Ten years ago yesterday I received a phone call from my great friend Roxanne Feldman who was on that year’s Newbery Committee. She told me to guess the winner. “It was a book you liked!” she said excitedly. After a few poor answers she put me out of misery and told me the winner was A Single Shard. Having vicariously lived through that year with her (and it was a particularly hard one for both of us New Yorkers because of 9/11) it was easy to convince me to attend my first banquet that summer. And before long I was no longer receiving my news about the awards by phone, but…
Children's Literature
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Most Topular Stories
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Thoughts on Newbery: The Day After
educating alice24 Jan 2012 | 5:59 am -
Farewell Serendipity
Misrule26 Jan 2012 | 3:03 amAnd so an era comes to an end. Misrule has been operating on the Serendipity platform since its inception in about 2003, including an earlier version that got swamped by spam comments and had to be taken down all together. I hope my tech guy might still have those posts archived somewhere—something to ask him about next time I see him.But the time has come to move Misrule on to the more flexible and easier to format WordPress. At the new address, I'll be able to add all the documents—my interviews and articles and so on—that are currently languishing on the VERY homemade root website… -
Must-see TV
The Horn Book27 Jan 2012 | 12:05 pmThis morning, shrieks of laughter filled our normally quiet office as the Horn Book staff watched The Colbert Report‘s Maurice Sendak interviews. If you haven’t seen these, head right over to Comedy Central’s website; they’re not to be missed! Here’s Night 1 and Night 2. -
What I’m Doing at Kirkus This Week,Plus What I Did Last Week, Featuring Chris Haughton
Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast26 Jan 2012 | 12:01 am“Harry is going out. ‘Will you be good, George?’ asks Harry.‘Yes,’ says George. ‘I’ll be very good.’” Tomorrow morning at Kirkus, I take a look at the new picture book from author and illustrator duo Kyo Maclear and Isabelle Arsenault. It’s called Virginia Wolf, and I love it. (I also very briefly discuss the topic of depression in contemporary picture books.) The link will be here tomorrow. Last week, I covered Chris Haughton’s Oh No, George!, which will be released by Candlewick in March. I noted in that write-up that… -
February Book Lovin'
Finding Wonderland: The WritingYA Weblog27 Jan 2012 | 3:13 amThis year's Cybil's reading had the unexpected reaction of causing a bit of brain atrophy. I was reading frantically right up to the last day, and anxiously pestering the postman, waiting for my next book. I feel like I did only a "meh" job of reading, in the end being unable to gain access to forty of the contenders. Because we have such a doughty crew, though, the books ALL got read by at least two people, but still! I wanted to have done better than I did. January I took to just relearn to look at words on a page without them swimming around; meanwhile, AF got all thoughty and started…
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Misrule
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Farewell Serendipity
26 Jan 2012 | 3:03 amAnd so an era comes to an end. Misrule has been operating on the Serendipity platform since its inception in about 2003, including an earlier version that got swamped by spam comments and had to be taken down all together. I hope my tech guy might still have those posts archived somewhere—something to ask him about next time I see him.But the time has come to move Misrule on to the more flexible and easier to format WordPress. At the new address, I'll be able to add all the documents—my interviews and articles and so on—that are currently languishing on the VERY homemade root website… -
WestWords on Facebook
18 Jan 2012 | 5:14 amHappy new year, everyone! I had a lovely, if too short, break over Christmas and into the middle of January, and am now back on deck at the Day Job. The exciting news from that front is that WestWords now has its own Facebook page, with a Twitter account (once we decide on a username, as WestWords is taken by a non-Tweeter, dammit) and (fingers crossed) our own website to follow very soon.So if you're on Facebook, please hop on over and Like! us! I'm hoping we might get 100 likes in our first 24 hours. No reason why, just excited that after 4 years, we now can promote the amazing work we've…
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The Horn Book
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Must-see TV
27 Jan 2012 | 12:05 pmThis morning, shrieks of laughter filled our normally quiet office as the Horn Book staff watched The Colbert Report‘s Maurice Sendak interviews. If you haven’t seen these, head right over to Comedy Central’s website; they’re not to be missed! Here’s Night 1 and Night 2. -
Appily ever after
26 Jan 2012 | 1:55 pmDeveloper Nosy Crow just won a Publishing Innovation Award for their app-only fairy tale retelling Cinderella: A 3-D Fairy Tale (September). Like their Three Little Pigs, this digital interpretation has plenty of charm. The app’s “read to me” and “read and play” options are refreshingly narrated by a cast of British child actors, with dialogue appearing in speech bubbles as it’s read. Additional speech bubbles pop up when a character is tapped, revealing more information about his or her personality and motivations (e.g., tapping the Prince in a pre-ball scene prompts him to say… -
Big Deal in Big D
25 Jan 2012 | 7:52 pmI know you have all heard the Youth Media Awards compared to the Oscars, but that has never been how I felt. I mean, we are all wearing convention-wear (sensible shoes and the like), toting bulging cloth bookbags, gripping paper, pen, various electronic devices and our boarding passes for the post-announcement sprint to Love Field or DFW. Nary a plunging sparkly neckline was in sight. I don’t recall any foreign press either. But, excitement? Check. Anticipation? Check. Usually the announcements are held in a gigantic ballroom. This time, it was more like a very large high school… -
Review of The One and Only Ivan
25 Jan 2012 | 9:57 amThe One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate; illus. by Patricia Castelao Intermediate Harper/HarperCollins 305 pp. 1/12 978-0-06-199225-4 $16.99 g e-book ed. 978-0-06-210198-3 $9.99 “I am Ivan. I am a gorilla. / It’s not as easy as it looks.” In short chapters (the book has an open layout and frequent illustrations) that have the look and feel of prose poems, Applegate has captured the voice of Ivan, a captive gorilla who lives at the “Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade.” When a new baby elephant, Ruby, arrives, Ivan promises the old… -
Caldecott post mortem
24 Jan 2012 | 11:10 amOr, as Roger Sutton said in his blog post today, “Tuesday-morning quarterbacking.” Robin and I will each write one more post this week, then Roger will tie up the first Calling Caldecott season with a guest post. Unlike Robin who went to the actual press conference at 7:45 a.m. Dallas time, I just had to get to work by 8:30 to access ALA’s URL for streaming video. By the time the last awards were being announced, we had all left our individual computers and rolled chairs up to Cindy Ritter’s. We’re an opinionated bunch and there were plenty of cheers, “Oh,…
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Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast
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What I’m Doing at Kirkus This Week,Plus What I Did Last Week, Featuring Chris Haughton
26 Jan 2012 | 12:01 am“Harry is going out. ‘Will you be good, George?’ asks Harry.‘Yes,’ says George. ‘I’ll be very good.’” Tomorrow morning at Kirkus, I take a look at the new picture book from author and illustrator duo Kyo Maclear and Isabelle Arsenault. It’s called Virginia Wolf, and I love it. (I also very briefly discuss the topic of depression in contemporary picture books.) The link will be here tomorrow. Last week, I covered Chris Haughton’s Oh No, George!, which will be released by Candlewick in March. I noted in that write-up that… -
Seven Questions Over Breakfast with Matthew Cordell
24 Jan 2012 | 12:01 amMeet Davy’s Mom and Dad. Davy’s got these doting folks all to himself, and life is good. That is, till his new, little brother arrives. And then the next one. And the next one. And the one after that. This is Another Brother (Feiwel & Friends), the new picture book from author/illustrator Matthew Cordell, the second one he’s both written and illustrated (though he’s illustrated many others), to be released at the end of this month. And it’s funny. So very funny. You can see Davy below and how he feels about these encroaching siblings. Cordell had me at the… -
Well Now. That Was a Fun Morning.
23 Jan 2012 | 5:39 pmCongratulations to all of today’s ALA Youth Media Award winners. Many of the winners have stopped by to visit 7-Imp this year, which you can find in the archives. (I’m sorry that I am not including a comprehensive listing here, but I’m working on an interview for tomorrow. I thought I’d have it done by now, but I had to sit down with my girls and re-read many of the winning books with them. Which was fun.) For now, though, a short and sweet post: I just realized that when Chris Raschka visited in 2009, he shared an early image from A Ball for Daisy, which picked up… -
7-Imp’s 7 Kicks #265: Featuring Bernard Waber(and a Moment with R. Gregory Christie)
22 Jan 2012 | 12:01 amLook here. It’s Lyle. And he’s fifty years old now. (He can kick, he can shimmy … oh wait, it’s another annoying Saturday Night Live reference. I have one of those for everything in life.) First off, for anyone who may be reading who is not a fellow picture book junkie, here’s a Lyle 101: Lyle, the crocodile, debuted in 1962 in author/illustrator Bernard Waber’s The House on East 88th Street. This book was followed in 1965 by Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile, probably the most famous Lyle book, and a total of eight books exist in the series. All the books concern the… -
What I’m Doing at Kirkus This Week,Plus What I Did Last Week,Featuring Hadley Hooper
19 Jan 2012 | 12:01 am(Click to enlarge) Tomorrow morning at Kirkus, I take a look at illustrator and designer Chris Haughton’s newest picture book, Oh No, George! The link will be here. Last week, I weighed in on Shana Corey’s picture book biography, Here Come the Girl Scouts!, illustrated by debut artist Hadley Hooper. That link is here, if you missed it. Today, I feature some spreads from the book (a spread above, which I loveloveLOVE, and a couple more below). Enjoy. (Also, I highly recommend taking some time today to explore the art featured at Hadley’s site. Such good stuff there. I hope…
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Finding Wonderland: The WritingYA Weblog
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February Book Lovin'
27 Jan 2012 | 3:13 amThis year's Cybil's reading had the unexpected reaction of causing a bit of brain atrophy. I was reading frantically right up to the last day, and anxiously pestering the postman, waiting for my next book. I feel like I did only a "meh" job of reading, in the end being unable to gain access to forty of the contenders. Because we have such a doughty crew, though, the books ALL got read by at least two people, but still! I wanted to have done better than I did. January I took to just relearn to look at words on a page without them swimming around; meanwhile, AF got all thoughty and started… -
Toon Thursday: NEVER Gonna Happen.
26 Jan 2012 | 3:27 pmThis cartoon's not writing-related, really, but I woke up yesterday morning with this one taking shape in my half-awake brain. (So if it's goofy and makes little sense, you can blame it on that. Unfortunately, I have no such handy excuse for the goofiness of any OTHER cartoons.)Geek Bonus Points if you get the ironic math joke. Happy Thursday! This work is copyrighted material. Please contact the weblog owner for further details. -
Monday Randomness
23 Jan 2012 | 10:00 amAfter spending much of the weekend reading Plato's Republic, I find my brain has decided to retreat into a tiny corner of my skull and refuses to work any more. And, I'm again pondering blog-related what's-the-point-itis and rethinking what I want to do in my blogging life. So...here are a few links for your amusement while I return to normal. Enjoy.If you're interested in writing for educational publishers and live in...er...Central California, there's a seminar by writer Christine Peterson on March 3rd in Bakersfield. Why Bakersfield? I dunno. I liked the sound of it until I saw it would be… -
Thursday Review: PLEASE IGNORE VERA DIETZ by A.S. King
19 Jan 2012 | 10:00 amWhat really happened to Charlie Kahn? He was Vera Dietz' best friend, but now he's dead, and Vera knows more than she's telling. Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King (author of Dust of 100 Dogs, reviewed here) was a 2010 Cybils nominee. Reader Gut Reaction: This one was gripping as well as heartbreaking. What do you do when your best friend is in trouble? What if he's your EX-best friend? Alternating between past and present, eventually the two strands of the story come together in a way that's both shocking and satisfying. This one had me thinking about the story long after I was done; had… -
Glad-Making Bits of News...
17 Jan 2012 | 3:14 amWelcome to the third week in the first month of the new year!And welcome, all 156+ of you who have delurked and are participating in the Comment Challenge with Lee Wind & Mother Reader this month. I have to admit that I don't particulate in the Comment Challenge - mainly because I'm a regular Chatty Catrina in terms of blogs, and I routinely comment more than five times a day. (I have more than a hundred blogs I visit regularly on my Reader.) I am a person who's not on FB or any other social media, though, so it's easier for me to read what people are writing, and comment there. (I think…
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educating alice
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SleepVolking a la Jack Gantos
28 Jan 2012 | 5:47 amYesterday one of my 4th grade students was reading the ARC of Dead End in Norvelt (choosing it over the also-on-display hardcover) and came over to ask me what sleepVolking is. I suggested it was Mrs. Volker’s wit on display and then wondered if it was in the final book. He went off to check and then returned showing me that it wasn’t. Now I suppose this story confirms the decision to change it, but once we discussed the idea that it was Mrs. Volker’s dry wit on display he loved it as much as I did. So I get why it was changed, but just wanted to say we LOVE sleepVolking! -
Stephen Colbert and Maurice Sendak Together At Last
26 Jan 2012 | 4:13 amLast year, after noticing the Today Show had decided to break their tradition of interviewing the Newbery and Caldecott winners the day after they won, I suggested that Stephen Colbert do it instead. While it didn’t happen last year or this year (and I know for a fact that this year’s Newbery winner Jack Gantos could easily match Colbert, crazy comment for crazy comment), they did something arguably more awesome: they got Colbert interviewing “Mo” (as he calls him at one point) Maurice Sendak. And so if you want to see one of the best octogenarians ever interviewed… -
Thoughts on Newbery: The Day After
24 Jan 2012 | 5:59 amTen years ago yesterday I received a phone call from my great friend Roxanne Feldman who was on that year’s Newbery Committee. She told me to guess the winner. “It was a book you liked!” she said excitedly. After a few poor answers she put me out of misery and told me the winner was A Single Shard. Having vicariously lived through that year with her (and it was a particularly hard one for both of us New Yorkers because of 9/11) it was easy to convince me to attend my first banquet that summer. And before long I was no longer receiving my news about the awards by phone, but… -
Coming Soon: Tom Angleberger’s Fake Mustache
19 Jan 2012 | 6:46 amYesterday a package of ARCs from Abrams arrived at my home, among them Tom Angleberger’s forthcoming Fake Mustache and, needing a light read before bed, I decided to give it a try. Next thing I knew a couple of hours had passed and I’d gulped down the whole delightful confection. It isn’t out till April so I hope this isn’t a dreadful tease, but I thought Origami Yoda fans as well as others looking for good and funny middle grade books might like to know what they have in store. So wacky this is (as another beloved Angleberger character might say) in the best way… -
Thoughts on Newbery: My 2012 Druthers
18 Jan 2012 | 7:03 amOn Friday the members of the 2012 Newbery Committee will position themselves around a table in an undisclosed location and begin their work. After a few days they will make their decision at which point a puff of white smoke will come out of the Dallas Convention Center for the waiting multitudes. Well, okay, no white smoke. Instead we will get to see the Committee members wandering around looking inscrutable, exhausted, and exhilarated until Monday morning when all will be revealed. Because it is always fun to put down in print beforehand what you’d like to see honored and see if the…
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Chicken Spaghetti
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Newbery to "Dead End in Norvelt," Caldecott to "A Ball for Daisy"
23 Jan 2012 | 10:04 amThese and other children's literature awards were announced this morning at a meeting of the American Library Assocation. The whole list of winners and honorees can be found here. Congratulations to all! -
Caldecott, Newbery Awards on the Horizon, Orbis Pictus Announced
21 Jan 2012 | 4:05 pmThe two biggest U.S. children's literature awards—the Newbery and Caldecott Medals—will be announced on Monday, January 23rd, along with a slew of other prizes. I may not be online Monday morning to immediately update Chicken Spaghetti's 2011 Best Children's Books: A List of Lists and Awards. However, the American Library Association (ALA) promises live Newbery/Caldecott/etc. coverage; for details click here. Again, what, what, what would be wrong with a big Newbery and Caldecott banner on the American Library Association's website? If these awards are some of the… -
Uncommercial
11 Jan 2012 | 8:58 am"With his first George and Martha book, James [Marshall] was already entirely himself. He lacked only one component in his constellation of gifts: he was uncommercial to a fault. No shticking, no nudging knowingly, no winking or pandering to the grownups at the expense of the kids." —Maurice Sendak, May 1997 Reprinted in the anthology George and Martha: The Complete Stories of Two Best Friends, written and illustrated by James Marshall (Houghton Mifflin, 2008). Amen, Mr. Sendak. The second graders I read to liked several of the George and Martha picture books very much. Each one… -
Cybils Shortlists Announced
2 Jan 2012 | 10:29 amOn January 1, 2012, the shortlists for the Children's and Young Adult Bloggers' Literary Awards (the Cybils) were announced. Encompassing eleven categories, these lists offer great suggestions for a wide range of kid readers. Book apps are the latest addition to the annual prizes. Link: 2011 Cybils Finalists -
Welcome, Choice Literacy Readers
31 Dec 2011 | 12:47 pmThank you to the Big Fresh, the Choice Literacy newsletter, for mentioning Chicken Spaghetti's 2011 Best Children's Books: A List of Lists and Awards. Welcome, readers! Literacy is all about connection, and I'm so happy that you've stopped by. For those of you who don't know Choice Literacy, I highly recommend the Big Fresh, which is a free weekly e-newsletter; as a parent and school volunteer, I've picked up many good tips over the years. One of these days I hope to attend a literacy workshop. Here is more about Choice Literacy, from its website: Choice Literacy…
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Chasing Ray
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An old photo of a box and the story it played in my family's history
27 Jan 2012 | 2:15 amIn 1924, when he was ten years old, my great uncle Thomas was nearly burned to death. Thomas and several of his friends were playing in a vacant lot down the street from their apartment building in the Bronx when they discovered this large discarded wooden box. According to my grandmother there were paint cans of some kind in the box and the paint caught on fire. There was always a lot of confusion about how the fire happened - none of the boys had matches (which would have been hard for them to come by) so the theory was "autocombustibility" or paint soaked rags slowly burning and then… -
"The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore"
26 Jan 2012 | 2:31 amNominated for an Oscar for animation short, "The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore" is gorgeous. It was written by William Joyce who is also the co-director. As I am a HUGE fan of Mr. Joyce's (Dinosaur Bob! Rolie Polie Olie! Wilbur Robinson! SANTA CALLS!!!!!), I had to see it and having seen it I have to spread the word. Watch the clip then go to itunes where you can download the 15 minute film for free through Oscar night. Oh - wait - here's what it's about: That story became the film, which is about not only a man who gives his life to books, but also the books that give back. -
It's a catch-up post starring Dodie Smith
24 Jan 2012 | 5:09 pm1. Slightly Foxed has released Dodie Smith's memoir Look Back With Love. Written when she was 78 years old, it is a reflection of her early childhood with her mother's family in early 20th century England. I am delighted to know that her upbringing included "...seaside trips, motorcar outings, fairgrounds, circuses, jokes, charades and musical soirees." This is exactly as I would wish the author of I Capture the Castle (and 101 Dalmatians) to have grown up. 2. I was remiss in failing to mention that the January issue of Bookslut went up with my column on realistic fiction which included Sara… -
Mr. Daniel Handler, you've impressed the hell out of me..
