“Cushman creates an introspective female character planted firmly in her time, who grows in courage, self-awareness, and conviction. … references range from Dragnet to duck and cover drills in schools and her father’s aborted attempt to build a bomb shelter.” (SLJ, starred) bit.ly/3pSUgud

Dancing, hunting, and eating raw meat doesn’t seem like a good time to me. Sounds like spring break in Fort Lauderdale. bit.ly/4azpE7X

On December 7, 1941, war came to America’s children. Some picked up toy guns and shot at pretend enemies. Others had nightmares for the rest of their lives. Millie McGonigle thought the war came like an earthquake and shook everything and everybody up. More about Millie: bit.ly/3uFu1sM

On December 7, 1941, war came to America’s children. Some picked up toy guns and shot at pretend enemies. Others had nightmares for the rest of their lives. Millie McGonigle thought the war came like an earthquake and shook everything and everybody up. More about Millie: bit.ly/3uFu1sM

Time travel to the 1800s with three of my novels: Lucy Whipple's family moves to California in 1849 for the Gold Rush. bit.ly/45e3HZu In 1881, Rodzina boards an Orphan Train. bit.ly/3HRUR71 At thirteen, Sally O'Malley embarks on an adventurous journey west to discover the sea. bit.ly/4br0wk3

Isle de Sein near Brittany in France, archaeologist Yvan Pailler said, "This is a very interesting discovery that opens up new prospects for underwater archaeology, helping us better understand how coastal societies were organized." #archaeology #underwater #France www.cbsnews.com/news/ancient...

When it's cold outside, it's a good time to curl up under a blanket with an absorbing book and a warming beverage. Be transported back in time with one of my books. More about my books: www.karencushman.com

Discoveries revealed at the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Gobeklitepe and Karahantepe near Sanliurfa, Turkey, are giving archaeologists new understandings of how humans transitioned from hunter-gatherers to settled societies more than 11,000 years ago. www.reuters.com/science/new-...

Submissions reopen 3/1/26 for the Karen and Philip Cushman Late Bloomer Award for authors over 50 who have not been traditionally published in the children's lit field. SCBWI members are eligible for this grant of $500 for their work-in-progress and free tuition to SCBWI conference. bit.ly/3YS1KPO

Looking at feet and teeth from Ethiopia’s Afar Rift, paleontologists are re-examining a 2012 find of the “Burtele foot.” Are the bones from a new species, Australopithecus deyiremeda? Read M.J. Banias, The DeBrief, 29 Nov 2025 bit.ly/45iDXw0

Erica from What Do We Do All Day? has included Catherine, Called Birdy on her list of Classic Children’s Books by the Decade: 1990s. “This short novel is told in a diary format and is 100% hilarious.” Her review: bit.ly/4aWYcmK The book: bit.ly/3xGYDvS

Job opening: “The British Museum Plans to Hire a Treasure Hunter. Duties Include Recovering Missing Artifacts Before They’re Lost to History” Christian Thorsberg, The Smithsonian, 7 January 2026 bit.ly/3LD5529

In my book, Sally reads Ned Buntline's dime novels. Ned Buntline was quite a character. In the 1860s, his popular fiction earned him an astounding $20,000 a year. Eric Rossborough writes about Ned Buntline "discovering" Buffalo Bill. The article: bit.ly/3MXIygX Fleming's book: bit.ly/4qDxFiz

Archaeologists working in Russia’s northern Caucasus Mountains unearthed a bone spear tip, believed to be as much as 80,000 years old, that challenges assumptions about Neanderthal skills. Article by Bob Yirka for phys.org. Read the findings: bit.ly/49rwVWZ

Whatever holiday we observe and and however we celebrate, may we have peace on earth and in our hearts.

Medieval selfies! Illustration from article, Jan van Eyck, Giovanni Arnolfini and fiance (the artist includes a self-portrait in the mirror behind the couple). From Medieval Books blog: bit.ly/3YDCCMm

I'm pleased to find War and Millie McGonigle and Catherine, Called Birdy among so many fine books on this list of "60 Mighty Girl Historical Fiction Novels for Tweens and Teens." Thanks, Katherine Handcock! I hope you're following A Mighty Girl on Facebook. #historicalfiction bit.ly/44svAO1

Oldest, surviving, written document is 5,500 years old. The Kish tablet was found near the ancient Sumerian city of Kish, today it is Iraq. Not all of tablet is deciphered. Find out what they know at this point. bit.ly/4qgEhU9 Photo: Clay tablet proto-cuneiform writing. Jim Kuhn/Wikimedia Commons.

