From a scratchy nib pen to splatter from a toothbrush, author illustrator Matt Phelan describes the special quality he derives from using traditional media in this clip recorded at School Library Journal‘s Day of Dialog. Featured alongside fellow panelists Lizi Boyd, Oliver Jeffers, Chris Raschka and David Weisner, Phelan described his process for creating a graphic novel in a session on visual storytelling. The May 29 event was held at Columbia University in conjunction with BookExpo America.

Keynote: Kevin Henkes

Kevin Henkes is he author and illustrator of close to 50 critically acclaimed and award-winning picture books, beginning readers, and novels. He received the Caldecott medal for Kitten’s First Full Moon in 2005 and a Newbery honor for the novel Olive’s Ocean. He is also the creator of a number of picture books featuring his mouse characters, including the #1 New York Times bestsellers Lilly’s Big Day and Wemberly Worried, the Caldecott honor book Owen, and the beloved Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse. Also among his fiction for older readers are the novels Junonia, Bird Lake Moon, The Birthday Room, Sun & Spoon, and his upcoming novel for middle-grade readers The Year Of Billy Miller. He lives with his family in Madison, Wisconsin. You can visit him online at www.kevinhenkes.com.

Panel I: Informational Picture Books

Moderator: Kathleen T. Isaacs, author of Picturing The World: Informational Picture Books For Children (ALA, 2013)

Panelists: Jim Arnosky, Shimmer & Splash (Sterling) Jennifer Berne, On A Beam Of Light: A Story Of Albert Einstein (Chronicle) Elisha Cooper, Train (Scholastic) Thomas Gonzalez, Gandhi (Amazon) Jonah Winter, You Never Heard Of Willie Mays?! (Random House)

Panel II: Middle School Drama and Trauma

Moderator: Caroline Ward, head of youth services, Ferguson Library, Stamford, CT

Panelists: Ayun Halliday, Peanut (Random House) Josh Farrar, A Song For Bijou (Bloomsbury) Gordon Korman, Hypnotize Me (Scholastic) Holly Sloan, Counting by Sevens (Penguin) Linda Urban, The Center of Everything (Houghton Harcourt)

Publishers’ Pitch I

Brilliance Audio, Candlewick Press, Chronicle Books, Harlequin Teen, HarperCollins Publishers, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Lerner Publishing Group, Little, Brown and Company

Luncheon Speaker: Holly Black

Holly Black Is the bestselling author of contemporary fantasy novels for teens and children, including Tithe: A Modern Faerie Tale and the #1 New York Times bestselling Spiderwick series. She has been a finalist for the Mythopoeic Award and the Eisner Award, and the recipient of the Andre Norton Award. Holly lives in Massachusetts in a house with a secret library. Her website: www.blackholly.com.

Panel III: Real-World Horror In YA

Moderator: Karyn Silverman, high school librarian, educational technology department chair, Little Red School House & Elisabeth Irwin High School

Panelists: Julie Berry, All the Truth That’s in Me (Penguin) Adele Griffin, Loud Awake and Lost (Random House) Elizabeth Scott, Heartbeat (Harlequin) Matthew Quick, Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock (Little, Brown) Elizabeth Wein, Rose Under Fire (Hyperion)

Publishers’ Pitch II

Listening Library/Random House, Random House Children’s Books, Penguin Young Readers Group, Scholastic, Sourcebooks, Sterling Publishing, Blink, Bloomsbury Children’s Books

Panel IV: Visual Storytelling

Moderator: Rita Auerbach, children’s literature specialist and storyteller

Panelists: Lizi Boyd, Inside Outside (Chronicle) Oliver Jeffers, The Day the Crayons Quit (Penguin) Matt Phelan, Bluffton (Candlewick) Chris Raschka, Daisy Gets Lost (Random House) David Wiesner, Mr. Wuffles! (Houghton Harcourt)

Patience, or is it Fortitude? The two icons of the New York Public Library.
Photo by www.flickr.com/photos/zeldman

By Lauren Barack and Sarah Bayliss

Looking for some places to hang during downtime at Book Expo America (BEA)? We’ve compiled some of our favorite spots in Gotham—literary and otherwise—all within a few miles of the Javits Convention Center. We’ve thrown in some recommendations for good eats along the way. So lace up some sneakers or make like a New Yorker and hail a cab.

