Tuesday Kidlit Trivia for April 21, 2026

 This Newark author, born in 1931, always knew she wanted to be a writer. She began by writing odes to her deceased parents--who were alive, and not amused! She wrote for Redbook magazine for years before her children led her to write picture books. Her son Alex inspired her tale of a boy having an awful day. The Tenth Good Thing About Barney helps children deal with the grief they feel for a cat who has died by thinking of his value, as a playmate and as garden compost. This is Judith Viorst, and her book about her son Alex is the classic Alexander and the Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Day, published in 1972.

Tuesday Kidlit Trivia for April 14th, 2026

 Every one of this Maryland author's books is 217 pages long--because that was the length of the first one, and he wanted all his books to sit on the shelf neatly beside each other. He considers himself a weak piano player, but there is nothing wimpy about his success as a writer. His series about the trials and tribulations of a nerdy middle schooler began in 2007 and has added nearly 20 more books and inspired a movie in 2010. This is Jeff Kinney and his books make up the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, New York Times bestsellers.

Tuesday Kidlit Trivia for April 7, 2026

 The moon's been in the news lately, and did you know that "Dr. Doolittle in the Moon" came out in 1928 and is considered one of the best in this British author's series? His books began as stories sent home to his children when he was serving in World War I in Flanders and France. On his trip back to England he met a novelist who suggested he compile his stories in a book. "The Story of Dr. Doolittle" was instantly popular when it came out in 1920 and led to many more. Modern readers find some of his writing racist, particularly the epithets hurled by Polynesia the parrot, but the kindly veterinarian at the center of the books remains a beloved character. The author/illustrator is Hugh Lofting, 1886-1947.

Tuesday Kidlit Trivia for March 31, 2026

 This British illustrator, born in 1938, created board books for babies and toddlers when she couldn't find any for her own young children. Her wordless small books, made to withstand teething, featured round faced babies and sturdy toddlers in familiar situations in their world. She also illustrated books for children a bit older, such as "We're Going on a Bear Hunt" and "The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig." Her favorite part of illustrating is when she is about one third the way through and knows she's on the right track. She says she "can't bear to look at the finished book, because I can't change anything at that point." Now 87 years old and living in London, this is Helen Oxenbury.

Tuesday Kidlit Trivia for March 24, 2026

 The March Hare is a character from the tea party scene in Alice in Wonderland, and the illustration by John Tenniel has him wearing something on his head that Victorian readers would have immediately recognized as a symbol of insanity. What was it, and what was the real name of author Lewis Carroll, and when was the book published? The answers would be straw, Charles Lutwidge Dodgson and 1865.

Tuesday Kidlit Trivia for March 17, 2026

 This Irish author worked as a primary school teacher until the series he created in 2001 became so successful he was able to write fulltime. His 12-year-old main character battles fairies and goblins, using magic and technology. He was named Ireland's Poet Laureate from 2014-2016 and says he wears the medal everywhere, even in the bath. Other books include Spud Murphy and Three Tasks for a Dragon. This is Eoin (pronounced Owen) Colfer, and the books are the Artemis Fowl series.

Tuesday Kidlit Trivia for March 10, 2026

 Kirkus reviews are considered the "gold standard" of book reviews, so it was a great honor receive a positive one for Nighty Night, Dinos. The School Library Journal is also important, since librarians use it to order books for school and public libraries. I'm also very grateful for the reviewers who said good things on the Goodreads site and also on NetGalley. If you order the book, I hope you'll go through your own independent bookstore, or Bookshop, or Thrift Books, or Familius Publishing--any place except Amazon as Jeff Bezos does not need the money!