It's been a month and a half since Passover, and my toddler is still obsessed with AFIKOMAN, WHERE'D YOU GO? by @rebeccaglevington.bsky.social and Noa Kelner. I took a deep dive into why: jennifertarrwrites.com/toddler-teac... #kidlit #booksky #edusky

Fave #picturebook of the week: DON'T EAT EUSTACE by @liantomato.bsky.social. Talk about an unexpected yet obviously perfect ending. #kidlit #booksky

Still in shock. 4,450+ applications. #pbrisingstars

Tremendously honored to be @carolinekpritchard.bsky.social's @pbrisingstars.bsky.social 2026 Runner Up! And since I can now say this without worrying about breaking the "no contact with mentors you applied to" rule, THE KEEPER OF STORIES totally blew me away. #kidlit #booksky

Fave #picturebook of the week: WHERE THREE OCEANS MEET by @rajanilarocca.bsky.social and Archana Sreenivasan. Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous. And I now want to visit India immediately. #kidlit #booksky #BeAnAmbassador

I love the way Meg Medina used her time as National Ambassador for Young People's Literature to lift up so many voices in our amazing community of creators. Such a great example of what leaders do when they're offered a platform. Check out her interview series here: www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...

Just caught up on @areynosomorris.bsky.social's @12x12challenge.bsky.social webinar (squeaking in just before the deadline...). Truly incredible stuff. Highly recommend checking out the replay when it goes on sale.

Fave #picturebook of the week: A FINE DESSERT: FOUR CENTURIES, FOUR FAMILIES, ONE DELICIOUS TREAT by Emily Jenkins and Sophie Blackall. A stunning story about the passage of time, what changes, what stays the same, and the love of family. #booksky #kidlit

the onion's called shot will end up being true no matter what

Fave #picturebook of the week: CHILDREN MAKE TERRIBLE PETS by @peterbrownstudio.com. Cute, original, and so fun. Squeak! #booksky #kidlit

When I won a copy of PUMPKIN DAY FOR BOO AND BELLE (thanks, @laurifortino.bsky.social and Frog on a Blog!), I had no idea it was going to become a toddler sensation. I took a deep dive into why, with a special focus on illustrations: jennifertarrwrites.com/toddler-teac... #kidlitartchat #booksky

Outside Merriam Webster's HQ. 🤣 @merriam-webster.com

Fave #picturebook of the week: THE PRINCESS AND THE GRAIN OF RICE by Tina Cho and Honee Jang. A delightful fairy tale retelling that seamlessly weaves in fascinating Joseon era history. So glad my local library accepted my request to buy it! #kidlit #booksky

Look how Norway is fighting back at screens. www.thetimes.com/world/europe...

Fave #picturebook of the week: LOOKING FOR A JUMBIE by @traceybaptiste.bsky.social and @amberren.bsky.social. A super fun intro to Caribbean folklore, with gorgeous illustrations. #booksky #kidlit #fortrue

All the reasons I am constantly reading NOT-A-BOX CITY by Antoinette Portis. jennifertarrwrites.com/toddler-teac...

Fave #picturebook of the week: a tie between AFIKOMAN, WHERE'D YOU GO? by @rebeccaglevington.bsky.social and Noa Kelner and MATZAH DAY! by Charlotte Offsay and Jason Kirschner. Double the Passover fun! #booksky #kidlit

Fave #picturebook of the week: THE LIBRARY IN THE WOODS by Calvin Alexander Ramsey and R. Gregory Christie. It positively oozes heart, love, and community. And the back matter is stunningly done. #kidlit #booksky #librariesaremagic

Examining all the reasons my toddler loves TWO DOGS despite not getting most of the jokes yet. jennifertarrwrites.com/toddler-teac... #kidlit #booksky #givemebackmyball

Fave #picturebook of the week: A SONG OF FRUTAS by Margarita Engle and Sara Palacios. One of my all time favorites -- I was SO excited when I found it at our local library book sale. #booksky #kidlit

Belated fave #picturebook of the week: STALACTITE & STALAGMITE by Drew Beckmeyer. Informational, beautiful, funny, and bittersweet all at once. #kidlit #booksky

Looking for inspiration for your next draft? Here's a list of the highly idiosyncratic topics my toddler would love you to write about... jennifertarrwrites.com/toddler-teac... #kidlit #amwriting

Fave #picturebook of the week: B IS FOR BANANAS by Carrie Tillotson and and Estrela Lourenco. Who knew an anthropomorphic banana could be this adorable? #kidlit #booksky #thosebrownspotsaredefinitelyjustfreckles

Love @sandraboynton.bsky.social. So good.

