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Today is Presidents Day and I’m here celebrating with a bowl of plain oatmeal, or as I like to call it, “The Champaign of Breakfast foods.”� It got me thinking about books coming out in 2019 that have to do with presidents. Turns out, some pretty interesting stuff. Let’s have a look. Did I miss […]
Dark Horse announces 'Extraordinary: The Story of an Ordinary Princess,' Cassie Anderson's adaptation of M.M. Kaye's 'Journey with Princess Basil,' and the second volume of Anderson and Matt Mair Lowery's 'Lifeformed'
As someone who spends a lot of time advocating for consent education, I can not in good faith recommend this book, even though I believe it will have a lot of teen appeal.
Three strong and exceptionally talented Black YA authors have hit the trifecta with books that are new releases or coming soon and reflect hip-hop culture.
We know that Girls Run the World, but they also save the world too. I’m not talking about Hermione, although I love her and Harry Potter wouldn’t have been able to defeat Voldemort without her. I’m talking about the girls who literally saved the world. They might be a spy, or a princess, or a […]
This morning's preview is a veritable Whitman's Sampler of defining moments from over seven decades of Archie and the Riverdale gang.
The old Ant and the Grasshopper fable got the Lionni touch back in 1967 when the four time Caldecott Honor winner chose to put a new spin on an old classic. So how successful was this book in the end? Is it a product of its age (the tune in and drop out 60s) or something that stands the test of time?
As educators, we’ve learned to count on the research-based wisdom and guidance of� Common Sense Media. Its a destination,�always fresh with reviews of apps, video, books and more as well as advice for teaching with technology and outstanding curriculum. I recently sat down with Kelly Mendoza, Senior Director of Education Programs at Common Sense Education, […]
In our preview of 'Scooby -Doo, Where Are You' #97, the gang get mixed up with gangsters when a routine trip to the bank collides with a ghostly heist.
In Joe Lansdale and Sam Glanzman’s graphic novel Red Range, African American vigilante Caleb Range and his young sidekick wreak vengeance on a murderous group of Klansmen and then are transported to another world where more dangers await. On the last page of that book, they stare out at a strange body of water filled […]
This Week at TLT New books alert: Writing advice, Latinx teens on a road trip, Muslims in love, and so much more Fight the Power: Music as a Social Force, a guest post by Lisa Krok Cindy Crushes Programming: Hosting a Fortnite Party, by Cindy Shutts Feminist AF: The Amelia Bloomer Project, by Ally Watkins […]
This week's new comics include a new 'Johnny Boo' and a new take on 'Little Women.'
Interviews? They're cool. But interviews between authors and illustrators in the form of a comic? Much, much cooler. Betsy Bird brings you Andrea Tsurumi and Gideon Sterer as they discuss their book Not your Nest.
Get out your reading lists! New titles coming soon from S.K. Ali, Sonia Patel, Claire Legrand, and so many others.
Now that the Newbery and Caldecott medals have been handed out, how are the winners faring on the New York Times bestseller lists? First up, Caldecott winner Hello Lighthouse by Sophie Blackall: It hit the list last week at #8. This week, it fell off, but that may be because copies became scarce after all […]
Kwame Alexander’s words are grand. Kadir Nelson’s art soars. But when you put those two things together, and they work in tandem, they bring out the best in one another. Unrelenting, undeniable, unavoidable. Fail to read this book at your peril. I hope it is only the beginning.
Colby: Amal Unbound is one of the most unforgettable middle grade novels of 2018. Sitting down with Aisha to talk about the book for The Yarn was so much fun. I hope you like the episode! Subscribe below to catch every episode.
Today Lisa Krok is sharing with us how The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (RRHF) in Cleveland, Ohio hosts programs to inform teachers, librarians, and students about how music was used in the past as a change agent, and how we can apply that to present day.
A mixed group tries to form a sports team at an all-female drama college.
What's the best joke book on the market for kids today? Here are some recent publications vying for the prize.
