Kids Lit
Books and More for Children and Teens

The Book Standard has an interesting article: Picture Books Fight Back: What the Publishing Industry Is Doing To Reinvigorate Illustrated Books about what is happening with picture books in book stores and publishing houses. I read with dismay that one of the tactics being looked at is more glitter and flaps. Those books are ok in their own way, but give me a solidly written and illustrated book and it can more than match the joy of a sparkly pink flap. I want a book that I can turn to time and again with my children and in my storytimes without fail. It takes a lot more than a sprinkling of fairy dust to get that. It takes talent.

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The Guardian Children's Fiction Prize has announced their longlist:

Clay by David Almond (I really like the British cover much better!)
Framed by Frank Cottrell Boyce
Blown Away by Patrick Cave
A Swift Pure Cry by Siobhan Dowd
Fly By Night by Frances Hardinge
The Worst Witch Saves the Day by Jill Murphy
A Darkling Plain by Philip Reeve
The Survival Game by Tim Wynne-Jones

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Thank goodness for great niche blogs like Children's Music that Rocks, a blog all about music for children. I freely admit that I know almost nothing about children's music, especially not the kind that really rocks. This is a great blog for librarians to know about for collection development and for recommendations for music that parents can actually stand to listen to with their children.

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Dr. Frank's What's-it is Frank Portman's blog. Portman is author of the very hot King Dork, which is on my list to read. His blog is witty and great fun and filled with pictures of all types of people reading King Dork.

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Pat Mora's website is a bright, sunny place filled with information on her many books, news and herself.  I enjoy that the information on each book is accompanied by reviews as well as a synopsis.  Very handy. 

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I don't usually link to for-profit sites, but ArtCards is of special interest.  It is an online greeting card shop that specializes in cards with images by famous Australian children's book illustrators! 

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Among Amid While is the blog of award-winning science fiction author, Margo Lanagan. I enjoy writer's blogs that allow readers to see how the business of writing works: both the publishing and the process.

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Just Teenie by Susan Meddaugh.

Meddaugh writes books filled with whimsy and magical happenings and this book certainly delivers.  Teenie is a very small little girl who is sick of being the smallest one.  When she sees a fortune teller's booth, she asks to grow.  The fortune teller hands her a box with a plant inside of it.  The plant grows and grows and eventually starts reaching down and taking things from people.  When someone tries to cut down the tree, the tree grabs Teenie and carries her high up in its branches.  Everyone is very scared, but Teenie loves living high in the tree.  When cool weather comes, the plant droops and falls to pieces.  But even at the end, there is hope for next year.

This is a great read-aloud story with exactly the right amount of text on each page to share with preschoolers and kindergarteners.  The illustrations are vibrant, especially once the plant is in full bloom.  It is a magical tale combined with a normal wish that children have, to grow.  This one is a winner!

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Froggy Rides a Bike by Jonathan London, illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz.

Another installment in the beloved Froggy series, this book focuses on Froggy learning to ride his brand new bike.  The book starts with a dream sequence which may confuse some children, but soon after that they will be enjoying Froggy's escapades as he falls and has to keep on trying.  The book is filled with London's signature sound effects as well as the frog parents bellowing after FRROOGGYY!  Another winner in a great series that children adore.

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Centro Barahona // Barahona Center is part of California State University San Marcos. It is a center for the study of books in Spanish for children and teens. If you click on the logo, you will find lists of recommended books in Spanish and also books in English about Latinos.

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The Magic of Books is a children's book blog that reviews books for children from birth through 6th grade. The author is an elementary school librarian.

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What Do Wheels Do All Day? by April Jones Prince, illustrated by Giles Laroche. 

This is a great nonfiction book for children, covering the many ways that we use wheels in our lives.  The text is very brief and has an unintrusive rhyme pattern that keeps the book moving along.  It is the illustrations that make this book so special.  Laroche uses paper relief art to create illustrations with depth and motion.  This book will start up conversations with children about what other types of wheels they can think of and how they are used.  And what could be better than a nonfiction book that gets kids thinking all on their own?  This book is great for school units but will also be picked up by children interested in vehicles of all types.  The text and pictures are more than appealing enough for this to also be added to any vehicle storytime.

