Betsy Bird's Blog, page 284

Sure #WeNeedDiverseBooks but don’t forget #WeNeedMoreWalterDeanMyerses too

Like everyone I was shocked and saddened by the announcement that author Walter Dean Myers had recently passed away. The first National Ambassador of Children’s Literature to leave us, there is little to say about his life that hasn’t been said by others far more eloquently than I in the last 24 hours. However, I think it’s important to take into account the context in which the man lived. Because we haven’t just lost a great author. We’ve lost a man that filled a very great need in our child...

Press Release: Obituary – Walter Dean Myers (1937-2014)

From Harper Collins:

WALTER DEAN MYERS, PROLIFIC AND BELOVED AUTHOR

OF AWARD-WINNING CHILDREN’S BOOKS, DIES AT AGE 76

Myers Touched So Many With His Eloquent and Unflinching Portrayal of Young

African-American Lives

Walter Dean Myers, beloved and deeply respected children’s book author, died on July 1, 2014, following a brief illness. He was 76 years old.

In a career spanning over 45 years, Walter Dean Myers wrote more than 100 books for children of all ages. His impressive body of work includes tw...

Just Walk Away: Authors and Illustrators Who Do

I was perusing the old Top 100 Picture Books and Top 100 Chapter Books polls of yore (still my most popular posts, even after all these years) when a thought occurred. Looking at the list you can see a lot of folks who are still working to this day. Your Mo Willemses. Your Eric Carles. And you can see a lot of folks who have departed this great green plain, either long ago or recently. Your Ezra Jack Keatses. Your Margaret Wise Browns (though with that trunk of her spewing out continual books...

Review of the Day: The Mermaid and the Shoe by K.G. Campbell

The Mermaid and the Shoe

By K.G. Campbell

Kids Can Press

$16.95

ISBN: 978-1554537716

Ages 3-7

On shelves now

Why are magical creatures so hard to write? I’m a children’s librarian. That means that a goodly portion of my day can consist of small starry-eyed children asking for an array of otherworldly cuties. “Do you have any unicorn books?” “Any fairies?” “Any mermaids?” Actually, more often than not it’s their parents asking and you can read between the lines when they request such books. Wha...

Video Sunday: MIT’s Faculty Lounge and Other Mysteries

No time to dilly-dally, people! We’ve most of our peers and betters living it up in Las Vegas. Let’s soothe our sorrows of not attending ourselves in some lovely videos then, eh whot?

First off, you may have known that there was a recent Boston Children’s Book Trivia Night. But did you know there was video from the event as well? Indeedy. Just LOOK at that turnout! That’s Jack Gantos moderating. The only trouble with this vid is that it doesn’t contain the answer to his trivia question. Um . ....

Fusenews: Laser Mazes. Need I Say More?

As I write this there are countless souls right now in Las Vegas attending the American Library Association Annual Conference. I watch your tweets with envy, my friends. Would that I were there. Some of the first timers have asked me what they shouldn’t miss, but since I haven’t seen the official schedule of events I cannot say. Obviously you’d want to attend the Newbery/Caldecott Banquet on Sunday night. That’s a given. Other than that, I always love watching the Notable Children’s Books Com...

Deconstructing Daniel Tiger or Why Children’s Programming Is Freaking Me Out, Man

Today we deviate slightly from our usual rounds into the world of children’s literature to look at children’s television programming in the early 21st century. Put another way, I have a new baby and a three-year-old so this is about the level of literary criticism I’m capable of today. You’ll have to bear with me.

If you are unlike me and do not have a very young child then you may be completely unaware of this particular television show. But if you do know of it then you’ll probably find that...

Review of the Day: The Dumbest Idea Ever by Jimmy Gownley

The Dumbest Idea Ever

By Jimmy Gownley

GRAPHIX (an imprint of Scholastic)

$12.00

ISBN: 9780545453479

Ages 9 and up

On shelves now.

Is it or is it not a good idea to tell young people that they are special and unique? It’s a legitimate question. When I was growing up the emphasis in school was clearly on self-esteem. On Track and Field Day everybody got the standard participation ribbon. Effort, even minimal effort, was rewarded. And if you grew up in a small town there was the extra added bene...

2014 Quaker Books for Quaker Kids

So I’m having lunch with a fellow from the entertainment industry the other day and by some quirk of conversation we begin discussing Quakerism. I attending a Quaker liberal arts college called Earlham (“Fight! Fight! Inner light! Kill, Quakers, Kill!”) and he, I believe, was raised Quaker. And since the focus of everything in my life is, eventually, children’s literature we started talking about those picture books that Quaker kids love.

Because they do, you know. Befriend enough Quakers and...

Fusenews: Private jet, please

First up, my little sister. My daughter recently had her third birthday so my sis came up with a craft involving what she calls Do It Yourself Cupcakes. Each cupcake sported a teeny tiny cover of one of my child’s favorite books. Then we took them to her daycare where she delightedly set about pointing out all the books she knew. I have zero crafting skills but if you do then you might want to try this sometime. It was kind of friggin’ amazing.

Now in praise of Kevin King. The Kalamazoo Public...