Betsy Bird's Blog, page 130

31 Days, 31 Lists: 2020 Caldenotts

Who knew that the New York Times Best Illustrated List would leave such a gap when it decided not to release a list this year? Its annual accounting is one of the few places a person might find international illustrators lauded publicly here in the United States. Because the American Library Association has yet to update the rules concerning the art of people who are born and/or live in other countries and whether or not they can win our Caldecott Medal, we must often rely on alternate...

Fuse 8 n’ Kate: Marvin K. Mooney Will You Please Go Now! by Dr. Seuss

An orange fellow is told to leave over and over and over again. So it clearly has nothing to do with the state of the world today. As I mention on todays podcast episode, when it finally occurred to me to have Kate read this book, I was slightly worried that maybe it would no longer be timely. HA HA! No worries there! I go through all the political ties it has had to world leaders, and Kate brings up the peculiar aspect of watching someone berate a little cute guy into leaving. I mean, whose...

31 Days, 31 Lists: 2020 Funny Picture Books

There wasnt a whole lot to laugh at in 2020, thats for sure. The whole year was one great big tragedy from start to finish. But humor finds a way. Granted, a lot of it comes right down to sweet subjectivity. You know the drill by this point. Whats funny to me may not be funny to you. What you find hilarious I might pooh-pooh. With this crop of books, however, I can say at least that theres something here for every kind of humor. Pratfalls and urbane jokes. Humor that adult readers will...

31 Days, 31 Lists: 2020 Rhyming Picture Books

Whats that advice people always give to folks that want to write their first books for kids. Ah, yes. Never ever ever make them rhyme! Some of the worst books youll ever read are rhyming picture books that strain and fail to look effortless. But thats not say they can never be done. An adept picture book is one where the rhymes are so natural and effervescent that you seriously couldnt imagine the book any other way. But were not all Dr. Seuss, people. If youre going to commit to rhyming...

31 Days, 31 Lists: 2020 Picture Book Readalouds

I’ve told you the story of one of my first storytimes as a children’s librarian, haven’t I? I had just gotten my first gig in a New York Public Library branch and I was desperate to do a good job. I hadn’t done many storytimes by this point, but by gum I was willing to give it a go! I knew the rudimentary basics, after all. How hard could it be? So I had a crew of active 3 and 4-year-olds before me and the book I pulled out to read to them was . . . Horton Hatches the Egg. Folks, I don’t kno...

31 Days, 31 Lists: 2020 Transcendent Holiday Picture Books

I read with interest a recent Holiday round-up of picture books in the most recent edition of The Horn Book. Of course, unlike the staff of HB, today’s list is not constrained by a single season. I cannot say to have seen most of what came out in 2020, but from what I did see I found a nice array of titles that I’d say are a cut above the rest. These are books that you’d be honored to pull out year after year for your holiday displays.

I should note that when I say “Holiday”, I’m a littl...

Worldwide Literacy Efforts: A Talk With Jane Kurtz and Ellenore Angelidis

It’s not just authors and illustrators that get to talk about what they’re up to these days. Not long ago I was approached by the nonprofit Open Hearts Big Dreams. It was described to me this way:

American nonprofit Open Hearts Big Dreams works to increase literacy rates in Ethiopia—currently estimated at 51.77% for ages 15 and up. On October 9th the group will publish the 100th children’s book in their local language book project, Ready Set Go Books, which are distributed free of charge to s...

Sometimes You Have to Lie (but not in this interview): A Talk With Author Leslie Brody

It’s the talk of the season and I couldn’t be more pleased (or surprised). When I heard that Leslie Brody (playwright, journalist, editor, professor) had penned a biography of Louise Fitzhugh, the author of Harriet the Spy, I was intrigued. It did not occur to me, however, that her book would find popularity above and beyond the children’s literary sphere. Yet even as I type this, Brody has already been reviewed by The New York Times and the book sports more famous blurbs than you can shake ...

31 Days, 31 Lists: 2020 Board Book Reprints & Adaptations

Whew! After yesterday’s listing of new board books of 2020 I think I need a little breather. Fortunately today’s list is what I’d call “handsome”. Quick and succinct without a drop of fat on it.

Every year publishers attempt to squeeze full picture books into board book formats. The results are singularly mixed. At the same time, some board books get a second chance on the market. We celebrate today those books that really add something special to our bookshelves. Yes, we are happy they ...

31 Days, 31 Lists: 2020 Board Books

We start this month with books for the youngest of readers. Board books are some of the most vital and most overlooked children’s books out there. We desperately need them, they sell consistently like hotcakes, but making a good one? I mean a really good one? That’s actually a tricky endeavor.

I have no evidence at hand, but I suspect that board book galleys were particularly difficult to produce during the thick of COVID-19 closures this year. I owe many of the books on this year’s list...