Subscriber exclusive: Enter to win TWO interactive picture books
Fall in love with these October titles:
HOW THIS BOOK GOT RED by Margaret Chiu Greanias, illustrated by Melissa Iwai earned a starred review from Kirkus Reviews, which called it an "Astute and adorable commentary on media representation."
BEST BUDDIES: A Pie for Us by Vicky Fang, illustrated by Luisa Leal. School Library Journal gave it a starred review, saying, "It is not easy to find engaging stories at very beginning reading levels, and this one stands out for all the right reasons. Highly recommended."
THE INFINITY RAINBOW CLUB: Violet and teh Jurassic Land Exhibit by Jen Malia, illus. Peter Francis (chapter book): Violet loves setting up the new augmented reality exhibit at the natural history museum, but she worries that something will go wrong. Her OCD has her repeatedly checking for errors. Can Violet find a way to trust her work and enjoy the exhibit?
Soaring 20's Newsletter Subscriber GIVEAWAY!
Enter this month’s book giveaway, and win two interactive picture books.
AlphaBot
By Vicky Fang
Found your circuit-board head? Your voice-control torso? Your hydrojet feet? Hooray! You’ve made one of the 729 mix-and-match robots that are possible with this innovative flip-flap book.
Subscribe to Vicky’s newsletter for book news, activities, and giveaways! _______
HOW THIS BOOK GOT READ
By Margaret Chiu Greanias
When Red discovers a book about pandas, she can't wait to read it! Except it's about only one kind of panda. Red pandas are completely left out! Red decides to write her own book. But does the world want to read about red pandas or only black and white pandas?
Follow Margaret on TW and IG!
Congrats to recent winners Jen Rusin and Nicole Pounds-Smead!
Click here to enter the giveaway for both books!
Welcome back to our series, 20 QUESTIONS!,
where we answer questions about writing, reading, and author life.
(Note that we enjoy the series so much we’ve reset for a second round of 20.)
This month’s question:
If you could be any literary figure or character for Halloween, what would it be, and why?
M.O. Yuksel
“If I could be any literary character or figure, I would want to be Fatima al-Fihri because she was a remarkable, pioneering woman who founded the world’s oldest existing and continually operating university, the University of al-Qarawiyyin in Morocco, in the 9th century. She had a lasting impact and played an important role in the advancement of education and civilization.”
– M.O. Yuksel, author of ONE WISH: Fatima al-Fihri and the World’s Oldest University, illus. Mariam Quraishi (HarperCollins, 2022)
Read more from our authors and illustrators here.
Cover Reveals
New Book Deals
Join Soaring 20s authors Valerie Bolling, Vicky Fang, Darshana Khiani, Rajani LaRocca, Jen Malia, Lindsay Metcalf, and M.O. Yuksel at the National Council of Teachers of English annual conference in Columbus, Ohio November 16-19.
Here's a sample of panels that include Soaring '20s creators:
Thursday, Nov 16
1 to 2:15 p.m. PANEL: 8 Billion People, 1 Planet: Inspiring Empathy, Activism, and Justice through Literature (Rajani LaRocca)
Room 1-226, GCCC1 to 2:15 p.m. PANEL: How to Create Kindness in the World Through Just and Equitable Literacy Learning (Valerie Bolling) Main Level, Room A120-121
2:30 to 3:45 p.m. PANEL: All Hands on Deck: Creating an Active, Climate-Literate School Community (Lindsay Metcalf) Room A-120/121
Friday, Nov 17
9:30 to 10:45 a.m. PANEL: Cultivating Connections: Engaging with Diverse Texts to Foster Empathy (Darshana Khiani) Room D-182/183, Venue GCCC
9:30 to 10:45 a.m. PANEL: Using Books to Connect Young Black Children to the Self, the Family, and the Community (Valerie Bolling), Main Level, Room A120-121
10 to 10:20 a.m. BUILD YOUR STACK: Forging Community Across Cultures: Award-winning Authors Share Books that Create Connections (Rajani LaRocca)
BYS Stage, Expo Hall B, GCCC11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. PANEL: Beyond Borders and Bias: How Immigrant and Refugee Stories Connect Cultures and Build Bridges (Rajani LaRocca)
A-112/113, GCCC12:30 to 1:45 p.m. PANEL: Writing Connections: How Collaboration Helps the Creative Process Thrive (Rajani LaRocca)
Kojo Kamau Junior Ballroom B, Hilton 4022 to 3:15 p.m. PANEL: Continuing the Curiosity: Connecting Nonfiction Picture Books to Older Readers (Rajani LaRocca)
A-220/221, GCCC3 to 4:00 p.m. Signing: Best Buddies / Layla and the Bots (Vicky Fang) and Rainbow Days (Valerie Bolling)
Scholastic Booth3:30 to 4:45 p.m. Compassionate Connections: Verse Novels in the Classroom (Rajani LaRocca)
C-151, GCCC4:30 to 5 p.m. KICKOFF PARTY for THE KIDS IN MRS. Z’S CLASS (Rajani LaRocca)
Algonquin Booth
Saturday, Nov 18
11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. SINGNING: MASALA CHAI (Rajani LaRocca)
Candlewick Booth #22512:30 to 1 p.m. SIGNING OCEANS and SUMMER
Abrams Booth (Rajani LaRocca)1 to 1:50 p.m. SIGNING for BUILDING A DREAM in the Publisher's Spotlight Booth (Darshana Khiani)
1:15 to 2:30 p.m. PANEL: We're All in This Together: Using Co-Writing as a Classroom Exercise (Rajani LaRocca)
D-180/181, GCCC2:45 to 4 p.m. PANEL: Unlocking Emotions: Poetry as a Social Emotional Learning Practice (Rajani LaRocca)
B-246, GCCC2:45 to 4:00 p.m. PANEL: Using Authentic Stories about People with Disabilities to Advocate and Be Inclusive of All Students (Jen Malia)
2:45 to 4:00 p.m. PANEL Paying Attention to the Pictures: Helping Young Readers Form Thoughtful and Critical Connections with the Images in Books, Films, and the World (Darshana Khiani) Charlie Owen Room, Venue Hilton 402
4:15-4:45 p.m. SIGNING: Ava Lin, Best Friend! ARCs
Candlewick Press Booth (Vicky Fang)
Sunday, Nov 19
9 to 10:15 a.m. PANEL: Computational Thinking = Creative Thinking (Vicky Fang) D-182/183
10:30 to 11:45 a.m. PANEL: Neurodivergent and Disabled Authors and Author-Educators on Kidlit (Jen Malia)
1:45 to 2:20 p.m. Valerie Bolling receives the 2023 CEL Innovative Leadership Award
Full schedule and registration information here.
