2011 Caldecott Medal Predictions

Read elementary school librarian Travis Jonker's picks for the top contenders for the 2011 Caldecott Medal.

 

Book Giveaway: When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

Visit Booking Mama to enter to win a copy of 2010 Newbery Medal Winner When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead. Contest open until December 9.

Kid-friendly books make great Christmas gifts!

Have little ones on your Christmas list? Books make a great gift!

Read this article from Rebecca Young for some recommendations. 

http://www.theolympian.com/2010/11/28/1454983/kid-friendly-books-make-great.html

Happy Birthday to 2005 Caldecott Medal winner Kevin Henkes!

Happy Birthday Kevin Henkes - Born November 27, 1960

Confidence.  Where does it come from? Is it something we are born with? How much influence does a parent have on a child's confidence?  These are questions I was thinking about as my wife was out shopping today for Black Friday deals, and the kids were at grandma's house on a surprise overnight after our Thanksgiving Day celebration.  These thoughts about confidence started when I learned that Kevin Henkes, at the age of 19, went to New York City to present his portfolio to children's book publishers.  He said in an interview with BookPage, "I was convinced I would come home with book contract."  Henkes was confident in his abilities as an writer and artist as he convinced Greenwillow to publish his first book All Alone in 1981.

Kevin Henkes said in his biography on his webpage, "I remember drawing at a very young age. I loved it.  My parents and teachers told me I was good at it - and that made me love it all the more."  Also, he dedicated All Alone to his mom by saying "To Mom, for knowing I should take a chance."  If the encouragement from his mother to pursue his dream as a children's book author was a seed, then Henkes' career is now a blossoming flower.  He was the winner of the Caldecott Honor in 1994 for Owen and the Caldecott Medal in 2005 for Kitten's First Full Moon.

During my research, I was surprised to find that Henkes has written many picture books that have been illustrated by other artists.  In an interview by CCBCHenkes said, "Every one of the picture books of mine that has been illustrated by someone else was written when I was in the middle of a novel. In each case I've given up doing the pictures at a time when I was more interested in something else."  Henkes has been successful writing novels as he received Newbery Honor in 2004 for Olive's Ocean.

Henkes may be best known for his mouse books with the popular characters Lilly, Sheila Rae, and Chester.  Our favorite is Chrysanthemum who loves her name until she goes to school where she is teased by her classmates.  She has a tough time being teased but she later once again realizes along with her classmates that it is a beautiful name.  As I was reading this book and many other books by Henkes I particularly liked when he illustrated a few moments in time by breaking it into a series of illustrations. 

 

 

 

From http://www.happybirthdayauthor.com

Perfect recipes for your Harry Potter party or a great gift for the Potter lover on your list!

If you are planning a party in conjunction with the movie opening of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, The Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook is just what you need to ensure your refreshments, whether snacks, dessert or a full dinner, are all in line with the foods mentioned in the Harry Potter series. Read Elizabeth Kennedy's book review of The Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook  to find out why the book will be so appealing to Harry Potter fans and why it's a good cookbook for others as well. 

 

via childrensbooks.about.com

9 new children's books from Caldecott Medal winners ...

Here are some great new books by previous winners of the Caldecott Medal:

With his brilliant new book "Art & Max" (Clarion, $17.99), author/illustrator David Wiesner has a chance of winning an unprecedented fourth Caldecott Medal. The annual award honors excellence in children's-book illustrations.

• In "Art & Max," Wiesner offers a humor-infused, quirky story focused on the friendship between two lizards: a pompous painter named Art and his rowdy friend Max, who wants to try his own hand at art. Things quickly get out of hand as Max takes Art's suggestion — "You could paint me" — and proceeds to put his own spin on it by literally plastering his friend with paint. When Max attempts to wash off the colors, Art becomes a mere outline — a la "Harold and the Purple Crayon" — until Max uses his creativity to bring his friend back to vibrant life.

The youngest readers will hoot at the silliness of the story and soak in the vivid colors and liveliness of Wiesner's illustrations. Older readers, however, will catch the deeper meaning in "Art & Max," understanding that Wiesner's story has a lot to say about art, friendship and life. (Ages 4-10.)

