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Shh! We Have a Plan by Chris Haughton
|
Storytime Standouts
Shh! We Have a Plan by
Chris Haughton Picture book published by
Candlewick PressWhen four friends, armed with three nets, set out to capture a beautiful, red-plumed bird, all goes well until the smallest friend alerts the the ruby bird that something is afoot. Giggles and laughter will accompany a read-aloud session of Shh! We Have a Plan. This is a book that will appeal to children – especially “youngest” children – as well as adults. The repetitive text will have youngsters ‘reading along’ quickly and repeated building of suspense will encourage children to make predictions about whats will happen next and the final outcome.
Bright, bold, dramatic illustrations are a highlight of this captivating, humorous picture book. A key to the storytelling, observant readers will note the eyes and the posture of the smallest friend in the cover art – he is definitely up to something!
Shh! We Have a Plan is the sort of story that parents and teachers will quite happily read again and again. It is great fun!
Chris Haughton won the 2015 Ezra Jack Keats Book Award
for new illustrator with this picture book.
The Ezra Jack Keats Book Award for Illustration was established in 2001 to recognize and encourage emerging talent in the field of children’s book illustration.
Shh! We Have a Plan at Amazon.com
Shh! We Have a Plan at Amazon.ca
Storytime Standouts - Raising Children Who Love to Read
Wordless picture books "tell" a story using illustrations only. They...Classic Picture Book CLICK CLACK MOO Cows that Type When Farmer Brown's cows get their hooves on an old...A Look at the 2014 Theodor Seuss Geisel Medal Award Winner and Honor Books The Watermelon Seed written and illustrated by Greg Pizzoli Picture... 
By:
Bianca Schulze,
on 2/24/2016
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A Wrinkle in Time is a classic novel from award-winning novelist Madeleine L'Engle.
At ALA midwinter meeting, Pinkney was announced as recipient of two lifetime achievement awards: Coretta Scott King–Virginia Hamilton Lifetime Achievement winner as well as the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award for his “substantial and lasting contribution to literature for children.”
That is an extraordinary thing and most well-deserved. Pinkney has been a hard working and creative author and illustrator throughout his career. Never one to bask in the spotlight, he has just kept producing extraordinary work on behalf of kids.
Recently, Hornbook (January 26, 2016) did a quick Five Questions for Jerry Pinkney. The brief Hornbook article ended with the following question and answer: "You're known as a lion in this field. Do you have any advice for the young cubs just coming up?"
And Jerry's reply? "Make it all about the work. Everything else will follow."
I read that and thought, yep, that pretty much applies to any work in any field including our profession. And he has it exactly right.
By:
Elizabeth Varadan,
on 4/26/2015
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This is a book young people will probably want to read more than once, both for the themes in the story and for the author’s storytelling. It will appeal to middle grade readers who like sports – especially basketball – and coming of age stories.
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Charlie Kennedy,
on 3/9/2015
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In the kingdom of Goredd, humans and dragons have lived and worked side by side for more than forty years, a treaty of peace signed, and the past war forgotten. But when a member of the royal family is brutally murdered and the finger of blame points to dragons, it appears that not all is forgotten, or forgiven.
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Guest Posts,
on 3/9/2015
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Shadow Scale jumped out at me. It was more complex than it first appeared, I realized in that moment, because “scale” could mean several different things.
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Denise Mealy,
on 2/13/2015
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An absolutely fascinating read for teens and anyone who is interested in a richly described account of imperialist Russia.
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on 2/5/2015
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February is African American History Month. Sharing these books with young readers comes with the responsibility to discuss ... progress towards equality.
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on 2/2/2015
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Randolph Caldecott Medal Winner
The most distinguished American picture book for children, announced by the American Library Association.
By: Carolyn Hart,
on 1/10/2015
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Enjoy Some Picture book Fun with Creepy Carrots | Storytime Standouts
Creepy Carrots written by Aaron Reynolds and illustrated by Peter Brown
Outstanding picture book published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Terrific fun for children aged five years and up, Jasper Rabbit is very fond of carrots and makes a trip to Crackenhopper Field whenever he fancies eating a few delicious treats but one day Jasper has an eerie feeling that Creepy Carrots are following him as he leaves the field. Soon Jasper is seeing Creepy Carrots everywhere: in his house, in the garden shed and on the street. Poor Jasper is petrified! He knows exactly what to do to solve this problem.
