Betsy Bird in a blue button down shirt, leaning against a bookshelf. Photo by Lynn Trautman.
Betsy at a book reading holding up a children's book with a wondering face.
Betsy at a book reading holding up a children's book with an expressive face.
Betsy at a book reading holding up a children's book with an expressive face.
Betsy at a book reading holding up a children's book with an expressive face.
Betsy at a book reading holding up a children's book with an expressive face.
Betsy at a book reading holding up a children's book with an expressive face.
Betsy at a book reading holding up a children's book with an expressive face.

Betsy Bird, Speaker

As a Collection Development Manager, a youth materials specialist, and a longstanding blogger and children’s author, Betsy’s experience in the field encompasses a wide range of topics and discourses. Whether you would like her to speak to a group of up-and-coming children’s book creators, a team of librarians, or simply fans of children’s literature in general, Betsy is happy to touch on a multitude of experiences with her inimitable storytelling and booktalking.

 

On Children’s Literature:


BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR
If you want a run down of the best children’s literature of the previous year or the current year, this upbeat and enthusiastic talk can highlight the following areas: Board Books, Picture Books, Easy/Beginner Books, Poetry, Fairytales/Folktales/Religious Tales, Early Chapter Books, Middle Grade Fiction, Graphic Novels, Nonfiction Picture Books, and Nonfiction for Older Readers.

THE HISTORY OF CHILDRENS LITERATURE
Topics may cover funny books for children, trends past and present in kidlit, graphic novels, women in children’s literature, and more. Betsy is also happy to discuss behind-the-scenes children’s literature stories from her book Wild Things: Acts of Mischief in Children’s Literature, which she co-wrote with Jules Danielson and Peter Sieruta.

 

On Writing:


WRITING ADVICE
Past presentations have included Writing Humor in Unfunny Times, Socially Conscious Reviewing, and Keeping Up with Children’s Literature Trends.

 

On Librarianship:


EQUITY IN COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT
Betsy is the creator of the Whole Book Approach to collection development, which seeks to diversify collections not merely through equity assessments but through every aspect of the collection development process (Purchasing, Weeding, Display, etc). This talk is presented bi-annually as part of Library Journal/School Library Journal’s Evaluating, Auditing and Diversifying Your Collections online course and encompasses adult collections, as well as YA and children’s, as needed.

CHILDREN’S LIBRARIANSHIP AND TRAINING
Have a new team of children’s librarians? Betsy can cover conducting storytimes (and the difference between baby, toddler, preschooler, and school aged talks), booktalking, storytelling, school visits, reference desk work, keeping up with current children’s books and trends, etc.

 

RATES: Betsy has a sliding scale of rates at this time.

 

 

Book Betsy!

Fill out the contact form below and we will reply ASAP!
You can also reach Betsy here:
[email protected]

Bio: The Long Version

Born in Kalamazoo, Michigan, undisputed center of the universe, I grew up and promptly left Michigan the moment my legs could propel me southward. I didn’t get far. I was an English/Fine Arts major at Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana (home of recorded jazz, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise) then set my sights on Portland, Oregon. When that didn’t pan out it was Minneapolis, Minnesota. Then New York, New York.

In the midst of all this I somehow managed to get a library degree and a job at New York Public Library, eventually becoming their Youth Media Specialist (a.k.a. the person who bought all the kids’ books for Manhattan, Staten Island, and the Bronx).

I created the children’s literary blog A Fuse #8 Production and schmoozed as no one had ever schmoozed before. The result? Books for kids and books for adults about children’s literature. I am now the Collection Development Manager of Evanston, IL. Stop by. We’ll have lunch. It’ll be nice.

 

Bio: The Short Version

I am an author, librarian, reviewer of children’s literature, public speaker, and podcaster (not necessarily in that order). I am the author of numerous picture books, two books for kids ages 9–12, two books for adults about children’s books, and more. I currently reside in Evanston, Illinois with my two kids, husband, and cats Izzy and Hilo (named after the graphic novel series by Judd Winick).

Social Links:

Facebook
facebook.com/fuse8/

Instagram
instagram.com/fusenumber8

YouTube
youtube.com/@Fusenumber8

Threads
@fusenumber8

Bluesky
fuse8.bsky.social

TikTok
@fusenumber8

LinkedIn
linkedin.com/elizabeth-bird