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I was glad to see that When The Shadbush Blooms, the only "multicultural" book on IRA-CBC's list of nominees for the Children's Choice Awards, was lauded by Debbie Reese and Oyate.

Maybe I shouldn't be surprised by the list -- the books were donated by publishers and chosen in six cities of the country not particularly renowned for a diverse demographic: Chico, California, Middletown, Delaware, Crete, Illinois, Starkville, Mississippi, Bellevue, Nebraska, and Omaha, Nebraska (here's a .pdf describing the process.) Of course, I've only been to Chico, which does have a fair share of immigrants, so maybe the other cities are home to all sorts of kids.

Unfortunately, on the official Children's Book Choices site, there's no explanation of selection criteria to be found -- or maybe I'm missing it. The nominees are great, I'm sure, but this award reminds me that for kids and adults to venture outside the story comfort zone, we often need a nudge from a trusted source.

Anybody catch Randy Jackson's America's Best Dance Crew this week? The show is down to fifteen great dancers, including nine Asian Americans who are rocking Planet MTV. This type of fusion hip makes the embarrassment of William Hung a distant memory -- in fact Asian American teens today can hardly remember that American Idol contestant.

Teen Book Review hosts me with some great interview questions. This fantastic resource for candid takes on YA reads recently reviewed my novels First Daughter: White House Rules and First Daughter:Extreme American Makeover.

The Fire Escape gets frequent queries from educators wondering where to find non-white authors and illustrators in the children's book world. "Is there an updated list of African-American authors and illustrators anywhere on the web?" they ask, and I can hear the frustration in their cyber voices. Well, my good librarians, teachers, and parents, whinge no more.

In celebration of Black History Month 2008, the Brown Bookshelf has gone way beyond a list. They're presenting us with the gift of 28 days later, featuring a different author and illustrator every day in February. Here's the schedule of luminaries and award-winners discussing their work (I've linked to the interviews that took place before today):

Feb 1 — Christopher Paul Curtis - Elijah of Buxton

Feb 2 — Michelle Meadows – The Way The Storm Stops

Feb 3 — Dana Davidson - Played

Feb 4 — Rita Williams-Garcia – No Laughter Here

Feb 5 — G. Neri – Chess Rumble & Sean Qualls - Phillis’s Big Test

Feb 6 — Janice N. Harrington – The Chicken-Chasing Queen of Lamar County

Feb 7 — Eleanora E. Tate – Celeste’s Harlem Renaissance

Feb 8 — Patricia McKissack – The All-I’ll-Ever-Want Christmas Doll

Feb 9 — M. Sindy Felin – Touching Snow

Feb 10 — Jabari Asim – Daddy Goes To Work

Feb 11 — Mildred D. Taylor – The Road To Memphis

Feb 12 — Nina Crews - The Neighborhood Mother Goose & Leonard Jenkins – Sweet Land of Liberty

Feb 13 — Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu – The Shadow Speaker

Feb 14 — Allison Whittenberg – Sweet Thang

Feb 15 — Walter Dean Myers - Game

Feb 16 — Tonya Bolden – George Washington Carver

Feb 17 — Troy Cle – The Marvelous Effect

Feb 18 — Eloise Greenfield – The Friendly Four

Feb 19 — Sundee T. Frazier – Brendan Buckley’s Universe and Everything In It & John Holyfield - Bessie Smith & the Night Riders

Feb 20 — Carole Boston Weatherford – I, Matthew Henson: Polar Explorer

Feb 21 — Karen English - Nikki & Deja

Feb 22 — Coe Booth - Tyrell

Feb 23 — Irene Smalls – My Pop Pop and Me

Feb 24 — Stephanie Perry Moore – Prayed Up: Perry Skky Jr. #4

Feb 25 — Kyra E. Hicks, Martha Ann’s Quilt for Queen Victoria

Feb 26 — Celise Downs – Dance Jam Productions & Shane Evans- When Harriet Met Sojourner

Feb 27 — Valerie Wilson Wesley – Willimena Rules!: 23 Ways to mess up Valentine’s Day

Feb 28 — Sherri L. Smith - Sparrow

John Sellers of PW's Childrens Bookshelf recently compiled a list of books for kids of all ages related to the election in Children's Publishers Stuff The Ballot Box. I culled the list for tween and teen appropriate fiction (you'll notice a couple of familiar titles on the list if you're a Fire Escape regular):

Source: Lookybook, "picture books you can discover, share and talk about," a great resource for parents and educators.

