Betsy Bird's Blog, page 202

Press Release Fun: Excellence in Graphic Literature Awards Now Accepting Submissions

Hi folks! This is a call for submission for the Excellence in Graphic Literature Awards brought to you by Denver Comic Con and Pop Culture Classroom.    Comics and graphic novels are taking a leading role in driving the circulation of libraries, and students are reading them from pre-K through higher education, in every learning environment possible. And more today than ever before, readership and content accurately reflect society. Brought to life through uniquely interdependent combinati...

Cover Reveal: Quiet by Tomie dePaola

Before we get to today’s reveal, let me share something about my own background. Though not a Quaker myself, I attended a small Quaker college during my undergraduate years. While there I made many Quaker friends and came to appreciate the particular kind of mindfulness that comes when you attend a Quaker service. There, you will find a great deal of emphasis on the concept of silence and contemplative quiet.

Years later I became a children’s librarian and out of curiosity I tried to seek out...

Newbery / Caldecott 2018: Final Prediction Edition

I was all prepped to begin today by saying that the entire reason I’m doing this post in January is because the ALA Youth Media Awards are slated to go live in February this year . . . but then I looked at last year’s Final Prediction Edition and saw that it was posted on January 4th of that year. So, honestly, everything old is new again. Be sure you’re ready to watch the results on February 12th at 8 a.m. MT on the live feed. I’ll be going to work a little late that day, so that I can yells...

Cover Reveal: Ekua Holmes Book Jacket for The Stuff of Stars

There comes a time when agreeing to post the occasional book jacket on your blog pays off huge dividends. Not monetarily, of course, but from the perspective of quality. When I was asked if I’d have any objection to premiering the cover of the latest Marion Dane Bauer book with art but none other than Ekua Holmes I leapt at the opportunity. Holmes is one of those artists that appears to get better and better as the years go by. But this latest book jacket is so good that I’m beginning to wond...

Fuse 8 n’ Kate: The Lonely Doll by Dare Wright

Over the last few podcasts I’ve introduced Kate to a great many “classic” picture books. But what about cult classic picture books? Don’t they deserve love as well? When I decided to initiate Kate in the ways of The Lonely Doll, I wasn’t entirely certain how she would act. Would she take to it like a duck to water or reject it outright for its tone? Only this podcast will let you know for sure. Though, and I mean this truly, I highly recommend that you seek out the book yourself when you’ve a...

Fusenews: Blue Oxen, Irish Accents, and an Iron Curtain Oz

Science Alert, people. New Study Shows It Does Matter Which Books You Read to Your Baby: Not all stories are equal when it comes to development. Naturally I read that and immediately wanted a listing of books that were good for babies. It’s not that kind of article (dang) thought it does namecheck those old stand-bys Pat the Bunny and Dear Zoo. Eh. We’ll take what we can get. Thanks to Mr. Scieszka for the link.

Do you feel that? Do you feel that tremor in the air? That is the feeling of anti...

Review of the Day: Baby Monkey, Private Eye by Brian Selznick and David Serlin

Baby Monkey, Private Eye
By Brian Selznick and David Serlin
Illustrated by Brian Selznick
Scholastic Press
$16.99
ISBN: 978-1-338-18061-9
Ages 3 and up
On shelves February 27th

Brian Selznick. Honey. We’ve got to talk.

Now look, it was all well and good when you started getting a little crazy and shaking up notions of what an “illustrated book” actually means. Winning the Caldecott for a novel? Never been done before. And the fact that Hugo Cabret and its companion novels Wonderstruck...

Video Sunday: “My hero, my mentor, and my friend in my head”

Video Sunday is back, baby! After our extended month-long hiatus it’s time to stretch the old video muscles and get back in play. Now I don’t know about you, but this first video excites me considerably because it features an illustrator (and sometimes author) that I have never had the chance to see speak in person. One of these days, Vanessa, one of these days I’m gonna meet you. Then I’ll be able to thank you personally for Drum City. Seriously. In the meantime, Vanessa Brantley Newton gave...

Review of the Day: Julián Is a Mermaid by Jessica Love

Julián Is a Mermaid
By Jessica Love
Candlewick Press
$16.99
ISBN: 978-0-7636-9045-8
Ages 4 and up
On shelves May 22nd

When you walk into another person’s home, there’s always a distinct smell to the place. Homes absorb the lives of their occupants, and the end result is as much an olfactory experience a visual one. I love it when a friend moves house because when I walk into their new home it smells just like their previous place of occupancy, with just a twinge of difference. It is thi...

The Lost Reviews 2017: Books and Their Hooks

Julie Danielson calls it her Ghost File, and that’s as good a name as any for the books a blogger fails to talk up sufficiently in the previous year. 2017 was a pretty nice year for me personally, all things considered, so I’d like to pay it forward a bit and offer an homage to the books that deserved more from this site.

Now, the thing about this list isn’t that it consists of ALL the books I wanted to review last year. I read hundreds of great books, all of them worthy, but the way that I w...