Books available at bookstores everywhere, and through online booksellers, including:

IndieBound
Tattered Cover
Amazon.com
Barnes&Noble

A FEW GREAT RESOURCES, KIDS' BOOK BLOGS, ETC.

Do I read them every day? No--I'd never get any work done. But I do enjoy visiting now and then!
SCBWI
Aspiring writers, begin here!
The Purple Crayon
Harold Underdown's site--an excellent resource for beginners and long-timers alike
Kidlitosphere Central
Gateway to the passionate and informed community of children's book bloggers.
Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast
Has my vote for Most Beautiful Blog (great to read, too).
Poetry for Children
Sylvia Vardell's excellent source for all things poetry.
The Miss Rumphius Effect
Excellent reading by a champion of children's poetry, non-fiction, and literature in general.
Jama Rattigan's Alphabet Soup
Lively and colorful posts on food, books, and poetry. What could be better?
Wild Rose Reader
Terrific poetry, poets, news and resources--and a link to Elaine's funny and irreverent political verses.
Write Up My Life
Smart, thoughtful, and witty ruminations on writing, books, parenting, and life.
Laura Purdie Salas
As an author and poet, Laura has great stuff about writing, marketing, and school visits--plus lots of fun writing prompts.
Cynsations
Lots of info for writers and others from author and long-time blogger Cynthia Leitich Smith.
Just One More Book!
Amazing collection of podcasts about children's books and their creators by a dynamic and dedicated duo (on hiatus while Andrea fights breast cancer).
The Children's Book Review
Lots of reviews, plus some book giveaways.
Reading Rockets
Great resource for encouraging a love of reading. Also: recommended reading and author interviews.
Chicken Spaghetti
Good stuff here for book-lovers; lively writing.
Three Silly Chicks
Funny reviews of funny books (funny author interviews, too).
Bees Knees Reads
The subtitle--"Passionate for Picture Books"--says it all.
Children's Literature Network
Great resource for children's book writers, and those who love children's books.
Reading Trails
A fun site to read (and create) "trails" of favorite books. Here's my trail of "Children's Books I Don't Mind Reading Over and Over (and Over) Again."
Find Authors
Author's Guild

Hello, and welcome!


Thanks for visiting. You'll find News on this page, and a bio here. For information about books and teaching ideas, go to Books/​Activities, or click on specific titles at right. If you'd like me to give a presentation, teach a workshop or visit your school, go to Workshops & Talks. For writers looking for feedback on stories, click on Manuscript Consultation. And if you'd like some great reading material for your middle-grader, go to Jackson's Book Picks for reviews and recommendations from my son Jackson, an avid reader. Questions or comments? Send an email here. I look forward to hearing from you!

NEWS



They're back!
Simon & Schuster is releasing two titles
in paperback editions:

The Essential Worldwide Monster Guide,
illustrated by David Small . . .


And Sailing Off to Sleep,
illustrated by Susan Winter.

Join me in affirming the Charter for Compassion:


And, finally, in praise of pooches . . .

Sammy and Stella help out in the office.

Okay, so they don't actually help with writing, but they certainly provide companionship, inspiration, and comic relief. If you're thinking of getting a pet, please consider adopting from a rescue organization or animal shelter; there are so many beautiful animals waiting for a loving home. You can find shelters near you through Petfinder or AdoptaPet.com or aspca.org. And here's some excellent information on why it's so important to avoid puppy mills: Best Friends Animal Society.

As for our girls, Sammy came from Retriever Rescue of Colorado and Stella from The Denver Dumb Friends League.

LINDA'S BOOKS:

New
CREAKY OLD HOUSE: A Topsy-Turvy Tale of a Real Fixer-Upper
"The clever, rhyming text bounces along with perfect cadence." SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL
COME TO THE CASTLE! A Visit to a Castle in Thirteenth Century England
"Quirky, sarcastic, and rather educational, too." BOOKLIST
WHEN I WAS KING
"This one's a keeper." SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL
M IS FOR MISCHIEF
"Ashman's poetic portraits are packed with lots of tasty assonance and alliteration." Starred Review, PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
STELLA, UNLEASHED: Notes from the Doghouse
"A hilarious look at the world through the sharp eyes and nose of a dog." SCRIPPS HOWARD NEWS SERVICE
Other Books
BABIES ON THE GO
"A 10 on the "aw"-inspiring scale." PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
CASTLES, CAVES & HONEYCOMBS
"Beautifully crafted and satisfying." Starred Review, BOOKLIST
TO THE BEACH!
"A family outing gone hilariously awry." BOOKLIST
STARRY SAFARI
"A rip-roaring, exciting excursion." SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL
RUB-A-DUB SUB
An "enchanting ride." PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
MAMA'S DAY
A "lovely reverie on the joys of being alive and being loved." Starred Review, PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
WHAT COULD BE BETTER THAN THIS?
"Youngsters will find nothing but comfort in these pages." KIRKUS
CAN YOU MAKE A PIGGY GIGGLE?
"Vibrant, playful text . . . excellent for storytimes." SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL
DESMOND & THE NAUGHTYBUGS
"A lighthearted look at bad behavior." KIRKUS
THE ESSENTIAL WORLDWIDE MONSTER GUIDE
"As pithy and clever as Ogden Nash at his best." Starred Review, KIRKUS
MAXWELL'S MAGIC MIX-UP
"A riotous adventure." HORN BOOK MAGAZINE
JUST ANOTHER MORNING
"Ashman captures the non-stop action in rollicking rhyme." KIRKUS
HOW TO MAKE A NIGHT
A "captivating collaboration." Starred Review, KIRKUS
SAILING OFF TO SLEEP
"A splendid bedtime fantasy." KIRKUS
THE TALE OF WAGMORE GENTLY
Wagmore is "a charming, gentle hero." KIRKUS REVIEWS