Jennifer Harris
@mypbjam.bsky.social
Picture Book Writer. English Prof. http://mypbjam.com (she/her) #kidlit #SCBWI #CANSCAIP Rep'd by Jackie Kaiser, Westwood
I'm a fan of cognitive shifts. Sometimes reading in another genre and age bracket makes you come at something anew. I keep Selima Hill's poems by my bed; I love tales of fashion and flâneurs, printmakers and pottery. Anything by people who think differently has the capacity to refresh #kidlitchat
Greg Pincus@gregpincus.bsky.social · 2mo agoTOPIC: How do you see a work-in-progess with fresh eyes when you're deep in it? Share your tips and tricks for seeing your work anew... #kidlitchat
Has anyone ever actually pitched an editor or agent in an elevator? I mean, if I were them I'd definitely be taking the stairs, just to avoid the awkwardness #kidlitchat
Greg Pincus@gregpincus.bsky.social · 4mo agoTOPIC: How many pitches do you have on hand for your manuscript? Do you have different pitches for contests, online pitchfests, queries and random meetings in elevators? How are they the same/different? #kidlitchat
Pitches are HARD! I have a pb in 2027 that still needs a decent one. It traces a dime over 7 decades, through piggy banks and payphones, magic shows and magpie’s nests, all while measuring what it can buy in each era. And while that’s a punchy summary, I struggle to convey why it's fun. #kidlitchat
Greg Pincus@gregpincus.bsky.social · 4mo agoTOPIC: How many pitches do you have on hand for your manuscript? Do you have different pitches for contests, online pitchfests, queries and random meetings in elevators? How are they the same/different? #kidlitchat
#KidLitChat Speaking of the pulse on publishing, what did folks here think of this article. Have you read it? Did you have strong thoughts one way or the other?
Middle Grade Is "Dead" And I Think That's Good News
I say this at conferences a lot.
vickyweberbooks.substack.com
Read, read, read more--the best way to come back to a manuscript with fresh eyes is to get away from what you've been doing, and immerse yourself in others. Not just mentor texts but wildly different works which utilize different techniques, perspectives, and frames. #kidlitchat
Greg Pincus@gregpincus.bsky.social · 5mo agoTOPIC: What are you best tips and tricks for seeing your manuscript anew when it's time to revise, re-envision, edit, or work on a draft again in any way? #kidlitchat
Gossip is a currency; does it help to know a certain press has a ban on cat stories? Yes! But it's not posted anywhere. PW sales reports, agent newsletters, and SCBWI talks are VERY useful. But hearing what friends are hearing from their agents and editors: that gossip is GOLD #kidlitchat
Greg Pincus@gregpincus.bsky.social · 5mo agoTOPIC: How and where do you keep up with the news, reviews, and people in our business? Is your work informed by what you learn - trends, gaps, what’s selling or not - or do you just like to keep current? Or… other? #kidlitchat
Years of academic writing have made it clear to me how important it is to know when you're being precious about your work, versus being principled. Whether assessing your own work, or receiving feedback from others, understanding that distinction when revising is a strength #kidlitchat
Greg Pincus@gregpincus.bsky.social · 5mo agoTOPIC: We spend a lot of time revising... fixing... even frustrated with our work. But for this hour of #kidlitchat, let's talk about what you LIKE or LOVE about your own work. SPECIFICALLY. What are you good at? How do you use your strengths when you approach your work?
Not a topic, but an idea: remember children's birthday parties in the party room at McDonald's? I want bookstores to have party rooms for adults, with books and Happy Hour instead of toys and Happy Meals. #kidlitchat
Greg Pincus@gregpincus.bsky.social · 6mo agoTOPIC: It's Spring here (allegedly), the time of new growth and new ideas. So, what are YOUR ideas for new topics you'd like to suggest for #kidlitchat?
I want to normalize EVERYONE reading picture books. Not because I am a picture book writer. But because I am a picture book READER - and a childless one, at that. But alas, even my own family only reads my picture books and no one else's. They're missing out - and so are too many others.
I'll be teaching a webinar on crafting irresistible nonfiction book proposals this Saturday, March 14, for the @scbwicanadaeast.bsky.social Digging Deeper series! Join me at 1 pm ET or register for the recording. More information can be found here: www.scbwi.org/events/craft... #kidlit #CanKidLit
I was modelling for my students how I come up with picture book ideas. So I tossed out a REALLY ridiculous idea. Then, of course, I had to write it and revise it, as part of the exercise. For fun, I made it SOOO over the top, because how could I not? And now... I think it might sell?! #kidlitchat
Greg Pincus@gregpincus.bsky.social · 6mo agoTOPIC: What’s the biggest, boldest, or wildest thing you’ve done for or to one of your stories? Think theme, characters, setting, format . . . Or if there's something you *want* to try, but haven't, WHY HAVEN'T YOU? #kidlitchat
In these times it can feel like writing low selling children's books isn't the biggest help for the world, but then I remember the kid I've never met many timezones away who reads This Wolf Was Different each night before bed as their comfort book, and I remember... it's helping someone's world. ❤️
In the midst of chaos and uncertainty, it's worth remembering that writing for children is a hopeful act. It's a way of nurturing and supporting the growth and emotional needs of children. I'm all for celebrating acts of hope #kidlitchat
Want to pick a timely name for a protagonist? Or convince the largest volume of grandparents to buy a book, because the protagonist shares the same name as a beloved grandchild? Check the Social Security Baby Name tracker. #kidlitchat www.ssa.gov/oact/babynam...
