iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Carren Jao @carrenjao.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Happy #BookBirthday to THE SHAPE OF LOVE written by me (!), edited by @kandacec.bsky.social and illustrated by Corinne Caro !Available now wherever books are sold! @leeandlow.bsky.social is offering 25% off with code FALL26.🎉 www.leeandlow.com/books/the-shape-of-love/

A promotional poster for a book, offering 25% off.

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kidlitchat @kidlitchat.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

TOPIC: It's the fall equinox here in the Northern Hemisphere - bringing to mind harvesting ideas and storing them up for winter. Do you stockpile ideas, characters, words, or anything? And how do you decide which idea of yours is ripe for starting? #kidlitchat

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12 x 12 Picture Book Writing Challenge @12x12challenge.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

🎉 Happy Book Birthday to #12x12PB member @carrenjao.bsky.social! 🎉📚 📚 THE SHAPE OF LOVE illustrated by Corinne Caro, and published by @leeandlow.bsky.social is now available. Find it along with more Book Birthdays here: buff.ly/hdeFNyE #kidlit

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Carren Jao @carrenjao.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

It's pub day for THE SHAPE OF LOVE! So thrilled to have this book officially on the shelves and, more importantly, in readers' hands. Much love to Corinne, who did these beautiful illustrations, and my editor @kandacec.bsky.social ! Not to mention the amazing team at @leeandlow.bsky.social #kidlit

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Sylvia Chen 余愛莉 @sylviaichen.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

🤩📚🌟 So thrilled to share this next #PBStudyBuddy feature: SUNSHINE IN THE MONSOONS, SARANG SAVES THE SCHOOL, and THE SHAPE OF LOVE. Hope you love these stellar picture books too! 📚👍🏼 #PBStudyBuddy* #Kidlit #Edusky *For a closer-up view and more, visit pbstudybuddy.com

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Carren Jao @carrenjao.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

Coming off the long holiday break with some good news! The Shape of Love with Corinne Caro (pub'ed by @leeandlow.bsky.social )has its first review by @kirkus_reviews 🥹⭐️! Preorder a copy @belcantobooks.bsky.social #kidlit #OFW #filipino #filtheshelves

A cover of a children's book along with a review

A QR code to preorder a copy of a children's book

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Carren Jao @carrenjao.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

Book reviews are few and far between so #IndieBookstore @joshthelibromancer.bsky.social and @portersqbooks.bsky.social are doing something about it! Cool story from NeimanLab! Love the initiative here and giving their Review of Books a follow! #amreading #indie www.niemanlab.org/2026/06/book...

niemanlab.org

Book reviews are an endangered species. So this independent bookstore decided to start publishing its own.

“We’re not just going to complain about it!”

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Carren Jao @carrenjao.bsky.social · 15/05/2026

💖 Preorder your signed, personalized copy of THE SHAPE OF LOVE (coming 9/22) from @belcantobooks.bsky.social — and show some love to an incredible indie bookstore in the process! You can also preorder wherever books are sold 💓 linktr.ee/carrenjao

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Carren Jao @carrenjao.bsky.social · 14/04/2026

📚👍Happy @weneeddiversebooks.bsky.social Day! My book reco: @chloeitoward.bsky.social 's CHOPSTICKS ARE, the epitome of this day's fun and inclusive spirit. Ward opens our eyes to the many ways chopsticks plays a role in cultures around the world, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese and more. #kidlit

A cover photo of three children holding chopsticks.

Kids around the living room using chopsticks to pick up different foods.

A Vietnamese night market scene with people cooking.

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Carren Jao @carrenjao.bsky.social · 12/03/2026

📚👍@puddlereader.bsky.social and Vivian Mineker captures the beauty of national parks with lyrical text, beautiful illustrations and informative in-text matter! Read on to find your next National Park journey! #kidlit

A cover that shows a young lady staring at mountains

An inside page showing a boy presenting a big mountain filled with birds in the sky.

An inside cover showing a family looking up at a dark sky.

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Carren Jao @carrenjao.bsky.social · 02/03/2026

It's @kaitlynleann17.bsky.social's birthday! And to celebrate she's giving away a critique. Simply share where you've reviewed some of her clients' books. No entry limit either. Neat! #kidlit #critique #giveaway #amwriting Get the full details: kaitlynleannsanchez.com/2026/03/01/u...

kaitlynleannsanchez.com

Update + Critique Giveaway

Hi, wonderful readers, I hope you’re doing well and getting some lovely spring weather your way! Spring is my absolute favorite time of the year, with beautiful green growth and gorgeous, bri…

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Carren Jao @carrenjao.bsky.social · 26/02/2026

📚👍A truly zany #STEM #kidlit read. When your kid tells you it's non-fiction, believe it! :) So fun! #PictureBooks @unshavedmouse.bsky.social @dansantat.bsky.social

The cover for a children's book that features a fish.

