Member News is a monthly feature on the EasternPennPoints blog. We want to celebrate our Eastern PA SCBWI members’ good news and help spread the word far and wide. Send us your children’s book–related news—book deals, releases, awards, author or illustrator events (signings, launch parties, appearances), etc. If you’d like your news to be included in next month’s column, please email Laura Parnum at epa-ra2@scbwi.org before January 20, or fill out our “Good News Survey.”
Here’s some exciting news from our members this month:
Recent Publication
A children’s poem by author and poet Elizabeth Fletcher entitled “I Am the Dragon” appeared in the October issue of Spaceports & Spidersilk (Hiraeth Publishing, October 9, 2022). The poem is a fantastical tale of the flying adventures of a dragon and a young girl as they journey toward friendship. The print magazine features short stories, poems, art and more in science fiction, fantasy, and “shadow stories” for ages 9 to 99. You can purchase issues and find out more at https://www.hiraethsffh.com/spaceports-spidersilk-1.
Recent Publication
Author Dainty Nix has recently released the picture book Rosa the Little Ant and the Great Big Elephant, published by LifeRich Publisher on November 16, 2022. Rosa is a little red ant whose home was destroyed by elephants. Rosa and the rest of the ant colony ran far, far away from all elephants. They built Ant Village way up high in a beautiful Acacia tree. One day while lying on a branch in her beloved tree, Rosa suddenly falls to the ground as an elephant munches away on the branch. It is then that Rosa vows to protect her home from all harmful creatures. Will Rosa find the courage and strength to protect her home from future attacks? The book is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Walmart and LifeRich websites. Dainty has several picture book manuscripts in progress and is currently working on a middle grade book entitled Growing Up Peaches. She will be receiving her Certificate in Children’s Book Writing from the University of California San Diego Extension.
Deal Announcements
Author Melissa Trempe has announced that her book Ladybug Launch: Inspired by a True Story of Chinitas in Space, co-authored by Natalia Ojeda, has been acquired by McElderry Books and is scheduled for publication in spring 2024. This picture book, which will be illustrated by Manu Montoya, tells a story of persistence as a ladybug, who dreams of becoming an astronaut, teams up with a girl who aspires to be a scientist. Their tale is based on Dr. Ojeda’s real-life experience as part of an all-girls class in Chile who convinced NASA to send the first ladybugs, or chinitas, into space.
Author Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow has announced that her picture book When You See Me, has been acquired by Erica Finkel at Abrams. The book tells the story of a girl who feels invisible in her all-white class and finds friendship and community with a new Muslim student. When You See Me will be illustrated by Shahrzad Maydani and will be released in spring 2024.
Cover Reveal
Author Dana Kramaroff has revealed the cover for her debut middle grade novel, The Do More Club. The cover was illustrated by Chelen Ecija. Ever since twelve-year-old Josh Kline found an antisemitic note in his family’s mailbox in third grade, he has felt uncomfortable about his Jewish identity. At a new school where he’s pretty sure he’s the only Jew, he’s hoping to just keep religion out of everything . . . until the morning someone sprays swastikas all over the building. That’s when everything changes. In one of the school counseling groups set up in response to the attack, Josh finally reveals that he is Jewish, and quickly finds out there’s more to the other kids in his grade too: All of them have their own struggles. Maybe Josh can do something to help—to “repair the world” as his rabbi teaches, by starting a Do More club to spread kindness. But making a difference is never simple, even when you have new friends by your side. The book will be published by Rocky Pond Books and is set to release August 29, 2023.
If you have good news to share, please send it to epa-ra2@scbwi.org to be included in next month’s Member News column or fill out our “Good News Survey.”
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