Children's Books for Valentine's Day
Saturday January 31, 2004
While you can find books on Valentine's Day year round at the library, there is a much narrower window of opportunity at bookstores. Even holiday books that have become ... Read More
Finding the Right Book for Your Child
Friday January 30, 2004
Online resources have made it easier to find books that might appeal to your child. Did you know that you can create your own customized lists of children's books ... Read More
"Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry" Challenge Denied
Thursday January 29, 2004
Censorship of children's books is in the news again as a result of a parent's challenging the use of the Mildred D. Taylor's "Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry," ... Read More
UK's Whitbread Book of the Year Winner Announced
Wednesday January 28, 2004
"The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time," by Mark Hedden, just won the prestigious Whitbread Book of the Year Award. The novel, told from the perspective of ... Read More
Spotlight on Artist Jerry Pinkney
Tuesday January 27, 2004
If you visit this site often, you probably know that one of my favorite children's book illustrators is Jerry Pinkney. I was pleased to find a very interesting essay ... Read More
Celebrate Black History Month with Children's Books
Monday January 26, 2004
Black History Month is fast approaching, and as usual, I have mixed emotions about celebrating Black History Month, Women's History, and other "special" History Months. On the one hand, ... Read More
Phillip Pullman's "His Dark Materials"
Sunday January 25, 2004
Whether you are a fan eager for news about the theatrical production and plans for a movie or a parent who wants to know more about the popular “His Dark ... Read More
In Memory of Captain Kangaroo
Saturday January 24, 2004
I was sorry to hear that Bob Keeshan, who portrayed Captain Kangaroo on televsion for more than 35 years, died yesterday after a long illness. His TV show was ... Read More
African American Authors and Illustrators
Friday January 23, 2004
One of the requests I often receive is for a list of African American authors and illustrators of children's books. When I finally found one, it quickly disappeared from ... Read More
Authors and Illustrators with January Birthdays
Thursday January 22, 2004
Here are the children's book authors and illustrators that I am aware of with January birthdays: Floyd Cooper and Marjorie Priceman (January 8), Max Grover (January 10), Clement Hurd (January ... Read More
Newbery Medal Author Kate DiCamillo
Wednesday January 21, 2004
There’s an interesting Star Tribune article about Kate DiCamillo, the author of “The Tale of Despereaux,” for which she was recently awarded the 2004 Newbery Medal. DiCamillo is a ... Read More
The Notable Children's Books List
Tuesday January 20, 2004
If you are looking for an annotated list of good books for children up to age 14, be sure and take a look at the recently released 2004 Notable Children's ... Read More
Martin Luther King Day
Monday January 19, 2004
It seems appropriate on Martin Luther King Day to highlight some of the best children's books about African American freedom fighters. Among the books on my Top Picks list ... Read More
Mandatory Warning Labels on Children's Books?
Sunday January 18, 2004
How do you feel about mandatory warning labels on children's books? It's a hot topic in Australia right now. Freda Briggs, an influential child protection advocate, is leading ... Read More
An American Plague Wins Sibert Informational Book Medal
Saturday January 17, 2004
The 2004 ALSC Robert F. Sibert
Informational Book Medal winner is An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793, by Jim Murphy. The ... Read More
Are you ready for a new Nancy Drew?
Friday January 16, 2004
According to an article in USA Today, the Nancy Drew series is being updated, with four new Nancy Drew books being published in March. The series, now published Simon ... Read More
Coretta Scott King Award Winners Announced
Thursday January 15, 2004
The 2004 Coretta Scott King Award winners have been announced by the American Library Association (ALA). According to the ALA, the Award "is presented annually by the Coretta Scott ... Read More
Eragon Is Everywhere!
Wednesday January 14, 2004
It seems no matter where I go, I see copies of Eragon, the
528-page fantasy epic for children. It's hard to believe that the author, Christopher Paolini, began to write ... Read More
Jewish Life and Culture
Tuesday January 13, 2004
Scroll down on my new Jewish Life and Culture page, and you'll find links to a feature article I wrote about children's books about Jewish life and culture, my Top ... Read More
Newbery and Caldecott Medal Winners Announced
Monday January 12, 2004
Today, The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) announced its 2004 Book/Media Award winners at the American Library Association (ALA) Midwinter Meeting. These include the prestigious Caldecott Medal and ... Read More
Controversy about "The Story of Little Black Sambo"
Saturday January 10, 2004
According to an Associated Press article on Newsday.com, a new version of "The Story of Little Black Sambo" "...has reignited a decades-old debate over the book's racially weighted past." ... Read More
Caldecott and Newbery Awards to be Announced January 12
Thursday January 8, 2004
Two of the most prestigious annual children's books awards will be announced by The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) on Monday, January 12th. The Caldecott Medal and the ... Read More
Author Joan Aiken, 1924-2004
Wednesday January 7, 2004
I was sorry to hear about the death of Joan Aiken at the age of 79 on January 4, 2004. A prolific writer, she was the author of 65 ... Read More
UK's Whitbread Children's Book Award Winner Announced
Tuesday January 6, 2004
A visit to the achockablog led to a BBC News article announcing that David Almond had just won the UK's prestigious Whitbread Childrens's Book Award for The Fire-Eaters. His ... Read More
It's Time for Pieces: A Year in Poems & Quilts
Monday January 5, 2004
Pieces: A Year in Poems & Quilts is an excellent book for all ages. The book combines Anna Grossnickle Hines' poems about nature and the seasons with her beautiful miniature ... Read More
Dr. Seuss: American Icon
Sunday January 4, 2004
I was surprised to learn that "J.K. Rowling of Harry Potter fame has sold more children's books than any other author in the world. Except one: Theodor Seuss Geisel, better ... Read More
Resources for Reluctant Readers
Saturday January 3, 2004
Today, I added some information to my article on Resources for Reluctant Readers. I also did more research and added links to my Reluctant Readers subjects directory.
If you have ... Read More
Lots of Golden Books
Friday January 2, 2004
In the last several days, I have visited several bookstores. It's a pleasure to see so many classic Little Golden Books in print again. I just updated my ... Read More
Mitsumasa Anno Interview
Thursday January 1, 2004
The winter edition of Japanese Children's Books contains an interesting interview with children's book illustrator and author Mitsumasa Anno. You are probably familiar with "Anno's Alphabet: An Adventure in ... Read More