Cynsations: Celebrating Children’s & Young Adult Literature is sharing our new summer issue.
2024 is our 20th anniversary! We’ve shifted to a quarterly format with in-depth articles, interviews, and key news and resources from the world of books for young readers.
Amping a few of Melanie Conklin’s picks for Judge a Book By Its Cover: Middle Grade at Pop Goes the Reader! Titles include:
A STRANGE THING HAPPENED IN CHERRY HALL by Jasmine Warga (HarperCollins)
Cover design by Julia Tyler, Cover art by Matt Rockefeller
BLACK GIRL POWER by Leah Johnson (Freedom Fire)
Cover design by Marci Senders, Cover art by Vashti Harrison
THE BEAUTIFUL GAME by Yamile Saied Méndez (Algonquin)
Cover design by Sylvia Bi, Cover art by Lauren Dimaya
ON A WING AND A TEAR by Cynthia Leitich Smith (Heartdrum)
Cover art by Natasha Donovan
THE BLETCHLEY RIDDLE by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin (Viking)
Cover design by Jim Tierney, Cover art by Jim Tierney
Visit the link in my bio for the full list.
Essential nonfiction picture books, recommended by School Library Journal include:
FIGHTING WITH LOVE: THE LEGACY OF JOHN LEWIS by Lesa Cline-Ransome & James E. Ransome (Paula Wiseman)
I AM OSAGE: HOW CLARENCE TINKER BECAME THE FIRST NATIVE AMERICAN GENERAL by Kim Rogers and Bobby Von Martin (Heartdrum)
JIMMY’S RHYTHM & BLUES: THE EXTRAORDINARY LIFE OF JAMES BALDWIN by Michelle Meadows & Jamiel Law (HarperCollins)
ONE LONG LINE: MARCHING CATERPILLARS AND THE SCIENTISTS WHO FOLLOWED THEM by Loree Griffin Burns & Jamie Green (MIT Kids)
REMEMBERING ROSALIND FRANKLIN: ROSALIND FRANKLINE & THE DISCOVERY OF THE DOUBLE HELIX STRUCTURE OF DNA by Tanya Lee Stone and Gretchen Ellen Powers (Little, Brown)
#childrensbooks #kidsbooks #bookstagram #picturebooks #kidlit #kidsbookstagram #raisingreaders #nonfiction #biography
ABOUT THE GIVEAWAY
25 days to go; U.S. only.
ABOUT THE NOVEL
A living legend roosting in the backyard. An unmissable game. A hair-raising mystery. A road trip full of adventure and danger. And all the overlapping circles that connect us throughout Creation.
Melanie “Mel” Roberts and Ray Halfmoon may be from different Indigenous Nations, but the friends have become like siblings since the Robertses moved in with the Halfmoons. And they soon welcome a distinguished guest: Great-grandfather Bat, whose wing is injured, has taken refuge in their old oak tree.
A rematch of the legendary Great Ball Game is coming up, with Bat as the star player. Grampa Charlie Halfmoon offers to drive Bat from Chicago down to the traditional playing field outside Macon, Georgia, and Mel and Ray are determined to help out.
Together, they all set off on a road trip—facing adventure, danger, and a hair-raising mystery—on the way to the historic game.
With loving care and boisterous humor, acclaimed author Cynthia Leitich Smith (Muscogee) tells a modern folklore story about friendship, embracing the unexpected, and all the overlapping circles that connect us throughout Creation.
#goodreads #bookstagram #raisingreaders #bookstagrammer #readersofinstagram #booknerd #bookaddict #booksofinstagram #middlegrade #middlegradebooks #mglit #middlegradefiction @harperkids @theshelfstuff @weneeddiversebooks @goodreads
“I’m going to keep writing important historical stories about unheralded Black figures. And I intend to tell the truth—because that’s what nonfiction writers do. We tell stories guided by research and truth,” said author-illustrator Don Tate in an interview with author Wade Hudson from Publishers Weekly. Read the full interview at the link in my bio.