If you're wondering whether or not we have clout in the publishing world, check out the list of luminaries interviewed by Little Willow (who most recently chatted with Meg Cabot). Jules and Eisha over at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast also have a fabulous list of interviews with authors and illustrators; the conversations are funny, addictive, and should be compiled into a book.

Check out one diligent blogger's inaugural post over at PBS, where she's the resident guru of kid lit for one month. Sounds like a national virtual ambassador for children's books to me.

Melissa over at Booknut has decided to read outside the lines, and she invites us to join her:

The Expanding Horizons Challenge will run January through April of 2008. The purpose of this challenge is to read works by authors of ethnicities other than your own. I have decided to omit works by Caucasian authors (since they're the biggest group in the English-language book world; I want to explore books by authors in less-well-represented ethnicities). I have debated about whether or not to focus entirely on authors or to include main character's ethnicity, too, and I've decided that for this challenge I want the focus to be on the nationality of the author, rather than the characters. The books can be fiction or nonfiction; adult or YA; and can cross over to as many other challenges as you want.

There are two ways to approach this challenge. Either read four books by authors in one of the six categories (you can read more than one category, but you must read four books; not two books in one category and two in another) OR read six books, one from each of the six categories. The categories are:

1. African/African-American.
   
2. Asian/Asian-American (This is not just East Asian -- Chinese, Korean and Japanese -- but also Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines, and the Central Asian -Stans.)
   
3. Hispanic/Latin American
   
4. Indian/Indian-American (Again, books by Indian authors; not books by white authors set in India.)
   
5. Middle Eastern (Iran, Iraq, Israel, Palestine, Turkey...)
   
6. Native Peoples (Can include Native American, Inuit, Polynesian --Maori, Samoan, etc -- Siberian natives and Australian Aborigines.)

Thanks to a Read Roger post, I've just read Deirdre F. Baker's thought-provoking essay, Musings on Diverse Worlds, published in the January issue of the Horn Book. My favorite quote was her challenging concluding sentence:

The very absence of diversity in imagery as well as in lead characters indicates that as readers — perhaps even as writers — our "desire for otherness" is limited and that ... many of us aren't able or willing to go very far to feel, truly, "with those entirely other than ourselves."

If you're a parent or educator who cares about raising readers, why not subscribe to the content-filled, easy-to-read Growing Bookworms Newsletter put out by Jen Robinson? Each issue is a handy aggregation of information and reviews to "help you inspire the children in your life to love books." Now there's a worthwhile mission statement if I've ever heard one.

Cheryl Klein, recently promoted to Senior Editor at Arthur A. Levine Books (of Harry Potter fame), offers a range of advice on her state-of-the-art editor's website and provides tailored submission guidelines for their imprint. Here's a brief excerpt from a section called Rules of Engagement:

How do you make a reader fall in love with your book? Well, as always with love, there are all kinds of theories here. And in lots of ways it isn’t explainable: The magic just happens ... The first and most important technique for getting a reader hooked on your novel (is) voice. The voice is the soul of the book. You know how you have that friend who will always find the silver lining in everything, or the friend who will always drag the conversation back to his problems? A narrative voice has that same type of personality in the type of jokes it might tell, the kind of details it will offer, what it talks about, what it doesn’t say.

News from The Horn Book:

In mid-March, The Horn Book will launch a fresh and informative monthly newsletter for parents, teachers, librarians and anyone else who is interested in the world of children's literature. This free newsletter will include booklists, interviews with authors and artists, pertinent reviews and much more. To sign up, please send your email address to Sarah at [email protected] with the subject "HB Newsletter."

Spread the word about a great contest for kids organized by Kahani Magazine, a 2007 Parent's Choice Award Winner:

A gentle reminder that all short story submissions for Kahani's 3rd Annual Young Writers and Illustrators Contest is due Friday, November 23, 2007. That's the day after Thanksgiving, so make sure you leave yourself plenty of time before - or after - the partying to get your stories in. Entry forms have to be snail mailed and postmarked by that date. Go to the Kahani site for more details about prizes and rules. Winners also get their stories published in our Spring 2008 issue called Rock the Vote!

Cheers,

Kahani Staff

Monday, October 22
Mark Teague at The Miss Rumphius Effect
Sharon Vargo at Finding Wonderland
Christopher Demarest at Writing and Ruminating
Rose Mary Berlin at Charlotte's Library
David Macaulay at Here in the Bonny Glen

Some of the best bloggers in the children's book world are featuring the art and thoughts of some of the best illustrators in the children's book world. You can bid for the snowflakes created by the latter group in the Robert's Snow auction to raise money in the fight against cancer.

