Happy Book Birthday to Freshman Year (Christy Ottaviano Books) by Sarah Mai. This stylish graphic novel about the unique angst, humor, and self-doubt that comes with going away to college is getting a lot of media attention. Here are some highlights: 2/13/2024: Book Riot, mention, “The Best New Book Releases Out February 13, 2024” 2/13/2024: Book Riot’s All the Books!, podcast mention 2/13/2024: Book Riot, Comics enewsletter mention 2/13/2024: Young Entertainment, roundup, “New Book Tuesday: February 13th” 2/12/2024: Book Riot, YA enewsletter mention 2/10/224: Arts Fuse, review 2/8/2024: Publishers Weekly, roundup, “New Kids’ and YA Books: Week of February 12, 2024” 1/30/2023: Racket, roundup, “7 Exciting New Books for Young Readers by MN Authors” 1/9/2024: Book Riot, roundup, “19 New YA Comics and Graphic Novels Hitting Shelves January-March 2024” Congratulations Sarah!
The 2024 ALA Rainbow List has been announced, and Unstoppable: How Bayard Rustin Organized the 1963 March on Washington (Little Bee Books) by Michael G. Long, illustrated by Bea Jackson has been honored in the Early Elementary category. The Rainbow Book List, assists librarians, educators, caregivers, LGBTQIA+ members, and community allies in selecting quality books for LGBTQIA+ youth. See the complete list here
The Black Caucus ALA Best of the Best List for 2023 is out and Painted Words is well represented! Included on the list are: Justice Rising (Viking) by Kathryn Russell-Brown, illustrated by Kim Holt All Aboard the School Train (Scholastic) by Glenda Armand, illustrated by Keisha Morris Jerry Changed the Game (Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books) by Don Tate, illustrated by Cherise Harris Harlem at Four (Random House Studio) by Dr. Michael Datcher, illustrated by Frank Morrison Words of Wonder from Z to A (Doubleday) by Zaila Avant0Garde, illustrated by Keisha Morris My Red, White, and Blue (Philomel) by Alana Tyson, illustrated by London Ladd How Do You Spell Unfair (Candlewick) by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Frank Morrison Little Rosetta and the Talking Guitar (Doubleday) by Charnelle Pinkney Barlow See the complete list here Congratulations Everyone!
Miles of Style: Eunice W. Johnson and the EBONY Fashion Fair (Lee and Low) by Lisa D. Braithwaite, illustrated by Lynn Gaines has been included in Book Riot’s The Kids Are All Right enewsletter, and in School Library Journal‘s 20 Picture Books to Celebrate Black Artists This Black History Month and Year Round. The chic biography, Winner of Lee & Low’s New Voices award, celebrates a visionary who used her influence to showcase the strength and beauty of the Black community.
Unstoppable: How Bayard Rustin Organized the 1963 March on Washington (Little Bee Books) by Michael G. Long, illlustrated by Bea Jackson has been awarded “Best Illustrations” at the 2023 Black Kidlit Awards. The runner up for the award is You So Black (Denene Millner Books) by Theresa the S.O.N.G.B.I.R.D., illustrated by London Ladd. The Black Kidlit Awards highlight and celebrate Black books, authors, illustrators, and publishers. They hope to provide visibility to Black stories and drive the demand to create more diverse books filled with Black joy, history, family, friendship, and fellowship. Learn more here
Abuela’s Super Capa (HarperCollins) by Ana Siqueira, illustrated by Elisa Chavarri has been named to the Bank Street College of Education’s Children’s Book Committee’s 2024 Best Spanish Language Picture Book/Mejor Libro Infantil List! See the Complete list here