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Who Likes the Wind by Etta Kaner, illustrated by Marie Lafrance.

Open the flaps of this book to discover the facts about the wind.  The book covers scientific information from why the wind blows to how it cools your skin to how it moves a pinwheel.  The illustrations are warm colored and breezy, while the open flaps cover the science material clearly and concisely.  Perfect for units on the weather, it is also a great book for libraries to have for young weather watchers. 

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Yahoo News carried an interesting article about the sudden growth of family book clubs: Kids, adults join forces for reading, sharing. The article covers parent/child bookclubs run by bookstores, libraries and individuals. Some parents are even joining bookclubs for prereaders. The article says that reading is now cool. Golly, I always thought it was.

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Skybreaker and Caramba win the 2006 Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book Awards. Skybreaker by Kenneth Oppel is the sequel to Airborn. Caramba by Marie-Louise Gay is an interesting book about flying cats.

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Chuck's Truck by Peggy Perry Anderson.

Perfect for toddler and preschool storytimes, this title combines two beloved subjects:  farm animals and trucks.  Chuck, a farmer, has an old beat-up truck.  By the time all of the animals decide they want to come along to town, the truck has broken down.  After the truck is towed back to the farm, the animals take care of the situation by calling in a mechanic.  Then they surprise Chuck with a shiny new truck.  The illustrations are deeply colored and very child friendly.  With its limited text but clear story, this is a perfect choice for storytimes for the very small.

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My Cat, the Silliest Cat in the World by Gilles Bachelet.

This is a purely silly book featuring a cat that looks a lot like an elephant.  He acts like any other cat, playing with string, sleeping in a cat bed, and using a litter box, but there are some silly things that this cat does.  He washes himself with toilet water, is scared of mice, and doesn't land on his feet when he falls.  The illustrations in the book are priceless.  I was laughing as much as my preschooler as we read the book.  It is the perfect silly book to share with any class or group of preschoolers.  I have always had the kids I read to ask for a funny book, and this would be more than silly enough! 

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CBC Magazine from The Children's Book Council offers great items for anyone interested in children's lit.  You can get ideas for programming, find out about hot authors, read in-depth articles about issues in children's lit, and much more.

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Blog from the Windowsill is the blog from the long-time web author of Notes from the Windowsill which is an online newsletter of children's books enjoyed by adults. Both sites are definitely worth a visit.

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Hope you weren't holding your breath, because the Second Narnia movie is postponed until summer 2008. I admit that when I finally saw the first in the series, I was pleasantly surprised. OK, so as the softy I am, I teared up when Aslan appeared. I'm such an easy touch. :)

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propernoun.net is a children's literature blog that offers reviews of all sorts of books from children's titles to teen and adult. It is written by Mindy, a librarian working in St. Paul, Minnesota.

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Little Sap and Monsieur Rodin by Michelle Lord, illustrated by Felicia Hoshino.

Little Sap is a poor girl in Cambodia who gets the chance to audition for the royal dance troupe.  Though she worries about her dark skin from the sun and dirty fingernails, she is chosen to be part of the troupe.  Little Sap spends years learning to dance.  Then the princess gives word that the troupe will be traveling to France to perform.  They travel on a large ship from Cambodia to France where they perform on a large stage.  In the audience is the French artist, Auguste Rodin.  He asks some of the children to pose for him.  Little Sap quickly becomes a favorite subject of his sketches. 

The author Lord has mixed history with some fiction to create this story.  At the end of the story she explains what parts are true and what she had to guess at.  The story is very readable and appealing.  The illustrations are deep colored and evocative. Children who are interested in dance will enjoy reading about the hard work and dedication it takes.  But even better, this is one of those books that give children a window into another culture and a heroine to identify with there. 

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But Excuse Me, That Is My Book by Lauren Child.

I have always been charmed by Charlie and Lola, but this book goes right after my librarian heart.  Lola has a favorite book, Beetles, Bugs, and Butterflies, that she checks out from the public library every time she visits.  For her it is not only the best book in the world, it is the only book.  But this time, when she gets to the library, the book is not on the shelf!  What oh what is a little girl to do?  Well, Charlie steps in and does the perfect readers advisory interview to find her a replacement book.  Lovely stuff that will warm the heart of even the most serious reference librarian.  Oh, and kids will enjoy it too. It immediately got the children I shared it with talking about what their all-time favorite books are.

