Teachers, librarians, & homeschoolers! It's time to sign up for my January virtual author visit - this one's all about graphic novels & includes a mini make-your-own-monster writing workshop! Details & registration link are here: us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

And now Kirkus AND Evanston Public Library! I have never had a book appear on so many Best Books of the Year lists, and it's honestly a little overwhelming. Thank you so much to everyone who has shared THE TROUBLE WITH HEROES this year and continues to put it into the hands of just-right readers. ❤️

New book day! @katemessner.com #booksky #schoollibrary

The Middle Ground at #NTTBF26 will be a blast with Mari Mancusi @marimancusi.bsky.social, Yamile Saied Méndez @yamilesmendez.bsky.social, Kate Messner @katemessner.com, and Chanel Miller!

Still looking for the perfect book for someone on your holiday list? Here's a great roundup from @arizonapbs.bsky.social! azpbs.org/horizon/2025...

#KidLitChat School Librarian friends!

THE TROUBLE WITH HEROES is one of NoveList's Best Books of 2025! Congrats to all the creators on this list. So many great titles here for all ages - my to-read list just keeps getting longer ! about.ebsco.com/blogs/noveli...

This week I've been prepping for my workshop at the @scbwi.bsky.social Winter Conference, "Nonfiction Glow Up: Crafting Informational Picture Books that Captivate Today’s Readers (and Editors, too!)" Will I see you in NY next month? #SCBWINY26

My friend @laurelsnyder.bsky.social has the most beautiful new book out for Hanukkah and whether you're Jewish or not, I promise reading these poems about darkness and light and finding the quiet will make you feel a little better about the world. bookshop.org/p/books/the-...

Time for #LibFaves25! Day 6 (I missed the weekend). My 10 will appear in no particular order... THE TROUBLE WITH HEROES by @katemessner.com I laughed, I cried, I loved this book!

I have a few openings on my School Librarian Advisory Team for 2026 – if you're interested in taking the occasional survey, getting early copies of new books, & taking a peek behind the scenes of making kids’ books, it might be a good fit for you & your readers! Details: forms.gle/mkA9L5EuvjTu...

I have a few openings on my School Librarian Advisory Team for 2026 – if you're interested in taking the occasional survey, getting early copies of new books, & taking a peek behind the scenes of making kids’ books, it might be a good fit for you & your readers! Details: forms.gle/mkA9L5EuvjTu...

Thrilled to find THE TROUBLE WITH HEROES on @imaginationsoup.bsky.social's Best Middle Grade Books of 2025 list! Sooooo many amazing titles here - including lots of my 2025 favs! imaginationsoup.net/best-middle-...

Still holiday shopping? Publishers Weekly has a great roundup of recommended kids' books! www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/...

Teachers & librarians - it's time to make plans for LitWorld's World Read Aloud Day! Here's the list of authors & illustrators who have volunteered to Zoom into classrooms & libraries that day - please read info & directions for requesting a visit before emailing! katemessner.com/zoom-with-an...

Woke up to news that THE TROUBLE WITH HEROES has been selected for the 2026-2027 Texas Lone Star Reading List for middle schoolers! (I didn't know a book could appear on this list AND the Texas Bluebonnet Award List, but I sure am grateful - thank you, Texas librarians!! txla.org/news/2026-lo...

Listen to the Children’s bookshelf podcast featuring I Am an American: The Wong Kim Ark Story @lbschool.bsky.social Booth 701 #NCSS2025 radio.wcmu.org/show/the-chi...

Thank you to The Week Jr. for naming THE TROUBLE WITH HEROES as one of the Best Books of the Year! I especially love the "Best Adventure Story" designation - Finn and Seymour would be extra proud of that. ❤️

Teachers & librarians! If you want to Zoom with an author for World Read Aloud Day, the list of volunteers is going out in my newsletter tomorrow morning - it's not too late to sign up!

I got to read this book nearly a year ago and called it then… it was going to top all of the lists. This book is heartbreaking, beautiful and hopeful ❤️

And now Kirkus AND Evanston Public Library! I have never had a book appear on so many Best Books of the Year lists, and it's honestly a little overwhelming. Thank you so much to everyone who has shared THE TROUBLE WITH HEROES this year and continues to put it into the hands of just-right readers. ❤️

Shoutout to the bloggers & Lit-fluencers like Afoma at Reading Middle Grade who make their own Best Books lists and take the care and time to email authors to let them know. Every single time I get an email like this, it absolutely makes my day. ❤️

And now Kirkus... I have never had a book appear on so many Best Books of the Year lists, and it's honestly a little overwhelming. Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who has shared THE TROUBLE WITH HEROES this year and continues to put it into the hands of just-right readers. ❤️

Thrilled that @childmindinstitute.bsky.social has named THE TROUBLE WITH HEROES as one of the Best Kids' Books about Mental Health in 2025! We need so many more novels that meet kids where they are when it comes to mental health issues. childmind.org/article/the-...

Over 200 authors will be Zooming into classrooms & libraries for World Read Aloud Day on 2/4! Teachers/librarians - Want to be first to see the list so you can book a free visit? It'll go out in my email newsletter in early December! Sign up here: katemessner.us20.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=...

Authors & illustrators! Want to Zoom into classrooms on 2/4/26 to help celebrate LitWorld's World Read Aloud Day? Here's all the info & a link to sign up! katemessner.com/getting-read...

