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Fall is right around the corner--next month, folks--and that means crisp apples in the farmers' markets, little and not-so-little ones traipsing back to school, and, of course, new books hot from the presses (or fresh through the Internet). This fall's output promises some enticing reads. Here are a few I'm especially looking forward to curling up with:
I'll start with a picture book. One thing that always makes me happy is a new book by Amy Schwartz. Her Bea and Mr. Jones is one of my all-time favorites. Her latest is a tribute--in rhyme--to the things that make her happy. Among them: "fuzzy sweaters, long letters, slippery floors, dinosaurs." Pub date: October 7
And yet another Dr. Seuss book has been "found." This collection is a follow-up to 2011's
The Bippolo Seed and Other Lost Stories. I wasn't all that taken with it (
read my review here; there's a reason stories are "lost") but, still, new stories from the great Seuss is always a cause for celebration. Pub date: September 9
Yipee-Ki-Yay! Kate DiCamillo has started a new series of chapter books for beginning readers. Tales from Deckawoo Drive will feature characters from DiCamillo's previous series about Mercy the pig. The first book stars Leroy Ninker, a would-be cowboy who works at the concession stand at the Bijou Drive-In Theater. Illustrations are by Chris Van Drusen.
Pub date: August 26
Readers of this blog will probably be more familiar with Cece Bell as the author/illustrator of the endearing beginning reader
The Sleepover, starring best friends Rabbit and Robot (
read my review here). Bell has also written and/or illustrated several picture books.
El Deafo is a departure, a graphic novel memoir about her struggles with hearing loss at an early age.
Pub date: September 2
By:
Guest Posts,
on 8/6/2014
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Children notice and point out differences all the time, and it’s natural. But hopefully as we mature, we learn that all individuals are unique and that everyone is “different.”
By: Maryann Yin,
on 7/18/2014
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When we last spoke with graphic novelist Gene Luen Yang, his advice for writers is to “give up TV.” Since then, he has been hard at work on a collaborative project with artist Sonny Liew reviving the story of an Asian American superhero called The Green Turtle. First Second, an imprint of the Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, released the print edition of The Shadow Hero earlier this week. We spoke with Yang (pictured, via) to learn his insights on diversity, collaboration, and mapping out a career in publishing. Here are the highlights…
Q: How did you land your first official book deal?
A: My very first book deal was for a two-issue comic book miniseries called Duncan’s Kingdom. It was written by me and drawn by the amazingly talented Derek Kirk Kim. It was published by Image Comics in the late 90’s. The story is now a part of The Eternal Smile, published by First Second Books.
A friend of ours named Jimmie Robinson was already published by Image. Jimmie has done several comics through the years, including Bomb Queen, Evil & Malice, and Five Weapons. He sent our submission directly to his editor. Throughout my cartooning career, friends have played key roles.
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New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.
By:
Bianca Schulze,
on 7/3/2014
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Seriously, there are some VERY good books on this list of best selling middle grade books; including Kevin Henkes' The Year of Billy Miller and Sharon M. Draper's Out of My Mind.
Writing voice.
Hard to define.
Difficult (impossible?) to teach.
But there's nothing I love more in a book than a distinctive writing voice.
I may not be able to define it, but I know it when I see it. Or, more correctly, I know it when I HEAR it.
And if you think about it, that is really the literal meaning of the word "voice" - something that you HEAR.
To me, a distinct writing voice is one that sounds unique. It has a rhythm and flow and melody to it that sets it apart from another author's writing voice.
So here are a few examples of voice that I love:
From Patricia MacLachlan's Sarah, Plain and Tall (even the TITLE has a wonderful voice):
He was homely and plain, and he had a terrible holler and a horrid smell.
and...
There will be Sarah’s sea, blue and gray and green, hanging on the wall. And songs, old ones and new. And Seal with yellow eyes. And there will be Sarah, plain and tall.
From Cynthia Rylant's Missing May: Whirligigs of Fire and Dreams, glistening coke bottles and chocolate milk cartons to greet me. I was six years old and I had come home.
and... Home was, still is, a rusty old trailer stuck on the face of a mountain in Deep Water, in the heart of Fayette County. It looked to me, the first time, like a toy that God had been playing with and accidentally dropped out of heaven. Down and down and down it came and landed, thunk, on this mountain, sort of cockeyed and shaky and grateful to be all in one piece.
From Kate DiCamillo's The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane:
Lolly was a lumpy woman who spoke too loudly and who wore too much lipstick.
and...
The days passed. The sun rose and set and rose and set again and again. Sometimes the father came home and sometimes he did not. Edward’s ears became soggy and he did not care. His sweater had almost completely unraveled and it didn’t bother him. He was hugged half to death and it felt good. In the evenings, at the hands of Bryce, at the ends of the twine, Edward danced and danced.
From Kate DiCamillo's Flora and Ulysses:
He looked exactly like a villain.
That’s what Flora’s brain thought.
But her heart, her treacherous heart, rose up joyfully inside of her at the sight of him.
