Children's Lit Newsletter 9/26/26
AKA Sharon's Book Rx
I'M BACK AND THIS NEWSLETTER IS GOING TO BE LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG
Quick personal note: I am operating at about 85% which is MUCH better than where I was this summer.
For those of you who want to know a bit more - here's the diagnosis. I have Crowned Dens Syndrome which is a type of Calcium pyrophosphate disease (CPPD), commonly known as pseudogout, (AI definition follows) a type of inflammatory arthritis caused by the buildup of calcium pyrophosphate crystals in joint cartilage and surrounding tissues
SO MANY EVENTS, HAPPENINGS, NEW BOOKS, ETC. HERE WE GO...........!!
AND, SINCE THERE IS SO MUCH THERE'S NO PARTICULAR ORDER THIS TIME
SO MUCH HAPPENING AT LINDEN TREE AND I HAVE JUST RUN OUT OF SPOONS
TOMORROW: DON'T MISS LISA MOORE RAMÉE AND MISA SUGIURA AT LINDEN TREE
Book Launch with Lisa Moore Ramée
In conversation with Misa Sugiura
Saturday, September 26 at 1pm
We’re excited to welcome award-winning author Lisa Moore Ramée back to the store to celebrate the launch of her new middle grade novel, More Trouble Than It’s Worth. Lisa will be in conversation with fellow author Misa Sugiura.
After a hard seventh grade year full of misunderstandings, face plants, and bullies, all Shayla wants is a hassle-free summer. Her ticket to a summer of fun? Joining the club track team! However, Shayla struggles to fit in with new friends, to set a personal best that will secure her a spot in the exclusive Junior Olympics and reluctantly earns the title of “Prank Queen.”
But Shayla discovers that sometimes trying so hard to stay out of trouble ends up making things a whole lot worse. Will she risk new friendships by owning up to a big mistake? And is she ready to speak out against another social injustice? In this powerful and heartfelt follow-up to A Good Kind of Trouble from acclaimed author Lisa Moore Ramée, Shayla will learn the true definition of personal best.
MY APOLOGIES FOR NOT MAKING IT PRETTIER - BUT HERE'S THEIR LIST
THIS SUNDAY STORYTELLING AT THE MENLO PARK LIBRARY!!!
Our daughters were raised on storytelling: going to Festivals, hearing individual storytellers like this one, listening to storytelling tapes (yes, I said tapes) :-) I cannot recommend this highly enough.
THIS SUNDAY AT THE READING BUG IN SAN CARLOS: CHARLOTTE CHENG
Crafts and Storytime with Author Charlotte Cheng!
We welcome back Charlotte Cheng for stories and crafts based on the beautiful new picture book, Ama's Purse!
Recommended for ages 3+
CLICK HERE TO RSVP https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc0u1Oa3CArJPR7NXlRDSWSl7tjTKFoiwXhJ2xpx8TnwCdtGQ/viewformPenguin Young Readers invites you to our...
Spring 2027
Librarian and Educator Preview
Zoom Virtual Event
Join the Penguin School & Library team to hear about our top children’s and young adult picks for the season.
DATE: Thursday, October 15
TIME: 3:00 - 4:15 pm ET (12:00 - 1:15 pm PT)
Featuring poetry breaks with acclaimed writer, scholar, and educator Eve L. Ewing from her latest book, The Best Poem and Other Poems, Too.
Every live attendee is automatically entered to win a FREE galley!
MORE PENGUIN PREVIEWS!!
Tune in to hear the Penguin Young Readers School & Library Team take you through the titles you can’t miss from September-December 2026.
To download a handout featuring the above titles, see below:
Handout with Covers and Presentation:
https://penguinschoollibrary.com/Fall26PreviewHandout
Title Excel Grid:
https://penguinschoollibrary.com/Fall26PreviewTitleGrid
Missed the last preview?
To watch the Summer 2026 Preview (May-August 2026 Titles), click here.
To watch the Spring 2026 Preview (January-April 2026 Titles), click here.
To watch the Fall 2025 Preview (September-December 2025 Titles), click here.
MAXWELL KIM READS HIS NEW BOOK AT THE READING BUG - OCTOBER 3 AT 11 A.M.
Come by The Reading Bug next Saturday, October 3rd at 11am to see author Maxwell Kim's first public reading of his new children's book, The Pumpkin with a Crack in It VS The Love Thief! He'll be signing copies of the book afterward, and there will be snacks and souvenirs for all guests.
Event info:
What: Storytime at The Reading Bug
When: Saturday, October 3rd @ 11am
Where: 785 Laurel St, San Carlos, CA 94070
CELEBRATE TEN YEARS OF: THEY ALL SAW A CAT/TODOS VIERON UN GATO
This book has a permanent place in my Book Talk Crates. Such a stunning book about perception, and how we all see things through our own framing. (without being pedantic). And, of course, since it's Brendan Wenzel, the art is STUNNING.
