By Cynthia Leitich Smith, Gayleen Rabakukk, Suma Subramaniam, A.J. Eversole, Mitu Malhotra, and Gail Vannelli for Cynsations
Spotlight Image: Sweet, Sweet Memory by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by Tonya Engel (Nancy Paulsen Books, 2026).
Author/Illustrator Insights
Interview With Ryan Douglass, Author of The Great Disillusionment of Nick and Jay by Robert Kesten from the Stonewall National Museum, Archives, & Library. Peek: “[A topic] comes [to me] over a period of years…It takes living life, absorbing the truths I come to, absorbing more about who I am, figuring out what I need to say. I want to do things that are urgent and timely, but also that are timeless…I want my work to…be something that can be read for years to come.”
Interview With Nadine Presley from Kidlit in Color. Peek: “I have…learned the importance of building genuine relationships. Connect with fellow authors, librarians, booksellers, educators, and book lovers not just when you are launching a book, but because you truly want to be part of the community. Those relationships grow naturally and become incredibly meaningful over time.”
Gomi Tarō: The “Everyone Poops” Author Looks Back on a Life in Picture Books from Nippon.com. Peek: “Kids don’t read because adults tell them to, they read because they want to. Books are something that people discover on their own. If you start out with the idea of targeting kids, it becomes artificial. And there are always adults between the children and the book—reading to them, and so on….I didn’t want to do it that way.”
Somali Author Shugri Salh on the Power of Words by Shugri Salh from Publishers Weekly. Peek: “I grew up hearing beautiful stories of my ancestors, weaving survival and resilience into my identity. Words can empower or break a person, a community, a nation. But when we share stories with one another, we are reminded of our shared humanity….[R]eading aloud or sharing stories helps kids develop into smart, curious, and engaged humans….”
Interview With a Writer—Yasmin Hanif by vgemmell from Victoria Gemmell. Peek: “Motivation and finding the time to write can be two of the most challenging things. Through motivation you write, and conversely through writing you find motivation, so it goes hand in hand….[F]ind like-minded people to write with, whether that’s informal creative writing groups, workshops, retreats—somewhere where others are writing too, which helps you stay motivated and accountable.”
Guest Post With Maisha Oso (It’s Almost Time for…Easter! )! by Maisha Oso from YA Books Central. Peek: “Teen life doesn’t always allow for…joyful anticipation. Waiting can feel heavy when it’s accompanied by expectations, stress, and comparison. But even then, the journey matters. Growth happens quietly. We’re still becoming ourselves even when it doesn’t feel clear yet, even before everything clicks into place….[T]here is magic in the waiting…if you let yourself notice it.”
Equity & Inclusion
Four Questions for V.T. Bidania by Krystyna Poray Goddu from Publishers Weekly. Peek: “[T]here are a few books about Hmong refugees, but there are no middle grade novels from the point of view of a child….[N]ot many people know the history of the Hmong in Laos who fought with the U.S. in the Vietnamese war….I wanted to tell not just a refugee story, but a human story.”
Five Questions for Tori Tadiar by Roger Sutton from The Horn Book. Peek: “Today, we have a vibrant, diverse komiks (Philippine comics) community in the Philippines, but there’s still a lot of shelf space open for children’s comics specifically. I’m part of an organization of children’s book illustrators, and while most of our members’ focus is picture books and chapter books, a growing number have become active in the komiks space.”
Q & A With Kadir Nelson by Reggie Blanding from Publishers Weekly. Peek: “The history of basketball mirrors what was going on culturally in America at that time, so I was surprised to learn that African Americans didn’t take up the game for quite some time after it was invented for several different reasons. One was access….It started out as a segregated sport….”
Four Questions for Torrey Maldonado by Patricia J. Murphy from Publishers Weekly. Peek: “During the writing process, I thought about my own relationship with picture books as a child. I didn’t see myself in picture books—or any books. The language was completely off—not like the way any of my peers or my neighbors spoke….I now tell educators,‘If books don’t love kids, kids won’t love books.’”
Four Questions for Roshani Chokshi by Iyana Jones from Publishers Weekly. Peek: “My dad is from India, and my mother is from the Philippines. They did not want to confuse me or my siblings [growing up], and so we weren’t taught our parents’ native languages…[O]ur only access point to our heritage was through mythology, folklore, and fairy tales and superstition, all very common in immigrant and diaspora families.”
Four Questions for L.S. Stratton by Erika Hardison from Publishers Weekly. Peek: “I didn’t realize how many major cities used to be sundown towns [places that purposely barred minorities]….[S]undown towns, at least in terms of the Black community, is well-known. [However], I did not know that so many other minorities had a similar legacy of sundown towns, especially Native Americans out West.”