From Natalie Lloyd's A Snicker of Magic: I think that’s one of the best feelings in the world, when you know your name is safe in another person’s mouth. When you know they’ll never shout it out like a cuss word, but say it or whisper it like a once-upon-a-time.
and... Lonely had followed me around for so long. That word was always perched somewhere close, always staring down at me, waiting to pounce out my joy.
From Natalie Babbitt's Tuck Everlasting:
The first week of August hangs at the very top of summer, the top of the live-long year, like the highest seat of a Ferris wheel when it pauses in its turning.
By:
Bianca Schulze,
on 6/3/2014
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Star Wars books were a hot commodity this month on The Children’s Book Review—even more than usual. LEGO Star Wars: The Visual Dictionary was our best selling middle grade book this month. Returning to our hand selected titles from the nationwide best selling middle grade books, as listed by The New York Times, is Sharon M. Draper's Out of My Mind.
By: Samantha McGinnis,
on 5/22/2014
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Learning may not be on the top of children’s minds as the weather gets warmer and school lets out — but studies have shown that without reading those two to three months put kids behind the next year in school.
As we move into the long, hot days of summer, we’ll be sharing a new book list every week for a different age group featuring our in-house kid’s book expert Alison Morris’ picks for summer reading. So stay tuned every week for a new list of five books to keep kid’s minds active this summer!
This week we’re sharing the best summer reading titles for kids in kindergarten to 2nd grade.
Sign up to receive more great book lists, tip sheets and summer fun from First Book today!
If you work with kids in need, you can find these titles on the First Book Marketplace by clicking on the pictures of each book.
For Kindergarten to 2nd Grade
“Nate the Great and the Boring Beach Bag” by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat
It’s gone! Oliver’s boring blue beach bag is gone. Inside are his clothes, shoes, and a special seashell. All he has left is his beach ball.
This is a perfect case for Nate the Great and his trusty dog Sludge. But they don’t find many clues in the sand and surf. What trail should they follow next? Follow the leader to find out!
Luke on the Loose (Toon Books Level 2) by Harry Bliss
Luke looks on at the pigeons in Central Park, while Dad is lost in “boring Daddy talk,” and before you know it–Luke is on the Loose! He’s free as a bird, on a hilarious solo flight through New York City.
Harry Bliss, the renowned illustrator of many bestselling children’s books, finally goes on a solo flight on his own with a soaring story that will delight any young reader who has ever felt cooped up.
Bink and Gollie by Katie DiCamillo
Meet Bink and Gollie, two precocious little girls–one tiny, one tall, and both utterly irrepressible. Setting out from their super-deluxe tree house and powered by plenty of peanut butter (for Bink) and pancakes (for Gollie), they share three comical adventures involving painfully bright socks, an impromptu trek to the Andes, and a most unlikely marvelous companion. No matter where their roller skates take them, at the end of the day they will always be the very best of friends. Full of quick-witted repartee, this brainchild of Newbery Medalist Kate DiCamillo and award-winning author Alison McGhee is a hilarious ode to exuberance and camaraderie, imagination and adventure, brought to life through the delightfully kinetic images of Tony Fucile.
Bugs are Insects (Let’s-Read-And-Find Out Science Level 1) by Anne Rockwell
Is a spider an insect? Is a ladybug a bug? Lean how to tell what is an insect and what isn’t, and discover the fascinating world of the tiny creatures who live in your own backyard.
Market Day by Lois Ehlert
Wake up! It’s market day and everyone’s going to the town square. But this is no ordinary market; it’s a feast of folk art from around the world. Whether you’re looking for fruits, vegetables, or just an afternoon of fun, this is a shopping trip you don’t want to miss!
The post First Book’s Summer Book List: K-2 appeared first on First Book Blog.
By:
Bianca Schulze,
on 5/3/2014
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Who is Barack Obama? from the popular Who Was …? series tops The Children’s Book Review’s best selling middle grade books this month. We've also added The Finisher by David Baldacci to our hand selected titles from the nationwide best selling middle grade books, as listed by The New York Times, that also features books by super-talents Kate DiCamillo, Katherine Applegate and R.J. Palacio.
By:
Bianca Schulze,
on 4/3/2014
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It's just so great when The Children's Book Review's best selling middle grade book turns out to be a great classic. Such is the case with this months title, The Children's Homer: The Adventures of Odysseus and the Tale of Troy, by Padraic Colum—what a great introduction to the always intriguing Greek mythology. The hand selected titles from the nationwide best selling middle grade books, as listed by The New York Times, feature books by super-talents Kate DiCamillo, Katherine Applegate and R.J. Palacio.
By:
Bianca Schulze,
on 3/17/2014
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Dana Skwirut is a Youth Services librarian at the Fanwood Memorial Library in Fanwood, NJ, and the Summit Free Public Library in Summit, NJ. She is active in the Tumblarian community and on Twitter, where her sass got her featured in School Library Journal. When she isn’t in Ice Cream story time, she is seeing the world, one tiny road trip at a time.