#picturebooks #authorsofinstagram #illustratorsofinstagram #bookstagram #diversebooks #nonfiction #blackauthors #blackwriters #blackhistory #blackauthorsofinstagram
The Walter Dean Myers Grant program was established to provide grants of $2,000 each to promising diverse writers and illustrators, including Indigenous book creators, who are currently unpublished. Since 2015, We Need Diverse Books has awarded over 55 grants, and the grant recipients have now published over 50 books.
The submission window will close on July 31, 2024 at 11:59 PM EST.
In 2024, WNDB is offering up to 15 Walter Grants. Black, Native/First Nations/Indigenous, and Palestinian creators are especially encouraged to apply: https://diversebooks.org/programs/walter-grant/
#indigenous #nativeamerican #native #firstnations #metis #inuit #nativepride #indigenousart #indigenouspeople #navajo #cherokee #choctaw #ojibwe #blackfeet #apache #mvskoke #Haudenosaunee #writersofinstagram
My Chihuahua says that Barnes & Noble is doing a sale for the pages (get it?). From July 8 through July 15, Premium and Rewards members will get 25% off all preorders! Premium members also get double stamps and an additional 10% off. Pre-order your copy of ON A WING AND A TEAR today. Click the link in my bio for special pre-order links to my upcoming novel, all the books on special, ebooks, and audiobooks. Ends July 15!
ABOUT THE BOOK
ON A WING AND A TEAR by Cynthia Leitich Smith, cover art by Natasha Donovan (Heartdrum @HarperKids @theshelfstuff with @weneeddiversebooks).
A living legend roosting in the backyard. An unmissable game. A hair-raising mystery. A road trip full of adventure and danger. And all the overlapping circles that connect us.
★ “A unique and noteworthy tale that weaves together past and present with humor through stellar, multilayered writing.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review
ABOUT THE DOG
Gnocchi is a long-haired Chihuahua mix adopted from Austin Pets Alive!
#saleforthepages #barnesandnoble #bookstagram #books #goodreads #booklover #bn #nook #middlegrade #middlegradebooks #bookstagram #middlegradefiction #weneeddiversebooks #nativeamerican #indigenous
Congratulations to the winners and honorees of the SCBWI Crystal Kite Awards. Peek: “…winners and honor winners were selected from 15 divisions from around the world.”
They included:
Southwest Division Honor: LEI AND THE FIRE GODDESS by Malia Maunakea (Penguin Workshop)
Texas and Oklahoma Winners:
GLITTER EVERYWHERE! WHERE IT CAME FROM, WHERE IT’S FOUND & WHERE IT’S GOING by Chris Barton, illustrated by Chaaya Prabhat (Charlesbridge)
ANIMALS IN SURPRISING SHADES: POEMS ABOUT EARTH’S COLORFUL CREATURES by Susan Johnston Taylor, illustrated by Annie Bakst (Gnome Road Publishing)
New England Division Winner: THE WALK (A STROLL TO THE POLL) by Winsome Bingham, illustrated by E.B. Lewis (Abrams)
Visit the link in my bio for the full list.
“My grandchildren are the seventh generation and the youth of today will help us heal. I wanted to create something that would help them prepare and introduce them to our incredible diversity.” —Billy Mills (Lakota), co-author of WINGS OF AN EAGLE with Donna Janell Bowman, ill. by S.D. Nelson (Lakota)(Little, Brown, 2024), from Q & A with Billy Mills and Donna Janell Bowman by Patricia Buckley (Mohawk) at Publishers Weekly. Visit the link in my bio to read the interview.
@donnajbbwrites @pwpics @billymills10k @littlebrownyoungreaders #picturebooks are #picturebooks #childrensbooks #kidsbooks #kidlit #bookstagram #kidsbookstagram #authorsofinstagram #biography #picturebookbiography #nonfiction
“’The time has come for authors to come together and stand in solidarity on this issue, and the work of our growing membership is clear: we support authors whose work is challenged, and we support the teachers, librarians, families, and students who are on the front lines defending our books. They are not alone; authors stand with them.’” David Levithan, Publishers Weekly, Authors Against Book Bans Officially Launches by Andrew Albanese from Publishers Weekly
Visit the link in my bio to read the article.
