February 16, 2013

Collier, Frazee, Green Kick Off First SLJ/AAP Children’s Librarians’ Dinner

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Bryan Collier, Marla Frazee, John Green, John Stephens, and Catherynne M. Valente spoke about their latest works, their love of libraries, and the importance of literacy in their lives during the first Children’s Librarians’ Dinner on June 4 at a New York City midtown hotel.

Video: ‘Middle School Snake Charmers’ Hold Forth at SLJ Day of Dialog

The prospect of working with adolescents may inspire fear in some, “but for a small, dedicated group of us, middle school is where it’s at,” said librarian Jennifer Hubert Swan, who gleaned some insight on engaging young readers from panelists Sharon Creech, Eoin Colfer, Rebecca Stead, Joan Bauer, and James Dashner at SLJ’s event held June 4 at the Javits Center in New York.

2012 Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Winners Unveiled

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The tale of a little girl who loves to knit, a story about a Harlem book seller, and a book about the life and work of artist Chuck Close are winners of the 2012 Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards.

BEA 2012: Live, Semi-Live, and Post-Mortem Blogging (Wednesday)

More coverage of BookExpo America, whether you like it or not…

SLJ 2012 Day of Dialog: Walter Dean Myers’s Keynote Address

Missed SLJ 2012 Day of Dialog and the National Ambassador of Children’s Lit’s keynote? Or want to hear it again? Watch a video of his address here.

BEA 2012: Live, Semi-Live, and Post-Mortem Blogging (Tuesday)

I’m attending sessions and wandering around, and, well, here are some of the results…

SLJ’s 2012 Day of Dialog: Dynamic Nonfiction for Kids and Teens

What’s the secret to creating riveting nonfiction for young readers? It begins with passion, says kids’ book author Candace Fleming, one of the participants in SLJ’s annual Day of Dialog, on June 4, at New York’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. “If I’m going to spend five years working on a book, it has to be something I’m interested in.”

SLJ 2012 Day of Dialog: Keeping Middle Schoolers Engaged

From Left: Sharon Creech, Joan Bauer, Eoin Colfer, James Dashner, Jennifer Hubert Swain, Rebecca Stead

Middle school students are a “hormonally charged” bunch who are “full of complex contradictions” and just “want a voice,” say authors who participated in SLJ’s 2012 Day of Dialog on June 4 at New York’s Jacob Javits Convention Center.

SLJ 2012 Day of Dialog: Pushing the Picture Book Envelope

(l. to r.) Amy Krouse Rosenthal, Jon Klassen, Tom Lichtenheld, D.B. Johnson, & Mac Barnett

The picture book isn’t dead—in fact, it might be entering a golden age, say some of the most talented and innovative children’s book creators during SLJ’s Day of Dialog.

SLJ’s 2012 Day of Dialog: Stellar Debuts

From left: Emily Danforth, R. J. Palacio, Ellis Weiner, J. Anderson Coats

Palacio and three other first-time children’s book authors spoke at the “Stellar Debuts: Celebrating new and noteworthy arrivals to the publishing scene” panel during SLJ’s Day of Dialog on June 4 at New York’s Jacob Javits Convention Center.

SLJ’s 2012 Day of Dialog: Walter Dean Myers Vows to Close the Reading Gap

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Our nation faces a huge reading gap—but most people are unwilling to talk about it because the bulk of illiterate kids are minority and poor, says Walter Dean Myers.

Adult Books 4 Teens: BookExpo Preview, 2012

BookExpo 2012 is right around the corner, so I spent some time this weekend compiling my wish list. For this post I am limiting myself to adult books that have potential teen appeal. Please keep in mind that I haven’t seen most of these yet, so I am working off of instinct. That being said, these are the books and authors I am looking forward to encountering at the event.