Preschool and kindergarten teachers will find all sorts of wonderful (and orange) ways to extend the learning with this delightful book. Whether designing their own carrots or a different solution to Jasper’s problem, this book is sure to inspire fun. Muncha! Muncha! Muncha!
would be an excellent companion story.
2013 Randolph Caldecott Medal Honor Book
ALA Notable Book of 2013
2013 Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators Crystal Kite Award Winner (Midwest)
Coloring pages (free PDF download) from Peter Brown’s webpage
Flannel Friday: Flannelboard and Template
Creepy Carrots! at Amazon.com
Creepy Carrots! at Amazon.ca
The Creepy Carrots Zone from Peter Brown on Vimeo.
Storytime Standouts - Raising Children Who Love to Read
The 2014 Cybils Awards finalists have been announced! The Cybils Awards, now in our 9th year, recognize the best children's and YA books of the year as defined by our primary criteria: kid appeal and literary merit. We are an adjudicated award, and our judges are all bloggers specializing in children's and YA literature. Our lists are a great resource for anyone looking for the best children's and YA books. Here is the full finalist announcement.
I serve as a judge in the YA Speculative Fiction category, where I'm also Category Chair. I'm excited to share our seven excellent finalists!
by Leah Cypess
Greenwillow Books
From the moment Ileni stepped into a cave of assassins to teach magic and discover who killed her two predecessors, I was hooked. In DEATH SWORN, Ileni goes deep into a culture that values absolute obedience and killing for the greater good. Ileni herself is the novel's greatest assassin, a heroine who overcomes her fears and doubts, managing to hide that she's weak and easy prey. The intense tension between Ileni and her assassin protector Soren adds a touch of romance to the action, with a refreshing lack of anything resembling a love triangle. The theme of questioning authority and dogma will resonate with teens, as will Ileni's growing engagement with the world around her as she discovers that you can forge a new path for yourself after your dreams falter.
by A.S. King
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
You don't need a dose of hallucinogenic bat to enjoy this trippy tale. A.S. King's capable writing weaves together three worlds: the past, where a young mother's suicide left her husband and daughter reeling, the present, in which the last days of high school close the door on that daughter's childhood, and the future, which is a nightmare existence in a patriarchal dystopia. Today, eighteen-year-old Glory O'Brien's smallest choices and revelations will affect all three worlds. They will clarify her past, determine her present and maybe - just maybe - change the future for everyone.
by John Corey Whaley
Atheneum
Travis Coates is a boy out of time. His body was dying of cancer, which led him to cryogenically preserve himself hoping for a cure. But 5 years later, a radical new procedure allows the doctors to place his perfectly good head onto another boy's body. Now he is literally out of time: he is woken up feeling like only a day has passed when in reality, the world has moved 5 years into the future without him. His friends have graduated, his girlfriend is engaged to another man, his best friend is content to stay in the closet and yet Travis is still stuck in high school. As Travis tries to keep his head on straight, you’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll cringe. Pun totally intended. Noggin by John Corey Whaley takes the typical questions of the teenage years – who am I? where do I fit in? – and kicks them up a notch with a brilliant speculative concept that combines biting humor with the perfect amount of angst and sorrow.
by Alexandra Duncan
Greenwillow Books
Salvage is the epic journey of a girl severed from her community and exiled from the only life she’s ever known. The struggle to survive becomes a journey for self-actualization, as Ava loses everything and must find within herself the strength to start over and find her own way, not once, but over and over again. Rich details immerse the reader in each setting and culture, from a patriarchal, fundamentalist society in space, to a floating city in the Great Pacific Garbage Gyre, to a futuristic Mumbai. A dark skinned heroine leads a cast of characters diverse in race, culture, and class.
by Matt De La Peña
Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers
What starts as a way for Shy to earn money to help his family back in a small town close to the San Diego/Mexico border turns out to be a horrific ride when the dreaded 'Big One' hits the West Coast. Added to the mix is a deadly disease that has killed not only Shy's grandmother, but others. The Living has a gripping plot featuring a Mexican-American protagonist and a cast of diverse characters. It starkly portrays racism and classism among the rich cruise patrons, and the greed that drives some in power to commit questionable acts. Sure to appeal to reluctant readers with its multi-layered characters and action-packed scenes, this novel nails the horror of being caught in a disaster and portrays the courage and strength that can come when people are faced with terrible odds.
