Milton Terrace South Elementary School in New York state conducted their own election this month. Under the direction of their school media specialist, Susan Penney, the 3th, 4th, and 5th grade students in the gifted classes researched the current books in the White House library. They found very few for soon-to-be White House residents, Malia and Sasha Obama, President-elect Barack Obama's two daughters.
Each grade at Milton Terrace South Elementary School nominated two of their favorite children's books, and everyone in the school voted on the winning titles. 16 of the children's books will soon be on their way to the White House. If you'd like to read more about the school's literary voting, click on this link to
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL .
CHARLOTTE'S WEB by E.B. White is one of the children's books on their way to the White House. What would be your favorite book to send for Malia and Sasha to read?
If you want to find out more about the White House, go to www.WhiteHouse.gov and do some exploring of your own.
Now that Barack Obama is heading to the White House in January, so will his two daughters, Sasha and Malia. If you've ever wondered what it'd be like to be a kid who lives in the White House, my writer friend, Barbara Kerley, wrote a book about Alice Roosevelt's experience called What To Do About Alice?: How Alice Roosevelt Broke the Rules, Charmed the World, and Drove Her Father Teddy Crazy! Check out the pet Alice had - and it wasn't a puppy like the Obama girls were promised by their father. Hint: it hisses.
As some of our readers know, First Book’s office happens to be located just a few short blocks from what is perhaps one of the world’s most iconic homes, the White House. We’ve all seen images of it, but very few of us know what life is truly like for those who live inside.
However, Candlewick Press’ newest publication, Our White House: Looking in, Looking Out, finally guides us past the Secret Service and lets us inside for a detailed, close-up look at the incredible events and people that have helped make the White House what it is today. This read-aloud family anthology, which contains contributions of prose, poetry, drama, nonfiction, and art by over 100 celebrated authors and illustrators, was conceived by award-winning author and illustrator Mary Brigid Barrett, who recently sat down with First Book for a lively discussion about this multi-faceted book.
Ms. Barrett also just so happens to be the founder, president, and executive director of one of my favorite literacy organizations, the National Children’s Book and Literacy Alliance, a nonprofit organization whose primary focus is to make issues related to young people’s literacy, literature, and libraries an ongoing priority on our national agenda. All proceeds from the sale of Our White House will help support the work and programs of the NCBLA. (So go out and grab your copy today!)
And don’t forget — if you plan to be in the Washington, D.C. area on September 27th, don’t miss Ms. Barrett and other contributors to the book when they discuss the creation of Our White House at the National Book Festival on the Mall.
Click below to hear our conversation with Ms. Barrett about Our White House.
I was extremely honored to be asked to contribute a story to "Our White House, Looking In, Looking Out" which is being released in September. This massive anthology was spearheaded by the National Children's Book and Literacy Alliance and assembled by the massively talented folks at Candlewick Press.
I was asked to write and illustrate a story about the Great Depression. In four pages. The result, a stripped down comic about Herbert Hoover and apple peddlers, will be the first story that I've written to be published (although my upcoming graphic novel was written before this). Above is a sketch for the first page of the story. Other contributors to the book include M.T. Anderson, Jerry Spinelli, Katherine Paterson, David Small, Brian Selznick, Susan Cooper and really too many to list here.
Publisher's Weekly just did a very nice write up about the book here. And the NCBLA has a website that should explode with extra content around the time of the book's release. Personally, I can't wait to see this thing.
Melissa Stewart is a terrific, smart science writer (who attended Institute of Children's Literature instructor training the same weekend I did) who has written a number of books for the educational market, as well as the gorgeous picture book A Place for Butterflies.
Melissa sent me information recently about an event coming up in late March. It's the Belmont Children's Picture Book Festival in Belmont, Massachusetts. You can see a listing of all six authors participating by clicking here.
The event is totally free and open to the public. Besides meeting six authors, watching performances, and participating in activities, you can also witness a documentary in the making! That's right--a documentary is being filmed at the festival. Melissa says, "I'm hoping the event might be a model for future events for authors who are looking for new ways to publicize their books."
Click here for a .pdf flyer to share with other folks you know who might be interested. It's a little far for me to drive (Minnesota to Massachusetts is not a day trip!), but I'm jealous of all y'all who get to attend!
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