Langston's Lil' Library

Hello! Langston here reporting. I have officially opened Langston’s Lil’ Library for business. Opening a library up is a big deal. But I have a secret. 

Reading isn’t always my favorite thing to do. Especially when I can jump on my trampoline or play video games with my friends.

So why did I want to be a librarian of this library? Because I like to read these type of books!

Books like Colleen Paeff’s THE GREAT STINK: HOW JOSEPH BAZALGETTE SOLVED LONDON'S POOP POLLUTION PROBLEM.

I like to read books where I am on the cover!!

In GRACIAS, OMU! (Oge Mora), HAIR STORY (NoNieqa Ramos) and LUCA’S BRIDGE (Mariana Llanos), I see me! 

Almost all the books in my Lil Library by the Soaring ‘20s are in my big library at home. I say almost because they keep writing books!

Thank you Soaring ‘20s for donating your books and books by other authors you love!

Finally. My Lil Library is bussin because it has books in Arabic and Spanish. Can you help me and send more? I would love books in Kurdish, Hindi, Swahili, and more. 

You can DM my mom through her website, www.nonieqaramos.com, if you would like to donate!

20 Questions: Creators We Admire

Welcome back to our series, 20 QUESTIONS!,

where we answer questions about writing, reading, and author life. This month’s question:

Do you have a successful author or illustrator whose career you admire and if so, whom—and why?

Isabella Kung

“I have too many to list so I’ll just pick three: LeUyen Pham, Suzy Lee, and Matt Forsythe. LeUyen Pham is a master author/illustrator with the speed, technique, and versatility one could only dream of! She doesn’t let style, medium, genre, or format limit her way of expression. It’s no wonder she continues to dominate this industry. Suzy Lee’s brilliantly simple, yet profound books took my breath away. The way she plays with her concepts and experiments with her illustrations is out of  this world. Lastly, I’ve always been a fan of Matt Forsythe’s beautiful illustrations, and when he debuted his author-illustrated book, I was immediately charmed by his humor and characters.”

—Isabella Kung, author-illustrator of NO SNOWBALL! (Orchard Books, 2022)

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Kirsten W. Larson

“I’m a big fan of fellow Soaring ‘20s Rajani LaRocca and Vicky Fang, because they write in so many genres and categories, from picture books to early readers and graphic novels (Vicky), and middle grade novels (Rajani). I’ve recently branched out into graphic novels and am working to master novels, and it’s tough. Every format demands a different style of writing and further development of the writing craft.”

—Kirsten W. Larson, author of THE FIRE OF STARS: The Life and Brilliance of the Woman Who Discovered What Stars Are Made Of (Chronicle Books, 2023)

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Lindsay H. Metcalf

“I will echo Kirsten’s answer of Rajani and Vicky, who are both so prolific while wearing many hats. And I will add Nikki Grimes, whose esteemed career in kidlit has spanned decades. She continues to publish poetic works in categories that span all ages of children’s literature and consistently gives back to the community.”

—Lindsay H. Metcalf, co-editor of NO WORLD TOO BIG: Young People Fighting Global Climate Change (Charlesbridge, March 2023)

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M.O. Yuksel

“I admire so many authors and illustrators. To name a few, I’m a big fan of Kathleen Krull’s books because she was a prolific author who crafted beautiful biographies like Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez, and Wilma Unlimited: How Wilma Rudolph Became the World’s Fastest Woman. I also admire Demi because she not only wrote biographies about diverse figures but she also illustrated her books in her own unique style.”

—M.O. Yuksel, author of ONE WISH: Fatima al-Fihri and the World’s Oldest University (HarperCollins, 2022) 

20 Questions: Favorite Childhood Books

20 Questions: Favorite Childhood Books

Welcome back to our series, 20 QUESTIONS!,

where we answer questions about writing, reading, and author life.

This month’s question:

What was one of your favorite childhood books and why?

Robert McCloskey’s One Morning in Maine was a favorite picture book of mine as a child because it transported me to another world—an island in Maine. There were many things that pulled me in: the sensory details in the text and illustrations (I could smell the salty ocean and feel the slippery seaweed), the two sisters who reminded me of myself and my sister, the dog (my parents wouldn’t let me have one, so Penny was my substitute), the everyday adventure of island life, and the way the whole community was interested in Sal’s problem (her lost tooth). Such is the power of a picture book that I now live in Maine (and have a dog who looks a bit like Penny)!

—Melanie Ellsworth, author of BATTLE OF THE BOOKS, illus. James Rey Sanchez (Little Bee Books, 2022)

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I grew up in the same small, not-famous-at-all town as author and illustrator Stephen Kellogg. I have a signed copy of his book, The Island of the Skog. He wrote my name on the inside in big bubble letters and even drew a skog. Holding his book in my hands and knowing that he lived where I lived made me think, for the first time, that I could be a writer too. And the book is awesome! As I sign copies of my book for kids, I’m always secretly hoping it might spur on their own publishing dreams. 

—Kelly Carey, author of HOW LONG IS FOREVER?, illus. Qing Zhuang (Charlesbridge, 2020)

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I adored Nancy Drew. She was focused, so curious, and had so much agency and gumption. Her process spoke to me but also her ability to show up and get the job done. She really inspired me. I also deeply loved Mildred Taylor’s Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. I was growing up in the South, and Taylor’s book opened my heart and eyes in such a profound way and really ignited this sense of injustice and service in me. I am so grateful for these books!

—Anna Crowley Redding, author of COURAGE LIKE KATE, illus. Emily Sutton (Random House Studio, August 2022)

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My favorite books as a child were the FRANCES books from Russell and Lillian Hoban, specifically Bread and Jam for Frances. I felt alone amongst siblings and friends as a picky eater, and the neighborhood kids would sometimes stand out on the sidewalk yelling for me to hurry up and finish my dinner so I could come out and play! Frances made me feel seen, and she, just like me, sang songs to reflect and navigate life’s hurdles. She is still a character I identify with all these years later!

—Julie Rowan-Zoch, illustrator of NOT ALL SHEEP ARE BORING!, written by Bobby Moynihan (G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, September 2022)

My favorite book as a child was one that made me laugh out loud till my belly ached! The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales by Jon Scieszka and illustrated by Lane Smith. I loved their spin on traditional fairy tales, all the “stupid” jokes and the way the book interacts with the reader. It was the first book I’ve ever read that had such an unconventional way of storytelling, as well as arrangement of text and illustrations! Needless to say, it left an impression. Perhaps that’s why I’m so drawn to creating humorous picture books too!

—Isabella Kung, author and illustrator of NO SNOWBALL! (Orchard Books, November 2022)