\u00a0Dec. 5, 2025 vol. 49<\/p>\n
T<\/i>he Weekly 411 gathers all the<\/i>\u00a0links added to\u00a0Kidlit411<\/a>\u00a0each week. To receive this post by email,\u00a0sign up for our email updates<\/a>.\u00a0<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span>Are you on Facebook? Join our\u00a0<\/span>Kidlit411 group<\/a>\u00a0for conversations and camaraderie. We can also be found on\u00a0Bluesky<\/a>. This week’s illustration is by Yuliya Kal\u00e9<\/a>.<\/span><\/span><\/i><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/span> Publishing News<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n Publishing Sales Recovered in September<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n Andrea Brown Alums Launch Boutique Agency<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n Picture Book Giveaway<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n We are pleased to host a giveaway of the picture book, The Mithai Box is Not Empty<\/i>, by Namrata Agarwal, illustrated by Parvati Pillai (Holiday House) out now. Enter to win a copy via the widget below.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n About the Book:\u00a0<\/b><\/span>Ria wants to be the best chai party host to impress her grandparents, who are visiting all the way from India. She even shares her precious mithai box of her favorite sweet, motichoor ladoo, with the whole family. After all, her grandparents always taught her \u201cAtithi devo bhava, like God we welcome our guests with warmth and respect.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>Everyone loves the motichoor ladoo. And Ria is happy that everyone else is happy. But as the ladoo disappears, she worries that there will be none left for her. What good is being the best host if Ria doesn\u2019t get to have fun too?<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n But her grandmother has a surprise. . .one last motichoor ladoo! About the <\/span>Author<\/span>:\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0Namrata Agarwal is\u00a0a children\u2019s book writer who has written picture books – <\/span>Misha<\/i> series and <\/span>The Grasshopper and the Owl <\/i>and for children\u2019s magazines like Cricket media – Faces and IntellyJelly. She is a member of SCBWI and Writing Barn. Currently <\/span>she lives<\/span>\u00a0in New Jersey with her two kids and husband. In her spare time, she enjoys reading and crafting.<\/span>\u00a0Her web site is\u00a0<\/a><\/span>namrataagarwal.com<\/a>.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n About the Illustrator:<\/b>\u00a0Parvati Pillar is an illustrator and designer who has worked on everything from magazines to Disney books. She is the illustrator of The Runaway Dosa<\/i>\u00a0by Soma Subramniam, Bindu’s Bindis<\/i>\u00a0by Supra Kelkar, and more.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Mentor Programs<\/a><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n PB Rising Stars Mentorship Program Announces Important Dates for Fifth and FINAL Year!<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n The PB Rising Stars Mentorship Program announced last month that 2026 will be their fifth and FINAL year! In 2026, they will surpass\u00a0100 mentees served and almost as many mentors dedicating their time and efforts to helping the next\u00a0generation of picture book creators.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n With that in mind, you don’t want to miss the opportunity to apply for a 1-on-1 mentorship running from June through September 2026!!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n All About Publishing<\/a><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n The Final Pass: When a Novel Goes to Print<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n Conferences, Workshops and Retreats<\/a><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n March 13- 15\u00a0Whispering Pines Retreat<\/a>\u00a0<\/b>Join serious children’s book writers and illustrators to improve your craft and network with industry professionals. Attend presentations and have one-on-one meetings with mentors about your manuscript.\u00a0applications due Dec 4-5.\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n Writing Courses<\/a><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n Dec. 9, 1 pm CT Show, Don’t Tell: Mastering Language, Structure, and Story Arc in Picture Books<\/a><\/b> Picture book writers \u2014 exciting workshop alert with Editor Julie Bliven (formerly at Charlesbridge)! If you’re working on a PB manuscript and want clearer pacing, stronger emotion, and tighter, more intentional language, you don’t want to miss this. Editor Julie Bliven will help you: sharpen your storytelling, strengthen your emotional arc, build purposeful tension, understand how structure supports theme an heart, improve re-readability, and break the habit of over-explaining. \u00a0\u00a0 Dec. 7, 11:59 p.m. CST deadline Picture Book Author Scholarship Giveaway Is Now Open<\/a><\/b>!\u00a0\u00a0We\u2019re excited to offer one picture book writer a full scholarship to the Picture Book Author Academy<\/a><\/b>\u2014our comprehensive mentorship and training program designed to help you elevate your craft, strengthen your manuscripts, and build real momentum toward traditional publication. Inked Voices Scholarships<\/a><\/b>: Apply for a needs-based partial or full membership scholarship for 2026, or a scholarship towards a workshop with a literary agent. Applications due December 7<\/b>. Apply here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Query Letters<\/a><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n <\/span><\/div>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
<\/span><\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEjEHvbucYSmnAfpiL9aDCxSR1AhRPy7-SETJ8iaaGtoxZu9Z_DQN6kz9xOVAyODvPjOKlT5VR4NRvrZbcx2e8P5eYLAGSvTOWp2wUTz3X9tNnglhwoqm6f4QCuyNjgZPEsYpRx73zEx6GR0EA-Rxq7coyun-WEGz4GN0jFHbnOxR8M3qs-g4PcEgudt_IBJ\/w636-h640\/MithaiBox_cov_comps_F.jpg\")
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\n The Mithai Box is Not Empty giveaway
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