Sean
@seangill.net
On the job market! English PhD. Book History; Environmental Humanities; Victorian novel. 2025 Princeton Teaching Award winner.
Trekkie. Home cook. Mostly: dad.
Also, I host a #kidlit podcast.
@toddlingthestacks.com
www.ToddlingTheStacks.com
Trekkie. Home cook. Mostly: dad.
Also, I host a #kidlit podcast.
@toddlingthestacks.com
www.ToddlingTheStacks.com
Working on some new #microfiction this week. Don’t often do #genre #writing but dabbling in #horror today.
June 14, 2026 at 12:41 PM
Working on some new #microfiction this week. Don’t often do #genre #writing but dabbling in #horror today.
Been reading a lot of very experienced, thoughtful voices on the subject of what #kidlit ought to be. Trying to weigh that against my kid’s top 5 #picturebooks has left me deeply agnostic. It seems clear that her ideal contains images and words. And, to rabble-rouse, didactics.
June 12, 2026 at 2:02 PM
Been reading a lot of very experienced, thoughtful voices on the subject of what #kidlit ought to be. Trying to weigh that against my kid’s top 5 #picturebooks has left me deeply agnostic. It seems clear that her ideal contains images and words. And, to rabble-rouse, didactics.
Would MAKE BELIEVE have been published if written by anyone but Barnett? Would it have been attention worthy or even reviewed if anyone else wrote it? Both nos, for me, which gets to the heart of the matter: power and canon formation.
"If he had been writing about adult books and adult readers, would anyone have even flinched?" #MacBarnett #writingcommunity #essay medium.com/books-are-ou...
A Very Little Book That Caused a Very Big Uproar
“Make Believe: On Telling Stories to Children” by Mac Barnett
medium.com
June 12, 2026 at 1:44 PM
Would MAKE BELIEVE have been published if written by anyone but Barnett? Would it have been attention worthy or even reviewed if anyone else wrote it? Both nos, for me, which gets to the heart of the matter: power and canon formation.
Reposted by Sean
To quote Tom Waits: “It’s time.”
Time to hit us up with your favorite summer #kidlit. What’re you and your kid #reading when the mercury bursts through the thermometer and the pool feels like you’re becoming part of a Low Country boil?
📷: our three-year-old.
#picturebook #kidlitart #booksky
Time to hit us up with your favorite summer #kidlit. What’re you and your kid #reading when the mercury bursts through the thermometer and the pool feels like you’re becoming part of a Low Country boil?
📷: our three-year-old.
#picturebook #kidlitart #booksky
June 10, 2026 at 12:25 AM
To quote Tom Waits: “It’s time.”
Time to hit us up with your favorite summer #kidlit. What’re you and your kid #reading when the mercury bursts through the thermometer and the pool feels like you’re becoming part of a Low Country boil?
📷: our three-year-old.
#picturebook #kidlitart #booksky
Time to hit us up with your favorite summer #kidlit. What’re you and your kid #reading when the mercury bursts through the thermometer and the pool feels like you’re becoming part of a Low Country boil?
📷: our three-year-old.
#picturebook #kidlitart #booksky
Books following a subscription model is old tech, for sure. Besides those sized in gelatin, printed on vellum, or bound in leather, though, books don’t contain much if any protein. That‘s a market ready for disruption! #booksky #books #nerdhumor
June 5, 2026 at 8:11 PM
Books following a subscription model is old tech, for sure. Besides those sized in gelatin, printed on vellum, or bound in leather, though, books don’t contain much if any protein. That‘s a market ready for disruption! #booksky #books #nerdhumor
Things don’t have to be this way.
May 30, 2026 at 11:31 PM
Things don’t have to be this way.
A gentle reminder that ours is, unequivocally, the best of all possible worlds.
May 29, 2026 at 12:13 AM
A gentle reminder that ours is, unequivocally, the best of all possible worlds.
I once worked for a grocery chain that fired all of its butchers in favor of prepackaged. Later, when sales plummeted, it hired them back for more money—sometimes more than the store manager.
They did this twice, ultimately keeping butchers at most stores.
This isn’t a post about meat.
They did this twice, ultimately keeping butchers at most stores.
This isn’t a post about meat.
May 28, 2026 at 5:25 PM
I once worked for a grocery chain that fired all of its butchers in favor of prepackaged. Later, when sales plummeted, it hired them back for more money—sometimes more than the store manager.
They did this twice, ultimately keeping butchers at most stores.
This isn’t a post about meat.
They did this twice, ultimately keeping butchers at most stores.
This isn’t a post about meat.
Reposted by Sean
Want your own TTS #swag? It's not available on our website (yet), but if you message Addy's great-aunt, and her Cricut is working, she'll maybe send you one!
Seriously though, how #cute is this? Addy loves to lug her weekly #libraryhaul around in it! She's pretty sure it's her on the front.
Seriously though, how #cute is this? Addy loves to lug her weekly #libraryhaul around in it! She's pretty sure it's her on the front.
May 28, 2026 at 2:43 AM
Want your own TTS #swag? It's not available on our website (yet), but if you message Addy's great-aunt, and her Cricut is working, she'll maybe send you one!
