We’re a small library, so we have a physical suggestion box- or patrons just ask me. I bring in probably 8/10 requests- it really does work!

If something you love is the product of someone in the U.S. who is self-employed or who owns or works for a small business, you need to understand how dire things are about to get. That thing you love is in jeopardy (if it wasn’t already).

$2,341.96. That’s what Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas says my wife and I will pay for our monthly health insurance premiums in 2026. This year, for the same coverage? It’s been $899.72. So, what are we calling this? Trump Tax? Trump Hike? Trump Gouge? Trumpremiums? Whatever, I hate it.

That’s some good company — thank you so much, Nancy! (Ernie is listening, too.)

I've got some great news: It is thoroughly satisfying to share what I hope will be my last-ever update on the 2023 Texas book ban, a.k.a. House Bill 900, a.k.a. the READER Act, which is that a federal judge has stopped the law with a permanent injunction. chrisbarton.info/the-case-aga...

At this morning’s school visit, I finally got asked by a student to say “6, 7.” I feel relevant at last. Also, during Q&A, after a string of students asked questions about my dog, one of their classmates asked me, “Can we *only* ask you about your dog?”

I found this a really illuminating thread on what demonstrations do and why they matter.

Axolotl attendees, and I think they’ll agree: The No Kings march in Austin has been a joy. I saw fellow church members, former coworkers, another children’s author, an actual rock star, and above all a diverse, peaceful, and good-natured assembly of people who love this country passionately.

Remember The Great Brain??

Hint: it was either me or Chris.

Who said it, @dheiligman.bsky.social or me? "The first book I remember loving...[was] A Pickle for a Nickel, and it was about a boy named William who taught the heretofore quiet parrot of his silence-loving neighbor, Mr. Bumble, to loudly repeat the title phrase." chrisbarton.info/how-do-we-ma...

Who said it: @victorpineiro.bsky.social or me? "Ooh, I LOVE nonfiction about music! I recently read a massive book about the history of grunge music called Everybody Loves Our Town, and I also adore Hanif Abdurraqib’s nonfiction music books." chrisbarton.info/how-do-we-ma...

Great writing and non-algorithmic recommendations of new music are worth paying for! For me, the Friday picks from Don’t Rock the Inbox are a highlight of each week. Your week could use another highlight, right?

My wife and I went to the movies last night and saw one battle after another. By which I mean we saw a screening of The Librarians, the powerful new documentary about the onslaught of book bans and other well-funded attacks on U.S. libraries and our freedom to read. youtu.be/Ykll4MWltsQ

We invite eligible works published in 2025 across 14 categories—including a brand new one for Best First Book of Nonfiction—with over $25,750 in prizes going to the winners.

Great reporting and writing about a terrible situation. “Deportations like Sergio’s — to fixtures of the community — are making people think, ‘This could be me next, or my favorite place next, or somebody who I talk to every day.’” wacobridge.org/2025/10/06/d...

Bad news feels inescapable. There’s a lot of it, it goes viral, and things are getting worse. But resistance is also everywhere, and it doesn’t get the same attention. We need to share mass resistance, to inspire hope and so that more and more people join in. www.jphilll.com/p/resistance...

But “Glitter” has 7 letters. “Shark” and “Train” only 5. Oh! “Dazzle”!

Do you want the chance to get a free copy of Loudmouth AND find out how @bartography.bsky.social and I "match"? Sure you do. (You'll also find out I was not a perfect child.) Read his latest post: chrisbarton.info/how-do-we-ma... #teachersky #booksky #librariansky So many other skies....

For educators and children's authors who could use a lift—and for anyone else who might wonder why educators and children's authors do what we do, despite the challenges—I want to share with you (with the sender's permission) an email I received a couple of days ago.

Do Chris and I match? There's only one way to find out... Read our weird and shall I say Unique... conversation below! #booksky #kidlit #Yalit #doctors #libriansky #Spanish

I asked my fellow nonfiction author @dheiligman.bsky.social (VINCENT AND THEO; CHARLES AND EMMA; TORPEDOED) to play How Do WE Match? with me, and we outdid ourselves. chrisbarton.info/how-do-we-ma...

Shark vs. Train: Who will win? Congress has not authorized the use of military force.

I grabbed my copy of We Match at the @scbwi.bsky.social #MINIMFA conference this weekend in Austin. Be sure to get a copy for all the littles in your life! #BookSky #FREADOM

Submissions are now open for the Texas Institute of Letters 2025 Literary Awards! texasinstituteofletters.org/til-2025-lit... If you don’t know the TIL, we’re an honor society that’s been around since 1936. I’m VP, and we in TIL pride ourselves on honoring the best of the best of Texas writing.

I just finished two new "How Do WE Match?" chats that I'll be sharing soon, but first I want to mention that Wednesday morning I'll be picking four winners of this pair of books, in conjunction with my most recent chats. There's still time to get in the running: chrisbarton.info?s=how+do+we+...

