📚 Rec from my newsletter #PB #kidlit BLUE FLOATS AWAY, by @100scopenotes.bsky.social, illus. by @grantdraws.bsky.social. A small iceberg floats away from his parents, starting an adventure that follows the water cycle. “Sneakily educational” said one reviewer. Mixed collage, crayon and painted art.

📚 Rec from my newsletter: #MG #Kidlitnonfiction THE FOG OF WAR: MARTHA GELLHORN AT THE D-DAY LANDINGS, by Michelle Jabès Corpora. Gellhorn talked/faked her way onto an LST headed for Normandy on D-Day. She was the only woman reporter on the beach.

📚 Rec from my newsletter: #MG #kidlit THE GHOST OF SPRUCE POINT, by @nancytandon.bsky.social Tweens on summer vacation come to believe a house is haunted and set out to prove (or disprove) it. Fast-paced. A great summer read, especially if you're on the coast of Maine, where it takes place.

📚 Rec from my newsletter: #PB #nonfictionkidlit Winner of 2026 Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award: THE POET AND THE BEES: A STORY OF THE SEASONS SYLVIA PLATH KEPT BEES, by Amy Novesky, illus. by Jessica Love. A lyrical picture book changing the narrative about Plath. The art is beautiful and lovely.

📚 Recommendation from my newsletter: #PB #kidlit THE ROUGH PATCH, written an illustrated by @brianlies.bsky.social. If you know a young one who is grieving a pet's death, you might try this one. A story of friendship, loss and renewal—and so—a happy ending.

📚 #MG #nonfictionkidlit rec from my newsletter: TWELVE DAYS IN MAY: FREEDOM RIDE, 1961, by 𝗟𝗮𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗗𝗮𝗻𝗲 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗻𝗲𝗿. Telling the story in the present tense makes it more intense. Compelling narrative. Contemporaneous photographs. Studies in courage. #BeAnAmbassador

📚📚📚 #MG rec from my newsletter 365 DAYS TO ALASKA, by @cathycarrwrites.bsky.social Fish-out-of-water story about a girl who is uprooted from her family's off-the-grid existence in Alaska to suburban Connecticut. Well-drawn characters. Affirming. #kidlit #BeAnAmbassador

🎈📚 #PB #kidlitnonfiction recommendation from my newsletter HOW TO MAKE A BOOK (ABOUT MY DOG), by #bartography@bsky.social, illus. by @sarahhorne.bsky.social Chris lays out his process from idea through publication. The art is super cute. The dog steals the show. Chris is cute, too. #BeAnAmbassador

#PB Recommendation from my newsletter: Fiction: THE RABBIT LISTENED, by author/illus. Cori Doerrfeld. As a former mediator, I love that listening is at the core of this book! Heart-warming. #kidlit #BeAnAmbassador

Recommended #kidlit: #MG CITY SPIES, by @jamesponti.bsky.social. A series about MI6-recruited teenagers; each has different strengths. Page-turner. THE WOMAN WHO SPLIT THE ATOM: THE LIFE OF LISE MEITNER, by @marissarmoss.bsky.social. Physics-made-easy, even for me. Cool graphics. WWII. Gripping.

I had a wonderful conversation with @navsaria.bsky.social about #UrsulaNordstrom and BOOKS GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU. Such a thoughtful, kind man. Check out the Reach Out and Read podcast, wherever you listen. @reachoutandread.bsky.social

Recommended kidlit: #PB ANIMALS IN PANTS, by @suzylevinson.bsky.social, illus., by Kristen and Kevin Howdeshell. Laugh-out-loud poems. Fun art. It’s hilarious! HONEYBEE, by Candace Fleming, illus. Eric Rohmann. Amazing hero’s journey. Honeybees seen in an entirely new light. #BeAnAmbassador

In the spirit of #BeAnAmbassador, I will be posting recommendations for picture books and middle grade books I’ve been sending out with my newsletter. These are idiosyncratic--books I've run across and enjoyed. #kidlit #PB #MG #nonfictionkidlit As always, feel free to comment.

The generous @deborahkalb.bsky.social not only co-hosted me with @marygracemcgeehan.bsky.social on @rereadingpodcast.bsky.social , she kindly interviewed me for her blog. Thanks,🎈Deborah🎈. I appreciate all you do for the #writingcommunity. Great questions!

Deborah Kalb@deborahkalb.bsky.social · last mo.

Q&A with Nancy Hudgins about BOOKS GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU, her biography for older kids of editor Ursula Nordstrom. deborahkalbbooks.blogspot.com/2026/06/q-wi...

