The American Library Association and Banned Books Week Coalition are pleased to announce the theme for Banned Books Week 2025: “Censorship Is So 1984. Read for Your Rights.” Banned Books Week will take place October 5 – 11, 2025. www.scbwi.org/essential-re...

Look who I found in our garden this morning! I have been planting Milkweed the last couple of years to help the Monarch Butterflies. #MonarchButterflies

Inktober, Day 9: Heavy Many of you may know that I am obsessed with archeology, and especially the Neolithic period. It’s still a mystery how our ancient ancestors moved all these extraordinarily heavy stones into place. Here’s my new ink sketch of one sight in Orkney. #Inktober2025

Phew! I’ve made it to Day 9 of the Inktober 2025 art challenge. I’m pushing myself to do all 31 prompts (hopefully before the end of the month). Here’s a little run down of my ink illustrations so far. Micron pens and watered down ink are my tools of choice. #Inktober2025 #Inktober

@sarahnfisk.bsky.social has a great podcast for people who want to see Kid Lit queries that have worked. There's a whole youtube playlist, too! youtu.be/nngGutSWBqU... #KidLitChat

TOPIC: Queries, pitches, log lines, synopses, comps--all the stuff that someone other than you needs to see (sometimes before they agree to see your work itself!). What are you especially good at? What do you dread? Any tips for coming up with good versions of any of those steps? #kidlitchat

I’m playing catch up with Inktober prompts. Today I inked out Day 4: Murky, Day 5: Deer and Day 6: Pierce. Let’s see if I can get to the next few prompts tomorrow. I’m challenging myself to draw all 31 this year. #Inktober2025 #Inktober #kidlitartist #sketchbook

Let’s all support our local libraries, and also purchase banned books this week from our local bookstores. 📚#BannedBooksWeek

Just a reminder that it’s the first of 3 super moons this year: the Fall Harvest moon is tomorrow night. Get all your witchy spells ready. Also, it will be just so beautiful. 🌕#harvestmoon

It was a beautiful Autumn southern Californian day filled with sunshine and inspiration at the SCBWI SoCal Fall Harvest Writers’ and Illustrators’ Day. It was so lovely to catch up with you all, and meet some of my fav #kidlit creators. 🎃🍁📚@scbwisocal.bsky.social @brianlarossa.com #scbwi

Who else is going to the SCBWI SoCal Fall Harvest Writers and Illustrators Day? #scbwi I’m looking forward to seeing you all! www.scbwi.org/events/2025-...

Inktober Day 2: weave - Here’s my ink drawing of Ann Radcliffe weaving a spooky Gothic tale. I’m going with a Dark Academia theme this year. #Inktober2025 #Inktober

Spooky Season is here! Today is Day 1 of the Inktober art challenge, and today’s prompt is: Mustache. I decided to go with my usual Dark Academia motifs and vibes, and painted a portrait of Edgar Allan Poe. #Inktober2025 #Inktober

Had such a wonderful day with SCBWI CenCal for their Writer’s and Illustrator’s Day! There were so many great speakers, and so many wonderful books from such a talented group of people. #kidlitcommunity #bookish #scbwi #scbwiillustrators

I think the things we know are connected to the act of making something from nothing, and the way that connects to gaining knowledge of self. James Baldwin speaks to it better than I can. www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGwP...

🧑‍🏫 Class is in session! I’ve been a professor for over 2 decades & I’ve learned a few things in my day. Every bit of wisdom has a big ol’ but. 🎨 I’ll be sharing some buts on here from time to time. ❓What’s the best art/illustration advice you’ve gotten? #Illustration #KidLitArt #illustrators #art

Hey, so I wrote a blog on substack about my experiences trying to work as an author illustrator in children’s publishing. Check it out: open.substack.com/pub/jesscoop...

Hi #kidlitartpostcard day peeps! I'm Jessica Cooper, a #kidlit author-illustrator based out of Los Angeles. I specialize in stories & illustrations inspired by folklore, history and the wild. I’m currently seeking representation. Here’s my portfolio website: www.IllustratedbyJessica.com

Happy #KidLitArtPostcard Day for August 2025! I created two cards this month to show the kidlit illustration projects I’m working on. #kidlitcommunity #kidlitart Check out my website: www.IllustratedbyJessica.com

Congratulations to the SCBWI Member of the Year, Debbie Ridpath Ohi!!! #scbwiSummer25

Yay Debbie!! @debbieohi.com So well deserved!! Member of The Year!! #scbwiSummer25

If you missed R. Gregory Christie’s presentation about his experience working as an illustrator, you’ve got to watch the recording later. It was one of the most inspiring presentations I’ve ever seen. Absolutely amazing artist and speaker. #scbwiSummer25

And starting now, here he is, Bryan Collier! #scbwiSummer25

I’m having a great experience at the SCBWI Summer Conference this weekend. #scbwiSummer25

Federal agencies hiding out in a bunker

You know you’re an artist when you don’t cry about anything ever like a psychopath, but then tears start streaming down your face at the unveiling of a John Singer Sargent painting, of a fictional character on an HBO show. I might need an art therapist myself. #TheGildedAge

I’m researching quite a niche early 20th century subject of art history at the moment and the AI slop and its errors is insidious and pervasive. My takeaway is that you have to basically disregard much of the internet, go back to non-internet sources, books and academic papers.