An inside page of a children's book that shows fish peering through a telescope and a family eating breakfast very clumsily.

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Carren Jao @carrenjao.bsky.social · 25/02/2026

Good day #kidlitchat! Today I'm celebrating finding time for revisions despite UPHEAVALS in life, progress word by word. It's true, #creativity is what saves you 💗🥰

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Carren Jao @carrenjao.bsky.social · 11/02/2026

📚👍A cozy bedtime book with the perfect pinch of science by Nathan Pyle #STEM #kidlit

A cover that shows the moon and the beach

An inside illustration that shows the water as a blanket being shared by two beaches

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Carren Jao @carrenjao.bsky.social · 04/02/2026

So excited to share that I'm now represented by @kaitlynleann17.bsky.social at @bradfordagents.bsky.social Grateful for the @12x12challenge.bsky.social , my #Kidlit Crew, @pbrisingstars.bsky.social , and fellow authors and creators who really are a source of support and energy!

A poster showing an author and her literary representative

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Carren Jao @carrenjao.bsky.social · 24/01/2026

📚👍 A perfect rainy day read, if you've ever wondered about why we have rain, what are clouds, and what's the deal with thunder and lightning! Kersplash! by Jessica Kulekjian and @zoesees.bsky.social #kidlit

The cover of a picture book called "Kersplash" that shows people covering themselves in the rain

An inside page of a picture book called "Kersplash" that shows people having tea and a parent and child playing with a hose in the garden.

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Carren Jao @carrenjao.bsky.social · 23/01/2026

📚👍"A spark that lights your heart becomes an idea, and then, action.🎆I'm a few weeks too late, but all of January until Lunar New Year is the start of something new, at least to me. "One Small Spark" by @ruthspiro.bsky.social illustrated by Victoria Tentler-Krylov #Kidlit

Cover for a picture book called "One Small Spark."

inside pages for a book called "One Small Spark" that shows someone fixing a swing with a little girl

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Carren Jao @carrenjao.bsky.social · 14/01/2026

"Oh Bad Morning, eyes are crusty, bones are rusty." Some days are just so much harder to start, so I always remember @chelseaauthor.bsky.social and Hyewon Yum's "Ode to a Bad Day." It reminds me that every bad day ends and there's always the promise of an awesome one next morning! #kidlitchat

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Carren Jao @carrenjao.bsky.social · 14/01/2026

New year, new wishes. Dreams are what make humans, human. I've traveled around the world, and wishes written on paper are what I've witnessed time and time again, in #Tokyo #Madrid #LosAngeles. They are beautiful. They remind me that we are all reaching for something we will make real one day.

A woman pins her wishes at the Kanda Myoujin shrine near Akihabara, Tokyo.

La Tienda de los Deseos (Shop of Wishes) in Madrid doesn't sell anything, but asks you to leave your wishes.

A tree filled with ribbons of wishes in Little Tokyo during Kodomo no Hi in Los Angeles.

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Writing & Editing @wrtrstat.bsky.social · 23/12/2025

Write early in the morning or late at night when you are a little tired, it may help you remove your inner rejection voices when you happen to have them. #AmWriting Sneak up on your brain and write. #Writing. - Wrtr #Writer #Author #BookSky #AuthorSky

It's that dog that you know, hopping into some soda pop, during a writing session. A peanuts illustration inside a writing mug. The coolest mug ever.

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Greg Pincus @gregpincus.bsky.social · 02/12/2025

Is #kidlitchat as inevitable as the tides? No. But it does happen every Tuesday at 9PM Eastern/6PM Pacific here on Bluesky, and since this is Tuesday, that means I'm hoping you'll join me and your #kidlit friends and soon to be friends for an hour of chatting tonight. Hope to see you then!

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Carren Jao @carrenjao.bsky.social · 07/11/2025

📚👍 “The Greatest” by @veerawrites.bsky.social‬ and Vesper Stamper is a joyous, tender picture book about the love between grandparents and grandchildren—perfect for family reading. #kidlit

An illustration from the picture book "The Greatest" that shows music streaming from a house on a bottom of a hill.

