Children's Lit Newsletter 10/26/25

Join us at Mrs. Dalloway's Bookstore on Saturday, October 25 when Antoinette Portis comes to present her new children's book, To Activate Space Portal, Lift Here. Antoinette will lead a fun and interactive story time for all ages, and will sign copies of her book. Attendees are encouraged to come in their favorite alien or Halloween costume!

P.S. Don't forget that The Elmwood's Halloween Trick-or-Treating is the same day.

This book is an interstellar portal, and the aliens inside want to get to know you!

Before you lift the cover, be sure you’re ready to meet Zrk and Blrg. They’re not so different from you—but to them, you’re the alien!

After their initial shock at seeing you through the portal, they’re eager to see what kind of teeth you have, compare home planets, and maybe team up for a prank. You met as aliens, but by the time the portal closes, maybe you’ll be friends.

To Activate Space Portal, Lift Here is an interactive treat sure to delight young galactic explorers. Antoinette Portis’ bright lines and bold colors pair perfectly with humor that also offers a subtle message of acceptance. Whether for bedtime or circle time, this is a portal you’ll want to open!

ANTOINETTE PORTIS is the author of many inventive books for children, including Not a Box, Hey, Water!, A New Green Day, and A Seed Grows. Her work has received a Sibert Honor and two Geisel Honors, as well as multiple Best Book of the Year designations. A recipient of the prestigious Sendak Fellowship, she lives in Southern California. Visit her at antoinetteportis.com.

THIS EVENT is free but registration is requested. Registration ends at 1:00 pm on October 25.

BECAUSE SEATING is limited, please register only if you plan to attend.

DUE TO SPACE limitations, we may not be able to accommodate every person at an event, so early registration is encouraged.

WALK-INS will be accommodated only if space allows.

WE ASK that attendees arrive between 1:45 and 2:00 PM for the event.

PLEASE leave your non-support companion animals at home.

Mrs. Dalloway's Bookstore is thrilled to present a special exhibit celebrating the artwork of Bay Area illustrators and cartoonists: Jon Agee, Lisa Brown, Shawn Harris, Briana Loewinsohn, Elizabeth McConaughy-Oliver, Dean Stuart, and Eugenia Yoh. A special panel discussion will be led by Thien Pham. Original artwork, fine art prints, and much more will be displayed and for sale. Start your holiday shopping early!

Opening Reception: Friday, November 7, 7:00 - 8:30pm

Come Mingle & Chat + Shop Art & Books

JON AGEE is the author/illustrator of many acclaimed books for children, including the Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor winner It's Only Stanley and the ALA Notable Books Little Santa, Terrific, Milo's Hat Trick, and The Incredible Painting of Felix Clousseau, and a series of popular wordplay books including the IRA-CBC Children's Choice book of palindromes, Go Hang a Salami! I'm a Lasagna Hog! Jon grew up along the Hudson River in Nyack, New York, and went to college at the Cooper Union School of Art in New York City, where he studied painting and filmmaking. Now a full-time author, he lives in San Francisco with his wife, Audrey.

LISA BROWN is a New York Times bestselling illustrator, author and cartoonist. Her work includes The Airport Book, The Hospital Book, and How to Be. Her first graphic novel, The Phantom Twin, received starred reviews from the School Library Journal and Booklist. For adults, Long Story Short is a collection of comic strips about classic novels. She lives in San Franisco and teaches in the illustration department of the California College of the Arts.

SHAWN HARRIS is an award-winning author and illustrator of books for kids. His authorial debut Have You Ever Seen A Flower, was called a “stunning tour de force…” by The New York Times, and received a Caldecott Honor, while The Eyes and the Impossible, a #1 New York Times bestseller, written by Dave Eggers, was awarded the John Newbery Medal. The National Museum of Wildlife Art gave Shawn the Bull-Bransom Award, for excellence in the field of children’s book illustration with a focus on nature and wildlife for A Polar Bear in the Snow, by Mac Barnett, with whom he also creates The New York Times bestselling The First Cat In Space graphic novel series. Shawn lives in Half Moon Bay, California. When he’s not making books, he likes to sing, surf, and play racquetball.

BRIANA LOEWINSOHN is an award-winning cartoonist living in Oakland, CA, where she teaches high school art and draws comic books. She is the recent recipient of a Harvey Award for her young adult graphic Raised by Ghosts. If she doesn’t text you back, she is probably gardening.

ELIZABETH MCCONAUGHY-OLIVER is an illustrator, muralist, and book designer. Elizabeth received her BFA from California College of the Arts, had worked with nonprofit 826 Valencia and the Meta Open Arts Program, and has exhibited with The Society of Illustrators, The Birdcage San Francisco, TigerBunny Studio, and many more. Using color, shape, and playful characters, Elizabeth’s work focuses on personal experiences to communicate a more open understanding of what it means to be a POC in today's society. Raised in Salt Lake City, Utah, and she now lives in Brooklyn, New York.

DEAN STUART is an illustrator and a gallery artist. Over the course of his career, he's created art for galleries, magazines, and graphic novels. He lives in Oakland, California. Cassi and the House of Memories is his debut graphic novel. You can visit Dean online at DeanDraws.com.

