Where to Pre-order

Provide your pre-order receipt from the bookstore of your choice and I’ll send you a special swag package AND you’ll be entered to win a grand prize:

Claim Your Swag

Summer Reads Video

I recently had the honor of talking about One Mad Cat and the Missing Book for the Brodart “Tell Me More” Summer Reads program, in a free webinar for librarians. You can watch the full presentation here, including book talks from Christy Mihaly (America’s Founding Myths...And What REALLY Happened!), Maria Oka (Wish on a Willow), Lauren Tarshis (I Survived the Night of the Lions, 2025), and Liz Brizzi (Milo and Twig).

The Reviews Are Coming In!

Two trade reviews are in for One Mad Cat and the Missing Book—and they’re wonderful! Here’s one of my favorite quotes from the Kirkus review:

Read the full Kirkus review here.
Read the full SLJ review here.

This is the first book in the series and Book Two is well underway, so get ready for more from this cute, grumpy, mystery-solving cat.

Another JLG Gold Standard Selection

After hearing that One Mad Cat and the Missing Book would be my first title to become a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection, I’ve received word that my upcoming picture book, Lots and Lots of Ocelots, has ALSO been selected! (To learn more about what it means to be a JLG Gold Standard Selection, I wrote a post about it on Kidlit Survival Guide.) Stay tuned for more on this skip counting and animal fact book, illustrated by Angel Chang and coming this August with Workman Kids. Available for pre-order now.

Where to Pre-order

Kidlit Survival Guide

In case you missed it, a few of our recent posts:

Ways to Kick Yourself into Writing Gear
A Good Literary Citizen
Boyds Mills (formerly Highlights)—What’s the Deal?
When All the News is Bad

Life and Other Stuff

I had a lovely time at KinderBooks on Independent Bookstore Day, where I read from Ava Lin, Super-Duper Happy and did some drawing demos. It was so lovely to connect with a new-to-me bookstore and to meet local readers and creators.

I also did some school visits, made terrariums with my kids, celebrated my birthday with local kidlit friends (Kirsten Pendreigh, Stephanie Sy, and Helena Juhasz), and got new headshots (thanks to @simayatography).

And… I have secret book news! Ahhh! Stay tuned for when I can share details publicly.

Giveaway

I loved doing the indie bookstore giveaway last month, so I’m going to do it again. Pick any one of my books and I’ll order it from your local indie for you to pick up in store. I’ll include One Mad Cat and the Missing Book and Lots and Lots of Ocelots on pre-order as options. Like and comment for a chance to win! (Open to U.S. and Canada.)

Leave a comment

Join me for my very first bookstore event in Canada! I’ll be at KinderBooks in New Westminster, BC at 11am on April 25 for a fun Ava Lin reading, signing, and craft time.

Event Details

While I can’t be at all my favorite indies, a shout-out to Newtonville Books (Newton, MA), Linden Tree Books (Los Altos, CA), and Kidsbooks (North Vancouver, BC)—who may still have some signed copies of my books available!

It’s Officially 3 Months Until One Mad Cat!

The One Mad Cat and the Missing Book launch is coming this summer! It was exciting to catch glimpses of it at TLA from photos that friends sent me… it’s getting real!

Don’t forget to pre-order the book and to sign up for your pre-order swag. 😎

Pre-Order

Author Visits—Get Notified When I’m Coming to Your Town

If you’d like to receive a notification when I have plans to be in your area, fill out my Author Visit Interest Form! This is a great way to save on travel costs if you’d like to set up an author visit with me some day.

View Form

What I’ve Been Up To

In my middle grade writing procrastination, I ended up writing a totally different story that I’m quite in love with. Meanwhile, it was my kids’ spring break, so we spent some time in California (too briefly) and in Hawaii! Despite the flooding and one of my kids getting sick, we had a lovely time and ate way too much shave ice. Plus, we went to a comic/game store in Honolulu and I found my Friendbots books in the shop! Thank you, Other Realms!

Kidlit Survival Guide

The craft+business+author life Substack that I write with is growing! We’ve just hit 1500 subscribers! Recent posts:

• How To: Author Press Kits

• When a Book Goes Out of Print

• State Awards 101

• Layering Story Ideas

State Book Award Nominations

Right after Christine wrote about State Awards for the Kidlit Survival Guide, I found out that my books made it onto two lists:

A Pie For Us! is an award nominee for the 2025-2026 NJ Garden State Children’s Book Award!

Ava Lin, Best Friend! is an 2027 OTTER Award Nominee in Washington State!

It’s an honor to be on the nominee lists. If you’re in either New Jersey or Washington State, be sure to check out the full lists and vote for your favorites.

Books I’m Excited About

I love prose/illustrations hybrids, so I’m very excited for these two middle grade books, which I just pre-ordered from my local indie:

Really Rubie by Maddie Frost (her IG is hilarious so I’m already a huge fan.)

Life on the Moon by Matthew Swanson and Robbi Behr (the awesome team behind The Cookie Chronicles and more.)

Any books you’re reading or looking forward to?

Giveaway

To celebrate Independent Bookstore Day, pick any one of my books and any local indie, and I’ll have them send my book your way! You’ll get a new book and support your favorite local indie in the meantime. Like and comment to enter to win (U.S. and Canada only.)

Leave a comment

Happy reading!

Preparing for Launch

Even though One Mad Cat and the Missing Book doesn’t launch until July 7, I’ve been preparing by making pre-order goodies, talking to my publicists about booking events, and working on some secret things! I JUST received a preview copy of the book and I’m so excited at how it’s turned out:

Pre-Order

Doing Author Visits

I’ve been having a lot of fun doing author visits! I virtually visited seven U.S. schools for World Read Aloud Day to share a sneak preview of One Mad Cat and draw some emotional cats with them:

I did my first in-person visit at a Canadian school (thank you, Highlands Elementary! 🇨🇦) And I was lucky enough to be in Boston to sign a slew of Ava Lin books at Newtonville Books to be shipped to a school in New Hampshire for an upcoming virtual visit:

Connecting with the Writing Community

I took some time for myself to connect with other authors and illustrators at Kindling Words East this year (hence why I was in Boston)… but what happens at Kindling Words stays at Kindling Words! Suffice it to say, it re-energized me creatively, which was exactly what I needed. Thanks to my thoughtful, fun, kind, and talented kidlit friends! ❤️

Preparing for Boyd Mills

Things are really shaping up for our Boyd Mills’ retreat for Early Readers and Chapter Books. I’ve been working with and Anne Appert on our program and it’s looking great. Registration is open if you’d like to join us!

