Our weekly big list of kid lit links is up (April 3): kidlit411.com/2026/04/the-... Inside: publishing news, better book launches, school visits, more. Thanks Ginny Neil for the illustration and @angelapadron.bsky.social for the PB giveaway (LUCÍA'S GOALS) #kidlit #kidlitart

My thoughts on what's going on in #kidlit publishing now, a little history, and what we can do: mailchi.mp/435ed3c02d61...

42 Standout Selections from Daniel Nayeri, Ari Tison, and More | Starred Reviews, April 2026 www.slj.com/story/42-sta...

The Right Is Using AI Content Scanners to Try to Supercharge Book Banning | 404 Media

Thoughtful, level insight from my friend and colleague @hunderdown.bsky.social on where the #kidlit industry is right now in terms of recent layoffs and reorgs, and how we may have gotten here, and what we can do.

My thoughts on what's going on in #kidlit publishing now, a little history, and what we can do: mailchi.mp/435ed3c02d61...

Same.

I wrote about the new AI partnership that Harlequin announced as if it was an exciting thing. lithub.com/dear-harlequ...

I jumped from Judy Blume to Dean Koontz and Stephen King. Then there was Anne Rice. There was no delineation like we have today. You just devoured books. Wish we allowed kids today to do the same instead of pointing out everything they can’t read. Maybe, then, they would feel empowered to read.

I was in the courtroom today as Trump’s birthright citizenship executive order faced SCOTUS scrutiny. As Trump sat on watching, S.G. John Sauer faced skeptical questions from almost all of the justices — including all three justices Trump appointed to the high court. Here’s my Law Dork report:

If you want a children’s book that talks about what birthright citizenship means, why it matters, etc, try this one: I AM AN AMERICAN: THE WONG KIM ARK STORY, by @marthabee.bsky.social @authorgracelin.bsky.social, illus by Julia Kuo. bookshop.org/p/books/i-am...

I've seen people trying to defend it today by saying "No, no, I just use it to brainstorm, bounce ideas, I do the actual writing" and with all the kindness in the world I need to tell you: if there is a stage of writing you are not good at, you need to get good, not use the plagiarism machine.

"I'd rather spend the money on" is a myth. The United States has enough money to spend a trillion dollars per year on NASA *AND* have universal healthcare and housing and free education through college for everyone. It's not either/or. It's both/and.

A reminder: we are starting out first series of hangouts next Wednesday the 8th, and we need your revision questions. Find out how to join us and how to send a question in our latest newsletter: mailchi.mp/6cb2243ecc3c...

that's right

Writing/Revision Tip:

A crazily unconstitutional effort to seize control of elections from states by seeking to have the USPS put in place rules to ban the transmission of mail-in ballots that don't form to standards the Trump admin puts into place and for people the Trump admin hasn't verified as a citizen.

"An authoritarian consolidates by concentrating power. A democratic consolidation has to do the opposite: distribute power, protect opposition, and build a system that is resistant to future capture, including capture by the movement that just won." Long read, excellent advice. Bookmark it.

Another big #kidlit publisher takes the layoffs and reorganization route, IMO in response to the weakness in the school and library market: www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/...

Join us May 1st for a national day of action - we’re joining May Day Strong for a day of no school, shopping, or work. We are the workers and we out number the ruling class. Let’s show up and show them on May 1st. #maydaystrong

We must keep publishing. Reading is the foundation of everything. And it begins with our children. I believe publishing will bounce back. So will we. My heart is with all those who are struggling right now.❤️

Do you follow KBR Plus? It's me, @drydenbks.bsky.social, and @eileenwrobinson.bsky.social. We announced our upcoming *hangouts* last week, and there's more coming along. We share revision-related posts too.

Another big #kidlit publisher takes the layoffs and reorganization route, IMO in response to the weakness in the school and library market: www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/...

If you're in Rutherford County, TN send an email to their library board to show your support for Director Luanne James! Contact info here: rclstn.org/libraryboard...

jackson, dissenting: “no one knows what will happen now. This decision might make speech-only therapies and other medical treatments involving practitioner speech effectively unregulatable” once again, trans people are used as a wedge to allow those in power to abuse whoever they want

Origin stories on the court preparing to hear a case about birthright citizenship: Roberts grandfather Albert Podrasky was born before his parents were naturalized, but he was nevertheless an American, guaranteed by the nation’s principle of birthright citizenship. 🎁 www.nytimes.com/2026/03/31/u...

