How to Write Picture Books Inspired by Headlines

By Nancy Churnin 

Have you ever considered writing a book inspired by a newspaper article?

My newest book, The Miracle Menorah of Mariupol, which comes out Sept. 1 with illustrations by Marissa Moss, was inspired by an article that moved me with its message of hope in a time of war and despair.

There are challenging aspects to working from contemporary story. The first is checking the veracity of the story – not something you could ever assume and especially not now at a time when AI is increasingly common. The second is making sure the book reads like a picture book and not another version of the article. Finally, are you writing something that will stand the test of time – something a newspaper article does not need to do, but a book does? After all, the article runs for a day. Your book will not come out for a couple of years after it sells, and the hope is that it will continue to be read long beyond that.

 

The Miracle Menorah of Mariupol is not the first time I have drawn stories from headlines. Two other books about contemporary stories that I discovered through articles: Manjhi Moves a Mountain, the story of a man who spent 22 years chiseling a path through a mountain so the people in his poor village could get access to schools, medical help, and work on the other side and Rainbow Allies, the story of a community of kids who found a beautiful way to show love and support to a couple that came home to find their home egged and their pride flag torn down.

 

Here are the steps I took: 

1. Make sure you have the facts. Look for primary and secondary sources. For both The Miracle Menorah of Mariupol and Rainbow Allies, I interviewed people who were there and wrote the story with their support and encouragement. With Manjhi Moves a Mountain, I did extensive research and interviewed a professor at Southern Methodist University who traveled to India frequently with her students and knew the facts and the area well.

    

2. Make sure your book reads like a book. As a longtime journalist, I know how to write a newspaper article quickly. I also know one of the primary rules is to show and not tell and keep a professional emotional distance. In picture books, you also show, don’t tell, but you need to know the thoughts and feelings of your subject and reveal them through the slice of the journey that you are telling. In journalism, your story needs to be relevant to the day it is published. In picture books, you must think in global and eternal terms of what your story means. The Miracle Menorah of Mariupol is about a caretaker of a synagogue destroyed by war who decides to light candles in the community menorah he discovers miraculously intact in the rubble. The lighting of the candles helps unite the hearts of a dispersed community with hope for when they will celebrate together again. 

    

3. Are you writing something that will stand the test of time? To bring the message of The Miracle Menorah of Mariupol home, I alternated the contemporary story with the first Hanukkah when people decided to light a menorah found in the Great Temple of Jerusalem that had been damaged by occupation and war. I decided if people have been telling the Hanukkah story for 2,000 years, maybe The Miracle Menorah of Mariupol might be able to tag along for a while, too.

The Miracle Menorah of Mariupol, illustrated by Marissa Moss, releases Sept. 1 from Creston Books.

About the author: Nancy Churnin is an award-winning author who writes children's books about people (and animals!) who have made a positive difference in the world. Her books have won the National Jewish Book Award, South Asia Book Award, Sydney Taylor Honor and Notables, Grinspoon Jewish Story Award and been picked for Junior Library Guild, Silver Eurekas, National Council for the Social Studies Trade Book Notables, Bank Street College of Education Best Books, A Mighty girl, and multiple state lists, including the Texas 2X2 and California Reads, and have received starred reviews. A former journalist and proud daughter of a retired teacher, Nancy loves visiting schools and encouraging kids to follow the dreams that can make them heroes of their own stories. Find her, along with resources, teachers guides, and projects at www.nancychurnin.com.

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Fact Checking: What to do with Irrelevant Facts, Unreliable Sources, or Time-Specific Facts

By Darcy Pattison

As nonfiction authors, we stick to the facts! I am terrified of a book being published with mistakes. But what if the facts are not as straightforward as True or False? 

When kids research a topic for an essay or research paper, one of the hardest tasks is sorting through information to find the relevant information while discarding information that is off-topic or irrelevant to the writing task. It’s the same for those who write nonfiction books for kids. 

