Children’s publishing legend Neal Porter (he of Neal Porter Books at Roaring Brook Press) took part in a fascinating interview with children’s lit historian Leonard S. Marcus for Horn Book. Their back and forth about the state of the picture book was the best thing I read all week. Click here to read.

Nothing gets the gears turning like some excellent out-of-context artwork from an illustrator’s studio. When it’s Sick Day for Amos McGee pair Philip and Erin Stead, all the better. I loved this recent post on Philip Stead’s blog showing some work in progress. Where is that blue horse going? Click here to read. And there’s another recent behind the scenes post here.

NerdCamp, the unconference that took Michigan by storm last summer, is back for 2014. They have a great logo. They have a great mission. I’m going. You should too. Click here for details.

The Spring Kids’ Indie Next List has been released – this is always a good source for upcoming books worth checking out. Click here to see the list at Waking Brain Cells.

I never even considered the fact that page numbers didn’t always exist until I read this post at Book Patrol about the first book to use them. Click here to read.

There’s been a lot of talk about this post by Marc Aronson discussing the gender balance in librarianship. The more you know. Click here to read.

To be the children’s book editor at the New York Times? Teen Reads talked to Sarah Harrison Smith about her job. Click here to read.

The Misadventures of Sweetie Pie by Chris Van Allsburg. In stores November 4, 2014

The master is back with a book about a hamster who wants to break free. The first thing that struck me was the color – after a string of monochromatic titles (Queen of the Falls, Probuditi!, Zathura), this might be Allsburg’s most colorful book in 20 years. I can’t wait to read it.

A short and sweet post by Horn Book editor Roger Sutton on a cover trend that might be on the rise. Click here to read.

Author Cynthia Lord gets in on the book spine poem action!

What’s better than a Dr. Seuss bio? A Dr. Seuss bio that features Nine Kids of Pie blogger and children’s lit professor Phil Nel. The doctor’s life in four minutes.