By: James Preller,
on 3/14/2014
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I arrived home last night after a terrific trip to Michigan, courtesy of the good, kind folks at West Bloomfield Township Public Library. I was treated much too kindly and given the opportunity to speak with young people from 8th grade all the way up to preschool.
(See what I did there?)
More details on that trip another day.
This morning a friend directed me to this link, with information about “The Global Read Aloud.”
“What in the world’s that?”
According to the site:
The project was created in 2010 with a simple goal in mind; one book to connect the world. Now with three years under our belt and more than 30,000 connections made, we realize we are on to something larger than us so we look forward to continuing the global connections.
The premise is simple; we pick a book to read aloud to our students during a set 6-week period and during that time we try to make as many global connections as possible. Each teacher decides how much time they would like to dedicate and how involved they would like to be. Some people choose to connect with just one class, while others go for as many as possible. The scope and depth of the project is up to you. In the past we have used Twitter, Skype, Edmodo, our wiki, email, regular mail, Kidblog, and any other tools we can think of to make these connections. Teachers get a community of other educators to do a global project with, hopefully inspiring them to continue these connections through the year.
I was surprised and honored to see one of my books listed along with such company. It’s nice to be in the conversation, much appreciated. The project looks at books in various categories, according to grades. There’s “Picture Book,” “Grades 1-3,” “Grades 4-6″ and “Grades 7-up.” Some of the folks named include some of my personal favorites, such as Peter Reynolds, Kevin Henkes, Kate DiCamillo, Anne Urso, Jo Knowles, and others.
Oh, wait. Before I forget, look at this cake that was made for me at Algonquin Middle School. It happened a while back, but I just found the photo on the net. I’m only a year and a half behind!
Here’s another sweet shot from that same visit to Algonquin. Thank you, Rebecca.
You can sign up for the Global Read Aloud right here.
Here are the 5 books listed for 7th-grade and up. It looks like I have some reading to do — which, to me, is always the primary point of these lists. Glad to be a contender:
- Endangered by Elliot Schrefer
- Bystander by James Preller
- Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan
- The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey
- Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Gein
By:
Bianca Schulze,
on 3/2/2014
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Our latest list of current popular middle grade books features Lego books and multiple Newbery award-winning titles. The hand selected titles from the nationwide best selling middle grade books, as listed by The New York Times, feature titles by super-talents Kate DiCamillo, Kevin Henkes, Katherine Applegate and R.J. Palacio.
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Betsy Bird,
on 1/12/2014
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Some weeks can go by without a single solitary interesting video in sight. Other weeks, you drown in brilliance. This week inclines far more towards the latter than the former.
I could not lead off today with anything other than the latest bit of Bookie Woogie brilliance. You keened to their 90-second rendition of Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. You hooted to their Black Cauldron encapsulation. And you had to rewire your jaw after it smashed to the floor after seeing their Frog and Toad Together video. Now behold the wonder that is . . . Charlotte’s Web!!!
Charlotte’s Web / Spider-Man Mashup (Bookie Woogie) from Z-Dad on Vimeo.
Naturally this was created for James Kennedy’s 90-Second Newbery Film Festival. Those of you in the Chicago area will want to reserve your (free) seats for the February 1st screening here. If nothing else I urge you to check out the posters that Aaron Zenz created in conjunction with this.
Aw, shoot. I know for a fact I never put THIS 90-Second Newbery video up either (you see what happens when you try to post just one?). This is my favorite, bar none, version of The Giver. If I were a producer on a comedy show I would hire this kid NOW NOW NOW.
From this awesomeness we now turn to the ultimate delight. Self-deprecation. Marc Tyler Nobleman had a brilliant notion. He was watching Jimmy Kimmel Live! and saw the bit where celebrities read insulting tweets about themselves. It gave him an idea – what if children’s authors did the same with bad Amazon reviews? Though my temptation is to post all three videos here, I’m going to be a good pooky and only post one. If you would like to see the other two (which are just as good and feature just loads of famous folks) go to Marc’s blog right here. Here’s part one:
In book trailer news, or rather live-action book trailer news, Lorie Ann Grover’s YA novel Firstborn is coming out and the trailer looks pretty darn strong. To the point, well shot, the works. Love the brevity of it. Well played, folks.
If you like your trailers a little more nonfiction picture booky, try on for size this one for Patricia Hruby Powell’s Josephine about you-know-who:
And in this corner, stealing prodigiously from fellow SLJ blogger Travis Jonker (if you read his
Morning Notes you’ll do wonders for my conscience), here is Kate DiCamillo fresh outta National Ambassador of Young People’s Literature-ship, on the PBS Newshour.
The only cool video I could NOT find this week was something appropriately off-topic. So here’s a cat failing a jump. The internet, if nothing else, is good for a couple of these. Plus the cat’s clearly okay at the end.
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Jen Robinson,
on 1/3/2014
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Here are highlights from the links that I shared on Twitter over the past two weeks @JensBookPage. The top two stories for me this week were the announcement of the 2013 Cybils finalists, and the announcement of the new National Ambassador of Children's Literature, Kate DiCamillo.