You may need some serious sustenance before starting your explorations. If so, stop by Daisy May’s BBQ on 46th Street off 11th Avenue for the “best barbeque in the city,” according to Zagat. You’ll find cafeteria-style dining with a cowboy-infused vibe; perfect for a crowd. Alternately, try one of New York foodies’ favorite storefronts, the Sullivan Street Bakery, at 533 West 47th Street, offering heavenly panini, pizza, and dolce. Eat at the counter or on a bench outside.

The Algonquin bar. Photo by www.flickr.com/photos/flickr4jazz

1. Now, on with the tour. Start with a drink at the fabled Algonquin Hotel, home of the infamous round table where New Yorker writers, including Dorothy Parker and Edna Ferber, held court. Reservations are recommended. The Algonquin’s Blue Bar features art by theater cartoonist and Algonquin regular Al Hirschfeld.(1.5 miles)

2. Care to transform into a live-gaming avatar? Head over to the Sony Wonder Technology Lab in midtown where visitors can control robots, record their own newscast, perform a virtual surgery, and program an animated avatar through motion detectors. While free of charge, reservations are a necessity. (2.2 miles)

3. Further uptown in the heart of Morningside Heights, home to Columbia University, Bank Street Bookstore is renowned for its broad selection of children’s books. After perusing the stacks, head across the street for gravy fries and a cheeseburger at Tom’s Restaurant, the iconic diner as seen in Seinfeld and a favorite of President Barack Obama while he was a student at Columbia. But bring cash—Tom’s does not take credit cards. (4 miles)

4. Walk one block east to the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, a Gothic Revival church started in 1892 and still under construction. Author Madeline L’Engle worked as a volunteer librarian there in the 1960s, after the publication of A Wrinkle in Time (Farrar, 1962) and later as writer-in-residence. (4 miles)

5. Martinis at Bemelmans Bar in the Carlyle Hotel: a must. Creator of the Madeline series, Ludwig Bemelmans and his family spent a year and a half as guests of the hotel as he painted the murals of picnicking rabbits and other Central Park scenes throughout the Art Deco space. The homemade potato chips are to die for. (3 miles)

The High Line. Photo by www.flickr.com/photos/davidberkowitz

6. Central Park is rich with literary treasures from the Alice in Wonderland and Hans Christian Anderson statues (both near East 74th Street and Fifth Avenue) to the pond, formally known as the Conservatory Water where Stuart Little sailed his boats (3 miles). On Central Park South sits the Plaza Hotel, where Eloise held court with Nanny, Skipperdee, and Weenie. Recently remodeled, the food court downstairs offers nibbles. Or if you have some time, settle in for an afternoon tea in the Palm Court. Reservations strongly suggested. (2.5 miles)

7. E. L. Konigsburg’s Jamie and Claudia found refuge amidst great art when they ran away to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, located in the park at Fifth Avenue and 82nd Street. Choose a Met blockbuster to suit your mood this week, whether it’s the fashion retrospective “Punk: Chaos to Couture,” the acclaimed “Photography and the American Civil War,” or “Birds in the Art of Japan.” You can grab a bite at one of two French bistros nearby: Pascalou at 1308 Madison Avenue and Le Paris Bistrot, up the street at 1312 Madison. Duck into the Corner Bookstore, an independent bookseller just on the corner for a great selection for adults and kids. (4 miles)