by Marie Rutkoski
Farrar, Straus & Giroux
The Winner’s Curse is a world-building lover’s dream, with a rich setting and two distinct cultures free of stereotypes. Despite the unequal power dynamic between the two leads - Kestrel as a daughter of the conqueror and Arin as one of the conquered and enslaved - they find themselves drawn to each other, playing a game of emotional chess to get what they need even as the attraction builds. Rutkoski deals sensitively with class issues and the realities of slavery, allowing the romance to develop but ensuring her characters remain true to themselves and their own motivations. The action-packed second half, the moral ambiguity of the characters’ actions, and the intense romance make The Winner’s Curse highly appealing and a story readers will continue to think about long after the last page is turned.
by Karen Healey
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
While We Run opens with Abdi Taalib singing a rendition of Here Comes the Sun - a hopeful, romantic song that directly contradicts his nightmare existence as a government prisoner and puppet. Soon he and Tegan (star of 2013's When We Wake) are on the run, not sure who to trust or what the right next step is. Abdi’s privileged, Somali upbringing may come in handy as they maneuver between the rebels and the installed regime. His ability to manipulate people could be just what they need. But no matter what they decide, lives will be lost.
Healey completely integrates a diverse set of characters into a world so real it seems like the reader is also barreling towards that future. The intersections of race, class, gender, sexuality, and religion are natural and the characters well-rounded and complete. Diversity isn't a plot device, it's part of each character's individual story. While We Run shows throws us into a world that has computers that look and act like paper, night vision contact lenses, legalized drugs, and the worldwide ability to use human waste as manure. But is it a better future?"
by N. D. Wilson
Random House Books for Young Readers
In the swampy mucks of Florida where sugar cane grows and football is king, Charlie’s family has moved to begin a new chapter in their lives. Pairing up with his cousin, “Cotton”, Charlie begins to learn about his new town, but soon Charlie and Cotton find that their carefree days playing football and running through the burning cane fields are coming to an end. There is something not quite alive--but not quite dead either--wreaking havoc in the flats. Old rivalries are tearing the town apart. The little jealousies, bitter musings, and grudges people have cradled in their hearts are taking over their whole souls. The monsters, bent on destruction, are using this for their own ends. Charlie soon finds himself in the role of reluctant hero tasked with bringing an end to the source of the monsters’ power. In Boys of Blur, N.D. Wilson tells a sweeping tale of family, friendship, community, and heroism with a diverse cast of characters and plenty of action.
by Kate Milford
Clarion Books
Milo Pine has grown up in Greenglass House, the beautiful old smugglers's inn his parents run. Everything in his life follows the same pattern from year to year, and that's just the way he likes it. But one snowy day at the beginning of winter vacation, a visitor unexpectedly arrives, and then another one, and another, setting into motion a chain of events that will change Milo's world forever.
Part puzzle, part mystery, Greenglass House is an enchanting and thoughtful story. Milo's conflicted feelings about his identity and the idea of growing up will resonate with reader. His growing friendship with Meddy and their adventures playing his father's forgotten RPG provide an emotional backbone to this strongly written story about finding out that you are more than you ever thought you could be.
by Lynne Rae Perkins
Greenwillow Books
When Jed the squirrel is captured by a hawk, he manages to escape, but he is lost and far from home. Fortunately for him, Jed has good friends, TsTs and Chai, who are willing to put themselves at risk to come to his rescue. Then, the three friends discover a greater threat to their squirrel community than hawks and other predators. Can they return home in time to sound the warning, and can they persuade the busy, nut-gathering squirrel clan that their lives are in danger?