20 Jan 2012 | 4:38 pmI just finished reading and reviewing Why We Broke Up (it will appear in my March column) by Daniel Handler with illustrations by Maria Kalman. This book better get a boatload of attention come awards time because it really is excellent. Kalman's illustrations make it standout and will bring some readers to it that might otherwise ignore YA (and the overall design is fantastic - quite deserving of design awards) but Handler shows a whole new side of himself here. I can hardly believe this is the same author as the Lemony Snicket books (not that they aren't great). The subject, style,… -
How can you not love a kid named Livingstone Columbus Magellan Crouse?
19 Jan 2012 | 5:17 pmEvery now and again I see a picture book and wish it had been around five years earlier when my son (now ten) would have really loved it. He's totally happy to page through one even now and always appreciates the illustrations but most picture book stories are obviously geared at younger kids and thus he does not get out of them what he would have in the past. Not Inside This House! by Kevin Lewis (illustrated by David Ercolini) is EXACTLY one of those books that my boy would have loved. The protagonist has a killer name, is determined to have many adventures, does rather outrageous things…
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Arthur Slade: The YA Fantastical Fiction Guy
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Another Navel-Gazing Ebook update: December Sales
22 Jan 2012 | 12:00 pmHello and welcome to my ebook navel gazing! What frabjous joy it brings! What slithy toves it creates! Okay, before you all pull out your vorpal blades I'll stop quoting Jabberwocky. In a snicker-snack that is!December was officially my 2nd best ebook sales month since I started last February. Yes, that's 11 months of self-publishing. Funny how the time passes when you're navel gazing. We're almost at the 1 year celebration where I'll spend all my massive royalties on a party in the South Pacific. Or a party in a corner of my garage. Depending on funds, of course.Herewith is the graph you've… -
Attack of the Treadmill Desk III
2 Jan 2012 | 10:40 amWell, it's a new year! We've all likely made resolutions. Some of us (okay, me) have already broken a few of those resolutions (but who could stick to a "not eating a Turtle before 9AM" resolution? It's the evil toffee chocolate goodness that gets me).But I've stuck to my treadmill desk addiction. Since January of 2009 I've been using a treadmill desk as my main means of work and exercise (I blogged about it here and here). I still average four hours a day at 1.6 kph (or 1mph--that's 6.4 kilometres a day or 3.97 miles). The remainder of my writing time I stand at my treadmill desk. I only sit… -
Dust wins the Governor General's Award (a decade ago)
22 Dec 2011 | 6:47 amRecently, I was going through a few old VHS tapes and I—what why are you interrupting me? Oh, what's VHS you ask? It's the video recording format that conquered Beta—what's Beta you ask...ah, just Google it. Anyway, I discovered a dusty tape of the award ceremony for the Governor General's awards in 2001. My novel Dust won the award for Children's Literature that year and that meant a trip to Rideau Hall in Ottawa to see the Governor General and attend an extremely fancy ceremony (Oh, and pick up a cheque for $15,000.00). Money, free food and a mini-holiday! It's every author's… -
A Mini-Ebook Sales Update: November
15 Dec 2011 | 10:15 amNo major news this month on the ebook front. But I do have an amazingly interesting graph:Okay, it's just a graph. I apologize for calling it amazingly interesting! As you can see after the big "sale-apalooza" in September (1467 copies) sales have levelled out to 493 in October and 586 in November (actually my second highest sales month now). So sales are beginning to trend upwards, though part of this is due to the fact that Tribes was "free" on Amazon last month and that brought the sales of other books up (and the sales of Tribes rose once it went from free to paid status). What's… -
This Dark Endeavour: Interview with Kenneth Oppel
14 Dec 2011 | 9:47 amLadies, non-ladies, gents and non-gents, Herewith is my interview with Kenneth Oppel. It previously appeared on the brilliant Cynsations blog.Kenneth Oppel's first novel Colin's Fantastic Video Adventure was published when he was seventeen and he hasn't slowed down one iota since. He is the author of the Silverwing series (which has sold over a million copies), the Airborn series (winner of the Governor General's Award for Children's Literature and the Michael L. Printz Honor Book award), and the highly acclaimed Half Brother. He lives in…
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Booktalks Quick and Simple
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Krosoczka, Jarrett. OLLIE THE PURPLE ELEPHANT
25 Jan 2012 | 4:52 amKrosoczka, Jarrett. OLLIE THE PURPLE ELEPHANT -
Sarcone-Roach, Julia. SUBWAY STORY
24 Jan 2012 | 4:54 amSarcone-Roach, Julia. SUBWAY STORY -
Seeger, Laura Vaccaro. FIRST THE EGG
23 Jan 2012 | 4:41 amSeeger, Laura Vaccaro. FIRST THE EGG -
Stevens, April. EDWIN SPEAKS UP
22 Jan 2012 | 5:12 amStevens, April. EDWIN SPEAKS UP -
Weber, Elka. ONE LITTLE CHICKEN
21 Jan 2012 | 4:59 amWeber, Elka. ONE LITTLE CHICKEN
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Books for Boys - Children's Adventure & Mystery Author Max Elliot Anderson
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Double Your Reading, Double Your Fun, With WOLF Number Two and WOLF Number One
19 Jan 2012 | 10:54 am2 Wolf Books to be Released February 1st"Max Elliot Anderson brings a lifetime of dramatic film and video production to the pages of his action adventures and mysteries." Jerry B. Jenkins, Author "Max's Adventures are like good, family movies . . . " Bill Myers - Author These two books will join 6 other titles already released.(# 1) Legend of The White WolfThe StoryISBN: 9781936695690One day, Brian Fisher discovered a white wolf pup caught in a trap and set it free. Since then, Brian was convinced that he and the wolf shared a… -
Homeschooling Today reading article & a review of When The Lights Go Out
11 Jan 2012 | 9:11 amThis month, Homeschooling Today Magazine features two items related to my books for readers 8 - 13, especially boys.1. The current issue of their printed magazine reviews my adventure - mystery, When The Lights Go Out. Look for it there. This book was released in time for the 10th anniversary of 9/11, but 9/11 is only a minor backdrop for the story. 2. I have a new article, Getting Children Reading Again, on Homeschooling Today Magazine's online site at http://www.homeschoolingtoday.com/article/getting-children-reading-again For the next couple of months,… -
Getting Children Reading Again
10 Jan 2012 | 3:40 pmI have a new article, Getting Children Reading Again, on Homeschooling Today Magazine's online site at http://www.homeschoolingtoday.com/article/getting-children-reading-again/ -
Legend Of The White Wolf
4 Jan 2012 | 9:23 pmOn February 1, my next adventure / mystery will be released for readers 8 – 13, especially boys.Legend Of The White WolfOne day, Brian Fisher discovered a white wolf pup caught in a trap and set it free. Since then, Brian was convinced that he and the wolf shared a special bond. Stung by the disbelief of his family and friends, Brian sets out to confirm that his fantastic story is true and ends up getting a lot more than he bargained for. He soon finds himself caught out in a snowstorm and attacked by a mountain lion. When a group of lawless hunters begins killing off the wolf… -
Willy The Wrong Way Rabbit
4 Jan 2012 | 10:00 amToday marks a new writing chapter as my short stories begin appearing in Knowonder Magazine online. I’ve become a staff writer for this magazine and it is expected that two of my original short stories will appear each month. Knowonder intends for these stories to be read aloud to your younger children. And older children will want to read them for themselves. Willy The Wrong Way RabbitI hope you will enjoy the first story, Willy The Wrong Way Rabbit. Find that story at http://www.knowonder.com/2012/01/04/willy-the-wrong-way-rabbit-short-bedtime-stories You may also bookmark my…
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About.com Children's Books
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Winner of 2012 YALSA Young Adult Nonfiction Award
26 Jan 2012 | 6:01 pmThe Notorious Benedict Arnold: A True Story of Adventure, Heroism & Treachery by Steve Sheinkin is the 2012 winner of the YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults, ...Read Full Post -
Chris Raschka Wins Caldecott Medal!
24 Jan 2012 | 6:24 pmThe talented Chris Raschka is the 2012 Randolph Caldecott Medal winner for picture book illustration for A Ball for Daisy. This is Raschka's second Caldecott Medal. He won ...Read Full Post -
Wow! Oscars For Movie Version of Hugo Cabret?
24 Jan 2012 | 5:49 amWow! Hugo, the movie version of Brian Selznick's The Invention of Hugo Cabret, has been nominated for 11 Oscars, including Best Picture! The other nominations for Hugo announced by ...Read Full Post -
Celebrate Chinese New Year With Kids' Books
22 Jan 2012 | 6:01 pmHappy Chinese New Year! I've added still another picture book to my list of recommended ...Read Full Post -
Top Teen Nonfiction of 2011
21 Jan 2012 | 5:03 pmTeen librarian Jennifer Kendal has created a Top Teen Nonfiction of the Year: 2011 list of five books that have been nominated for, or have already won, a major award. ...Read Full Post
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Wands and Worlds
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Books I wish had made the shortlist
11 Jan 2012 | 2:59 pmBeing a Cybils judge is a lot of work and a lot of fun, but it's also heartbreaking when books you love don't get enough support from your fellow panelists to make it on the shortlist. Cybils overlord Anne Levy invited panelists to share their favorite books that didn't make the shortlist, and here are a few of mine: Daughter of Smoke and Bone was one of my favorite books this year. I loved the beautiful writing, interesting characters, and the gradual reveal. Unfortunately, not all of my fellow panelists loved it, and this was one of the more heavily debated books in our… -
A Wrinkle in Time 50th Anniversary
10 Jan 2012 | 9:26 am"It was a dark and stormy night." This year is the 50th anniversary of one of my favorite books, A Wrinkle in Time. Listening Library/Random House Audio is releasing a new audiobook version tomorrow. Here's a sample. Update: the widget wasn't working, but it has been corrected and should work now. -
Cybils 2011 Fantasy & Science Fiction Middle/Elementary Finalists
6 Jan 2012 | 2:31 pmAs Fantasy and Science Fiction Organizer for the Cybils, I supervised, but didn't participate in, the discussions for the Fantasy & Science Fiction Middle/Elementary category. (I served on the teen side of SFF; see my other post today). In this case, supervising meant basically standing back and watching with awe as this terrific group read like maniacs, chatted up a storm, and selected a terrific shortlist. Here are the SFF Middle & Elementary level finalists: A Monster Calls: Inspired by an idea from Siobhan Dowd by Patrick NessCandlewick Press Nominated by: Monica Edinger The first… -
Cybils 2011 Fantasy & Science Fiction Teen Finalists
6 Jan 2012 | 2:26 pmI'm not a winter person, but I love winter for one reason: the Cybils awards. Each year for the last six years, I've assisted with this blogger-selected award for children's and YA literature. Although I wear several hats for the Cybils, my favorite one is both organizer and panelist for Fantasy and Science Fiction. The Cybils finalists were announced on January 1, and I'm especially proud of the SFF Teen shortlist, which I helped to select. This is a great group of books, and every one of them is worth reading, recommending, and adding to a library collection. Angelfall (Penryn &… -
Neil Gaiman interviews Terry Pratchett
11 Oct 2011 | 9:25 am"Discworld and the Alzheimer’s together have given me a platform."— Terry PratchettA fascinating chat between two amazing authors: Terry Pratchett interviewed by Neil Gaiman. Pratchett's new Discworld novel Snuff is out today in the U.S.
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American Indians in Children's Literature (AICL)
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Nation-wide responses to the shut-down of the Mexican American Studies Department at Tucson Unified School District
27 Jan 2012 | 8:41 amFor a comprehensive list of links to AICL's coverage of the shut-down of the Mexican American Studies program at Tucson Unified School District, go here. On Tuesday, January 24, 2012, the American Library Association issued a resolution condemning what is happening in Tucson Unified School District (TUSD) and calling for the law that banned Mexican American Studies to be repealed.However, the harsh reality in Arizona is that the Republicans hold a super majority. They passed the law banning ethnic studies, and the newly introduced bill calling for its repeal is not likely to be passed. -
AICL Coverage of Arizona Law that resulted in shut down of Mexican American Studies Program and Banning of Books
24 Jan 2012 | 10:01 amThis is a comprehensive set of links to AICL's coverage of the Arizona law that led to the shut down of the Mexican American Studies Program in Arizona and the subsequent banning of books used in the program. It will be updated as my coverage continues. Sunday, January 15, 2012Teaching critical thinking in Arizona: NOT ALLOWED Mexican American Studies Department Reading ListTuesday, January 17, 2012Authors banned in Tucson Unified School District respondWednesday, January 18, 2012Copies of books in TUSD Libraries?"Reports of TUSD book ban completely false and misleading"TUSD vs The Tempest:… -
Curtis Acosta's letter
24 Jan 2012 | 8:39 amCurtis AcostaCurtis Acosta, one of the teachers who taught in the Mexican American Studies program at Tucson Unified School District, gave me permission to reproduce the following letter. It was published on January 23, 2012 at the Rethinking Schools blog.As you read his letter, note the duress the teachers are working under, and look at the way his teaching must be stripped of anything that might be construed as "promoting resentment" and therefore a violation of the law. At the bottom of his letter, I'm reposting an audio recording (presented in video format) of his meeting with… -
Tweeting Tucson events
23 Jan 2012 | 11:37 amAs I write (11:31 AM, CST, January 23, 2012), students are walking out of Tucson Unified School District's high schools. They are walking to a rally during which Arizona legislators will announce a bill to repeal the one passed last year that has resulted in an end of the Mexican American Studies program.At noon CST, Simon Ortiz, author of The People Shall Continue and Winona LaDuke will be on Native America Calling. I am tweeting these two developments. My twitter ID is debreese.You can also follow the walkout by going to the Facebook page of DA Morales, or following his blog posts at Three… -
Stegeman's January 22, 2012 letter
23 Jan 2012 | 7:04 amDavid Safier, a blogger at Blog for Arizona, posted a letter Mark Stegeman (President of the Governing Board, Tucson Unified School District), sent out yesterday. It raises more questions than it answers about the Mexican American Studies (MAS) program. To get around the fact that three of the books that were removed actually had approval for use, Stegeman now says that the curriculum itself was never approved. That may, in fact, be the case, but I hope that Stegeman is applying that curriculum approval process in an even-handed manner. Has the curriculum for all their programs been through…
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Archimedes Forgets
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Chapter 4: Family dynamics, oh, my!
25 Jan 2012 | 2:11 pmThe chapter opens with Rachel heading off to take some food to a neighbor in need -- which, Judith explains, means she's going to do all the neighbor's housework too.Needless to say, Judith is not a big supporter of her mother's charitable habits. Mercy, on the other hand, thinks it makes perfect sense. And besides, there's work to be done.But wait! First, there are dresses.Judith convinces Kit to open her trunks and show off some of the fashions she brought from Barbados. There's still no real affection between these two, but they're teenage girls, so clothes are sort of a universal… -
Chapter 3: Culture Shock Continues
18 Jan 2012 | 9:03 amKit is just now realizing that things in Wethersfield really aren't going to live up to her expectations. And if the descriptions of dirt roads and dewy expanses of grass don't get that across, Speare throws in this gem:"Along with her pretty shoes, Kit's spirits sank lower at each step."Unsurprisingly, Kit is not happy about this. She's also not thrilled with the pretensions of this little village that claims to have real streets and everything. Anyone who's grown up in cosmopolitan Barbados knows better."High Street indeed! No more than a cow path!"You can just imagine what a Londoner would… -
Tidbit: Scarlet
14 Jan 2012 | 11:12 amScarlet, A.C. Gaughen. (Bloomsbury, 2/14/2012)I kind of, sort of, virtually-know the author (we both worked on the Kids Heart Authors project a few years back), so that's what initially drew me to the book. But the premise should do it, too: Robin Hood's colleague Will Scarlet was actually a woman. This is perfect for fans of Katsa and Fire who need something to tide them over until Bitterblue's pub date. Scar totally fits into the emotionally-damaged-but-physically-tough-heroine mode, and I mean that in a good way. And best of all? This is straight-up historical fiction, with no fantasy bits… -
Tidbit: Quiet
13 Jan 2012 | 11:04 amQuiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking, Susan Cain. (Crown, 1/24/2012)I don't often get excited about business books, but I'm so glad a Random House sales rep pushed this one into my pile at NEIBA. Fellow introverts, you will join me in realizing why you do stuff (not just the obvious "prefer to be alone" things, but more subtle aspects of behavior) every time Cain throws out a new piece of research. Some of the evolutionary psych aspects of introversion are pretty fascinating, too.(Review copy provided by publisher, obviously.) -
Tidbit: Mysterious Bones
12 Jan 2012 | 10:58 amMysterious Bones: The Story of Kennewick Man, Katherine Kirkpatrick. (Holiday House, 5/1/2011)Lots of anthropology-nerd appeal here in this very balanced account of the saga of the human remains known as Kennewick Man. Kirkpatrick never sides with the scientists who wanted to study the remains or the local tribes who claimed him as an ancestor, but there's room to make an argument for either.(Review copy provided by publisher.)
