THE WHALE'S TALE AND THE OTTER'S SIDE OF THE STORY has received a Kirkus star!
It's a star for THE WHALE'S TALE AND THE OTTER'S SIDE OF THE STORY by Kate Messner, illustrated by Brian Biggs! ⭐
Read the full Kirkus review here.
In stores & libraries everywhere April 21! 💫
@katemessner.com
@brianbiggsstudio.bsky.social
@literaticat.bsky.social
@jenrofe.bsky.social
The pope has the opportunity to do the FUNNIEST thing right now.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES UPDATE: We are saying goodbye to our Second Chance Inbox and introducing a new query policy: Creators may now query more than one ABLA literary agent as long as you query us one at a time!
We're saying goodbye to our Second Chance Inbox and introducing a new query policy:
Creators may now query more than one ABLA literary agent as long as you query us one at a time!
Check out the SUBMISSIONS tab on our website for more info.
We look forward to considering your work!
A selection of 4 collage illustrations by Mark Hoffmann: A wolf sneaking into a castle; School kids getting off the bus and entering a school full of dinosaurs; A soccer referee blowing a whistle; A town of mice wearing pants
Got any spring plans?
I’m Mark Hoffmann. I love writing & illustrating silly & cute books. Interested in picture books, board books & kids’ editorial
I’m rep’d by @literaticat.bsky.social at @andreabrownlit.bsky.social
🎨: www.studiohoffmann.com
✉️: mh@studiohoffmann.com
#portfolioday #kidlitart
Michigan friends! I'm headed your way this morning - hope to see lots of families at tonight's event at Bloomfield Township Public Library (or tomorrow, at West Bloomfield Township Public Library!)
oaklandcounty115.com/2026/04/12/c...
Harold Underdown's latest is also a good read: mailchi.mp/435ed3c02d61...?
Ask the Agent Question of the Day:
What’s the difference between Romantasy and COZY Romantasy and YA Romantasy (etc etc)
My answer:
www.tumblr.com/literaticat/...
Yeah we just had to add the same to the agency website 😑
It could deffo have been worse 😬
Blue background with a gold star for Indies Choice Awards and text WINNER OF THE MIDDLE GRADE CATEGORY. Cover for THE TROUBLE WITH HEROES by Kate Messner shows a boy on a mountaintop with a Bernese mountain dog.
Blue background with white text: "Messner's book packs a punch -- full of both humor and sadness as well as sweeping vistas -- as we grieve and laugh along with Finn. Much like the mountains that heavily feature in this book, it's absolutely incredible." - Melissa Fox, Watermark Books & Cafe
Beyond grateful to learn that THE TROUBLE WITH HEROES is the winner of the Indies Choice Award in the MG category for this year! Thank you SO MUCH, indie booksellers!! ❤️❤️❤️
@bloomsburybooksus.bsky.social
Ask the Agent question of the day: www.tumblr.com/literaticat/...
in which I attempt to dismantle some weird racist hot garbáge myths, OY. pls can we have some fun questions for once, what the hellyoncé.
On our dates in August, we can go “economy” NYC-Reyk in 5.5 hours for $2500 per person 💀 — or if you don’t mind a layover, for a mere $1800 you can spend 12-17 hours on a flight that stops in Chicago, Oslo or Copenhagen. NONE OF WHICH, last I checked, are ON THE WAY TO ICELAND. 💀💀
After the last big eclipse, my mom and I loosely formed a plan to become 🌖 eclipse-chasers 🌖— so when my mom mentioned an Iceland cruise in August that would involve an eclipse I was like “BOOK IT, we’ll sort out the details later!”
Unfortch, “later” is now and flights to Iceland are COSTLY AF 😭
I love her 😭
MY NIGHTMARE. “Keep your eyes on the road, you fools!” I shout — but answer comes there none 😩
POTUS Proposes Elimination of Federal Library Funding. The President again requested that Congress eliminate the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and the Innovative Approaches to Literacy (IAL) program. We've seen this before, and we're not going away. Fund Libraries, ALA 150, American Library Association.