#OTD 🎈Charlotte Zolotow🎈 was born in 1915. #UrsulaNordstrom hired her in the early 1940s as an assistant at Harper & Brothers. Over the next 40 years, Charlotte wrote 70 children’s books and became a colleague, friend, confidante and skillful editor in her own right. #nonfictionkidlit

The thing I like best about the #kidlit #writingcommunity, is the generosity and welcoming attitude of so many wonderful creators. Not only is @kirstenwlarson.bsky.social a smart, painstakingly rigorous, successful #nonfictionkidlit author... 🧵1 of 3

I’ve been enjoying watching the men play, and I’ll continue cheering them on, and I also like this timely reminder. #USWNT

สุพรรณิกาทร์ Supanika Ordoñez@spiraledu.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Just a reminder that the US Woman’s team has won the World Cup four times already.

I agree with Mary Grace. A great read! #kidlit

Mary Grace McGeehan@marygracemcgeehan.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Groundbreaking books aren't always great books, but John Donovan's 1969 YA novel I'll Get There. It Better Be Worth the Trip is both. Thanks to @nancyhudgins.com for introducing us to it! #Pride #BookSky

This interview was so much fun! #nonfictionkidlit

Rereading Our Childhood@rereadingpodcast.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Nancy Hudgins, the author of Books Good Enough for You, a middle-grade biography of editor Ursula Nordstrom, joined us to discuss I'll Get There. It Better Be Worth the Trip by John Donovan, the first YA book to feature a gay romance. rereadingourchildhood.buzzsprout.com/2169533/epis... #Pride

Hello #BookSky! We've got to keep up the pressure against the national book bans currently alive in Congress. Here's a thread with a script for talking to your Representative in the House: Hello, my name is [your name]. I am a resident of [your city/town/county], and my address is [your address]...

🎈🎈🎈 #OTD in 1928, #MauriceSendak was born. He was 22 when #UrsulaNordstrom met him and saw his sketches. She offered him his first contract to illustrate a children’s book. After illustrating 20+ books, all sent by Ursula, he wrote and illustrated #WhereTheWildThingsAre. 🧵1 of 3

🎈🎈🎈 Attn #SF young adult poets. Apply now for #SFPL's Youth Poet Laureate program. If selected, up 15 San Franciscans (ages 14 to 19) will participate in advanced poetry workshops for 6 months. Two will be selected as SF Youth Poet (and Vice-Poet) Laureates. #poetry #kidlit

Thanks, Kirsten! ❤️ What a fun conversation! 🎈

Kirsten W. Larson@kirstenwlarson.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Think you’ve exhausted your research? When Nancy Hudgins was writing about Ursula Nordstrom, she discovered new material by searching "Ursula Dixie" (her father's surname). 🎧 New podcast episode: youtu.be/niownBnAmIE #kidlit #nonfiction #writingtips #research #amwriting @nancyhudgins.com

#OTD in 1917, Gwendolyn Brooks was born. A Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, she wrote one book of poems for children: BRONZEVILLE BOYS AND GIRLS, edited by #UrsulaNordstrom and published in 1956. In 2007, HarperCollins re-released it with vibrant art by #FaithRinggold. Still in print. #kidlit #poetry

Thanks, Abbie!

Abbie James@abbiewjames.bsky.social · 2mo ago

So interesting to read about the behind-the-scenes work, backstories, and conflicts around so many #kidlit favorites. Love this! 👏 BOOKS GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU: THE STORIED LIFE OF URSULA NORDSTROM, EDITOR OF EXTRAORDINARY CHILDREN'S BOOKS by @nancyhudgins.com with beautiful art by Aura Lewis. 📚👍

#PrideMonth! 🎈 Do you know this Gay Icon? URSULA NORDSTROM Head of Harper’s children’s books, she enriched our collective consciousness--editing and publishing Where the Wild Things Are, Goodnight Moon, Charlotte’s Web, Stuart Little and Harold and the Purple Crayon. And, she was gay.

Check out The Booke Faire podcast. Not only is Anthony a knowledgeable and gracious host, he also keeeps up on #kidlit news and #bookbanning A tremendous public service.

The Book Faire | A Children's Literature Podcast@bookfairepod.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Thank you @nancyhudgins.com for sending the personalized copy of Books Good Enough For You! This book is a fantastic story of one of the most influential figures in children's literature to ever live, Ursula Nordstrom.

#OTD in 1910 🎈Margaret Wise Brown🎈 was born—“a genius”—according to #UrsulaNordstrom. Ursula had been born earlier that year. They met in 1936 and Ursula edited many of her books. I described the making of The Runaway Bunny and Goodnight Moon in my book: BOOKS GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU #nonfictionkidlit

In May, 1945, Ruth Krauss's THE CARROT SEED, illus. by Crockett Johnson, was published. 🎈Happy Book Birthday!🎈 It's still in print. #UrsulaNordstrom suggested Ruth write for young children. In the #kidlit world, we always talk about agency. Ruth conveys agency in her MC in 101 words.

I so enjoyed @nancyhudgins.com’s biography of Ursula Nordstrom, Books Good Enough for You!