Seriously though, how #cute is this? Addy loves to lug her weekly #libraryhaul around in it! She's pretty sure it's her on the front.
Seriously though, how #cute is this? Addy loves to lug her weekly #libraryhaul around in it! She's pretty sure it's her on the front.
Reposted by Sean
Addy doesn't expect to win the #Caldecott AND #Newberry, but you can definitely expect her to be in the conversation. A #toddler #rainyday #craft--The Snowman with Great Hair hits finer booksellers in a classic stab-stitched quarto this summer with a vellum folio available for holiday #giftgiving
May 24, 2026 at 8:02 PM
Addy doesn't expect to win the #Caldecott AND #Newberry, but you can definitely expect her to be in the conversation. A #toddler #rainyday #craft--The Snowman with Great Hair hits finer booksellers in a classic stab-stitched quarto this summer with a vellum folio available for holiday #giftgiving
Been thinking a lot about Ghân-buri-Ghân and the arterial clotting of knowledge systems in #lotr as a way of understanding the needs of our own AI moment.
I’ve also been relishing the basics of washing, cutting, grinding.
I’ve also been relishing the basics of washing, cutting, grinding.
May 24, 2026 at 3:20 PM
Been thinking a lot about Ghân-buri-Ghân and the arterial clotting of knowledge systems in #lotr as a way of understanding the needs of our own AI moment.
I’ve also been relishing the basics of washing, cutting, grinding.
I’ve also been relishing the basics of washing, cutting, grinding.
#rainyday #crafts!
Momma, dada, grammy, little, and cousins—vote for your favorite!
#parenting #kids #art #artwork #artsandcrafts
Momma, dada, grammy, little, and cousins—vote for your favorite!
#parenting #kids #art #artwork #artsandcrafts
May 23, 2026 at 4:04 PM
#rainyday #crafts!
Momma, dada, grammy, little, and cousins—vote for your favorite!
#parenting #kids #art #artwork #artsandcrafts
Momma, dada, grammy, little, and cousins—vote for your favorite!
#parenting #kids #art #artwork #artsandcrafts
Just a little #GretaPosting
Sometimes she's a big #dog. Sometimes she isn't. It's never really clear why. Always the best girl though!
#dogsofbluesky #adoptdontshop #petphotography
Sometimes she's a big #dog. Sometimes she isn't. It's never really clear why. Always the best girl though!
#dogsofbluesky #adoptdontshop #petphotography
May 22, 2026 at 1:00 AM
Just a little #GretaPosting
Sometimes she's a big #dog. Sometimes she isn't. It's never really clear why. Always the best girl though!
#dogsofbluesky #adoptdontshop #petphotography
Sometimes she's a big #dog. Sometimes she isn't. It's never really clear why. Always the best girl though!
#dogsofbluesky #adoptdontshop #petphotography
Today will be rainy and cool, a sharp contrast to the frankly frightening heatwave that cornered us for the past week—thus begins the finger crossing that our local farm will announce berry picking has opened! It was our favorite family activity last year. Cross along with us, #bluesky!
May 21, 2026 at 11:08 AM
Today will be rainy and cool, a sharp contrast to the frankly frightening heatwave that cornered us for the past week—thus begins the finger crossing that our local farm will announce berry picking has opened! It was our favorite family activity last year. Cross along with us, #bluesky!
Wild that I spent all this time becoming a doctor only to be limited to prescribing grammar.
(I won’t do that.)
(I won’t do that.)
May 20, 2026 at 12:46 AM
Wild that I spent all this time becoming a doctor only to be limited to prescribing grammar.
(I won’t do that.)
(I won’t do that.)
Reposted by Sean
NEW EPISODE DROP!
Join us tomorrow for our discussion on the second-ever Caldecott award winner, Thomas Handforth’s Mei Li—a real triumph of lithography! Class starts at 6AM EST!
www.ToddlingTheStacks.com to watch or your podcatcher of choice!
#kidlit #kidlitart #booksky #picturebook #podcast
Join us tomorrow for our discussion on the second-ever Caldecott award winner, Thomas Handforth’s Mei Li—a real triumph of lithography! Class starts at 6AM EST!
www.ToddlingTheStacks.com to watch or your podcatcher of choice!
#kidlit #kidlitart #booksky #picturebook #podcast
May 20, 2026 at 12:32 AM
NEW EPISODE DROP!
Join us tomorrow for our discussion on the second-ever Caldecott award winner, Thomas Handforth’s Mei Li—a real triumph of lithography! Class starts at 6AM EST!
www.ToddlingTheStacks.com to watch or your podcatcher of choice!
#kidlit #kidlitart #booksky #picturebook #podcast
Join us tomorrow for our discussion on the second-ever Caldecott award winner, Thomas Handforth’s Mei Li—a real triumph of lithography! Class starts at 6AM EST!
www.ToddlingTheStacks.com to watch or your podcatcher of choice!
