Welcome!
Monday, June 1, 2009
The Dragon of Trelian Blog Book Tour - Day One
The Dragon of Trelian
Michelle Knudsen
Fiction (Series)
Ages 10 to 14
Candlewick Press, 2009, 978-0-7636-3455-1
Important things are happening in the land of Trelian. Princess Maerlie is going to marry Prince Ryant of Kragnir, and the hope is that this union will end a conflict that has raged between Trelian and Kragnir for many years. Calen, the mage’s apprentice, is quietly proceeding with his rather dull lessons when his master Serek asks him to look at some spirit cards. The cards tell Calen that something really terrible is going to happen in the future.
Then, to complicate Calen’s life further, Princess Meglynne shows Calen a special secret that she has. Meg found a baby dragon a few months ago and she has been taking care of it ever since. Now the dragon is much bigger, and Meg does not know how she is going to be able to hide it. In addition, she feels a strong connection with the dragon and she is not sure what the connection is. The feeling frightens her, but at the same time she cannot imagine not having the dragon in her life.
When a terrible monster attacks the palace, Calen begins to believe that the spirit cards were telling the truth. Something bad is going to happen, and Calen has no idea what he should do.
In her first novel for young readers, Michelle Knudsen combines magic, romance, myth, intrigue, and adventure to give her readers a highly entertaining read. The author will keep her readers sitting on the edge of their seats right until the last minute.
Please visit the other bloggers who are participating in this tour:
A Christian Worldview of Fiction, Abby the Librarian, All About Children’s Books, Becky’s Book Reviews, Cafe of Dreams, Dolce Bellezza, Homeschool Book Buzz, KidzBookBuzz.com, Reading is My Superpower, Reading to Know, Small World Reads, The 160 Acrewoods, Through a Child’s Eyes, Through the Looking Glass Reviews
Friday, May 29, 2009
A book giveaway from Roaring Brook Press!
Thursday, May 28, 2009
The Nominations for the 2010 Hans Christian Andersen Awards
Argentina: Author: Liliana Bodoc; Illustrator: Luis Scafati
Austria: Author: Heinz Janisch; Illustrator: Linda Wolfsgruber
Belgium: Author: Pierre Coran; Illustrator: Carll Cneut
Brazil: Author: Bartolomeu Campos de Queirós; Illustrator: Roger Mello
Canada: Author: Brian Doyle; Illustrator: Marie-Louise Gay
China: Author: Liu Xianping
Croatia: Illustrator: Svjetlan Junakóvić
Cyprus: Author: Maria Pyliotou
Czech Republic: Author: Pavel Šrut; Illustrator: Jiří Šalamoun
Denmark: Author: Louis Jensen; Illustrator: Lilian Brøgger
Finland: Author: Hannu Mäkelä; Illustrator: Salla Savolainen
France: Author: Jean-Claude Mourlevat; Illustrator: Grégoire Solotareff
Germany: Author: Peter Härtling; Illustrator: Jutta Bauer
Greece: Author: Loty Petrovits-Andrutsopulou; Illustrator: Diatsenta Parissi
Iran: Author: Ahmad Reza Ahmadi
Ireland: Author: Eoin Colfer; Illustrator: P.J. Lynch
Japan: Author: Shuntaro Tanikawa; Illustrator: Akiko Hayashi
Lithuania: Illustrator: Kęstutis Kasparavičius
Mexico: Author: Alberto Blanco; Illustrator: Fabricio Vanden Broeck
Mongolia: Author: Dashdondog Jamba
Netherlands: Author: Peter van Gestel; Illustrator: Harrie Geelen
Norway: Author: Bjørn Sortland; Illustrator: Thore Hansen
Russia: Illustrator: Nickolay Popov
Serbia: Author: Zoran Božović
Slovak Republic: Author: Ján Uličiansky Illustrator: Peter Uchnár
Slovenia: Author: Tone Pavček; Illustrator: Ančka Gošnik Godec
Spain: Author: Jordi Sierra i Fabra; Illustrator: Xan López Domínguez
Sweden: Lennart Hellsing; Illustrator: Anna-Clara Tidholm
Switzerland: Illustrator: Etienne Delessert
Turkey: Author: Muzaffer İzgü; Illustrator: Can Göknil
Uganda: Author: Evangeline Ledi Barongo
United Kingdom: Author: David Almond; Illustrator: Michael Foreman
USA: Author: Walter Dean Myers; Illustrator: Eric Carle
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Remember Rachel Carson on May 27th
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
The Fuse #8 Top 100 Picture Book Poll
Monday, May 18, 2009
The 2009 Children's Choice Book Awards
Friday, May 15, 2009
A Day in the life of a writer - Kathryn Fitzmaurice
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
The Crocodday Blog Book Tour - Day Three
What I really like about Crocodaddy is that it not only highlights the
relationship between a father and a son, but it also shows readers that the simple things in life are often the most meaningful. In Crocdaddy it is a game that is played in the local pond on a summer's day. These events and traditions are often the things we remember many years later. I remember sitting on the front porch with my father and watching the swallows dipping and diving in the air around us. After I left my parental home I never lived in a place where they have swallows - until now. Now I get to share the dance of the swallows with my daughter. My father 's spirit sits is with me as I share this simple joy with my child.
