Children's Lit Newsletter 4/24/2025
AKA Sharon's Book Rx
SO VERY SORRY FOR LACK OF NEWSLETTERS RECENTLY. THIS IS WHY!!
THIS WAS MY PREP FOR THE LA TIMES FESTIVAL OF BOOKS (authors/titles were assigned on March 6) 3440 pages of traditional books 912 graphic novel pages And, because I wanted to read his book before the Festival, an additional 304 pages for John Chu’s book. Literally hurt my back because I was so inactive while I was reading (only I could have a ‘lazy’ injury. It’s a gift. LOL)
THESE ARE MY TWO PANELS, please come if you're in the area.
Here is the schedule for the Festival (there's a very good chance Elise and Sasha will skip my first panel to go hear John Scalzi and Wil Wheaton) :-)
THIS SATURDAY IS INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORE DAY!! SUPPORT YOUR INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORE!!
We are incredibly lucky to have so many fabulous independent bookstores in the Greater Bay Area. So many are having fabulous speakers, activities, swag etc on Saturday!! I can't list them all, so go to this website to find your local store: https://www.indiebound.org/independent-bookstore-day
ONLY RAINA TELGEMEIER AND SCOTT MCCLOUD EVENT IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA!!
WHAT AN INCREDIBLE EVENT/OPPORTUNITY!
Rakestraw Books is excited to announce a special event with Raina Telgemeier and Scott McCloud and their brand-new book, The Cartoonists Club.
The Cartoonists Club follows four young creators: Makayla, who has many ideas for stories but doesn’t know how to make them a reality; Howard, who loves to draw despite his father’s disapproval; Lynda, who is always drawing but can only focus on her mistakes and Art, who simply loves to be creative. Together, the quartet forms the Cartoonists Club, where kids can learn about creating comics while fostering their imagination.
In a dream team collaboration combining Raina Telgemeier and Scott McCloud’s trademark charm, reliability, and comics expertise, The Cartoonists Club will blend narrative, how-to advice and “comics magic” to showcase the power of storytelling and inspire a new generation of cartoonists.
Raina has this to say, "When I was 16, I read Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud, a ‘comic book about comic books.’ It immediately cemented my desire to be a cartoonist–as well as gave me a shape and vocabulary for the scope, philosophy, iconography, and downright magic of comics storytelling. That was a pivotal moment for me, and I speak with a LOT of young readers who have been looking for a similarly pivotal book for them. The Cartoonists Club is the result of almost 5 years of working together with Scott himself, to create what we hope is that book!
I’m happy to say that after decades of being his fan (and nearly two decades of being his friend), Scott is a delight to work with. Our minds operate in completely different ways, and we pushed each other to create and think in new directions both on the page and off. I realize that not all young readers (or their grown ups!) are yet familiar with his work, so it is a thrill to introduce them by way of our collaboration. He’s one of the most brilliant minds working in the medium of comics, and it is an immense honor to share a title on the shelf with him.
This is the first time I’ve majorly collaborated with another creator on a project, and The Cartoonists Club is unlike anything I’ve done before. We both plotted, wrote, re-wrote, drew, and drew some more, to shape the resulting book! There are four main characters, and each of them imbues a bit of both of our spirits. And, Scott and I weren’t the only ones collaborating! I worked with an inker, my friend Ray Baehr, an incredible cartoonist in their own right; and Beniam Hollman did the exquisite colors! And of course, our editorial and design team at Scholastic/Graphix played a huge role. It has been a true labor of love and we can’t wait for you to read it!"
Rakestraw Books is thrilled to invite you to this very special event -- the only one in Northern California! -- with Raina Telgemeier and Scott McCloud. This event will take place on Saturday, 3 May 2025 at 5 PM (doors open at 4 PM) in the Gym at San Ramon Valley High School. This event includes a lively conversation with Raina and Scott, audience participation -- lots of time for questions! -- and a very special photo opportunity.
Tickets are $25.
Each ticket admits one person and includes a signed copy of The Cartoonists Club (perfect for birthday parties!) as well as the opportunity to have your picture taken with Raina and Scott.
COMICS ART FEST THIS SATURDAY!!!!!
Peninsula Libraries Comic Arts Fest is returning in April 2025! We’re celebrating the importance of comics as literature in a visual art form and enabling aspiring artists and readers of all ages through author visits, workshops, and comics-related programs.
