September’s meeting was hosted by Austin SCBWI member and VCFA faculty member Varian Johnson, award-winning author of nine novels including new middle-grade graphic novel Twins, illustrated by Shannon Wright, from Graphix/Scholastic. TWINS was named a Junior Library Guild …
Austin SCBWI members honored by the Writers’ League of Texas
On September 23rd 2020, the winners of the 2019 Writers’ League of Texas Book Awards were announced, celebrating the best books published by Texan writers during the year 2019—and the Austin SCBWI chapter won big! Six chapter members placed as …
Britta Jensen releases new YA novel
Congratulations to Austin SCBWI member Britta Jensen on the Oct. 1st release of her newest YA novel, Hirana’s War! It’s a story about living with disability, overcoming the ravages of war, and finding hope in the most unusual of …
Varian Johnson releases new MG graphic novel
Congratulations to Austin SCBWI member Varian Johnson, whose new middle-grade graphic novel Twins, illustrated by Shannon Wright, releases Oct. 6th from Graphix/Scholastic! The novel has already been named a Junior Library Guild Selection and received starred reviews from …
Nikki Loftin signs deal for debut picture book
Congratulations to Austin SCBWI member Nikki Loftin, whose debut picture book If You Get Lost was just sold at auction to Anne Schwartz Books! The book will be illustrated by Deborah Marcero.
Told in just 144 words, If You …
Bethany Hegedus releases new picture book
Congratulations to Austin SCBWI member Bethany Hegedus on the publication of her newest picture book, Huddle Up! Cuddle Up! The book, illustrated by Michael Deas, rele
ased on August 25th from Viking Books for Young Readers.
The picture book features …
Alisha Gabriel signs with literary agent
Congratulations to Austin SCBWI member Alisha Gabriel on signing with an agent! She is now represented by Heather Cashman at Storm Literary Agency.
Alisha is a music educator and the author of numerous works of fiction and nonfiction in …
Tina Mowrey releases debut picture book
Congratulations to Austin SCBWI member Tina Mowrey, whose debut picture book, What a Prickly Pear, released on August 25th from Clear Fork Publishing! The book is illustrated by Sarah Williams.
The story features two clever raccoons, Roxy and …
Cynthia Levinson to release graphic-novel adaptation of award-winning nonfiction book
Congratulations to Austin SCBWI member Cynthia Levinson, whose nonfiction book for children and teens, Fault Lines in the Constitution: The Framers, Their Fights, and the Flaws that Affect Us Today, will be released as a graphic novel adaptation…
August 2020 Monthly Meeting: Jacqui Lipton
At our August meeting, held on Zoom, local author and illustrator Salima Alikhan led a discussion with literary agent and attorney Jacqui Lipton, author of Law & Authors: A Legal Handbook for Writers. 
Jacqui founded Raven Quill Literary Agency…
July 2020 Monthly Meeting: Author Jenny Elder Moke
At the July meeting, Jenny Elder Moke, author of YA novel HOOD (Disney/Hyperion, June 2020), spoke to a well-attended Zoom gathering about the three pillars necessary for a first draft.
HOOD is about the daughter of Robin Hood and …
Candy Wellins publishes picture-book debut
Congratulations to Austin SCBWI member Candy Wellins, whose debut picture book Saturdays Are for Stella releases August 11th from Page Street Kids! The book, which is illustrated by Charlie Eve Ryan, has already received a glowing starred review from …
S.G. Wilson releases debut middle-grade novel
Congratulations to Austin SCBWI member S.G. Wilson, whose debut MG novel Me Vs. the Multiverse: Pleased to Meet Me releases on August 4th! The humorous action-adventure novel, the first in a series, will be published by Random House Children’s …
Holly Green announces book deal for her debut YA novel
Congratulations to Austin SCBWI member Holly Green, who just sold her debut novel! 
In the Same Boat is a YA novel about a teenager named Sadie who is determined to finish an epic canoe race one year after another race …
Jenny Elder Moke releases debut and sells second YA novel
Congratulations to Austin SCBWI member Jenny Elder Moke, who in the past month released one novel and sold another!