BRENDAN WENZEL READING THEY ALL SAW A CAT (COURTESY OF CHRONICLE BOOKS)
READING OF TODOS VIERON UN GATO (COURTESY OF CHRONICLE BOOKS)
TEACHER RESOURCES FOR THEY ALL SAW A CAT
ACTIVITY KIT:
EDUCATOR'S GUIDE
MAXINE ROSE SCHUR'S BEAUTIFUL PICTURE BOOK, DAY OF DELIGHT IS BEING REPUBLISHED
Day of Delight is being republished this month by Kalaniot Books. Illustrated by Caldecott Honoree, Brian Pinkney, the book tells of one Sabbath day in the life of a Jewish community in the high mountains of Ethiopia. This book was selected as an Association of Jewish Libraries Holiday Highlight and just this week got a great review in the School Library Journal: "An important and resonant work, offering young readers a window into a specific cultural experience and a universal message about family, faith, and tradition. Ideal for classrooms, libraries, and shared reading. This is as a meaningful contribution to children’s literature and cultural storytelling."
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A PLETHORA OF EVENTS AT MRS. DALLOWAY'S THIS FALL!!!
DAV PILKEY NOVEMBER EVENT (AND YES, POSTING EARLY, BUT IT WILL SELL OUT)
NEW BOOK FROM THE AMAZING KATE MESSNER AND LOTS OF INFO/OPPORTUNITIES AS WELL
Free Author Visit Opportunities & Resources for the new school year!
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> Hello, friends! I know many of you are teachers & librarians who are just back to school or heading back soon, so I wanted to send along a quick note to help with your planning. I'm absolutely thrilled that THE TROUBLE WITH HEROES has made its way onto 26 state award lists so far, as well as the Hong Kong Battle of the Books list and Singapore's Red Dot Student's Choice Award list. I know many of you are planning to read it with your students this year, so I have some extra author-visit opportunities for that – and for my new novel KEEP THE GHOST LIGHT ON, which comes out in February!
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> FREE IN-PERSON AUTHOR VISITS – BOOKING NOW (https://forms.gle/RmGZBmB5t4PkxHaM8)
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> I’ll have a limited number of FREE school visits available this winter as part of a publisher-sponsored book tour. That means I’ll be visiting schools in select cities (maybe yours!) and doing one free large-group presentation at each school, with all travel expenses paid by the publisher. These interactive visits offer a peek behind the scenes at my writing process for both THE TROUBLE WITH HEROES and my new Broadway ghost story, KEEP THE GHOST LIGHT ON, with an emphasis on crafting poetry (and song lyrics!), research, and revision. The school’s only responsibility is purchasing books for the library and classroom libraries and sending home an order form so interested families can order books to be signed on the day of the visit.
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> Here’s the form to fill out if you’d like to request a free book-tour visit from me this winter! (https://forms.gle/RmGZBmB5t4PkxHaM8)
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> Note: the publisher is requesting a minimum of 50-100 books purchased, either by your school, PTA, or school families, but feel free to fill out the form even if you can’t swing that – sometimes it works out anyway, and either way, you’ll be able to sign up for my virtual author-in-residence program!
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> KATE’S VIRTUAL AUTHOR IN RESIDENCE PROGRAM FOR 2026-2027
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> Recommended for readers in grades 4 and up, KEEP THE GHOST LIGHT ON comes out in February 2027. It’s a multi-modal Broadway ghost story, told through traditional narration as well as text messages, song lyrics, historical documents, and musical theater scenes directed by the ghost.
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> Kate’s Virtual Author-in-Residence Program for 2026-2027 is free with your pre-order of one or more copies of KEEP THE GHOST LIGHT ON from Kate’s local indie or another participating store, the program includes:
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> - An exclusive pdf excerpt with the first 40 pages of KEEP THE GHOST LIGHT ON delivered to your inbox on October 1st.
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> - Writing Scary Scenes – a 20-minute on-demand writing workshop for grades 4-8 with author Kate Messner
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> - Songwriting is Poetry – a 20-minute on-demand workshop for grades 4-8 with author Kate Messner & Broadway music director and composer Haley Bennett, who wrote music to go along with the song lyrics in KEEP THE GHOST LIGHT ON.
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> - A Live Virtual Author Visit on February 11th – A 45-minute virtual author visit sharing Kate’s research and writing process for her NYT Bestseller THE TROUBLE WITH HEROES and her new novel KEEP THE GHOST LIGHT ON, including live Q&A with readers. (Each pre-order provides access to the live webinar for one device. A recording will also be available after the live event, with unlimited access through the 2026-2027 school year.)
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> PRE-ORDER KEEP THE GHOST LIGHT TODAY TO SIGN UP FOR KATE'S VIRTUAL AUTHOR-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAM (https://www.thebookstoreplus.com/item/R888A8PhO_6HuwFYUjqIDQ/lists/LqlRl-UhZaQw)
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> As soon as you pre-order, you’ll automatically be signed up for the virtual author-in-residence program. You’ll get an email from Kate on October 1st (or on the first of the next month after you order, if it’s later) with the excerpt and links to the on-demand writing workshops as well as your invitation to register for the live Zoom author visit. (Wondering if your local indie is participating? Let them know they can reach out to me if they'd like to be included!)
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> ** Reading THE TROUBLE WITH HEROES with your kids soon?
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> Here's a link with even more resources, including the amazing teaching guide created by NBCT Melissa Guerrette and four on-demand virtual poetry writing workshops to go along with the novel. (https://katemessner.com/teaching-resources-author-visits-for-the-trouble-with-heroes/)
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FOR THE NEWSLETTER
My in-box is a terrifying place, I am finally down to about 10,000+ unopened e-mails - that doesn't include the open ones that still need time and attention. I need it to be as easy as possible to find your newsletter submissions in there. Thanks for understanding.