Ritu Hemnani

Ritu Hemnani

@rituhemwrites.bsky.social

Children's Author LION OF THE SKY: HarperCollins/Balzer+Bray MG Novel in Verse '24 THEIR STORY IS OUR STORY: Chronicle Books NNF PB '26 Represented by Rubin Pfeffer

715 Followers 1,177 Following 35 Posts Joined Oct 2023
8 months ago

So grateful to @bankstreetlibrary.bsky.social @bankstreet.edu for this honor! Thank you to @kidlit247s.bsky.social for the shoutout!

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11 months ago
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Books My 5th Graders Are Reading on Spring Break YouTube video by Colby Sharp

Books My 5th Graders Are Reading on Spring Break
youtu.be/7cVVWJu8TyA

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11 months ago
YouTube
Must Read 2025 Graphic Novels YouTube video by Colby Sharp

Must Read 2025 Graphic Novels
youtu.be/jWXs7Qdk4eo

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11 months ago
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Why Kids Aren’t Falling in Love With Reading Hint: It’s not just the screens.

Folks still sharing my @theatlantic.com piece. Educator recently told me old idea was learn to read in elementary and read to learn in middle. Realizing now we need to continue to teach reading in middle. My next piece? @jeffreygoldberg.bsky.social can share directly with what's left of Dept of Ed.

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1 year ago
At the top of the graphic, a yellow banner with two orange stars flanking the blue text reads "starred review" and the quote below in black text reads "An adventurous work whose authentic voice celebrates the outdoors and everyday heroism." - Kirkus

The book cover, at bottom right, shows a yellow title: THE TROUBLE WITH HEROES, against a blue sky with puffy white clouds. Above the title, white text reads: New York Times Bestselling Author Kate Messner. 

The cover art shows a middle school boy with an orange backpack standing on a rocky mountaintop with a Bernese mountain dog gazing up at him and a monarch butterfly flying past. The background shows rolling green mountains dotted with lakes. At the bottom of the graphic, an orange banner with white text reads: on sale April 29, 2025. White background with white "alt text" text highlighted in black that reads: At the top of the graphic, a yellow banner with two orange stars flanking the blue text reads "starred review" and the quote below in black text reads "An adventurous work whose authentic voice celebrates the outdoors and everyday heroism." - Kirkus

The book cover, at bottom right, shows a yellow title: THE TROUBLE WITH HEROES, against a blue sky with puffy white clouds. Above the title, white text reads: New York Times Bestselling Author Kate Messner. 

The cover art shows a middle school boy with an orange backpack standing on a rocky mountaintop with a Bernese mountain dog gazing up at him and a monarch butterfly flying past. The background shows rolling green mountains dotted with lakes. At the bottom of the graphic, an orange banner with white text reads: on sale April 29, 2025.

If you're new to Bluesky, don't forget to turn on the "Require alt text" option in your preferences so you get a reminder to make sure your photos & graphics are accessible to all. It only takes a minute or two, even for graphics that require a bit more alt text.

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1 year ago
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Search Tips - Debbie Ridpath Ohi - Obsidian Publish Search Tips How To Search This Unofficial Guide Overwhelmed and can't find the info you want in this Guide? I strongly encourage you to use the built-in Search field. On a desktop browser, look for …

Looking for *kind* volunteers to help answer newbie questions in an UNOFFICIAL BLUESKY HELP THREAD. To newbies: pls post your questions below & hopefully someone will answer. Pls search my Unofficial Guide To Bluesky first: (publish.obsidian.md/debbieohi/se...)

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11 months ago
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Picture Book I | UCLA Extension Learn the basics of writing picture books for children in this introductory workshop.

Interested in writing picture books? Join me for PICTURE BOOK 1.

This 10-week UCLA Ext. course - completely online - begins April 2nd!

To learn more and register now, check out the link: www.uclaextension.edu/writing/crea...

#picturebook #writingpicturebooks #writingclass #onlinelearning

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1 year ago

Amazing news! 🥳

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11 months ago
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Interviews, Blog Parties & More (c) Caroline McPherson,  carolinemcphersonillustration.com

We LOVE when our clients get collaborative.

Check out this interview between children's book authors Dionna L. Mann and Michael F. Stewart, with included illustrations from Caroline McPherson all of whom are part of the @kellydhouse.bsky.social crew!

www.dionnalmann.com/interviews-b...

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11 months ago
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Exclusive: ‘We Need Diverse Books’ announces inaugural reading day April 3 Nonprofit We Need Diverse Books will host the first "We Need Diverse Books Day" April 3 to encourage inclusive books in classrooms and bookshelves.

The nonprofit We Need Diverse Books (WNDB) @weneeddiversebooks.bsky.social is launching its inaugural “We Need Diverse Books Day” April 3 to highlight the importance of access to inclusive reading:

www.usatoday.com/story/entert...

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11 months ago
Cover art for Rez Ball (Ojibway boy in red jersey and black shorts holding basketball to his hip--title above, byline above that; award medallions for the Morris Award and American Indian Youth Literature Award) to the right, title "High School Sequoyah Book Award Winner" and lower the Oklahoma Library Association logos for the award (with Sequoyah in profile) and association (open book with OLA in center). Background has muted tree; pink against peach background.

