Betsy Bird's Blog, page 211

New Fuse 8 n’ Kate Episode: If I Ran the Zoo by Dr. Seuss

As I mentioned yesterday, today’s episode is in honor of Banned Books Week. And let me tell you, it was hard to find an appropriate picture book without covering already well trod ground. In retrospect we should have held off on Heather Has Two Mommies until now and not jumped the gun back in the summer. Ah well. Podcast and learn. Today’s episode is controversial in an entirely new way. I’d go so far as to say that it’s the most offensive Dr. Seuss picture book, though it’s hardly a househol...

How Bill Cosby Ruined a Perfectly Good Banned Books Week

Tomorrow I’ll be posting the latest episode of my blog with my sister Fuse 8 n’ Kate. In it, we’ll be reading a picture book challenged relatively recently somewhere in the continental U.S. To find such a book I consulted the American Library Association’s listings of Frequently Challenged Books. As I scrolled through the lists by year I was struck by a change in the challenges.

But first, a word about Banned Books Week. It only comes but once a year while challenges to the books on our shelv...

Review of the Day: Bolivar by Sean Rubin

Bolivar
By Sean Rubin
Archaia (a division of BOOM Entertainment)
$29.99
ISBN: 9781684150964
Ages 7-12
On shelves November 28th

It took a year and a half for me to notice, but by then it was too late.

I moved to the Chicago area from New York City in what can only be described as a fairly seamless transition. Going from one large metropolitan area to another large metropolitan area, albeit one with suburbs, didn’t prove to be a huge a shock to the system. Job in place? Check. Car acquire...

Guest Post – Melissa Stewart: A Look at Expository Literature

Those of you that were fans of Melissa’s previous posting on this blog Diversity in Thinking will be pleased to mark her return. Melissa’s been running a series on her blog about expository literature, including guest posts from experts in the field recommending recent examples you should know about. What exactly is expository literature? I’ll let her explain far better than I.

If you’re reading this blog post, you’re undoubtedly a lover of reading and books. In all likelihood, you’re natura...

Fusenews: Steamroller Keep On Rollin’

News! Of a newslike variety, no less.

Here’s a question for you: What is the oldest blogger conference in the United States today? If you said Bookcon you are actually not right at all. The true answer is KidLitCon and this year the Con will take place from November 3-4 in Hershey, PA. You can find all the requisite info here including the jaw-dropping number of authors and bloggers. Trust me when I say that if you blog about books for youth, this is the conference you have to attend. At leas...

Fusenews

News! Of a newslike variety, no less.

Here’s a question for you: What is the oldest blogger conference in the United States today? If you said Bookcon you are actually not right at all. The true answer is KidLitCon and this year the Con will take place from November 3-4 in Hershey, PA. You can find all the requisite info here including the jaw-dropping number of authors and bloggers. Trust me when I say that if you blog about books for youth, this is the conference you have to attend. At leas...

Book Trailer Premiere: Sorcery for Beginners

You know me. I’m a sucker for a clever book trailer. Book trailers in general are such a strange creation. No one knows the degree to which they influence readers to pick up their books. Yet there’s almost an art to their ephemeral creation. Today, we feature a book that is a pitch perfect example of this. Clever trailer indeed.

Thanks to the folks at Inkshares for the link.

Newbery / Caldecott 2018: Fall Prediction Edition

*stumbles into the room*

Is everybody happy?!?

Okay. So. So it’s been quite the year already and we haven’t even gotten to the awards announcement in *checks watch*  . . .

Wait. The Youth Media Awards celebration is in February this year?!?  For crying out loud, anything could happen between now and then. No no no no, I vote we move them up to a nice and respectable January 15th. That sounds reasonable, yes? Nothing too out of the ordinary could happen between now and then.  Right?

Out of the...

Video Sunday: Storytime Now

Top o’ the Sunday to you! Let’s get down to business, shall we? First up, the best of the best of the best.

Now I have scoured the internet for information on whether or not documentarian Frederick Wiseman will be showing Ex Libris, his latest film on New York Public Library, on PBS any time in the near future. Since he received funding from PBS the likelihood would be high, yes? And yet I can find no information. Instead, we know that it’s showing in New York. We also have this keen trailer....

Review of the Day: The First Rule of Punk by Celia C. Pérez

The First Rule of Punk
By Celia C. Perez
Viking (an imprint of Penguin Random House)
$16.99
ISBN: 978-0-425-29040-8
Ages 9-12
On shelves now

They don’t warn you in library school. They’ll tell you about all the cool children’s books you’ll get to read. They’ll stress how you’ll be able to make a difference in the lives of kids by introducing them to books they might never find on their own. They’ll talk about the glory of the profession, and rightly so. But they won’t tell you about Mid...