By Cynthia Leitich Smith, Gayleen Rabakukk, Suma Subramaniam, A.J. Eversole, Mitu Malhotra, and Gail Vannelli for Cynsations

Spotlight Image: Thank You, Everything by Icinori, translated by Emilie Robert Wong (Enchanted Lion, 2024).

Author/Illustrator Insights

Carole Boston Weatherford Talks With Roger by Roger Sutton from The Horn Book. Peek: “[C]hildren are our hope for the future. They know how to interrogate injustice when they see it, and we need to trust them to do that….[T]hat means answering…their questions. We might not be comfortable, as adults, answering some of those questions, but we need to get out of our comfort zone and have these discussions with our children….”

Author Guest Post: “All in the Family” by Sarah Everett, Author of The Shape of Lost Things by Kellee Moye from Unleashing Readers. Peek: “A couple of books ago, I realized I was always writing about families….[F]amily is more than…your family of origin; it is also pets, partners, friends, extended family, people who come to matter to you over time. As a writer, I consider it part of my job to keep writing about families. Different kinds of families, different configurations….”

Interview With Suma Subramaniam, Author of V. Malar—Greatest Host of All Time by Patchree Jones from From The Mixed-Up Files of Middle-Grade Authors. Peek: “Writing is a lonely creative pursuit and…a business. With the connections you build in the industry, you can go a long way…to improve your creative work, but also find your way through it….[A] portfolio of projects gives the industry an added layer of reinforcement that…you are putting [in] the effort to make the writing better with every project.”

Interview With PB author Justin Colón from KidLit in Color. Peek: “Think about who you are as a creator, the type of work you want to create, the career you envision for yourself, your short and long-term goals, etc. Get specific, and then create a plan of action with SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound) goals that will move you closer to your target.”

Equity & Inclusion

Fall 2024 Children’s Flying Starts: Jill Tew by Iyana Jones from Publishers Weekly. Peek: “I loved the idea of an imprint [Joy Revolution] that was looking at stories by authors of color, about characters of color, in the full breadth of everything that we go through…I wrote this book as a beacon into the night…And for a reader to say it’s resonating is all…I can ask for.”

These YA Authors Want to Change How We Talk About Body Size…. by Allen Zadoff from People. Peek: [Julie Murphy:] “I didn’t think a book about a plus-size character would sell or be relevant…I saw myself as more of a side character in my own life. Once that perspective shifted, I realized I could write all kinds of stories with fat people in them.” [Crystal Maldonado:] “People who look like me deserve to have their stories told….They deserve…happily-ever-afters….”

Jacqueline Woodson on Navigating Book Bans and Staying Resilient in 2025 by Brittany Allen from Literary Hub. Peek: “[B]ack in the day,…the minute they ban a book everybody’s running to get the book and read it. But now we’re living in a different time, where it’s legislated. If books are banned, and people try to put them into the hands of young people, they lose their jobs. Librarians are scared, teachers are scared….[I]t’s heartbreaking.”

Suma Subramaniam: Stories to Empower from ISSUU Magazine. Peek: “Subramaniam’s stories aim to evoke a sense of community that allow her readers to see themselves and their lived realities reflected on the page. ‘I want to provide hope and support…to show them how fun it can be when cultures are blended together….’ [S]he writes stories so children can see their experiences reflected and foresee a bright future for themselves.”

Native American Heritage Now: An Interview With Dr. Debbie Reese by Amulya Hiremath from Pen America. Peek: “In every workshop I do with teachers and librarians, I emphasize the use of present tense verbs and tribally specific information….I really want people to move away from books labeled as ‘folktales, myths, or legend’ because most of those are written by non-Native people who do not understand those stories and what they mean to us.”

Meriam Metoui on Writing MENA Representation in A Guide to the Dark by Meriam Metoui from We Need Diverse Books. Peeks: “I wanted to see brown girls be more than one thing. I wanted them to be queer and complicated and contradictory. And then I wanted them to go up against magic and find magic in themselves. And when antagonists looked like me, I wanted them to be unexplainable and terrifying and worth rooting for anyway.”