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Bildungsroman
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Stella Batts Needs a New Name by Courtney Sheinmel, illustrated by Jennifer A. Bell
27 Jan 2012 | 11:05 pmEight-year-old Stella Batts is pretty content. Her little sister Penelope usually forgets to knock before entering her bedroom, but Penny's mostly okay, and the girls are looking forward to the little brother their mom is expecting. Their parents own a candy store called Batts Confections, which offers almost every kind of sweet treat you can imagine. Stella is fond of her family, her town, and her school - but ever since one of the boys in her class called her "Smella," she's not too fond of her name. Now if she could only think of a name she likes better...and as soon as the girls in… -
Poetry Friday: On the Planet Earth by Danielle Ate The Sandwich
26 Jan 2012 | 7:59 pmIn a toy aisle of some department storeI will wait there, expecting you to showAnd if you don't comeI will start a conversation with myselfAnd even when you're gone, you are well-spoken- a verse of the song On the Planet Earth by Danielle Ate The SandwichListen to Danielle perform the song live + acoustic.Listen to Danielle's performance of the song featuring Jack Conte of Pomplamoose.Visit Danielle's website and YouTube Channel.View all posts tagged as Poetry Friday at Bildungsroman.View the roundup schedule at A Year of Reading.Learn more about Poetry Friday. -
The Sydney Taylor Book Award Blog Tour 2012
26 Jan 2012 | 7:58 pmThe official press release for the 2012 Sydney Taylor Book Award Blog Tour from People of the Books:The Sydney Taylor Book Award will be celebrating and showcasing its 2012 gold and silver medalists and a few selected Notables with a Blog Tour, February 5-10, 2012! Interviews with winning authors and illustrators will appear on a wide variety of Jewish and kidlit blogs. For those of you who have not yet experienced a Blog Tour, it's basically a virtual book tour. Instead of going to a library or bookstore to see an author or illustrator speak, you go to a website on or after the… -
Interview: Susan Lee
24 Jan 2012 | 4:32 pmSusan Lee is a busy, creative person wears a lot of hats. (That's probably why we get along.) As a playwright, a filmmaker, a screenwriter, a teacher, and a painter, Susan has made her mark in many different fields. I know she's made her mark on me as a director and as a friend.I first crossed paths with Susan in 2009: I was acting in a musical, and she was the stage manager for the show. Since then, I'd had the good fortune to work with Susan on multiple productions, including a Moises Kaufman play, a short film (more about that shortly), and some amazing new works. If you like heroes,… -
Booking Through Thursday Interview, Parts 1 and 2
23 Jan 2012 | 10:23 pmI discovered this book meme interview through Awakening Lisa, who, in turn, found it at Booking Through Thursday.Part 1 simply asked:If you could sit down and interview anyone, who would it be?As a curious girl and a freelance journalist, I've been fortunate enough to have interviewed many wonderful people. In the coming weeks, I'll be posting new, exclusive interviews with Gaby Rodriguez (The Pregnancy Project, which inspired the Lifetime movie), Susan Lee (Mastermind), Mary Lowry (The Earthquake Machine), and Trina Robbins (Lily Renee, Escape Artist). If you'd like to read my past…
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bookshelves of doom
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Challenge news.
26 Jan 2012 | 1:37 pmThe Tucson situation continues, with so many sources covering it that I'm going to go ahead and link to a Google News search. If you haven't been following the story, this piece at the Huffington Post gives some background, as well as providing a few pictures of the recent student protest. Debbie Reese at American Indians in Children's Literature has the most comprehensive coverage I've seen. Books popular with young readers in Vietnam are making censors nervous. And, in case you missed it, The Satanic Verses is still so controversial (not to mention still banned) in… -
I'd like to go to this.
26 Jan 2012 | 12:34 pmA play! Based on short stories by Raymond Chandler! Even the title—Trouble is My Business—is all hard-boiled. Ooooo. -
Maurice Sendak = Mr. Attitude.
26 Jan 2012 | 11:19 amThe Colbert Report Get More: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video Archive -
New YA deals...
26 Jan 2012 | 8:28 am... from Publishers Marketplace: Journalist Gard Skinner's GAME SLAVES, set in the world of online video games and told from the revolutionary perspective of the villains who fight gamers in the world's top-selling games, it imagines a scenario in which these virtual figures have become self-aware and make the transition to the actual world to search for their identities, to Julia Richardson at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children's. Jennifer L. Armentrout's DON'T LOOK BACK, pitched as Black Swan meets Pretty Little Liars, featuring a teen girl who had it all until the… -
Jennifer E. Smith.
25 Jan 2012 | 8:04 pmHer website. Her Twitter feed. Titles I've written about: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight (2012): Maine winters require escape, preferably of the smoochy sort. So I was quite happy to find The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight. And yay you, Jennifer E. Smith, because it totally worked. Escape city. It's a sweet little book, and now, just looking at the cover makes me smile.
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the excelsior file
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Going Underground
25 Jan 2012 | 7:37 amby Susan Vaught Bloomsbury 2011 Three years after a school incident turns him into a felon, can Del find love and a life outside the graveyard where he works? Yeah, I said graveyard. Del is seventeen, and digging graves isn't just the only job he can find that doesn't do background checks, but it gives him plenty of time to think about how he got here. With a parole officer checking to -
Guantanamo Boy
23 Jan 2012 | 7:38 amby Anna Perera Albert Whitman 2011 On a family vacation to Pakistan sis months after 9/11 a teen boy is picked up as an enemy combatant and taken to Guantanamo Bay where he is tortured, all the while wondering how he got there... This is one of those stories you want to like, want to be able to recommend, have a hard time not putting too many eggs into your basket of hope, because it's a -
Shelter
19 Jan 2012 | 7:16 amby Harlan Coben A Mickey Bolitar Novel Putnam 2011 When his girlfriend goes missing, and no one else seems to notice or care, Mickey begins to dig around and finds himself caught up in a web of... human sex trafficking! His dad is dead, his mom is in rehab, his girlfriend of three weeks has gone missing, and the neighborhood crazy lady has scared the pants off Mickey... all in the first -
Mister Creecher
17 Jan 2012 | 7:34 amby Chris Priestley Bloomsbury 2011 The creature walks the streets of London, with the Artful Dodger, hunting down the mad doctor! No, Boris Karloff does not make an appearance. The scene is London, 1918, and there in the darkened, fog-damp streets is Billy, pickpocket and petty thief. Billy starts off in a spot of trouble with the local thugs when is hide is saved by an enormous monster -
Captain Slaughterboard Drops Anchor
12 Dec 2011 | 7:01 amStory and drawings by Mervyn Peake Originally published in Country Life magazine 1939 published in book form by Macmillian 1967 reprinted by Candlewick 2001 The Captain and his oddball crew settle in on an uncharted island where they encounter a creature the color of butter and then... do nothing? The good Captain is a bruiser who has run through his share of crew. His ship, The Black
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Jen Robinson's Book Page
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Betty Bunny Loves Chocolate Cake: MIchael Kaplan
27 Jan 2012 | 10:28 amBook: Betty Bunny Loves Chocolate CakeAuthor: Michael KaplanIllustrator: Stephane JorischPages: 32Age Range: 4-8 Who can resist a picture book about the love of chocolate cake? Well, ok, it's also about patience and deferred gratification. But it's mostly about cake. Betty Bunny Loves Chocolate Cake, written by Michael Kaplan and illustrated by Stephane Jorisch is about young Betty Bunny, a somewhat picky eater who tries chocolate cake for the first time. Her response: "It was the yummiest thing she had ever put in her mouth. "When I grow up, I am going to marry chocolate… -
I'm Quoted in Parenting Magazine
26 Jan 2012 | 1:14 pmSo, I'm flipped through the February issue of Parenting Magazine while I eat lunch. I get to page 36, and there's a picture of several children's book covers. My first reaction is: "Hey neat, those are some of our favorite books". And then I look more closely, and I realize that the reason some of our favorites are highlighted is because the article was based on an interview that I did with Parenting way back last summer. I thought that it was going to be in the November issue, and looked for it then, but things happen, and it didn't pop up (at least in the print… -
Argus: Michelle Knudsen
25 Jan 2012 | 10:51 amBook: ArgusAuthor: Michelle KnudsenIllustrator: Andrea WessonPages: 32Age Range: 5-8 Argus is a tongue-in-cheek picture book that will appeal more, I think, to elementary school kids than to preschoolers. I know it made me laugh out loud on multiple occasions. Argus is written by Michelle Knudsen, author of the lovely Library Lion, and illustrated by Andrea Wesson. It's the story of a classroom in which all of the students have eggs to hatch. Most of the students end up with cute, fluffy little chicks. Sally, on the other hand, ends up with big, green, scaly Argus. The running joke… -
Growing Bookworms Newsletter: ALA Youth Media Awards Edition
23 Jan 2012 | 7:59 pmTonight I will be sending out the new issue of the Growing Bookworms email newsletter. (If you would like to subscribe, you can find a sign-up form here.) The Growing Bookworms newsletter contains content from my blog focused on children's and young adult books and raising readers. There are 1485 subscribers. Currently I am sending the newsletter out once every two weeks. I'm dedicating this issue to today's announcement of the ALA Youth Media Awards (Newbery, Caldecott, Printz, etc.). You can find the complete list of award winners in all categories here. I'm quite… -
The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight: Jennifer E. Smith
23 Jan 2012 | 9:45 amBook: The Statistical Probability of Love at First SightAuthor: Jennifer E. Smith (@JenESmith)Pages: 256Age Range:12 and up The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight is a quick read that takes place over the course of one very long day in the life of 17-year-old Hadley. She misses her original flight to London, where she is scheduled to attend (with much bitterness) her father's second wedding. While waiting for the new flight, however, she meets Oliver, a boy from London who is attending college in the US. The two teens, both in the throes of family dysfunction, connect…
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Writing and Ruminating
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The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
23 Jan 2012 | 8:49 amLast week, I posted two second-hand book reviews, and today's book was the first of the two reviews. (Jennifer Hubbard's sophomore novel, Try Not to Breathe) was the second.) Allow me to say that M's raves about The Fault in Our Stars were entirely well-placed and were, if anything, more circumscribed than they could have been.I'm sure you can find plenty of detailed, thoughtful reviews of this book already, and if that's the sort of review you're looking for, I guess you should look elsewhere. First off, I'm too tired to get myself entirely organized, having finished the book at 2:40 a.m. -
Dear friends,
21 Jan 2012 | 11:12 amThis morning, I am writing to you about my cat.I could be writing to you about my writing, which has been nonexistent this week, though I am feeling the urge to write something this morning, now that M is off to her brother's birthday party and I've got the house to myself for a few hours.I could be writing to you about the weather - how we got a snow storm, and I spent an hour outside shoveling heavy, slushy snow from my sidewalks and driveway, cleared the cars, and shoveled a path for my next-door neighbors, since I know this snow is far too heavy for them to deal with. I could be writing… -
Second-hand reviews
19 Jan 2012 | 5:01 pmThe first is from M, who as many long-time readers know is an avid reader. She's now 17, and she's continued to read lots of novels despite her heavy course-load in high school. She has gotten more selective over the years, as one does when one reads a lot. She doesn't like stale ideas, or things she thinks have been done to death, or lazy writing. (She finds that last item particularly inexcusable, and has been known to rant about lazy authorial choices (e.g., no actual conflict and no casualties in Breaking Dawn - seriously, wind her up and watch her go on that one) and about lazy writing… -
Daniel Radcliffe on success (and fear that it won't last)
18 Jan 2012 | 4:24 pmIn yesterday's post, I mentioned Daniel Radcliffe's interview in PARADE Magazine. The wise Mr. Radcliffe had this to say as well, on a slightly different (fear-related) topic:You've had enormous success for someone so young. Do you fear that it won't last?Yes. But it's reality, not fear. It will happen, and I have accepted that. In a way it's a great relief that I will never, ever do a film as successful as the Harry Potter series. But neither will anybody else. [laughs] Or it will take them a long time.If this success lasts longer, great. If it doesn't, so be it. I've had enough fame to last… -
Daniel Radcliffe on fear
17 Jan 2012 | 10:09 amOur local paper, The Philadelphia Inquirer, includes PARADE Magazine in its Sunday issues. The January 8th edition featured Daniel Radcliffe, who was interviewed as he finished his run on Broadway in How to Succeed in Business . . . and was ramping up to host SNL. And in his interview, he said a little something that resonated with me, perhaps in part because I'd been thinking about what Steven Spielberg said in Entertainment Weekly. Here you are:At 17, when you played the deranged, sometimes naked stable boy onstage in Equus, or this past year starring in your first musical, did you worry…
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The Miss Rumphius Effect
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Award Winners and Poetry
24 Jan 2012 | 11:05 amI know everyone is writing about ALA midwinter and all the awards announced yesterday. Have you taken stock of the poetry on the list? Here's a recap from a poetry perspective.Coretta Scott King Book Awards - Author HonorsThe Great Migration: Journey to the North, written by Eloise Greenfield and illustrated by Jan Spivey GilchristNever Forgotten, written by Patricia C. McKissack and illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon Pura Belpré Author Award Winner AND William C. Morris FinalistUnder the Mesquite, written by Guadalupe Garcia McCallPura… -
Monday Poetry Stretch (On a Tuesday) - Homework
24 Jan 2012 | 10:51 amI've had a hard time getting my homework done these days. Over the weekend my son asked why I still have homework if I'm not in school anymore. Well, technically, I am still in school (and will be in school until they drag me out kicking and screaming), though he doesn't see it this way. I did try to explain that sometimes people just need to bring their work home. My homework consisted of reading through a stack of poetry books published in 2011. Not a bad assignment as far as I'm concerned.My students are complaining about homework, though they're doing it. My son is complaining about his. -
Monday Poetry Stretch - Like LEMONADE or Lawson
10 Jan 2012 | 9:02 pmOkay, I know it's Tuesday (and late on Tuesday), but classes started yesterday and I got a bit behind. Please forgive me!I have been reading and rereading Bob Raczka's book LEMONADE: AND OTHER POEMS SQUEEZED FROM A SINGLE WORD. I'm really impressed by the way he used each word to provide the constraints for the lipogram he wrote. The letters from each word are the only letters allowed in the poem ABOUT that word. It's elegant and probably very difficult to pull off, but we're going to try! For a bit of inspiration, here's one of my favorite poems from the… -
Resources on Pinterest
9 Jan 2012 | 7:55 amI blame my students for seducing me, and Loreen Leedy for finally convincing me to take the plunge. Let me back up. Have you read the post Pinterest for nonfiction (and everything else)! by Loreen Leedy? Leedy has a new book coming out called SEEING SYMMETRY. She has a Pinterest board dedicated to Seeing Symmetry. The images she has found are very cool. I'm already thinking about how I can incorporate these ideas in math this semester.So, based on Loreen's post, I asked her to invite me to Pinterest. I've only started pinning, but what you'll find are largely resources devoted to teaching,… -
Top Five List Continued
4 Jan 2012 | 8:05 pmOkay, here's the recap. In my last post I began the excruciating task of picking my 5 favorite books of 2011. I had to leave for a meeting before I finished, so here are my last two choices. (If you want to know what the other three are, you'll need to check out my last post!)Can We Save the Tiger, written by Martin Jenkins and illustrated by Vicky White - No surprises here. Did you honestly think I'd make a favorite book list and leave out science? I loved a lot of nonfiction picture books this year, but I was especially impressed with Jenkins take on endangered species. The…
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MotherReader
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Comment Challenge: Finish Line
25 Jan 2012 | 6:03 amYou made it! As you finish up with your blog reading today, please check in here or with Lee Wind with your totals. We have fun prizes, so leave us your final stats even if you didn’t make it to five comments a day. We’ll be picking winners from among the 100 Comment Club and also winners from everyone who participated — which requires at the very least signing up and then signing out in today's comments. I hope that the Comment Challenge has helped you connect to the community, find new blogs to read, and increased your comfort with commenting. This year with so many of the SCBWI folks… -
Poetry Friday: A Poem of Pronunciation
20 Jan 2012 | 6:54 amIf you are looking for a way to be more connected to other kidlit bloggers, I can suggest no easier starting point than Poetry Friday. Started over five years ago, the meme host changes every week with the schedule available at KidLitosphere Central. The rotation allows more contributors to feature their site while sharing the workload of the event. Bloggers share original poems, reviews of poetry books, reviews of poetic picture books, links to poems at copyright protected sites, thoughts about poetry, poem writing tips, and more. Then the participants link to the host, submit their own… -
Comment Challenge Check-In II
18 Jan 2012 | 10:16 amI am really loving the Commment Challenge this year because it is getting me paying attention to the blogging world around me. As I make my way through the list of participants - I started in the middle if you're wondering - I'm discovering new-to-me blogs and fresh ideas on writing. Perhaps I've erred some in not focusing on my own blogging content, but there's something to be said for taking a step back and reflecting. The commenting has been coming easy and keeping up the numbers has not been the challenge so much as making the time to do some concentrated blog reading. Along with tracking… -
Science & Stories Program: Snow
13 Jan 2012 | 9:10 amThere’s a new meme in town. STEM Friday focuses on books that promote Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. The round-up this week is hosted at Capstone Connect. Over the year I’ll be sharing the preschool program I created for the library and that I’m presenting once a month. The concept behind the program is to introduce science topics by combining fiction and nonfiction, songs and mini-experiments, action rhymes and hands-on times. The target age for the program is three to six years old, so the information and experiments are basic, and intended to encourage a questioning,… -
Comment Challenge Check-In
11 Jan 2012 | 9:24 amBut not with me, with Papa Lee! Head over and share how the Comment Challenge is working out for you. After a slow start, I've found it surprisingly easy to get back into the grove of commenting. It does take a little more of my online time, but I feel more connected to what I am reading. And to whom I'm reading, because I'm making sure to explore new-to-me blogs. I'll have to talk more about that later. Right now I am on track with my five-a-day comments and loving it. Check in with Lee Wind to share your stories and to tell that nice guy a big Happy Birthday!