Monday, October 15

• Randy Cecil at ChatRabbit
• Michelle Chang at The Longstockings
• Kevin Hawkes at Cynthia Lord's Journal
• Barbara Lehman at The Excelsior File
• Grace Lin at In the Pages

Tuesday, October 16

• Selina Alko at Brooklyn Arden
• Scott Bakal at Wild Rose Reader
• Alexandra Boiger at Paradise Found
• Paige Keiser at Your Neighborhood Librarian
• Janet Stevens at The Miss Rumphius Effect

Wednesday, October 17

• Rick Chrustowski at laurasalas
• Diane DeGroat at Jama Rattigan's Alphabet Soup
• Ilene Richard at Something Different Every Day
• Brie Spangler at Lectitans
• Don Tate at The Silver Lining

Thursday, October 18

• Brooke Dyer at Bookshelves of Doom
• D.B. Johnson at Lessons from the Tortoise
• Erin Eitter Kono at Sam Riddleburger
• Sherry Rogers at A Life in Books
• Jennifer Thermes at Through the Studio Door

Friday, October 19

• Graeme Base at Just One More Book
• Denise Fleming at MotherReader
• Jeff Mack at AmoXcalli
• Jeff Newman at A Year of Reading
• Ruth Sanderson at Book Moot

Saturday, October 20

• Linas Alsenas at A Wrung Sponge
• Theresa Brandon at The Shady Glade
• Karen Katz at Whimsy Books
• Judy Schachner at Kate's Book Blog
• Sally Vitsky at Shelf Elf: read, write, rave

Sunday, October 21

• Matthew Cordell at Just Like the Nut
• Maxwell Eaton III at Books and Other Thoughts
• Roz Fulcher at Goading the Pen
• Susie Jin at sruble's world
• Susan Mitchell at Check It Out

A new compilation from the Cooperative Children's Book Center at University of Wisconsin-Madison:

Global Reading
Selected Literature for Children and
Teens Set in Other Countries

Check out the beautiful 2007 snowflakes created for Robert's Snow: For Cancer's Cure. If you're in Massachusetts, you can view the snowflakes in person at two special gallery showings between October and December:

Child at Heart Gallery
48 Inn Street
Newburyport, MA 01950
Open House: Saturday, October 6
Exhibit Dates: October 3 – 22

Danforth Museum of Art
123 Union Avenue
Framingham, MA 01702
Open House: Sunday, November 4
Special Sneak Preview: October 31 – November 3
Exhibit Dates: November 4 – December 2

Contact: Lauren Nash
Phone: (617) 632-3863
E-mail: [email protected]

That old stereotype about kids and books in Seattle turns out to be true. Tegan Tigani, owner of Queen Anne Books, an indie bookstore, started Children's Books That Don't Make You Hurl. Seattle-based blogger Els Kushner landed a new gig, reviewing books as Librarian Mom over at Scholastic blog central. She joins an impressive roster of Mom bloggers, including Grade School Mom, Preschool Mom, Middle School Mom, Grandmom, Crafty Mom, and News to Use Mom.

Via Kelly at Big A little a, here are some fantastic features in the September issue of The Edge of the Forest:

• An interview with Phil Bildner, by Camille Powell.
• An appreciation of Patrick McDowell's picture books, by Adrienne Furness.
• Kelly discusses Anglo-American versions of Baba Yaga tales in Baba Yaga Heads West.
• Elizabeth Burns reviews Barry Lyga's Fanboy and Boy Toy.
• Kim Winters shares about being on retreat in A Day in the Life.
• Betsy Bird tells us What's In Her Backpack.
• Robin Brande is this month's Blogging Writer.
• Sounds From The Forest talks with Mary Anne Hoberman and Deborah Freedman.

The 2007 National Book Festival, organized and sponsored by the Library of Congress and hosted by First Lady Laura Bush will be held Saturday, Sept. 29, 2007, on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., between 7th and 14th streets from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The festival is free and open to the public. Here's the list of children's and YA authors scheduled to appear:

Children's Book Authors

• Maria Celeste Arrarás
• Ashley Bryan / Jan Spivey Gilchrist
• Carmen Agra Deedy
• Mercer Mayer
• Megan McDonald
• Judy Schachner
• Rosemary Wells
• David Wiesner
• Jacqueline Wilson

• M.T. Anderson
• Holly Black
• Jennifer L. Holm
• Gail Carson Levine
• Patricia MacLachlan
• Patricia McCormick
• Shelia P. Moses
• Cynthia Leitich Smith
• Gene Luen Yang

The current issue of the Horn Book includes reflections on gender and reading penned by several children's and YA book authors. How in the world did that Mitali wangle an invitation to contribute, you might ask (secretly, of course)? Heck, I wondered myself. Roger Sutton reveals the truth: it's all about the blog.

