Kate Messner

Love this amazing review of EXTREME BIRDWATCHING by @loreegriffinburns.bsky.social with art by Jamie Green! Teachers & librarians - if you don't already have this book in the Discovery Chronicles science chapter book series, you'll want to put it on your list! www.10000birds.com/extreme-bird...

Happy Book Birthday to Remarkable Road Race by Chris Grabenstein!! 🎈🎁🎈🎁🎈🎁🎈🎁🎈🎁🎈🎁🎈🎁🎈🎁 @randomhousekids.bsky.social #bookposse

Happy book birthday to @maggietokudahall.bsky.social & @yasimamura.bsky.social's BATHTIME FOR SNOW MONKEYS - a gorgeous nature picture book written in Haiku! bookshop.org/p/books/bath...

Renee Watson's beautiful new YA novel EVERYTHING NEW AGAIN is out today - and the deluxe cover is *almost* as gorgeous as Renee's writing! bookshop.org/p/books/ever...

Happy book birthday to STARTING NOW from @janaemarksbooks.bsky.social! Teachers & librarians, if you don't know Janae's work yet, put this one (and FROM THE DESK OF ZOE WASHINGTON!) on your list. She's one of those can't-miss MG authors who actually write for real kids. bookshop.org/p/books/star...

Happy book birthday to Amy Alznauer & her MG debut WHERE THE WILD HORSES ARE! All I have to say is that you had me at "Extreme Mustang Makeover Contest." bookshop.org/p/books/wher...

Teacher & librarian friends! May I suggest slipping HISTORY SMASHERS: SALEM WITCH TRIALS into your October book talks? (I'm not above using Spooky Season to teach a little history!) bookshop.org/p/books/hist...

Happy book birthday!

📚 Happy Book Birthday 🥳 to THE KIMCHI FRIDGE, written by Tina Cho, illustrated by me, published by Little Bee Books! 🥬❤️ I’m so happy that the readers can finally meet Mina and her family! #kidlit #bookbirthday #kidlitart

Some fun news about the musical adaptation of ALL THE ANSWERS I've been working on with composer Haley Bennett & director Amy Anders Corcoran... Our creative team has been invited to be part of the Songwriters Showcase at @namt.org's Festival of New Musicals at New World Stages next month!

Also the power of state book award lists! I love how these lists encourage readers to sample new kinds of stories!

Hey, friends! Many of us had planned to be at the Chappaqua Book Fest today, but organizers had to cancel due to weather. It's sad news that also has financial implications (there are expenses even when the event doesn't happen). Want to join me & donate to help out? www.zeffy.com/en-US/donati...

Our Richardson Reads One Book event made it into @publisherswkly.bsky.social! I love that the event organizers chose to have me in conversation with their assistant fire chief to talk about Finn's story and the impact PTSD has on first responders' families. www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/...

It's the 5th anniversary of Heartdrum, an acclaimed imprint featuring heartfelt, groundbreaking & unexpected books highlighting the present & future of Native peoples & strength of young Indigenous heroes. We've published nearly 50 books with more to come! #KidLit @weneeddiversebooks.bsky.social

One of the host schools for my KEEP THE GHOST LIGHT ON book tour has just informed me that they'd like to hold their event in their town's spooky old theater instead of at school and I could not possibly be more delighted by this development.

The picture book I'm most excited about this fall comes out next week! HERE COMES THE BAND by Shadra Strickland and John Holyfield is full of all the life and joy you need right now. And this cover makes me smile every time I see it. bookshop.org/p/books/here...

** Cover Reveal -- I NEED MY LEWIS ** @laurelsnyder.bsky.social and @verabrosgol.bsky.social have a delightful new picture book coming out in March. Be sure to check out the cover reveal and cool interview over on our Substack. theauthorvillage.substack.com/p/cover-reve...

It was Neon Day at the Texas school I visited yesterday. Clearly I did not get the memo. (I had an amazing day with these Lone Star readers, though! ❤️)

Love getting feedback from readers as we decide on the next topics for the HISTORY SMASHERS series! #staytuned

Another rec for Spooky Season - Tiffany Jackson's GHOST IN THE NIGHT is a great one for your upper-elementary & MS readers who are asking for ghost stories and/or murder mysteries! bookshop.org/p/books/ghos...

Look, I know it's not October yet, but I'd argue it's never too early to recommend books for Spooky Season. I'm starting with one for the littles - they can practice being brave with @traceybaptiste.bsky.social & Amber Ren's LOOKING FOR A JUMBIE! bookshop.org/p/books/look...

If you want to start reading KEEP THE GHOST LIGHT ON for Spooky Season (and write some spooky scenes of your own, too!) just pre-order from @bookstoreplus.bsky.social & you'll get an email from me on 10/1 with the first 40 pages & a virtual writing workshop! www.thebookstoreplus.com/item/R888A8P...

What a delight to click on a review for HISTORY SMASHERS: THE SPACE RACE and find that it's from an actual young reader! (Thanks, Eddie!) www.youtube.com/watch?v=26Lo...

After my PreK assembly just now, the librarian had kids come sit with me for a photo. Tiny girl next to me: So…are we coming with you after this? Me: Coming with me where? Girl: To climb Mount Everest. Me: Oh! I think we’re just reading stories for now. Girl: (nods) Maybe when we’re teenagers.