Register

Hanging Out with My Family

I’ve been having fun exploring the Vancouver area with my family. We drove up to Whistler along the Sea to Sky highway, wandered around the forests of Lynn Valley Canyon in the rain, visited the Beaty Biodiversity Museum, and my kid made himself into a cardboard box. (Yes, this is the kid that inspired Ava Lin. 😉)

Writing the Next Book

And of course… I’m writing the next book! I have several projects that I’ve been working on, from picture books up to middle grade. It’s been exciting, scary, fun, frustrating, and fulfilling to be working on the next thing. Fingers crossed that I write some great stories and find great homes for them!

I share a lot about my process on the Kidlit Survival Guide Substack that I write with , so you can always follow along there…

Kidlit Survival Guide

Navigate the wild world of creating books for children with Vicky Fang and Christine Evans who have published over 30 books between them.

Giveaway

Since I’m on a little bit of a book breather, let’s do something different! Like and comment (or respond) if you’d like a 20-minute AMA with me. I’ll pick one winner at random and we can chat about whatever you’d like! I’d love to connect.

Leave a comment

Until Next Month!

I hope you’re getting some time to take care of yourselves… and to read some great books!

Lots and Lots of Ocelots is a rhyming picture book that introduces skip counting by 2’s, 5’s, and 10’s—with lots and lots of animals facts! Angel Chang’s illustrations are gorgeous and I’m so proud of how this book turned out. Here’s a peek at some spreads:

The book releases in August with Workman Books and it’s available for pre-order now.

Where to Pre-Order

As part of the NCTE presentation, I put together a PDF of my most popular STEM activities, including a new discussion guide and activity for Lots and Lots of Ocelots:

Stem Creative Problem Solving W Vicky Fang

9.67MB ∙ PDF file

Download

Download

STEM Writing on Kidlit Survival Guide

While we’re talking about STEM, if you’re interested in writing STEM stories of your own, I did write a post a while back about this very topic!

Kidlit Survival Guide

Writing STEM Fiction for Kids

(First, a business note! We had previously announced that future posts will be available to all subscribers, but you do need to cancel your subscription if you no longer want to be a paid subscriber! Paid subscribers will maintain access to our archive of paid posts and our gratitude for your support of our work…

Read more

2 years ago · 9 likes · 2 comments · Vicky Fang

Behind the Scenes: One Mad Cat Art Proofs

I received art proofs for One Mad Cat! This is the first time I’ve actually received color tests for a book, so I was VERY excited. I got a sneak peek at the spot gloss planned for the cover, the adorable end papers designed by my book designer, and the full color art for the book. Get a peek here:

Boyd Mills scholarship deadline is tomorrow

Just a heads up that TOMORROW is the deadline to apply for a Boyd Mills (formerly Highlights) scholarship. The scholarship portal closes at 11:59 PM Eastern on Monday, February 9, 2026. For more information: https://boydsmills.org/scholarships/.

This is a great opportunity to apply for funding to attend a retreat—at one of my favorite spots. Plus, one of those retreats is an in-person retreat for creating Early Reader and Chapter Books with , Anne Appert, and myself in October!

More STEM Books! I want more!

If you’re looking for more great STEM books for kids, be sure to check out the STEAM Team Website. You can look at great STEM books published for kids in the last 6 years—including new ones coming out this year!

STEAMTeam Books

Giveaway

In honor of all the STEM in this newsletter, I’m giving away a signed copy of your choice of one of my STEM books!

Like and comment to enter to win, U.S. addresses only. (?)

Leave a comment

Cat is so, so excited for the new year… and for her book series, which launches this summer! This cover has been up online so you may have already seen it, but TECHNICALLY, today is my official cover reveal with Candlewick for One Mad Cat and the Missing Book!

See the Announcement

What is One Mad Cat?

One Mad Cat is a brand new early reader graphic novel series, full of mysteries and mindfulness in a cute, graphic package. Cat is mad – a lot (after all, she’s a cat). But when a friend needs her help to solve a mystery, she puts her irritation to the side...

Here are a couple sneak peek spreads from ONE MAD CAT AND THE MISSING BOOK, written and illustrated by yours truly:

One Mad Cat and the Missing Book is written to encourage early readers to fall in love with reading—with an endearing Cat who steps outside of her comfort zone to help her friends. One Mad Cat and the Missing Book is available for pre-order now, wherever books are sold.

Pre-order Now

Plus, some big news…

One Mad Cat and the Missing Book is a JLG Gold Selection!

Hooray!!! This means that The Junior Library Guild has selected One Mad Cat to be on their handpicked list of “best books.” Being selected means the book has been flagged as a buzz-worthy title, which means many librarians will add this book to their collections. This is the first time I’ve earned the JLG Gold Selection, and I’m so, so excited about it!

Follow the official One Mad Cat IG

Yes, Cat is getting her own IG account! I love this cast of characters so much, I can’t stop drawing little feel-good vignettes for them. Follow along at @onemadcatofficial, for feel-good posts and behind-the-scenes.

Follow One Mad Cat

Join the Pre-Order Party

I want to make this book launch a ton of fun all around, so if you’re on it, register your pre-orders here, because there WILL be fun launch goodies going out (including signed bookplates since I’m not yet sure where I can sign books in person!)

Where to Pre-Order

New Year Giveaway

To celebrate the New Year, I’m giving away a classroom set of sticker sheets (30 sheets)! These will be shipped out the next time I’m in the States, in early February.

Like and comment to enter to win, U.S. addresses only. (?)

Leave a comment

Happy New Year and Other News!

I’m releasing three new books this year, so stay tuned for more exciting book news!

I can’t wait for the Highlights retreat this fall that I’ll be teaching with Kaz Windness and Anne Appert, it was a thrill to appear in People for co-authoring an upcoming book with Karlie Kloss, and there are a lot of new posts coming for Kidlit Survival Guide. Plus, three more Mr. ZIP episodes are in the pipeline and more surprises are in the works!

