GENRE: **Diverse, Character Driven, STEM/STEAM
WORDS: 461
Query:
Dear PBParty Judges, Editors and Agents,
Thank you for your time and participation in PBParty 2026.
I am sharing my 461 word fictional, STEM picture book, THE GLASS GARDENER. It’s about a young girl’s efforts to grow a family garden with her Papi. It offers an Author’s Note, back matter, and craft activities for children aged 4 to 8.
Dani loves gardening with her Papi, but there’s one problem. She can’t keep a plant alive no matter how hard she tries. While Dani appreciates the hearty garden Papi grows and wishes for gardening hands like his, she realizes gardening also requires attention and patience. In her heart, she also knows her hands were made for more. On a day trip with her Papi, Dani discovers she doesn’t need dirt, water, or sunshine to grow a garden. With a little inspiration and her imagination, she and Papi create something beautiful together.
My story explores the shared love for gardening between a father-daughter duo and finding one’s own talent. I was inspired to write this story based on my own experience trying to grow a garden with my Papi in the city as a kid. Although I love gardens, I still can’t grow one to save my life. From that experience, my Papi fostered a passion to find my arrow. I learned to draw and use my hands in a different way to create beautiful things I imagined instead. THE GLASS GARDENER is written in the spirit of GARDENS ARE FOR GROWING by Chelsea Tornetto (2022) with the nurturing of WE ARE THE GARDENERS by Joanna Gaines (2019).
I am traditionally published with award-winning books. I write on themes of family, the immigrant experience, STEM, and humor. My experience as a former television and print journalist inform my writing. When I’m not working on a story, I am active with Kids Comics Unite, Storyteller Academy, 12×12, and SCBWI.
Thank you for the opportunity to share my work for consideration.
Sincerely,
PBParty Writer
Excerpt:
Dani wanted loving hands like Papi’s.
He had the right touch for growing plants.
Hands that grew and shaped their world beautiful.
He had a green thumb.
Dani wondered if her hands held magic like his.
Her hands were better at drawing and cutting paper flowers.
Hands that colored and shaped the world beautiful.
But her heart was set on growing something for their garden.
How hard could gardening be?
What inspired you to write this story & what do you have in common with it:
I was inspired to write this story based on my own experience trying to grow a garden with my Papi in the city as a kid. Although I love gardens, I still can’t grow one to save my life. From that experience, my Papi fostered a passion to find my arrow. I learned to draw and use my hands in a different way to create beautiful things I imagined instead. I wanted to write this positive, commercial story about a multi-racial child with immigrant roots, so children with multiple identities can see themselves reflected in a book.
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