YAing News: Week of October 13

Posted on by youngadultingubc

Hello hello! I hope the beginning of your October has gone well. As the greenery outside turns to beautiful reds, oranges, and yellows, the temperature is dropping and it’s time to bring out the cozy reading socks. Of course, with cozy socks comes cozy books! We at Young Adulting have lots of recommendations for you.

If you haven’t been by in a while, there are some things you may have missed. Fret not, I’m here to catch you up on everything we’ve done since September.

Since we last wrote…

  • GiGi Kang reviewed I Am Connected by Kung Jaadee, illustrated by Carla Joseph. This gorgeous picture book takes readers to the beautiful landscapes of Haida Gwaii. The book follows a young protagonist who shares all the things she appreciates about where she’s grown up. Kang shared that “Overall, I Am Connected is a thought-provoking story with complementary illustrations. The prose and art highlight the narrator’s mindfulness by celebrating the Earth’s natural beauty that she finds all around her. The book can act as a wonderful resource when introducing young readers to Indigenous knowledge.” You can read the full review here.
  • Maia Dueck reviewed Alice Atherton’s Grand Tour by Lesley M.M. Blume. This lovely middle grade novel brings readers back to 1927 where the protagonist, Alice, experiences and overcomes grief and loss while on a European adventure. Dueck noted that, “Through lessons taught by a series of guest teachers – including Pablo Picasso, Ernest Hemingway, and Scott Fitzgerald, Alice learns how to open herself up to the joys of living and experiencing community, family, and friendship again.” You can check out the full review here.

If you’re feeling inspired by Valentina, consider sending your own work in for the chance of being the next First Page Feature! This is an opportunity for emerging writers to feature the first few pages of their works-in-progress (ranging from Middle Grade to New Adult) in our monthly newsletter. Read our First Page Feature guidelines here, and submit here!

Industry Events

The Vancouver Children’s Literature Roundtable annual Fall Tea has been announced and is now open for registration. This year’s event will be taking place on Saturday, November 15th at the University Golf Club at 1pm. Early bird prices are currently live and will be active until October 31st, so make sure to act soon!

This year, the organization and participants will be paying tribute to Norma Charles, the former treasurer of the VCLR. There will also be a silent auction fundraiser, and an exclusive video from Julie Flett, this year’s winner of the Sheila Barry Best Canadian Picturebook of the Year Award. Flett will be talking about her winning book,  Let’s Go! / haw êkwa!, published by Greystone Kids. In addition to that, the VCLR will also be awarding the Ron Jobe Scholarship.

If you want to find out more, you can get the full breakdown on the VCLR website linked here!

For all of you based in Vancouver, the Vancouver Writer’s Fest is nearly upon us! Beginning officially on October 20th and running through the 26th, there are still lots of events with tickets available. Check out all the upcoming events that are on sale now! There are a number of wonderful events across the week that you need to check out! On October 21st alone, there are several talks geared towards writing for grades 1-12, including Paranormal Activity: Ghost Stories for YA, Sun, Trees, and Seas — a talk all about picture book writing and nature, and even a Masterclass from middle grade author, Wesley King!

If you’re an aspiring public or children’s librarian, the iSchool is running a workshop sponsored by LASSA, led by Dr. Tess Prendergast. This workshop will be hands-on and participants will learn how to use felts to present children’s stories! If you’re interested in checking out this free event, you can reach out to Tess by email with information found here! The next workshop will be taking place October 23rd from 5:30-7PM.

Submissions

  • Calling all Indigenous community members from Turtle Island! For those of you between the ages of 8-12, IBBY Canada and the IBBY Yamada Fund are running a new writing contest for and by Indigenous youth. They’ve shared:

“Echoing some of the themes of the books included in From “Sea to Sea to Sea: Celebrating Indigenous Picture Books,” stories no longer than 750 words told in fiction, non-fiction and poetry—and inspired by listening to the voices of others, and your own, are welcome!“

They’re looking for:

  • Voices of Elders, grandparents, or family. What story would you share about spending time with and listening to the voices of your Elders, your grandparents or family?
  • Voices from the land. What story would you share about spending time in the natural world and listening to the land?
  • Voices from the animal world. What story would you share about listening to animals?

If you want to learn more, read the full submission guidelines here!

  • IBBY Canada also has a call for Submissions for the 2025 Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Canadian Picture Book Award. If you’re a Canadian illustrator of a picture book published in Canada, in English or French, between January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2025, you could be the next winner of the Cleaver award. Submissions close November 15th. You find find out more about this award here.

Volunteer and Job Opportunities:

We shared it in our last newsletter but why not share it again! Consider volunteering for the 2025 Vancouver Writer’s Fest. This runs October 20–26 and they’re looking for volunteers. Anyone age 16+ is welcome to apply.  See the different things volunteers can do and, if you’re still on the fence, take a peek at the perks listed on the specs page here!

For anyone living in Saskatoon or thinking about it, Thistledown Press is hiring a part-time, seasonal Assistant Editor. This job runs from December through June and applications close On October 17th! From the posting:

“This is a great entry-level opportunity for someone wanting to work in literary publishing. The ideal candidate will be very well read, with a passion for Canadian literature; will have experience making judgements about the quality of works-in-progress, such as working as an editor or editorial assistant or intern at a literary magazine or equivalent, and/or attending writing workshops. Most important is a genuine love of language and literature, and an enthusiasm and an eye for strong literary writing. This job will involve using a word processor and email client; familiarity with this software is a requirement.” If you want to get your foot in the door to the publishing industry, read the full spec page here.

Bard on the Beach is hiring an Education Coordinator – School Programs! In this role, you’ll “provide administrative support and coordination for all of Bard Education’s school programs, including classroom workshops, student matinee performances, and Bard’s online teaching resources for teachers and students. They will collaborate with the Bard Education team to strengthen relationships with K–12 teachers across the Lower Mainland and beyond and build partnerships within the arts and education community.” Applications close October 24, so prep your resume and cover letter quick! You can find out more here.

As always, please do send us your news related to children’s and young adult literature at young.adulting@ubc.ca so we can feature them in future newsletters. Our newsletter is (usually) published on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month. And remember to keep up with us on on Instagram!

Take care, and happy reading,

The Young Adulting Editors

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