Children's literature is a mysterious business and making art can be a daunting one. I've collected a list of my favorite resources for anyone curious to learn more about the industry, or about writing and illustrating and art in general. I hope that you will find it helpful as you keep on working, reading and honing your craft. Best of luck and don't give up!

Books

• Understanding Comics, Scott McCloud. A classic. The concepts explained in this highly entertaining comic book about comic books are relevant to anyone who makes illustrations or visual art, no matter the style or format.
• Picture this: How Pictures Work, Molly Bang. This book breaks down images to their most basic, fundamental elements and illustrates how basic composition and design choices determine narrative and emotional tone.
• Writing with Pictures, Uri Shulevitz. This book has a few outdated sections but covers the fundamentals of storytelling in the picture book format. Great for beginners.
• Color and Light and Imaginative Realism, James Gurney. These two books are especially useful for artists interested in more realistic styles of illustration, but Gurney's comprehensive coverage of color theory and basics are excellent information for all.
• Children's Writer's and Illustrator's Market. Offers listings and information for publishing houses, literary agencies, magazines, contests etc, as well as useful articles and interviews. Updated yearly.
• Framed Perspective I & II, Marcose Mateu-Mestre. These are the most comprehensive books on basic and advanced perspective that I have come across. Includes basic and complex examples that are simply explained with a bit of comic-book flair.
• The Art of Animal Drawing, Ken Hultgren. An overview for those who want to improve their drawing of animals but don't want to memorize every bone, muscle and tendon.
• Figure Drawing for all Its Worth, Andrew Loomis. Covers the basics of proportion and human anatomy. This book was written with 1940's style advertising illustration in mind, but it's still quite useful. I also recommend Loomis's Drawing the Head and Hands.

Online Resources

• Picturebooking. Audio interviews by Nick Patton with a host of kidlit authors and illustrators. A great place to hear directly from picture book creators about the bookmaking process.
• Seven Impossible Things. The excellent blog of Julie Danielson about books featuring the work of up and coming illustrators, interviews with sketches and work-in-process pictures, and beautiful books from overseas. A must-read for anyone who loves picture book illustration.
• Gurney Journey. The blog of author, artist and illustrator James Gurney. This is one of the most comprehensive and popular art blogs on the internet. Gurney covers all sorts of topics including art history, illustration, plein air painting, art supplies and materials, and every art technique imaginable from the traditional to the cutting edge. Gurney also offers how-to videos and tutorials on his website.
• The Purple Crayon. A website created and maintained by Harold Underdown, offering a collection of online links and resources covering pretty much every aspect of the industry. If the answer to your question is anywhere, it's here.
• Art of the Picture Book. This sleek blog is a great place to get to know picture book creators and see lots of art.
• This list of rejection letters can be cheering to read on a bad day.

Real Life Resources

• The SCBWI. The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators offers guidance and help for all stages of your career but is especially beginner-friendly. A few of the opportunities available to members include online industry resources, local or online critique groups and community activities, portfolio showcase and award opportunities, and regional and national conferences.
• Your Neighborhood Bookstore. There's no better way to see what books are selling and are generating buzz.
  
• Your Local Library. The best place to get a sense for which books you like, which ones you don't, and, most importantly, why. With enough reading you will figure out your tastes and your voice as a writer and artist. Plus it's just a nice place to hang out.