Cynthia Leitich Smith's Blog, page 48
March 17, 2021
Heart and Spirit: Lisa Fipps Discusses Her Debut Middle-Grade Novel in Verse
Starfish by Lisa Fipps (Nancy Paulsen Books, 2021) unfolds as eleven-year-old Ellie, who has been fat-shamed and bullied since childhood, begins to break away from “Fat Girl Rules” she’s been told are foundational to her life. Ellie’s loving friendships, close relationship with her father, and a growing positive connection with a fabulous therapist, accompany her on her painful journey. Ellie is perceptive about herself and others, as well as vulnerable, persistent, and ...
March 16, 2021
Interview with Linda Sue Park & kiBooka Authors & Illustrators
By Today we are celebrating Linda Sue Park’s initiative to bring together and highlight Korean American children’s book creators on her kiBooka website. Linda Sue will talk about the site’s inception, and we’ll hear from creators Janet Wong, Marie Myung-Ok Lee, Paula Yoo, Aram Kim, Helena Ku Rhee, and Chris Soentpiet about what this site means for them professionally and personally.
Linda Sue, what was the initial inspiration for the kiBooka site?
Linda Sue: I’ve been w...
March 15, 2021
In Memory: George Ancona
George Ancona, prolific author, photographer, and art director died on Jan. 1 at his home in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He was 91.
Obituary: George Ancona from Publishers Weekly by Shannon Maughan. Peek: “Mexican American children’s book author, photographer, and filmmaker George Ancona, widely acclaimed for his crisp slice-of-life photoessays introducing children to new experiences or cultures, or depicting laborers doing the everyday work in a community….”
March 12, 2021
Cynsational News
By Cynthia Leitich Smith, Gayleen Rabakukk, Stephani Eaton, Suma Subramaniam, and Gail Vannelli for Cynsations
Spotlight Image: The Fearless Flights of Hazel Ying Lee by Julie Leung, illustrated by Julie Kwon (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2021).
Author/Illustrator Insights
Q&A With Ruth Behar with Deborah Kalb from Deborah Kalb Books. Peek: “I think about all the young people today who are…trying to make the world a better…more livable place. The voices of youth are so important….I ho...
March 11, 2021
Author Interview: Veterinarian Gary Weitzman Discusses Pet Care & Writing Nonfiction for Kids
Today we welcome veterinarian Dr. Gary Weitzman, who is also the president and CEO of the San Diego Humane Society. We got to chat about writing nonfiction for kids with regards to his two National Geographic books for kids Fetch! How to Speak Dog, Training Guide with Aubre Andrius (2020) and Pounce! How to Speak Cat, Training Guide with Tracey West (2020) that help kids learn how to care for their dogs and cats.
Thanks so much for talking to us today and congratulat...
March 10, 2021
Author Interview: Supriya Kelkar Reflects on Perseverance & Strong as Fire, Fierce as Flame
If you love historical fiction and rebel girls, Supriya Kelkar‘s newly published middle-grade novel, Strong As Fire, Fierce As Flame (Lee & Low Books, 2021) will steal your heart as you vicariously experience the journey of a strong girl writing her destiny against all odds.
Today, Supriya shares her writing life and insights about her book.
When and where do you write? Why does that time and space work for you?
I tend to write at night, after my children are asleep, at ho...
March 9, 2021
Author Interview: Lauren Wolk on Staying True to Yourself
Today we extend a warm welcome to Lauren Wolk. She is the author of the Newbery Honor book Wolf Hollow (Dutton, 2016), Beyond the Bright Sea (Dutton, 2017), which won the Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction, and her latest book, Echo Mountain (Dutton, 2020). She shares with us her thoughts on being an author, “success,” and being true to yourself.
What do you love most about the creative life/being an author? Why?
I’ve always envied people who weren’t afraid to...
March 8, 2021
Author Interview: Eric Gansworth on Apple (Skin to the Core) & Writing Insights
By Kim Rogers
Eric Gansworth (Onondaga) is a visual artist and a professor and Lowery Writer-in-Residence at Canisius College. (Photo credit on image above: Larry Plant.)
Eric’s young adult novel-in-verse Apple (Skin to the Core) (Levine Querido, 2020) has won many awards and accolades, including TIME’s 10 Best YA and Children’s Books of 2020, NPR’s Best Books of 2020, Shelf Awareness Best Books of 2020, Publishers Weekly’s Big Indie Books of Fall, Amazon’s Best Book of the Month, AICL Best YA ...
March 6, 2021
We Need Diverse Books Announces the Opening of Applications for the 2021 WNDB Internship Grants
We Need Diverse Books (WNDB) has announced the opening of the application process for the 2021 WNDB Internship Grants. In the program’s successful first six years, fifty-four diverse publishing interns received supplemental grants. Of the fifty-four grantees who have since graduated from their educational institution, thirty-four have gone on to pursue full-time work in publishing.
For the first time, WNDB will award grants this year to diverse interns in adult publishing (u...
March 5, 2021
Cynsational News
By Cynthia Leitich Smith, Gayleen Rabakukk, Stephani Eaton, Suma Subramaniam, and Gail Vannelli for Cynsations
Spotlight Image: Zonia’s Rain Forest by Juana Martinez-Neal (Candlewick Press, 2021).
Author/Illustrator Insights
A Hero Like Thurgood: Author Guest Post by Kekla Magoon from Harper Stacks. Peek: “Considering the human behind the hero…makes it seem much more possible that anyone can be part of creating change. It reminds me that, in my own way, by doing my small part—writing, teaching,...