Writing Craft

Interview With Debut Picture Book Author Madhu Messenger by Hilary Margitich from Writers’ Rumpus. Peek: “A key component in my writing is a robust group of critique partners. I have multiple critique groups that offer me different perspectives, including one composed entirely of diverse writers. All of my…partners are instrumental in helping me capture the right tone while staying on message….While writing is largely a solitary endeavor,…feedback from others is absolutely necessary.”

Five questions for Kusum Mepani and Yasmeen Ismail from The Horn Book. Peek: [Yasmeen Ismail:] “When I work out the flow…, I read through and see what needs pacing. I…see which parts of the story need space to land, the big double-page spreads. With the food, the kids dancing, and the full living room, I wanted to do big spreads…For scenes that needed to move the story along, I used vignettes.”

Q&As With Zenda M. Walker from Deborah Kalb Books. Peek: “I researched the [Know Your Hairitage series] books by diving into academic texts, articles, and nonfiction books, spending a lot of time in the library. While the research wasn’t hugely surprising, I was captivated by the role hair played in African resistance. It’s amazing to see how precolonial styles are ingrained in our DNA….”

Sabaa Tahir Refuses To Pull Her Punches by Lauren Puckett-Pope from ELLE. Peek: “Part of what I want to do is take [characters] and make you love them, and put them in…situations in the hopes that you hurt…and you worry a little bit. So, when you step away from my book, some weird, deep lizard-brain part of yourself is triggered when you see that actually happening in the world.”

Q&A: Bree Paulsen, Author of “The Firelight Apprentice” by Elise Dumpleton from The Nerd Daily. Peek: “I always start with a script. That script is broken down by pages and panels so I have the pages preplanned a little when I start to thumbnail and sketch….As I write and sketch, I am also doing a lot of research and pulling reference[s] I plan to use….I am also working out all the lettering….”

Interview With Hanna Alkaf by Crystal from Rich in Color. Peek: “I wanted to contrast two very different perspectives and experiences of the same situation…while hopefully showing readers that both…voices were still true and valid and deserved…belief. Multiple perspectives is such a tricky thing to pull off—you do have to make sure those voices don’t start blurring together, making them as distinct as possible from each other.”

Publishing

Sourcebooks Launches Stonefruit Studio Children’s Imprint by Claire Kirch from Publishers Weekly. Peek: “Sourcebooks announced…the launch of…Stonefruit Studio. Stonefruit Studio will… publish ‘distinctively creative children’s books across all age categories and formats.’…The imprint will publish 16-24 books annually,…with the common denominator being books whose ‘authors and illustrators can showcase their bold narrative voices and distinct styles that bring the joy of reading to children of all ages.’”

New HarperCollins Imprint To Focus on Pop Culture by Jim Milliot from Publishers Weekly. Peek: “HarperCollins has formed HarperPop, a new imprint focused on publishing trend-driven titles for both adults and children….HarperPop ‘will partner with high-profile brands and personalities to craft unique books for their fans and communities.’ First titles are due out by March, and HC expects to publish 25 titles a year under the new imprint.”

Marketing

Is Book Tok Past Its Peak? by Arvyn Cerezo from Book Riot. Peek: [Author/Publisher Elizabeth Lyons:] “The platform…is far from dying or dead. It’s simply a matter of having consistently patience and realistic expectations.” [Dexterity Books, Assistant Marketing Manager Ashley Harris:] “[L]ike BookTube and Bookstagram, BookTok will still be an important piece for authors and publishers to target when promoting their books.” [Marketing Director Mike Vannelli:] “The hype hasn’t disappeared….”

Spotify Launches Spotify for Authors, a New Platform for Audiobook Authors & Publishers from Spotify. Peek: “Spotify for Authors will…offer direct access to industry-leading insights, as well as growth and promotional tools to help authors grow their listeners and catalog including: Aggregated age and gender demographics that provide more insight than ever before, revealing who is listening on Spotify….We have also dedicated a section…with articles offering growth tips, author interviews…and more.”

