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Khodi Dill

@khodidill

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Anti-racism advocate, spoken word artist, emcee, and author: stay up, Welcome to the Cypher, Little Black Lives Matter. Bookings: thegreygriot.com 🇧🇸

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Thank you 🙏🏾 to the Canadian Children’s Book Centre for including our books on this list of 50 MUST READ CANADIAN PICTURE BOOKS:

- WELCOME TO THE CYPHER by Khodi Dill, illustrated by Awuradwoa Afful

- UP HOME by Shauntay Grant, illustrated by Susan Tooke

- MALAIKA’S COSTUME by Nadia L. Hohn, illustrated by Irene Luxbacher

- OSCAR LIVES NEXT DOOR by Bonnie Farmer, illustrated by Marie LaFrance

- VIOLA DESMOND WON’T BE BUDGED by Jody Nyasha Warner, illustrated by Richard Rudnicki

• @kidsbookcentre In case you haven’t heard, the CCBC is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. In honour of this milestone, we’ve compiled a list of 50 must read Canadian picture books. Link in bio.

@nadialhohn_author @khodidill @rajieeee @shauntay_grant @marielafranceillu

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October 4-10, 2026 is Banned Book Week in the United States.

The following books appear on Banned Books 📚 lists in different parts of that country.

Sankofa’s Pen supports these books and encourages these brave authors to continue writing these important stories.

Please support these authors and share their books.

Read banned books every day.

@zettaelliott @khodidill @nadialhohn_author @banned_books_week @bannedbooksbookclub @bannedbooksbox @kidsbookcentre @knowledgebookstore @manifestbookstore @weneeddiversebooks @kwelijournal @freedomtoreadweek @adfrntbooklist @blackhurstcc @highlightsfound @scbwi_canada_east @canscaip #bannedbookweek #bannedbooks @cbcbooks @cbcbeingblackincanada

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Missing the summer sunsets already - but excited for the 🍂 fall. Just a mini recap. #yxe #livemusic #backtowork #endofsummer

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Back to school season is upon us! No matter if you’re headed to preschool, high school, or grad school, it’s a great time to pick up a book and learn something new. Here’s a selection of our favorites for every age, all available now from Seven Stories and Triangle Square.

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Thanks #Saskatoon-based author Khodi Dill for sharing your recap of the 2026 IBBY WORLD CONGRESS (August 6-9, 2026) in Ottawa.

• @khodidill Ottawa-Montreal was a movie.

It was an absolute honour to be present at the International Board on Books for Young People @ibby.international World Congress to deliver a keynote on the power and potential of hip-hop as a form of literacy, and to take part in a panel with my fellow esteemed kidlit authors @nadialhohn_author, @kevinheronjones, @sadesmith_author, and @wandawriting as chair.

I was humbled to be introduced for my keynote by the cofounder of my legendary publisher @annick_press before speaking to an engaged crowd about one of my major passions in this life: hip-hop for education! Panel vibes were also incredible as bookish people from all over the world came to hear about Black realities in Canadian publishing from the people who truly know. There aren’t that many of us, but trust there will be more and more!

Many a fine dinner was had at the IBBY conference and I got to cross paths again with On the Trapline author @davidrobertsonwriter! Love this guy! Please check out his incredible work. Oh and did I mention my wonderful literary agent @carlywatters took me out for lunch as well? Wish I’d snapped a pic! Thank you, Carly!

I made a quick train trip to the absolutely poppin city of Montreal on Saturday night to see my main man from time @shota_nagow. Beautiful catchup! And whose outdoor concert did we stumble upon in downtown Montreal but yxe’s own @bigtones.oto and @zhethefree!! And the homies pulled me on stage for a freestyle! What is life?!

@sankofaspen book signing at @indigo back in Ottawa on Sunday, and dinner before sayin what’s up to the absolutely incandescent @apollothechild on Monday before I skated home. Mans is one to watch!

A few bumps with the airline gettin back but we won’t go there.😅

It is all gratitude from the boy. This was a big one. And I give thanks for the experience, and to all of y’all for your love and support. It’s what got me here. 🙏🏾

More life.

