The world's largest reviewer of books, multimedia, and technology for children and teens
Remember when we were young and I conducted these craaaazy polls asking you guys to vote on your Top 10 Picture Books and Top 10 Children’s Novels? Remember when I enlisted the help of some talented survey monkeys and we calculated the results, coming up with some top 100 lists? And remember when I promised [...]
The Swing
By Robert Louis Stevenson
Illustrated By Julie Morstad
Simply Read Books
$8.95
ISBN: 978-1897476482
Ages 0-3
On shelves October 20th
There comes a moment in a new parent’s life when they realize that they have become their own parents. It’s different for everyone. For some folks it won’t happen until they’re berating their teenagers, conjuring up [...]
Step Gently Out
By Helen Frost
Photographs by Rick Lieder
Candlewick Press
$15.99
ISBN: 978-0-7636-5601-0
Ages 3-8
On shelves now
I have lots of little soapboxes scattered around my home that I like to pounce on in idle moments. Big soapboxes. Little soapboxes. Anyone who knows me is forced to hear me expound from one of them at least once [...]
I apologize for the recent radio silence, folks. There’s something goofy in the state of Fuse 8. For one thing, I can’t seem to comment on my own posts. Most peculiar. I will assume that this is just a passing fancy of the blog and that all will be well and good from this day [...]
Freaky Fast Frankie Joe
By Lutricia Clifton
Holiday House
$16.95
ISBN: 978-0-8234-2367-5
Ages 9-12
On shelves now
Realistic fiction for kids has more baggage than other fictional genres for that age group. Fantasies and comedies and science fiction get to rely on the extraordinary to weave their tales. Historical fiction, meanwhile, has the nice veil of history in place [...]
A great deal of congratulations are due to Stephen Barbara and his lovely wife, the newly minted YA author Jessica Rothenberg. Well done, you crazy kids! Go off and make ye wonderful books together. You’re both the best of the best of the …
Finding videos of the Voldemort vs. Mary Poppins nuttiness online was surprisingly difficult. Finally I found a sort of recap of the Olympic 2012 opening ceremonies with reference to the rise of the great children’s literature villains (The Queen of Hearts, a Disney-esque Cruella de Ville, Captain Hook, and Voldemort) and [...]
There’s been a change of plans.
That’s putting it mildly. In any case, I have some big news for you guys. Remember KidLitCon the yearly gathering of children’s literature and YA literature bloggers? It’s in its sixth year and it’s in New York City this time. Unlike previous years we haven’t been able to block out [...]
Been a while since I indulged in one of these, right? Well, those Top 100 polls threw me for a bit of a doozy and believe it or not I’m only catching up now. Before I took a month and a half to post their results I had five or six librarian previews on the [...]
Up! Tall! And High! (but not necessarily in that order.)
By Ethan Long
G. P. Putnam’s Sons (an division of Penguin)
$15.99
ISBN: 978-0-399-25611-0
Ages 4-8
On shelves now
There was a running gag going around earlier this year that either Dan Santat was the Matthew Cordell of 2012 or Matthew Cordell was the Dan Santat. I’ll explain. Both men have [...]
At approximately 9:22 EST on Friday, July 27th I sent the following Tweet to the interwebs:
These are the kinds of serious thoughts that course through my brain on a given morning. I might hear a One Direction song (yes, I’m a 34-year-old mother, what of it?) and think “That song could be a lot better [...]
The Giant and How He Humbugged America
By Jim Murphy
Scholastic
$19.99
ISBN: 978-0-439-69184-0
Ages 10 and up
On shelves October 1st
What are we to make of the proliferation of true-life hoax books for children filling our library and bookstore shelves this year? Whether it’s the clever ruse of The Fairy Ring scandal or the sheer number of [...]
It was a bittersweet pleasure to see the vast numbers of folks out there lamenting the passing of New Zealand children’s author Margaret Mahy this week. Just before we heard the news a discussion on the ccbc-net listserv about children’s books we’d like to see available once more echoed with person after person lamenting the [...]
Twelve Kinds of Ice
By Ellen Bryan Obed
Illustrated by Barbara McClintock
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
$16.99
ISBN: 978-0-618-89129-0
Ages 6-10
On shelves November 6th
Every year the children’s librarians of the New York Public Library system come together and create a list of 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing. The list, now entering its 101st year, originally had a dual [...]
That’s right, folks! We are now accepting proposals for presentations at KidLitCon 2012!
We are looking for 50 minute presentations, panels, and keynotes that will appeal to and edify Kidlitosphere bloggers. Our goal is to provide a balanced selection for a wide range of interests and include, but are not limited to, topics of diversity, reviewing [...]
Now that I have your attention . . .
Recently I took a trip with the family to Stratford, Ontario to their Shakespeare Festival, just as I do every year. And because I am incapable of turning off my brain for even a day, I figured I’d check out the state of children’s literature today as [...]
A contemporary librarian noir starring folks I know? Don’t mind if I do! I had no idea that Sarah Murphy was such a fine actress but it surprises me not at all. Written and co-directed by Joy Tomasko with co-direction, photography and post-production by Jon Dieringer and starring librarians and friends thereof, this film premiered [...]
The Word Collector
By Sonja Wimmer
Translated by Jon Brokenbrow
Cuento de Luz
$14.95
ISBN: 978-8415241348
Ages 4-8
On shelves now
What is the ultimate goal of the picture book import? When someone takes the time to bring over and translate a work for children, they’re expecting that book to be able to say something universal. They want the book [...]
Well, now we’ve gone and done it. Greedy gus that I am, I’ve always found it hugely inconvenient when my favorite authors and illustrators live in other countries. Shaun Tan in Australia. Kate Beaton in Canada (we had her briefly, then lost her again, consarn it). And then there’s that charming Frances Hardinge. When are [...]
