BERNARD WABER 1921-2013 Sad news. Bernard Waber, creator of Lyle, Lyle Crocodile, Ira Sleeps Over, and many others has passed away. Click here to read more at School Library Journal. ATTENTION: HIGH SHARE-ABILITY LEVELS The Horn Book has a summer reading list up at their site full of excellent new recommended titles – perfect for [...]

E.L. KONIGSBURG 1930-2013 Sad news. As you likely have heard by now, author E.L. Konigsburg has passed away at the age of 83. Winner of two Newbery Medals and one Newbery Honor, her books have lived on like few do. School Library Journal remembers her here. PLACE YOUR BETS – EISNER NOMINEES ANNOUNCED Nominees for [...]

THE READING SLUMP You’ve been there, right? Nothing sounds good. You start books and don’t finish them. I know I have been in my fair share of reading droughts. Donalyn Miller wrote an honest, bold post at The Nerdy Book Club blog about the topic that has definitely hit home with a lot of readers. [...]

MANY STARS FOR YOU ShelfTalker posted their first installment of The Stars So Far. This tally of books that have received starred reviews is always an interesting read. Think you can guess the two books that have already received 5 starred reviews? They were a surprise to me. Click here to check out the list. NO [...]

MATILDA: HORSE RACE FIXER The New Yorker, in discussing the new stage play of Roald Dahl’s classic, reveals the very different early draft of Matilda. Click here to read at Bookshelves of Doom. SCHOOL LIBRARIANS: STAY FOCUSED The Blue Skunk Blog makes me think every time out. In a world of a million professional distractions, [...]

10 POUNDS ON ‘I WANT MY HAT BACK’ Book award news. Over in the UK, the shortlists for The Carnegie (for writing) and Kate Greenway (for illustration) medals have been announced. It’s down to eight titles in each category, folks – place your bets. Click here for Carnegie. Click here for Greenway. EXTREME READING More [...]

NEWBERY IN 90 The 90 Second Newbery, once just a glimmer in author James Kennedy’s eye, has just completed its second year. If you missed the recap of this year’s screening in New York, click here – it looked like a wild night. Spread the word: for those who want to participate in next year’s [...]

CALDECOTT SECRETS Or rather, why are there so many? Click here to read. NPR ON SENDAK Morning Edition recently used the occasion of Maurice Sendak’s final work “My Brother’s Book” to talk about the man and his legacy. Click here to listen. THIS BOOK NEEDS A HOLOGRAM What is the wave of the future when [...]

SENDAK SCHOOL You may have heard, but they’re naming a New York City public school after Maurice Sendak. This seems a fine idea to me. Click here to read.   NEW HARRY POTTER COVERS Publisher’s Weekly just announced this morning that September will bring new covers for the paperback edition of the Harry Potter series. [...]

WRITING ADVICE FROM MO WILLEMS I’d say Mr. Willems has a handle on writing for kids (Boom! *Understatement Award*). He recently put out a list of tips on his blog titled How to Write in 4 Easy Steps, 4 Kinda Harder Steps, and 1 Pretty Much Impossible Step. Anyone who reads, critiques, writes, or hopes [...]

CALDECOTT CALLED *Update* The fine blog Calling Caldecott just announced the results of their first round of mock voting. All my picks made it, so I’m a happy camper. Click here to read. ALL THE STARS ShelfTalker put out the final tally of books that received starred reviews, a list that I always get a [...]

THE LIBRARIAN EGO Children’s librarian (and occasional book review song collaborator) Hi Miss Julie had folks talking with her post about fame in the library world. Plenty to consider here. http://himissjulie.com/2013/01/13/ego-thy-name-is-librarianship/ JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH VS. SCIENCE You think 501 seagulls could lift a house-sized peach? Try way, way more. Finally scientists are doing [...]

FROM THE ILLUSTRATOR OF ‘WILL YOU MARRY ME’… Jumbotron: predictable. In an exercise in patience (and awesomeness), illustrator Sam Zupparti proposed to his girlfriend in the most unexpected way – in the pages of his debut picture book. Click here to read. (Thanks to Publishers Weekly for the link) SERIES STRESS To add a number [...]

‘THESE ARE TOPS’ SAYS AMAZON The Best of 2012-ing continues, this time with Amazon naming their top books. They always have a more populist view, with a few bestsellers that aren’t likely to crack other lists. Click here for picture books Click here for middle grade IN SUPPORT OF THE ABSURD Man-on-a-children’s-literature-roll Mac Barnett doesn’t [...]

INTRODUCING THE RANDOM PENGUIN Two of the world’s largest publishers, Random House and Penguin, appear to be joining forces. I’m not the first to say it, but I’m disappointed they didn’t go with the name Random Penguin for the new venture. Really missed the boat on that one. Click here to read. MAKE A GOOD(READS) [...]