Harold Underdown
@hunderdown.bsky.social
I'm a children's book editor, teacher and workshop presenter, owner of The Purple Crayon website -- www.underdown.org
I post about #kidlit, but I do have opinions about other things and will share them as well.
I post about #kidlit, but I do have opinions about other things and will share them as well.
Pinned
FYI, I have updated the section of my site where I give basic information about #kidlit agents--what they do, how to find one, how to assess their website, resources to use.
You can start here:
www.underdown.org/agents.htm
You can start here:
www.underdown.org/agents.htm
Reposted by Harold Underdown
Meet our Transition Co-chairs: Grace Bonilla, Lina Khan, Maria Torres-Springer and Melanie Hartzog.
Each is a remarkable, innovative and principled leader with a deep commitment to public service. It’s an honor to have them on our team that will deliver our affordability agenda.
Each is a remarkable, innovative and principled leader with a deep commitment to public service. It’s an honor to have them on our team that will deliver our affordability agenda.
November 17, 2025 at 6:08 PM
Meet our Transition Co-chairs: Grace Bonilla, Lina Khan, Maria Torres-Springer and Melanie Hartzog.
Each is a remarkable, innovative and principled leader with a deep commitment to public service. It’s an honor to have them on our team that will deliver our affordability agenda.
Each is a remarkable, innovative and principled leader with a deep commitment to public service. It’s an honor to have them on our team that will deliver our affordability agenda.
Reposted by Harold Underdown
license plate data merged with credit header data, marriage records, vehicle ownership, and voter registrations, in one app for ICE agents. oh and it sends push notifications when someone they're seeking is nearby.
🆒: www.404media.co/this-app-let...
🆒: www.404media.co/this-app-let...
This App Lets ICE Track Vehicles and Owners Across the Country
Material viewed by 404 Media shows data giant Thomson Reuters enriches license plate data with marriage, voter, and ownership records. The tool can predict where a car may be in the future.
www.404media.co
November 17, 2025 at 2:45 PM
license plate data merged with credit header data, marriage records, vehicle ownership, and voter registrations, in one app for ICE agents. oh and it sends push notifications when someone they're seeking is nearby.
🆒: www.404media.co/this-app-let...
🆒: www.404media.co/this-app-let...
Reposted by Harold Underdown
My holiday art journaling class on Creativebug.com is one of the free classes this month! ALSO, 10 of my past holiday art journal e-zines are available for download in my shop!
#artjournals (dawndsokol.squarespace.com)
#artjournals (dawndsokol.squarespace.com)
November 17, 2025 at 3:28 PM
My holiday art journaling class on Creativebug.com is one of the free classes this month! ALSO, 10 of my past holiday art journal e-zines are available for download in my shop!
#artjournals (dawndsokol.squarespace.com)
#artjournals (dawndsokol.squarespace.com)
Reposted by Harold Underdown
"Epic fantasy is not merely what Tolkien made it.
There are plenty of epics out there which feature people like me. Sundiata’s badass mother. Dihya, warrior queen of the Amazighs. The Rain Queens. The Mino Warriors. Hatshepsut’s reign. Everything Harriet Tubman ever did."
N.K. Jemisin
There are plenty of epics out there which feature people like me. Sundiata’s badass mother. Dihya, warrior queen of the Amazighs. The Rain Queens. The Mino Warriors. Hatshepsut’s reign. Everything Harriet Tubman ever did."
N.K. Jemisin
November 17, 2025 at 2:33 PM
"Epic fantasy is not merely what Tolkien made it.
There are plenty of epics out there which feature people like me. Sundiata’s badass mother. Dihya, warrior queen of the Amazighs. The Rain Queens. The Mino Warriors. Hatshepsut’s reign. Everything Harriet Tubman ever did."
N.K. Jemisin
There are plenty of epics out there which feature people like me. Sundiata’s badass mother. Dihya, warrior queen of the Amazighs. The Rain Queens. The Mino Warriors. Hatshepsut’s reign. Everything Harriet Tubman ever did."