8. What visit to Manhattan is complete without a proper pilgrimage to Patience and Fortitude? The two majestic stone lions stand guard before the main branch of the New York Public Library on Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street, opened in 1911. The Stephen A. Schwarzman building, as the main branch is formally known, underwent a restoration a few years ago. Walk inside and upstairs to take in the Rose Main Reading Room, with its long oak tables and brass lamps. The Schwartzman building’s new children’s area is also home to the real Winnie-the-Pooh stuffed animal, on view along with Kanga, Piglet, Eeyore, and Tigger. After your immersion in Milne, head outside to the library’s “back yard,” Bryant Park, where kiosks dot the borders offering sandwiches, soup, and salads, which you can enjoy at one of the cafe tables nestled under towering London plane trees. If you need a mini-workout, sign up for a free ping pong match at one of the outdoor tables set up during clement weather. Kids in tow? Walk over to the park’s Le Carrousel, then stop at the outdoor children’s Reading Room on the north side if the park, and flip open your laptop to surf the free wifi. (1.5 miles)

9. If you’re there for the weekend, bring your little one to the Morgan Library’s Spring Family Fair, with a circus theme inspired by the current Degas exhibit, on Sunday May 28. Expect clown-inspired crafts and activities, and circus-style snacks. (2 miles)The New York Times called Kinokuniya Bookstore (1073 Ave of the Americas aka Sixth Avenue) “the mother lode of manga” in both Japanese and English. Here, too, find Tokidoki, Hello Kitty, and a variety of gelpens.

10. The book lover in you will probably appreciate a stop at the Center for Book Arts on West 27th Street, an upstairs space where artisans exhibit their work from hand-bound books to letterpress novels. (1.5 miles) Kids will also love the new Museum of Mathematics at 11 East 26th Street, recently named the Best Museum for Kids by New York magazine. You’ll find engaging items like the Math Square, offering full-body math puzzles and games, and a square-wheeled trike.

Shake Shack classic Photo by www.flickr.com/photos/scaredykat

For a non-fussy al fresco lunch, meander to Madison Square Park and to Danny Myer’s original ShakeShack, which also has outposts along the east coast and internationally now. Don’t let the Shake Shack long line put you off; it moves fast. New Yorkers stand in the rain for the legendary burgers. (1.8 miles)

11. Time to head downtown to beloved children’s bookstore Books of Wonder, where you can find a carefully curated selection of new releases as well as collectible classics (kept in the back). Weekly storytimes run Fridays from 4:00 to 5:00 pm and Sundays from noon to 1:00. Cupcake Café, conveniently located inside the store, is famous for its buttercream-iced confections, which you can nibble after your purchases. Or head across the street to City Bakery for lunch or a snack, like one of their popular pretzel croissants, and yummy hot chocolate. (1.8 miles)

12. Continue downtown to Greenwich Village, a neighborhood rich in kidlit history. First, stop by the apartment where Robert McCloskey wrote Make Way For Ducklings (Viking Press, 1941), at 120 West 12th Street, #4C. A few blocks south, grab a treat from Magnolia Bakery—another cupcake? Why not?—or hit up L’Arte del Gelato and meander several blocks east to the farmhouse where Margaret Wise Brown wrote Goodnight Moon (Harper, 1947). Originally located at 71st Street and York, the house was moved to 121 Charles St. in 1967. (2 miles)

13. From the Village it’s a short walk to Soho, where you can grab some souvenirs at the Scholastic Store, which local parents refer to as the Clifford shop for its mechanical ride inside the main entrance. (Bring quarters.) And grab some lunch at another local favorite, Spring Street Natural for its organic options (and its vegan and allergen-friendly menu.) The French café Ceci Cela Patisserie at 55 Spring Street offers scrumptious croissants, tarts, and other pastries. But if you’re looking for something more posh, try Balthazar, a French bistro open from 7:30 am (think pre-BEA) to midnight. Consider heading west with your kids to the recently relocated Children’s Museum of the Arts, where the current portraiture exhibition, “Face to Face,” offers kids the chance to express themselves by making images in a media lab. Pictures are streamed into a photo montage that’s part of the exhibit.