@davidrobertsonwriter @sadesmith_author @nadialhohn_author @kevinheronjones @delanobwriting @indigorideaucentre @ibbycanada

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ONE WEEK AGO…

Black Canadian Kidlit and yalit authors represented at the 2026 IBBY WORLD CONGRESS in Ottawa with many of their lovely books. The biennial international conference was held at Carleton University in Ottawa and ran from August 5-9, 2026. Thank you author Sadé Smith for documenting these gorgeous titles. Such a selection of great reads. The 2028 IBBY WORLD CONGRESS will take place in Barcelona, Spain.

• @sadesmith_author Some books I picked up, saw and came across at the IBBY WORLD CONGRESS that would make wonderful additions to your bookshelves! 😍📚❤️ I came across so many diverse reads and I was happy to see the huge selection of Indigenous books. It goes to show that BIPOC voices are finally being heard and our stories are being shared. We still have a lot of work to do, but it’s a great start toward progress. Thank you to @octopusbooks and @indigorideaucentre for carrying our books at the conference, that is greatly appreciated! 🥰📚❤️ #booklove #diversebooks #ibbyworldcongress2026 #indigorideaucentre #bipocbooks

@khodidill @guedelinedesrosiers @sophiarobinson_author @kendaleyart @michelchikwan @kevinheronjones @sayadaramdial @lorimerkids @mackidsbooks @owlkidspublishing @orcabook @groundwoodbooks @claudia_davila_art @wandawriting @harperkids @harpercollinsca @annick_press @ibbycanada @ibby.international @carleton_u @indigorideaucentre @indigorideau @heather.beaumont @natali_demello @nadialhohn_author

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Some books I picked up, saw and came across at the IBBY WORLD CONGRESS that would make wonderful additions to your bookshelves! 😍📚❤️ I came across so many diverse reads and I was happy to see the huge selection of Indigenous books. It goes to show that BIPOC voices are finally being heard and our stories are being shared. We still have a lot of work to do, but it’s a great start toward progress. Thank you to @octopusbooks and @indigorideaucentre for carrying our books at the conference, that is greatly appreciated! 🥰📚❤️ #booklove #diversebooks #ibbyworldcongress2026 #indigorideaucentre #bipocbooks

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There are so many things I’d love to share about IBBY 2026, like how grateful I am to have met and learned from such wonderful people whom I admire for so many reasons, and to have had the opportunity to be part of a panel session on queer representation. 🌈

However, this year’s theme was listening to each other’s voices. And I believe that’s one of the most powerful ways to learn and build communities: by listening to the experiences and perspectives that preserve identity and language, especially those that have been sidelined in literature.

Thank you, @ibbycanada, for such a meaningful experience. ❤️

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Hay tantas cosas que me gustaría compartir sobre IBBY 2026, como lo agradecido que estoy de haber conocido y aprendido de personas maravillosas a quienes admiro por tantas razones, y de haber tenido la oportunidad de formar parte de una mesa sobre representación queer. 🫶

Sin embargo, el tema de este año fue escuchar las voces de los demás. Y creo que esa es una de las formas más poderosas de aprender y construir comunidades: escuchando las experiencias y perspectivas que preservan la identidad y la lengua, especialmente aquellas que han sido relegadas en la literatura.

Gracias, IBBY, por una experiencia tan significativa. ❤️

#ibbycongress2026 #Ibby2026ottawa #listeningtoeachothersvoices

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Wow! I’m still taking in all the inspiring, powerful and meaningful conversations and lessons from the #ibbycongress2026 .

I’m full of gratitude to have had the opportunity to represent the @bookbankcanada, along with dear colleagues.

@ibby.international and @ibbycanada brought kidlit supporters, advocates, creators, editors and book lovers from all around the world to discuss how to listen to each others voices.

I had the opportunity to listen and meet creators that I admire - like @davidrobertsonwriter , @jonklassen , @sydneydraws , @nadialhohn_author , @sadesmith_author, @khodidill , @wandawriting - and made new friends.