N.K. Jemisin
Reposted by Harold Underdown
Granddaughter of ‘Charlotte’s Web’ author criticizes use of book title in DHS immigration crackdown operation | CNN buff.ly/re8zXyz
Granddaughter of ‘Charlotte’s Web’ author criticizes use of book title in DHS immigration crackdown operation | CNN
In the popular children’s book “Charlotte’s Web,” the title character, a spider, uses her web as an instrument of good to help secure the freedom of Wilbur, a pig on her farm.
www.cnn.com
November 17, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Granddaughter of ‘Charlotte’s Web’ author criticizes use of book title in DHS immigration crackdown operation | CNN buff.ly/re8zXyz
Reposted by Harold Underdown
In November 1749, John London walked from his home to vote in the Westminster constituency parliamentary by-election.
As Dr Gillian Williamson explores, this provides the earliest known record of a Black person voting in a British parliamentary election:
As Dr Gillian Williamson explores, this provides the earliest known record of a Black person voting in a British parliamentary election:
John London: Britain's First Black Voter? - The History of Parliament
this election could serve as the earliest known record of a Black person voting in a British parliamentary election - John London
historyofparliament.com
November 17, 2025 at 1:30 PM
In November 1749, John London walked from his home to vote in the Westminster constituency parliamentary by-election.
As Dr Gillian Williamson explores, this provides the earliest known record of a Black person voting in a British parliamentary election:
As Dr Gillian Williamson explores, this provides the earliest known record of a Black person voting in a British parliamentary election:
Reposted by Harold Underdown
Does he, like, know what happened to Prometheus?
The first rule of plutocrat AI competitions is 1. name your new company with a classical allusion or Tolkien reference. I see Bezos went with the former. How… great.
November 17, 2025 at 1:22 PM
Does he, like, know what happened to Prometheus?
Gift link to Will Bunch's latest: share.inquirer.com/SZHTRM
November 17, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Gift link to Will Bunch's latest: share.inquirer.com/SZHTRM
Reposted by Harold Underdown
2026 Mock Caldecott List: mrschureads.blogspot.com/2025/11/2026... @colbysharp.bsky.social
November 16, 2025 at 11:19 PM
2026 Mock Caldecott List: mrschureads.blogspot.com/2025/11/2026... @colbysharp.bsky.social
Reposted by Harold Underdown
Although this article focuses on US libraries and universities specifically, the line that really sticks with me strikes me as the universal danger of genAI: "AI is a direct attack on the way we verify information: AI both creates fake sources and obscures its actual sources.”
Can't stop thinking about this quote, from @maggietokudahall.bsky.social.
"Fascism and AI, whether or not they have the same goals, they sure are working to accelerate one another."
(Read the full article here: www.404media.co/ai-is-superc...)
"Fascism and AI, whether or not they have the same goals, they sure are working to accelerate one another."
(Read the full article here: www.404media.co/ai-is-superc...)
November 16, 2025 at 10:17 PM
Although this article focuses on US libraries and universities specifically, the line that really sticks with me strikes me as the universal danger of genAI: "AI is a direct attack on the way we verify information: AI both creates fake sources and obscures its actual sources.”
The Starmer approach, if you can call it that, is clearly not the way forward for the mainstream Democrats. Will they figure it out?
November 16, 2025 at 10:49 PM
The Starmer approach, if you can call it that, is clearly not the way forward for the mainstream Democrats. Will they figure it out?
Reposted by Harold Underdown
For the Disability community, losing Alice Wong is like losing Ursula Le Guin or Octavia Butler. She was a powerhouse, a pioneer, and a mentor to many. She taught me so much. And always reminded me what we were fighting towards, as well as against. I miss her clarity, bravery, and joy.
Alice Wong
Alice Wong had an outsized impact on Disability justice. As a community organiser, activist, mentor, and co-conspirator, as writer, editor, and friend, she is irreplaceable.
nicolagriffith.com
November 16, 2025 at 7:59 PM
For the Disability community, losing Alice Wong is like losing Ursula Le Guin or Octavia Butler. She was a powerhouse, a pioneer, and a mentor to many. She taught me so much. And always reminded me what we were fighting towards, as well as against. I miss her clarity, bravery, and joy.
Reposted by Harold Underdown
Respect Alice Wong’s call here:
“When I am in public spaces and see most people unmasked either because they think the virus is a hoax, that masking is virtue signaling & a sign of weakness, aren't thinking about it, or that they simply don’t care, I feel like an expendable burden not worth saving.”