Libraries

AI and the Public by Matt Enis from Library Journal. Peek: “While the rapid growth of AI-generated misinformation is certainly one of the more pressing issues that public libraries can help address, patrons will likely have other questions or interests involving AI….Parents might have children in K–12 schools that haven’t clarified how AI may or may not be used in their work.”

Reasons to Love Libraries: 23 Notable Authors and Public Figures Share Their Joy from School Library Journal. Peek: [Linda Sue Park:] “Libraries do nothing less than preserve and share the wisdom of the world. People who grow up without easy access to books—like my immigrant father—can hardly believe their first encounters with a library: all that wisdom available…for free!?…[L]ibraries [are] truly one of the greatest innovations the human race has ever developed.”

Booksellers

Binc Year-End Campaign Continues With Giving Tuesday Opportunity for Donors To Double Their Gift from binc Foundation. Peek: “The Book Industry Charitable (Binc) Foundation’s year-end campaign, I Stand With Book and Comic Stores, needs to raise $150,000 before Dec. 31 to ensure it can continue its commitment to never turn anyone in need away. To date [in 2024], 390 grants have been provided to book and comic people and their families.” Donate here and have the donation matched for greater impact.

Education/Other Resources/Events

California Indian Education for All and the San Diego County Office of Education are hosting a free Native Ways of Knowing webinar series, which takes place through May 22. K-12 educators, librarians, administrators, and tribal community are invited to learn from several renowned Native American and Alaska Native authors, professors, scholars, and change makers. Register here for the upcoming webinar with Cynthia Leitich Smith on Dec. 19 from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. pacific, 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. central, 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. eastern.

The New York Public Library presents KidsLIVE! Livestream With Debbie Fong! on Jan. 21, during which there’ll be a discussion of her middle grade graphic novel Next Stop (Random House Graphic, 2024), an author Q&A, and an activity. The event takes place at 12:30 p.m. pacific, 2:30 p.m. central, 3:30 p.m. eastern. Register to receive a Zoom link. Or attend in-person at 3:30 p.m. eastern at the NYPL 53rd Street Branch, Community Room, 18 W. 53rd St., New York.

Join Lee & Low Books for a free webinar, The Power of Connection, Community & Civics in Children’s Books, on Jan. 29 at 1 p.m. pacific, 3 p.m. central, 4 p.m. eastern. Authors Katheryn Russell-Brown, Aixa Pérez-Prado and Michael Genhart will lead an inspiring discussion on how to teach about civics, leadership, and youth activism with children’s books. Register here.

The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators’ Winter Conference 2025 takes place in-person at the New York Hilton Midtown, 1335 Avenue of the Americas, New York. “Highlights include: industry panels, one-on-one manuscript and portfolio critiques, the popular Portfolio Showcase for illustrators, deep-dive creative labs taught by established authors, illustrators, editors and art directors, [and more].” The event takes place Jan. 31 to Feb. 2. See the schedule here and register here.

The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators’ Virtual Winter Conference 2025 takes place Feb. 21 to Feb. 22 and will feature “exclusive industry panels, hands-on sessions diving deep into the craft of writing and illustrating children’s books, and valuable networking with fellow creators.”  See the schedule here and register here.

Applications are now open for the 2025 We Need Diverse Books Native Children’s-YA Writing Intensive which will take place from Thursday, June 12 to Sunday, June 15 at the Texican Court Hotel in Irving, Texas. Native/First Nations/Indigenous writers seeking a weekend devoted to deep study, craft and conversation, manuscript feedback, and career mentorship are encouraged to apply. See more information here.

Awards

Congratulations to the winners of the 2024 National Book Awards, and special acknowledgement to author Shifa Saltagi Safadi, winner of the Young People’s Literature award for Kareem Between (G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, 2024).

Congratulations to the winners of the 2024 Goodreads Choice Awards, especially in the Young Adult Fantasy and Young Adult Fiction categories: Ruthless Vows by Rebecca Ross (Wednesday Books, 2023)(Young Adult Fantasy) and Heartstopper #5 by Alice Oseman (Graphix, 2023)(Young Adult Fiction).