Her debut novel, Hood, a YA historical adventure that reimagines the story of Robin Hood through the perspective of …
Christina Soontornvat releases new picture book and chapter book
Congratulations to Austin SCBWI member Christina Soontornvat, who had two new books come out in June!
The first, Slush Puppy Love (released on June 2nd by Scholastic), is the fifth book in the Diary of an 
Ice Princess chapter …
June 2020 Meeting: Authors Cindy Baldwin, Bethany Hegedus and Catherine Stier
This month, authors Cindy Baldwin, Bethany Hegedus and Catherine Stier discussed writing about difficult topics for young readers.
Cindy Baldwin’s middle grade novel, WHERE THE WATERMELONS GROW, includes a parent with mental illness, and her newest book, BEGINNERS WELCOME, …
New Illustrator Coordinator Rivkah LaFille
Rivkah LaFille
Austin SCBWI has a new Illustrator Coordinator! Please join us in welcoming Rivkah LaFille to this role!
Rivkah is a long-time volunteer for our chapter, helping to run a critique group, sketch meetups, our conference portfolio showcase, as …
Austin SCBWI Member Wins Crystal Kite Award for Third Consecutive Year
Austin SCBWI has a Crystal Kite winner in its chapter for the third consecutive year!
Middle-grade nonfiction book, HER OWN TWO FEET: A RWANDAN GIRL’S BRAVE FIGHT TO WALK by Meredith Davis and Rebeka Uwitonze won the 2020 Crystal Kite …
Jacquetta Nammar Feldman Sells MG Novel
Congratulations to Austin SCBWI member Jacquetta Nammar Feldman on selling her debut middle grade novel to HarperCollins. Here’s the recent announcement from Publishers Weekly:
Antonia Markiet and Megan Ilnitzki at HarperCollins have preempted Jacquetta Nammar Feldman’s debut middle grade …
2020 Cynthia Leitich Smith Writing Mentor Winner
Congratulations to the winner and finalists of Austin SCBWI’s 2020 Cynthia Leitich Smith Writing Mentor Award!
The finalists are chosen by the critiquing faculty at our annual conference. Each faculty member may nominate one of the manuscripts they critiqued, …
Anne Wynter Honored By Sustainable Arts Foundation
Congratulations to Austin SCBWI Member Anne Wynter on receiving an individual artist award from the Sustainable Arts Foundation. Anne was one of 20 winners selected from a field of nearly 1,800 applicants. The judges commented, “Anne Wynter delighted and …
New Book For Lindsay Leslie
Congratulations to Austin SCBWI member Lindsay Leslie on the upcoming publication of her third picture book, DUSK EXPLORERS, illustrated by Ellen Rooney and published by Page Street Kids, due out June 2, 2020.
DUSK EXPLORERS received a starred review …
Cynthia Leitich Smith Named Finalist for NSK Neustadt Prize for Children’s Literature
Cynthia Leitich Smith
Austin SCBWI member Cynthia Leitich Smith has been announced as a finalist for the NSK Neustadt Prize for Children’s Literature. The prize recognizes significant achievement of a writer or illustrator, either over a lifetime or in …
Gloria Amescua Sells Picture Book Biography
Publishers Weekly recently announced Austin SCBWI member Gloria Amescua‘s debut picture book biography, Child of the Flower-Song People: Luz Jiménez will be published by Abrams. The story is about the Indigenous Nahua woman who grew up in Mexico during …
Donna Janell Bowman Teaches Online Picture Book Biography Class
Austin SCBWI member author Donna Janell Bowman will teach Writing Picture Book Biographies from the Inside Out, a six-week online class beginning May 9.
The class will be an introspective and pragmatic deep-dive into writing picture book biographies from the …
April 2020 Meeting: Author Adrianna Cuevas
Tips and Tricks for Pitching Agents and Editors was this month’s Zoom meeting topic, in anticipation of our chapter’s upcoming (virtual) annual conference. 
“If I can do it, you certainly can!” said Adrianna Cuevas, debut author of middle grade …
March 2020 Meeting: Author Chris Barton
Chris Barton spoke to us this month on Zoom while celebrating his 20th book: FIRE TRUCK VS. DRAGON (Little, Brown Books For Young Readers, 2020). 