“When I am in public spaces and see most people unmasked either because they think the virus is a hoax, that masking is virtue signaling & a sign of weakness, aren't thinking about it, or that they simply don’t care, I feel like an expendable burden not worth saving.”
COVID Isn’t Going Anywhere. Masking Up Could Save My Life.
"When I am in public spaces and see most people unmasked, I feel like an expendable burden not worth saving."
www.teenvogue.com
November 15, 2025 at 5:09 PM
Respect Alice Wong’s call here:
“When I am in public spaces and see most people unmasked either because they think the virus is a hoax, that masking is virtue signaling & a sign of weakness, aren't thinking about it, or that they simply don’t care, I feel like an expendable burden not worth saving.”
“When I am in public spaces and see most people unmasked either because they think the virus is a hoax, that masking is virtue signaling & a sign of weakness, aren't thinking about it, or that they simply don’t care, I feel like an expendable burden not worth saving.”
Reposted by Harold Underdown
✨ Please join SFWA in celebrating the announcement of our latest Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award: N. K. Jemisin. ✨
Learn more here about @nkjemisin.bsky.social, the Grand Master Award, and how the work goes on after the accolades for all we've already done:
www.sfwa.org/2025/11/16/p...
Learn more here about @nkjemisin.bsky.social, the Grand Master Award, and how the work goes on after the accolades for all we've already done:
www.sfwa.org/2025/11/16/p...
November 16, 2025 at 9:47 PM
✨ Please join SFWA in celebrating the announcement of our latest Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award: N. K. Jemisin. ✨
Learn more here about @nkjemisin.bsky.social, the Grand Master Award, and how the work goes on after the accolades for all we've already done:
www.sfwa.org/2025/11/16/p...
Learn more here about @nkjemisin.bsky.social, the Grand Master Award, and how the work goes on after the accolades for all we've already done:
www.sfwa.org/2025/11/16/p...
Reposted by Harold Underdown
I've now heard from 3 authors targeted on X by a scammer impersonating Lois McMaster Bujold. Bujold impersonator refers author to "Eleanor Wood at Spectrum Literary", also an impersonation. Goal: to sell editing svcs. Scam is impersonating multiple authors & agents writerbeware.blog/2025/11/14/i...
If a Famous Author Calls, Hang Up: Anatomy of an Impersonation Scam - Writer Beware
You open your email program one morning. The usual work stuff. Some spam (annoying that it got past your filters!). A couple of newsletters (maybe later). You sip your coffee, scroll down. Wait. What’...
writerbeware.blog
November 16, 2025 at 6:22 PM
I've now heard from 3 authors targeted on X by a scammer impersonating Lois McMaster Bujold. Bujold impersonator refers author to "Eleanor Wood at Spectrum Literary", also an impersonation. Goal: to sell editing svcs. Scam is impersonating multiple authors & agents writerbeware.blog/2025/11/14/i...
Reposted by Harold Underdown
Remember the recent middle-of-the-night apartment building raid where children were dragged outside naked & zip-tied in the street while black & Latino residents were _sorted by race_ and piled into separate vans while their apartments were ransacked & robbed? That raid? So it resulted in 0 arrests.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem should resign and be criminally charged, according to critics who seized on a report revealing that zero people who were arrested in a high-profile raid were charged with a crime.
'Noem should resign over this': Fury over alleged DHS 'child kidnapping and trafficking'
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem should resign and be criminally charged, according to critics who seized on a report revealing that zero people who were arrested in a high-profile raid were charged with a crime.ProPublica recently reported on the DHS raid on an apartment building that was al...
bit.ly
November 16, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Remember the recent middle-of-the-night apartment building raid where children were dragged outside naked & zip-tied in the street while black & Latino residents were _sorted by race_ and piled into separate vans while their apartments were ransacked & robbed? That raid? So it resulted in 0 arrests.
Reposted by Harold Underdown
Despite industry leaders promising that agentic AI is the future, taking care of virtually all human tasks within the next few years
#CarnegieMellonUniversity researchers just released a paper showing that even the best–performing AI agents fail to complete real-world office tasks 70% of the time
#CarnegieMellonUniversity researchers just released a paper showing that even the best–performing AI agents fail to complete real-world office tasks 70% of the time
November 16, 2025 at 4:55 AM
Despite industry leaders promising that agentic AI is the future, taking care of virtually all human tasks within the next few years
#CarnegieMellonUniversity researchers just released a paper showing that even the best–performing AI agents fail to complete real-world office tasks 70% of the time
#CarnegieMellonUniversity researchers just released a paper showing that even the best–performing AI agents fail to complete real-world office tasks 70% of the time
Reposted by Harold Underdown
At our volunteer appreciation party, I saw the faces of a movement that changed the world. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone who knocked on a door, called a friend, put up a sign, or convinced their family this election was worth their time.