Book Lists
I can't share everyone's year-end list, but Tasha's is strong | Top 25 Picture Books of 2013 from @tashrow Waking Brain Cells http://ow.ly/sdVjB
Good stuff! Young Adult Sci-Fi That Will Get Readers Psyched About Science | Lydia Kang http://ow.ly/sdskg @HuffPostBooks via @tashrow
Let’s Get Metafictional (books that show the audience that they are aware of themselves as a created work) http://ow.ly/sc3wb from SSHEL
Top 10 Picture Book Lists for Kids from @momandkiddo at What Do We Do All Day? http://ow.ly/sa5FE #kidlit
Top Kids' Book Lists of 2013 {Chapter Books} - What Do We Do All Day? from @momandkiddo http://ow.ly/s69Xt #kidlit
Books for Kids: Favorite Easy Readers from 2013 - @growingbbb http://ow.ly/s6a2u #kidlit
A Tuesday Ten: Invention in Picture Books | Views From the Tesseract http://ow.ly/s68KN #kidlit
20 Of The Best Children’s Books Of 2013 @buzzfeed by @colbysharp + @donalynbooks http://ow.ly/s1EJo #kidlit #yalit
Cybils
On the #cybils blog: Author and Publisher Reactions to Being @Cybils Finalists #kidlit http://bit.ly/1kh6ZB9
On the #cybils blog: The Ones that Got Away: Favorites that Didn't Make the Shortlists #kidlit http://bit.ly/190Bzdl
RT @ixtumea: My Top Cybils' 2013 YA Nonfiction picks: http://kimbacceliasweblogfantasy.blogspot.com/2014/01/my-top-5-ya-nonfiction-picks.html …
Stephanie @scharle4 has rounded up all 77 #CYBILS Finalists!! Her goal is to read them all. Join her! http://ow.ly/se2T5 #kidlit
GottaBook: The Cybils' Short Lists Announced (and I'm on one!) from @gregpincus http://ow.ly/sdVae #kidlit
RT @ScholasticCDA: We're thrilled to see some Scholastic books among the finalists for the 2013 @cybils awards! http://bit.ly/19MQ7vw pic.twitter.com/aDdjX7cbO5
Some fun #Cybils Statistics in advance of the short list announcements (tonight at midnight mountain time) http://ow.ly/sblQU #kidlit
Countdown! to the #Cybils shortlists (coming New Year's Day) from @aquafortis Finding Wonderland http://ow.ly/sa3oX @Cybils
Diversity
Great resource: Rounding Up The Diverse Middle Grade Speculative Fiction Books of 2013 @charlotteslib http://ow.ly/se3fB #kidlit
Just in from @FuseEight - #kidlit for 2014 featuring Kids of Color: Things Are Looking Up http://ow.ly/s1BCb
Seeking Wonderful Young Adult Novels That Deal With Race @NPRBooks | They already have LATTE REBELLION by @aquafortis http://ow.ly/rY3l7
Growing Bookworms
Fun stuff! 12 Days of Christmas - A #Literacy Feast @readingtub Family Bookshelf http://ow.ly/s68QQ
Hooked on books: Author James Patterson wants kids to share his love of reading : Herald Student News http://ow.ly/rY5yH via @tashrow
Why Reading Sucks: Talking honestly with kids might make them more passionate readers @PernilleRipp @sljournal http://ow.ly/rY3Kr
Kidlit News (inc. National Ambassador Announcement)
Interview with Kate DiCamillo, New National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature by @100scopenotes @sljournal http://ow.ly/sdSXf
Kate DiCamillo Named New National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, 2014-2015 @CBCBook http://ow.ly/sdsDh "Stories connect us"
Don't miss the December Carnival for Children's Literature 2013 @MoloneyKing http://ow.ly/sa3wn #kidlit
See all of the 2013 Nerdies from @NerdyBookClub via this link: http://ow.ly/sfDoC | some #cybils overlap, different goals, all #kidlit
Rest in Peace, Ned Vizzini. The #yalit world is sorry to see you go. Nice piece @Vulture http://ow.ly/rY4Fd via @bkshelvesofdoom
On Reading, Writing, and Publishing
RT @tashrow It Seems Weird How Cheap Amazon Kindles Are — Until You See This Crazy Stat – Business Insider http://buff.ly/1fmuJh6 #ebooks
Food for thought: Nancy Drew + the Case of the Politically Incorrect Children’s Books @TabletMag via @bkshelvesofdoom http://ow.ly/rVtGo
Parenting
This, I like: Secret Parenting Tip: Get Your Kids To Leave You Alone for 10 Minutes from @momandkiddo http://ow.ly/sdUqV
Programs and Research
eScienceCommons: A novel look at how reading novels changes the brain (+ has a lasting effect) http://ow.ly/sa5di via @bkshelvesofdoom
Schools and Libraries
Why Is the Only Way Up to Go Out (of the classroom)? asks @thereadingzone http://ow.ly/sc3Fn
© 2013 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. You can also follow me @JensBookPage or at my Growing Bookworms page on Facebook.