Nuts to You is a squirrel-y story. The squirrels talk to each other–--in squirrel. One of them has learned some English, and he tells the story to the author who writes it down for us. The moral is, “Save the trees,” for the sake of the squirrels and for humans, too. All of that–--the talking squirrels, the environmental message, the author inside the story—works together for a tale of friendship and adventure that is a cut above your usual talking animal story. At times poignant and at other times hilarious, Nuts to You will keep kids reading and laughing and perhaps looking for their own squirrel friend with whom to share a conversation and a peanut butter sandwich
by Merrie Haskell
Katherine Tegen Books
Sand has lived all his thirteen years in view of the cursed castle surrounded by a thick hedge of poisoned thorns. But that doesn't prepare him for the morning when he wakes up inside the castle, among the ashes on the hearth. Everything in the castle is broken, including loaves of bread, items of clothing, and the giant anvil in the smithy. Everything is broken except the body of the princess whom Sand finds in the castle crypt. How to break this curse isn't obvious, and Sand is not a prince. In fact, he's never wanted to be anything but a blacksmith, and as he starts repairing the items in the castle, he discovers a gift for mending -- and healing. But waking the cursed princess is only the beginning. Trapped together inside the castle by the poisonous hedge of thorns, blacksmith's boy and princess must learn to work together to uncover the secrets of the past and break the curse.
The Castle Behind Thorns is a tale of enchantment, friendship, and forgiveness, a story of overcoming obstacles, mending what's broken, and finding one's place in the world. It will appeal to those who love fairy tales but appreciate stories where it can take much more than a simple kiss to break a spell.
by Jason Fry
HarperCollins
Pirates! In Space! Twelve-year-old Tycho Hashoon and his twin sister Yana are actually privateers on their family’s ship, the Shadow Comet, licensed by the Jovian Union of the inhabited moons of Jupiter. Their older brother is, like Tycho and Yana, training to be captain of the ship someday. When Tycho earns a chance to lead a boarding party, disaster strikes. The Hashoons have to give up their hard-won prize and risk losing their letter of marque. Tycho and Yana’s efforts to uncover the truth take them from the Ceres Admiralty Court to seedy port hangouts and uninhabited regions of space.
The Hashoon family itself is as appealing as the space-faring premise. They are both loving and competitive, with an extended family all living, joking and squabbling together on board ship. Part space opera, part legal thriller, with a whole lot of very relatable family relationships, Jupiter Pirates: Hunt for the Hydra is an exciting yarn that will hook kids with the adventure while leaving them with deeper thoughts on topics from siblings to slavery.
by Paul Durham
HarperCollins
Welcome to the village Drowning. For centuries, the residents of Drowning have been warned not to venture into the dark, murky bogs that surround the village. After all, the bogs are home to the evil and terrifying Bog Nobblins – or so the legend goes. Rye O'Chanter has always believed Bog Nobblins were a thing of legend. No one has seen one and there has been no indication they even exist. That all changes when she has a horrific encounter with a single Bog Nobblin that forces Rye to realize the thing people fear most is real.
Now, Rye is tasked with convincing others the Bog Nobblin is a threat and the village needs help from a mysterious group of criminals known as the Luck Uglies. Luck Uglies, the first book in a trilogy, is a fantasy novel that has it all – magic, friendship, adventure, mysterious creatures, and secrets that need to be uncovered.
by Charis Cotter
Tundra
Rose sees ghosts and thinks she herself might be one, for no one seems to see or care about her. Polly desperately wants to see ghosts, or at least find respite from her busy, family-filled house. What neither expected was for the angry ghost of a third girl to interfere in the friendship they have made with each other through their shared attic wall.
Part mystery, part ghost story, this gripping and sometimes deeply poignant book will delight readers who love character-driven stories of friendship and family. Full of twists, both ghostly and otherwise, this is an utterly absorbing and beautifully written story.
I'd like to give a shoutout to my fellow judges, an amazing group of smart, hard working, passionate and dedicated book bloggers. It was a pure pleasure discussing books with you! Anyone looking for children's or YA book recommendations would do well to follow these blogs:
Now a second panel of judges in each category will choose one winner per category. Winners will be announced on February 14, so stay tuned!
By: Carolyn Hart,
on 10/16/2014
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A Look at the 2014 Theodor Seuss Geisel Medal Award Winner and Honor Books | Storytime Standouts
The Watermelon Seed written and illustrated by Greg Pizzoli
Picture book for beginning readers published by Disney Hyperion Books, an imprint of Disney Book Group
When a charming and exuberant crocodile explains that he loves watermelon, we are utterly convinced,
Ever since I was a teeny, tiny baby cocodile, it’s been my favorite.
CHOMP! SLURP! CHOMP!
While enthusiastically devouring his favorite fruit, the crocodile accidentally ingests a seed, his imagination runs wild and he assumes a variety of terrible outcomes.