EUGENIA YOH is a Taiwanese-American author-illustrator in the Bay Area. She is a children's book designer at Chronicle Books during the day and a children's book illustrator during the night. Eugenia has co-authored two picture books with Vivienne Chang, This Is Not My Home and What If We... During the night she also turns into a tiny orange, but usually nobody is around to see that happen.least.

THIEN PHAM is a graphic novelist, comic artist, and educator. In his memoir, Family Style: Memories of an American From Vietnam, about a Vietnamese immigrant boy's search for belonging in America, "Pham reflects the push-pull conflict of assimilation and cultural loss as explored through food in digitally illustrated panels portraying visual feasts and expressive emotion, making for a vivid and insightful telling that offers joy and hope amid the terror." --Publishers Weekly, starred review. Thien lives in Oakland.

THIS EVENT is free but registration is requested. Registration ends at 6:00 pm on November 7.

BECAUSE SEATING is limited, please register only if you plan to attend.

Meet and Greet with Emily Rosen featuring her heartfelt and warmly illustrated new picture book - Waiting for Max: A NICU Story.

Drop by our Larkspur store at Marin Country Mart on Thursday, November 6 from 11:00am - 12:00pm

This heartfelt and imagination-filled picture book helps families navigate the NICU journey from a sibling’s perspective—offering comfort, connection, and a big dose of hope.

Louise can’t wait to meet her new little brother, Max! But he arrives earlier than expected and must stay in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) until he’s strong enough to come home. Waiting is hard. Really hard. So Louise uses her BIG imagination to dream up creative plans to bring Max home.

Inspired by author Emily Rosen’s own NICU experience, Waiting for Max gently validates the big emotions that come with welcoming a premature baby. With whimsical illustrations and an honest, child-centered voice, it’s a reassuring story for big siblings, loving families, and anyone supporting NICU journeys.

Here's what makes Waiting for Max special:

• Sibling-Centered Storytelling: Offers comfort and age-appropriate perspective for young siblings navigating the NICU experience.
• Empathy Through Imagination: Shows how creative thinking and play can help kids process fear, sadness, and uncertainty.
• Gentle Guidance: Encourages meaningful conversations about medical situations and family changes.
• Authentic & Hopeful: Written and illustrated by NICU-connected creators, with a heartfelt author's note for added context.

A perfect gift for NICU siblings and family members, Waiting for Max reminds readers that love and patience can bridge any distance. At its heart is the message that no matter how long it takes, some things truly are worth the wait.

If you live in one of these cities and would like to request a book tour author visit, please fill out this form so your school can be considered. Even if I’m not able to visit in person this time around, everyone who fills out the form will get an email in late January with a link to a 30-minute, on-demand virtual author visit that will be available to your school for the rest of the year!

We had a portrait of our Grandpuppy Gunther done a few years ago and it was FABULOUS!! We love it even more now since Gunther has crossed the Rainbow Bridge.

You can check out Jarrett's site here: https://studiojjk.myshopify.com/collections/pet-art-commissions

More info and registration here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/abbie-harlow-at-books-inc-alameda-tickets-1520529828649?aff=oddtdtcreator

And, yes - this is an inflammatory title, but it's still interesting to look at.

You can read the full article here: https://www.theatlantic.com/books/2025/10/essential-childrens-picture-books-goodnight-moon-snowy-day/684091/

Bestselling Authors

RAINA TELGEMEIER & SCOTT MCCLOUD

Tuesday, October 28th, at 6:00pm

TICKETED EVENT AT THE RIO THEATRE:

Calling all young comic fans! Bookshop Santa Cruz is thrilled to welcome #1 New York Timesbestselling cartoonists Raina Telgemeier and Scott McCloud for a fun event at The Rio Theatre to celebrate their new book, The Cartoonists Club! This exciting event is perfect for young readers and budding artists who love creativity, comics, and friendship. Get ready for a one-of-a-kind story that mixes how-to tips with comic book magic—made just for you. Welcome to the club!

"Telgemeier and McCloud simultaneously explore making new friends, overcoming self-doubt, and embracing a growth mindset to practice and improve… Highly imaginative and cleverly conceived.”

—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

Raina Telgemeier is the #1 New York Times bestselling, multiple Eisner Award-winning creator of Smile, Sisters, and Guts, which are all graphic memoirs based on her childhood. She is also the creator of Drama and Ghosts, the adapter and illustrator of the first four Baby-sitters Club graphic novels, and, with Scott McCloud, the co-creator of The Cartoonists Club. Facing Feelings: Inside the World of Raina Telgemeier is based on an exhibition that was held at The Ohio State University's Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum. Raina lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Scott McCloud is the #1 New York Timesbestselling author of Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art; Making Comics: Storytelling Secrets of Comics, Manga, and Graphic Novels; Zot!; and The Sculptor. He is also, with Raina Telgemeier, the co-creator of The Cartoonists Club. Scott is a frequent lecturer on the power of visual communication, creator of the international 24-hour comic movement, and, in 2021, was inducted into the Will Eisner Awards Hall of Fame. He lives with his family in Oregon.

Click here for details and tickets: https://bookshopsantacruz.com/cartoonists-club

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.

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.