• Eric Rohmann, who won the 2003 Caldecott Medal for "My Friend Rabbit," has taken an 11-line lullaby by a Scotsman named James Guthrie and created a cozy bedtime tale in "Last Song" (Roaring Brook, $10.99). Sized just right for small hands to hold, Rohmann's book also features a die-cut front that allows readers to peek at a nest of squirrels curled up in the trunk of an oak tree. Rohmann's watercolors beautifully portray the coming night as the sky darkens in each two-page spread until the squirrels bid the "...lily-white star/a fond goodnight."(Ages 3-6.)

• In "Dust Devil" (Schwartz & Wade/Random House, $17.99), illustrator Paul Zelinsky teams up with author Anne Isaacs to continue their tall tale of Angelica Longrider, aka "Swamp Angel." Zelinsky, who won the 1998 Caldecott Medal for "Rapunzel," won a Caldecott Honor in 1995 for his illustrations in Angel's first adventure, "Swamp Angel."

As "Dust Devil" opens, the Paul Bunyan-sized Angel has just moved to Montana. But things aren't necessarily easy: Angel first has to tame a whirlwind horse she names Dust Devil, and then figure out how to bring Backward Bart and his Flying Desperadoes to justice. Isaacs' action-packed story is filled with comic moments, and the tale's comedy is broadened further in Zelinsky's spectacular, primitive-style artwork, done in oils on cedar, aspen and maple veneers. (Ages 5-10.)

• David Small won the 2001 Caldecott Medal for his illustrations for "So You Want To Be President?" Now he brings his talents to "Elise's Bird" (Philomel, $17.99), a story about a girl who moves with her widowed father from her beloved Boston to Nebraska. Elise, a city-lover, hates what she believes is the silence of the prairie and at first refuses to leave her lonely farmhouse. When her pet canary escapes one day, however, Elise runs out into the surrounding grasslands and, for the first time, hears "the voices of the plains."

Author Jane Yolen's lyrical story is matched by Small's illustrations, in which he uses watercolor, pastel and ink to capture both Elise's spirit and the majesty of the Nebraskan landscape. (Ages 4-8.)

• Jerry Pinkney, who won the 2010 Caldecott Medal for "The Lion and the Mouse," takes on another traditional story in "Three Little Kittens" (Dial, $16.99). Pinkney's anthropomorphized kittens frolic and caper through the pages of this delightful picture book. While the story is simple, Pinkney's detail-filled illustrations give it an entertaining energy that will have young readers wanting to read "Three Little Kittens" again and again. (Ages 3-6.)

• A boy, a crow and a wintery landscape are the three main elements in author/illustrator Chris Raschka's memorable new book, "Little Black Crow" (Atheneum, $16.99). Raschka, who won the 2006 Caldecott Medal for "The Hello, Goodbye Window," tells a simple story of a child imagining what a crow might be thinking and, in the process, revealing much about himself. Raschka's loose-lined watercolor illustrations are magnificent, portraying a world in just a few brushes of line and color. (Ages 3-6.)

• Emily Arnold McCully, who won the 1993 Caldecott Medal for "Mirette On the High Wire," offers two new books, both based on true events. In "Wonder Horse" (Henry Holt, $16.99), McCully tells the story of Bill "Doc" Key, who became famous for his ability to teach his horse Jim Key to recognize letters and numbers and use that knowledge to answer questions. In "The Secret Cave" (FSG, $16.99), McCully writes of the four French boys who discovered a treasure trove of primitive art at Lascaux. McCully uses her trademark watercolor-and-ink style in both books as she introduces young readers to some fascinating history. (Ages 5-10.)

• Author Brenda Guiberson uses a call-and-response text to introduce young readers to an increasingly rare wild animal in "Moon Bear" (Henry Holt, $16.99). Dramatic cut-paper collage illustrations by Ed Young, who won the 1990 Caldecott Medal for "Lon Po Po," spotlight the beauty and playfulness of the moon bears. (Ages 5-8.)

Contact Karen MacPherson, the children's/teen librarian at the Takoma Park, Md., Library, at Kam.Macpherson@gmail.com.

