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On 31 Days, 31 Lists I always include a day of celebration for "bilingual books". What do I mean by that? Well, either these are books that were originally in English and were translated to another language, or they feature both English and another language in their text. Now enjoy a list of books that are pretty much entirely Spanish, with one notable exception
BOOM! Studios jumps on the graphic nonfiction bandwagon with 'Seen: True Stories of Marginalized Trailblazers,' a graphic novel series that will debut in September 2020.
Here are 5 TV shows currently on TV and how they can inspire you tween and teen programming.
Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Nominations are now open for December. In Steven’s November 14 post, he mentioned that for November, 49 Heavy Medal readers each put three titles forward. November 21 post, Roxanne tallied that 18 titles reached top contender status (4 nominations or more by 59 Heavy Medal readers). We are now calling for […]
Fortunately, I got Kate to read my favorite Remy Charlip book. Unfortunately, she had a take on it that I was not expecting. Take a deep dive into a book that defies logic repeatedly.
In 2019, these were the math books that really made me sing. Whether you're dealing with shapes or number lines, it's all on display right here.
Nothing worse than seeing your pet favorite picture book disappear into the mists of time. Of course, every once in a while they get resurrected in some form. Today we celebrate the books that crawled their way back onto bookstore and library shelves in 2019. The few. The brave. The worthy.
Every publisher that dares to bring into this world a book that either originated in another country or was illustrated by a person who is not a citizen of The United States of America knows, in their heart of hearts, that no matter how grand the book, it will never win the top award for […]
The Texas Library Association's 'Little Maverick' graphic novel list offers over 50 great titles for elementary school readers—and we've added links to reviews and previews to make the browsing even easier.
Next week, John Schumacher and I are teaming up to count down our 20 favorite books of the year. See you soon.
Six more Baby-Sitters Club books and a spinoff series are on the way.
Recently updated and expanded for the 2019 gift-giving season, here is my collection of children's literature illustrator shops on the world wide web.
The reason I celebrate rhyming picture books on lists like today's is that they have a tough road to hoe. Scansion alone sinks many a vessel. Today, we raise a glass to the books that pull it off and pull it off well. The few. The proud. The successfully rhymed.
YA Librarian Cindy Shutts walks us through another Escape Room, this one inspired by popular Netflix show and comics series The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.
The other day I had the unique pleasure of promoting some of my favorite 2019 books of the year with a room full of librarians. As in any kind of promotion, you tailor your talk to the needs and wants of your listeners. And what do librarians need at any and all times? Readalouds! Now […]
It’s time to take a look back at the year that was in children’s lit miscellanea.
Olive, the high-spirited heroine of Kayla Miller's 'Click' and 'Camp' graphic novels from HMH Books for Young Readers, will return in a third installment next year.
Time is running out to get a gift for the insufferable librarian in your life. With help from Etsy, the 2019 edition of the Librarian Lump of Coal Gift Guide has your back.
Before I discussed this book with Kate I actually Googled, "A Kiss for Little Bear weird" and found nothing. As such, let THIS be the first online article or posting to declare this book to be downright peculiar.
Remember, only some picture books truly work well when adapted to a board book format. I also like to include on this list those books that have been out-of-print for a while and have come back. Enjoy!
What better way to kick off 31 days of my favorite children's books of the year than with the most successful (I'd argue) format?
Coming off of Thanksgiving break and seeing the amount of homework the teens around me have to do, I have a plea for teachers: please don't assign homework over school breaks.
Book mail is slowing down a bit right now, but here are the titles that have shown up at my house recently. I can't wait to read the college tour-set romance!
When Kate challenged me to find a classic Thanksgiving book, she made the mistake of saying off-handedly, "Oh, it could just be about food too." Ah HAH! Food, eh? Well, we'd already done Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, so that could leave only one other famous food-related piece of children's literary history. That's right. Time to down some Green Eggs and Ham.
Today, I am happy to announce that Phoebe Wahl has an author/illustrated title on the horizon by the name of The Blue House. Touching on the subject of housing insecurity, it manages to be both homey and realistic. Ms. Wahl was kind enough to speak with me about the title, showing why it's an important contribution to today's literary landscape.
HMH launches a new graphic novel imprint, IDW plans to translate some graphic novels into Spanish, and JY reveals Svetlana Chmakova's next book.
Now THIS sound interesting. On the heels of Christian Robinson's Another, (which received five starred reviews and a New York Times Best Illustrated Award) his next solo project is waiting in the wings. Called YOU MATTER, it goes on sale on May 5, 2020. What's it about?