Writing Craft
Author Spotlight: Stan Yan by Sydney Dunlap from From The Mixed-Up Files of Middle-Grade Authors. Peek: “I don’t have a normal place I like to write. I find that I often am drawing all the time but not writing, or writing all the time and not drawing. That’s how being on a book deadline is for me….I find myself most often just writing at home at the dining room out of necessity….”
Let’s Talk Illustrators #386: Erin K. Robinson by Mel Schuit from Let’s Talk Picture Books. Peek: “I illustrate in an app called Procreate. It’s a medium that I’ve been using for a number of years and creating digitally allows me to roam free and travel more so it’s very appealing in that aspect. I always seem to have my iPad attached to me. It’s quite the visual journal.”
Cracking the Shell: Robert Apelian on “Fustuk: A Graphic Novel” by Victoria Atamian Waterman from Armenian Weekly. Peek: “The macroscopic part of writing is easy for me. I like weaving things together into one well-conceived, tight package….I love stories with multiple timelines weaving in and out…Secrets become unearthed at the climax—what really happened, what’s at the core of your beliefs, what you went through that made you this way.”
Four Minutes With Amber McBride: An SLJ Exclusive Interview from School Library Journal. Peek: “For me, the decision to write in verse always comes down to the question of feeling vs. thesis. By this I mean, do I want young adult readers to feel their way through reading, or think their way through?…[W]ith reading there is always a little bit of both happening, but which one is the focus?”
Q&A: Maggie Horne, Author of “Freddie and Stella Got Hot” by Elise Dumpleton from The Nerd Daily. Peek: “A lot of the time, a relationship or character arc comes to me first, and I create the plot around it. I liked the idea of a love triangle being told from the point of view of one of the branches, not the center of it.”
Chatting With Illustrator and Author Charnelle Pinkney Barlow with Libraria on Instagram. Peek: “For me, the [art is] more like playing around….I like to do new things, I like to get my hands on things, exploring different mediums and playing around with collage, painting different papers, and cutting them up and seeing what happens….Exploring and pushing different styles really helped. I’ve been doing a lot of hand-cut collage.”
Booksellers
Bookshop.org Teams With Draft2Digital by Ed Nawotka from Publishers Weekly. Peek: “Online bookselling platform Bookshop.org has inked a partnership with Draft2Digital, one of the world’s largest self-publishing companies, which will now offer its authors the ability to sell their self-published e-books on Bookshop.org. The deal with Draft2Digital has the potential to add 1.2 million e-book titles from some 330,000 authors to Bookshop.org.”
The 2026 Bologna Children’s Book Fair takes place Apr. 13 to Apr. 16 in Bologna, Italy. “BCBF is the premier destination for immersing yourself in the world of books and content for children and young adults, the essential meeting point for the entire industry….Through exhibitions, workshops, presentations, and roundtable discussions, it represents an international hub for discovering new trends, emerging talents, and innovative strategies in children’s publishing.”
ABA Names Children’s Institute Scholarship Winners from Shelf Awareness. Peek: “The American Booksellers Association has announced the names of the 33 booksellers who will receive scholarships to attend this year’s Children’s Institute (Ci2026) in Schaumburg, Ill., Jun. 26 to Jun. 29.” The full list of scholarship winners can be found here.
Libraries
The TLA (Texas Library Association) 2026 Annual Conference takes place Mar. 29 to Mar. 31 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in downtown Houston. “This annual gathering is a time for library workers from across the state to gather for professional development, networking, and connection.” Children’s authors and illustrators in attendance include Christian Robinson, Erin Entrada Kelly, Linda Sue Park, and Jarrett Lerner.
Library of Congress to Unveil an Interactive Youth Center by Nathalie op de Beeck from Publishers Weekly. Peek: “This spring, the Library of Congress [a research library] will open The Source: Where Creativity Sparks Discovery, a 4,000-square-foot experiential learning space for young people ages 8–15. [Shari Rosenstein Werb, Director:] ‘We’ll have four zones that invite kids to open drawers, dig deeper into film archives or sound archives, and develop media literacy and research skills….’”
Marketing
Why You Need an Audience Waiting for Your Book by Sandra Beckwith from Build Book Buzz. Peek: “1. An audience drives early sales momentum….2. Waiting readers are more likely to leave reviews….3. Your marketing is more effective [and] dramatically easier when you’re talking to people who want to hear from you….4. You reduce your dependence on algorithms….5. An audience supports your career beyond one book.” Free download: Audience-Building Timeline and Checklist.
Publishing
Simon & Schuster Relaunches Simon Pulse YA Imprint by Pamela Brill from Publishers Weekly. Peek: “This summer, Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing will reintroduce its Simon Pulse imprint with a new crop of young adult books, spanning a variety of genres….In 2001, the Pocket Pulse imprint was moved into the Simon & Schuster children’s group and renamed Simon Pulse, initially as a paperback-only [YA] imprint…The imprint went on hiatus in 2021.”