Mark your calendars...
Note: All events are in person unless otherwise indicated.
California
Oct 28 @ 12:00 p.m. Pacific: Fairyland in Oakland Halloween Jam! Story Time with Vicky Fang.
Oct 29 @ 10:00 a.m. Pacific: The Reading Bug in San Carlos Costume Party Story Time! with Vicky Fang.
Nov. 15 through Spring 2024: See Isabella Kung's original artwork from NO SNOWBALL! at the Walt Disney Family Museum exhibit “Pawsibilities Unleashed: A Pet Portrait Exhibition," San Francisco, CA.
Maine
November 4 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Eastern: Join Melanie Ellsworth and other Maine authors for a Book Fair and signings at All About Kids Childcare Center at 1 Plaza Drive in Windham, Maine.
Massachusettes
October 26: Winchester Schools AuthorFest and Book Signing with Carrie Finison and Rajani LaRocca at Book Ends, Winchester, MA (Note: Book signing starts at 3:30 p.m. Eastern)
Oct 26 from 7 to 9 p.m. Eastern: Boston Authors' Club "Authors After Hours" at Blue Bunny Bookstore, Dedham, MA, featuring Rajani LaRocca.
Nov 4 at 6:30 p.m. Eastern: Rajani LaRocca will be the Youth Champion award winner and Keynote Speaker at EVkids Expanding Horizons Gala 2023, Charles Hotel, Cambridge, MA.
Nov 6 at 7 p.m. Eastern: Book launch of Rhonda Roumani's TAGGING FREEDOM, in conversation with the Rajani LaRocca.
Nov. 11 @ 10:30 a.m. Eastern: Dozens of Doughnuts and Make More S’mores storytime featuring Carrie Finison at Molly's Bookstore, Melrose, MA.
December 2 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Eastern:
The Writers’ Loft Winter Bazaar and Book Signing featuring Carrie Finison at The Writers’ Loft, Hudson, MA.
New York
Nov 4 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Join Valerie Bolling at the Rochester Children's Book Festival.
Ohio
Nov. 11: Abi Cushman will present at the Mazza Museum's Weekend Conference at the University of Findlay in Findlay, OH. Learn more here.
Oklahoma
November 9 at 6 p.m. Central: Indian Affairs 101st Membership Meeting will have a panel featuring Native authors including Kim Rogers at the Grand Casino Hotel & Resort, Shawnee, OK. Learn more here.
Texas
Nov 4 @ 12:30 p.m. Central: BookPeople Presents: Heartdrum Native American Heritage Month Celebration featuring Kim Rogers at the Austin Public Library, TX. Learn more here.
Virginia
Oct 28 from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Eastern: Book Signing and Story Hour with Jen Malia, Prince Books, 109 E. Main Street, Norfolk, VA.
Virtual
Oct 30 @ 7 p.m. Eastern: Writing Spooky with Vicky Fang and Benson Shum. Learn more and register here.
Nov 2 @ 7 p.m. Eastern: FREE multicultural children’s picture book virtual book club. Kim Rogers reads Just Like Grandma at 7 p.m. Learn more here.
Nov 11 @ 11 a.m. Central: Join Valerie Bolling for storytime hosted by Mystery to Me Bookstore.
Nov 15 from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.: Vermont College of Fine Arts (VCFA) MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults Virtual Book Birthday Party for Jen Malia's Violet and the Jurassic Land Exhibit. Sign up for the Zoom link here.
Nov 16 @ 8:30 a.m. Pacific: Scholastic Storyvoice Online Story Time with Vicky Fang.
Nov 16 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Central: Join Kirsten W. Larson for "Show Don’t Tell: Crafting Snappy Scenes (and Sentences) in Nonfiction" @ The Writing Barn. As writers, we often get the advice to “show don’t tell” in our writing. But what does this really mean on the page? This webinar will show you how to inject tension and emotion into your nonfiction writing by crafting scenes and sensory-rich sentences. $25, recordings available. Register here.