KAPLAN, Michael B. Betty Bunny Didn’t Do It. illus. by Stéphane Jorisch. Dial. 2013. ISBN 9780803738584. JLG Level: P+ : Primary (Grades K–1).

Since everyone is too busy to play with her, Betty Bunny is quite capable of getting into trouble all by herself. “Oops,” says the young handful when she breaks a lamp. Afraid to tell the truth, she tells her siblings, “I didn’t do it.” She proceeds to explain how the Tooth Fairy threw a big bag of baby teeth, sending the lamp crashing to the floor. Blaming someone else for her mistake seems like a brilliant idea. “Why didn’t I think of it before?” Brother Henry promptly tells his mother that she’s lying. Betty Bunny doesn’t quite understand that “lying is not okay.” What will it take to teach her the value of honesty? And when her truth-telling hurts someone’s feelings, how will she learn to temper her candidness?

A lovable character with realistic problems teams with humorous situations for a hilarious, but thought-provoking, read-aloud― just right for kids who may be afraid to tell the truth.

LEATHERS, Philippa. The Black Rabbit. Candlewick. 2013. ISBN 9780763657147. JLG Level: K : Kindergarten (Grades PreK–K).

Rabbit doesn’t know what to do. It’s a beautiful, sunlit day when he steps out of his burrow, but everywhere he goes the Black Rabbit follows him. When Rabbit moves, the Black Rabbit moves. If Rabbit stops, the Black Rabbit stops. “What do you want? Why are you following me?” cries Rabbit. But the Black Rabbit never answers. Running into the woods to escape, Rabbit notices two eyes staring out from the darkness. It is Wolf! Running faster than ever, Rabbit trips. Is it too late? Can Rabbit escape Wolf who’s chasing him or the Black Rabbit who keeps following him?

Short text and clever illustrations shine a light on fear of the unknown in this tale of the finding safety where you least expect it.

SNICKET, Lemony. The Dark. illus. by Jon Klassen. Little, Brown. 2013. ISBN 9780316187480. JLG Level: K : Kindergarten (Grades PreK–K).

What better team than Snicket and Klassen to explore a child’s most common fear―the dark. Laszlo is afraid of the dark that spends most of the day in the basement and creeps into every corner at night. Laszlo greets the dark every morning when it’s back in the basement where he belongs. His plan to keep it away from his room works until one night―when it doesn’t. “Laszlo, I want you to do something,” says the dark. They look in all the usual dark places until it brings the boy to the top of the basement stairs. What does the dark want to show him? Is Laszlo brave enough to follow the dark?

Brilliantly paced with lots of creepy black shadowing, read aloud time just got scarier. Perfect for the younger set who beg for a scary story, but safe enough to prevent nightmares.

STEIN, David Ezra. Ol’ Mama Squirrel. Penguin/Nancy Paulsen. 2013. ISBN 9780399256721. JLG Level: K : Kindergarten (Grades PreK–K).

“Ol’ Mama Squirrel had raised many babies. ‘Mark my words,’ she’d say. ‘There’s no shortage of creatures that would love to snack on a baby squirrel…but it won’t happen on my watch!’” Mama Squirrel seems to have everything under control. She chatters and scolds any threat of danger―whether it’s a predator or a kite. “And that takes care of that!” One afternoon a great, growling grizzly bear appears unafraid of her angry, “chook, chook, chook” chatter. She pelts him with last year’s nuts. The bear is shocked, but then he laughs. He climbs higher and higher while Ol’ Mama Squirrel begins to feel a touch of fear. What will she do? Will something bad happen on her watch?

Award-winning author/illustrator David Ezra Stein offers a story that roots for the underdog. And it’s a laugh a minute!

For strategies about how to use these books and links to supportive sites, check out the Junior Library Guild blog, Shelf Life.

Junior Library Guild is a collection development service that helps school and public libraries acquire the best new children’s and young adult books. Season after season, year after year, Junior Library Guild book selections go on to win awards, collect starred or favorable reviews, and earn industry honors. Visit us at www.JuniorLibraryGuild.com.

(John) Newbery Medal
The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
HarperCollins Children’s Books
Fuse #8: Review of the Day

Honors:
Splendors and Glooms by Laura Amy Schlitz
Candlewick
Curriculum Connections: An Apprentice to Dickens: An Interview with Laura Amy Schlitz

Tall Tale: Laura Amy Schlitz (2008 profile)

Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin
Flash Point/Roaring Brook
Curriculum Connections: Steve Sheinkin Writes a Thriller: An Interview with Steve Sheinkin

Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage
Dial/Penguin Young Readers
Heavy Medal: Three Times Lucky

(Randolph) Caldecott Medal
This Is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen
Candlewick Press
This Is Not My Sequel: Just Wait Till You See This New Book from Jon Klassen: Under Cover Interview

Honors:
Creepy Carrots! illus. by Peter Brown, written by Aaron Reynolds
Simon & Schuster
Fuse #8: Review of the Day: Creepy Carrots!

Extra Yarn illus. by Jon Klassen, written by Mac Barnett
HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray
SLJ Review of the Day

Green by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
Neal Porter Books/Roaring Brook
Fuse #8: Review of the Day: Green

One Cool Friend illus. by David Small, written by Toni Buzzeo
Dial/Penguin Young Readers
Book Verdict Review

Sleep Like a Tiger, illus. by Pamela Zagarenski, written by Mary Logue
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Review of the Day

Theodore Seuss Geisel Award
Up, Tall and High by Ethan Long
G. P. Putnam’s Sons

Honors:
Let’s Go for a Drive! by Mo Willems
Hyperion/Disney
Highlighted in Curriculum Connections: Fun and Fresh: Books for Emergent Readers

Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons by Eric Litwin, created and illus. by James Dean
HarperCollins
Book Verdict Review

Rabbit & Robot: The Sleepover written and illus. by Cece Bell
Candlewick
Fuse #8: Review of the Day

(Laura Ingalls) Wilder Award
Katherine Paterson
Katherine Paterson Named National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature in 2010

Katherine the Great: There couldn’t be a better choice for our new kids’ book ambassador than Katherine Paterson

Andrew Carnegie Medal
Anna, Emma and the Condors
Produced by Katja Torneman
Book Verdict Review

Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal
Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin
Flash Point/Roaring Brook
Curriculum Connections: Steve Sheinkin Writes a Thriller: An Interview with Steve Sheinkin

Honors:
Electric Ben: The Amazing Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin by Robert Byrd
Dial/Penguin Young Readers
Book Verdict Review

Moonbird: A Year on the Wind with the Great Survivor B95 by Phillip M. Hoose
Farrar
A Chair, a Fireplace and a Tea Cozy: Review

