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

Spotlight Image: Free to Fly by Karina Iceberg, illustrated by Steph Littlebird (Heartdrum, 2026).

Author/Illustrator Insights

Fast Five Interview: Libba Bray by Amanda MacGregor from Teen Librarian Toolbox. Peek: “I took my then ten-year-old son to see ‘Where the Wild Things Are.’ During the movie, he broke down sobbing….[H]e looked at me and said, ‘It’s just so hard to grow up.’… We grow. Change. Evolve….[T]hat is great but it also hurts….I realized that what I wanted to write was a love song to growing up.”

Mexikid Dreams….I’m Just Excited To Talk to Pedro Martín by Betsy Bird from School Library Journal. Peek: “I’m…hyper aware about bringing up unfamiliar concepts to young readers…[I]t’s gonna take a moment to get the idea into a place where it will make sense for them. You hate to slam on the brakes of a good story to explain an old goof-ball concept. Luckily, I love a good ‘explanatory story.’ An ‘explanastory’ if you will.”

Curiouser and Curiouser: PW Talks With Maggie Tokuda-Hall by Amanda Ramirez from Publishers Weekly. Peek: “[T]he way you instill a love of reading in kids is to let them read the books they love, even if those books don’t make sense to you or you don’t like them. Allowing kids to have fun when they read is important…[Y]ou can do that by giving them books about things they’re curious about.”

Let Them Make Mistakes, a Guest Post by Christine Hartman Derr by Amanda MacGregor from Teen Librarian Toolbox. Peek: “Mistakes, and how we respond to them, teaches us who we are and allows us to choose who we want to become. This is why it’s so important to let kids make mistakes. In real life, and in the books they read….[y]oung readers need to see that they can make mistakes and recover from them.”

MacKids Spotlight: H. D. Hunter from MacKids School and Library. Peek: “I love using speculative fiction to imagine a better world for people who have been wronged; a world where we can all do a little better and pull a little closer to one another. If you can imagine anything, why not a miraculously earned happy ending for all?”

Cynthia Leitich Smith on the Formidable and Necessary Power of Aunties and Grandmas by Cynthia Leitich Smith from Uma Krishnaswami. Peek: “[S]tudies show that reading creates a vicarious experience with real-life impacts on the mind and mental health. I’m hopeful that young readers feel these positive role models reinforced or introduced…[C]reating these books has reminded me that there is heroism in daily life, and no magic is more powerful than loved ones showing up for one another.”

Equity & Inclusion

Caldecott Winner Andrea L. Rogers on “Death in the Tallgrass” by Kyle Kellams from KAUF Radio Ozarks at Large. Peek: “I wanted to touch on…Cherokee history….[I]nterstitials include some Cherokee history, some Cherokee culture, some Cherokee stories and an actual history. Things that have happened. But I didn’t want to do it in a way that was didactic….[I]t’s not nonfiction. Reading historical fiction is not the way you learn history.”

Forty Great Indigenous Stories To Read and Share With Your Kids by Selena Mills from Today’s Parents. Peek: “From beautiful board books to compelling tales to trenchant reads, here are great stories about Indigenous culture and issues to add to your bookshelf….No matter your child’s age, there’s a book here they’ll love. These stories offer a way to teach children about Indigenous culture through beautiful narratives and illustrations.”

Indigenous Reads Rising. Peek: “Indigenous Reads Rising is a celebration of Indigenous children’s literature of Native Nations…within the United States and Canada. We created Indigenous Reads Rising…to provide a resource where teachers, librarians, and readers can embrace the diversity of Indigenous children’s and teen literature. This site includes [best practices] articles,…[and] book lists arranged by age category and topic….”

Celebrating Culture: PW Talks With Ana Siqueira by Patricia J. Murphy from Publishers Weekly. Peek: “I want Latinx kids to see themselves and to feel proud of their heritage, to learn about their cultures…To help increase Latinx representation in children’s books, a number of Latinx book creators and I started Latinx Pitch…about five years ago. Our goal was to get editors and agents interested in the Latinx population and book creators.”

Johanna Peyton on Books To Welcome and Reflect Dyslexic Readers by Johanna Peyton from Publishers Weekly. Peek: “[I]t is books (and the authors who write them) that hold the unique opportunity to fling their covers open wide and welcome in dyslexic readers (and nonreaders). The pages of a book are the best place for these children to see stories that honor their striving, validate their fight, and offer compassion for their struggle.”