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Pinot and Prose
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Bacon and Hazelnut Leeks
18 Jan 2012 | 9:21 amWhy does this happen every year? By the time the New Year comes, I'm so excited for things to wind down a bit. I envision a January that's cozy, quiet, and slow-paced. But that NEVER happens. I don't exaggerate: NEVER. This year has been no different. But it's been okay. As I mentioned before, I've had some exciting changes happen. In mid-December I was hired as a visiting assistant professor at Pratt Institute; I'll be teaching master's level library science students children's and YA literature. I'm ridonkulously excited. I'm also doing… -
Eternal Flame
3 Jan 2012 | 7:00 pmI tried a new recipe during the holidays: Scallops with Chestnut Sauce and Crisp Sage from Food and Wine (November 2009). It was the first time I had encountered these instructions in a recipe: "Add the Cognac and carefully ignite it." Needless to say, I was a bit nervous. Bug had the nerve great idea to film the whole thing...being a child of the millenium and all, she already wants to get everything on camera. So here it is (please ignore my Valley Girl voice and delight in Bug's whispered, "Oh my god"): As you may or may not have been able to tell from the video, I singed… -
Happy New Year's!
3 Jan 2012 | 8:04 amI've mentioned here before how seriously I take New Year's Eve and the few days that precede and follow it. Sure, I party and celebrate with the best of 'em...but I also take a moment for introspection and, truth be known, I shed a few tears of happiness every year. To me, New Year's is one of the rare times when we have no other choice but to live in the moment, straddling what has passed and what is to come. I take stock of what I've done and who I am...and I think about how that'll look going forward. And it's a bonus if I get to share all this with friends and family. -
Excerpt: LUNCH IN PARIS: A LOVE STORY, WITH RECIPES
19 Dec 2011 | 2:30 pmI'm only about a third of the way through Elizabeth Bard's LUNCH IN PARIS: A LOVE STORY, WITH RECIPES, but I'm already hooked. I'm such a Francophile, even when it's of the rose-colored glasses, in-the-middle-of-a-love-affair sort of variety. Bard has an approachable way of writing that makes me want to hang out with her. And, luckily, the food writing is unpretentious and entertaining. I was sitting at Guy and Gallard this morning, reading this book. For those of you who don't know, Guy and Gallard is a small-ish chain here in NYC. They definitely aren't the… -
Meeting Gabrielle Hamilton
12 Dec 2011 | 3:32 pmI shouldn't be allowed to meet anyone remotely well-known (or well-known to me, anyway). I just shouldn't. I get all flustered and dissolve into verbal diarrhea and spend the two weeks post-meeting dissecting every stupid, incoherent thing I said. It happened when I met Eric Rohmann, Kenny Loggins, Armistead Maupin...and the list goes on. That said, there are a number of times when I kept my cool. For example, it didn't happen when I met Mireille Guiliano because I didn't speak a single word to her in an attempt to break my streak (to which Adam later said to me,…
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Poetry for Children
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2012 Sneak Peek
24 Jan 2012 | 8:28 amIt’s sneak peek time! The ALA Midwinter conference was in my backyard this weekend (so fun!) and I was there for the awards announcement yesterday morning. There were a few poetry titles scattered amongst the prizes: Thanhha Lai’s National Book Award winning Inside Out and Back Again received a Newbery honor, the Coretta Scott King Author Award included honor books The Great Migration by Eloise Greenfield and Never Forgotten by Patricia McKissack, and the Pura Belpre Award went to Under the Mesquite by Guadalupe Garcia McCall, with honors to Margarita Engle for Hurricane Dancers. -
Favorite poetry of 2011
30 Dec 2011 | 8:37 pmI’ve been quiet for a bit, celebrating the holidays and taking a much needed end-of-semester break. I’ve also wrapped up several poetry-related projects including two forthcoming articles for the March 2012 issue of Book Links (an article on awards for children’s poetry and an “almanac-like” piece offering 100 poetry books linked to historic or celebration occasions for each day in April). Our annual Librarians’ Choices group also finalized its deliberations on the best 100 books for children and YA and we’ll share those results next month. Of course there are several poetry… -
NCTE Poetry Award Winner J. Patrick Lewis + TOOLBOX
2 Dec 2011 | 9:14 amAlthough I announced the news about the NCTE Excellence in Poetry for Children Award last year, J. Patrick Lewis officially received his award at the most recent NCTE Convention in Chicago. He also presented at a solo session where he read from his works and even shared some “outtakes” from his wonderful SPOT THE PLOT book of book-riddle poems. I shared a tiny clip of him reading two posts ago, fyi.Today I’d like to highlight a new tool that my graduate students (of librarians and teachers) collaborated on this fall to promote the work of Lewis, our NCTE Poetry Awardee AND Children’s… -
Black Friday Poetry: Gift Tag
25 Nov 2011 | 9:49 amI hope everyone enjoyed a lovely Thanksgiving with your favorite people. I did! What are your favorite holiday memories? Your favorite gifts? Janet Wong and I have published our third book in our collection of digital poetry anthologies, a book of holiday poetry for kids—out this week for your holiday shopping consideration. It’s called Gift Tag and it’s an anthology of 28 poems for young people about gifts and giving.Jane Yolen writes about pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving; Douglas Florian about playing with dreidels; Lee Bennett Hopkins about the true meaning of Christmas; J. Patrick Lewis… -
NCTE 2011: 4 Big Poetry Events
23 Nov 2011 | 2:12 pmThere were 4 other poetry-focused events I attended at the NCTE conference (besides my own presentation) that I want to share with you. These included:J. Patrick Lewis speaking as the new recipient of the NCTE Excellence in Poetry for Children awardA "Parade of Poets" featuring all the recipients of the NCTE Excellence in Poetry for Children award with 4 in attendance: J. Patrick Lewis, Nikki Grimes, Eloise Greenfield, and Arnold AdoffThe "Master Class" session for professors of children's literature featuring Joyce Sidman and Pat Mora, as well as professors Trish Bandre and Barbara KieferThe…
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Cynsations
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Cynsational News & Giveaways
27 Jan 2012 | 8:40 amCompiled by Cynthia Leitich Smith for Cynsations The Asian/Pacific American Awards for Literature have been announced.In the Picture Book category, the winner was The House Baba Built: An Artist’s Childhood in China by Ed Young (Little, Brown), and the honor book was Hot Hot Roti for Dada-ji by F. Zia, illustrated by Ken Min (Lee & Low).In the Children's Literature category, the winner was The Great Wall of Lucy Wu by Wendy Wan-Long Shang (Scholastic), and the honor book was Vanished by Sheela Chari (Hyperion).In the Young Adult category, the winner was Orchards by Holly Thompson… -
Guest Post: Jessica Lee Anderson on the Creative Skin We’re In
26 Jan 2012 | 8:48 amLearn more about Jessica.By Jessica Lee Andersonfor Cynthia Leitich Smith's Cynsations One of my favorite quotes comes from Katherine Paterson, author of the Newbery-winning novel Bridge to Terebithia (HarperCollins): “I have often noted that it takes the thinnest skin in the world to be a writer, it takes the thickest to seek out publication. But both are needed—the extreme sensitivity and the hippo hide against criticism.”How can we cultivate the perfect skin as creative souls, the right balance of thin and thick? The thin skin to produce outstanding, unique manuscripts, and the thick… -
Interview: Greg & Cynthia Leitich Smith on Diabolical
25 Jan 2012 | 8:56 amCandlewick & Walker Aus. NZBy Greg Leitich Smithfor CynsationsCongratulations on the release of Diabolical - book 4 in the Tantalize series! How did this novel come to be?Thank you! The original idea behind the Tantalize series was that Bram Stoker’s classic horror novel Dracula is loosely based on truth. Each of my first four books in the series is contemporary but moves closer to that source material. Quickly...In book 1, Tantalize, we meet a many-times great niece of one of Van Helsing’s original vampire hunters.In book 2, Eternal, we learn of the Mantle of Dracul, or the… -
Release Day & Giveaway: Diabolical by Cynthia Leitich Smith
24 Jan 2012 | 8:32 amBy Cynthia Leitich Smithfor CynsationsClick to enlarge!Enter to win a Diabolical giveaway! The grand prize includes:In honor of the character Kieren.(were)wolf hand puppet(were)otter finger puppet(vampire) bat finger puppetTantalize series tie-in buttonsGreetings from Vermont postcard (not pictured; see link) angel tokens Codex Gigas necklace (yikes!)signed copy of Diabolical by Cynthia Leitich Smith Plus, sent separately...I HEART My Guardian Angel mug; and...I HEART My Guardian Angel T-shirt (winner's choice of sizes and styles; available in white, light blue, light yellow and pink); or... -
Guest Post: Monica Brown on Marisol McDonald Doesn't Match
23 Jan 2012 | 9:22 amBy Monica Brownfor Cynthia Leitich Smith's Cynsations Over the years, I have become known for writing children’s biographies—in 2004, my first picture book, My Name is Celia: The Life of Celia Cruz/Me Llamo Celia: La Vida de Celia Cruz, illustrated by Rafael López (Rising Moon, 2004) won the Américas Book Award and a Pura Belpré illustration honor, and with that launch, I was off and running.As a professor of Latino/a and Latin American literature, it was my pleasure to introduce writers such as Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Pablo Neruda not only to college students, but to children, who…
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Blog from the Windowsill
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kindle users, act fast
21 Jan 2012 | 3:51 pmFalcon's Dragon by Luli Gray is free today for the Kindle but probably won't be for long. This is two books in one: I don't think I ever read book 2 and I can't seem to dig up my review for book 1, but I remember thinking highly of it. The blurbs from review journals would seem to support that opinion. -
Merry Christmas to me!
23 Dec 2011 | 12:15 pmI just discovered that Sylvia Louise Engdahl's out of print YA books (and some new adult titles) are available as ebooks. They're at all the major sellers, but if you buy them from Smashwords they're DRM free, available in all formats, and reasonably priced. -
Nonfiction Monday: Celebrate Hanukkah
20 Nov 2011 | 4:42 pmCelebrate Hanukkah by Deborah Heiligman. National Geographic, 2008 (1-4263-0293-0) $6.95 pbAside from a short mention of how astronaut Jeffrey Hoffman spun the dreidel in zero gravity -- "it spins forever!" -- the most notable feature of this nonfiction book is the color photographs, which show Jewish children and Hanukkah celebrations all over the world. How fascinating to see Jews celebrating in India, Uganda and Rome. The text is simple and a little dull; surprisingly, the most interesting sections are in the collected information at the end, which includes a map of where the photos were… -
Admittedly, I haven't read it in many years
17 Nov 2011 | 12:06 pm... but it is just me that finds it kind of odd that netGalley lists Phillip Hall Likes Me, I Reckon Maybe under "Romance"? -
I confess -- I cried
24 Oct 2011 | 1:22 amSo my husband and I just happened to be in the New York Public Library (!) and were checking out their 100 year exhibit. I'd been looking at the few exhibits related to children's books, when my husband nudged me towards a case in the middle of the room I must have walked past without noticing three or four times.And there they were. Scuffed, worn, dirty, grey... loved. Pooh, Tigger, Kanga. Truly tiny Piglet. Eeyore. (No Owl, Rabbit or Roo -- poor Kanga!) I'd known there were there, but I'd completely forgotten.Museums and libraries are amazing things.(This explains why no Roo, but did Owl…
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BookMoot
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Award Winning Happiness
25 Jan 2012 | 10:55 pmALA Youth Media Awards Day is something like a high holy day in the Kidlitosphere. -- The anticipation -- the predictions --and in my case the recognition that my TBR list grows ever longer. When I heard the news that Jack Gantos had been awarded the 2012 Newbery Award for his novel Dead End in Norvelt, I was elated and began firing off emails to other members of the entwood here to let them know the momentous news. I highly recommend the audio version of the book read by Gantos himself. It is an excellent way to enjoy this semi-autobiographical tale. He knows where he… -
Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins
21 Dec 2011 | 11:20 pmMy family room coffee table is covered with picture books of the season. In honor of Hanukkah, tonight we read Eric Kimmel's marvelous Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins. This is one my very favorite read-alouds to share. Eric Kimmel is a commanding storyteller. I treasure my signed copy of this classic. Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins by Eric A. Kimmel, illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman, 1989 Hershel is courageous and cunning as he faces some evil goblins who ruin Hanukkah for the town folk every year. In order to break their evil hold over the village, someone must stay in… -
Happy Thanksgiving!
24 Nov 2011 | 2:20 pmHappy Thanksgiving everyone!The classic WKRP Turkey Drop. -
Nonfiction Monday: Enrique Esparza and the Battle of the Alamo
21 Nov 2011 | 7:31 amEnrique Esparza and the Battle of the Alamo (History Speaks: Picture Books Plus Reader's Theaterby Susan Taylor Brown; illustrated by Jeni Reeves, 2011. (review copy) Texas history is the focus of fourth grade social studies in the Lone Star state. That is a happy year for those students as they study the story of the state's founding and its struggle for independence. Texans regard their state's symbolic birth at the Alamo with a mixture of pride and reverence. I have observed that by the time they revisit the story in 7th grade with its overlay of government and civics and junior high… -
Movie: Trailer for The Hunger Games
20 Nov 2011 | 3:32 pm
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Read alert
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Zinemaking Challenge
25 Jan 2012 | 8:05 pmHave you got that craft-itch in your fingers and words you want to say? A fondness for folding paper? Do you feel like getting zine-y? Sticky Institute are running Target 168 - the mission, should you choose to accept it, is to create a zine in one week. From 5 February it’s scissors, paper, photocopiers, and staplers a-go-go! You can take part from anywhere in the country, but you do need to register – check out their blog for details. If you’re lucky enough to live in Melbourne you can also be involved in Sticky’s Festival of the Photocopier (4-18 February),… -
Booklist: Fantastic Monsters of the Deep
24 Jan 2012 | 10:29 pmI’ve been reading some amazing books over the last few weeks, all of which seem to be about creatures from the sea and their spellbinding effect on the humans they interact with. Yes, it’s an age old theme, but I’m wondering if there’s been a recent sea change in YA literature from the terrestrial paranormal beasties (vampires, werewolves, faeries et. al.) and now we’re exploring the potential of other unusual and legendary creatures who inhabit the darkly unpredictable depths of the sea: merpeople, seals and sea horses…? I’m sure there are many… -
Review: Bloodflower by Christine Hinwood
24 Jan 2012 | 4:57 pmThis is more a re-review. In honour of yesterday’s awards we thought to draw your attention to Bloodflower once more. Adele, in her disguise as Persnickety Snark, reviewed Bloodflower way back in ‘09. Cam has a hunger, an always-hunger; it drives him from home, to war, from north to south. When he returns from war alone – all his fellow soldiers slain – suspicion swirls around him. He’s damaged in body and soul, yet he rides a fine horse and speaks well of his foes. What has he witnessed? Where does his true allegiance lie? How will life unfold for his little… -
Awards Day
23 Jan 2012 | 5:37 pmToday requires some celebrating! The 2012 Printz award was announced today – congratulations to John Corey Whaley for his book Where Things Come Back – along with a few notable (Australian) mentions- Christine Hinwood (The Returning, also known as Bloodflower here in little ole Aus) and Craig Silvey (Jasper Jones) -made up part of the 2012 Honor Books winners. Honor, honour?! Who cares how they spell it! They still have great taste. Not to mention an honouree mention for the Stonewall Book Award- Lili Wilkinson (for her work in Pink). Just as a freaky fact: they’re all Allen… -
‘Net News: 23rd January 2012
22 Jan 2012 | 9:08 pm1. Fast Food and Books. McDonald’s UK has recently signed a deal with Harper Collins to include a series of books from the Mudpuddle Farm range with any Happy Meal. A business decision to be sure, but I can’t help but feel a little gratified that even a big chain like McDonald’s knows the value and success of books for children. They’re following in Sweden’s very successful book and Happy Meal shoes. I was intrigued by a few of the comments at the end of the article, much in the vein of the book is being forced on the children when all they’ll want is a…
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THE PLANETESME PLAN
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NEWBERY AND CALDECOTT PREDICTIONS!
22 Jan 2012 | 11:30 pmHello, friends! Catching up a bit as I am still finding a balance between blogging, mom-ming, grad school, cake-frosting and being a full-time public school teacher librarian, but I haven't forgotten our fun and am busy compiling a list of this year's best. Meanwhile, I can't resist sharing my picks for the 2011 American Library Association's Newbery and Caldecott Awards, the "Oscars" of the children's book world, to be announced tomorrow morning. Here's where I am laying my bets:WITH A NAME LIKE LOVE by first-time author Tess Hilmo (Farrar, Straus and Giroux). how exciting it… -
TIME FOR A HUG (PICTURE BOOK)
11 Dec 2011 | 3:13 pmBook du Jour: TIME FOR A HUG by Phyllis Gershator and Mim Green, illustrated by David Walker (Sterling)Wash our faces,comb our hair,choose the clotheswe like to wear.Eat from a bowl,drink from a mug--What time is it?Time for a hug! Tick tock, hours on a clock click off tidily in verse, taking us through the joys of a preschooler's everyday life (as well as the first ten digits). A tender addition to any baby shower book basket!Links are provided for informational use. Don't forget to support your local bookseller.More Esmé stuff at www.planetesme.com. -
THE HAUNTED HAMBURGER (PICTURE BOOK)
27 Oct 2011 | 11:33 pmBook du Jour:THE HAUNTED HAMBURGER AND OTHER GHOSTLY STORIES by David LaRochelle, illustrations by Paul Meisel (Dutton)Seriously. Do I need to tell you why you need to add a book called THE HAUNTED HAMBURGER to your children's collection?! For practicing pedagogues, you'll find it will become one of your seasonal go-to's, featuring three vignettes: "The Scary Baby," "The Haunted Hamburger" and "The Big Bad Granny," all told as bedtime stories to frighten a little ghost. The stories conjure up way more laughs than shivers (especially when one poor ghost is fated to become a… -
LOVE TWELVE MILES LONG (PICTURE BOOK)
12 Oct 2011 | 9:58 pmBook du Jour:LOVE TWELVE MILES LONG by Glenda Armand, illustrated by Colin Bootman (Lee & Low)Inspired by the life of the great orator and abolitionist Frederick Douglass, a mother separated from her son by slavery visits him, recounting every mile of the journey (first mile for forgetting, fourth mile for looking up, sixth mile for praying, seventh for singing), and giving her son the steps toward his own freedom. A stirring and hopeful read-aloud, this is a must-have for Black history, history of the American Civil War, the Antebellum South and slavery, and also for great moments… -
WITCHES! (NONFICTION)
1 Oct 2011 | 9:48 pmBook du Jour:WITCHES! THE ABSOLUTELY TRUE TALE OF DISASTER IN SALEM by Rosalyn Schanzer (National Geographic)Ask: does your child know about the Salem Witch Trials? How about you?! Then you need this little chapbook, so chillingly adorned with black, white and red scratchboard illustrations and teeming with the primary sources and historical regret that the subject deserves. You also need WITCH HUNT: MYSTERIES OF THE SALEM WITCH TRIALS by Marc Aronson, which does a good job of exploring the role of peer pressure in the trials, making it very relevant to tweenagers, and…
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childrens-book « WordPress.com Tag Feed
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There's MONSTERS under the bed!!
