If you traverse the interwebs on a regular basis then you may have spotted the catchy “Show Me the Awesome” posts that have been springing up hither and thither. Thither and yon. The initiative was started by Kelly Jensen, Sophie Brookover, and Liz Burns. Designer John LeMasney was, in turn, responsible for the kicky graphic [...]
About Elizabeth Bird
Elizabeth Bird (fusenumber8@gmail.com) is a children’s librarian at the New York Public Library and blogs at “A Fuse #8 Production” on SLJ ’s website. Her last feature for the magazine, “Betsy Goes to Bologna” ( July 2011), offered a bird’s-eye view of the world’s largest kids’ book fair.
Press Release Fun: 2013 Carle Honors Honorees Announced
By on May 21, 2013
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art Announces 2013 Carle Honors Honorees Eighth annual awards fête the individuals and organizations that provide creative vision and long-term dedication to the world of picture books (Amherst, MA –May 20, 2013) The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art is pleased to announce the 2013 [...]
BEA One Stop Shopping: What to See and Do That’s YA & JUV
By on May 20, 2013
Howdy, folks! I can’t take full credit for today’s post since it was my ineffable co-worker Alison Hendon who took the time to cull together all the stuff at this month’s upcoming Book Expo that is children and YA book related. If you have any interest at all in attending but you’re not quite sure [...]
Review of the Day: Hold Fast by Blue Balliett
By on May 18, 2013
Hold Fast By Blue Balliett Scholastic $17.99 ISBN: 978-0545299886 Ages 9-12 I honestly don’t think you can be a reviewer without being honest about your own personal prejudices first. When I pick up a book for children I have to cut through a thick swath of issues infecting my brain that may have little to [...]
Fusenews:
By on May 16, 2013
First off, I have to suspect that after this week my blogging stats will be fairly healthy. First I wondered whither the 2013 middle grade black boys and then Sophie Blackall let me become the repository for some truly fantastic stories. Doubling back to that question about diversity in 2013 middle grades, author Varian Johnson [...]
Tiger Eyes Set to Sparkle on the Big Screen: Betsy Bird Talks to Judy and Lawrence Blume
By on May 15, 2013 Leave a Comment
Tiger Eyes, the 1998 book by Judy Blume, is about to become a major motion picture, the first feature film adaptation of Blume’s work. Elizabeth Bird talks to Blume and her son, Lawrence Blume, about their collaboration on the film.
Press Release Fun: 2014 Hans Christian Andersen Award Nominees Released
By on May 15, 2013
Swoon. IBBY Announces the 2014 Hans Christian Andersen Award Jury and Nominees The Hans Christian Andersen Award is the highest international distinction given to authors and illustrators of children’s books. Given every other year by IBBY, the Hans Christian Andersen Awards recognize lifelong achievement and are given to an author and an illustrator whose complete [...]
The Mighty Lalouche Contest (which I don’t normally do, but this one is sort of too cool to ignore)
By on May 14, 2013
Hidy-ho, faithful readers. A blogger might field any number of requests to host contests for new books on their blogs. And generally speaking, you could be forgiven for almost always politely declining. “No”, you might say, “I just don’t run that sort of blog”. It is the rare book that snaps me out of such [...]
Review of the Day: Take Me Out to the Yakyu by Aaron Meshon
By on May 13, 2013
Take Me Out to the Yakyu By Aaron Meshon Atheneum Books for Young Readers (an imprint of Simon & Schuster) $15.99 ISBN: 978-1442441774 Ages 3-7 On shelves now. Corner a children’s librarian. Say the words “Japan” and “baseball”. Ask for picture books that involve both topics. What will you get? If I were a betting [...]
Video Sunday: The Happy Mother’s Day Edition (Warning: Contains no mom-related material)
By on May 12, 2013
Happy Mother’s Day! It was Monica Edinger who alerted me to the fact that fresh on the heels of the Matilda musical is an upcoming British production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. She has the details and directed me to this truly unfair let’s-not-give-anything-away teaser trailer. This introduction is a bit better. You know [...]
