Children's Lit Newsletter 4/02/2025
AKA Sharon's Book Rx
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND SUBSCRIBING TO DEBRA FRASIER'S NEWSLETTER! IT'S FABULOUS
Fri, 4/4/2025 Time: 6:30pm AUTHOR PRESENTATION & BOOK SIGNING- Jonathan Stroud: The Legendary Scarlett and Brown
NOTE: I have seen Jonathan Stroud present numerous times and he is always INCREDIBLE!!!
Very excited for this new book!! (of course, I get to reread the previous books first, given my sieve-like brain.)
The death-defying conclusion to the "audacious," "razor-sharp," and "raucous" exploits of the notorious outlaws Scarlett and Browne from the bestselling author of Lockwood & Co., Jonathan Stroud.
Throughout their lawless careers, Scarlett McCain and Albert Browne have gotten out of trouble by shooting first, then running away. Now that's no longer an option.
In this non-stop thrill-ride of a novel, we witness Albert’s return to the terrifying Stonemoor prison, follow Scarlett’s search for her long-lost brother, see a town besieged by the cannibal Tainted, and join the final confrontation against the cruel forces of the Faith Houses.
Along the way, our rebellious anti-heros will have to face up to the secrets of their past, and accept the challenge of shaping a better future.
About the Author
Jonathan Stroud is the author of two internationally bestselling series: the award-winning Bartimaeus sequence, which has been published in thirty-six languages worldwide, and the critically acclaimed Lockwood & Co, which was recently adapted by Netflix. His stand-alone titles include Heroes of the Valley, The Last Siege, The Leap, and Buried Fire.
Jonathan lives near London with his wife and three children.
Monday, April 7 · 6:30 - 8pm Rex Ogle's WHEN WE RIDE In Store Young Adult Book Event & Signing at MRS. DALLOWAY'S
THIS WILL BE AN ABSOLUTE TREAT!!!!!
About the Book --
Diego Benevides works hard. His single mother encourages him to stay focused on school, on getting into college, on getting out of their crumbling neighborhood. That’s why she gave him her car.
Diego’s best friend, Lawson, needs a ride—because Lawson is dealing. As long as Diego’s not carrying, not selling, it’s cool. It’s just weed.
But when Lawson starts carrying powder and pills and worse, their friendship is tested and their lives are threatened. As the lines between dealer and driver blur, everything Diego has worked for is jeopardized, and he faces a deadly reckoning with the choices he and his best friend have made.
Award-winning memoirist and poet Rex Ogle’s searing first novel-in-verse is an unforgettable story of the power and price of loyalty.
REX OGLE is the author of Free Lunch, winner of the YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults Award; Punching Bag, a New York Public Library Best Book; Abuela Don’t Forget Me, finalist for the YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults Award; and Road Home, which received a Printz Honor and a Stonewall Book Award Honor. He lives in Los Angeles, California.
MICHAEL LEALI is an award-winning writer and educator. He earned his MFA in writing for children and young adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. He is the author of the Golden Kite Award–winning novel The Civil War of Amos Abernathy and Matteo. Born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois, Michael currently lives in California.
THIS EVENT is free but registration is requested. Registration ends at 5:30 pm on April 7.
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 6:15 and 6:30 PM for the event.
PLEASE leave your non-support companion animals at home.
OUR shared restrooms are not accessible after 6:30 PM, please plan accordingly.
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
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/
MANY CONGRATULATIONS TO CANDLEWICK PRESS ON BEING NAMED BEST CHILDREN'S PUBLISHER OF THE YEAR IN NORTH AMERICA!!
I remember many, MANY years ago - when I was not yet a reviewer, but still considered a resource by the moms in my daughter's playgroup (and yes, it was all moms), I was asked "How can I find good books for my child?" I said, "Look for the books with the bear on the spine. You cannot go wrong with Candlewick." It's almost 30 years later, and i believe that still holds true.
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ABOUT THE PRIZE:
Established by the Bologna Children's Book Fair in collaboration with the Italian Publishers Association (AIE) and the International Publishers Association (IPA), the BOP – Bologna Prize for the Best Children’s Publishers of the Year acknowledges TOP children’s publishers across the world
Collaborative Summer Library Program
HOW COOL IS THIS?!?!?!?!?
“Books change the world. And so can you.”
—Katherine Applegate, Collaborative Summer Library Program 2025 Summer Reading Champion
Katherine Applegate, Newbery Medalist and #1 New York Times-bestselling author, is the Collaborative Summer Library Program 2025 Summer Reading Champion!
This Summer, parents and guardians of budding storytellers ages 8-12 are invited to enter the Katherine Applegate Color Our World Writing Contest. Entries are open from June 1 – July 31, 2025.