Magnolia Bakery
Photo by www.flickr.com/photos/mihow/373411696

14. Pop by the Tenement Museum in the heart of the Lower East Side for an unusual offering of children’s books (and adult ones, too) about New York’s rich history and consider signing up for a tour of the neighborhood. Then grab some tacos at Barrio Chino a block away, or pop into Lucky Jack’s, a bartender’s bar for a cold beer and quick game of pool before heading back to the show floor. (3.5 miles)

15. Not tired yet? If you’re craving some fresh air and urban greenery, head far west and stroll north toward the Javits on the High Line, a 1.45-mile park located on former elevated freight train tracks running up Manhattan’s West Side from Gansevoort Street to West 30th street. Featuring grasslands and a wildflower garden, the High Line also offers public art, including the large, spiraling Caterpillar sculpture Carol Bove. Rest and refuel at one of many food vendors in the park, including the seasonal wine bar Terroir.

16. Back near the Javits, the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, located on a former World War II aircraft carrier docked in the Hudson River at Pier 86 (12th Avenue and 46th Street), is always a fun stop with children. If you’re in town early and staying nearby, consider attending the panel discussion “African Americans in World War II,” with Tuskgegee airman Roscoe Brown and others who served in the segregated armed forces, on May 28 from 6:00 to 7:30 (free, but reservations required).

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Have more recommendations for the bookish community? Please share in the comments.

There’s an auction website where you can preview the art. For the first time, if you can’t be present at the event, you will have the chance to bid on these terrific pieces online a week before.

Tickets for the auction and reception on May 29 from 5:30 to 7:30 pm are $99. Tickets are free to all member bookstores of the ABC Children’s Group at ABA.

Story Time App

Bookboard, a children’s book subscription service on mobile devices, is debuting its first release—an app for the iPad. They will be releasing 300 picture books, beginning readers, and chapter books for kids up to age 12. With a subscription ($29.94 for 6 months or $8.99 on a monthly plan), you have unlimited access to all the titles and get up to four child reader accounts. Each book has a read-to-me option, and Bookboard suggests additional books based on what the child has been reading. Among the titles are Mechanimals by Chris Tougas (Orca, 2007), Fun in the Mud by Anna Prokos (Red Chair Pr., 2010), I Bruno by Caroline Adderson (Orca, 2007), and Pierre Le Poof! by Andrea Beck (Orca, 2009). You can visit Bookboard’s website for a free trial.

Recycle and Earn AV Equipment

Do you have old, used headphones just taking up space your library or classroom? Now you can recycle them—think Earth Day!—and earn cash or points that you can redeem for new technology. Califone, a manufacturer of audiovisual equipment and supplemental curriculum products, has partnered with FundingFactory, a free program that recycles electronic waste. Once you turn in your old headphones, you can earn points to purchase new headphones or headsets from Califone. “Our partnership supports a broader definition of what it means to be green, providing schools with the unique opportunity to recycle end-of-life headphones and headsets and minimize waste,” said Tim Ridgway, vice president of marketing for Califone. “Not only can educators take action to keep e-waste out of landfills, they can raise funds at the same time to meet their evolving technology needs.”

In addition to headphones and headsets, check out FundingFactory’s qualifying items list of other electronics and equipment that can be recycled for cash or points, such as laptops, mp3 players, ink cartridges, and more. For more information or to register for this recycling program, visit FundingFactory’s website.

Children’s Books That Inspire Volunteerism

The Corporate Volunteer Council (CVC) of Atlanta is asking for nominations of children’s books (kindergarten through 5th grade) to be considered for the 11th annual Carol D. Reiser Children’s Book Award. The books—works for fiction, poetry, folklore, non-fiction, or anthology published in the U.S. for children in kindergarten through 5th grade—should “inspire community service and volunteerism.” The judging panel includes national literary experts and representatives of the CVC of Atlanta. The nomination process is simple. Just download and complete a nomination form and mail it in with copies of the book to the CVC of Atlanta according to the instructions on the form by May 30. The awards will be presented in August at the Decatur Book Festival and in September at the CVC of Atlanta’s IMPACT Awards event that honors excellence in corporate community engagement.

