard in April 2020. My daughter and I fed him every 2 hours and released him in our back yard in July. He still visits us.And these are our 3 rescue dogs, Wynter, Echo, and Summer. 😊
SUSANNA: Great advice! Thank you so much for taking the time to participate in this series, Jolene, and for paying it forward to other writers! I know I speak for everyone when I wish you the very best of luck with this and future titles!!! 😊
JOLENE: Thank YOU so much for this amazing opportunity! I’m so grateful!!
Readers, if you have questions for Jolene, please post them in the comments below and if she has time I’m sure she’ll respond!
You may purchase Jolene’s book at: (all links below are book-specific)
Susanna Leonard Hill 
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