Wishing you all a very happy new year filled with lots of books!

This year, for World Read Aloud Day, I will be giving a sneak peek at my upcoming early reader graphic novel series, One Mad Cat. I’ll read from the first book and do a drawing demo. I’ll also answer questions and share some books from other creators that I love.

I’ll be doing free visits every 20 minutes from 9:20am-12:20pm PT on Wednesday, Feb 4. Be sure to have your video link ready to submit when you sign up, and please only take a slot if you’re sure you can use it!

Sign Up

Year In Review

This year, I released three new books! I’m thrilled that all three Ava Lin chapter books and the second Boo Crew picture book are out in the world! I also had my first animation screenwriting episode go live for Mr. ZIP on YouTube. I snuck in seventeen book events. No new book deals this year (as I’ve been deep in work on existing book deals,) but I have several new works in progress! And I have some fun goals for 2026!

Book stats are one thing, but life changes have also been big this year, with my official move to Vancouver! 🇨🇦

Kidlit Survival Guide’s Greatest Hits

It’s been a great year for Kidlit Survival Guide, the craft and business Substack I write with ! Here are a few of the greatest hits from this past year:

Most Viewed 👀: Book Sell Sheets

Most Liked ❤️: How to Hold an Engaging Book Event

Most Commented 💬: Picking Your Author Name

Plus, we hit 100 posts AND 1000 subscribers this year! 🎉

See More Posts

Thank you, NCTE!

I had a fantastic visit to the NCTE (National Council of Teachers of English) conference, thanks to Workman Kids for bringing me out to share a sneak peek at LOTS AND LOTS OF OCELOTS! Scholastic set me up with the amazing Joanna Ho for a Best Buddies signing. Sourcebooks made coloring sheets and hosted a lovely signing for THE BOO CREW AND THE PUMPKIN PATCH RESCUE. Candlewick set up a hardcover signing of AVA LIN: SUPER-DUPER HAPPY. I loved our STEM roundtable with teachers, and it was so heartwarming to hang out with kidlit friends, including my launch group and 12x12 community. ❤️❤️❤️

Holiday Giveaway!

It’s become tricker for me to do giveaways now that I’m living in Canada, but I’m trying to figure it out! I’m giving away a series sampler giveaway, with one book from each: Ava Lin, Best Buddies, Layla and the Bots, and Friendbots! (Each book is a standalone story, so don’t worry if your reader hasn’t read the series in order.)

Like and comment to enter to win, U.S. addresses only. (?) Please note that these books will go out in late December, so they will not arrive in time for the holidays!

Leave a comment

Book Recommendations

It’s been a hectic year, but I wanted to call out a few books that crossed my path that recently that I’d highly recommend! There are always so many great books coming out, so I’m just highlighting a few:

• YOU CAN’T TAME A TIGER, written by Stephanie Sy and illustrated by Julien Chung. Stephanie is the first kitlit author I met here in Vancouver, and this picture book is a sweet and funny book about a tiger that doesn’t look like a tiger—but definitely is! Julien’s striking illustrations and the tiger’s endearingly difficult personality make this one a fun read-aloud.

• WHEN A TREE FALLS: NURSE LOGS AND THEIR INCREDIBLE FOREST POWER, written by Kirsten Pendreigh and illustrated by Elke Boschinger. I had the pleasure of seeing Kirsten present this book at the Bigfoot Kids’ Book Festival, and she had the audience mesmerized! It was wonderful to see kids so engaged with the gorgeous depiction and information about nature in the Pacific Northwest.

• TOMATOES ON TRIAL: THE FRUIT V. VEGETABLE SHOWDOWN, written by Lindsay H. Metcalf and illustrated by Ed Fotheringham. At NCTE, I was on a panel with Lindsay, who presented this picture book with a mock trial activity for classrooms that everybody was excited about. It’s such a fun topic to get kids interested in the legal process and Supreme Court trials.

Happy Holidays and Happy Reading!

Wishing you all the best this holiday season and I’ll see you in the new year!

With holidays coming up, I wanted to offer some free goodies to go along with any of my books that you may be gifting! I’m doing this early because I’ll need to send them out Nov 19, so please submit your requests soon! Fill out this form and I’ll send you a bookplate and sticker sheet for every book purchased.

I want Holiday Goodies!

Ava Lin Educator Guide

Huge shout-out to for helping me put together this fantastic Educator’s Guide for Ava Lin. I haven’t gotten around to posting it online yet, so you’re getting the first peek at it! (If you notice any errors or have any feedback, please let me know!)

Ava Lin Educator's Guide

2.52MB ∙ PDF file

Download

Download

School Visits

I’ve had fun this month running writing workshop and doing presentations at Highlands Elementary in North Vancouver, Talbot Hill Elementary, and Kennydale Elementary in Seattle. And I’ve just prepped some new flyers for my school visits! (Click to view full images.) If you want more details on school visits, please visit my website.

2026 In-Person Highlights Workshop with Kaz Windness and me!

Just announced, Kaz Windness and I will be running an in-person early reader and chapter book workshop at Highlights in October 2026! I am so excited to return to this beloved campus to talk about books for young readers.

Use Code FINDMAGIC Now Through Nov. 19 for $100 Off All In-Person Workshops!

More Details

NCTE

Also, this is a good time to remind you that I’ll be at NCTE in a couple weeks! Mark your calendars and come find me! I’ll be in a roundtable session with Kirsten Larson, Jen Malia, Lindsay H. Metcalf, and Colleen Paeff, talking about soft skills through STEM stories.

In the afternoon, I have signings with Sourcebooks, Scholastic, and Candlewick. Plus, I’ll also be signing a special sneak peek art print for my upcoming picture book, LOTS AND LOTS OF OCELOTS, illustrated by Angel Chang and releasing with Workman Books!

Here’s my full schedule:

Friday, November 21

12:30 pm Roundtable Session—Activating Future Dreams with STEM

2:00-2:30pm Sourcebooks Kids—The Boo Crew and the Pumpkin Patch Rescue

2:30-3:30pm Workman Kids—Lots and Lots of Ocelots (preview art print!)

3:30-4:30pm Scholastic—Best Buddies: Rain is Wet!

