As a young adult author and former high school teacher who loves reading lists full of unique voices and identities, I find recent news about banned books heartbreaking.
Back in 1986, I wrote a high school research paper about book censorship, and here we are again. I dived back into this problem as an MFA student at the Vermont College of Fine Arts,
Continue Reading Guest Post: Lyn Hawks on How YA Is Literary: The Search for an Abundant Canon »
By Sandra Nickel & Kathi Appelt
Spotlight image: Sandra Nickel and Kathi Appelt talking at the Château de Chillon in Switzerland in 2019, photo by Ken Appelt.
After receiving her MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts, Sandra Nickel studied an extra semester with Newbery Honoree and two-time National Book Award Finalist,
By Cynthia Leitich Smith, Gayleen Rabakukk, Suma Subramaniam, A.J. Eversole and Gail Vannelli for Cynsations
Spotlight Image: Little Rosetta and the Talking Guitar by Charnelle Pinkney Barlow (Doubleday Books for Young Readers, 2023).
Author/Illustrator Insights
Congratulations to Jane Sutton on Gracie Brings Back Bubbe’s Smile, illustrated by Debby Rahmalia (Albert Whitman, 2022). Kirkus Reviews called the book “A tender reminder that family and culture can buoy us after loss.”
Take a look back at Jane’s first Cynsations guest post from 2010.
Guest Post: Jane Sutton on Revisiting a Theme
By Jane Sutton
My friend Fay called after reading my latest picture book.
Continue Reading Throwback Thursday: Jane Sutton on Revisiting a Theme »
I recently read Lyn Miller-Lachmann‘s young adult historical novel, Torch (Carolrhoda Lab, 2022), and am eager for Lyn to share her insights on writing in multiple points of view with Cynsations readers. First, from the promotional copy:
Czechoslovakia, 1969
Seventeen-year-old Pavol has watched his country’s freedoms disappear in the wake of the Soviet Union’s invasion.
Continue Reading Author Interview: Lyn Miller-Lachmann on Multiple Point-of-View & Torch »
By Varsha Bajaj
In March of 2022, I learned that Thirst (Nancy Paulsen Books, 2022) was a Global Read Aloud pick. GRA was created in 2010 by extraordinary educator, Pernille Ripp, with a simple goal in mind; one book to connect the world. GRA has deservedly grown to make global connections and millions of students have participated.
Continue Reading Guest Post: Varsha Bajaj on being a Global Read Aloud Author »
By Cynthia Leitich Smith, Gayleen Rabakukk, Suma Subramaniam, A.J. Eversole, Bree Bender and Gail Vannelli for Cynsations
Spotlight Image: You So Black by Theresa tha S.O.N.G.B.I.R.D., illustrated by London Ladd (Denene Millner Books/Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers,
Congratulations to Patricia Morris Buckley (Mohawk) on the publication of The First Woman Cherokee Chief: Wilma Pearl Mankiller, illustrated by Aphelandra Messer (Oneida)(Random House Books for Young Readers, Feb 07, 2023). From the promotional copy:
In 1985, Wilma Pearl Mankiller became the first woman Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation.
I’ve written a few of books over the years, but My Brother Is Away [illustrated by Luisa Uribe (Random House Studio, 2022)] is my first attempt to write from my own life story. When I was in first grade, my brother was arrested. He was released from prison when I was in eighth.
Continue Reading Guest Post: Sara Greenwood on Writing from Real Life & My Brother Is Away »
I recently chatted with Austin author Carmen Oliver about her latest release—Building an Orchestra of Hope: How Favio Chavez Taught Children to Make Music from Trash, illustrated by Luisa Uribe (Eerdmans, 2022)—and finding balance, given the many hats she wears. In the photo above,