Posts Tagged “writing for children”

Bluesky Brightens the Social Media Landscape

By on December 16, 2024   /   Oh MG News  
Blue butterfly on white background

Have you jumped on the Bluesky bandwagon? Many authors, agents, librarians, and teachers are finding this platform to be a welcome alternative to X, formerly known as Twitter.

In many ways, the two platforms are similar. Posts are kept brief with a limit of 300 characters. You can like, reply, follow, block, and repost. You can even send direct messages to other users. There’s enough familiarity to make Bluesky comfortable for converts. 

 

Bluesky Bonuses

Bluesky definitely has some attractive advantages. For example, Bluesky users have more control over their online presence. There is no baseline algorithm on Bluesky. Do you want to browse posts in chronological order? You can do that! Want to curate your own feed? You can do that, too!

Bluesky isn’t controlled by a single person or entity. According to Vox, “Bluesky’s open source, decentralized framework gives you a lot more control over how your feed works than X or even Threads.” The issue of control has brought a lot of users to Bluesky.

 

Bluesky Tips

A recent issue of School Library Journal is filled with great Bluesky user tips. Debbie Ridpath Ohi offers lots of information, which I encourage you to check out. But if you’re looking for a quick run-down of the highlights, here they are:

  • Create your profile and make a post to get started. You probably want to choose the same username across profiles so you’re easy to find.
  • Decide what kinds of posts you want to see (and what kind you’d prefer NOT to see), and adjust your Settings and Moderation options accordingly.
  • Hashtags are helpful in curating your content. You might find that #BlueSkyTips is a good resource!
  • If you find the account of an agent, editor, publisher, or author you want to follow, see if they have a Starter Pack. (Hint: Debbie Ridpath Ohi has one.) This Starter Pack gives you a quick list of related accounts you might want to follow.
  • Find your people and make the first move. Go ahead and engage with posts that vibe with your interests.

 

Bluesky Resources

To learn more, check out any of the following resources:

You may be a Bluesky expert at this point, you might be mulling over the move, or you may be somewhere in between. So far, I’ve set up my profile, I’ve followed some accounts, and I’ve liked some posts. Now it’s time for a deep breath and a deep dive (or maybe a skydive?). On today’s agenda, I plan to make my first post. See you on Bluesky!

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Middle Grade Predictions for 2025

By on December 16, 2024   /   Articles, For Writers  

As we gear up to move into the new year, it’s always an interesting time to reflect back on the current state of middle grade, and see if there are clues to what might be in store for middle grade in the future. The last few years have definitely proved to be interesting ones for middle grade, with changes at major publishers and to the children’s section at Barnes and Noble, our last big book chain, bringing about a lot of upheaval and unknowns. 

 

Even so, let’s gaze into the crystal ball and see if there are any hints at what might be in store for middle grade in 2025.

 

  1. Graphic novels domination will expand. A couple years ago, graphic novels accounted for a full quarter of all middle grade sales, and that number seems to only be expanding. Graphic novels continue to dominate the children’s bestsellers lists and keep young readers’ attention. With the reading joy and all the benefits that can come from reading these books, we say long live graphic novels!

 

  1. More middle grade authors will move to…LinkedIn? Yeah, as weird as that sounds, with all the instability that has plagued platforms like X and Instagram and TikTok in the last few years, LinkedIn has emerged as a place of calm and interesting dialog. In one survey, LinkedIn came in second (after Instagram) as the place authors where authors plan to focus their platform efforts in coming days. This may even trickle into the middle grade community.

 

  1. Less doom, more laughter. According to an informal survey of librarians across the country, the kids are looking for funny. “Since the pandemic, it’s been a lot of doom and gloom for these kids. There’s so much heaviness they’re coping with. They just want to laugh.” Perhaps in every genre from contemporary to fantasy, we’ll see a higher proportion of jokes on the page. And who can be sad about that?

 

  1. Fewer authors on tour, but more bookstore events. Things are getting local. Gone are the days when sending an author to cities around the country was a viable marketing strategy. One author who recently did one of these tours reports on actual numbers (including a no-show). However, bookstores, especially indie stores, are becoming more creative and resourceful than ever when it comes to bringing the community together to promote reading and children’s literature. We certainly hope to see more of this trend in 2025!