November 15, 2025 at 11:23 PM
At our volunteer appreciation party, I saw the faces of a movement that changed the world. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone who knocked on a door, called a friend, put up a sign, or convinced their family this election was worth their time.
Reposted by Harold Underdown
Reposted by Harold Underdown
With @arynbraun.bsky.social, this week we ran this big look at what ICE/CBP has become under Donald Trump and how the agencies increasingly resemble a sort of national police force he can send to whatever city he likes to intimidate people:
www.economist.com/interactive/...
www.economist.com/interactive/...
See how Donald Trump is creating his own police force
Immigration agents are operating in cities with few legal constraints
www.economist.com
November 15, 2025 at 5:29 PM
With @arynbraun.bsky.social, this week we ran this big look at what ICE/CBP has become under Donald Trump and how the agencies increasingly resemble a sort of national police force he can send to whatever city he likes to intimidate people:
www.economist.com/interactive/...
www.economist.com/interactive/...
This is extremely encouraging. Read and absorb!
“Gen Z has the lowest racial resentment of any generation ever studied.”
Important work from @jakemgrumbach.bsky.social that offers a clear explanation of why there is an intense push to change school curricula to make them more white supremacist
newrepublic.com/article/2030...
Important work from @jakemgrumbach.bsky.social that offers a clear explanation of why there is an intense push to change school curricula to make them more white supremacist
newrepublic.com/article/2030...
The Shocking Truth About Gen Z Voters Is That They’re Pretty Great
Stop panicking: They are the most progressive generation ever, especially on race. If that surprises you, you’ve been listening to the wrong story.
newrepublic.com
November 15, 2025 at 5:28 PM
This is extremely encouraging. Read and absorb!
Reposted by Harold Underdown
Trump has railed against what he considers the politicization of the Justice Department under his predecessor Joe Biden. But his pardons show he has tried to undo even the work carried out by his own appointees in the first term.
A Tale of Two Terms: How Powerful Figures Were Prosecuted in Trump’s First Term, Then Pardoned in His Second
We found that Donald Trump has granted clemency in at least a dozen criminal cases that originated during his first term. No other president has used clemency to erase his own appointees’ actions on s...
www.propublica.org
November 15, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Trump has railed against what he considers the politicization of the Justice Department under his predecessor Joe Biden. But his pardons show he has tried to undo even the work carried out by his own appointees in the first term.
Reposted by Harold Underdown
This afternoon! If you've ever wondered about how the business side of book publishing works, I'm doing a workshop explaining it this afternoon!
Sign up at www.eventbrite.com/e/1926481781...
Sign up at www.eventbrite.com/e/1926481781...
November 15, 2025 at 4:09 PM
This afternoon! If you've ever wondered about how the business side of book publishing works, I'm doing a workshop explaining it this afternoon!
Sign up at www.eventbrite.com/e/1926481781...
Sign up at www.eventbrite.com/e/1926481781...
Reposted by Harold Underdown
Times Union editorial board tackled this in June, and again last month:
November 15, 2025 at 11:44 AM
Times Union editorial board tackled this in June, and again last month:
Reposted by Harold Underdown
Biden didn’t release the Epstein files because Merrick Garland was actively investigating Epstein/Maxwell co-conspirators all the way up until January 2025. Then Trump shuttered the probe. www.cbsnews.com/news/jeffrey...
House Democrats press DOJ for details on Epstein co-conspirators probe that was "inexplicably killed"
Survivors of Jeffrey Epstein provided the Justice Department with "precise and detailed" information about 20 alleged co-conspirators, House Democrats say.
www.cbsnews.com
November 14, 2025 at 4:44 PM
Biden didn’t release the Epstein files because Merrick Garland was actively investigating Epstein/Maxwell co-conspirators all the way up until January 2025. Then Trump shuttered the probe. www.cbsnews.com/news/jeffrey...