Repetitive text, limited use of long vowel words and very good supporting illustrations make this a great choice for beginning readers.
The Watermelon Seed at Amazon.com
The Watermelon Seed at Amazon.ca
Ball written and illustrated by Mary Sullivan
Picture book for beginning readers published by Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
There is little doubt that this dog loves his small, red ball. From the moment he wakes up, he is focused on only one thing: playing with the ball. He especially loves when the ball is thrown by a young girl but when she leaves for school there is no one available to throw it.
This is a terrific picture book that relies heavily on the illustrations for the narrative. Apart from one repeated word (ball) it could be classified as a wordless picture book.
It will be thoroughly enjoyed by dog lovers and young children – especially those who are eager for an opportunity to read independently.
Ball at Amazon.com
Ball at Amazon.ca
A Big Guy Took My Ball written and illustrated by Mo Willems
Series for beginning readers published by Hyperion Books for Children
This charming story will remind readers that appearances can be deceiving and perspective is everything! Gerald and Piggie’s friendship is solid and Gerald is more than willing to stand up for Piggie when her ball is taken by a big guy.
Delightful illustrations will appeal to young readers as they effectively portray a range of emotions. The text is perfect for children who are beginning to read – lots of repetition and very few long vowel words.
A Big Guy Took My Ball! (An Elephant and Piggie Book) at Amazon.com
A Big Guy Took My Ball! at Amazon.ca
Penny and Her Marble by Kevin Henkes
Generously illustrated chapter book series for beginning readers published by Greenwillow Books An Imprint of Harper Collins Publishers
It truly is a treat to read such a beautifully-written chapter book for beginning readers. Kevin Henkes has created a new character: Penny. She is a young mouse with a sense of right and wrong. In this book, she is out with her sister when she “finds” a beautiful blue marble. She excitedly puts it into her pocket and later wonders if she did the right thing.
Lovely, full color illustrations and a thought-provoking dilemma make this a great choice for newly independent readers.
Penny and Her Marble at Amazon.com
Penny And Her Marble at Amazon.ca
Storytime Standouts - Raising Children Who Love to Read
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.
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Gi Hallmark,
on 6/23/2014
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Leo Lionni’s works as a celebrated author and illustrator have elevated the standards on what it means to successfully utilize simplicity and sophistication to create the perfect picture book.
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Bianca Schulze,
on 5/20/2014
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The Children’s Book Review | May 20, 2014 The National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson Hole, Wy, announced that children’s book author/ illustrator Peter Brown is the recipient of the 2014 Bull-Bransom Award for his 2013 picture book Mr. Tiger Goes Wild. The judges called it “an exceptional tribute to the wild and rambunctious energy in all children” and […]
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on 3/22/2014
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This is a charming book in so many ways, and definitely fun for a family to enjoy together. It will appeal to readers ages 5 to 8, who like stories about Spanish culture, stories about sisters, and surprising revelations about parents.
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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.
By: Kathy Temean,
on 6/11/2013
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Jason Kirschner’s above illustration was the winner of the NJSCBWI Artist Exhibit Award for an Unpublished Illustrator.
Yvonne Ventresca – Signed book deal with Skyhorse Publishing for a contemporary YA novel about a flu pandemic.
Robin Newman – Signed a book contract for her chapter book, “The Case of the Missing Carrot Cake, A Wilcox & Griswold Mystery (Creston Books, Agent: Fleissig) Plus, she received an SCBWI Barbara Karlin Grant Letter of Commendation.
Linda Bozzo – Signed two book deals with Amicus for eleven nonfiction books about the military.
Susan Hood – Sold 2 new picture books to Random House. Plus, her book SPIKE, THE MIXED-UP MONSTER won a 2013 Int. Latino Award.
Ame Dyckman – Signed another book deal and picked up her Crystal Kite Book Award at the conference.
Adam Lehrhaupt – Landed an Agent when his editor Alexandra Penfold joined Literary Agency, Upstart Crow. His debut book, Warning: Do Not Open This Book! with Simon and Schuster is coming out 8/27/13.
Nancy Viau - Had two PBs come out this spring: LOOK WHAT I CAN DO! and STORM SONG. One PB forthcoming in 2014.
Pam Brunksill – Sold her first magazine piece to Highlights for Children It will appear in this September’s issue.
