With Comic Con NYC later this week, publisher previews on the rise, and various work-related meetings, talks, and speeches I’m just the teeniest tiniest bit busy this week. But no matter! It is you, dear readers, that give me what for and how to. For you I would forgo all the sleep in the world. And as luck would have it, my 5-month-old baby is currently taking me up on that offer.
Onward!
Sometimes when I am feeling pensive I attempt to figure out which authors and illustrators currently alive today will, in the distant future, be so doggone famous for their works that people make pilgrimages to the homes they once lived in. I suspect that the entire Amherst/Northampton area will become just one great big tour site with people snapping shots of the homes of Norton Juster, Mo Willems, Jane Yolen, and so on and such. Thoughts of this sort come to mind when reading posts like Phil Nel’s recent piece A Very Special House in which he visits the former home of Ruth Krauss and Crockett Johnson. It is entirely enjoyable, particularly the part where the current owners reenact a photo taken on the porch with Ruth and Crockett 65 years later.
- So they announced the Kirkus Prize Finalists last week. Those would be the folks in the running for a whopping $50,000 in prize money. The books in the young reader category are split between two picture books, two middle grade titles, and two YA. You can see all the books that were up for contention here and the final books that made the cut here. Heck, you can even vote on the book you’d like to see win and potentially win an iPad for yourself. I don’t think they needed the iPad as a lure, though. I suspect many folks will be voting left and right just the for the fun of it. Thanks to Monica Edinger for the links.
- In other news, we have word of a blog made good. Which is to say, a blog that figured out how to make a living off of its good name. When people ask for YA blog recommendations I am not always the best person to ask. I don’t monitor them the way I monitor children’s book blogs. Pretty much, I just rely on folks like bookshelves of doom and The Book Smugglers to tell me what’s up. Now The Book Smugglers are becoming publishers in their own right! eBook publishers no less. Nice work if you can get it.
- Louise Rennison wrote a rather amusing little piece about how her British slang doesn’t translate all that well across the pond, as it were. Fair enough, but don’t go be telling me we Yanks don’t know humor. That’s why I was pleased to see that at the end of the article it says, “Louise Rennison will be discussing humour on both sides of the pond, and other interesting things, with her fellow countryman Jim Smith (author of Barry Loser and winner of the Roald Dahl Funny prize 2013) and American author Jon Scieszka (author of many hilarious books including Stinky Cheeseman and most lately Frank Einstein) – in a panel event chaired by Guardian children’s books editor Emily Drabble, run with IBBY at Waterstones Piccadilly, London, on 7 October 2014.” Why that’s today! Give ‘em hell, Jon! Show ‘em we know our funny from our droll. Then find out why their Roald Dahl Funny Prize is taking a hiatus. It’s not like they lack for humor themselves, after all.
*sigh* That Jarrett Krosoczka. He gets to have all the fun. One minute he’s hosting the Symphony Space Roald Dahl celebration and the next he’s hosting the upcoming Celebration of E.B. White. I mean, just look at that line-up. Jane Curtin. David Hyde Pierce. Liev Schreiber (didn’t see that one coming). Oh, I will be there, don’t you doubt it. You should come as well. We’ll have a good time, even if we’re not hosting it ourselves.
- This may be my favorite conspiracy piece of 2014 (which is actually saying something). Travis Jonker lays out 6 Theories on the End of Sam and Dave Dig a Hole by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen. Needless to say, I’m firmly in the “dog as Jesus” camp.
- And speaking of conspiracy theories, were you aware of the multiple theories that abound and consist of folks trying to locate the precise geographical coordinates of Sesame Street? There’s a big Sesame Street exhibit at our Library of the Performing Arts right now (by hook or by crook I am visiting it this Sunday) and that proved the impetus for this piece. Lots of fun.
On Saturday November 8, 2014, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art (NMAA) in Washington, DC will host the 22nd annual Children’s Africana Book Awards (CABA). CABA was created by Africa Access and the Outreach Council of the African Studies Association* to honor authors and illustrators who have produced exceptional books on Africa for young people.