Some great holiday gift choices from @goodmenproject.bsky.social - including HISTORY SMASHERS: EARTH DAY & THE ENVIRONMENT! @dylanmeconis.bsky.social @falynnk.bsky.social @randomhousekids.bsky.social goodmenproject.com/featured-con...

Reminder as we start to talk about panels for next year's NCTE conference: please don't just invite BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ creators to be on diversity panels. Invite them to be on panels about craft and STEAM books and history and horror and funny books and and and and... Diverse panels are just better.

Chapter books, chapter books! Here are my go-to recommendations when people come to the library in search of chapter books. jenny-arch.com/2025/11/25/b... @fuse8.bsky.social @adamrex.bsky.social @shannonhale.bsky.social @katemessner.com

As if seeing so many amazing educators and colleagues at #NCTE25 wasn't enough, on Saturday, THE TROUBLE WITH HEROES was named a Charlotte Huck Honor Book for 2026! I'm absolutely thrilled and so, so grateful to the awards committee for recognizing Finn's story. ❤️

Over 200 authors will be Zooming into classrooms & libraries for World Read Aloud Day on 2/4! Teachers/librarians - Want to be first to see the list so you can book a free visit? It'll go out in my email newsletter in early December! Sign up here: katemessner.us20.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=...

*dances wildly around the kitchen*

Note from my editor on the manuscript I'm revising today: "Just want to confirm - the unicorns skateboard on their hind legs?" My job is entirely too much fun.

@slj.com has released its list of the Best Middle Grade Books of 2025, and TWO titles by authors from The Author Village are included! Congratulations to all, especially to A WORLD WORTH SAVING by @kylelukoff.bsky.social and THE TROUBLE WITH HEROES by @katemessner.com. www.slj.com/story/best-m...

If you haven't read Renee Watson's ALL THE BLUES IN THE SKY yet, do yourself a favor and pick one up to read & share with kids. It's beautifully written - and stories about grief are so important at a time when over 10 million children who lost a caregiver in the pandemic are still processing.

I was also utterly charmed by BAD BADGER, written by Mary Rose Wood & illustrated by Giulia Ghigini. This quirky chapter book begs to be read aloud. bookshop.org/p/books/bad-...

I loved THE LEAVING ROOM by Amber McBride - every book of hers that I've read is just gorgeous and ethereal, as if you're reading something written by a very talented ghost. This one's YA & written in verse. bookshop.org/p/books/the-...

I also thoroughly enjoyed THE UNDEAD FOX OF DEADWOOD FOREST by Audrey Hartman. A little bit creepy, a little bit cozy, and a lot of truly evocative writing. bookshop.org/p/books/the-...

I've been catching up on my 2025 reading on recent plane rides & want to share some favorites! First up - THE TEACHER OF NOMAD LAND by Daniel Nayeri. Like WILL'S FACE FOR HOME by Jewell Parker Rhodes, it's is a master class in writing short MG that delivers the goods. bookshop.org/p/books/the-...

This might be an author-first for me - TWO books on @slj.com's Best Books of 2025 List!! So grateful to the librarians who selected THE TROUBLE WITH HEROES and HISTORY SMASHERS: ANCIENT EGYPT to be part of this amazing collection! www.schoollibraryjournal.com/page/best-bo...

Who's headed to Denver this week for the @ncte.org conference? Looking forward to spending time with educators, being in conversation with my amazing colleagues, and signing lots of books! Here's where you'll be able to find me... #NCTE25

Teachers & librarians! Our list of authors volunteers to Zoom into schools for World Read Aloud Day will be ready in early December so you can start planning. Want the link a day early? Sign up for my email newsletter & you'll get it in your inbox! katemessner.us20.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=...

Thank you, Chicago librarians! I couldn't be more honored to have THE TROUBLE WITH HEROES on your Best of the Best Books list for 2025! And alongside so many amazing colleagues' books, too. (My library holds list just got a LOT longer - congrats to all!) www.chipublib.org/news/cpl-bes...

Teachers & librarians! Our list of authors volunteers to Zoom into schools for World Read Aloud Day will be ready in early December so you can start planning. Want the link a day early? Sign up for my email newsletter & you'll get it in your inbox! katemessner.us20.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=...

Thank you, Chicago librarians! I couldn't be more honored to have THE TROUBLE WITH HEROES on your Best of the Best Books list for 2025! And alongside so many amazing colleagues' books, too. (My library holds list just got a LOT longer - congrats to all!) www.chipublib.org/news/cpl-bes...

Who's headed to Denver this week for the @ncte.org conference? Looking forward to spending time with educators, being in conversation with my amazing colleagues, and signing lots of books! Here's where you'll be able to find me... #NCTE25

Read this gem on the plane to Austin today - so beautiful, atmospheric and great. bookshop.org/p/books/the-...

Working on revisions for CAMP UNICORN (sequel to CAMP MONSTER, which comes out in February!) so today, my job involves pondering serious questions about the character motivations for a corgi-corn named Lil Lord Wigglebottom.

Holy smokes - thank you, Texas librarians!!! I couldn't be more thrilled that THE TROUBLE WITH HEROES has been named to the 2026-2027 Texas Bluebonnet Award List! And in such incredible company, too - congrats to all of the authors & illustrators! Here's the full list: txla.org/news/2026-20...

“I didn’t want to say immediately it was me,” he said. “With this photo there is a mystery, so you have to make it last.” ❤️