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Sylvia Chen 余愛莉 @sylviaichen.bsky.social · 07/11/2025

📝🥢 📙👩🏻‍🏫 Do you know anyone who’d be interested in a library workshop for kids 9+yo about the secret writing tricks I used to create TRICKY CHOPSTICKS? I’m hosting this fun session on Monday, Nov 10 @ 6pm at the Lake Hiawatha Branch! #LakeHiawathaBranch @simonkids.bsky.social @fannyliem.bsky.social

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Carren Jao @carrenjao.bsky.social · 29/10/2025

For any #kidlit creators wondering, "What am I going to do for my book event?" @christineevans.bsky.social has this awesome guide! kidlitsurvivalguide.substack.com/p/how-to-hol...

kidlitsurvivalguide.substack.com

How to Hold an Engaging Book Event

From panels and conversations to crafts and live drawing

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Carren Jao @carrenjao.bsky.social · 21/09/2025

A PSA from the folks at #AmWriting. Check your copyrights, especially if you're looking at all these #AI lawsuits. Thank you, Jessica Lahey, Sarina Bowen, and @kjda.bsky.social Btw, a PSA to Copyright your works, or check if your publisher has! amwriting.substack.com/p/publishing...

amwriting.substack.com

Publishing Nerd Corner: Your Copyright and the Anthropic Settlement

Sarina updates us on the class action suit, explains your copyright, and offers advice on protecting your work

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Writing & Editing @wrtrstat.bsky.social · 07/09/2025

#Writing: It's always worth the frustrations endured when you see your final work. As hard as the writing can be sometimes, persistence in writing is the key. - Wrtr #amwriting #amediting #Writer #Author ~ #AuthorSky #BookSky

If there’s any single talent a writer needs, it’s persistence. If you can keep at your writing and you can learn as you write, you can tell any story you want to tell. - Octavia Butler - Writing. ~ One of my favorite quotes. ~ Background photo shows the tidal waters surrounded by large rocks.

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Carren Jao @carrenjao.bsky.social · 29/08/2025

📚👍 "Soy Sauce!" by Laura G. Lee is a vibrant, rhyming picture book that explores how soy sauce is made in China, Japan, and Korea. Lee’s playful watercolors—painted with real soy sauce!—and upbeat text make this an umam-ful celebration of food, family, and culture.

A wave of soy sauce where 3 children are riding on

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Carren Jao @carrenjao.bsky.social · 22/08/2025

📚👍 Rocket Ship, Solo Trip by @chiaracolombi.com and Scott Magoon is a rhyming, heart-filled adventure about a rocket’s first solo journey and the bravery it takes to try something new. #kidlit

An inside spread of "Rocket Ship, Solo Trip" that shows an illustrated cartoon of a rocket preparing to launch.

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Carren Jao @carrenjao.bsky.social · 12/08/2025

📚👍 @jbradley.bsky.social ‘s “Something Great” reminds us that even the simplest things can have big, beautiful possibilities! #kidlit

An inside page for “Something Great” that shows a child up in a tree

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Carren Jao @carrenjao.bsky.social · 12/08/2025

📚👍An unconventional story about a seemingly boring reference book like the dictionary is magical in “The Dictionary Story” by Oliver Jeffers and Sam Winston #kidlit

An inside page for a book called “The Dictionary Story”

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Carren Jao @carrenjao.bsky.social · 16/07/2025

Oooh! The Misfits books by @lisayee.bsky.social and @dansantat.bsky.social . So entertaining and action packed! It's secret agent kids on a mission. "Greenwild" by Paris Thomson. The Morrigan Crow books by Jessica Townsend. They're both magical world building books. #kidlitchat

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Carren Jao @carrenjao.bsky.social · 12/07/2025

📚👍 Being Home by @tracisorellauthor.bsky.social‬ and Michaela Goade celebrates the joy of family, community, and Cherokee traditions through vibrant storytelling and dreamlike illustrations. #kidlit

Illustration from Being Home showing silhouettes of people dancing joyfully under a canopy of pink and purple flowers and trees, with the text “No more faraway family. Close enough to gather, eat, laugh, dance, and share.”

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Carren Jao @carrenjao.bsky.social · 07/07/2025

📚👍There is beauty and poetry in science that @lesliebarnardbooth.bsky.social‬ and Marc Martin bring to life in “A Stone Is a Story.” #kidlit

An inside page for a book called “A Stone Is a Story” that shows a mountain range with birds flying overhead done in watercolor.

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Carren Jao @carrenjao.bsky.social · 24/06/2025

📚👍 Filled with humor and earnestness, this book by @debbieohi.coml follows Hana on her quest to find the answers to everything. Can she do it?” #kidlit

An inside page for a book called “I Want to Read Alll the Books” that shows a girl reading a big book with some complicated words floating around her.