Congratulations to the California Independent Booksellers Alliance’s Golden Poppy Awards 2024 Finalists, and especially to the finalists in the categories of Picture Books, Middle Grade, Young Adult, Children’s Nonfiction, and Mirrors & Windows: Excellence in Children’s Literature. The awards recognize “the most distinguished books written and illustrated by creators who have made California their home.”

Congratulations to the winners of the 2025 NCTE Children’s Book and Poetry Awards: The Last Stand by Antwan Eady, illustrated by Jerome Pumphrey and Jarrett Pumphrey (Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2024)(Charlotte Huck Award), Stealing Little Moon: The Legacy of American Indian Boarding Schools by Dan SaSuWeh Jones (Scholastic Focus, 2024)(Orbis Pictus Award), and Charles R. Smith Jr. (Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children).

Congratulations to the books that were named to Publishers Weekly’s Best Books of 2024 Children’s Picks. “From PW’s reviews of children’s and young adult books published in 2024, our editors’ selections for the top 50 books of the year include picture books and graphic novels, fiction and nonfiction, and bestsellers and debuts for readers of all ages.”

Congratulations to the  authors and illustrators whole books made the Children’s Book Council’s 2025 Outstanding Science Trade Books list (best science books chosen by science educators) and 2025 Best STEM Books list (best books with STEM content).

Congratulations to the children’s/YA authors whose books made the Book Riot Best Books of 2024 list: Not Quite a Ghost by Anne Ursu (Walden Pond Press, 2024)(Children’s Horror), The Deep Dark by Molly Knox Ostertag (Graphix, 2024)(Fantasy Graphic Novel YA), and The Diablo’s Curse by Gabe Cole Novoa (Random House Books for Young Readers, 2024)(Fantasy YA).

Congratulations to the authors and illustrators whose books made the New York Public Library’s Best Books of 2024 list, especially in the categories of Best Books for Kids 2024 and Best Books for Teens 2024. Noteworthy new books are selected by NYPL’s librarians and staff.

Congratulations to the authors and illustrators whose books made the American Indians in Children’s Literature 2024 List of Recommended Books. The categories included Comics and Graphic Novels, Board Books, Picture Books, Early Chapter Books, Middle Grade, High School, and Cross-Over Books (written for adults; appeal to young adults).

Congratulations to the authors and illustrators whose books made the Kirkus Reviews Best Books of 2024 list, especially in the categories of Picture Books, Middle Grade, and Teens/YA.

Congratulations to the authors and illustrators whole books made the School Library Journal Best Books 2024 list. The categories include Picture Books, Transitional Books, Middle Grade, Young Adult, Nonfiction Elementary, Nonfiction Middle to High School, Poetry, Graphic Novels, Manga, and Top 10 Audiobooks.

Congratulations to the authors, narrators, producers, and publishers whose books made the AudioFile’s Best Audiobooks of 2024 list, especially in the categories of Children & Family Listening and Young Adult.

Congratulations to the winners of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators’ 2024 Don Freeman Illustration Grants, which enable two talented artists to further develop their illustration work in the picture book genre. The winner of the Published category is Julia Vasileva for the picture book dummy Lewis & Lou, and the winner of the Pre-published category is Jason McIntosh for the picture book dummy Oliver Bye.

Congratulations to the winners of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators’ 2024 Work-in-Progress Grants. The winners in the categories of Picture Book, Middle Grade, Young Adult, Nonfiction, and Underrepresented Voices will have their work promoted and sent to a list of agents and editors.

Congratulations to the winner of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators’ 2024 Karen and Philip Cushman Late Bloomer Award, which is for authors over the age of fifty who have not been traditionally published in the children’s literature field. The winner is Victoria Winterhalter for the manuscript When We Were Enemies.

The nomination submission deadline for the 2025 School Librarian of the Year Award, presented by School Library Journal and sponsored by Scholastic, is Dec. 18. The award “honors a K–12 library professional for outstanding achievement and the exemplary use of 21st-century tools and services to engage children and teens toward fostering multiple literacies.”

