July 20th, 2010

INTERVIEW

• The Future Is Hers to See
  What terrific kids' titles are coming down the publishing pike? For a sneak peek of the best and brightest, we spoke to Susan Marston, editorial director of Junior Library Guild (JLG), who habitually devours advanced readers' copies many months ahead of most folks. Marston and her intrepid New York City crew are rushing to put the final touches on their fall 2010 list of 192 selections for children and teens--and we couldn't wait to see their choices.
  
  Founded in 1929, JLG provides collection development services to more than 17,000 school and public libraries nationwide. This unique service reviews and selects children's and young adult hardcover trade books prior to their publication. JLG selections are placed into one of 32 reading levels ranging from Pre-K to YA and are then shipped to member libraries on a monthly basis. JLG is owned by SLJ's parent company, Media Source Inc.    more » » » 

NEWS

• Children's Illustrators Help Save Gulf Oil Spill Wildlife Victims
  Feeling down and helpless about the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico? You're not alone. Illustrator Kelly Light was working in her studio in early June and tuned into CNN when images of birds struggling and dying in oil-drenched beaches started coming in.
  
  "I just got hit hard," remembers Light. "There was one image of a pelican trying to take flight–his huge wings spread–heavy with oil and his huge suitcase-sized beak wide open. He looked so confused. I couldn't draw any more that day, I was so upset."    more » » » 
• Scholastic Rejects Harry Potter Plagiarism Suit
  J. K. Rowling's U.S. publisher, Scholastic, says the recent plagiarism lawsuit filed against it by the estate of late English author Adrian Jacobs is completely without merit.
  
  The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in New York, alleges that Rowling's bestselling Harry Potter series is "substantially similar" to Jacobs's The Adventures of Willy the Wizard: Livid Land (Bachman and Turner, 1987).   more » » » 

SLJ Goes to the Movies

• Ramona and Beezus
  Fans of Beverly Cleary's Ramona, rest easy–director Elizabeth Allen has chosen well. The first film adaptation of the beloved series includes memorable scenes in which the pratfall-prone girl with the overactive imagination cracks an egg on her head, thinking it's hard-boiled, as well as the one where she wears pajamas to school.
  
  One overarching story line strings together the slice-of-life vignettes: the lighthearted relationship between Ramona and her even-tempered dad, John Quimby. Taken straight out of Ramona and Her Father (HarperCollins, 1977), John loses his job and becomes Mr. Mom while his wife suddenly becomes the breadwinner. (Perhaps as an incentive for adults, the parents are played by Sex and the City's John Corbett and Bridget Moynahan). In a refreshing contrast to so many movies, the Quimby household looks lived in and just a touch middle class. Think IKEA rather than Crate & Barrel.   more » » » 

WATCH AND READ

• Flipping for Teen Romance
  Are your patrons (and their adults) growing weary of vampires and action flicks? Flipped (PG), a coming-of-age romantic comedy based on Wendelin Van Draanen's critically acclaimed YA novel (Knopf, 2001), provides the perfect anecdote. A first-rate choice for family viewing, this charmer from Castle Rock Entertainment and Warner Bros. Pictures is scheduled for a limited theatrical opening on August 6, 2010, with a nationwide release on August 27. Though the book takes place in the current day, director Rob Reiner has set the motion picture in the 1950s, infusing the tale with an alluring nostalgia and innocence (as well as some really great tunes). When second-graders and new neighbors Bryce Loski (Callan McAuliffe) and Juli Baker (Madeline Carroll) meet, it's love at first sight-at least from Juli's point of view (Bryce's feelings tend toward the other extreme).   more » » » 

REMARKABLE READS

• When a Parent Goes Missing
  Putting together this column was not easy–many of the young adults affected in the stories seemed so familiar, making me feel uncomfortable and, at times, hopeless. The parents who go missing in these books disappear for a variety of reasons, including magic, espionage, and fear.
  
  BLACK, Holly. Kin. Bk. 1. illus. by Ted Naifeh. (The Good Neighbors Series). Scholastic/Graphix. 2008. ISBN 978-0-439-85562-4.
  
  Gr 7-12–Rue, 16, discovers that her mother is a faerie, not human like her father, after she disappears. Torn between two worlds, Rue begins to understand what her role is and grows from an often-petulant teen into a responsible young adult. Naifeh's style of illustration, done in black and white, provides a perfect canvas for Black's text to connect the story between the panels. The second title in the series, Kith, came out in 2009, and the third, Kind, is due out in October.    more » » » 

LIBRARIAN'S INTERNET

• Build a City
  www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/#/lb/metoo/buildacity
  
  On hot summer afternoons, young kids often prefer to stay inside, and online, keeping cool. It's at times like these that they may get antsy for something new to explore. Many older kids and teens love to play computer games like SimCity, which, unfortunately, is not ideal for young kids. It's also too expensive for many libraries to purchase. That's why "Build a City" is so cool. It's designed for both young and older kids, and it's free!   more » » » 

JOB OF THE WEEK