4:30-5:00pm Candlewick Press—Ava Lin: Super-Duper Happy

Something fun is brewing….

You heard it here first!

Something Fun

Where to Buy

Costumes!

It is such a treat when kids send me pics dressed up as one of the characters from my books! Here are some costume ideas for you from some of my books:

Crafts!

Swag!

Check out my new sticker sheets and bookplates! (I snuck my next book in there too… 😉) Come find me at a book event (see below) to get a hold of some of my new swag! And booksellers, reply to this email if you’d like me to send you some signed bookplates.

Parties!

I’m going to be coast-to-coast, with upcoming events in Seattle, Boston, and Denver!

Sat, Oct 11: Bigfoot Kids’ Book Festival in Redmond, WA, with story time at 10:30am and book signing from 1:00-4:00pm

Sunday, Oct 12: Eagle Harbor Book Co. Story Time at 11:00am in Bainbridge Island, WA

Saturday, Oct 18: Newtonville Books Story Time at 11am in Newton, MA

Friday, Nov 21: NCTE Roundtable & Signings in Denver, CO

Giveaway!

To celebrate Halloween, I’m giving away a copy of the original Boo Crew Halloween picture book THE BOO CREW NEEDS YOU!, shipped from Linden Tree Books!

Like and comment for a chance to win (U.S. shipping addresses only (?).)

Have a Happy Halloween!

As some of you know, we recently sold our house in California. On to the next chapter! We spent the summer in Greece, in California, and driving up the coast of Pacific Northwest, which is completely stunning—all the way up to Vancouver.

I’m a bit of a nomad at the moment—I stopped by New York (for a wedding) and will be in Seattle, Boston, and Denver, but I will be spending a lot of upcoming time in Vancouver. If you have bookish contacts or tips for Vancouver (or maybe even Seattle or Bellingham), let me know! If you know any cool bookish people I should hang out with, let me know! If you have any food tips, let me know! You can leave a comment or reply to this email.

Leave a comment

Bigfoot Kids’ Book Festival in Redmond, WA

It’s almost time for the Bigfoot Kids’ Book Festival in Redmond, WA and I’m looking forward to it!

Boo Crew Parties in Seattle and Boston!

I’m going coast-to-coast with book parties for THE BOO CREW AND THE PUMPKIN PATCH RESCUE! I’ll be on Bainbridge Island, WA for a party at Eagle Harbor Books on Sunday, October 12 at 11am.

And I’ll be in Newton, MA for a party at Newtonville Books to celebrate on Saturday, October 18 at 11am! Join me for story time, stickers, and treats.

Highlights Course on School Visits

I’m excited to be joining Highlights as guest faculty for their 3-part Successful School Visits for Authors and Illustrators: An Online Course, led by George Jreije. If you’re interested in developing a virtual school visit, check it out!

NCTE in Denver, CO

I will be at NCTE in Denver this year! I will also be on a fantastic STEM panel with Lindsay H. Metcalf, Jen Malia, Kirsten Larson, and Colleen Paeff, talking about classroom extensions for some of our STEM picture books. Keep an eye out for our panel, Activating Future Dreams: STEM Books: Six Authors and Author-Educators Share Lessons to Shape Student Soft Skills, scheduled for Friday, Nov 21 at 12:30pm. And stay tuned for signing times!

Giveaway

To celebrate back to school, I’m giving away a set of the Best Buddies OR Ava Lin books (your choice!), shipped from Linden Tree Books!

Like and comment for a chance to win (U.S. shipping addresses only (?).)

Leave a comment

For a behind-the-scenes peek at the inspiration and process behind this book, check out my post on the Kidlit Survival Guide:

Kidlit Survival Guide

Release Day Peek! The Boo Crew and the Pumpkin Patch Rescue

Today is launch day for THE BOO CREW AND THE PUMPKIN PATCH RESCUE, written be my and illustrated by the amazing Saoirse Lou! Which means it’s a great day for a behind-the-scenes peek at how this second book came to be…

Read more

10 months ago · 7 likes · 2 comments · Vicky Fang

Where to Buy

Back to School Activities!

I love putting together activities to accompany my books! And I have lots. Here are a few favorites, perfect for back to school or at home:

How to Draw Ava Lin

Design an Amusement Park for Dogs with Layla and the Bots

Design Your Own Invent-a-Pet

Best Buddies Coloring Page

Friendbots Activity Guides

Find more activities on my site!

More Activities

Summer Escapades

I’ve been having a fun summer, exploring Greece and the West Coast with my kids and friends—full of beaches, cities, and even a bog full of carnivorous plants.

I also realized that I never shared pics of my launch party for Ava Lin, Super-Duper Happy! Thank you to the young readers and kidlit friends who came out to celebrate with me! Thank you to Linden Tree for another fantastic event!

In other big news, we’ve sold our home in California and I am currently a bit of a nomad. More news on this life update to come! But in a sweet goodbye, the buyers of our house somehow found out I was an author and purchased several books for me to sign for their kids. It was a special moment to leave signed copies of my books for them, on the porch of the house where it all began. 🥰📚😭

After a summer of adventuring, it’s time for me to get back to work… on some exciting new projects coming soon!

Giveaway

To celebrate the launch of the latest Boo Crew book, I’m giving away a signed copy of THE BOO CREW AND THE PUMPKIN PATCH RESCUE, shipped from my long time local store, Linden Tree Books. ❤️

Like and comment for a chance to win (U.S. shipping addresses only (?).)

Leave a comment

THE BOO CREW AND THE PUMPKIN PATCH RESCUE releases at the end of this month!

Yes, the Boo Crew is back for another interactive adventure, with gorgeous art by Saoirse Lou. This time, they’re saving a pumpkin patch just in time for the fall festival, with new action prompts on every page. I’ve visited many, many pumpkin patches with my kids through the years, so I had a lot of inspiration to pull from!

Here are a couple sample spreads from the book:

I love writing these sweet interactive picture books, and I’m so proud of how this one turned out! If you’re curious about how I approach these books, check out my post on Writing Interactive Picture Books on Kidlit Survival Guide. And if this book is anything like the first one, get ready to read it over and over again to your little ones!

