Jessica Vitalis
@jessicavitalis.bsky.social
Award-winning author, Greenwillow/HarperCollins. American by birth, Canadian by choice.
A recap of my NCTE schedule:
Friday 5:00-5:30: signing at The Bookies booth
Saturday 12:30: award's luncheon
Saturday 4:15: poetry panel
Come say hi!
#kidlit
Friday 5:00-5:30: signing at The Bookies booth
Saturday 12:30: award's luncheon
Saturday 4:15: poetry panel
Come say hi!
#kidlit
November 16, 2025 at 3:59 PM
A recap of my NCTE schedule:
Friday 5:00-5:30: signing at The Bookies booth
Saturday 12:30: award's luncheon
Saturday 4:15: poetry panel
Come say hi!
#kidlit
Friday 5:00-5:30: signing at The Bookies booth
Saturday 12:30: award's luncheon
Saturday 4:15: poetry panel
Come say hi!
#kidlit
Books are among the most powerful tools we have to promote empathy and understanding; I'm incredibly grateful for programs like Forest of Reading, which helps spread excitement about reading and books, and I'm over the moon excited to share that Unsinkable Cayenne is a 2026 Red Maple nominee!
October 15, 2025 at 3:07 PM
Books are among the most powerful tools we have to promote empathy and understanding; I'm incredibly grateful for programs like Forest of Reading, which helps spread excitement about reading and books, and I'm over the moon excited to share that Unsinkable Cayenne is a 2026 Red Maple nominee!
Wow! Wow! Wow! I was so incredibly honored when Coyote Queen won the High Plains International Book Awards last year; when Unsinkable Cayenne was nominated this year, I didn't dare let myself dream that I'd win two years in a row, but here we are! #kidlit
October 6, 2025 at 2:44 PM
Wow! Wow! Wow! I was so incredibly honored when Coyote Queen won the High Plains International Book Awards last year; when Unsinkable Cayenne was nominated this year, I didn't dare let myself dream that I'd win two years in a row, but here we are! #kidlit
If I had to capture the heart of Unsinkable Cayenne in one sentence, it would be this one. Thank you to Linn Goss, reviewer for the High Plains International Book Awards!
September 25, 2025 at 1:38 PM
If I had to capture the heart of Unsinkable Cayenne in one sentence, it would be this one. Thank you to Linn Goss, reviewer for the High Plains International Book Awards!
Trying to catch an agent's eye? Land a publishing deal? Connect more deeply with your readers? Mastering the use of symbolism can help level up your writing! #kidlit
September 24, 2025 at 2:23 PM
Trying to catch an agent's eye? Land a publishing deal? Connect more deeply with your readers? Mastering the use of symbolism can help level up your writing! #kidlit
Of all my books, I think this one is best read in the fall when you're ready to curl up with a warm cup of tea and enjoy something atmospheric. 🍂☕ #kidlit
September 22, 2025 at 5:35 PM
Of all my books, I think this one is best read in the fall when you're ready to curl up with a warm cup of tea and enjoy something atmospheric. 🍂☕ #kidlit
MG teachers! I know as the summer winds down, many of you are beginning to think about the upcoming school year and the stories you'd like to share with your students. If you're looking for a book to appeal to a wide cross-section of readers, may I humbly suggest Unsinkable Cayenne?
#kidlit
#kidlit
July 27, 2025 at 6:19 PM
MG teachers! I know as the summer winds down, many of you are beginning to think about the upcoming school year and the stories you'd like to share with your students. If you're looking for a book to appeal to a wide cross-section of readers, may I humbly suggest Unsinkable Cayenne?
#kidlit
#kidlit
Looking for a fun way to jazz up your book club? Read one of my books as a club and I'll do a free virtual Q&A (offer good now through the end of 2025)! Contact me via my website (jessicavitalis.com) to schedule! #kidlit #bookclub
June 20, 2025 at 7:45 PM
Looking for a fun way to jazz up your book club? Read one of my books as a club and I'll do a free virtual Q&A (offer good now through the end of 2025)! Contact me via my website (jessicavitalis.com) to schedule! #kidlit #bookclub
The finalists for the 2025 High Plains International Book Awards were just announced, and I'm so very honored that UNSINKABLE CAYENNE is one of the 3 books named in the MG category! Winners will be announced October 4th! Congratulations to all! #kidlit
June 17, 2025 at 11:53 PM
The finalists for the 2025 High Plains International Book Awards were just announced, and I'm so very honored that UNSINKABLE CAYENNE is one of the 3 books named in the MG category! Winners will be announced October 4th! Congratulations to all! #kidlit
A giant thank you to The Canadian Children's Book Centre for including Unsinkable Cayenne in their 2025 list of Best Books for Kids and Teens! If you have a young readers in your life looking to figure out how and where they fit in the world, this book is for them! #kidlit
June 10, 2025 at 1:06 PM
A giant thank you to The Canadian Children's Book Centre for including Unsinkable Cayenne in their 2025 list of Best Books for Kids and Teens! If you have a young readers in your life looking to figure out how and where they fit in the world, this book is for them! #kidlit
Ontario educators! Let's team up to get kids excited about books! The Writer's Union of Canada will let me put in an application for two grants to visit Ontario schools (in person or virtually) next fall or winter! Contact me (via DM or my website) if you'd like me to apply on your behalf! #kidlit
June 4, 2025 at 7:16 PM
Ontario educators! Let's team up to get kids excited about books! The Writer's Union of Canada will let me put in an application for two grants to visit Ontario schools (in person or virtually) next fall or winter! Contact me (via DM or my website) if you'd like me to apply on your behalf! #kidlit
SW Ontario friends! Join me at the Appleby College festival of authors on Saturday, May 24th at 10am! Incredible authors will be speaking all day! Kids 14 and under are free, $10 for 15+. Sign up now to secure your spot.
