July 4th, 2025: The audiobook I’m listening to. The claws-ready dessert I made.

My kids have mastered the art of terrifying toy shadow pranks. How’s your summer going? 😂

Spotted a drag show and banned books free library in Portland, Maine last night. ❤️🌈📚

I’ve been on the road every day but one since last Friday, and I am basking in sitting on my living room floor listening to my son watch SpongeBob at the moment. 😆

That moment a tortoise decides she wants to be a Ninja Turtle…

Looking forward to the New England SCBWI (@newenglandscbwi.bsky.social) conference this weekend! I am presenting two workshops: one on picture book voice and one on research. Between those, a panel, and critiques, it’ll be a busy weekend. I am so excited to see everyone!

Yesterday someone said to me “at least we get new leadership every 4 years & someone else gets a chance.” Of course, this isnt leadership. This is muscle-flexing. Of course, 4 yrs looks different when you spend them gutting the structures & people that stabilize us. www.nytimes.com/2025/05/08/u...

Shameful. Devestating. I urge people who keep making excuses to look at this and stop letting others get away with looking away and carrying on with business as usual. Regardless of the title, she remains my Librarian in Chief. #Librarysky www.cnn.com/2025/05/08/p...

Source: chicago.suntimes.com/religion/202...

THE POPE'S MOM WAS A LIBRARIAN

In Maine there’s mud season. And then there’s mud season as a mother.

In celebration of #TeacherAppreciationWeek, I’m doing a book giveaway for newsletter subscribers. FIVE winners can each pick one of my books to keep or to give to a favorite teacher, librarian, or child reader. Enter: carriefinison.com/giveaway Follow/like/tag a friend for bonus entries! ❤️ 📚

This Friday May 9th, I will participate in a FREE read-a-thon featuring 20 acclaimed authors from across the US. Register with the QR codes in the video, or use these links: bit.ly/Read-In-am bit.ly/Read-In-pm @authorsabb.bsky.social @aabbri.bsky.social @portersqbooks.bsky.social #kidlit

Happy Independent Bookstore Day! I stopped and shopped at @highfivebooks.bsky.social today before returning home to Maine, and earlier this week I bought books from The Briar Patch in Bangor! What indie bookstores are you giving love? #independentbookstoreday

Happy Poem in Your Pocket Day! Who’s celebrating?? And if you’re looking for a way to celebrate poetry AND pockets with kids, check out THE POCKET BOOK! Written by Alexandra S. D. Hinrichs, illustrated by Julia Breckenreid, published by Abrams Kids. #picturebook #poeminyourpocket

HB 324 would criminalize New Hampshire's K-12 educators, school libraries, and school boards. If this bill passes, they'll be able to arrest librarians over textbooks, art books, and literary classics in NH. action.everylibrary.org/oppose_hb324... via @everylibrary.bsky.social #nhpolitics

I love the topic of poetry. Yes, I rely heavily on poetry when I write and have one published rhyming picture book, but a couple others in free verse. I often tell folks it’s my 1st writing language, what I learned and practiced most often, and so helpful for picture books. #kidlitchat

Is there anything better than seeing a kiddo curled up with your book? 😍 @charlesbridge.bsky.social

Bangor area folks, this is such an amazing chance to experience a phenomenal author!!

After years of attending the Literacy Tea hosted annually by the Literacy Volunteers of Bangor, being wowed by this massively fun, family-friendly, and beautiful event that celebrates both children’s books AND adult literacy, I am so honored to be the guest author this year! Join us April 6! #maine

Some big news: I am joining the Islandport Press team as Children’s Book Editor! This will be an exciting page turn for me in kidlit and in Maine. I hope you’ll stay in touch and stay tuned for Islandport updates! (Don’t worry, I’ll still be writing, too!)

Thank you @abbiewjames.bsky.social!

I am thrilled that my picture book I AM MADE OF MOUNTAINS is on Florida Literacy Association’s 2024-2025 Children’s Book Award list, along with two other titles from @charlesbridge.bsky.social!

