Aug. 1, 2025 vol. 31
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 Johanna H. Kim.
Picture Book Giveaway
We are pleased to host a giveaway of the picture book, M is For Mason Jar: A Homesteading Alphabet, by Carolyn Bennett Frasier, illustrated by Sally Garland (Families) out on August 12. Enter to win a copy via the Rafflecopter below.
About the Book: A is for attic and armfuls of aprons our aunties once made. B is for baking the batter for buttermilk biscuits. Yum!
Children are an essential part of any homestead. From canning creamed corn and cucumbers to scattering seeds in the soil, explore a fun modern-day homesteading activity for every letter of the alphabet, just for young homesteaders. Whether in the country or the city, the time-honored practices of the homestead will encourage kids to be more self-reliant and to be thankful for the bounty of the earth and the work of their hands. Includes one page of backmatter to help kids get involved in homesteading activities.
About the Author: Carolyn Bennett Fraiser is a homesteader in the mountains of western North Carolina, where she writes for children. She is the author of Moon Tree, a Junior Library Guild Gold Selection and a 2023 Crystal Kite award winner, and several other educational books for children.
About the Illustrator: Sally Garland was brought up in a small town in the Highlands of Scotland called Alness, and studied illustration at Edinburgh College of Art before moving to Glasgow, where she now lives and works with her partner and young son.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
For Writers
The One Question You Must Ask About Every Scene
- What: design a website banner for use during one month in 2026
- Who: anyone over 13 years old
- Prizes: cash prizes ($175/ $125/ $75), display of banner for a month on Kidlit411 website and Facebook group, and an Illustrator Spotlight
Aug 11 - Sept 7 - Picture Books Workshop, with agent Saba Sulaiman. In this intimate online workshop, you'll receive a written critique of a picture book manuscript from literary agent Saba Sulaiman of Talcott Notch Literary, plus get the opportunity to speak to her individually in a live group call to follow critiques. You'll also exchange critiques with your workshop peers. Inked Voices workshops offer a combination of feedback on your own work and apprenticeship through giving feedback alongside a professional. Designed for intermediate to advanced writers who are querying. Limited to 8 writers.
Oct. 11 Girl Power Hour Girl Power Hour is the celebration by the kidlit community of the International Day of the Girl. On October 11th, each year, kidlit creatives come together to celebrate and promote the representation of all girls in kidlit as well as support diversity. This year we will celebrate with an all day #kidlit conference! Hone your kidlit craft and learn about the business of kidlit with strong women in the industry. Opportunities for FREE mentor sessions and other kidlit goodies will be raffled throughout the day!
After the euphoria of selling a manuscript has subsided, we have to face the cold, hard reality of book promotion. Most writers don’t have the kind of background to deal with this part of an author’s career. But even if you have a sales or marketing background, hawking your own book and making sure it gets as many eyes on it as possible is a special challenge. Having published seven books traditionally, Teresa Robeson has tried a number of different approaches to promotion, including hiring a publicity firm (her bank account is still reeling), blog tours, and networking opportunities. In this talk, she will go over the methods she has used and share her experiences with, and verdicts on, each. There will be a handout with presentation notes and prompts to help you determine what might work best for you. ($20 non Inked Voices members; free to members)
PB26Debut: a group of picture book authors debuting in 2026
2026 Debuts: a group of traditionally-published authors debuting in 2026
This book sounds wonderful and a great way to connect readers to the earth.
ReplyDeleteId love to win this book for my school library!
ReplyDeleteThe Mason Jar book sounds exciting! Thanks for the chance to win it!
ReplyDeleteM is for Mason Jar looks wonderful, can't wait to see it in person. Congratulations to all and thanks for the opportunity to win a copy!
ReplyDeleteThe book looks terrific. Thanks for the chance. And thanks for the reat links.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to an alphabet book that connects kids with the earth.
ReplyDeleteWhoops forgot my name.
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