The KidLit Dispatch: October Edition 🍂

A new series from the KidLit Lab to keep you in the know.

Friends! Laura here. I’m thrilled to share something new with you—The KidLit Dispatch 📣 A monthly roundup of publishing news, practical story tools, and fresh writing inspiration, delivered with love from me and The KidLit Lab team. At the Lab, our heart behind the Dispatch is simple: to serve Christian children’s book writers who want to grow in their craft, better understand the children’s book industry, and steward their calling with wisdom. We’re just getting started, so the format may shift as we go—but our hope is to make this a regular monthly issue you’ll look forward to opening. Thanks for bearing with us as we build it out.

In our next edition, we’d love to include your voices in the Dispatch, so share in the comments below or email us at tellus@thekidlitlab.com and you might find your tip in our next issue!

👉🏼 Tell us: Do you believe writer’s block is real? If so, how do you push through it when working on your children’s book manuscript(s)?

On to the issue—let’s go!

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IN THIS ISSUE:

• Are endorsements on their way out?

• Graphic novels continue to be on the fast track.

• Doug the Doodle’s Dilemma—a KidLit Lab student’s new book!

• Writing is a workout, here’s how to stay hydrated.

• Ready to finally land a book deal? Here’s your all-in-one guide.

Stay in the Know: Top Stories for Christian KidLit Authors

1. ECPA Introduces Children’s Track at PubU Conference
   The Evangelical Christian Publishers Association is carving out dedicated space for children’s publishing at this year’s PubU. It’s a clear signal that Christian KidLit is growing—and a great chance for writers, illustrators, and marketers to learn and sharpen their craft.
   Learn more: Rush to Press / ECPA News

2. Wired Explains Why AI Won’t Replace Real Storytelling
   AI tools are grabbing headlines, but they still can’t replicate the heart, nuance, and human touch that make children’s books timeless. Take heart: authentic storytelling—especially faith-filled stories—isn’t going anywhere.
   Read it here: Wired

3. Librarians pick the best new books for kids this fall
   Here are 34 children’s and YA titles that are getting attention this fall, spanning everything from bilingual picture books to middle-grade mysteries and inventive graphic novels. Take a read through and see if any inspire your own story ideas.
   Access here: Washington Post (requires free account)

4. Scholastic Restructures and Moves Toward Digital Content
   Big changes at Scholastic: downsizing offices and leaning into animation and YouTube. This is a reminder for us as KidLit writers that the next generation is meeting stories on multiple platforms—how can we keep this in mind when drafting and pitching?
   More details: WSJ

5. Simon & Schuster imprint will no longer ask authors to obtain blurbs for their books
   Simon & Schuster’s flagship publishing line in the U.S. is shaking things up by dropping the requirement for authors to chase blurbs before publication. Endorsements are still welcome when they happen naturally, but this move frees authors to focus on writing strong books instead of collecting favors.

   Read more: The Guardian

6. Graphic Novels Are Growing in Popularity for Middle-Grade Readers
   The Children’s Book Council confirms what many of us already see: graphic novels aren’t slowing down. For us as Christian creators, this opens the door to pair bold visuals with gospel-centered storytelling in fresh, compelling ways.
   Learn more: CBC

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⭐️ Star Students: Wins from the KidLit Lab ⭐️

Shout-out to former Manuscript Masterclass student Roneen Hicks, who took the plunge and brought her story idea all the way to a published book, Doug the Doodle’s Dilemma. Cute illustrations, a relatable main character, and gospel undertones? We love, love, love to see it. Go Roneen!

Have a win of your own? If you revamped your website, took the next step in publishing, illustrated a book, or anything else that says, “Hey, I’m crushing this writer life,” share it with us by sending a note to hello@thekidlitlab.com and we may just include it in a future post!

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✍🏼 The #WriterLife Roundup

1. Our favorite pens // We may live in a tech-heavy world, but there’s just something about writer-life that necessitates having a pen at the ready when inspiration strikes or we need to jot down a quick idea. Do yourself a favor and get this 6-pack that don’t smear, dry fast, and write like a dream.

2. Re-Lyte // Let’s call it like we see it: writing is a workout. We love this electrolyte powder that we can add to a water bottle to keep hydrated during those long crunch sessions. The flavor of this one is the best we’ve found!

3. Electric Foot Warmer // The weather is just starting to turn crisp in our neck of the woods, which means we’re a few short weeks away from writing while watching leaves turn gold and amber outside of our window… a dream. Add this foot warmer to the mix and you may just write for hours without noticing.

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🤝 Ready to Work on Your Book Together?

If you’ve gotten your story out of your head and onto the page (GO YOU, btw), but feel a bit frozen on the next step for actually getting your book into the world, we’ve got just the thing—The KidLit Pitch Kit! This handy (not so) little resource includes Laura’s actual proposal that she used to pitch her own books, an exclusive interview with a Christian KidLit agent, and a sample query letter with annotations so you can adjust it for your own book. We’re ready to get your book published—how about you?!

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