They’d rather the country be poorer and whiter than rich and diverse. Of course when the pie shrinks, the rich will demand the same amount and will tell you the crumbs you’re left with are because of immigrants or trans people or DEI. bsky.app/profile/apne...

Do you follow KBR Plus? It's me, @drydenbks.bsky.social, and @eileenwrobinson.bsky.social. We announced our upcoming *hangouts* last week, and there's more coming along. We share revision-related posts too.

“He told officials that anti-ICE could not be viewed as successful, and repeatedly said that demonstrators “need to be vanquished by any force necessary,” another DHS source told the Mail.“

The courage, commitment, and sacrifice of NYPD officers keep New York City safe every day.   Congratulations to the 137 uniformed officers and 63 civilian members of the NYPD on the hard-earned promotions they received today. Thank you for your service.

An NBA player was quoted on a podcast as saying if your kid is good enough to be competitive then they’re too competitive to pay to play. It was a comment on the pyramid scam of youth travel leagues. Parents lit him up in the comments. I was reminded that no one likes to know they’re being scammed.

Opening up to queries from April 6-17th in QueryManager! 😃 I'm focusing on my adult list: book club or historical fiction, upmarket mysteries, romance, or women's fiction. For kidlit, I'm only seeking narrative nonfiction - MG/YA. manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/le...

I genuinely think the president and many of his advisers, scammers, hustlers, and keyboard gangsters, don’t understand this concept at all and you can see it in the pattern of their mistakes from Minneapolis to Tehran www.nytimes.com/2026/03/29/o...

It's really this simple and lazy. The NYT bought into transphobic hysteria that children were being given surgeries at the drop of a hat and subsequently saw a brief glimpse of reality as a change. Pathetic shit.

Good (I went to Haverford and am appalled that the campus library was named after him).

Before @vch-home.bsky.social before modern archaeology, John Aubrey was inventing local history in the lanes around Chippenham. As his 400th b'day month ends, find out 👇https://blog.history.ac.uk/2026/03/john-aubrey-and-the-victoria-county-history-parallel-endeavours-in-systematic-local-history/

Nobody is going to steal your idea for a novel.

"The third No Kings protests were an unmistakable display of political force..." "Two-thirds of participants live in suburban, small town or rural areas, a 40% increase over last time in protesters from outside big cities..." www.usatoday.com/story/news/p...

Good thread on who and what is behind "No Kings," based on real research

Have you checked the list of participating #PBParty agents, editors & ADs? We recently added two agents & another editor. Wahoooooo! 🎉 I can't wait to see how many entries make it to our duke-it-out-for-final-spots Zoom! Some are truly amazing. 🌟

It was a joy to return to Richmond Hill to celebrate Phagwah alongside the Indo-Guyanese and Indo-Caribbean communities who make this city so vibrant. The parade was livelier than ever. 
May happiness and harmony be with you all today and every day. Happy Phagwah!

A final thought: the most important, efficacious, & sizeable faction on the left is plain old normie Dems, "wine moms," "resistance libs," whatever condescending term you prefer. They're the ones doing the actual work. But they are largely ignored by media, because they're organized & led by women.

Creating a good picture book that speaks to children is actually very hard.

This moment, post-No Kings, is a great time to talk about the importance of persistence and diverse tactics in social justice work. We can win. But only if we *sustain* the work in a *consistent* way with a *range* of approaches. Many concrete suggestions & resources in my latest:

Always read Will's columns Here's a gift link share.inquirer.com/A5s8lK

Important thought piece by Jamelle Bouie on No Kings Day. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/03/28/o...

marvelous thread, and behold: wine moms and knitters, puffy-vest dads, fantasy footballers, socks-and-sandals guys, bake sale ladies, and other “normies” are showing up to help save the world - with or without the approval of purists and gatekeepers; so y’all can miss me with the doom song, thanks

Sandra Wong, the great granddaughter of Wong Kim Ark, is preparing to march at the #NoKings Rally in San Francisco. Today is the 128th Anniversary of the SCOTUS decision affirming birthright citizenship.

No Kings, NYC 3.28.2026 Voices united in the streets of New York City at the No Kings rally. Robert De Niro, Letitia James, and Al Sharpton standing alongside a powerful crowd calling for justice, unity, and accountability.

From St. Petersburg, Florida, to Manhattan, the third round of No Kings protests has once again brought out people across the country to protest President Donald Trump and his administration. Organizers are expecting turnout in the MILLIONS: