Macmillan Children's School & Library Marketing

Big News for SPARK! I am delighted to share that SPARK has been selected as a finalist for CALIBA’s 2025 Golden Poppy Awards for Middle Grade! Congrats to the other nominees!

“Stay angry, little Meg. You will need all your anger now.” —Mrs. Whatsit

WORDS TO LIVE BY, HOLLY WHEELER, YOU WONDERFUL BOOKWORM #StrangerThings

Advocacy Groups, Major Publishers Reject Call by Tennessee Demanding Compliance with White House Executive Order on Gender Identity PEN America today joins 33 major publishers and national library and literary advocacy groups denouncing directives from the Tennessee Secretary of State warning public libraries to review their colle...

Advocacy Groups, Major Publishers Reject Call by Tennessee Demanding Compliance with White House Executive Order on Gender Identity pen.org/press-releas...

“Essential," —School Library Journal, starred review “belongs in all high school and public libraries” —Booklist, starred review "Essential reading." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review “Powerful,” —publishers weekly, starred review “Meticulously researched,” —BCCB, starred review “Bausum’s short chapters and clear language help teen readers understand complex subjects” —Horn book, starred review “accessible and enthralling.” —Shelf awareness, starred review

⭐ Stargaze with MacKids ⭐

White Lies has SEVEN starred reviews! This powerful and unflinching examination of racism in America by award-winning historian Ann Bausum deconstructs the warped history of the Civil War for ages 12-18. Download our teacher's guide at the link! bit.ly/4aa3WJ8

#history

A collage of book covers

This month's new young adult releases include a retelling of bluebeard (The House Saphir), a sapphic folk horror (Beautiful Brutal Bodies), and an adaptation of a webcomic (Always Raining Here)! Learn more at the link! bit.ly/4ormHMu

#books #edusky #library #librarian #teacher

"Pocket remembered it all. At least that's what he claimed. And I'd never known him to shade the truth.

He remembered hope.

Wonder.

The sweet eagerness as every careful, silken stitch brought him nearer to himself."
🧸🧵💛
@mackidsbooks.bsky.social

Awesome times at NCTE with Spark!

Did a roundtable workshop at the @ncte.org conference where I presented this lesson on making a mini comic as a simple and disarming way to get students into storytelling and writing, along with a few suggested prompts. Link in bio! Download a print-quality PDF for use in your classrooms.

#ncte25

Congratulations to the authors of the 2026 Notable Children's Verse Novels, just announced at #NCTE25!

The covers of the 2026 Notable Children's Poetry Books are shown. The books are The History of We; Rap it Up!; A Universe of Rainbows; Black Diamond Kings; The Pine Cone's Secret; A Forest Song; Harriet Tubman: Force of Nature; Dear Acord (Love, Oak) Letter Poems to Friends; Cows and Sheep and Chicks that Cheep; and Awesome Earth.

Congratulations to the authors and illustrators of the 2026 Notable Children's Poetry Books, just announced at #NCTE25!

Congratulations to the winner of the 2026 Charlotte Huck Award® for Outstanding Fiction for Children, announced today at #NCTE25:

A Sea of Lemon Trees: The Corrido of Roberto Alvarez
Written by María Dolores Águila
Published by Roaring Brook Press

Hope to see you in Denver! A Loudmouth badge is waiting for you.

“deeply compelling," —bookpage, starred review “ visually arresting, emotionally moving tale” —Booklist, starred review "A thought-provoking, affecting allegory." “evocative and moving,” —publishers weekly, starred review “The graphic novel format is expertly used here” —BCCB, starred review “The story unfolds cinematically —Horn book, starred review “Spectacular stunner that perfectly balances evocative art with minimal text.” —Shelf awareness, starred review

⭐ Stargaze with Mackids ⭐

Two children and one robot take center stage in this timely exploration of how far AI technology can go 🤖 Tap the link to access our Graphic Novel Preview of OASIS! bit.ly/4ircuwX

NCTE Virtual Booth Browse our resources & must-read books!

Did you know @dheiligman.bsky.social , @juanamartinezn.bsky.social , @tonyweaverjr.bsky.social , @dangemeinhart.bsky.social & more will be at NCTE 2025 this weekend? Check our NCTE and ALAN Workshop schedule at the link for a full list of in-person author programs and book signings! bit.ly/47Kpx86

The flyer reads NYPL BEST books of 2025, congratulations to Adiba Nelson & Alleanna Harris. The picture book cover reads Ochún y Yo: Una Historia de Amor y Trenzas.

The Spanish language version of Oshún and Me, Ochún y Yo, was included in the New York Public Library Best Books of 2025 list! It’s written by @adibanelson.bsky.social, illustrated by me, translated by Issa Mas, and published by @mackidsbooks.bsky.social. So honored. 🥹🌻☀️💛 #kidlit #kidlitart

Best Books of 2025: Top 10 Picks for Kids & Teens | The New York Public Library Noteworthy new books for kids and teens recommended by NYPL's expert librarians and staff.