 

  1. Veering shorter. Only recently, big doorstopper middle grade fantasy series (think Shannon Messenger) were big hits. But reports from booksellers and librarians around the country are that reading attention spans are getting shorter. Blame our digital world, blame the pandemic. According to one bookseller, “They may be less likely to read a 400-plus-page book, so I think it’s important for a bookstore to have a variety of titles for this age group in terms of both page length and format.” So we may likely see middle grade books veering younger and shorter, with more play in the form too. This could be a very intriguing trend!

 

What predictions do you have for the state of middle grade in 2025?

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Telling Immigrant Stories Through Verse Novels

By on November 18, 2024   /   Book Lists, Fiction  

Did you know that novels in verse have super powers?

  • These stories, told in lyrical narratives, are immersive.
  • They appeal to young readers looking for shorter books.
  • The visual qualities of the text on the page often evoke the meaning of the words.
  • Many novels in verse have won literary awards.

Using blank space, line breaks, shapes and inventive forms, authors give readers x-ray vision straight into the hearts and minds of their characters.

Now, more than ever, is a good time to empathize with immigrant characters.

Novels in verse have a super power. Author use of blank space, line breaks, shapes and inventive forms give readers x-ray vision straight into the heart and mind of their characters.

Check out these recent stories about young immigrants who are faced with typical middle school challenges such as crushes, friendship, fitting in, and bullying while trying to belong in a country where they are not always made to feel welcome. The main characters in these novels also face the difficulties (and joys) of living between two cultures. The lens of lyrical language allows readers to understand and empathize with an immigrant character.

Call Me Adnan by Reem Faruqui

Ping pong is Adnan’s passion. After many exciting matches, he and his family go to Florida for his championship where a tragedy occurs. This story portrays how one boy’s loving Pakistani Muslim family deals with grief.

 

 

 

When Clouds Touch Us by Thanhha Lai

In this sequel to the award winning Inside Out and Back Again, Vietnamese-American Ha and her family are moving again – from Texas to Alabama. Ha is determined to make money to help her family out. She shows resilience and humor as she tries to make new friends and is confronted with prejudice.

 

 

 

 

Aniana del Mar Jumps In by Jaminne Mendez

Dominican American Aniana is at home in the water, but her mother, whose brother drowned during a hurricane, forbids her to be a part of the swim team. Ani sneaks off to swim practices, with the help of her dad, until she is prevented by her stiff swollen joints. Mendez’s poems describe Ani’s journey with her chronic illness and the growing understanding of her family.

 

 

 

 

 

I Am Kavi by Thushanthi Ponweera

Kavi worked hard for the scholarship that takes her out of her poverty stricken village and into  a fancy school in the city. It’s 1998 and this young Sri Lankan girl is affected by the country’s Civil War. She’s also at war within herself trying to fit in at her school, decide between right and wrong and discover where she belongs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Isabel in Bloom by Mae Respico

Moving from the Philippines to California isn’t easy for Isabel. She has to make new friends in a new country and she has to get to know her mother all over again since they have lived separately for years. Her grandmother and her green thumb come to the rescue. The special garden project creates builds a community where she belongs.

 

 

 

 

Kareem in Between by Shifa Saltagi Safadi.

The story of how Kareem, a football-loving Syrian American stuck between two cultures, is riveting and poetic. This boy is desperate to make the team and new friends. When the QB makes a proposition, Kareem has to decide between right and

wrong. His family problems revolve around trying to get his very ill grandfather out of Syria during the 2017 Muslim Ban.

 

 

You also won’t want to miss these award winning novels in verse, written prior to 2023.

Red White and Whole by Rajani La Rocca

Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhhan Lai

Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga.

 

Jen Kraar grew up chasing lizards in India, making up stories about the residents of the spirit houses in Thailand, and riding retired racehorses in Singapore. Jen explores themes of finding home in the middle grade novels and picture books she writes. As a manager at Pittsburgh’s beloved City of Asylum Bookstore, she builds a diverse collection of books and talks about kid lit with customers young and old.

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