I just returned from a preview of fall’s newest NW books for children and YA. Santoro’s bookstore in Seattle literally sat authors, illustrators and book store owners knee to knee as we listened to the “inside story” on some wonderful new books. Kirby Larson told the story behind her new novel, Hattie Big Sky, based on journals written by homesteaders, and yes, one of them really was her relative. Melissa Schorr shared her new “chick-lit with a Jewish slant” novel Goy Crazy, and Dia Calhoun, winnner of the mythopoeic award for YA fiction, has a new fantasy novel, Avielle of Rhia about to appear on bookstore shelves.

I loved seeing illustrators early drafts, and hearing the story behind the story for everything from picture books to novels.We are rich with talent here in the northwest. This promises to be a year of plenty! Read up!