This book is so good! The story is narrated by lonely, motherless, 10-year-old Opal. It all begins when she adopts a stray dog and names him Winn-Dixie. It's a book full of charmingly flawed characters struggling to come to terms with how in life "the sweet and the sad are all mixed up together and [...]
In their third outing, Bink and Gollie are again true to form. Gollie is superior as ever and Bink as stubborn. Luckily these character traits make for some great stories. In the first of the three tales that make up this beginning reader, Gollie sees a photo of her great aunt wearing a crown. Always suspecting she came from royal blood, Gollie now has all the proof she needs. (I confess I have a slight preference for Gollie. Perhaps it has something to do with the nickname my family bestowed on me as a child: Her Majesty.) Gollie's haughty manner does not hold water with Bink, and how Gollie is brought back to her senses is subtly and touchingly portrayed.
Story two showcases Bink's pressing desire to be tall. She falls prey to an advertisement for a Stretch-o-Matic device, something akin to a medieval torture rack, only this one suspends you from the ceiling with weights. Needless to say, results don't turn out as planned, but Bink finds a way to be satisfied with her purchase. The last story has Bink and Gollie on the search for something to collect. Inspired by
Flicker's Arcana of the Extraordinary, the girls attempt to get their names and photos in the hefty tome. In the end they succeed, but not in a way most readers would have predicted.
As always, Tony Fucile's illustrations are a delight and in this book they are especially strong. The image of Gollie standing all alone in the rain adds to the story's pathos and the depiction of what happens to the Stetch-o-Matic is dramatic indeed. I especially like the fun details Fucile includes, such as the portrait hanging on Bink's wall of Marcellus Gilmore Edson, inventor of peanut butter. According to Google, Edson did, in fact, hold a patent for peanut butter, issued in 1884. Who knew?
Bink & Gollie: Best Friends Forever
by Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee
illustrations by Tony Fucile
Candlewich Press 96 pages
Published: April 2013
By:
Bianca Schulze,
on 7/1/2012
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By Bianca Schulze, The Children’s Book Review
Published: July 1, 2012
Here’s the scoop on the most popular destinations on The Children’s Book Review site, the most coveted new releases and bestsellers.
THE HOT SPOTS: THE TRENDS
Best Young Adult Books with Galley Smith
Summer Reading List: Summer Sports, Baseball, & the Outside World
3 Kids Picture Books that Teach Good Manners
How Picture Books Play a Role in a Child’s Development
Where to Find Free eBooks for Children Online
THE NEW RELEASES
The most coveted books that release this month:
Shadow of Night
by Deborah Harkness
(Ages 18 and up)
Artemis Fowl: The Last Guardian
by Eoin Colfer
(Ages 9-12)
Big Nate Fun Blaster
by Lincoln Peirce
(Ages 8-12)
How to Train Your Dragon: Book 9
by Cressida Cowell
(Ages 8-12)
THE BEST SELLERS
The best selling children’s books this month:
PICTURE BOOKS
Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons
by Eric Litwin
(Ages 4-7)
DiCamillo and McGhee hit another one out of the ballpark with the return of Bink and Gollie, two irrepressible best friends. In this sequel the dynamic duo go to the state fair and have a series of adventures. Bink, determined to whack a duck and win a giant-size donut, has more success whacking the ticket vendor. Then Gollie gets a major case of stage fright while performing at the amateur talent show. The last story finds the girls consulting a seer about the future of their friendship. Don't worry, it's all good news. In fact, while gazing into my own crystal ball, I see a long string of books featuring these quirky protagonists.
Bink & Gollie: two for One
by Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee
illustrations by Tony Fucile
Candlewick Press
Publication: June, 2012
#20 Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo (2000)
81 points
Because of Winn Dixie was my #1 pick the first time you did the chapter book poll; in the time since, no other book has threatened to overtake its place as my favorite chapter book of all time. It’s one of the greatest dog stories by one of the superstars in children’s literature. – Jennifer Schultz
I’m not a person who likes dog books, but I do like a good story about quirky small-town folk, and Because of Winn Dixie is the best one of those I’ve read. Winn-Dixie is of course the reason Opal is able to make so many friends, but he is just the bridge between Opal and these people, and not really the main focus of the story. Rather, it’s people like recovering alcoholic Gloria Dump, Otis, who plays music for animals, and even Amanda Wilkinson, whose pinched-up face masks an inner pain Opal could never guess – these people are what make the book such a delight, and so interesting to read and re-read. Winn-Dixie is a great dog, and his near-loss at the end of the story tugs at the heartstrings, but what makes this book a favorite for me is how carefully Kate DiCamillo develops each character and his or her pain, and how in so few pages, she is able to heal each person with the magic of friendship. – Katie Ahearn
Sometimes I’ll sit around and lament how there really aren’t enough books where kids live in trailers and their lives aren’t horrendous, horrible, and terrible. And what I forget is that there’s a Newbery Honor book out there that made trailer living something other than the pits. When we talk about lower income characters in children’s literature, forget not the Winn-Dixie.
