It’s been more than 11 years since this book was published! Find someone who looks at you the way EBYR (still) looks at THE AMAZING AGE OF JOHN ROY LYNCH.

Eerdmans Books for Young Readers@ebyrbooks.bsky.social · last mo.

Happy birthday to John Roy Lynch, born on this day in 1847! Read more about his extraordinary life in @bartography.bsky.social's award-winning THE AMAZING AGE OF JOHN ROY LYNCH, illustrated by @dontate.bsky.social #childrensbooks #picturebookbiography #blackhistory #johnroylynch #civilwar

Alton Yates turned 90 last week. He’s still one of the most inspiring people I know, and I’m so glad to be his friend.

Zinn Education Project@zinnedproject.bsky.social · 2mo ago

The picture book “Moving Forward: From Space-Age Rides to Civil Rights Sit-Ins with Airman Alton Yates” by Chris Barton @bartography.bsky.social includes Ax Handle Saturday. Read about & order book from @teachingchange.bsky.social's Social Justice Books www.socialjusticebooks.org/book/moving-...

Two of my communities — Texas authors, and creators of books for young readers — have lost a great one tonight. RIP Ben Sáenz, author of Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, and so much more. elpasomatters.org/2026/07/28/b...

Renowned El Paso author, artist Benjamin Alire Sáenz dies at 71

“Ben was irrepressibly hopeful of the human spirit,” longtime friend Ruben Garcia said about Sáenz, an award-winning author whose “Aristotle and Dante” young adult novel was adapted into a movie in 20...

elpasomatters.org

Just finished this new book on De La Soul, loved it, and will be exploring its listening recommendations for MONTHS.

Austin McCoy@austinmccoy.bsky.social · 9mo ago

Today is publication day! Wow. Thanks to everyone who preordered the book. I really appreciate it. If you have not preordered, then you can go to your local bookstore and pick up a copy. Please send me a pic if you already have a copy or when you go pick it up! I'd love to see it!

If you’re seeing the Mac Barnett quote floating around, here’s the best break down I’ve seen that addresses the book as a whole in addition to the quote

Mac Barnett Is Right. Mac Barnett Is Also a Snob.

On Make Believe, the 94.7 percent quote, and what rigorous criticism of children's literature actually looks like.

readingmiddlegrade.substack.com

Authors: “We already thought those were the same thing.”

If you're in Texas—or have book-loving loved ones in Texas—The Book-Loving Texan's Guide to the May 2026 School Board Elections just became available this morning. docs.google.com/document/d/1... I'm pretty sure this is the first time this semi-annual guide has mentioned me by name... 😉

Book-Loving Texan's Guide to the May 2026 School Board Elections

The Book-Loving Texan’s Guide to the May 2026 School Board Elections (This is a mobilization tool. Use it to volunteer, donate, and organize in your community.) Election Day: Saturday, May 2 Early Vo...

docs.google.com

New from Kalyn Gensic: "I entered this profession just as storm clouds of the current book-banning push were starting to gather, but I enrolled in a librarian program hoping it would pass me like lamb’s blood was painted on my doorframe. And for the first three years, wishful thinking worked ..."

How a High School Librarian in Abilene Fought Back Against Moms for Liberty

I entered this profession just as the storm clouds of the current book-banning push were starting to gather; now I’m in the middle of it.

texasobserver.org

Our video series "This One's Dedicated to..." is not (yet) back with a new season of episodes, but @jennyziegler.bsky.social & I are happy to have our friend and fellow author @torreymaldonado.bsky.social return to the show to discuss the dedication he wrote for his picture book debut, JUST RIGHT.

Texas is a big state, so I'm thrilled three authors put ONE CAN BE in @littlefreelibrary.bsky.social boxes there. @bartography.bsky.social and @jennyziegler.bsky.social took care of Austin, while @beckywalkerbooks.bsky.social covered Houston. Texas is our 45th state! #onecanbe #50states #texas

This summer will mark 25 years since I began the (eight-year!) process of making THE DAY-GLO BROTHERS. Thank you, Lori and your students, for reaffirming that it was time well-spent.

Lori Tecler@loritecler.bsky.social · 9mo ago

3rd grade is studying light & sound, so we read THE DAY-GLO BROTHERS by @bartography.bsky.social w/art by Tony Persiani. Students discussed the book, drew & wrote about something that could be improved w/day-glo colors, then used black light to make their pictures glow! #SchoolLibrary #TLSky #EduSky

nic cage movie posters but with muppets: thread

My first bookstore event of 2026 is just 8 days away! I’m excited to be spending next Wednesday evening, 1/14, with some great people at Nowhere Books in San Antonio. If you plan to be there, too… WE MATCH! Details: nowherebookshop.com/event/2026-0...

I made an interactive map! This is a look at the effects Tx book-banning laws have had just *since the end of last school year*. I made it because it's easy to hear a shocking story about a book ban and then forget it and lose the larger picture. www.google.com/maps/d/viewe...

