By: Powell's Staff,
on 11/25/2014
Every week, we gather together a small pile of newly released titles that we agree should be on everyone's radar. We deem these titles our New Favorites (check out our recent picks here). Now that the year is winding down, we thought we'd take a look back at some of the standouts, in case you [...]
By: Maryann Yin,
on 11/13/2014
We’ve collected the books debuting on Indiebound’s Indie Bestseller List for the week ending November 09, 2014–a sneak peek at the books everybody will be talking about next month.
(Debuted at #1 in Children’s Fiction Series) Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul by Jeff Kinney: “A family road trip is supposed to be a lot of fun…unless, of course, you’re the Heffleys. The journey starts off full of promise, then quickly takes several wrong turns. Gas station bathrooms, crazed seagulls, a fender bender, and a runaway pig—not exactly Greg Heffley’s idea of a good time. But even the worst road trip can turn into an adventure—and this is one the Heffleys won’t soon forget.” (November 2014)
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Add a CommentOnce again, The Lets-Read-and-Find-Out Science series is our best selling kids series this month and offers wonderful selections for seasonal science and beyond.
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By: Heidi MacDonald,
on 11/4/2014
Today what will probably be the biggest selling graphic novel—or hybrid graphic novels, or picto-fic or whatever you want to call it—of the year goes on sale. Wimpy Kid #9, The Long Haul is the latest installment of Jeff Kinney’s best selling series, and it finds the Heffleys going on a sumer road trip. Anyone who grew up with a family and car will immediately need no further hype as to the horrors and comedy plot potential inherent in the family road trip, but just in case you need more of a pitch:
That’s from a preview up at Publishers Weekly. There’s also an activity guide, embedded below.
In it’s first week, Wimpy Kid #8 Hard Luck sold 1.3 million copies in all formats. The series as a whole had 115 million copies in print as of a year ago. It may not really be a comic, but it is a verbal/visual blend, and it is probably the biggest book series currently going.
Wimpy Kid #9 is on sales today —but if you have a child under the age of 12 you probably already knew that.
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By: Tara Lazar,
on 11/2/2014
Reclaiming:
Your sister/mother/father/cousin is the artist. Your drawing is terrible. You’re hopeless at art. These are the things that you may have heard. Especially when you were a child. Voices that you’ve carried along allowing an important part of you to be silenced.
In some ways, as children’s book creative, our jobs are about accessing that child-like place of curiosity, wonder, and joy. That part that can spend solid time squatting in dirt watching a worm wiggle around in the earth and then reach out and touch it.
Making art is a bit like that. Mucking around in sometimes yucky materials, seeing what will happen if you add a touch of ochre to that blue with some titan buff instead of titanium white. Suddenly your sea is more sea like. Suddenly the endorphins are flowing and you’re in that place of child-like wonder wandering around in the right side of your brain where emotion and intuition hang out. After a while you consciously or unconsciously remember these experiments and how when you do this that happens and the colors, patterns, shapes, compositions you like, become ingrained as habit and begin to develop into your personal visual vocabulary or style. In many ways, it’s like driving a car. Alien at first then effortless after a while. If you do this, that happens. But unlike driving a car, artists are always evolving, trying new moves, new materials, new styles and new combinations. Playing in the dirt.
Playful illustrators whose style epitomizes that child-like delight with a more child-like style include the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books by Jeff Kinney, Naked and I’m Bored by Debbie Ohi, Mo Willem’s Pigeon books, Lauren Child’s books, and Todd Parr and Lucy Cousins wildly successful work that kids often look at and go “I could do that!”
These days, like never before, publishers want author/illustrators. These days publishers are also embracing artwork that may not be technically perfect but whose spirit and originality is totally, playfully, perfect!
Revitalizing:
While realism will always be greatly valued in the exquisite works of artists like John Muth, David Weisner, Julie Downing, E.B. Lewis and many others, there is a new embrace and desire for wild, spontaneous, fresh looking art that mixes it up. Try combining different materials with collage, try standing up and using your whole body to draw with freedom, or try creating loose ink or charcoal drawings like Chris Raschka does. Try playing with new materials that you’ve never used before so that you are more willing to be a child learning new things without judgment, experimenting in the dirt. Watch that worm wriggle. Then gently reach out and touch it.
