Betsy Bird's Blog, page 238

Wanted for Big Cash Prizes: American History Books

I think I need a new hobby. I should collect, and place on a website somewhere a listing of all the high cash, little known book awards for children’s books out there. Perhaps this already exists somewhere. Hm.

In any case, it wasn’t long ago that a friend alerted me to the Grateful American Book Prize. It’s an odd name, no question, but a fascinating award. First off, its description says of it:

“The new literary award is his way of recognizing authors who pen illustrated works for children...

Review of the Day: Radiant Child by Javaka Steptoe

Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat
By Javaka Steptoe
Little, Brown & Co.
$17.99
ISBN: 978-0-316-21388-2
Ages 5 and up
On shelves October 25th

True Story: I’m working the children’s reference desk of the Children’s Room at 42nd Street of New York Public Library a couple years ago and a family walks in. They go off to read some books and eventually the younger son, I’d say around four years of age, approaches my desk. He walks right up to me, looks me dead in th...

Press Release Fun: A Curious George Documentary on the Horizon

Documentary Following Curious George Creators Hans A. & Margret Rey Announced – Ema Ryan Yamazaki Directorial Debut

New York City, NY – July 26, 2016 – In celebration of the world’s most beloved monkey, who turns seventy-five years old this year, filmmaker Ema Ryan Yamazaki announces the first ever mixed-media documentary about Curious George. Monkey Business delves into the extraordinary lives of Hans and Margret Rey, the authors of the beloved Curious George children’s books. The Reys we...

I’m So Vain, I Probably Think This Book Is About Me

Today we’re going to talk about what happens when your name is so common, it shows up in children’s books willy-nilly without actually having anything to do with YOU. Which is to say, me.

I took my name willingly. No parent in their right mind should name a child “Betsy Bird” after all. When I met my future husband it was, I will admit, one of the first things I realized. “If I marry this guy I could be . . . Betsy Bird!” So the die was cast. You can do something like that to your own name. W...

Historical Nonfiction Children’s Books I’d Like to See (Based Entirely on Drunk History Episodes)

Recently I did a post where I mentioned several wonderful Hark, A Vagrant webcomics featuring historical figures that I’d love to see turned into picture book biographies. Well, in a similar vein, I’m a big fan of the Drunk History series on Comedy Central too. It’ll be returning soon for a fourth season and has a lovely way of highlighting stories that I think would adapt brilliantly into the children’s nonfiction book format. The real stories, that is. Not the drunk tellers. That would be w...

Review of the Day: The Mighty Odds by Amy Ignatow

The Mighty Odds
By Amy Ignatow
Amulet Books (an imprint of Abrams)
$15.95
ISBN: 978-1-4197-1271-5
Ages 10 and up
On shelves September 13th

If you could have one weird superpower, what would it be? Not a normal one, mind you. We’re not doing a flight vs. invisibility discussion here. The power would have to be extraordinary and odd. If it’s completely useless, all the better. Me? I think I’d like my voice to be same as the voice you hear in your head when you’re reading something. You kn...

Picture Book / Movie Pairings: They Make Sense in My Head!

The other day I was sitting with a group of talented children’s librarians discussing Dan Santat’s Are We There Yet? Boy, I tell ya, there’s nothing like sitting down with smart people to hear them discuss a picture book in full. I walked out of that room with a lot more knowledge crammed into my cranium than I’d had coming in.

In the course of our talk, it was pointed out that Santat’s latest would actually pair very well with Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure. There’s something about the ton...

There Is a Tribe of Kids: The Current Debate

This year, in 2016, a conversation has sprung up around the picture book There Is a Tribe of Kids by Lane Smith. The discussion has occurred primarily on blogs and listservs with the occasional mention on Twitter. I would like to summarize the points here and explain what’s going on, since, unlike A Fine Dessert and A Birthday Cake for George Washington, I suspect this debate may likely remain within the children’s literature sphere and not branch out into the larger media. That means that of...

Surprising Jolts of Children’s Books in Unexpected Places

Time for another post that justifies my current job. As you may or may not know, as Evanston Public Library’s Collection Development Manager I buy all the adult books. Which is to say, they apparently make them for people over the age of 12 these days. Who knew? Happily, there are plenty of connections to the wide and wonderful world of children’s literature in the grown-up book universe. Here are a couple of interesting recent examples you might enjoy:

Though she’s best known in our world a...

Review of the Day – A Toucan Can: Can You? by Danny Adlerman and Friends

A Toucan Can, Can You?
By Danny Adlerman
Illustrated by Lindsay Barrett George, Megan Halsey, Ashley Wolff, Demi, Ralph Masiello, Wendy Anderson Halperin, Kevin Kammeraad, Pat Cummings, Dar (Hosta), Leeza Hernandez, Christee Curran-Bauer, Kim Adlerman, and Symone Banks
Music by Jim Babjak
The Kids at Our House Children’s Books
$19.95
ISBN: 9781942390008
Ages 3-6
On shelves now

Under normal circumstances I don’t review sequels. I just don’t, really. Sequels, generally speaking, require...