Laurie Wallmark – Magazine article printed in Cricket and a story in Boys Quest. She sold two additional articles to Boys Quest.
Dave Amaditz – His young adult novel, Dirty Secrets, was the winner of the 2012 SCBWI W-I-P Grant for a Contemporary Novel.
Wendy Greenley – Just discovered her poem “Elegy to my Hotel Bed” is included in the July/August issue of the SCBWI Bulletin.
Tracey Baptiste – Is working with Scholastic as an editor in their education department with a digital teacher training product called Scholastic U.
Eric Sailer took Honorable Mention in the NJSCBWI Artist Exhibit with the above illustration.
Left to Right: Agent Jessica Regel, Agent Stephen Barbara, Sheri Oshins, Leeza Hernandez, Kelly Calabrese, Connie Colon, Agent Marietta Zacker.
If you would like to see more photos taken at the conference click these links:
http://robinnewmanbooks.wordpress.com/
http://nerdychicksrule.com/2013/06/11/the-quotable-nerdy-njscbwi/
https://www.facebook.com/connie.t.colon/photos
Congratulations to all! I expect that I will be able to report back lots of other success stories once the bubble to the surface after the dust settles from the good things that went on at the conference.
Talk tomorrow,
Kathy
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The landscape of this book is probably (hopefully!) unrecognizable to anyone who reads it: a brutal, bleak, totalitarian society in which the laws of intimidation and suspicion oversee all. It reads like a dystopian novel, yet the book is firmly dated in the past. 1956, to be exact, mentioned in a "blink and you miss it" moment. Where the story is taking place is unknown, although the singing
By:
Smoore,
on 1/31/2013
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There is a reason Steve Sheinkin‘s non-fiction book The Bomb: The Race to Build–and Steal–the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon (Roaring Brook, 2012) has won the 2013 Newbery Honor Award, the 2013 Sibert Medal, and the 2013 YALSA Award. This book is AMAZING–not a word I use lightly. I just finished my first non-fiction manuscript for an educational publisher. In my kidlit work, I write primarily fiction, so writing a non-fiction book was a new challenge. It’s not easy to create an appealing story that is also factually true (all those pesky facts get in the way of the narrative arc). My research on the beginnings of the Cold War led me to Bomb. Move over David McCullough–Sheinkin is a masterful story-teller of non-fiction. As his website says, “Yes, it’s true, I used to write history textbooks. But I don’t do that kind of thing anymore. Now I try to write history books that people will actually read voluntarily.” Bomb “weaves together three basic story lines,” says Sheinkin. “[T]he Americans try to build a bomb, the Soviets try to steal it, and the Allies try to sabotage the German bomb project.” My mom always said that the best children’s book can be [...]
It's Cybils Finalist Day! The Cybils shortlists have been announced, and what a fabulous group of books!
Go check them out!
Here's a list of the Fantasy/Science Fiction finalists:
Fantasy & Science Fiction (Young Adult)
And All the Stars
by Andrea K Höst
Every Day
by David Levithan
Planesrunner (Everness, Book One)
by Ian McDonald
Seraphina
by Rachel Hartman
The Curiosities: A Collection of Stories
by Brenna Yovanoff, Tessa Gratton, and Maggie Stiefvater
The Drowned Cities
by Paolo Bacigalupi
Vessel
by Sarah Beth Durst
Click here for Fantasy & Science Fiction (Young Adult) shortlist with blurbs and links
Fantasy & Science Fiction (Middle Grade)
Beswitched
by Kate Saunders
Geeks, Girls, and Secret Identities
by Mike Jung
The Cabinet of Earths
by Anne Nesbet
The False Prince: Book 1 of the Ascendance Trilogy
by Jennifer A. Nielsen
The Last Dragonslayer (The Chronicles of Kazam)
by Jasper Fforde
The One and Only Ivan
by Katherine Applegate
The Peculiar
by Stefan Bachmann
I was honored to serve again on the Fantasy/Science Fiction (Young Adult) panel. There were so many good books that choosing only seven finalists was HARD! A big shoutout to my fellow panelists. They're all smart, interesting folks who know their SFF! I loved working with them and will miss our discussions. Go follow their blogs:
A big shoutout also to the terrific Fantasy & Science Fiction (Middle Grade) panelists! This was one of the most active and dedicated panels I've ever worked with. They generated hundreds and hundreds of messages discussing the books over the course of the three months, and had two separate chat sessions during the holidays, lasting several hours each. Their discussions ranged far and wide, and covered everything from middle-grade appeal to internal consistency. If you want to know more about middle-grade fantasy & science fiction, you couldn't do better than to follow these folks:
By:
Luisa LaFleur,
on 8/21/2012
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How do we teach compassion?