17 Jan 2012 | 1:43 pmMonsters Under the Bed Children’s Book Illustration Digital Not positive if I’m 100% done with this yet; not sure if I’m settled on the lettering and I’m contemplating on adding in another monster… welllll, for now, and until I get the moment to revisit – if I decide it needs to be tweaked – we shall call it COMPLETE. :) Sooo, YAY, another digital piece for my portfolio and website, DONE! -
Book Review - Jack's Garden
17 Jan 2012 | 11:45 amWritten and illustrated by Henry Cole 32 pages, published by Greenwillow Books ‘Jack’s Garden’ is a book that builds on each page much like, ‘There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly’. The story is simple, it’s the progression of a garden that Jack has planted. The pictures are thick with composition and rich with biological illustration. I love the Cover illustration. I love the large, thick, bold type with the illustrations weaving through it. I also love how all the illustrations are framed/boxed in, but the illustrations don’t feel… -
Book Review - Rumpelstiltskin
17 Jan 2012 | 10:52 amWritten and illustrated by Paul Galdone Clarion Books 1985 – 40 pages I was drawn to this book because of the rich hues and heavy line drawing. When I finished the book, I thought, what a crappy story! Seriously! But the illustrations are interesting. They are composed with loose, line drawings that fill the pages with people, texture and color. I loved the first page. The first page has minimal text, rich color, movement, and a beautiful girl. I reread the story a second time and I realized what this book was about, right on the first page. The allure is the beautiful… -
Zac Master: The Rock SuperHero Comic Book
17 Jan 2012 | 8:58 amZac Master: The Rock SuperHero Comic Book, a photo by ZacMaster on Flickr. Sometime in the late 1990′s, an airliner carrying the rock superstar, Zac Master and his band to a concert in London, England mysteriously disappears over the Atlantic Ocean. All were presumed lost forever until Zac Master and the band rocket back upon the music scene more than fifteen years later. Over the internet, the mystery intensifies as the band becomes more popular and hotter than ever…Amazingly, the disappearance and whereabouts of Zac Master can’t be explained. All that matters to the fans is that… -
The Last Chance Texaco - Free from Amazon Kindle Store
17 Jan 2012 | 6:27 amThe Last Chance Texaco by Brent Hartinger is free today in the Amazon Kindle store, and has received an average user rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars based on 25 customer reviews. You can pick up your free copy by clicking here or typing in http://amzn.to/yiZIW5 into your computer’s web browser. Category: Children Here is the book’s description from the Amazon website: Grade 7-10–Lucy Pitt is 15 when she is sent to Kindle Home, a group home and her last chance at a semi-normal life. If she makes any errors, she’ll be sent to the high-security facility known as Eat-Their-Young…
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A Fuse #8 Production
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Review of the Day: And Then It’s Spring by Julie Fogliano
26 Jan 2012 | 11:00 pmAnd Then It’s Spring By Julie Fogliano Illustrated by Erin E. Stead A Neal Porter Book, Roaring Brook Press (an imprint of Macmillan) $16.99 ISBN: 978-1-59643-624-4 Ages 4-8 On shelves February 14th Patience is a virtue. Riiiiiight. Actually it is, but tell that to anyone under the age of fifteen (to pick an arbitrary age). Though it varies from child to child, immediate satisfaction is something our day and age strives to give us in everything from grocery shopping to movie selection. When kids can just hop on the internet and within less than a minute be connected to the sites they want… -
Fusenews: Goodbye Goodbye, Columbus
25 Jan 2012 | 11:00 pmOh, you think the award season is done, old bean? Why we have only but BEGUN to hand out the 2011 awards! The Newberys, Caldecotts, and other ALA Media Awards are just the tip of the old iceberg. There are so many others to explore. For example, did you get a chance to really examine the 2012 Notable Children’s Books list from ALSC that was recently released? Absolutely fascinating stuff. Some books delight, some baffle, and some I’ve not even heard of. To the library! Don’t forget that the Sydney Taylor Awards were given out recently too. Offered to books… -
Review of the Day: Forgive Me, I Meant to Do It by Gail Carson Levine
24 Jan 2012 | 11:00 pmForgive Me, I Meant to Do It: False Apology Poems By Gail Carson Levine Illustrated by Matthew Cordell Harper (an imprint of Harper Collins) $15.99 ISBN: 978-0-06-178725-6 Ages 5-10 On shelves March 13th I tend to run my bookgroup for kids between the ages of 9-12 like a gentle dictatorship. I choose the books, the kids vote on them, and so it goes. Now if the kids had their way we’d be reading fantasy novels day in and day out every single week. With that in mind, I like to try to make them read something a little different once in a while. For example, one week I might try to get them to… -
Newbery / Caldecott / Etc. 2012: Post Awards Edition
23 Jan 2012 | 11:00 pmSince it’s apparently football season (or at least that’s what the trending topics on Twitter seem to imply) think of this as a kind of post-game recap of what went on yesterday in the land of ALA Media Awards. Each year I like to look at what I got right, what I got wrong, what I got horrendously wrong, and what I got so wrong that it’s a miracle I’m even allowed to blog anymore. And because I believe in eating my cake before my dinner, we’ll start at the top and work our way down (metaphorically speaking). First up: Newbery Winners: I Got Them Moves Like… -
Review of the Day: The Great Cake Mystery by Alexander McCall Smith
22 Jan 2012 | 11:00 pmThe Great Cake Mystery: Precious Ramotswe’s Very First Case By Alexander McCall Smith Illustrated by Iain McIntosh Anchor Books $12.99 ISBN: 978-0-307-94944-8 Ages 7-10 On shelves April 3rd There was once a time, best beloved, when the early chapter book section of your local lending library was a veritable wasteland of white characters. Oh, every once in a while you might be able to get your hands on Stories Julian Tells or My Name is Maria Isabel but by and large they were it, man. Then, in the last ten years or so, something changed. Suddenly there was an influx of great books starring…
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Michael Gerson: Most Recent Articles and Archives
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The net tightens around Joseph Kony
26 Jan 2012 | 7:11 pmDUNGU, Congo Francoise, age 16, talks quietly, revealing a shy smile only after praise for her tight cornrows. While walking to school four years ago, she and some classmates were captured by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). The girls were distributed to soldiers as “wives.” In the mornings, Francoise cooked. In the afternoons, she carried packs on the march. When she tried to escape, the soldiers melted a water container and poured the plastic on her shoulders. Once, when the fighters saw two infants along the path, they crushed them with a pestle. “I witnessed that,” she says. -
Newt Gingrich, the man who knows too much
23 Jan 2012 | 6:54 pmSome persistence is merely doggedness. Newt Gingrich’s persistence is a form of confidence — the firm belief that, given enough time and enough debates, his skills will prevail. He knows how to probe an opponent’s weakness, how to humiliate a journalist, how to employ an applause line and how to parry an uncomfortable question. The anti-Romneys who came before him were chosen more or less at random. Gingrich has earned his surge that produced a 13-point victory in South Carolina on Saturday. Read full article >> -
The Americans no one wants to talk about
19 Jan 2012 | 7:05 pmIt is an achievement of the Tea Party and Occupy Wall Street movements to have raised large issues of economic freedom and economic inequality. It is a paradox that their arguments have generally been vague, ideological and unhelpful. Read full article >> -
Climate and the culture war
16 Jan 2012 | 6:41 pmThe attempt by Newt Gingrich to cover his tracks on climate change has been one of the shabbier little episodes of the 2012 presidential campaign. His forthcoming sequel to “A Contract with the Earth” was to feature a chapter by Katharine Hayhoe, a young professor of atmospheric sciences at Texas Tech University. Hayhoe is a scientist, an evangelical Christian and a moderate voice warning of climate disruption. Read full article >> -
Newt Gingrich’s party of one
12 Jan 2012 | 6:30 pmA fifth-place finish in New Hampshire is not usually the slingshot into a two-way race for the Republican nomination, but Newt Gingrich can reasonably make the case. The former House speaker stands second to Mitt Romney among Republicans in national polling. He ties for second in South Carolina. He is a clear second in Florida. With Rick Perry finishing just 800 votes ahead of Buddy Roemer in New Hampshire, Gingrich can claim to be the last viable Southerner in the race. He commands money for ads. And he has secured the all-important Todd Palin endorsement. Read full article >>
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Semicolon
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Saturday Review of Books: January 28, 2012
27 Jan 2012 | 9:24 pm“I figured I would have read so many books by now that I would have some measure of wisdom. But really, it’s hard to feel wise while raising kids. And there are so many more books to read.” ~Edward Petit, The Bibliothecary So, feeling quite unwise, and with so many books yet to read, not to mention Bible study to do, and children to raise, here’s this Saturday’s edition of the Saturday Review of Books. Come one, come all. Welcome to the Saturday Review of Books at Semicolon. Here’s how it usually works. Find a book review on your blog posted sometime during the… -
1954: Books and Literature
26 Jan 2012 | 1:56 pmThe National Book Award went to The Adventures of Augie March by Saul Bellow. My mom once took a course in Modern Jewish literature, and I typed her papers for her. I learned all about Saul Bellow, Nathaniel West and Bernard Malamud by osmosis, so to speak, enough to know that Malamud would be my favorite of the trio. In fact, I actually read Malamud’s The Fixer (1966) and at least started Augie March, but Bellow didn’t interest me. Ernest Hemingway won the Nobel Prize for Literature. Newbery Medal for children’s literature: And Now Miguel by Joseph Krumgold. -
1955: Events and Inventions
26 Jan 2012 | 9:26 amJanuary, 1955. The Chinese Communist People’s Liberation Army seizes the Yijiangshan Islands from the Republic of China (Taiwan). The United States Congress authorizes President Dwight D. Eisenhower to use force to protect Taiwan from the People’s Republic of China. January 22, 1955. The Pentagon announces a plan to develop ICBMs (intercontinental ballistic missiles) armed with nuclear weapons. February 19, 1955. The Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO) is formed. SEATO’s members include Australia, France, New Zealand, Pakistan, the Philippines, Thailand, the United… -
1954: Events and Inventions
25 Jan 2012 | 10:09 amFebruary 23, 1954. Lt. Col. Gamal Abdel Nasser becomes premier of Egypt. He will rule Egypt as a virtual dictator until his death in 1970. April, 1954. The new Salk polio vaccine is being tested on nearly one million children in the United States. It is hoped that the disease will be eradicated by the use of this vaccine. May 6, 1954. British medical student Roger Bannister runs the mile in under four minutes, three minutes, 59.4 seconds to be exact. No one thought the mile could be run in under four minutes, and some predicted that the exertion of attempting it would kill the runner. -
1955: Arts and Entertainment
24 Jan 2012 | 8:57 pmTennesse Ernie Ford has a huge hit with the song 16 Tons: Tennessee Ernie Ford’s version was released on October 17th 1955. Nine days later, it had sold 400,000 copies. By November 10th, it had sold another 600,000 to become the fastest-selling million-seller in pop history, a record it retains to this day. By December 15th, it had sold two million. It was Number One for seven weeks before being displaced by Dean Martin’s “Memories Are Made Of This”. Who’d have thought there was so much gravy in a singalong about the unrelenting grinding misery of coal mining? When something’s…
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Mad Woman in the Forest
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Doctors, an ambulance, & a big confession
21 Jan 2012 | 9:25 pm-- Sooo…. yeah, you haven’t seen much of me lately. This post will explain why. I feel that so many of you are my friends, and you share the good and the not-so-good with friends, right? Some of you know that the last 18 months have been a struggle for me. The doctor couldn’t figure out what was wrong. I was able to exercise*, but I couldn’t concentrate on anything. Even reading was a challenge. I tried and tried to write, but the pages I composed weren’t even worthy of the compost bin. There were other weird symptoms that I won’t bore you with. Bottom… -
Whoopi Goldberg Reads Banned Books
6 Dec 2011 | 2:33 pm-- Whoopi Goldberg and Shel Silverstein – what a wonderful combination!!!! -
Penguin Authors Stand Up for Free Speech
5 Dec 2011 | 12:57 pm-- What do you think? Let me know in Comments or be a part of the conversation on Twitter. -
CATALYST!
17 Nov 2011 | 1:56 pmThe wonderful, wonderful people at Penguin (actually, the Puffin imprint) have come up with a new cover for CATALYST. What do you think? Will teens reach for it? -
Birthdays, Marathon Running, and Life
1 Nov 2011 | 6:52 pmThis time last year I turned 49 years old – a few weeks after our youngest kid went to college and in the middle of the FORGE book tour. Immediately I started to think about what it would mean to turn 50. In the decade between my 40th and 50th birthdays, I wrote and published six novels and three picture books. I also spent roughly one thousand days – 2.7 years travelling to schools, conferences, and on book tour. And I got divorced, remarried, moved twice, took care of dying parents, cheered from the sidelines as our first three kids navigated the shoals of high school and…
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Holly Black
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Black Heart ARC Contest Ends Next Week
25 Jan 2012 | 12:43 pmOnly six more days until the end! -
Wooo! Kirkus Starred Review for BLACK HEART!
20 Jan 2012 | 2:49 amI am seriously thrilled! That last line is pretty much what every writer would like to hear, methinks.The conclusion to Black’s brilliant and unusual Curse Workers trilogy lives up to its predecessors. After everything he’s been through, it’s hard to believe Cassel has any more tricks up his sleeve: He's figured out the truth about himself and signed on as a Fed-in-training, as has his charming and utterly unreliable older brother. But of course things don’t go as planned; there are a lot of long cons Cassel has set in play or disrupted whose ripples are… -
Being Tweeted At By Your Own Characters
20 Jan 2012 | 12:59 am...is just bizarre.Someone is playing Roiben on Twitter.Mostly he appears to drink a lot and threaten to stab people, which I guess is what the internet brings out in everyone, even faeries. -
Doodle 4 Google
19 Jan 2012 | 9:14 amLet all the young artists in your life know that I’m a Guest Judge for this year’s Doodle 4 Google competition. The winning doodler’s artwork will be featured on Google’s homepage where millions of visitors will see it. In addition, the lucky winner will get a $30,000 college scholarship and a $50,000 tech grant for their school. I’m excited to see all of the wonderful artwork! For more information: http://goo.gl/dQuTc -
The new COVERS and BLACK HEART excerpt
17 Jan 2012 | 7:11 pmSo by now, you may have seen the new covers for the Curse Worker series. If not, here they are: This has proven to be a tricky series to find the right jackets for and I am really excited by this new direction. It was described to me as the sort of cover that might go on a very modern edition of The Great Gatsby and I think that's a fantastic way of looking at them.There are two questions I've been asked a lot: What do you think of the new covers?I really love them. I love the way they're evocative of art deco and by extension the Prohibition era. My favorite is RED GLOVE. I really adore the…
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Among Amid While
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Sea Hearts Tasmanian launch, Hobart Book Shop
25 Jan 2012 | 2:20 pmIf you're in Hobart next Thursday night, 2 February, please feel free to turn up unannounced and un-RSVP'd to the double launch of Sea Hearts and Tansy Rayner Roberts's Reign of Beasts at the Hobart Book Shop in Salamanca Square.Rowena Cory Daniells will launch Reign of Beasts, the final book in Tansy's The Creature Court trilogy.Richard Harland, Worldshaker author, will launch Sea Hearts.The fun -
Jackie Morris hearts The Brides
25 Jan 2012 | 1:57 pmArtist Jackie Morris blogs a Brides review with a difference. "The character of Misskaella who exacts a terrible revenge on the men and the women of Rollrock with a simple act of magic and how this balances in her own life and story."The powerful ‘seeing’ of the thin veils between worlds."The description of how Misskaella finds the creature inside the seal and pinpoints the star like marks of -
Revising a chunk of selkie-novel
25 Jan 2012 | 1:48 pmOver here at Maggie Stiefvater's blog, she hosts not one, not two, but TEN writers; we each take a chunk of our own novel or story, scribble all over it and explain why we revise the way we do. It's fascinating for anyone interested in the close work of revision. -
Sea Hearts/Brides first reviews
23 Jan 2012 | 10:28 amJust a few reviews have started to trickle out, getting the world ready for publication day (1 Feb here in Australia, 2 Feb in the UK). The Bookbag, in the UK, says that Brides is"powerful, beautiful, dangerous, unsettling, truthful, earthy, challenging, poetic, wonderful, absorbing. I can't recommend it highly enough. Margo Lanagan has a unique, uncompromising and lyrical voice and she brings it -
2011 publications
4 Jan 2012 | 5:14 pmFor my own and others' reference, here are the stories I published last year:'Catastrophic Disruption of the Head' (9800 words), in The Wilful Eye, vol. 1 of Tales from the Tower, ed. Isobelle Carmody and Nan McNab, Allen & Unwin 'The Proving of Smollett Standforth' (4800), in Ghosts by Gaslight: Stories of Steampunk and Supernatural Suspense, ed. Jack Dann and Nick Gevers, HarperCollins'Mulberry
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Justine Larbalestier
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Writing Goals Reduxing the Redux
17 Jan 2012 | 6:54 pmBack in 2006 I posted my writing goals. Then I updated it in 2008 with the publication of How To Ditch Your Fairy and then again in 2009 after Liar came out. My goals are not stuff like Become NYT Bestselling Author or Win Nobel Prize.1 Winning prizes and making bestseller lists is not something anyone can control,2 but I can control what I write. So that’s what my goals are. Simple, really.3 So the following are categories that I plan to publish a book in. When I publish a book in a given category I cross that category out. I also randomly add categories when they occur to me. Mostly,… -
Last Day of 2011 (Updated)
30 Dec 2011 | 6:02 pmThis is my annual post where I sum up what happened in my professional life in that year and look ahead to what’s going to happen in 2012. I do this so I can have a handy record that I can get to in seconds. (Hence the “last day of the year” tag.) This was not a fabulous year for me but it was a whole lot worse for so many other people around the world that whingeing would be tacky. I’ll focus on the good: Finally, finally, finally we were able to announce, Sarah Rees Brennan and I, that we wrote a book together, Team Human, which is all about how having your best… -
My Books of Electrons!