“Care and Intention”: PW Talks With Renée Watson by Erika Hardison from Publishers Weekly. Peek: “I grew up in Portland and always felt that Black folks were erased from Pacific Northwest history. We talk about the Great Migration to the North and the Midwest, but not about the folks who came West. In…my books, I try to make sure Black life in Oregon and Washington is present on the page.”

Writing Craft

Fast Five Interview: Shifa Saltagi Safadi by Amanda MacGregor from Teen Librarian Toolbox. Peek: “I had to rip apart the book multiple times and almost fully rewrote it each time I got an edit letter from my editor. After lots and lots…of revision, I finally figured out the characters’ personalities and quirks and scars, and then their voices just flowed out of me….Magic is often found in the revision process….”

Writing Can Be Fun, Actually! With Trinity Nguyen by Emily Charlotte from Emily Charlotte Books. Peek: “If I’m stuck on a specific scene, I…jump around and keep writing other scenes. Even if I end up cutting out scenes I really liked writing, at least the actual writing process brought me joy. For the scenes or characters I can’t quite figure out, I usually consume other media to figure out exactly what I’m missing.”

Take Five With Delano Brown from Becky Walker Books. Peek: “[W]rite for yourself first. If you start out writing for others, those same people may not like what you wrote. But when you write for yourself, you get the true you being poured out on those pages. Then you can share it, revise it, share it again, and just maybe, move on to publishing….”

Q&A: Sabaa Tahir, Author of “Empire” by Elise Dumpleton from The Nerd Daily. Peek: “I rewrote my outline multiple times. Then I rewrote the beginning many times, because I kept trying to work in a character whose arc I couldn’t quite figure out. One character had to be completely reworked from the ground up after I’d already written about 10 chapters for her. Fortunately I’m stubborn…and got through it.”

All That Glitters: Ayana Gray and John Stephens on Their Gilded Age–Set YA by Ayana Gray and John Stephens from Publishers Weekly. Peek: “I have a habit, when I’m researching an era of history, of making it my whole personality for a while. I read, I listen to podcasts, I follow historical social media accounts…. I like reading about the families and power players of the era. So it’s a very multimedia approach for me.”

Interview With Richard Mercado, Creator of Coming Out Perfect by Michele Kirichanskaya from Geeks Out. Peek: “I write a whole outline first which details the beginning-middle-end of the story. Then, I make a loose script of mostly dialogue….I have to write out the dialogue…to really be able to imagine the scene. I then work my way to creating thumbnails,…a rough visual outline of the comic. After…[that] I can finally focus on drawing the comic!”

Libraries

Banned Books Week 2026: Two Immigrant Stories Reveal the Power of the Public Library by Allison Matulli from Publishers Weekly. Peek: “When a young reader pulls a book from a shelf, they are exercising a fundamental right: the freedom to read, inquire, imagine, ask questions, form their own thoughts, and disagree….Protecting the freedom to read guarantees access to…public libraries in which every child, everywhere, has an equal right to find their voice….”

LJ Movers & Shakers 2027. Peek: “The editors of Library Journal need your help in identifying emerging talents in the library world—both great leaders and behind-the-scenes contributors who are providing inspiration and model programs for others. Our 26th annual round of Movers & Shakers…will profile up-and-coming individuals…who are innovative, creative, making a difference fighting against censorship, and helping improve their workplace.” Nominate here. The nomination deadline is Oct. 31.

Could Libraries Become Bastions for Local News? by Nathalie op de Beeck from Publishers Weekly. Peek: “A new program wants to reinvent public libraries as centers for community journalism…[Terry Parris Jr.] founded the Library Newsroom Project [that] ‘uses journalism…to help people ask questions about where they live, share what they learn, and build connections…’ Daniel Jones, a youth services librarian…and LNP are…recruiting student participants to collaborate with [an] affiliate of National Public Radio….”

Publishing

Scholastic Agrees To Buy Cottage Door Press for $71 Million by Jim Milliot from Publishers Weekly. Peek: “Scholastic has significantly added to its early childhood offerings, reaching an agreement to acquire Cottage Door Press for approximately $71 million….Cottage Door was founded in 2014…[and] specializes in board and novelty books, many of which have interactive elements. Since its launch,…[it] has been active in the licensing market…Cottage Door will continue to operate with complete freedom.”