Invite teens into the library by hosting a Fortnite party.
TLTer Ally Watkins talks about her work on the Amelia Bloomer Project
Today we get to announce Sam Davies' second Hex Vet graphic novel, 'Hex Vet: The Flying Surgery,' to be published by BOOM! Studios in December 2019.
Post-It Note reviews are a great way to display books and offer a more personal recommendation than just the flap copy. This roundup also includes a historical fiction title dealing with race, a potentially murderous robot, and a new crop of babysitters.
The Good Egg – a follow-up to the bestselling picture book,�The Bad Seed – publishes today. To mark the occasion I�talked with author Jory John about his creative process and snack preferences. Travis: Hi Jory! Thanks for taking my questions. Jory: Hi Travis! Thank you for taking my answers. T: How do you approach writing […]
If you know Aaron Becker's name it's probably from that magnificent quest trio of picture books, Journey, Quest, and Return. Becker took a seemingly simple form, the picture book, and gave it breadth and depth without sacrificing child-interest and focus. But apparently that wasn't enough of a challenge because now he's created a board book and it's a doozy of a marvel.
This empowering and inspiring book did the impossible: it made me nostalgic for my own teen years as a young feminist.
Now it’s party time, Archie style, with our exclusive preview of Archie 1000 Page Comics Party. This plump anthology hits the streets on February 13. Enjoy!
As far back as I can remember, I have always loved comic books. Way before I had ever heard the term “graphic novel,” or aspired to create one, I remember running to my local candy store almost every week to buy the latest issues. But even though I bought them, I didn’t always read them. […]
Let’s kick off this mid-February week with some previews! First up is World of Archie Comics Digest #89. We’ve got a look at the brand new lead story, plus an entire classic story. The digest goes on sale on Wednesday. Enjoy!
It’s the second day of the Sydney Taylor Book Award 2019 Blog Tour (click here for the full schedule) and I’m honored to talk with the creators of Sydney Taylor Honor winner A Moon for Moe and Mo: author Jane Breskin Zalben and illustrator Mehrdokht Amini. Travis: Congratulations on the Sydney Taylor Honor! How did you […]
I found a nice calm little book and discussed it in a nice calm little way. Fear not, though. There is PLENTY to pick apart. The fact that a Dude In Distress can be simplified to simply "The D.I.D." Who you would cast as the dragon in the movie of this book (which, let's admit it, it's a little weird that it HASN'T been turned into an animated full-length feature film yet)? And how exactly do you pronounce "Munsch"? All will be made clear.
A lesson plan for Sophie Blackall's award-winning picture book.
Winner of a 2019 Coretta Scott King Author Honor, The Parker Inheritance by Varian Johnson is part historical fiction novel, part mystery, full of masterful plot twists and clever riddles. The latest lesson plan from "The Classroom Bookshelf."
I’m sad to hear that the great picture book creator Tomi Ungerer has passed away. RIP our beloved Tomi. Words escape us at this difficult moment but in the end, Tomi says it best. Yvonne, Aria, Pascal, Lukas and Phoebe Ungerer. Video Brad Bernstein & Rick Cikowski pic.twitter.com/b9A1PTKqVJ — Tomi Ungerer (@TomiUngerer) February 9, 2019 […]
One of my favorite picture biographies of last year, this book captures with seeming effortlessness the life and times of one of the world's greatest painters. His art seems tailor-made for children, and the story itself stands as a marvelous example of how to make a picture book biography at all. I got to ask Barb and Mary some questions and, in the process, get a little schooled on my own assumptions.
Are teens reading less? The short answer is no. Here's a longer answer.
This Week at TLT What’s new in LGBTQIA+ YA February 2019 DIY Neon Signs How Fairytales Help Us Navigate the World, a guest post by author Maureen McQuerry The Life Saving Slogan: You are Not Alone, a guest post by Shelley Sackier Book Review: LGBTQ: The Survival Guide for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning […]
This week First Second delves into some DIY while Humanoids Publishing looks at the silly side of science.
