Our 2025 scholarship recipients Sarah Brown-Millspaw (Stanton Picture Book Scholarship) and Rosemary Lynn (Transgender and Nonbinary Picture Book Storyteller Scholarship) chose to use their scholarships to attend our on-campus storyteller retreat All About Picture Books. After returning home, both were eager to share their retreat experience with us!

Sarah Brown-Millspaw

Sarah’s Scholarship Experience:

My scholarship experience was amazing! I met so many wonderful people and learned so much. The experience was a real boost to my self esteem, knowing that people believe in me and see the beauty in my work gives me the boost I need to continue my path as an author/illustrator.

Sarah’s Retreat Experience:

I learned so much about the process and timeline of book production and some insight into the publishers world. I will use my new knowledge to complete a brand new story, which I mostly wrote during my time at Highlights!

About Sarah:

Born in a log cabin in rural Pennsylvania, self taught artist, Sarah Brown-Millspaw has been fascinated by nature and art since day one. Sarah now resides on a small farm outside of Westfield, New York where she spends her days painting watercolor illustrations, gardening, and planting over 600 trees to restore the balance of nature on her 8 acres of former pastured farm land. Passionate about nature, animals, and the joys of childhood, these themes often surface in her work. In recent years, turning her watercolor paintings into surface patterns and fabric designs has become an integral part of her creative process.

Instagram: @sarahgeebee.art
Twitter: @sarahgeebee

Rosemary Lynn

Rosemary’s Scholarship Experience:

I was encouraged by receiving the scholarship. After all the piles of rejections over the years, it’s priceless to realize that an organization like yours believes I have potential. And the retreat itself? It was pure magic. I truly didn’t realize how much it would help to be in a space where I was surrounded by other creatives and everything I needed was taken care of. The schedule of the incredible meals, the breathtaking scenery, the comfortable spaces, and the interactions with writers, artists, teachers, and staff, all blended together to create the perfect environment.

Rosemary’s Retreat Experience:

Not only did I work on existing projects while snuggled up in blankets in the Loft, or tucked away in my cozy cabin, but I also began new projects. I jotted down so many notes for works in progress, as well as 2 rough outlines for new picture book manuscripts. One of which has already been transformed into a cleaner draft and sent off to my critique group. I even wrote some poetry – which, granted, is for grown ups and not kids, but it’s writing nonetheless.

 

I already knew a lot about writing picture books, but there was still so much more to absorb! It was wonderful to hear from these specific teachers and to learn about their processes. I learned so many things, and took many notes. I even learned tips about illustrating that I didn’t expect. Out of all of the craft things that I learned, what wound up being the most astounding realization, was that I learned I was able and worthy of being an author.

Rosemary’s Takeaways:

I’ve been more consistent in my writing, too, since returning home. The retreat kind of functioned as a reminder that I need to make the space in my life for creating art, and not just use the time leftover after I’ve done all of my errands and adulting. The writing is important too, and I need to give it the time it deserves.

 

Part of what I said I wanted to work on was how to incorporate more of my own lived experiences into my books in order to help future kids get the books they need – that I didn’t have. This was something I discussed in my one-on-one and also with other students, and I spent a lot of time meditating on it. This is something that I’ve already begun to incorporate into my manuscripts in different ways.

About Rosemary:

An agent of mischief and magic, Rosemary writes for all ages but especially loves picture books. A nonbinary and neurodivergent former librarian, they spent many years working in the public library, and this greatly influences how they write for children. Their mission is to help all children find just the book they need, both by sharing their own story and by inspiring children to write their own.

Website: rosemarylynnbooks.com
On Bluesky, Tiktok, and Instagram: @rosemarylynnbooks