The Yarn
February 29, 2016 by Betsy Bird
Happy Leap Day! Unlike Leap Day William here I have no candy to bestow upon the weeping children of the world, but I do have some keen links. First and foremost, this old newspaper article (possibly The New York Times) courtesy of Andrew Fairweather. It’s a little difficult to read here but it says, “THE […]
February 26, 2016 by Betsy Bird
¡Olinguito, de la A a la Z! / Olinguito, from A to Z By Lulu Delacre Children’s Book Press, an imprint of Lee & Low Books $18.95 ISBN: 978-0-89239-327-5 Ages 4-7 On shelves now Adults, I have a little secret. Have you ever wanted to sound smart at dinner parties? Knowledgeable in the ways of […]
February 25, 2016 by Betsy Bird
Last year this book came out: It’s pretty much just as gross as you might expect. Boy sneezes. The sneeze congeals into a massive beard o’ boogers. The boy is enraptured with his newfound facial “hair”, though his mom tells him to remove it before he eats. He’s disinclined. It was sort of a graphic […]
February 24, 2016 by Betsy Bird
This is one of those series I like to do, regardless of whether or not anyone else finds it interesting. So, in effect, it’s the most self-indulgent of my postings. Still, I think these books say something about how children’s literature is viewed by mainstream culture. And in that there is a benefit. Onward! I […]
February 22, 2016 by Betsy Bird
The Magic Mirror: Concerning a Lonely Princess, a Foundling Girl, a Scheming King, and a Pickpocket Squirrel By Susan Hill Long Knopf (an imprint of Penguin Random House) $16.99 ISBN: 978-0-553-51134-2 Ages 9-12 On shelves May 10th What do you want from a fairy tale? Magic? Romance? Derring-do? Despicable villainy? Academics and scholars have puzzled […]
February 19, 2016 by Betsy Bird
First and foremost, this: That would be Kadir Nelson’s tribute to the Schomburg Library in NYC. In an amazing bit of research you can see that he includes both the old Schomburg Library (now overrun with ivy) and the new Schomburg together at the bottom. Love that fine attention to detail. In all the talks we’ve […]
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February 17, 2016 by Betsy Bird
This past Saturday I held a Children’s Literary Salon here in Evanston on the topic of writing children’s books, common mistakes made by newcomers, where to go for advice, etc. (you can view the talk in its entirety here). At one point I asked my panel to say one piece of advice they might offer […]
February 16, 2016 by Betsy Bird
This photo was shot at the Social Media Institute hosted two weeks ago at National Louis University in partnership with the Center for Teaching Through Children’s Books and SCBWI. It shows me sitting between the illustrious Mike Lewis (he of the oddly fuzzy tie) and the incomparable Colby Sharp. So the question before you is […]
February 15, 2016 by Betsy Bird
Elliot By Julie Pearson Translated by Erin Woods Illustrated by Manon Gauthier Pajama Press $16.95 ISBN: 978-1-927485-85-9 Ages 4-7 On shelves April 4th The librarian and the bookseller face shelving challenges the like of which you wouldn’t believe. You think all picture books should simply be shelved in the picture book section by the author’s […]
February 12, 2016 by Betsy Bird
You know where I lived for eleven years of my New York City life? Harlem. You know where no one, aside from Walter Dean Myers, ever sets a middle grade novel? Harlem. Greenwich Village, Brooklyn, even Queens get more love than Harlem in books for 9-12 year olds. So you might understand why I’m happy […]
Teen Librarian Toolbox
by Amanda MacGregor
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