Cynthia Leitich Smith (Native Books for Young Readers & More)

Light grey promotional graphic titled “Want to Know Something Really Scary?” The graphic has three illustrations of ghosts decorating the border of the post. Beneath the tile is a bright orange bubble containing a right-facing arrow, encouraging folks to swipe through.

👻 Want to know what really scares us here at WNDB?

Every Halloween, cities and communities set up haunted houses, people dress up as monsters, and we watch spine-tingling movies that make even the bravest grown-ups jump.

But here’s what *really* scares us at We Need Diverse Books:

Featured titles in stacks: BONE SOUP by Cambria Evans (Clarion Books, 2016) PETER RABBIT AND THE PUMPKIN PATCH by Beatrix Potter and Ruth Palmer (Penguin, 2013) Photo of inside of free little library stocked with books, including a few that are tied with ribbons. Text: Halloween at my Little Free Library with orange background and graphics a cute ghosts reading books.

Happy Halloween, booookish friends! I’m celebrating tonight by giving away a choice of picture books and miscellaneous seasonal titles for kids of all ages. What are your Halloween plans? #BookSky

Mvto/thank you!

Author Cynthia Leitich Smith charms crowd at Shaw Lecture Asked what she would say to encourage young writers, author Cynthia Leitich Smith made an analogy. “When you're thinking about a story, particularly...

Cynthia Leitich Smith @cynleitichsmith.bsky.social reflected on her experiences as a prominent Indigenous children’s and young adult author at the iSchool’s 33rd annual Spencer G. Shaw Lecture: ischool.uw.edu/news/2025/10...

Headline: Book Sale Announcement. Text from post. Headshots of author and illustrator, both Native Hawaiian, outside with trees behind them. Heartdrum logo between photos. Faint image of Hibiscus in the background.

WE ARE HAPPA, Kaua Mahoe Adam's debut picture book, ill. by Malia Pila, in which a Hapa Hawaiian boy embraces his mixed Native Hawaiian ancestry, acquired by Heartdrum. #KidLit

Purple graphic with illustrations of white spiderwebs in the top right and bottom left corners. This slide is titled “Young Adult” and displays book covers for six diverse young adult books perfect for the Halloween season. The titles featured are as follows: “What Stalks Among Us” by Sarah Hollowell, “Hollow” by Taylor Grothe, “Hazelthorn” by C.G. Drews, “A Feast for the Eyes” by Alex Crespo, “Make Me a Monster” by Kalynn Bayron, and “The Others” by Cheryl Isaacs.

👻 6 Diverse Young Adult Books for the Halloween Season

Purple graphic titled “30 Diverse Halloween Reads: Suggestions for Scaredy Cats and Scare Enthusiasts Alike!” There are Halloween-related doodles around the border of the graphic, such as a waving skeleton, a smiling witch, a laughing werewolf, and a smiling ghost holding a pumpkin-shaped bucket. There are also doodles of candy and a purple spell book with a ghost on the cover.

Celebrate the #Halloween season with these diverse books! Whether you’re looking for something cute or creepy, this list has something for readers of any age and scare-level 🎃📚

Text: Cover Reveal in blue against yellow circle with wavy edges. Water in the background, rising up. Heartdrum logo (young eagle feather against Alaska Native drum) in the top right. Cover image of a light-skinned Native Hawaiian girl in profile with hair up, flower to side in hair, wearing a reddish orange top, bird in profile faintly in white in the background, title in yellow across bottom third of the book, author's name up top.

Cover Reveal! AN EXPANSE OF BLUE by Kauakanilehua Mahoe Adams, art by JT Ojerio (Heartdrum, 2026). Powerful, romantic debut novel-in-verse about a Native Hawaiian girl's fight to find belonging in a fracturing family. #BookSky @epicreads.bsky.social @weneeddiversebooks.bsky.social

Dark reddish orange promotional graphic displaying the cover for the upcoming YA debut, “Shards of Silence” by Brian Lee Young, forthcoming from Heartdrum (an imprint of HarperCollins) on May 5th, 2026. The release date is written along the bottom of the graphic in bold white text. The cover illustration shows a young Navajo (Diné) teenage boy facing forward with a stoic expression on his face. He’s wearing a bright orange ring tee underneath a navy blazer that’s part of a boarding school uniform.