Jonathan Hunt’s assessment on Heavy Medal

Titanic: Voices from the Disaster by Deborah Hopkinson
Scholastic
Someday My Printz Will Come: Titanic: Voices from the Disaster (Is Not a Disaster)

Mildred L. Batchelder Award
My Family for the War by Anne C. Voorhoeve
Dial/Penguin Young Readers
Book Verdict Review

Honors:
A Game for Swallows: To Die, to Leave, to Return by Zeina Abirached, tr. by Edward Gauvin
Graphic Universe/Lerner
SLJ Pick of the Day

Son of a Gun, written and tr. by Anne de Graaf
Eerdmans
Book Verdict Review

May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture Award
Andrea Davis Pinkney
Celebration Time: Black History Month by Andrea Davis Pinkney
Teacher Appreciation Week: Andrea Davis Pinkney’s Letter to Mr. Dwyer

Pura Belpré Awards
Author: Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
Simon & Schuster
SLJ Review

Honor:
The Revolution of Evelyn Serrano by Sonia Manzano
Scholastic
Book Verdict Review

Illustrator: Martín de Porres: The Rose in the Desert
Illus. by David Diaz, written by Gary D. Schmidt
Clarion

Michael L. Printz Award
In Darkness by Nick Lake
Bloomsbury
Pick of the Day

Honors:
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
Simon & Schuster
SLJ Review

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
Hyperion/Disney
A Chair, a Fireplace and a Tea Cozy: Review

Dodger by Terry Pratchett
HarperCollins Children’s Books
Someday My Printz Will Come: Review

The White Bicycle by Beverley Brenna
Red Deer Press

Odyssey Award
The Fault in Our Stars, written by John Green, narrated by Kate Rudd
Produced by Brilliance Audio
SLJ Review

Honors:
Artemis Fowl: The Last Guardian, produced by Listening Library, written by Eoin Colfer and narrated by
Nathaniel Parker

Ghost Knight, produced by Listening Library, written by Cornelia Funke and narrated by Elliot Hill

Monstrous Beauty, produced by Macmillian Audio, written by Elizabeth Fama and narrated by Katherine Kellgren

YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults
Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin
Flash Point/Roaring Brook
Curriculum Connections: Steve Sheinkin Writes a Thriller: An Interview with Steve Sheinkin

Finalists:
Steve Jobs: The Man Who Thought Different by Karen Blumenthal
Feiwel & Friends
Curriculum Connections: Karen Blumenthal Connects the Dots: Interview

Moonbird: A Year on the Wind with the Great Survivor B95 by Phillip Hoose
Farrar
Heavy Medal: Black Hole and Moonbird

Titanic: Voices from the Disaster by Deborah Hopkinson
Scholastic
Someday My Printz Will Come

We’ve Got a Job: The 1963 Birmingham Children’s March by Cynthia Levinson
Peachtree Publishers
Practically Paradise: Nonfiction Monday

William C. Morris Award
Seraphina by Rachel Hartman
Random House
Someday My Printz Will Come: Seraphina

Finalists:
Wonder Show by Hannah Barnaby
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books
A Chair, a Fireplace and a Tea Cozy

Love and Other Perishable Items by Laura Buzo
Knopf/Random House

After the Snow by S. D. Crockett
Feiwel and Friends
SLJ Review

The Miseducation of Cameron Post by emily m. danforth
Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins
Someday My Printz Will Come

Margaret A. Edwards Award:
Tamora Pierce for her “Song of the Lioness” series

Coretta Scott King Book Awards
Author: Hand in Hand: Ten Black Men Who Changed America by Andrea Davis Pinkney, illus. by Brian Pinkney
Hyperion/Disney
Books to Celebrate the Everyday Heroes of the Civil Rights Movement

Honors:
Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson, illus. by E. B. Lewis
Nancy Paulsen Books/Penguin Young Readers
Interview with Jacqueline Woodson

No Crystal Stair: A Documentary Novel of the Life and Work of Lewis Michaux, Harlem Bookseller by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie
Carolrhoda Lab/Lerner
Heavy Medal

Illustrator: I, Too, Am America
illus. by Bryan Collier, written by Langston Hughes
Simon & Schuster

Honors:
H. O. R. S. E., illus. & written by Christopher Myers (listed in this interview highlighting the hottest books of Fall 2012)
Egmont USA
Included in Interview: JLG’s Susan Marson Talks About the Hottest Upcoming Books for Fall 2012

Ellen’s Broom, illus. by Daniel Minter, written by Kelly Starling Lyons
Putnam/Penguin Young Readers
Included in Black History Month 2012

I Have a Dream: Martin Luther King, Jr., illus. by Kadir Nelson, written by Martin Luther King, Jr. Schwartz & Wade/Random House (listed in this compilation of books for celebrating MLK Day
Included in Great Books for Celebrating Martin Luther King Day

Virginia Hamilton: Demetria Tucker
Practitioner Award for Lifetime achievement

Stonewall Book Award
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
Simon & Schuster
SLJ Review

Honors:
Drama by Raina Telgemeier
Graphix/Scholastic Inc.
Good Comics for Kids

Gone, Gone, Gone by Hannah Moskowitz
Simon Pulse/Simon & Schuster

October Mourning: A Song for Matthew Shepard by Lesléa Newman
Candlewick
Interview with Lesléa Newman

Sparks: The Epic, Completely True Blue, (Almost) Holy Quest of Debbie, by S. J. Adams
Flux

Listed below are the SLJ reviews for the top prizes:

Newbery Medal
APPLEGATE, Katherine. The One and Only Ivan. illus. by Patricia Castelao. 305p. CIP. HarperCollins/Harper. Jan. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-06-199225-4; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-0-06-210198-3. LC 2011010034.
Gr 3-7—This tender tale of friendship and hope is narrated by a silverback gorilla living at The Big Top Mall, a shabby, circus-themed roadside attraction. For years, Ivan was passively content. He had his art, unlimited bananas, and his friends: Stella (an elephant), Bob (a stray dog), and Julia (a human child). Ivan’s eyes are finally opened to his deplorable surroundings when he loses a friend due to neglect. The last straw is when he witnesses the attraction’s owner abusing Ruby, a newly acquired baby elephant. Thus, Ivan is inspired to take action. With some help from his human friends, his dream of a better life for all the Big Top’s animals just might come true. The character of Ivan, as explained in an author’s note, is inspired by a real gorilla that lived through similar conditions before being adopted by Zoo Atlanta. Applegate makes a powerful statement about the treatment of animals—especially those living in captivity—and reminds readers that all creatures deserve a safe place to call home. Castelao’s delightful illustrations enhance this lovely story, and the characters will capture readers’ hearts and never let go. A must-have.—Alissa J. LeMerise, Oxford Public Library, MI