Enjoy Dr. Irving Finkel's lessons in how to write in cuneiform. There are over 130,000 tablets waiting to be studied at the British Museum. Dr. Finkel's “just waiting for young scholars to come devote themselves to (the) monkish work” of deciphering them. #cuneiform #ancienthistory bit.ly/44dD879

Don't miss my interview with Roger Sutton for The Horn Book. We talk about Joseph Campbell, my beloved Phil, Oregon weather, and the process of writing. Karen Cushman Talks with Roger: bit.ly/4pSxDTY

Hadrian's Wall Discovery, a video look at a previously unseen section of the Wall at Drumburgh on the Solway coast. "This is almost as far west as the wall went and there has been no sign of it here for a very long time." Mark Graham interviews those working on the site. #hadrianswall bit.ly/4rBzazm

Bearded Vulture nests found to have hoards of cultural artifacts — some up to 650 years old. Because their nests are primarily in the "western Mediterranean, "stable temperature and low humidity conditions ... natural museums, conserving historical material" bit.ly/4rh0yCw [photo: Antoni Margalida}

Have you read my most recent book? Sally O’Malley is an orphan working at a mineral spring hotel in the woods of central Oregon–that is, until she’s chucked out like chewed-on chicken bones, due entirely to an unfortunate incident with a pig and some church ladies. More about Sally: bit.ly/4br0wk3

Archaeologists Finally Find Missing Part of Legendary Statue. In 1930, the lower half of a statue of Ramses II, which once stood 23 feet tall, was discovered by German archaeologist Gunther Roeder. In 2024, an Egyptian and American dig team discovered the upper half near Ashmunein. bit.ly/47Mgwgj

Hope to see you at the Poulsbo Kids Book Fest, this coming Saturday, November 15th, from 11 am to 3 pm, at North Kitsap High School, 1780 NE Hostmark, Poulsbo, WA. You can see the actual Newbery Medal for The Midwife's Apprentice. www.poulsbokidsbookfest.com

From Open Culture, this article and TED Talk: "... Paleoanthropologist Genevieve von Petzinger, [suggests] that those prehistoric forms of writing, which include the earliest known hashtag marks, consisted of symbols nearly as universal as emoji." bit.ly/483qdH3

Book giveaway! Thinking about your gift lists, aren't you? When Sally O'Malley Discovered the Sea is an adventure story set in 1800s Oregon. You know the young readers who will love this book. Head to my website to enter by midnight PT on 11/15/25. (Mainland USA only, please.) Enter: bit.ly/3LrcyAX

900+ artifacts from Late Bronze and Early Iron Age discovered in early 2025 near Somló, Hungary. Archaeologists are looking at diet, ritual, and culture based on this metal hoard. "The project was led by Bence Soós, an archaeologist and museologist at the Hungarian National Museum." bit.ly/4onmOZJ

Young readers fascinated by medical shows? Give them Matilda Bone to read. "This humorous, frank look at life in the medical quarters in medieval times shows readers that love and compassion, laughter and companionship, are indeed the best medicine.” (SLJ) bit.ly/3VXcM26

Visit the Victoria and Albert Museum virtually, learning more about their jewelry, embroidery, furniture, paintings, photography, and portrait miniatures. www.vam.ac.uk/collections

Homeschools include my books in curriculum. Beyond the Page describes a 3-week study including historical context, research, creative writing skills, vocabulary, and critical thinking. "The Ballad of Lucy Whipple teaches about adaptability, independence, and the importance of family." bit.ly/3L1TCsk

Take a few minutes for a vacation. Visit the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Video recreations of the Pyramids at Giza, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, and more. Text adds details about each site. (from The Collector) bit.ly/4oBoBKp

Great time of year to read Grayling's Song. “There were things I loved: ... the eerie terror of people slowly planted where they stand; Cushman’s prose, which like all the best writing takes a few simple words and contorts them into something new and amazing.” Lauren Oliver, NYTBR bit.ly/3Nz33x2