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Summer Is Summer by Phillis and David Gershator, illustrated by Sophie Blackall.

I really enjoyed several things about this book.  First the illustrations capture summer for me.  They are filled not with hot colors, but with blue skies, bright green grass, flowers and friends.  Second, the rhythm to the text is wonderful.  The refrain of "Summer is summer is summer" is repeated and that phrasing is repeated using other nouns.  It creates a structure to the book that allows the reader to just drift along with it. 

This is a perfect book to share on the final day of preschool when children are just waiting for that first official day of their summer to begin. 

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I am pleased to announce that I have been selected to be the next director of the Menasha Public Library in Menasha, WI. I start in Menasha in late June.

I'm saddened that I will finally be leaving the world of children's librarianship behind. It has been 15 years of wonderful times with kids of all ages. But, I will continue this blog, hopefully with some new faces on Menasha's staff joining in as well. What would I read if I didn't read children's books? Adult books? Oh dear! So expect new voices joining in here and my voice continuing on. I will still be working on behalf of the children of the community I serve, just a little bit more distantly.

Here is the article in the Appleton Post Crescent announcing my hiring. I am flattered by all of the wonderful things people in Menasha are saying and hopeful that I can live up to it all.

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Science in Kids' Books is an interesting site that looks at children's books about space as well as children's science fiction for scientific accuracy. I find the subject of the nonfiction books very interesting. We should be concerned as librarians that the science nonfiction we are offering children is very accurate. As for science fiction, that is less of a concern for me, but it is interesting to see which books get it right and which miss the mark.

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Booklist Online is a premium service that now offers a free trial subscription.  It has a very nice section on children's books where much of the content is free.  You will find a book of the day, noteworthy articles, read-alikes, and genre top-ten lists.

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Max's ABC by Rosemary Wells.

The beloved bunny siblings Max and Ruby return in an alphabet book.  Nicely, the book can be read as an alphabet book or simply as a story.  Max's ants escape from their ant farm and climb up on him to get his cake.  When Max tries to get them off him by pouring juice on himself, Ruby has to come to the rescue.  The story is silly and filled with the simple fun you expect in a Max and Ruby book.  This one is a gem worth sharing on that first day of an alphabet unit. 

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No more naps in kindergarten is an interesting article on how kindergarten curriculum has changed in recent years. It is far more academic now, and preschool is seen as the entry-level class where children learn socialization. Kindergarten is now where children learn to read, learn to do math, and start writing.

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The Library of Congress has Webcasts that focus on poetry and literature. Some of the featured authors are children's book authors! They include Mary Pope Osborne, Neil Gaiman, R. L. Stine, Meg Cabot, Sharon Creech, Patricia Reilly Giff, Walter Dean Myers, Pat Mora, Jack Gantos, and Jerry Pinkney. Hours and hours of webcast pleasure for you to enjoy!

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Mama Lisa's House of Nursery Rhymes offers illustrated nursery rhymes from the more popular ones that everyone knows to more obscure ones that are fun to read through.  You can also read her blog that offers commentary on languages and cultures with emphasis on children's songs and traditions. 

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PaperTigers.org has added a couple of articles to celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.  The articles offer list of favorite Asian Pacific American picture books and a reading list of Asian American literature for children and teens. 

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The West Bloomfield Township Public Library has a fantastic online resource that encourages parents to create an environment for their children that will get them reading.  They have ideas for babies through first grade.  The tips they give are easily achieved and very important.  This is quite simply an inspiring site.

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School Library Journal has an interesting article about how to deal with award winners like Criss Cross that bridge the levels between library collections for teens and children.  What do you do in your library?  Do you buy two copies and place them in both sections?  If not, how do you decide where to place them?

In our tiny library, we don't have enough money to purchase two copies, so we place them as best we can, often agonizing over the choice.  We currently have Criss Cross in the children's department, though I have wondered over the months if it is the best place for it.  It seems to be circulating well, or I would definitely have moved it to the teen area.  I think it is most troubling when teens would enjoy the sophistication of some of the titles more than younger children, yet the book has been marketed to children.  That is when reader's advisory comes in, though teens may refuse books you pull from the children's section even with a lot of pushing. 