A brand spanking new exhibit is occurring at the Toronto Public Library. Opening tomorrow, it features the "best of the best" from the IBBY Collection for Young People with Disabilities, a multilingual reference collection located at North York Central Library, part of the Toronto Public Library system. But don't take my word for it.
86% of translations are published by small presses. What is the state of children's literature today and how should it change? David Jacobson guests with some answers.
Whether you're looking to learn a bit more yourself, searching for a new book or series to hand to a young person in your life, or hoping to do some collection development, let's dive in!
Dark Horse will publish the wordless Spanish graphic novel 'Baboon' in July 2020. Here's a first look.
A personal medical emergency and reflections on trauma informed librarianship.
Author Bree Barton shares her story (and that of her sister) of sexual assault, power, survival, and healing.
This year I went 2 for 10 in my New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Books predictions. Same as last year. Same as the year before that! Looks like I’m a 2 for 10 guy when it comes to this list. But you know what? I’m going to call it 2.5 this year, because I […]
You may have heard a bit about this documentary floating about on the winds. Today I'd like to highlight this film currently in production. It has a Kickstarter going and needs your help. With 18 days to go, it's a little more than halfway to its goal. If you can, please check it out:
Children’s Book Creators Join Forces to Provide High Quality Books Plus a Literary Celebration for REACH in Norfolk, Virginia! Los Angeles, October 10, 2019 The members of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators join forces once again as part of the organization’s annual SCBWI Books For Readers literacy initiative to collect, curate, and […]
Meet some RevolTeens who are changing the world when it comes to teens and mental health.
I'm a big time Jeff Kinney fan over here. That's why I got a teeny bit puzzled when I heard that he was getting involved with something called "Who Was? History Bee" along with some fella named *checks press release* a "Patrick Kinney". So what precisely is going on here? Some answers come in the form of an interview with the duo.
Heavy Medal readers are invited to nominate their first three titles that they consider strong contenders for the 2020 Newbery.
Karen Jensen interviews her daughter with dyslexia as part of Dyslexia Awareness Month.
This season's Heavy Medal blog will culminate with in-depth online book discussion and balloting by volunteer participants in the Heavy Medal Award Committee. The HMAC will form in December and here's a preview of how it all works.
In 2011 I traveled to Bologna in the spring to attend the largest children’s rights fair in the world. While there, I was able to meet and speak with a number of other Americans. And though my concentration has always been children’s books rather than YA, I had just the nicest conversation with Ruta Sepetys. […]
I was talking with a children’s book editor a while back and somehow we got on the topic of poop. Specifically, how there seems to be a lot of scatological humor in books published outside the U.S. Based on my anecdotal evidence, the U.S. is trying to play catch up. Below are poo-centric titles publishing […]
Today for Dyslexia Awareness Month we have an educator and parent to a child with dyslexia who talks with us about adapting assignments to help our students with dyslexia be more successful in school.
Today we take a trip over to the Netherlands. Specifically, to the expressive features and brightly colored paints of Mies Van Hout. To say that some of these images glow from their pages would not be an overstatement.
“The Classroom Bookshelf” considers the power of the poem, with lesson plans and teaching ideas for Kwame Alexander’s powerful and prodigious body of work.
We have a special guest!! It was our esteemed delight and pleasure to host international superstar, picture book creator, Hans Christian Andersen Award winner, Roger Mello in this, the latest episode of our podcast! Now it had been a while since we’d done an international picture book. We do try to make an effort to […]
Today for Dyslexia Awareness Month author Laura Rueckert is sharing her experiences raising children with dyslexia in a foreign country and why she wrote that into her upcoming YA fantasy novel.
How High the Moon, The Moon Within, Over the Moon - three highly regarded books from 2019: what are their chances at a Newbery win?
For today's Sunday Reflections and Dyslexia Awareness Month post I thought I would turn it over to a teen who has graciously agreed to share with us what it's like to be a teen with dyslexia.
Here’s a simple, three step process for confusing a kid. 1. Take a picture book. 2. Lift the jacket up until it looks like this: 3. Hand to a student and ask them to fix it. Actually, don’t do that. It’s too cruel. But if you’ve worked in a library I bet you’ve had students […]
Previously . . . I Asked Shel Silverstein About the Meaning of Life A Conversation with Shel Silverstein Hey, Shel – I know you’re busy brooding right now, but I have an idea that might perk you up. Want to get Subway for lunch? I knew that would get you excited. So what do you […]
Today, we discuss a very different kind of collaboration. One that not only involves Pulitzer Prize winner Viet Thanh Nguyen and Caldecott honoree Thi Bui, but also Viet's son Ellison and Thi's son Hien. Because when it comes to creating books, sometimes making something new is truly a family affair.
Nonfiction history books have not fared well in Newbery announcements in recent years. This year's contenders to break that streak could include a history of the first cross-country women's air race and a look at a year's worth of major events from exactly one century ago.
A list of this year's all ages comics available for Halloween Comicfest 2019.
Let's take a look at what some libraries are doing to help serve their patrons with dyslexia for Dyslexia Awareness Month.
Soon it will be November. Around these parts of the school library world, November means Mock Caldecott.
Over the years I've heard lots of adults make comments about the tawdry state of children's books today. So allow me now to address these concerns. What, I ask, makes you think children's books today don't cut it?
Today we're revealing Kristin L. Gray's upcoming middle grade novel THE AMELIA SIX. But before we get to all that, let's talk a bit to Kristin herself about the book, speedcubing, Amelia Earhart's work with Syrian immigrants, and the difficulty level of writing middle grade mysteries (of which we never have enough).
The members of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators join forces once again as part of the organization’s 3rd Annual SCBWI Books For Readers book drive and literacy event to collect, curate, and donate new books created by its members to one of its two 2019 recipients: the Madison Reading Project in Madison, WI. (The other is REACH in Portsmouth, […]
An upcoming series described as "Toy Story" meets "Lord of the Flies"? All right. Color me intrigued. I talk with Daniel Kraus about his intriguing new series.
Jess joins us to talk about how anxiety and depression robbed her of her desire to read and how she found her way back to books.
Caldecott Honor winner Brendan Wenzel’s new picture book, like his previous two, invites readers to slow down and ponder the world from new angles. Teaching ideas and resources for further exploration from "The Classroom Bookshelf."
Your greatest abecedarian wishes are about to come true. The Grolier Club of NYC is hosting a free exhibit of a personal collection of alphabet books through the centuries. There are even free lunchtime tours! Here are the details.
Mordicai Gerstein passed away on September 24th. We have a bunch of his books in our library, and his Caldecott Medal-winning The Man Who Walked Between the Towers is one that I return to again and again for storytime. I met him at an event in Grand Rapids, Michigan in 2008. He was kind and […]
Current events may leave you and your middle grade students with questions. Perhaps our entry on teaching with the 2018 Orbis Pictus Honor Book Fault Lines in the Constitution: The Framers, Their Fights, and the Flaws That Affect Us Today can help.
This here is a time sensitive blog post for people with some cash to spare. Every year The Eric Carle Museum holds a children’s illustrator art auction in connection with the Carle Honors awards banquet. As I learned from Grace Lin on Twitter, the awards are tonight, which means the auction will be closing soon. […]
Last year I posted a piece on his Swiss foundation, Les Maîtres de l’Imaginaire. It only made sense to check in with the man a year later to get a new perspective on how things have changed and progressed. For those of you with an eye to international imports, consider this your morning reading.
The independent and award-winning children’s media studio, Literary Safari, will launch The Story Seeds™ Podcast this fall, matching children ages 7-12 with best-selling, diverse authors who grow original stories inspired by kids’ story ideas.
Today as part of our week dedicated to Broadway musicals, teen librarian Maisie shares with us a list of read-alikes for the hit musical Hamilton.
The official Newbery Terms and Criteria describe the elements that must be considered when selecting the "most distinguished book" of the year. Here's a look at some key element that are in the Criteria...and some that are not.
A Take 5 list of books involving tweens and teens involved in musical theater
Travis: It’s part two of our series on debut author Alicia D. Williams. In this episode, Alicia couldn’t sleep and turns on the mic at 3 a.m. to talk about her publishing hopes and fears. We hope you enjoy this episode. Subscribe to catch every episode: iTunes Spotify StitcherFacebookTwittergoogle_plusShare
Dav Pilkey is very open about his childhood struggles with ADHD and dyslexia and this is why it matters.
The Secret Mountain Announces Fall Picture Books with Audio,
Including Ana Gerhard’s Little Creatures: An Introduction to Classical Music in September
The two most recent editions of FROM THE DESK OF 100 SCOPE NOTES are out in the world. In August, I shared a bunch of drawings and writing from my sketchbook and notebook. This month, I share some of my favorite quotes about writing and creativity. Click here to sign up for FROM THE DESK […]
Elisha Cooper came to my library with an offer. How would we like beautiful, handmade signs for the different sections of the library that also happened to be Evanston-themed? We unpack the results of this generous gift.
The finalists for the 2019 Kirkus Prize have been announced.