As Publishers Ramp Up AI Implementation, Employees Slow Down by Ed Nawotka from Publishers Weekly. Peek: “Institutional use of artificial intelligence across the North American book industry rose sharply over the past year, even as individual adoption declined, according to the second annual AI report from the Book Industry Study Group and BookNet Canada….AI use at the organizational level at publishers jumped to 63%, from 48%…while individual use dropped from 46%…to 38%….”

Norton Waverly Imprint Expands Publisher’s Children’s Book Reach by Sally Lodge from Publishers Weekly. Peek: “W.W. Norton & Company, the oldest and largest independent, employee-owned book publisher in the U.S., has announced the spring 2027 launch of a new trade imprint, Norton Waverly….The plan is to grow the imprint’s list to approximately six new titles annually, with a commitment to ‘creating single, spectacular reading experiences.’”

At People of Publishing, Agents Grapple With the Ethics of Making a Living by Natalie Chandler from Publishers Weekly. Peek: The Association of American Literary Agents (AALA) recently “revised its ethics framework for members who offer paid editorial, marketing and web services to authors they do not represent.” This prompted the Dystel, Goderich & Bourret agency to resign from AALA, stating, “the arrangement creates an inherent conflict of interest and an imbalance of power.” It “also objected to revisions that allow agents to retain their editorial fees if they decide to sign the authors as agency clients.”

Marketing

Media Source Launches Open Shelf Reviews from Shelf Awareness. Peek: “Media Source, the parent company of the review magazines Library Journal, School Library Journal, and The Horn Book…launched its first new publication in 75 years: Open Shelf Reviews. The paid service gives independent authors and small presses access to a community of professional reviewers, most with backgrounds in education and libraries.”

Booksellers

The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators’ BookStop is open for members to design a custom promotional page to showcase their books and sell them directly to readers, parents, educators, and librarians. Eligible books are those traditionally published, self-published/author-published, and children’s book apps that have been published, or will be published, between January 1, 2024, and December 31, 2026. Bookstop will be open to the public to purchase books from Oct. 13 to Dec. 30.

Education/Other Resources/Events

The free 2026 Texas Book Festival takes place Nov. 14 to Nov. 15 in downtown Austin, in and around the State Capitol. The festival lineup features over 250 authors  of the year’s best books. Some of the many children’s/YA authors and illustrators include Cynthia Leitich Smith, Christina Soontornvat, Don Tate, Cindy Pham, Jashar Awan, and Renée Watson.

Library Journal’s free virtual Day of Dialog Fall 2026 takes place Oct. 22 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 fall 2026/winter 2027. You’ll hear directly from top authors as they discuss their new titles, inspiration, process, and more.” Sessions will be available for on-demand viewing within 24 hours, and the entire event will be accessible for three months from the event date.

Penguin Random House, Library Journal, and School Library Journal present their free virtual Winter Book & Author Festival 2026. “Enjoy a day packed with author panels and interviews, virtual shelf browsing, audiobook discovery, and adding to your TBR pile. You’ll hear from many of your favorite authors, whose work runs the gamut from Kids to Young Adult titles to the best new Fiction and Nonfiction for adults.” The event takes place Dec. 3 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.

Children’s Book Week, a beloved program that continues to grow and adapt each year with new resources and ideas, takes place Nov. 9 to Nov. 15. Find free resources, public event listings, participation ideas, and FAQ here.

Belmont Books presents an evening with children’s authors Rhonda DeChambeau and Elaine Dimopoulos in conversation about DeChambeau’s new middle grade novel Stained (Holiday House, 2026). The in-person event takes place Nov. 17 at 7 p.m. at Belmont Books, 79 Leonard St., Belmont, MA. Stained will be released the day of this event.

Join Library Journal and School Library Journal for LibraryCon Live! 2026 that celebrates “fandom, [and] spotlight[s] genre fiction for adults and teens with panels devoted to comics and graphic novels, horror, sf/fantasy, and more.” This free virtual event takes place Nov. 12 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.