Sign up to receive free promotional materials!
WRITING PROMPT
Your writing can change and color our world! Write a short story between 1,000 – 1,500 words about a character that takes an action that changes someone else’s day for the better. The action can be as small or grand as you’d like — even small acts can make a big difference!
Your story must have a catchy title, a protagonist that takes an action to make a change, and a beginning, middle, and end.
The contest will be judged by the Collaborative Summer Library Program, Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, and Katherine Applegate. We’re on the lookout for a story that
Rules and Requirements: View Here
Privacy Notice: View Here
The grand prize winner will receive a virtual writing workshop with Katherine Applegate, signed copies of Willodeen, Crenshaw, Odder, and wishtree, and will receive a $500 of books for readers ages 8-12 from Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group.
Three runner-ups will receive a signed copies of Willodeen, Crenshaw, Odder, and wishtree.
ABBREVIATED RULES
No purchase necessary. Open only to legal residents of the 50 United States and D.C. who are age 18 or older and of the legal age of majority. Entry period begins at 9:00 AM (ET) on 6/1/2025 and ends at 11:59 PM ET on 7/31/2025. Void where prohibited. For full Official Rules, visit the following link. Sponsored by Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, 120 Broadway, New York, NY 10271.
Entries will open June 1st at 12:00am ET.
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.
TWO CHANCES TO SEE BRIAN SELZNICK AND DAVID LEVITHAN!!!
April 14 at Kepler's
https://www.keplers.org/upcoming-events-internal/brian-selznick
April 16th at the Bicycling Hall of Fame (event sponsored by Avid Books)
https://avidreaderbooks.com/events/2072420250416
About Brian Selznick
Brian Selznick’s books have sold millions of copies, garnered countless awards worldwide, and been translated into more than 35 languages. He broke open the novel form with his innovative and genre-defying thematic trilogy, beginning with the Caldecott Medal-winning #1 New York Times bestseller The Invention of Hugo Cabret, adapted into Martin Scorsese's Oscar-winning movie Hugo. He followed that with the #1 New York Times bestseller, Wonderstruck, adapted into the eponymous movie by celebrated filmmaker Todd Haynes, with a screenplay by Selznick, and the New York Times bestseller, The Marvels. Selznick’s two most recent books for young people, Baby Monkey, Private Eye, an ALA Notable Book co-written with his husband David Serlin, and Kaleidoscope, a New York Times Notable Children’s Book of 2021, were both New York Times bestsellers as well. He also illustrated the 20th anniversary edition covers of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. Selznick and Serlin divide their time between Brooklyn, New York and La Jolla, California. Learn more at thebrianselznick.com and mediaroom.scholastic.com/brianselznick.
About David Levithan
David Levithan is a children’s book editor in New York City and the author of several books for young adults, including Boy Meets Boy, Love Is the Higher Law, and Every Day. He coauthored Will Grayson, Will Grayson with John Green, and Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist, Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares, and Naomi and Ely’s No Kiss List with Rachel Cohn.
About the Book
Run Away With Me is a stunning creation, weaving words and illustration to tell the story of a transformative love. Danny is sixteen and spending his summer in Rome. As his mother works all day in a mysterious museum, he wanders the city's ancient, streets. Then one day a voice calls to him, and a strange, beautiful boy steps into his life. Angelo. Soon Danny is in love for the first time, but he's also painfully aware that when the summer ends, he'll have to return to America. Angelo seems to know all of Rome's twisting corners and hidden histories . . . even as he holds his own secrets just out of Danny's reach.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A CBC FAVORITES COORDINATOR? The CBC will provide a Favorites Local Coordinator Handbook, and we will host Zoom orientation calls in August. You will also receive continuous communication from the CBC by email regarding book shipping, materials to use, and upcoming deadlines. We welcome previous coordinators to apply again. If chosen, you will be asked to serve as mentors to new coordinators at orientation. In appreciation of the work this will take, your location may keep 90% of the books. We ask that 10% of the books be donated to a local charity or community organization of your choosing. We will gather that information from you at the end of the program. If you are chosen to be a coordinator, you will be contacted in June. Thank you for taking the time to apply and for all you do every day. This is a significant undertaking by the local coordinators, CBC staff, and the publishers. It’s great fun for young people, teachers, and librarians to be part of a national reading and voting campaign. Email sommer.wissner@cbcbooks.org with any questions about this application and process.
APPLY HERE: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSexl4CXRWZtkb47XRvdkHuCeNAgkt3PRSuUqUnk9gXXBaphFw/viewform
Please return form by April 4
I LOVE these choices!!! I feel like NOT NOTHING was overlooked this year and it is an INCREDIBLE book!!!!
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.