Caldecott Medal
KLASSEN, Jon. This Is Not My Hat. illus. by author. 40p. Candlewick. Oct. 2012. RTE $15.99. ISBN 978-0-7636-5599-0.
PreS-Gr 1–With this new creation, Klassen repeats the theme from I Want My Hat Back (Candlewick, 2011), but with a twist. The narrator here is the thief–a small, self-confident fish who has pilfered a little blue bowler from a big sleeping fish. He wastes no time or words in confessing his crime as he swims across the page announcing, “This hat is not mine. I just stole it.” He continues his narrative with no regrets, but with a bit of rationalizing (“It was too small for him anyway.”) as he swims to his hiding place, unaware that the big fish is in quiet pursuit. Readers, of course, are in on this little secret. When the two disappear into a spread filled with seaweed, the narration goes silent, and youngsters can easily surmise what happens as the big fish reemerges with the tiny blue bowler atop his head. Simplicity is key in both text and illustrations. The black underwater provides the perfect background for the mostly gray-toned fish and seaweed while the monochromatic palette strips the artwork down to essential, yet exquisite design. Movement is indicated with a trail of small white bubbles. This not-to-be-missed title will delight children again and again.–Carolyn Janssen, Public Library of Cincinnati & Hamilton County, Cincinnati, OH

Theodore Geisel Medal
LONG, Ethan. Up, Tall and High! illus. by author. unpaged. CIP. Putnam. Feb. 2012. RTE $15.99. ISBN 978-0-399-25611-0. LC 2011003291.
PreS-K—Long borrows from the Mo Willems school of minimalist humor in this early reader about a flock of funny birds trying to outdo one another. The three stories utilize repetition of very few words (“I am tall.” “You are not tall.” “I may not be tall. But I am not small”), but the accompanying illustrations greatly enrich the spare text with bright colors and charming cartoons, making this a fun first venture into reading alone. The book has one shortcoming: the pages are flimsy and do not lie flat, so the flaps catch when opened or closed, so longevity is definitely a concern. Otherwise, the silly birds and their games of one-upmanship are definitely giggle-worthy.—Alyson Low, Fayetteville Public Library, AR

Carnegie Medal
Anna, Emma and the Condors. DVD. 20 min. Green Planet Films. 2012. ISBN unavail. $49.
Gr 5 Up–Viewers will be captivated by this charming and gorgeously photographed look at the life of an environmental biologist and his family as they work to save the California Condor. Chris Parrish is the director of the Condor Project for the Peregrine Fund at Vermilion Cliffs National Park in Arizona, and his wife, Ellen, is a teacher for Roots and Shoots, an organization founded by Jane Goodall. They home school their two daughters, Anna and Emma, allowing the girls to work with them in their species conservation efforts. There is no story or plot to the film, and not a lot of scientific details either. Rather, the film showcases the stunning landscapes of the Vermillion Cliffs in Arizona, and offers many breathtaking images of condors—in flight, at rest, eating, and mating. The family is shown tracking the birds, taking blood samples, feeding them (not for the faint of heart, condors are scavengers and these eat dead calves), and in an emotional moment, releasing a young condor back into the wild. There are many images of the family hiking, camping and riding horses, while in voice-overs they discuss living with respect for the environment. Parrish is also shown singing several songs with his guitar. This short sketch might make a nice supplemental film for an environmental studies class.–Geri Diorio, Ridgefield Library, CT

Sibert Medal, YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction, Newbery Honor
SHEINKIN, Steve. Bomb: The Race to Build–and Steal–the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon. Roaring Brook/Neal Porter. Tr $19.99. ISBN 978-1-59643-487-5; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-1-59643-861-3.
Gr 5 Up–“Harry Gold was right: This is a big story.” So begins this depiction of the “creation–and theft–of the deadliest weapon ever invented.” As he did in The Notorious Benedict Arnold (Roaring Brook, 2010), Sheinkin has again brought his superior talent for storytelling to bear in what is truly a gripping account of discovery, espionage, and revolutionary changes in both physics and the modern world. This fascinating tale, packed with a wide cast of characters, focuses mainly on three individuals: spy for the Soviets Harry Gold, leader of the Manhattan Project J. Robert Oppenheimer, and Knut Haukelid, who sabotaged German bomb efforts while working for the Norwegian resistance. Sheinkin skillfully combines lucid, conversational snapshots of the science behind the atomic bomb with a fast-paced narrative of the remarkable people who made it possible and attempted to steal it. Handsomely designed and loaded with archival photos and primary-source documents, the accessible volume lays out how the bomb was envisioned and brought to fruition. While the historical information and hard facts presented here will likely be new to the intended audience, they in no way overwhelm readers or detract from the thoroughly researched, well-documented account. It reads like an international spy thriller, and that’s the beauty of it.–Brian Odom, Pelham Public Library, AL

Batchelder Medal
VOORHOEVE, Anne C. My Family for the War. tr. from German by Tammi Reichel. Dial. p. 124.
Gr 7 Up—In 1938 Berlin, 10-year-old Ziska and her best friend run from classmates-turned-bullies who torment them for being Jewish, even though Ziska’s family converted in the last century and she knows nothing of the Jewish religion or culture. When her father is beaten during a brutal midnight raid on their apartment and imprisoned, Ziska earns a position on the kindertransport to England, where she begins a new life as Frances, foster daughter to an Orthodox London “family for the war.” In an engaging, honest voice, she relates her fears, triumphs, and revelations as she learns English and the rituals of Judaism, adapts to a new life, and copes with guilt about her growing love for her new family. She tries in vain to acquire permits for her parents to join her while they keep up a soon spotty, strained correspondence that brings increasingly heartbreaking news of those left behind. By war’s end, Frances, now 17, has experienced evacuation to the English countryside and another foster home, air raids, bomb shelters, and first love with page-turning immediacy despite the sense that the story is told by a much older, reflective Frances looking back. Events and facts are expertly woven into the girl’s emotional growth, and changing relationships—especially those with her complex, fading mother and differently complex foster mother—provide a rich exploration of identity and self. Like Frances, the mostly Jewish cast of secondary characters is varied, multidimensional, and sometimes unlikable. With a compelling main character and taut and insightful story line, this novel is sure to find no shortage of readers, and it adds a valuable perspective to collections of World War II fiction.—Riva Pollard, Prospect Sierra Middle School, El Cerrito, CA

