Melissa Taylor

Every school visit I watch gives me new ideas for my clients. Loved seeing the incredible Dusti Bowling today!! #schoolvisits #kidlit

Kidlit writers, are you looking for a mentor? You can apply to the Michelle Begley 2026 mentorship program now until November 3, 2025 at 11:59 pm! You can select ME or any one of the amazing mentors. ✏️Get the scoop here: www.scbwi.org/regions/rmc/....

Nope. Sad and worrisome for the world though.

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Since AI steals bloggers' content and 90% of the bloggers I know who used to make a living from blogging in ALL industries have taken other jobs and stopped blogging, who will AI steal from now? (My own new posts are now behind a paywall.) Will it just make up more stuff? Steal from non-experts?

Let me know when/if you want me to do a blog post about it. Or if you want to write a guest post. We can talk...

Impressive New Children's Books, October 2, 2025 10 New Kidlit Books + the Benefits of Being a Beginner

Check out these 10 new kidlit books you NEED to know about. Also, I share the benefits of being a beginner. (Because I looked up the research to encourage myself.) #kidlit
imaginationsoup.substack.com/p/impressive...

How to Launch Your Graphic Novel - Kids Comics Unite An online course on everything you need to know about launching your graphic novel or comic, taught by literary agent Janna Morishima!

Graphic novelists, take this course and set yourself up for success! kidscomicsunite.com/how-to-launc... (Also, I'm teaching the school visits session-- it's going to be packed with info!) #kidlit

Hullabaloo Comics Magazine Comics for kids

Excited for this comic magazine for kids from @joshuasmeaton.bsky.social designed to get kids reading! www.kickstarter.com/projects/com...

Thank YOU!! 😘

A Pick-Your-Path Bookstore Event Don't miss this creative, interactive, & memorable idea!

@abbywhitewrites.bsky.social generously shares an interactive (and brilliant) idea for a bookstore event. A choose-your-own adventure! If you're an author or illustrator, you'll want to read this! open.substack.com/pub/melissat... #bookmarketing #kidlit

Favorite New Middle Grade Books, September 2025 Plus a printable list and an 8-book giveaway!

Have you seen the new & improved Imagination Soup newsletter on Substack? Here are my picks for September middle grade books—https://imaginationsoup.substack.com/p/favorite-new-middle-grade-books-september #kidlit

BIG NEWS!
I've moved my Imagination Soup newsletter with all my new book reviews to Substack! If you’re a children’s book-loving literacy advocate parent, grandparent, teacher, or librarian, join me for good books, printable resources, giveaways, and more!
open.substack.com/pub/imaginat... #kidlit

Writing About “Tough” Topics for Middle Grade Readers - Imagination Soup As middle grade authors, we take experiences we have lived and owned and thought about deeply--share our understanding of truth with our readers.

"To be able to take experiences we have lived and owned and thought about deeply...and share our understanding of truth with the rest of the world is an incredible privilege, as well as a responsibility." - @sydneydunlap.bsky.social imaginationsoup.net/writing-abou... #kidlit

I’m so happy you have those cheerleaders in your corner! We all need that.

Wow— what a journey! Thanks for sharing. It is such a good reminder to never give up!

Congratulations!! Besides being awesome, did you do any presale things or marketing strategies that helped you achieve this?

How to Get Preorders for Your Next Book Release And is it worth it or not?

Want to get preorders for your next book? What are your options, and is it worth it? #bookmarketing #kidlit open.substack.com/pub/melissat...

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Happy birthday @mrschureads.bsky.social ! I hope your next year is wonderful!!

Behind the scenes: September books! 😳 #kidlit

Thank you!

Out-of-the-Box Book Launch Ideas You're a creative. Why not be creative with your marketing?

Believe it or not, you can be creative with your book launch. Here are some clever out-of-the-box ideas from some amazing kidlit authors. #kidlit open.substack.com/pub/melissat....

Author Interview with Middle Grade Graphic Novelist Siblings Kim and Chas! - Imagination Soup I'm thrilled to interview sister and brother Kim Shearer and Chas! Pangburn to talk about their ideation, collaboration, making graphic novels, and more!

Thrilled to share this informative interview with middle grade graphic novel creators, siblings Chas! Pangburn and Kim Shearer. They talk about ideation, collaboration, the process of writing graphic novels, and more! imaginationsoup.net/author-inter... #kidlit

Thank you, John! Intention for the year is joy no matter what. 🥰

Author Interview with Jeanne Birdsall - Imagination Soup Anyone else a HUGE fan of The Penderwicks series, the series about a family with four sisters, two rabbits, and a very interesting boy? The...

The author of The Penderwicks series, Jeanne Birdsall, has a new book, THE LIBRARY OF UNRULY TREASURES. In our interview, she talks about writing a new series, world-building, what she hopes her books give to readers, and more. imaginationsoup.net/author-inter... #authorinterview #kidlit

Thank you so much!

Thanks!

🤣

thank you! :)

I have BIG, EXCITING, WONDERFUL NEWS! Today, I can officially reveal the cover for my first picture book, TOVA’S SWEET SOLUTION, written by me, illustrated by Aurélie Lise-Anne, and published by Red Comet Press (April 21, 2026). Isn’t it adorable? imaginationsoup.net/cover-reveal... #kidlit

11 Lovely New Picture Books, August 2025 - Imagination Soup Happy back-to-school. To celebrate, I’m sharing newly published picture books that I know you’ll want to share with the children in your life. Whether you...

New, lovely picture books about friendship, zombie snails, unhoused day-in-the-life, a festive family, and more! gatheringhttps://imaginationsoup.net/new-picture-books-august-2025/ #kidlit