Spelling and Location Names Changes Over Time

Every history writer will have a story about conflicting names for a location. For my book, George Washington’s Engineer, I found maps that conflicted when naming a location. Rufus Putnam served as engineer to General Washington during the Revolutionary War. During the frigid winter of 1775-1776, Washington asked Putnam to build a wall to protect troops. Winter soil, however, was frozen making it impossible to dig a foundation to build a fence. Putnam researched ideas and found a solution that allowed the Colonial army to stop the siege of Boston without firing a shot. 

I needed to follow the troop movements around Boston, but it quickly became complicated because place names change rapidly; or, the spelling of the place name varies widely. 

For example, in documents of the time, Lechmere Point is also called Leachmor Point or Leachmoors Point. I had to decide how to handle this. For consistently, I used Putnam’s spelling whenever possible. If he didn’t name a location, then I used the spelling from maps of the time. For purposes of the story, it’s more appropriate to use the name used at the time; but I also try to include today’s name when possible. 

 

Fact Checking Memoirs: When Memory is Faulty

One valuable resource for George Washington’s Engineer was the autobiography of Rufus Putnam. Such documents are available through various sources online.

Putnam wrote that he read Attack and Defense of Fortified Places by the British engineer John Mueller, which inspired his idea of using chandeliers (a structure to hold bundles of sticks) to build a portable wall. I based my story on Putnam’s statements. My fact checker, however, found a copy of Mueller’s book online and the chandeliers are not mentioned. Mueller wrote several books, though, and after checking other titles, she found the chandelier information in Field Engineer by John Mueller. In other words, Putnam had a faulty memory when he wrote his autobiography. He correctly remembered reading a book by Mueller but misremembered the title of the book that inspired his engineering feat. 

 

International Date Line and Time Zones: When Facts are Irrelevant

On March 11, 2011, an earthquake struck off the shore of Japan causing a huge tsunami that killed thousands and damaged a nuclear plant. But the waves from an earthquake travel out in concentric circles, which meant the tsunami traveled across the Pacific Ocean and eventually struck Midway Island. On the island is the largest colony of Laysan albatrosses that includes the oldest known wild bird in the world, Wisdom. In early drafts of my story, Wisdom, the Midway Albatross, I wrote the date as March 10. Why? As the tsunami crossed the Pacific Ocean, it crossed the International Date Line before reaching Midway. 

Because we live on a globe that rotates, we divide the earth longitudinally from the north to south into 24 roughly equal sections, each section representing one hour of the day. In the middle of the Pacific Ocean at roughly 180 degrees is the International Date Line. When you cross the date line traveling east, you subtract a day, and if you cross the line traveling west, you add a day. 

By Japanese time, the tsunami hit at about 2:40 pm on March 11. Midway Island lies just east of the date line. It took about 10 hours for the tsunami to travel across the Pacific Ocean to Midway where it struck at about 11:46 pm, March 10, Midway time, but lasted for four hours into the early morning of March 11. That meant it technically struck Midway the day before the earthquake, which caused the tsunami.

However, the exact times and dates were irrelevant to the story. I used the date, March 11, when the earthquake struck Japan, but just added the ten hours. Trying to explain about the International Date Line was off topic and too complicated for the story. The story just says the tsunami traveled across the Pacific and struck at about midnight, and then “The next morning…”

When you write nonfiction for kids, you need to find the facts. But sometimes, you must interpret changing place names, leave out confusing and irrelevant information, or correct a primary source. 

Children’s book author and indie publisher DARCY PATTISON has written over seventy fiction and nonfiction award-winning books for children. Five books have received starred PW, Kirkus, or BCCB reviews. Awards include the Irma Black Honor award, six NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Books, six Eureka! Nonfiction Honor book (CA Reading Assn.), three Best STEM Book, two Junior Library Guild selections, two CLA Notable Children’s Book in Language Arts, two Notable Social Studies Trade Book, an Arkansiana Award, and the Susannah DeBlack Arkansas Children’s History Book award. She’s the 2007 recipient of the Arkansas Governor’s Arts Award for Individual Artist for her work in children’s literature. Her books have been translated into eleven languages.

