Jendia Gammon, writing as J. Dianne Dotson, signed a two-book deal with Android Press for the sequel and prequel to her Nebula & BSFA finalist and Lodestar longlisted YA book, The Inn at the Amethyst Lantern. The sequel, The Secret of the Sapphire Sentinel, arrives autumn 2025. The prequel, The Dawn of Dusk and Twilight (which is general audience, not YA), arrives autumn 2026.

Art & Oakie Ask: Do You Speak Bear?, written by Josh Oaktree and illustrated by Josiane Vlitos, is a 2024 Independent Publisher Book Awards bronze medalist in the category of Children’s Picture Book (7 & under). The third book in the series, Art & Oakie Ask: Do You Speak Bee?, debuts this fall!

Skybound! Starring Mary Myers as Carlotta, Daredevil Aeronaut and Scientist, by Sue Ganz-Schmitt and illustrated by Iacopo Bruno, received a Kirkus Reviews starred review, as well as a starred review from Foreword Reviews.

Sherry Shahan‘s latest publications include Wising Up Anthology (creative nonfiction), Rainy Weather Days (short story), Naugatuck River Review (poetry), Tiger Leaping Review (poetry), Arc Poetry (poetry).

Guinea Pig Power, by Ben St. James, received an Honorable Mention in the Children – General category at the Readers’ Favorite Awards. This year’s contest saw a record number of entries, including submissions from celebrities and NYT best-selling authors.

Tic-Tac-Toe Chicken, a debut picture book by Kimberly Tso and illustrated by Louie Chin, was acquired by Third State Books. Publication is slated for May 2025. The story follows the rescue of New York Chinatown’s famous tic-tac-toe-playing chicken and the little girl determined to win its freedom.

The House Before Falling into the Sea, written by Ann Suk Wang and illustrated by Hanna Cha, debuted 3/12 and has since become a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection Book (placed in thousands of libraries) with three starred reviews (Kirkus, The Horn Book, and Booklist). On 9/17, it was featured in The Horn Book’s “Calling Caldecott” blog, which said, “These artistic feats, combined with the book’s sensitive manner of telling a story about self-sacrifice and generosity, makes the work as a whole Caldecott worthy.“ An audiobook is also now available.

All three of Laura Segal Stegman‘s middle-grade trilogy, Summer of L.U.C.K., Ready or Not, and The Chambered Nautilus, have been released as audiobooks by Tantor Media, narrated by Lindsey Dorcus.

Eori Tokunaga has started a freelance position as a Book Reviewer for ALA Booklist! Check out her two published reviews for The Cat Way by Sara Lundberg and Miss Leoparda by Natalia Shaloshvili in the October 2024 issue.

Sora’s Seashells, written by Helena Ku Rhee and illustrated by Stella Lim & Ji-Hyuk Kim, received a 2024 Ezra Jack Keats Honor for Writing.

The New Frontier, by Wayne L. Wilson, is a 2024 Moonbeam Children’s Book Award Silver Medal Winner!

One Shining Soul, also by Wayne L. Wilson, received a great book review. It will appear in the November 2024 issue of D. Donovan, Sr. Reviewer, Midwest Book Review.

In 2024, Joan Bransfield Graham‘s book Splish Splash is celebrating its 30th birthday, and Flicker Flash its 25th birthday; they feature shape poems about water and light. Both books were chosen as SLJ Best Books of the Year, NCTE Notables in the Language Arts, New York Public Library “100 Titles for Reading and Sharing” picks, California Collection selections, and many more honors. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

Imagine You and Me, by Benson Shum, received a starred review with SLJ. “Shum masterfully conveys mood . . . The narrative reads on two very different levels, keeping adults from tiring of the story; the emotional cues are all spot on. Few picture books ring so true in so few words. An essential work on making friends, being brave, and dealing with the inherent emotional turmoil of growing up.”