Featured Posts
“Where do you buy these?”
Eight years ago, the question shocked me: “Mr. Ribay, where do you buy these?” The student was holding up a book. He had no idea where to buy a book. That was my first year teaching in Camden, NJ and the first time I had ever encountered someone … [Read More...]
The queen of all biographies
“What?! You can’t stop reading there!” bellowed one of my second graders as I shut our read-aloud book and left the main character, Annie Taylor, sealed in a barrel and about to reach the precipice of Niagara Falls. I smiled at his uncontainable … [Read More...]
Email from Laban Carrick Hill
After our discussion of Dave the Potter on this blog a few weeks ago, I received an email from Laban Carrick Hill, the book's author, who had been silently following the discussion. I asked if I could share his thoughts here and he graciously agreed. … [Read More...]
Blogs & Opinions
What’s a children’s librarian to do?
Twice in the past week I've been asked to opine publicly about the future of books and libraries for children, first at the NYLA conference in White Plains and then at the investiture of Eileen Abels as the new dean of the Simmons GSLIS. I had far … [Read More...]
A tisket, a tasket, books for Easter baskets
Spring hasn't fully sprung quite yet in Boston — we got snow overnight earlier this week! But with Easter this weekend, we know it's coming (eventually). Here are four springy board books to tuck into a little one's Easter basket. The titular … [Read More...]
“Where do you buy these?”
Eight years ago, the question shocked me: “Mr. Ribay, where do you buy these?” The student was holding up a book. He had no idea where to buy a book. That was my first year teaching in Camden, NJ and the first time I had ever encountered someone … [Read More...]
From the Editor – April 2014
We're in our new home on the grounds of Simmons College, and I must say what a pleasure it is to be surrounded by children's book–friendly folk and good lunch places. I'm especially happy to strengthen our partnership with Simmons's Center for the … [Read More...]
Review of the Week
Review of Here Comes the Easter Cat
Here Comes the Easter Cat by Deborah Underwood; illus. by Claudia Rueda Preschool Dial 80 pp. 1/14 978-0-8037-3939-0 $16.99 g Cat discovers an advertisement for the Easter Bunny’s arrival on the front endpapers of this witty offering, and from the very first page he is unhappy about it. The text addresses Cat directly throughout the book, and he responds using placards, humorous expressions, and body language to convey his emotions to great effect. When asked what’s wrong, … [Read More...]
App Review of the Week
Endless Reader app review
From Originator (formerly Callaway Digital Arts), developer of the fantastic Endless Alphabet, comes Endless Reader (November 2013). Endless Reader closely follows the format and style of the previous app. A narrator speaks a sight word — such as all, eat, on, up, or you — as it appears in lowercase letters on the screen. A stampede of cute monsters scatters the letters, which the user places back into the correct order to spell the word. The narrator then reads a context sentence (this time … [Read More...]
Recommended Books
A tisket, a tasket, books for Easter baskets
Spring hasn't fully sprung quite yet in Boston — we got snow overnight earlier this week! But with Easter this weekend, we know it's coming (eventually). Here are four springy board books to tuck into … [Read More...]
Review of Here Comes the Easter Cat
Here Comes the Easter Cat by Deborah Underwood; illus. by Claudia Rueda Preschool Dial 80 pp. 1/14 978-0-8037-3939-0 $16.99 g Cat discovers an advertisement for the Easter … [Read More...]
Review of Feral Curse
Feral Curse [Feral] by Cynthia Leitich Smith High School Candlewick 259 pp. 2/14 978-0-7636-5910-3 $17.99 e-book ed. 978-0-7636-7040-5 $17.99 Secret werecat Kayla chooses … [Read More...]
Review of He Has Shot the President!
He Has Shot the President!: April 14, 1865: The Day John Wilkes Booth Killed President Lincoln [Actual Times] by Don Brown; illus. by the author Intermediate Roaring Brook 64 pp. 4/14 … [Read More...]
Dayenu!
Pour the wine (or grape juice) and chop the nuts and apples. Here are some new books for Passover. (And here are two more.) Preschool Two Shalom Sesame series entries, written by Tilda … [Read More...]
Interviews
Five questions for Cynthia Leitich Smith
Cynthia Leitich Smith's urban fantasy series the Tantalize quartet did indeed tantalize readers with its vampire-themed eatery Sanguini's: A Very Rare Restaurant (and, of course, the vampires and … [Read More...]
Melissa Sweet on Firefly July
In the March/April 2014 Horn Book Magazine, Mag assistant editor Cynthia Ritter asked Melissa Sweet about her creative process when illustrating Firefly July. Read the starred review here. Cynthia … [Read More...]
Five questions for Lois Ehlert
Lois Ehlert started illustrating books in the 1960s and hit the big-time in 1989 with the now-classic Chicka Chicka Boom Boom (Simon, 2–5 years), written by Bill Martin Jr and John Archambault, and … [Read More...]
An Interview with Neal Porter
Neal Porter launched his thirty-five-year-long publishing career in 1979 when he assumed the post of director of library services and academic sales at Farrar, Straus and Giroux, where William Steig, … [Read More...]
Byron Barton on My Bus
In the March/April 2014 Horn Book Magazine, reviewer K. T. Horning asked author/illustrator Byron Barton about My Bus, his latest transportation celebration. Read the starred review here. K. T. … [Read More...]