To wrap up this blog book tour, Kim Norman has kindly offered to give one of my readers a signed copy of her book. If you would like the book please send me an email.
The Crocodadddy Book Tour - Day Two
Thank you Kim for a great interview.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Children's Book Week May 11-17
Saturday, May 9, 2009
The Crocodaddy Blog Book Tour - Day One
captures the essence of a summer day, and she also celebrates the warm relationship between a father and his little son. Here is my review of the book.
Crocodaddy
Kim Norman
Illustrated by David Walker
Picture Book
Ages 4 to 6
Sterling, 2009, 1402744609
It is a warm summer day and a little boy and his daddy go down to the pond for a swim. At the pond there is a mossy rock, little minnows, and other wonders; and it is the place where “the Crocodaddy lurks!”
With great courage, strength, and cunning, the little boy sets about hunting the great Crocodaddy. He jumps onto the Crocodaddy’s back, determined to “tame” the wily beast. It is not an easy task, for the Crocodaddy has many tricks up his sleeve. Who will win this epic battle?
To capture a special summertime adventure shared by a father and son, Kim Norman uses engaging rhymes that have a bouncy and infectious cadence. Some children might guess what the Crocodaddy is, but the suspense is tangible nevertheless. Paired with David Walker’s expressive artwork, this picture book is a joy to read and to look at.
Please visit the other sites that are participating in this tour:
A Christian Worldview of Fiction, A Mom Speaks, A Patchwork of Books, All About Children’s Books, Becky’s Book Reviews, Booking Mama,Cafe of Dreams, Dolce Bellezza, Elizabeth O. Dulemba, Fireside Musings, KidzBookBuzz.com, Looking Glass Reviews, Maw Books Blog, Never Jam Today, Olive Tree, Our Big Earth, Reading is My Superpower, SMS Book Reviews, The 160 Acrewoods, Through a Child’s Eyes
Thursday, May 7, 2009
An interview with Ellen Potter, creator of the Olivia Kidney books
Ellen: You want to know the funny thing? Nearly every character in Olivia Kidney is very loosely based on a people I knew as a kid, growing up in an apartment building in NYC. There really was a woman who had a “farm” in her apartment, with chicken and rabbits (it was the adoption of a rooster that was her undoing). There was a family with eleven children, all of them fabulously freckled. The frightening Sidi was based on my friend’s tall and intimidating mother who kept her apartment roasting hot for her beloved plants. And as for the vicious but tiny pirate Master Clive, there was a little man who lived in the building—no taller than the average nine-year-old—who was always so dapperly dressed and adorable that as a child I imagined he must be deeply sinister. I’m still not convinced that he wasn’t.
Marya: Though she does not fully understand it, Olivia is grieving the death of her brother. Why did you add this component to what is a mostly funny book? El;len: It wasn’t a conscious decision. I almost never know what’s going to happen to my characters when I first start a book. Instead, I begin with a character that interests me—in Olivia’s case I admired her dry sense of humor and her aura of self-possession—and then I “stalk” them to find out what they are made of. It’s a fairly terrifying way to write since I never know what’s going to happen next.
In the first chapter of Olivia Kidney, Olivia’s book on séances literally fell out of her knapsack. It sounds disingenuous to say that I had nothing to do with it, but honestly, the thing just appeared and I was surprised to see it. “Oh, that’s interesting,” I said to myself, “Olivia must have a dead person she wants to contact. Now who could that be?” At first I thought it might be her mother. In fact, I began to steer the story in that direction, but Olivia let me know I was wrong via a bad case of writer’s block. Once I let go of my stranglehold on the story, I realized it was her much-loved older brother who had died. And yes, apart from this tragedy the story is pretty humorous, but as my grandmother liked to say, “If you laugh in the morning, you’re going to cry at night.”