We thank Chris for embracing the new format for our monthly meetings during the COVID-19 …
New Book for Christina Soontornvat
Congratulations to our member Christina Soontornvat on the release of her newest middle-grade book A WISH IN THE DARK.
The book is a Thai-inspired fantasy twist on Les Miserables and was published by Candlewick.
Christina is faculty for Austin …
P.J. Hoover’s New Book Is Out
Congratulations to our member and former Assistant Regional Advisor P.J. Hoover on the release of her new middle-grade book HOMER’S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE.
The book was published by CBAY Books is billed as Homer’s Odyssey meets Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure. …
Noah Weisz Wins SCBWI Magazine Merit Award
Congratulations to Austin SCBWI member Noah Weisz, who was recently awarded a Magazine Merit Award in the fiction category for his short story “A Forest Full of Stars.”
The story was published in the July 2018 issue of Highlights…
Daniela Weil Launches New MG Book
Daniela Weil and her new book THE DIARY OF ASSER LEVY
Congratulations to Austin SCBWI member Daniela Weil on the release of her new book THE DIARY OF ASSER LEVY: FIRST JEWISH CITIZEN OF NEW YORK. Here’s more about the …
Shachi Kaushik Signs With Agent Lynnette Novak
Congratulations to Austin SCBWI member Shachi Kaushik who has signed with agent Lynnette Novak of the Seymour Agency!
We asked Shachi if she’d tell us about her journey, and here’s what she said:
HOW I GOT MY AGENT
Your manuscript …
Austin SCBWI Member Noah Weisz Wins SCBWI Magazine Merit Award
Congratulations to our own Noah Weisz, who was recently awarded a Magazine Merit Award in the fiction category for his short story, “A Forest Full of Stars,” which appeared in the July 2018 issue of Highlights.
Noah …
New Permanent Online Critique Group Option
Introducing a new flexible online critique group option for members of Austin SCBWI.
Can’t make it to a ZOOM meeting or regularly scheduled critique group? No problem. The Austin SCBWI Blueboard Critique Group will take place the full third weekend …
2020 Carmen Oliver On-the-Verge Annual Austin SCBWI Conference Scholarship
The Carmen Oliver On-the-Verge Annual Austin SCBWI Conference Scholarship is awarded each year to a children’s book writer who has the passion and desire to pursue a career in this industry. It is designed to give the winning writer a …
2020 Regional Advisor Scholarship Recipients
The Austin SCBWI RA Scholarship is awarded each year to children’s book writers who have the passion and desire to pursue a career in this industry. It is designed to give the winners a good foundation from which they can …
February 2020 Meeting: Mark Mitchell
Author-Illustrator and Instructor Mark Mitchell designed his talk around color palettes at February’s vibrant meeting. 
Mark wrote and illustrated the award-winning RAISING ‘LA BELLE’: THE STORY OF THE LA SALLE SHIPWRECK, Eakin Press, 2002. He is also a contributor to …
Vanessa Roeder’s The Box Turtle Makes Spring 2020 Kids’ Indie Next List
Congratulations to our member Vanessa Roeder on her picture book, THE BOX TURTLE, being included on the Spring 2020 Kids’ Indie Next List!
Here’s a description of the book: Terrance the turtle was born without a shell, so he …
Cynthia Leitich Smith wins with Hearts Unbroken
Congratulations to our member Cynthia Leitich Smith on winning the 2020 American Indian Youth Literature Young Adult Award for her latest novel HEARTS UNBROKEN.
The award is given by the American Indian Library Association.
Here’s the description of the book:…
2020 Creators of Diverse Worlds Scholarship Winners
Since 2015, the Austin SCBWI chapter has awarded conference scholarships to authors and authors who are creating diverse worlds. The scholarship was inspired by our February 2015 monthly meeting, when author Cynthia Leitich Smith gave an amazing seminar on the …
January 2020 Meeting: Author Meredith Davis
This January, Meredith Davis gave us an “Extreme Makeover—A Case Study of Revision.” Meredith is co-author of the touching, true story entitled HER OWN TWO FEET: A RWANDAN GIRL’S BRAVE FIGHT TO WALK (Scholastic, 2019). 