Since 2015, we’ve delivered engaging comics events to your local libraries, highlighting well-established authors, as well as budding debut authors. Our Small Press Comics Expos (SPCE), opens a new window highlight local creators and provide guidance on writing and illustration. The next SPCE is Saturday, April 26, 2025, opens a new window at the South San Francisco Library and Parks & Recreation Center!
SIGNATURES NEEDED: Open Letter to HarperCollins (aka WTF HarperCollins?!?!?!?)
On April 3, 2025, Penguin Random House, Hachette Book Group, Macmillan Publishers, Simon & Schuster, and Sourcebooks sent a letter to Congress in support of the Institute of Library and Museum Services (IMLS) following Executive Order 14238, signed on March 14, which calls for the dismantling of IMLS. HarperCollins is notably missing from this list of publishers.
We demand to know why HarperCollins did NOT sign this letter and what they plan to do to support IMLS and all libraries moving forward.
Author and AABB member Michael Leali has drafted an open letter to HarperCollins with this request. We need signatures from authors, illustrators, librarians, booksellers, literary agents, educators, and industry professionals in support of this message. If you are willing to add your name to the list of signees, please complete this form by Monday, April 28, 2025.
Link to form here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1gpfgDpS5OJOkrNt8u4Az7OgwuyD-HDB84w33j3HLalE/viewform?edit_requested=true
Link to letter here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oJ0xOQTCL0L2QzGyiAK7Yw7TnBXi5RsWtu7wKFgkVpo/edit?tab=t.0
The San Joaquin Valley Bookfest, a One-Day Gathering of Readers and Writers With Ties to the Central Valley, Will Celebrate the Power of Books and Literacy in the Region.
Presentations will rise from multiple genres (i.e. Young Persons, Poetry, Fiction, Non-Fiction) in a family-friendly environment. Young Persons speakers will include Pam Muñoz Ryan, Margarita Engle, Stevphen Mooser, Kasie West, Jessica Kulekjian, and David Miles, the co-founder of Bushel & Peck Books, who will speak with five B&P authors.
Inspired by the large international book fair in Fresno’s sister city Guadalajara, Mexico, there will be two sessions where written young persons’ and adult works will be shared exclusively in Spanish. A hundred local writers will be selling their work through a pop-up bookstore on site. A thousand people are expected to attend the event.
“The San Joaquin Valley Bookfest is proud to offer a place for writers and readers from various perspectives and backgrounds to come together in a celebration of ideas and community. We’re confident that all attendees—even people who don’t read many books— will find at least one presentation that will interest and inspire them,” states Danielle R. Shapazian, director of the event.
Admission is free to all, although tickets are required through Eventbrite. A special Bookfest rate of $159 plus tax (includes hot breakfast) is available through April 15 at Fairfield Inn Fresno North Shaw Avenue, 1 559-490-9000.
The mission of The San Joaquin Valley Bookfest is to provide an inclusive and participatory learning environment for readers to embrace storytelling in the written and spoken word, and for writers to share, champion, and market their published works. The spirit of perseverance and hope, rich in the literature of the San Joaquin Valley, and prominent in our fields and cities, is celebrated through this event.
Make sure your email didn't get lost!
Hello, friends! Super quick update - I've gotten a few emails from folks who preordered THE TROUBLE WITH HEROES from my local bookstore but have NOT gotten my email with the virtual poetry workshops and author visit invitation for National Poetry Month. I'm worried that some of these got caught in spam filters, and our Zoom author visit is only two weeks away! So...If you've already ordered THE TROUBLE WITH HEROES from the Bookstore Plus but you have NOT received an email from me with all the virtual author visit resources for National Poetry Month, please just send a quick reply to this email to let me know & we'll get that fixed pronto.
If you haven't ordered yet but want the resources, you can absolutely still do that - just order here & you'll get an email from me by the end of the week with all the links & invitations. It includes:
- Four virtual poetry workshops that can be accessed on-demand, whenever it's convenient for you, and used over and over again. They run about 10-20 minutes each, and each video walks your kids through trying out a different kind of poetry. The last one is about how to revise a poem.
- An invitation to a live Zoom author visit on April 22nd! This is also Earth Day, so we'll talk a little about HISTORY SMASHERS EARTH DAY & THE ENVIRONMENT as well as THE TROUBLE WITH HEROES. Most of the 45-minute session will be used for live Q&A with your classes. The visit will be recorded for those who can't attend live.