@authorsagainstbookbans @pwpics #libraries #library #librariesofinstagram #bookstagram #reading #librarylife #librarylove #librarians #read #librarian #publiclibrary #librariansofinstagram #librariesrock #librariestransform #publiclibraries #instalibrary #bookworm #librariesoftheworld #booklovers #lovelibraries #librariesareforeveryone
Highlighting @pwpics New & Noteworthy Books of June 2024, including BIBSY CROSS AND THE BAD APPLE by Liz Garton Scanlon, illus. by Dung Ho (Knopf); RED BIRD DANCED by Dawn Quigley, cover by Carla Joseph (Heartdrum), SPILLED INK by Nadia Hashimi (Quill Tree); LOOKING FOR SMOKE by K.A. Cobell, cover photo by Leah Rose Kolakowski (Heartdrum); and THE COLOR OF A LIE by Kim Johnson (Random House).
Visit the link in my bio for the full list.
@lizgardensalad @dunghanhho @nadiahashimibooks @HarperKids @theshelfstuff @weneeddiversebooks @ka_cobell @kcjohnsonwrites @randomhousekids #childrensbooks #kidsbooks #bookstagram #kidlit #kidsbookstagram #reading #booksforkids #childrensbook #childrensbook
“…while working on her new novel RED BIRD DANCED (HarperCollins/Heartdrum, Jun. 2024), author Dawn Quigley says, ‘I began to see how a writer can use fonts, spacing, bold/lightened colors to create art, mood, and tone in stories.'” —from Eight Verse Novels that Illuminate Disability Experiences by Margaret Kingsbury from School Library Journal.
Visit the link in my bio to read the full article.
Congratulations, Byron Graves, on the Boston Globe – Horn Book (Fiction) Honor for REZ BALL (Heartdrum, 2023)!
This compelling debut novel by new talent Byron Graves (Ojibwe) tells the relatable, high-stakes story of a young athlete determined to play like the hero his Ojibwe community needs him to be.
Let’s all focus on Building a Home Library! “From board books to graphic novels, picture books to middle-grade fiction, the new Building a Home Library list is a fantastic resource for all parents, caregivers, librarians, teachers, and booksellers.” Highlights include:
Congrats to the winners of the 2024 Reading the West Book Awards!
Picture Book: ALITHIA RAMIREZ WAS AN ARTIST by Violet Lemay (Michael Sampson Books)
Young Readers: COYOTE QUEEN by Jessica Vitalis (Greenwillow)
Congrats, K.A. Cobell! LOOKING FOR SMOKE (Heartdrum, 2024) is among the Barnes & Noble Best Books of 2024 (So Far). Check out the whole list at the link in my bio.
@HarperKids @theshelfstuff @weneedddiversebooks @ka_cobell @barnesandnoble #mystery #murdermystery #mysterybook #yamystery #youngadultbooks #yalit #yabooks #bookstagram #booklover #bookworm #bookstagrammer #yabookstagram #diversebooks #indigenous #nativeamerican
LOOKING FOR SMOKE by KA Cobell (Heartdrum, 2024) is among !ndigo Best Teen Books of 2024. Visit the link in my bio for the full list.
In her powerful debut novel, author K. A. Cobell (Blackfeet) weaves loss, betrayal, and complex characters into a thriller that will illuminate, surprise, and engage readers until the final word. Heartdrum is an imprint of @HarperKids @theshelfstuff with @weneeddiversebooks.
★ Publishers Weekly (starred): “Via four alternating POVs informed by the intricacies of reservation life, Cobell highlights the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women crisis and delivers a gut-punch of an ending in this timely debut thriller that is by turns spine-tingling and emotionally raw.”
