By AJ Eversole
For more than twenty five years, Cynthia Leitich Smith has shaped the landscape of children’s and young adult literature through her own award winning books and through her tireless advocacy for Native voices. I’ve had the privilege of seeing that impact up close as a contributor to Legendary Frybread Drive-In (Heartdrum,
Continue Reading Author Interview: Cynthia Leitich Smith – The Most Awesomest Auntie »
By Suma Subramaniam
I met Pooja Makhijani a few years ago through an online South Asian children’s book group, and we’ve stayed friends ever since. Pooja is an incredible baker. She taught me how to make naan. When I heard about her forthcoming picture book celebrating bread, I couldn’t wait to cheer for her and share it with the world.
Continue Reading Author Interview: Bread, Love, and the Art of Showing Up with Pooja Makhijani »
By AJ Eversole
I’m happy to introduce award-winning author, Nikki Grimes, and her co-author, with her debut picture book, Stacy Wells! They were happy to talk about their process, their creativity, and how their diverse perspectives came together to create the gorgeous new picture book Stronger Than, illustrated by E.B.
Continue Reading Co-Authors Interview: Nikki Grimes & Stacy Wells Collaborate on Stronger Than »
Today, I am excited to welcome authors Alison Green Myers and Alexandra Villasante, who both work at Boyds Mills, formerly known as the Highlights Foundation—a space synonymous with craft workshops for children’s book writers and illustrators since 1985. They will tell us about the 2026 offerings—both online and in person at the retreat center in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania,
Happy Holidays, Cynsational readers!
Effective immediately, Cynsations is on winter hiatus. Read the posts from our most recent series here:
By Cynthia Leitich Smith, Gayleen Rabakukk, Suma Subramaniam, A.J. Eversole, Mitu Malhotra, and Gail Vannelli for Cynsations
Spotlight Image: Moon Song by Michaela Goade (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2025).
Author/Illustrator Insights
WNDMG Author Interview: Khushboo Patel on Her Verse Novel All That Chandni Knows by Shifa Safadi from From The Mixed-Up Files of Middle-Grade Authors.
The Cynsational Books of 2025 were selected by Cynthia Leitich Smith from nominations by Cynsations Team members. Titles published by Heartdrum or authored/illustrated by Cynsations team members are ineligible.
The selections (in alphabetical order):
At the Edge of Lost by Martha Brokenbrough (Scholastic,
“Acclaimed illustrator and author Jeanette Winter, a pioneer of picture book biographies and nonfiction, many of which focused on brave women fighting for social justice, died Nov. 7 in New York City of heart and kidney failure. She was 86,” reported Shannon Maughan for Publishers Weekly. Winter’s picture book biography,
Continue Reading In Memory: Author-Illustrator Jeanette Winter »
By Mitu Malhotra
Today we are excited to welcome Cathy Petter to share her writing journey with Cynsations.
Cathy’s debut, Dear Moxie, Dear Rex, illustrated by Bryony Clarkson (Reycraft Books, 2025), was released on Sept. 16. This picture book is an epistolary experiment that reveals the true feelings of two pets.
Your latest book, At The Edge Of Lost (Scholastic, 2025), is a survival adventure story set in Seattle and Bainbridge Island. What was the inspiration for this story?
I really wanted to write another dog story—but one more intimate, even, than To Catch a Thief (Scholastic,
Continue Reading Author Interview: Writing, Teaching & a New MFA Program with Martha Brokenbrough »