Pura Belpré Author Award, Stonewall Medal, Printz Honor
SÁENZ, Benjamin Alire. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe. 358p. CIP. S & S. Feb. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-0892-0; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-0894-4. LC 2010033649.
Gr 9 Up-In the summer of 1987 in El Paso, TX, two 15-year-old loners meet when Dante offers to teach Ari to swim, and they have a laugh over their unusual names. Though polar opposites in most aspects other than age and Mexican heritage, the teens form an instant bond and become inseparable. This poetic novel takes Ari, brooding and quiet, and with a brother in prison, and Dante, open and intellectual, through a year and a half of change, discovering secrets, and crossing borders from which there is no return. Two incidents, one in which Ari saves Dante’s life and his family’s temporary move to Chicago, help Dante understand that he is gay and in love with his friend. Yet, Ari can’t cross that line, and not until Dante is hospitalized in a gay-bashing incident does he begin to realize the true depth of the love he has for him. With the help of his formerly distant, Vietnam-damaged father, Ari is finally able to shed his shame—the shame of his anger, of his incarcerated brother, of being different—and transition from boy to man. While this novel is a bit too literary at times for some readers, its authentic teen and Latino dialogue should make it a popular choice.—Betty S. Evans, Missouri State University, Springfield

Pura Belpré Illustrator Award
SCHMIDT, Gary D. Martín de Porres: The Rose in the Desert. illus. by David Diaz. 32p. CIP. Clarion. 2012. RTE $16.99. ISBN 978-0-547-61218-8. LC 2011025721.
Gr 2–4—Picture-book biographies of Catholic saints are usually limited to those best known, like Patrick, Francis, Joan of Arc, and Blessed Mother Teresa. Martín de Porres was the first black saint of the Americas, and he has a story as inspiring and evocative of Christian virtue as any other. Born the illegitimate son of a former slave and a Spanish conquistador in 1579 in Lima, Peru, he lived with his mother and sister in abject poverty until he was claimed by his father and eventually apprenticed to a surgeon and found to have healing powers that matched his great piety. He was accepted to be a servant at a Dominican monastery, with the explicit understanding that he, a mulatto, would never become a priest. He showed compassion for all people and animals and was said to have miraculous gifts. But it is his extreme humility that resonates with most biographers, including Schmidt, who tells the story of St. Martín’s life in simple and eloquent language, emphasizing his humble servitude and great empathy. Diaz’s multimedia illustrations are lush and beautiful, reinforcing the narrative and frequently using iconic images and stylized shapes that evoke stained glass. Some drawings of Martín, however, are inconsistent. His age occasionally seems to shift out of sequence, and the changing shape of his nose and eyes in particular results in some visual dissonance for young readers. Nonetheless, this is an artful and reverent portrait of a little-known figure.—Lisa Egly Lehmuller, St. Patrick’s Catholic School, Charlotte, NC

Odyssey Medal
The Fault in Our Stars (unabr.). 6 CDs. 7:19 hrs. Brilliance Audio. 2012. ISBN 978-1-4558-6987-9. $59.97.
Gr 9 Up–John Green’s compelling, engaging novel (Dutton, 2012) is about life, and love, and death. Hazel was diagnosed with terminal cancer at the age of 13. Three years later, she is still alive. However, her life is turned upside down when she meets Augustus Waters at a support group for teens with cancer. They embark on a relationship that has the potential to become an emotional grenade. Gus uses his “last wish” granted to sick children by the Genie Foundation to take Hazel to Amsterdam in order to meet Peter Van Houten, the author of her favorite book about a girl who has cancer. She believes there is more to the story and wants the author to give her additional information. Van Houten’s response is disappointing, but in the end Hazel allows herself to love Gus. Kate Rudd narrates in a relaxed style, perfectly voicing all of Green’s well-developed characters. This novel doesn’t pull any punches, and listeners’ emotions will run the gamut from laughing out loud to sobbing with joy or grief. A strong choice for young adult collections.–Elizabeth L. Kenyon, Merrillville High School, IN

Printz Medal

LAKE, Nick. In Darkness. 352p. Bloomsbury. 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-1-59990-743-7; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-1-59990-820-5. LC 2011022350.
Gr 9 Up–Trapped in the rubble of Haiti’s massive 2010 earthquake, teenage Shorty desperately waits for rescue. While in darkness, events of his traumatic, violent life replay in his head. He is haunted by his father’s brutal murder, his twin sister’s disappearance, and the armed gang activity that has been his means of survival in Site Soléy (Cite Soleil), a very real and dangerous slum. As he faces death and struggles to understand the external forces that have shaped him, Shorty gradually feels the uplifting spiritual presence of revered slave liberator Toussaint L’Ouverture and draws strength and hope from the man’s extraordinary life, determination, and idealism. The pervasive Haitian voodoo belief in spirit transfer empowers Shorty and connects him with Touissant across time. In alternating chapters of “Now” and “Then,” Shorty’s and Toussaint’s stories unfold. The relentless oppression, poverty, violence, and instability of the country is vividly conveyed through Shorty’s stark, graphic narrative. Toussaint’s story provides historical background for the socioeconomic and political conflicts that continue today. As the author notes, he portrays the essential spirit and history of Touissant with some omissions and simplifications. For example, Touissant learned to read as a boy, and not late in life, but this factual inaccuracy does not diminish the account of his charisma and significance. The entangled actions of gangs and government, the complicated relationship between Haitians and foreign-aid organizations, and the rich mix of Creole and French patois provide insight and authenticity. A striking cast of characters, compelling tension as Shorty confronts his own death, and the reality and immediacy of Haiti’s precarious existence will captivate secondary readers.–Gerry Larson, formerly at Durham School of the Arts, NC

Coretta Scott King Book Awards
Author Award:
PINKNEY , Andrea Davis. Hand in Hand: Ten Black Men Who Changed America. illus. by Brian Pinkney. 244p. bibliog. chron. further reading. index. CIP. Disney/Jump at the Sun. 2012. Tr $19.99. ISBN 978-1-4231-4257-7. LC 2011051348.
Gr 5–8—This book is similar in scope to the author’s Let It Shine: Stories of Black Women Freedom Fighters (Harcourt, 2000). The subjects here include Benjamin Banneker, Frederick Douglass, Booker T. Washington, W.E.B. DuBois, A. Philip Randolph, Thurgood Marshall, Jackie Robinson, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Barack Obama, all introduced in the author’s characteristically lively prose (“Black students kept on keeping on with dog-eared textbooks and dog-tired feet”; Malcolm Little’s hair was transformed from “pretty-boy cotton-kink to slick-daddy bone-straight”). The distinct experiences that shaped each man are ably delineated-the childhood events, the hardships faced, the richly deserved victories won-and the results are, without exception, compelling. The large font size is perfect for the middle-grade audience, but too many blocks of unbroken text may turn away less-confident readers. Thankfully, Brian Pinkney’s magnificent portraits and spot art throughout each profile help to amplify each man’s story. A must-have for all libraries serving young people. Sam Bloom, Blue Ash Library, Cincinnati, OH

