Holly Thompson
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hatbooks.bsky.social
Holly Thompson
@hatbooks.bsky.social
New: LISTENING TO TREES: GEORGE NAKASHIMA, WOODWORKER. Author of verse novels, picture books, poetry, prose. Teacher. Writing Consultant. KidLit translator (J>E). Japan longtimer.

Website: https://www.hatbooks.com/
Blog: https://hatbooks.blogspot.com/
Thanks for sharing this post--4th of my 4 posts for "The Official SCBWI Blog"! #translation #SCBWI
"Have you tried translating a children’s book into English? Can YOU help bring more of the world into English-language children’s literature?" A rousing call to #translation action from @hatbooks.bsky.social at #SCBWI: The Blog: scbwi.blogspot.com/2025/08/tran...
August 28, 2025 at 3:16 AM
This summer I'm an SCBWI guest blogger. Watch for my posts every Thursdays throughout August on the SCBWI Official Blog. #1 of 4 is up--a focus on connections and volunteering. scbwi.blogspot.com/2025/08/scbw...
August 8, 2025 at 8:02 PM
Thrilled to learn that LISTENING TO TREES: George Nakashima, Woodworker, with text by me and illustrations by Toshiki Nakamura is an SCBWI Crystal Kite Award winner! @artoftoshi.bsky.social @holidayhouse.bsky.social
July 29, 2025 at 2:44 AM
Reposted by Holly Thompson
Savored a pre-event visit with Japan- and Massachusetts-based author Holly Thompson @hatbooks.bsky.social. My journey toward translating Sachiko Kashiwaba’s The Village Beyond the Mist began with translating a story by Kashiwaba-san for the #YA anthology TOMO, edited by Holly. www.hatbooks.com
June 24, 2025 at 1:22 PM
Great to see this feature w/ Dr. Linda Weste, editor of DiVerse, the anthology of children's and YA verse novelist author interviews, including one with me on craft in THE LANGUAGE INSIDE. Thank you, Cynsations! #versenovels cynthialeitichsmith.com/2025/05/auth...
Author Interview: Dr. Linda Weste Examines the Verse Novel Through Conversations with Middle Grade & Young Adult Authors - Cynthia Leitich Smith
By Mitu Malhotra Cynsations is excited to welcome Dr. Linda Weste to share the process behind her recent book, DiVERSE: Conversations with YA and Children’s Verse Novelists (Bloomsbury, 2025). Dr. Wes...
cynthialeitichsmith.com
May 17, 2025 at 5:30 PM
My GrubStreet summer course 6 Weeks 3 Picture Books starts June 2, meets 6 Mondays via Zoom, 6-9 pm EDT. Generative, supportive, inclusive. Join us? Only 3 spots left! Scholarships available. Details: grubstreet.org/workshop/6-w... #picturebookwriting #kidlit #picturebooks #creativewriting
May 9, 2025 at 2:43 AM
So much energy and fun at #SeaweedSaturday in Portland, ME. Good eats, art and demos. Thanks to all those who made this happen for the second year in a row. Copies of #TheWakameGatherers went home with many new friends : )
Thank you @leeandlow.bsky.social
May 2, 2025 at 11:20 PM
Seaweed Saturday is 4/26 at Gulf of Maine Institute, Portland & I'll be there w/ The Wakame Gatherers. Seaweed Saturday features arts, seaweed panels, marketplace, tastings, hands-on activities, food trucks & more!
#SeaweedSaturday #Maine #Wakame #picturebooks @leeandlow.bsky.social
April 24, 2025 at 12:42 AM
Ready to craft narrative poems/verse novels in Nat'l Poetry Month? My GrubStreet class NARRATIVE POETRY begins April 2 on Zoom, 6-9 pm EDT, for 4 Tues eves. Join us?
See grubstreet.org/workshop/nar...