- An excerpt from the novel and a pdf of the teaching & discussion guide (see below!)
- The recipe for "Cascade and Porter cookies," one of Finn's favorites in the book - they're a delicious orange-toffee variation on the classic chocolate chip cookie - perfect to serve to your book club or poetry workshop!
- If you'd like to read an excerpt with your kids ahead of book release day on April 29th, here's a pdf with the first 40 pages to download.
And here's a link to the amazing teaching & discussion guide created by educator superstar Melissa Guerrette.
Finally - happy Library Week to all of the librarians & library aides who get this email. We don't tell you often enough how much we appreciate you and how essential your work is in the world. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
xo
Kate
Write a Letter to the Editor to Support Libraries!
Submit your letter here:
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Writing a letter to the editor to support libraries makes a powerful statement. City councils and local officials pay attention to public opinion. A well-written letter in the local paper can sway votes and protect funding.
That's why we made it easy to write a letter to the editor of your local paper!
Libraries Are Under Threat
In many places, libraries are facing budget cuts, closures, or even attacks on the kinds of books they carry. A letter to the editor helps defend their value to the community and shows public support when it matters most.
They’re More Than Books
Modern libraries offer free Wi-Fi, job hunting help, homework support, digital access, and safe spaces. Reminding people of these services can boost appreciation and usage—especially for those who might not realize what’s available.
Support Intellectual Freedom
With ongoing debates about book bans and censorship, standing up for libraries means standing up for access to information, diverse voices, and the right to read freely.
They Build Strong Communities
Libraries host events, language classes, voter registration, and so much more. Your letter can highlight how they bring people together—especially in uncertain times.
BAY AREA BOOK FESTIVAL MAY 31ST AND JUNE 1ST!!
I get to moderate a panel here too!! YAY!!! Lots of great people to come see! Full Schedule here:
Apply to be the 2026 Children's Literature Lecture Host Site Applications due Wednesday, April 30
Author Cynthia Leitich Smith will deliver 2026's lecture next spring, and the application to be the host institution is now open! The ALSC Children's Literature Lecture is an annual event featuring an author, critic, librarian, historian, or teacher of children’s literature, of any country, who prepares a paper considered to be a significant contribution to the field of children’s literature. Host sites receive a $2,000 honorarium to support the logistics in producing the lecture and other ancillary activities. Applications are due Wednesday, April 30, 2026 by 5:00pm CT. APPLY HERE: https://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/profawards/chll?_zs=ixqxn1&_zl=6B18A
This book has a permanent place in my Book Talk Crates. I can't recommend it enough.
Banned Together is a dazzling new YA anthology that spotlights the transformative power of books while equipping teens to fight for the freedom to read. Featuring the voices of fifteen diverse, award-winning authors and illustrators, this bold collection of fiction, memoir, poetry, graphic narratives, essays, and other genres explores book bans through various lenses and confronts the high-stakes question of what is lost when books are kept from teens.
Resources rom the Candlewick Marketing Department:
Other excellent resources include:
This educator handbook created by the National Coalition Against Censorship in collaboration with the National Council of Teachers of English.
The American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom
Unite Against Book Bans, a national initiative of the American Library Association that, among other efforts, has created book résumés, resources for librarians, educators, and others to use to defend books.
Read Banned Books on the Holiday House website
Reading Group Guide here: https://holidayhouse.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Banned-Together-Reading-Group-Guide.pdf
Promo Video Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8b_VgJHgxE
No, this isn't Children's or YA, but it is a fascinating, terrifying, and necessary read
I looked at all the finalist for the various LA Times prizes so I could try to read books by some of the finalists. Michael Waters was actually one of my earliest Twitter friends and we met in person at the LA Times Festival in 2018. So, I was excited to pick this up. It's his DEBUT book and it is PHENOMENAL, especially given how much Trans people are under attack these days. It's also fascinating and disturbing that the first regime to really target Trans people was the Nazis. Yup, history is repeating itself in the most horrific way. This is definitely a MUST READ
FABULOUS RESOURCES FOR CHILDREN'S BOOK WEEK FROM THE CHILDREN'S BOOK COUNCIL
The Crash Course in Children’s Book Publishing
Online | Picture Books, Early Readers and Chapter Books, Novels, Nonfiction, Poetry, Business of Publishing
Join lead faculty Editor Harold Underdown and special guests for a Crash Course in Children's Publishing. This intensive course will equip you with the knowledge to navigate the industry, from manuscript submission and publishing to honing your writing craft.