Using her own book, about …
November Meeting: Author Jason June
As we all gathered ’round for November’s meeting, Jason June presented
“A Picture is Worth 1,000 Words: Writing Illustration Notes in Picture Books.” A skilled wordsmith, Jason is the author of WHOBERT WHOVER, OWL DETECTIVE, Margaret K. McElderry Books/Simon & …
Novel Workshop
Those working on middle grade and young adult fiction got healthy doses of inspiration and instruction from four multi-published novelists at the recent Austin SCBWI Novel workshop.
Varsha Bajaj, author of COUNT ME IN and ABBY SPENCER GOES TO …
Picture Book Workshop with Lesa Cline-Ransome & James Ransome
Both writers and illustrators were inspired and energized by the recent workshop presented by James and Lesa Ransome for Austin SCBWI.
The afternoon event started with a co-presentation from the couple sharing how they got into children’s publishing. James had …
Cynthia Leitich Smith to Lead HarperCollins Imprint
HarperCollins Children’s Books recently announced the launch of Heartdrum, a new Native-focused imprint led by award-winning and New York Times bestselling author Cynthia Leitich Smith (Muscogee Creek), and Rosemary Brosnan, Vice President, Editorial Director, HarperCollins Children’s Books.
Heartdrum’s first …
Melissa Coffey Signs With Agent
Congratulations to Austin SCBWI member and picture book writer Melissa Coffey! She is now represented by Charlotte Wenger at Prospect Agency.
More about Melissa: She grew up in Wisconsin toting around an overstuffed book bag and a dog-eared …
New Book for Samantha M Clark
Austin SCBWI’s Regional Advisor Samantha M Clark has sold her second middle-grade novel to Paula Wiseman Books/Simon & Schuster. The announcement was made in Publishers Weekly last month.
Samantha’s next novel, called ARROW, tells the story of a boy who …
Austin SCBWI Members Organizing Nonfiction Fest
Austin SCBWI member Susie Kralovansky and six of her writing friends from across the US – the Nonfiction Chicks, are organizing a nonfiction version of NaNoWriMo.
NF Fest will begin in February. Each day there will be a post from …
Crystal Kite Award Winner: Samantha M Clark
Congratulations to Austin author Samantha M Clark, winner of the 2019 Crystal Kite Award for THE BOY, THE BOAT AND THE BEAST (Simon & Schuster).
During our September chapter meeting, SCBWI Board of Advisors member Cynthia Leitich Smith presented …
September Meeting: Christina Soontornvat Shares Chapter Book Insights
At the September 2019 meeting, Austin SCBWI member Christina Soontornvat, author of the recently published chapter book series, DIARY OF AN ICE PRINCESS (Scholastic, 2019), shared her insights on writing for emerging readers.
Here are a few of her …
Samantha M Clark Teaches Writers League Class on Building Characters Through Conflict
Austin SCBWI Regional Advisor Samantha M Clark is teaching a class on characters and conflict for the Writers League of Texas on Oct. 5, 10am to 1pm. The class is called “Throw More Stones: How to Build Your Character Through …
Lauren Flake’s Book in Movie!
Congratulations to Austin SCBWI member Lauren Flake, whose picture book WHERE DID MY SWEET GRANDMA GO? is featured in the movie Ode to Joy, starring Martin Freeman and Morena Baccarin.
Check out the trailer and keep your eye …
July Meeting: 2018 Debut Author Panel
Cate Berry, Samantha M Clark, Kendra Fortmeyer, Vanessa Roeder and Gayleen Rabakukk
July’s meeting featured authors Cate Berry, Samantha M Clark, Kendra Fortmeyer and author/ illustrator Vanessa Roeder sharing insights on being newly published, moderated by ARA Gayleen …
Congratulations to our Cynthia Leitich Smith Writing Mentor Award Winner
Austin SCBWI wishes a big congratulations to Romy Natalia Goldberg, who has won our 2019 Cynthia Leitich Smith Writing Mentor Award. Natalia wins a year’s mentorship with author Varian Johnson.
Varian is a Vermont College of Fine …
PAL Members Meet Librarians
Austin SCBWI sponsored a booth at the recent Texas Library Association’s Annual Assembly.
