MOONBOW IS TWO!
I don’t know where I’m going from here, but I promise it won’t be boring.
Today is Moonbow's second anniversary! It’s weird. I don’t think of Moonbow in the same way I thought of Glitter Guide (my digital lifestyle publication and media company that I closed in 2021). That was very much a business from the start. Every anniversary was a huge milestone, and we celebrated them in a big way. Moonbow is just me. It’s quiet. There’s no pressure, which is probably why I almost forgot about this anniversary. There’s nothing flashy about writing about kids’ books, especially old out-of-print kids’ books—and yet, I’m lit up—I’m shining brighter than ever.
But this sparkly feeling is hard to hold onto. I have to protect it fiercely. It’s easy to fall into expectation traps: posting schedules, shoutouts, content trends—and all the other things we’re told we should do to grow, grow, GROW! Sure, it can be fun initially, but it can quickly become a killjoy. I know it’s a necessary part of the success formula, but this time, I’m defining what success means to me, and the only growth I’m paying attention to is my own.
Substack is an incredibly supportive space for creatives. I’m grateful for the friends I made here. Still, I can’t help but cringe at some of the things I’m noticing. After 15 years on the internet, you recognize patterns that platforms go through (Myspace, Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, Instagram—they’ve all been through it), and I’ve noticed a few similar patterns here. But when disenchantment starts to dull my sparkle, I turn my focus inward and pay attention to my purpose, which, after two years, remains the same: create a space that sparks joy and curiosity for kids’ books as an art form.
This year, I will continue championing weird and wonderful books for kids, although I’m not entirely sure what that will look like. I don’t have a team except for my longtime copy editor (Thanks, Nicole!). There are no sponsors, no advertisers, and no PR plugs; it’s fully supported by you—the readers—which is something I never take for granted. I have a lot of fun ideas, but it may take a while to get to them. I’m looking for a job right now. Hopefully, something in children’s literature. I want to expand what I do here and become part of the process of making weird and wonderful books, and if that doesn’t happen, I will have to try to write them!
Thanks for believing in me. You’ve helped build my confidence and steered me in a new, dazzling direction. In the famous words of David Bowie, “I don’t know where I’m going from here, but I promise it won’t be boring.”
Here are some of my favorite moments from the past two years!
I wrote about one of my favorite author-illustrators, James Marshall. Marshall is probably the funniest children’s book creator ever, and I gravitate toward creators who share his standout humor, like Mac Barnett, K-Fai Steele, and Abby Hanlon.
Last year, I went on a fascinating children’s book tour of the San Francisco Public Library hosted by K-Fai. Afterward, she and I went on a sloppy sandwich lunch date and gabbed about Marshall, Sendak, Lobel, and Gág. It was at that moment I realized that I was where I was meant to be.
I’m lucky that many of my favorite creators have become my friends. Hosting my first virtual Picture Book Club was terrifying, but I was in excellent company with Helen Hancocks, one of the very best in the industry. Her online children’s bookstore, Shelf Editions, is unsurpassed, and now she’s opening a physical bookstore. (Someone get me to Lincoln, England!)
I hosted my first podcast interview with children’s author-illustrator Emmy Kastner, who, even though we only met a few years ago, feels like someone I’ve known my whole life. Her new picture book, While You’re Asleep, comes out next week and will be your child’s new bedtime staple. I followed that with a podcast interview with a heavy hitter, Jon Klassen. Unsurprisingly, it’s one of my most popular posts. Everyone loves Jon Klassen. How could they not? He’s ridiculously talented, but more importantly, he’s incredibly gracious and kind. Listen to our two-hour (!) conversation; you’ll see what I mean. Last year, I also met children’s author-illustrator and fellow Substacker Rachel Michelle Wilson over pizza. Rachel has become a dear friend, and her debut picture book, How To Pee Your Pants (The Right Way), comes out this October—prepare to laugh so hard you’ll pee your pants.
I wrote about Margaret Wise Brown, Tomi Ungerer, and Crockett Johnson, three of my picture book idols. But the most rewarding piece I’ve written was The Alchemy of Storytelling: A Mixture of the Deeply Familiar With the Totally Unexpected, which showed me that writing about children’s books is writing about all types of books and all types of art forms. The more I vary my reading, listening, and looking, the better my writing about children’s books will be.
Last but not least, I hosted my first in-person storytime and sold vintage kids’ books at Noomoon in San Francisco last December. Seeing the kids lit up by books was the absolute best. I can bang on about voice, style, and design, but in the end, what really matters is there’s a happy kid with a great book in their hands.
Congrats, Taylor!!
Happy birthday! x