Morning Notes: DIY OG Edition

THIS MAKES MY DAY

There’s a new blog dedicated to the Geisel Award? This is great! It has an alliterative title! They have a list of “keep your eyes on” titles at SLJ! I am so in on this.

CONFIDENTIALITY CONVERSATION CONTINUES

Over at SLJ, they’ve invited three interested parties to weigh in on the whole “Should book award discussions remain forever secret” debate. KT Horning, Caldecott Medal winner Dan Santat, and former Caldecott committee member (and my favorite first grade teacher) Ed Spicer all speak their mind.

I Could Tell You About the Newbery and Caldecott Committees. But I Can’t by KT Horning

Why You Don’t Want to Know More About the Newbery and Caldecott by Dan Santat

Let Book Awards Committee Members Blab by Ed Spicer

NOT MODERN FOR THE SAKE OF MODERN

Picture book art fans would do well to read How The Goodnight Moon Author and Collaborator Revolutionized Kids Books. It’s all about Margaret Wise Brown and her collaborations with Caldecott medal winner Leonard Weisgard. Click here to do that.

BOB IN BOSTON

Boston radio interviewed Bob Staake about two things he makes: New Yorker covers and children’s books. Click here to listen.

THINKING ABOUT FROG AND TOAD

It’s that time of year – flowers in bloom, weather turning warm – ’tis the season for Frog and Toad thinkpieces. At least, that’s how it would seem, after Arnold Lobel’s series got the in-depth treatment from both The Atlantic and The New Yorker.

Frog and Toad: An Amphibious Celebration of Same-Sex Love

Frog and Toad and the Self

YOUR CHALLENGE

Donalyn Miller (a.k.a. The Book Whisperer) began the #bookaday challenge in 2009. The idea is simple – read a book a day during the summer. It’s grown every year since. You want in? Click here for more info.

The Amazing Crafty Cat by Charise Mericle Harper. Out April 11, 2017.

Children look at the recent DIY craze among adults and scoff – kids are the DIY OGs. And not only do they like to do crafts, but they also like to read about them. Therefore I am excited to see this book on the (distant) horizon. It’s a comic about a cat who solves problems via her crafting secret identity.

Book Expo America was in my neck of the woods this year (the Midwest). I’d never been, and the vibe was different from, say ALA Annual. Why would I recap when Paula at unadulterated.us has the recap you need to read.

Non-children’s book art from children’s book illustrators never fails to fascinate me. @MrSchuReads has the scoop on a collage exhibit by Caldecott Medalist Kevin Henkes.

"40: Collages by Kevin Henkes" https://t.co/Q8ESQ1NG1v pic.twitter.com/kQJxZLOFGI

— John Schu (@MrSchuReads) May 30, 2016

Filed under: Morning Notes, News