In a project inspired by a late-night talk show segment, author Marc Tyler Nobleman encouraged his kid lit and YA lit colleagues to record videos of themselves reading aloud their books' most critical or absurd reviews. Here’s what they had to say about it.
Some weeks can go by without a single solitary interesting video in sight. Other weeks, you drown in brilliance. This week inclines far more towards the latter than the former. I could not lead off today with anything other than the latest bit of Bookie Woogie brilliance. You keened to their 90-second rendition of Where [...]
Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein Disney Hyperion, September 2013 Reviewed from an ARC Last year, we had a lot of great conversation about Elizabeth Wein’s Code Name Verity, which ended up with a silver medal. This year, we have its companion title, Rose Under Fire. With two starred reviews, will this title go the [...]
Betty Ren Wright Frederiksen, award-winning author of numerous ghost stories and mysteries for children, died in Racine, WI, on December 31, 2013. She was 86.
Today, I’m talking about two books that are in my personal top 10 of the year. And both revolve around death and love, two primal, powerful pieces of life. And they’re both fantastic. Other than that, they’re really different, and I suspect neither of them has much chance at a Printz nod, which is sort [...]
The opening post kicks off SLJ's Battle of the Kids' Books, the sixth edition of the annual event, a competition among 16 of the best children's books of the year, judged by some of the biggest authors in the industry.
Picture Me Gone, Meg Rosoff Putnam Juvenile, October 2013 Reviewed from ARC Picture Me Gone. It’s earned five stars. It’s on three 2013 best lists*, and it was a National Book Award finalist. What am I missing? I’ve read it twice now and my reaction is still just, “meh.” There are no glaringly obvious flaws, [...]
It was "lights, camera, action!" at the Smoky Hill Library, part of the Arapahoe Library District (ALD) in Colorado, where the Teen Advisory Board has created their fourth annual book trailer. This year's endeavor brought Rick Riordan's The Lost Hero to the small screen.
Wednesday, January 15th, 2014, 1:00PM - 2:00 PM ET We are very excited to invite you to join us for a live webcast as we talk with the finalists for the 2014 YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Award; hear a bit about the research, writing, and design of these marvelous books; and learn about what goes into making the best nonfiction titles accessible and engaging to today’s teens. Don’t miss out on this exclusive event!
Archive is now available!