Marya: Olivia encounters a ghost is very matter of fact – and not at all spooky – way. Why did you choose to make the ghost so normal?
Ellen: I’m glad that you didn’t find Branwell at all spooky. That makes sense since he doesn’t know he is a ghost at first. In fact, I didn’t know he was a ghost at first either. That was another piece of the story that took me by surprise. I just figured Branwell was the good-natured older brother of the Biffmeyer gang. I didn’t realize he was a ghost until nearly halfway through the book, when his “mother” didn’t seem to be able to hear him. Once I realized his secret I did have to backtrack in the story to make him more invisible to everyone except Olivia.
The other reason I wanted to keep Branwell un-spooky is that most people I know who have seen a ghost say that it was not a scary experience at all. Okay, I’ll fess up, and hopefully your readers won’t think I’m a crackpot: Years ago, I also saw a ghost. While I was in college, I lived in the basement room of an old house. One night I woke up and saw a face on my wall, looking at me. Then it vanished. It sounds very creepy when I describe it, but in fact it felt perfectly natural and not at all spooky—and believe me, I’m a mega-chicken!
As the late Hans Holzer, a famous ghost-hunter, once said, “After all, a ghost is nothing more than a human being in trouble.” (I’m doing an awful lot of quoting of deceased people in this interview)
Marya: The stories that are woven together in the book are quite involved. How did you keep track of all the threads so that you could give your readers a clean conclusion?
Ellen: I’m a big fan of “strange connection” stories. I love hearing about couples who met in tennis camp when they were 8, and then lost track of each other until someone set them up on a blind date twenty years later. Or twins who were separated at birth and wound up stuck in a busted elevator together. Stories like that make me want to pay more attention to everything and everybody.
Since my mind naturally seeks connections, I think I was hyper-attuned to possible ties between Olivia’s neighbors. Still, the story threads seemed to connect themselves, and I only realized how these people’s lives intersected a few pages before the actual revelation. For instance, I had no idea who the mysterious passenger was on the SS Rosenquist until the old lady next door told her story to Olivia’s father. Of course, once these connections revealed themselves I did have to go back and edit previous sections to make it all seamless, but I was often surprised at how little editing needed to be done. The connections were there all along, I just never noticed them. The added bonus of working this way is that I’m not telegraphing anything to my readers, since I’m pretty clueless myself, so they can be genuinely shocked by what happens in the story.
Marya: You give a lot of classes and workshops. What do you like about doing this work?
Ellen: I’m always astounded by how many people—both kids and adults—want to write. I’m also astounded at how many of these same people feel like they don’t have the time or they’re not smart enough or creative enough. I love being able to prove them wrong in these workshops.
Marya: What do you enjoy about visiting classrooms?
Ellen: Classroom visits are simply one of the great perks of being a children’s book author. What’s more fun than walking into a room filled with a hundred people who are really happy to meet you, and are not too inhibited to screech?
During these visits, I try to convey that the act of writing is at once magical and every-dayish. Yes, writing can be very witchy, and you have moments where you feel you are connecting to the divine or whatever you want to call it. But that doesn’t mean you need to be a “sensitive genius” in order to be a professional writer. You only have to be curious and interested and as tenacious as a pit bull. Also, you have to not mind waiting tables for several years.
My favorite part of classroom visits is always the question-and-answer session. I especially love the totally random questions like, “If you had a dwarf hamster, and the hamster had a funny black spot on its ear, what would you name him?” Or the ever popular question that makes all the teachers cringe with mortification: “So um, how much money do you make?”
Marya: You have a busy life. What kinds of books do you like to read when you have a little time to yourself?
Ellen: I keep trying to read books for grown-ups, I really do. But they are often so relentlessly sad that I put them down and pick up my beloved children’s books instead. Of course, some of the children’s books are sad too but at least the characters seem to have some fun before the sad parts come along.
Lately, I’ve enjoyed Gilda Joyce, Psychic Investigator by Jennifer Allison and Anne Mazer’s Sister Magic series. And ok, I’ll admit it . . . the Twilight series too. I especially love dead authors like E. Nesbit’s, Ellen Raskin, and Edward Eager.
Marya: Do you write every day?
Yes, I absolutely write every day. Then I run on the treadmill for an hour, and after that I eat a hardboiled egg with whole-grain toast. Then I meditate on the wisdom of living in the sacred present.
