The Weekly 411 10/2/26

 

© Kade Katarzyna Doszla

Oct. 2, 2026 vol. 39

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 Instagram and Bluesky. This week's illustration is by Kade Katarzyna Doszla.

Publishing News

A New (Shorter) Chapter for Middle Grade

SCBWI Updated Generative AI Policy

Middle Grade Giveaway

We're pleased to host a giveaway of the middle grade novel, Now That We Don't Talk by Sylvia Liu (Scholastic) out on Oct. 6. Enter to win a copy via the widget below.

art by Yaoyao Ma Van AS design by Maithili Joshi

About the Book: Grace and Mia are best friends, and so are their dogs. Penny is a pug who hates squirrels but loves playing with her best friend, Otis, a Frenchie with an impressive vocabulary. Grace and Mia are excited to start middle school together, but they soon find out that it’s anything but smooth sailing. The girls have no classes together and they find themselves drawn to different activities. Penny and Otis hatch a plan to get them to spend more time together, but they only end up making things worse!

 

About the Author: Sylvia Liu grew up with books and daydreams in Caracas, Venezuela. Once an environmental attorney protecting the oceans, she now spins stories about nature, strong girls, and the intricacies of family and friendship. Her middle grade books include Stealing the Score, Near and Deer, Hana Hsu and the Ghost Crab Nation, and Manatee’s Best Friend. Visit her at enjoyingplanetearth.com.   

Now That We Don't Talk giveaway

Picture Book Giveaway

We are pleased to host a giveaway of the picture book, Beep Beep to Sleep, by Debbie Riguad, illustrated by Olivia Duchess (Nancy Paulsen Books) out on Oct. 13. Enter to win a copy via the widget below.

About the Book: Playtime is over for the day. In the warm glow of a night-light, a child snuggles into their cozy bed. And that must mean the world outside is also slowing down, going still and quiet, ready for sleep . . . right? Wrong! Not in the city—because cities rarely sleep. They’re always rumbling, wailing, and lighting up with activity. From Chicago to Brooklyn, from Baltimore to Seattle, cities everywhere are alive with the sounds of horns, sirens, trains, and people.

This symphony of familiar city sounds, perfect for reading aloud, is both a marvelous tribute to urban life and a great way to wind down before drifting off for the night, beep beep to sleep.

About the Book: Debbie Rigaud (DebbieRigaud.com) also wrote the picture book The Littlest Food Critic and the young adult novels Simone Breaks All the Rules and A Girl’s Guide to Love & Magic. Co-author of the New York Times bestselling Hope series (written with Alyssa Milano) and The Sister Switch (with Sarah Mlynowski), her most recent work is the middle grade novel Mermaid Season. She lives with her husband and children in Columbus, Ohio.

About the Illustrator:  Olivia Duchess (OliviaDuchess.com) has illustrated numerous picture books, including Becoming a Ballerina:The Story of Michaela Mabinty DePrince (by Laura Obuobi), Hello There, Sunshine (by Tabitha Brown), Tiana’s Perfect Plan (by Anika Noni Rose), The Light She Feels Inside (by Gwendolyn Wallace), Lovely Day (based on the lyrics by Bill Withers), Daddy-Daughter Day (by Pierce Freelon), and A Neighborhood Walk, a Musical Journey (by Pilar Winter Hill). She lives in London.
 

Beep Beep to Sleep giveaway

For Writers

Novel Outline Template

Where Does Your Novel's Conflict Come From?

Story in Reverse: Building Out the 7-Point Story Structure

Blogs to Follow

100 Best Book Blogs to Follow in 2026 (including Kidlit411)

Poetry & Rhyme

Rhyme Hamster - rhyming dictionary

Contests & Awards

Oct 1-8 Fall Writing Frenzy 2026

• What: a free writing contest to create connections and be inspired. Write 200 words about a prompt and submit entry between Oct. 1-8
• Award: winners will be connected with a prize donor for a written critique of a kidlit piece of your choosing.

Revision

Revisions: Crisp Story Beats

Social Media

40 Social Media Posts for the Camera Shy Author

Inspirational Things

What I Learned About Creativity from Bob Ross