7 Nov 2011 | 8:35 amOne of the most frequent queries I get is: “Are your books e-books yet?” For a long time, they were not and I could only respond in the negative. This was never a very satisfactory reply. Not for me, because I dreamed of having books of electrons, and piteously begged my publishers to make it so.1 And certainly not for the would-be purchaser of said electrificated tomes. “No, sorry they’re not,” I would say mournfully. They would demand to know, “Why? What is wrong with you that your books are only available as piles of extruded wood pulp? Electrify your… -
Because No One Should Suffer Alone
24 Sep 2011 | 1:25 pmI am hard at work in the writing-sequel-to-Team-Human, researching-the-1930s word & image mines, which led to watching “The Truth About Youth” (1930). Man raises best friend’s son (known as the Imp) after best friend dies and encourages a match between the Imp and his housekeeper’s daughter (Loretta Young). But the Imp is in love with wicked exotic dancer, Myrna Loy, and Loretta Young is in love with the guardian. (Oh no! How can they resolve such a mess?) It’s not bad by early talkie standards. (I.e. it’s bad by any other standards.) The problem with… -
Sekrit Project Revealed!
16 Sep 2011 | 12:22 pmI have very exciting NEWS! I wrote a book! The book is sold! It will be out early next year! Even more exciting and this is the best part: I DID NOT WRITE THIS BOOK ALONE. I wrote it with Sarah Rees Brennan, who is not only a wonderful friend, but one of my favourite writers. The book is called Team Human. It will be published by Allen & Unwin in Australia and Harper Collins in North America and will be out in April/May 2012. And here is the cover, which totally proves this is all real: (We got to sit in on the photo shoot for it. Fancy, huh?) Writing Team Human was the most fun…
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westerblog
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Tally Revealed!
27 Jan 2012 | 7:13 pmI was all ready to reveal the manga version of Tally this week, and then realized that I didn’t have the final versions of the right pages. Oops. Then there was a bit of miscommunication, but now at last I have them! So we are delaying Fan Art Friday (often known as Fan Art Sunday) for the Tally character reveal. Remember that Shay’s Story (AKA “The Uglies Manga”) is all from Shay’s POV, and therefore starts about six months before the events of Uglies, back when Shay and Zane are pals. So Tally doesn’t enter until Zane and Shay have planned to run away and… -
Fan Art Friday (For Realz)
21 Jan 2012 | 11:14 pmOkay, it’s time to get rid of our protest-y black boxes, and check out the real version of FAF. My apologies for making you wait! Here’s CatieKay’s rendition of a CERTAIN SCENE from Goliath. Super atmospheric, with lightning! For some reason, the katakana in the lower left is defeating me. Can anybody translate? (Ka-i-ri-so? My Japanese sucks these days.) And from Unforgiven-Unloved, check out Alek’s expression. He is in LURVE. And the last of the SOPA-edits is AvistheArtistGeek, with her Leviathan Xmas decorations. 3-D FAF! Just imagine little wee Deryn climbing up a… -
Fan Art Friday (SOPA Edition)
18 Jan 2012 | 6:39 amIn celebration of the Protect Intellectual Property Act (PIPA) and Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) currently being considered by the US Congress, this week’s Fan Art Friday will be 100% copyright compliant! All SOPA-offending elements, such as the remixing and recasting of copyrighted characters and situations, have been censored for your viewing pleasure. Let’s start with this lovely image by CatieKay: Pretty sweet, huh? How about those two random people having a possibly intimate moment atop an entirely generic (and thus non-copyrightable) flying whale-beast! Sure, we can’t… -
Alpha Taking Applications
17 Jan 2012 | 5:41 pmAre you a young writer? Ever thought of going to writing boot camp? If so, here’s quick word from my pals at the Alpha Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Worship for Young Writers: “The Alpha SF/F/H Workshop for Young Writers (ages 14-19) will be held July 18-27, 2012 in Pittsburgh, PA. At Alpha, students can meet others who share their interest in writing science fiction, fantasy, and horror. They can learn about writing and publishing from guest authors, including Tamora Pierce and Kij Johnson. Also, they will write and revise a short story during the workshop. Applications… -
Belated FAF
14 Jan 2012 | 10:09 pmIt’s Sunday afternoon here in Sydney, and late Saturday night in the US, which can only mean one thing: Fan Art Friday! Of course, I have an excuse for being slow, which is that I ended the week with a big reveal of Zane from Uglies: Shay’s Story, the graphic novel/manga version of how Shay met the original ugly Crims. (A lot of you thought Zane was insufficiently ugly. Of course, uglies in the Tally’s world aren’t really ugly, just normal. That is the point of the series, by the way!) Ever since saying I was out of fan art, I’ve been deluged. So I won’t be…
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deborah wiles: field notes
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mid-month check-in
17 Jan 2012 | 2:45 pmWhew. I'm almost three weeks in to this year of being mostly home and I'm realizing lots of things: :: Helpers are fun. Abby is digesting The Good Earth so I don't have to. Sunny is reading The Good Earth in book two, as well as 16 Magazine. :: Juicing is not my thing. I miss cooking too much. I felt good when following a whole foods, plant-based diet and have gone back to it. :: I want to write something for young readers that includes cooking. :: Music *is* my thing. I'm enjoying the playlist that's coming together for book two. I'm enjoying watching the piano… -
1 down, 51 to go
6 Jan 2012 | 11:48 amI woke at 4am, wide awake, worried about my IRS appeal. hahahaha. Well, it's true. I've been hit with a penalty for late filing, but I filed an extension before my tax deadline. The IRS evidently didn't receive the extension, and my accountant didn't send the paperwork by return receipt or delivery confirmation. So I called the IRS last month, and we are working it out, and all will be well, but I have this paperwork to do, you see. And I didn't do it this week. I wrote, every day, twice a day. Hooray! But I need dedicated time to do paperwork, time when I'm not chomping to get back to… -
new year, new routines
4 Jan 2012 | 9:16 amThis year I am home more than away for the first time in ten years. I have four gigs (as Jim calls them) in 2012, each purposely chosen for certain reasons we'll get to during the year when I actually do travel. I can't tell you how strange it feels to be looking into January and not planning for travel. Frees and lets loose all kinds of energy. Other than those four working travels, I am home this year to write. I have big plans. I'll parse them out over the year, here, so let me start by saying I'm working on book two of the sixties trilogy now, trying to get the draft to where I can… -
all kinds of progress
14 Dec 2011 | 1:17 pmAnd (ab0ve and below) preparing for long days in the writing chair after Christmas. This is progress, too. -
preparing for the work ahead
8 Dec 2011 | 2:15 pmJust home from three days on the road, my last travel of the year. Thanks so much to everyone at Ridgeview School and Rock Springs School in Tennessee. I saw students in grades K through 8, spoke at a family literacy night, and worked a half-day with teachers. Whew. We had fun and did good work together. Today is for re-entry. So I'm not going to write every day in December. I might not write any days in December. I know people who write rings around me and accomplish more in a day than I do in a week. But I also know that I will soon be in the pink chair with the laptop for hours upon hours…
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Lili Wilkinson
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Introducing… Love-shy
27 Jan 2012 | 4:39 pmThis is my new book. It’ll be out in a couple of months. Remember how that one time I finished NaNoWriMo? In, like, 2009? Well this is the resulting novel, after some heroic editing on behalf of the Onions, and my wonderful friend @snazdoll. More on this anon! -
A great week for PINK
26 Jan 2012 | 4:38 pmPINK is having a truly awesome week at the American Library Association in the US! It’s been declared A Stonewall Honor Book This is an ALA Award for books of “exceptional merit relating to the gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender experience”. as well as being on the Amelia Bloomer List Another ALA honour, this time for “the best books with significant feminist content that will appeal to young readers from birth to 18 years old”. and the 2012 Rainbow Room List This one is from the a joint task force of the Social Responsibilities Round Table and the Gay, Lesbian,… -
Recent writings
14 Dec 2011 | 4:24 pmKids today are not the same as when we were young. They are a generation of true writers and readers, and they’re using books to save the world. That’s from this article what I wrote for Meanjin. It’s pretty closely linked to the work I’m doing for my PhD. Oh, and a month or so ago I had my First Ever Academic Journal Article published in Write4Children, edited by the wonderful Anthony Eaton. My article is what’s called a “practice-led paper” which means I talk about the Important Philosophical Theory behind my novel Pink. It’s in Volume 3, Issue 1,… -
Okonomiyaki (japanese savoury pancake)
6 Dec 2011 | 3:33 pm“Okonomiyaki” translates as “what you like, fried”, so obviously it’s awesome. It’s one of my favourite dishes, and is an awesome way to use up stuff that’s starting to go bendy in the fridge. This recipe is adapted from Adam Liaw’s cookbook Two Asian Kitchens, which I highly recommend. The batter 220g plain flour 60g potato flour or cornflour 200ml dashi (a kind of miso-like stock – easy to find in Asian groceries) 2 eggs Mix all these things together. The filling 3-400g roughly chopped cabbage 20g pickled ginger 160-200g of… -
Bookclutch: The Name of the Star
8 Nov 2011 | 7:03 pmMaureen Johnson writes exactly the kind of snappy, intelligent, funny teen chick lit that I like to read (and write). So when I heard she was starting a series about Jack the Ripper… I was a little disappointed. No funny? No contemporary? No teeny romance? But I was wrong! The Name of the Star has all of those things, PLUS a London boarding school, some Historical Colour, life-threatening danger AND (teeny spoiler) a little paranormal mystery. Rory Deveaux is a Louisiana teenager, recently moved to London to attend a posh private boarding school. But everything is not alright in London.
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ACHOCKABLOG
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Looking For A Short Weekend Read?
28 Jan 2012 | 3:28 amLooking For A Short Weekend Read? Try ACHUKAbooks' launch title, The Field by Bill Nagelkerke [If you are an online reviewer or blogger, we will be very happy to send you a review copy. Just email us.] -
Guardian Review
28 Jan 2012 | 3:19 amGuardian review A Boy and a Bear in a Boat by Dave Shelton, reviewed by Philip Ardagh To an adult reader, the title A Boy and a Bear in a Boat instantly brings to mind Yann Martel's Life of Pi, with its boy in a boat with a tiger, and Moacyr Scliar's Max and the Cats, with a Jewish refugee in a boat with a jaguar. (What is it with a single male cast adrift with a wild animal?) One of the big differences in Dave Shelton's illustrated children's novel, though, is that it's the animal that does the rowing. The lovingly designed jacket and hardback cover, with its slightly mottled paper and… -
Shame on Today
27 Jan 2012 | 2:44 pmShame On Today Article, from Publishers Weekly, berating the morning TV shows in America for failing to interview the Newbery and Caldecott winners: What's wrong with morning-show producers? Were they not read to as children? Were they bullied by school librarians? Were they traumatized by the end of Charlotte's Web? What could have possibly happened to the current crop of morning-show producers that they would disregard entirely the winners of the highest children's book awards in the land? Last year, our own Claire Kirch broke the news that the Today Show, which had always invited the… -
Caviar, Vodka, Books: Waterstones to Open Russian Mini-store | Publishing Perspectives
27 Jan 2012 | 1:57 pmWaterstones Picadilly To Have Russian Department From PublishingPerspectives: Slova, as the department will be called -- it's the Russian for "words" -- will be situated on the mezzanine level at the rear of the ground-floor of Waterstones flagship store in London's Piccadilly. And the truth is that in all likelihood it will be a tasteful addition to the existing store. After all, the Russians have a strong bookselling tradition, and if bookstore traffic in Moscow offers any precedent, it will be a busy place. Slova will stock nearly 5,000 Russian language titles as well as Russian books… -
Lee & Low Acquires Children's Book Press
27 Jan 2012 | 1:07 amLee & Low Acquires Children's Book Press Children's Book Press, founded in 1975 by Harriet Rohmer for the specific purpose of creating a line of bilingual and multicultural books, ceased operations at the end of September and has sold its backlist inventory of 90 titles to Lee & Low Books in New York.
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Bookwitch
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Bookwitch award bites #67
28 Jan 2012 | 12:17 amIt’s book awards season. Well, strictly speaking I suppose it’s time for an award somewhere in this country most of the year. I have given up trying to remember or keeping track of what goes on. Earlier this week Nicola Morgan won the RED award for Wasted, and I’m really pleased. It doesn’t matter how good your book is when you’re up against more fantastic books. And with young readers voting, there is no telling how the vote will go. RED is a Falkirk book award, which I had not heard of before. But it’s nice to know they read good books in ‘my… -
Werewolves and book awards
26 Jan 2012 | 11:59 pmFirst you have weeks of no authors at all on the horizon (perhaps I just wasn’t looking?) and then there are three at once. I am just never satisfied. Although, It was quite handy being able to ‘kill’ all three with the one stone, or more specifically, in a single outing. Curtis Jobling came to Waterstones Arndale as part of a busy week of taking his Wereworld show round the schools of middle England. (That’s geographical, rather than any comment on what the fans are.) This was his only public event and with me feeling more public than school, I went along, taking my photographer with… -
Dear Madam, Love Frank
26 Jan 2012 | 12:15 amI listened dutifully, sitting next to the woman from Aberdeen (who might well have been a librarian). Over dinner at our Onich walking holiday centre she was telling me about a fantastic book she had read. That can be boring, but I listened. I didn’t totally believe her, but I was young. A book about letters to a bookshop sounds plain weird, doesn’t it? So, along came the next walking holiday (this was in the days when I actually got out and did things), and I found myself in a bookshop in Grasmere (probably the bookshop in Grasmere, now that I think of it), and browsing aimlessly… -
Inconspicuous
25 Jan 2012 | 12:50 amMy comment in yesterday’s review about ‘free’ travelling for more people – preferably for all people – is something I have long believed in. OK, so ‘opening’ your borders might allow a few undesirables in, but I reckon they get in anyway. It’s the desirables who are kept out, because someone is under the impression their own lives will be better and safer for it. Look at me! Or rather, look at the United Kingdom! Is it any worse off for having allowed me entry? I’d like to think not. Although they did their utmost best even towards a… -
A Hen in the Wardrobe
24 Jan 2012 | 12:30 amChicken soup for the soul. I’m sure someone said that, but I can’t remember who. We had a starring chicken here just the other day, but a hen in a wardrobe is not to be sneezed at either. Unless there is a cold involved, in which case sneezing might occur and good books are very much wanted, and much better than soup. I have been reading Wendy Meddour’s debut A Hen in the Wardrobe, and it is true chicken soup material. I absolutely loved it! It’s short and a seemingly easy read, but not at all a simple book. It deals with important issues like where people belong, and…
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Collecting Children's Books
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We Neeeeeeed Bookmarks!
23 Jan 2012 | 6:03 pmI once thought I was the only person who looked forward to the American Library Association awards as if they were Christmas. But over the past few years, thanks to children's book blogs, listserves, Facebook, and Twitter, I've realized that I am part of very large community of people who feel the same way. I also wondered what I'd do if a "Newbery Day" ever rolled around and I was unable to participate. What if I had to attend a funeral that day? What if I was in the hospital or something? (I had visions of myself sneaking out of the funeral home to read the award announcements on a laptop… -
A Day Before Newbery Brunch
22 Jan 2012 | 2:51 pmIt’s the Night Before Newbery.Caldecott Eve.Will you be getting up early tomorrow to watch the award announcements on your computer via the live webcast at 7:45 AM Central Standard Time?Or will you already be at work, sneaking a peek at the ALA website to watch the proceedings?At 6:30 AM on January 22, 2007, Susan Patron was up fixing a chicken sandwich to take to work that day. She was a librarian at the Los Angeles Public Library and planned to head in early to watch the live webcast of the book awards with her colleagues. That’s when she got the call informing her that she’d won the… -
Hope is the Thing with Feathers
16 Jan 2012 | 4:57 pmToday's post isn't about children's books, per se.But it is about young people and it is about books.Close enough.The other day I was fooling around on the internet and came across some information about a soon-to-be released book called DIVATIEL: REFLECTIONS OF A BIRD'S COMPANION. Described as "the true tale of a diva cockatiel and her loving owner," I immediately ordered a copy. Why did I order this book?I don't usually read self-published books.And while I like birds, I'm not a huge bird lover.The main reason I ordered the book is because of the author, Cindi R. Maciolek.You're probably… -
First Sunday Brunch of 2012
8 Jan 2012 | 9:02 amWelcome to the first Collecting Children's Books Sunday Brunch of 2012.Obviously we're running a bit late, since it's now January 8.Unfortunately, the year got off to a bad start for my family...but I'm hoping that the "in like a lion, out like a lamb" description of March also holds true for entire years. That is, if 2012 starts badly, it's bound to end well. Let's hope that's true -- for everyone!HOLIDAY BOOKSThanks to everyone who wrote in with suggestions for books to read on Christmas Eve.One title that came up several times was THE COTTAGE HOLIDAY by Jo Mendel, a book in the Whitman… -
A Season for Sharing
22 Dec 2011 | 7:36 pmThis past weekend, I asked readers to share what books they planned to read on Christmas Eve.Laura C. said that she likes to share "Twas the Night Before Christmas" with her son every year.Wendy said her favorite is "CHRISTMAS ALL YEAR 'ROUND (1952), edited by Marjorie Vetter, which contains 25 Christmas stories from American Girl magazine--it used to be the official magazine of the Girl Scouts, but was similar to YM or Seventeen, and published excellent fiction. Most of the authors aren't anyone people have heard of anymore unless you're me; the most famous is probably Lenora Mattingly…
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Confessions of a Bibliovore
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2012 ALA Youth Media Awards
23 Jan 2012 | 10:52 amJohn Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children's literature Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos (H) Breaking Stalin's Nose by Eugene Yelchin (H) Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai Randolph Caldecott Medal for the most distinguished American picture book for children A Ball for Daisy by Chris Raschka (H) Grandpa Green by Lane Smith (H) Blackout by John Rocco (H) Me . . . Jane by Patrick McDonnell Michael L. Printz Award for excellence in literature written for young adults Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley (H) Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler (H) The… -
Awards Eve!