Okay, I exaggerate. It may be closer to the truth to say . . .
I try and write every day, but sometimes I just don’t feel like it so I don’t.
Also, I occasionally walk on the treadmill for about 15 minutes at a pace that a senior citizen would find snoozy. Then I eat a hard-boiled egg chased by a handful of whatever cookies are in the cabinet. After that I meditate on things I can worry about. Then I call my husband and he tells me not to worry about those things.
Really, though, it is best to write every day if you possibly can. I think it’s a lot like a relationship with a friend. When you talk to that friend every day, you are so entrenched in their world that the conversation is instantly easy and flowing. However, if you wait several weeks, or months, to talk to that friend, there is going to be a “catching-up” period that lacks the flow of the every-day conversation. It might feel awkward until you can get back into the groove, and by the time the groove is back your friend might have to leave to get her sofa re-stuffed.
That’s why writers should write every day if they possibly can.
Ellen: I was a maniacal reader when I was a kid. Some of my favorite books were Harriet the Spy, A Wrinkle in Time, The Secret Garden, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. And when no books were available I read walkie-talkie instructions, the back of Cocoa Puff boxes, and the washing instruction tag on my scarf.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
An interview with Steve Augarde, author of The Various trilogy.
Steve: It evolved over time. I had no idea when I began writing that this story would develop into such a massive project.
Marya: Did you draw on fairy tales and mythology at all to write your books about the Various?
Steve: The inclusion of elements from mythology and traditional fairy tale is deliberate, but I hope not too heavy handed. There are echoes of Little Red Riding Hood, Hansel and Gretel, and Robin Hood, as well as half-references to Greek mythology. Pegs isn’t so very far from Pegasus, after all. The purpose of teasing the memory in this way is to make the readers feel that the Various inhabit a real world from which some of the old legends might have sprung.
Marya: Why do the Various decide - in Winter Wood - that they need to leave and move on?
Steve: The Gorji (human) world is closing in on them. They know that sooner or later they’re going to be discovered. Their time is short.
Marya: The Various speak a number of dialects that are very interesting. Where did the inspiration for the dialects come from?
Steve: The dialect is mostly local Somerset – with a little bit of old European thrown in. ‘Renard’ for example is French for ‘fox’. ‘Corben’ for ‘crow’ has roots in the French word for ‘raven’ but could also be Norse or Germanic. The name for the character Maven-the-Green comes from the Yiddish word ‘maven’ meaning one who passes on knowledge. There are also one or two gypsy, or Romany, influences. ‘Gorji’ is close to ‘Gorgio’ the Romany word for a non-gypsy. ‘Hotchi-witchi’ is a Romany word for ‘hedgehog’.
It’s not necessary for the reader to know any of this. But I think that rooting dialect and language in this way can give it authority and credibility.
Marya: Did you believe in the “little people” when you were a child?
Steve: Probably. But ‘little people’ rather than ‘fairies’. Leprechauns, Will o’ the Wisp, Cornish piskies, Scots kelpies – these seemed more possible than winged Titania.
Marya: You did the illustrations for the Various books and they are quite beautiful. How did you create them?
Steve: I use scraperboard. This is a type of card, about the same weight as mounting board, but with a smooth clay surface. The technique involves inking this clay surface and then working into it with a scraperboard tool - scratching away the black ink with a blade, in order that a white underlayer shows through. The blades are available in various shapes. Scraperboard usually comes ready-coated with a black surface, but I prefer to use white board and apply the ink myself. This means that I can paint in the general framework of the illustration and there will be less ink to scrape away.
Marya: In addition to writing, you also illustrate and do the paper engineering for books. Which of your various (no pun intended here) hats do you enjoy wearing the most?
Steve: Whichever I’m not currently sweating under! None of it’s easy, so if I’m paper-engineering I’ll wish I was writing, if I’m writing I’ll wish I was drawing…
Being able to switch from one skill to another is how I’ve survived. Some might say I’m multi-talented, others might call me a jack-of-all trades. But it beats digging ditches either way.
Marya: Have you always loved to draw?
Steve: Yes. My dad was a pretty good artist – a sometime scenery painter before he got married and had to look for a ‘proper’ job. He was encouraging of me as a child, and there was always a pencil around. Paper was in shorter supply. At home I used to draw on the bits of card that came in Shredded Wheat packets.
Marya: How did you get into the children’s book world in the first place?
