Betsy Bird's Blog, page 278

Video Sunday: Sneaky Peeks Edition, Part 2

You know, it’s been a while since I showed you some of the fan-freakin’-tastic Wild Things videos we’ve been playing on the old Wild Things: Acts of Mischief in Children’s Literature website. I know some of you haven’t gone over to it lately so I’ll make it easy for you. Here’s a quickie synopsis of everyone since the last time I wrote them up on this blog. In order:

Dan Santat on Beekle:

Tom Angleberger on The Qwikpick Papers:

Andrea Davis Pinkney on The Red Pencil:

CeCe Bell on El Deafo:

Duncan...

Review of the Day: Caminar by Skila Brown

Caminar

By Skila Brown

Candlewick Press

$15.99

ISBN: 978-0763665166

Ages 9-12

On shelves now

Survivor’s guilt. Not the most common theme in children’s books these days. Not unheard of certainly, but it definitely doesn’t crop up as often as, say, stories about cupcakes or plucky orphans that have to defeat evil wizards. Serious works of fiction do well when award season comes along, but that’s only because those few that garner recognition are incredibly difficult to write. I’ll confess to you...

Hickory Daiquiri Dock: Tim Federle, Nursery Rhymes, and Some Light Apéritifs

There’s this fellow I know. Tim Federle is his name. You might know him from his rather extraordinary and charming middle grade books BETTER NATE THAN EVER and FIVE, SIX, SEVEN, NATE. Both books focus on a theater kid finding his way on Broadway. They are charming, effervescent, and irresistible, much like their author.

In my book WILD THINGS: ACTS OF MISCHIEF IN CHILDREN’S LITERATURE, my co-writers and I tackled the notion of children’s authors doing adult things, living adult lives and the r...

Press Release Fun: The Children’s Literary Salon – Native Fiction and the Editorial Process

Folks, you know me. Half the time I forget to even mention these swell little events that happen, absolutely free I might add, in my library. But this Saturday’s panel . . . well, it’s special. It’s sort of a once in a lifetime panel. You’re not going to see this kind of thing pretty much anywhere else. So if you’re in the area in any way . . .

New York Public Library’s Children’s Literary Salon is pleased to announce our event on Saturday, October 4th at 2:00 p.m.

Native Fiction and the Editor...

Trendwatch: Tweet Tweet. Year of the Bird.

I don’t do all that many trendwatch posts on this site, if only because it’s impossible to keep track of them all. One minute you’re seeing tons of picture books involving whales. Another minute you’re noticing more than one book about encouraging your pet to become atheist (see this and this). If you do notice such things you are inclined to put your discovery into some sort of context. What do atheist children’s books say about the state of the world today? How do we equate whales with ours...

Fusenews: Properly vicious

There comes a time when I have so much news for a Fusenews that it paralyzes me and rather than write one up I just let my files accrue more and more schtoof until the vicious circle ends with a massive deletion. Today some of this stuff will strike you as a bit out of date, but the bulk is pretty darn fun.

Anytime I write a post that involves race in some way I gird my loins and prepare for the worst. The worst did not occur yesterday, however, when I wrote about moments of surprising racism...

Surprise! It’s Racist! Unwanted Children’s Book Surprises.

I think many of us have done this at some point. You’ve picked up a favorite old children’s book to read to your own kiddos. Everything’s going smoothly and you’re all having a fabulous time. Then, WHAMMO! Surprise! It’s racist!

Have no idea what I’m talking about? Well today we’re talking race and we’re talking classic children’s books. It’s a match made in heaven!

A couple things inspired this post and the first was when I received a copy of the new edition of If I Ran the Zoo by Dr. Seuss. L...

Press Release Fun: Me!

It’s the blatant self-promotion game! Starring me! Forgive me, folks, but a gal’s gotta do what a gal’s gotta do. Don’t worry. I’ve at least one post lined up for later this week that will involve children’s books that are surprisingly racist (fun!). Until then, I’d be honored if you were so good as to join me this Saturday:

What: A book signing at Bank Street Bookstore (610 W. 112th St., NY, NY) for Wild Things: Acts of Mischief in Children’s Literature.

When: Saturday, September 27th at 2:00...

Review of the Day: Fox’s Garden by Princesse Camcam

Fox’s Garden

By Princesse Camcam

Enchanted Lion Books

ISBN: 978-1-59270-167-4

$14.95

Ages 3-6

On shelves now.

Have you ever read a picture book multiple times, enjoying it with each and every read, and then find later that it was wordless . . . and you didn’t even notice? Now THAT is the mark of an effective title. The publisher Enchanted Lion Books prides itself on its “Stories Without Words” series, and deservedly so. They import wordless picture books from abroad, format them into these lon...

Video Sunday: No. Seriously, Lisa. Hire me.

Howdy, folks. I have news for you. Did you have any idea that a children’s literature online show called KidLit TV was in the works? Nor did I until I stopped by Roxie Munroe’s studio the other day. She informed me that man-about-town Rocco Staino had been by with an honest-to-goodness film crew to talk to her about this new series. Calling itself, “The video resource for the greater kidlit community” it’s launching this fall. Here’s the first video so far:

Okay. I admit it. I’m a sucker for c...