MORE 'INTERNATIONAL-CHILDRENS-BOOKS' POSTS
In 2002 I was spending my lunch hour as I usually did: reading through academic children’s literature journals for fun. There was one in particular that dealt with international children’s books that I took a shine to. Called Bookbird, one particular issue presented an article comparing and contrasting different translations of Hans Christian Andersen. I […]
Juana and Lucas By Juana Medina Candlewick Press $14.99 ISBN: 978-1-7636-7208-9 Ages 6-9 On shelves now Windows. Mirrors. Mirrors. Windows. Windowy mirrors. Mirrory windows. Windows. Mirrors. Sliding doors! Mirrors. Windows. In the world of 21st century children’s literature, diversity should be the name of the game. We want books for our children that reflect the […]
What Color Is the Wind? By Anne Herbauts Translated by Claudia Zoe Bedrick Enchanted Lion Books $19.95 ISBN: 978-1-59270-221-3 Ages 5 and up On shelves now I’m going to have a hard time of it when my kids grow up. When I had them I swore up, down and sideways that I wouldn’t turn into […]
“If we don’t offer children literature from other languages, we are starving them.” Philip Pullman (TES, 2005) Phew! I’d been planning on doing a round-up of some of the speeches and talks I sat in on at the ALA Conference in Orlando a week or so ago, only to find that I’d lost my notes. […]
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 […]
Morning, folks. Here in the frozen tundra they call the Chicago area (a hot toddy to anyone who can explain to me why the wind blows TO the lake and not from it) we’re huddled in our homes dreaming of spring. So while you shiver and shake (obviously this does not apply to you tropical […]
“If kids like a picture book, they’re going to read it at least 50 times, and their parents are going to have to read it with them. Read anything that often, and even minor imperfections start to feel like gravel in the bed.” – Mark Haddon I’ve just returned from speaking at a magnificent writing […]
The other day I sat down with one Karen Coeman to discuss the state of Mexican children’s books today. Working as she does in Mexico with the hope of bringing more Mexican titles to American shores, she filled me in on a lot of the difficulties facing Mexican books for kids. Between the difficulty of […]
Okay! So I’m a little out of practice when it comes to these news items and looking at some of the stuff I’ve accumulated in the last month, a good swath of it is out of date. Here’s what I have that’s current then. Not long ago the good people at the Women’s National Book […]
So I’m at a lovely picture book author’s event the other night at Sharlene’s (note the shameless plug for my friend’s bar) and while talking to some industry folks I hear a rumor I’d previously been unaware of. “Did you know that they’re thinking of merging the ALA and BEA conferences?” Uh . . . […]