If there’s one thing I’ve learned about kiddos by being a Kindergarten teacher, it’s that they need a LOT of help learning how to deal with their emotions.
Danna Smith is an award-winning author of over a dozen books for children, including the Bank Street College of Education Best Children’s Books of the Year The Hawk of the Castle (Candlewick), Swallow the Leader (Clarion), a number of Little Golden Books, the award-winning Rooftop Garden for Barefoot Books’ sing-along series and a number of board books for Little Simon, including Wake Up, Freight Train; The Thank You Book and The Welcome Book; Peek-a-Boo Haiku and more. You can learn more about her at her website or follow her on Instagram.
ZENGUIN is a picture book all about an anxious penguin who struggles to cope with all the hubbub surrounding him in his penguin colony. His frustrations reach peak crisis point and a melt down ensues. What is he do to cope? Thankfully he has plenty of friends who he can ask for pointers and he learns to be a Zenguin.
Welcome Danna!
Me: Can you tell us a little bit about your writing journey? When did you start writing picture books? How has that brought you to writing this picture book?
Danna: Hi Jena, I’m excited to join you on your blog today, thank you for having me!
My journey into children’s books started when I was just 17, sitting in a creative writing class. After reading my very first picture book manuscript, my teacher left a few words of encouragement in the margins—and just like that, I was hooked!
Back then, I had never even met a “real” author, and since the internet didn’t exist yet, the path to publication felt like a total mystery. It wasn’t until fifteen years later that I walked into a Borders bookstore and found a guide filled with writing advice and publisher addresses. In those days, you could still mail your work directly to editors without an agent. I took a leap of faith, started sending out my manuscripts, and soon caught the eye of an editor at Disney-Hyperion. That leap led to my very first published book, A Wild Cowboy.
Fast forward to today, and life is fuller than ever! I’m now a mother, a grandma, and the proud author of over 25 books for children. It has been a wonderful, wild ride, and I’ve truly loved every hill, bump, and curve along the way.
Me: I love the word play of penguin and zen combined to make a Zenguin! What gave you the idea for this story?
Danna: I have this slightly backward habit of coming up with a title first and then daring myself to write a story that fits it. I knew right away that I wanted a “Zen” penguin, but I had to figure out everything else: who are his friends? What’s his problem? And how do we fix it?
The result was Zenguin, a little guy who has a bit of anxiety. It turns out Antarctica is surprisingly loud (who knew?!), and he’s just a penguin in desperate search for a little peace and calm.
I mean, can you blame him? In a world of squawking neighbors and cracking ice, how’s a bird supposed to find his “om”?
Me: Your text is deceptively short but perfectly captures that kiddo angst I’m dealing with daily in my classroom right now. Did it undergo a ton of revisions to get to its finished state? Or was this story a gift from the muse that was good from the first draft?
Danna: Since I’m a poet at heart, I tend to get a little “lyrical” with my prose—which is just a fancy way of saying I use a few too many words! But for a calming picture book, I knew I had to rein it in. In my head, more words equaled more chaos, and we were aiming for pure zen.
Even with my initial “short” version in hand, my editors gently nudged me to trim it down even further. Three revisions and a lot of deep breaths later, Zenguin was finally ready for the brilliant Sydney Hanson. She’s the illustrator who brought our fuzzy little hero—with the tiny heart on his chest—to life!
Me: What is one thing that surprised you in writing this story?
Danna: Zenguin has a little sister named Pip. When she finds herself in a stressful situation, Zenguin helps her using the calming techniques he’s learned throughout the story. I didn’t even plan for that to happen! The scene just sort of walked onto the page and made itself at home. I have a sneaking suspicion my subconscious was doing some heavy lifting, channeling memories of my own son. He was such a champion big brother to his little sister, and it looks like some of that real-life magic decided to seep into the story.
Me: I love that! The illustrations by Sydney Hanson are pitch perfect! They are soft and adorable. I really love the watercolor style used here. Were there any illustration surprises for you? Any favorites?
Danna: Honestly, we hit the jackpot when Sydney Hanson agreed to illustrate Zenguin!
When I first pitched the story to my agent, she asked who I envisioned bringing this little guy to life? Sydney was the very first person who popped into my head—I’ve always been obsessed with her warm, ridiculously adorable characters.
Then, things got a little spooky (in the best way possible). When the team at Workman Kids made their offer to publish, they mentioned they had someone in mind for the illustrations: Sydney Hanson.
I was completely blown away! Out of all the talented illustrators in the world, we both managed to pick the exact same person. It was a total “great minds think alike” moment—it was just meant to be!
Me: Ohh! How amazing! You have quite a few books published and more on the way. Any other projects we can look forward to reading from you?
Danna: I have five new books currently in various stages of publication, with the first three already scheduled for release. On July 14, 2026, I’m a Drone, a Little Golden Book illustrated by Brain Biggs that explores the many helpful ways drones assist us. This will be followed in 2026 by Snorkel Pig, illustrated by Troy Cummings, and published by Workman Kids, the story of a little pig who learns to swim with the support of his friends. Finally, on January 16, 2027, Zonderkidz will publish Grow, Grow, Little Baby. Co-written with my friend Linda Whalen and illustrated by Sian Wheatcroft, this poetic book follows a family’s journey as they await a new sibling, from the light of conception to the big day of arrival.
Me: Do you have any advice for aspiring picture book writers?
Danna: Keep that creative momentum going and write as much as you can! Every page you finish brings you one step closer to landing that exciting offer. Remember to embrace the revision process with an open heart; it’s a natural and essential part of the storytelling journey. It is completely normal to go through dozens of drafts or even a few total do-overs to get the format exactly where it needs to be. It’s all part of the craft.
Most importantly, please don’t be discouraged when you face rejection. It isn’t a personal reflection on you or your talent. Often, it simply means your manuscript wasn’t the right fit for that specific publishing house at this specific time. Your work is valuable, so keep polishing your words and believe in your voice, The right home for your story is out there!
That is great advice Danna. Thank you so much for stopping by my blog today.
Dear readers, this book published just last week. If you haven’t had a chance yet to track it down, I highly recommend it. What’s not to love about an adorable penguin who needs to learn emotional control? Trust me when I say, you won’t want to miss it!