Kelly Crull 🦊

We are wrapping up our #SibertSmackdown at our early childhood center. Teams of students are poring over the illustrations in Washed Ashore by @kellycrull.bsky.social
to find the hidden pictures. I think these 3 and 4 year olds are better at this than my 3rd & 4th graders!

#TLSky
#SchoolLibraries

A dinosaur is loose in the library! 🦖 Today is publication day! 📚🎉 @eastwestlit.bsky.social #dinosaur #kidlit #kidsbook

www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/799077...

👏👏👏

Thank you @carolhinz.bsky.social! That means a lot!

Love that THE BLACK MAMBAS by @kellycrull.bsky.social and REVOLUTIONS ARE MADE OF LOVE by @sunyungshin.bsky.social, Melina Mangal, and Leslie Barlow are included in such great company!

SLJ @fuse8.bsky.social TOP PICK SIBERT MEDAL”Mambas…a truly nuanced read..about an anti-poaching unit, yet manages to humanize the poachers while ALSO making it clear that they can’t continue to do what they do.” @kellycrull.bsky.social @carolhinz.bsky.social afuse8production.slj.com/2026/01/06/s...

It’s the most WONDERFUL time of the year: a VERY SPECIAL ICYMThem Book List & recap of 40+ fabulous #kidlit books of 2025! - Erin Dealey, Children's Author Our VERY SPECIAL ICYMThem Book List 2025 -- 43 fabulous picture books and must-read middle grade novels we don't want you to miss!

Our ICYMThem Book List: 40+ fab #kidlit books of 2025! erindealey.com/authors-and-...
@megosphere.bsky.social @stacysjensen.bsky.social @dowphumiruk.bsky.social @carolafoote.bsky.social @katelynaronson.bsky.social @mattforrestvw.bsky.social @kellycrull.bsky.social @patricianewman.bsky.social 1 /

Congratulations @kellycrull.bsky.social THE BLACK MAMBAS 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

@carolhinz.bsky.social Lerner Books

Yay! Thanks so much, Wendy! 🐍

Front cover of The Black Mambas: The World's First All-Woman Anti-Poaching Unit by author and photographer Kelly Crull. A photograph fills the full cover, showing a white pickup truck with dark-skinned women wearing camouflage uniforms sitting on the hood, inside of it, and standing in the bed of the truck, one of whom is scanning the landscape through binoculars. The women are silhouetted with streaks of red, orange, yellow, and blue created by the setting sun behind them. The landscape is primarily green with grass, bushes, and short trees visible beyond the truck.

Front cover of the picture book Rewriting the Rules: How Dr. Kathleen Friel Created New Possibilities for Brain Research and Disability. It features Dr. Friel, a pale-skinned woman with rosy cheeks and shoulder-length brown hair, wearing a white lab coat. Her right arm and leg are turned inward and her right hand is curled under due to her cerebral palsy. One her right is a child with light brown skin and medium brown hair, wearing a yellow striped t-shirt, blue pants, and blue shoes. He uses black forearm crutches. To Dr. Friel's left is a child with dark brown skin and black hair that goes midway down their back, wearing a pale blue polka dotted shirt and a red-orange knee-length skirt. The child is blowing on a dandelion to send the seeds flying. Surrounding the three human figures are dandelions (which are associated with cerebral palsy) and fantastical flowers and trees that incorporate the shapes of neurons.

Front cover of The Big Empty: A Sagebrush Survival Story by Kirbi Fagan. The word EMPTY in white looms in the background of a sparse scene with brown ground, a few small pushes, and a big sagebrush plant in the distance, under which a small, dark brown horse is grazing. A vast blue sky is in the background. Front cover of The Big Empty: A Sagebrush Survival Story by Kirbi Fagan. The word EMPTY in white looms in the background of a sparse scene with brown ground, a few small pushes, and a big sagebrush plant in the distance, under which a small, dark brown horse is grazing. A vast blue sky is in the background.

Thrilled to have 3 books on this year's NSTA-CBC Outstanding Science Trade Book list: THE BLACK MAMBAS by @kellycrull.bsky.social, REWRITING THE RULES by @drzathome.bsky.social and @joseebisaillon.bsky.social, and THE BIG EMPTY by Kirbi Fagan! 🎉

www.nsta.org/outstanding-...

