I’m thrilled that One Tiny Bubble received second place in the Alcuin Society Awards for Excellence in Book Design – Children’s Category. A huge congrats to designer Alisa Baldwin and the Owlkids Publishing team! Dawn Lo’s wonderful illustrations gave them so much to work with ..read more

Many thanks to Anne-Marie Strohman for her insightful writing-craft review of my picture book One Tiny Bubble, illustrated by Dawn Lo. Anne-Marie and I both attended the Vermont College of Fine Arts, and she is certainly a writer to watch. In her article, Anne-Marie looks at how my writing choices pull the reader into the story of LUCA – our Last Universal Common Ancestor – through the use of direct address, invitation to the reader, kid-friendly comparisons, alliteration, repeated sequences, and more. She begins: “Non-fiction books are meant to provide information to young readers. But many ..read more

I’m happy to announce that I’ve joined Whale Rock Literary Workshops as faculty! Whale Rock offers MFA-level workshops and mentorships with impressive faculty that I admire. My first presentation will be a lecture with discussion and writing prompts about How to Build Character Cultural Literacy. This talk is based on the critical thesis I completed during my MFA at the Vermont College of Fine Arts, and I’m excited to share it with the children’s literature community. My 90-minute presentation starts at 4 p.m. ET on Sunday, March 5, 2023, and the cost is just $30. Here’s what I’ll be speaking ..read more

GIVEAWAY ALERT! Enter to win one manuscript critique with me (either a picture book or the first ten pages of a middle-grade or young-adult novel). To enter, leave a comment below or on one of my giveaway posts on social media before January 31, 2023. I’ll announce the winner on February 2. One of the reasons I completed an MFA in Writing for Children and Youth was to improve my mentorship skills. In the three years since I graduated, I’ve connected with a wonderful new agent and signed six new book contracts with fabulous publishers. Now I feel ready to offer creative mentorships to writers o ..read more

It’s cover reveal day! I’m thrilled to share Markia Jenia‘s cover art for my upcoming middle-grade novel Monster vs. Boy! Markia has perfectly captured the characters and mood of this story, and I can’t wait to share this book with you. It’ll be published by Charlesbridge Publishing in July 2023, and it’s available for pre-sale now! © 2023 by Markia Jenia Will you laugh if I tell you that Monster vs. Boy feels like it’s autobiographical? I have sometimes felt like the monster in the closet, and I’ve also been terrified that a monster might be living in my closet. Here’s an intro to the book ..read more

Today is Evolution Day, which marks the anniversary of the publication of Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species, published on 24 November, 1859. So it’s a great day to share that my evolution-themed book with Dawn Lo –  One Tiny Bubble – is included as one of the Chicago Public Library’s Best Informational Books for Younger Readers in 2022. Thanks, CPL ..read more

Local book friends: Please save the date! You’re invited to an in-person book launch with Heather Camlot, Mireille Messier, and me. Please join us for readings and book sales by Mabel’s Fables Children’s Bookstore. Plus, we’re thrilled to announce that our nonfiction panel discussion will be moderated by award-winning author and editor Mary Beth Leatherdale ..read more

Today on L.E. Carmichael‘s Cantastic Authorpalooza blog, I talk about my childhood love for science, which grew into my first nonfiction STEM book One Tiny Bubble, illustrated by Dawn Lo. I discuss: how I saw my role as a translator of high-level scientific concepts into child-centred language and experiences. how I used my fiction-writing skills to craft nonfiction. how I helped to connect the child reader to the content. To check it out, go to “Karen Krossing: Sparking Connections With One Tiny Bubble.” Also, please check out L.E. Carmichael’s fantastic books ..read more

September 21 is National Science Reading Day! Owlkids Books helped me make this video about why I love to read and write about science, including two book recommendations. What science books do you love to read ..read more

Today on the Picture Books, Eh! blog, I chat with illustrator Dawn Lo about our upcoming nonfiction picture book One Tiny Bubble and reveal a sneak peak! To check it out, go to Creator chat: ONE TINY BUBBLE ..read more