22 Jan 2012 | 10:35 pmJust in case y'all didn't know, the ALA Youth Media awards will be announced tomorrow morning, at 7:45 Central time. If that sentence made you go, "Huh?" these awards are like the Oscars for kidlit, with the big kahunas being the Newbery and Caldecott awards. Like most of us, I can't be in Dallas for the fun in person, but you can bet I'll be watching the live webcast, joining in the Twitter party (hashtag: #alayma), and generally geeking out in a way that would be embarassing except all the cool people are gonna be geeking out too. Watch this space tomorrow for a full list of the winners. -
Censorship and Mexican-American Studies in Tucson
21 Jan 2012 | 8:32 pmI generally don’t talk about current events or politics on this blog. I’m pretty content to yak on about books and awards given to books and sometimes information about movies made from books. Narrow but deep, that’s my focus. But something happening in my immediate vicinity has been making national news. The word has gone out that the largest school district in Tucson has been banning books related to the Mexican-American Studies program, which it's in the process of removing from high schools. Read TUSD's statement in reaction to their sudden notoriety. Bonus: it includes the list of… -
Book Review: The Smart Aleck's Guide to American History by Adam Selzer
15 Jan 2012 | 9:18 pmBook: The Smart Aleck’s Guide to American History Author: Adam Selzer et al Published: 2009 Source: Local Library What’s there to summarize? It’s American history. We know all this stuff. Columbus discovered, the sons of liberty rebelled, there were some wars. Oh, and some guys got elected. Nothing new here people, move along. Except this is history with all the snark included. In addition to bringing the mockery to such ripe topics as the Puritans (“stupid hats of history”) and the Industrial Revolution (“Rich Industrial Jerks”), Selzer and co talk about the stickier bits of… -
Book Review: The Demon's Surrender by Sarah Rees Brennan
8 Jan 2012 | 5:03 pmBook: The Demon's Surrender Author: Sarah Rees Brennan Published: 2011 Source: Local Library Cynthia "Sin" Davies knows how to put on a show. She's been a dancer since childhood. Not just a girl in pretty tights and a tutu, but a dancer whose performances, when done right, call up demons. When done wrong . . . well, let's just say she always makes very sure to do them right. Now her greatest performance is before her. She has to act the part of the rightful leader of the Goblin Market. She has to pretend that her little sister Lydia is just a normal girl, without a trace of the toxic magical…
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life or books?
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Nature, red in tooth and beak
26 Jan 2012 | 12:37 amWe were forced to have a barbecue at Lake Tuggeranong Town Park. The park is green and pleasant, with a sandy lakeshore beach, skate park and playground equipment. Trees, shelters and barbecues round out its parkly attributes. It rained.Then adult swans beat up juvenile swans. Skaters came to the rescue of the young fellers and chased the adult swan away and sat quietly until the juvenile swan managed to get back to its feet.The Honolulu zoo says that black swans are 'belligerent, ill-tempered and territorial, they will not tolerate other swans, except their mates and… -
Taking advice
24 Jan 2012 | 4:21 amIf I had anything nice to say I would most certainly say it. -
Miss Lou Lou's Tapping Starlettes Elvis Extravaganza
22 Jan 2012 | 2:22 amWhen I remember what it was like to live in Melbourne I like to think of the time I went to see Miss Lou Lou's Tapping Starlettes Elvis Extravaganza. It's not so much that there was a tap dancing Elvis extravaganza on, although I have yet to see one held in any other city of my acquaintance. It was more that the queue to get in went right down the block and around the corner.I don't know if things like that still happen in Melbourne. -
On driving
10 Jan 2012 | 4:11 amI have been driving for more than a year, and have had two low-speed incidents, one botanic and one diplomatic. The tree looks the same and so does our foreign policy, but there's a ding on the back of that hatch that makes me embarrassed to see it so I look away.The shaking cold-wet sweats are over, but I wish if I had to drive you would all stay at home. -
A family holiday with the family
7 Jan 2012 | 12:20 amSo in New South Wales they have a south coast. It is not the south coast of the continent, you know, because that would have to be Victoria and South Australia and Western Australia. The south coast of the country probably only includes Tasmania if you are a purist. You can tell that I have just spent many days with Mr Precision Instrument, as the junior is becoming known. We have had several conversations about the meaning of 'pedantic' over the past week, but I am left feeling that the meaning has yet to be communicated.Here are towns we have seen: Merimbula,…
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ReadPlus Review Blog
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Snuff by Terry Pratchett
25 Jan 2012 | 10:41 amDoubleday, 2011. ISBN 9780385619264. (Ages: 14+) Highly recommended. Sir Samuel Vimes, Commander of the City Watch, Duke of Ankh-Morpork and Blackboard Monitor, is on an enforced holiday, with his adored wife and son, in the peaceful countryside. It is his idea of hell, and he finds trees, livestock and wildlife slightly disturbing, not to mention his young son's obsession with all things 'poo'. However, his supposedly quiet retreat is interrupted by a murder. The fact that it is a goblin that is murdered, and that most people consider them non-sentient beings and no better than animals,… -
Book of blood and shadow by Robin Wasserman
25 Jan 2012 | 10:36 amAtom, 2012. ISBN 9871907411441. (Age: 14+) Recommended. With her thriller in the genre of The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown, Wasserman takes the reader on a roller coaster ride with Nora after she finds her best friend Chris murdered, his girlfriend Adriane in a catatonic state and her beloved Max not to be found. Nora believes that Max is innocent of the murder and is determined to find him. Following clues found in ancient letters, she sets out on a trail of blood and adventure with the enigmatic Eli closely following her. This is a hefty read at 432 pages and is littered with letters… -
The future of us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler
25 Jan 2012 | 10:35 amSimon and Schuster, 2012. ISBN: 978-0-85707-607-6. The Future of us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler is a brilliantly put together novel that is set in 1995, with hardly any of the modern technology we have today. The storyline centres on Josh and Emma, the main characters. These two have been friends and neighbours since they were little but their friendship suddenly withered in the teen years when Josh misinterprets Emma's body language; they then find it quite awkward to be close friends and drift apart. One day Josh brings around an AOL CD that he has received in the mail. He decides to… -
Cinder by Marissa Meyer
24 Jan 2012 | 4:01 pmThe Lunar Chronicles Bk 1. Penguin, 2011. ISBN 9780141340135. (Ages 14+) Highly recommended. Cinder, written by Marissa Meyer, is the first book of the Lunar Chronicles. There are themes presented within the text but one stands out in particular: Romance thriller. I know at the moment we are surrounded by millions of novels about forbidden love and vampires killing one another, but Cinder is worth every minute of the time you spend swooning over the prince and/or killer vampire in other novels. Cinder is based on the original Cinderella story. You know the one, her ugly step sisters take away… -
Goliath by Scott Westerfeld
24 Jan 2012 | 3:58 pmIll. by Keith Thompson. (Leviathan Series). Penguin Viking, 2011. ISBN 9780 6 70 07305 4 (Age: 12 - Adult) Goliath, the last in the Leviathan trilogy, is a steampunk story set during WWI. For those who are still coming to terms with this relatively new genre, it has been described as the future as Victorians would have imagined it. In fact many steampunk books are set in or near the Victorian era. Think fantastic inventions of machines, gears and cogs. Book 3 continues the adventures of Prince Alek, who is striving to reclaim his Austrian throne and Deryn a girl who masquerades as a boy so…
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YA Books Central Blog
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Review: Showoff by Gordon Korman
27 Jan 2012 | 7:07 pmGordon Korman’s Swindle team is back and in Showoff, they’ve gone to the dogs. When Luthor, the massive Doberman, destroys a dog show and injures a champion dog, his family faces a massive lawsuit and are forced to take him to the pound. Griffin and his friend Ben can’t let Luthor be left there—but the only way to keep the dog safe would be for him to win Best In Show at a national championship. Is it possible to do this before Luthor eats his competition?Click here to read my full review. -
The Berenstain Bears and the Easter Story
27 Jan 2012 | 2:00 pmI really appreciate the fact that there are books out there that help make Jesus' death and resurrection easier for children to understand. This book does just that. It opens the door for family discussion, and even have discussion questions and activities in the back that the entire family can do together. To read more of my review, click here. -
The Berenstain Bears All Things Bright and Beautiful!
27 Jan 2012 | 8:00 amBrother Bear, Sister Bear and their Sunday School class go out on a Nature Walk to enjoy God's creation. From the small animals in the forest to the homegrown watermelons, they children and their teacher, Missus Ursula, sing and enjoy the beautiful world around them. My boys and I really enjoyed reading this book. We loved the song the children and teacher sang, and we also loved how the authors described everything they saw. To read more of my review, click here. -
Hugs & Kisses, God from Kids Around the World
26 Jan 2012 | 8:00 amRead the rhymes, lift the flaps, and let little ones discover God as the source of every good thing as children from around the world recognize God's everyday gifts---from yummy pancakes to daisies on the hill and rainbows in the sky. It's time to cuddle up together and count our blessings. To read more of my review, click here. -
I Hate Bullies!
25 Jan 2012 | 9:30 amNoodles has a tasty bone. But then a bully takes it! How will he get it back? This is a cute, easy reader, for young children. It is also a great book to use to start talking about bullies with young ones. To read more of my review, click here.
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There's a Botticelli Angel Inside, Snapping Beans:
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Fat Studies journal is out!
20 Jan 2012 | 2:20 pmVolume 1, Issue 1: Fat Studies -
My Most Excellent Year: A Novel of Love, Mary Poppins, & Fenway Park by Steve Kluger
6 Jan 2012 | 9:29 pmI’ve been wanting to post about My Most Excellent Year: A Novel of Love, Mary Poppins, & Fenway Park by Steve Kluger. It deserves a full flowing essay, but I haven’t got the spoons for that and won’t anytime soon, so here are some thoughts, incomplete and not especially flowing.The most unusual thing in this book is the astounding level of emotional openness in bff relationships and parent/kid relationships. It also happens between kids and various adults who aren’t their parents: the kids in this book (and the book itself) are all over the chosen family concept. The emotional… -
Putting Makeup on the Fat Boy by Bil Wright
5 Jan 2012 | 2:24 amThere’s a particular kind of heartbreak-frustration I feel in encountering a book that’s rockingly successful at portraying and supporting some traditionally-slammed identities but that simultaneously slams some of those very same identities.Putting Makeup on the Fat Boy by Bil Wright came out this past summer. What a great title, right? Actually, I first feared the title was a reference to a bullying scene, because fat boys get bullied plenty and because bullying of boys often employs feminine markers. But it’s not a bullying reference, and it’s an awesome title. The protagonist is a… -
Books with queerness and religion
2 Jan 2012 | 2:08 amI'm interested in titles of MG and YA books that include queerness (of any sort) and religion (of any sort). Queerness and religion needn't be front and center, or they can be; but they do need both be present. The books needn't be good; I'm interested in your opinion if you feel like providing it, but I'm still interested in the titles even if you haven't read them or don't have an opinion.To start off, Gravity by Leanne Lieberman is beautifully written. I also love Down to the Bone by Mayra Lazara Dole. -
Kirkus Best of 2011
29 Nov 2011 | 12:21 amKirkus has posted its editorial picks for best books of the year. Our most excellent Vicky Smith makes the decisions, though she has discussions along the way with us, her stable of reviewers. The lists look great to me; I haven't read most of the books, but the ones I know, I agree with. Have a look. Oh, and the lists are divided into cool subcategories (see left bar) if you prefer more targeted browsing.Kirkus Best Children's Books of 2011.Kirkus Best Teen Books of 2011.
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I'm Here. I'm Queer. What the Hell do I read?
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The Lucky 13th Annual SCBWI Winter Conference in New York City... Friday Intensives!
27 Jan 2012 | 5:05 amI'm very excited about participating in the Writers Roundtable intensive today, and about the whole conference. After all, this is my first conference as the head of SCBWI Team Blog and the official blogger for SCBWI: THE BLOG!You can check in on the conference at The Official SCBWI Conference Blog as well as follow the stream of info and comments on twitter with the hashtag #NY12SCBWI (and you don't even have to be on twitter to access it!)Later tonight there's the New York City Kit Lit Drink Night, organized by Chrstina McTighe (@LaFabuliste on twitter) and other fabulous New York Kid… -
Inside the lives of LGBTQ Teens Today: "My Queer Testimony"
26 Jan 2012 | 9:55 amThis Tumblr site, My Queer Testimony, has some great stuff!The "My Queer Testimony" Tumblr pageI really liked this testimony by Patrick,who writes on the difference to him between identifying as gay versus identifying as queer:"‘Gay’ is really nice and friendly and, you know, you’re friends with all the really nice girls and you look pretty and wear your v-neck sweaters and you want to maintain your privilege. You don’t want to step on anyone’s toes and you don’t want to be in-your-face. ‘Queer’ is in-your-face and calling people out and not being afraid to speak your mind and… -
The 2012 Comment Challenge Finale!!!
25 Jan 2012 | 5:03 amMore than 150 participants.With a goal of 100 comments each.Over 21 days.That's 15,000 comments.15,000 connections, just in our world of people blogging about children's literature.That's community. Or, in pictures...lonely bloggerfive-a-day commentercommenter with a new habit!ten of us with a new habit!!!!!!!!!!150 of us with a new habit makes a COMMUNITY!So whether you reached your commenting goal, or started reading blogs with a more participatory mind-set, or just felt more connected, we hope you've created a new habit... and that you'll continue your commenting on kid lit blogs… -
Scott Westerfeld's Leviathan, Behemoth and Goliath - A Steampunk Trilogy with a Teen girl disguised as a boy
24 Jan 2012 | 5:02 amIt was great to talk with Scott Westerfeld about these books:Leviathan, Behemoth & GoliathHere's the synopsis of the triology from Scott Westerfeld's amazing website:Prince Aleksander, would-be heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, is on the run. His own people have turned on him. His title is worthless. All he has is a battletorn war machine and a loyal crew of men.Deryn Sharp is a commoner, disguised as a boy in the British Air Service. She’s a brilliant airman. But her secret is in constant danger of being discovered.With World War I brewing, Alek and Deryn’s paths cross in the most… -
Today is the start of No Name-Calling Week!
23 Jan 2012 | 5:00 amInspired by James Howe's awesome MG novel THE MISFITS, No Name-Calling Week is a wonderful real-world event.With lesson plans (for elementary, middle and high school), resources, and even art lessons - No Name-Calling Week is a great event to know about - and to integrate into your life and school.Imagine our world being one where no one said "gay" or "lame" or "bitch" as a negative. Think about the names you're heard - and maybe even the ones you've said. We have the opportunity to recognize that our words are powerful... and we can use that power for good! And we can start…
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WordPress.com News
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Chrome Users: Try the WordPress.com Extension
27 Jan 2012 | 1:54 pmWant to receive WordPress.com notifications instantly, even when you’re not on WordPress.com? Add the new WordPress.com extension for Chrome and as soon as you get a new follower or a new like on one of your posts, a notification will appear in your browser: Simply click the icon to view your latest WordPress.com notifications: Start following new blogs without visiting WordPress.com The Chrome extension also makes it easy to follow sites from your WordPress.com account by displaying a Follow button whenever you’re browsing a site that has an RSS feed. Clicking the Follow button… -
Your Stats Have a New Home
26 Jan 2012 | 10:46 amAre you addicted to checking your site stats? You are not alone. The stats dashboard has always been one of the most popular admin screens. It’s gratifying to know that people are visiting your place online. With the WordPress.com front page evolving into a one-stop shop for posting, exploring, following and reading blogs, it seemed natural to put your blog stats there, too. Stats are becoming more and more about interacting with your readers and other bloggers. You’ll still see your summary stats and chart on your main dashboard, and the full stats page in your dashboard will… -
Reblogging is Back!