Nikki Grimes Appointed Young People’s Poet Laureate 2027-2028. “For nearly 50 years, Nikki Grimes has been writing transformative books for young people. She has been an inspiration to countless readers and a guiding beacon for many of today’s acclaimed authors. In emotionally resonant novels in verse and playful, highly imaginative picture books, her poetry centers the lived experiences of young people with honesty and empathy.”

First Book, Kwame Alexander’s One Word at a Time Partner on “Story Showdown” from Publishers Weekly. Peek: “National literacy nonprofits First Book and…Kwame Alexander’s One Word at a Time are teaming up on a free virtual game show, Story Showdown, to promote the joy of reading among young people. Hosted on the First Book Community Platform, the events are open to classrooms, educators, librarians, and…professionals working with youth in grades four through eight.” Upcoming shows take place Oct. 13 and Nov. 12.

YALLFest Adds Adult Romance Programming by Sam Spratford from Publishers Weekly. Peek: “YALLFest, the nation’s largest YA book festival, is launching ROMFest, a dedicated romance programming track geared toward adult attendees. ROMFest will run during YALLFest’s regular festival hours on Nov. 13–14 in Charleston, S.C., and will feature panels with YA crossover romance authors, including Sarah Beth Durst, Tricia Levenseller, and Mary E. Pearson.”

Awards

2026 Finalists for the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature Announced. Peek: The National Book Foundation named five finalists for the 2026 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature: Holloway by Elana K. Arnold (Clarion Books, 2026), When Tomorrow Burns by Tae Keller (Random House Books for Young Readers, 2026), That Which Feeds Us: A Hawaiian Gothic by Keala Kendall (Random House Books for Young Readers, 2026), The Fight of Our Lives: AIDS in America by David Levithan and Gabriel Duckels (Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2026), and Shook by Julian Randall, illustrated by Nathan Walker (Henry Holt and Co. (BYR), 2026). The winner will be announced on Nov. 18, at the NBA’s awards ceremony.

Congratulations to the finalists of the 2026 CCBC Book Awards, which include the Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award, Sharon Fitzhenry Award for Canadian Children’s Non-Fiction, Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction for Young People, Amy Mathers Teen Book Award, David Booth Children’s and Youth Poetry Award, and Richard Allen Chase Memorial Award. The awards ceremony will take place Oct. 26.

Congratulations to the winners of the Waterstones’ 2026 Children’s Book Prize, which is awarded in the categories of Overall Winner, Illustrated Book, Older Readers, and Younger Readers: Sleep Tight, Disgusting Blob by Huw Aaron (Viking Books for Young Readers, 2025)(Overall Winner and Illustrated Book), A Language of Dragons by S. F. Williamson (HarperCollins, 2025)(Older Readers) and Evie and Maryam’s Family Tree by Janeen Hayat (Guppy Publishing Ltd, 2025)(Younger Readers).

Congratulations to the winners and honorees of the Massachusetts Center for the Book’s 26th Annual Massachusetts Book Awards. The Middle Grade/Young Adult Literature winner is Imposter by Cait Levin (Charlesbridge Teen, 2025). The Picture Book/Early Reader winner is Flora and the Jazzers by Astrid Sheckels (Waxwing Books, 2025).

Congratulations to the winners of the Heartland Booksellers Awards, and especially to the two winners for children’s books: Angelica and the Bear Prince by Trung Le Nguyen (Random House Graphic, 2025)(MG/YA) and Loops by Jashar Awan (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2026)(Picture Book). The awards were presented at the Heartland Fall Forum 2026.

Congratulations to the authors and illustrators whose books made the shortlists for the Goddard Riverside CBC Youth Book Prize for Social Justice and Goddard Riverside Stephan Russo Book Prize for Social Justice. Goddard Riverside strives toward a fair and just society where all people can make choices that lead to better lives for themselves and their families.

Scholarships & Grants

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 seven public U.S. high school seniors, nationwide. The program is administered by Scholarship America. Apply here by Jan. 15 at 1 p.m. pacific, 3 p.m. central, 4 p.m. eastern, or when 1,000 applications have been received.

We Need Diverse Books is now accepting applications for its Walter Dean Myers Grant. The grant program was established to provide grants of $2,000 each to promising diverse writers and illustrators who are currently unpublished. Since 2015, 80 grants have been awarded. Current and former grantees have now published more than 60 books for children and teens. Apply here by Oct. 31.

