The Weekly 411 (12/5/25)
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| © Yuliya Kalé |
Dec. 5, 2025 vol. 49
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 Yuliya Kalé.
Publishing News
Publishing Sales Recovered in September
Andrea Brown Alums Launch Boutique Agency
Picture Book Giveaway
We are pleased to host a giveaway of the picture book, The Mithai Box is Not Empty, by Namrata Agarwal, illustrated by Parvati Pillai (Holiday House) out now. Enter to win a copy via the widget below.
About the Book: Ria wants to be the best chai party host to impress her grandparents, who are visiting all the way from India. She even shares her precious mithai box of her favorite sweet, motichoor ladoo, with the whole family. After all, her grandparents always taught her “Atithi devo bhava, like God we welcome our guests with warmth and respect.” Everyone loves the motichoor ladoo. And Ria is happy that everyone else is happy. But as the ladoo disappears, she worries that there will be none left for her. What good is being the best host if Ria doesn’t get to have fun too?
But her grandmother has a surprise. . .one last motichoor ladoo!
About the Author: Namrata Agarwal is a children’s book writer who has written picture books - Misha series and The Grasshopper and the Owl and for children’s magazines like Cricket media - Faces and IntellyJelly. She is a member of SCBWI and Writing Barn. Currently she lives in New Jersey with her two kids and husband. In her spare time, she enjoys reading and crafting. Her web site is namrataagarwal.com.
About the Illustrator: Parvati Pillar is an illustrator and designer who has worked on everything from magazines to Disney books. She is the illustrator of The Runaway Dosa by Soma Subramniam, Bindu's Bindis by Supra Kelkar, and more.
The Final Pass: When a Novel Goes to Print
Conferences, Workshops and Retreats
March 13- 15 Whispering Pines Retreat Join serious children's book writers and illustrators to improve your craft and network with industry professionals. Attend presentations and have one-on-one meetings with mentors about your manuscript. applications due Dec 4-5.
Dec. 9, 1 pm CT Show, Don't Tell: Mastering Language, Structure, and Story Arc in Picture Books Picture book writers — exciting workshop alert with Editor Julie Bliven (formerly at Charlesbridge)! If you're working on a PB manuscript and want clearer pacing, stronger emotion, and tighter, more intentional language, you don't want to miss this. Editor Julie Bliven will help you: sharpen your storytelling, strengthen your emotional arc, build purposeful tension, understand how structure supports theme an heart, improve re-readability, and break the habit of over-explaining.
Dec. 7, 11:59 p.m. CST deadline Picture Book Author Scholarship Giveaway Is Now Open! We’re excited to offer one picture book writer a full scholarship to the Picture Book Author Academy—our comprehensive mentorship and training program designed to help you elevate your craft, strengthen your manuscripts, and build real momentum toward traditional publication.
Inked Voices Scholarships: Apply for a needs-based partial or full membership scholarship for 2026, or a scholarship towards a workshop with a literary agent. Applications due December 7. Apply here.
I love that Mithai Box, and I applied for the scholarship!
ReplyDeleteI love learning about other cultures and this one sounds full of heart too.
ReplyDeleteBeautifully designed story b9ok.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful message in the Mithai Box book and useful for SEL lessons on sharing, giving to others, respect for others.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like such a beautiful message. I can't wait to read it.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like such a beautiful message. I can't wait to read it.
ReplyDelete