Man, two months into the new year and we already have five books that have received five starred reviews each? Can you name one? Click here for the whole list.

The Cooperative Children’s Book Center (CCBC) has been keeping track of the number of books by and about people of color for years (30, to be exact). They recently published their 2014 data and there’s reason to be encouraged – if the trend continues. Click here to learn more.

The Children’s Book Council recently named the finalists for the Children’s Choice Book Awards. Click here to see the books that kids will be voting for beginning March 17.

The Trouble in Me by Jack Gantos. Out September 1, 2015

Called a “bridge between the Norvelt novels and his Printz Honor–winning YA memoir, Hole in My Life“, Gantos again puts a version of himself in the book, mixing fact with fiction. The only question for me is to read it, or wait for the sure-to-be-gold audiobook read by the author.

One of my favorite parts of the post-YMA return to earth has been learning more about Kwame Alexander. The guy’s written like five Facebook posts in the last couple of weeks that have made me laugh, cry, and just generally feel happy for him. Our recent Newbery winner spoke at the Children’s Book Guild of Washington D.C., and Laura Gehl was there to share.

One of those other little secrets I’ve been keeping: Universal options THE PRINCESS IN BLACK! @haleshannon @halespawn http://t.co/MfDf447Jwe

— Barry Goldblatt (@barrygoldblatt) February 18, 2015

I didn’t see this coming, but it makes a lot of sense to me. The Princess in Black, a book that I loved so much I drew it…

…might just end up in a theater near you.

Over at Eerdlings (the Eerdmans Books for Young Readers blog) they posted great videos of Melissa Sweet and Jen Bryant (they of the recent Caldecott Honor winning The Right Word) taking questions from kids. If you’ve read the book, you’ll probably dig this behind the scenes look.