The Weekly 411 (6/15/23)

June 15, 2023, vol. 24

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. This week's illustration is by Melanie Cordan.

Middle Grade Giveaway

We are excited to host a giveaway of the middle grade debut, Lei and the Fire Goddess, by Malia Maunakea (Penguin Workshop), out now! Enter to win a copy via the Rafflecopter below.

About the Book: From debut author Malia Maunakea comes a sweeping fantasy about a part-Hawaiian girl who must save her best friend and her island from an angry fire goddess.

Curses aren't real. At least, that's what twelve-year-old, part-Hawaiian Anna Leilani Kamaʻehu thinks when she listens to her grandmother's folktales about sacred flowers and family guardians. So when Anna goes back to Hawaiʻi to visit her Tūtū, she has no interest in becoming the heir to her family’s history. But when Anna accidentally insults Pele the fire goddess by destroying her lehua blossom, a giant hawk swoops in and kidnaps her best friend, and she quickly learns just how real these moʻolelo are. In order to save her friends and family, Anna must now battle mythical creatures, team up with demigods and talking bats, and evade the traps Pele hurls her way.

About the Author: Malia Maunakea (she/her/hers) is a part-Hawaiian writer who grew up in the rainforest on the Big Island before moving to a valley on Oʻahu in seventh grade. She relocated to the continent for college, and when she isn’t writing can be found roaming the Colorado Rocky Mountains with her husband, their two children, and a rescue mutt named Peggy. You can find Malia online at maliamaunakea.com and @MaliaMaunakea on Twitter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Picture Book Giveaway

We are pleased to host a giveaway of the picture book, Feeling Hopeful by Laura Wippell, illustrated by Stella Mongodi (Ethicool Books 2023). Enter to win a copy via the Rafflecopter below!

About the Book: Far above the world, Hope the dragon somersaults through the sky, protecting those below. But he encounters a formidable opponent in Fear. Fear proves no match for Hope, until he meets a curious character, The Reader. And it's inside The Reader's vast library that Hope finds what he's looking for, plus much more...

About the Author: As an Australian living in Chile, Laura loves writing imaginative children’s books that make you feel local, and think global. Her stories often include unique concepts or points of view. Laura has a background in Education, and is passionate about sharing her stories with children and educators around the world.

About the Illustrator: Stella Mongodi is an extraordinarily talented Italian illustrator currently living in the UK. She's best known for her incredibly detailed and life-like drawings. Feeling Hopeful is her fifteenth children's book.

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For Writers

Connection, Part II: Human Moments

Characters Need to Prioritize Coherently

Critique Groups

How to Edit Someone's Novel

Marketing & Creating a Platform

Promoting Backlist Books

Writing Courses

June 29, 2-3:30 p.m. CST Traditional Publishing Demystified - What Writers Need to Know Join agent Lynnette Novak of the Seymour Agency, who will share common questions agents are asked and also dispel some publishing myths to give you a better chance of finding the perfect partner for you and your career. And, what if it actually happens and you receive an offer of representation? Then what? No worries. She'll walk you through the dos and don’ts surrounding this exciting opportunity as well as cover realistic expectations so you can start or continue your publishing journey on the right foot.

Submissions: Agents & Editors

Your Dream Agent is the One Who Loves Your Book

To Agent or Not to Agent: That is the Question