The Weekly 411 (7/4/25)

© Mirka Hokkanen

 July 4, 2025 vol. 27

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 Mirka Hokkanen.

Kid Lit & Publishing News

Independent Publishers are Fed Up with Barnes and Noble

Illustrator Spotlight

We are pleased to feature author-illustrator Berrie Torgan-Randall and her website banner design for Kidlit411. Also, enter to win a copy of her book, Just Ducky: A Friendship Takes Flight  (Cardinal Rule Press) out on Oct. 1. 

© Berrie Torgan-Randall

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Picture Book Giveaway

We are pleased to host a giveaway of the picture book, Tell Me About Juneteenth, by Kortney Nash, illustrated by DeAndra Hodge (MacMillan/Godwin Books), out now. Enter to win a copy via the Rafflecopter below.

About the Book: Celebrate Juneteenth with an empowering picture book! On June 19th, 1865, the last enslaved African Americans were finally freed in Galveston, Texas. Every year, our community comes together to honor this special day. We play hopscotch, eat spice cake, and listen to music, but what about the first Juneteenth?

 

As family and friends recount their memories and stories of Juneteenths past, a young girl learns about the holiday's longstanding history and traditions.

 

About the Author: Kortney Nash is from Los Angeles and has celebrated many Juneteenths in Leimert Park. Tell Me About Juneteenth is her first picture book. When not writing, she can be found cross stitching or trying out new recipes in the kitchen. Connect with her on Twitter.

 

About the Illustrator: DeAndra Hodge is an illustrator and character designer based in Washington D.C. She graduated with a Bachelors in Fine Art from the University of Montevallo. She is the illustrator of Yvonne Clark and Her Engineering Spark by Allen R. Wells. DeAndra grew up in Huntsville, Alabama, a.k.a “Rocket City” where Yvonne Clark spent a summer working on the Saturn V booster engine.

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Picture Book Giveaway

We are pleased to host a giveaway of the picture book, The Traveling Taco: The Amazing and Surprising Journey of Many of Your Favorite Foods, by Mia Wenjen, illustrated by Kimberlie Clinthorne-Wong (Red Comet Press) out now. Enter to win a copy via the Rafflecopter below.

About the Book: Did you know many well-known dishes are food immigrants? The Al Pastor Taco traveled from Lebanon to Puebla, Mexico... French fries originated in Belgium... And pasta arrived in Italy long before Marco Polo visited China. From pizza to pasta and ice cream to French fries, some of our favorite foods have a surprising history, and many of them have traveled far from where they originated! Explore the history of kids’ favorite foods from around the world in this mouthwatering rhyming picture book.

 

About the Author: Mia Wenjen blogs at PragmaticMom.com. She is also the co-creator and president of nonprofit, Read Your World. Her picture books include We Sing From the Heart (Red Comet Press), an Orbis Pictus Recommended Book for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children, a California Eureka Non-Fiction Award Honor Book, and a Junior Library Guild Gold Selection; Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World (Barefoot Books, 2023); Boxer Baby Battles Bedtime! (Eifrig Publishing, 2024); and Sumo Joe (Lee and Low, 2019).

 

About the Illustrator: Kimberlie Clinthorne-Wong is a Chinese-American illustrator from the island of Oahu. She is the co-founder of Two Hold Studios, a collaborative ceramics studio, which she started with her partner in 2017. Kimberlie earned her degree at Art Center College of Design, specializing in Illustration Design in 2017. She is proficient in Adobe Creative Cloud (Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign) and water-based mediums.

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Picture Books

Picture Books 101 (Debbie Ohi)

For Writers

The Secret to Writing Witty Characters (Without Trying So Hard)

How to Make Your Story Open Unputdownable

For Illustrators / Graphic Novels 

Make a Portfolio Website Art Directors Will Love 

Marketing & Creating a Platform

Favors to to Do for Your Future Author Self

I Wish All Debut Novelists Knew This

Submissions: Agents & Editors

 

July 14, 4:00 p.m. CST The Art of Dealmaking: Understanding the Process of Contract Negotiations [PLUS, Submission Opportunity!] Online Workshop with Agent Morgan Hughes (FinePrint Literary Management), Hosted by Rosie J. Pova

 

Take a behind-the-scenes look at the contract negotiation process for picture book deals. In this eye-opening workshop, you’ll gain valuable insight into how an agent approaches these critical steps—from the initial offer all the way to the final signature—and everything that happens in between: 

• Key deal points, essential contract language, and clauses you need to be aware of
• The meaning and implications of grants of rights, subrights, and other important terms
• The right questions to ask your agent or publisher to ensure you’re negotiating the best possible deal

Whether you're preparing for your first offer or looking to better understand the business side of publishing, this session will empower you with the knowledge you need to navigate the dealmaking process with confidence. ($57)