And who’s that I see on the list of nominees? None other than Monica Edinger for Africa Is My Home! Two Candlewick books are listed, actually. Well played there, oh ye my fellow publisher.
I admit it. I’ve a weakness for paper jewelry. Today’s example is no exception:
Wood pulp. A marvelous invention. Thanks to Jessica Pigza for the image.
Oh, you lucky bugs. Do you know what today is? Today is the first day of Kidlitcon and for those of you still interested in joining (and who wouldn’t be?) you have a last minute chance to be a part of the fun. Always assuming you’re in the Austin area, of course, but I bet that LOTS of you are located in that general vicinity. As you’ll recall, last year Kidlitcon was held in New York City and we did very well indeed with the vast hoards of people. This year it’s a slightly smaller affair, but no less fascinating and fun. Full details can be found here but don’t worry if you’ve missed the opening ceremonies. The bulk of the action is on Saturday anyway, so you’ve still time to join. So go! Shoo! Why waste your time here?
- I don’t know about you but typically I go through blog reading binges. I ignore my favorites for long periods of time and then I consume weeks’ worth of material in a single sitting. I did this recently with the beloved Crooked House. First, I enjoyed the fact that she highlighted the book How to Do Nothing With Nobody All Alone By Yourself (notable, if nothing else, for the Lemony Snicket quote which reads, “Every great book reminds us that we are all alone in the world. At least this one provides us with the means to entertain ourselves while we’re here.”) The second post that caught my eye was a transcribed selection from The Mermaid of Brooklyn which I perhaps enjoyed too much. Too too much.
- Now some graphic novel news. There are two horns worth tooting today. First, there is the fact that I’m on ALSC’s Quicklists Consulting Committee and we recently came up with a newly revised Graphic Novels Reading List, broken down not just by age levels but by whether or not they’re black and white or color. In related news, kudos to the folks at Good Comics for Kids as well as Snow Wildsmith and Scott Robins for their A Parent’s Guide to the Best Kids’ Comics: Choosing Titles Your Children Will Love. The SLJ blog and the useful book were both mentioned on the most recent episode of the popular NPR podcast Pop Culture Happy Hour. The episode Making Toddlers Into Nerds is a bit of a misnomer and they do a lamentable job of mentioning any children’s literature that isn’t either 50 years old or part of a huge series, but at least they get the graphic novels piece right.
- Questions I never thought to ask until Marjorie Ingall made me: Why do chickens play an outsized role in Jewish children’s picture books? The answer may surprise you. Or, at the very least, you’ll be impressed with the amount of thought Marjorie has put into this subject.
- This is a good one. Always at the forefront of the diversity issues, Lee and Low recently put on their blog the post Literary Agents Discuss the Diversity Gap in Publishing. The agents in question are Adriana Domínguez, Karen Grencik, Abigail Samoun, and Lori Nowicki. Much of what they’re saying echoes things we’ve heard from editors over the past few years. Check it out.
- I received this message recently and figured you’d want to know about it. Ahem.
I just wanted to let you know that ABFFE’s 2013 holiday auction will take place on eBay from November 26 through December 2nd. Please let your colleagues and friends know that this is the best place to buy holiday gifts! More than 50 leading artists and illustrators contributed to last year’s auction and we are hoping for even more art this year. Once the auction is live, you will be able to access it from a link on www.abffe.org.
- Me stuff. Recently I was lucky enough to serve on the New York Times Best Illustrated judging committee for this year’s books. If you haven’t seen the results I came up with alongside Brian Selznick and Steve Heller you have two choices. You could look at the fancy dancy NY Times slideshow of the winners here OR you could go on over to 100 Scope Notes and check out Travis Jonker’s truly lovely round-up with book jackets and everything here.
