Katy Tanis

New Jersey Democrats Send Coarse but Clear Message to ICE With New Bill

“….with a dose of in-your-face Jersey attitude, introducing a bill that is encoded with an unsubtle message. Named the Fight Unlawful Conduct and Keep Individuals and Communities Empowered act, the legislation, known by its blunt acronym.” www.nytimes.com/2026/02/21/n... @nytimes.com

Plant native blooms in time for spring with Philly’s favorite squid scientist Local butterflies and bees need more homes. Philly’s science community has some creative solutions.

Oh hey!! A Billy Penn article all about the Native Plant project is OUT! Featuring interviews from me, @zajic.com @megstampede.bsky.social and @the666cat.bsky.social!

Check it out! billypenn.com/2026/02/24/s...

Books from the New Jersey Library Association and the New Jersey School Library Association Joint Conference. Titles: Don't Call me Fuzzybutt!, Leonard Grows a Haunted Garden, Roxie Loves Adventure, I'm So Happy You're Here, Somos America, P is for Puffin, Fin and Exra's Bar Mitzvah Time Loop, Your Pal Fred, The Hidden Dominion of Geordie james, Styx and Scones.

I had such a great time at the NJ Library Association / NJSLA conference this week, I barely even minded all the women's figure skating spoilers. Here are books by some of the great authors I met. More to follow in the next few days! #kidlit

This really is a great picture:

Thank you 😊

Three board books. Love Under the Stars featuring two owls making a heart shape. Love in the Wild featuring two looks with rainbow manes that form a heart shape on a white background. Love Under the Sea featuring two seahorses that form a heart shape on a dark blue background.

Wishing you lots of love this Valentine’s Day. #kidlit

Busted up dust pan

Accidentally ran over my dust pan. If only there were some sort of thing I could sweep all those pieces onto… 🤔

Brown small owl drawing against a dark green background

Happy Superb Owl Day! This is an endangered forest owlet from Guess My Animal by Kathleen Yale and Stirey Publishing #SuperbOwl #🦉

Images of Minnesota Wildlife (Loon, Monarch, Walleye, Wolf) that are part of a sticker pack to raise money for the Minnesota Women's Foundation of Minnesota Immigrant Rapid Response Fund

sticker sheet layout featuring stars, monarch butterfly, loon, wolf family and walleye

Here's a small way to support Minnesotans and add unique wildlife stickers to your collection!

Proceeds to the Women's Foundation of Minnesota Immigrant Rapid Response Fund (www.wfmn.org/funds/immigr...)

art by: @feral-pony.bsky.social, @katytanis.bsky.social , @tatjanamaiwyss.bsky.social

Fun!

very sweet.

A bright and whimsical painting of a blue-toned kitchen, in which various baby animals in diapers are having a jam session. A pig is playing ukulele, a chick is playing triangle with a fork, a kitty is on the horn, a puppy is banging a pot, and a mouse, frog, snake and fly are dancing and vibing along as rainbow colored confetti and “noise lines” erupt from the musical instruments.

A night-time image in tones of purple with highlights of gold and cream. Cats are gathered around a cauldron in a backyard. The tabby in the center is stirring the steaming liquid with a long bone. A jersey-spotted cat in overalls plays a fiddle, a white cat in a dress sways rhythmically to the music, and a plain cat in the background peeks over the fence and seems happy and entranced by the goings-on. Fireflies and a moth dance in the air and a mysterious pair of eyes shines out of a hole in a tree.

A black and white pen-and-ink drawing of a mama anteater feeding a bowl of ants to twin baby anteaters who are seated in a double-wide high chair, with a speech bubble that says “Open Wide!” One of the baby anteaters is busy chasing ants across the tray with its tongue, the other has their mouth open to accept the offered ant spoon, and one ant is hastily scurrying down the chair leg and away from the anteaters.

A black and white pen-and-ink drawing of a crow wrapped in a blanket, nestled in an armchair with a book and a mug of a steaming drink in front of a warm fire on a winter’s night. A frame around the image creates an extra sense of cozy, miniature charm, and the overall vibe is one of handmade whimsy and nostalgia.

🎨 Illustrator spotlight on Erica Sirotich!

Erica is represented by Jennifer Laughran and open to illustration opportunities for picture books, board and novelty, young nonfiction, and black & white interiors.

Check out Erica's illustrator page!

@literaticat.bsky.social
@ericasirotich.bsky.social

Beautiful cover!

Beautiful Tatjana!

lovely textures.

A colorful, large seahorse surrounded by multicolor baby seahores on a dark blue background.

Happy #KidLitArtPostcard Day! Here is a daddy seahorse and his babies! I am repped by Lara Perkins at @andreabrownlit.bsky.social. I am itching to illustrate abook about monsters or prehistoric megafauna.

ha ha! I love the way you chose to represent this story!

a limited pallette Groundhog illustration. with happy groundhog day appearing in the groundhog's shadow.

Happy Groundhog Day! #groundhogday

Messy sketch of an axolotl in red color pencil.

A pink axlotl drawing on dark blue background.

Happy Axolotl Day! Excited to be working on more salamander stuff - will share more in a few months!
Rough Sketch--> Final
From: Guess My Animal Game
#axolotl #AxolotlDay

An illustration of a zebra’s backside with its head turned to face the viewer. A maroon bird is standing on its bottom.

A zebra bum to help you celebrate International Zebra Day! 🦓
#kidlitart #zebraDay

Thank you! :)

Puzzles illustrated by Katy Tanis featuring various colorful animals.

Happy puzzling on this National Puzzle Day! 🧩 #puzzles #puzzleday

They are surprisingly charming

Check out how great the colors on this Love Under the Stars Fabric turned out. Available in September. #kidlit

Seahorse toy with baby seahorses next to a book with seahorse dad and babies.

Couldn’t resist this daddy seahorse toy I found at New York Aquarium!
Toy: Wild Republic
Book: Love Under the Sea by me, punished by Mudpuppy Kids
#kidlit

Thank you Maria for a great interview!

Mwha ha ha! Good one! 🤣

A squirrel looking at the book Love in the Wild. The page is ope to a page about squirrels.

That time, my yard squirrel read about squirrels. Happy Squirrel Day. #squirrelDay #kidLit

Some of the cool #SquirrelDay Books. #kidlit bookshop.org/lists/from-m...

Squirrel illustration featuring the best of squirrels. Largest tree squirrel: Indian giant squirrel. Biggest Cheeks: Eastern Chipmunk. Best Coat: Thirteen-lined ground squirrel. Fluffiest tail: Tufted Ground Squirrel. Cutest: Japanese dwarf flying squirrel. Smallest: African Pygmy squirrel.

Happy Squirrel Appreciation Day! Check out some of my favorite squirrel books here: bookshop.org/lists/from-m...