Dark reddish orange promotional graphic containing the following synopsis, in part, for “Shards of Silence” by Brian Lee Young: “In his first YA novel, award-winning author Brian Lee Young (Diné) bridges the generational divide between a Navajo teen at an elite prep school and his great-grandmother’s experience at a federal boarding school for Indigenous students. Even if it hurts to leave behind his friends and family in Navajo, New Mexico—especially his great-grandmother, Mildred—Derrick knows his scholarship to an elite East Coast boarding school is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Back home, Másání Mildred’s health is fading quickly. On the phone, she begs Derrick to leave Sagefield. When he realizes her fear comes from her time in federal Native boarding schools, he knows he’s finally found the term paper theme he believes in: carrying her voice into the future.”

🧡 COVER REVEAL 🧡 Don’t miss Brian Young’s groundbreaking YA debut, SHARDS OF SILENCE, forthcoming from Heartdrum (HarperCollins) on May 5th, 2026!

🎨 Cover art by Lynnette Haozous
🖼️ Cover design by Laura Mock

📖 bit.ly/ShardsOfSilence

Blue graphic with a bright pink box at the top that says, “Apply Today!” Beneath that, in all caps are the words “Walter Grants” followed by a brief description that says, “WNDB’s Walter Dean Myers Grants provide promising unpublished writers and illustrators $2000 to support their career development” To the left of the text is an illustration of a person with long black hair sitting at a desk and writing in a word doc. At the bottom of the graphic are the dates “October 1st through October 31st,” denoting the application period for Walter Grant applications. In the bottom right hand corner of the graphic is a light green box containing the URL “bit.ly/WalterGrantsApp”, which will direct folks to the application form.

Blue graphic displaying a mock-up internet browser window. At the top of the window is a search bar containing the URL “bit.ly/WalterGrantsApp”, which will direct folks to the application form for WNDB’s Walter Grants. Beneath that, the mock-up browser window is titled “About Walter Grants” and contains the following description: “The Walter Dean Myers Grant provides a financial boost to promising writers and illustrators from diverse backgrounds who are currently unpublished. Each grantee receives $2000 to hone their craft and support their career development. The Walter Grant can be used in a variety of ways, from attending conferences to purchasing new writing devices to covering childcare.”

🔔 Apply for a Walter Dean Myers Grant today!

The Walter Dean Myers Grant program was established to provide grants of $2,000 each to promising diverse writers and illustrators who are currently unpublished. Follow the 🔗 below (also in our bio) to apply ⬇️

💻 bit.ly/WalterGrantsApp

Indigenous Literacy and STEM Projects Per requirements in A.R.S. 15-244, Indian Education Act, the Office of Indian Education provides technical assistance to schools and tribal nations to meet the educational needs of Native American stu...

Free virtual event! Hear from three award-winning Native authors! Open to educators, parents, community members!
5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 5 www.azed.gov/oie/literacy...
#Education #NativeAmerican

Q&A: Cheryl Isaacs, Author of 'The Others' | The Nerd Daily We chat with author Cheryl Isaacs about The Others, which is a  haunting sequel that explores the sharp edges of lingering trauma and the bonds of love that heal us--for fans of She is a Haunting and ...

“It has been a pleasure to...hear about the nightmares I’ve saddled people with!” — Cheryl Isaacs, interviewed by Elise Dumpleton, from The Nerd Daily: thenerddaily.com/cheryl-isaac... #BookSky

MG Escapades Authors Stan Yan & Angela Hsieh on Graphic Novels; Plus Sara Shacter on Creating a Debut Author Group - Cynthia Leitich Smith By Gayleen Rabakukk Today we have the final installment of the MG Escapades series with Graphic Novelists Stan Yan and Angela Hsieh. And we’re also chatting with the group’s founder, Sara Shacter abou...

MG Escapades Authors on Graphic Novels; Plus Sara Shacter on Creating a Debut Author Group: cynthialeitichsmith.com/2025/10/mg-e... @gayleenwrites.bsky.social #KidLit

MG Escapades Authors Leslie Adame, Alby C. Williams, Carey Blankenship-Kramer, Sarah Mendonca, Christina Cornwell, Ryan James Black, Nicole Hewitt, Shana Targosz on Publishing MG Fantasy/Horror - Cynt... By Gayleen Rabakukk Today we continue meeting more members of the MG Escapades group, this time chatting with debut authors who have fantasy novels publishing this year: Leslie Adame, Alby C. Williams...

MG Escapades Authors on Publishing MG Fantasy/Horror: cynthialeitichsmith.com/2025/10/mg-e... @gayleenwrites.bsky.social #KidLit

White text in dark green oval: 2026 White Pine Award (TM) Nominees. Cover art for THE UNFINISHED by Cheryl Isaacs (girl standing with forest and dark figure in the background) and THE BEAST by Richard Van Camp (flying white luminous birds and mysterious creature). Background is a green-gray with a snowy pine.