Years ago Pablo Picasso said, “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.” In the 1960’s Buckminster Fuller wrote, “Everyone is born a genius, but the process of living de-genius’s them.” Who’s ready to reclaim or revitalize their inner artist, childlike joy and visual genius? Take a walk on the wild side.
Mira Reisberg is the Director and founding instructor of the Children’s Book Academy. She has been involved in the children’s book industry since early 1988 as an illustrator, writer, editor, and art director as well as working as a kid lit university professor. Over the years she has taught many now successful children’s book writers and illustrators.
Starting November 3rd, Mira will be co-teaching the Craft and Business of Illustrating Children’s Books with Chronicle Books’ Design Director and Art Director extraordinaire for fearful beginning artists, multi-published illustrators, and adventurous writers. Find out more here.
By: Kim T.,
on 10/29/2014
What could be worse than being stuck in a car with the Heffleys on a long road trip? Will Greg survive his parents, Rodrick, and Manny? This ninth book detailing Jeff Kinney's laugh-out-loud adventures will surely make you appreciate your next boring car trip. Books mentioned in this post Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The [...]
By: Maryann Yin,
on 10/7/2014
Jeff Kinney, the creator of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, plans to unveil five teaser trailers for book nine, The Long Haul. The trailers will be uploaded onto the “Wimpy Kid” YouTube channel on a weekly basis.
In the first video (embedded above), Kinney talks about a new animal character that will be introduced in the forthcoming book—what do you think? Amulet Books, an imprint of ABRAMS, has scheduled the publication date for November 04, 2014.
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Add a CommentThe Lets-Read-and-Find-Out Science series is our best selling kids series this month and offers wonderful selections for seasonal science and beyond.
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Greg Heffley and his family hit the road in author-illustrator Jeff Kinney’s latest installment of the phenomenal bestselling Diary of a Wimpy Kid series.
Age Range: 8 – 12 years
Series: Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Hardcover: 224 pages
Publisher: Amulet Books (November 4, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 141971189X
ISBN-13: 978-1419711893
Pre-order at Amazon!
Wow! This month is proof of good reads, everything remains the same on our best selling kids series list; including the blast from the past ... the Mr. Men and Little Miss books.
Add a CommentThis month we have a blast from the past on top of The Children’s Book Review’s best selling kids series list. Who remembers the Mr. Men and Little Miss books?
Add a CommentThanks to World Cup Soccer, the new Magic Tree House book, Soccer on Sunday, has the series on top of The Children’s Book Review’s best selling kids series list.
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By: Maryann Yin,
on 6/24/2014
Diary of a Wimpy Kid series creator Jeff Kinney and his wife Julie will be moving forward with the development of their new bookstore. In an interview with The Atlantic, the couple discussed their plans for this new retail project. Ideally, this bookstore and café will allow the people of Plainville, Massachusetts to enjoy physical books and a variety of activities (e.g. jewelry workshops, karaoke, wine tastings) so that it becomes a community space.
For Kinney (pictured, via), “a physical book has a heft, a permanence that you don’t get digitally. So our hope is that the bookstore will remain a vital, important part of communities across the country and the world. We hope that the disappearance of such stores has leveled off.”
When asked about how Kinney’s status as a beloved author will help with this business venture, he answered: “To make it work, we know it has to be a destination—we have to bring people in from Plainville and surrounding town. We’ll be leveraging the notoriety that my work has to a certain degree. But it’s not about me. By no means is this a Jeff Kinney store. This has to outlive me.” Do you plan to visit the Kinneys’ bookstore one day?
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Add a CommentBest Selling Books for Kids This month, DK Readers: Star Wars are on top of The Children’s Book Review’s best selling kids series list.
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By: Maryann Yin,
on 6/2/2014
Writer and artist Jeff Kinney (pictured, via) revealed at BookExpo America that he and his wife plan to open a bookstore. The Associated Press reports that the couple intends to transform an abandoned general store located in Plainville, Massachusetts. Besides this book selling venture, Kinney has also been hard at work on the ninth installment of the popular Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. Amulet Books, an imprint at ABRAMS, has scheduled a release date for The Long Haul on November 04, 2014. (via Fishbowl NY)
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By: Dianna Dilworth,
on 5/16/2014
Rush Limbaugh has won Author of the Year in the Children's Choice Book Awards for his latest kids book Rush Revere and The Brave Pilgrims: Time-Travel Adventures with Exceptional Americans. Kids could vote for their favorite author, illustrator and book of the year online between March 25th and May 12th. Limbaugh beat Jeff Kinney, Rick Riordan, Veronica Roth and Rachel Renee Russell, who were also finalists in the category. The ceremony took place on Wednesday night in New York. Limbaugh blogged about his experience at the ceremony on his website. "I have to tell you, there were so many immigrants that came up to me before the event started, when everybody was being seated and during the event, and they were telling me what coming to America meant to them," he wrote. "One of them was the photographer, one of the official photographers for the event. There were a lot of people that were working the event that came up and wanted me to understand how much America had meant to them, and it was really great."
