I had every intention of writing a regular post here at STACKED this week and even had a few half-written drafts. Alas, the cosmos didn’t align, but things will be back to normal next week.

In the mean time, I’ve had a lot of writing elsewhere to share!

 

• As I’ve been building my daughter’s bookshelves, I found such a gaping hole in available books: where are the board books featuring disabled people? I had a few great suggestions for more titles over on Instagram for anyone else looking.

 

• This was a fun one: stickers for library lovers.

 

• This week’s episode of Hey YA: Extra Credit is a must-listen. Author Tiffany Schmidt and I book clubbed the recently re-released Rain Is Not My Indian Name by Cynthia Leitich Smith and discussed the idea of YA books for younger teens being a missing part of the conversation. They aren’t — but they definitely struggle with marketing. Tune in here!

 

I completely forgot to share this piece from last week but better late than never. As you may or may not know, I live in the town where the film Groundhog Day was filmed, and every year, the town goes all out for celebrations on February 2. It really and truly is up there with Halloween on my favorite holidays list.

Apartment Therapy asked me to write a walking guide to the sites of Groundhog Day, and this was such a joy. I got to pair writing, my passion for rodent day, and photography into a fun piece.

 

Over on Book Riot this week…

 

• #OwnVoices YA Black history books.

 

• A roundup of really great bookish gifts for kids.

 

• This story about a library grant to buy books and host discussions on voting rights being denied by the library board for not representing “both sides” of voting history is a reminder how much work there is to be done.

 

• These were the top romance books on Amazon last year.

 

• Great YA nonfiction on audio.

 

• A look at Native and Indigenous YA nonfiction.

 

There is also a new episode of Hey YA this week! Hannah and I talked about the ALA Youth Media Awards and then dug into the “what’s your YA book title” meme, shared some of ours, as well as what books they reminded us of — or what the plots of those books might be, were they real. Tune in here.

 

Over on Book Riot this week……

 

• An A to Z guide to the parts of a book.

 

• A giant roundup of children’s book illustrators who sell their art on Etsy and Society6.

 

• Great YA nonfiction hitting shelves this year.

 

• YA books set in the 1970s.

Over on Book Riot this week…

 

• The ultimate guide to literary greeting cards for almost any occasion.

 

• Over 30 of the best Untamed by Glennon Doyle quotes.

 

• The most commonly assigned books in US colleges.

 

There’s also a brand-new episode of Hey YA, wherein Hannah and I talk about books set in short time frames, as well as YA books about the apocalypse. Tune in!

 

Over on Book Riot this week…

 

• If owning a former library is on your bucket list, here’s one for sale in northern Minnesota (bonus: a sweet Instagram account following folks who are rehabilitating another former library in Indiana).

 

• A giant roundup of winter 2021 YA books hitting shelves.

 

• The ultimate guide to bookish bullet journal supplies.

 

There’s also a new episode of Hey YA. This week, Hannah and I dig into YA reissues/graphic novel adaptations, as well as outstanding writing guides for those who are eager to start or hone their skills. Tune in!