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New reads from award winning illustrators. Article via http://seattletimes.nwsource.com.

ALA creates a prize honoring gay literature for young readers

The American Library Association, who give out the prestigous Newbery and Caldecott Medals each year, have created a new prize. The Stonewall Children's and Young Adult Literature Award will be presented each year to an "English-languae book of exceptional merit relating to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered experience. 

 

Here's an article from New York Times writer, Julie Bosman:

The American Library Association has added an award for gay and lesbian literature to its annual prizes for children’s books. The prizes, which include the prestigious John Newbery and Randolph Caldecott medals, will be announced on Jan. 10.

The new award, called the Stonewall Children’s and Young Adult Literature Award, is for an English-language book “of exceptional merit relating to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered experience,” the association said on Monday. Stonewall Awards for adult books have been handed out since 1971.

Robert Stevens, the president of the American Library Association, said in a statement that children’s books that include the experiences of gays and lesbians “are critical tools in teaching tolerance, acceptance and the importance of diversity.”

Books that win awards from the association are closely watched by librarians, teachers and parents, and are typically distributed widely in bookstores, schools and libraries after receiving a prize.

The American Library Association said there was a growing demand for hihg-quality children’s books that reflect the experiences of gays and lesbians, citing a national statistic that about 14 million children have a gay or lesbian parent.

Great books to get you in the Halloween mood!

Want something a little spooky to get you in the mood for Halloween? Try 2009 Newbery Award winner The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. 

 

Happy Birthday to Ed Emberley!

 

The illustrator, Ed Emberley, will celebrate his birthday on October 19th.  He is best known for his instructional drawing books graded to the early elementary school level.  He has illustrated over 50 books and won the Caldecott Medal  for his illustrations for Drummer Hoff-- which was written by his wife, Barbara Emberley.  There has been a renewed interest in his work now that his audience has grown up and are having children. 

I remember checking Ed Emberley books out of the library in elementary school and spending hours trying to perfect my people and animals!

See more Ed Emberley from the Twin Lakes Library System.

 

If letting kids pick books fosters love of reading, let's let them

Something to consider from Tara Trower:

The quickest way to kill the love of reading is to force kids to read books they do not like. Books are not just for school preparation and learning to read; they can and should be recreation, especially if you want kids to see them as an alternative to video games or TV. How would you feel if, for your beach vacation, you were forced to read books your boss picked for you?

Read the entire article here.

The Best Children's Picture Books Future Generations May Never ...

The Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney, winner of the 2010 Caldecott

Childhood ain’t what it used to be.

According to the New York Times, picture books may become a thing of the past. In Picture Books No Longer a Staple for Children, Julie Bosman writes,

“The picture book, a mainstay of children’s literature with its lavish illustrations, cheerful colors and large print wrapped in a glossy jacket, has been fading. It is not going away — perennials like the Sendaks and Seusses still sell well — but publishers have scaled back the number of titles they have released in the last several years, and booksellers across the country say sales have been suffering.

The economic downturn is certainly a major factor, but many in the industry see an additional reason for the slump. Parents have begun pressing their kindergartners and first graders to leave the picture book behind and move on to more text-heavy chapter books. Publishers cite pressures from parents who are mindful of increasingly rigorous standardized testing in schools.”

Classic children’s books will be around for some time. Too many people still have fond memories of their childhood books for them to die out quite yet. Can you imagine a world without Dr. Seuss or Eloise? Or these:

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
Curious George
Goodnight Moon
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
Madeline
The Polar Express
The Tale of Peter Rabbit
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Where The Wild Things Are

The problem is the dwindling next generation of children’s picture books. With sales slowing, publishers will continue to be more reluctant to publish picture books. Misguided parents who continue to suck the joy out of children’s literature exacerbate the problem. It’s more than possible that they are the problem.

“They’re 4 years old, and their parents are getting them ‘Stuart Little,’ ” said Dara La Porte, the manager of the children’s department at the Politics and Prose bookstore in Washington. “I see children pick up picture books, and then the parents say, ‘You can do better than this, you can do more than this.’ It’s a terrible pressure parents are feeling — that somehow, I shouldn’t let my child have this picture book because she won’t get into Harvard.”