22 Jan 2012 | 1:27 pmAs we mentioned last week, you can like and reblog posts directly from your reader, which displays a stream of all the updates published on all the blogs you follow from your WordPress.com account. We’ve also brought the reblog button back to the toolbar that appears at the top of the screen when you’re logged into WordPress.com. Note that you’ll only see the like and reblog options while you’re looking at individual posts. For example, you’ll see this on the left side of your toolbar while viewing http://en.blog.wordpress.com/2012/01/20/read-blogs: And your… -
New Theme: Newsy
20 Jan 2012 | 12:18 pmIt’s been an extra big week in the news ’round these parts, so much so that the launch announcement of our latest premium theme seems like an extra extra good way to headline our Friday. Newsy is a versatile business and news-friendly theme that offers up to ten different layouts, four footer columns, custom link and accent colors, and a custom site header. Brand and content-focused editorial teams will love publishing with this theme. Newsy: Home Page Designed by Themify, Newsy comes with an impressive set of Theme Options that afford you a great deal of flexibility with how you… -
Read All Your Favorite Blogs in One Place
19 Jan 2012 | 6:04 pmIf you feel like it’s a chore to keep up with all your favorite blogs, you can now read posts from all the blogs you follow (even the ones that aren’t on WordPress.com!) in one convenient place on the WordPress.com home page: Your reader displays all the posts across all the blogs you follow in the order they were published, with the most recent content appearing at the top. You’ll see an excerpt of the introduction to each post, the first image in the post, and thumbnails of any other images that the post contains. You can even like and reblog WordPress.com content directly…
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Practically Paradise
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Consider adding The Inside Story of Track and Field for spring sports & the summer Olympics
18 Jan 2012 | 2:35 pmRosen Publishing has a series of Sports World titles that appeal to my students and me. We particularly like The Inside Story of Track and Field by Clive Gifford. One of my fourth grade girls reminded me that we will use this title when we study the Olympics. The beauty of this title is the diversity and depth of coverage of all track and field events. Many competitions around the world are explored including Grand Prix & Golden League events, World Tours, National Championships, The European Championships, Pan-American Games, The Commonwealth Games, The Asian Games, etc. Rather than… -
How do you change your name?
16 Jan 2012 | 12:49 pmIf you are a teacher, changing your name is very difficult during the school year. I can recall every teacher I ever had who changed their name after they married. Can you? I have many friends who seem to maintain two identities: their professional name pre marriage and their married name. Unfortunately in our district emails invariably revert twice a year back to maiden names and teachers must go through procedures to get the changes re-instated. In addition to changing driver’s licenses, you must get new social security cards, fill out ten pages of forms (okay, maybe just 4), copy… -
Are you ready for this summer’s Olympics yet?
15 Jan 2012 | 10:04 pmMy physical education teachers asked me earlier this school year to start gathering materials so they could do a major Olympics unit right before summer break. Since budgets disappear long before then, I needed to start searching early. Fortunately Heinemann-Raintree (part of the Capstone Publishing group) came to my rescue with some titles I thought you would want to be sure to add to your collection. The Olympics series includes: Great Olympic Moments High-Tech Olympics The 2012 London Olympics The World of Olympics The World’s Greatest Olympians Heinemann-Raintree has a worldwide… -
Spotlight on Spotlight from ABDO
8 Jan 2012 | 3:06 pmA strange phenomenon is happening with my students. Reading “Ms Chen’s Special Books” has become so popular that entire classes of third graders are jumping through hurdles to earn the rights. They’ll check out their two library books quickly, then spend twice as long choosing from my review titles. They make teachers wait and still won’t leave the library after an hour because they are negotiating with their friends who gets which title first. I love nonfiction publishers like ABDO who send boxes of books to review. The students are so excited to open the boxes,… -
So many Best Lists
2 Jan 2012 | 6:11 amI love the end of one year and the beginning of another. Especially the countdowns of the top 10’s and top 100’s. Whether it’s music, TV episodes, or books, these countdowns help us recall our favorites and gain a sense of our entertainment history. Some classrooms keep track of every book title they read aloud. Students are encouraged to flip through these lists and re-read their favorites. Some students are joining shelfari, librarything, and goodreads so they can track what they’ve read. One best list I want to make sure you see is Edward T. Sullivan’s picks…
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Literacy, families and learning
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2012 Newbery & Caldecott Medal Winners Announced
26 Jan 2012 | 11:12 pmThe Newbery & Caldecott awards for children's literature were announced this week (23rd January 2012). The Newbery Medal was named after the eighteenth-century British bookseller John Newbery. It is presented to the author of the book judged to have made the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. A committee of librarians and literary experts is chosen each year to select the winner and the runners up on behalf of the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC); this is a division of the American Library Association (ALA). The books can be works… -
Starting School: Is there a best age?
23 Jan 2012 | 5:58 amIn Australia many children will be starting school for the first time next week. I can't remember my first day at school, but I can still remember the mix of emotions that my wife and I experienced when we sent our two daughters off for their first day of formal schooling. As we've watched our grandchildren go off to school for the first time we still feel just as anxious. This year we have two grandchildren who will start in Kindergarten (the entry class for Primary schooling in NSW). One has just turned 5 and the other turns 6 in March. Both sets of parents made different decisions for… -
Literacy, Families & Learning NEWS
19 Jan 2012 | 1:23 amAbove: Part of the front page, showing links and other news categories Children's author Katherine Paterson People who read this blog and also follow me on Twitter will know of my daily newsletter that is generated automatically each day based on my tweets as well as the people who I follow. The newspaper typically contains over 100 links to blog posts, literature, videos and images that have a literacy and learning focus. Today's News is out HERE and can be read by anyone even if you don't have a Twitter account. Some of my favourite stories and links today are:'Katherine Paterson… -
The Joy of Books
12 Jan 2012 | 10:28 pmIf you love books, the way I love books, then please watch this video. In a previous post I reviewed another imaginative creation about a secret world of books - 'The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore'. This new video produced by 'Type' bookstore in Toronto Canada resonates (for me) with the story of Morris Lessmore. The 'Joy of Books' has been produced for the shear joy and fun of it (and of course the free web advertising). Above: 'The Joy of Books'Do yourself a favour, watch the 'Joy of Books' video first (it takes less than 2 minutes) and, if you have time, check out Morris… -
Creative Storymaking Made Easy
5 Jan 2012 | 3:27 pmI've written many times on this blog about the power of storytelling as a means to stimulate children's language, literacy, learning and creativity. Rarely do I suggest a commercial aid for such creative storying, but there is one that I've come across that deserves a mention.Rory's Story Cubes are a simple, but powerful tool for story creation. The aid consists of 9 cubes that have images on all sides. Each 'player' takes turns rolling the cubes. They then look at the top image on the 9 cubes, reorder them as they wish and then create an oral story. While some people are better at this than…
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The Graphic Classroom
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CATHARINA EVANS JOINS TGC
14 Jan 2012 | 9:34 amComics continue to change the literature landscape with more and more educators using the mode to engage students in literacy and scholarship. Catharina Evans –– Chair of Language Arts and Upper School English Teacher at the Saints Peter and Paul School in the U.S. Virgin Islands –– joins The Graphic Classroom team this month. Evans is an accomplished author, writing many articles for journals since 2003. She is a member of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) and received accolades for her writing. Her debut review of ASTERIOS POLYP at TGC follows.The staff at The… -
ASTERIOS POLYP
14 Jan 2012 | 9:23 amBy Catharina EvansStaff WriterSTORY REVIEWDavid Mazzucchelli’s first solo forayinto graphic novels exquisitely blends a strong aesthetic voice and a complex,engaging story on the posturings of academia, the difficulties of intimacy, andthe philosophy of design.And to put it simply, one of themost visually provoking novels I’ve ever read.Mazzucchelli’s main characters –protagonist Asterios Polyp (whose unusual last name was bequeathed to hisfather by a frustrated clerk at Ellis Island), his delicate wife HanaSonnenscheie, and the ghost voice of his deceased twin brother Ignazio… -
MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. PRINTABLE WRITING PROMPT
8 Jan 2012 | 10:39 amThe image above is a small version. For the large type-able and printable click here.If you are looking for a new and interesting way to approach Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Make Beliefs Comix posted a free MLK writing printable for teachers. Imagine you could tell the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. what he means to you and our country. What would you say to him?The MLK graphic prompt is part of a new MakeBeliefsComix writing prompt feature called Digtal Write-Ables, which allows users to use their computer keyboard to write stories directly on the screen as they fill in the writing… -
HABIBI
8 Jan 2012 | 10:10 amBy Chris WilsonEditor-in-GeekWith the amount of criticalacclaim, accolades and awards Craig Thompson’s Middle Eastern tome, HABIBI,has received, I can barely contain my awe and struggle to recommend thisbeautiful work highly enough. It is, by far, the greatest piece of comicsliterature I read this year, or last year, or the year before that –– maybelonger. It is, in my mind, worthy of theranks of MAUS and should be read, re-read, and prominently displayed in anyliterature lover’s library. I understand not all literati or academics acceptcomics as literature and I respect that opinion… -
COMICS CREATION IN FIRST GRADE
8 Jan 2012 | 9:38 amBy Chris WilsonEditor-in-GeekStudents amaze me. They have talents that, as a specials teacher, I may never see or know. This week one of my 500 students, Lauren, came into my room carrying an 11-inch by 17-inch stapled document. She handed it to me with a smile. "I made this, Mr. Wilson."Title Page of Lauren's comic, MONSTER HIGH.Page two. Notice the sequence of the story and the panel layout.I read it in front of her and immediately asked her permission to reprint this at TGC. (I also contacted her mother for permission to publish her art and her first name.) This comic is on par with many…
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The Book Chook
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Imagine. Create. Dream.
26 Jan 2012 | 12:27 pmI strongly believe in dreaming. Not the crazy-movie-inside-head dreams when we're asleep, so much as the dreams that spur us on to creating something. That "something" might be an interesting sandwich filling, a collage in shades of lemon and lavender, a cubby house behind the sofa, or a better life for ourselves. We all need dreams, kids especially. That's why I love children's literature so much - it truly helps kids to dream. What do your children dream about? Have you asked them? Do you discuss your own dreams with your kids? You know that I think it's important for our kids to "catch" us… -
Children's Book Review, The Scariest Thing of All
24 Jan 2012 | 12:39 pmChildren's Book Review by Susan Stephenson, www.thebookchook.com I adore children's literature, as you know. Today, I'm not just appreciating that great children's books can start a lifelong love of reading in kids, though they certainly can. I really like the way a children's picture book can help children learn to cope. In the case of The Scariest Thing of All, by Debi Gliori and published by Bloomsbury (2011), the theme is coping with fears. A little rabbit has a seemingly endless list of things to be afraid of. Even his family aren’t sure how to help him overcome his anxieties! One day,… -
Why I Love Children's Literature - Guest Post
22 Jan 2012 | 12:58 pmSue Stirling started working in a Child Care Centre in her late teens. She was privileged to have an amazing mentor who made it her mission to teach her about children, their development, and play, and how to engage children in authentic experiences. At her insistence, (which Sue will always be grateful for), Sue trained as a Child Care Worker. This led her to work in Princess Margaret Hospital for Children (Perth) as a Play Assistant. She enjoyed providing fun and engaging experiences for children during their stay in hospital. What continues to amaze her is children’s resilience and… -
Hand-selling Books to Kids
19 Jan 2012 | 12:19 pmHand-selling is what I call it when I believe I know the perfect book for a child. I couldn't resist doing this with my students, my son and my friends' kids. Yes, I truly believe children are more likely to love reading when they make their own choice of reading material. But there are times when kids might have a prejudice about a certain genre, or be blinkered to anything other than books about tractors or unicorns. Hand-selling is when I do my best to tell a child what will appeal to him about a book. And then he gets to choose for himself. With me trying hard not to look disappointed if… -
Children's Book Review, Waiting for Later
17 Jan 2012 | 12:18 pmChildren's Book Review by Susan Stephenson, www.thebookchook.com Do you love what imaginative play can do for kids? I certainly do. Here's a children's picture book that celebrates imaginative play. Waiting for Later was written and illustrated by Tina Matthews, and published by Walker Books. Later never seems to come soon enough! But sometimes waiting for later can be full of surprises. Even though Nancy is big, one day she feels small. She asks her mum, brother, cousin, aunt and grandfather to play with her. They’re all busy and inevitably reply, “Later.” So Nancy climbs a tree in her…
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Brimful Curiosities
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Wordless Wednesday - Year of the Dragon
25 Jan 2012 | 8:00 amFind more of this week's Wordless Wednesday (or Wordful) posts at 5 Minutes for Mom. -
ALA Youth Media Awards 2012
23 Jan 2012 | 7:30 amI'm very excited for today's ALA Youth Media Awards. Which books will earn the top awards? Soon we will all find out! For those that can't attend, make sure to tune into the live webcast starting at 7:45 A.M CT.Before the announcements start, the kids and I would like to mention our favorites for the Caldecott. I personally think that Grandpa Green by Lane Smith is the most deserving of an award this year. As I wrote in my review, his book gracefully tackles the subject of aging and intergenerational relationships. With unusually lush, green illustrations, it's simply a beautiful book.Of all… -
Bears with Red Hats Picture Books - A Pointy Red Hat Craft
19 Jan 2012 | 12:30 pmJon Klassen's I Want My Hat Back has stirred up quite a debate in the children's book world. I bought a copy sight unseen last fall after first reading reviews on There's A Book and A Fuse #8 Production. Even though we've owned Klassen's book now for several months, I've been putting off writing a review for reasons I can't entirely explain. It's not because I Want My Hat Back hasn't been a popular reread in our home. It's not because it isn't a clever, unusual story. Perhaps it is because I'm not sure I can offer anything more than what has already been said, and I know a lot of people have… -
Wordless Wednesday - Snow Tunnel
18 Jan 2012 | 10:06 amThe street department thoughtfully piled a large amount of snow in front of our house after the recent snowstorms. We decided to construct a short snow tunnel through part of the pile. It took us around a half an hour to dig out the tunnel. I ended up doing most of the digging work though the kids did help quite a bit with clearing. This was their first experience crawling through a snow tunnel, and it was worth all the work. Judging from their excitement and enthusiasm there will be more tunnels in the future!Are you familiar with Wisconsin author Michael Perry? He's written several… -
The Schoolchildren's Blizzard by Marty Rhodes Figley - Temperature Charting Activity
13 Jan 2012 | 12:00 pmUntil yesterday, my children's snowpants hung unused on hooks in our laundry room since the beginning of November. Such a long period in winter without large amounts of snow is unusual in our area. I can't say I minded in the least (50 degrees in January is fine by me), but my children like to play in the snow and were a bit upset with the weather. In fact, my daughter remarked to me a while back that her snowpants were feeling sad. Now our world is covered in white and the cold temperatures are back. Yesterday's snowstorm brought enough snow to make travel difficult, but not enough to result…
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Gail Carson Levine
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Brave new world
18 Jan 2012 | 8:16 amJust to let you all know, the blog may take next week off. I'll be vacationing, tra la, and I don't know if I'll get to it. On August 29th, 2011, Charlotte wrote, ....I've got the plot set down pretty well in the novel I'm working on, but what I'm having trouble with is the world itself. It's fantasy, and it's set in a world other than this one, and I don't want it to come off quite as modern as our world--e.g. skyscrapers, cars, etc. But there are some modern aspects that I do want to use--e.g. Polaroids but not digital cameras, flashlights but not streetlights, pianos and acoustic guitars… -
Quirks
11 Jan 2012 | 11:19 amOn April 28th, 2011, Squid, writer, wrote:1- Where do you write? Virginia Woolf famously said it's important to have a room of one's own... How do you arrange your supplies, do you write indoors or outdoors? I'd like to know.2- What supplies do you use? Do you write first drafts longhand, or do you type them? What journals and pens do you use?And on January 7, 2012, April wrote, I'm curious for more peeks into your life. Perhaps you could divulge a little more in another post? For example, I read the linked post today about writers' various quirks. What are some of yours? How do your husband,… -
The Writing Days of Summer
4 Jan 2012 | 8:23 amOn August 22, 2011, Melissa wrote, ....I still want to know what you're doing at your summer workshop. Or if you could tell me some of the homework you gave the kids. Hopefully I can find your answer this time.Thirty to thirty-five children sign up and usually about twenty or so are there each week. The age range is ten years to eighteen. Debby, a fifth grade teacher volunteer helps me. (I’m also a volunteer. The local library hosts us.) I hold six sessions, each an hour-and-a-half long. We always start with a vocabulary word, often a word that’s new to me that I got online from Wordsmith… -
28 Dec 2011 | 8:27 am
28 Dec 2011 | 8:27 amBefore I start, here’s a link to a poem I read this week and loved that seems to me to get (metaphorically) to the essence of fiction and poetry: http://writersalmanac.publicradio.org/index.php?date=2011/12/20.On August 16, 2011, bluekiwii wrote, ....The best stories are the ones which show more than tell. I've heard this advice many times in articles and books on how-to-write. Yet I wonder sometimes if I'm not underestimating the value of telling. I feel that telling instead of showing helps the reader get inside the character's head more easily than a simple chronicling of events (she… -
Writing in tongues
21 Dec 2011 | 8:45 amOn August 12, 2011, Caitlyn wrote, ....My story is set in modern times, but it has a group of major characters who have been around for a few thousand years, and English is not their first language. Though they speak English around the MC, in stressful or emotional situations they revert to their native tongue. Many of those lines of dialogue are left uninterpreted, at least for a while. I feel like the language needs to be included for authenticity's sake, so I was wondering: what is the best way to include another language in a story? Is it necessary to interpret every…
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Moms Inspire Learning
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Can a strength and a weakness be the same thing?
25 Jan 2012 | 4:31 pmIn my case, yes. If you've been reading this blog for a while, you've probably spotted what "it" is. I love to read and seek out high quality resources! The online library catalog is my playground, while the internet is... -
Do We Need to Redefine Self-Esteem?
17 Jan 2012 | 6:00 pm"Self-esteem, as defined by our culture, is a myth." ~Terry Diebold, Marriage and Family Therapist, Presbyterian Minister, speaker, and author of The Myth of Self Esteem - 50 Ways to Stop Sabotaging Yourself That's a pretty bold statement in this... -
Adding a Splash of Color to the Learning Process
10 Jan 2012 | 2:30 pmI don't accept review requests very often; but when Barbara Esham asked me to review 4 picture books in The Adventures of Everyday Geniuses series, I didn't have to think twice. They're right up my alley, and a much needed... -
Strengths and Weaknesses: We all have them!
9 Jan 2012 | 10:48 amSo, why do so many of us examine our weaknesses through a magnifying glass? It would make sense that such a tendency would relate to events or conversations that happened when we were children. Like everyone else, I have my... -
A Quote to Start the Year
6 Jan 2012 | 7:56 am“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson What will these words mean for you in 2012? Happy New Year!
