Kid-lit Bloggers to Watch

Kidlitosphere blogs recommended by fusenumber8 (a.k.a. librarian/blogger Elizabeth Bird):

Alice’s CWIM Blog — The editor of Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market offers her perspective on the literary market, as well as thoughts on hot kidlit topics.

Big A, little a — A Midwestern blogger with almost daily updates on almost every topic imaginable. Author Kelly Herold also edits the online children’s literary magazine “The Edge of the Forest.”

Blue Rose Girls — The collective blog of authors, editors, and enthusiasts, including Grace Lin, Elaine Magliaro, Libby Koponen, Linda S. Wingerter, Anna Alter, Meghan McCarthy, and Alvina Ling.

Book Buds — A driving force behind the kidlit blogger book award, the Cybils, Anne Boles Levy reviews picture books that might not get the attention they deserve elsewhere.

bookshelves of doom — An irreverent and clever blog touching on kidlit and YA topics. The second blog I check every morning. Says the profile, “Highbrow intellectual critiques do not live here.” It’s too modest.

Brooklyn Arden — Blog of Scholastic editor Cheryl Klein, touching on everything from what a typical day for an editor looks like to what shows are currently playing on Broadway.

Brotherhood 2.0 — An experimental video blog built on the premise that author John Green and his brother Hank must only communicate with one another through v-posts every day for one year (excluding weekends). Incredibly witty site.

A Chair, A Fireplace, & A Tea Cozy — Continually lists new and interesting blogs and posts well-referenced reviews of children’s books. Buffy the Vampire Slayer quotes are not uncommon on this site.

Chicken Spaghetti — Run by a former New Yorker editorial staff member, this blog culls from a wide swath of information to bring the very best info to its readers.

Cynsations — Cynthia Leitich Smith presents intensive author features on a variety of established and up-and-coming writers.

educating alice — Says Monica Edinger, “This blog is about teaching, my life’s work; literature, especially that created for children; history, especially as it is taught to and learned by children; Africa, especially Sierra Leone where I was a Peace Corps Volunteer; and other sundry topics as they come to my attention.”

Jen Robinson’s Book Page — Aside from her wonderful round-ups of blog news, Jen Robinson presents reviews of interesting titles.

Just One More Book!! — “… a thrice-weekly podcast in which we take a few minutes out of our morning coffee ritual to discuss one of our many favourite children’s books.” The parents of two daughters discuss their family’s picks; the 5 to 35 minute episodes can be downloaded directly from this Canadian site.

Kids Lit — This was one of the first kidlit blogs out there and remains one of the best. Contains information you can’t find anywhere else.

The Longstockings — The collective blog of authors Kathryne Alfred, Coe Booth, Daphne Grab, Lisa Graff, Lisa Greenwald, Jenny Han, Caroline Hickey, and Siobhan Vivian.

MotherReader —“The heart of a Mother. The soul of a Reader. The mouth of a smartass.” Highly opinionated and always worth a look-see.

Oz and Ends — More than just a series of posts on The Wizard of Oz, creator J. L. Bell offers his expertise on fantasy literature and the current state of writing for children.

pixie stix kids picks — The Executive Director of the Association of Booksellers for Children (ABC) reviews the newest books for kids.

Read Roger — The official blog of the editor of The Horn Book Magazine. The first link I check every morning.

Saints and Spinners — Identified only as “Alkelda the Gleeful,” this librarian has a musical bent with many postings on songs, both in the library and out.

Seven Impossible Things before Breakfast — Co-bloggers Eisha and Jules interview fellow bloggers, authors, illustrators, and anyone that strikes their fancy with a saucy wit and unique style. Their dual reviews are worth checking out as well.

Tiny Little Librarian — “Musings of a too-short girl in the high-stacks world of librarianship.” You will not find another children’s librarian blog that provides a better encapsulation of the trials and perks of working in a public library.

What Adrienne Thinks about That — Working within the Monroe County Library System of Rochester, New York, children’s librarian Adrienne offers a veritable plethora of opinions on every conceivable topic.

Children's author and illustrator bloggers