#kidlit #kidlitart #booksky #picturebook #podcast
Reposted by Sean
Morning! Enjoy your daily #earlyreader contraband. Grandma Lena’s Big Ol’ Turnip is a wonderful way to get ready for #gardening season! #kidlit #parenting
May 18, 2026 at 12:46 PM
Morning! Enjoy your daily #earlyreader contraband. Grandma Lena’s Big Ol’ Turnip is a wonderful way to get ready for #gardening season! #kidlit #parenting
Somehow just started the #Gormenghast novels. The amount of atmosphere in the first 15 pages makes my Victorian heart happy—but intensely at odds with the sunny, 90°F weather outside my window.
I truly haven’t read for pleasure in years. Might I have your #scifi and #fantasy suggestions?
I truly haven’t read for pleasure in years. Might I have your #scifi and #fantasy suggestions?
May 17, 2026 at 7:55 PM
Somehow just started the #Gormenghast novels. The amount of atmosphere in the first 15 pages makes my Victorian heart happy—but intensely at odds with the sunny, 90°F weather outside my window.
I truly haven’t read for pleasure in years. Might I have your #scifi and #fantasy suggestions?
I truly haven’t read for pleasure in years. Might I have your #scifi and #fantasy suggestions?
My little’s first year of #preschool is ending and I’m faced with the #teacher gift dilemma. They’ve been so tremendous that it’s hard to imagine they won’t be with her anymore! What should we get/make them to show our appreciation but not bog them down with stuff? #endofyear
May 13, 2026 at 11:16 AM
My little’s first year of #preschool is ending and I’m faced with the #teacher gift dilemma. They’ve been so tremendous that it’s hard to imagine they won’t be with her anymore! What should we get/make them to show our appreciation but not bog them down with stuff? #endofyear
Wasps are also responsible for the Oak galls from which we had iron gall ink. Huge fans of bureaucracy, wasps.
In 1719, an entomologist suggested that we could make paper from trees because, uh, wasps were already doing it. Took the industry a century+, but they got on board. Tomorrow's episode explores paper making in children's book form--class starts at 6AM!
#parenting #kidlit #booksky #earlyliteracy
#parenting #kidlit #booksky #earlyliteracy
May 12, 2026 at 3:09 PM
Wasps are also responsible for the Oak galls from which we had iron gall ink. Huge fans of bureaucracy, wasps.
Reposted by Sean
Another from our #libraryhaul, THE GIFT OF RAMADAN. Out of season, but Addy gets a pick every week, and she knocked this one out of the park! Awesome reminder for kids that it’s great to aim for the fences but ok to fall short. What did the #library serve up for you today?
#kidbooks #BeAnAmbassador
#kidbooks #BeAnAmbassador
May 12, 2026 at 12:00 AM
Another from our #libraryhaul, THE GIFT OF RAMADAN. Out of season, but Addy gets a pick every week, and she knocked this one out of the park! Awesome reminder for kids that it’s great to aim for the fences but ok to fall short. What did the #library serve up for you today?
#kidbooks #BeAnAmbassador
#kidbooks #BeAnAmbassador
Printers for the first, y’know, 600 years or so: “book sizes will be based on how many times you fold the printing paper.”
20 & 21C Children’s book printers: “every book will be a different size. Maybe even in the same print run—we don’t know. If you see a quarto or duodecimo, it’s a fakeeeeee”
20 & 21C Children’s book printers: “every book will be a different size. Maybe even in the same print run—we don’t know. If you see a quarto or duodecimo, it’s a fakeeeeee”
May 9, 2026 at 12:33 AM
Printers for the first, y’know, 600 years or so: “book sizes will be based on how many times you fold the printing paper.”
20 & 21C Children’s book printers: “every book will be a different size. Maybe even in the same print run—we don’t know. If you see a quarto or duodecimo, it’s a fakeeeeee”
20 & 21C Children’s book printers: “every book will be a different size. Maybe even in the same print run—we don’t know. If you see a quarto or duodecimo, it’s a fakeeeeee”
Reposted by Sean
#Libraryhaul!
Addy brought home 12 #picturebooks this week. FISH FRY FRIDAY is an early fave! An incredibly endearing day with gmom—incl. recipes!—but the illustrations. Gah. I guess photography is technically “writing with light” but look at the light here! The movement!
#BeAnAmbassador #kidlit
Addy brought home 12 #picturebooks this week. FISH FRY FRIDAY is an early fave! An incredibly endearing day with gmom—incl. recipes!—but the illustrations. Gah. I guess photography is technically “writing with light” but look at the light here! The movement!
#BeAnAmbassador #kidlit
May 9, 2026 at 12:06 AM
#Libraryhaul!
Addy brought home 12 #picturebooks this week. FISH FRY FRIDAY is an early fave! An incredibly endearing day with gmom—incl. recipes!—but the illustrations. Gah. I guess photography is technically “writing with light” but look at the light here! The movement!
#BeAnAmbassador #kidlit
Addy brought home 12 #picturebooks this week. FISH FRY FRIDAY is an early fave! An incredibly endearing day with gmom—incl. recipes!—but the illustrations. Gah. I guess photography is technically “writing with light” but look at the light here! The movement!
#BeAnAmbassador #kidlit