The literary contests from the Texas Institute of Letters are open for submissions! Please consider submitting your work for many different literary categories for Texas writers or writers writing about Texas subjects. Deadline, Friday, January 9, 2026. texasinstituteofletters.org/til-2025-lit...

Submissions are now open for the Texas Institute of Letters 2025 Literary Awards! texasinstituteofletters.org/til-2025-lit... If you don’t know the TIL, we’re an honor society that’s been around since 1936. I’m VP, and we in TIL pride ourselves on honoring the best of the best of Texas writing.

#11 There’s a community I’m trying to score points with (or against).

This! Most libraries have a form you fill out to request books.

If there’s an author you appreciate, one of the simplest, most helpful, least expensive things you can do for them is ask your public library to add that author’s newest book to their collection. Many library websites have a form for that. So give it a try, and make an author’s day!

I've never seen a library with a form, but reaching out to librarians sometimes works. I like talking with librarians - they know stuff!

If there’s an author you appreciate, one of the simplest, most helpful, least expensive things you can do for them is ask your public library to add that author’s newest book to their collection. Many library websites have a form for that. So give it a try, and make an author’s day!

Here I am, listening to 120 or so Ella Fitzgerald recordings to fill a single slot on my monthly playlist and pretending like I don’t already know that the one I’m going to choose is her take on the “Sanford and Son” theme song. youtu.be/xR0wIhTcQC0?...

This is a big week for illustrator Sharon Glick and me, because every public-school 1st grader in Bozeman, MT, is receiving a copy of WE MATCH! HUGE thanks to the local school foundation for making that happen, and for bringing our story of joyfully discovering common ground to so many readers.

When you protest-cancel a subscription, take a moment to let ‘em know why.

A8 The nonfiction book for kids that changed how I thought about... nonfiction books for kids was THE DINOSAURS OF WATERHOUSE HAWKINS, which came out just as I was getting started writing books for young readers. It made me realize just how much better things had gotten since I was a kid. #TLSkyChat

LARGELY OVERLOOKED???????? I will not stand for this! Seriously... I love this one and think about it a lot in part b/c that event was one of the first tragedies I remember experiencing as a collective. It was b4 social media, but we gathered at a local restaurnat to watch the coverage. #TLSkyChat

A6 #TLSkyChat I don't know that kids require much convincing that NF is amazing, unless they've picked up a negative impression from adults with zero understanding of what NF for kids has been like in the 21st century. Too many grownups still make what I call nonfiction face:

Oh, my Oklahoma City Bombing picture book. 💔 I'm so proud of that one. Published right before Covid became a pandemic, and largely overlooked. But that story means so much to me. #TLSkyChat chrisbarton.info/books/okc.html

Did you see @fuse8.bsky.social's SLJ article and accompanying post about tackling complicated topics in NF for kids? They *can* carry heavy things -- it's up to authors to find the right way to hand those to them. #TLSkyChat afuse8production.slj.com/2025/08/27/t...

A3: When I present GLITTER EVERYWHERE! there are three questions I ask up front, before my reading: 1) What IS glitter? 2) How do you FEEL about glitter? 3) What do you want to KNOW about glitter? Great convos. It's worked so well, I might implement that when focusing on my other books. #TLSkyChat

A2 For my next NF picture book, SWEET! (on sugar and other sweeteners), we're playing with the format a little and moving the back matter right smack dab in the middle of the book where readers would otherwise be reaching for their devices to find out more about what we're talking about. #TLskyChat

A1 My go-to for pleasure reading is nonfiction about music. I'm always listening to music and thinking about playlists I want to make, and I find learning more about artists and types of music and music history to be irresistible. Odd that I've made only one NF picture book about it... #TLSkyChat

Chris Barton, author of GLITTER EVERYWHERE! & WHAT DO YOU DO WITH A VOICE LIKE THAT? & HOW TO MAKE A BOOK (ABOUT MY DOG) & WHOOSH! & THE DAY-GLO BROTHERS & others, checking in from Austin, Texas! #TLSkyChat

I’ll be there! #TLSkychat

Oh, and CONGRATULATIONS, @frankstrong.bsky.social!!! ncte.org/awards/ncte-...

From @frankstrong.bsky.social: “What can you do? First, we need to get these books back on the shelves… If you’re not in Leander ISD, you can share this news with people who are in the district—try to get as much attention as possible directed towards this issue.” open.substack.com/pub/franklin...

Big doings in Austin this coming weekend! I’m excited to be leading the “Bursts of Firsts” picture book workshop for the @scbwiatx.bsky.social Mini MFA Conference. #atxscbwiconf25

As you cancel streaming services, here is a casual reminder that only 16% of Americans read for pleasure anymore, and your local library has hundreds or thousands of books you haven't read. They would love to see you stop by and renew your library card.