- First and foremost, this:
That would be Kadir Nelson’s tribute to the Schomburg Library in NYC. A couple things to note about it. First, in an amazing bit of research you can see that he includes both the old Schomburg Library (now overrun with ivy) and the new Schomburg together at the bottom. Second, the inclusion of Langston Hughes front and center is particularly clever since Langston is practically the first thing a person sees when they enter the building. Or rather, Langston’s words which are embedded in the very floor. I do miss the Schomburg. This brought all that back.
- In all the talks we’ve heard from people about A FINE DESSERT and A BIRTHDAY CAKE FOR GEORGE WASHINGTON, I sometimes feel like we haven’t heard enough from the teachers about how they teach topics like slavery. That’s why posts like Monica Edinger’s In the Classroom: Teaching About Slavery are so important. If you read no other link today, read this one.
- This one’s for the librarians. Want to know all the different rates publishers charge libraries for ebooks? A handy dandy chart explains all.
- Travis Jonker knew not what he hath wrought when he posted about The Most Annoying Board Book Ever. I know precisely what book he’s talking about (as does anyone else who has encountered it). I never get rid of books, as my household will attest, but THAT book I gave away with a flourish when I moved. I wasn’t going to use precious box space cluttering it up with that monstrosity. One of the buttons that’s supposed to sound like snoring actually sounds like Darth Vader. And believe you me, you do NOT want the unsettling feeling that Vader is lurking around your house.
Speaking of radio, have you guys all heard James Kennedy (of 90-Second Newbery and The Order of Odd Fish fame) on Matthew Winner’s Let’s Get Busy podcast? If you listen to no other interview on that show (and I include my own when I say that) listen to this one. The two guys basically hit it out of the park right at the start when James mentions the plethora of The Call stories as they relate to ALA Award committees. The dog church bit . . . seriously, you just have to listen. And not just because an Oakland newspaper said of James that, “Between his wardrobe choices and excited mannerisms, he had the familiar air of Professor Gilderoy Lockhart in the Harry Potter film adaptations, only he was not a braggart.” I always think of him as more a Xenophilius Lovegood type, but maybe that’s just the Rhys Ifans talking.
- Man. I gotta apologize. Somebody somewhere alerted me to the Booktoss piece Say It With Me: Intersectionality and I’ve forgotten who they are. Mea culpa. In any case, this is a great piece of writing. From Beyonce at the Superbowl to Ben Hatke’s Little Robot. Not an easy connection, but Laura Jimenez manages it. Kudos.
- I think I failed to post this before, but Mike Lewis did a killer rundown of the CTTCB’s Social Media Institute in his piece Exiting the Echo Chamber. I am, however, a little jealous at the title. Wish I’d thought of it myself.
- Why, yes. I would like to attend a Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry exhibition at the Brooklyn Public Library. However did you know? But quick question: When did Wendell Minor illustrate the series? It makes me happy but I want to see that work.
- Things I’m Surprised More Publishers Don’t Do With Their Backlist: This. I guess it helps if you have a big recognizable name, but still. Now can we PLEASE discuss doing this with William’s Doll? You want money? I have money. (Fun Fact: I don’t have money – I just want to see it brought into the 21st century)
Pooh and friends pre-2008
Though it contains an image of the original Winnie-the-Pooh toys that has to be more than eight years old (Donnell Library!), the Huffington Post article Christopher Robin Was Real, And Other Facts About Winnie-The-Pooh’s Author has some nice items in it. Particularly point #2. H.G. Wells? Really?
- Here’s another one for the librarians. Booksellers too, as it happens. According to a recent Nielsen Report, Social Omnivores And Book Placement Majorly Influence Children’s Book Buyership. No surprises there. What is surprising is that when it comes to selecting books, “The shelf has more influence than the promotional table, window display, bargain bin, etc. combined by a very wide margin.”. Yep. Your displays may look all kinds of pretty, but nothing beats good old fashioned shelving when it comes to checkouts/sales. Who knew? Thanks to Carl Schwanke for the link.
- Word I Don’t Use Enough: Ostrobogulous. Disagree on peril of defining it (though this may help). Thanks to Phil Nel for the link.
