Holiday Shopping? Check out the SCBWI Bookshop!

I have to admit...I'm not a big Christmas—or holiday fan, in general. I know right?! Me? What I do love is watching people spread a bit more joy than usual, and you got to love the streets lit up with fairy lights! But another part I've come to enjoy is walking through those little holiday villages that pop up all over the city. Being able to engage with local artists as well as small companies is a highlight, and even though I wish I could buy something from every stand, getting to interact and hear the seller's story is lovely.

Photo Credit: nbcnewyork.com

Shopping locally, especially this year, has been super important to me, and purchasing gifts straight from the seller not only makes the item that more special but it supports the creator directly.

Well, SCBWI BookStop is a bit like those little brightly decorated, holiday houses, except it is VIRTUAL! You can create, curate and champion your book(s) as well as check out books of other SCBWI members! So if you are looking for the perfect gift, look no further!

"This annual event showcases an incredible selection of books from our talented authors and illustrators. Whether you’re craving heart-pounding action, swoon-worthy romance, compelling drama, captivating non-fiction, or delightful adventures for young readers, SCBWI BookStop has it all! Dive into new stories and uncover your next favorite book for yourself or as a thoughtful holiday gift. Don’t miss out on this treasure trove of literary gems!" 

Curated and categorized by genre, BookStop carries: Picture Books, Chapter Books, Middle Grade Books, Young Adult Books, Graphic Novels, Novelty/Board Books. A mix of traditionally published, and independently/self published, it is pretty cool to see the stories that our peers are writing, illustrating, and creating! 

If you interested in showcasing your own book, check out my previous post on BookStop, with directions on how to get started or visit the FAQ!

Celebrate We Need Diverse Books Day on Thursday April 3, 2025

SCBWI's friends at We Need Diverse Books just announced "We Need Diverse Books Day," happening this Thursday April 3, 2025!

A screenshot from WNDB's Instagram about We Need Diverse Books Day

Here's some of what they shared:

We Need Diverse Books Day was created to commemorate a decade of WNDB’s efforts to diversify the publishing industry. This holiday is intended to highlight the importance of reading books that reflect our beautifully diverse world.

WNDB is committing to donate 10,000 diverse titles in 2025 to schools and libraries. We believe that diverse books ought to be read and celebrated, especially as book bans disproportionately target them.

To celebrate We Need Diverse Books Day, we invite you to read and share a diverse book on social media. Tell us what book you’re reading and why you picked it!

There's lots more suggestions of ways to celebrate We Need Diverse Books Day on WNDB's website here.

Illustrate, Translate, Write, and Read On,
Lee

 

Story Lessons from a Holiday Song: Roy Peter Clark Explains How "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" can be a Mentor Text

This article in Poynter. by Roy Peter Clark, What I learned about writing and storytelling from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, is fun holiday (and craft) reading.

The subtitle is great, too: "There may be no more efficient example for teaching the elements of story than the story of Rudolph, just 88 words."

Roy Peter Clark makes his case (in far more than 88 words), and walking through the Names, Telling Detail, Inciting Incident, Story Engine, Mythic Archetypes, and Payoff of a song so many of us know really does, well... pay off.

Enjoy, and here's to more light and joy for us all, in this holiday season and ahead in 2024!

Illustrate, Translate, and Write On,
Lee

Thinking of Writing a Holiday Picture Book? Some Wisdom from Patricia Toht

Patricia Toht is the author of two different holiday picture books, “Pick a Pine Tree” and “Pick a Pumpkin” and in this post at the GROG blog from last December, Writing a Holiday Picture Book,

Patricia runs through some of the pros, cons, and considerations for writing holiday-themed picture books.

Highlights...

From the Pros:

Holidays come around every year.

From the Cons:

There’s a very short window for sales.

From the Considerations: (I share two here but all five are good.)

2) Christmas and Halloween are widely covered in the US. If you choose either, can you come up with a unique character, setting, conflict, or other element? 

4) Look at book formats. Has a particular format not been done? Concept book? Wordless? Nonfiction? Historical fiction? Poetry?

The full post is well-worth reading.

Illustrate and Write On, 
Lee

Brooke Bessesen explains Authors For Earth Day

At the 2012 SCBWI Summer Conference there was a booth set up for a project called, Authors for Earth Day.  

Here's Children's Book Author/Illustrator Brooke Bessesen...



Brooke says:

Our 2013 A4ED Team is 19 authors/illustrators strong—nearly double last year, which was double the year before. And this year we have A4ED school visits scheduled in the THREE countries: one in Australia, one in Canada and the rest across the United States.  

Brooke, we're cheering you and your fellow Authors For Earth Day on!

To find out more about Authors for Earth Day and how you can be part of it, visit authorsforearthday.org 

Illustrate and Write On,
Lee