This post over at Tales of an Elementary School Librarian had me thinking about critically acclaimed books that didn’t end up winning awards. I was especially curious about books that were on the National Book Awards shortlist – how many of them have gone on to win a Newbery Honor or Medal? I looked back […]
February's LGBTQIA+ new books include a graphic novel retelling of Little Women, a summer romance, multiple fantasy titles, and a middle grade book with a genderfluid main character.
Children’s books can teach you how to do a lot of things. In 2019 they will teach you . . .
There’s the usual historical, factual stuff . . . and then there’s the pure science fiction. Books like We’re Not From Here by Geoff Rodkey. Unapologetically bold, it wears its little science fiction loving heart on its sleeve. Managing to also be funny and strangely poignant, this isn’t a book about “Why can’t we all just get along?” It’s about what happens when our differences are so glaring we have no choice but to acknowledge that they’re there at all.
Jack' dog Zero gets the spotlight in the first volume of this sequel to 'The Nightmare Before Christmas.'
I like it when familiar books get new covers. It’s an instant mystery: why did this book get a new cover? Sometimes it’s to appeal to a different audience. Other times to mark an anniversary. And occasionally a book might just use some sprucing up. I have six books that are being recovered in 2019, […]
When I was a kid my favorite detective was Vikki from The Bloodhound Gang. In her honor I create a booklist of the great Black girl sleuths of today.
More than just another horse story, 'Grand Theft Horse' is about one woman fighting the horse racing system for the right to train her horse humanely.
When I was little, my mother read me fairytales. I remember Andrew Lang’s books, The Tall Book of Fairytales, and a peculiar story about a girl who jumped rope and could skip through a key hole and light as a feather on dandelion thistle. It took me years to track down Elsie Piddock Skips in Her Sleep, again. My father told a different kind of story.
Author Shelley Sackier joins us to talk about the vital task of connecting readers with books that help provide solace, unity, sureness, and the message that they are not alone.
This updated edition is a useful resource that is aimed at queer teens, but those seeking to provide a welcoming, affirming environment for LGBTQ youth will also find this indispensable.
It just seemed to make sense to do a book this week that could kill two birds with one stone. I've always wanted to do a wider range of children's picture books and we haven't done any by Muslim-American (or, in this case, Muslim-Canadian) authors. So I took a look at New York Public Library's 100 Children's Books, 100 Years list (which I still love and admire) and selected Big Red Lollipop. And who did the illustrations? The latest double Caldecott Award winner, Sophie Blackall, that's who.
BURN AFTER READING Ted Geisel’s thank you letter to a friend who stopped him from burning his first picture book manuscript is up for auction. Click here to read about it. BUT SRSLY Lauren Child thinks children’s publishing is getting the short end of the stick and is advocating for a change. Click here to […]
The likelihood that you've had a chance to see all of the Oscar contenders for Best Picture this year is slim. To lighten the load, let me make it easy on you. You may not have time to see a film, but surely you've time to read a book for kids! They're so short, and many of them cover the same ground as the film nominated. Don't believe me? Just watch.
Brian Michael Bendis' new Wonder Comics imprint from DC is off to a strong start with Young Justice #1, in which he and artist Patrick Gleason relaunch the seemingly unrelaunchable team of teenage superheroes.
Lessons for the classroom and library based on 2019 Geisel Honor book Fox+Chick and Other Stories by Sergio Ruzzier, from a critical literacy exercise on unlikely friendships and reader's theater to Fox+Chick as mentor text.
Today TLT teen contributor Elliot is talking with us about identity.
Bodily autonomy is an issue I care very much about as the mother of daughters who may carry a genetic pregnancy disease.
Travis: And the most popular episode of The Yarn in 2018 was . . .
Travis: And the 2nd most popular episode of The Yarn in 2018 was . . .
Travis: And the 3rd most popular episode of The Yarn in 2018 was . . .
