Given the temperatures this week, splooting might be the way to go… ☀️ Courtesy of @fpdwc.bsky.social

Looking forward to co-hosting this @scbwi-illinois.bsky.social event with Jamie Ericson. @authorsarafujimura.bsky.social and @zombicatures.bsky.social are a stellar team! See link for details myemail.constantcontact.com/2026-SCBWI-I...

"The CI2026 bookstore tours on 6/27 reflect the area’s vibrant, diverse, and sprawling bookselling scene... a record 22 stops total for 2 full-day and 3 half-day groups, along with a lunch stop for one group at Sourcebooks’ Naperville headquarters." #kidlit www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/...

Some good news... www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/artic...

"Rhythms create stability, create meaning" Shared reading is proven to be a simple yet powerful way to enhance children's speech and language. @profsamwass.bsky.social, developmental cognitive neuroscientist, explains how reading to babies helps build these skills. #BabyCommunicationWeek

Unfortunately, scams are on the rise. Here some tips to learn how to protect yourself and your art from fraud. @chicagowrites.bsky.social #kidlit chicagowrites.substack.com/p/they-said-...

This Wed, 7-8pm EST, editor Paula Wiseman is giving a workshop on the importance of picture books and how to sell them: "How do you write books that are relevant, interesting and that matter to readers and what do editors look for in picture books?" #kidlit www.eventbrite.com/e/rs-present...

All are welcome! Looking forward to hosting this month's @scbwi-illinois.bsky.social network event with Jamie Ericson at Dandelion Bookshop, Oak Park, IL. (dandelionbookshop.com/visit).

Jerry Craft, author of award-winning NEW KID and MAMA'S BOYZ, is giving this year's @chipublib.bsky.social online lecture. Just signed up! www.chipublib.org/zena-sutherl...

Happy Earth Day! Illustration for “Do You Want to Be My Friend?” by Eric Carle, published in 1971

Thanks to the wonderful @saraharonson.bsky.social for her inspiring, lively and informative @scbwi-illinois.bsky.social presentation, THE POWER OF THE PICTURE BOOK SPREAD last week. If you're interested in watching the recording (available until 5/9), see link: www.scbwi.org/events/scbwi...

To write an unputdownable, rereadable #picturebook, think in terms of spreads! In this interactive discussion, @saraharonson.bsky.social will offer ideas & inspiration to craft your story. Bring a manuscript and questions for a picture book party! @scbwi-illinois.bsky.social #Kidlit

We are thrilled to share that our Human Authored scheme is now live. This scheme has been designed for the benefit of SoA members, to help identify works written by humans in a market increasingly flooded by AI-generated books.

Lunar New Year books for children and teens. 📚👍🏼 schoolreadinglist.co.uk/genres/lunar... #kidlit Lunar New Year books for children and teens with titles by Grace Lin, Malinda Lo, Geraldine McCaughrean, Gene Luen Yang, Sue Lynn Tan, Adeline Yen Mah...

Competition for children's attention is real. Yet "kids still love stories. Text may have jumped from page to screen where it explodes like eye-candy glitter bombs, but children are still engaging with words and stories." #kidlit @booktrust.org.uk www.booktrust.org.uk/resources/fi...

"Editors are drawn to lyrical picture books — and why read-aloud appeal can make the difference between a manuscript that’s “nice” and one that’s memorable and marketable." (CBI) Join the Rhyme Doctors for a workshop on Feb 24th. writeforkids.lpages.co/mastering-th...

"If you don’t read, you’re missing out on one of the best things human beings have ever created." I'll be curious to try out this new podcast next week… #Kidlit #WritingCommunity #BookSky #bookrecommendations www.independent.co.uk/voices/domin...

Courtesy of @goodwilllibrarian.bsky.social

What a great event last night! Dandelion Bookshop was packed for our @scbwi-illinois.bsky.social network presentation, How To Make An Agent Fall In Love With You, by @jennaschmenna.bsky.social. Engaging entertaining & informative! A recording will be available soon via: www.scbwi.org/regions/illi...

Looking forward to co-hosting this @scbwi-illinois.bsky.social network event with agent/author @jennaschmenna.bsky.social. All are welcome! #kidlit

As a Brit, adjusting to Midwest winters can be something of a challenge. This year, I'm trying to re-vision what winter means, inspired by the Scandinavian outlook. These artists capture the essence of this reframing beautifully. www.bbc.com/culture/arti...

Monetisation The advert said MONETISE YOUR FOLLOWERS so he thought he would respond by painting them in the changing light, like waterlilies in a pond.

“I know nothing in the world that has as much power as a word. Sometimes I write one, and I look at it, until it begins to shine.” Emily Dickinson, #BornOnThisDay in 1830 📚❤️

Take advantage of this prize, celebrating the best work from members of diverse and underrepresented communities within our own. Application opens February 1, free to all Illinois members! More info on our website: www.scbwi.org/regions/illi...