A mysterious set of ancient ceramic spheres has been unearthed deep in the Amazon, revealing unusual contents that could upend what we thought we knew about pre-Columbian rainforest cultures. Arezki Amiri, Daily Galaxy, 13 September 2025 bit.ly/4nOxsIq

In Midwife's Apprentice, young Brat has no family, home, or future until she meets Jane the Midwife. As she helps Jane deliver babies, Brat wishes for: “A full belly, a contented heart, and a place in this world.” What is midwifery? bit.ly/3KACOsb and bit.ly/3KsvaQH book: bit.ly/3whPlFS

“The Babylonian scribe mapped what he believed lay beyond his world. The map included mythical creatures and lands, and a familiar story from ancient history. This story is the Babylonian version of the biblical account of Noah’s Ark.” bit.ly/3KxNbgs

Here's a five-minute read-aloud I did of the first chapter of When Sally O'Malley Discovered the Sea, posted on YouTube by Brodart. Have a listen! (link in comments) www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjE4...

From "The newly discovered desert city that's rewriting the history of the Americas," Heather Jasper, BBC, 11 Sept 2025: "the Caral people adapted to climate disaster without turning to war – a survival strategy that feels as extraordinary today as it must have been millennia ago." bit.ly/46Lz6n5

Houghton Mifflin wrote a terrific discussion guide for The Loud Silence of Francine Green, addressing topics such as growing up, freedom of speech, friendship, fear, and family. Set during the McCarthy era in Los Angeles, this will open good discussions, adding in our current news. bit.ly/4gyfVBF

Wayfair for 1500 BC? Ancient clay tablet inscribed with bronze age shopping list. Read the article by Connor Lagore in Popular Mechanics. bit.ly/46eH3lG photo: HomoCosmicos, Getty Images, from the article

I've shared my bookshelves with my website visitors ... the books I've found most helpful when writing about specific periods in history. Let me know if you have favorites you can recommend. #research #writingfiction bit.ly/4n7zYZU

A nearly complete cranium discovered in 1960 inside Petralona Cave, Greece, has defied all efforts at precise dating for several decades. With advanced isotopic techniques, new results show the skull is at least 286,000 years old. Photo: Carlstaffanholmer / CC BY-SA 3.0 bit.ly/4prNVng

Have you subscribed to Kate Nafz' Substack? Here's part of her review for Sally O'Malley: "As a narrator Sally is a hoot. She supplies downhome turn-of-phrases not heard for many moons. Her spunky personality will win over readers and they will be emotionally invested in her journey." bit.ly/46kdRZo

I love the idea of early humans walking their dogs, even if it wasn’t as benign as I like to think. And I thought other people may love it, too. bit.ly/3VaMeN7

Fascinated by the archaeology projects, past and present, in London, England? Take a trip to MOLA, the Museum of London Archaeology. #archaeology #London #UnitedKingdom #history MOLA: www.mola.org.uk

Once you've read War and Millie McGonigle, there are terrific read-alike novels on this list prepared by the Assn of Children's Librarians of Northern CA), books like The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, Liberty by Kirby Larson, and more. Thanks, librarians! bit.ly/4mXQVFN

17th Century coin hoard found during farmhouse kitchen remodeling. How did it get buried and how was it found in 2020? Two articles to learn more. History Blog, why people buried their money: bit.ly/3JvTSit (photo: Zachary Culpin, BNPS, from The Guardian article: bit.ly/4mDXw8E )

SLJ starred review: "Cushman adds another intrepid, resourceful, courageous girl to her repertoire. Meggy Swann, deformed since birth, has been sent for by her [alchemist] father in 16th-cent London. When he sees her, he is disappointed to discover that she is just a disabled girl." bit.ly/3pYrzgB

"Archaeologists have completed a three-year excavation at the Celtic oppidum of Manching in Bavaria and uncovered more than 40,000 artifacts that provide new information on life in the late Iron Age. (Dario Radley, Archaeology News Online Magazine, 16 Aug 2025) bit.ly/4fKXucD

Lena Dunham: “Like all Karen Cushman’s gorgeous novels, Grayling’s Song delves into the past to let us know what we must ask of our future. I want Cushman’s books to raise my children for me: that way I can be assured they’ll grow up witty, vastly knowledgeable, and tough as nails.” bit.ly/3Nz33x2