The Weekly 411 (6/6/25)

© TeTed Chen

 June 6, 2025 vol. 23

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 TeTed Chen.

Graphic Novel Giveaway

We are pleased to host a giveaway of the graphic novel, How to Talk to Your Succulent, written & illustrated by Zoe Persico (Tundra Books), out now. Enter to win a copy via the Rafflecopter below!

About the Book: After the loss of her mother, Adara struggles to communicate with her family about her grief. When a sympathetic ear arises in an unlikely place, Adara can finally find her words — but can she find the time to listen? A stunning graphic novel for middle-grade readers about family, friendship and magic in unlikely places, for fans of The Witches of Brooklyn and Raina Telgemeier.

 

About the Author-Illustrator: Zoe Persico is an author and illustrator with a love for the wild, the wondrous and the whimsical. When she's not creating you can find her playing board games and tabletop RPGs, trying a new recipe, or hunting for good finds at the thrift store. Her publishing clients include Tundra Books, Hazy Dell Press, Little Bee Books, Bloomsbury, Running Press Kids, Little Brown, and Frances Lincoln. Zoe lives in sunny Florida with a dog named Zombie.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Picture Book Giveaway

We are pleased to host a giveaway of the picture book, Mustafa's Mithai, by Sana Rafi, illustrated by Navi H. Ali (Viking Books for Young Readers) out on June 17. Enter to win a copy via the Rafflecopter below!

About the Book: Mustafa loves happy occasions because he gets to eat mithai! He looks forward to biting into barfi, munching on halwa, or gobbling up a whole ladu. But now that his Baba's birthday has passed and his Nani and Nanu already came to visit, there are no more reasons to have fun and enjoy mithai. When Ammi reminds him that mithai is sweetest when shared and something as simple as a day spent with loved ones can be a reason to celebrate, Mustafa decides to turn an ordinary day into a happy occasion. . .and of course eat mithai!  Mustafa invites all of his friends over for a playdate and introduces them to mithai by finding the perfect sweet for each person, including his ammi.

 

About the Author: Sana Rafi is a Muslim American author who received her MFA from Columbia University in New York. She's passionate about showcasing Muslim and immigrant characters in her books. When she's not writing, she can be found reading, visiting beaches, or being silly with her son. Rafi currently resides in Amazon.com: Sana Rafi: books, biography, latest updatesunny California but is often found daydreaming of her hometown, Lahore, Pakistan. Find out more at www.SanaRafi.com.

 

About the Illustrator: Nabi H. Ali is a Tamil American illustrator who enjoys creating diverse works that showcase an array of cultures and people. He illustrates digitally, but he also has a secret love of inks, color pencil, and acrylic paints. His hobbies include drawing (of course), doll collecting, reading, learning about South Asian mythology and folklore, and researching history.

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For Writers

How to Plot a Plot Twist: 5 Steps to Writing a Satisfying Switch Up

Overexplaining in Dialogue

Contests & Awards

June 30 Get the Word Out Publicity Incubator

• What: a publicity incubator for early career authors. Under the mentorship of an accomplished book publicist, writers will develop and execute publicity strategies to maximize the exposure of their first or second book, reach readers, and create a platform to propel their literary careers.
• Who: early career author
• Award: six-session online workshop with experienced book publicist, participate in a peer learning community

June 16-July 22 2025 Black Voices in Children's Literature: Writing Contest

• What: The contest’s mission is to elevate authentic, culturally relevant children’s stories written by and about Black people. Submit original, unpublished picture book or board book manuscripts.
• Who: open to Black authors who at the time of entry are at least 18 years of age and residing anywhere in the United States, and who have not previously published work for children
• Award: Every entry is considered for publication and three cash prizes will be awarded ($1000 first prize).

 June 1 - June 30 Ezra Jack Keats Showcase Prize 

• What: apply for cash award to advance professional artistic development and growth
• Who: BIPOC creator who has not been traditionally published
• Award: $3500

Sept. 1 Sydney Taylor Manuscript Award

• What: recognizes unpublished manuscripts of Jewish fiction for readers 8-13 years old
• Who: writer with no previously published fiction books for young readers
• Award: $1,000

Sept. 8-Oct. 13 Latino Voices in Children's Literature Writing Contest (sponsored by Free Spirit Publishing and Con Todo Press)

• What: The contest’s mission is to elevate authentic, culturally relevant children’s stories written by and about Latino people. Submit original, unpublished picture book or board book manuscripts.
• Who: open to Latino authors who at the time of entry are at least 18 years of age and residing anywhere in the United States, and who have not previously published work for children
• Award: Every entry is considered for publication and three cash prizes will be awarded ($1000 first prize).

 

Query Letters

How to Query an Agent: 10 Tips for the Submission Process

Critique Groups

Five Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Critiques (Conversation with Michelle Cusolito)