- Just as I collect children’s literary statues from around the States (I’m STILL updating that post, people, so don’t worry if your favorites haven’t made it yet) I also like to keep tabs on museums of famous children’s authors and illustrators. You have your Eric Carle Museum, your Edward Gorey Museum, and apparently you also have a Tasha Tudor Museum. Or, at least, you will when it finds a new host.
You may or may not have heard about the SpotLit list, created by Scholastic Book Group with the help of scholars, teachers, librarians, and other specialists in the field. Well, two awesome infographics have been created to show off some of the facts behind it. I like them partly because they’re infographics and partly because in the group picture it looks like I’m snuggling up to Harry Potter while Hedwig swoops down mere moments before removing my cranium. This list discusses what the committee looked like and this list discusses what the books on the list consist of.
- When a new library branch reopens in my city I don’t always report on the fact, but this recent article about the reopened Coney Island Branch is the exception to the rule. The place looks precisely how you’d want a Coney Island branch to look. Granted there aren’t any half naked mermaids or rides in the library, but those photographs on the walls are worth the price of admission alone.
- Jon Klassen’s right. Interviews with the great illustrator Arnold Lobel are few and far between. When you can find one, you post it. And that’s just what he did. Thank you, Jon.
- Hat tip to Travis Jonker. Without him I would have never known that there are TWO children’s literature podcasts out there that had escaped my attention. I need to upgrade the old sidebar on this blog, do I not?
- And in the world of grants n’ such:
Greetings! There’s still time to apply for the ALSC Candlewick Press Light the Way grant. The deadline is December 1, 2013. This is a great funding opportunity if you have a project or program related to library service to children in special populations. The application is at this link: http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/profawards/candlewicklighttheway
Today’s image may be classified as Best Fan Art Ever, or something along those lines. How many of you are familiar with Helen Frost’s lovely middle grade Diamond Willow? Well, it came out in 2008 or so but its fans continue to find it. Case in point, this young woman who, with her Chinook pet dog, reenacted the cover. Compare and contrast:
Original:
Fan Made:
Utterly adorable. Many thanks to Helen for sharing this with me
Life - At my job, I have roughly 6 customers that I dread seeing every night.1 - Santa. This man is an older gentleman that looks exactly like Santa Claus. He wears an oxygen tank and wanders around the store for hours. I actually get a kick out of him, he's good natured and friendly, but he wears out his welcome after four hours of telling me fish stories and dirty jokes. He also has constant
I love my friends.
Friends are great. Take Davin, for example. He works for Popular Mechanics, has a pilot's license, starred in my college's production of Pippin (he totally kicked ass with "Corner of the Sky") and ends up in British documentaries on 9/11 conspiracy theories. Davin's cool. So cool, in fact, that I'm putting his recent appearance in "The Conspiracy Files - 911 Part 2" here for your viewing. See the blond guy that's not crazy and seems to know what he's talking about? That's Davin! Hi, Davin!
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The link in the post to Vicky Rideout and Children’s Technology is broken — at least for me. This one works: http://childrenstech.com/blog/archives/13203
I hope this helps.
I thought the NY Times list was a breath of fresh air. Women illustrators (more than one), new timers, great timers, ethnic timers and non-fiction. Woo hoo! Buh-bye status quo. Bravo!
Hey, I thought I was the mermaid of Brooklyn! (running out of the comment box for fear of my mermaid loving friends –mobs of them – who think they own that title).
It helps a great deal! I switched out the link for your own. Hopefully it’ll work now. Thanks for this!
Hey Elizabeth,
Great blog. Thank for all the info. I read the Lee and Low blog last week and have been depressed ever since. It captures both why I love writing and illustrating children’s books, as well as the part that makes me want to give it up and get a job at Wal-Mart.
Jerry Craft
Author / Illustrator / Future Wal-Mart greeter
Thank you, thank you as always, Betsy, for a great post, so many valuable nuggets of information!
Great set of items, this Sunday — but please. however momentarily tempting it may seem, do not let Hedwig remove your cranium, especially with winter coming on!