Betsy Bird's Blog, page 17
February 17, 2025
Good Golden Sun: A Conversation with Brendan Wenzel
It isn’t that Brendan Wenzel is simply a good children’s book illustrator. I mean, that’s not the kind of thing folks would even bother to contest. Whether it’s his Caldecott Honor winner They All Saw a Cat, the more recent Two Together, or his board books or what have you, the man’s got talent. To hear that there is a new Brendan Wenzel book out, uh, (checks watch) today, is a significant thing. Particularly when it incorporates science in its storytelling. Sun science, no less.
To expl...
February 16, 2025
Fuse 8 n’ Kate: Zen Shorts by Jon J. Muth
The world is in turmoil. On fire. In a terrible state. As such, it seemed a fairly good time to revisit a Jon J. Muth book that would go on to create multiple sequels as well as a series on Apple TV. And its topic? A kind of Zen mindfulness concerning the world in which we live. We’re in the mood for a little contemplation and this book serves to answer that need. Along the way we’re more than happy to discuss what does and doesn’t hold up in this book and whether or not it deserves to be co...
February 14, 2025
Lane Smith Cover Reveal: Recess!
You know, sometimes you just want to do a cover reveal for Lane Smith, amiright? Or is that just me? Whatever the case, we’ve a bit of a treat for you folks today. The one and only Lane Smith has a brand new picture book coming out July 22nd and you lucky ducks are going to get to see it for the first time today.
Called Recess, the book’s about… well here’s the publisher description:
Bestselling and award-winning creator Lane Smith presents an interactive read-aLOUD that invites readers ...
February 13, 2025
Cover Reveal and Conversation: Not Like Every Day by Stephanie V.W. Lucianovic
It’s not a topic I’ve seen addressed in picture books. Not to say they haven’t been done, but from a major publisher? Rare. Middle grade novels, of course, but for younger kids?
I am referring, of course, to the topic of school lockdown drills. That ubiquitous rite of passage that children attending public school must deal with in this current day and age. My children simply consider them a fact of life, but for a lot of children there is a great deal of anxiety centered around these drills. ...
February 11, 2025
Social Emotional Learning Skills For All: A Carol Hinz Interview About the SEL Tool Kit
Okay, folks, today we’re talking about feelings. Big feelings. Big big feelings! And here to help us talk about such things is none other than Carol Hinz. Carol’s the Associate Publisher of Millbrook Press and Carolrhoda Books, divisions of Lerner Publishing Group in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Turns out, Lerner has something called the SEL Tool Kit, which consists of, “stories with characters dealing with everything from big feelings, friendship issues, to body autonomy boundaries, and to develop l...
February 10, 2025
“I swear I���m never going to write anything this personal ever again.” Jose Pimienta Discusses Halfway to Somewhere
Last week the staff in my library received instructions on what to do if ICE suddenly shows up on library property. This is the world that we live in right now. And with all that in mind, those of us that work with children’s books know deep in our heart of hearts that in a country where children’s literature is banned at an excruciatingly consistent rate, we need to get more stories into the hands of the kids. Stories, in this case, of immigration from Mexico to America. Now in 2025 we’re alrea...
February 9, 2025
Sydney Taylor Book Award Tour: A Talk with Sammy Savos About The Girl Who Sang
I am honored and delighted to let you know that today I am one of the stops on the annual Sydney Taylor Book Award Tour. Each year this tour showcases the award’s gold, silver, and bronze medalists with a blog tour, running this year from February 10���14, 2025! Interviews with winning authors and illustrators are now appearing on a variety of Jewish and kidlit blogs. To see the full schedule you can go here or go to the end of this piece to see the full roster.
Today, I am thrilled and ...
Fuse 8 n’ Kate: When Marian Sang by Pam Mu��oz Ryan and Brian Selznick
Just in time for Black History Month we’re tackling a number of firsts on our podcast. Our first Pam Mu��oz Ryan book. Our first Brian Selznick book. And while this isn’t our first picture book biography, we’ve done relatively few over the years. Now imagine you’re like Kate and you’ve never seen a Brian Selznick book before. Isn’t this an ideal way to start your journey? Don’t worry, I won’t make her read Hugo Cabret next or anything (though it’s tempting). And just to spoil it all, we both...
February 7, 2025
Press Release Fun: Come To The Weird And Wild 90-Second Newbery Film Festival – Now In Its 14th Year!
And now… a word from James Kennedy:
Hold on to your hats, it’s time for the FOURTEENTH ANNUAL 90-Second Newbery Film Festival!
What’s that? Why, only a yearly video contest we started right on this very blog in which young filmmakers (18 and under) worldwide create short movies that tell the entire stories of Newbery-winning books in just a few minutes! (And adult help is okay.)
Weird and creative twists are encouraged! Check out the above movie of Bridge to Terabithia, which tells the sto...
February 6, 2025
Review of the Day: The Five Sides of Marjorie Rice by Amy Alznauer, ill. Anna Bron
In spite of the fact that she serves on the mathematics faculty at Northwestern University, there is actually no reason why Amy Alznauer would necessarily limit herself to children���s books that contain math in them. Indeed, in the past she���s written books like Flying Paintings: The Zhou Brothers: A Story of Revolu...
