Big Ideas for Small People:
Writing Concept Books with Heart, Honesty, and Respect for Young Readers

As picture book creators, we sometimes second-guess whether certain words or ideas are “too big” for children. But what if those very concepts—empathy, authenticity, mindfulness, activism—are exactly what young readers are ready for?

Through her bestselling I AM series, Susan Verde has made a career of honoring the emotional intelligence and curiosity of children. In this inspiring keynote, Susan will share her process for writing concept books that are both accessible and deeply meaningful. She’ll explore the challenges of tackling big ideas with simplicity and grace, and the tremendous rewards of trusting your readers while leaving space for reflection, conversation, and growth.

Get ready to feel empowered to write books that don’t talk down—but instead lift up.

The Perfect Storm:
Big, Bold, Nonfiction Picture Books

From the Redwoods, to the Grand Canyon, to the Universe itself, Jason Chin’s picture books make big, bold subjects accessible, sparking the curiosity of young readers. His latest book, Hurricane, is no exception. In this presentation, Jason will reveal, step by step, how research, writing, and illustrating unite to bring a monumental subject to vibrant life in a kid-friendly fashion.

Jason Chin received the 2022 Caldecott Medal for Watercress, by Andrea Wang and a Caldecott Honor, Sibert Honor, and the NCTE Orbis Pictus award for Grand Canyon. His picture book, Life After Whale, written by Lynn Brunelle, won the 2025 Robert F. Sibert medal and was named an Orbis Pictus Honor Book. His most recent book, Hurricane, is on bookshelves now.

Be Bold, Be Brave:
Charting Your Creative Journey with Purpose

Every journey needs direction. Traveling through her books and career, Vashti Harrison will share her steps for building a creative compass to navigate the Picture Book world with confidence. Discover how to find your creative North Star—the goals, themes, and passions that shape your work—and infuse your picture books with bold storytelling and strong artistic vision. Beyond the manuscript, learn to structure your career with purpose, aligning projects with long-term aspirations. Whether you're starting out or leveling up, this talk will help you stay bold, brave, and focused on your creative path.

Vashti Harrison is a celebrated writer, illustrator, and filmmaker. Winner of the 2024 Caldecott Medal for her picture book BIG, she is the first Black woman to ever receive this esteemed award in its 85-year history.

Wordcount Wizardry:
How to Say More with Less

In the world of picture books, every word counts—literally! But how do you know whether your manuscript has too many words or too few? And how can you be sure the words you’ve chosen are the best ones in the right order? Emma Walton Hamilton will guide you through the magic of word economy, pacing, and rhythm to help you craft big, bold stories in a tight, powerful package. Discover the hidden rules of picture book word counts, how to ensure each word pulls its weight, and how to leverage language so your choices do double duty. Whether you're struggling to trim the fluff or wondering if you've cut too much, this workshop will supercharge your storytelling—one perfectly chosen word at a time!

Secret Superpower:
How to Inspire Young Readers Without Teaching a Thing

Whether writing narrative fiction or nonfiction, SEL or LOL, we want our readers to leave with lessons they can apply to everyday life. But lessons are best learned when discovered by the reader. So how do we offer big, bold, and brave takeaways in our stories without preaching? Bethany Hegedus, award-winning author and founder of The Writing Barn, reveals how to wield this secret superpower, from her early hit-you-over-the-head drafts to her more balanced published books. Suit up for Bethany’s tips and tools to take you from teachy and preachy to engaging and empowering.

A Texas native, Leah briefly moved to the East Coast to attend Rosemont College to pursue her dream of working in publishing. Not long after graduating with her B.A. in English and History, Leah found an agency home at Ladderbird Literary Agency as a Junior Agent and now, after five years, has grown to become a Senior Agent and a member of the AALA and an alum of their LAOC mentorship. Leah returned to her alma mater to pursue her M.A. in Publishing. After having accomplished her dream of working in publishing, she moved back to Texas to begin her next adventure and continue searching for the next project that will hook her (or make her cry). She is a tenacious advocate for BIPOC writers and is always looking for ways to bring more diverse intersectionality to the publishing industry.

