Morning Notes: Anybody! Edition

WHAT SOLD IN 2013?

Publisher’s Weekly puts numbers to names, listing the best selling children’s books of last year. You can guess #1? Can you guess the first picture book on the list? Click here to read.

CHILDREN’S LIT ON THE AIRWAVES

On a recent episode of On Point, Tom Ashbrook talks to LeVar Burton, Leonard Marcus, and Starr LaTronica about the state of children’s literature. It’s a wide ranging and often fascinating conversation. Harry Bliss even makes an appearance as a caller. Click here to listen to it.

WAIT – ANIMALS DON’T TALK?

You’ve gotta love studies like The effect of anthropomorphic books on children’s knowledge about animals. Click here to read.

DORK DIARIES ON THE SILVER SCREEN

Yes, the popular series may be headed to a theater near you. Click here to read.

REQUIRED READING

Chances are you are aware Walter Dean Myers and Christopher Myers both wrote pieces on the lack of diversity in children’s literature. Just in case you haven’t read them yet, consider this your push.

Leroy Ninker Saddles Up by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Chris Van Dusen. On shelves August 26, 2014

I wouldn’t have known a thing about this upcoming companion to the Mercy Watson series (which remains hugely popular in my library) without the keen eye of John Schu. All credit to that guy.

This one wasn’t even close. Mike Lewis took it upon himself to modify a couple books in his library.

Double Feature!

I don’t know how I missed this Amazon interview with Jon Klassen back when This Is Not My Hat was coming out. He even draws during the Q&A. Good stuff.

This is my favorite video in a while. Journey creator Aaron Becker grabbed his paper and red crayon to share the events and emotions surrounding his recent Caldecott Honor:

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