By Luisa LaFleur, The Children’s Book Review
Published: February , 2012
Kids can be mean. Sometimes our kids are on the receiving end of the taunts and name-calling and that’s hard to deal with. But other times our kids are on the giving end and that’s even harder to deal with. Teaching children to be compassionate—to understand someone else’s suffering and to try and alleviate that suffering—is not easy. A key first step is to get children to understand that mean actions—teasing, name-calling and the like—can be hurtful. Here are a few books that can help impart the message that being kind to one another is essential and that the golden rule is paramount.
By Eleanor Estes; Illustrated by Helena Estes and Louis Slobodkin
Reading level: Ages 5 and up
Paperback: 80 pages
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing
What to expect: Lessons about friendship; allusions to poverty and immigration; harships
In The Hundred Dresses, which takes place around the time of World War I, Wanda wears the same faded blue dress to school every day. One day, in the midst of playful banter, Wanda tells her classmates that she has one hundred beautiful dresses at home, all lined up and that she wears the dresses on special occasions. The other girls don’t believe her and begin to tease her about it daily. One girl, Maddie, feels bad about the teasing but doesn’t speak up for fear the teasing will turn to her. But as time passes, she comes to see the error of her ways and learns how important it is to stand up for your friends.
This is an intricate story that offers many opportunities for discussion. Wanda is poor. She’s an immigrant from another country at a time when there were no social networks to provide support. She speaks with an accent that automatically sets her apart from the other girls. But in essence, she’s just a little girl who wants to fit in and have friends.
Add this book to your collection: The Hundred Dresses
By Lane Fredrickson; Illustrated by Jon Davis
Reading level: Ages 5 and up
Hardcover: 22 pages
Publisher: Sterling Children’s Books
What to expect: Rude behavior and its aftermath
Cecily is a ghastly child. She’s rude, impertinent, ungrateful and can be downright mean. She doesn’t say please or thank you, she doesn’t share, and she sticks her tongue out at her classmates and teachers. But one day, her tongue gets stuck and she can’t put it back in her mouth. She has a hard lesson to learn about kindness and it takes some time but eventually Cecily realizes that she’s not been very nice to anybody.
This simple story has a strong message—sometimes we don’t realize how hurtful we c
I always appreciate it when Roger Sutton writes about Maurice Sendak. His appreciation, respect and friendship always shines through. In a
recent Horn Book post, Roger writes about what winning the Caldecott Medal for
Where the Wild Things Are meant to Maurice.
In the course of his ruminations, he mentions that in his opinion, though many Caldecotts have been awarded, only three books are ones he would truly consider "classic":
Make Way for Ducklings,
The Snowy Day and
Where the Wild Things Are. At first I was like, "Wait! What about the winner the year I served on the committee; or the year this colleague served or that colleague...?" But then I stopped and thought.
The three books mentioned are truly touchstones. When I served on the Caldecott, I used
Make Way for Ducklings to train kids and adults on how to help your eye see excellence. The warm brown lines on creamy paper were the only color, yet those illustrations were so powerful and told the story so well, the text was barely needed to convey the plot, emotions and story. This book is the quintessential Caldecott winner for me.
Re-thinking and re-reading Roger's post and going over the list of seventy-five Caldecotts draws me to the much the same conclusion as Roger. I might quibble here and there. But he has named true touchstones of children's literature. What do YOU think?
(He won’t read it. He hates everything.) #2
By David Teague, The Children’s Book Review
Published: June 7, 2012
Last month in “Books for Mikey,” the topic of moms and dads came up as I brainstormed possible categories for this month. It went something like:
“Books for Dads to finagle into the hands of their Mikeys, and possibly read at the same time and discuss later.”
And …
“Books Mikeys won’t be suspicious of just because their moms recommended them.”