- “Where are the children’s books that celebrate working-class values and voices?” is not a question being asked by many folks here in America. It is, however, being asked in The Guardian by Elen Caldecott. And it is a question I would very much like us to start answering over here as well.
Alison Morris, currently working as the Senior Director of Collection Development & Merchandising at First Book, is the cleverest crafty person I know. Years ago she showed me how to make F&Gs into birdhouses. Now she’s making classic children’s characters into marble magnets.
Want to make your own? Instructions can be found here. Cheers, Alison!
Learning may not be on the top of children’s minds as the weather gets warmer and school lets out — but studies have shown that without reading those two to three months put kids behind the next year in school.
As we move into the long, hot days of summer, we’ll be sharing a new book list every week for a different age group featuring our in-house kid’s book expert Alison Morris’ picks for summer reading. So stay tuned every week for a new list of five books to keep kid’s minds active this summer!
This week we’re sharing the best summer reading titles for kids in kindergarten to 2nd grade.
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If you work with kids in need, you can find these titles on the First Book Marketplace by clicking on the pictures of each book.
For Kindergarten to 2nd Grade
“Nate the Great and the Boring Beach Bag” by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat
It’s gone! Oliver’s boring blue beach bag is gone. Inside are his clothes, shoes, and a special seashell. All he has left is his beach ball.
This is a perfect case for Nate the Great and his trusty dog Sludge. But they don’t find many clues in the sand and surf. What trail should they follow next? Follow the leader to find out!
Luke on the Loose (Toon Books Level 2) by Harry Bliss
Luke looks on at the pigeons in Central Park, while Dad is lost in “boring Daddy talk,” and before you know it–Luke is on the Loose! He’s free as a bird, on a hilarious solo flight through New York City.
Harry Bliss, the renowned illustrator of many bestselling children’s books, finally goes on a solo flight on his own with a soaring story that will delight any young reader who has ever felt cooped up.
Bink and Gollie by Katie DiCamillo
Meet Bink and Gollie, two precocious little girls–one tiny, one tall, and both utterly irrepressible. Setting out from their super-deluxe tree house and powered by plenty of peanut butter (for Bink) and pancakes (for Gollie), they share three comical adventures involving painfully bright socks, an impromptu trek to the Andes, and a most unlikely marvelous companion. No matter where their roller skates take them, at the end of the day they will always be the very best of friends. Full of quick-witted repartee, this brainchild of Newbery Medalist Kate DiCamillo and award-winning author Alison McGhee is a hilarious ode to exuberance and camaraderie, imagination and adventure, brought to life through the delightfully kinetic images of Tony Fucile.
Bugs are Insects (Let’s-Read-And-Find Out Science Level 1) by Anne Rockwell
Is a spider an insect? Is a ladybug a bug? Lean how to tell what is an insect and what isn’t, and discover the fascinating world of the tiny creatures who live in your own backyard.
Market Day by Lois Ehlert
Wake up! It’s market day and everyone’s going to the town square. But this is no ordinary market; it’s a feast of folk art from around the world. Whether you’re looking for fruits, vegetables, or just an afternoon of fun, this is a shopping trip you don’t want to miss!
The post First Book’s Summer Book List: K-2 appeared first on First Book Blog.
Well, the Bird family had a lovely Christmas down in old Atlanta, GA. We didn’t lose any offspring either going there or back again, so I consider that a win. And the presents! Whether it was the Matilda soundtrack (yes, I’m a million years old and still request CDs as presents) or the collected Pogo comics (Vol. 2!) or a new laptop, this was a good little year.
What I did not know when I flew back at 6:15 a.m. yesterday was that I was rapidly winging my way home to an unexpected gift like no other. A gift that can only be described as one-of-a-kind. Indeed, unless more than one was produced this season, I may have the only one quite like this.
You will all recall Alison Morris. Dubbed “The Mayor of Children’s Books” by T.A. Barron she is one of the smartest, wittiest people I know. She is also now currently living in Washington D.C. which is a crime against man (or at least, against the convenience of seeing her as often as I’d like).
Over the years it was Alison who has inspired some of the greatest children’s literature crafts I’ve ever seen. That Shrinky Dink necklace of Newbery and Caldecott winners? Inspired by Alison and our Shrinky Dink Christmas ornament year. The birdhouses made out of F&Gs? All Alison.
