February 16, 2013

John Green to ‘Hangout’ with Obama

John Green

On Thursday, February 14 at 4:50 p.m. EST, popular young adult author John Green will participate in a Google+ “fireside” Hangout with President Obama, following up on the State of the Union address to Congress.

SLJ Talks to Author Andrea Cheng: Her latest book, ‘Etched in Clay,’ charts the courageous life of Dave the potter | Under Cover

Andrea Cheng

Author Andrea Cheng’s latest book, ‘Etched in Clay,’ charts the courageous life of Dave the potter, a 19th-century slave who became an accomplished artist.

Pick of the Day: Nelly May Has Her Say

figure posed with a pup and a pail

With one smart heroine and witty wordplay, Nelly May Has Her Say, which is based on the English folktale “Master of All Masters,” will delight.

Kid Lit Authors, Illustrators Visit Sandy Hook Elementary School

Back Row:

Alan Katz, Bruce Degen, Tad Hills, Katie Davis, Vincent Kirsch, Bob Shea, Meghan McCarthy

Front Row:

Susan Hood, Mike Rex, Tracy Dockray, Marc Tyler Nobleman, Daniel Kirk

The children of the Sandy Hook Elementary School were visited by 12 children’s authors and illustrators on Tuesday, the school’s first assembly in its new building following the December 14, 2012 shooting that took the lives of 26 children and staff at the school.

Participant Media To Give Spielberg’s ‘Lincoln’ DVDs to All U.S. Middle and High Schools

lincoln

Participant Media announced today that it will distribute free DVDs of Steven Spielberg’s critically acclaimed film Lincoln to all middle and high schools, both public and private, throughout the United States, along with teacher guides and lesson plans.

Flying Twice as High: Reading Rainbow 2.0 | SLJ Talks to LeVar Burton

Flying Twice as High: Reading Rainbow 2.0 | SLJ Talks to LeVar Burton

Thirty years after its debut, most of us can still remember every word of the theme song and hum its melody. That’s the legacy of, and the power behind, Reading Rainbow, says LeVar Burton. In this one-on-one interview, Burton chats candidly to SLJ about the reiteration of the brand as a subscription-based tablet app and its anticipated expansion to the Web, children’s literacy, his ongoing mission to create lifelong readers, and his efforts to advocate for access for all kids.

‘Can You Canoe?’ Wins Grammy for Best Children’s Album of the Year | News Bites

Album cover with men in canoe

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.

Behind the Scenes with Spielberg’s Lincoln | Touch and Go

LincolnImage

‘Lincoln: Discover the Story’ is a free app that explores the passage of the 13th amendment and takes viewers behind the scenes of the Steven Spielberg movie.

Pick of the Day: Sophia’s War (Audiobook)

Audiobook cover of girl in silohuette and noose

Sophia’s War. By Avi. 6 cassettes or 6 CDs. 7:15 hrs. Recorded Books. 2012. cassette: ISBN 978-1-4703-2043-0, CD: ISBN 978-1-4703-2042-3. $66.75.
Gr 5-9–Set in 1776 during the American Revolution when New York was under siege by the British, Avi’s tale (S & S/Beach Lane Books, 2012) of resistance features an amazing female protagonist, trials aplenty as she tries to avenge her brother’s death, and a little romance thrown in for good measure. Sophia’s family believes in freedom and desperately wants America [...]

On the Radar: Top Picks from the Editors at Junior Library Guild: Snow and Ice: Books for the Elementary Reader

Charley's

For some wintry tales for younger readers, check out the latest picks from the editors at Junior Library Guild.