If you pre-order from Linden Tree Books, I’ll sign the book and you’ll receive a free character sticker of Luna, Bones, or Fang!

Signed Copies + Stickers

More Places To Buy

School Visits—Booking Now

I know you’re all enjoying your summers and probably not thinking about school yet, but I wanted to catch you BEFORE everything starts to get hectic! I’ve updated my presentations for 2025-26 and adjusted my daily rate, with special discounts for referrals and bulk book orders. I love talking to young readers and writers, so I hope you’ll consider a visit with me. I would love to talk about Layla and the Bots, Best Buddies, or The Boo Crew with your students. I also have a new presentation inspired by the Ava Lin series that I’ve been working on and am ready to bring to your school!

Vickyfang25 26

6.22MB ∙ PDF file

Download

Download

My fall travel is already maxed out, but I will be in the following areas in case you want to try to coordinate a visit: Boston, MA on October 17-20 and Denver, CO on November 20-21. And if you’re looking for an author visit for this spring, please do reach out!

For more details, feel free to reach out to my booking agent: allyson@bookedauthors.com.

Learn More

Bigfoot Kids’ Book Festival

Join me on October 11 at the Bigfoot Kids’ Book Festival! Schedule details to come.

Giveaways

I’m doing two giveaways today:

First up, I’m giving away a classroom set of Ava Lin, Super-Duper Happy! That’s 25 signed paperback books—perfect for a welcome back to school gift!

I’m also giving away free audiobooks of the entire Ava Lin series, narrated by me! If you’re curious about the behind the scenes on the audiobooks, I wrote about it on Kidlit Survival Guide here.

Like and comment with the giveaway you’re interested in—or both! (U.S. shipping addresses only for the classroom set (?).)

Leave a comment

Ava Lin: Super-Duper Happy is out in the world today! I hope you’ll check out Ava’s newest adventure, as she tries to get along with her grandmother (while also trying to win a gold medal in her school walkathon and understand her new mood ring.) With relatable hilarity, things don’t quite go as planned, but our optimistic Ava finds her way through.

Get Super-Duper Happy

Ava Lin Audio Books are also available today!

The audio books for Best Friend! and One of a Kind, the first and second books in the Ava Lin series, are available today. These are my very first audio books—plus, they’re narrated by me!

I was so nervous to record these, and grateful to Recorded Books for taking a chance on me. I had a blast recording them and will share my experience on Kidlit Survival Guide soon. I don’t dare actually listen to them, but I hope you do! 😂 Available wherever you get your audiobooks:

Get Audio Books

Best Friend! named a Best Book of 2024

I’m thrilled that Ava Lin, Best Friend! made it onto the Bank Street Books Best Children's Books of the Year 2025 Edition! Thank you to the Bank Street Children's Book Committee and to the team at Candlewick for making this book shine. You can check out the full list here.

Launch Party on Saturday

A reminder to join me for my Super-Duper Launch Party on Saturday at Linden Tree Books if you’re in town! Drawing, treats, mood rings—it’s bound to be a fun time!

More Details

Up Next

I’m already gearing up for my next launch… Get ready for THE BOO CREW AND THE PUMPKIN PATCH RESCUE, the next interactive adventure with this crew of sweet monsters. I’ll share some behind the scenes in next month’s post!

Pre-order

Giveaway

To celebrate the launch of Super-Duper Happy, I’m giving away a signed hardcover set of all three books!

Like and comment for a chance to win (U.S. shipping addresses only (?).)

Leave a comment

Buy my books from your favorite local independent bookstore, my local indie Linden Tree Books, Bookshop.org, or other online retailers.

Here’s a little peek at me sharing the backstory behind Book 3 in the Ava Lin series, with my mood ring, which is the first gift my kid bought for me with his own money!

Ava Lin: Super-Duper Happy releases on June 10. You can pre-order anywhere books are sold. If you’d like signed copies and a pre-order prize (I found some super cool color-changing “mood” pencils), leave a comment at check-out with Linden Tree Books.

Pre-Order

Save the Date: Super-Duper Launch Party!

True to my past Ava Lin parties, this launch event will be filled with fun stuff that Ava Lin loves—like mood rings and drawing and treats! Please come celebrate Ava Lin: Super-Duper Happy with me at Linden Tree Books on June 14 at 11am.

Behind the Scenes

If you’d like to learn more about how these books came to be, I’ve shared bits of the process behind the Ava Lin books on the Kidlit Survival Guide:

• Behind the Series: Inspiration, Pitch, and Process behind Ava Lin

• Behind the Book Covers: A Peek at Designing the Three Book Covers for Ava Lin

I also recorded a podcast with You May Contribute a Verse, if you’d like to take a listen!

Photo Highlights

Thank you to the The Children’s Book Project in SF for hosting a wonderful storytime with the Longfellow Elementary 2nd graders! If you’re not familiar with The Children’s Book Project, they are a wonderful organization getting books into the hands of kids who need them. I shared Ava Lin and did some drawing demos, with a special sneak peek at One Mad Cat (coming in 2026)!

Giveaway

This month I’m celebrating AANHPI Heritage Month with this quadruple picture book giveaway.

• How to Wear a Sari by Darshana Khiani and illustrated by Joanne Lew-Vriethoff

• Cooler Than Lemonade by Harshita Jerath and illustrated by Chloe Burgett

• Invent-a-Pet by me and illustrated by Tidawan Thaipinnarong

• Anzu the Great Kaiju by Benson Shum

Like and comment for a chance to win (U.S. shipping addresses only (?).)

Leave a comment

That’s it for this month! Happy reading!

KidLit Love Podcast—Creative Problem Solving: Ava Lin

I loved chatting with Kidlit Love about the Ava Lin series, and the episode is live today! Listen here.

AASL Panel—Tomorrow!

On Wednesday (tomorrow!), I’m excited to be joining Sandra Nickel (Seven, A Most Remarkable Pigeon, Nacho's Nachos, Bear's Big Idea), Mae Respicio (Any Day with You, The House That Lou Built, Isabel in Bloom), Saadia Faruqi (Meet Yasmin!, Saving Sunshine, Marya Khan) and Varsha Bajaj (A Garland of Henna, Count Me In, Thirst) in a panel for School Library Month! Register here to access the live or recorded session.

