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Did I mention that my new workplace has peregrine falcons? FALCONS, I SAY!

• As the House of Bird prepares for its inevitable move, I find myself rather entranced with my incipient home of Evanston, Illinois.  I’m coming to it with almost no prior knowledge of its existence, and find it to be completely and utterly lovely.  Example A: Check out this Humans of New York-esque photo series on Tumblr where the library talks to everyday citizens.  Good stuff!
• Last month I participated in the 21st Century Children’s Nonfiction Conference, located conveniently enough in New York City.  The conference is rather one-of-a-kind since under normal circumstances nonfiction children’s and YA authors are sidelined at the larger book related gatherings.  Here, nonfiction was king and each speaker and attendee was a fan.  PW has the write-up of the whole kerschmozzle here.

• Actually, that reminds me. I need some blog recommendations from you guys.  What’s your favorite nonfiction children’s book blog site?  I ask because I feel like I’d benefit from having a roster to call upon.  Name me the best, continually updated site you know of and I will return the favor by directing your attention to this jaw-droppingly awesome series of pocket activities conjured up by the one and only Dana Sheridan of the Cotsen Collection of Princeton University.  I adore this.  For example, at one point she says, “It would be interesting to apply the pocket activity to literary figures. What would Jane Austin carry in her pocket? Charles Dickens? J.K. Rowling? Why not apply this concept to the sciences? What would Einstein have in his pocket? Marie Curie? I did, in fact, do a modified version of the pocket activity when I designed this Character Book activity at my library. Not a wallet, and not replicas of historical objects, but the concept is still there! People often ask where I get my ideas (see FAQ). This one derives directly from the pocket activity.”

This is what Milo from THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH would have in his pockets.

Like I say.  Jaw-dropping.

• Each and every Laura Amy Schlitz novel that is published is cause for cheer and generous carousing in the streets.  But just as delightful in many ways are the very good interviews she participates in.  Kiera Parrott does a stand up job speaking to Ms. Schlitz about her latest novel with Candlewick.  Plus there’s a video.  Callo!  Callay!

Cool. Here in NYC the Morgan Library is doing a pretty fancy Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland exhibition.  There is probably a roster somewhere of all the Alice exhibits going on in 2015 to celebrate her 150th year.  If anyone sends me the link you will earn yourself a cup of treacle in thanks.

My fabulous co-workers.  Doing the being fabulous thing.

My fabulous Caldecott winner, Dan Santat.  Doing the being fabulous thing while thanking bloggers in his incredibly raw Caldecott speech.

On the one hand the Huffington Post article 13 Children’s Book Authors Who Would Have Written Beautiful Fiction for Adults Too is insulting on a very basic level.  Many is the children’s book author who has been asked when they’re going to write a “real” book.  But just taken at face value, the post is inaccurate.  A lot of the authors listed have, indeed, written for adults.  I can think of Katherine Paterson and Maurice Sendak just off the top of my head.  Apparently the authors of the piece weren’t really interested in delving too deeply into their subject.  More’s the pity.  A post on favorite authors who HAVE written adult fare could be far more interesting.

• I was chatting with Jules Danielson and Travis Jonker the other day and she mentions this recent article in the Washington Post about Roald Dahl’s granddaughter’s fiancee, who is currently the toast of Orange is the New Black.  Travis pointed out that a very different Dahl descendant was also in the news not too long ago, thereby solidifying the man’s status as having the Best Hipster Descendants of any children’s literature icon thus far (step up your game, Shel Silverstein kiddos).  I was thinking of all this when I learned about an A.A. Milne relative who is a very different kind of author than his famous uncle.  Tim Milne, nephew of A.A. Milne, was recruited into MI6 and wrote the story of Kim Philby, the legendary Soviet master spy.  Now somebody get thee hence and write me a Winnie-the-Pooh spy novel!

• Speaking of Travis, he speaks!  With Colby Sharp no less.

• Daily Image: 

I’m a children’s librarian and an author.  Every summer I ask my librarians to send me the summer reading lists that they get from the kids so that I can make certain we have enough copies of all the books on our shelves.  Summer is just a continual month long process of me shifting holds from one record to another and buying books en masse.  As far as I can tell, you’ve really made it as an author if you find your name on one of those lists.  Well, today I’d like to formally thank a teacher at P.S. 110 who deigned to put my beloved Giant Dance Party on their summer reading list.  Thank you, fine and fabulous educator type person!  Kinda makes me feel like I “made it” in some way.  I’m #17.