The plot from the publisher reads, “The summer Opal and her father, the preacher, move to Naomi, Florida, Opal goes into the Winn-Dixie supermarket — and comes out with a dog. With the help of her new pal, whom she names Winn-Dixie, Opal makes a variety of new, interesting friends and spends the summer collecting stories about them and thinking about her absent mother. But because of Winn-Dixie, or perhaps because she has grown, Opal learns to let go, just a little, and that friendship — and forgiveness — can sneak up on you like a sudden summer storm. Recalling the fiction of Harper Lee and Carson McCullers, here is a funny, poignant, and unforgettable coming-of-age novel.”
I love a good How-They-Hit-It-Big story. Gives newbie authors hope, I think. Who hasn’t loved the tale of single mom Joanne Rowling scribbling Harry Potter down in coffee shops or Madeleine L’Engle getting rejected umpty-ump times? In the case of DiCamillo, this was her first big hit. In a 2004 interview with School Library Journal, DiCamillo said that, “In college [at the University of Florida], I attached myself to the idea of becoming a writer mainly because several professors told me that I had a way with words. But it wasn’t until I was almost 30 that I actually started to write. Then when I moved to Minnesota, I got a job at a book warehouse. I was assigned to the third floor, which was where all the kids’ books were. I had been writing every day by that point, and I entered into that job with, I think, a prejudice that a lot of literate adults have, which is that children’s literature is something less [than adults']. But then I started to read the books, and I changed my mind.”
According to Anita Silvey’s 100 Best Books for Children, “For years, Kate DiCamillo tried unsuccessfully to get her writing published. Rejected by several publishers, the manuscript for Because of Winn-Dix
This is the fourth in a series of posts about the NJ-SCBWI Annual Conference. Visit all this week for insights from this first-class children’s book writing event.
…continued from previous post…
Kate’s final piece of contradictory advice—listen to what others say; don’t listen—was demonstrated by a conversation between Kate and her agent, Holly McGhee.
Kate finished a picture book manuscript and sent it off to Holly. The conversation began with Holly:
“No.”
Kate didn’t understand. “Huh?”
“No.” Holly repeated.
“But why?”
“I don’t care about the main character.” Holly didn’t even think it was a picture book. “This is a novel,” she said.
Slowly Kate realized that Holly was right. Kate wanted to write a picture book but a picture book is not what emerged. Deep down, she knew it was something more, but darn it, she wanted it to be a picture book. She was trying to get away with something, but Holly caught her.
Kate then circled back to the time after she had released THE TIGER RISING and BECAUSE OF WINN-DIXIE, two southern novels. She received many accolades. People loved her work.
So she began to write another “novel set in the south about nothing really at all,” like her two previous books. Once people loved her work, she felt compelled to continue along the same vein. She wanted everyone to keep loving her. But what was coming out was not genuine. The love and joy and play in her writing was gone. She was forcing herself to create something she did not want to write. And all to please everyone else, not herself. (Remember contradiction #2?)
Instead, she began a fairytale about a princess and a mouse. She showed it to a trusted friend. The response? “It’s not what you do best.”
Again, people expected her to write a southern novel.
But she pressed on. The princess and mouse was where her heart led her, and that is where she would remain. “Damn the torpedoes, full steam ahead!”
Damning those torpedoes was an excellent decision, for THE TALE OF DESPEREAUX won the Newbery.
In the end, Kate DiCamillo assured us that a life of a writer can be “terrible beyond all imagining, but it will be okay.” Another contradiction. We know this business is tough, but we still choose to write because we can’t NOT write.
I, for one, will try to embrace the terror from now on, because that’s what writing is—being in the depths of the unknown and yet in a constant state of discovery. The final contradiction.
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This is the second in a series of posts about the NJ-SCBWI Annual Conference. Visit all this week for insights from this incredible children’s book writing event.
…continued from previous post…
After seven years, Kate decided she wanted to live a life in which she was always making art. She had fear as a writer, especially in revision, but instead of the terror paralyzing her any longer, it motivated her.
Kate introduced writing’s first contradiction: “you go on a long journey but stay in the same place.” The writing can take you anywhere, but you are still a lonely writer sitting at a keyboard.
Kate explained that a career in writing means you have to “chart a course through the contradictions.” She revealed five pieces of contradictory writing truths:
- Be absolutely rigid; Be loosey-goosey.
- Write only for others; Write only for yourself.
- Hide yourself; Reveal yourself.
- Compromise; Never compromise.
- Listen to what other people say; Don’t listen.
Kate had a good friend Oscar during that not-writing-but-wanting-to-be-a-writer seven-year stretch. One day they discussed belief in miracles and Kate told Oscar that she wanted to be a writer.
“Baby, that don’t take a miracle. That’s all on you,” Oscar said.