!["We are not surprised that the White House FY27 budget zeroes out funding for IMLS and IAL. The president’s intentions for IMLS were clear last year with the executive order to dismantle IMLS and cut off its funding [...] ALA members have a solid track record of defeating the president’s threats, but we do not underestimate the lengths to which he will go to undercut support for America’s libraries. ALA is working to make sure decisionmakers continue to hear from library advocates.” - ALA President Sam Helmick](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:q5qyswhppr7tiskw43xhcv7f/bafkreickyturajq3zv6n65qgp3wg2mexkm3x4lduf5a5armtx3tv5edrky)
"We are not surprised that the White House FY27 budget zeroes out funding for IMLS and IAL. The president’s intentions for IMLS were clear last year with the executive order to dismantle IMLS and cut off its funding [...] ALA members have a solid track record of defeating the president’s threats, but we do not underestimate the lengths to which he will go to undercut support for America’s libraries. ALA is working to make sure decisionmakers continue to hear from library advocates.” - ALA President Sam Helmick
NEW: The President once again called to eliminate federal library funding in his federal budget proposal. We have been here before. And when we make our voices heard, we can overcome this again.
Tell your Senators to reject the cuts & #FundLibraries in next year's federal budget: ala.org/showup
It's not just my opinion. Studies show that access to diverse books positively impacts children's reading scores. This fabulous study from First Book explains this in detail.
Successful readers read widely, and that means reading all kinds of books.
firstbook.org/wp-content/u...
Chag pesach semeach to my friends who celebrate!
(Personally I’m just having a Try Not To Stress-Eat All the Easter Candy Before it Can Be Basketed Wednesday? But hey, we all observe in our own ways!)
If you want a children’s book that talks about what birthright citizenship means, why it matters, etc, try this one:
I AM AN AMERICAN: THE WONG KIM ARK STORY, by @marthabee.bsky.social @authorgracelin.bsky.social, illus by Julia Kuo.
bookshop.org/p/books/i-am...
As president of @authorsabb.bsky.social, I stand with all 10 toes down against this first of its kind federal book banning bigoted bullsh*t bill.
It's a Trojan Horse for the federal gov't to weasel its way into our classrooms, and decide what YOU and YOUR kids can read.
In short, I hate it.
🤮
how many roads must a man walk down before you can call him a man?
That’s a GREAT question, Bob, and you’ve asked it in such an insightful manner! A man must walk down seven roads before you can call him a man. I’ve taken the liberty of creating a route for you, it’s a long walk off a short pier!
I could never be on the Supreme Court for a number of reasons (starting with: I’m not a lawyer or a judge!) — but a big one is that I’d surely transmogrify with rage, fly across the room and PECK THE EYES out of my conservative colleagues if they said ANY of the shit the jokers on this bench do. 🦅
Are you reading THE QUEEN'S GRANDDAUGHTER? Want to see what Blanche and Eleanor may have seen? Come with me across the Pyrenees Mountains to Paris on the route they might have taken!
followingblanche.blogspot.com
@mackidsbooks.bsky.social @ecfeinberg.bsky.social @literaticat.bsky.social
New book deal: SNORKEL PIG, a picture book about a pig who overcomes his fear of the water, by Dana Smith, illustrated by Troy Cummings
New book deal: FIRST FRIENDS: BODIES and FIRST FRIENDS: FEELINGS, a board book series featuring toddlers at daycare, by Mk Smith Despres, illustrated by Xuan Le
New book deal: APPLES ALL AROUND, a poetic ode to fall in picture book form, by Rebecca Gardyn Levington, illustrated by Gillian Eilidh O'Mara
Good news: more incredible client books coming your way! 🎉
SNORKEL PIG by Dana Smith, illustrated by Troy Cummings
FIRST FRIENDS: BODIES and FIRST FRIENDS: FEELINGS by Mk Smith Despres, illustrated by Xuan Le
APPLES ALL AROUND by Rebecca Gardyn Levington, illustrated by Gillian Eilidh O'Mara
🥳👏
THE LITTLEST ELEPHANT: A ONE AND ONLY RUBY STORY is an instant USA Today bestseller!
THE LITTLEST ELEPHANT: A ONE AND ONLY RUBY STORY written by Katherine Applegate, illustrated by Lita Judge is an instant USA Today bestseller!! 🥳
Congratulations, Lita!
@literaticat.bsky.social
Tonight! Come hang out on Zoom with us and meet the famous and beloved “Literaticat”! There is still time to register! #kidlit #litagents
Ahaha - one of my clients got one of these, allegedly from a renowned children’s book editor (not you in this case) — full of praise for one of his *collections of erotica*! MacKids is apparently going in a VERY different direction! 😂
We’re hiring an Agency Assistant supporting Operations and Contracts!
📚We’re hiring a full time Agency Assistant supporting Operations and Contracts! 📚
Are you interested in the world of books and providing support in publishing?
Click here for full job description to see if this role is right for you!
Applications open until 4/15.
📍Role is in person in San Diego.