PAL members were invited to sign and sell books, while RA Samantha Clark and ARA Gayleen Rabakukk shared SCBWI resources including the Speakers Bureau with its searchable …
Agent Jennie Dunham Discusses Character at Austin SCBWI Workshop
Nineteen writers gathered at the Writing Barn for the Protagonist on the Page, led by literary agent Jennie Dunham, founder of Dunham Literary.
Jennie reminded attendees that the protagonist drives the story, so consider carefully which character you’ll …
Austin Member Wins Crystal Kite for 2nd Consecutive Year
Austin SCBWI has a Crystal Kite winner in its chapter for the second consecutive year!
Middle-grade novel THE BOY, THE BOAT, AND THE BEAST by Samantha M Clark won the 2019 Crystal Kite Award for the Texas/Oklahoma region. Samantha is …
Austin SCBWI 2019 Writers & Illustrators Working Conference Highlights
More than 215 people attended the Austin SCBWI 2019 Writers & Illustrators Working Conference on May 18-19 and left inspired and ready to create.
Author P.J. Hoover moderates the publishing panel. Photo: Susan Johnston Taylor
Three large publishing houses were …
Austin SCBWI Members Tour Lark & Owl Booksellers
More than a dozen Austin SCBWI members braved the rain to enjoy a sneak peek at Lark & Owl Booksellers in Georgetown last month. Founder and general manager Jane Estes led a tour of the new independent bookstore a few …
Farrar, Straus & Giroux Acquires Adrianna Cuevas Debut MG Novel
Trisha de Guzman at FSG has acquired world rights to Adrianna Cuevas’s debut middle grade novel, Nestor’s Guide to Unpacking, about a Cuban-American boy named Nestor with a secret ability to speak to animals. Nestor and his mother move to …
SCBWI Booth at Texas Library Association Conference
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- Authors Cate Berry
Congratulations to the Recipients of the First Austin SCBWI RA Scholarship
Congratulations to the recipients of Austin SCBWI’s first RA Scholarship.
The scholarship was started this year by Regional Advisor Samantha M Clark to lift up a voice that shows great promise in children’s books.
We were thrilled to see the …
Amy Bearce Signs With Agent
Congratulations to author Amy Bearce, who recently signed with agent Alice Sutherland-Hawes of the Madeleine Milburn Agency. A Southwest Texas chapter member, Amy was last year’s Honor recipient of the Cynthia Leitich Smith Mentor Award at Austin’s annual conference. Author …
Crystal Kite Award Winner: Cynthia Levinson
Congratulations to Austin author Cynthia Levinson, winner of the 2018 Crystal Kite Award, for The Youngest Marcher: The Story of Audrey Faye Hendricks, a Young Civil Rights Activist, illustrated by Vanessa Brantley Newton and published by Atheneum Books for Young …
Varian Johnson Wins Coretta Scott King Honor Award!
Austin SCBWI member Varian Johnson recently received a Coretta Scott King Honor award for his MG novel, THE PARKER INHERITANCE (Arthur A. Levine, 2018) from the American Library Association.
The Coretta Scott King Book Awards are given annually to outstanding …
Creators of Diverse Worlds Scholarship Winners
Congratulations to the winners of our 2019 Diverse Worlds Scholarship! The contest was judged by agents Stefanie Von Borstel of Full Circle Literary and Tanusri Prasanna of Foundry Literary + Media.
The winners are:
Illustration: Reggie Brown (New Friend/First …
January Meeting: Author Tara Dairman
To ring in the New Year, Tara Dairman, author of The Great Hibernation (Random House) and The Four Stars foodie series (Putnam/Penguin) informed a full house how to deal with anxiety in the writing process. First, she confessed to …
Austin SCBWI Auction 2019
What do you love about SCBWI?
• Speakers
• Webinars
• Workshops
• Scholarships
• Networking
• Annual conference
How does Austin SCBWI afford these amazing events?
Austin SCBWI is run by an enthusiastic group of volunteers! And we keep …
Random House Acquires S.G. Wilson’s Debut Novel and Sequel
S.G. Wilson's debut novel, ME VS. THE MULTIVERSE, sells to Random House.