Steve: At art college. I was on an illustration course, and one of the projects we were given was to produce some chapter heading drawings for three Hans Anderson stories. Looking at the work of Arthur Rackham and Heath Robinson inspired me to try and find publishers who would give me a chance as a children’s book illustrator. And they did.
Marya: The writing muse is a fickle thing. Do your best ideas come to you at certain times or in certain situations?
Steve: Yeah – whenever the mortgage is due. Seriously, if you want writing to be your job you’d better write something that you can sell. And your work is more likely to sell if you believe in it yourself. Ideas are cheap and plentiful, it’s fashioning them into something you can believe in that’s the hard part. And children know. You can’t sell them short.
Marya: What kinds of books did you like to read when you were Midge’s age?
Steve: Malcolm Saville, Arthur Ransome, Rider Haggard, Captain Marryat – the usual suspects. I try consciously to write the kind of books that I would have loved as a twelve year old, and I never forget how wonderful books were to me at that age. I won’t knock something out for the sake of it. It has to come from the heart. If you can move yourself, then you’ll move others; a piece of advice my publisher gave me, and one worth hanging onto.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
The Savvy Blog Book: Day Three - What's your savvy?
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
The Savvy Blog Book Tour - Day Two
Marya: Where did the idea of someone having a savvy come from?
When Mibs’s savvy arrives it is not what she hoped for at all, and at first she cannot imagine how her savvy could ever be useful. She has to experience certain things before she is able to see how her savvy could be an asset.
Monday, April 27, 2009
The Savvy Blog Book Tour - Day One
Ingrid Law
Fiction
Ages 9 to 12
Penguin, 2008, 978-0-8037-3306-0
Mibs is about to turn thirteen and in her family this particular birthday is very important. The reason for this is that this is the age when people in her family get their “savvy,” their special gift or talent. When Mibs' brother Fish turned thirteen he caused a hurricane, and he has struggled with his storm creating tendencies every since. Her other big brother Rocket attracts electricity, and his gift not only breaks appliances but it also runs the family car.
Mibs is eager to find out what her savvy will be, and then all her hopes for a special birthday celebration are dashed. Her father is involved in a terrible multi-car pileup on the highway, and soon Mibs’ mother heads for Salina to be with her injured husband. Mibs stays at home with her bothers and her grandfather in the care of the preacher’s wife. Which is why Mibs finds herself in the church on her birthday attending a party that she does not want, and surrounded by people she does not really like. All Mibs wants to do is to go to Salina to be with her mother. She is convinced that she will be able to use her savvy will help her father.
And this is when Mibs gets the brilliant idea. While the party is going on, she sneaks onto the pink bus that a bible salesman drives, thinking that he must be going back to the city. Her brothers Fish and Sampson, and the preacher’s children also get on the bus. Unfortunately the driver goes north instead of south, in the wrong direction, and Mibs begins to wonder when she will be able to be with her father. She is also very worried about her savvy, which has arrived on time. It is not at all what Mibs expected, and she cannot help wondering what use it will be to her.
In this powerful book, Ingrid Law explores friendships, she looks at an important rite of passage, and she shows her readers how well meant plans can go hopelessly awry – in both sad and funny ways. This is a memorable book filled with beautiful language, splendid imagery, and colorful characters.
A Christian Worldview of Fiction, All About Children’s Books, Becky’s Book Reviews, Booking Mama, Cafe of Dreams, Dolce Bellezza, Fireside Musings, Hyperbole, KidzBookBuzz.com, Looking Glass Reviews, Maw Books Blog, Never Jam Today, Olive Tree, Our Big Earth, The 160 Acrewoods, Through a Child’s Eyes
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Happy Earth Day! A book review and book giveaway
Brad Herzog
Illustrated by Linda Holt Ayriss
Non-Fiction
Ages 6 to 9
Sleeping Bear Press, 2009, 1-58536-428-2
Today, perhaps more than ever before, people around the world are growing to appreciate that “every little bit helps” when it comes to protecting the environment. There are many things that children and their families can do to make this world a cleaner, greener, and healthier place to live.
To help children to see that there are so many things that they can do Sleeping Bear Press put together this clever alphabet book. For each letter of the alphabet, the author has found an environmental topic to explore. Many of the topics include suggestions that show children how they can make green choices every day. For example, on the C page we see a child riding to school so that fuel is conserved and so that less pollution ends up in the air. The L page talks about eating food that is grown locally. Eating food that is fresher and that does not have to travel many miles to get to us is a good strategy.