ABOUT THE NEW VOICES AWARD
Established in 2000, the New Voices Award is given biennially to an unpublished writer of color or Native/Indigenous writer for a picture book manuscript.
Manuscripts may be FICTION, NON-FICTION, or POETRY for children ages 5 to 12. Manuscripts should address the needs of children of color or Native/Indigenous children by providing stories with which they can identify and relate, and which promote a greater understanding of one another. Themes relating to different family structures, gender identity, LGBTQ+ communities, or disabilities are also of interest.
The submission period for entry will begin on April 1, 2025 at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time and will end on June 30, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.
New Voices Award winners receive a standard publication contract, including Lee & Low Books’s basic royalties and an advance in the amount of $5,000.
Winners are also given close publishing mentorship as they work to develop their first book for publication. Nurturing manuscripts takes time, and Lee & Low’s commitment to this contest represents over two decades of dedication. We ask for the same commitment and courtesy from applicants. Please make sure you are able to abide by the eligibility and manuscript submission guidelines before entering.
https://www.leeandlow.com/authors-illustrators/writing-contests/new-voices-award/
INAUGURAL BE THE REASON EVENT WAS A HUGE SUCCESS!!!
Thank you to all who supported Access Books Bay Area and Reach and Teach. $450 in gift cards were purchased, and with the discount given by Reach and Teach, Access Books Bay Area gets to have a shopping spree of well over FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS!! Thank you for Being The Reason that Access Books Bay Area and Reach and Teach survive!!
The Bay Area Kids Booksellers group had a wonderful idea and we're thrilled to be participating. The idea? Asking customers to Be The Reason Indie bookstores like ours survive, thrive, and do a great job serving our customers and communities. We're kicking off our first version of that campaign by working with Access Books Bay Area to help refurbish a local public school's library and stock it with wonderful books.
DONATIONS ARE COMING IN, BUT MORE ARE NEEDED TO PUT TOGETHER A FABULOUS LIBRARY FOR THESE STUDENTS!!
To do that we need YOUR HELP! Please click here to Be The Reason Underserved Children Discover Joy in Reading by purchasing gift cards that can be used to stock the library!
The overall purpose of the Be The Reason campaign is to encourage folks to support their local indie bookstores. We'll be honest and say that it isn't easy being green, and indie, and queer, and focusing on peacemaking, social justice, and inclusion, and competing against they who shall not be named at a time when just about everything we stand for feels like it is under attack (by HE who shall not be named and his minions).
We would NOT keep doing this without you, our partners in peacemaking. Below are links to several ways you can help US thrive as a business so that we can continue to serve you, our community, and the world.
FREE OGILVY POSTER
BOOK TALKS (for adults or kids), CURRICULUM CONSULTING (finding books that fit), etc.
Hey all!!
Recently I have given Book Talks to students and parents that can focus on Engaging Reluctant Readers, Diversify Your (home or school) Bookshelves, and Great and Engaging Books (for various ages/grades). They've been well received and participants leave with TONS of information (and quite a few win prizes). I do these in schools or libraries, but would love to be hired by companies as a 'Perk' for their employees who have children in their lives. So, using my 'Social Capital' (that's you all) to spread the word.
I also work with teachers to help find great books that fit (and expand) the curriculum (otherwise known as my idea of a good time).
Please feel free to spread the word and send people my way: sharonlevin @ mindspring.com
We now return to our regular programming.
NOTE TO AUTHORS, ILLUSTRATORS, BOOKSTORES HAVING EVENTS!!
I try (when I have time/energy/spoons) to visit store websites and pull event information. However, the best way to get your events in is to e-mail me directly with FOR THE NEWSLETTER as the subject line. There are over 2000 subscribers to this newsletter - plus it gets posted on Facebook, Twitter (I said what I said), BlueSky and my local NextDoor. I am happy to spread the word, it's just easier if 'the word' (not the religious one) comes directly to my inbox
I'm only as good as my sources, so please do feel free to share events, good news, etc.! Please e-mail me at sharonlevin at mindspring dot com and put For the Newsletter as your subject line.
I'm always happy to feature giveaways. There is NO paid advertising in this newsletter - I do not require anything to feature a giveaway. I'm just happy to do it.