Announcing the #KidsLoveNonfiction Campaign

This morning, Mary Ann Cappiello, Professor of Language and Literacy at Lesley University, and Xenia Hadjioannou, Associate Professor of Language and Literacy Education at the Harrisburg campus of Penn State University, sent the letter below to The New York Times requesting that the paper add three children’s nonfiction bestseller lists to parallel the existing picture book,

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Editor Interview: Levine Querido’s Nick Thomas on Perspectives & Accessibility

By Elisabeth Norton

Today I’m talking with Nick Thomas, Senior Editor at Levine Querido, an independent publisher of books for young readers that was founded by Arthur A. Levine in 2019.

Nick, thank you for joining me! 

Thank you for having me! Cynsations is one of my favorite websites—I use it as a resource all the time to learn from creators and publishing people I respect.

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Guest Post: Uma Krishnaswami Reflects on the Power of Design in Narrative Nonfiction Books

By Uma Krishnaswami

Threads of Peace: How Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. Changed the World (Caitlyn Dlouhy Books, 2021) took me all of nine years from contract to publication. When I began writing my first draft, I knew I’d need to look for photos.

I had decided to use a combination of archival images and photographs that my husband and I had taken in India and the United States in places important to the lives of both Mahatma Gandhi and Reverend King.

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Native Voices: Traci Sorell on Writing With & About Community

By Kim Rogers

Today, I’m excited to welcome back Traci Sorell, former Cynsations reporter and award-winning author. Traci’s book Classified: The Secret Career of Mary Golda Ross, Cherokee Aerospace Engineer, illustrated by Natasha Donovan, was published by Millbrook Press in March. Her book We Are Still Here: Native American Truths Everyone Should Know,

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Author Interview: Amra Sabic-El-Rayess on Her Memoir The Cat I Never Named: A True Story of Love, War, and Survival

By Stephani Martinell Eaton

Today we welcome Amra Sabic-El-Rayess to Cynsations. Her acclaimed memoir with Laura L. Sullivan, The Cat I Never Named: A True Story of Love, War, and Survival (Bloomsbury, 2020) was a YALSA finalist for excellence in nonfiction.

Amra’s author biography describes her book as “a timely warning to Americans against othering,

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Guest Interview: Kate Hosford & Sandra Nickel Discuss The Stuff Between the Stars: How Vera Rubin Discovered Most of the Universe

By Kate Hosford

A little over four years ago, my husband Chris and I were reading the Sunday New York Times, when he noticed a tribute to the astronomer Vera Rubin, who had died the day before. He suggested that I write a picture book about her. Although I was fascinated by Vera, I had a feeling that the perfect author for this project was my friend,

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Awesome Authors: Patricia Newman on Inspiring & Empowering Young Readers to Protect the Environment

By Linda Joy Singleton

I was sitting next to Patricia Newman in the airport when she got the call notifying her that her book, Sea Otter Heroes: The Predators That Saved an Ecosystem (Millbrook Press, 2017), had been awarded a Sibert Honor. So exciting! And I’m excited and honored to introduce Cynsations readers to Patricia and her latest book,

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Author Interview: Veterinarian Gary Weitzman Discusses Pet Care & Writing Nonfiction for Kids

By Stephani Martinell Eaton

Today we welcome veterinarian Dr. Gary Weitzman, who is also the president and CEO of the San Diego Humane Society. We got to chat about writing nonfiction for kids with regards to his two National Geographic books for kids Fetch! How to Speak Dog,

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