The Weekly 411 (11/22/24)

© Stan Yan


 Nov. 22, 2024 vol. 47

The Weekly 411 gathers all the links added to Kidlit411 each week. To receive this post by email, sign up for our email updatesAre you on Facebook? Join our Kidlit411 group for conversations and camaraderie. We can also be found on Bluesky. This week's illustration is by Stan Yan.

Picture Book Giveaway

We are pleased to host a giveaway of the picture book,  I Am a Thundercloud by Leah Moser, illustrated by Marie Hermansson (Running Press Kids 2024). Enter to win a copy via the Rafflecopter below. 


About the Book: Here is the Amazon summary of my book:

For those confusing stormy days, I Am a Thundercloud helps readers relate to their feelings through the sounds, sensations and colors of nature, making them feel comfortable and lighter. Having emotions, even angry ones, is a part of being human. In Leah Moser’s I Am a Thundercloud a young child is having a bad day—they BOOM, ROAR, CRASH, and CRACKLE like an angry thundercloud. Tense body language, an inability to say the “right” words, the instinct to hide are like a brewing storm within the child. But like the sun breaking through, our protagonist processes big emotions by relaxing, asking for help, opening up, and pausing to permit themselves to breathe. This powerful picture book reminds us that having the ability to recognize how we are feeling not only increases our emotional intelligence and helps us process our own emotions, but it also allows us to recognize and empathize with others who are struggling with their emotions.


About the Author: Leah Moser is a children’s book author living in Northern Virginia. With degrees in Elementary Education and Psychology, Leah has spent years as a classroom teacher. She loves sharing her passion for picture books with her husband, three daughters, dog, and readers of all ages. I Am a Thundercloud is her debut book. For more information, visit https://www.leahmoserwrites.com/, or on X/Instagram/Bluesky: @LeahMoserWrites

 

About the Illustrator: Marie Hermanson is an illustrator who lives with her husband, daughter and son in the United States. She loves how children's books have the ability to teach kids about complex topics in a simple and fun way. Through her research she always learns a thing or two as well. She firmly believes that children's books aren't just for children.

  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Picture Book Giveaway 
 

 

We are pleased to host a giveaway of the board book, Hanukkah Hippity-Hop, written by Barbara Kimmel, illustrated by Ana Zurita (Kar-Ben Publishing), out now. Enter to win a copy via the Rafflecopter below.  


 


About the Book: Get ready to celebrate―and get your wiggles out―by doing the Hanukkah Hippity-Hop! March like a Maccabee and stomp your feet, then shake like the jelly in a doughnut treat!


This playful, rhyming board book invites children to spin, shake, stomp, and shout as they learn about Hanukkah in a lively, interactive way. The perfect Hanukkah gift for the little ones in your life, it's sure to become a cherished holiday favorite for children (and adults) of all ages.

 

About the Author: Barbara Kimmel is an award-winning children's book author and playwright who lives in Atlanta, Georgia. She writes playful, interactive board books and picture books designed to spark a love of reading from the earliest age. Her debut, Hanukkah Hippity-Hop, was named a “Best Jewish Holiday Children’s Books of Fall 2024” by the Association of Jewish Libraries. Barbara’s next project, Purim Possibilities, a novelty book featuring Colorforms© stickers, is scheduled to be released by PJ Publishing in spring 2026. Learn more about Barbara at barbarakimmelwrites.com.


About the Illustrator: Ana Zurita lives in Spain. She was born by the sea in Valencia, where she completed her studies in Fine Arts. She is a big fan of the beach in winter, the color yellow, the smell of old books, and heavy blankets. She has illustrated many picture books.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

For Writers

How to Write With Style

If Your Protagonist Is Bored, You Can Bet Your Readers Are Too

Secrets of Suspense

The Two Halves of the Midpoint

Marketing & Creating a Platform

DIY Author Marketing 101

Revisions

Self Editing Part 2: Tools and Resources for Picture Book Authors

Contests & Awards

  • What: submit your WIP in one of 4 categories: picture book text; chapter books/early readers/middle grade; young adult fiction; nonfiction; plus ability to submit to underrepresented fiction/nonfiction and Karen Cushman Late Bloomer award
  • Who: SCBWI member
  • Award: selected works will be presented to select editors in a secure webpage 
  • What: same submission as the SCBWI Work-in-Progress Grant
  • Who: unpublished authors over the age of 50
  • Award: $500 plus tuition to any SCBWI conference in the world
  • What: submit a rough picture book dummy (if published illustrator), or a rough dummy or ten finished illustrations (if unpublished) 
  • Who: SCBWI members
  • Award: Two $1,000 grants

Inspirational Things

How to Be Kind Online 


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