My first picture book

I'm getting some lovely comments on my first children's picture book. It's amazing to me. Yes I worked really hard on it until I think it's compelling and I'm excited about it. I really think it needs to be published, so it can help children. But I'm delighted someone else feels the same way. However she's now on vacation for 3 weeks. And I don't want to submit it without some good comments. So to use an old fashioned journalistic term, it's held in obeyance. We used to play this game Scoop, which was made in England in the 50's and "typeform in obeyance" was one of the states your article could be in.

I'm sad to say that based on my research, books about "special needs" kids are rather marginalized and there's only one major publisher that has published books like mine. Good news is that being the case, I don't need an agent. Though of course it bothers me it's a one-shot deal. Some folks have said "Why not publish it yourself?"

Two reasons:

1. I’m looking for realistic but warm and humorous illustrations to reassure parents and children and further explain the complex topics and feelings depicted in my book. Illustrations are the essence of any children's book. I don't know any illustrators who have experience with children's books. I don't know that many illustrators period or any professional ones.


2. I don't have the network or money or experience to get this book into every major hospital in the US or to get into libraries and bookstores. For that I need a publisher. If people don't know about it, they can't read it. And my goal is for it to get read.

I'd love to be wrong, but so far I haven't seen anything that tells me different. Please tell if you know differently.