![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/melissamwai.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/KDZ-What-We-Talk-About-Season-2.jpg?resize=3000%2C3000&ssl=1\")
<\/figure>I\u2019m excited to co-host a monthly podcast with for KidLit writers! Morgan, Rona, and I will dig into the craft of children\u2019s literature. Each episode mines picture books, chapter books, middle grade, and young adult books for practical writing in only 15 minutes!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Visit our site<\/a> and follow us on YouTub<\/a>e<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Sometimes I podcast. I\u2019m excited to co-host a monthly podcast with for KidLit writers! Morgan, Rona, and I will dig into the craft of children\u2019s literature. Each episode mines picture books, chapter books, middle grade, and young adult books for practical writing in only 15 minutes! Visit our site and follow us on YouTube.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2328","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1618,"url":"https:\/\/melissamwai.com\/index.php\/press-kit\/","url_meta":{"origin":2328,"position":0},"title":"About Me","author":"Melissa Mwai","date":"June 7, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Everyone has a story to tell. Rising Stars Interview Nov 16, 2020 Short Bio Melissa H. Mwai is a children's author and illustrator. She's written five nonfiction books including I Can Make a Friend (Paw Prints, '25), A Puerto Rican Childhood (DK, '24), and Stacey Abrams (Nat Geo Kids, '22).\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/melissamwai.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/img_7481-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/melissamwai.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/img_7481-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/melissamwai.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/img_7481-1.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/melissamwai.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/img_7481-1.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2358,"url":"https:\/\/melissamwai.com\/index.php\/forwriters\/","url_meta":{"origin":2328,"position":1},"title":"For Writers","author":"Melissa Mwai","date":"May 8, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Thank you for attending my webinars on Researchs Hacks to Level Up Your Writing and Illustration or The Art for Work for Hire, or checking out the Nonfiction episode of the KidLit Deconstruction Zone Podcast! As a bonus, here are writing cheat sheets for you to download! Check out the\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/melissamwai.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Website_Banner_rev.jpg?fit=1200%2C400&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/melissamwai.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Website_Banner_rev.jpg?fit=1200%2C400&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/melissamwai.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Website_Banner_rev.jpg?fit=1200%2C400&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/melissamwai.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Website_Banner_rev.jpg?fit=1200%2C400&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/melissamwai.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Website_Banner_rev.jpg?fit=1200%2C400&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1539,"url":"https:\/\/melissamwai.com\/","url_meta":{"origin":2328,"position":2},"title":"Hello & Hola Friends","author":"Melissa Mwai","date":"June 6, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"My name is Melissa H. Mwai. I write and illustrate for kids. There are also special pages for kids and teachers\/parents. To read interviews or articles, learn how to pronounce my last name (it's easy-peasy), or meet my pet bunny, visit the about me page. Let's chat all things kidlit.","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/melissamwai.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Website_Banner_rev.jpg?fit=1200%2C400&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/melissamwai.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Website_Banner_rev.jpg?fit=1200%2C400&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/melissamwai.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Website_Banner_rev.jpg?fit=1200%2C400&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/melissamwai.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Website_Banner_rev.jpg?fit=1200%2C400&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/melissamwai.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Website_Banner_rev.jpg?fit=1200%2C400&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2018,"url":"https:\/\/melissamwai.com\/index.php\/for-kids\/voting-for-kids\/","url_meta":{"origin":2328,"position":3},"title":"Voting For Kids","author":"Melissa Mwai","date":"October 31, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Sometimes I talk about voting. One reason I wrote my book about Stacey Abrams is because she wants everyone to vote. So do I. Voting uses our voice to choose government leaders and change laws in our community. Check out my video about early voting, activity pages, and book list.\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/melissamwai.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Stacey-Abrams-Cover-PRH.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/melissamwai.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Stacey-Abrams-Cover-PRH.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/melissamwai.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Stacey-Abrams-Cover-PRH.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/melissamwai.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Stacey-Abrams-Cover-PRH.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1627,"url":"https:\/\/melissamwai.com\/index.php\/books\/","url_meta":{"origin":2328,"position":4},"title":"Books","author":"Melissa Mwai","date":"June 7, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"My books are available on Bookshop.org, Amazon, Barnes & Noble or request them from your local bookstore or library.* Thank you for reading and reviewing. OUT NOW About I Can Make a Friend I Can Make a Friend is part of a new easy reader series by Paw Prints. With\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/melissamwai.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Website_Banner_rev.jpg?fit=1200%2C400&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/melissamwai.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Website_Banner_rev.jpg?fit=1200%2C400&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/melissamwai.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Website_Banner_rev.jpg?fit=1200%2C400&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/melissamwai.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Website_Banner_rev.jpg?fit=1200%2C400&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/melissamwai.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Website_Banner_rev.jpg?fit=1200%2C400&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1761,"url":"https:\/\/melissamwai.com\/index.php\/activity-guides-for-teachers-parents\/","url_meta":{"origin":2328,"position":5},"title":"For Teachers & Parents","author":"Melissa Mwai","date":"February 7, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Activity Guides Do you want to take a deep dive into my books? Here are free activity guides for teachers, librarians, and parents. They include writing, art, research activities...and more! A Puerto Rican Childhood Gnomes & Ungnomes: Poems of Hidden Creatures More coming soon!","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/melissamwai.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/IMG_4196.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/melissamwai.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/IMG_4196.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/melissamwai.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/IMG_4196.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/melissamwai.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/IMG_4196.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/melissamwai.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/IMG_4196.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/melissamwai.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2328","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/melissamwai.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/melissamwai.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/melissamwai.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/melissamwai.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2328"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/melissamwai.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2328\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2397,"href":"https:\/\/melissamwai.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2328\/revisions\/2397"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/melissamwai.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2328"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}