Kids Comics Pitchfest 2023 Showcase
Comics creators from around the world submit their unpublished projects to be previewed online by editors and agents. A panel of judges (click here to see the juror list) select the top pitches. Projects are archived here so that industry pros may view them and discover new talent.
Starlyn Fits In
Starlyn is excited about the Shape Day Celebration until they discover that everyone else at the party is a circle or a square. Starlyn tries to be more pointy, then more plump, but bumps into the circle dancers and knocks over the square dancers. They just don’t fit! Starlyn flees into the night, only to discover another unique shape glowing bright in the sky. When the party loses its twinkle, will Starlyn come to the rescue and let their true light shine? This 40-page early reader illuminates what it means to be yourself. For fans of the simple, shape-based style of Friendbots by Vicky Fang and the journey to find your fit in Tiny Tales: Shell Quest by Steph Waldo. Nonbinary rep.
Age Range:
Early ReaderGenre:
Fiction, Humor, LGBTQ+, Own Voices, Social-EmotionalPage Count Estimate:
40
My Why:
While STARLYN FITS IN isn’t strictly autobiographical, I explored my own struggle to fit gender and other societal binaries through Starlyn’s journey. In 2022, The Trevor Project found in a national survey of LGBTQ+ youth that the rate of anxiety, depression, and suicide attempts was higher than for their peers — with the rates for trans and nonbinary youth among the worst. I have struggled over the years with whether to come out as nonbinary, but in the face of these heartbreaking statistics, I knew it was time. STARLYN FITS IN attempts to hold the loneliness and frustration that comes from not fitting the binary in one hand, while holding humor and the joy of friendship in the other.
Sondra Eby
I am an award-winning kidlit flash fiction writer. I have worn many hats: YA librarian, bookstore owner, CMO of a queer wellness company, UX & graphic designer, and drummer. I am an active member of Story Grid Guild, SCBWI, KCU, and an Author Mentor Match mentee group. My band toured to promote our bassist's illustrated novel. We accompanied readings and later collaborated on an award-winning theater adaptation — playing music on stage inside a bathtub.