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Carren Jao @carrenjao.bsky.social · 21/05/2025

#kidlitchat The perfect summer read is one that leaves you inspired, ready to go! I'm checking out The Misfits books by @lisayee.bsky.social and @dansantat.bsky.social . Love the action and adventure!

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Greg Pincus @gregpincus.bsky.social · 13/05/2025

Somehow it is Tuesday again, and that means that it's #kidlitchat again! Join us tonight at 9 PM Eastern/6 PM Pacific to chat with #kidlit folks (hence our name). We'd love to have you and the room (aka Bluesky) can hold us all! So come chat or lurk or both, I say. And we'll see you then!

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Liz Lazar (she/her) @lizlazarlit.bsky.social · 05/05/2025

Hi #writers, our monthly Zoom critique group seeks a new member! We meet on Fridays 11:15am - 1:15pm EST. We're seeking someone who's either agented, traditionally published or both. 12x12 forum post for more info: juliehedlund.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/3... #kidlit #picturebook #critique

juliehedlund.vanillacommunity.com

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Carren Jao @carrenjao.bsky.social · 25/04/2025

MAYA BREAKS IT DOWN combines my love for breaking (not my skill!) and basic coding principles. Thank you for being such great collaborators @aphelandraw.bsky.social Alexandra McKenzie @charlesbridge.bsky.social @heathercashman.bsky.social See you by the bookshelves 2027! #kidlit

A book publishing announcement with the graphic of a boombox

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Carren Jao @carrenjao.bsky.social · 03/04/2025

✨"If all three worlds are bright inside me, do I have to be just one? @salimaalikhan.bsky.social and Noor Sofi captures what it's like to straddle many different worlds and cultures. 📚👍 #WeNeedDiverseBooks #InclusiveReads #BIPOCAuthors #DiversityInBooks #weneeddiversebooksday #Kidlit

An inside page that shows two parents from different cultures peeking worriedly at their child as she figures out her school assignment.

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Carren Jao @carrenjao.bsky.social · 28/03/2025

The immigrant wordsmith in me is tickled pink by the addition of "gigil" in the Oxford dictionary. I've been borrowing words all my life and it's great for these words to officially transcend boundaries. #FilTheShelves www.nytimes.com/2025/03/27/s...

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Carren Jao @carrenjao.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

For #kidlit creators, why NOT you? Get your applications ready!

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Carren Jao @carrenjao.bsky.social · 04/03/2025

📚👍“When you finish your first draft, take a break and go do something else. Stories need time to blossom and grow.” @katemessner.com and Mark Siegel tell this how-to story in a way that real creatives can identify with, including our need to step away from the story too. #kidlit

An inside page for “How to Write a Story” that shows a girl sitting under the clouds obviously thinking and enjoying her break after writing a story draft.

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Jennifer Laughran @literaticat.bsky.social · 01/03/2025

FYI to artists: I'm told that Discord has updated to add generative AI to its systems that allow users to edit ANY image using AI without permission. As of right now, I don't know that there are opt-outs on this. I'd personally be wary of sharing images on Discord.

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Carren Jao @carrenjao.bsky.social · 21/02/2025

📚👍“I want to be special, too. How do I become like you?” 🪨 Who hasn’t had that thought even once in their lives? Linda Liu captures a dull, gray rock’s journey from insecurity to confidence. "Hidden Gem" is a sweet read for anyone who needs to remember how special they are. #kidlit

An inside page for "Hidden Gem” that shows a rock staring longingly at an emerald, with the words: “I want to be special, too. How do I become like you?”

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Carren Jao @carrenjao.bsky.social · 19/02/2025

“It starts with one..” 🌊Part poetry, part biography, part science. This book by @katemessner.com and @mattforsythe.bsky.social marries so many kinds of storytelling into one whole that shows how the actions of one can ripple out to a whole ocean. It is a science book with heart. 📚👍#kidlit

An inside page for "The Brilliant Deep" that shows a coral growing.

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Carren Jao @carrenjao.bsky.social · 13/02/2025

Sometimes when we think a story ends, it is where it begins. @lesliebarnardbooth.bsky.social and Stephanie Fizer Coleman tell a beautiful story of constant beginnings. It’s a poignant lesson: that there is always a place to begin anew again. 📚👍🏼#kidlit #stem

An inside look at "One Day This Tree Will Fall." It depicts a branch that is filled with life despite being a tree that's gone through a lot of hardships.

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