I’m thrilled that my disability-inclusive picture book PLAYDATE SURPRISE has WON The Word Award 2025 for Books – Children – General Market and finalist for Best Book Cover & Debra Fieguth Social Justice Award. Thanks & congrats to my illustrator @laura-jane-watson.bsky.social & Scholastic Canada!

I’m excited to announce that my disability-inclusive picture book PLAYDATE SURPRISE illustrated by Laura Watson has been shortlisted for The Word Award 2025 for Books – Children – Christian & General Market! #Shortlisted #BookAward #TheWordAward

It’s Disability Pride Month and I have a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ book to highly recommend! OWNING IT * Honest & vibrant childhood stories by 22 international authors * Diverse disabilities #BookReview #DisabilityLife #DisabilityBookWeek #ChildrensNonfiction #KidsWithDisabilities #DisabilityPrideMonth #disability

A Little Like Magic by Sarah Kurpiel It’s #DisabilityPrideMonth and I have a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐book to recommend! A lovely, authentic, empowering picture book. Stretching out of one’s comfort zone can be worth it—a truth universally applicable. Next time can even be enjoyable. #BookReview #DisabilityKidLit

Immersive & illuminating—chapter books that show how Lauren perceives the world & intentions of others, & how people and things affect her. She lives with Autism Spectrum Disorder. I appreciate that author Sara Leach is writing such engaging books with a character with ASD. Highly recommended!

Summer Book Signing Saturday, July 5! Lorna Schultz Nicholson signing #hockey #mystery novel RHAPSODY SMITH ICE ANGEL Karen Autio signing PLAYDATE SURPRISE See you there! 1 – 3 pm Mosaic Books, 411 Bernard Ave., Kelowna, BC #BookSigning #NewBook #MGNovel #Okanagan #PictureBook #inclusion

I’m delighted to see UNE SURPRISE MERVEILLEUSE receive a positive review in the Quebec magazine LURELU! Thank you for the lovely write-up! @laura-jane-watson.bsky.social #inclusion #friendship #CritiqueDeLivre #accessibility #BookReviews #DisabilityAwareness #DisabilityPictureBook #disability

It’s the 20-year anniversary of my first book! SECOND WATCH involves the actual Empress of Ireland steamship disaster 111 years ago in the St. Lawrence. In libraries and as print-on-demand from Amazon. #EmpressOfIreland #HistoricalNovel #MGNovel #CanadianHistory #IWriteCanadian #history

It’s #NationalAccessAbilityWeek and #accessible schools, stores, places of worship, playgrounds, homes and more are key for #inclusion and building #friendship. @laura-jane-watson.bsky.social #NAAW #NAAW2025 #InclusionMatters #Accessibility #DisabilityPictureBook #PictureBook #disability

My independent bookstores are huge supporters of local authors and illustrators! Show your support for independent bookstores every day but especially celebrate and thank them today on #CanadianIndependentBookstoreDay! Once Upon a Bookstore Mosaic Books #CIBD #CIBD2025

Prepping for another year at #STAConvention with @cwillbc.bsky.social friends on Friday!🔥 Meet BC kidlit creators @bradenhallett.bsky.social @lpcreates.bsky.social @karenautio.bsky.social @nikkibergstresser.bsky.social @anthonynerada.bsky.social & more at our workshops or tables staconvention.ca/ 📚

Babies on the move in all different ways! From I Can, Too! By @karenautio.bsky.social and published by Scholastic Canada. The 1st in what will soon be a series of 3! I'm just getting started on Kayla and Piper's next adventure. Hint: ⛸️🛷💖 #inclusivechildrensbooks #kidlitart #illustration #diversity

A joyful story of friendship & the simple things we can do to make the world a more accessible place! 'Playdate Surprise' by @karenautio.bsky.social & @laura-jane-watson.bsky.social is today's Featured #CanLit #KidLit in-store! 💕🇨🇦📚🧑‍🦽💕 tidewaterbooks.ca 💕🇨🇦📚 #IndieBookstoreCA #ShopSmall

I’m honoured and delighted to have PLAYDATE SURPRISE be a Recommended Book on the Disability Book Week website. disabilitybookweek.org #DisabilityBookWeek #DisabilityInclusion #BookRecommendations #PictureBookRecommendations #StoriesHavePower #inclusion #mobility #accessibility #disability

One of my favourite kind of days is getting to present to eager learners. Today at Peachland Elementary I shared my presentations with grades 1-5.Thank you for a wonderful morning! #AuthorVisit #SchoolPresentation #PictureBooks #ChapterBooks

Grateful to know my book is part of this life-enriching program of Scholastic Canada/Éditions Scholastic providing books to children in underserved communities. #InclusionAndDiversity #StoriesHavePower #DiverseBooksForKids #InclusiveBooksForKids #inclusion www.scholastic.ca/aboutscholas...

