The Weekly 411 (5/2/25)

© Aneta Cruz

 May 2, 2025 vol. 18

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 Aneta Cruz.

Kid Lit News

Albert Whitman Files Petition for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy 

Illustrator Spotlight

We are pleased to feature illustrator Angela Marise Johnson and her website banner design for May.

© Angela Marise Johnson

Picture Book Giveaway

We are pleased to host a giveaway of the picture book, Becoming Boba, by Joanna Ho, illustrated by Amber Ren (Scholastic), out on May 6. Enter to win a copy via the Rafflecopter below.

About the Book:  Milk Tea Town was steeped in tradition. That is, until... Mindy came along. Mindy isn't like the other classic milk tea flavors, with their sensible straws and varying shades of brown. Instead, Mindy shines with her green, white and red colors. Worried about not being milk tea enough, Mindy decides to dive into their history so she can be less different. To the library! As she and her friends embark on this journey, they make a surprising discovery about the truth behind milk tea that could change the town forever...

About the Author: Joanna Ho is the award-winning and New York Times bestselling author of many children’s books, including We Who Produce Pearls, Eyes That Kiss in the Corners, and The Silence That Binds Us, her debut young adult novel, which received the Young Adult Honor for the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature. She earned her master’s in educational leadership at Berkeley, and her passion for equity in books and education is matched only by her love of homemade chocolate chip cookies, outdoor adventures, and dance parties with her kids. Visit her at joannahowrites.com.

About the Illustrator: Amber Ren is a New York Times bestselling illustrator and an artist in the animation industry. She earned her BFA in Character Animation at the California Institute of the Arts. Amber’s work is inspired by her love for folk art, nostalgia, inclusion, and her childhood spent in China. When not drawing at her desk, Amber can be found petting her cat, Ruyu, and sipping boba tea.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Early Reader Giveaway

We are pleased to host a giveaway of the early reader, Maddie and Mabel Make a Friend by Kari Allen, illustrated by Tatjana Mai-Wyss (Kind World Publishing) out on May 6. Enter to win a copy via the Rafflecopter below.

About the Book: Maddie and Mabel are sisters. Maddie and Mabel are friends. Best friends. Will their “best” be put to the test when a moving truck pulls up next door? A new friend is exciting at first. But soon it starts to feel like there is not enough room in the playing and laughing and secret-telling for more than two friends. Healing differences and growing friendships will take a lot of listening, curiosity, a little humor, and open hearts.

 

About the Author: Kari Allen lives in New Hampshire where she is an author and a teacher. Her 6-book early reader series, Maddie and Mabel, has received three starred reviews and has been selected as a Bank Street Best Books of 2022, a Kirkus Reviews Best Books of 2022, a Cybils Award finalist and a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard. She is also the author of The Boy Who Loved Maps and the award-winning board book Whose Prints?. Kari has authored two Little Golden Books biographies: The Bee Gees and Julia Child. Passionate about literacy education and children’s literacy, Kari creates educator guides for authors and illustrators to encourage teachers and kids to interact with their books. When not writing or teaching, Kari might be found reading at the lake, beekeeping, or cooking for family and friends. Follow her at kariallenwrites.com and on Instagram @kariallenwrites. 

 

About the Illustrator: Tatjana Mai-Wyss has always loved books, so bringing stories to life with her art is the best job she can imagine. She has been lucky enough to illustrate a number of books for children. She has illustrated more than 30 books for children including the popular series Bunny's Book Club and Maddie and Mabel. Her artwork has bee published in books and magazines in the US and Europe. She practiced for Maddie and Mabel by growing up with a little brother herself, and then having two girls of her own. Follow her at https://www.tatjanamaiwyss.com

a Rafflecopter giveaway

  

For Writers

The Midpoint Slump: Why Great Writing Can't Save Your Novel

Contests & Awards

May 1- May 31 Crystal Kite Member Choice Awards

• What: Award voted by SCBWI members for excellent books published in 2024 in various regions

May 28 Free Undiscovered Voices and SCBWI Membership for Underrepresented Voices in the UK

• What: apply for free place at the Undiscovered Voices master class series (June 5, 12, 19) and free SCBWI membership 
• Who: writers living in the UK who identify as coming from an underrepresented background in publishing

June 1- June 30 Volemos Award

• What/who: award for writers of Hispanic/Latinx/Ibero-American heritage early in their career (1-3 traditionally published books) or not yet traditionally published
• Award: $500, 1 yr-SCBWI membership, coaching

Writing Courses

May 22 Writing Irresistible Picture Books with Mary Kole The average picture book is only 600 words long. How hard can that be to write?! This question leads a lot of aspiring authors down the road of the picture book. While picture books are easy and fun to read—they can be extremely challenging to write well! Join former literary agent and editor Mary Kole on an exploration of this amazing, engaging, and colorful category of children’s books. Replay available. (free)

Poetry & Rhyme

May 6, 4-5pm ET Harness the Power of Punctuation to Create More Impactful Poetry Poets don't always have to follow the rules of punctuation and grammar. In fact, breaking these rules may add depth and meaning to your poems! In this class, you will learn not only when to break these rules, but also how to best place punctuation for maximum impact. You will also learn how to use line breaks, stanza breaks, and white space in place of punctuation; what the heck is “enjambment;” and how experimenting with all types of punctuation can enhance a poem's tension, pacing, and flow.

All About Kid Lit Publishing

May 7 1 p.m. EDT Publishing Lunch: Brent Taylor, Literary Agent

Get an insider's view of the publishing world with Publishing Lunch, the ultimate speaker series designed for writers ready to thrive. This isn’t just another webinar; it’s your backstage pass to candid conversations with industry pros like literary agents, acquisitions editors, and more. Join us to ask burning questions in real time, or leave your thoughts in advance if you can't make it live—we’ll make sure your voice is heard. Every session is recorded so you can catch the replay when it suits you. This session will also be released as a podcast episode in a few months to give everyone a taste of the action, but only Thriving Writers members and ticket-holders enjoy the full, live experience. Break through the noise in today’s crowded publishing market, and learn from the people shaping the industry, one success story at a time. ($9)

Conferences, Workshops & Retreats

July 9-13, Southampton Writers Conference Children's Lit Conference. Workshop your picture book, middle grade, or young adult (YA) novel by the sea with award-winning, best-selling authors!

Set on the beautiful Stony Brook Southampton campus, this five-day immersive experience brings together both emerging and established writers in a supportive, inspiring environment. Attendees receive 14 hours of workshops over five days, plus 8 optional talks and lectures as part of the larger Southampton Writers Conference, 4 salon events, 4 evening readings, and one night of Selected Shorts. (May 1 application deadline)

Submissions: Agents & Editors

Two New Trends in Querying