So I open a present in the mail from her and this is inside:
Yes. Your eyes do not deceive you. In her infinite awesomeness, Alison created (and I do not know how) a Donner Dinner Party snowglobe.
Best. Gift. Ever.
Thank you, Alison.
The jolly gift of the season, for me, is to have friends with oodles, sheer oodles, of talent just ah-flowing out of their gills (so to speak). Last year I posted about how some buddies and I got together to make Shrinky-Dink Christmas ornaments (which, in turn, led to Shrinky-Dink Caldecott jewelry later in the year). This year we upped the ante, so to speak.
So I was sitting in my office, minding my own business, when the mail arrived. And not just any mail either. Big mail. Big flat mail. Big flat mail that had a very prominent bakery sticker on the outside. I got very excited when I saw that. Tis the season for chocolate goodies, yes?
No chocolate awaited me inside (well, maybe a little chocolate). What I found instead was a remarkable little gingerbread house kit, complete with a copy of the latest Scaredy Squirrel title Scaredy Squirrel Prepares for Christmas. Inside was a handy dandy builder’s permit (made out to me!), pre-made frosting, gingerbread, the works!
Knowing that I had a Christmas party in my home coming up I schlepped it to my apartment and waited until this past weekend to start construction. Not that I constructed a darn thing. Nope. Say hello to the foreman in charge of this project, Josh Ess.
Some of you may remember Josh as the husband of the illustrious Lori Ess and the man who single-handedly saved an Eric Carle Museum program that featured Anita Silvey (amongst others) when its computer went on the fritz. Turns out, the man does a mean edible arrangement. This may have something to do with the fact that he is a professionally trained chef. Perhaps.
The first problem we had with the house turned out to be the biggest. At some point in its travels, the body of the house had cracked.
So yes. We were dealing with a crack house. Josh put the crack house together as best he could and you can see the clever patching job done with frosting. Still, things were looking dire. Particularly when it was discovered that the roof didn’t really fit either. This called for creativity!! Step #1: Place gumdrops where the house would normally connect.
Step #2: Stick everything in place with copious frosting.
Step #3: Place other portion of roof on top without toppling everything like a house of cards.
Ta dah! With some effort the house started to perk up a bit. Josh even arranged the faux M&Ms on the top in a rainbow pattern.
Now it was time to decorate. And who better to help with that feature than graphic novelist Gareth Hinds? You may remember him from such graphic novel Shakespearan adaptations as King Lear, or his work on The Odyssey and Beowulf. He’s got a killer Romeo & Juliet out in the future, and a very fine hand on hiding the cracked doorway of the house going on here.
Not that Josh wasn’t a remarkable piper when it came to the frosting.
That is the advantage of doing a house like this. When you make a mistake, you eat the cement.
Ta dah!! A happy home for all to see.
But what really sealed the deal for me was Josh’s attention to fine details that would have gone unnoticed had someone not pointed them out. When we weren’t looking he took the Tootsie Rolls that came with the house, some frosting and some toothpicks and made . . . a reindeer!!
Then later in the evening, that same reindeer morphed into Rudolph.
That is what happens when you separate the gingerbread men from the gingerbread boys, son. Josh, you are the undeniable gingerbread king.
Others have received this same house in the mail. If you want to see the full roster you can see them on the Scaredy Squirrel Facebook Page. The blog Pickle Me This actually put the darn thing together using the instructions and ALL the ingredients. Other blogs followed suit. Go here or here if you want to see what it was supposed to look like.
After that there was nothing for it but to make a couple Christmas ornaments with whatever picture book characters I happened to have hanging around my living room. This year the winners included:
Me Want Pet by Bob Shea – ornament created using markers (!!!!) by Alison Morris
Flora’s Very Windy Day by Jeanne Birdsall, illustrated by Matt Phelan – ornament created by Lori Ess using only colored pencils
Humpty Dumpty from the Will Moses Mother Goose – ornament created by Josh Ess
Dick Tracy by my very own resident husband Matt.
And a Sumo wrestler – ornament created just off the top of his head on a spur of the moment whim by Gareth Hinds. It was not traced.