Look at all these amazing new books I got at OLA (and awesome tote bag from my publisher)! Plenty of choices to read aloud today on World Read Aloud Day! Which one(s) do you have on your TO READ list? #WRAD2025 #WordReadAloudDay #CanadianBooks #CanKidLit #BooksForKids #IReadCanadian

“A more accessible world harms no one and helps everyone. We cannot give up on fighting for accessibility.” —Emily Ladau in her WORDS I WHEEL BY newsletter PLAYDATE SURPRISE focuses on #accessibility and #inclusion. #Accessible #UniversalDesign #DisabilityKidLit mailchi.mp/eadbd851a6a1...

Book and library joy at OLA Super Conference! Signing Playdate Surprise and Une surprise merveilleuse with Laura Watson today at 11 am Scholastic Canada booth 211. See you there! @laura-jane-watson.bsky.social @authorsbooking.bsky.social #BookSigning

Thank you École Glenmore Elementary for the fun day sharing I CAN, TOO! and PLAYDATE SURPRISE and my author journey with your Grades 1-3 students! #AuthorVisit #SchoolPresentation #Kelowna #PictureBook #inclusion #friendship #accessibility #reading

Looking forward to seeing you at the OLA Super Conference! January 30 10:30 AM book talk at CANSCAIP Book Tasting Idea Hub MTCC Exhibit Hall January 31, 11 AM Author & Illustrator book signing Scholastic Booth 211 @canscaip.bsky.social #PictureBooks #BookTalk #BookSigning olasuperconference.ca

#GIVEAWAY To celebrate the launch of #PictureBooksEh 2025 we’re giving away manuscript crits and PBs! Details on website (link above). To enter: 1. follow @picturebookseh.bsky.social 2. like + re-post this post (extra entry for tagging a friend) 3. Winners ann. Feb. 10 at 9 am #kidlit #cankidlit

Still catching up on 2024 book reviews. This #picturebook from @karenautio.bsky.social & illus by @laura-jane-watson.bsky.social is all positivity & smiles re friendship & accessibility. PLAYDATE SURPRISE from Scholastic Canada. canlitforlittlecanadians.blogspot.com/2025/01/play...

OLA Super Conference January 30 10:30 AM book talk at CANSCAIP Book Tasting Idea Hub MTCC Exhibit Hall January 31, 11 AM Author & Illustrator book signing Scholastic Booth 211 See you there! #PictureBooks #BookTalk #BookSigning olasuperconference.ca

I spy 7 of my books on display in my church library. 😊 One title is signed out and I hope the reader is enjoying Kah-Lan’s tale. Soon the copy of PLAYDATE SURPRISE I donated will be in circulation! #ChurchLibrary #BooksForChildren #BooksForKids #StoriesHavePower #library

My interview is up on the Scholastic at School blog! www2.scholastic.ca/scholasticbl... One question was a choice of answering “What books have had the biggest impact on your life?” or “What books were your favourite to read growing up?” How would you answer? ❤️📚

I’m thrilled to announce I’ve signed a contract for a third picture book about Kayla and Piper and their friends! Big thanks to Scholastic Canada and Éditions Scholastic! #BooksForKids #inclusion #RepresentationMatters #DisabilityAwareness #NewPictureBook #disability

A powerful novel in verse about Effie, a child who is deaf, from a broken home, and finds her voice. Highly recommended. Deer Run Home by Ann Clare LeZotte #OwnVoices #MiddleGradeNovel #MGNovel #PowerOfWriting #disability

Announcement! I’ll be hitting SEND on my next author newsletter tomorrow with breaking book news and more. You can subscribe using this link: karenautio.us12.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=... #BookNews #AuthorNewsletter #newsletter #ChildrensBooks #KidLit #ChildrensAuthor #PictureBook

International Day of Persons with Disabilities disability-inclusive books to recommend: Everybody Plays The Girl Who Figured It Out This is How We Play Let the Games Begin You’re So Amazing! Playdate Surprise #RepresentationMatters #InternationalDayOfPersonsWithDisabilities #idpwd

#CraftFair was BUSY, exhausting and full of beyond-book-sales blessings like: -a woman’s niece with spina bifida will have I CAN, TOO in her home library -a teacher will turn her I CAN, TOO copy into a dual visual and Braille book What connections have you had at such events? #BookTable #KidsBooks

After the BC Teacher-Librarians’ conference in Victoria, I had the joy of presenting my Kah-Lan: Sea Otters and a Thriving Ocean presentation to Grades 3-5 at a Vancouver school. Such a fun afternoon author visit! #AuthorVisit #SchoolPresentation #SeaOtters #MarineMammalResue #ocean

Hi, I’m the author of these #disability inclusive picture books. I CAN, TOO! highlights #friendship, adaptive equipment, and an all-abilities playground. PLAYDATE SURPRISE celebrates friendship and the simple things we can do to make #playdates more #inclusive and #accessible.

Blue sky (and mountains and lake) for my inaugural post here. Taken just before launching our canoe in Okanagan Lake this morning 😀 #OkanaganLake #canoe #paddle #AutumnMorning