Effective immediately, Cynsations is on spring hiatus. Read the posts from our most recent series here:
Cynsational News
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,
In Memory: Authors Peg Kehret, Robert Burleigh & Author-Illustrator Hudson Talbot
Peg Kehret, award-winning author of more than 50 books for middle grade readers, died on Dec. 7, 2025; at her home in Bellevue, Wash., reported the Seattle Times. According to her website, Kehret’s first book for young readers was Winning Monologs For Young Actors (Meriwether, 1986).
That book was soon followed by Deadly Stranger (Dodd,
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Author Interview: Ginger Reno on Rekindling Connections & Spirit Shadow
By AJ Eversole
Excited to chat with kidlit author Ginger Reno (Cherokee) today. Her debut novel, Find Her (Holiday House, 2025), was an Edgar Award Nominee and won the Oklahoma Book Award. Today she talks about her debut picture book, Spirit Shadow,
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Author-Illustrator Interview: Deborah Marcero Shares Her Creative Process
By Mitu Malhotra
Today I am excited to welcome author-illustrator Deborah Marcero to Cynsations to talk about her seventh picture book, The Great Escape (Penguin Random House/Putnam, February 2026). Reading The Great Escape took me back to the moment in time when I first met Deborah during an exceptionally cold Vermont winter.
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Throwback Thursday: Author Liara Tamani on Inspiration & MFAs
Congratulations to Liara Tamani on the publication of This Ain’t Our First Rodeo (Greenwillow, Feb. 3, 2026). From the publisher’s website:
This ain’t Josie’s first rodeo. Her parents own several fancy restaurants in Houston, and they just opened a new one right outside the stadium. Josie is expected to stay inside the restaurant and help,
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Authors Interview: Alison Green Myers & Alexandra Villasante on Sophomore Novels
Today, I am excited to welcome to Cynsations Alison Green Myers, author of the middle grade novel This Way to Happy (Dutton Books for Young Readers, 2025), and Alexandra Villasante, author of the young adult novel Fireblooms (Nancy Paulsen Books, 2025),
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Author Interview: Karina Iceberg Celebrates Community Connection in A Good Hide
by AJ Eversole
Today I get to chat with author Karina Iceberg. Her debut picture book, A Good Hide, illustrated by Natasha Donovan (Heartdrum, 2026), is about what happens after the moose hunt, when community comes together to celebrate the sustenance the animal provides. In a starred review,
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Author Interview: Cynthia Leitich Smith – The Most Awesomest Auntie
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,
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Author Interview: Bread, Love, and the Art of Showing Up with Pooja Makhijani
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.
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