Today is #RandomActsofKindnessDay so we're giving people free access to books, information, free internet access and WiFi, a free warm space and a whole load of other stuff. FOR FREE. Just like every other day. ❤️ Libraries are amazing. #LoveLibraries

THE LOVE LETTER by @anikaadenise.bsky.social and Lucy Ruth Cummins is a perfect picture book to celebrate Valentine’s Day and friendship with ❤️❤️❤️

A love letter to being 40! ❤️ Read @samara-cole-doyon.bsky.social’s whole thread!

Snow day yesterday meant my littlest and I got to bake a treat for today! Hope your Valentine’s Day is perfectly sweet!

Horrified by this e-mail I got from a real illustration agency this morning, advertising the chance to *USE AI* to generate images in the style of one of their illustrators. You join their plan for $$$, pick an artist, give the AI a prompt, then reach out if you want specialization.

A librarian created a storytime surprise inspired by THE POCKET BOOK by me & Julia Breckenreid: “All the babies at story time got a felt heart from my secret pocket today.❤️ Love coming up with ideas from this book!“ I LOVE seeing the way librarians and teachers make magic out of my books! ❤️❤️❤️

Today is the book launch for a very special book! If you’re in the area, head to @silverunicornbooks.bsky.social at 6pm to celebrate with @heidieys.bsky.social! ❤️

Jumping for joy! I hope you will be, too! Please check out & share the HEADS-UP-The-#50PreciousWords CONTEST-IS-COMING-SOON post! Find DATES, GUIDELINES, and a list of fabulous PRIZES! And I hope you love my updated website thanks to @thebooklinksllc.bsky.social viviankirkfield.com/2025/02/01/h...

Hey #kidlit, with everything going on in the world I think we could all use a collective reminder. *Why* do you choose to make books for children?

What to read, what to read? Nellie can’t decide!

Packing for Kindling Words tomorrow, and the excitement is setting in!

Congratulations to all of the ALA Youth Media Award winners today! It was so much fun to tune and cheer from afar!

We are a group of #kidlit creators who have been heartbroken by the devastating scenes in Los Angeles. We are raising desperately-needed funds for wildfire relief efforts with an auction taking place Jan 20th - Jan 28th. Please share: www.32auctions.com/organiza... Logo by @sydhanson.bsky.social

Overheard on the sledding hill: a big sister, climbing up the hill with her little brother trailing behind reported to her mother, “Mom, if you take the ‘r’ out of ‘brother’ you get ‘bother.’” 😆 #siblings

Today my youngest asked me how to say “popsicle,” which I fear brings an end to our “posskipple” days. 😭

That's my kid. I'm so proud of them. Also: this week has been really hard.

My mind is swirling, and worries stack into a wall. So I am turning to my library job for solace today and writing a grant proposal around bringing together artists and community. That feels like the right task for the moment.

What 10,000 picture books looks like. Los Angeles Central Library 1/19/25. #kidlit

I just signed a contract for a book I’m very excited about! Can’t wait to tell more! 🖊️

I have a view of a park from my window. The city floods part of the park each winter to create an ice rink, and then neighbors take over caretaking. Currently watching one neighbor shovel the rink free of the snow that came yesterday so ice skaters can enjoy. ❤️

Quiet for a few days as I’m deep in work for various projects and organizations, but checking and absorbing (as much as anyone is able given the nightmarish circumstances) the news of LA fires with horror and wishing I could send all of my love in the form of rain.

I collected my posts on navigating Bluesky, sharing them again for any new users coming over from Threads: boringstorybook.com/social/join-... #kidlit

I tend to associate pocket messes with my kids, but I just realized I was walking around with a coat pocket full of (fallen) birch bark since Saturday — now dried out and making as fine a pocket mess as you ever did see.

Today I learned that all three of my most recent picture books were among the Briar Patch’s bestselling children’s books of 2024! Thank you, Maine readers for supporting me and independent bookstores!

Worked on library collection policy today, which made me think through my own experience having a massive book challenge when I was a school librarian. I don’t love remembering the anxiety, the threats, the misgivings, the doubt. But working on strengthening policy for another library felt good.

Alright, kidlit community. It’s 2025. I don’t have a resolution this year. I don’t have a word that I’m centering this year. But I’m here! And that’s something.

I’ve been taking a break from most socials over the holidays while my three kids are home wanting to play, and friends and family gather. I’ll be back in 2025! In the meantime, I hope you’re all having the kind of days that best meet your needs ❤️✨