Betsy Bird's Blog, page 120

Unexpected Jolts of Children’s Literature

Even after all these years of purchasing adult materials for my library system, I still find it strange that I don’t buy books for kids anymore. Fortunately, I just can’t help but love finding references to children’s books everywhere I go. Today I return to an old series where we look at titles written for adults that have some connection to the wide and wonderful world of books for kids. There are some true beauties on the roster today, so let’s dive in!

First up . . .

Murals of New York...

An Itty-Bitty Kitty-Corn Interview with Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham

Yesterday, author Bethany Hegedus asked on Twitter, “name your funniest female writers. PB to YA and illustrators too.” We all have our favorites, but if I could pick the two I’d most like to veg out in front of the television with, binging bad programming and making raucous off-color commentary, that award might have to go to Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham. Their partnership these last few years has been something to behold. I mean, think about the great children’s literary partnerships of the pa...

Book Trailer Reveal: No Pants! by Jacob Grant

You thought I was kidding yesterday when I said that I was going to be premiering TWO different picture book trailers about pantless characters, didn’t you? Oh, ye of little faith. Look upon my works of missing pants, ye mighty, and despair!

If yesterday was about a bear discovering his pants were gone, today is about a boy who is PERFECTLY AWARE that nothing is hindering his nethers. Author/illustrator Jacob Grant (who lives in my very own town of Evanston) has concocted a truly charmin...

Book Trailer Reveal: Something’s Wrong! by Jory John and Erin Kraan

I have a bit of a treat for you this week. You see, it appears that the pandemic has started to finally yield picture books that speak directly to our current situation. I’m sure I’m not surprising any of you when I direct your attention to books like LeUyen Pham’s Outside, Inside or something like There is a Rainbow by Theresa Trinder. But there is a subtler message being delivered right now.

Folks, I’m talking about pants and whether or not we’re wearing them. Remember all those “Are you w...

Review of the Day: The Snail With the Right Heart by Maria Popova, ill. Ping Zhu

The Snail With the Right Heart: A True Story
By Maria Popova
Illustrated by Ping Zhu
Enchanted Lion Books
$18.95
ISBN: 9781592703494
Ages 5-9
On shelves now.

In what area of your life do you consider yourself “conservative”? Are there places in this great green world where you do not budge an inch? Where you could never ever be swayed? I ask this because as a reviewer of books intended for children I have to remain conscious at all times that every product I consider has had to squeeze itself thro...

Gimme Gimme That Sweet Title IX: Helaine Becker + Dow Phumiruk Discuss An Equal Shot and All That That Entails

It’s Women’s History Month, Charlie Brown!

So every month it’s the same. I get a slew of requests for interviews and I simply cannot accommodate them all. To cut through the treacle I look for the ones that are doing something different. Unique. Special. And when a publisher approaches me and says, “Presenting An Equal Shot: How the Law Title IX Changed America, a rousing account of the origins of Title IX and the brave politicians who took risks to secure women’s dreams and futures unde...

Newbery/Caldecott 2022: Spring Prediction Edition

Honestly, I didn’t mean to write this post for St. Patrick’s Day. It just sort of fell out like that. Still, why the heck not? If St. Patrick’s Day is all about luck, then let’s see how lucky I am at predicting next year’s Newbery/Caldecott winners.

This year’s prediction list is particularly strange. I’ve been doing these since 2008, but this is the first year where I haven’t been able to see the bulk of the books in a physical form. Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, many of the larger publi...

Where in the World is Angus Yuen-Killick? The Coming of Red Comet Press

I’m new to this being-old-in-the-business thing. I’m children’s book business middle aged, I think, because a lot of the people who were around when I first started have moved to so many different places. Case in point, Angus Yuen-Killick. When I first started out in the early 2000s, Angus was a staple of the ALA Conference floor. But this past year, with cancelled conferences and distant Zoomable friends, I find myself growing nostalgic for the folks I knew first. Happily, Angus recently announ...

Fuse 8 n’ Kate: St. Patrick’s Day in the Morning by Eve Bunting / Tim O’Toole and the Wee Folk by Gerald McDermott

St. Patrick’s Day comes early this year! Is it the worst classic-picture-book-holiday of all time? That’s my take. But Kate challenged me to find such a beast, so I figured I’d cut my losses and hand her two to choose from. I didn’t anticipate that she’d choose BOTH! Doggone it. I mostly chose one because it was the first time I’d seen that particular author/illustrator pairing. I chose the other because libraries pull it out every single year for their displays. No spoilers, but in the end...

Fuse 8 n’ Kate: St. Patrick’s Day in the Morning by Eve Bunting / Tim O’Toole and the Week Folk by Gerald McDermott

St. Patrick’s Day comes early this year! Is it the worst classic-picture-book-holiday of all time? That’s my take. But Kate challenged me to find such a beast, so I figured I’d cut my losses and hand her two to choose from. I didn’t anticipate that she’d choose BOTH! Doggone it. I mostly chose one because it was the first time I’d seen that particular author/illustrator pairing. I chose the other because libraries pull it out every single year for their displays. No spoilers, but in the end...