I felt so fortunate to attend a special dinner to honour Indigenous Voices, the Hans Christian Andersen Awards, learn from peers from around the globe and hear to so many stories. I brought so many of them home with me.

The Children’s Parade and Storytime, organized by the @mbleatherdale , was the one of my favourite events. So many families, authors and illustrators sharing books and art. I had fun being one of the judges for the costume contest, along with @suharuogawa and @jacquillo_ . And I got@to be Alice in Wonderland- a character that means so much to me.

The best part for me though, was all the people I met. Old friends and new.

I will be sharing more soon, as one post can’t do it. But will end this one with a special thanks to Patti McIntoch for all she does. For allowing me to collaborate, for leading the way to incredible work and initiatives and for connecting people that support books and kidlit.

Starting to save funds for Barcelona 2028 today!

#ibby #ibbyworldcongress2026 #kidlitcommunity #childrensliterature

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A highlight of the IBBY WORLD CONGRESS was listening to author Khodi Dill’s keynote talk, BLACK INK 🖊️: Exploring the Power and Potential of Lit-Hop. It was well-researched and so informative.

Khodi is a Bahamian 🇧🇸- Canadian 🇨🇦 , Saskatoon-based antiracist educator, poet, and author. We first met at the CCBC BOOK AWARDS in Toronto in fall 2022.

As a student and teacher of language, I appreciated Khodi’s thorough and practical approach. He had provided theory, hiphop lyric examples, and performance, as well. His talk was engaging and I’m so glad that it was received by a global audience.

Miss Lou, aka Louise Bennett Coverley, celebrated Jamaican Patois and brought it to a public sphere. As someone who researches and writes about her work, I truly appreciated the rigorous and respect that he brought to the topic of Ebonics and Black oral traditions. His talk also helped me see some possibilities for my own work.

My only wish was that more were present to hear it.

But in due time, I’m sure this will happen.

Khodi Dill’s STAY UP: racism, resistance, and reclaiming Black freedom and my THE ANTIRACIST KITCHEN: 21 Stories (and Recipes) were challenged books in 2025. Thankfully, this decision was overruled.

Khodi participated in the SANKOFA’S PEN Virtual Gathering in spring 2025 and was a panelist on our KEEPING IT REAL: Featuring Books with Black Authors of Children and Young Adult Literature session at the 2026 IBBY WORLD CONGRESS.

Drawing by: me
Photos: Me and various

@khodidill @ibbycanada @ibby.international #ibbyworldcongress @sankofaspen #sankofaspen

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DAY THREE AT IBBY WORLD CONGRESS! 😁📚🙌🏾 Our discussion panel on KEEPING IT REAL was a great success with a packed room taking part in the session. Many important topics were shared and our voices were heard. ✊🏾😊🙌🏾 Afterward, the Picture Book Picnic and Awards BBQ was so much fun and everyone was dressed as a storybook character. Did you find me?🤔🥸🤣 I saw Alice in Wonderland and Pippi Longstocking… and I even saw the pigeon who probably shouldn’t be driving the bus! (Ironically, he used to be a bus driver…what are the odds of that?!)🤣😭 What a super fantastic day three of the IBBY WORLD CONGRESS and Thank You to everyone who came to our panel! 😁📚🙌🏾 #ibbyworldcongress #ibby #wearebookpeople #daythree #ibbyworldcongress2026

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DAY TWO AT IBBY! 😁📚🙌🏾 The day started off with a few panel discussions including the fantastic Keynote by @khodidill on Exploring the Power and Potential of Lit-Hop which had me on the edge of my seat! Sorry if you missed it, a time was had! 😮‍💨✊🏾 The Hans Christian Andersen Awards Dinner was very inspiring with all the motivational speeches by amazing storytellers and illustrators. 🧑🏽‍💻📚👩🏻‍🎨 What a super fun day two of the IBBY WORLD CONGRESS! 😁📚🙌🏾 #ibbyworldcongress #ibby #wearebookpeople #daytwo #ibbyworldcongress2026

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