Author Jill Esbaum writes more than good picture books. She crafts star platforms.

Pick one of her titles to read aloud, and young listeners will give you all the glory. Her words. But you take the bows.

Jill, what’s right right now about children’s literature?

With the recent explosion of electronic reading options, fewer “real” books are being published every year. I’m convinced that’s a good thing. The books that make it through the process to turn up in bookstores and libraries will be deeper, richer, better than ever before.

What can be done to make that “good” better?

For writers, getting a picture book story accepted by a major publisher has never been easy. We have two options: throw in the towel or find a way to make a story (or nonfiction) irresistible. That doesn’t mean a story has to scream “look at me!” I heartily believe there’s still room for quiet books. But each book is going to have to stand out in some way—beautiful language or imagery, characters that feel touch-me real, humor, heart, or whatever it takes to make that story zing straight to a reader/listener’s heart.

With apologies to ‘60s singer, Donovan, we have to write books that blow their little minds.

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Jill Esbaum is the author of many picture books including the award-winning Ste-e-e-e-eamboat A-Comin’! (illus by Adam Rex). Her latest are Tom’s Tweet (illus. by Dan Santat) and Cherry Blossoms Say Spring, a nonfiction title from National Geographic Kids. She enjoys visiting schools and is a workshop facilitator at the University of Iowa Summer Writing Festival. In addition, she co-hosts the annual Whispering Woods Picture Book Writing Workshop. Jill and her husband live on a family farm in eastern Iowa. www.jillesbaum.com