#youngadult #bookstagram- #mystery #youngadultbooks #reading #bookstagrammer #yabooks #booksofinstagram #mmiwg
“Mychal Threets shared five reasons he loves libraries with SLJ. The common thread among them is library joy and the human connection he says libraries represent. Here, he is joined by 22 others others who are pretty fond of libraries, too.” — Kara Yorio @sljournal from Reasons to Love Libraries: 23 Notable Authors and Public Figures Share Their Joy: https://www.slj.com/story/reasons-to-love-libraries-23-notable-authors-and-public-figures-share-their-joy
Register at the link in my bio!
Chicken dance flash mob at the launch of THE MINOR MIRACLE! Congrats, @meredithdavisauthor! A standing-room only crowd joined us in celebrating THE MINOR MIRACLE: THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF NOAH MINOR, illustrated by @billyyongdraws (@waterbrookmultnomah, 2024) @bookpeople in sunny Austin.
Meredith is a beloved author and founder of @scbwiaustintx.
#middlegradebooks #mglit #middlegradefiction #bookstore #bookstagram #independentbooks #superheroes #middlegradereads #childrensbooks #kidlit #austin
Study writing for young readers with Kekla Magoon and Cynthia Leitich Smith at Kwame Alexander Writers’ Lab & Conference from June 18 to June 21, 2024 in Chautauqua, New York.
ABOUT
The 2024 Kwame Alexander Writers’ Lab & Conference (previously the Chautauqua Writers’ Festival) will take place over the four days (Tuesday to Friday) before Week One of Chautauqua Institution’s summer season commences.
In addition to opportunities to take two Master Classes with well-renown faculty writers in a selected genre track, attendees can also experience an opening and closing keynote address, featured speaker events, mix and mingle events with publishers and agents, and panel conversations. All these features are included in the cost of Standard Registration.
Special rates are available for students, and a discount code for Educators equates to 25% off standard registration. Find the link in my bio for more information and registration.
2024 GENRE TALKS: memoir, poetry, children’s literature
The American Booksellers Association’s Summer/Fall 2024 Indies Introduce Featured Titles include:
LOOKING FOR SMOKE by KA Cobell (Heartdrum)
NOW, CONJURERS by Freddie Kölsch (Union Square & Co.)
BREAKING INTO SUNLIGHT by John Cochran (Algonquin Young Readers)
THE GHOSTKEEPER by Johanna Taylor (G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers)
TANGLEROOT by Kalela Williams (Feiwel & Friends)
Visit the link in my bio for the full list.
Happy Birthday, @littlefreelibrary! Little Free Library became a nonprofit on May 17, 2012, launching its journey to make books accessible to everyone. They’re turning our organization’s nonprofit birthday into a week-long celebration May 12-18, 2024!
Visit the link in my bio to find out how you can participate in the conversation.
“…from the written homework I handed in, Mr. Rideout heard my voice and gave me an opportunity to share it. ‘Dear Gabby’ was blessedly anonymous, which meant I’d been provided a safe space to build my confidence.” —Cynthia Leitich Smith
School Library Journal “reached out to authors and illustrators to share memories of a teacher who made a difference, perhaps impacting the trajectory of their careers.” Read: https://www.slj.com/story/Teacher-Appreciation-Week-Authors-Share-Memories-Educators-Who-Made-Impact
Contributing authors also include AM Dassu, Anna Lapera, Kekla Magoon, Carole Boston Weatherford, and Traci Sorell.
Visit the link in my bio to reach all the entries.
Celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month with TWO TRIBES by Emily Bowen Cohen (Heartdrum)!
Find the teacher guide by Jenna Wolfe (Muscogee) at the link in my bio.
“Jewish American Heritage Month in May recognizes Jewish contributions to American culture, history, military, science, government, and more,” according to the U.S. National Archives. @usnatarchives
Congrats to the short-listed titles for the Reading the West Book Awards! View the full category lists and vote now: https://readingthewest.com/34th-annual-voting-ballot/
From Native Hope @projectnativehope: “May 5 is the official MMIW Day and is the most widely celebrated across the U.S. and Canada. Every year, individuals wear red, and attend marches, rallies, bike rides, fundraisers, and more to raise awareness for the MMIW cause and fight against the injustice that’s happening to Native women and their families every day.”