ssa.gov
Some of our books are on the Children's Book Council Winter 2026 Showcase: Dream A Little Dream 🌙 THE MIDNIGHT CLUB MOON POPS ELEANOR’S MOON WHO NEEDS THE DARK? THE KEEPER OF STARS Thank you to the Children's Book Council for featuring us amongst a lovely list 💙 #Winter2026Showcase #CBCShowcase
‼️ IT'S OUR BIRTHDAY 🎂 (and a big one) ‼️ We're kicking it off with our #AnniversaryLogoReveal, featuring OWL's original Owl! 🦉 Stay tuned all year for fun content ... we look forward to celebrating with you! ❤️🎉 #Birthday #Anniversary #50 #50Years #OWL #1976 #2026
I have a few openings on my School Librarian Advisory Team for 2026 – if you're interested in taking the occasional survey, getting early copies of new books, & taking a peek behind the scenes of making kids’ books, it might be a good fit for you & your readers! Details: forms.gle/mkA9L5EuvjTu...
Kate Messner's School Librarian Advisory Team
With recent shifts in social media, support for libraries, and school budgets, it feels more challenging than ever to connect kids with books they’ll love. I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how au...
forms.gle
I took a publishing course this fall, and learned that while editors say they don't care about social media, publishing and marketing do--and they have a more significant voice at acquisitions than many realize. #KidLitChat
Someone made me a custom button of one of my book covers for its launch, and it was so sweet. If you want to buy an author a gift, what about an enamel pin with their favourite book cover? Or jewellery of the same? Etsy is great for this! #kidlitchat
Structuring a picture book can be tied to the emotional arc of a character, the pacing of the plot, the rhythm of language, or any combination of the 3. But above all, you’re bound by the formal constraints: roughly 13 page spreads. Form is like the Jillian Michaels of pbs: merciless #kidlitchat
I was fortunate to do a fall course with Kyo Maclear, and also attended CANSCAIP in Toronto, where you can do one-on-one meetings with editors. Both turned into community building opportunities. This is what I love about Bookish, which I host--I meet fabulous people and learn so much #kidlitchat
Picture books usually come out 3 years after the contract is signed, so what's on shelves now doesn't reflect a current trend, so much as 2022. But I can say in terms of my own manuscripts, it's the more unusual ones editors have liked in 2024/2025. So maybe now's the time to go weird?! #kidlitchat
Light up the night sky with these #BookRecs 🔦 ✨ WHO NEEDS THE DARK? ✨ MOON POPS ✨ ELEANOR'S MOON ✨ THE MIDNIGHT CLUB ✨ THE KEEPER OF STARS ✨ LITTLE MOMENTS IN A BIG UNIVERSE ✨ THE JELLYFISH BUS ✨ I WONDER ABOUT WORLDS #Nighttime #Storytime #KidLit #BookSky
Make the most of those early sunsets with snuggly reads. We love a book list, and we love seeing Maggie Knaus' ELEANOR'S MOON and @mypbjam.bsky.social's THE KEEPER OF STARS on this one✨
Owlkids Publishing@owlkids.bsky.social · 10mo agoLight up the night sky with these #BookRecs 🔦 ✨ WHO NEEDS THE DARK? ✨ MOON POPS ✨ ELEANOR'S MOON ✨ THE MIDNIGHT CLUB ✨ THE KEEPER OF STARS ✨ LITTLE MOMENTS IN A BIG UNIVERSE ✨ THE JELLYFISH BUS ✨ I WONDER ABOUT WORLDS #Nighttime #Storytime #KidLit #BookSky
My undergrad English class on Young Adult Literature has just decreed Isaac Blum’s THE LIFE AND CRIMES OF HOODIE ROSEN meets the criteria for Young Teen Lit.... Thoughts? @youngteenlit.bsky.social
Not to freak you out about being half way through summer or anything, but here's a reminder that if you're planning to teach The Power of Sympathy in the coming year, @mypbjam.bsky.social and I are happy to Zoom into your classroom!
Bryan Waterman@waterman.bsky.social · 2y agoJennifer Harris (@mypbjam.bsky.social) and I are pleased to share the release of our @broadviewpress.bsky.social edition of William Hill Brown's THE POWER OF SYMPATHY (1789). Here's a short thread about the book, which its original printer, Isaiah Thomas, marketed as the first American novel. 🧵🗃️
Reading is transformative so I’m 100% behind a National Year of Reading but instead of shaming parents/carers (“put our phones down and pick up a book”) let’s focus on access and choice for children. That includes reversing library closures and funding cuts. #readingforpleasure
The Bookseller@thebookseller.com · last yr.A National Year of Reading will take place in 2026 aimed at curtailing the reading crisis among children and young people. The initiative was launched by education secretary, Bridget Phillipson ahead of a reception to be held at 10 Downing Street 👇 #BookSky
