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Children's Book Reviews: 7/20/2009
This week's children's book reviews include Lucy Cousins's dazzling take on some classic fairy tales and the first and only picture book from the late Eden Ross Lipson, as well as new novels from Gary Paulsen, Kristin Cashore, Berkeley Breathed, Jane Smiley and Ellen Hopkins.
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Poptropica: Online Publisher for Kids
At a time when many children's book publishers and authors are looking to connect with kids online to market their print books, two-year-old Poptropica is doing the reverse. It is engaging with children through a virtual world, where it publishes original stories and comics. As a result, it also generates interest in using that content in print books.
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Fall 2009 Children's Announcements
There may be no new J.K. Rowling or Stephenie Meyer title this fall, but the season is by no means lacking in major books. From the return of celebrated characters (in Return to the Hundred Acre Wood and Strega Nona’s Harvest), to adaptations of adult bestsellers, to new books from Suzanne Collins, Kate DiCamillo, Neil Gaiman, Jeff Kinney and Ann M. Martin, readers of all ages and interests will have plenty of options at their fingertips. See our comprehensive fall listing.
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ALA in Chicago: The Joint Was Jumping
With a record-breaking attendance of nearly 29,000, scores of competing parties and breakfasts, plenty of big-name author signings, and an array of programs, it was easy for librarians and publishers at the ALA Annual Conference to forget—if only for a few delicious moments—that yes, we are in the midst of a serious recession. True, many of the librarians paid their own way, there was more pizza than prosciutto at the receptions, and the number of exhibitors was off by more than 1,000.
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'Potter'-phernalia: The Latest on the Boy Wizard
Enthusiastic Harry Potter fans turned out in droves at midnight Wednesday for the premiere of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. We've got a round-up of all the latest Potter news, including record-setting box office numbers, a fantasy tie-in promotion from Random House, and a trailer that’s being shown at Half-Blood Prince screenings that’s attracting attention in its own right.
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Picture This: Our ALA Photo Essay
With a record number of attendees turning out for the ALA’s annual conference last weekend, there were plenty of photo-ops with children’s book authors. Read on to peruse our ALA photo essay, in which we’ve rounded up some of the highlights of the author appearances, featuring Ashley Bryan, Florence Parry Heide (who celebrated her birthday at the show), Neil Gaiman, Lauren Myracle, Kadir Nelson, Sharon Robinson, Brian Selznick, Lane Smith, Melissa Sweet and many others.
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HarperCollins and Jim Henson Partner on Sid the Science Kid Series
HarperCollins Children’s Books and the Jim Henson Company are launching a publishing program for Sid the Science Kid, based on the Emmy-nominated animated TV series that began airing on PBS Kids last fall. The books will feature full-color stills from the series and will launch in December 2009, with three titles targeting preschoolers ages three to six.
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Q & A with Elizabeth Bluemle
Formerly editorial director of a small press, creative director of a book packager and a school librarian, and currently a bookseller, author and blogger, Elizabeth Bluemle knows publishing from the inside out. Bookshelf managed to catch her at a rare quiet moment, to ask her about juggling her various book-related pursuits and about her third picture book.
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Galley Talk: ‘When You Reach Me’
Stephanie Anderson, manager of WORD in Brooklyn, N.Y., talks about a favorite summer galley, When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead.
When You Reach Me is a novel about Miranda, a middle-school girl from New York, whose favorite book is A Wrinkle in Time. She starts receiving notes, left outside her apartment, that creep her out. She has no idea who is writing them. In the meantime, the story is also about her relationship with her best friend. -
In the Media: July 16
A roundup of articles about children's books in the media this week.
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Scholastic Stars Read, Joke with Librarians
"Cher? Cher who?" But Avi—that’s a one-word name my 12-year-old daughter knows. She got to speak with the Newbery winner last Sunday, at Scholastic’s author brunch during ALA. But before Jazzy met Avi, she and more than 300 librarians waited and talked outside Ballroom E at the Marriott in downtown Chicago. "Those librarians are just as loud as the people they tell to be quiet," Jazzy noted.
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In Brief: July 16
This week, Chicago "SHELebrates" the life of its native poet and artist, and we give word of two contests for young readers.
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Cover of the Week: 'Geektastic'
If you look closely at the cover of Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd, edited by Holly Black and Cecil Castellucci (Little, Brown, Aug.), you’ll notice that many of the avatars look exactly like M.T. Anderson, Kelly Link, Scott Westerfeld and other well-known writers. No coincidence, since the 20-odd writers on display on the jacket all contributed stories to the collection. We spoke with designer Ben Mautner about the idea and execution for the book’s cover image.
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Hoping for 'Runaway' Success
A parody of a well-known children’s book may, at first, seem designed to appeal more to adults: Goodnight Bush put a political spin on the bedtime story, while Pat the Husband found humor in spousal relationships. However, one recent parody found its place with kids as well: Goodnight Goon, a monster-infused parody of the Margaret Wise Brown and Clement Hurd classic Goodnight Moon, though it is by no means the only classic ripe for child-sized parody.
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Spreading 'Fire’
Few words strike deeper dread in the heart of a writer than 'orphaned manuscript'—a book acquired by an editor who leaves before seeing it to publication. So last December, when editor Kathy Dawson announced she was leaving Harcourt for Dial, author Kristin Cashore did not hesitate to say she would switch publishers, too. But would 'Fire' follow? The companion to Cashore’s bestselling debut, 'Graceling,' which has sold 80,000 copies in hardcover, was less than 10 months from publication.
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Children's Book Reviews: 7/13/2009
New picture books from Dan Andreasen, David Lucas, Lane Smith, Neil Numberman and more; fiction from Jarrett J. Krosoczka, Kate Saunders, Richard Peck, Beth Kephart, Richard Lewis; and a back-to-school roundup.
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“Children’s Book Authors for $1,000, Alex...”
The answer: “This 30-year-old kids’ book writer just appeared on Jeopardy! and won $44,200.” The question: “Who is Tui Sutherland?” She is the author, under both her own name and four pseudonyms, of more than two dozen novels, including This Must Be Love, the Avatars trilogy, and her Pet Trouble series. And last month, TV viewers saw her win big on the long-running game show hosted by Alex Trebek.
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Sisterhood of the Traveling ARCs?
Plenty of authors go on road trips, meeting fans at bookstores and other venues. Mary Pearson, however, is taking it a step further. Four advance reading copies of her latest YA novel, The Miles Between, headed out last week on a cross-country road-trip — without the author accompanying them. The four galleys began their odyssey on May 28, and are scheduled to wind up on the desk of Pearson's editor, Kate Farrell, in the Flatiron Building by September 1.
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Capstone Turns to Sports
Capstone Publishers is teaming with Sports Illustrated Kids to publish three lines of sports books for children. Fiction and nonfiction titles containing sports themes will be produced for elementary and middle-grade readers in three different formats: high/low informational, graphic novels, and illustrated chapter books. The partnership will continue through spring 2012, with a total of 82 titles scheduled for release over the course of the next three years.
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Q & A with Michael Grant
Michael Grant has written over 150 books, most notably the Animorphs and Everworld series (which he co-authored with his wife, Katherine Applegate). The Gone books, his first solo novels, feature a distinctive hook: everyone over the age of 14 in the small California town of Perdido Beach has gone missing. To make matters worse for the children, there’s an impenetrable forcefield around the town and some of the kids are starting to develop strange powers.
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