#narrativepoetry #versenovels #poetry #poetrywriting #creativewriting #nationalpoetrymonth2025
March 23, 2025 at 10:53 PM
Grateful to Doylestown Living magazine for 2 features: Mira Nakashima & the Nakashima Foundation for Peace, plus tribute to George Nakashima w/ Q&A with me! See pages 25-30 for this double feature. Get a copy in Doylestown, PA or visit my HATbooks blog--link in my bio. #picturebooks #NF #biography
March 15, 2025 at 2:46 PM
Breathtaking! "The Dance of the Divine Crane" video by longtime Japan resident, friend and photographer Hans Sautter.
url: www.nippon.com/en/japan-vid...
#hokkaido #cranes #naturephotography #japan
The Dance of the Divine Crane
A trip to the far north of Japan in its coldest months can reward visitors with views of the tanchō—the red-crowned cranes whose elegant mating dances have given them a rich place in Japanese cultural...
www.nippon.com
March 2, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Florida friends--I'm doing 3 #ListeningtoTrees events this week in Palm Beach & Broward counties. Join and learn more about the life of woodworker George Nakashima. For makers ages 6 and up. Link to Hatbooks blog in bio. #GeorgeNakashima #nonfiction #picturebooks @penguinrandomhouse.bsky.social
February 19, 2025 at 4:14 AM
My 2025 Zoom picture book writing classes--SOON at GrubStreet.org :
INTRO TO PBs: Mon 1/27 & 2/3 6-9 pm--overview & writing explorations.
6 WEEKS, 6 PBs: 6 Mondays fr. 2/24 6-9 pm Craft, revise 3 text for 3 PBs w/ group feedbac, revision. #picturebookwriting #Zoom #PBclasses hatbooks.blogspot.com
January 9, 2025 at 2:46 AM
I'm thrilled to be presenting with MFA Boston curator Asako Katsura at this Japan Society Boston event on George Nakashima & my #picturebook Listening to Trees. Free event. Join us? Dec. 10, 6 pm EST. Register: loom.ly/qcvYK_4
@holidayhouse.bsky.social
#ListeningToTrees #nonfiction #biography
December 6, 2024 at 7:42 PM
Hooray! Listening to Trees: George Nakashima, Woodworker is a 2025 NCTE Orbis Pictus Recommended title! Such an honor for Listening to Trees--Orbis Picture Award is for outstanding NF for children. Thanks to @holidayhouse.bsky.social @artoftoshi.bsky.social #biography #NealPorterBooks
December 3, 2024 at 1:30 AM
Reposted by Holly Thompson
Teachers & librarians! Want to Zoom with an author for World Read Aloud Day? Here's all the information about how WRAD Zoom visits work, plus a list of over 300 author & illustrator volunteers! katemessner.com/zoom-with-an...
December 2, 2024 at 5:51 PM
In LA for college and school visits, Japanese American National Museum exhibits and signing copies of #ListeningtoTrees. All is well! 😀
#georgenakashimawoodworker @nakashimawoodworkers #japaneseamericanhistory #picturebooks #woodworking @holidayhousebks @nealporterbooks
November 10, 2024 at 5:20 AM
Coming soon...LISTENING TO TREES: GEORGE NAKASHIMA, WOODWORKER. Pre-order now from your favorite bookshops. Words by me, illustrations by Toshiki Nakamura, written in haibun form, with pages of back matter, plus a foreword from Mira Nakashima. #ListeningToTrees #GeorgeNakashima #PictureBooks
September 2, 2024 at 2:00 PM
Thrilled that my Zoom summer course 6 Weeks, 6 Picture Books course at grubstreet.org is full! But you can still join the waitlist. We'll read PBs, study mentor texts, learn more PB craft, write, revise, share feedback. And if you can't join this course, maybe next time : ) #picturebooks #kidlit
June 14, 2024 at 10:21 PM
Reposted by Holly Thompson
For those were at #KidLitAMA or anyone else interested in kidlit illustration, I highly recommend listening to @literaticat.bsky.social's excellent interview with Scholastic Executive Art Director @brianlarossa.com: www.jenniferlaughran.com/literaticast... #KidLitArt
65: Inside the Art Department with Art Director Brian LaRossa
Literary Agent Jennifer Laughran and her friends dish about the world of Children's Publishing. Become a Patron! Patreon donations go directly to paying the fees to run the podcast. Any amount over...
www.jenniferlaughran.com
May 31, 2024 at 6:25 PM
Reposted by Holly Thompson
Hey #KidLit Community! Official #KidLit Mega Feed launch is tomorrow 12p ET w/ @boringstorybook.com @charlenedraws.bsky.social & me!

Hoping you'll all post. Special thx to advisors & cheerleaders @brianlarossa.com @bossett.social @rose.bsky.team @danirabaiotti.bsky.social @blueskyfeedcreator.com!
June 14, 2024 at 2:19 AM
Polishing my pitch and sample translation for the #SCBWI Pitch-Perfect Translation Grant submission. So glad to see this #translation opportunity in SCBWI! www.scbwi.org/pitch-perfec...
Pitch-Perfect Translation Grant
The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators provides the resources, professional networking, and community-building opportunities that support writers, illustrators, and translators throug...
www.scbwi.org
June 14, 2024 at 4:18 AM
Reposted by Holly Thompson
We're just about at 1K followers on here :)

Happy to see you and talk about excellent books, authors, and illustrators!
June 14, 2024 at 2:07 AM
Reposted by Holly Thompson
Happy release day to Nahoko Uehashi's The Deer King, vol. 2—Returners (trans. Cathy Hirano).

I haven't read this one myself, but I've heard good things about it.

And I *have* read Uehashi's The Beast Player (also trans. Hirano), which is a must-read Japanese fantasy novel.
The Deer King, Vol. 2 (Novel): Returners Volume 2 a book by Nahoko Uehashi, Masaaki Yamamoto, and Cathy Hirano
Van's chase to rescue the kidnapped Yuna leads him to the Ahfal Oma, the People of the Fire Horse. They reveal that the sickness plaguing Aquafa is no random resurgence but a carefully orchestrated re...
bookshop.org
March 19, 2024 at 5:56 PM
Reposted by Holly Thompson
There shall be a #kidlitchat at 9 PM Eastern tonight, and it shall also be at 6 PM Pacific cuz we are so good at multitasking in that way. No matter what time it is for you, I hope you'll join us!
March 19, 2024 at 6:54 PM