Congratulations to Cynthia Leitich Smith on Harvest House, out Tuesday from Candlewick! To date, the book has received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and School Library Connection. From the promotional copy:
Deftly leading readers to the literary crossroads of contemporary realism and haunting mystery, Cynthia Leitich Smith revisits the world of her American Indian Youth Literature Award winner Hearts Unbroken (Candlewick,
Spotlight image: Shachi Kaushik celebrating Diwali with her new book.
I love sharing the success stories of Austin authors with Cynsations readers. Today I’m interviewing two debut picture book authors, Shachi Kaushik and Susan Johnston Taylor, about their paths to publication and advice for aspiring writers.
Continue Reading New Voices: Shachi Kaushik & Susan Johnston Taylor Share Picture Book Advice »
By AJ Eversole
Today Cynsations gets to share an interview with Guadalupe Garcia McCall, co-author of Secret of the Moon Conch (Bloomsbury, June 2023). From the promotional copy:
Award-winning authors David Bowles and Guadalupe García McCall join forces to craft a sweeping fantasy romance about falling in love despite all odds.
By Cynthia Leitich Smith, Gayleen Rabakukk, Suma Subramaniam, A.J. Eversole and Gail Vannelli for Cynsations
Spotlight Image: Love Makes a Garden Grow by Taeeun Yoo (Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books, 2023).
Author/Illustrator Insights
Cover Reveal for When a Brown Girl Flees by Aamna Qureshi from We Need Diverse Books.
Congratulations to Christina Soontornvat on the publication of Legends of Lotus Island: The Guardian Test, illustrated by Kevin Hong (Scholastic, March 2023). From the promotional copy:
Young Plum is shocked to discover that she’s been accepted to the Guardian Academy on Lotus Island, an elite school where kids learn how to transform into Guardians,
By AJ Eversole
Today on Cynsations I am thrilled to present an interview with former, U.S. Poet Laureate, Joy Harjo. Her latest picture book, Remember (Random House Studio, 2023) released last week. Illustrated by Caldecott Medalist Michaela Goade, Remember, is a poem in picture book form.
Continue Reading Author Interview: Joy Harjo on Poetry & Picture Books »
Writing can often be lonely and isolating. How do authors address this? Some co-author books, others write in public places, and others find a community. One such place is the Writers’ Loft in Hudson, Massachusetts, which offered me a place to meet other writers, build on my craft, and be surrounded by dedicated kid lit folks.
By Cynthia Leitich Smith, Gayleen Rabakukk, Suma Subramaniam, A.J. Eversole and Gail Vannelli for Cynsations
Spotlight Image: Jovita Wore Pants: The Story of a Mexican Freedom Fighter by Aida Salazar, illustrated by Molly Mendoza (Scholastic Press,
Congratulations to illustrator Don Tate and author Sherri Duskey Rinker on the publication of Roto and Roy: To the Rescue! (Little Brown, March 21, 2023).
From the promotional copy: When a flash flood threatens a nearby town, helicopter Roto and pilot Roy soar to the rescue! Quick—a truck needs to be hoisted to safety!
Continue Reading Throwback Thursday: Don Tate’s Journey to Becoming an Artist »
Path to publication stories always intrigue me, especially those that feel very serendipitous. Take, for instance, Ian Falconer‘s Olivia (Atheneum, 2000), a story he originally wrote for his three-year-old niece (also named Olivia) as a Christmas gift in 1996.
“I thought I’d do a little book for her,