Authors & Illustrators

Should babies be exposed to apps? Rachel Payne responds to a comment on her "Are Learning Apps Good for Babies?" piece. Is removing a book from a required reading list a form of censorship? One reader questions the inclusion of Sherman Alexie'sThe Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian on a sixth-grade reading list.

P.S. Be Eleven, Rita Williams-Garcia’s sequel to her Coretta Scott King award-winning One Crazy Summer, offers offering insight into the African-American experience of the 1960s as seen through a young girl’s eyes. Sisi Aisha Johnson’s narration of the audiobook is spot-on. Check out the starred review.

Librarians and book lovers of all ages this week are celebrating the Halloween season by recommending and giving away scary books as part of the All Hallows Read campaign. The brainchild of author Neil Gaiman, the annual campaign is marking its fourth year.

The New York Times Book Review announced its annual 10 Best Illustrated Children’s Books today, October 30. The selections include Maurice Sendak’s last children’s work and stellar offerings from Brian Floca, Kadir Nelson, and Fanny Brit.

This fall, HarperCollins will mark the 50th anniversary of the death of C. S. Lewis with a worldwide campaign that celebrates his legacy. Kicking off the commemoration is the redesign of both www.cslewis.com and www.narnia.com, and their expansion to offer C.S. Lewis ebooks.

It's coming up aces for Jeff Kinney this year, and the future is looking brighter—and busier—than ever. SLJ caught up with the author ahead of the November release of Hard Luck, the eighth novel in his bestselling and award-winning “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” series, to chat about the book, his creative process, and his latest projects.

New York City helped celebrate the 50th anniversary of Leroy Brown, boy detective, by proclaiming October 26 “Encyclopedia Brown Day” and hosting a reception at the New York Public Library. The character was the creation of the late Donald Sobol, who wrote the first book in 1963. The series went on to become a staple in classrooms and children’s libraries.

The Society of Illustrators gathered last week in New York to showcase the work of 125 artists at “The Original Art,” its annual juried exhibition of original children’s book illustrations. Artists, designers, authors, and publishers alike were in attendance to toast the top award-winners—Jennifer Yerkes, Jon Klassen, and Simona Mulazzani—and to honor the careers of David Macaulay and the late Barbara Cooney.

Eoin Colfer and Gordon Korman lead the pack this fall with first books in new series. From magic to hypnotism and fantastical creatures to pirates, these novels selected by the editors at Junior Library Guild will have middle grade readers anticipating their next installments.