Throughout the ages, individuals and groups have migrated, emigrated, fled, and been forcibly removed from their homelands. When teaching about the movement of people through history, books can offer students a variety of perspectives.
Author Kate Messner Launches All-Star “Kid Lit” Auction for Hurricane Sandy Relief Effort
By on November 2, 2012 3 Comments
Stepping up quickly to serve victims of Hurricane Sandy, award-winning children’s author Kate Messner has launched KitLit Cares: Superstorm Sandy Relief Effort, an online auction featuring donations from the children’s literature community to benefit the Red Cross.
Everything from A to Z: Vincent X. Kirsch adds some serious fun to ‘Noah Webster & His Words’ | Under Cover
By on November 1, 2012 1 Comment
Photograph by Jim Dandy
Jeri Chase Ferris’s picture book Noah Webster & His Words is a great read, but it could have been a snoozer without your witty illustrations. How’d you react when editor Kate O’Sullivan offered you the assignment?
Being someone who’s very fond of words, I started looking at other books that were done about Webster, and not to degrade them, but they were very dry, realistic, watercolory, and very highly rendered. Noah Webster looked like some [...]
Stephen King Surprises Canadian Students with pre-Halloween School Visit
By on October 29, 2012 2 Comments
Stephen King stunned students at the Sussex Regional High School (SRHS) in New Brunswick, Canada, by paying a surprise visit to the school library, a week and a half before Halloween. The famous horror writer discussed his own evolution as a writer, his writing habits, and shared tips with the students for how to improve their writing.
Pictures of the Week: Vaunda Michaux Nelson and R. Gregory Christie at the Horn Book Colloquium
By on October 5, 2012 Leave a Comment
Author Vaunda Micheaux Nelson and illustrator R. Gregory Christie at the Horn Book Colloquium on September 29 at Simmons College in Boston. Their novel, No Crystal Stair (Carolrhoda Lab, 2012), won a Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Fiction.
Irving Adler, Author of Kids’ Science, Math Books, Dies at 99
By on October 3, 2012 2 Comments
Irving Adler, a social activist and prolific author of math and science books for children, died September 22 in Bennington, VT, from complication of a stroke. He was 99.
The Wild World of Steve Jenkins | An Author Study
By on October 2, 2012 4 Comments
The Common Core’s emphasis on nonfiction challenges educators to provide insightful and interesting materials to students. In order to best serve my population, I decided to create a series of nonfiction author study units similar to those we already did. Since most teachers at my school tend to assign animal research reports to introduce nonfiction, I chose Steve Jenkins for my first nonfiction author study—someone whose books are found in most classrooms and libraries.
Touched by an Angel: Martine Leavitt’s ‘My Book of Life by Angel’ Is a Harrowing Tale of Redemption
By on October 1, 2012 1 Comment
Your latest novel is a dark and disturbing story about a 16-year-old named Angel who moves in with a guy she meets at the mall and is lured into a life of drugs, violence, and prostitution. It must have been tough to write.
I tried to put it off as long as I could. I wrote Heck Superhero and Tom Finder—both about homeless boys—and I knew that someday I was going to have to write a book about a [...]
Judy Blume Reveals Breast Cancer Diagnosis
By on September 5, 2012 2 Comments
In a candid and sometimes humorous blog post, Judy Blume revealed Wednesday that she was diagnosed with breast cancer in June and recently underwent a mastectomy and reconstruction. She’s now recuperating in New York and getting ready to start work on her next book.
Nick’s Picks | Passion and Purpose
By on September 4, 2012 Leave a Comment
The Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy recognize the importance of reading across all content areas, on all grade levels. In this month’s column we highlight the contributions of award-winning scientists – and science authors. Share these videos, audio recordings, book trailers, and other resources to invigorate classroom instruction and conversations while introducing a variety of texts, formats, and perspectives.
This Is Not My Sequel: Just Wait Till You See This New Book from Jon Klassen | Under Cover
By on September 4, 2012 Leave a Comment
In This Is Not My Hat, a minnow steals a big fish’s bowler hat while he’s asleep. Part of what makes your art so striking is that the water, or background, is black instead of blue.
Initially, it was more of a mid-tone, like a teal, or a green. But I was fighting it value-wise. Also, since the fishes’ eyes are such a big part of the storytelling, the darker you can get behind them, the more their eyes are going to pop.
McKissack and Dooley Honored with 2012 PEN Awards
By on August 31, 2012 Leave a Comment
Yesterday, young adult author Sarah Dooley and Newbery Honor-winning Patricia C. McKissack were named recipients of the 2012 Pen Literary Awards.
Interview: Literary Manager Eddie Gamarra on Turning Kids’ Books into Movies
By on August 28, 2012 Leave a Comment
Ever wonder how some of your favorite books make it to the big screen? School Library Journal spoke to Eddie Gamarra, a literary manager and producer at the Gotham Group who specializes in representing works for TV, film, and dramatic right. His latest hot project is Libba Bray’s latest, The Diviners (Little, Brown), which comes out September 18.
Children’s Sci-fi/Fantasy Writer Josepha Sherman Dies at 65
By on August 27, 2012 Leave a Comment
Science fiction and fantasy writer Josepha Sherman died on August 23 in New Haven, CT, after a long illness, in which she battled dementia. She was 65. Sherman’s works include Gleaming Bright (Walker, 1994), a story of a resourceful young princess who goes in search of a magic box to avoid marrying a cruel king, and an adult fantasy, The Shining Falcon (Avon, 1989), a tale of love, hate, and magic that’s filled with Slavic mythology.
On the Radar: Top Picks from the Editors at Junior Library Guild: Another Look at New Titles from Favorite Authors
By on August 27, 2012 Leave a Comment
As summer comes to a close, we think of things we love: walks on the beach, watermelons, and time to read whatever we want. So as you gear up for the fall, take that last walk on the beach, go to your farmer’s market and select fresh fruits and vegetables for dinner, and settle down in your cozy backyard chair with a pile of books from your favorite authors. Take a look at these new titles from some of our literature stars.
Award-winning Author Nina Bawden Dead at 87
By on August 24, 2012 Leave a Comment
Nina Bawden, one of the rare authors who could write equally well for both children and adults, died August 22 in London. She was 87.
Award-winning YA Author Mollie Hunter Dead at 90
By on August 20, 2012 Leave a Comment
Mollie Hunter, whose novels for young readers won accolades on both sides of the ocean, died on July 31 in Inverness, Scotland. She was 90.
Author/Illustrator Jose Aruego Dies at 80
By on August 17, 2012 Leave a Comment
Jose Aruego, best known for illustrating Robert Kraus’s Leo the Late Bloomer (Windmill, 1971), died August 9 in New York City on his 80th birthday.
Author, Illustrator Remy Charlip Dies at 83
By on August 17, 2012 Leave a Comment
Remy Charlip, dancer, actor, and an award-winning author and illustrator of more than 30 children’s books including I Love You (Scholastic, 1999) and Mother Mother I Feel Sick (Parents’ Magazine Press, 1966), died August 14. He was 83.
Children’s Book Author Jean Merrill Dies at 89
By on August 15, 2012 Leave a Comment
Jean Merrill, the award-winning author of The Pushcart War, one of the 20th century’s best social satires for children, has died. Merrill, 89, died of cancer on August 2 at her home in Randolph, VA.
