#TeacherAppreciationWeek giveaway plus more high-flying news
Three days left to enter...
Teachers, we appreciate you now more than ever. We recognize the fact that you make a difference for your students each and every day. Don't miss your chance to win one of two Soaring '20s book bundles. Click here for details on how to enter. Contest ends 5/8 at midnight Pacific time. If you aren't a teacher yourself, please forward this to a teacher in your life.
Don't miss the Soaring '20s creators on Matthew Winner's Children's Book Podcast. Click the images above or follow the links below to listen to each episode.
What experience or observation of the world compelled you to write this story?
What aspects of childhood do you see expressed through your art and/or your writing?
Are there any details in your book that have come from your life?
What did writing or illustrating teach you about your craft or yourself?
What ways do you hope readers and teachers will connect with your book?
Join us on May 12th, 7pm-8:30pm (EDT) for a webinar with SCBWI Mid-Atlantic:
Group Book Promotion During a Pandemic and Beyond
Four Soaring '20s authors offer tips on promoting books as a group or by partnering with other creators during this time of social-distancing and beyond. They reflect on how book creators can also use this knowledge to promote their books independently. Learn about creating effective social media posts and blog content, utilizing hashtags, planning virtual and in-person group events, finding creators to partner with, and more.
$15, members
$30, non members
** Includes access to webinar recording for 30 days. Recording will be available 24 hours after the live webinar. Link to the live webinar will be emailed to participants on May 11th. Click here to register.
Writing Humor When All You Feel is Fear By Kjersten Hayes
This month I celebrated the book birthday for THE ELEPHANTS’ GUIDE TO HIDE-AND-SEEK, written by me and illustrated by Gladys Jose. My first published picture book. Hooray! It’s a funny book, yet it exists in large part because of something that’s not funny at all—fear.
Read more here.
A bevy of new book covers...click on the covers to learn more
Don't forget, you can see all our covers and preorder on our website.
📣 New deals 📚
Soaring '20s creators Joana Pastro and Nonieqa Ramos will teach two classes through Las Musas.
NoNieqa will lead A Mental Health and Webinar and Workshop along with Rocky Callen on Wednesday, May 6 at 6:00 p.m. EST
Joana will lead OwnVoices Brainstorming with Alexandra Alessandri on May 14th at 2 p.m. EST.
Follow this link for details and for registration for these workshops and others sponsored by Las Musas.
Soaring '20s in the news and on the road
Soaring '20s creators are on several panels for Missouri Association of School Librarian's Virtual Book Festival: Compelling True Stories (Lindsay Metcalf, Elisa Boxer, Kirsten W. Larson, Anna Crowley Redding, and Angela Burke Kunkel); The Possible Impossible: MG Fantasy & Scifi (Rajani Larocca); Teach Social Justice Through Poetry (Metcalf) and Agriculture in the Classroom (Metcalf); STEAMing Up Children's Books (Jennifer Malia, Rajani LaRocca, Vicky Fang, and Carrie Finison); and Big Laughs (and Little Life Lessons) in Picture Books (Abi Cushman, Carrie Finison, Kjersten Hayes, Isabella Kung, and Sam Wedelich). Details here.
Mary Wagley Copp received outstanding reviews for WHEREVER I GO. Booklist says “This story captures the unequivocal joy of childhood even in the midst of refugee status and resettlement.” Kirkus says “Beautiful, realistic paintings portray the challenging everyday lives of refugees in the northern Ethiopian camp and, notably, show refugee children and adults working, playing, sharing, and making the best out of what they have….A fine addition to children’s literature about refugees, resettlement, and resilience.”
Lindsay H. Metcalf's BEATRIX POTTER, SCIENTIST was featured in "How to Use Literary Devices To Make Your Nonfiction Picture Books Come Alive" by Emma Bland Smith, on Lisa D. Kerr's blog.
Vicky Fang's (INVENT-A-PET) early chapter book series, LAYLA AND THE BOTS launched May 5th with Happy Paws! She's also been featured on several blogs and podcasts including KidLit411, Reading with Your Kids and more. You can find all the links here.
Angela Burke Kunkel (DIGGING FOR WORDS) gave a local author talk at Bixby Library.
Joana Pastro (LILLYBELLE) was featured as a Storyteller Academy Student Success Story.
Rajani Larocca (SEVEN GOLDEN RINGS) taught SO YOU WANT TO WRITE A PICTURE BOOK? for Highlights. You can catch the replay here. Rajani also collaborated with 12-year-old Liyana on The Hungry Mirror on the Story Seeds podcast. Listen here. And her MIDSUMMER'S MAYHEM appeared on Book Riot's list of Feel-Good Middle-Grade Books.
Vicky Fang, Hope Lim (I AM A BIRD), Isabella Kung (NO FUZZBALL!), and Darshana Khiani (HOW TO WEAR A SARI) were mentioned in #Reading is for Everyone: 15 Diverse Authors to Watch in 2020.
Jen Malia (TOO STICKY!) was interviewed on Math is Everywhere, Picture Book Buzz, We Need Diverse Books, and Color Me a Kidlit Writer. She wrote "What Too Sticky! Means to My Neurodiverse Family" for A Novel Mind. Too Sticky! appeared in the Think Inclusive Disability Round-up.
Christina Soontornvat (THE BLUNDERS) helped planed and organize The Everywhere Book Fest.
Kirsten W. Larson (WOOD, WIRE, WINGS) appeared on the Reading With Your Kids podcast. Have a listen.