www.appleby.on.ca/festival-of-...
www.appleby.on.ca/festival-of-...
May 13, 2025 at 4:45 PM
SW Ontario friends! Join me at the Appleby College festival of authors on Saturday, May 24th at 10am! Incredible authors will be speaking all day! Kids 14 and under are free, $10 for 15+. Sign up now to secure your spot.
www.appleby.on.ca/festival-of-...
www.appleby.on.ca/festival-of-...
I'm always so touched when students take the time to create art inspired by my books. This one is a sketch a 5th grade student did after my virtual visit with a school in Virginia this morning. #kidlit
May 9, 2025 at 12:15 AM
I'm always so touched when students take the time to create art inspired by my books. This one is a sketch a 5th grade student did after my virtual visit with a school in Virginia this morning. #kidlit
I’m thrilled to see Unsinkable Cayenne on the 2025 Telling Tales Recommended Reading List along with so many other fabulous titles. #kidlit
May 1, 2025 at 11:24 AM
I’m thrilled to see Unsinkable Cayenne on the 2025 Telling Tales Recommended Reading List along with so many other fabulous titles. #kidlit
Loved celebrating National Poetry Month with 200 students at the Kitchener Public Library this morning! We talked about free verse, motifs, metaphorical walls, and more! #kidlit
April 30, 2025 at 5:22 PM
Loved celebrating National Poetry Month with 200 students at the Kitchener Public Library this morning! We talked about free verse, motifs, metaphorical walls, and more! #kidlit
Happy Earth Day, my friends! If you are looking for environmentally-themed books to share with middle grade readers, here are a few I recommend. #kidlit
April 22, 2025 at 3:57 PM
Happy Earth Day, my friends! If you are looking for environmentally-themed books to share with middle grade readers, here are a few I recommend. #kidlit
The R.M.S. Titanic departed on its maiden voyage 113 years ago today. Though life was different back then, the social divisions on board the boat can teach us more about modern life now than ever. This poem is from my latest novel, UNSINKABLE CAYENNE. #kidlit
April 12, 2025 at 6:24 PM
The R.M.S. Titanic departed on its maiden voyage 113 years ago today. Though life was different back then, the social divisions on board the boat can teach us more about modern life now than ever. This poem is from my latest novel, UNSINKABLE CAYENNE. #kidlit
April is National Poetry Month! If you're looking for a book that's "intensely readable" (School Library Journal) be sure to check out Unsinkable Cayenne!
April 1, 2025 at 7:37 PM
April is National Poetry Month! If you're looking for a book that's "intensely readable" (School Library Journal) be sure to check out Unsinkable Cayenne!
School Library Journal included Unsinkable Cayenne in a list of "9 Exemplary Novels in Verse for Middle Grade and Teen Readers"––just in time for National Poetry Month! Educators with access to the journal, be sure to check out the article for all their fantastic recommendations! #kidlit
April 1, 2025 at 12:01 AM
School Library Journal included Unsinkable Cayenne in a list of "9 Exemplary Novels in Verse for Middle Grade and Teen Readers"––just in time for National Poetry Month! Educators with access to the journal, be sure to check out the article for all their fantastic recommendations! #kidlit
My local (publicly funded) Catholic district school board is voting Monday to ban pride flags--in any form, including stickers––on campus, lumping them in with MAGA propoganda. If you are in the Kitchener/Waterloo region of Ontario, please contact the trustees: www.wcdsb.ca/about-us/tru...
March 22, 2025 at 5:46 PM
My local (publicly funded) Catholic district school board is voting Monday to ban pride flags--in any form, including stickers––on campus, lumping them in with MAGA propoganda. If you are in the Kitchener/Waterloo region of Ontario, please contact the trustees: www.wcdsb.ca/about-us/tru...