I’m a little late posting, but here’s a peek into the real history that inspired my #historicalfiction ms I’m querying.

After giving birth to her second child, NPR's LA Johnson struggled with scary thoughts that didn't seem to go away. She illustrates her experience in a comic, along with tips on how to cope.

“...majority of banned books...speak powerful and important truths about history, identity, resilience, and imagination.”
—Social Justice Books: Teaching for Change from “Our Recommended Banned Books.” socialjusticebooks.org/booklists/ba... #KidLit

I have finished what feels like the millionth round of revisions on my #histfic novel Down the Creek at Low Tide. It’s a fictional version of my family’s history on Cumberland Island. I’m ready to dive back into the query trenches this fall! #amquerying

Thankful to talk about a wonderful children’s book this week at the Children’s Lit Association conference! Children’s lit gives me such hope during these stressful times! 💕

🧵 "Memorial Day began with newly freed Black Americans in 1865, unearthing and honoring Union soldiers whose bodies had been discarded like trash, yet that origin story is rarely taught."

By Shari Dunn @qualified-sharid.bsky.social

www.linkedin.com/pulse/memori...

Elon Musk called empathy a “weakness” of Western civilization. But philosophers argue the opposite: empathy is a hard-won form of knowledge — and essential for understanding others and making informed decisions buff.ly/WTS28lC #PhilSky

Share and act now by emailing the Congressional Joint Committee on the Library at the link below! @everylibrary.bsky.social has made an easy to use email template on their website.

📧 bit.ly/EmailHayden

We Need Diverse Books and more than 40 organizations representing parents, grassroots organizers, authors, librarians, booksellers, and publishers have signed a statement on the Trump Administration's firing of Dr. Carla Hayden.

Share & act now ⬇️

📧 bit.ly/EmailHayden

On May 2nd, the U.S. Postal Service will unveil a new stamp to kick off Children’s Book Week.
lithub.com/goodnight-mo...

Very helpful! Thank you @manuscriptacademy.bsky.social!

🎉 We Need Diverse Books Day is April 3rd!

#WeNeedDiverseBooksDay was created to celebrate 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.

As the Trump administration & many state governments appear poised to accelerate attacks on higher education as a public good, the AAUP urges colleges & universities to resist the coming onslaught of political interference & defend the core values of higher education.
🧵
www.aaup.org/news/against...

I'm on my university's tenure and promotion committee, and I spent half the day yesterday discussing the cases of scholars whose brilliant, groundbreaking, and life-saving work was made possible by federal research grants. And it's devastating to think of how much knowledge we'll lose going forward.

Looking forward to this!

So glad to be here! Let's start with this:

Laughter loosens the logjam.
Little by little,
words temporarily halted
by despair
once again
begin to flow.
Can the rapids
be far behind?

Copyright 2024 by Nikki Grimes.

If you don’t have a library card go get one. Even if you don’t plan on using it right away, go get one. Keep our libraries alive.

My favorite reads of 2924! Thank you to these writers for beautiful stories of young women who choose their own destinies, even when the odds are stacked against them! #amreading