This Week at TLT Shout! Laurie Halse Anderson Continues to be the Voice We Need Shouting in the World About Sexual Violence in the Life of Teens Cindy Crushes Programming: Harry Potter Inspired Dragon Eggs New books alert: YA, middle grade, memoirs, and more! Kicky’s Post It Note Reviews: Royals, Twisted Fairy Tales, a Rabbit, […]
This week Capstone Press looks at some historical moments in sports and Houghton Mifflin Company introduces a classic story to a new audience.
In January . . . . . . I got excited about some books. So excited that I shared 11 upcoming books I’m looking forward to instead of the usual 10. . . . I asked you to name these books by their LEGO-fied book covers. I thought #3 was a bit tricky. . . […]
The announcement of the 2020 Newbery Medal is just 362 days away! Here's a brief look ahead to some titles that might be early contenders.
I’ve had a copy of this book sitting on my desk, read, and ready to review for sometime. But given that this title received so much attention during this year’s book award season, I had to prioritize this review.
"Animal exploitation at its finest, it’s like 12 Years a Slave for Penguin[s]." Can you guess the classic children’s book by its scathing one-star review on Goodreads or Amazon?
A bit of art, a bit of text, this title typifies picture books at their best. Bold and small and gutsy and quiet. A title you could easily miss, but why would you want to?
On March 12 of 2019, Laurie Halse Anderson will release her newest book Shout, a moving biography that seeks once again to highlight the very real truths of sexual violence in the life of teens - and in her own life.
Travis: And the 4th most popular episode of The Yarn in 2018 was . . .
The popular and acclaimed Witch Boy series by Molly Knox Ostertag will continue!
What do you get when you combine a Bird with a Santat? You get a cover reveal of their very first picture book together, that's what! And what the heck. We'll throw in an interview with lots of funny photos as well, just for kicks.
Dragons are cool! Today Cindy is sharing with us how you made Harry Potter inspired dragon eggs with her teens. Dragons not included.
January has always been an exciting time of year in the book world. Monday of ALA’s annual midwinter conference is dedicated to the Youth Media Awards. In addition to the many well-known honors, such as the Newbery, Caldecott, and Printz Medals, there are many other awards and selection lists that a tireless team of librarians work to compile. The work is exhaustive and exhilarating. Keeping up with the review copies and the non-stop reading is intense.
Get out your reading lists! New titles coming soon from Shaun David Hutchinson, Stacey Lee, Abdi Nazemian, Katie Henry, and so many others. Also, this batch of new books features some exceptionally awesome covers, including a girl in a hot dog suit.
Now that we're done with the award announcement delights of the 2018 season, I'd say it was high time to start thinking about something completely different. And what could be more different than cases where adult books mention children's books and children's book creators in some way? In my travels I ran across the following books. Keep your eyes peeled for them in the coming months!
The YALSA Great Graphic Novels for Teens list has a top ten.
"I say this every year, but librarians cheering is my favorite sound." Travis Jonker surveys Twitter on the biggest day of the year in children's literature.
Celebrating the 2019 ALA Youth Media Awards, along with other notable children's and young adult book awards, we've curated links to the recipients we've blogged about over the past 2 years.
Live updates from the Youth Media Awards in Seattle, where the winner of the 2019 Newbery Medal (and many other awards) will be announced. Follow the news and share reactions on Heavy Medal
MERCI SUAREZ CHANGES GEARS won the 2019 Newbery Medal! Heavy Medal readers share reactions to the Newbery results, as well as the announcements of other award winners.
Which Caldecott choice are you happiest with? Which book did the committee miss?
It's the Memento of the 1980s! Take a trip back in time with me to 1980 on the nosey. An era when children apparently eschewed backpacks for satchels and school lunches were just as elaborate as those in Bread and Jam for Frances. Don't believe me? Then you haven't taken an up close and personal deep dive into one of Kellogg's most famous stories.
How did Holmes go about illustrating the creation of the universe for THE STUFF OF STARS? It began with marbleized paper.