Ava Lin Audio Books

I had a blast recording my first audio books for the Ava Lin series at Outpost Studio SF for Recorded Books and Candlewick Press, prompting such questions as Why do I have so much saliva?? and When am I supposed to breathe?? This was actually not my first time in a voice studio, but that’s a story for another time. 😉 Available for pre-order now, WHEREVER YOU BUY AUDIOBOOKS <- first time getting to say that!!! Here are links pre-order Book 1 and Book 2 from libro.fm!

Pre-order Ava Lin Book 3!

Ava Lin, Super-Duper Happy releases on June 10! You can pre-order anywhere books are sold, but if you’d like signed copies and pre-order goodies (TBD, I’m still plotting!), leave a comment at checkout at Linden Tree Books!

Pre-order Signed Copies

Independent Bookstore Day Week! Story Time at Linden Tree this weekend

I’ll be at Linden Tree Books to celebrate Independent Bookstore Day with a story time at 10:30am on Sunday, April 27. I’d love to see you there! I’d also like to shout out some indie bookstores that hosted me this past year with events, signings, and subscription boxes. Thank you, Linden Tree Books, Hicklebee’s, The Reading Bug, Books, Inc., On Waverly, and Newtonville Books! These stores and their booksellers are wonderful. I’m so grateful for their support and for the wonderful community they create. Shop local and support your local indies!

Photo Highlights: TXLA & School Visits

I did some fun school visits this month, including one with Linden Tree Books at Imai Elementary, whose PTA purchased copies of Ava Lin or Best Buddies for each of their TK-2nd graders—what fun to sign their giant stack of 200+ books!

I also had an amazing time at the Texas Library Association conference, in a whirlwind 36-hour trip with three book signings and a panel with Kon Tan, Greg Pizzoli, Julie Murphy, Jenn Bailey, and Steph Littlebird! I loved connecting with so many lovely and amazing librarians. Thank you for the warmest welcome to Dallas!

Giveaway: Your Choice!

Phew! Okay, if you made it this far, I’m a little behind, so I haven’t had a chance to plan this month’s giveaway! So this month, it’s reader’s choice—pick any one of my published books and I’ll send you a signed copy, plus stickers and bookmarks! Comment or reply with the book of your choice for a chance to win (U.S. shipping addresses only (?).)

Leave a comment

Fresh off of the launch of Book 2 in the Ava Lin series, I’m gearing up for Book 3: Super-Duper Happy!

To celebrate the upcoming launch, I’m giving away a virtual visit, to be scheduled any time before the end of this school year (pending schedule availability)! I’ll introduce my journey and process, read from the Ava Lin series, do an interactive drawing/storytelling activity, and do a Q&A. (30 minutes, limited to 50 students and cannot be recorded.) If you have/know a classroom that would like a virtual visit with me, comment below or respond to this email for a chance to win!

Leave a comment

Readers are the Best.

This month, I got to do a school visit with a NYC public school TK class in Brooklyn to talk about Best Buddies, which was completely heartwarming. And recently, a young reader from Kuwait sent me a picture of his Bop costume from Layla and the Bots for World Book Day, which I love so much!

So a huge thank you to the awesome readers out there—and the teachers and parents that support them! ❤️

What Have I Been Up To?

Since the relaxed state of my last newsletter, what have I been up to?? Well… I’m on sub with a new picture book (at the time of writing, it’s been out to editors for exactly 102 minutes. 👀) I have been eating a lot of yogurt with frozen berries. We went tidepooling and found bat stars, abalone shells, and a gumshoe chiton (those things are WEIRD.) My kids are continually sick… We made homemade pasta. We made homemade honey ice cream (this was delicious, but maybe a little bit too much honey in it.) Oh, wait! I remember something exciting!

Ava Lin is Getting Audio Books!

Yes!!! Audio rights for all three Ava Lin books have been sold! I threw my voice into the ring for recording—and they decided to go with me! So not only will I be getting my first audio books ever… I get to narrate them! I’m very excited and slightly nervous about the whole thing, but I will definitely keep you updated as it progresses. This actually isn’t the first time I’ve done voiceover work… But that’s a story for another time. 😉

What I’m Reading

I’m currently reading The Wrong Way Home by Kate O'Shaughnessy, thanks to a recommendation from , and I’m hooked! I also recently read Dashka Slater’s Accountable, which is amazingly written and I couldn’t put it down. I highly recommend both books!

I’ll be at TLA!

If you’ll be at TLA, I will be on a panel with talking about growing readers with early chapter books with Jenn Bailey, Kon Tan, Greg Pizzoli, Julie Murphy, and Jaime Eastman on Thursday at 9:30am. Plus, I’ll be signing copies of Ava Lin at 11am! If you’ll be there, please come say hello!

Can I Ask You a Favor?

If you or a reader you know has enjoyed an Ava Lin book, would you mind leaving me a review? Getting more ratings will help with discoverability for the books, and it’s so hard to get the word out about a new series! I would very much appreciate your help if you can. ❤️

Leave a Review

That’s it from me this month. Happy reading!

Ava Lin, One of a Kind is launched!

I was pretty nervous that nobody was going to show up for my launch party for AVA LIN, ONE OF A KIND, so it was a wonderful surprise to have a full house of young readers and friends! Thank you to Linden Tree Books for another awesome launch party!

Order ONE OF A KIND

WRAD and S.T.E.A.M Reading Challenge are wrapped!

I had a lovely time chatting with students all over the country about Best Buddies and Ava Lin on World Read Aloud Day. Thank you to the teachers who hosted me and to all of the wonderful kids that I got to meet. I also got to meet with the winners of the S.T.E.A.M. Race to Space Reading Challenge in a fun chat about robotics and invention. I always love connecting with young readers!

The Writers’ Neighborhood is winding down!

The Fred Rogers Writers’ Neighborhood Fellowship was an amazing experience where I got to learn from the most wonderful mentors and peers and connect with the TV writing community. I’m so grateful for the opportunity and look forward to our final remaining meetings. I overloaded my plate so I could take part in this program, but it was definitely worth it! Now, I’m looking forward to getting back to a more manageable workload. Which brings me to…

My book deadlines are met!