Scholarships & Grants

Reminder! Penguin Random House, in partnership with We Need Diverse Books, is presenting Creative Writing Awards in the form of college scholarships of up to $10,000 each to six public U.S. high school seniors, nationwide. See Guidelines here. Apply here. The deadline to apply is Jan. 15 at 1 p.m. pacific, 3 p.m. central, 4 p.m. eastern, or when 1000 applications have been received.

From This Cynsations Series

• Poet/Author Interview: Janet Wong On Poetry & Her Long Writing Career
• Throwback Thursday: Author Tirzah Price Retells Jane Austen with Murderous Intent

• Author Interview: Christine Day Enters the YA Fantasy Realm with Short Story in Faeries Never Lie Anthology
• Author Interview: Jenna Lee-Yun on the Intersection of her Work as a Clinical Psychologist & her Writing Life
• Author Interview: Kari Lavelle on Personal Connections to Nonfiction, Organizing Research & Community Support
• In Memory: Author Nikki Giovanni; Author-Illustrator Bruce Degen

• Cynsational Books of 2024

More Personally – Cynthia

Wow, it’s been an exciting few months! I was inducted into the Texas Literary Hall of Fame, spoke to classrooms across the country with Bookelicious, participated in the Reading Rock Stars program at Cunningham Elementary in Austin, the Texas Book Festival, and the Miami Book Fair.

Mission One: The Vice Principal Problem, written by Kekla Magoon and Cynthia Leitich Smith, illustrated by Molly Murakami (Candlewick, 2024) received it’s third starred review, this one from Shelf Awareness.

★ “BLUE STARS is a compelling, funny first installment in a series that is sure to give readers tons of entertainment.” —Shelf Awareness, starred review

Youth Services Book Review gave On a Wing and a Tear (Heartdrum, 2024) 5/5 stars.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ “Wonderfully likable characters (except for the Buttinskys, of course) that definitely include Great Grandfather Bat and Gray Squirrel and the fun, believable relationship between humans and animals create a fast-moving, humorous epic of a story.” —Youth Services Book Review, 5/5 stars

Another Way Forward by Edith Campbell from at Pearl’s & Ruby’s at School Library Journal.

Indigenous Reads Rising from We Need Diverse Books.

Heartdrum News – Cynthia

To Walk the Sky: How Iroquois Steelworks Helped Building Towering Cities, written by Patricia Morris Buckley, illustrated by E.B. Lewis (Heartdrum. 2025).

★ Kirkus Reviews (starred): “Lewis’ impressionist watercolors reverently depict skywalkers’ triumphs and tragedies; his dramatic, cinematic angles and perspectives will have readers gasping in wonder. By turns solemnly reverent and enthusiastic, Buckley’s elegant text will leave young people keenly aware of the historical and present-day significance of these groundbreaking workers…. Awe-inspiring.”

A Constellation of Minor Bears by Jen Ferguson (Heartdrum, 2024).

★  Shelf Awareness (starred): “A sister, brother, and their best friend hike the Pacific Crest Trail after an accident splintered their unbreakable bond in this marvelous YA story of siblinghood, friendship, and the land.”

Updated Heartdrum Educator Guide from Heartdrum at HarperChildren’s.

More Personally – Gayleen

I’ve done a lot of Lago Vista Friends of the Library work this fall, including building a website and coordinating a project to develop the vacant lot beside the Lago Vista Library into a park space. The space is already building community as we had a large turnout for workdays to spread mulch on the walking paths.

A caterpillar playscape is scheduled for delivery next week and I hope to share a photo in the next Cynsations news roundup. Phase II of the park project will include a children’s Storywalk.

Also, I’m very excited to start library science classes at the University of North Texas. My first class is Information Services for Youth and it begins…. Monday!

More Personally – Mitu

I spent November as a resident at the Djerassi Program in a writing studio facing the Pacific Ocean. Surrounded by nature in the Santa Cruz mountains, I was able to deepen my writing practice and revise my current work in progress. A room of one’s own is a gift, a room with a view is a gift that nurtures creativity. Thank you Djerassi for this opportunity.