 

HOW TO AVOID FACT-CHECKING FOIBLES

By Megan Clendenan

 

When I researched my middle-grade non-fiction book CITIES: HOW HUMANS LIVE TOGETHER (Orca Books, 2023), I had a skyscraper-high list of questions. What materials were the first streetlamps made from? How did ancient cities grow food? Whose house was first lit up by electric power? My goal was to write an engaging, surprising, and 100% accurate book for readers.

But how do you find, verify, and keep track of all this information?  

 

Find

For CITIES, I consulted about 200 sources: interviews, peer-reviewed scientific papers, and archival materials such as newspapers and photographs. I look for primary sources as much as possible, such as interviews, letters, or other first-hand materials. Otherwise, I try to get as close to the source as I can. I don’t assume a news article got the information right. I find and read the research myself, maintain a healthy dose of skepticism and keep the question, ‘Says who?’ in mind.   

 

Verify

An expert’s eyes on your manuscript can be gold. For CITIES, I reached out to urban and environmental planners as well as professors of history (Finding experts is a whole other topic!). Several generously agreed to read sections of my manuscript. And I was glad they did, as even after I did my due diligence and had factually correct information, they provided expert context on my overall narrative. Their comments enabled me to rethink a few points, ultimately making the book much stronger.

 

Keep Track

I amass a mountain of notes and materials as I go. Organizing research is easily its own blog post – and check this one out! I know authors who use Microsoft OneNote or Google Drive, and others who use binders with hand-jotted notes on paper. I set up research folders and files in Microsoft Word, and keep track of sources with EasyBib, an online bibliography generator.

 

Ready for Fact Check?

After back-and-forth revisions with my editor, it was time for copyedits and fact check. This is such an important step to ensure the book is accurate! I sent my CITIES manuscript off with a bibliography. Phew! Done. Or was I?

When my manuscript was returned, I found it chock-a-block with queries. Faced with a tight turnaround, I sat down and dug in. I was confident I had sources for everything, but as I rifled through my research, painstakingly answering each query, there were moments of trepidation as I sought out exactly where I’d pulled each piece of information.

Time for a new system to smooth out the fact-checking process! Here’s what I do now. Maybe some of this idea might be helpful to you.

 

Annotate with Aplomb!

Before sending my manuscript to copyedits, I save a new copy and create an annotated version that shows my sources.

An annotated copy is basically your manuscript filled to the brim with comments or footnotes that indicate the source(s) for each piece of information, whether from a book, a scientific paper, or an interview you conducted. I also provide a full bibliography. It’s a tried-and-true system for many journalists, academics, and other researchers, and it makes good sense. Help your fact-checker help you!

It might seem like the best time to start your annotated copy is when you start writing, and that probably works for some writers, but I have a slightly different process. I do keep notes of all sources I’ve used for each section or chapter, and I refer to these notes as I create my final annotated copy, just before the manuscript is sent to copyediting.

The reason I fully annotate as one of my last steps is because I use this process to fact-check myself. Full disclosure: I dread this step! It’s tedious. But I’ve discovered places where I needed to revisit a statement and unearthed updated research that I may have missed otherwise. New research comes out all the time, and writing a manuscript can take years!

It’s work, yes, but after I hit send, I’m calm. I’m collected. I can sleep easy knowing that I did my due diligence to ensure an accurate book for readers, and, that any queries that come my way are most likely going to be easy….er… easier… to answer.

The next time I sent a manuscript for copyedits, it was returned with much fewer queries. Victory!

 

What’s your way?

Everyone has their own method of organizing – post any tips, tricks, or resources to share in the comments!

 

About the Author

Megan Clendenan is an award-winning children’s book author and freelance writer. Her books include Cities: How Humans Live Together (Orca Books, 2023, illustrated by Suharu Ogawa), a Children’s Book Council Librarian’s Favorite, Fresh Air, Clean Water: Our Right to a Healthy Environment (Orca Books, 2022, illustrated by Julie McLaughlin), which won the Green Earth Book Award, and the upcoming non-fiction picture book Just In Case: Saving Seeds in the Svalbard Vault (Charlesbridge, Fall 2025, illustrated by Brittany Cicchese). She has more books on the way! Megan lives with her family near Vancouver, BC. Learn more at meganclendenan.com.   