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Add a CommentBest Selling Books for Kids This month, the popular Who Was …? biography series is back on top of The Children’s Book Review’s best selling kids series list. And the list of hand-selected series from the nationwide best selling Children's Series list, as noted by The New York Times, features the same popular dystopian thriller series as last month from the likes of Veronica Roth and Suzanne Collins, the adventurous Heroes of Olympus series by Rick Riordan, and the relatable Diary of a Wimpy Kid books by Jeff Kinney.
Add a CommentThe New York Times bestselling "Pete the Cat" picture book series tops The Children's Book Review's best selling kids series list. And the list of hand-selected series from the nationwide best selling Children's Series list, as noted by The New York Times, features the same popular dystopian thriller series as last month from the likes of Veronica Roth and Suzanne Collins, the adventurous Heroes of Olympus series by Rick Riordan, and the relatable Diary of a Wimpy Kid books by Jeff Kinney.
Add a CommentThe popular Who Was …? series tops The Children's Book Review's best selling kids series list. And the list of hand-selected series from the nationwide best selling Children's Series list, as noted by The New York Times, features the same popular dystopian thriller series as last month from the likes of Veronica Roth and Suzanne Collins, the adventurous Heroes of Olympus series by Rick Riordan, and the relatable Diary of a Wimpy Kid books by Jeff Kinney.
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By: Maryann Yin,
on 10/30/2013
Author Jeff Kinney has a holiday-themed Wimpy Kid animation project in the pipeline. In an interview with School Library Journal, he revealed that the storyline will be loosely based on book six, Cabin Fever.
Kinney elaborated: “it departs and it follows its own beat, I guess you could say. It will have new material.” He hopes to have it finished and ready for release sometime in 2014.
Besides developing this animated film, Kinney will also be busy with a book tour promoting the eight installment of the The Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. Amulet Books will publish Hard Luck on November 5th.
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By: Maryann Yin,
on 3/19/2013
The 2013 finalists for the Children’s Choice Book Awards have been revealed. Kids can vote from March 19th to May 9th.
The winners will be announced live at the Children’s Choice Book Awards gala on May 13th. Nominees have been divided into four groups classified by different school grades.
In the Author of the Year category, middle-grade fiction writers and young-adult novelists dominate. The nominees include The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, Diary of a Wimpy Kid 7: The Third Wheel by Jeff Kinney, Wonder by R.J. Palacio, The Heroes of Olympus 3: The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan, and Insurgent by Veronica Roth.
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By Bianca Schulze, The Children’s Book Review
Published: December 1, 2012
Here’s the scoop on the most popular destinations on The Children’s Book Review and the most coveted new releases and bestsellers.
20 of the Best Kids Christmas Books
Oliver Jeffers on Writing, Illustrating, and Bookmaking
Christmas Board Books for Babies and Toddlers
How Picture Books Play a Role in a Child’s Development
20 Sites to Improve Your Child’s Literacy
The most coveted books that release this month:
Pandora the Curious (Goddess Girls)
By Joan Holub & Suzanne Williams
Ages 8-12
By Leslie Patricelli
Ages 1-3
The Twilight Saga White Collection
By Stephenie Meyer
Ages 14 and up
The 39 Clues: Cahills vs. Vespers Book 5: Trust No One
By Linda Sue Park
Ages 9-12
By Laurie Faria Stolarz
Ages 12-17
The best selling children’s books this month:
by Jon Klassen
Ages 4-8
By Eric Litwin
Ages 4-8
By Anna Dewdney
Ages 3-5
Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site
By Sherri Duskey Rinker (Author), Tom Lichtenheld (Illustrator)
Ages 4-8
Olivia and the Fairy Princesses
by Ian Falconer
(Ages 3-7)
“Who Could That Be at This Hour?”