Congratulations to @cherisaacs.bsky.social @richardvancamp.bsky.social & their fellow nominees for the 2026 White Pine Award: forestofreading.com/white-pine-n... @forestofreading.bsky.social #YABooks

Author Interview: Twila M. Barnes Reflects on The Cherokee People, Culture, & History - Cynthia Leitich Smith By AJ Eversole I was delighted to chat with respected Cherokee historian, Twila M. Barnes, about her latest release from Capstone, The Cherokee People, Culture and History. The book is part a wonderfu...

"Every word I wrote was based on how I thought the Cherokee people would view it and how it could affect the three Cherokee tribes." — Twila M. Barnes, interviewed by @ajeversole.bsky.social cynthialeitichsmith.com/2025/10/auth... #KidLit @capstonepub.bsky.social

Reading for Diwali In honor of the Festival of Lights, here are some books about the celebration of Diwali along with picture books and fiction by and about South Asian and South Asian American people.

#HBOutoftheBox: In honor of the #FestivalofLights, here are some books about #Diwali along w/ #picturebooks, #fiction, and #nonfiction by + about South Asian + South Asian American people ow.ly/jmoL50TXBCu

Thank you!

“global award is given annually to a person or organisation for their outstanding contribution to children’s and young adult literature...highlights the importance of reading, today and for future generations." #KidLit #AstridLindgrenMemorialAward

When books were being pulled from Iowa classrooms, these teens started an after-school club to read them Three Iowa City West high schoolers founded a book club that reads some of the country's most frequently banned books after a state law removing books with sexual content was signed in 2023. Two years later, many of the books have been reshelved and parts of the law can't be enforced.

Three high schoolers founded a book club that reads some of the country's most frequently banned books after a state law removing books with sexual content was signed in 2023. Two years later, many of the books have been reshelved and parts of the law can't be enforced.

Wow! That's exciting. Hopefully, the skunks are very happy and calm. Do you have pets, too?

Oh, sorry about that! Basically, it's a disc thing that absorbs sunlight and can create a fountain out of any container of water. You can probably get one at a home goods or hardware store.

Oh, my goodness! Try a shepherd's hook and hang the feeder from that. Make sure it's at least six feet from the nearest tree, roofline, anything jump-abe. Solar fountain is basically something like this, plopped in the birdbath: www.lowes.com/pd/Dartwood-...

Polka dot background (blue dots on magenta), quote from message) cover art of JO JO MAKOONS: THE SUPER-SCARY SLEEPOVER (Jo Jo in bear PJs with Mimi (a gray tabby) afraid of eyes in the closet

“Readers who love the chaos of Junie B. Jonesand the innocence of Amelia Bedelia will enjoy Jo Jo's guileless humor.” —Booklist

Author Interview: Uma Krishnaswami on Series Writing & The Sunshine Project - Cynthia Leitich Smith By Suma Subramaniam Uma Krishnaswami is one of the best and most distinguished author/mentors in the children’s publishing industry. I have enjoyed the Book Uncle trilogy so much and feel honored to ...

“…everything we write...has seeds in it that can be used to grow something new, even when that new work wasn’t what we originally intended.” — Uma Krishnaswami, interviewed by Suma Subramaniam for Cynsations: cynthialeitichsmith.com/2025/10/auth... @groundwoodbooks.bsky.social #KidLit

I installed three bird feeders--two for hummingbirds--and a put a solar fountain in my birdbath. My back yard is now a migration hot spot!

6 Middle Grade Historical Fiction Books by Indigenous Authors These enlightening and engaging middle grade historical fiction books by Indigenous authors span centuries and stretch across Turtle Island.

Get ready for Native Heritage Month with Historical MG Fiction: bookriot.com/middle-grade... #KidLit @tracisorellauthor.bsky.social @kimspencerwrites.bsky.social @leeandlie.com @bookriot.bsky.social

How about this one? cynthialeitichsmith.com/kidbooks/kid... #KidLit

MG Escapades Authors Emily Deibert, Kerry Madden Lunsford, Sara F. Shacter & Jess Callans on Contemporary Middle Grade - Cynthia Leitich Smith By Gayleen Rabakukk Today we’re welcoming several middle grade authors to Cynsations: Emily Deibert, Kerry Madden Lunsford, Sara F. Shacter and Jess Callans, all middle grade novelists—mostly debut au...

Interviews with MG Escapades Authors Emily Deibert, Kerry Madden Lunsford, Sara F. Shacter & Jess Callans on Contemporary Middle Grade by Gayleen Rabakukk at Cynsations: cynthialeitichsmith.com/2025/10/mg-e... #KidLit

Thank you!