The Morning RSS - 4 March 2024
A collection of share-worthy items from our morning blog scroll.
We are Marching “fourth” with a jam-packed newsletter. Let’s go!
What do Eric Carle, the Pigeon, and Taylor Swift have in common?
Before you scroll to the end to see the answer, we highly recommend:
1. Topping off your cuppa and get ready to sit a spell; and
2. starting here: Where is the Diversity in Publishing? The 2023 Baseline Survey Results at the Lee & Low blog. It’s scientific, it’s fascinating, it is must-read, and it is even a little hopeful.
For Writers & Creators
Author visits are more important now than ever before. Every kid needs to feel like the kids at our school felt on Friday. ~ Colby Sharp
Paris Marx interviews Carla Ortiz about how authors are fighting generative AI. Our thanks to
for posting in Substack Chat.On The Growing Readers Podcast, award-winning author Barbara Dee shares her insights about the journey of getting past writer’s block to “unstuck.” [via the Children’s Book Review blog]
Another great author Interview! Afoma interviews Cathy Carr about writing “complicated” books for young readers. Check it out at Reading Middle Grade.
We Need Diverse Books (WNDB) has opened the Application period for its 2024 WNDB Internship Grants program.
From acquiring award-winning books of their own, and designing trend-setting book covers, to ideating innovative publicity and marketing campaigns, our alumnx are doing it all.
In its 10th program year, WNDB will continue to award grants to diverse interns focused on adult and children’s publishing, supporting up to sixteen interns this year with $3,000 grants.
⬇️This one⬇️ is from our BlueSky feed. The link to the full post here. The link to the full slowed mountains post here.
Over at the Kid Table (where we all wish we could still sit),
shares 3 things she learned from Margaret Wise Brown. Listen to the podcast or read it here.
What I’ve Learned [as a MGLIT writer] Hosting the Middle Grade Matters Podcast - guest post by Shannon Balloon at Teen Librarian Toolbox
I started the podcast because I wanted to hear from authors who are ahead of me in this gut-wrenching marathon called publishing…I’ve interviewed dozens of middle grade authors from debuts to some who’ve been in this for decades. And while yes, they’ve all endured the same growing pains that most writers experience, hosting the podcast has shown me so much more. ~ Shannon Balloon [emphasis original]
New Books & Book Lists
Have you ever considered offering your kids the chance to listen to nonfiction books? Katie Wickliff has 20 great nonfiction audiobooks for kids over at Reading Middle Grade.
New month - longer than the last one - so lots more new books! First up: Devyn has all the new children’s books with LGBTQIA+ representation arriving on bookshelves in March.
There are lots of stars on this Mighty Girl booklist for Women’s History Month. From Golden Book biographies of Taylor and Beyonce to Kalpana Chawla, Cecilia Payne, and Maria Mitchell [hint: astronomy and aerospace].
Book Bans & Censorship
For 2024, we’re going to flip the perspective on book bans and censorship. Instead of sharing the head-shaking news, we’re going to share head-nodding ideas!
Nothing this week?!
Other Bookish Stuff
Over at 100 Scope Notes, Travis has 3 Takeaways from the Children’s Bestseller List, 2023 edition. Hint: *swift* as a *bird*, hungry as a caterpillar.
A little bling for your e-Reader? Why not? Ashlie Swicker has 12 ideas for accessorizing your e-Reader at Book Riot. Note: Ashlie features Kindle swag, but honestly, many will work for any e-reader. Exhibit 1 (and my personal favorite):
And with that lovely image, we’re off to find something to read. Here’s to a beautiful, book-filled week! ~ Team CYBILS
So much good stuff here! Can't wait to dig in :) And thank you SO MUCH for sharing my post.
Good stuff all over the place! Thank you!