She had never realized that the whole of the task was on her. You have to do what you promise yourself. After years of brooding, she came to know that it was “easier to do the work than to NOT do the work.” Just in case we didn’t get it, she repeated this several times.
Yes, art and fear always go together. The constant feeling of uncertainty creates a tolerance for uncertainty. In other words, embrace the terror. It’s a prerequisite for success.
As I sat in the balcony, I had my own epiphany. Writing picture books is my comfort zone. My middle grade novel has been sitting untouched for more time than I’m willing to reveal. And it’s languishing out of pure fear: fear of ruining what I already adore, fear of not knowing what comes next, fear of writing more than 600 words IN A ROW. Why have I not embraced the fear before? Kate DiCamillo says she never works with an outline; “an outline kills it.” She writes to know what happens next. And that’s how I write, too. I enjoy discovering the story as I write. But I thought writing a novel like that was WRONG. Now I understand that nothing is wrong, it’s just the way I like to work.
So when Kate says “be absolutely rigid”, she means to commit yourself to the work. But when she contradicts this advice with “be loosey-goosey” she means the stories want love and joy and play. Go ahead and write without an outline, don’t plot where you’re going and you’ll journey somewhere totally unexpected. She equates this first contradiction with standing at a door and knocking. You must stand there, but how you knock is up to you. Shave and a haircut? A rock riff? Gentle tapping? How will you knock?
…to be continued…
This is the first post in a series about the NJ-SCBWI Annual Conference, held in Princeton, NJ this past weekend, June 8-10. Visit all this week for insights from this stellar children’s book writing event.
My daughter with Kate DiCamillo
Kate DiCamillo began her NJ-SCBWI keynote speech warning us that is was long and full of contradictory advice. I am certain no one minded. I mean, if you have an opportunity to hear Kate speak, wouldn’t you want it to last forever?
After college, Kate’s family asked, “So what are you going to do now?” Of course, the answer was simple: “I’m going to be a writer.” Simple and yet complicated—again, a contradiction. She didn’t have any desire to actually write, she just wanted to be a writer.
Instead, she worked in a greenhouse and came home with dirt crusted under her fingernails. Her mother would ask how her day went. “I’m a manual laborer!” Kate would yell. “How do you think my day went?!” Then she’d storm to her bedroom and slam the door.
After a few minutes, her mother would knock gently. “What are you doing now?” she’d ask.
“I’m writing,” Kate would answer. But Kate wasn’t writing, she was just sitting on her bed.
“I don’t hear anything,” responded her mother.
So Kate would turn on the typewriter with its gentle hum. “There! Are you happy now?”
But she let the typewriter hum away and sat on her bed, reading. The book that changed her life? It was THE ACCIDENTAL TOURIST by Anne Tyler. One scene with Macon and Muriel lying in bed struck her:
“Just put your hand here [Muriel's caesarian scar]. I’m scarred, too. We’re all scarred. You are not the only one.”
Those words made Kate want to get up off the bed and work that same magic. Those words transformed—they were broken-hearted but they also healed. Again, a contradiction. But one that Kate could not ignore.
So she began to look around her room. She watched the curtains flutter in the breeze and she noticed how their shadows looked like wings. She began to imagine a story about a woman who was paralyzed, lying motionless in bed, but staring at the same curtains and imagining how they could lift her up.
Kate began to write. Everything else disappeared. “It was like I was playing a piece of music I already knew, as if my fingers knew exactly what to do.”
But as soon as she realized her own dreary reality—a girl alone, sitting at a typewriter, she thought “wait—I can’t do this.” And she stopped writing.
The scary thing is that she realized this was the work she was meant to do. And the fear of that epiphany paralyzed her. She didn’t write for another seven years…
…to be continued…
By: Kathy Temean,
on 6/2/2012
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The list below is by no means all the books being sold at the conference on Saturday and Sunday, but some of the books are limited in the amount we have ordered. Last year we ran out of Grace Lin’s WHERE THE MOUNTAIN MEETS THE MOON and with so many big names, author and illustrator combos, and new books on this list, I wanted to give everyone a chance to reserve the books they would like to purchase from the list below. This way we can try to order more for the weekend, if needed.
Please e-mail Darlene Beck Jacobson [email protected] with the books you would like to secure by the end of Tuesday and we will make sure they are set aside with your name on them for pick-up at the conference. All the books will be sold at regular price.