So very Thankful! An @ncte.org recap
@carolhinz.bsky.social @dowphumiruk.bsky.social @kellycrull.bsky.social @patricianewman.bsky.social
Ernesto Cisneros
@heatherbrockmanlee.bsky.social @nicolemhewitt.bsky.social @laurenkerstein.bsky.social @theislandwriter.bsky.social @meganefreeman.bsky.social

Amazing to see English teachers getting excited about THE BLACK MAMBAS! There were audible "ooohs" when @kellycrull.bsky.social revealed the case cover under the jacket! 😍

Photograph of a slide that reads Dreams to Ashes: The 1871 Los Angeles Chinatown Massacre by Livia Blackburne, illustrated by Nicole Xu. Carolrhoda Books, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group, 2025 Orbis Pictus Honor Books. It also includes the book cover, which prominently features a brightly colored dragon used in Chinese New Year parades.

A slide featuring 8 book covers and the text "2026 Orbis Pictus Award Recommended Books." The books include The Black Mambas by Kelly Crull and Kaho'olawe: The True Story of an Island and Her People by Kamalani Hurley, illustrated by Harinani Orme.

So many highlights from NCTE this year, but I am especially proud that DREAMS TO ASHES by Livia Blackburne and Nicole Xu is an Orbis Pictus Honor book and THE BLACK MAMBAS by @kellycrull.bsky.social and KAHO'OLAWE by @kamalani3.bsky.social and Harinani Orme are Recommended Books!

Day 1 of @ncte 2025 —with @kellycrull.bsky.social THE BLACK MAMBAS & @carolhinz.bsky.social @lernerbooks.bsky.social 🌟📚🌟📚🌟📚🌟📚🌟📚

More #ncte meetups & fun! Lezlie Evans GOATS AFLOAT & fans; @nicolemhewitt.bsky.social SONG OF ORPHAN’S GARDEN; Literacy heroes with @kellycrull.bsky.social & Lezlie Evans. @ncte.org

NCTE panel work Xenia Hadjioannou, Mary Ann Cappiello, Ann Brotles, Melissa Stewart, Juana Martinez-Neal, & Kelly Crull

Highlights from #ncte25

Curiosity --> Learning --> Advocacy & thinking of all the ways environmental picture books can inspire kids! ♥️🌍

Thanks, @xeniahadj.bsky.social @annebroyles.bsky.social @kellycrull.bsky.social @juanamartinezn.bsky.social @mstewartscience.bsky.social @macappiello.bsky.social

Hooray! Thrilled to see THE BLACK MAMBAS by @kellycrull.bsky.social on this list alongside @lernerbooks.bsky.social titles THE PECAN SHELLER by Lupe Ruiz-Flores and I'M A DUMBO OCTOPUS by @annelambelet.bsky.social! 🎉

Teachers! Librarians!
It's time for the Sibert Smackdown.
The perfect Mock Sibert activity for kids who love nonfiction.
tinyurl.com/3c9harym
@epartridge.bsky.social @kellycrull.bsky.social @gordoncjamesart.bsky.social @4nikkolas.bsky.social @jessicalanan.bsky.social @chrishsu1861.bsky.social

Looking forward to this presentation at @ncte.org with @annebroyles.bsky.social @juanamartinezn.bsky.social @kellycrull.bsky.social @xeniahadj.bsky.social @macappiello.bsky.social #nonfiction @nctecla.bsky.social
#edusky #kidlit

Today a student discovered that a past favorite (Washed Ashore) was created by today's author. We used Washed Ashore for our Students Rebuild project two years ago. Kelly Crull creates a beautifully researched & presented title that is engaging for students. Thank you @kellycrull.bsky.social

#TLSky

Front cover of The Black Mambas: The World's First All-Woman Anti-Poaching Unit by author and photographer Kelly Crull. A photograph fills the full cover, showing a white pickup truck with dark-skinned women wearing camouflage uniforms sitting on the hood, inside of it, and standing in the bed of the truck, one of whom is scanning the landscape through binoculars. The women are silhouetted with streaks of red, orange, yellow, and blue created by the setting sun behind them. The landscape is primarily green with grass, bushes, and short trees visible beyond the truck.

Front cover of the picture book Rewriting the Rules: How Dr. Kathleen Friel Created New Possibilities for Brain Research and Disability. It features Dr. Friel, a pale-skinned woman with rosy cheeks and shoulder-length brown hair, wearing a white lab coat. Her right arm and leg are turned inward and her right hand is curled under due to her cerebral palsy. One her right is a child with light brown skin and medium brown hair, wearing a yellow striped t-shirt, blue pants, and blue shoes. He uses black forearm crutches. To Dr. Friel's left is a child with dark brown skin and black hair that goes midway down their back, wearing a pale blue polka dotted shirt and a red-orange knee-length skirt. The child is blowing on a dandelion to send the seeds flying. Surrounding the three human figures are dandelions (which are associated with cerebral palsy) and fantastical flowers and trees that incorporate the shapes of neurons.