It’s pretty easy to argue that the desire to read and learn, joy in the written word, an appreciation of art and a healthy imagination can provide a good foundation for eventually getting into Harvard. The New York Public Library offers a wonderful page of 100 Picture Books Everyone Should Know, starting with Abuela by Arthur Dorros and ending with Zomo the Rabbit: A Trickster Tale From West Africa, retold and illustrated by Gerald McDermott. All points of the compass are represented in between, with classic and modern books on the list.

Of the books on the Stockton-San Joaquin County Public Library’s list of the 100 Best Picture Books, twelve have been published in the last five years.

I Ain’t Gonna Paint No More! by Karen Beaumont, 2005
A Splendid Friend, Indeed by Suzanne Bloom, 2005.
Bad Kitty by Nick Bruel, 2005.
Llama, Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney, 2005.
Maybe a Bear Ate It by Robie Harris, 2008.
Chickens to the Rescue by John Himmelman, 2006.
Mr. Pusskins and Little Whiskers: Another Love Story by Sam Lloyd, 2008.
Fancy Nancy by Jane O’Connor, 2006.
Let’s Play in the Forest by Claudia Rueda, 2006.
Mind Your Manners B.B. Wolf by Judy Sierra, 2007.
Clip-Clop by Nicola Smee, 2006.
Grumpy Bird by Jeremy Tankard, 2007.

The list was published in 2009, so the 2010 Caldecott medal winner is not on it. The Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney is a beautiful book made to inspire the imagination of children.

And that, of course, is what children’s picture books are all about. Illustrations don’t take the place of a child’s imagination, they enhance it and encourage it and bring extra life to a story. Children who are forced to read chapter books when they would rather peruse picture books will grow up with a sense that books are a necessary evil. They won’t have the memories of childhood stories to guide their book purchases for their own children. The tide has not yet completely turned, but if sales of picture books continues to decline, and over-zealous parental attitudes about education and literature increases, future generations may ensure the death of picture books through ignorance, indifference and a purely practical and pragmatic worldview that has no room for the childish joys of childhood. And that’s wrong.

via google.com

Commentary on the story from yesterday courtesy of CultureMob - http://culturemob.com/blog/.>

Are picture books becoming obsolete?

This New York Times article investigates falling sales in picture books as parents push their children to read more "complex" chapter books sooner. 

A sad story about the decline in a wonderful art form, the children's picture book. 

Martin Scorcese and Jude Law start work on Hugo Cabret

Director Martin Scorcese and actor Jude Law are among the many talented people who will be involved with the film Hugo Cabret, and adaptation of Brian Selznick’s 2008 Newbery Medal winning book, The Invention of Hugo Cabret. 

http://www.thesundaily.com/article.cfm?id=52116

Celebrate Banned Books Week with the ALA!

"Banned Books Week highlights the benefits of free and open access to information while drawing attention to the harms of censorship by spotlighting actual or attempted bannings of books across the United States."

http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/bannedbooksweek/index.cfm

Celebrate your freedom to read!

7 Curious Facts About 7 Dr. Seuss Books

1. Hop on Pop

In an early draft of the book, Theodor S. Geisel (aka Dr. Seuss) wanted to make sure his publisher, Bennett Cerf, was reading the manuscripts he was turning in, so instead of this line: “My father / can read / big words, too. / Like… / Constantinople / and / Timbuktu” the manuscript read as follows: “When I read I am smart / I always cut whole words apart. / Con Stan Tin O Ple, Tim Buk Too / Con Tra Cep Tive, Kan Ga Roo.”

2. Green Eggs and Ham

Again, we have a story here involving Cerf. This time it’s a wager. “I’ll bet you $50 that you can’t write a book using only 50 words,” said Cerf. He knew that Seuss had used a whopping 225 words in The Cat in the Hat, which had recently been published, and he knew how Seuss had struggled with that one, so the $50 seemed like easy money. Yeah… easy money for Seuss!