For every letter of the alphabet, the author gives his readers a poem to enjoy. Younger children will like listening to or reading the two rhyming stanzas that compliment the artwork. In addition to the poems, the author has also written a longer piece of descriptive text. This explores the highlighted topic in more detail. This format allows children of a variety of ages to appreciate this valuable title.
This is just one in a series of informative alphabet books published by Sleeping Bear Press.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
In Honor of Earth Day
Friday, April 17, 2009
An Interview with Amy Krouse Rosenthal
I was always writing them, have always loved children's books. It just took me longer to break into this field. My first grown-up book was published in 1998. My first children's bookwas published 7 years later. Still have a sizable bump on my head from all the brick walls I kept running into on my path to get into the children's book arena.
Why, the Idea Store of course!
:)
OK, two serious answers to that question.
a) I don't really know where I get the ideas to be honest.
b) I have started to realize that maybe it's like this: I simply am a collector of ideas. And when you collect something-- whether it's baseball cards or antiques or coins or ideas-- you are always on the lookout for them; you train yourself to always sort of be on high alert for them. And that's how it is with me. Because I love and collect ideas, I'm always keeping an eye out for them.
To some degree, sure. Hard to say where the line is drawn. I mean, would I have written these same exact children's books if I didn't have kids, or if I had different kids? Probably. But who knows! I will say that my kids, all three of them, have helped me with my manuscripts, improving, suggesting, adding, tweaking. They all have really good observations and insights. I've credited each of them in different books...and more of that to come.
4. Which of your books is your favorite?
Yes, that one.
:)
5. Do you have a regular writing schedule, or do you just write when the muse hits you?
I would accomplish nothing if I waited for the muse to arrive. She is one elusive little creature! I have a regular writing schedule; I write in the afternoons. And then additionally I do a lot of critical thinking when I'm driving, showering, practicing yoga, falling asleep at night, you know, in the quiet in-between spaces of life.
6. Do you think that you are going to write another “Little” book to join “Little Pea,” “Little Hoot,” and “Little Oink?”
Nope.
7. What kinds of books did you like to read when you were a child?
Fortunately, by Remy Charlip.
Put Me In the Zoo
Madeline
and lots of nonfiction... I loved reading biographies when I was a kid, the junior editions sort. couldn't get enough of those. still the same way.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
A Day in the Life of Kathryn Fitzmaurice - Day Two
“That’s okay,” I tell him. “I can wait.”
He nods like he knows I have no choice.
I wave a bundle of papers at him. “You see this?” I say. “It’s a character study. I’m going to fill it out today, and then, then, I’ll know better who you are.”
He raises his eyebrows and walks away. This is typical behavior for him.
I grab my pencil and get to work. I know he’ll talk sooner or later."
Thursday, April 9, 2009
School Library Journal hosts the first Battle of the (Kids') Books
Match 1: The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves vs Ways to Live Forever
Match 2: The Graveyard Book vs The Trouble Begins at 8
Match 3: Chains vs Washington at Valley Forge
Match 4: Here Lies Arthur vs Tender Morsels
Match 5: The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks vs We Are the Ship
Match 6: The Hunger Games vs The Porcupine Year
Match 7: Graceling vs The Underneath
Match 8: The Lincolns vs Nation
The judges for this first round are:
Roger Sutton
Jon Scieszka
Elizabeth Partridge
Meg Rosoff
Rachel Cohn
Ellen Wittlinger
Tamora Pierce
Ann Brashares
Are there any other books that you think should be in the competition? Let me know what you think and do visit the Battle of the (Kids') Books Blog. It is going to be fun to watch this battle take place.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Help Feed America
Thursday, April 2, 2009
The April Issue of Through the Looking Glass Book Review
The Bookish Events for this month are:
April in National Poetry Month (USA)
April 2nd is International Children’s Book Day
National Library Week April 12th - 18th (USA)
Young People’s Poetry Week April 13th - 19th (USA)
I hope you will be able to enjoy some of these events with the children in your lives.
In addition to the "Books and Libraries" feature I looked at books about spring. Then there are the titles that are linked to the Bookish Calendar. If you want to read about Easter, Thomas Jefferson, or Earth Day, you will find links to books about these subjects - and many others - here.
The book that I chose for the Editor's Choice for April is Trainstop by Barbara Lehman. This superb wordless picture book is a joy to look at, and children will have great time talking about the magical story. Readers will see that doing others a kind turn can be wonderfully rewarding, and in this case at least, the giver is given a priceless gift to thank her for her kindness. By the by, all of Barbara Lehman's books are memorable and magical.
