Relaunching August 12, 2025

Coming soon! Two-by-Two, Fall 2026

 

Picnic Heist Publishing, a traditional, innovative publisher, is releasing  Milo’s Moonlight Mission, illustrated by Petronela Dostalova, and Two-by-Two, illustrated by Aya Kakeda. Based on a true story, Two-by-Two celebrates childhood best friends, whose loving alliance is threatened by anti-Japanese sentiment rooted in World War II. Kathleen is honored to work with Reiko Nagumo and Mary Herold, to bring this story to life.

Kathleen Blasi mines stories of everyday heroes. Active in the children’s writing community, she is former Co-Director of the
Rochester Children’s Book Festival, for which she received a 2015 New York State Reading Association Literacy Advocate Award.
Kathleen lives with her family in Upstate New York, where, along with honing her craft, she enjoys fostering curiosity in young storytellers.

Milo's Moonlight Mission

Captain Milo is ready for takeoff! If only he didn’t have to wait for his Second-in-Command—or as he also calls her, Mom—to report for duty. Yet Mom’s list of daily tasks grows ever longer, and she can’t launch until they’re done. When the weather forecast predicts a middle-of-the-night meteor storm, will she have enough time to accomplish this magical meteor mission with him?

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Our Writer-in-Residence, Kathleen Blasi, delivered material to our students in a way that got them excited to write! She broke down her writing process, so that by the end, the students had a piece of writing to be proud of. I cannot say enough good things about Kathleen as a presenter, an example, and a teacher.

– Stephen Baker, Teacher, Warsaw (New York) Elementary School

Upcoming Events

Writing Workshops - May 2025

Kathleen is excited to return to Warsaw Elementary School, to conduct 5 weekly sessions of writing workshops with 3rd graders. This year’s focus in on writing personal narratives. After all, everyone has a story to tell, right?!

Allen Creek Elementary School - May 13, 2025

Kathleen is gearing up to present to all grade levels at this cozy neighborhood school in Western New York. Budding writers, let’s go!

Writerly Ramblings

Unity

Unity

Book magic is real, friends! I’ve been reflecting on the serendipity of a recent experience. Things really can come full circle, if we are steadfast in our goals and exercise (often hard-to-come-by) graceful patience. In 2018, I began writing a picture book, moved by...

The Gift of Affirmation

The Gift of Affirmation

When I was in high school, I babysat for a little girl named Michelle, who asked me, “Is Santa real?” Whoa. I went with my gut: “Santa will come for as long as you believe he will.” I doubted myself in the moment, but when Michelle’s parents returned that night, they...

Connecting with Readers is Magic!

Connecting with Readers is Magic!

The stories I’ve enjoyed all my life are those to which I feel a strong connection. I don’t know a reader who doesn’t feel this way. But it wasn’t until I became a writer that I fully appreciated that sentiment. Before, I would say whether I liked a book. It was a...

Contact Kathleen

kathy@kmblasi.com