New Books!
Buy: IndieBound | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Buy: IndieBound | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Buy: IndieBound | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
News and Events
New Book Birthday! When Angels Sing: The Story of Carlos Santana illustrated by Jose Ramirez
So excited to announce the release of this beautiful book that came out in September! And if you haven't heard, Jose Ramirez just won the coveted Society of Illustrators Gold Medal for Original Art! Check out the book at your local bookstore or here on Amazon!
Guess Who’s on NPR’s Jazz Inspired with Legendary Stride Queen Judy Carmichael?!
So... I'm on NPR Radio and SIRIUS XM this week! Blah wah how?! On an amazing show called Jazz Inspired with legendary stride piano queen Judy Carmichael talking about my book Muddy, creativity & music! Go to the Listen link, then Listen Now & search for...
Muddy WINS Picture Book Biography Award from Children’s Literature Council of Southern California!
So excited that Muddy has been honored by this great organization! National Young People's Poet Laureate Margarita Engle will be keynoting and I get to give a speech and everything! What a wonderful testament to the life of Muddy Waters and his importance to American...
New Book Birthday! When Angels Sing: The Story of Carlos Santana illustrated by Jose Ramirez
So excited to announce the release of this beautiful book that came out in September! And if you haven't heard, Jose Ramirez just won the coveted Society of Illustrators Gold Medal for Original Art! Check out the book at your local bookstore or here on Amazon!
read moreBook Birthday: Stalebread Charlie and the Razzy Dazzy Spasm Band by Michael Mahin, illust. by Don Tate
Today is the day! Stalebread Charlie and the Razzy Dazzy Spasm Band illustrated by the amazing Don Tate is officially a here! Here are links to a few great reviews: Publisher's Weekly "After some false starts, the band takes off, and “the boys filled their hats with...
read moreWhat are the Best Books on Writing for Children?
I am a self-professed, craft-book addict. I love reading about writing. Yes, it is probably a form of procrastination, but at least it is a productive form. For me, while many ideas are similar between books, hearing them explained in different ways is often the...
read moreHow to Quickly and Easily Make Your Hero Heroic
Without memorable characters, your story is dead in the water. Nothing can save it. Not a great plot. Not a great premise. Not a great climax. Why? Because if readers don't like your characters, they will not care what happens. The good news is, the fix is pretty...
read moreHow to Create Powerful Narratives that Flow
Crafting narratives that flow and feel natural is one hallmark of great writing. It's one of those things: you know it when it's working. And, of course, you know it when it isn't. Something feels off. The problem for most writers isn't simply identifying when a...
read moreMichael is an award-winning children’s author and produced screenwriter whose books have been recognized by the New York Times, New York Public Library, NPR, Parent’s Choice, the California Reading Association, and the Jr. Library Guild among others. His recent PB When Angels Sing: The Story of Carlos Santana won illustrator Jose Ramirez the prestigious 2018 Society of Illustrator’s Original Art Gold Medal.
News and Events
New Book Birthday! When Angels Sing: The Story of Carlos Santana illustrated by Jose Ramirez
So excited to announce the release of this beautiful book that came out in September! And if you haven't heard, Jose Ramirez just won the coveted Society of Illustrators Gold Medal for Original Art! Check out the book at your local bookstore or here on Amazon!
Guess Who’s on NPR’s Jazz Inspired with Legendary Stride Queen Judy Carmichael?!
So... I'm on NPR Radio and SIRIUS XM this week! Blah wah how?! On an amazing show called Jazz Inspired with legendary stride piano queen Judy Carmichael talking about my book Muddy, creativity & music! Go to the Listen link, then Listen Now & search for...
Muddy WINS Picture Book Biography Award from Children’s Literature Council of Southern California!
So excited that Muddy has been honored by this great organization! National Young People's Poet Laureate Margarita Engle will be keynoting and I get to give a speech and everything! What a wonderful testament to the life of Muddy Waters and his importance to American...