I hope you enjoy this month's issue of Through the Looking Glass Book Review.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
The Golden Kite Awards
Instituted in 1973, the Golden Kite Awards are the only children’s literary award judged by a jury of peers. More than 1,000 books are entered each year. Eligible books must be written or illustrated by SCBWI members, and submitted either by publishers or individuals."
Fiction: DOWN SAND MOUNTAIN
by Steve Watkins
Candlewick Press
by Pamela S. Turner
Farrar, Straus and Giroux
by Bonny Becker, illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton
Candlewick Press
Picture Book Illustration: LAST NIGHT
Illustrated and written by Hyewon Yum
Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Fiction: THE ADORATION OF JENNA FOX
by Mary E. Pearson
Henry Holt Books for Young Readers
Nonfiction: THE MYSTERIOUS UNIVERSE: SUPERNOVAE, DARK ENERGY, AND BLACK HOLES
by Ellen Jackson; photographed and illustrated by Nic Bishop
Houghton Mifflin
by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Sean Qualls Henry Holt Books for Young Readers
Illustrated and written by Mo Willems
Hyperion
Thursday, March 26, 2009
The Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award
Monday, March 23, 2009
The Amelia Bloomer Project
You can see the 2009 list here, and I think you will also find all kinds of interesting posts on this blog. The books listed will help girls and young woman to find books that "celebrate the strengths of girls and women and nourish their potential." These are titles that "contain significant feminist content. We need not just cardboard “feisty” or “spunky” female characters, but tales of girls and women who have broken barriers and fought to change their situations and their environment."
Just in case you wondering who Amelia Bloomer was, take a look at this Wikipedia article about this courageous woman who insisted on doing what she thought was right for herself and for other girls and women.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
The 2009 NCTE Orbis Pictus Award for outstanding Nonfiction
The Honor Books are :
George Washington Carver by Tonya Bolden (Abrams Books for Young Readers) The Lincolns: A Scrapbook Look at Abraham and Mary by Candace Fleming (Schwartz & Wade Books)
Washington at Valley Forge by Russell Freedman (Holiday House)
We are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball by Kadir Nelson (Hyperion Books for Children)
When the Wolves Returned: Restoring Nature's Balance in Yellowstone by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent, illustrated by Dan and Cassie Hartman (Walker Books for Young Readers)
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Sunday, March 15, 2009
A Day in the Life of a Writer - Post One:
I have come to the conclusion that writing the second book is harder than writing the first book. At least for me. It doesn’t flow as easily, the words don’t come as fast. It’s difficult to try to find the true voice of a new main character. I think this is a stage/phase many writers go through. I think it’s okay to be in this stage/phase for a while. Someone ought to make one of those charts that identifies the stages of writing, like the ones they have for those who lose a loved-one. Stage one: denial, etc. For writers, it might be, stage one: fear, and so on.
I’ve just submitted a first draft of my WIP to my agent. I’m in the I-can’t-believe-I-wrote-that-how-will-I-ever-fix-it stage. The manuscript is sitting on my desk. I walk around it and pick up a page or two every so often. I read it over, set it down. I’m not ready to tackle it just yet. I know it needs a lot of work, and it’s easier to just take the dog for a walk instead.
You can see the post I wrote on Kathryn's blog.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
An interview with Lisa Greenwald, a Class of 2k9 member
Nowadays editorial hand holding is not as common as it used to be- though there are some wonderful editors out there who are supportive and helpful - and authors are expected to do a lot more on their own. Since 2007, in an effort to help first time authors navigate the daunting publishing process, a group of first time authors formed a group. This group, Class of 2k7, was such a success that two more groups formed in 2008 (Class of 2k8) and 2009 (Class of 2k9).
Today I am talking to Lisa Greenwald, a 2k9 class member:
1. Since 2007 groups of first time authors have been coming together to form Class of 2k7, Class of 2k8 and now Class of 2k9. What is the purpose of these groups?
The purpose of these groups is that it's a way to have strength in numbers and promote our books as a group. However it's also about moral support for each other, a group of debut writers who are going through the publication process for the first time, who can bounce ideas off of one another and be there for each other.
