iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

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Anica Mrose Rissi @anicarissi.bsky.social · 15/10/2025

VCFA residencies happen twice per year on the CalArts campus AND online. For the past several semesters I've done residency online & it's a lovely, robust experience with lots of strong community vibes. There are Cloud-only events (workshop, seminars) & hybrid events with campus folk (lectures, etc)

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Anica Mrose Rissi @anicarissi.bsky.social · 15/10/2025

New scholarships available for incoming students in the Writing for Children & Young Adults low-residency MFA program at VFCA (where I teach), funded by kid lit legend Katherine Paterson. Thinking about applying? I'm happy to chat! vcfa.edu/admissions/v...

Katherine Paterson is empowering the next generation of writers. $2,500 scholarships now available exclusively for incoming winter MFA WCYA students! Apply now! vcfa.edu. Katherine Paterson Scholarships. MFA in WCYA at VCFA, a CalArts affiliate.

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Cynthia Leitich Smith (Native Books for Young Readers & More) @cynleitichsmith.bsky.social · 05/08/2025

“ALSC is proud to announce that the 2026 Children’s Literature Lecture will take place at the Elmer L. Andersen Library, University of Minnesota Libraries, Minneapolis, Minnesota." www.alsc.ala.org/blog/2025/08... #KidLit

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Victoria Strauss @victoriastrauss.com · 24/07/2025

Yet. Another. Fake. Literary. Agency: Writers Literary. Among other things, totally false claims about authors and books repped, and images of supposed staff are stock photos. They're sending out fake publishing offers to writers writersliterary.com

writersliterary.com

Writers Literary

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kelly jensen @heykellyjensen.bsky.social · 13/04/2025

You may know this, but they're reissuing Slice of Cherry in June and the redesigned cover is going to really sell it to a new generation.

Vibrant book cover for the reissue of Slice of Cherry by Dia Reeves.

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Blue Willow Bookshop @bluewillowbooks.bsky.social · 11/06/2025

It's time to par-tee! ⛳️ Father's Day is this Sunday!

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Alison Weiss @alioop7.bsky.social · 15/05/2025

I was asked today what my best publishing advice is: You have no idea how close you are to achieving your goal, but the only guarantee is that if you give up now, you’ll never get there. Keep going!

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John Schu @mrschureads.bsky.social · 13/05/2025

Happy book birthday to @cynleitichsmith.bsky.social and Kate Gardiner's Firefly Season!

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Quincy Trochue @quincytrochue.bsky.social · 12/05/2025

New book alert! Signed LITTLE BIG MAN by @varianjohnson.bsky.social and @reggiebrownart.bsky.social is waiting in the @littlefreelibrary.bsky.social! Give culturally diverse books (like this one) to culturally diverse communities through #read4unity. Go to read4unity.com/give $5=1 book!

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The Book Faire | A Children's Literature Podcast @bookfairepod.bsky.social · 08/05/2025

Happy Thursday! A new episode of the Book Fiare Podcsst is out now, featuring an insightful interview with @varianjohnson.bsky.social Listen now on Spotify or wherever podcasts are found. #Podcast #kidlit open.spotify.com/episode/5eOU...

open.spotify.com

An Interview with Varian Johnson | The Book Faire: May 8, 2025

The Book Faire Podcast · Episode

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Children's Bookshelf @pwkidsbookshelf.bsky.social · 30/04/2025

“Now that I look back, I realize how blessed I was to be able to spend so much time with my father”: Varian Johnson reflects on his own relationship with his father, in a conversation with Reggie Brown on their new picture book ‘Little Big Man’ buff.ly/wosAlUi

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BookPeople @bookpeople.com · 14/04/2025

Join Coretta Scott King Honor and Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor-winning author @varianjohnson.bsky.social on May 5th discussing LITTLE BIG MAN, a heartwarming father-son story about the importance of stepping up... and finding time to play. More info + RSVP: www.eventbrite.com/e/bookpeople...

BookPeople Events Presents Varian Johnson (author of THE PARKER INHERITANCE) speaking and signing on Monday May 5th at 6PM

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Robin Stevenson @robinstevenson.bsky.social · 14/04/2025

It's beyond surreal, but here we are: the US Supreme Court is discussing the imaginary threat posed by queer families and kids being included in a handful of story books. Thanks to Sarah Brennan for this brilliant editorial cartoon. Oral arguments will take place April 22.

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Varian Johnson @varianjohnson.bsky.social · 09/04/2025

After working on this book for years, I'm excited that LITTLE BIG MAN, my debut picture book with @reggiebrownart.bsky.social, is almost out in stores. More details are coming soon concerning preorders, the tour, and other events, but for now, here's a bit from the book! youtu.be/QFh9_dYVTec?...

youtu.be

Varian Johnson presents LITTLE BIG MAN

YouTube video by Brodart Co.

