Kerry O’Malley Cerra: author 🤟🏼

Photo showing a stack of contributor copies of my new picture book. Both front and back cover next to each other.

My new childrens' book: "The Gallaudet Eleven: The Story of NASA's Deaf Bioastronauts" is coming soon! I just received my contributor copies (way too many 😂)

Written by @kerryomalleycerra.bsky.social , illustrated by me, it tells a true story from Deaf history.

#kidlit

🎉 Publication of this very special book is only 4 weeks away. Tremendously grateful for another wonderful professional review. Thank you, @ala-booklist.bsky.social! #booksky #disabilityrep

🎉Hooray!🎉 My first book review is in, and it’s a fantastic one from @kirkus_reviews. They are notoriously tough and thorough, so this is just incredible! @littlebrownyoungreaders @jllitagcy #deaf #space

World Read Aloud Day 2026 - Call for Author & Illustrator Volunteers Please fill out this form if you're a traditionally published author or illustrator who would like to volunteer to Zoom with classes to celebrate LitWorld's World Read Aloud Day on Wednesday, February...

Authors & illustrators! LitWorld's World Read Aloud Day is Feb. 4th - want to Zoom into schools for read-alouds on that day? Here's the sign-up form: forms.gle/eN4FwA9HB4Fb...

Teachers & librarians! My newsletter will have info soon! Sign up here: katemessner.us20.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=...)

Cover image for EYES OPEN by Lyn Miller-Lachmann. Multicolored title text sits against a blue background. Beneath the text, a pair of hands releases a flock of folded-paper birds.

Cover image for MAKE A LITTLE WAVE by Kerry O’Malley Cerra. Full-color illustration of a tween girl in scuba gear floating underwater, smiling, while surrounded by sharks.

Also, EYES OPEN by Lyn Miller-Lachmann is a Social Justice Literature Award Honor Book, and MAKE A LITTLE WAVE by Kerry O’Malley Cerra is on the recommended reading list!

sites.csulb.edu/l-sr/books/b...

@lynmillerlachmann.bsky.social @kerryomalleycerra.bsky.social @lernerbooks.bsky.social

"Libraries will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no libraries."--Anne Herbert, 1980

Indeed.

For those who can’t afford Taylor Swift’s new album, be sure to check your local library. My county library has The Life of a Showgirl up on the Hoopla app, and it’s free for me to stream with my library card. Libraries for the win! #taylorswift

Answering the question about why I refer to myself as deaf. Happy Deaf Awareness Month! 💜🤟🏼 #deafawareness #whyisign

Happy Deaf Awareness Month from this deaf girl! It’s ask me anything time. #deafawareness #authorlife #askmeanything

Thank you!!!

Quick help: mom and I both loved Mrs. Harris goes to Paris. We’d like to watch something similar tonight—a sweet, feel good movie. Suggestions?

😞

Had a conversation with a fellow deaf author recently, & something she said stuck with me: that the publishing world doesn’t view deaf writers—or stories with deaf characters—as “marginalized enough” to amplify them the way it does with other voices. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it.

Speechless. And honored. So very honored!
Happy Earth Day, my sharkies! Thank you, Tue Nature Generation, @lernerbooks.bsky.social , and @janinele.bsky.social

Thank you!

The photo shows a copy of the book titled make a little wave with the metal from the Florida book awards draped over the cover. And the book has the award sticker on it in the corner.

Last week, I had to miss the award dinner for the Florida Book Awards due to my commitments at TXLA. But here’s my medal & a fancy sticker for my book. Huge thanks to the committee for recognizing my work & the importance of activism, ocean conservation, & sharks!
@lernerbooks.bsky.social #mglit

I’m so glad my publisher sent it, and I hope you love it. Sharks need our care . . . NOW! 🦈🩵🌎

Wordle 1,389 1/6*

🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Finally! It’s been my starting word since day 1!

I’m so excited for this and can’t wait for my copy to arrive! Happy birthday Hazel and Jamie! 🎉

Infographic showing information for author Kerry O’Malley Cerra’s book signing at txla on Wednesday April 2nd from 2:30-3 aisle 11 in the author signing area. Book covers shown are MAKE A LITTLE WAVE and HEAR ME.

I’m raffling off two virtual author visits for attendeees at #txla25 #txla2025. Find me at any point to enter. Or message me to meet up. My books cover themes of activism, hearing loss & deafness, social justice, conservation (particularly sharks🦈), body autonomy, and more. I can’t wait to meet you!

Texas librarians, I can't wait to meet you next week. Having lived in Plano for three years as a kid(I went to Memorial Elementary!), I'm excited to go back! And, I'm raffling off two FREE virtual author visits. Be sure to find me! #txla2025

I hope to see you. Let's grab a drink!

I'd love to meet you in person. Let me know if there are any gatherings or if you want to grab food/drinks/whatever!

I'm so excited for this and can't wait to meet all of you Texas librarians!

Join us at TXLA Kidlit quest: spurring, activism, and social justice through children’s literature. Infused with the hope that all voice Have a place in this world We’ll explore issues of equity, disability representation, social and courage. Thursday, April 3, 2025, 2:00-3:00 pm, Ballroom C2 Images of Becky Calzada, moderator & AASL President, authors: Ali Terese, Lyn Miller-Lachmann, Kerry O’Malley Cerra, and Nancy Tandon shown with book covers of titles they’ve written.

📣 Who’s going to #TXLA25?

📌 I hope you’ll join @kerryomalleycerra.bsky.social @alitereseauthor.bsky.social @nancytandon.bsky.social & @lynmillerlachmann.bsky.social & I on Thursday 4/3 for our #kidlit panel from 2-3 pm

Living mindfully helps us get more out of life and cope better in difficult times 🙏

Join us for #MindfulMarch and find ways to live each day with awareness and kindness actionforhappiness.org/mindful-march

Cover image for Make a Little Wave by Kerry O'Malley Cerra. Full-color illustration of a girl in snorkeling gear floating underwater, smiling, as several sharks swim around her from varying distances.

Entry 2 of ???: MAKE A LITTLE WAVE by Kerry O'Malley Cerra (@kerryomalleycerra.bsky.social) is a silver medalist in the older children's lit category of the Florida Book Awards!

www.floridabookawards.org

Hear Me [book review] Hear Me by Kerry O'Malley Cerra is a middle grade novel about a twelve year old girl coming to terms with a hearing loss and fighting for her right to deny a cochlear implant surgery.

"There’s a lack of stories about the Deaf and hard-of-hearing experience, especially for children who are experiencing hearing loss, and HEAR ME is a great addition to the limited canon." DisLIS recommends HEAR ME by @kerryomalleycerra.bsky.social!
cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/dislis/vol2/...

Move Over, Middle Grade: It’s Time for Young Teen Lit, a guest post by Christina Chatel and Marcia Kochel This story begins with two middle school librarians, miles and miles apart, who both feel passionately that what publishers call middle grade literature is not what their students need or want.

Move Over, Middle Grade: It’s Time for Young Teen Lit, a guest post by Christina Chatel and Marcia Kochel

teenlibrariantoolbox.com/2025/02/06/m... @tltkaren.bsky.social @youngteenlit.bsky.social

Yes, when I take my CI off, it’s often blissful!