2013 Middle Grade Black Boys: Seriously, People?
By on May 10, 2013
So I’m in the office talking with my colleagues about A Girl Called Problem by Katie Quirk and how awesome it is. Then the topic shifts to books with African-American protagonists published in 2013 for kids between the ages of 9-12. You know. Middle grade fiction. And in the midst of my lamenting how few [...]
Here’s to You, Mrs. Berenson
By on May 9, 2013
A treat for you today. Yesterday I had the very great pleasure of sitting down with author Dr. Chitra Divakaruni, illustrator Susy Pilgrim Waters, and their editor Neal Porter. You may be aware of the remarkable collaboration these clever folks have concocted. The book is called Grandma’s Great Gourd and it’s a Bengali folktale of [...]
Press Release Fun: Hip Tot Music Fest
By on May 8, 2013
What does this have to do with children’s literature? Oh ye of little faith. Read on everything shall be revealed to you. It’s right there in the fourth paragraph, bright and shiny and new. I’m so pleased and proud. Many many thanks to Melanie for inviting me in the first place. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE PLAID [...]
Review of the Day: Cowboy Up! Ride the Navajo Rodeo by Nancy Bo Flood
By on May 7, 2013
Cowboy Up!: Ride the Navajo Rodeo By Nancy Bo Flood Photography by Jan Sonnenmair Wordsong (an imprint of Highlights) $17.95 ISBN: 978-1-59078-893-6 Ages 8-12 On shelves now Sometimes I think half my job simply consists of making lists. Not that I’m complaining. I love lists. I love making them, and checking them, and adding to [...]
Press Release Fun: The 19th Annual Children’s Book Art Auction
By on May 6, 2013
The 19th Annual Children’s Book Art Auction has been a highlight of children’s programming at BookExpo America and raises funds in support of the free speech rights of young readers. This event offers a unique opportunity to buy beautiful, original art in children’s literature from leading, award-winning artists and illustrators of children’s books and a chance to socialize with friends from around the [...]
Fusenews: Truncated Edition
By on May 3, 2013
My little sister Kate (who has taken it upon herself to become the best friend a picture book author ever had) created this little video of my recent appearance at the Bookbug bookstore in Kalamazoo, Michigan. I’ll be doing a proper write-up of that day (two words: smoke machine) but for now here’s a taste [...]
Review of the Day: A Girl Called Problem by Katie Quirk
By on May 2, 2013
A Girl Called Problem By Katie Quirk Eerdmans Books for Young Readers $8.00 ISBN: 97800-8028-5404-9 Ages 9-12 On shelves now. Who says that mystery novels for kids all have to include the same tropes and settings? I tell you, half the time when a kid comes up to a reference desk asking for a mystery [...]
Press Release Fun: Crystal Kite Winners Announced
By on May 1, 2013
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 30, 2013 Sara Rutenberg sararutenberg@scbwi.org 323-782-1010 THESOCIETY OF CHILDREN’S BOOK WRITERS AND ILLUSTRATORS ANNOUNCES THE WINNERS OF THE ANNUAL CRYSTAL KITE MEMBER CHOICE AWARDS The SCBWI is excited to announce the winners of the 2013 Crystal Kite Member Choice Awards for our fifteen regional divisions: Africa ● Neil Malherbe – [...]
From Blogging to Books: A Tour of Child/YA Lit Bloggers
By on April 30, 2013
The road to publication is not a straight line. It’s not even a single line. Sometimes it feels to me that there are as many ways to publish a book as there are books to publish. I started out as a children’s librarian. From there I started to blog. Then from blogging came some books. [...]
Video Sunday: Little Known Fact – Viola Swamp drinks at Starbucks
By on April 28, 2013
It seems to me that if Raina Telgemeier, Art Spiegelman, Roz Chast, Stephan Pastis, Mo Willems, Dave Roman, and other cartoonists who double as children’s book creators can have the chutzpah to participate in this video where they speak out against gun violence, the least we can do is to post it. Frequently. And everywhere. [...]
