• Lists

    Debut Middle Grade, June-December 2022

    writer

    As promised, here’s part two of the debut middle grade list! Don’t miss the first half of the list on yesterday’s post. And ;ast week I posted a list of debut picture books, so definitely don’t miss all those great titles. Today, I’m sharing my second list of middle grade…

  • Lists

    Debut Middle Grade, January-May 2022

    writing

    I’m so excited! There are literally so many debut middle grade titles being released this year that I had to break this post into two! But let’s take a step back for a minute. Last week I posted a list of debut picture books, so definitely don’t miss all those…

  • Lists

    2022 Debut Picture Books

    picture books

    These are some of my most favorite posts! I love sharing brand-new books, especially from debut authors. Publishing a book is a HUGE accomplishment. And as a debut author and/or illustrator it can be hard to be heard through all the book news. In other words, there are thousands of…

  • Lifestyle

    RIP Jerry Pinkney

    The children’s literature world received another crushing blow yesterday with the news that Jerry Pinkney has passed away. Pinkney, the patriarch of the Pinkney dynasty was a prolific illustrator creating over 100 books during his lifetime. Pinkney’s wife, two of his sons and their wives are also writers and illustrators…

  • Activities

    Book Jam 2021

    book festival

    One of my favorite parts of being a part of the kid lit community is meeting creators. Authors and illustrators who spend their days creating books for kids. A few years ago, I stumbled across the Princeton Children’s Book Festival. Held every September, the Princeton Public Library would pack authors…

  • Lists

    Author Spotlight: Cale Atkinson

    author spotlight

    I fell in love with the illustrations of To the Sea with its bold, rich colors and its beautiful story about friendship. Since then, I’m always excited to see what new projects Cale Atkinson has been working on. I haven’t shared an author spotlight in a while, but I love…

  • Lists

    Spruce Up Your Wardrobe

    clothes

    I love bookish t-shirts, mugs, bags, you name it! I love promoting my bookish lifestyle and there are some absolutely amazing stores you can shop from – Out of Print, Blissfully Bookish, but today I’m sharing a wonderful new shop and I’m so excited! Jarrett Lerner has been creating really…

  • Lifestyle

    RIP Floyd Cooper

    Author and illustrator Floyd Cooper passed away yesterday and it’s another blow to the kid lit community who has lost so many talented creators this year. Cooper won the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award in 2009 for The Blacker the Berry, written by Joyce Carol Thomas. He won multiple Coretta Scott King…

  • Lifestyle

    RIP Patricia Reilly Giff

    writing

    Patricia Reilly Giff was an author I grew up with. Her early chapter book series The Kids of Polk Street School were a staple of my checkout pile. Later, as I grew up, I graduated to Giff’s other works. These middle grade books took on a more serious note and…