 

 

 

 

SEEKING EXPERT REVIEWERS

By Michelle Schaub 

As writers of nonfiction for children, we want the information in our books to enthrall and delight our readers. But above all, we have an obligation to make sure that information is true and accurate.

To ensure accurate information, we scour the library and internet for credible sources. We take field trips to fully immerse ourselves in our topics. We double, triple, and quadruple check our facts.

Even after the research, after the writing and revising, when I think my story is ready to send to editors, I take one final step to ensure my facts are precise. I seek out experts and ask them to review my book.

Where do I find expert reviewers?

I’m lucky enough to live down the street from Colorado State University, so this is often my starting point. I begin by looking up the department associated with the topic of my book. I study professors’ bios to see if any specialize in areas I’m writing about. This is how I found the reviewer for A Place for Rain, which released in March 2024. A Place for Rain is about a classroom that builds a rain garden to “lessen all that rainstorm mess” and create a habitat for wildlife. Through CSU’s Colorado Water Center, I connected with Jessica Thrasher, Director of Education and Outreach. One of Jessica’s jobs is to educate schools, businesses, and private homeowners on how to install rain gardens. Jessica was the perfect person to review my book!

When looking for expert reviewers for your own book, start with colleges and universities. If you live near one, perfect--you have a built-in connection! If not, search for institutes that specialize in your topic. For example, if your book is about birds, you might begin with Cornell University, home to the world-renowned Cornell Lab of Ornithology.  In addition to seeking out university faculty, I’ve also had success connecting with museum directors and docents, National Parks Service staff (I spoke with many NPS foresters while writing Leafy Landmarks: Travels with Trees), and authors of scientific articles.

Once I find an expert and track down their email (usually provided on the organization’s website) the next step is to contact them. This step always stresses me out. I worry that I’ll be bothering this extremely important person. I brace for an email response dripping with annoyance. This has never happened. Occasionally, I do not get a response. Then I move onto the next name on my list. Most of the time I receive enthusiastic replies. Experts are usually thrilled to learn that I share their passion for a topic and are eager to help kids become passionate as well.

Here is the basic template I use when emailing experts. Feel free to tailor it for your own purposes:

Hello! I am a children’s author who has written a picture book about X.  The book, tentatively called X, is X words long and add a little more information about the purpose of the book (or you already have a contract) will be published by X Publisher and releases in X, 202X. It is extremely important to me and the editors that the facts contained in the book are accurate. To that end, I am seeking someone familiar with X Topic who could review X words of nonfiction text about X. If you are willing to serve as an expert reviewer or could put me in touch with someone from your organization who might be interested, I’d really appreciate it. I’m planning to acknowledge all expert reviewers in the back matter of the book and send them signed copies once the book is published.

One final benefit to seeking out an expert reviewer:  you connect with an enthusiastic audience. This may lead to other opportunities to get your book in the hands of people who care about your topic. In the case of A Place for Rain, working with Jessica Thrasher opened the door for me to present at Water Fests throughout Northern Colorado, where I share my book and educate classrooms on saving water and creating wildlife habitats with rain gardens.

Take that extra step to find an expert reviewer. You’ll ensure that the information in your nonfiction book is precise and delightful!

 

About the author: 

Michelle Schaub is an award-winning children’s author, poet, and teacher. Her most recent books are A Place for Rain (an Indiana Library Federation 2025 Best Read Aloud selection) and Leafy Landmarks: Travels with Trees (a California Reading Association 2025 Eureka Gold and NCTE 2025 Poetry Notable.) Michelle mentors aspiring children’s book writers through the Rhyme Doctors, www.rhymedoctors.com . She lives in Colorado, where she enjoys exploring the mountains with her golden retriever named Bear. Learn more about Michelle at www.michelleschaub.com