Blackbirds are magic! Read about the meaning attributed to the birds by druids, mystics and by pop culture icons Paul McCartney and Beyonce. Link in bio/linktree. open.substack.com/pub/mariavan... #blackbirds #mythology #beyonce #paulmccartney #blackbiird #symbolism #ww2 #songofablackbird

Thank you to Noa and Zakir, librarians extraordinaires at the International School Utrecht, for welcoming me into the school. Meeting the ISU students was such a joy! #authorvisit #schoolvisit #internationalschool #kidlit #graphicnovel

Thank you so much to @kimtyodickerson.bsky.social and the librarian team at the International School Amsterdam for the wonderful author visit. What a privilege to visit your beautiful school. Till next, my friends! #kidlit #authorvisit #schoolvisit #amsterdam #graphicnovel

Thank you, Janet, for this lovely review of Song of a Blackbird!

So this happened… #nationalbookaward #longlist #graphicnovel #kidlit #youngpeoplesliterature #songofablackbird #fightHATEmakeART

Read today’s post/newsletter to learn about that time when a David Lynch-loving ninth grader taught me the art of revealing a secret. A secret hiding in Song of a Blackbird... #graphicnovel #davidlynch #kidlit #hiddensecrets #ww2 #dropcaps mariavanlieshout.substack.com/p/the-art-of...

Song of a Blackbird is coming to Amsterdam🐦‍⬛ Join me at the American Book Center where I’ll share the story behind the book and sign/personalize copies. Dutch and American editions will be available. Reserve here: abc.nl/events/event... #WW2 #kidlit #bookevent #amsterdam #graphicnovel #historical

★★★★★5 STARRED REVIEWS!!! I'm grateful to @publisherswkly.bsky.social, @KirkusReviews.com, @slj.com, @ala-booklist.bsky.social and @thehornbook.bsky.social. The past has much to teach us, and I’m here to do my part. #fightHATE #makeART #battlehymn #songofablackbird #graphicnovel #ww2

My first Cape and Cowl Con is in the books! It will certainly not be my last. Met so many comics lovers and book people, and got to hang out with old friends and new ones (@thiendog.bsky.social and @brianabreaks.bsky.social ). Thank you @capecowlcomics.bsky.social! #comics #graphicnovels #kidlit

I’ll be at @capecowlcomics.bsky.social Cape and Cowl Con on August 24th! It will be at Faction in Alameda. Come out to say hi, and check out my graphic novel Song of a Blackbird🐦‍⬛ @firstsecond.bsky.social #comiccon #factionbrewing #Alameda #graphicnovels #kidsbooks #yabooks

Big love for teachers and librarians. Since Song of a Blackbird was published, I’ve been visiting middle and high schools. Lmk if you are interested in having me speak to your middle or high schoolers! #authorvisit #schoolvisit #ww2 #kidlit #GraphicNovel www.vanlieshoutstudio.com/author-visit/

I’ll be at @capecowlcomics.bsky.social Cape and Cowl Con on August 24th! It will be at Faction in Alameda. Come out to say hi, and check out my graphic novel Song of a Blackbird🐦‍⬛ @firstsecond.bsky.social #comiccon #factionbrewing #Alameda #graphicnovels #kidsbooks #yabooks

Thank you, @multcolib.bsky.social!

I am an immigrant. My friends are immigrants. My neighbors are immigrants... An immigrant takes my naturalization exam when I become a US citizen. She smiles when I pass because she knows what it means. She gives me a little American flag. She is what makes America great. #Iamanimmigrant

Song of a Blackbird is coming to Amsterdam🐦‍⬛ Join me at the American Book Center where I’ll share the story behind the book and sign/personalize copies. Dutch and American editions will be available. Reserve here: abc.nl/events/event... #WW2 #kidlit #bookevent #amsterdam #graphicnovel #historical

STOP STARVING CHILDREN. Killing children is always evil. When we stop feeling RAGE about the killing of innocent young lives, we have been influenced by the most sinister propaganda that aims to divide us, to make us feel hatred, fear, contempt or INDIFFERENCE towards other human beings.

Graphic novelists are a little crazy. And we have something else in common with the folks that chose to resist the Nazi regime. Read my newsletter to learn more! #ww2 #resistance #kidlit #graphicnovels #historicalfiction #graphicnovelist mariavanlieshout.substack.com/p/nonviolent...

The fine folks at @teachingbooks.bsky.social asked me to talk about Song of a Blackbird, specifically, what inspired the book, and how I talk about it when I visit schools. Have a listen! #teachingbooks #schools #graphicnovel #kidlit #youngadult #ww2 school.teachingbooks.net/book_reading...

MAKE ART. Fight hate. Making art (and supporting art and books and music) is RESISTANCE. Read about why and how in my latest newsletter (link in Linktree/bio). #streetart #makeart #fighthate #stickers #resistance mariavanlieshout.substack.com/p/nazis-are-...

