Kids Lit
Books and More for Children and Teens

The Baltimore Museum of Art: Education: Matisse for Kids

I love finding amazing sites that can be used with children. Matisse for Kids is one of those sites. Raoudi, Matisse's pet schnauzer, leads kids through the paintings and kids earn props and items to use in creating their own Matisse artwork.

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Lipsyte Novel Yanked from Library Shelves

This brief news blurb from SLJ says that the public library in Ansonia, CT has pulled One Fat Summer by Robert Lipsyte from their special summer reading section.

"The objection focuses on a paragraph describing the masturbation fantasy of a teenage boy. School officials asked the library to remove the book from shelves that include titles for students who will attend middle school in the coming school year. Janet Fitol, a children’s librarian at Ansonia, says that while all but one of the copies of the book are currently checked out, the remaining copy was pulled. The book will remain in circulation on the regular shelves."

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MNSUN - News

This is a fascinating article on kindergarten readiness of Minnesota children. Their study shows that a certain percentage of children are simply not ready for Kindergarten. These children are three times more likely to come from lower income homes. I think that this calls for children's librarians to focus more on basic literacy in our storytimes and to reach out to do more programs with Headstart and other care settings.

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Cherie Bennett

Home page for the popular YA author, Cherie Bennett. She has written one of my faves Life in the Fat Lane as well as a new novel, A Heart Divided.

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ALA | ALA provides free access to K-12 Information Literacy Standards

ALA is providing free online access to the K-12 Information Literacy Standards for Student Learning. School librarians will find it easily accessible via pdf format.

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The Hayao Miyazaki Web // Nausicaa.net

Cool fan site filled with news about this creator of films and manga like Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind and My Neighbor Totoro.

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carolyn mackler

Official site for this author of YA novels, including the Printz Honor Book, The Earth, My Butt and Other Big Round Things. She has a new book out now, Vegan Virgin Valentine.

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Middle Grades Book Club

A brand new livejournal that focuses on middle-grade readers and books.

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I had never known that Jane Yolen has an online Journal. She writes about her writing and how her life ties in with her art.

Via ACHOCKABLOG.

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Lerner Publishing acquires assets of Millbrook Press

Lerner paid 3.4 million for the assets of the bankrupt Millbrook Press, a publisher that specializes in nonfiction for grades 7 and up.

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GirlWise - Books That Empower by Julia DeVillers

Very cool website from the author of How My Private, Personal Journal Became a Bestseller.

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Jane Buchanan

Website for the author of the forthcoming Goodbye Charley, a children's book set in the 1940s.

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Julie Anne Peters' Official Website

This site offers information on her background, reviews and awards, speaking engagements, letters from readers, interviews, and recommended links.

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CBCA Book of the Year Awards - Winners 2004

The Children's Book Council of Australia has announced the 2004 winners of the Children's Book of the Year Award. The older reader winner is Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta. The winner for younger readers is Dragonkeeper by Carole Wilkinson. Early Childhood category was won by Grandpa and Thomas by Pamela Allen. The picture book winner is Cat and Fish by Neil Curtis and Joan Grant. And finally, the information book winner is Animal Architects by John Nicholson.

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Inside Out by Terry Trueman (0-06-623963-X)

This is another remarkable teen novel by Trueman. Zach is a teen with schizophrenia who is caught in a hold-up situation in a store. Zach is unable to clearly distinguish between reality and his own delusions, making the situation all the more unstable for everyone involved. The book is filled with tension from beginning to end.

Recommend this one to reluctant readers as well as kids who enjoy books. It is a fascinating glimpse into the harrowing world of mental illness.

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New teen magazine hopes to create new niche

A new magazine for girls that features room makeovers and crafts. The focus is on wholesome rather than tawdry.

justine magazine

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I read two great kids books while on vacation. Both wonderful, each very different from the other.

The Crow-Girl by Bodil Bredsdorff is the evocative story of a girl who lives with her grandmother on a cove in Denmark until her grandmother dies. Before dying the grandmother gives her three pieces of advice that will lead her through her upcoming journey. On the journey, she follows two crows who speak to her. The book is magical, lyrical, and speaks to the great good that can be done by people. It is a quiet book that draws the reader in slowly and lovingly. This is one of my favorite reads of the year.

Grim Tuesday is the second book in Garth Nix's Keys to the Kingdom series. It is just as wild an adventure as the first book in the series. I would recommend this series to lovers of fantasy, especially those who enjoy a strange sense of humor. The series is a rollicking good time.

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Bill Martin Jr., best-selling author of children's books

Bill Martin Jr, author of some of the most popular children's picture books of all time, has passed away. He was 88.

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Wired News: Copyright Crusaders Hit Schools

ALA steps in to provide more balanced coverage about fair use and copyright issues than that offered free to schools by groups like Business Software Alliance which tend to provide one-sided information and even mislead about the extent of copyright protection.

My favorite quote from the article:

"We want to teach children to be thinking human beings," said Melinda Anderson, a spokeswoman for the NEA. "Not a parrot for some corporate agenda."

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I am away on vacation with my family for the next week. Expect my next posting to be Monday, August 16th at the earliest.

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Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko (0-399-23861-1)

This is a gem of a novel for preteens and teens. Moose's family moves to Alcatraz so that his sister can attend a special school. Unfortunately, his sister doesn't get into the school, his father is working long hours, and his mother is gone more and more, leaving Moose to take care of his sister.

The unique setting of Alcatraz is more than just a backdrop, it is an integral part of the story that is brought vividly to life. Readers immediately enjoy Moose as a character, willing to follow along as he makes mistakes and finds solutions. The other children on the island are complete characters too.

Recommend this one to both boys and girls. It is charming and a fun read.

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Patricia Polacco

Official site for this prolific author of picture books for slightly older kids. I really enjoyed one of her more recent books, The Graves Family, with its message of acceptance cloaked in the kid-friendly setting of a haunted house.

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Boston.com / Stopping the summer slide in children's reading skills

A nice article on the power of summer reading for children.

"Why did some children read better than others? ''It's Mom and Dad reading to kids and encouraging them to read during the summer and finding books that they're interested in," Kramer said. ''Some kids don't touch a book all summer and those are the kids that keep me employed as a remedial reading teacher.""

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Wishing Moon by Michael O. Tunnell (0-525-47193-6)

Aminah, a starving orphan, lives on the streets of an Arabian city. She seeks out the aid of the Princess but is chased away when the Princess throws a golden lamp at her head. When Aminah polishes the lamp, she discovers that a jinni lives inside it, after all the Princess is married to Aladdin. So the story of Aladdin's lamp continues, but instead of greed Aminah uses the lamp to do good. But will this generosity be her undoing?

This is a wonderful tale set in a vividly rendered city with equally well-written characters from the sarcastic jinni to the good Aminah. Aminah is a strong female protagonist who struggles with real moral issues. Recommend this one to girls who enjoy fantasy.

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Lynne Reid Banks turned 75 this weekend! Congratulations! And Happy Birthday!

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Monterey County Herald | Pry the kids away from TV

A great list of recommendations for what kids can do instead of watching TV. Best of all, both reading books and going to the library made the list!

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