The Weekly 411 (10/31/25)

Oct. 31, 2025 vol. 45

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 spooky illustration is by Miranda Ramos.

Publishing News

We're in a Book Affordability Crisis

Middle Grade Giveaway

We are pleased to host a giveaway of the middle grade book, Dragon Girls: Maya the Ember Dragon, by Maddy Mara (Scholastic) out now. Enter to win a copy via the widget below.

About the Book: Maya is returning to the Magic Forest with her friends Eloise and Ash for an important quest. When the girls transform into powerful Fire Dragons, they become the hope that the animals there desperately need. Beating the Chaos Queen is far from an easy task, however. Maya must take charge and work with her friends to save the land and the creatures they love before it's too late.

About the Authors: Maddy Mara is the pen name of Australian creative duo Hilary Rogers and Meredith Badger. Hilary is a writer and former publisher; Meredith is a writer and teaches English as a second language. Together they have written or created many bestselling series for kids, including Dragon Girls, Dragon Games, and Forever Fairies. Dragon Girls has over 1.5 million copies in print and is available in multiple countries and languages. They live on the lands of the Wurundjeri and Bunurong people in Melbourne, Australia. Their website is maddymara.com.

Picture Book Giveaway

We are pleased to host a giveaway of Hank's Change of Heart by Cindy Williams Schrauben, illustrated by Sasha Richards (Little Press Publishing), out on Nov. 4. Enter to win a copy via the widget below.

About the Book: Hank is obsessed with hearts. He wears them, finds them, adores and hoards them. Hank finds hearts in animals, rocks, and many unlikely treasures. And when he can't find hearts to hoard, Hank makes them himself. But just when Hank’s passion begins to take a problematic turn, he discovers that his collection may hold a more valuable purpose.

About the Author: Cindy Williams Schrauben lives in west Michigan where she writes books for children that range from the truly serious to the seriously silly. When not writing or sharing her books, this award-winning author might be found dissecting her grandsons’ shenanigans for story ideas, reading in a bookstore, or eating ice cream… ideally all at once. Her books, This Could Be You (starred review from Kirkus) and Hank's Change of Heart inspire kids to live their best lives. Cindy is also the host of Author Pep Talk on YouTube where she encourages other authors to realize their publishing dreams. You can connect with Cindy at www.cindyschrauben.com.

About the Illustrator: South Africa based Illustrator Sasha Richards grew up in a country and culture that values storytelling. Everywhere around her was vibrance and colour and she endeavours to bring that brightness into her art. With scribbly lines and scratchy textures she creates illustrations that you want to reach out and feel. She has illustrated wonderful stories that inspire, entertain and has left readers in love with the characters and worlds she wove together with pixels. She is focused on igniting a love for reading and learning in everyone who encounters her work. https://www.schadefox.com/

For Writers

How Long Should A Book Be?

The Real Purpose of the Second Act (and Why You Can't Skip It)

For Illustrators

Dec. 5 (3:15 p.m. - 3:45 p.m. PT) and Dec. 6 (4 - 5 p.m. PT) Art in Motion and Deep Dives Experience the charm of Savannah in December during our exclusive Illustration Intensive! Connect, learn, and network with fellow illustrators in an inspiring environment. Join Art Agent Kelly Pelsue from Morgan Gaynin Agency, along with a choice in engaging workshops led by illustrators Rashad Doucet, Mike Wimmer, and Jime Wimmer. Portfolio reviews with Kelly are available as Add-On's. Enhance your experience with an early arrival on Friday evening with a special visit to SCAD's Jen Library, featuring a private viewing of the iconic illustrated backgrounds, character designs, and storyboards from the legendary Don Bluth Collection. ($50 SCBWI members/ $75 with no membership)

Writing Courses

Nov 15, 2025 at 1PM CST So You Want to Write Picture Books. This FREE mini-webinar on zoom will cover the 4-essential steps to getting started as a children's author. This is the first of several sessions hosted by KidLit in Color.