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My Father's Shop by Satomi Ichikawa

Young Mustafa helps his father in his Moroccan rug shop.  His father wishes that he would pay attention and learn to speak in different languages to their customers, but Mustafa thinks it is boring.  When he sneaks out of lessons with a torn rug over his head, he discovers that learning languages can be a lot of fun. 

I really enjoyed this book.  The illustrations are vibrant, from the colorful rugs to the many different people Mustafa encounters in the market.  The text is just long enough to work in a storytime for preschoolers who will also have fun learning how to crow like a rooster in different languages just like Mustafa.  It is a great way to share multicultural awareness with children, letting them see just like Mustafa did that all these cultures are what make up the rug of life.

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Yahoo News has an article: Mo Willems draws on the funny side of failure. It is a sweet and funny article on Willems, author of Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus and Knuffle Bunny, two of my all-time favorite children's books. Willems captures exactly what children love, pure fun and humor with an ironic twist. They are books that beg to be read again and again and books that simply MUST be shared aloud.

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The Wisconsin State Journal has a warm and appreciative article on Kevin Henkes and his marvelous new book, Lily's Big Day. I am a real Henkes fan from his wonderful mouse characters to Olive's Ocean. He has a remarkable talent and from what I read here in this article and see in his books a real affinity for children.

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Sweet Thang by Allison Whittenberg.

Set in the seventies, this book features a loving black family and a strong black female protagonist.  Charmaine is a smart girl who is going through puberty.  She worries about the way she looks, longs after the handsome Demetrius, and hates having to look after her little cousin, Tracy John, after school.  Charmaine is under some pressure.  She has to deal with girls with lighter skin calling her names, Demetrius gives her attention in exchange for Charmaine doing his homework, and Tracy John simply will not listen.  Throughout the book, readers will understand Charmaine while still seeing the point of view of her larger family, which is quite an accomplishment.  The book is warm and inviting.  Reading it is like visiting family again no matter what color your skin is.  This is a lovely book that almost all middle school girls will enjoy. 

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On Top of Spaghetti by Paul Brett Johnson.

This is great fun.  The book is based on the class song, but Johnson has created an original story to complement it.  Yodeler Jones owns a Spaghetti Emporium that is successful until a Fried Fritter Fricassee parlor opens next door.  So Jones invents the most delicious meatball ever, but then... somebody sneezes.  The illustrations are colorful and bright.  They will project well for a storytime and children will have fun joining in the sections of song. 

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The Kalamazoo Gazette has a great article: Juvenile Home residents find `diversions' in book discussions. It is an example of a public library getting involved in a community of readers (kids in juvenile detention) who may otherwise never be reached. Their book discussion program and read-aloud program bring young women in touch with books that will interest them. What an amazing outreach program!

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Anime News Network has a TokyoPop press release that informs us that TokyoPop is going to start publishing "serialized international teen novels." They sound rather intriguing:

"According to Mike Kiley, TOKYOPOP Publisher, "Pop Fiction is the first
YA line in publishing history to engage kids openly with stories from
all over the planet that embody the beautiful messiness of life.""

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An interesting letter from Patricia Polacco describing why her appearance at the International Reading Association Conference in Chicago last week was cancelled.  It appears that the all-powerful McGraw-Hill of textbook and test fame was interested in keeping Polacco from speaking out about her concerns over the No Child Left Behind program.  Polacco refused to adhere to their conditions that her speech be "upbeat, non-controversial, and non-political."

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Holly Black has won the first Andre Norton Nebula Award for best young adult science fiction or fantasy novel for her novel, Valiant: A Modern Tale of Faerie, which is a wonderful dark, urban fairy tale.

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Thelonius Monster's Sky-High Fly Pie by Judy Sierra, illustrated by Edward Koren.

Released May 9th, 2006.

This book had my four-year-old talking for days, which is exactly what you want a book to do for a child.  Thelonius Monster ate a fly and decided that flies would make a great pie.  So he created a crust and covered it in goo.  Then he went all around to likely spots gathering flies.  He then dumped them into the goo where they all stuck.  He invited his friends to come and share in the delicious fly pie.  But in the end, the monsters do not get to devour the pie after all.