2. What has the response to these groups been?
The response to the groups has been very positive. Librarians, teachers and booksellers are aware of the groups and thus get to know the titles and the members. As for the publishing response, editors and houses love to see their authors being proactive with their own promotion. Also, Elizabeth Bunce, a member of the class of 2k8 won a William Morris Award this past year, Sara Zarr, a member of the class of 2k7 was a National Book Award Finalist for her book Story of a Girl and Jay Asher, also a member of 2k7, is the author of the best-selling, Thirteen Reasons Why. As for 2k9, so far we've been doing quite well if I do say so myself: we've received a few starred reviews, MY LIFE IN PINK & GREEN made the indie bound top 10 list for books coming out in Spring 2009, and Rosanne Parry's HEART OF A SHEPHERD also made the list in the ages 9-12 category. Kathryn Fiztmaurice's book THE YEAR THE SWALLOWS CAME EARLY was chosen as the launch to the Bowen imprint and Suzanne Williams' book BULL RIDER is a Junior Library Guild selection!
3. Do you think changes in the children's book industry were largely responsible for the creation of these groups?
I think the changes in the children's book industry may have contributed to the need for group and the need for collective marketing efforts. Especially in today's tough economy, the 2k bond is extremely important. But I also think that writing can be a solitary and sometimes lonely activity and so authors like to take advantage of opportunities to meet and get to know other authors.4. How did learn about, and get involved with, 2k9?I'd read about the 2k classes online and it seemed like a good idea, so I applied and got accepted and I've been very happy with the experience!
5. Your book My Life in Pink and Green will be coming out in March of this year. How has 2k9 helped you promote the book?
2k9 has been so helpful in promoting MY LIFE IN PINK & GREEN. I'm participating on a panel at the VA Festival of the Book in March with Fran Cannon Slayton (WHEN THE WHISTLE BLOWS,) Ann Haywood Leal (ALSO KNOWN AS HARPER) Edith M. Hemingway (Road to Tater Hill,) and Ellen Jensen Abbott (WATERSMEET.) I'm also participating on a panel at the Hudson Children's Book Festival in May with Danielle Joseph (Shrinking Violet) and Ellen Jensen Abbott. It's great to be able to participate on these panels at these great festivals. I doubt I'd get to do it without the collective enthusiasm and strength of 2k9.
6. Have your fellow 2k9 authors provided you with support during this journey of yours?
They have provided me with so much support. It's great to be able to email the group with a question or a quibble. It's a wonderful thing, also, to sign online to check email and see a whole slew of congratulations on a starred review. They are a wonderful, wonderful group of people.
7. Tell us the story of My Life in Pink and Green. How did it come to be written? After you completed the manuscript what did you do next?MY LIFE IN PINK & GREEN was a very collaborative effort between my agent Alyssa Eisner Henkin (who is fabulous!) and me. We discussed the story and worked on what plot points to bring out, what characters to keep, etc. She tweaked outlines and drafts before we ever sent it to editors and then when we did send it out, we got positive responses! After that it found a home at Amulet Books with a wonderful editor named Maggie Lehrman and we worked on it together as well.
8. What advice would you give to people who have written a book and want to find a home for it?
I would suggest researching publishing houses and literary agents. Familiarize yourself with the industry so that when you reach out to editors and agents you're reaching out the right people. Read as much as you can, and don't skip the acknowledgments in books. Often you'll find out what editors have worked on what books through the acknowledgments and you'll get a little bit of a sense if your book will appeal to that editor.9. What advice would you give to first time authors who are new to the children's book industry?My advice is to write what's meaningful to you. Don't worry about writing something "commercial" or "literary." Just write what you care about and the heart and the passion will come through. Also, try to be patient and optimistic. It's very easy to get discouraged but sticking with it and working hard is very important.
10. What are you going to do next? Do you have another book in the works?
I'm working on a few different things, playing around with different ideas. I'm also trying an "adult" story out. The main character is 22 so that's why it's "adult." I love writing for tweens and teens but this character just came to me and I have to give her a chance.
Thank you Lisa for spending some time with us here on TTLG.
Take note that Lisa is offering young readers ages 9 to 16 the opportunity to win copies of her book and other delights. Visit the contest page on her blog for more information.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Share a Story - Shape the Future
From March 9 to 13, 2009, blogging librarians, teachers, parents, authors, illustrators, and other people passionate about literacy will be writing about different aspects of reading. Each day has its own theme, with a host blogger and several guests. The organizers also have several giveaways planned, including a number of books related to reading. There will also be lots of free, downloadable content that includes ideas for making bookmarks and templates; links to book lists, children's book reviewers, and resources for selecting material; and tips for reading with kids and getting involved with your community.