3. The Cat In The Hat

This neat tidbit involves another challenge, though not from Cerf, from a Life Magazine article about illiteracy rates. The article argued, “Why should [school primers] not have pictures that widen rather than narrow the associative richness the children give to the words they illustrate — drawings like those of the wonderfully imaginative geniuses among children’s illustrators, Tenniel, Howard Pyle, Theodor S. Geisel.”

Seuss read the piece and immediately began working on The Cat In The Hat, which took him nine months to write! A 236-word book, that rhymes, and entertains, is darn hard to write!

4. Horton Hears A Who

This book has been the subject of much brouhaha. Turns out that the recurring phrase uttered by Horton “a person’s a person, no matter how small” has been commandeered by several pro-life groups who use it in support of their views, something Seuss strongly disapproved of.

5. And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street

Published in 1937, this was Seuss’ first children’s book. His original title for the book was “A Story That No One Can Beat.” Maybe this was the reason it was rejected by 27 publishers before eventually being picked up by Vanguard Press. Yes, it seems nearly 30 publishers couldn’t figure out a way to make money off a silly Dr. Seuss book.

6. Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories

Published in 1958, Yertle is full of metaphors and allusions that deal with fascism. This, of course, has been well documented and is fairly well-known. What is less-known, however, is the fact that the editorial committee involved in publishing the book hemmed and hawed about publishing it in the first place. NOT because of the fascism, but—are you ready for this?—because of the word “burp!” Yep, it seems burp was something like a vulgar expletive in the children’s book universe. According to Seuss, the publishers at Random House, including the president, had to meet to decide whether or not they could use “burp” because “nobody had ever burped before on the pages of a children’s book!

7. The Sneetches and Other Stories

Of all Seuss’ characters the Sneetches have ound its way into more popular songs than the others.

a) From the Dead Kennedys’ song “Holiday in Cambodia”
You’re a star-belly sneech
You suck like a leach
You want everyone to act like you

b) Bikini Kill’s song “Star Bellied Boy”,
He said he wanted to
JUST touch YOU
Star Bellied Boy
Different from the rest
Yr soooo different from the rest

The Star-belly sneeches are mentioned as well in Flobots’ song “Simulacra”, from their album Onamatopoeia and in Ben Cooper’s song “The Sneetches”, in which he sings “we are nothing only Sneetches, thinking that our stars are brighter than on thars.”

See All Our Great Lists >>

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September is Roald Dahl Month!

Did you know that September is Roald Dahl Month and that Dahl was born in September? Children's books by Roald Dahl, which include Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and James and the Giant Peach, have entertained several generations of children. Dahl's books might be called modern fairy tales. Like Grimm's fairy tales, they are sometimes violent or grotesque and have often been the subject of some controversy. However, they are also well written, humorous and very entertaining. If you are lucky enough to be in the London, England area, be sure and visit The Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre, which is located approximately 20 miles northwest of London. Have you and/or your children read any books by Roald Dahl? Let me know what you and your kids think of Roald Dahl and his children's books by going to Readers Respond and posting a message.

(Cover art courtesy of Knopf, Random House)

via childrensbooks.about.com

When I was a kid Roald Dahl was one of my favorite authors and now I still think he has written some of the most creative and best children's books around. My personal favorites of his are The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More and The Witches.

What are your favorite Roald Dahl books?

2010 Caldecott Medal Winner Jerry Pinkney to have his art displayed at the Norman Rockwell Museum

Jerry Pinkney has had a long and successful career and his works will be displayed at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Massachusetts from November 13-May 31, 2011. 

Read the entire story here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interview with Newbery Winner Kate DiCamillo

Good interview with author Kate DiCamillo, 2004 Newbery Medal Winner for The Tale of Despereaux.

 

Little Golden Books

Did you know that September 2010 marks the 68th anniversary of the publication of the Little Golden Book The Poky Little Puppy? Did you know that between its 1942 publication date and 1995, 14,000,000 copies of The Poky Little Puppy were sold in domestic sales alone and that the book is still popular today? See Little Golden Books: A Treasury of Children's Literature for more about the small and popular children's picture books. What were your childhood favorites? Share your memories of your favorite Little Golden Book at Readers Respond.

(Cover art courtesy of Golden Books, an imprint of Random House Children's Books)

via childrensbooks.about.com