This Week at TLT New books alert: Cults, activism, a magical bookshop, deadly assassins, a rom-com, and more! Book Review: Guts by Raina Telgemeier Cindy Crushes Programming: Floral Fairy Crowns Book Review: The Stars and the Blackness Between Them by Junauda Petrus Crafting Community: Instax Locker Decorating Around the Web SPOOOOOOKY: 25 OF THE BEST […]
You want something high class and snazzy? You know who to turn to. Today I sit down (virtually) with Marilyn Singer and I pull no punches, people! Good thing I really like today's book.
Here's a new idea. Let's see what you think of it. We're all familiar with "blog tours" at the moment. Heck, I'm hosting one today. The "blogger blitz" is a little different. Essentially, a publisher takes a high quality author (say, one Remy Lai of the magnificent 2019 release Pie in the Sky) then, instead of releasing their new cover on a single site, does so across the internet on a plethora of them. Today, I am one of a hoard.
Do you hear that grinding and clanking of gears? That's the ALA YMA prediction machines getting ready to blast us with the full force of their knowledge and expertise. Here then, are thoughts on the Newbery/Caldecott announcements coming this January. Whee!
Treat your students to humorous twists on familiar characters and beloved series books, with lesson ideas for the latest in Mo Willems's Pigeon series and Dan Santat's Harold & Hog Pretend for Real!
We are so excited to be able to offer even more perspectives this year here at Heavy Medal! Annisha, welcome welcome welcome! Roxanne: Now that we’ve had been reading the many reader suggestions (more than 60 titles!), perhaps we could each pick 2 or 3 that we would love to see advance far in the […]
Is there any physical object out there that carries quite as much weight and symbolism as a wall? It's gotten me to thinking about how walls are being portrayed in children's books in 2019. Here then is a quick encapsulation of some of the walls I've seen, what they're trying to say, what they're actually saying, and what they should be saying.
Here's a round up of some DIY inspired YouTube channels that can help inspire innovative and engaging tween and teen programming ideas.
Here’s how it usually goes when I try to predict the 10 titles that will be named New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s books. I begin with maybe one or two books that seem likely. Then I survey the landscape and realize there are a ton of books that could end up on the list. […]
For 25 years, Mexicans and Americans have celebrated "La Posada Sin Fronteras" (Inn without Borders) in Friendship Park. This is a Christmas tradition, which means that Mitali Perkin's newest book, BETWEEN US AND ABUELA, is a different kind of Christmas story. I find out why she chose to write it.
What happens when you discover your whole life has been a lie and that you were raised in a cult? The Liar's Daughter is a compassionate and engaging exploration of the psychological trauma of being raised in a cult.
"Nobody wants your bunny snot cake, buddy." In this episode Kate decides to take the Wolf at his word and, as you might expect, we find some holes in his defense. This guy would never be able to hold it together if my sister cross-examined him on the stand. As you might imagine, we have a lot of fun with this one.
My name is Annisha Jeffries and I am the Youth Services Manager at the Cleveland Public Library. Since this is my first blog post, I wanted to introduce myself. I have worked at the Cleveland Public Library for over 23 years, I currently chair the Norman A. Sugarman Children’s Biography Award, which is given biennially […]
I usually keep news about the The Yarn over on The Yarn blog, but when you hit the 100 episode mark, it must be shared everywhere. So how do Colby and I make the 100th episode special? How about a podcast all about what goes on behind the scenes of the podcast? We spill the […]
Invite students to interact with three recent books in innovative ways to spark joy and encourage play.
I believe I've noticed a significant uptick in translations recently. To what do I owe this marked increase? Whatever the case, I like what I'm seeing. I particularly like what I'm seeing on today's list of titles so sit back and enjoy some international fare that's truly worth locating.
My reading has been a bit morbid this summer. I finally finished the adaptation of Anne Frank’s Diary. I’ve read 2 accounts of the Japanese Internment. I’m in middle of a story about Nazi Saboteurs and to round it all out, I picked up another graphic novel about the Holocaust.
Splatter painting is all the rage. Today Cindy Shutts walks us through a splatter painting tutorial.
I can't just do a cover reveal of a title without getting the lowdown on the book in question. So I shot some questions in Anne Nesbet's general direction and she was happy enough to oblige me with answers.
A British book just snuck into the pack. When I picked it up from the library for Kate to read, I was positive that what we had on our hands was an American title through and through. Not as such. This book is not without its controversial elements, but in my own personal library the only edition available was the reprinted 2015 edition. And, as you will see, that is probably for the best.
As you’ll recall from PART I: Establishing A Teen Creative Writing Workshop, I’ve outlined a proven method to establish a committed circle of enthusiastic regulars, including “The Secret Workshop Ingredient That Changes Lives.” Teens need a safe place to discover, cultivate, and share their emerging voices. Creating a Teen Writers Workshop at your library allows […]
Everything I've learned about advocating for my children I've learned being a teen librarian
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