Spooky season is almost here! 🎃 I'm offering an early peek at KEEP THE GHOST LIGHT ON along with an on-demand virtual writing workshop on Writing Scary Scenes for grades 4 & up (helpful for adult writers crafting spooky books for kids, too!) Details here: bloomsbury.my.canva.site/keep-the-gho...

Fire trucks? Check! Bernese mountain dogs? Check! A thousand of the most enthusiastic, big-hearted readers you'll ever meet? Check! I had the BEST time with the readers of Richardson, TX this week for their Richardson Reads One Book celebration for THE TROUBLE WITH HEROES!

On my trip to Texas this week, two different readers - one librarian and one 6th grader - recommended this debut MG novel to me, which means it's going on my library list, pronto! bookshop.org/p/books/the-...

Happy book birthday to @lindsayncurrie.bsky.social & THE SECRET BOOKSTORE SLEUTH SOCIETY! Can't wait to get my hands on this one! bookshop.org/p/books/the-...

Happy Book Birthday to @dontate.bsky.social! Three starred reviews for A POEM FOR DUDLEY RANDALL!

Saving this post from @rebeccamakkai.bsky.social for my next project - such a smart idea. rebeccamakkai.substack.com/p/write-your...

"Messner turns the well-known fairy tale on its feathery, gilled head in this appealing, science-informed remix." Thrilled that AXOLOTL-ELLA: A SORT-OF CINDERELLA STORY earned a starred review in @thehornbook.bsky.social! www.hbook.com/story/review...

Some great audiobook recommendations from Reading Middle Grade! readingmiddlegrade.substack.com/p/audiobooks...

Did you know that Saadia Faruqi and Shadia Amin have a spooky new graphic novel out this week! Just in time for Halloween...but DON'T BE SCARED! bookshop.org/p/books/don-...

Teacher & librarian friends! Lots of you were on vacation when this book came out in June, so I just want you to know that if you have kiddos who love axolotls and/or fairy tales, illustrator @liantomato.bsky.social and I have just the picture book for them! bookshop.org/p/books/axol...

Supporting the freedom to read doesn’t have to cost a thing. You don’t need to make a donation or have hours of free time to make a difference. Small actions. Zero dollars. Real impact. The freedom to read belongs to all of us, and protecting it can start with something small today. #FreedomToRead

👻 55 Scary (And Not-So-Scary) 2026 Middle Grade Books To Get Readers In The Halloween Spirit 👻 popgoesthereader.com/55-scary-and... #BookSky #KidLit #MGLit

⭐ #PictureBook #HBReviewoftheWeek AXOLOTL-ELLA: A SORT-OF CINDERELLA STORY by @katemessner.com ; illus. by @liantomato.bsky.social (Ten Speed): "Messner turns the well-known fairy tale on its feathery, gilled head in this appealing, science-informed remix." www.hbook.com/story/review...

Happy happy book birthday to @booksbyintisar.bsky.social and Nafiza Azad's A Thousand Nights! This book looks amazing, and I cannot wait to read it: www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/813768... #booksky

Apparently I'm late on this one - it came out last month but still - yay and go read it!

Happy Book Birthday to @ziibiing.com's RACE TO THE TRUTH: BOARDING SCHOOLS AND THE INDIGENOUS STORY! Looking forward to reading & recommending this one - this whole series from @randomhousekids.bsky.social is perfect for HISTORY SMASHERS fans who want to go even deeper. bookshop.org/p/books/boar...

Happy Book Birthday to Steve Sheinkin, Maurice Ashley, and illustrator @thiendog.bsky.social's MAN VS MACHINE, a graphic novel about the historic 1997 chess match between Garry Kasparov and Deep Blue! bookshop.org/p/books/kasp...

Happy Book Birthday to @dashkaslater.bsky.social's THE WILD SEASON: THE REMARKABLE TRUE STORY OF A RABBIT RESCUE! I've loved Dashka's YA books and can't wait to read this one - her first work of MG nonfiction! bookshop.org/p/books/the-...

Happy book birthday to @jamesponti.bsky.social and THE SHERLOCK SOCIETY: ART ATTACK! As a fan of James, mysteries, and Miami's street art, I could not possibly be more excited for this one! bookshop.org/p/books/art-...

Happy book birthday to HIJACKED BY GOATS by @annbraden.bsky.social! This MG novel is about a girl struggling with a bully that's hijacked her brain. If you know Ann's work, you know that this heartfelt story about OCD is in the very best of hands. bookshop.org/p/books/hija...

If you've just about had it with AI, this story about the very human collaboration between an elder mathematician and a teenaged mentee just falling in love with the field is what you need today. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/06/s...

I love writing graphic novels but always wish they didn't take so long. (GNs are SO much work for the illustrator!) It feels weird to be working on book 3 in a series when book 2 is still over a year away.

Reminder that you don't need a huge budget to host author visits! @authorgracelin.bsky.social & I are offering virtual visits w/ pre-orders of our new books! Info for KEEP THE GHOST LIGHT ON: bloomsbury.my.canva.site/keep-the-gho... Info for THE LITTLE STONE BUDDHA: carlemuseum.org/visit/progra...

@apensfan.bsky.social will be getting this one soon! MG readers interested in mystery, ghosts, theater and performing arts will love this. Interesting formats and point of view storytelling. Thank you @katemessner.com and @bloomsburybooksus.bsky.social ! #BookPosse

Thrilled to be partnering with @parnassusbooks.bsky.social on a special KEEP THE GHOST LIGHT ON preorder offer for educators & librarians - a virtual author-in-residence program for this school year! parnassusbooks.net/book/9781547...