Chloe Ito Ward

Thank you so much for including CHOPSTICKS ARE Nadia!! 🥰🥰🥰

Most Anticipated Books of 2026!
@nmillerillo.bsky.social @noranickum @kimberley A. Gordon Biddle @Carrie Finison IG @fatima_ordinola @chloeitoward.bsky.social
@brennajeanneret.bsky.social @jilanne.bsky.social
#NationalYearOfReading2026

Let's take a peek at upcoming book, Chopsticks Are🥢✨

This meaningful and joy-filled picture book, by @chloeitoward.bsky.social and @lynndoodle.bsky.social, celebrates how chopsticks are used by people all over the world.

Out March 31st! Pre-order here🔗: lnk.to/ChopsticksAre

Chopsticks are a tool... a spatula for flipping pancakes, tongs for frying fish. They're a baton for blending, swirling, whirling, whisking eggs and veggies!
My next picture book, CHOPSTICKS ARE, arrives ✨️March 31st 2026✨️ www.chroniclebooks.com/products/cho...

Preorder from your local indie today🙃

So without further ado… a few influential picture books from the last 25 years!

Who or what *is* influential?Someone, somewhere, is reading your story and snuggling it to sleep. Your book is making someone laugh, cry, feel scene, or journey to a safe place. And I think, if a story reaches one person, positively influencing them in some way, that’s enough.

I thought it was going to be a quick little post and now it might be four or five. As the year comes to end, there are dozens of articles featuring the “best books” of year. It can be easy to think, the book I edited/wrote/illustrated/designed wasn’t featured… does what I do matter?

How can we expand this list to be more inclusive?

So I asked!
If you ask an author or illustrator for an influential picture book from the last 25 years, they’re going give you three. And if you ask for a sentence as to why… they’re going to write you an essay.

A few weeks ago, a SLJ survey for the most influential children’s book of the last 25 years was shared. Several creators, Josh Funk & Kaz Windness pointed out the lack of diversity on the picture book list. And it made me think, what picture books would my circle choose?

This is incredibly cool!

a logo that says let 's brainstorm with a brain and a light bulb ALT: a logo that says let 's brainstorm with a brain and a light bulb

I‘m celebrating my debut PB UNIVERSE PIE deal with a PB BRAINSTORM giveaway!

Let’s take a dive into your (fic or NF) pitch & mss via Zoom. To enter, comment below with a GIF of your story’s vibe. OPEN TO AGENTED AND NONAGENTED!

Winner announced Fri, Nov. 7th @ 6 pm EST. #picturebooks #giveaway

How fun is this!!

On a bright purple background is the cover of Nice to Eat You. The word "Eat" is written next to the word "Meet," which has been X-ed out. The cover has a pink-faced cat-eye-glasses-wearing old lady holding a platter of cupcakes, the other hand raised in welcome. Behind her, leafless trees with haunted faces scream silently under a crescent moon. Above the cover is the text "Pre-order your signed copy now." Below: "Flying into bookstores on July 7, 2026."

Eeeeek! It’s the cover reveal for my 5th book, “Nice to Eat You!” Is the sweet old lady a 🧙🏽‍♀️? Well, yeah. But do the kids know?! 🫣

Preorder a signed copy from @vromansbookstore.bsky.social: bit.ly/Nice2EatU

Written by me, illus. by Carolina Coroa, published by Orchard Books.

#KidLit #Halloween 🕷️

TWO POWERFUL STORIES, ONE AMAZING PODCAST! Join @ReadingWithYourKids as authors Isabella Kung & Anesa Kajtazovic reveal how personal experiences transform into incredible children's books. Emotions, resilience, and hope - all in one episode! #Inspiration loom.ly/9dd1QK0

We did! My son picked it as his nightly read aloud ♥️

🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

We read this just the other day!!

Graphic featuring cover of "So Not Ghoul" has a blue-and-pink palette to match the cover. On the cover: Mimi, a smiling Chinese American girl ghost, is next to a white cat, who is side-eyeing three girl ghouls sneering at Mimi. Above: "Mimi doesn't look like the other ghosts—but she wishes she did." Below: "A pun-tacular ghost story."—Booklist

Ghosts in sheets? BOO-ring! Check out the haunt couture in #SoNotGhoul. This underworldly tale about Mimi, a Chinese American ghost in bicultural limbo, is brought to life by Chinese-style rituals, Mandarin puns, and—of course—ghost fashion. Written by me and illustrated by Bonnie Lui. #Halloween 👻🎃

Not to brag... (I'm about to brag 🤣) but my cp is a USA TODAY BESTSELLING author !!!!! 🎉🎉🎉🎉

Also, congrats to Kenard Pak for being a USA Today Bestselling illustrator ♥️

Wahoooooo!!! Congrats, Katie! 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

Hooray, hooray, happy book birthday!!! 🎂🎉🎁🎈🥳

Cover of the picture book Forts, with a note that says “happy publication day”

Katie Venit, the author, signing copies of Forts in a bookstore.

Katie Venit, the author of Forts, holding up a copy of the title page with an inscription that says “forts forever”

Happy book birthday to my debut, Forts! Brilliantly illustrated by @kenardpak.bsky.social
#kidlit #picturebooks

Hooray!! 🥰🥰🥰

Coming soon: new projects from @joymccullough.bsky.social @chloeitoward.bsky.social @neeshahudson.bsky.social @hellatoons.bsky.social + more buff.ly/wJzO6Fk

I hope to see you there!
#kidlitmegafeed #aapi #books #teaching #educator #reading

Because what goes better with books than snacks?

If you're at the conference on Saturday, I'm speaking on a panel, Different Cultures, Shared Messages, at 11:30am. Stop by to listen and say hello!

*I'm passing out THE elite Asian rice cracker, can you guess which one?

#edusky #skybrarian #read

Librarians, Authors, Editors, Educators, FRIENDS!

Are you going to the American Library Association next week?

If yes, I'd love to connect! I have copies of MADE FOR MORE to sign and giveaway, and promo cards with snacks!*

#ALA #ALA2025 #library #readaloud #kidlit #asian #picturebook #librarian

A Q&A and book signings to follow.

We hope to see you there!

#books #AmericanLibraryAssociation #reading #Library #SchoolLibrarians #booksky #read #picturebooks

If you’re going to the American Library Association Conference next week, come see us! We’re presenting Saturday at 11:30am on everything from authentic representation to colorism, how we have similar experiences but aren’t a monolith, and MORE!

#Skybrarian #ALA2025 #KidlitMegaFeed #Librarylife

This Pride month I am joining an incredible group of #queerkidlit creators to host a fundraiser for the LGBTQIA+ community.

Enter this giveaway, and you could win a copy of all the LGBTQIA+ picture books below!

More details at: tinyurl.com/pb-giveaway

#edusky #pride #skybrarians #books #lgbtqia