The Weekly 411 (3/14/25)

 

© Christina Barragan Forshay


March 14, 2025 vol. 11

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 Christina Barragan Forshay.

Kid Lit/ Publishing News


Picture Book Giveaway

We are pleased to host a giveaway of the picture book, Dogs vs. Humans: A Showdown of the Senses, by Stephanie Gibeault, illustrated by Bambi Edlund (Owlkids Books) out on March 18. Enter to win a copy via the Rafflecopter below!




About the Book: In a showdown of the senses, who would come out as top dog: canines or humans? This junior nonfiction book for ages 6 to 9 creates a fierce but fun competition, comparing the ways dogs and humans perceive the world through each of the five senses: sight, smell, taste, touch, and hearing. As dogs and humans are playfully pitted against each other, with one round for each sense, young readers will discover the scientific and evolutionary explanations behind our differences. It’s a close race! With lively, cartoon-style illustrations, this book is an engaging and informative introduction to dog behavior that can help kids better understand and appreciate their canine companions.

 

About the Author: Stephanie Gibeault is an award-winning author of children’s picture books and middle grade nonfiction. As a former biologist with a Master of Science in animal behavior, Stephanie used to spend her time grunting with gorillas and stinking like marmoset monkeys. Years later, being a certified professional dog trainer meant being covered in fur and drool. Now she spends her days just outside of Toronto, Canada, sharing her love of dogs and other animals through her writing. For more information, please visit stephaniegibeault.com.

 

About the Illustrator: Bambi Edlund is an illustrator, author and needle felted wool sculptor living on BC’s beautiful Sunshine Coast. She grew up high in the Rocky Mountains, where she spent her time watching, drawing and attempting to befriend the abundant alpine wildlife. These days, she writes and illustrates children’s books about animals, and still spends the bulk of her time with the otters, bears and dolphins that frolic nearby. She lives with a sassy, owl-faced cat named Midge, and a fluffy, whip-smart dog named Dudley, who provide endless inspiration for her drawings and sculptures. See her work at bambiedlund.com.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Picture Book Giveaway


We are pleased to host a giveaway of the picture book, Home, by Matt de la Peña, illustrated by Loren Long (G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers), out now. Enter to win a copy via the Rafflecopter below.



About the Book: From Newbery Medal-winning author Matt de la Peña and bestselling illustrator Loren Long, the powerhouse duo behind the #1 New York Times bestseller Love, comes a moving meditation on the places we feel most comfortable, loved, and protected—wherever that might be.

 

Home is a tired lullaby

and a late-night traffic that mumbles in

through a crack in your curtains.

 

With lyrical text and expressive artwork, Matt de la Peña and Loren Long celebrate the beauty and love found in every home, no matter its size. They show how a home is more than just a place . . . People can be a kind of home—a family and a community that cares for one another. And the natural world is another kind of home, a refuge we share with every living thing on Earth.


About the Author: Matt de la Peña is the Newbery Medal–winning author of Last Stop on Market Street. He is also the author of the award-winning picture books The Perfect Place, Patchwork, Milo Imagines the World, Carmela Full of Wishes, Love, and A Nation’s Hope: The Story of Boxing Legend Joe Louis, as well as a number of critically acclaimed young adult novels. Visit him at mattdelapena.com.

 

About the Illustrator: Loren Long is the author and illustrator of the New York Times bestselling Otis series, which is now an animated television series. He's also the illustrator of the New York Times bestsellers Change Sings by Amanda Gorman, Of Thee I Sing by Barack Obama, and Love by Matt de la Peña. Visit him at LorenLong.com


a Rafflecopter giveaway



  For Writers

How to Make Your Fantasy World Feel Real: 6 Pillars of Organic Worldbuilding

What is a Character Arc?

25 Ways To Plot, Plan and Prep Your Story


Writing Courses

Mar 21, 12:30-1:30pm ET. Actions Speak Louder: Crafting Character Interiority in MG & YA. How do we create space for introspection in middle grade and YA while keeping readers engaged? In this talk, Maria Marianayagam, author of the acclaimed No Purchase Necessary, will delve into the art of showcasing interiority through action. Discover how to weave your character’s thoughts, emotions, and growth seamlessly into their external activities to keep up your pacing and make your storytelling vivid and relatable for young readers. Featuring examples from Maria's own work and other celebrated MG and YA titles, this session is perfect for aspiring and seasoned authors looking to deepen their craft. $20 (or free to Inked Voices members). Replay available to rewatch through Apr 21.

Submissions: Agents & Editors

Manuscript Wish List - website providing agent wish lists 

Contests & Awards

April 1- June 30 Lee & Low New Voices Award

  • What: award given biennially to an unpublished writer of color or Native/Indigenous writer for a picture book manuscript (fiction, nonfiction, poetry)
  • Award: monetary award and potential publication

Picture Book Rising Stars (applications closes in a week!)
  • What: a 3-month mentorship with an agented picture book author or agent, exclusive workshops from industry professionals, publishing business intensives, community building, more
  • Who: un-agented picture book authors, illustrators, and author-illustrators, plus agented PB creators without agented-represented picture book deals
  • When: apply for mentorship March 7-21

 Marketing & Creating a Platform

If Sharing Your Work Feels Hard, Let's Make It Easier

10 Tips for Public Appearances





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