Highlights of the 2024 ALSC Summer Reading Lists.
Honored that my YA novel, HARVEST HOUSE, was named to three Children’s Book Council 2024 lists—Young Adult Favorites, Teacher Favorites, and Librarian Favorites. View all the lists, including Children’s Favorites, at the link in my bio.
Summer Reads 2024 from Publishers Weekly! Highlights include books by @ka_cobell @harlemportland @lynnbrunelle @authorjasonchin @donoghuebaldwin @traceybaptistewrites @verabee.
2024 Summer Reading Recommendations by Elissa Gershowitz, Editor in Chief, from Notes from the Horn Book. PEEK: “When compiling the lists — thirteen selections (a baker’s dozen!) for all age ranges — we seek out page-turning fiction, nonfiction, folklore.
Congratulations, Byron Graves, on REZ BALL (Heartdrum, 2023) winning the Colorado (YA) Book Award!
@HarperKids @theshelfstuff @weneeddiversebooks @makwa_giniw #youngadultbooks #YALit #basketball #sportsbook #colorado #bookaward #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #ojibwe #nativeamerican #Indigenous
Happy news! The revised contributions from LEGENDARY FRY BREAD DRIVE-IN, an Indigenous YA anthology, have been received and reconfigured into a single manuscript, along with the various authors’ notes and acknowledgements and their mini bios. I’m so grateful to them for their talent, teamwork, and enthusiasm. (And I’m a bit exhausted by the idiosyncratic quirks of Microsoft Word.) For the collection, I wrote a story and a poem, the latter of which always feels like a stretch. Anyway, the manuscript is off to Rosemary Brosnan for her editorial magic. Hooray! How goes your creative summer? What books are on your summer reading list?
#writing #writer #writersofinstagram #writingcommunity #writerscommunity #youngadultbooks #shortstories #yalit
KAMALA HARRIS: ROOTED IN JUSTICE by Nikki Grimes and Laura Freeman (Atheneum, 2020). From the promo copy:
Discover the incredible story of a young daughter of immigrants who would grow up to defend the rights of people everywhere in this moving picture book biography of Senator Kamala Harris.
When Kamala Harris was young, she often accompanied her parents to civil rights marches—so many, in fact, that when her mother asked a frustrated Kamala what she wanted, the young girl responded with: “Freedom!”
As Kamala grew from a small girl in Oakland to a senator running for president, it was this long-fostered belief in freedom and justice for all people that shaped her into the inspiring figure she is today. From fighting for the use of a soccer field in middle school to fighting for the people of her home state in Congress, Senator Harris used her voice to speak up for what she believed in and for those who were otherwise unheard.
Told in Nikki Grimes’s stunning verse and featuring gorgeous illustrations by Laura Freeman, this picture book biography brings to life a story that shows all young people that the American dream can belong to all of us if we fight for one another.
@poetrynikki @laurafreemanart @simonkids
#picturebook #picturebookbiography #diversebooks #childrensbooks #childrensliterature
Get ready for the new school year with BLUE STARS: MISSION ONE: THE VICE PRINCIPAL PROBLEM, written by Kekla Magoon and Cynthia Leitich Smith, illustrated by Molly Murakami (Candlewick, 2024). Ages 8-up.
★ “Bustling slice-of-life plot beats by Magoon (CHESTER KEENE CRACKS THE CODE) and Smith (HARVEST HOUSE), paired with animated art by debut illustrator Murakami, culminates in a realistically rendered and impeccably paced graphic novel series opener that accessibly highlights the importance of youth involvement in local politics.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review
★ “…has everything: nuanced and empowered protagonists, a funny, gripping story, age-appropriate treatment of social issues, and expressive comic illustrations begging to be lingered over. Readers will come away inspired to raise their own voices and take action to create positive, peaceful change in their communities…sure to engender a devoted following.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review
#backtoschool #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookish #schoollibrary #readersofinstagram #bookrecommendations #graphicnovel #childrensbooks #middlegrade #mglit
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