Oni Press Inks Distro Deal with PRH by Sam Spratford from Publishers Weekly. Peek: “Penguin Random House Publisher Services (PRHPS) today announced a multi-year worldwide sales and distribution agreement with comics and graphic novel publisher Oni Press, beginning on August 1. [Oni publishes adult and children’s/YA titles.] PRHPS will sell and distribute Oni’s frontlist and backlist trade books, as well as single issue comics, exclusively across all sales channels.”
Author Cynthia Leitich Smith Talks About All the People Who Come Together to Create a Picture Book by Cynthia Leitich Smith from 12×12: 12 Picture Books 12 Months. Peek: “Your picture book, when it is done, will no longer be just yours. And that is a good thing. The picture book is the project of the writer, the literary agent, the author curator, the editor, the copy editor, the art director, the designer, [and] of course the illustrator….”
Collective Book Studio Starts Children’s Imprint from Publishers Weekly. Peek: “Rebekah Lovato Piatte has joined California indie publisher The Collective Book Studio as children’s editorial director. In the newly created role, she will oversee Tiny Torch Books, a new imprint aimed at readers ages up to 8 that will launch this summer with a list of picture and board books.”
Education/Other Resources/Events
School Library Journal is holding its eighth annual Middle Grade Magic free virtual event to celebrate authors and creators dedicated to crafting literature for children ages 8-12. “Get a first look at some of the most anticipated new titles for…young readers, from modern coming-of-age tales to eye-popping graphic novels to immersive fantasy.” The event takes place Mar. 5 from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. pacific, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. central, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. eastern.
Penguin Random House, Library Journal, and School Library Journal present 2026 Spring Book & Author Festival, a day-long event celebrating reading, authors, and librarians. “As we lead up to National Library Week, enjoy a day packed with author panels and interviews, book buzzes, virtual shelf browsing, and adding to your TBR pile.” The free virtual event takes place Apr. 16 from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. pacific, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. central, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. eastern. Register here.
Library Journal’s virtual Day of Dialog Spring takes place May 7 from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. pacific, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. central, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. eastern. “Spanning a variety of genres, this day-long program will offer an in-depth look at the biggest forthcoming books for summer/fall 2026. You’ll hear directly from top authors as they discuss their new titles, inspiration, process, and more.” The entire event will be available on-demand for three months from the event date. Register here.
The Association of Writers & Writing Programs’ 2026 AWP Conference & Bookfair takes place Mar. 4 to Mar. 7 at the Baltimore Convention Center. There will be hundreds of events and exhibitors. Register here.
The Tucson Festival of Books, held on the University of Arizona Mall, takes place Mar. 14 to Mar. 15. You can view the Presenting Authors’ Schedule here. Some of the many children’s/YA presenting authors include Adib Khorram, Carole Lindstrom, David A. Robertson, and Cynthia Leitich Smith
Awards
Organizational Awards
Congratulations to the winners and honorees of We Need Diverse Books‘ 2026 Walter Dean Myers Awards.
The winner and honorees of the Cooperative Children’s Book Center’s 2026 Charlotte Zolotow Award.
The winners and honorees of the 2026 Jane Addams Children’s Book Awards.
The 57th NAACP Image Awards Nominees, especially in the categories of Outstanding Literary Work–Children and Outstanding Literary Work–Youth/Teens.
The authors and illustrators whose books appear on the 75th National Jewish Book Awards list, especially in the categories of Children’s Picture Book, Middle Grade Literature, and Young Adult Literature.
The authors and illustrators whose books were named to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s Best Canadian Children’s Books of 2025.
The authors and illustrators whose books appear on Literary Hub’s Most Anticipated Children’s Books of 2026 list.
Congratulations also to the winners of the Bank Street College of Education’s Children’s Book Committee Awards 2026.
Congratulations also to the finalists of the 2026 Libby Book Awards, especially in the categories of Young Adult Fiction, Best Middle Grade Book, and Best Picture Book.
Congratulations also to the winners of the 2026 Southern Book Prize, named by the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance, especially in the Young Readers category.
Writers’ Organizational Awards
Congratulations to the 2025 Edgar Awards Nominees, especially in the categories of Best Juvenile and Best Young Adult.
The finalists of the Storymakers’ Guild 19th Annual Whitney Awards, especially in the categories of Young Adult General, Young Adult Speculative, Young Adult Fantasy, and Middle Grade.
The winners and honorees of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators’ Golden Kite Awards, Sid Fleischman Award for Humor, and the winners and honors of the Spark Awards, an annual award that recognizes excellence in a children’s book published through a non-traditional publishing route.
Library Awards
Congratulations to the authors whose books were named to the Young Adult Library Association’s 2026 Best Fiction for Young Adults list.
The authors and illustrators whose books were named to the 2026 Rainbow Book List.