After years working as a school librarian, writing instructor, freelance editor and receiving her MFA from Vermont College of Fine Art's Writing for Children and Young Adult program, Lori started her agenting journey first as an Agency Assistant in 2012, then interned at two other kid lit-focused agencies before taking on her own clients. She founded SteelWorks Literary in 2024, along with her talented list of both award-winning and debut authors and illustrators. Lori is a member of ALA, SCBWI, and AALA where she serves on the Illustration Committee. When not engaged in bookish pursuits, you can often find her on long walks with her pup sidekick, Juice, gardening, or whipping up a new recipe in their Washington DC-area home.

Ritu Anand has been a passionate storyteller since childhood. Caught and admonished for writing—under her desk—during a math class, she recalls being highly inconvenienced. Inspiration had struck from within and there was little else she could have done to curtail it. Today, Ritu has earned the recognition of being an award-winning author of Kara’s Dreams, a picture book about being resilient in the face of adversity. She believes no good story should ever be filed away but be shared. And that is why, she has chosen to champion voices yet unheard. Ritu is excited to represent writers of kidlit, literary fiction, general fiction and historical fiction. She joined D4EO Literary Agency in Spring 2023. As a writer herself, she is on the same page with other writers and applauds their creativity.

Caitlin “Cece” Johnson (she/her) is an editor at HarperCollins Children’s Books. She’s began her editorial career at the Balzer + Bray imprint, where she had the pleasure of working on titles by Stacey Abrams, Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam, Sonora Reyes, Maulik Pancholy, B.B. Alston, Jasmine Warga, and Julie Murphy. She is the editor of the NAACP award-winning novel EVERYONE’S THINKING IT and Texas Bluebonnet Award finalist NIMBUS. She now works on predominantly picture books and oversees the backlist publishing program for the bestselling Big Nate series. Her favorite stories are layered, voice-driven contemporary and fantasy narratives that authentically center diverse, intersectional perspectives. She is looking to acquire picture books of all stripes, as well as a select number of young adult and middle grade novels.

Julie Bliven was an editor at Charlesbridge for more than a decade. Julie holds an M.A. in Children’s Literature from Simmons University, where she has taught and mentored students in the University’s M.F.A. program. She has also served as a member of the Children’s Book Council Diversity Initiative. When Julie’s not working with Charlesbridge’s talented creators, or spending time with family and friends, she writes. Sometimes Shy is her debut picture book, with others on the way. www.julie-bliven.com

(Julie Bliven was with Charlesbridge when this panel was recorded. She has moved on but an editor from Charlesbridge will be accepting submissions from Summit attendees in her place.)

Irene Vázquez is an Associate Editor at Levine Querido, a children's book publisher dedicated to amplifying diverse voices. With a Bachelor's degree in Ethnicity, Race, and Migration and English from Yale University, Irene brings a unique perspective to their editorial work. Originally from Texas, they play a pivotal role in Levine Querido's Spanish language imprint, Ediciones LQ. Beyond their editorial work, Irene is a poet, journalist, and translator. Their debut poetry chapbook, Take Me to the Water, was recently published by Bloof Books. They live in New York City. When not in the world of books, Irene likes drinking coffee and watching the WNBA.

Sylvie Frank is Senior Executive Editor at Flamingo Books, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers, where she acquires snappy, character-driven picture books. She has had the profound pleasure of working with creators including Ryan T. Higgins, Mo Willems, Joanna Ho, Lesa Cline-Ransome, James E. Ransome, Dan Santat, and Andrea Tsurumi. Prior to joining Flamingo, she was the editorial director of Disney Hyperion, overseeing acquisitions across all young reader formats, including Rick Riordan, Freedom Fire, and Disney Planet Possible, which she created. When she’s not reading, Sylvie can be found running while listening to audiobooks. She lives in Oregon with her family.