Illustrator Award:
HUGHES, Langston. I, Too, Am America . illus. by Bryan Collier. CIP. S & S. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-2008-3. LC 2011002879.
K-Gr 5—Hughes’s poem of burgeoning pride in one’s African American identity, written at the height of the Harlem Renaissance in 1925, is interpreted anew in this striking picture book.Collier has visualized the message of the sparely written poem, barely 60 words in length, through the lens of a Pullman porter. “I, too, sing America” proclaims the opening spread that depicts a passenger rail car whizzing by; then, “I am the darker brother” shows an African American young man in the porter’s uniform gazing squarely at readers through a faint, translucent overlay of the American flag, a recurring motif. As the porter cleans up the club car and examines the detritus—newspapers, magazines, blues, and jazz albums left by the train’s well-heeled passengers—he impulsively flings it all from the caboose, scattering this knowledge to those who will willingly learn from it. Wafting through time and space, these items fall into the hands of a young female field worker in the long-ago South as well as residents in a contemporary northern urban landscape. The poem’s powerful conclusion—”I, too, am America”—depicts a young boy on the subway with his mother, peering out the window through a readily visible flag toward his unknown but hopeful future. Collier’s signature mixed-media collages create bold, textured images that give tangible expression to the poet’s potent words. A memorable and multilayered volume for all libraries.—Kathleen Finn, St. Francis Xavier School, Winooski, VT

William C. Morris Award
HARTMAN, Rachel. Seraphina. Random. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-375-86656-2; PLB $20.99. ISBN 978-0-375-96656-9; ebook $10.99. ISBN 978-0-375-89658-3. LC 2011003015.
Gr 7 Up–For nearly 40 years, the treaty between the humans of Goredd and the dragons of dragonkind has held strong. Humans must not enter dragonkind territory and dragons, upon entering human lands, must take their human shape, or saarantrai. In Goredd, Seraphina’s human father, a high offical, needs her to stay anonymous. The dark secret that she must hide is that her mother was a dragon. Because of her musical talents, Seraphina becomes Goredd’s music assistant, helping prepare for the anniversary celebration. Layers of clothing disguise the scales on her arms and stomach, but unlike dragons, her blood runs red, not silver. Also, to keep from having fainting spells in which she relives her deceased mother’s experiences, Seraphina must clear her head each night. She calls the figures in her vision grotesques, and each night, she must ensure all is calm in her mind-garden. When the decapitated body of Prince Rufus is found just days before the anniversary festivities, many humans are quick to accuse a dragon of breaking the pact. Seraphina’s grotesques begin acting strangely, and the whole court is investigating the murder. When the celebrations are in full swing, all hell breaks loose as the rogue dragon that killed the prince enters Goredd in his dragon form and attempts to take control. Seraphina must risk revealing her true identity (and that of her fellow hybrids) in an attempt to save the kingdom. Hartman creates a rich story layered with intriguing characters and descriptive settings. Seraphina is a complex and fully developed protagonist. Although long, this unique novel (left open for a sequel) will surely appeal to fans of Christopher Paolini’s “Eragon” books (Knopf) and wherever readers enjoy fantasies. Lauren Newman

Schneider Family Book Award
For Middle Grade Readers:
LEAN, Sarah. A Dog Called Homeless. 198p. HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-06-212220-9; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-0-06-212222-3. LC 2011044628.
Gr 4–7—Cally Fisher hasn’t spoken for 31 days. As she explains in the prologue, “Talking doesn’t always make things happen, however much you want it to.” She knows that talking won’t bring her mother back to life or keep her dad from selling their home in exchange for a small apartment so what’s the point in saying anything. But when her mother appears one day wearing a bright red raincoat and the only other soul that sees her is a big scraggly dog, the girl knows she must find a way to convince her father that the dog is the only thing connecting them to her mother. But her father’s growing depression continues to separate the family and Cally struggles to keep her mother from becoming a distant memory. When she meets Sam, who lives downstairs, the friendship that forms between the blind boy and silent girl manages to reunite a family, and each character benefits from the bond. Truly a lesson in the power of love and loss, this story shows that learning how to listen is more important than what’s being said. This is a thought-provoking story that will speak to readers of all ages.—Cheryl Ashton, Amherst Public Library, OH

For Younger Readers:
ALEXANDER, Claire. Back to Front and Upside Down. illus. by author. 26p. Eerdmans. Sept. 2012. Tr $16. ISBN 978-0-8028-5414-8.
PreS-Gr 1–Stan, a small anthropomorphic puppy, faces a big problem–his class is making birthday cards for the principal, but he just can’t get the hang of writing. He is despondent until a friend suggests that he approach their teacher for help. Gathering up some courage, Stan approaches Miss Catnip and discovers that he’s not the only one having trouble. After “lots and lots and lots of practice,” Stan’s writing improves and he not only creates a great card, but learns that he should always ask for help when he is struggling. Alexander’s mostly full-page illustrations of Stan and his animal friends are bright and cheerful. Though cartoonish, they expressively depict the change in Stan’s emotions–from isolation and sadness to accomplishment and happiness. The story is a tad didactic, but it teaches a good lesson. Students should have no trouble sympathizing with Stan’s learning difficulties and cheer for his success.–Yelena Alekseyeva-Popova, formerly at Chappaqua Library, NY

BARNETT, Mac. Chloe and the Lion. illus. by Adam Rex. Disney/Hyperion. 2012. ISBN 9781423113348. JLG Level: HE : Humor Elementary (Grades 2-6).

Mac, the author, and Adam, the illustrator, argue over which character is better for scaring poor little Chloe―a lion or a dragon. A war over the story line ensues. Which is more important―the art or the text? When Mac fires Adam for not following directions, “my-friend-Hank” is hired. The former artist is quickly eaten by Hank’s lion. Little Chloe saves the day by setting them all straight, telling the author, “You’re the writer. Adam is the illustrator. We all add something to the story.”

Barnett’s humorous tongue-in-cheek tale is charmingly illustrated with clay figures of the picture book’s creators, and cartoon-type characters for the remaining players. Using a stage as the story’s backdrop, and balloons for its text, sets the artwork apart from similar books this year. It’s a tale of friendship and teamwork in an unusual mixed-format effort that is a pleasure to read.

BARNETT, Mac. Extra Yarn. illus. by Jon Klassen. HarperCollins/Balzer & Bray. 2012. ISBN 9780061953385. JLG Level: K : Kindergarten (Grades PreK-K).

