The Weekly 411 (3/28/25)
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| © Veronica Stanley-Hooper |
March 28, 2025 vol. 13
The Weekly 411 gathers all the links added to Kidlit411 each week. To receive this post by email, sign up for our email updates. Are you on Facebook? Join our Kidlit411 group for conversations and camaraderie. We can also be found on Bluesky. This week's illustration is by Veronica Stanley-Hooper.
Kid Lit/ Publishing News
Has Your Book Been Pirated by Meta?
Picture Book Giveaway
We are pleased to host a giveaway of the picture book, Grace Lee Boggs: Gardens of Hope, by Sonja Ma Daemicke, illustrated by Lin (Albert Whitman & Co.) out now. Enter to win a copy via the Rafflecopter below.
About the Book: When Grace Lee Boggs was eight years old, her teacher gave her a copy of The Secret Garden. Grace wanted to grow a garden of her own that would help people heal from the injustice in society. In 1992, she founded Detroit Summer. Together with these “solutionaries,” Grace finally created the garden she dreamed about, one that continues to inspire people to make the world a better place for everyone.
About the Author: Songju Ma Daemicke, a former engineer, is an award-winning Chinese American children's book author. Her book, Tu Youyou’s Discovery – Finding a Cure for Malaria, was a finalist for the 2023 SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books; Cao Chong Weighs an Elephant was a Best STEM book, among many other honors. Songju loves to share China’s rich cultural heritage and her STEM knowledge with young readers.
About the Illustrator: Lin graduated from Hengyang Normal University with a degree in Environmental Art Design. She is an illustrator and painter making work for children’s books, magazines, and other publications. She lives and works in Pingxiang City, China.
Picture Book Giveaway
We are pleased to host a giveaway of the picture book, I Am, Yo Soy, by Gabriela Orozco Belt, illustrated by Mirelle Ortega (HarperCollins), out now. Enter to win a copy via the Rafflecopter below.
About the Book: With lyrical text in English and Spanish, this vibrant picture book is a celebration of Hispanic American identity—showcasing the beauty of being part of two cultures. Author Gabriela Orozco Belt and Pura Belpré Award Honor Book illustrator Mirelle Ortega honor all the big and small ways that embracing both heritages are the key to being exactly who you’re meant to be.
About the Author: Gabriela Orozco Belt is a Costa Rican American children’s book author who lives in a small town in the Mojave Desert. Inspired by her experiences of growing up bilingual and bicultural, she writes stories for children so they can see themselves in books. When not teaching, writing, or reading, she can be found spending time with her husband, three children, and extended family. More information about Gaby can be found at gabrielabelt.com.
About the Illustrator: Mirelle Ortega is an award-winning Mexican artist and writer for kidlit and animation based in Los Angeles, California. She is the author-illustrator of River of Mariposas and Magic: Once Upon a Faraway Land, for which she received a 2023 Pura Belpré Award Illustration Honor and an International Latino Book Award bronze medal.
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April 7 and 9, 7 p.m. Intro to Writing Short Fiction- A Two Night Mini for MG & YA Authors. Join author and anthologist Katherine Locke and author and agent Eric Smith to learn about the form, opportunity, and style of writing short fiction for kids and teens. This program is a great fit if you’re looking for a short course of two, 75-minute sessions offering limited interaction with the community, but loads of information. ($59)
April 9, 4 pm CST/5 p.m. EST From Story Spark to Final Draft - The Magic of Revising Your Picture Book- Workshop with Senior Editor Kat Brzozowski, Feiwel & Friends (Macmillan), plus a direct submission opportunity of one picture book project that can be sent up to 6 months after the event.
You have an idea. You write a first draft. You know this could be an amazing picture book - but how do you take it from scribbled words in a notebook to a submission-worthy final draft? In this workshop, Macmillan Children's Book Group Senior Editor Kat Brzozowski uses examples from real picture books to show how authors make their books shine through intentional revision. Authors will come away with insight into what editors look for in picture books - and how to make their own books shine in every line.
April 10, 3 p.m. CST Insider Strategies for Publishing a Children's Book: 10 Must-Know Tips You Can Implement Immediately
Join this FREE, value-packed training and discover 10 must-know insider tips that can instantly improve your chances of landing a traditional publishing deal. (Tip #4 is where most writers go wrong… but once you get it right, you’ll have a major advantage!
In This Masterclass, You'll Learn: 1) The Secret Shortcut to Writing Like a Pro;
Weathering the Storm: Strategies for an Unpredictable World
I'm very excited to read more about Grace Lee Boggs who is a local inspirational woman to me. I also enjoy learning about new cultures and languages.
ReplyDeleteshes a good writer and wrote tu youyou's bio. songu
ReplyDeletenever had a spanish english pb before!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for featuring my chameleon illustration! This little character is the main "troublemaker" in my newest manuscript that I will be querying very soon.
ReplyDeleteLove the cute chameleon!
ReplyDeletePacked issue - signed up for Rosa Pova's class right away!
ReplyDeleteI think more then ever teachers need to have diverse stories like this in their classrooms!
ReplyDeleteLike books that depict the outdoors & nature in their themes.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great links.
ReplyDeleteI love the connection between Grace’s activism and one of my all-time favorite books THE SECRET GARDEN!
ReplyDeleteOops. Forget to add my name to that Secret Garden connection comment!
DeleteBooks look great! Look forward to reading them.
ReplyDeleteGardens of Hope sounds like a beautiful book!
ReplyDeleteThis bilingual book is perfect for my bilingual grandkids!
ReplyDeleteGreat book for spring
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great bicultural book :)
ReplyDelete