Congratulations, Byron Graves, author of REZ BALL (Heartdrum, 2023), on winning the Oklahoma Library Association’s Sequoyah Award! #booksky #basketball #youngadultbooks #indigenous #ojibwe @harperkids.bsky.social @weneeddiversebooks.bsky.social

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11 months ago

When superstars like @jenniferlagarde.bsky.social and @alizawerner.bsky.social create #TeacherResources for your book and provide a #SafeHarbor ( @nancyrosep.bsky.social @penguinrandomhouse.bsky.social ) for you to talk about your #SafeHarborBook you are overwhelmed with gratitude 🙏🏾

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1 year ago
Front cover of GALAXY, THE PRETTIEST STAR (Jadzia Axelrod & Vash Taylor) Front cover of CHEER UP: LOVE & POMPOMS (Crystal Frazier & Val Wise) Front cover of BOYS RUN THE RIOT (Keito Gaku) Front cover of FINE: A COMING ABOUT GENDER (Rhea Ewing)

🏳️‍⚧️ TRANS COMICS/GNs BY TRANS CREATORS FOR TRANS DAY OF VISIBILITY 🏳️‍⚧️ (thread)

💫 GALAXY (Jadzia Axelrod & Vash Taylor)
📣 CHEER UP: LOVE & POMPOMS (Crystal Frazier & Val Wise)
👕 BOYS RUN THE RIOT (Keito Gaku)
💬 FINE: A COMING ABOUT GENDER (Rhea Ewing)

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1 year ago
Front cover of STONE FRUIT (Lee Lai) Front cover of WELCOME TO ST HELL, MY TRANS TEEN MISADVENTURE (Lewis Hancox) Front cover of BE GAY, DO COMICS (Matt Bors, The Nib, et al) Front cover of PAPER PLANES (Jennie Wood & Dozerdraws)

🏳️‍⚧️ TRANS GNs BY TRANS CREATORS FOR #TRANSDAYOFVISIBILITY (PART 3) 🏳️‍⚧️

🪨 STONE FRUIT (Lee Lai)
🏫 WELCOME TO ST HELL (Lewis Hancox)
🏳️‍🌈 BE GAY, DO COMICS (Matt Bors, The Nib, et al)
✈️ PAPER PLANES (Jennie Wood & Dozerdraws)

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1 year ago
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Thank you to my amazing debut group, KidLit247s 💖 What a joy it's been to cheer each other on through 2024!
Dionna L. Mann @monicamancillas.bsky.social @jenniferannrichter.bsky.social @DianaJunYiMa @DeborahLakritz @WriterofCuentos Please do check out all their incredible books!

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1 year ago
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How to Actually Finish Writing a Book It's this and a kick in the pants. An Agents & Books 2025 Guide

Today's Agents & Books 2025 Guide focuses on how to get your book actually done! Click here for helpful posts on editing, deadlines, and the eternal question: *do you have to write everyday?*
open.substack.com/pub/katemcke...

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1 year ago
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Calling all MIDDLE GRADE queer & BIPOC authors with books out in 2025! I’m putting together my tbr and list of books I’m considering for my Friday MG Book Recs and I want to make sure I don’t miss any. Drop yours in the comments so I can add it to my list and so others can know about it! #kidlit

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1 year ago
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How To Help Animation Industry Workers Who Have Been Displaced By The L.A. Wildfires Many members of the animation community have suffered unimaginable losses – here is how to help them directly.

Many members of the animation community have suffered unimaginable losses due to the LA wildfires – here is how to help displaced individuals in the animation industry. PLEASE SHARE WIDELY SO WE CAN HELP EVERYONE OUT!

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1 year ago
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I'm excited to kick off 2025 with thrilling news: Lion of the Sky has been named a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection!

As an educator, this recognition means the world to me. Thank you to JLG for this opportunity!

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1 year ago
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💝 Full of glittery cheer, I love how A CITY FULL OF SANTAS celebrates the magic of the holidays. The writing plus art throughout are so delightful! 😍🤩📚👍🏼

#PBStudyBuddy* #Kidlit #Edusky
#ACityFullofSantas #JoannaHo @joannahowrites.bsky.social #ThaiMyPhuong @harperkids.bsky.social

*pbstudybuddy.com

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1 year ago

This is a great one if you haven’t read it!! #mglit

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1 year ago
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‘It will exist for ever’: Bluey fans fearful and excited for cartoon’s future Hugely popular show to get Disney feature film treatment but creator Joe Brumm will stop writing TV series Bluey fan sites can be quite odd places. In normal times, adult enthusiasts of the wildly successful children’s cartoon post pictures of prime…

‘It will exist for ever’: Bluey fans fearful and excited for cartoon’s future

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1 year ago

Pleased to learn about + add Sachiko Kashiwaba's middle-grade classic The Village Beyond the Mist, translated by the truly talented Avery Fischer Udagawa.

Hayao Miyazaki was in talks to adapt this one before he wrote the original screenplay for Spirited Away. It shows.

@averyudagawa.bsky.social

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1 year ago
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Day 13: 31 Days, 31 Lists - 2024 Translated Children's Books. Today we're giving a shout out not simply to the translated books that make to American shelves, but also to the hardworking translators who are so good at what they do. #kidlit 📚👍 afuse8production.slj.com/2024/12/13/3...

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1 year ago
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If you need more resources, these have really helped me.

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1 year ago
A picture of two books: Understanding Comincs by Scott McCloud, and Save the Cat! by Blake Snyder.

Holiday readings 👀🎄📚
Can't wait to get stuck in. Thank you to Sara Ogilvie and @adeolasokunbi.bsky.social for the recommendations ✨️

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1 year ago

Brilliant list

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1 year ago

@sarahalbee.bsky.social you’re on Science Friday!

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1 year ago

I talk to a lot of aspiring picture book writers who have spent YEARS working on their first book. And revision is great! It's essential!

But you know what's really the key to picture book success? Write something new. Then do that again. (thread)

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1 year ago

Love this

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