“In a cold little town, where everywhere you looked was either the white of snow or the black soot from chimneys, Annabelle found a box filled with yarn of every color.” So begins the tale of one little girl who made a difference. She knit a sweater for herself; she still had yarn left. She knit a sweater for her dog, and still had some left. Annabelle knit sweaters for everyone and everything she met, except for Mr. Crabtree. She made him a hat. “Things began to change in that little town.” When the archduke tried to buy the never-ending yarn from the little girl, she refused to sell. So he stole it.

Klassen’s artwork brings Annabelle’s black and white world to life. With pops of color punctuating the simple digital-and-ink shapes, the meaning of the magical yarn materializes. Use of darkness when the archduke steals the box shows the meanness of the act without being too scary for its intended audience. Though the story is moralistic, the charm of the illustrations and the happy ending produce a picture book that is sure to be a classic, regardless of whether it wins the gold.

BUZZEO, Toni. One Cool Friend. illus. by David Small. Dial. 2012. ISBN 9780803734135. JLG Level: P : Primary (Grades K-1).

“Elliot was a very proper young man,” so it’s no surprise that he liked penguins. “In their tidy black feather tuxedos with their proper posture, they reminded Elliot of himself.” During a visit to the zoo, he slips a live penguin into his backpack. (He asked permission, of course.) Unbeknownst to his preoccupied father, Elliot’s new pet skates on a pond in his room, eats anchovy pizza, and swims in the family bathtub.

From turtle-patterned pajamas and footstools, to boxes of caramel candy and diagrams in the father’s office, the illustrations complement the text while hinting at the surprising outcome. Small adds a smattering of color to his simply sketched ink drawings, which along with the use of bubble captions lighten the serious tone of the dialogue between father and child. s. A perfect blend of the visual and text make it an excellent choice for story time. Readers will laugh at the tuxedoed duo’s adventures and shout “read it again” at its conclusion.

COLE, Henry. Unspoken: A Story from the Underground Railroad. Scholastic. 2012. ISBN 9780545399975. JLG Level: P : Primary (Grades K-1).

While doing her chores, a young girl discovers someone hiding in the family’s barn. Without saying a word, each person takes food to the uninvited guest. After a slave-hunting party arrives, the visitor disappears, leaving behind a cornhusk doll dressed in the napkin material as a sign of thanks.

Cole uses charcoal and pen line drawings to illustrate this wordless picture book. In a style reminiscent of Brian Selznick, character close-ups reveal the tension in the story. Readers will feel the family’s fear when the hunting party arrives. They will worry when the runaway peeks through a knot hole. Seeing the Big Dipper through the bedroom window will fill them with hope that the slave will find a safe place to rest. An author’s note shares family stories and background history about the details included in the illustrations.

FOGLIANO, Julie. And Then It’s Spring. illus. by Erin E. Stead. Roaring Brook/Neal Porter. 2012. ISBN 9781596436244. JLG Level: K : Kindergarten (Grades PreK-K).

A dedicated young boy and the animals that live around him diligently wait for seeds to sprout. In well-planned phases, readers feel the slow-moving track of time as the season of brown lingers on. He plants his seeds. He waters them. A silent chorus of anxious planters stares at the dark earth waiting for green to break through. A rainy day brings a sunny one, and with it, green. “All around you have green.”

Stead’s woodblock printing techniques brilliantly tone down the anxious wait for spring. Kids will linger over the details. A turtle uses a magnifying glass to better see the emergence of a sprout. Rabbit watches for the carrot seeds to push through the soil. Even the dog waits for his buried bones to grow. Spring bursts into view on the last double page spread, just like the seeds that were sown. Another winner for Stead and a first-winning book for Fogliano.

STEAD, Philip C.. Bear Has a Story to Tell. illus. by Erin E. Stead. Roaring Brook/Neal Porter. 2012. ISBN  9781596437456. JLG Level: K : Kindergarten (Grades PreK-K).

Winter is swiftly approaching, and bear is getting sleepy, but first he has a story he wants to tell. Mouse doesn’t have time for a story; he has seeds to gather. So Bear helps his friend instead. Duck has to get ready to fly south, so Bear checks the wind’s direction. Frog needs to find a warm place to sleep for the winter, so Bear digs a frog-sized hole. The first snowflake falls, but Bear still hasn’t told his tale. When spring arrives and his friends return, Bear is delighted to remember that now he has time to tell his story. Sadly, he can no longer recall what he wanted to say. In cyclical fashion, his friends prompt him, and the story ends as it began.

Gold medal team of Stead and Stead pair up again in this star-studded effort (2 stars and a Kirkus Editors’ Choice Award). The camaraderie of the characters is skillfully painted in their faces and mannerisms. The gentleness of the big bear is believable in his efforts to help his friends, while putting his needs last. The lesson of the story (shall we say, Golden Rule?) is gently woven between the text and illustrations, allowing the reader to absorb the message with little effort.

For ideas about how to use these books and links to supportive sites, check out the Junior Library Guild blog, Shelf Life.

Junior Library Guild is a collection development service that helps school and public libraries acquire the best new children’s and young adult books. Season after season, year after year, Junior Library Guild book selections go on to win awards, collect starred or favorable reviews, and earn industry honors. Visit us at www.JuniorLibraryGuild.com.

App Challenge for Students

STEM app challenge: The Verizon Innovative App Challenge was created by the Verizon Foundation to ignite students’ interest in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Hosted by the Verizon Foundation and administered by the Technology Student Association (TSA), groups of 5–10 students in middle and high school and their faculty advisers are given the opportunity to develop an original mobile app concept that incorporates STEM and addresses a need or problem in their school or community. Between October 15 and January 18, each team entering the contest must submit an essay of up to 1,000 words that describes the team and the process it went through to develop the concept, how it will address the problem, what STEM skills were used in the process, and its functionality and potential impact. Each team must also submit a three-minute video or other visual presentation describing the app concept and how it will function. Teams may create a video, use presentation software such as PowerPoint or Keynote, or utilize online tools like Animoto, Prezi, or SlideRocket. Be sure to check out the rules and guidelines.

During the week of February 21, a winning middle school and a high school team will be chosen from each state. From this group, five middle school and five high school teams will be selected as challenge winners on March 18. Each challenge winner’s school will receive a $10,000 grant to build the app and to enhance STEM education. Members from the team will receive a Samsung Galaxy wireless tablet.

