Here are some helpful resources for writers and illustrators:

M.O. Yuksel's passion for writing stems from the fact that she's constantly learning new things and loves to share them with the world. As a lifelong learner and writer, she highly recommends the following wonderful resources to help further craft.

Websites:

• Highlights Foundation (The best place on earth for creatives! And they offer scholarships. Yay!): https://www.highlightsfoundation.org/
  
• Storyteller Academy (a yearly membership buys you a plethora of kidlit classes from picture books to middle grade!): https://www.storytelleracademy.com/
  
• Children's Book Academy (with the fabulous Dr. Mira Reisberg): http://www.childrensbookacademy.com/
• 12x12 Picture Book Challenge (challenge yourself to write a picture book a month within a supportive online community): http://12x12challenge.com/
• Sub It Club (everything you ever wanted to know about submissions): https://subitclub.com/
• Writing, Illustrating, and Publishing Children's Books: The Purple Crayon (the indomitable Harold Underdown's website) : http://www.underdown.org/
• We Need Diverse Books (Yes, we do! Here's a great organization with resources for diverse authors): diversebooks.org/resources/resources-for-writers/
• Kidlit411 (ideal for all of your kidlit needs): www.kidlit411.com/
• DebbieOhi.com (Debbie Ohi's website is chock full of everything you ever wanted to know about picture books!): www.debbieohi.com
• Tara Lazar (Want a list of cool words or things kids like or don't like? Well, look no further because Tara Lazar has it all!): taralazar.com
• Josh Funk's guide to writing picture books is fabulous! And here's where you can find it: www.joshfunkbooks.com

Fellowships:

• Here's an exciting new initiative - Highlights Foundation Muslim Storytellers Fellowship: www.highlightsfoundation.org
• Highlights Foundation Diversity Fellowship in Children's Literature: www.highlightsfoundation.org/diversity-fellowship/

Books:

• The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron
• Writing Picture Books by Ann Whitford Paul
• On Writing by Stephen King
• Save the Cat by Blake Snyder
• Magic Words by Cheryl Klein
• Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
• Real Revision by Kate Messner
• Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert
• Dear Genius: The Letters of Ursula Nordstorm by Leonard S. Marcus
• This is the Story of a Happy Marriage by Ann Patchett
• Ordinary Genius by Kim Addonizio
• Poems are Teachers by Amy Ludwig Vanderwater

Podcasts:

Here's a list of great podcasts to listen to on your long commutes, while cooking, and maybe mountain climbing (?)... Enjoy!

• The Yarn by Travis Jonker and Colby Sharp itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-yarn/id1028877816?mt=2&ign-mpt=uo%3D4
• All the Wonders www.allthewonders.com/category/podcasts/
• The Children's Book Podcast by Matthew C. Winner https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-childrens-book-podcast/id817756935?mt=2
• Literaticast by Jennifer Laughran itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/literaticast/id1261036909?mt=2
• The Porchlight by Bethany Hegedus itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-porchlight/id1136102338?mt=2
• Into the Words - A Kidlit Craft Podcast - Highlights Foundation www.highlightsfoundation.org/into-the-words-podcast/
• Fuse 8 n' Kate soundcloud.com/user-745466600
• 88 Cups of Tea 88cupsoftea.com/
• Writerly writerlypodcast.com/
• Writing for Children www.stitcher.com/podcast/brain-burps-about-books/writing-for-children
• The Manuscript Academy manuscriptacademy.com/podcasting
• Kidlit Women  podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kidlit-women-podcast/id1409426534
• How Do You Write www.stitcher.com/podcast/rachael-herron/how-do-you-write
• Kidlit These Days bookriot.com/listen/shows/kidlit-these-days/
• Magic Lessons with Elizabeth Gilbert podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/magic-lessons-with-elizabeth-gilbert/id1138081319
• PubCrawl podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pubcrawl-podcast/id1043927749
• Shipping & Handling podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shipping-handling/id953575150
• The Nerdy Bookcast podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nerdy-bookcast/id1152602297

Picture Books:
The best way to learn how to write picture books, or how to write in any genre, is to read voraciously in that genre. For a list of highly anticipated picture books coming out in 2021 and beyond, click here for Picture Book Playground and here for Soaring 20's promo group books.

If you would like to read recently published picture books (2015 – 2021) created by Muslim authors, here's a great list to start you off:

Halal Hot Dogs by Susannah Aziz, illustrated by Parwinder Singh
Amira’s Picture Day by Reem Faruqi, illustrated by Fahmida Azim
The Proudest Blue by Ibtihaj Muhammad with S.K. Ali, illustrated by Hatem Aly
The Gift of Ramadan by Rabiah York Lumbard, Illustrated by Laura K. Horton
The Arabic Quilt: An Immigrant Story by Aya Khalil and Anait Semirdzhyan
Your Name is a Song by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow, illustrated by Luisa Uribe
Not Quite Snow White by Ashley Franklin, illustrated by Ebony Glenn
Mommy’s Khimar by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow, illustrated by Ebony Glenn
Muslim Girls Rise by Saira Mir, illustrated by Aaliya Jaleel
Lailah’s Lunchbox by Reem Faruqi, illustrated by Lea Lyon
Under My Hijab by Hena Khan, illustrated by Aaliya Jaleel
Like the Moon Loves the Sky by Hena Khan, illustrated by Saffa Khan
Crescent Moons and Pointed Minarets: A Muslim Book of Shapes by Hena Khan, illustrated by Mehrdokht Amini
Malala’s Magic Pencil by Malala Yousafzai, illustrated by Kerascoet
Bilal Cooks Daal by Aisha Saeed, illustrated by Anoosha Syed
One Wish: Fatima al-Fihri & the World’s Oldest University by M.O. Yuksel, illustrated by Mariam Quraishi (Coming 2022)


More books and resources coming soon...