Ahhhh, so thrilled to see both THE BLACK MAMBAS by @kellycrull.bsky.social and REWRITING THE RULES by @drzathome.bsky.social and @joseebisaillon.bsky.social on the Chicago Public Library Best Books list!

Full list here: www.chipublib.org/news/cpl-bes...

Here's where I'll be at @ncte.org I hope to see you there!
@ssedlib.bsky.social @simonkids.bsky.social
@charlesbridge.bsky.social @juanamartinezn.bsky.social
@kellycrull.bsky.social @annebroyles.bsky.social
@xeniahadj.bsky.social @macappiello.bsky.social
@katiemcenaney.bsky.social

Announcing Evanston Public Library’s 101 Great Books for Kids: 2025 Edition!! You lucky ducks. You're getting an extra special sneak peek of Evanston Public Library's illustrious year end list of some of the best children's books of 2025. Enjoy!

Congrats to all the books on Evanston Public Library’s 101 Great Books for Kids
tinyurl.com/2rkf52nf
@fuse8.bsky.social #TLsky #Skybrarian
@juanamartinezn.bsky.social @safajarwrites.bsky.social @kylelukoff.bsky.social @kellycrull.bsky.social @4nikkolas.bsky.social @gordoncjamesart.bsky.social

Woo-hoo! It's publication day.
@charlesbridge.bsky.social Signed copies available at @silverunicornbooks.bsky.social
Thank you to the third grader who inspired the book.

It's World Whale and Dolphin Day!
Let's celebrate these magnificent creatures.
#edusky #kidlit @steamteambooks.bsky.social
@nancycastaldobooks.bsky.social @mcusolito.bsky.social @jessicalanan.bsky.social @lynnbrunellebooks.bsky.social @authorjasonchin.bsky.social @randomhousekids.bsky.social

Thanks Wendy!

Front cover of The Black Mambas: The World's First All-Woman Anti-Poaching Unit by author and photographer Kelly Crull. A photograph fills the full cover, showing a white pickup truck with dark-skinned women wearing camouflage uniforms sitting on the hood, inside of it, and standing in the bed of the truck, one of whom is scanning the landscape through binoculars. The women are silhouetted with streaks of red, orange, yellow, and blue created by the setting sun behind them. The landscape is primarily green with grass, bushes, and short trees visible beyond the truck.

The front cover of the picture book Dreams to Ashes: The 1871 Los Angeles Chinatown Massacre by Livia Blackburne, illus. by Nicole Xu. The cover features a large dragon's head primarily in shades of red, orange, and yellow, with green and blue accents of the type you might see parading down the street for Chinese New Year. In the background is a hint of a tan-colored building with thin lighter tan columns and a couple of indistinct figures wearing long-sleeve shirts or jackets and dark pants.

Front cover of the nonfiction picture book Kaho'olawe: The True Story of an Island and Her People by Kamalani Hurley, illustrated by Harinani Orme. Collage artwork depicts three people looking out at the viewer, all of whom have various shades of brown skin and medium to dark brown hair. In the background, three more indistinct figures are planting some sort of vegetation. Behind the figures is a stylized depiction of the Pacific ocean with swirls of blue. Behind that is a reddish-brown small island, and near the top of the cover is a rainbow.

Front cover of the picture book Rewriting the Rules: How Dr. Kathleen Friel Created New Possibilities for Brain Research and Disability. It features Dr. Friel, a pale-skinned woman with rosy cheeks and shoulder-length brown hair, wearing a white lab coat. Her right arm and leg are turned inward and her right hand is curled under due to her cerebral palsy. One her right is a child with light brown skin and medium brown hair, wearing a yellow striped t-shirt, blue pants, and blue shoes. He uses black forearm crutches. To Dr. Friel's left is a child with dark brown skin and black hair that goes midway down their back, wearing a pale blue polka dotted shirt and a red-orange knee-length skirt. The child is blowing on a dandelion to send the seeds fling. Surrounding the three human figures are dandelions (which are associated with cerebral palsy) and fantastical flowers and trees that incorporate the shapes of neurons.

I always tell people that nonfiction is at the heart of what we do here at @lernerbooks.bsky.social. Having four (!) titles on @slj.com's Elementary NF starred review list for this year definitely affirms that!

Full list: www.slj.com/story/35-imp...

Thanks Cheryl!

FAVE FOUR

If you'd like to see other kidlit recommendations, pop on over to cherylajohnsonwrites.weebly.com.

@chanastiefel.bsky.social
@jstremer.bsky.social
@gordywright.bsky.social
@kellycrull.bsky.social

#kidlit
#kidlitbookstack
#kidlitrecommendation

Thank you @erindealey.bsky.social!