Ava Lin, Super-Duper Happy (releasing in June) is locked and has been sent to the printers! I’ve handed in full art for One Mad Cat Book 1 (releasing next summer) and a first draft for Book 2 (releasing who knows when). I’ve submitted feedback on sketches for LOTS AND LOTS OF OCELOTS (also releasing next summer). This means that there are no balls in my court at this very moment!

Pre-order SUPER-DUPER HAPPY

And now… zen.

What am I doing now? Well, I went to a lovely SCBWI CenCal Writers’ Retreat with Christine Evans where we connected with fellow kidlit creatives in a gorgeous coastal setting.

I’m thinking about my next project (I’m out on sub with one project and starting work on another… but not pushing myself to finish it any time soon.) I’m hanging out with my kids who want to make a video game together. I’m planning spring breaks and summer travels. I’m doing laundry because it never stops. I’m fielding emails and visit requests and trying to leave myself breathing room. I’m catching up on life overhead. I’m reading books. My most recent recommended reads: The Beatryce Prophecy by Kate DiCamillo, The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier, and I’m just about to dig into Cindy Chang’s debut graphic novel, How To Draw a Secret, which we got to celebrate with her last week—and she’s having a launch party tomorrow at Linden Tree Books!

Kidlit Survival Guide

As always, Christine and I have been sharing our craft, business, and personal thoughts from our writing experiences on the Kidlit Survival Guide. In case you missed our latest posts:

• Ask a Bookseller

• Vision Boards

• Finding Your Hook

• Rejection

Giveaway

At the SCBWI CenCal retreat, I had the pleasure of meeting some fellow authors and picking up a couple of books! I’m bundling my ALPHABOT book with Sari Karplus’s Robotastic and Amy Duchêne’s POOL PARTY in this month’s giveaway. Like or comment for a chance to win! (U.S. shipping addresses only (?).)

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Yes, the second book in the Ava Lin series, Ava Lin, One of a Kind, is officially out in the world today! One amazing review has already come in:

And in just a few weeks, I’ll be celebrating the launch at Linden Tree Books—with stickers, treats, and a raffle (ooh)! Mark your calendars and come celebrate with me on Sunday, Feb 2, at 11am!

You can order Ava Lin, One of a Kind, anywhere books are sold, but I can sign copies and send you stickers if you order from Linden Tree! (Plus, you can pick up any of my other books while you’re there.) Just leave a comment at checkout if you’d like your books signed and/or personalized.

Order Signed Books

Coming Up This Year

Here’s a sneak peek of what’s coming up this year…

Books

I’m releasing three new books this year, Ava Lin, One of a Kind (Book 2 in the series—out today), Ava Lin, Super-Duper Happy (Book 3 in the series—coming June 10), and THE BOO CREW AND THE PUMPKIN PATCH RESCUE (the follow-up interactive picture book to THE BOO CREW NEEDS YOU!—coming July 2025). Which brings me to… a cover reveal! Get ready for the third book in the Ava Lin series coming this summer, featuring her grandma (Popo), a school walkathon, and mood rings! This one was probably my most ambitious Ava Lin book yet and I love, love, love how it’s turning out.

Pre-order

Meanwhile, I’m also working on my next early graphic novel series, ONE MAD CAT, which releases next year. And of course, I have new projects brewing… stay tuned as news develops!

Shows

I’m working on a couple scripts for a new YouTube series with Moonbug, called Mr. ZIP. It’s been so much fun writing these short and sweet stories and I can’t wait to see them come to life in animation! I’ll be sharing more about my TV journey in Kidlit Survival Guide if you’re interested in a deeper dive into my path there.

Events

I don’t know all of the events I’ll be at this year, but a heads up that I’m currently planning to be at TLA in April for the first time.

Kidlit Survival Guide Posts

Christine and I have been plotting our upcoming posts for this year—including Working with Bookstores, Creating Novelty Books, and Finding Your Hook. Sign up to get these craft and business posts sent to your inbox:

Kidlit Survival Guide

Navigate the wild world of creating books for children with Vicky Fang and Christine Evans who have published over 30 books between them.

Giveaway!

Time for the first giveaway of the year! In honor of Ava Lin, One of a Kind releasing today, I wanted to do a 3-book bundle of chapter books featuring Asian American protagonists: Snow Place Like Home (Diary of an Ice Princess #1) by Christina Soontornvat, Teeny Houdini #1: The Disappearing Act by Katrina Moore and illustrated by Zoe Si, and a signed copy of Ava Lin, One of a Kind. Like or comment for a chance to win! (U.S. shipping addresses only (?).)

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Happy New Year

I know this year has already been challenging and heartbreaking. I wish you and your loved ones all the best in 2025, with many happy moments. Signing off with a pic of me from my recent family trip to Japan, making friends with a micro pig. ✌️

I have been excited to see Ava Lin, Best Friend! on a few Best of 2024 lists, including the Chicago Public Library’s “Best Fiction for Younger Readers of 2024” and Evanston Public Library’s “101 Great Books for Kids List for 2024”! I hope these lists help the series find its way to more young readers.

But perhaps the sweetest spotting was on this book recommendation board today at Linden Tree Books. I love that young readers are finding and enjoying the book!

Ava Lin, Best Friend!

Ava Lin, One of a Kind releases in January

Book 2, Ava Lin, One of a Kind, releases on January 14! To hear about the real-life story that inspired this second book in the series, check out this video I posted on IG:

If you pre-order from Linden Tree Books, you can get a signed copy (leave a comment at checkout) and a special sticker sheet!

Pre-order Signed Copies

Books Make Great Gifts!

If you have someone on your holiday gift list between the ages of 0-10, I probably have a book for them!

For signed copies from Linden Tree Books, leave a comment at checkout and I’ll try to include some stickers or bookmarks as well.

Get Signed Books

NCTE

I had a fabulous time in November at the National Council of Teachers of English convention in Boston, though I felt rushed and missed so many people and events! But I loved meeting up with the book people that I was able to meet up with. I wrote about my experience in the Kidlit Survival Guide, so you can read about it here or check out my IG post of pictures.