Teaching ideas for Merci Suárez Changes Gears by Meg Medina, winner of the 2019 Newbery Medal.
Let’s wrap it up with one more preview: Here’s a sneak peek at Scooby-Doo Team-Up #46, featuring a team-up with Black Lightning: High school principal Jefferson Pierce is used to teenagers acting like monsters—but not when they start turning into actual monsters! Even Scooby and the gang might have their hands full with an entire […]
Let’s kick back and enjoy some more comics previews! Here’s an early look at Looney Tunes #247: Marvin the Martian is poised to conquer the Earth from his orbiting UFO when a knock on the hatch announces the arrival of Charlie Dog, on his never-ending quest for a home. But Marvin already has his own […]
Ready for some Riverdale goodness? Here’s a preview of Betty & Veronica Jumbo Digest #270, featuring a taste of the new lead story and a complete classic tale. The digest goes on sale on Wednesday. Enjoy!
287 Heavy Medal readers voted. 127 of you are new Heavy Medal Readers and 160 are returning readers. Here are the results: The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge: 22 (7.7%) The Book of Boy: 24 (8.4%) The Faithful Spy: 5 (1.7%) Front Desk: 37 (12.9%) The Girl Who Drew Butterflies: 4 (1.4%) Hey, Kiddo!: 26 (9.1%) The […]
I’ve done a number of cover reveals here over the years, but today is something a bit different. Dare I say an innovation in the realm of cover reveals! Today we are revealing a cover online, just as it is being revealed in the real world in Seattle at the American Library Association Midwinter. The book […]
After two more rounds (via email and ballot forms) of voting, the 2019 Heavy Medal Award Committee finally came to consensus and picked the winning title published for children in 2018.
This week Papercutz introduces US readers to a popular Brazilian comic and Nobrow gets folksy with Russian mythology.
Readers, stay tuned. We are still in the process of our Third (and might not be the Last) Round of Balloting. As evident from yesterday’s whirlwind of comments (more than two hundred before we closed the comments for the two posts,) our 17 Heavy Medal Award Committee members are taking this task of picking a […]
This Week at TLT Penguin Random House 2019 Showcase: Books featuring coders, witches, royalty, refugees, and circus folk Feminist AF Fashions and the YA Characters That Rock Them Honoring the Heart of History, a guest post by author Roshani Chokshi Do You Know: Reflection Press & Children’s Books as a Radical Act, a Diversity Audit […]
Apocalypse Taco is a wholly new creation in more ways than one. It opens the door for more kid-friendly horror. I mean, it’s got everything! Tooth monsters. School lockers full of goo. Brigadoon. You name it!
These forthcoming books from Penguin Random House will keep you busy this spring and summer. Novels about grief, secrets, guilt, breaking free, and so much more. Get ready to add a bunch of new titles to your TBR list!
What the heck is 'Creators IRL'?". Apparently this is something Penguin created to "offer a safe space for conversations, questions, revelations, and reflections between readers and some of their favorite creators. Featuring candid discussion from some of the book community’s most beloved creators, each video will center on a particular topic and explore how that topic has influenced the creator’s life and career." Today, I'm premiering the third video in the series. Its focus? “Identity”.
DEAR ZOO: WHERE ARE THE FEMALE ANIMALS? You ever notice how in Dear Zoo, there are no female animals? This blog did. And now, for some reason, people are mad that the blog called it out??? Where’s an eye-roll emoji when you need it? (Related note: A couple weeks ago Brian Lies wrote an excellent post […]
Last night, all 17 (including myself) members of the Heavy Medal Award Committee cast our votes for the first time. And we have not yet selected a winner. Here are the guidelines to determine a winning title. A. Each member must cast three separate votes. One each for First Place, Second Place, and Third Place. B. A […]
This are the results of our second round of voting. A few more books are OFF the table: Front Desk, Just Like Jackie, The Night Diary, Poet X (This one kills me!), and Small Spaces. So, we are left with the following titles to further examine: [The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge] First x 3 Second x 1 […]
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