Then I started to wonder why I think Dads are finagling and only possibly reading books with their boys, while moms are emphatically recommending and thereby making their sons suspicious? Probably because my household is like many others, even though I’m a kid’s book writer, for Pete’s sake. I have been known to let myself fade into the background when it comes to my children’s reading, and let their mom take care of trips to the bookstore, summer reading lists, book discussions, etc.
Which is a huge mistake in a time when boys of all shapes and sizes are losing interest in books.
The Twenty One Balloons by William Pene du Bois (1947)
I should know this better than anyone. Sure, I read books by the truckload now, and write books, too, and teach literature—I’ve always loved books. But I never quite realized how great it could be to be a boy AND love books at the same time until I read The Twenty One Balloons, by William Pene DuBois. Which is an astonishing yarn, the 1948 Newbery Medal Winner. It will seem intriguingly old-fashioned and exotic to today’s nine-to-twelve-year-old reader, illustrated in early Industrial-Age-schematic black-and-white that will appeal to any tinkerer or builder. It’s short but brilliant, perfectly plotted, ridiculously imaginative, and fascinating. It has everything a book needs to lure and land a reluctant reader, although I wasn’t what anybody would call a reluctant reader—sometimes I just felt funny about sitting inside on the couch on a summer afternoon reading while everybody else was outside doing important stuff like shooting hose water up each other’s noses.
Here’s what really got me about The Twenty One Balloons: When I was about halfway through, my dad saw me reading it and happened to mention that he’d read it too! My dad was a chemistry teacher, but at some point he’d taken a Children’s Literature course on the side for his own edification, and The Twenty One Balloons had been on his reading list. He liked it. He really liked it. I mean, he remembered everything about the book, and he said
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TCBR,
on 5/24/2012
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By Nicki Richesin, The Children’s Book Review
Published: May 24, 2012
I love the nostalgia of rediscovering books with my daughter I had nearly forgotten from my childhood. I remember her exact expressions (of laughter or surprise) as I read about Ferdinand as he’s stung by a bee; baby ducks strut across a busy Boston street in Make Way for Ducklings; and when Madeline proudly displays her appendix scar to her friends and poor Miss Clavel. I think you’ll find these classic books recently reissued will enchant the next generation of kids too.
As told to Betty Jean Lifton (photographs by Eikoh Hosoe)
This is kind of a cuckoo idea for a book: a dog named Runcible digs a hole in Cape Cod that tunnels to a Japanese beach where he meets an adorable little girl named Taka-Chan. An evil sea dragon agrees to free Taka-Chan if they can find the most loyal creature in all of Japan and place a white flower at his feet. Hosoe’s breathtaking black and white photographs blend seamlessly with Lifton’s compelling story. The heroic duo’s devotion, friendship, and determination make this book one you’ll treasure always.
Ages 5-9 | Publisher: New York Review Books| April 3, 2012
By Virginia Lee Burton
This little house is not on the prairie, but resides in a peaceful setting with green fields full of daisies, apple trees, and happy critters all around. That is, until the builders and town starts to slowly encroach upon the little house’s surroundings. Winner of the 1942 Caldecott Medal, this is a sweet testament about how to appreciate the slower pace of life in the verdant countryside. The new edition comes with a bonus audio CD. For more details on Burton and her award-winning books, check out this film about her life and work.
Ages 4-8 | Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt | April 17, 2012
By Doris Burn
As a child, I first fell in love with Burn’s detailed illustrations. Then, of course, her story inspired such a sense of creativity as Andrew resourcefully takes care of himself and builds his own village of houses and nutty inventions. It gave me an inkling of life’s possibilities
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Wow, people! Way to gooooooooooo! Ear-to-ear smile here for everyone
Checking out the other pics now…
congrats Jason….it’s a wonderful piece…you had FUN….and it shows!
That IS a lot of kudos. Thanks for mentioning me, Kathy.
Kathy, thanks so much for posting. And many, many thanks for the website, encouragement, support! You are the best!!!
Thanks for all this good news!
Thanks so much for posting my illustration! I was both proud and excited to win.
Thanks for the shout out, Kathy! Talk about “in good company” – I’m in awe of the group!
Love Jason’s illustration! Love the dinosaur!!
Jason,
It is always exciting to win and you had a lot of steep competition. Do you have a website where I can look at more of your illustrations?
Kathy
I hope he does!