The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators’ Russell Freedman Award for Nonfiction for a Better World is given to a work of nonfiction (children’s or YA book) published in 2026 that contributes to our understanding of how to make our world and society better. The submission window will open Nov. 16.

In Memory – Authors Mildred Pitts Walter & Una Belle Townsend

“Pioneering children’s author, educator, and stalwart civil rights activist Mildred Pitts Walter…died May 19 in Redwood City, Calif. She was 103,” reported Publishers Weekly. She won the Coretta Scott King award for Justin and the Best Biscuits in the World (Harper, 1986) and three more Coretta Scott King Honor Awards. Walter published more than 20 books, taught school and lectured internationally on cultural diversity. Learn more in Walter’s 2015 Brown Bookshelf interview.

Author Una Belle Townsend died Sept. 20, 2026 in Oklahoma. She published 14 children’s books, including Grady’s in the Silo, illustrated by Bob Artley (Pelican, 2003) winner of the Oklahoma Center for the Book Award.

From This Cynsations Series

• Author Interview: Emily Young Explores Humanity Through Paranormal Mischief
• Author Interview: Leslie Adame on Writing MG Fantasy that Mirrors Reality
• In Memory: Author Jane Yolen
• Author Interview: Shifa Saltagi Safadi On Being a Vulnerable & Persistent Poet
• Author Interview: Rebecca Bendheim on Author-Agent Relationships & Being Brave
• Throwback Thursday: Author Andrea M. Page on Creating Education Guides
• Author Interview: Khushboo Patel on Writing Stories of Courage & Complexity
• Authors Interview: Rebecca Gardyn Levington & Naomi M. Gruer Share Insights on Picture Book Craft & Marketing
• Authors Interview: Rebecca Gardyn Levington & Naomi M. Gruer Discuss Building Writerly Resilience
• In Memory: Author Benjamin Alire Sáenz
• Author/Illustrator Interview: Susan K. Holt on Collage Illustration, TCU Press & NF Fest
• Author Interview: Ann Broyles Discusses Weaving Historical Fact into YA Fiction
• Author Interview: Kevin Maillard On Identity, Belonging & Bears in New Picture Book
• Author Interview: Lakshmi Iyer on Writing Hard Stories of Adoption, Race & Raising Kids Across Cultures

More Personally—Cynthia

Hello, friends! Mvto/thank you for your ongoing interest and support of books for young readers and the world that supports them. This fall, I’m celebrating the release of HERE COME THE GRANDMAS!, illustrated by Aphelandra (Heartdrum, 2026), and looking forward to speaking with readers in Montana, Denton, Minneapolis, Massachusetts, Austin, Missouri, and Iowa.

More Personally—Gayleen

We recently held a small book festival at the Lago Vista Public Library, and I was very excited to host a few Austin children’s authors: Samantha Clark, Meredith Davis, Mari Mancusi and Vanessa Roeder.

More Personally—Suma

I’m teaching a virtual workshop on picture book revision Oct. 24 at Peerbagh stories. The link to register is here: bit.ly/bentostorylab

I’m also doing the following in-person events in the fall. Hope to see new and old friends at any of these venues.

More Personally—A.J.

My last few months have been spent editing my debut middle grade novel. I’m learning so much about editing and revisions and I am always being humbled. I am learning new skills every day and am grateful for the process. I’ve been working on doing preschool with my four year old at home, and that has also been challenging, it seems in every area of my life I’m learning and growing more and more every day. I’m grateful that Texas has cooled down. That is, we’ve gone from 100+ degrees to 80+ degrees, which means at least I can take my kids to the park.

I’ll be at the Hay Festival Oct. 18 in Dallas!

More Personally—Mitu

For the last few months, as a caregiver for my 87-year-old, terminally ill Mum, I have been pondering over legacy—and lucky for me writers can fill that bucket with stories. Despite the chores, I have been stealing moments to write and read. And recently, I picked up Martine Leavitt’s Buffalo Flats and could not put it down…Now I picture a quiet spot and a sitting rock in my mind’s eye (Thanks, Martine) when the hullabaloo of daily life spins me around.

I have been finding joy in spreading the word about stories via Cynsations and my work with Kirkus Reviews. On the publishing front, there is a board book of mine in the pipeline, It’s Diwali, Curious George is scheduled to publish in 2027.