Explain the DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE to me like I’m four. “All men (and women) are EQUAL and entitled to LIFE, FREEDOM and HAPPINESS. It’s THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT job of our government to make this happen. When it does not, the PEOPLE must form a NEW GOVERNMENT.” That’s it, folks. #4thofjuly

Hope to see you at ALA this weekend! #ALAAC25 #MacKidsALA #kidlit #graphicnovel #libraries #librarians

I hope you will subscribe to Blackbird Express 🐦‍⬛, about how stories from our past can open eyes, minds and hearts, by the creator of the historical graphic novel Song of a Blackbird. mariavanlieshout.substack.com #substack #newsletter #graphicnovel #history #historicalnovel

Hurray! The Dutch edition of Song of a Blackbird🐦‍⬛ is on the shortlist for the Thea Beckman Award, given to the best historical youth book in the Netherlands! #kidlit #historicalfiction #YAbooks #graphicnovel #award

Quote by Iranian-French graphic novelist Marjane Satrapi. This is just about the best time I can think of to re-read her incredible graphic novel Persepolis. #marjanesatrapi #persepolis #iran #war #graphicnovel

As someone raised by parents whose lives were impacted profoundly by living through war as young children, I have seen what war does to children and the adults they grow into. #fightHATE #makeART #warisbadforchildren

Librarian friends! Please come say hello at ALA Annual next weekend! @mackidssl.bsky.social @amlibraryassoc.bsky.social #ala #americanlibraryassociation #graphicnovel #librarian #youngadultbooks #historicalfiction #ww2 #resistance #alaannual2025

900 illustrations, 100 historic photos, 12 years of sweat and tears (truth), ONE heart-breaking book🐦‍⬛

June 12 was Anne Frank’s birthday. A year ago, Anne’s book with stories written while she was living in hiding was published. It was an honor to be asked to illustrate the end papers, and to contribute some thoughts about how Anne Frank has inspired me. #annefrank #ww2 #annefrankhouse

A leader will unite people. And (s)he will do what (s)he can to de-escalate a situation. Autocrats do the opposite. They will divide people, and create fear. They will escalate a situation to create an “emergency”, and use it to grab power. Fear, division and chaos are a dictator’s friend. 🐦‍⬛

RESISTANCE must always be directed at a REGIME. If violence is directed at human beings, it is NOT RESISTANCE. It is HATE. 🐦‍⬛

Happy pride month, y’all 🌈! #pride #june

Uplifting words by Maya Angelou... #mayaangelou #poetry #uplifting #cagedbird

‪Bay Area friends! Come listen to our panel Saturday about collective action and book bans (@berkeleypubliclibrary.org)!🐦‍⬛ @maggietokudahall.bsky.social @rroumani.bsky.social @tomasmmoniz.bsky.social #BayAreaBookFest #bookfest #berkeley #berkeleypubliclibrary #books #resistance

Bay Area friends! Come listen to our panel Sunday about the power of graphic novels to enact social change!🐦‍⬛ @eddieahn.bsky.social @breenache.bsky.social #BayAreaBookFest #bookfest #berkeley #berkeleypubliclibrary #books #resistance #bookbans

A week from today! Hope to see you there!

Thank you, @thehornbook.bsky.social!

Im often asked which of the American or Dutch editions is the translation. And I always reply that neither is a translation. Read my interview with the librarian of ISA Kim Tyo-Dickerson, who asked me about this. glli-us.org/2025/05/16/i... #internationalschool #amsterdam #libraries

Thank you, @thehornbook.bsky.social, for including Song of a Blackbird on your Summer Reading list! #beachreads #kidlit #graphicnovel #highschool #ya

The Australian edition just arrived on my doorstep! It’s a stunner. Thank you to the talented team at Allen and Unwin for taking a chance on this book and adapting to for Australia and New Zealand! #graphicnovel #songofablackbird #translation #australia #downunder

I spoke the Mindful, Happy Kids podcast about Song of a Blackbird. We talked about the role of art and artists in our world today to unite people and create awareness. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/m... #graphicnovel #podcast #ww2 #resistance #protestart #streetart #protest

Five presentations/events in one week! The Chadwick School in Palos Verdes, the LA Times Bookfest, the Temecula Valley Writers & Illustrators, the Temecula Valley Historical Society and the Congregation Etz Chayim in Palo Alto. My heart is full. Mostly with hope. There’s a lot of good out there.

Thank you, Rob! 🐦‍⬛

Come see us at the LA Times Festival of Books Saturday! I'll be on a panel with Jen Wang and Janice Shapiro, moderated by Sharon Levin, to talk about gender, identity and culture in YA graphic novels.

Los Angeles/SoCal area peeps! I'll be in Southern Cal end of April. Would love to see (or meet!) you! #authorpanel #LATIMESFestivalofbooks #authorvisit #booktour #temecula #historicalsociety #TVWI #TVHS

Look! @VeraBrosgol.bsky.social and I made it into @publisherswkly.bsky.social’s IN BRIEF! @01firstsecond.bsky.social @powells.bsky.social www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/...

Revolution. Standing up for what you believe in. For human rights. For justice. For truth. For freedom to love who you choose and freedom to be who you are. That is standing up for LOVE. #Revolution #love #protest

SCBWI has been critical in my success as creator of books for kids. In fact, it is how I met my critique group, my agent and my publisher! It was a joy to speak with SCBWI about Song of a Blackbird. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/s... #scbwi #podcast #resistance #ww2 #graphicnovel #childrensbooks

Los Angeles/SoCal area peeps! I'll be in Southern Cal end of April. Would love to see (or meet!) you! #authorpanel #LATIMESFestivalofbooks #authorvisit #booktour #temecula #historicalsociety #TVWI #TVHS