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SCBWI Member Meghan P. Browne Signs with Agent
Meghan P. Browne recently signed with agent Alyssa Henkin of Trident Media.
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The Impossible Winterbourne’s AlphaBots Awarded “Best ‘Bots” by The Austin Chronicle
The AlphaBots, written and illustrated by SCBWI Austin member The Impossible Winterbourne, was just awarded "Best 'Bots" in Austin by The Austin Chronicle.
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Lee Zarnikau Launches Ellie’s Car Kindergarten
Under her pen name Lee Zee, Lee Zarnikau launches her debut picture book, Ellie's Car Kindergarten.
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October 2018 Meeting – What You Don’t Know About SCBWI
By Susan Johnston Taylor
Membership has its perks, as they say. But SCBWI has so many programs for writers and illustrators that even long-time members may not know about all the opportunities available to them.
The October meeting of the …
The Impossible Winterbourne Featured on Portland’s KGW8-TV with the AlphaBots
The Impossible Winterbourne features The AlphaBots alphabet picture book featuring steampunk robots on local Portland news station.
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SCBWI Reception with Kwame Alexander
Writers braved the rain October 8 for a special chat with Newbery-winning author Kwame Alexander prior to his BookPeople event in celebration of his latest novel, SWING.
In a casual and candid conversation, Kwame talked about the 18 years it …
2018 Picture Book Retreat for Authors & Illustrators Highlights
The hill country bloomed with more than wildflowers the weekend of September 14-16, 2018. Inspiration was in the air at Austin SCBWI’s first Picture Book Retreat for Authors & Illustrators.
Ariel Richardson, Chronicle Books, Abigail Samoun, Red Fox Literary and
…September 2018 Meeting
Wow , what an incredible turn out for our September meeting! SCBWI Austin was privileged to have such a talented panel present at our September monthly meeting.
Our panel included Ann Rose, agent with the Prospect Agency, Ariane …
Austin SCBWI Member Sue Meredith Cleveland Publishes New Novel in Crispin Leads Mystery
Digging Up the Dead follows on the heels of the 2017 award-winning debut novel Shrouded.
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Gloria Amescua Signs with Full Circle Literary
Congratulations to Austin SCBWI member Gloria Amescua for signing with agent Taylor Martindale Kean at Full Circle Literary.
Gloria met Full Circle Literary agent Stephanie Von Borstel at the 2017 Austin SCBWI conference, where Stephanie critiqued one of …
SCBWI Member Rebekah Manley Signs with Bradford Literary’s Natalie Lakosil
Networking at the most recent SCBWI Austin annual conference led Rebekah Manley to her agent match.
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Lindsey Lane and Shelli Cornelison Teach Six-week Short Story Class
Writers of short stories for all ages welcome to Lindsey and Shelli's short story class at Austin Creative Alliance.
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Connection at SCBWI Summer Conference
Connection seemed to be the theme of SCBWI’s 2018 Summer Conference in Los Angeles, Aug. 3-6.
Libba Bray, Lois Lowry and Lynda Mullaly Hunt all talked about how writing connects us in their keynotes.
All equal parts hilarious and emotional, …
Austin SCBWI Promotes Members at TLA Annual Meeting
Austin SCBWI joined the Texas Authors and Illustrators RoundTable of TLA to co-sponsor a booth at the TLA Annual Meeting this month.
At the booth, local authors and illustrators who are members of both organizations promoted their own books and …
Gayleen Rabakukk steps up as ARA
The Austin SCBWI chapter bids a huge THANK YOU to P.J. Hoover, who’s stepped down as the Assistant Regional Advisor after serving for the last three years.
Stepping into her duties, we’re excited to welcome Gayleen Rabakukk, who has …
June 2018 Monthly Meeting
SCBWI Austin was privileged to have a wonderful team of librarians at our June monthly meeting. Filled with information about books, requirements, selection and state lists, the librarians gave us a peek into what the process looks like when selecting …
Varian Johnson’s The Parker Inheritance Selected as 2018 Boston Globe–Horn Book Honor Book
The Parker Inheritance (Levine/Scholastic), written by Austin SCBWI member and author Varian Johnson, was selected as a 2018 Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book in the fiction and poetry category. These awards are among the most prestigious honors in the field …