By Lemony Snicket
Ages 9-12
LEGO Ninjago: Character Encyclopedia
by DK Publishing
Ages 6-12
Lincoln’s Last Days: The Shocking Assassination that Changed America Forever
by Bill O’Reilly
Ages 10-15
by R.J. Palacio
Ages 8-12
by Veronica Roth
Ages 14 and up
_______
by Veronica Roth
Ages 14 and up
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
by Stephen Chbosky
Ages 14 and up
by Markus Zusak
Ages 14 and up
by Jay Asher
Ages 12 and up
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
by Sherman Alexie
Ages 12 and up
SERIES BOOKS
By Suzanne Collins
Ages 12 and up
By Rachel Renee Russell
Ages 9-12
By Jeff Kinney
Ages 9 to 12
The Heroes of Olympus: The Demigod Diaries
by Rick Riordan
(Ages 10-14)
By Ally Condie
Ages 14-17
This information was gathered from the New York Times Best Sellers list, which reflects the sales of books from books sold nationwide, including independent and chain stores. It is correct at the time of publication and presented in random order. Visit: www.nytimes.com.
Original article: Best Kids Stories – December 2013
©2012 The Childrens Book Review. All Rights Reserved.
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By: Dianna Dilworth,
on 10/15/2012
The Diary of a Wimpy Kid book series by Jeff Kinney will soon be available digitally. The first six volumes in the series are available for preorder from Amazon and will be available on October 30th.
Praising the eBook release, Amazon.com children’s book editor Seira Wilson said it was “our top-selling kid’s series for 2012.” Kinney, who has kept his books from going digital thus far, told the Associated Press: ”The decision came after a lot of thought and deliberation … I am very excited about this. It feels like the time is right.”
Kinney’s latest edition in the series, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Third Wheel, which comes out November 13th, will be released as both a hardcover and an eBook. The publisher ABRAMS’ Amulet imprint at has ordered a first printing of 6.5 million copies. (Via Sarah Weinman).
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By Bianca Schulze, The Children’s Book Review
Published: September 3, 2012
Here’s the scoop on the most popular destinations on The Children’s Book Review site, the most coveted new releases and bestsellers.
Best Halloween Books for Kids: Scary, Spooky, and Silly
How Picture Books Play a Role in a Child’s Development
Where to Find Free eBooks for Children Online
The most coveted books that release this month:
by Anna Dewdney
(Ages 3-5)
by Eric Litwin
(Ages 4-8)
Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs: As Retold by Mo Willems
by Mo Willems
(Ages 3-7)
Shatterproof (The 39 Clues: Cahills vs. Vespers, Book 4)
by Roland Smith
(Ages 8-12)
by Margaret Peterson Haddix
(Ages 9-12)
The best selling children’s books this month:
The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore
by William Joyce
(Ages 4-8)
Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons
by Eric Litwin
(Ages 4-7)
by Jon Klassen
(Ages 4-8)
Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site
by Sherri Duskey Rinker (Author), Tom Lichtenheld (Illustrator)
(Ages 4-8)
by Herve Tullet
(Ages 4-8)
The Heroes of Olympus: The Demigod Diaries
by Rick Riordan
(Ages 10-14)
by Veronica Roth
(Ages 14 and up)
by John Green
(Ages 14-17)
by R.J. Palacio
(Ages 8-12)
Heroes of Olympus, The, Book Two: The Son of Neptune
by Rick Riordan
(Ages 9-11)
_______
by Veronica Roth
(Ages 14 and up)
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
by Stephen Chbosky
(Ages 14 and up)
by Markus Zusak
(Ages 14 and up)
by Jay Asher
(Ages 12 and up)
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
by Sherman Alexie
(Ages 12 and up)
SERIES BOOKS
by Suzanne Collins
(Ages 12 and up)
by James Patterson
(Ages 13-17)
by Rachel Renee Russell
(Ages 9-12)
by Jeff Kinney
(Ages 9 to 12)
by Rick Riordan
(Ages 9 to 12)
This information was gathered from the New York Times Best Sellers list, which reflects the sales of books from books sold nationwide, including independent and chain stores. It is correct at the time of publication and presented in random order. Visit: www.nytimes.com.
Original article: September 2012: Best Selling Kids’ Books, New Releases, and More …
©2012 The Childrens Book Review. All Rights Reserved.
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by 
The brilliant bit of marketing:
Scholastic Book Club is shipping preorders to kids so they get the book at school today.