The CVC of Atlanta is a professional association of Atlanta businesses that promotes employee volunteerism and provides a forum for networking, etc. Carol D. Reiser is a co-founder and past president of the CVC.

Street Lit Awards

The 2013 Street Literature Book Award Medal (SLBAM) winners and honorees have been announced in the young adult fiction category as well as the adult fiction, nonfiction, and emerging classic categories. On the Flip Side: A Fab Life Novel (K-Teen/Dafina) by Nikki Carter is the winner in the Young Adult Fiction category. The three honorees in that category are: How to Get Out of the Way of Your Own Self (Grand Central) by Tyrese Gibson, Shattered (Grand Central) by Kia Dupree, and Back to Me (Harlequin Kimani TRU) by Earl Sewell. Titles were nominated in each category based of their popularity in school, public, and academic libraries in the U.S. The awards committee consisted of librarians in school and public libraries.

According to The Readers’ Advisory Guide to Street Literature (ALA, 2011), Street Literature can be defined as a literary genre “where the stories, be they fiction or nonfiction, are consistently set in urban, inner-city enclaves. Street Literature of yesteryear and today, by and large, depicts tales about the daily lives of people living in lower income city neighborhoods. This characteristic spans historical timelines, varying cultural identifications, linguistic associations, and various formal designations.” Make sure to check out a complete list of SLBAM winners from 1999 to the present.

Romance Is in the Air

Are your teen patrons romantics at heart? Romance Writers of America has just announced the 2013 RITA and Golden Heart Award finalists. The RITA award for published romance fiction novels and novellas features 12 categories, including one for Young Adult Romances, while the Golden Heart (unpublished romance fiction manuscripts) boasts 7 categories (including Young Adult Romances). A novel can be entered for the RITA Award by the author or the book’s publisher. For the Golden Heart Award, the authors can enter their manuscripts—and many finalists sell their manuscripts based on their exposure during the judging.

The RITA Young Adult Romance finalists are: Bound by Erica O’Rourke (Kensington/KTeen), The Farm by Emily McKay (Penguin/Berkley), Robin LaFevers’s Grave Mercy (Houghton Harcourt), and Pushing the Limits (Harlequin Teen) by Katie McGarry.

The Golden Heart finalists in the Young Adult Romance category are: Camp Awakening by Bonnie Staring, Hidden Deep by Amy DeLuca, Leath’Dhia/Birthright by KariMiller, Miranda Perry’s Imported Prom Date by Sheri Adkins, Sticks and Stones by Kimberly MacCarron, Summer of Supernoval by Darcy Woods, and Ten by Holly Bodger. The winners will be announced at a black-tie awards ceremony on July 20 at the 2013 Romance Writers of America Annual Conference in Atlanta, GA.

International Kid Lit Award

Argentinian illustrator/author Isol (Marisol Misenta) has won the coveted Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, an international children’s literature award given each year by the Swedish government to an individual or organization working “in the spirit of Astrid Lindgren” to “safeguard democratic values.” There were 207 candidates for the award this year, including Eric Carle and Michael Morpurgo.

The winner was selected by a jury of 12 international children’s literature experts who noted that “with a restrained palette and ever-innovative pictorial solutions, [Isol] shifts ingrained perspectives and pushes the boundaries of the picture book medium. Taking children’s clear view of the world as her starting point, she addresses their questions with forceful artistic expression and offers open answers. With liberating humour and levity, she also deals with the darker aspects of existence.” Isol’s work, including her 1997 debut Vida de Perros and Tener Un Patito Es Util, has been published in 20 countries. Isol will receive 5 million SEK (about $760,000), the largest award for children’s literature, in Stockholm on May 27.

The award honors Lindgren (1907–2002), best known for her “Pippi Longstocking” series. Among the previous recipients of the award are Shaun Tan, Philip Pullman, and Maurice Sendak.