The world's largest reviewer of books, multimedia, and technology for children and teens
It took many by surprise when Nick Lake’s ambitious young adult novel In Darkness (Bloomsbury) was named for the Printz Award at last month’s Youth Media Awards. Although filled with vivid details of oppression, poverty, and violence, Lake sees the book as a hopeful one with an important message for its teen readers, “this idea of darkness being only a temporary thing,” he tells SLJ.
This week’s News Bites include info on Samsung’s competitions for teachers and students, 2 new picture book imprints, a new conference about kidlit in the digital age.
Move over Carrie Underwood, the Foo Fighters, Kanye West, and make way for the Okee Dokee Brothers—Joe Mailander and Justin Lansing. The group’s latest album, Can You Canoe?, nabbed the coveted 2013 Grammy Award for Best Children’s Album on February 10 at the star-studded awards ceremony held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.
Katie and Nelson Dellamaggiore’s award-winning documentary Brooklyn Castle tells the story of five young chess players at I.S. 318, the impoverished Brooklyn school that has won more national chess titles than any other junior high in the United States.
Following 2013 ALA Midwinter, many awards for children’s literature were announced, including the American Indian Youth Lit, Gryphon, and the Children’s Book Committee Awards.
Want to strengthen your relationship with the local school board? Or maybe you just need to start one with them? Then the place to go is San Diego, CA, for the 73rd annual conference of the National School Boards Association. Along with educational workshops covering everything from evaluating the superintendent to safety and security, attendees will be treated to keynote addresses from actress Geena Davis, science advocate Neil deGrasse Tyson, and Diane Ravitch, a professor of education at New York University.
Acclaimed storyteller, folklorist, and author Diane Wolkstein died on January 31 following emergency heart surgery while traveling in Taiwan. She was 70. Wolkstein’s talent as a storyteller and teacher of storytelling won her international fame; she also wrote more than 20 books, taught mythology at NYU, and hosted a storytelling show on NYC public radio.
Harlequin has announced the signing of New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Julie Kagawa to a major multibook deal for a new series (her third for Harlequin Teen), which will feature mythical creatures in a contemporary setting. Natashya Wilson, Harlequin Teen’s executive editor, secured world rights and will edit the series. Laurie McLean, a senior agent at Larsen Pomada Literary Agents, brokered the deal.
VIVA, Frank. A Trip to the Bottom of the World with Mouse. illus. by author. 40p. Toon Bks. 2012. RTE $12.95. ISBN 978-1-935179-19-1. LC 2011049499.
PreS-Gr 2–From the endpapers, Mouse asks the timeless question of many young travelers, “Are we there yet?” Inspired by Viva’s experiences traveling to Antarctica aboard a Russian research ship, the oblong picture book offers basic facts about the region (it is cold and penguins live there, for instance), while Mouse tries to figure out when it [...]
In his latest “Consider the Source” column, Marc Aronson compares recent developments in digital publishing to hockey’s “change on the fly” technique.
Scenes from this year’s Midwinter meeting, from the Youth Media Awards to the National Forum on Libraries & Teens.
Check out the latest News Bites for information on the National Coalition Against Censorship’s FIlm Contest, books for GLBTQ Youth, and the latest ebook news.
Check out this week’s News Bites for information on a business-related competition for students and teachers, minigrants offered to teachers and librarians by the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation, and the latest publishing news.
If we build it well, a Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) can help school libraries meet the information needs of students even as local budgets shrink. The DPLA can provide important resources to the partnership between library-based and classroom-based teachers, especially during this period of rapid change in education, in libraries, in technology, and in the world of information generally.
New York City’s Carnegie Hall hosted bestselling YA author John Green and his brother Hank this week at “An Evening of Awesome,” a special performance to a sold-out crowd. The event, which featured numerous special guests and a surprise appearance by Neil Gaiman, was lived-streamed through a special partnership with Tumblr.
Check out this week’s News Bites for the latest information on library grants, writing contest for young adults, and more.
According to Social Times, an online source for all things social media, Tumblr has eclipsed Facebook as the number-one platform of choice, with 61 percent of 13- through 18-year-olds using it, compared to just 55 percent using Facebook. What gives? Is Facebook really for old people?
Tumblr lets teens fine-tune their interests, and it’s highly customizable. Users can post text, photos, quotes, links, music, and videos from their browsers, phones, desktops, or email accounts, making it accessible anytime, anywhere. More than [...]
What’s a tweet up? Your chance to meet face-to-face with fellow educators who use Twitter to strengthen professional learning and to connect. This is the second ASCD Sham-rocksannual ASCD Tweet Up, sponsored by Herff Jones Nystrom, a provider of classroom teaching resources. The free event kicks off at 5:30 p.m. CST on Saturday, March 16, during ASCD’s 2013 Annual Conference and Exhibit Show in Chicago.
School Library Journal has a new editor. Karyn M. Peterson has joined the staff as news editor, replacing Debra Whelan, who left in October 2012.
This week’s round up of news bites includes recovery grants for libraries in Hurricane Sandy’s aftermath, information on free audiobooks for schools, and more.