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Cynthia Leitich Smith (Native Books for Young Readers & More) @cynleitichsmith.bsky.social · 23/03/2025

ATTN Readers! Find out how to support libraries & library personnel in 2025 at the ALSC Blog: Pursuing Excellence for Library Service to Children: www.alsc.ala.org/blog/2025/02... #kidlit #libraries #picturebooks #librarians @amlibraryassoc.bsky.social @aaslala.bsky.social @wearealsc.bsky.social

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Cynthia Leitich Smith (Native Books for Young Readers & More) @cynleitichsmith.bsky.social · 17/03/2025

The Texas Institute of Letters has announced the winners of 12 Annual TIL Literary Awards. This year, TIL will award these writers and 2 other recipients a total of $39,000 in prizes at the TIL Awards Ceremony in Brownsville on April 26. The TIL is a nonprofit Honor Society founded in 1936. #booksky

Texas Institute of Letters Jean Flynn Award for Best Young Adult Book Winner: CANTO CONTIGO by Jonny Garza Villa (Wednesday Books)
Honor-winners: THROUGH FENCES by Frederick Aldama, ill. by Oscar Garza (The Ohio State University Press); PINTSIZED PIONEERS: TAMING THE FRONTIER ONE CHORE AT A TIME by Preston Lewis and Harriet Kocher Lewis (Bariso Press)

Texas Institute of Letters Deirdre Siobhan FlynnBass Award for Best Middle Grade Book Winner: GIGI SHIN IS NOT A NERD by Lyla Lee (Aladdin)
Honor-winners: LOS MONSTRUOS: ROOSTER AND THE DANCING DIABLO by Diana Lopez (Kokila); The Minor Miracle: THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF NOAH MINOR by Meredith Davis (WaterBrook); ON A WING AND A TEAR by Cynthia Leitich Smith (Heartdrum)

Texas Institute of Letters Brigid Erin Flynn Award for Best Picture Book Winner: DESERT SONG by Laekan Zea Kemp (Neal Porter Books)
Honor-winners: A GARLAND OF HENNA by Varsha Bajaj (Nancy Paulsen Books); MIGUEL MUST FIGHT! by Jamie Ofelia (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; A MALETA FULL OF TREASURES by Natalia Sylvester (Dial Books)

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Erica Bretall @kidlitdragon.bsky.social · 06/02/2025

Recently finished Playing the Cards You're Dealt by @varianjohnson.bsky.social Really lovely #mglit story that manages to tackle serious issues like parental alcoholism while also being about family, friendship, and spades. The narrator is excellent and adds a lot of humor. Recommended! #tlsky

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Varian Johnson @varianjohnson.bsky.social · 28/01/2025

I’m Varian. He’s Reggie. Our upcoming picture book, LITTLE BIG MAN, publishes in May. Hope you check it out! @reggiebrownart.bsky.social

Varian Johnson and Reggie Brown hold a poster of their upcoming picture book, LITTLE BIG MAN, published by Scholastic

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Chris Barton @bartography.bsky.social · 13/12/2024

The Texas Institute of Letters has 3 awards for authors of books for young readers, each with a $1,000 prize & a 1/6 submission deadline: Jean Flynn Award for Best YA Deirdre Siobhan FlynnBass Award for Best MG Brigid Erin Flynn Award for Best PB texasinstituteofletters.org/til-2024-lit... #kidlit

texasinstituteofletters.org

TIL Literary Contest Guidelines for 2024

[PDF version of guidelines.] The latest slate of TIL literary contests is now open with prizes adding up to $23,750. In addition, the TIL will bestow a lifetime achievement award ($7,000) and the J...

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Varian Johnson @varianjohnson.bsky.social · 09/12/2024

New Book Alert! Coming May 5, 2025 from Scholastic! From CSK author honoree Varian Johnson and NYT bestselling illustrator Reggie Brown (@reggiebrownart.bsky.social) comes a heartwarming father-son story about the importance of stepping up...and finding time to play. tinyurl.com/2s3jsvnz

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Varian Johnson @varianjohnson.bsky.social · 05/12/2024

Some day, the words fly out of your fingers. Other days, you keep rewriting the same five pages. Today was the latter.

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Varian Johnson @varianjohnson.bsky.social · 04/12/2024

Six hints later, and I finally finished the NYT Strands. #NYTStrands #Strands #Ouch #MyBrainHurts

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Varian Johnson @varianjohnson.bsky.social · 03/12/2024

Grrr...in what is shaping up to be a very disappointing #LearnedLeague season, I had the right answer AND CHANGED IT AT THE LAST MINUTE.

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cottonquiltsedi.bsky.social @cottonquiltsedi.bsky.social · 30/11/2024

Looking for some me time over the holidays? Maybe this will work for you. pearlsandrubys.slj.com/2024/11/30/m...

pearlsandrubys.slj.com

M’DEAR

M’DEAR is Midwinter Drop Everything and Read. I hope you'll join us!

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Kate Messner @katemessner.com · 03/12/2024

We need to keep talking about how weird it is for people to think they should have a say in reading choices for anyone's kids but their own. You're not in charge of what other people's children eat or wear or when they go to bed. Why on earth would you get to choose what they read?

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Cory Putman Oakes @coryputmanoakes.bsky.social · 18/11/2024

I made a starter pack of Austin Kid Lit Authors! If you're looking for a bunch of fun, passionate, kid lit writers to follow, this is a great place to start! go.bsky.app/Rke2No5

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Betsy Bird @fuse8.bsky.social · 24/10/2023

"Your own brain is a subject that you're an unimpeachable expert on." We've a guest post/excerpt double whammy from author Stephen Bramucci today: afuse8production.slj.com/2023/10/24/a...

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