Tuesday Kidlit Trivia for October 21, 2025

Check out my facebook page for the link to the op-ed piece written by Tacoma author Mary Boone. She had an author visit canceled because her book about a woman who rode her bike around the world in 1895 smacked of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. I met Mary in September at a Highlights workshop in Pennsylvania, and she is hardly a radical, but a respected author of 70 books for children. I feel badly for the kids her visit might have inspired.

Tuesday Kidlit Trivia for October 14, 2025

Now that the Dept. of Education has gutted the Office of Special Ed., books that help kids understand their differences, like these by two Colorado authors, are more needed than ever. Bitsy Bat is an autistic kindergartner who feels she just doesn't fit in because she does things differently from her classmates--hangs upside down, fingerpaints with her toes, etc. She has a meltdown but learns there are ways that she shines, such as being a friend. Sonia has ADHD and becomes more and more frustrated as she tries to bake her mom a birthday cake, but she uses tools to calm herself, such as breath blasters, self-talk and senses scanners. Both books contain helpful information in the back to help kids cope. Bitsy Bat stars in a series written and illustrated by Kaz Windness and Sonia and the Super-Duper Disaster is by Rachel Funez.

Tuesday Kidlit Trivia for October 7, 2025

 The 15 most banned books in U.S. schools

Follow this link to the 15 most banned books of the year. The book that's been on banned book lists for 50 years is Forever by Judy Blume, who wrote it at her teen daughter's request.

Tuesday Kidlit Trivia for September 23, 2025

 This British author hoped to become an actress and graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London but found she couldn't make enough to support herself. She turned to journalism and became the first female reporter on British television. Her next career was as a teacher on a kibbutz in Israel. In 1981 she wrote the first in a series of books about a boy and a plastic toy that comes to life. She went on to write books for adults and plays for television, radio and stage, sometimes reading the radio parts herself, finally satisfying her dream to be an actress. This is Lynne Reid Banks, author of The Indian in the Cupboard.

Tuesday Kidlit Trivia for September 9, 2025

 This British author taught at Oxford and Cambridge and wrote more than 30 books. His spiritual journey took him from his Anglican roots to atheism and back to Christianity before 1950 when he wrote the first book in his classic series about a journey taken by four English children, Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy, into another world. 40 years later, in 1990, the book was banned in Maryland for its "graphic violence, mysticism and gore." When Jeb Bush picked it as a required reading book in Florida schools, it was deemed "unConsitutional" by the Americans for Separation of Church and State because of its religious symbolism. Despite controversy, the series has sold millions of copies and remains a favorite of children today. This is C.S. Lewis, his series is the Chronicles of Narnia and the first book is The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe.

What will my 75th year bring?

   It was my birthday September 1st, so instead of author trivia this week I'm reflecting on what a year it's been. Of course, every year since triple negative breast cancer in 2012 has been a gift! But this year, I got married to my love of 7 years, Jim Hiller, had a fabulous visit with the kids and grandkids this summer, went to two family weddings, I signed two more book contracts for my series with Familius publishing, and had a poem in High Five, the Highlights magazine for preschoolers. And I learned about it while I was at the Highlights retreat center in Pennsylvania, my happy place! 

    Another amazing part of this year was attending the Highlights workshop on non-fiction. I wrote a non-fic manuscript this year, "Toys Ahoy," and got a very encouraging rejection from agent Miranda Paul. Two days later I saw that there was a Highlights workshop featuring Miranda Paul! I decided to go, brought my story that I'd rewritten a bit, and she feels it will sell, but she is not taking on new clients now. Jim was so supportive of my trip to Highlights--truly my happy place, although a pain to get to now that they have stopped offering transportation to and from the airport. Anyway, I'm confidently sending out my story to agents and publishers.

 So, as I start my 75th year, I'm happily married, overweight but basically healthy, all my kids love me (so many of my friends have kids that don't speak to them), and I have a book coming out in June of 2026 and two more in 2028!  And Jim got us tickets to see Paul McCartney in October! Last year we were in Greece in early September and floating in the turquoise sea off an island. This year we took the inflatable raft to Harvey Gap! It was muddy--messy but fun--just like life! 

Tuesday Kidlit Trivia for August 26, 2025

 In honor of National Dog Day this week, I'm featuring a New Jersey author and dog breeder who wrote about his incredibly brave and intelligent male canine companion. In his most famous book he tells about his 80-pound dog killing poisonous snakes, catching robbers, and saving children. His series about his pet was so popular that he was making $100,000 a year in the 1920's. This is Albert Payson Terhune, 1872-1942, and his most famous book is the first in the series, Lad, A Dog.