I’ve always loved the Bear Snores On picture books by Karma Wilson and illustrated by Jane Chapman. The characters are so cute and I would love to see a movie or animated series with the characters in Jane Chapman’s illustration style. #KidLitChat

🐱❤️ To celebrate #NationalKittenDay, we’re sharing Galia Bernstein’s secret to drawing BIG cats! 🦁 A hint: start with the shape of a flower vase! What other tips & tricks does the I AM A CAT creator have up her sleeve? Find out on #ReadySetDraw 🐯: www.kidlit.tv/ready-set-dr... #kidlit

My very favorite online book resource @bookshop.org is having an Anti-Prime SALE!! Get free shipping on HELLAWEEN 1+2 now through July 11th. Treat your self to a lil somethin spooky this summer and support a local bookstore. Book 1: tinyurl.com/235mmbku Book 2: tinyurl.com/4mkfhntz #hellaween

ATTENTION ILLUSTRATORS, AUTHOR-ILLUSTRATORS & PICTURE BOOK WRITERS: Join us for Beyond the Brush: Visual Storytelling for the Modern Picture Book Market: 3 hour workshop with agent Kait Feldmann. Sun July 13, 2025, 2-5PM in Encino. $40 for Premium Members. www.scbwi.org/events/la-re...

Happy #KidLitArtPostcard Day! Hello agents, art directors & editors. I'm Jessica, a children's book author-illustrator based in Los Angeles. I'm currently seeking representation. This month I'm sharing my recent portrait of Dr. Carla Hayden. 📚🇺🇸 My portfolio: illustratedbyjessica.com/childrens-pu...

#kidlitchat adulting is SO overrated! But seriously this right here

I honestly just love children’s books. I have quite a collection of picture books, because I love reading them to my kids, and just for myself. I often buy books just for the art. I still read YA and middle grade books too. I just never stopped reading them. #kidlitchat

Here’s my new illustrated portrait of former Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden. I was participating in an illustrated portrait challenge this month, and I decided to paint her because I really admire her and her service and dedication to literacy and libraries. #kidlitart #carlahayden #kidlit

Sometimes you get so much advice about portfolios and how or what you should do to be a children’s book illustrator, and I think I often need to remember that our main job is to draw children and animals. So, if you’re stuck, just practice that. Draw adorable animals and children. #kidlitart #kidlit

I’m spending some time sketching cute kids and animals today. #kidlitart

Happy Kidlit Art Postcard Day! I'm Jessica Cooper, an author-illustrator with a style that blends nature-inspired realism with fantasy and folklore. I am currently seeking an agent. illustratedbyjessica.com/childrens-pu... #kidlitartpostcard

Hey fellow kidlit illustrators! If you were going to attend an author-illustrator and illustrator focused event, what is the topic would you most be interested in learning about or discussing with other kidlit illustrators and author-illustrators? #kidlit

Good morning beautiful souls! School's out so the summer reading club will start Monday at my library and I'm the lead this year. Maybe some #GoodTrouble in my future 😎 Happy Friday! 🌞☕🌻🏃‍♀️🕉️

“All rebellions are built on hope.” - one of the best through lines from Rogue One and the Andor series.

“I cannot face myself if I give up now.” - Andor, from Rogue One. It’s about rebellion, but maybe, in a way, persisting with a freelance writing & illustration career in the face of constant rejection, is also a form of rebellion. I’m a life long rebel I guess. Never give up. #kidlitcommunity

My interview with @creativeboom.com—specifically about @bsky.app, and how I’ve made it work for me—is now out from behind the paywall and publicly available via YouTube. It’s an hour long, but I share a ton of concrete tips and tricks. 💙❤️ www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsVJ...

I’m 3 years worth of drafts in, sketchbooks full of sketches, scribbled down notes, and I’m finally starting to see my picture book come to life. It’s titled, Laughter In The Trees, and it’s inspired by my own experience moving to Australia as a child. #kidlit #amwriting #amdrawing #kidlitart

My new book!!! CONSERVATION SUCCESS published this month (Nomad, illos by Lex Cornell) - it highlights amazing conservation efforts going on around the world and the different science-based approaches used. There IS good news out there! @steamteambooks.bsky.social #Edusky #kidlit #conservation

I’m participating in the #BugsInBloom2025 art challenge. And having a lot of fun drawing and painting some of my favorite subjects: moths, botanicals & night garden scenes. I am really drawn to dark cottagecore style art and inspiration. I’m following a group of artists who created the prompt list.

I'm working on a picture book dummy close to my heart. It's the story of an American girl that moves to Australia with her family. I'm working through sketches & 3 years worth of drafts. I’m finally seeing a vision of it as an actual picture book. #amquerying #amdrawing #kidlit #sketchbook