Mira's Magic Research Resources from the Picture Book Palooza

This year I decided to go big or go home (guess who was able to do both?) and help former students and friends get the word out about their recent books (because Covid sucks for releasing new books and bookstores), and raise money for scholarships now that my hubs has been rendered unemployable with Covid and age, and give massively to our kidlit community with the 2020 Picture Book Palooza scholarship fundraiser. 

One of my 3 presentations was about the Wonderful World of World Wide Resources and because I've been a crazed wombat putting the Palooza together with 40 speakers, 5 parties, and tons of giveaways and also setting up some outrageously fabulous Golden Ticket Showcase judges for our January Craft and Business of Writing Children's Picture Books course and living on 4 hrs sleep a night, I forgot to do my blog post. Yikes! So what better than to share some of these resources starting with the ones for Research? These research links are for researching fiction and nonfiction and seeing what else is out there, although some of them could easily go in the other structural categories that I set up - Inspiration, research, educational and publishing access, which I'll be publishing here on the first Monday of the month, or you can access them all at one by registering for the Palooza. Anything underlined is a link. 

Also heads up, I'm moderating the final panel on Illustrating and writing tonight (at 4PM Pacific Standard time), which shows the connections between the two while focusing on what illustration does and how it does it. So it's not too late to join for only $20, see this fantastic panel with Larissa Marantz, Lisa Goldberg, Fia Kilbourne, and Chantelle and Burgen Thorne AND receive access to the Giveaways and Recordings all for only $20!!! Just click right here!

Newspapers.com (thanks Alice Faye Duncan)

Museum Archives

Facebook for whatever your topic is about

Google whatever your topic is about

Pinterest the same

Questia aprox $20 pm for academic resources where you can copy and paste quotes and notes

Historical societies or societies related to your topic on the web

Writing and Illustrating: Kathy Temean’s wonderful blog sharing information About writing and illustrating for children

Reading For Research Month (ReFoReMo): A blog and Facebook grouP about reading children’s lit for research purposes

​Nerdy Book Club: Shares love of reading with others as well as hosting the Nerdies Book Awards.

SCBWI British Isles Blog: A worldwide organisation of writers and illustrators of children's books, whether published, not yet published, or independently published. Most SCBWI regions have their own blogs or newsletters as well.

Mem Fox: A blog by a successful Australian Kidlit writer.
​Design of the Picture Book: Carter Higgins writes about picture books and graphic design

Nonfiction Ninjas: The Nonfiction Ninjas are a group of nonfiction authors who have a passion for nonfiction.
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Book Meshuggenahs: A group of Jewish women who write traditionally-published Jewish-themed books.

Pass It On: A wonderful weekly, interactive e-zine for anyone interested in the Children’s Book writing and illustrating industry, especially Aussies and Kiwis.

Write Links: Write Links is a support group for beginner and emerging children’s writers and writer/illustrators living in Brisbane, Qld and the surrounding area.

Kidlit411 - a total treasure trove of resources!

And if any of this is helpful, or you want to comment on the Palooza, or you have some other great research suggestions, please drop a comment below. xoxox