Thrilled to celebrate #kidlit today at the ALA Youth Media Awards 2026 with @lisakatzenberger.bsky.social @jeanreidy.bsky.social & @sarashacter.bsky.social. Congratulations to the winners and nominees! 👏🎉📚 See: americanlibrariesmagazine.org/blogs/the-sc...

I've had several discussions of late about how to nurture creative processes in the new year. There's some wonderful inspiration in this @artinstitutechi.bsky.social blog about artists & designers who used scrapbooks as visual diaries to catalog their unique practices. www.artic.edu/articles/123...

Looking forward to co-hosting this FREE #kidlit @scbwi-illinois.bsky.social event at Dandelion Bookshop! All are welcome. dandelionbookshop.com

Looking forward to co-hosting this #kidlit event. All welcome!

Found this intriguing sign on the bookshelves at the La Grange Public Library. We all have busy schedules these days, are used to short bursts of information on social media and so on. What do you think is an ideal chapter length? I'm curious. #kidlt #WritingCommunity #BookSky #bookrecommendations

Why would you want to write picture books? Just discovered the @picturebooksummit.bsky.social Podcast and loved this recent episode by @authorgracelin.bsky.social who discusses her answer to this question. #kidlit open.spotify.com/episode/14oD...

Still on a high from seeing AMADEUS last night at @steppenwolfthtr.bsky.social. What a treat! chicagocultureauthority.com/2025/11/17/i...

Hey illustrators/agents! I’m a #kidlit art director starting work on a new picture book—we’re looking for: expressive, commercial, human characters; fantasy; magic; AND Mahjong! The tiles! The drama! Please respond w/ samples + folio link. Please no emails/DMs. 💙❤️ #artcommissions

Credit: Tiina Menzel.

In-Between Days are some of my favorite days, too. @brianbilston.bsky.social

I ❤️ new book recs. Some of my recent gifts incl. ROOFTOPPERS & IMPOSSIBLE CREATURES by the remarkable Katherine Rundell, Frances Hardinge's creative UNRAVELLER (I come from Lincolnshire and its folktales influenced the story) & Michelle Jabès Corpora's Egyptian-inspired HIS FACE IS THE SUN. And you?

⬇️⬇️ A blog to make you chuckle. My favorites? - THE GILMORE GIRLS MEMORIAL TOO MANY THINGS IN ONE BOOK AWARD - PAGE TURN OF THE YEAR (Broken, by X. Fang is a picture book masterpiece) Thanks @100scopenotes.bsky.social #kidlit #lifegoals #WritingCommunity #BookSky

This is the difference you could make on #GivingTuesday. By donating today, you could give joy, magic and stories that open up the world to a child. See more postcards from children who have received a festive book parcel here 👇 https://bit.ly/4rz5e6L

This was my vote from the three shortlisted words this year… although hoping rage is less the rage in 2026. #OxfordWOTY #RageBait

Hope you can join in with our @scbwi-illinois.bsky.social network shenanigans at Dandelion Bookshop. 🎄🥂📚

Looking forward to this @britishlibrary.bsky.social event. events.bl.uk/events/haunt...

A good idea from @goodwilllibrarian.bsky.social.. #kidlit

A big snowstorm is hitting the Midwest at the moment so I'm cozying down into my own home, like Ratty. It's beautiful to watch.❄️ The Wind in the Willows, 'Ratty's New Home' illustration by Andy Walshart. #Booksky From The Enchanted Booklet.

Happy Thanksgiving! Wishing you an abundance of things to be grateful for this holiday.

Aura farming, biohack, rage bait… 🤔 Which word on the 2025 Shortlist gets your vote? #OxfordWOTY #WOTY #WordOfTheYear Voting ends on Nov. 27th ⏰ corp.oup.com/word-of-the-...

Wow! So many amazing creative treats are available to bid for as part of the 'Creatives 4 Sudan' auction. And the money raised will be used to help people escaping the terrible situation in El-Fasher. See app.galabid.com/creatives4su... Thanks to @raafaye.bsky.social for the design.

Five excellent recommendations for Thanksgiving picture books in this blog by @patzmiller.bsky.social . Her book, Sharing the Bread, has long been one of my favorite rhyming (and rhythmic) picture books. #Kidlit picturebookbuilders.com/2025/11/five...

It's #BabyWeek2025, but did you know that every baby in England, Wales & Northern Ireland is entitled to a free #Bookstart Baby pack? Here's how our new Peter Rabbit book Four Happy Bunnies has been specially designed to support babies' development & help adults read aloud 👇 https://bit.ly/4oK67Yi

For #EpigraphyTuesday Roman pottery with Latin inscriptions, made for wine drinking! 🍷 ‘Give us wine!’ ‘Fill me up!’ ‘Well be to you!’ Trier Region, Late 3rd-early 4th century AD. Landesmuseum Trier 📷 by me #Archaeology

It's that time of year again… perfect to stock up on the latest titles at reasonable prices or find Christmas gifts at the annual Butler Children's Literature Center sale. #kidlit