Thrilled that the New York Public Library chose Loudmouth as one of its best books of the year, and even named it a top ten teen book. www.nypl.org/blog/2025/11...

Book giveaway for One Word, Six Letters by Adib Khorram Oct 27-Nov 24, 2025 Enter to win one of 50 free copies available. Giveaway dates from Oct 27-Nov 24, 2025. Enter for a chance to win an advance galley of ONE WORD, SIX LETTE...

There are still a few days left on this goodreads giveaway for ONE WORD, SIX LETTERS!!

Watching now!! Thanks for this link!!

"Fantasy fans, rejoice! Debut author Lily Berlin Dodd delivers expert world-building, clever magic, and unique, charismatic characters you'll be rooting for the whole way through. Plus, there's more to come!" -Mary Van Akin, executive director, school & library marketing

THE LAST EMBER is our November #MacKidsStaffPicks! Learn more about this debut middle grade adventure with dragons at the link! bit.ly/4oTrDcQ

#edusky #dragons #review #middlegrade #booksky

Celebrate Native American Heritage Month

Visit our Native American Heritage Month resource center to watch H.E. Edgmon speak about their MG debut, THE FLICKER - which has published to glowing starred reviews and deserves a space on your library or classroom shelves! bit.ly/48TB1pU

#nativeamericanheritagemonth #library #edusky

#Nonfiction #HBReviewoftheWeek THE SKY WAS MY BLANKET by Uri Shulevitz (Farrar/ @mackidsbooks.bsky.social): "Yehiel was like a second father to the author...and it’s easy to 'hear' the voice of Yehiel in the straightforward and engaging [first person] narrative" www.hbook.com/story/review...

So honored to see POCKET BEAR on this list of 2025's best kids' books K-3 readers from the Chicago Public Library. 🧸🧵

Thank you, Chicago librarians! So many wonderful books keeping Pocket company. 💛 chipublib.bibliocommons.com/v2/list/disp...

@mackidssl.bsky.social

Electric Life: the hidden radiance of everything An illustrated bee drinks out of a blue flower

ELECTRIC LIFE by Sander Funneman & Peter Brouwers is out today!

Did you know bees charge themselves like batteries? That frogs float on magnetic fields? With 1 starred review, this nonfiction GN explores the roles electricity and magnetism play in the natural world. bit.ly/45Hjmkg

Protect the spark that could save-or scorch- the world.

Happy Book Birthday to THE LAST EMBER, the first installment in an action-packed fantasy adventure about a powerful creature, those who seek to exploit it, and those who are willing to protect it at all costs. With 3 starred reviews, don't miss adding this to your collection! bit.ly/4oTrDcQ

A stack of the book Gus and Glory sits on a table, topped by bloodhound plushie. The cover of the book shows a girl walking a bloodhound.

Know someone who loves dogs? Gus and Glory was named a JLG Gold Standard and earned four starred reviews!
@mackidssl.bsky.social
@mackidsbooks.bsky.social

"Fantasy fans, rejoice! Debut author Lily Berlin Dodd delivers expert world-building, clever magic, and unique charismatic characters you'll be rooting for the whole way through. Plus, there's more to come!" - Mary Van Akin, executive director, school & library mrketing

"Delivers expert world-building, clever magic, and unique charismatic characters,"

THE LAST EMBER is our November #MacKidsStaffPicks! Learn more about this debut middle grade adventure with dragons at the link! bit.ly/4oTrDcQ

#edusky #dragons #review #middlegrade #booksky

2025 Stars (so far!) Start building your 2026 reading list with these top reviewed books! Oasis - 7 stars Sisters In The Wind - 7 stars White Lies - 7 Stars Paka Paka Con La Papa - 5 stars Song of a Blackbird - 5 stars

Does your collection include this year’s critically acclaimed books? Tap the link to see what Booklist, School Library Journal, Kirkus, Horn Book, Publishers Weekly, and more, say about our top reviewed books of 2025 for kids and teens! bit.ly/4otrbSX

#edusky #librarian #teacher #library

A collage of book covers

Gorgeous Gruesome Faces, Dead Girls Don't Dream, and Perfect Girl are among the new paperback releases you can add to your collection this month! Tap the link to view our full catalog of November releases 📚 bit.ly/4ormHMu

#edusky #paperback

NCTE is extra meaningful this year! As always, I’m most looking forward to connecting with friends and educators. I’ll be a part of all these panels and signing SPARK Friday at 4. Hope to see you!

Senate Passes Bill Guarding Against Politically Motivated Book Bans <p class="MsoNormal" align="center"><em>Bill guards against political bias in library decisions, protects librarians from reprisals</em></p> <p><strong>(BOSTON&mdash;11/13/2025) </strong>The Massachus...

Congratulations MA! #FreedomtoRead bill with protections for authors now moves to the House! Call your MA reps!
Great work @massaabb.bsky.social ! malegislature.gov/PressRoom/De...