Hello, I know times are very uncertain right now. And with schools closing and social distancing and activities canceled, kids’ and teens’ and their families’ routine have been upended. And yes, personnally, my anxiety is pretty much riding on a roller coaster of emotions, but I saw this going around and it made me laugh:
And this Facebook update from my friend, Sara, still has me smiling:
So, during this time, Kidlit, MG and YA authors (and now I’m wondering what the definition of Kidlit is…what ages does that term encompass? and shouldn’t I know that already? Anyways…) are helping parents and children, pre-teens and teens by sharing more online content. It not only can give new ideas for discussions or activities, I think it also brings another layer of connection to the outside world.
Oh and did you know that Audible announced a new site with free streaming of titles for kids and families? https://stories.audible.com/start-listen
Below you’ll find the links to articles from the New York Times and BookRiot with authors who are sharing interviews, ways to draw, reading out loud and so on…
But as this list always grows and more and more authors & illustrators & publishing houses are offering content, I’m first adding a few authors who I haven’t seen mentioned in those articles. And if you have content, don’t hesitate to add them in the comments.
- YA and MG New York Times bestselling author Kelly Yang offers free online writing class for teens on Instagram M/W/F and then post the videos on her website.
Kelly Yang is the New York Times bestselling author of FRONT DESK, winner of the 2019 Asian Pacific American Award for Children’s Literature, PARACHUTES (YA debut novel, May 2020, Harpercollins) and THREE KEYS (Front Desk Sequel, Sept 2020, Scholastic). FRONT DESK is Kelly’s award-winning middle grade debut novel about a 10 year old Chinese American immigrant girl who manages the front desk of a motel while her parents clean the rooms. FRONT DESK was awarded the 2019 Asian Pacific American Award for Literature, the Parents’ Choice Gold Medal, is the 2019 Global Read Aloud, and has earned numerous other honors including being named an Amazon Best Book of the Year, a Washington Post Best Book of the Year, a Kirkus Best Book of the Year, a School Library Journal Best Book of the Year, a NPR Best Book of the Year, and a Publisher’s Weekly Best Book of the Year.
- Kidlit Author Rachele Alpine created a Virtual Book Club for elementary to middle school readers on Facebook: The Flashlight Society
Welcome to the coolest virtual book club around! While this group is geared toward elementary to middle school readers, any one who loves to read is welcome to hang with us. And we promise not to tell if you hide under your covers and read past your bedtime! https://www.facebook.com/groups/theflashlightsociety
Rachele Alpine is a lover of sushi, coffee, and busting a move on the dance floor. One of her first jobs was at a library, but it didn’t last long, because all she did was hide in the third-floor stacks and read. Now she’s a little more careful about when and where she indulges her reading habit. By day she’s a high school English teacher, and by night she writes with the companionship of the world’s cutest dog, Radley, a big cup of coffee, and a full bag of gummy peaches. Rachele lives with her husband and son in Cleveland, Ohio, but dreams of moving back to Boston, the city she fell in love with while attending graduate school there.
- Penguin Kids is starting a virtual storytime #ReadTogetherBeTogether
- Author/illus Debbie Ridpath Ohi posting daily #KidsDailyDebbieOhi + videos https://youtube.com/debbieohi
Debbie Ridpath Ohi is the author and illustrator of Where Are My Books? and Sam & Eva (both with Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers). Her writing and/or illustrations have appeared in nearly 25 books for young people, including titles by Judy Blume, Michael Ian Black and Linda Sue Park. Her books have been a Junior Library Guild Selection, New York Times Notable Children’s Book, Missouri Building Block Picture Book Award winner, National Post Best Books For Kids, Indie Kids’ Next choice, shortlisted for the CCBC Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award, among others, and have also been featured on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, Late Night With Seth Meyers and NBC’s Today Show. Debbie posts about reading, writing and illustrating children’s books at Inkygirl.com. You can find out more about Debbie and her work at DebbieOhi.com as well as on Twitter at @inkyelbows, Instagram at @inkygirl and Youtube at @debbieohi.
- Middle grade fiction author Lindsay Currie teaches how to write “spooky”.
An author of middle grade fiction, Lindsay is represented by Kathleen Rushall, of Andrea Brown Literary Agency. Her publications include: The Peculiar Incident on Shady Street, (Simon & Schuster/Aladdin 2017), Scritch Scratch (Sourcebooks, September 1 2020), Untitled MG (Sourcebooks 2021)
- YA author Brigid Kemmerer is organizing Instagram live with authors
Brigid Kemmerer (New York Times bestselling author of dark and alluring Young Adult novels like A Curse So Dark and Lonely, More Than We Can Tell, and Letters to the Lost (Bloomsbury), as well as paranormal YA stories like The Elemental Series and Thicker Than Water (Kensington). ) is organizing Instagram live with authors: https://www.instagram.com/brigidkemmerer/
Here’s one next week for example:
- MG and YA author Nic Stone is doing #FirstChapterFriday, where she reads the first chapter of one of her books aloud.
Nic Stone was born and raised in a suburb of Atlanta, GA, and the only thing she loves more than an adventure is a good story about one. After graduating from Spelman College, she worked extensively in teen mentoring and lived in Israel for a few years before returning to the US to write full-time. Growing up with a wide range of cultures, religions, and backgrounds, Stone strives to bring these diverse voices and stories to her work. You can find her goofing off and/or fangirling over her adorable little family on most social media platforms.
- New York Times article: Home with your kids? Writers want to help.
- BookRiot: KID LIT AUTHORS STEPPING UP DURING THE COVID-19 CRISIS AND QUARANTINE
If you’re an kidlit author and would like to share your online content, don’t hesitate to leave a comment.
🙂
Elodie
Elodie Nowodazkij 