Politics in Practice
June 15, 2015 by Betsy Bird
In a Village by the Sea By Muon Van Illustrated by April Chu Creston Books $16.95 ISBN: 978-1-939547-156 Ages 4-6 On shelves now We talk a lot about wanting a diverse selection of picture books on our library, bookstore, and home shelves, but it seems to me that the key to giving kids a broad […]
April 28, 2015 by Betsy Bird
The Jumbies By Tracey Baptiste Algonquin Young Readers $15.95 ISBN: 9781616204143 Ages 9-12 On shelves now “All great literature is one of two stories; a man goes on a journey or a stranger comes to town.” So sayeth Leo Tolstoy (at least in theory). Regardless of whether or not it’s actually true, it is fun […]
February 26, 2014 by Betsy Bird
Everyone loves a good list but finding lists that reflect the intelligence of experts in a given field can sometimes be tricky. Consider, if you will, books about American Indians for the kiddos. I can’t tell you how many summer reading lists I see every year that have The Indian in the Cupboard, The Matchlock […]
January 1, 2014 by Betsy Bird
The Other Side of Free By Krista Russell Peachtree Publishers $16.95 ISBN: 978-1-56145-710-6 Ages 9-12 On shelves now Have you ever read the adult book How I Became a Famous Novelist? Bear with me for a second here, I know what I’m doing. You see, in the title the author decides that he wants to become […]
May 2, 2013 by Betsy Bird
A Girl Called Problem By Katie Quirk Eerdmans Books for Young Readers $8.00 ISBN: 97800-8028-5404-9 Ages 9-12 On shelves now. Who says that mystery novels for kids all have to include the same tropes and settings? I tell you, half the time when a kid comes up to a reference desk asking for a mystery […]
January 14, 2011 by Betsy Bird
Oh sure, it may seem like everyone’s all smiles and happiness after the recent announcements of the ALA Media awards, but don’t be fooled. There’s definitely a deep discord of discontent out there. Funny thing is, it has nothing to do with the books and everything to do with the day after the awards. For […]
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September 28, 2010 by Betsy Bird
Oh man. Sometimes I just don’t manage to keep up with all the news. Lightning fast round today, folks! Keep up if you can. A show of hands. How many of you knew that the Department of Social and Cultural Analysis at NYU was hosting, in conjunction with the Institute of African American Affairs, a […]
June 1, 2010 by Betsy Bird
Joha Makes a Wish: A Middle Eastern Tale By Eric A. Kimmel Illustrated by Omar Rayyan Marshall Cavendish $17.99 ISBN: 978-0-7614-5599-8 Ages 4-8 On shelves now There was a time, best beloved, when folktales and fairytales were common. Every other season they filled the publishers’ lists and librarians bought such books in droves. My own […]
May 14, 2010 by Betsy Bird
Big Red Lollipop By Rukhsana Khan Illustrated by Sophie Blackall Viking (a division of Penguin) $16.99 ISBN: 978-0-670-06287-4 Ages 4-8 On shelves now. Yeah, I have a little sister. Have since I was six. And like most older siblings I had the usual older sis/younger sis relationship with her you might imagine. We older siblings […]
October 8, 2007 by Betsy Bird
A Coyote Columbus Story By Thomas King Illustrated by William Kent Monkman Groundwood Books $6.95 978-0-88899-830-9 Ages 5 and up On shelves now Happy Fiorello H. LaGuardia Day!* One of the perks that came with attending the Kidlitosphere Conference was free goodies. For example, Ellen Klages was kind enough to hand me The Coyote Road: […]
100 Scope Notes
by Travis Jonker
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