Winter is in full swing here in northern Vermont. When life hands you snow, make a snowcone. Isn’t that what they say?

Here are some links we liked this week:

• Cartoonist and CLiF presenter Marek Bennett has just returned from Nicaragua, where he documented the coffee harvest with help from some local kids. It’s worth bookmarking his awesome webcomics.
• Congratulations to our friends at First Book — a grant from Disney means they have a huge new selection of books available “that depict Hispanic characters, showcase the talents of Latino authors and illustrators, and reflect the lives of Latinos throughout the Americas, with a particular emphasis on the Latino experience in the U.S.” Here’s the link.
• Christopher John Farley’s essay in the Wall Street Journal is a powerful reminder that there is not enough diversity in children’s books — and why that matters for both children who don’t and children who do see themselves represented. Read “The Lost Boys and Girls of Children’s Literature.”
• And just for fun, over at Huffington Post we enjoyed the “Nine Life Lessons Everyone Can Learn From These Classic Children’s Books.“

Happy Friday!