I am super excited to introduce you to picture book author June Smalls. June has several published books and several upcoming in the near future.
About June
June Smalls has been making up stories since she only had pets and stuffed animals to share them with. She writes fiction and nonfiction books that are funny, educational, odd, and entertaining for both the educational and trade markets including the Leads series, Hear Them Roar! 14 Endangered Animals from Around the World, and the upcoming Digging for Dinosaurs.
June loves research almost as much as writing and would love to dig up a dinosaur, study sea turtles, or track wild elephants! She lives in northern Virginia with her family and an ever-growing assortment of animals.
They Lead: The Wolf Pack
They are the leaders.
The creators of the pack.
She digs the den, where their young will grow.
He patrols the territory and brings her food while she cares for the helpless pups.
As seasons pass, and new litters arrive, the pack grows and all work together to raise the young.
A wolf’s piercing howl can carry up to 10 miles, raising goosebumps on even the most intrepid camper’s skin. But the gray wolf is far from a simple predator. An incredible combination of teamwork and instinct has helped wolf packs survive, despite being endangered in most of North America.
A lyrical story with a mother wolf and father wolf leading the pack–their family–together, the cubs grow and learn the skills they need to start their own pack someday.
With stunning, lifelike illustrations and facts on each page for grownups or older children who want a deeper dive, this beautiful picture book is a monument to these majestic packs.
Can You Tell Us More About the “Leads” Series and Dive a Little Deeper Into They Lead: The Wolf Pack?
This is the third book in the Leads series which looks at natural leaders in the animal kingdom.
She Leads: The Elephant Matriarch shows the intelligence, power, and beauty of the female leader of the elephant’s family unit.
He Leads: Mountain Gorilla, the Gentle Giant shows a gentle, shy, yet powerful leader of the mountain gorilla’s troop.
When looking into teamwork, the wolf pack seemed like the best choice. While “Alpha” is still thought of as the leaders of the wolf pack, it is a misnomer that scientists have been trying to correct. The leaders are the breeding pair. A pair that finds a territory and raises their young.
They are successful in bringing down large prey, raising litters, and surviving due to teamwork, communication, and intelligence.
I was inspired by animals that show us simple traits of good leadership. I chose a format that worked across a wider age range with a short lyrical story line and nonfiction sidebars on each spread. And I focused on items that could bridge into other subjects or conversations, such as conservation, family dynamics, the circle of life, and adaptation.
What Has Your Writing Journey Looked Like?
My writing journey has been very much the slow and steady tortoise. I got serious about wanting to write in the traditional market back in late 2013. It took me six years of reading, writing, researching, and working on my craft before my first trade book, Odd Animal ABC’s was published as well as some Work for Hire for the educational market.
Since then, I’ve been lucky enough to continue with the Leads series, a novelty sound book, Hear Them Roar! 14 Endangered Animals from Around the World, and some upcoming Lift-the-Flap books.
What Has Surprised You the Most About Publishing?
I think I was most surprised by how social publishing is. You have to network and market yourself and your books. I had always pictured writing as a solo endeavor. I was also surprised that I really enjoyed going to conferences and classes, even though I’m not always comfortable in social settings.
Are You a Pantser or a Plotter and What Does That Process Look Like For You?
I’m usually a Pantster, though I often have to roll an idea around in my head for a bit before ever getting anything down. Sometimes I can’t write until I have a through-line to follow, a perfect character name that helps me know them, or I’ve done enough research on my topic to be able to write without having to stop to double check myself constantly.
Some projects need a plot, or at least framework, before I can build the story. Even if the story is only 200 words, I can’t get it to work without knowing where I’m going. It all depends on the project.
What is Your Favorite Writing Tool?
If I need to be in the zone, my noise-cancelling headphones.
What is Your Favorite Writing Resource?
My library card.
Hear me out.
Reading widely is what works best for me. I do like some writing books and blogs, but the actual published books that speak to me, that I can analyze, that can move me—that is what inspires me and gets me going.
Especially early on in my career when I didn’t have extra money to invest in classes and such. I would go and school myself by focusing on picture book openings, character-driven books, different formats, etc. And, when I’m looking for comps, librarians always have you covered.
What is Your Number One Tip for Writers?
My number one tip for writers is to keep going and keep growing.
No matter how many stories you’ve written or books you’ve published, there is still more to learn. Learn about craft, learn new topics, try out new styles. Never stop growing.
What’s Next For You?
In 2025, I have Digging for Dinosaurs and Digging for Dinosaurs: At the Beach coming out with Sourcebooks eXplore. They are part of a Lift-the-Flap series where the readers get to be paleontologists searching for dino bones and find some surprises along the way.
I’m also working on They Work, a nonfiction book on Honeybees in the same vein as the Leads series and Hear Them Sing, a nonfiction sound book about songbirds in North America, both of which are with Familius Publishing.
Where Can People Find You?
www.junesmalls.com
Twitter: @June_Smalls
Instagram: @June_Smalls
BlueSky: junesmalls.bsky.social
My number one tip for writers is to keep going and keep growing.
June Smalls
No matter how many stories you’ve written or books you’ve published, there is still more to learn. Learn about craft, learn new topics, try out new styles. Never stop growing.
Amy Nielsen 
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