More About Ruth Forman (She/Her)

Ruth Forman is the author of the children’s books Curls, Glow, Bloom, Ours, One, Like So and Light (Simon & Schuster, 2020 – 2024). She is an award-winning author of the poetry collections Prayers Like Shoes (Whit, 2009), Renaissance (Beacon, 1997), and We Are the Young Magicians (Beacon, 1993) as well as the children’s book Young Cornrows Callin Out the Moon (Children’s Book Press, 2007).

Ruth has received the Barnard New Women Poets Prize, The Pen Oakland Josephine Miles Literary Award, The Durfee Artist Fellowship, DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities Artist Fellowships, the National Council of Teachers of English Notable Book Award, and recognition by The American Library Association.

Ruth is a former teacher of creative writing with the University of Southern California and June Jordan’s Poetry for the People program at UC Berkeley, as well as a longtime faculty member with the VONA writing program. She is currently a professor at the Bread Loaf School of English at Middlebury College.

Ruth is represented by Kerry Sparks of LEVINE | GREENBERG | ROSTAN LITERARY AGENCY.

Ruth’s upcoming picture books include an unannounced picture book with Simon and Schuster slated for 2026.

You can find Ruth online at:

https://www.ruthforman.com

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Video: BLOOM READ ALOUD

Video: LIKE SO READ ALOUD

Video: THE POWER AND MAGIC OF LANGUAGE

Video: SIMON & SCHUSTER’S BOOKS LIKE US

Ruth’s strengths are…

Developing poetic voice, creating inspiring work, writing for all ages including very young readers, exploring rich and complex subjects in accessible ways, finding the heart of a story, revision, concision, encouragement.

What Ruth is looking for…

Ruth is looking for a mentee who has an important personal reason for their writing. Who loves and believes in their work but is also open to new ideas and perspectives on telling their story. Someone who is a strong writer, an avid reader, and a lover of children's literature who has new stories and can tell those stories in untraditional ways. Someone who takes their work seriously, who’s not afraid to revise, revise, revise, who loves to strive for excellence, and whose work inspires.

A Note from Ruth:

“If you believe you have a story to tell, don’t be afraid of rejection. It happens, and can happen a lot! But if you meet rejection along the way, see what you might learn from it, try refining your work and keep going!”

Ruth’s Picture Books

Ruth writes in other markets, so to check out her full catalog please visit her website.

YOUNG CORNROWS CALLIN OUT THE MOON, written by Ruth Forman and illustrated by Cbabi Bayoc

LIKE SO, written by Ruth Forman and illustrated by Raissa Figueroa

GLOW, written by Ruth Forman and illustrated by Geneva Bowers

CURLS, written by Ruth Forman and illustrated by Geneva Bowers

OURS, written by Ruth Forman and illustrated by Talia Skyles

BLOOM, written by Ruth Forman and illustrated by Talia Skyles

ONE, written by Ruth Forman and illustrated by Katura Gaines

LIGHT, written by Ruth Forman and illustrated by Katura Gaines

If Ruth created a Visual Wish List, it would be made up of…

*Unless otherwise stated, the below serves as a wish list only. Each mentor is excited about the opportunity to find a manuscript they can’t stop thinking about. Please apply if you think you’d be a good fit.