Picture-book writer · Father
My children brought me to picture books.
I’m Pradeep Velugubantla. I grew up in India, with mangoes, peacocks, and kites over rice fields. Now I write for children who notice small things and ask big questions.
A familiar world. A new perspective.
Culture enters my stories through the details of daily life.
What I write“I want a child who recognizes those details to feel at home. I want a child encountering them for the first time to lean closer and become curious.”
Notes from the writing life
All essays From the writing desk.
What I’m learning about writing picture books, one draft at a time.
The writing life
REJECTIONS: HOW WRITERS CAN STAY MOTIVATED
· 2 min readWhen a manuscript gets another no, how do you find your way back to the page?
The craft
Show Don’t Tell: What Is It, and Why It Works
· 3 min readGive readers room to imagine. A closer look at action, detail, and the feelings between the lines.
Lessons learned
5 Mistakes I Made (and Hope Others Avoid) As a Picture Book Writer
· 5 min readFrom setting goals to finding a critique group: lessons from learning to write for children.
Let’s start a conversation.
For questions, professional inquiries, or a simple hello.