Fave #picturebook of the week: PLUTO GETS THE CALL by Adam Rex and Laurie Keller. Everything about it is great. Also, I miss Pluto. #kidlit #booksky #mvemjsunP

Mind. blown.

Taking a look at @darahenrywrites.bsky.social's adorable HANUKKAH PAJAMAKKAHS through the eyes of a two-year old. Representation matters. So does onomatopoeia, excitement, and playing outside with cousins. jennifertarrwrites.com/toddler-teac... #booksky #kidlit

Greenland sharks are believed to be the longest-living vertebrates on Earth. Researchers have determined that one female is around 400 years old. That means she was alive during the Napoleonic Wars, the Boston Tea Party, Charles Darwin, and ABBA winning Eurovision.

Fave #picturebook of the week: THE LAST STAND by @antwaneady.bsky.social and Jerome and Jarrett Pumphrey. A gorgeous tribute to family, history, and community. #kidlit #booksky #harvestlove

Happy #CoosDay!

It's 9:00 ET! Just a few more hours before #12x12PB closes until 2027! Let's clock why author/illustrator @sharonfj.bsky.social loves our #writingcommunity so much. #kidlit #kidlitart #amwriting #picturebooks Join us at 12x12challenge.com/m...

Fave #picturebook of the week: DRAGON WAS TERRIBLE by Kelly DiPucchio and @gregpizzoli.bsky.social. One of my all time favorites. 10/10, no notes. #booksky #kidlit #dragonwasadorable

On bread, family, and the importance of joyful, slice-of-life style representation. jennifertarrwrites.com/toddler-teac... #kidlit #booksky

Fave #picturebook of the week: THE ABOMINABLE SNOW DANCER by @stephlaubooks.com The platonic ideal of picture book plotting, pacing, and illustrations, with a truly hilarious surprise end paper post-script. #kidlit #booksky #fivestarsforotto

jeans = 👖 genes = 🧬 Gene =

Fave #picturebook of the week: SHELL SONG by @sharonfj.bsky.social Beautiful, poignant, important. #booksky #edusky

The Publishing for Minnesota auction launches this week to support groups providing legal aid, emergency assistance, food, and community resources to those in urgent need. www.32auctions.com/publishingfo...

A retrospective on the importance of refrains and parallel language to young readers. Also carbohydrates. jennifertarrwrites.com/toddler-teac... #booksky #kidlit

Fave #picturebook of the week: DON'T CROSS THE LINE! by Isabel Minhos Martins and Bernardo Cavalho. A must read that makes fascinating use of the PB medium itself, as a guard tries to keep ever more people, pets, spacemen, etc. from entering the right side of the book. #edusky #kidlit

Research, tea, and #12x12PB. Happy Wednesday! #amwriting @12x12challenge.bsky.social

Fave #picturebook of the week: THIS IS NOT THAT KIND OF BOOK by @christopherhealy.bsky.social and @benmantle.bsky.social. A hysterical send-up of picture book tropes and genres. I can't decide if I feel seen or attacked, in a good way. #booksky #kidlit #HedgibleTHedgehog4eva

All the reasons my toddler adores URSULA UPSIDE DOWN - and I do too! jennifertarrwrites.com/toddler-teac... #booksky #kidlit #whatifwe'retheoneswhoareupsidedown

Fave #picturebook of the week: M IS FOR MANGO by Atinuke and Angela Brooksbank. Such a unique spin on an alphabet book. It conveys so much feeling and plot with simple "M is for" sentences and gorgeous illustration. #booksky #kidlit #monkeymayhemmakesmangomagic

Spent a good ten minutes trying to figure out what my toddler meant by "lerla" only to realize it was a request to read about Layla in @nikkishannonsmith.bsky.social and Tamisha Anthony's adorable IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. Toddler pronunciations are an adventure.

Persistence pays off.

The 2026 12 x 12 Launch Webinar is almost here! Join Julie on Jan 8 at 8pm ET/5pm PT for top tips on thriving in today’s picture book market and the reveal of this year’s speakers. Live attendees can win prizes — including a registration refund. buff.ly/dKGVsH0 See you there! #12x12PB #kidlit

Fave #picturebook of the week: THE MEMORY CAKE by @carolinelperry.bsky.social and Jennifer Bricking. A sweet, beautifully-illustrated introduction to lesser-known WWII history and Maltese traditions, with some life lessons seamlessly woven in. #kidlit #edusky