Tomie dePaola (pronounced da-POW-la), celebrated and beloved author and illustrator, died March 30 in Lebanon, New Hampshire after complications from surgery following a fall. He was 85.
Obituary: Tomie dePaola, ‘Strega Nona’ Author and Illustrator, Dies at 85 by Iliana Magra and Julia Carmel from The New York Times.
Compiled by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Check out this list of Native children’s and young adult (teen) books along with supplemental educational and/or entertaining resources. It reflects only a few highlights from the quickly growing, engaging body of literature for young readers, created by Native authors and illustrators. The books were selected in part due to their curriculum tie-in potential and in part due to the tie-in activities,
Continue Reading Home & Classroom Teaching: Native American Children’s-Teens’ Books & Resources »
By Kim Rogers
Today, I’m happy to welcome David Heska Wanbli Weiden to Cynsations.
David is the author of Spotted Tail, illustrated by Jim Yellowhawk and Pat Kinsella (Reycraft Books, 2019), a middle grade biography which traces the life of his tribe’s famous Lakota leader.
Continue Reading Native Voice: David Heska Wanbli Weiden on Writing Inclusive Books For Kids »
By Cynthia Leitich Smith, Gayleen Rabukukk, Stephani Eaton, and Gail Vannelli for Cynsations
Author/Illustrator Insights
Fraser-Pryce Shares Her Story in Poignant Children’s Book by Lois Elfman from Amsterdam News. Peek: “I’m a young girl from an inner city…and there are many girls and boys like me who are trying to get to where I am.
By Amy Alznauer
Discovering a New Magic at the Heart of the Creative Life
As artists, we spend most of our time alone in a room writing or drawing. On our bad days, we wonder if our efforts are nothing more than a narcissistic pursuit of a private vision.
I spent many days like this as I worked for over a decade – pre-agent,
Continue Reading Guest Post: Author Amy Alznauer on Artistic Collaboration »
By Nora Shalaway Carpenter and Rocky Callen
Cynsational Note: Today we are honored to welcome two YA debut authors, Nora Shalaway Carpenter and Rocky Callen, who talk about the importance and representation of mental health issues in YA literature, specifically their novels.
Nora: Hi, Rocky! I’m so excited to chat with you about our books.
Today I’m interviewing two debut middle grade authors about what inspired them as well as how truth emerges through their fiction.
While Jessica Kim’s Stand Up, Yumi Chung! (Kokila, 2020) is a humorous read, and Risa Nyman’s Swallowed by a Secret (Immortal Works,
Continue Reading New Voices: Jessica Kim & Risa Nyman Talk Truth in Fiction »
By Cynthia Leitich Smith, Gail Vannelli, Gayleen Rabukukk, and Stephani Eaton for Cynsations
Author/Illustrator Insights
Ghostober S2 E4: Ellen Oh & Staring at Your Inbox by Claribel Ortega from Write or Die Podcast. Peek: “Being a writer can be so lonely….I didn’t know at the time there was a [writing] community.
When I first read Katherine Applegate’s The One and Only Ivan (HarperCollins, 2012), I remember being completely amazed.
A brown bear or a pigeon narrating a picture book are one thing, but a gorilla narrating a meaningful middle grade novel? This was something else entirely.
Betsy Byars, award-winning and prolific author, died Feb. 26 in Seneca, South Carolina after complications from a fall. She was 91.
Obituary: Betsy Byars by Shannon Maughan from Publishers Weekly. Peek:
“Byars’s books were often lauded for their blend of humor,