Lifetime Achievement Award

Prolific author honored: Popular author Russell Freedman has won the Educational Book and Media Association’s (EBMA) 2012 Jeremiah Ludington Award. Named after the Association’s founder, the annual lifetime achievement award is given to an individual who has made a significant contribution to the “education book business.” Russell has written more than 50 biographies and other nonfiction books, and won the 1988 Newbery Medal for Lincoln: A Photobiography (Clarion, 1987). At EBMA’s annual meeting in Orlando, Florida, in January 2013, Freedman will receive a framed certificate and $2,500 will be given to the charity of his choice—the San Francisco Public Library. “The EBMA board and membership are thrilled to present this year’s Ludington Award to Russell Freedman,” said Gene Bahlman, EBMA president and vice president of Follett Library Resources, Inc. “His contributions to children’s nonfiction literature spanning over 50 years is unmatched and truly impressive.” Previous recipients of the award include Steven Kellogg, Jon Scieszka, Kevin Henkes, Judy Blume, and Richard Peck, among others.

Teens’ Top Ten

Best books: Divergent (HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen Books), Veronica Roth’s debut novel set in a dystopian Chicago world, has been selected by teens as their favorite book in the annual Teens’ Top Ten vote sponsored by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA). To come up with the top ten books, national teen book discussion groups created a list of 24 of their favorite books published between January 2011 and March 2012. Then, teens across the country voted for their top three favorites online between August 15 and September 15 to create the 2012 Teens’ Top Ten. You can check out a video announcement of the list.

The other winners are: The Fault in Our Stars (Dutton, 2012) by John Green, Legend (Putnam) by Marie Lu, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children (Quirk Bks., 2011) by Ransom Riggs, What Happened to Goodbye (Viking, 2011) by Sarah Dessen, Across the Universe by Beth Revis (Penguin/Razorbill, 2011), Cinder (Feiwel and Friends, 2012) by Marissa Meyer, The Scorpio Races (Scholastic, 2011) by Maggie Stiefvater, Where She Went (Dutton, 2011) by Gayle Forman, and Abandon (Scholastic/Point, 2011) by Meg Cabot. The winners will be featured on YALSA’s literature blog, The Hub: Your Connection to Teen Reads.

Awarded

Children’s book illustrations: If you’re in New York City between October 24 and December 22, you’ll have the opportunity to see The Original Art 2012, an annual exhibit celebrating children’s book illustration at the Museum of American Illustration at the Society of Illustrators. Founded in 1980 by illustrator and art director Dilys Evans, the exhibit showcases the original art from the year’s best children’s books that have been selected by a jury of illustrators, art directors, and illustrators. This year, 139 books were chosen from more than 550 entries submitted.

Awards in a number of categories will be presented at an opening reception on October 25 at the Society of Illustrators. Gold and silver medals are going to three books representing a variety of mediums and techniques. Laetitia Devernay won the Gold Medal for The Conductor (Chronicle, 2011). The Silver Medal winners are Jon Klassen for This Is Not My Hat (Candlewick, 2012) and Steve Jenkins for The Beetle Book (Houghton Harcourt, 2012). In addition, the Founders Award, given to the most promising new talent in children’s book illustration, is going to The Brothers Hilts for The Insomniacs (Putnam). The Lifetime Achievement Award for distinguished accomplishments in the art of children’s book illustration was awarded to Tomie de Paola and the late Richard Scarry.

Best Practices

Cutting-edge recognition: Is your school or public library using cutting-edge technology? The American Library Association’s (ALA) Office for InformationTechnology Policy (OITP) and the Library & Information Technology Association (LITA) are accepting nominations from libraries that have successfully implemented technological advancements. Submissions for best practices must involve the use of technology, must be a novel idea or implementation of a service, and must document the project so that it can be replicated. Nominations may be made for work in numerous areas, including application development, circulation, collections, community services, integration of Common Core Standards, open source, patron services, professional development, readers’ advisory, references services, web services, and many more. The applications must be submitted no later than November 6, 2012, and a joint committee of members from the Subcommittee on America’s Libraries for the 21^st Century and the Library & Information Technology Association will review the nominations. Winners will be announced at ALA’s Midwinter Meeting in January 2013.

“We want to showcase libraries that are serving their communities with novel and innovative methods and provide the library community with some successful models for delivering quality library service in new ways,” said Patty Saidenberg, chair of the Cutting-edge Technology in Library Services selection committee.

Digital Reference Update

Database update: A “Focus on History through Video” feature has been added to Infobase Learning’s African-American History Online. On the homepage, each time the site reloads, a new video will be shown. A gallery of all the videos in the database can be accessed by clicking on the link just below that video screen. To help students who are searching for video clips from a specific time period in African-American history, the video gallery can be filtered by era. “Booker T. Washington Is Enshrined in Hall of Fame,” “Joe Louis and Bill Conn Sign for the Title Bout,” and “Torpedo Boats” are among the new videos.  This footage from the time adds context and depth to students’ understanding of events in African-American history. The database also includes primary sources, images, time lines, biographies, maps, charts, subject entries, and more.

BARNETT, MAC. Chloe and the Lion. illus. by Adam Rex. Disney/Hyperion. 2012. ISBN 9781423113348. JLG Level: HE: Humor Elementary (Grades 2-6)

What begins as a tale about a little girl who meets a lion, ends in a power struggle for artistic control. Author and illustrator meet in a pen-to-brush battle each trying to prove who has the most important role in telling a story. When Chloe gets lost in the forest, the author wants her to meet a lion. The illustrator thinks that a dragon would be cooler. With interrupting Claymation panels and bubble speech, the hilarious debate continues until Chloe sees her chance to save the day.

BLACK, Michael Ian. I’m Bored. illus. by Debbie Ridpath Ohi. S & S. 2012. ISBN 9781442414037. JLG Level: P: Primary (Grades K-1)

Kids have great imaginations. Sometimes, though, they get bored. In a moment of frustration, this story’s protagonist has no intention of allowing a potato, of all things, to get away with thinking that kids are not fun. After all, they can turn cartwheels. They can play games. “Kids can do ANYTHING!!!” Ohi’s simple drawings and creative placement of text create a story with visual impact that’s anything but boring.

KLASSEN, Jon. This Is Not My Hat. Candlewick. 2012. ISBN 9780763655990. JLG Level P: Primary (Grades K-1)

In the long-awaited sequel-of-sorts to I Want My Hat Back (Candlewick, 2011), two things remain the same. There is a hat. It is taken. In a different setting under different circumstances, a hat is missing. The story begins: “This hat is not mine. I just stole it.” He stole it from a big fish. He has lots of excuses: “It was too small for him anyway. It fits me just right.” He expects to get away with it―probably. With plenty of room for suspense, Klassen delivers another solid humorous story for your storytimes. And you don’t have to read the previous title to enjoy this one.

