Hello friends!

Left to Right: A highly-anticipated show, kayaking the LA River, a local USL soccer match

Happy August!

Summer is over--at least for me. The high schooler has already started his senior year (😭). We do have our college student home for another month, but I already feel that shift to fall energy and that freight train barreling toward the end of the year.

On the picture book front…

I have another round of sketches from Lauren Tamaki to review for Shape of Our Stories. We're at the point of really hashing out back matter and are wrestling with the illustrated timeline we envisioned. I hope it survives the cutting room floor! The current target pub date is March 7, 2028.

Things I'm loving right now

The Women by Kristin Hannah. This is such a heartbreaking story of combat nurse Frankie McGrath who follows her brother to war in Vietnam, forms tight bonds with fellow nurses there, and then returns to a country that doesn't even acknowledge women were in Vietnam. Hannah interviewed Vietnam-era combat nurses as part of her research process, and her dedication to detail really shows.
Spider-man: Brand New Day: Was Nolan's The Odyssey stunning? Yes. But Spider-man is my favorite movie of the summer. It's an aching look at Spider-man's isolation after he's forced to save the world by ensuring his friends--and his love, MJ (Zendaya)--forget who he is. 😫 Tom Holland is my favorite Spidey. Come at me.
TSA Precheck Touchless ID. Do you have TSA Precheck? If so, more than 60 airports across the country and six major airlines offer TSA Precheck Touchless ID, a faster (and often shorter) line than Precheck. All you have to do is upload your passport into the airline app or Google wallet and opt in. Then, at the airport, the TSA agent just snaps your photo, no fumbling with your license or passport. This was a big timesaver in Denver.

Read on for Nonfiction/STEM Book Review updates and more.

Kirsten

Join me for the Engaging Stories Conference (October 8-10)

Have you always dreamed of telling true stories for kids, but aren't sure where to start? Join me at SCBWI Wisconsin's Engaging Stories conference Oct. 8-10 in Green Lake, WI.

Whether you're drawn to biographies, STEM books, or even magazine articles, this 3-hour, intensive masterclass will give you the essential tools to craft compelling nonfiction that kids can't put down. Based on my comprehensive guide, Telling It True, you’ll learn how to transform facts into page-turning stories, conduct efficient research, and structure your work so young readers stay hooked from beginning to end.

Materials Needed: Bring a current work-in-progress or story idea you're excited to develop, plus your laptop or notebook for hands-on exercises.

Hope to see you there in person!