Betsy Bird's Blog, page 172

Review of the Day: The Girl and the Wolf by Katherena Vermette, ill. Julie Flett

The Girl and the Wolf
By Katherena Vermette
Illustrated by Julie Flett
Theytus Books
$19.95
ISBN: 978-1-926886-54-1
On shelves now.

There was a time, not long ago at all, when a call for “diverse voices” in a children’s library would have led you to a particular location: The folktale and fairytale section. Many a well-meaning librarian would hear your request for books reflecting the experience of one group or another and direct you to the 398.2s. Why? Because for a long time those were the...

Science and Math: 2019 Appears to Know What It’s Doing

The year is proceeding at a nice quick clip, it would seem. Blink your eyes twice and BAM! It’s April. I spend an inordinate amount of time these days down on my haunches, squinting at miniscule dots of green on the ground, wondering if they’re going to turn into anything. We’re starved for nature, here in the early doldrums of April. As such, I can think of no better time to present to you the truly wonderful smattering of science and math titles for kids out in 2019 that struck me as worth...

Fuse 8 n’ Kate: The Three Robbers by Tomi Ungerer

Tomi Ungerer died just this past year on February 9th so it seemed logical to me that we should try to do one of his books on the show. This begs the inevitable question, which one should we do? I had so many to consider. Crictor? The Beast of Monsieur Racine? Moon Man? I decided to go with the only one I ever saw adapted by Weston Woods. In the course of our talk we discuss whether or not giving birth is an adequate excuse for saying you have a “connection” to someone, who invented the name...

Press Release Fun: Casting Call for Creative Writing Kids

Casting Call! Our studio is beginning development on a new kids podcast called Story Seeds! In our first season, the podcast will pair kids and their imaginations with children’s authors who  develop these ideas (“story seeds”) into original short stories. We are beginning our search for diverse, creative children to feature on the show. Please share our flyer with the families and educators in your networks. And, if you know a kid...

Guest Post – Imagination and Picture Books: Gleaning Wisdom from 11 Sources by Ellen Handler Spitz

We are pleased to yet again feature a piece today from Dr. Ellen Handler Spitz. You may recall her previous pieces on this blog Who Was Beatrix Potter? or A New Consideration of Elena Ferrante’s The Beach at Night or Happy Birthday Lore Segal! Ellen Handler Spitz Celebrates the Return of “Tell Me a Mitzi”. In this round-up Dr. Spitz considers some of the texts we use when considering the whole of children’s literature.

 

Gleaning Wisdom from 11 Sources

2019 Ellen Handler Spitz

(This essay is...

Review of the Day – Just Right: Searching for the Goldilocks Planet by Curtis Manley, ill. Jessica Lanan

Just Right: Searching for the Goldilocks Planet
By Curtis Manley
Illustrated by Jessica Lanan
Roaring Brook Press (an imprint of Macmillian)
$18.99
ISBN: 978-1-250-15533-7
Ages 6-10
On shelves now

I’m no teacher. I hold no degrees in any of the natural sciences. I serve on a math-related committee each year, but my knowledge of numbers is limited at best. Like many an English major, I became a librarian because on some level I figured it was the best possible escape from those subjects...

Cover Reveal: More to the Story by Hena Khan

I’m always so very interested in how the current era chooses to interpret and reinterpret classic works of children’s literature. There’s been a lot of talk in the news lately about nostalgia and the role it plays in how adults introduce books to kids. You want your children to love the books that you loved as a child, even as, on some level, you realize that they will never see the books through the same lens that you did. Plus, loving a book, any book, is deeply personal. It cannot be force...

Fuse 8 n’ Kate: The Boy Who Didn’t Believe in Spring by Lucille Clifton, ill. Brinton Turkle

How crazy is it that we’ve never done a Lucille Clifton book before? Nor a Brinton Turkle, but that’s a little more understandable. Lucille Clifton was one of the most prolific Black picture book authors in the 70s. Spring has officially sprung and I realized that today’s book (which New York schoolchildren are read and given to read every single year around this time) would be the perfect way to celebrate not just the season but Clifton herself. But would Kate like it? Stay tuned, gentle lis...

Cover Reveal and Interview: This is a Sea Cow by Cassandra Federman

Two interviews two days in a row? Maybe I’m getting soft, but sometimes I just like them. Particularly when they involve odd critters from the deep. Like a sea cow. Okay, that’s not what they’re actually officially named, but since today’s cover reveal is for a picture book called This Is a Sea Cow, I’m sticking with that particular moniker. Ms. Cassandra Federman is on hand to answer a question or ten about the creature in question and her own book. Along the way she clarifies for me the dif...

Review of the Day: Spy Runner by Eugene Yelchin (bonus interview included)

Folks, as strange as this may sound I’m doing something a little different with today’s review. Under normal circumstances I’ll review a book without letting the author, the publisher, or pretty much anyone involved with the project know what I’m up to. But just as I was gearing up to review this puppy, I was contacted by the publisher and asked if I had any questions for Mr. Yelchin. Well . . . yeah, actually. When it comes to this book I have a lot of questions. So for the very first time I...