The authors and illustrators whose books appear on the Association for Library Service to Children’s 2026 Notable Children’s Books list, in the categories of Younger Readers, Middle Readers, Older Readers, and All Ages.
Congratulations to the winners and honorees of the 2026 ALA Youth Media Awards, which include the Newbery Medal, Caldecott Medal, Coretta Scott King Book Awards, King Author Award, King Illustrator Award, Printz Award, Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Author Award, Coretta Scott King—Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement, Margaret A. Edwards Award, Schneider Family Book Award, Schneider Younger Children’s Award, Schneider Middle Grade Award, Schneider Young Adult Award, Alex Awards, Children’s Literature Legacy Award, Mildred L. Batchelder Award, Odyssey Award, Pura Belpré Awards, Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award, Excellence in Early Learning Digital Media Award, Stonewall Book Award, Theodor Seuss Geisel Award, William C. Morris Award, and YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults.
Congratulations also to the winners of the American Indian Youth Literature Awards.
Congratulations also to the winners and honorees of the 2026 ALA Affiliate Asian/Pacific American Awards for Literature: Pasifika Picture Book, Asian American Picture Book, Children’s Literature, and Young Adult Literature
The Gold Medal and Silver (Honor) Medal recipients of the ALA Affiliate 2026 Sydney Taylor Book Award.
The authors and illustrators whose books appear on the 2026 Booklist from Rise: A Feminist Book Project.
The authors and illustrators whose books appear on the Texas Library Association’s (TLA) 2026 Reading Lists for young readers, including the Little Maverick Graphic Novel Reading List, 2×2 Reading List, Texas Topaz Nonfiction Reading List, YART (Young Adult Round Tables) Reading Lists, TAYSHAS Reading List, Spirit of Texas Reading List, Maverick Graphic Novel Reading List, and Lone Star Reading List. Also, congratulations to those on the TLA’s 2026-2027 Texas Bluebonnet Award List and to the winner of the Texas Bluebonnet Award.
Scholarships & Grants
Upcoming Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators’ Awards & Grants include the Karen Cushman Late Bloomer Award (for authors over the age of fifty who have not been traditionally published in the children’s literature field; the winner receives $500 and free tuition to a SCBWI conference); the Work-in-Progress Awards (assists children’s book writers and illustrators in the publication of a project not under contract, with one winner in five different categories); and the Don Freeman Grant (enables picture book illustrators to further their understanding, training, and work in the picture book genre, with two grants of $1,000 each). All submissions are open Mar. 1 to Mar. 31. Apply in the SCBWI member home page.
From This Cynsations Series
- Co-Authors Interview: Nikki Grimes & Stacy Wells Collaborate on Stronger Than
- Author Interview: Bread, Love, and the Art of Showing Up with Pooja Makhijani
- Author Interview: Cynthia Leitich Smith – The Most Awesomest Auntie
- Author Interview: Karina Iceberg Celebrates Community Connection in A Good Hide
- Authors Interview: Alison Green Myers & Alexandra Villasante on Sophomore Novels
- Throwback Thursday: Author Liara Tamani on Inspiration & MFAs
- Author-Illustrator Interview: Deborah Marcero Shares Her Creative Process
- Author Interview: Ginger Reno on Rekindling Connections & Spirit Shadow
- In Memory: Authors Peg Kehret, Robert Burleigh & Author-Illustrator Hudson Talbot
More Personally—Gayleen
I highly recommend The Librarians, available for home viewing on PBS and with upcoming screenings in the U.S. and Canada this spring.
More Personally—A.J.
Twenty twenty six has brought many exciting things and we are only two months in! I hope to talk about them all soon, but right now I’m still caught in a humbling daze about Legendary Frybread Drive-In winning the Michael L. Printz award! To be part of that legacy is something that will warm me through my entire career!
I’ve been hard at work getting all my ducks in a row as far as what I’m going to be working on next writing wise and things are shaping up nicely. I’ve also got some more amazing Indigenous author interviews in the pipeline! I can’t wait to share them with readers.
More Personally—Gail
So far in 2026, I’ve joyfully continued my kidlit journey through my involvement with several kid-related organizations. My Kids Story Studio business passed its four-year mark last October, through which I teach free children’s story writing and drawing classes. The kids and I have a great time! I’m an assistant editor for Young Adult submissions at Lunch Ticket Literary Journal; I’ve been with LT for almost six years as a lead editor, assistant editor, interviewer, and blogger. And I’ve been with Cynsations since 2019 as a researcher, writer, and industry news reporter. My goal for 2026 is to find a literary agent for my kids writing projects, which include a middle-grade novel, a picture book, and short stories.
More Personally—Mitu
In 2026, in addition to writing, I plan to spend time drawing and painting in an effort to develop my own signature style of illustration. I designed my first postcard of the year—image below:
