Betsy Bird's Blog, page 71

That Flag: An Interview with Tameka Fryer Brown

And now for something a little different.

I don’t know if you’re aware of it, but 2023 has already turned out to be a shockingly strong year for picture books. And nowhere is this more apparent than in Tameka Fryer Brown’s upcoming That Flag (out on shelves everywhere on January 31st). The story is written for a younger audience, but covers a topic I’ve really never seen before.

From the publisher:

An affecting picture book from Tameka Fryer Brown and #1 New York Times bestselling illus...

Simultaneous Cover Reveal! Juana Martinez-Neal’s ALMA Gets a New Board Book Series

And the hits just keep on coming! This week alone I’ve had a Q&A about a comic adaptation, an exclusive excerpt of two chapters of an upcoming book, and now a cover reveal. And whatta cover reveal!

How did you first come to discover the art of Juana Martinez-Neal? For me, the first book of hers that I ever saw (though not the first one she ever made) was the 2016 La Madre Goose: Nursery Rhymes for los Niños and I included it on my 31 Days, 31 Lists Nursery Rhymes collection. But it was her ...

Exclusive Excerpt Reveal: Julia and the Shark by Kiran Millwood Hargrave and Tom de Freston

Been a while since I’ve been able to stretch my excerpt muscles on this site. Today, I am pleased as punch to present a selection from none other than the Kirkus star reviewed March 28th release, Julia and the Shark. It’s a novel just filled to the brim with evocative illustrations. And the plot? Here you go:

Ten-year-old Julia loves the mysteries of the ocean, just like her scientist mother. Her family is spending the summer on a remote island where her mom is searching for the elusive Green...

Dropping the Dual Interview Bomb: Steve Sheinkin and Nick Bertozzi Discuss Their Graphic Novel Adaptation

I mean, I get it. You attain a certain age and suddenly you understand why old codgers feel perfectly inclined to sit in their rockers and rail at the young ‘uns on how good they have it these days. I imagine I’ll the same before too long. Toothless. Crochety. Occasionally spitting sunflower shells into a cup by my side as I yell at the children playing in the yard across the street about how when I was a kid we didn’t have all these fancy, accurate informational books you children seem to h...

Fuse 8 n’ Kate: Arnie the Doughnut by Laurie Keller

Hat tip to author/artist Jerrold Connors for realizing, long before we did, that Arnie the Doughnut would hit its 20th anniversary here in 2023. At last we can tackle the story of a sentient pastry and his longing for meaning in a cold, hungry world. Since its initial publication, the book has managed to create sequels, a musical, graphic novel/early chapter books, and more. But will it stand up to Kate’s scrutiny? I rant about New York City doughnuts and why they suck, how Arnie both thinks...

Fine Hats, Okay Hats, and Very Good Hats: An Interview with First Time Picture Book Author Emma Straub

As I’ve mentioned in the past, I may blog entirely about children’s books at night, but by day I’m a Collection and Materials Manager at Evanston Public Library. That means that a great deal of my job consists of purchasing adult titles for adult-type folks. An unexpected advantage to this job is that I now have a better sense of what’s being published in the wider world of adult fare. And that is why, when I heard the name “Emma Straub”, I had a fairly good sense of who she was. Straub … th...

Final Prediction Edition: Newbery / Caldecott 2023

All right, m’dears. Let’s get this over with. I’ve already done a podcast with my sister on three Caldecott contenders and announced that I’ll be doing a Pre-Game Show before the ALA YMA announcement on 1/30 at 7 in the freakin’ morning (CST, naturally). Bearing all of that in mind, I’ve also watched the Mock Caldecotts and Mock Newberys with a gimlet eye and have come to a couple conclusions. Will these conclusions prove correct? Well, this time last year I was able to call three of the Caldeco...

Review of the Day: An American Story by Kwame Alexander, ill. Dare Coulter

An American Story
By Kwame Alexander
Illustrated by Dare Coulter
Little, Brown and Company
$18.99
ISBN: 978-0-316-47312-5
Ages 7 and up
On shelves now

How soon is too soon? How early is too early? Is it possible to teach the hard parts of American history (putting back in all the people who were left out of our history books when we were kids) to children of a young age? I’m not just saying this off the top of my head, because all across this nation right now this debate is raging, sometimes liter...

Fuse 8 n’ Kate: 2023 Caldecott Contenders

It’s that time of the year again! A week from today we’ll see what books have officially won Caldecotts, Newberys, and other sundry awards at the ALA YMA announcements (visible here). I’ll also be doing a Pre-Game announcement of all kinds of possible wins. But before that, we’ve an annual tradition here at Fuse 8 n’ Kate where I present Kate three potential winners and she considers which ones have the best chance. This year Kate feels that there is one clear cut winner . . . and a book tha...

The Top Ten Most Disappointing Edibles and Potables of Children’s Literature

The votes are in. I asked Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for the books they were most disappointed by after reading about them in books as kids.

People had opinions. Many. Many. Opinions. Apparently once you’ve been burned by an author’s literary seduction when it comes to describing, say, fried apple/onion sandwiches, you don’t forgive easily.

After culling through the shockingly abundant opinions (they’re still coming in but I had to draw the line somewhere) I present to you the offi...