Thanks, thanks, and more thanks to dcist.com, the D.C. Stanford Club, Sepia Mutiny, MotherReader, Zee, YALSA, Liz, Fuse#8, and others for announcing my book launch party at the D.C. Public Library next Saturday. There's still room to squeeze in, but please RSVP so I can plan the food. I'm ready to bhangra, are you? Politics and Prose Bookstore is providing copies of First Daughter: Extreme American Makeover, but they'll only have a few on hand so mostly we'll be dancing like this:



I'll also be signing copies of Rickshaw Girl at ALA's annual convention in D.C. from 1-2 p.m. on Saturday at booth #2910. Stop by and say hi if you're in the vicinity.

Sameera closed out her blog tour today over at Sara's Holds Shelf. Meanwhile, I had a great time being interviewed by the astute Kelly Herold as part of the SBBT. Here's the full schedule, courtesy of Master Organizer Colleen Mondor:

Sunday, June 17

Gene Yang at Finding Wonderland

Monday, June 18

Tom & Dorothy Hoobler at Chasing Ray
Mitali Perkins at Big A, Little a
Sara Zarr at Interactive Reader
Justina Chen Headley at Hip Writer Mama
Justine Larbalestier at A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy
Dana Reinhardt at lectitans
Brent Hartinger at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast
Laura Ruby at Writing and Ruminating
Jordan Sonnenblick by Bildungsroman
Ysabeau Wilce at Finding Wonderland

Tuesday, June 19

Laura Ruby at Miss Erin
Bennett Madison at Shaken & Stirred
Shaun Tan at A Fuse #8 Production
Chris Crutcher at Bookshelves of Doom
Holly Black at The YA YA YAs
Kazu Kibuishi at Finding Wonderland
Christopher Golden at Bildungsroman
David Brin at Chasing Ray
Kirsten Miller at Jen Robinson's Book Page
Sara Zarr at Big A, little a
Sonya Hartnett at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast

Wednesday, June 20

Mitali Perkins at Hip Writer Mama
Svetlana Chmakova at Finding Wonderland
Dana Reinhardt at Interactive Reader
Laura Ruby at A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy
Holly Black at Shaken & Stirred
Hilary McKay at Bookshelves of Doom
Kirsten Miller at Miss Erin
Julie Ann Peters at A Fuse #8 Production
Carolyn Mackler at The YA YA YAs
Jordan Sonnenblick at Writing and Ruminating

Thursday, June 21

Eddie Campbell at Chasing Ray
Sara Zarr at Writing and Ruminating
Brent Hartinger at Interactive Reader
Justine Larbalestier at Big A, little a
Cecil Castellucci at Shaken & Stirred
Ysabeau Wilce at Bildungsroman
Jordan Sonnenblick at Jen Robinson's Book Page
Chris Crutcher at Finding Wonderland
Kazu Kibuishi at lectitans
Mitali Perkins at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast
Laura Ruby at The YA YA YAs

Friday, June 22

Tim Tharp at Chasing Ray
Justina Chen Headley at Big A, little a
Ysabeau Wilce at Shaken & Stirred
Dana Reinhardt at Bildungsroman
Julie Ann Peters at Finding Wonderland
Cecil Castellucci at A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy
Bennett Madison at Bookshelves of Doom
Holly Black at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast
Justine Larbalestier at Hip Writer Mama
Kirsten Miller at A Fuse #8 Production

Saturday, June 23

Justina Chen Headley finishes out the week at Finding Wonderland

Want a book of fiction about a particular region or country for a particular age group? Here's another great resource: the University of Arizona's International Collection of Children's and Adolescent Literature.

Put on some reggae, grab your sunglasses, and head out with us on the 2007 Summer Blog Blast Tour, during which over 25 young adult authors will be hosted by the best kid lit blogs on the planet. I'm going to be interviewed here (Monday, June 18), and here (Wednesday, June 20), and here (Thursday, June 21).

Photo Source: Nicholaus Haskins