Chelsea Tornetto

Profile

Join date: Jul 20, 2021

About

Chelsea Tornetto is an author, world geography teacher, and mom who has been writing ever since she was a kid. Her first book, Conquering Content Vocabulary, was published by Scholastic in 2018, but now her passion is picture books! Her first picture book titles, Gardens Are For Growing (Familius) and God Made You Too (Worthy), both released in early 2022. She lives in Jackson, Missouri with her husband, Mike, and her two kids, Tessa and Milo. She loves snow days, lattes, and summer. She hates spiders, her sinuses, and laundry.

Posts (71)

Nov 3, 2025 ∙ 4 min

Ready, Set...Submit? How to know if your book is ready for publishing

Deciding whether your children's book manuscript is truly ready to send out into the world—whether that means querying agents or diving into self-publishing—can feel both thrilling and terrifying. And honestly? Only you can make that call. But as an agented and traditionally published picture book author who’s helped hundreds of writers navigate both traditional and indie publishing paths, I’ve found that most successful authors can answer YES to the following questions before they take t

Oct 27, 2025 ∙ 4 min

Are Kirkus Reviews Worth It? An Indie Author’s Perspective

If you’ve spent any time in the world of children’s publishing, you’ve probably heard the name Kirkus whispered in hushed tones—like a legendary creature that can make or break a book. For over 90 years, Kirkus has been one of the most respected names in book reviews. Their critiques are known for being sharp, honest, and sometimes… well, a little intimidating. For self-published authors, the big question is: 👉 Should you pay for a Kirkus Review?

Oct 20, 2025 ∙ 4 min

How to Write Children's Books Kids and Parents Love

Children’s book authors, on the other hand, face a unique challenge. We must write a book that appeals to two very different audiences: 4-8 year olds with limited vocabularies and the attention span of a fruit fly; and adults who may have already maxed out on the amount of Bluey they can handle in one day.