Publications about books for children and young adults
First, an aside: I meant to talk about this one in November, but forgot. I forgot because a certain second grade picture book hoarder (she knows who she is) absconded with this and about eight other newish books. So, true to form, I am Down To The Wire on this one. Our second of three [...]
Well, it’s getting down to the wire here. It won’t be long before Lolly and I put together the ballot for you to vote on. In the meantime, I am going to briefly talk about a few books that are still on my personal stack. I need to make up time if I am going [...]
Darn you, Charlotte Zolotow committee! You beat me to the punch, awarding this fine book your award last week! The CCBC website explains, “The Charlotte Zolotow Award is given annually to the author of the best picture book text published in the United States in the preceding year….The award is administered by the Cooperative Children’s Book [...]
So, enough people have mentioned Island: A Story of the Galápagos that I thought I would do a little exercise with you. Many people wonder how the real committee members look at all the books they have to consider. I have no idea how others deal with this, but I have a little procedure. First, I just [...]
Wordless picture books have a special place in Caldecott history. None of those pesky words get in the way and there is no worry about designing the page for text boxes, either. One vision is on the page–the vision of the illustrator. The only words in this book are a question on the back cover [...]
Once in a while, I see a book that makes me think, “I sure would like to hear the committee discuss this one!” This is one of those books. I think the committee will appreciate the sly meta-picture book details–the direct address of the narrator, the comic schtick when author Mac fires illustrator Adam, the [...]
Bailey at the Museum by Harry Bliss; illus. by the author Primary Scholastic 32 pp. 9/12 978-0-545-23345-3 $16.99 In his second adventure, the irrepressible titular hound from Bailey (rev. 11/11) — the only dog in Mrs. Smith’s class — is excited about the field trip to the Museum of Natural History. Though his classmates are [...]
I do love me the cute little bunnies. Peter McCarty has a knack for drawing them and drawing the reader into their lives. Maybe because I am a middle child (though not in a family of 21 children!), I identify with Chloe. I also really like bubble wrap and spending time with my own family. [...]
Continuing with the seasonal theme, Stead teams up with first-time picture book author Julie Fogliano for a gentle look at one little bespectacled boy and his garden. It’s a dear story of perseverance and patience, seeds and sun, and rain and cold. But, mostly it’s about brown and green. We are learning to anticipate and appreciate [...]
I so want to cheat and talk about two books at the same time, since illustrator Erin E. Stead has two books out this year, both gathering a pile of starred reviews. But I will not cheat. I will try to post two separate short discussions. But, that does beg the question. What will the [...]