LEVINE, Gail Carson. Forgive Me, I Meant to Do It: False Apology Poems. illus. by Matthew Cordell. HarperCollins. 2012. ISBN 9780061787263. JLG Level: HE: Humor Elementary (Grades 2-6)

Anyone who has ever taken a poetry class knows William Carlos Williams’ poem, “This is Just to Say.” It’s the classic insincere apology. Levine takes characters from fairy tales and childhood rhymes and uses their voices to falsely apologize. “You fell and cracked your skull on the hill/ where I had carefully placed a banana peel/ Forgive me/Jill is now my girlfriend.” She breaks tradition and slips in the introduction about six poems into the book. As if she can read our minds, there is even a poem about the consequences of skipping around to read the poems. Brilliant and marvelously funny!

VIORST, Judith. Lulu Walks the Dogs. illus. by Lane Smith. S & S/Atheneum. 2012. ISBN 9781442435797. JLG Level: I+: Independent Readers (Grades 2-4)

In this sequel to Lulu and the Brontosaurus (S & S, 2010), Lulu wants something that she will have to “EARN THE MONEY TO GET.” She decides she will walk dogs. Complicating the plot (other than she knows little about her new job) is Fleischman, an overly helpful neighbor boy who seems to know everything about dog walking. Complimenting Viorst’s text are wonderful illustrations by Lane Smith. How could you not laugh? It’s a partnership bound for success.

For ideas about how to use these books and links to supportive sites, check out the Junior Library Guild blog, Shelf Life.

Junior Library Guild is a collection development service that helps school and public libraries acquire the best new children’s and young adult books. Season after season, year after year, Junior Library Guild book selections go on to win awards, collect starred or favorable reviews, and earn industry honors. Visit us at www.JuniorLibraryGuild.com.

Photograph by Brian Davis. Illustration by Jon Klassen

In This Is Not My Hat, a minnow steals a big fish’s bowler hat while he’s asleep. Part of what makes your art so striking is that the water, or background, is black instead of blue.

Initially, it was more of a mid-tone, like a teal, or a green. But I was fighting it value-wise. Also, since the fishes’ eyes are such a big part of the storytelling, the darker you can get behind them, the more their eyes are going to pop. And I just like the simplicity of using black. Black has problems as far as printing goes, but it’s just much simpler as far as color goes. And I just liked the moodiness of it. It felt quiet.

You’ve said this isn’t a sequel to your bestseller, I Want My Hat Back. But given the similar titles, people are bound to see it that way.

I don’t think I could have done this book without having done the first one. So in that respect, I think it is that. The biggest goal we had was to make it a book that you could read on its own and still get as much out of it as anybody else would have who had seen the first book—and I think we pulled that off.

How’d you come up with the idea for the fish book?

It was a really round-about process. I didn’t want the new one to look like we were riding on our coattails, but I wanted to keep the same tone, because I really enjoyed writing it. There were a lot of stories that I got halfway through, before realizing they didn’t work. We also talked about changing the object into a different thing to avoid some of that [sequel] talk. But the more I got into it, the more I really liked the idea of using the hat again.

What other objects did you consider using?

I was thinking of a scarf for a second, just because fish can’t wear very much. [Laughter] I also considered making a pointy hat, but that looks like a dorsal fin on a fish. And anyone who hadn’t seen my first book wouldn’t really know it was a hat. It would look like a silly triangle.

You’ve worked on major animated movies, including Coraline and Kung Fu Panda 2, and on an animated music video for U2. Did it stress you out knowing it was for Bono and the Edge?

Not especially. I was working at DreamWorks at the time, and you finish these films that you’ve had in your office for a couple of years, and then they go out and you realize, “Oh, yeah, it’s number two in Russia.” You just don’t think of the scale when things go out—you just can’t comprehend it—especially when things get spread around like these music videos with the kind of reach that U2 has. You just have to hunker down and focus on making the thing OK as far as you’re concerned and hope it translates well. There are moments when you sort of panic, and you realize, “Oh man, if this thing looks bad, it really is going to get seen by a lot of people.”

Is making kids’ books less nerve-racking?

With books, there’s so much pressure, too. With film, at least there’s a separation. You do the paintings and no one ever sees them—they see the film. But when it’s a book, it’s on paper and every line you’re making is every line in the book, and that’s just terrifying. That’s the scary stuff. I was much more scared doing my first book than I was ever doing videos or films.

Read the SLJ‘s starred review of “This is Not My Hat” (Candlewick).

(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.

Moderated by New York Public Library Youth Materials Collections Specialist, Betsy Bird, the panelists on “Pushing the Picture Book Envelope” gave the audience a visual delight that included a presentation of each book trailer, along with rousing commentary from each creator.

Bird, also an SLJ blogger, dubbed Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld, collaborators on Wumbers (Chronicle), the Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers of children’s literature for their ability to bring “the sound of numbers” in their latest book by using word and number gymnastics. Lichtenheld cites William Steig’s CDB! (S & S, 1968), a collection of pictures with captions written in code, and MAD Magazine, as visual influences, while Rosenthal mentions her love for “tinkering with language” and wordplay as the inspiration behind their work. She says this title appeals to children who aren’t necessarily born readers but who need to be led to the “reading party” through nontraditional themes.

Mac Barnett, author of Chloe and the Lion (Hyperion), crosses into the meta-fiction category, breaks down the fourth wall, and gives him and illustrator Adam Rex active roles as protagonists in their rambunctious picture book. Influenced by Jon Stone’s classic, The Monster at the End of This Book (Random, 1971), which also speaks directly to its audience, Barnett says he’s always enjoyed fiction that escaped the artifice of the “book” and strains the tension between text and image. Evident in the book trailer, this author/illustrator pair’s tongue-and-cheek humor elicited peals of laughter from the audience.

Jon Klassen, an Irma Black Award Finalist, opened with a trailer to This is Not My Hat (Candlewick), the sequel to his award-winning I Want My Hat Back. He says kids are just looking for a good story. Like one of his favorites, P. D. Eastman’s Sam and the Firefly (Random, 1958), picture books have to grab readers’ attention right from the start.

D. B. Johnson, author/illustrator of Magritte’s Marvelous Hat (Houghton Harcourt) and a longtime illustrator of picture books, made a splash with his surreal Magritte’s Marvelous Hat. He believes authors and illustrators of children’s books have to “embrace the nonsense,” let imagination and creativity manifest in new and groundbreaking ways, and not be so tied down by the latest trends. As long as visual language continues to be kids’ native language, then the picture book will continue to be successful, he says.”There’s a purity in it” that can’t be achieved through other mediums.

Maurice Sendak’s recent death was on the panelists’ minds, with Johnson calling him a god. Klassen admired Sendak’s ability to look right at a reader and “tell it to you straight.” Barnett agreed that Sendak was among the first picture book trailblazers, stating that the form is still an arena suitable for innovation and challenge, and contrary to popular belief, we just might be entering into a new golden age of the picture book.