Betsy Bird's Blog, page 134
October 13, 2020
Andreao and Elliotto Present Sharko and Hippo: A Comic Interview
I do interviews on this blog all the time. You may be aware of this fact. May I confess something to you then? I have my favorites. It’s true. Generally speaking, I might enjoy an interview that’s all text, text, nothing but texxt, but my true love, and my true passion? It’s illustrated interviews. And yet, cruelty above all cruelties, I cannot draw them myself. As a result, I just perch on my rock, watching the world go by, hoping against hope that someone will say to me, “Hey! Betsy! Do yo...
October 12, 2020
Spread a Little Sunshine: A Classic Returns and an Interview with Barbara Bemelmans
Years ago in the very depths of the main location of New York Public Library, deep under Bryant Park, there lies a book collection. In this collection, if you knew where to look, you once could find the official children’s reference collection of NYPL. And once upon a time, I spent my days going through that very collection, finding books long forgotten by the bulk of humanity. Books by famous authors. Books that actually stood the test of time.
Books like Sunshine:
What Madeline did f...
October 11, 2020
Fuse 8 n’ Kate: Special Guest Christian McKay Heidicker and The Spooky Old Tree by the Berenstains
Not long ago I ran across an article in the Deseret News that was called How a breakup led to winning a Newbery Honor for this Utah author. It’s all about Newbery Honor winning writer Christian McKay Heidicker (who created Scary Stories for Young Foxes and this year’s Thieves of Weirdwood by “William Shivering”). In the course of the article it mentions that Mr. Heidicker has been and continues to be a huge fan of The Spooky Old Tree by Stan and Jan Berenstain. And, naturally, since I always...
October 7, 2020
Are You There, God? It’s Me, a Historical Novel. Margaret Turns 50
There is nothing I do not like about this book jacketNow that’s what I call good timing.
Recently I’ve been taking long walks in the morning. Walking, as they say, has many benefits. For example, if I am lucky I might spot my local family of beavers prepping for the winter and, additional bonus, I can also listen to audiobooks while I make my rounds. So, a month or two ago, I downloaded the audiobook via Overdrive of Judy Blume’s Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret. Not because I was in...
Writing for the Least Boring People She Knows: Annie Barrows Talks Iggy
Saints make for boring books. Ask anyone. Sure Little Goody Two-Shoes might have been one of the earliest books for children, but unless you’re really into moral instruction and characters with names like “Margaret Meanwell”, I doubt it’s your cup of tea. If, on the other hand, you’re into amusing characters that get themselves into magnificent, hilarious trouble, I’d like you to join me over here instead.
You see, today I’ve a chance to interview one Annie Barrows. Name ringing any bell...
October 5, 2020
Review of the Day: The Girl and the Ghost by Hanna Alkaf
The Girl and the Ghost
By Hanna Alkaf
Harper (an imprint of Harper Collins)
$16.99
ISBN: 978-0-06-294095-7
Ages 9-12
On shelves now
I was asked to do a presentation of children’s books under the banner of “Spooky Stories” for the Halloween season. There’s no counting the titles you can pull from, even if you limit yourself to the stuff published in the current year. Even so, whenever you make a list of books, no matter what the topic, it is imperative that you give it a critical eye and make sure...
October 3, 2020
Fuse 8 n’ Kate: The Island of the Skog by Steven Kellogg
The spooky season begins with our first October surprise! Now some may not consider Kellogg’s book to be a scary enough title, but my clear cut memories of the Skog burn bright and sharp. And as this was one of my favorite books when I was a child I was so pleased to show it to Kate. Kate points out that this book is definitely relatable in 2020. “I’m tired of living in a hole.” Aren’t we all? Who wouldn’t want to escape to a tropical isle? This is the book that also contains the world’s sad...
October 1, 2020
Press Release Fun: Nominate 2020 Titles for the Green Earth Book Award!
If I know authors and illustrators then I know that awards can be extremely welcome in a given year. This little tidbit just fell into my lap and I knew I just had to share. Behold!
2021 Green Earth Book Award Nominations are Open
The Nature Generation is accepting nominations for the national 2021 Green Earth Book Award October 1 through December 15, 2020. Books for youth that best convey the message of environmental stewardship will be selected by an expert panel of judges in fou...
September 30, 2020
Review of the Day: A Thousand No’s by D.J. Corchin, ill. Dan Dougherty
A Thousand No’s
By DJ Corchin
Illustrated by Dan Dougherty
Sourcebooks
$17.99
ISBN: 9781728219196
Ages 6-9
On shelves now
Normally when I’m about to review a picture book I make a point to eschew all of the other reviews out there. I don’t want to accidentally take anyone else’s thoughts or opinions or ideas. Heck, I won’t even read the bookflap half the time! A Thousand No’s was different. In its case, I wanted to get a very clear sense of what other people were saying about it. Normally a new pi...
September 29, 2020
Meeting a Need: An Interview with Christine Mapondera-Talley, Founder of Global Kidz House
You know that meme that was going around at the beginning of the COVID pandemic about how Shakespeare wrote King Lear during his own quarantine? If you’re anything like me you probably laughed it off, bought a tomato plant, claimed to everyone you knew that it was a victory garden, and finally sank into a stupor, overwhelmed by your own productivity.
If you were Christine Mapondera-Talley, you started your own publishing house.
Less than a month ago I saw a message on my SCBWI-IL mail...
