Square pegs in a round hole—an expression you may have heard before. Usually referring to someone or something that, for one reason or another, doesn’t ‘fit’. It’s a square peg and a round hole, after all. Conceptually, this can’t fit. This metaphor can be so relatable that I would bet almost anyone can draw from their life and see what about them is square and what’s the round hole in their way.  Maybe you hate small talk (square peg), but sometimes life demands it (round hole). Maybe you hate stiff, itchy dress clothes (square peg) but your job requires them (round hole). Maybe you need ..read more

One of the amazing things about stories is that it provides readers the opportunity to identify aspects of themselves within the characters, or learn about characters that live a completely different life than they do. Today’s blog post focuses on picture books with Indian-American characters. Keep reading to see our suggestions!  American Desi by Jyothi Rajan Gopal, illustrated by Supriya Kelkar  This story is about a young girl who is grappling with her identity: Is she American, or is she Indian? Can she be both at the same time? Read this book for an uplifting story that celebr ..read more

On July first, my picture book, “It’ll be Irie” published by Cardinal Rule Press, made its world debut. What seemed like such a far-off time back in Winter of 2022, back when I’d just been offered my first publishing contract, was suddenly here.  Prepping for the official Book Launch weekend, I was reminded of how fortunate I was to have such a supportive publisher; Cardinal Rule Press CEO Maria Dismondy generously provided funding for that weekend and for the additional events in the coming month. I was able to purchase paper, pencils, crayons and crayon trays as part of the kids’ activi ..read more

I am honored today to share a few of my favorite picture books that showcase positive, loving relationships between children and grandparents. With the growing population of kids who live in multigenerational households, the diverse families reflected in these books will help caregivers and teachers shine a light on those cherished connections.  JOY TAKES ROOT  Written by Gwendolyn Wallace, illustrated by Ashleigh Corrin In her grandmother's garden, a young Black girl learns about mindfulness and herbal medicine in this soothing intergenerational story about our connection to nature ..read more

As a child, I always begged my parents for just one more bedtime story, never wanting to go to sleep. The magic of children's books transported me to such wonderful adventures, but I often struggled to find stories with characters that looked like me or that represented my family. This inspired me to create my children’s book Aloha Everything. To do it, I partnered with one of the most talented artists in Hawaiʻi. Together, we focused not only on capturing the joy and imagination of our readers, but also on creating a space for learning about Hawaiian history, ecology, and culture. With breath ..read more

We all can think back to our birthdays as children and how they were such magical days. Going to school in our best outfit and being met with birthday wishes from our teachers and friends, not-so patiently waiting to go home and hopefully eat cake. As a parent, teacher, or caregiver, we’re sure that you try and keep this magic alive for the kids in your life now, but have you ever stopped to think about how book birthdays can also be magical? Continue reading to celebrate the anniversary of some of our favorite books being released to relive the magic moments present in their stories: The firs ..read more

My Cardinal Rule Press book, Kindness is a Kite String, ends with this hopeful message:  “Kindness is contagious. When you catch it, pass it on!” In the two years since the book’s release, I’ve had a wonderful time passing that message on to children in schools around the country. It’s been heart-warming to watch kindness spread.  Schools are working hard to put kindness at the forefront of their mission. Post-Covid, they are also eager to invite authors back in-person to inspire a love of reading and writing. I’ve enjoyed helping schools achieve both of these goals. The positive res ..read more

  It's funny how writers don't always see themselves in their books. Recently, I was scrolling through a lineup of authors for an event where the site featured their book covers beside them. When I tell you that every single one of those authors resembled their cover in some way, I am not exaggerating! Whether in how they presented themselves, the color themes, the character depictions, etc.— it was like a mirror reflection of them. But personally, when I wrote Dazzling Travis, I was not sharing my own story. Or so I thought.  Dazzling Travis was written after a conversation I had wi ..read more

Nearly everyone has, at one point in their life, felt the need to change themselves to fit in. Moving to a new city, starting at a new school, meeting a new friend, there’s always an underlying feeling that perhaps if we changed ourselves that we’d be better received. While this feeling may ebb and flow in our lives as we grow and mature, it’s something that most people can find relatable. One of the best ways to combat these feelings is through reading stories about how to embrace our identity and forge through the turbulent paths of making friends in a new environment. Cardinal Rule Press is ..read more

Hide and Shh!: A Not-So-Sneaky Sister Story About Inclusion by Christina Dendy Dinah, a young girl with Down Syndrome, loves to play games with her older sister, Chloe, but her idea of fun differs from the older kids' ideas. Dinah and her not-so-sneaky efforts to join in the game backfire. In the process, the sisters and their friends learn that there’s more than one way to play and have a good time! This amazing book helps teach kids that there can be more than one way to play. Great for teaching about neurodiversity, disabilities, inclusion, and more. Nathalia Takeyama’s illustrations show ..read more