The book is grand fun.  Disgusting, icky, messy, and pure child heaven.  I occasionally do a gross storytime for preschoolers and kindergarteners.  This one will fit right in.  It has a great storyline throughout with a surprise ending that will have kids giggling in glee.  Share this with any child who loves bugs, dirt, and monsters.  This is a winner!

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Once Upon a Tide by Tony Mitton, illustrated by Selina Young.

Released May 9th, 2006.

What appears to be a beach tale of two children with buckets and shovels, really is an adventure story.  It is the story of Bess and a boy who build their own sailboat on the beach.  They then take the boat out to sea where they meet a whale, discover an island, and dig up a treasure chest.  Then they return to the beach and create a beach house from the boat where they live "forevermore."  The text is rhyming and lilting, suiting the rhythm of the book.  The illustrations are filled with beach details, active and will project well for a storytime.  My only quibble with the illustrations is that the two characters are portrayed as children throughout the story until the final spread.  Then they are adults with children of their own, but wear the same clothes and retain their childlike features.  It is jarring enough to make you turn back to the beginning of the book to see if they were supposed to be adults all along. 

Because the text on each page is brief and there is lots of action in the book, it is a good choice to share with toddlers and preschoolers.  

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Bebe Goes Shopping by Susan Middleton Elya, illustrated by Steven Salerno.

This is a wonderful bilingual picture book where the Spanish portion of the text is used almost effortlessly.  Somehow the author has also managed to make it trip off even the most hopeless tongue.  It is the story of Bebe who goes to the market with his Mama.  It is a normal trip to the store where the little one grabs things off the shelves and is finally settled down with some animal crackers.  The illustrations are a retro/modern style that suit the story perfectly.  They add pizzazz and color to the book.  There is a glossary at the end with a pronunciation guide and English translations of the Spanish.  This is great fun and can be shared at any storytime about food, shopping, or animals.  This is definitely one to be read aloud with gusto.

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The Kate Greenaway Shortlist has been announced:

Tony DiTerlizzi for Arthur Spiderwick's Field Guide to the Fantastical World around You.

Emily Gravett for Wolves.

Mini Grey for Traction Man Is Here.

Oliver Jeffers for Lost and Found.

Dave McKean for Mirrormask.

Jane Ray for Jinnie Ghost.

David Roberts for Little Red: A Fizzingly Good Yarn.

Rob Scotton for Russell the Sheep.

I am so happy to see Traction Man as part of the shortlist! It is simply one of my favorite books from last year. I also enjoyed Russell the Sheep and Lost and Found.

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Here Lies the Librarian by Richard Peck.

Peck does it again!  He has created a rollicking, fun, fast book that is welcoming to both boys and girls.  Peewee lives with her brother Jake in rural Indiana where they are trying to make a living at running a garage.  But it is 1914, and the automobile is just starting out.  To add to their troubles, their competitors who live in town are willing to damage people's cars for business and to rob others.  Everything changes when a tornado rips through the community, damaging the library that has been closed for years.  Four female library students who also drive cars arrive in town to be the librarians.  Peewee has suddenly found role models for being a lady.  But sometimes Peewee finds herself sitting on the sidelines when she would rather be in the race.  Can a young lady do both?

This is a great book to share aloud.  Peck's language begs to be read to others so that his humor and jokes will shine.  He returns us to a moment in time that we are able to relive through an amazing heroine.   Share this with others in classrooms and sell it to kids looking for a funny book that is definitely fast moving.

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The Carnegie Medal Short List has been announced:

David Almond for Clay

Frank Cottrell Boyce for Framed

Geraldine McCaughrean for The White Darkness

Jan Mark for Turbulence

Mal Peet for Tamar

So several very familiar names and others that are new! What an exciting field of titles.

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Squeetus is the official site for author Shannon Hale, recipient of a Newbery Honor for Princess Academy.  The site offers information on her books, biographical information, games, events, and a rolling blog along the side.  It is very nicely done. 

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The Association for Library Service to Children has announced a new campaign as part of the @ your library series.  The site is just starting out right now, so several areas are not ready yet.  Look for their theme song sung by Bill Harley to be available on the site in June. 

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