If you do not have a tiny Sumo wrestler on YOUR tree, I pity you.
I cannot thank my guests enough for such a fantastic party. Thanks to Alison Morris, Gareth Hinds, Lori Ess, John Ess, and Matt for helping to make this the bestest Christmas ever. Special thanks to Alison for the bulk of these fabulous pictures.
And thanks to the folks at Kids Can Press for allowing me the chance to make a house of my very own with absolutely zero effort on my own part.
Finally, my own offspring. Suited up to fit the holidays.
"Books are like neighbors, and your personal library is your neighborhood. Take a look at your bookshelves. What kind of neighborhood are you living in? Are you in a slum or in the suburbs? Who are your neighbors? Are they trash talkers or shrewd sages? If you live next door to Socrates, then invite him to dinner every night. If you live next to Dan Brown, then put your house on the market. ...
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Speaking of radio, have you guys all heard James Kennedy (of 90-Second Newbery and The Order of Odd Fish fame) on Matthew Winner’s Let’s Get Busy podcast? If you listen to no other interview on that show (and I include my own when I say that) listen to this one. The two guys basically hit it out of the park right at the start when James mentions the plethora of The Call stories as they relate to ALA Award committees. The dog church bit . . . seriously, you just have to listen. And not just because an Oakland newspaper said of James that, “Between his wardrobe choices and excited mannerisms, he had the familiar air of Professor Gilderoy Lockhart in the Harry Potter film adaptations, only he was not a braggart.” I always think of him as more a Xenophilius Lovegood type, but maybe that’s just the Rhys Ifans talking.
Thanks for mentioning my post. I’m going to do a follow-up post soon with specifics about how the actual sessions have been going. Just to show how incredibly observant we need to be when doing this with kids, to never assume, to find ways to check in, and so forth.
Here’s one example (and sorry for the length of this). As part of a lesson that featured a look at Bunce Island (a fort off the coast of Sierra Leone where enslaved rice farmers were especially desired to bring to Charleston) I showed the children a primary source image of an ad for a sale (http://hitchcock.itc.virginia.edu/Slavery/details.php?categorynum=6&categoryName=&theRecord=71&recordCount=75) that states “”To be sold. . . a cargo of ninety-four prime, healthy Negroes”; men, women, and children from Sierra Leone.” I heard gasps and discovered it was because of the word “Negroes.” It was then I realized some had not encountered the word before, some thought it was the n-word they’d vaguely heard about.
And so yesterday I followed up, discussing where the word came from (Spanish and Portuguese — one student who speaks Spanish knew this immediately), read excerpts from speeches of famous folk over the years containing the word (from Wade Hudson’s excellent Powerful Words), we talked about what it means to define people by words this way, and more. At one point we were discussing other words for white and a child whispered something that I couldn’t hear and the child who knew Spanish next to him laughed. I took him aside later and at first he was reluctant to tell me what he had said. Finally he whispered to me, “Blanco.” I told him that was a good word to have said, not a bad one at all. And then I spoke to the little girl who had laughed, wanting to be sure to validate her response too. Her laughter had been one of surprise and nothing more. All was fine, but it made me realize yet again that I need to pay such close attention, check in regularly, and follow-up anytime I sense confusion. (Btw, I have a fairly diverse class, so kids of all ethnicities and backgrounds are engaging with this, each in their own way.)
I am always uncomfortable with aged lists. As I scrolled down the Brightly list I was struck by the fact that the vast majority, but not all, were books that my children read and enjoyed at much younger ages.
You will note, then, that there was a huge range in reading levels there. Picture books as well as chapter books like Charlotte’s Web. That’s what I like about the list. It’s for kids of all reading levels but with age appropriate content.
It’s always a treat to get mentioned on Fuse #8 — but it’s a double treat when my ramblings make it into the headline. Thanks, Betsy! (And thanks to Mr. Winner for having me on his podcast!)
Thanks, James. It is, upon retrospect, an odd little title. Hopefully folks understand that it comes from your interview.
The Daily Image with the marble magnets has a pattern below it that makes me think of Sophie Blackall’s work. The pattern is the same one used in Finding Winnie.