Mapping Texas Book Bans SY 25-26 - Google My Maps

Mapping Texas Book Bans SY 25-26

google.com

Every so often, I update my as-comprehensive-as-I-can-get-it list of children's literature conferences and festivals hosted by U.S. colleges and universities. For 2026, that time has arrived! chrisbarton.info/all-the-coll...

All the college kidlit conferences (2026 edition!) - Bartography

My updated list of U.S. College- & University-Sponsored or -Hosted Children's and Young Adult Literature Conferences, Festivals, & Symposia.

chrisbarton.info

I was asked recently to create a 4-minute video clip showing what my 45-minute (give or take) school-visit presentations look like these days, and THAT WAS HARD. But I finally managed to edit it down to these 238 seconds, and I’m actually pretty happy with what I came up with. youtu.be/4yY5mkVIkOg

Chris Barton author-visit excerpts, fall 2025

YouTube video by Chris Barton

youtu.be

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Cardiff couple invited man in for Christmas, he stayed for 45 years

An arrangement Rob and Dianne Parsons thought would last a few days ended up changing their lives.

bbc.co.uk

Please don’t take your eyes away from the damage book banning laws are doing in Texas. In Boerne ISD, a kindergarten class was forced to cancel its planned holiday party book exchange due to HB900 and SB13.

I found a wallet in the Denver airport recently. It was a few days before Thanksgiving, I was super early for my flight home, and there it was, a couple of seats down from where I waited at an almost entirely empty gate. And I thought, “Someone’s about to have a really lousy holiday week. Unless…”

Very exciting news: WE MATCH! is now 1/4 of the way to having an EGOT! I mean, I’m assuming that the “E” in EGOT stands for Endies… 100scopenotes.com/2025/11/26/a...

And the 2025 Endies Endpaper Awards Go To . . .

Announcing the winners of the 2025 Endies Endpaper Awards.

100scopenotes.com

I was so glad to be here to this moment. Congratulations, Frank, and here’s to all the good work to come from those you’ve inspired!

TX FReadom Fighters@freadomfighters.bsky.social · 11mo ago

A well deserved honor for our colleague @frankstrong.bsky.social for his work with @txfreedomread.bsky.social ! #NCTE25

For the next three weeks I’m going to share individual playlists for the 15 chapters in BACKBEATS. First up, blues legend Sam Lay, who came to Chicago as part of the Great Migration and played with Walter, Wolf, Muddy, and at the “Dylan Goes Electric” concert. King of the “double shuffle.”

Backbeats: Sam Lay by John Lingan on Apple Music

Playlist · 10 Songs

music.apple.com

Are you at NCTE? Don't worry Dr. Ann made you a great chart.

DrAnnD@drannd.bsky.social · 11mo ago

I made a chart.

Seeing how full the #NCTE25 schedule is makes me realize how dependent I’ll be on friends’ posts to let me know which sessions to attend—and how helpful it might be to put that info out there myself. So, here’s where I’ll be on Saturday. What should I see in the meantime?

WE MATCH! is big in Bozeman, Montana, the home city of illustrator Sharon Glick. Folks there have shown our book loads of love at our August launch and at our three public library and elementary school events this past week. Thank you, Bozeman! www.bozemandailychronicle.com/arts_and_ent...

They all wanted copies of WE MATCH! and I wanted them all to have copies of WE MATCH! so… we matched!

Publisher Spotlight@pubspotlight.bsky.social · 11mo ago

Off to a booming start with a l-o-n-g line at Booth 200 to meet Chris Barton signing WE MATCH #naeycAC

We’re a small library, so we have a physical suggestion box- or patrons just ask me. I bring in probably 8/10 requests- it really does work!

Chris Barton@bartography.bsky.social · last yr.

If there’s an author you appreciate, one of the simplest, most helpful, least expensive things you can do for them is ask your public library to add that author’s newest book to their collection. Many library websites have a form for that. So give it a try, and make an author’s day!

If something you love is the product of someone in the U.S. who is self-employed or who owns or works for a small business, you need to understand how dire things are about to get. That thing you love is in jeopardy (if it wasn’t already).

Chris Barton@bartography.bsky.social · 12mo ago

$2,341.96. That’s what Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas says my wife and I will pay for our monthly health insurance premiums in 2026. This year, for the same coverage? It’s been $899.72. So, what are we calling this? Trump Tax? Trump Hike? Trump Gouge? Trumpremiums? Whatever, I hate it.

$2,341.96. That’s what Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas says my wife and I will pay for our monthly health insurance premiums in 2026. This year, for the same coverage? It’s been $899.72. So, what are we calling this? Trump Tax? Trump Hike? Trump Gouge? Trumpremiums? Whatever, I hate it.

That’s some good company — thank you so much, Nancy! (Ernie is listening, too.)

Nancy Hudgins@nancyhudgins.com · 12mo ago

I'm writing my monthly newsletter and realized I didn't post my recommendations for September. For #picturebooks, they were: THE RABBIT LISTENED, written and illus. by Cori Doerrfeld HOW TO MAKE A BOOK (ABOUT MY DOG), by @bartography.bsky.social l, illus. by @sarahhorne.bsky.social #kidlit