Kate DeCamillo & Harry Bliss – Louise, Adventures of a Chicken (get two autographs)
Kate DiCamillo – Bink & Gollie; Two for One – Hardcover *NEW Early Sale
Ame Dyckman, Dan Yaccarino BOY + BOT *New Selling last of first printing (Get two autographs)
Natalie Zaman and Charlotte Bennardo Sirenz, Sirenz Back in Fashion *NEW (Get two autographs)
Leeza Hernandez – Dog Gone! *NEW Early Sale
Harry Bliss – Bailey at the Museum *New
Kate DiCamillo
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane [Paperback and hardcover]
The Magician’s Elephant [Paperback and hardcover]
Because of Winn-Dixie [Paperback and hardcover]
The Tale of Despereaux [Paperback and hardcover]
Bink & Gollie [Paperback]
Mercy Watson to the Rescue [Paperback]
Mercy Watson: Princess in Disguise [Paperback]
Mercy Watson: Something Wonky this Way Comes [Paperback]
The Tiger Rising by Kate DiCamillo [Paperback]
Dan Yaccarino
All the Way to America
Harry Bliss
Bailey
Diary of a Worm
JohnCusick (agent)
Girl Parts
Daniel Nayeri (editor)
Straw House, Wood House, Brick House, Blow
Leila Sales (editor)
Mostly Good Girls
Past Perfect
Harold Underdown
The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Publishing Children’s Books
If you are not attending the conference and would like to request a signed copy of a book, you can send Darlene a request and we will get them autographed for you and ship them to your address after you have paid for the price of the book and shipping.
Talk tomorrow,
Kathy
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By:
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on 6/2/2012
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By Bianca Schulze, The Children’s Book Review
Published: June 2, 2012
Here’s the scoop on the most popular destinations on The Children’s Book Review site, the most coveted new releases and bestsellers.
THE HOT SPOTS: THE TRENDS
Best Young Adult Books with Forever Young Adult
Books for Boys: 5 Funny Kids Books
How Picture Books Play a Role in a Child’s Development
Author Interview: Gary Paulsen
Where to Find Free eBooks for Children Online
THE NEW RELEASES
The most coveted books that release this month:
The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore
by William Joyce
(Ages 4-8)
Bink and Gollie, Two for One
by Kate DiCamillo
(Ages 6-8)
Dork Diaries 4: Tales from a Not-So-Graceful Ice Princess
by Rachel Renee Russell
(Ages 9-12)
Dragons Love Tacos
by Adam Rubin
(Ages 3-5)
THE BEST SELLERS
The best selling children’s books this month:
PICTURE BOOKS
#51 The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, A Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread by Kate DiCamillo (2003)
41 points
The perfect modern day fairytale. I also love how she broke the fourth wall and addressed the reader directly. - Amy Miele
Charming, engaging, lovely, imaginative, and a great read aloud! – Charlotte Burrows
The synopsis from the publisher reads, “Welcome to the story of Despereaux Tilling, a mouse who is in love with music, stories, and a princess named Pea. It is also the story of a rat called Roscuro, who lives in the darkness and covets a world filled with light. And it is the story of Miggery Sow, a slow-witted serving girl who harbors a simple, impossible wish. These three characters are about to embark on a journey that will lead them down into a horrible dungeon, up into a glittering castle, and, ultimately, into each other’s lives. What happens then? As Kate DiCamillo would say: Reader, it is your destiny to find out.”
From her Newbery Award speech DiCamillo once said of creating the book, “Four years ago, when he was eight years old, my friend Luke Bailey asked me to write the story of an unlikely hero. I was afraid to tell the story he wanted told: afraid because I didn’t know what I was doing; afraid because it was unlike anything I had written before; afraid, I guess, because the story was so intent on taking me into the depths of my own heart. But Luke wanted the story. I had promised him. And so, terrified and unwilling, I wrote The Tale of Despereaux.”
The starred Booklist review said, “Forgiveness, light, love, and soup. These essential ingredients combine into a tale that is as soul-stirring as it is delicious.”
The starred Kirkus review said, “And so unwinds a tale with twists and turns, full of forbidden soup and ladles, rats lusting for mouse blood, a servant who wishes to be a princess, a knight in shining–or at least furry–armor, and all the ingredients of an old-fashioned drama.”
School Library Journal said, “This expanded fairy tale is entertaining, heartening, and, above all, great fun.”
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books said, “There is a classic charm to this picaresque tale of an idealistic mouse suffering unrequited love for a princess; that and a pace that lends itself to reading aloud will make this novel a favorite among those ready for some gentle questing.”
Horn Book said of it, “The metaphor becomes heavy-handed only in the author’s brief, self-serving coda. Many readers will be enchanted by this story of mice and princesses, brave deeds, hearts ’shaded with dark and dappled with light,’ and forgiveness.”
And The New York Times said, “Here we might see DiCamillo’s own career, her ascent from full-time clerk in a store selling used books to author of a much-praised first novel for children, ‘Because of Winn-Dixie,’ which won a Newbery Honor Award and climbed the best-seller lists. Some might see kinship with G. I. Gurdjieff’s mystic parable about humans being captives in a prison but only a few recognizing this is so and, hearing rumors of another place, arranging an escape. In any event, she sets the stage for a battle between the forces of Darkness and Light in ‘The Tale of Despereaux,’ and the book is a terrific, bravura performance.”
0 Comments on Top 100 Children’s Novels #51: The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo as of 1/1/1900
OMG, love those Amazon reviews!
[...] singing “Charlotte’s web, Charlotte’s web…” (See more [...]
Thanks for the share of the FIRSTBORN trailer, Elizabeth! Sitting in such good company!