Storytelling Activity Sheet

At NCTE, I was on a panel called Teaching Universal Themes Through Culturally Specific Stories with Lindsay H. Metcalf, Pamela Courtney, Stephen Briseño, Zainab Khan, and Sylvia Chen, whose books are all wonderful! I talked about how I visit schools and share how I write—using inspiration from my own life, imagination, and emotion. I put together an activity sheet to accompany my Ava Lin series that encourages kids to put together a little story using those three things, and you can find the free download for the activity sheet on my website.

Holiday Giveaway

I’ve been stockpiling great books so it’s time for a giveaway!

Like or comment for a chance to win (U.S. shipping addresses only (?):

• ANIMALS GO VROOM by Abi Cushman

• THIS BOOK IS BANNED by Raj Haldar and Julia Patton

• LITTLE DREIDEL LEARNS TO SPIN by Rebecca Gardyn Levington and Taryn Johnson

• ALPHABOT (by me!)

Perfect gifts for little readers in your life!

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Happy Holidays!

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season and I’ll see you in the new year!

Many hugs and warm wishes,

Vicky

World Read Aloud Day sign-ups are now open to you, my newsletter subscribers! WRAD will be on February 5, 2025. This year, I am offering readings from my AVA LIN or BEST BUDDIES series. Please have your meeting link ready and only sign up if you are ready to commit to the slot.

Sign Up

I’ll keep this link quiet for a few days, but make sure you grab a spot soon if you want one! Looking forward to reading with you.

The first trade review is in for ONE OF A KIND…

And it’s wonderful! Thank you to Kirkus for a glowing review of AVA LIN, ONE OF A KIND: “Ava Lin returns to deliver new laughs and misadventures…. This series continues to charm.” I hope you will add it to your wish list or pre-order it! (And if you haven’t read Book One, AVA LIN, BEST FRIEND!, yet—what are you waiting for??)

Pre-order ONE OF A KIND

FRP Fellowship Closing Weekend

The Fred Rogers Productions’ Writers’ Neighborhood fellowship flew by! I had a wonderful time at the closing weekend in Pittsburgh. I learned so much from all of the amazing TV mentors and peers that I met over the last 8 weeks, and I’m looking forward to what’s to come. In fact, I’ve just signed on to write a couple episodes for a new show with Moonbug, thanks to my 2023 CMA mentor, Ted Nitschke. I’m so excited to tackle my first screenwriting job! Stay tuned for eventual details.

NCTE Boston

I’m getting ramped up for NCTE Boston and my schedule is filling up with all kinds of fun events! I’ll be doing three signings and one panel:

On Friday, I’ll be signing BEST BUDDIES: RAIN IS WET at 1pm at the Scholastic booth and ARCs for AVA LIN, ONE OF A KIND at 3pm at the Candlewick Booth.

On Saturday, I’ll be on a panel, Accessing the Heart: Teaching Universal Themes Through Culturally Specific Stories, at 1:15 and signing copies of THE BOO CREW NEEDS YOU! at 3:00 at the Sourcebooks booth.

Giveaway

I just received my royalty statements and I’m thrilled to share that the BEST BUDDIES series with Scholastic, illustrated by Luisa Leal, has earned out in less than a year! To celebrate, I’m giving away a signed set of all three books. Like or comment for a chance to win! (U.S. shipping addresses only (?).)

Leave a comment

That’s it for now!

I’ll close with this sweet photo and letter that I received from a young Layla and the Bots reader…

“Dear Ms. Vicky Fang,
My name is Layla. I love reading your books Layla and the Bots. I like how your books teach me to Never Give Up! I like how your books have different problems and Layla and the bots solve them as a team. If I can ask you a question I would ask you Why do you write your books? I’m a fan of your work.
Love,
Layla”

The best.

Thank you to all of my amazing readers and supporters. Have a wonderful month and have fun reading! ❤️

TV Writing

I had an amazing time in Pittsburgh for the kickoff of the Fred Rogers Writers’ Neighborhood fellowship. Through the fellowship, I’m meeting lots of TV writers and producers, plus getting to see behind the scenes of how these shows are created. I also love the connections I’ve made with the other fellows—it’s a wonderful group of creative writers!

Ava Lin Book 2 is Coming!

I’ve been busy getting ready to launch Ava Lin, One of a Kind in January! In this book, Ava Lin’s quest to earn the most kindness tickets in her first-grade class—and claim a coveted reward—leads to unanticipated results.

I’ve created some special sticker sheets and I’m so pleased with them. Pre-order from Linden Tree to receive your signed copy and sticker sheet when the book releases!

Pre-Order

A New Book Deal

It’s officially announced! I’m excited to be working on a new STEAM picture book with the folks over at Workman Kids—and I’m thrilled that the wonderful @angelchangart is on board for illustrations. Get ready for some rhyming, skip counting, and animal facts in LOTS AND LOTS OF OCELOTS, coming in 2026!

So Many Events

I did tons of events this past month! Thank you to:

• Linden Tree Books for a wonderful Educators’ Night

• Hicklebee’s for amazing school visits and their famous Educators’ Night (plus I got to sign their wall!)

• On Waverly for a Story Time Sunday—my first event with my dear friend and critique partner Faith Kazmi and her beautiful book, A BOX OF DREAMS!

• Children’s Fairyland and Books on B for a fun Children’s Book Festival

• Joy Culture Foundation for a lovely bilingual story time

• And Barnes & Noble Burlingame for a sweet Halloween story time!

Kidlit Survival Guide Posts

Christine and I have posted lots of useful and relatable new posts on Kidlit Survival Guide this month:

• Paid Vs Promotional Visits
• Our Book Festival Setups
• Writing an Interactive Picture Book
• Publishing Lows

Giveaway

Let’s give away some books! This month, I’d like to give away a couple of books from creator friends that I love. HOW THIS BOOK GOT RED by Margaret Chiu Greanias and illustrated by Melissa Iwai is an adorable book about a red panda wondering why all panda stories are about giant pandas, and WHAT IS HOPE? by Stephanie V. W. Lucianovic and illustrated by Kelsey Buzzell is an uplifting lyrical book about hope.

Like or comment for a chance to win! (U.S. shipping addresses only (?).)

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Happy Halloween!

Okay, last but not least, have a wonderful Halloween! This year I made glass-blown pumpkins with my 8-year-old and couldn’t resist making one to match THE BOO CREW NEEDS YOU!

Happy reading and happy trick-or-treating! 🎃