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October 22, 2009

In this Issue

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In the News

  • National Coalition Against Censorship Salutes Judy Blume
    Some people may have difficulty finding humor in the issue of censorship. Thankfully, celebrated author Judy Blume isn't one of them. Nor were the many actors, comedians, authors, and supporters who gathered on Monday evening for A Night of Comedy with Judy Blume & Friends. Presented by the National Coalition Against Censorship, the event was both a celebration of the Coalition's 35th anniversary, as well as an opportunity to honor Blume, who has actively battled censorship of her books... more » » » 
  • It’s the End of the World as We Know It
    Vampires may live forever, but the recent vampire trend in YA fiction won't. Author Michael Grant, for one, is "sick to death of vampires," and he is not alone. But when one hugely popular trend ends, what will take its place? Some readers have their fingers crossed for post-apocalyptic fiction. Grant, along with fellow authors Scott Westerfeld, Carrie Ryan, and James Dashner, gathered with fans at a Barnes and Noble in Manhattan last Thursday to discuss their latest books... more » » » 



  • Obituary: Norma Fox Mazer
    Children's book author Norma Fox Mazer died on Saturday, October 17, after being diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor earlier this year. She was 78. Fox was the author of numerous picture books and novels for young readers, and was awarded a Newbery Honor in 1988 for After the Rain. Mazer is survived by her husband and occasional collaborator, children's book author Harry Mazer... more » » » 

Blogs

Book News

  • ‘The Maze Runner’ Off to a Strong Start
    The folks at Random House Children's Books succeeded in getting the marketplace buzzing about James Dashner's The Maze Runner well before it arrived in stores this month. The author's five-city pre-publication tour in May wrapped up with a stop at BEA, where, thanks to the tour, booksellers were already wired into his post-apocalyptic thriller. And the buzz continues: Dashner is currently on a coast-to-coast tour to promote the novel, released on October 6 with a 100,000-copy first printing... more » » » 
  • Where the Boys Are
    Sports-crazy kids—especially boys—have allowed professional football players Tim Green, Tiki and Ronde Barber, and sports journalists Mike Lupica and John Feinstein to add "bestselling author" to their resumes. Assuming a mantle once worn by Matt Christopher, the middle-grade novels of these five authors have sold more than two million copies in the past few years. more » » » 
  • Kane/Miller Conspires to Build a Hit
    Educational Development Corp. chairman Randall White was pretty sure he had uncovered a gem of a small company when he acquired Kane/Miller Book Publishers last December, but the purchase has worked out even better than he thought. With the holiday season still to come, revenue at Kane/Miller in 2009 has already topped that of all of 2008, according to White. more » » » 
  • Orca Book Publishers’ Graphic Adventure Line
    Much like other publishers focused on the kids' and teen educational market, Canadian house Orca Book Publishing added a line of graphic novels to its list in hopes attracting teen readers as well as their teachers and librarians. In 2007 Orca launched the Graphic Guide Adventure Series, a line of fictional adventure graphic novels aimed at middle graders, focusing on the environment, skateboarding, soccer and, now, media literacy. more » » » 

In the Media

  • From Variety:
    Where the Wild Things Are has been all over the news in the past week. According to Variety, it was the #1 grossing movie in the country last weekend, pulling in $32.5 million. more » » » 
  • From the New York Times:
    The Times gave Where the Wild Things Are a strong review last Friday, saying it "startles and charms and delights," largely due to director Spike Jonze's filmmaking. more » » » 
  • From Agence France-Presse:
    President Obama turned movie critic as well, telling a group of Maryland students that he'd viewed the movie, and "it's worth seeing." more » » » 
  • From USA Today:
    Some parents were upset that the PG-rated film proved too scary for younger children, though Warner Brothers said, "We were careful not to market it to young people. This is a choice parents should look into and make for themselves." more » » » 
  • From the Guardian:
    And the book's creator, Maurice Sendak, said he would "not tolerate" parental concerns about the movie being too scary. "I would tell them to go to hell," he said. more » » » 

In Brief

  • Globetrotting with Flat Stanley
    HarperCollins and guided-vacation company Adventures by Disney are launching a Flat Stanley–themed writing contest, in which kids are invited to write their own adventure starring the well-traveled children's book character, for a chance to win a trip for four. Here, Josh Greenhut, author of the forthcoming Flat Stanley's Worldwide Adventures #5, joins third-graders from the Sheridan School in Washington, D.C… more » » » 
  • Natural Selections?
    On Monday, Henry Holt authors Deborah Heiligman (Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith) and Jacqueline Kelly (The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate) stopped by the Bank Street School in New York City to meet with the school's Mock Newbery and Mock Printz clubs. Seen here (l. to r.), the authors' editor, Laura Godwin of Henry Holt, Heiligman and Kelly answered students' questions… more » » » 
 

Q & A

  • Q & A with Sharon Robinson
    Q: What was the actual event that inspired this book?
    A: In 1955, my parents moved our family from New York City to Stamford, Connecticut, and on our property was a lake that was a source of all kinds of pleasure for us throughout the seasons. The first winter we lived there, my siblings and I wanted to go ice-skating and my mother said we could - as long as my father tested the ice first to make sure it was safe. He agreed to do that - with reluctance. You see, he couldn't swim. more » » » 

Featured Reviews

  • The Mitten
    Jim Aylesworth, illus. by Barbara McClintock. Scholastic Press, $16.99 (32p) ISBN 978-0-439-92544-0

    Aylesworth and McClintock's (Our Abe Lincoln) retold folktale about a lost mitten opens sweetly, with a playful boy wearing the tomato-red hat, scarf and mittens his grandmother has knit for him. After a carefree sled ride, he returns home, gazing disconsolately at his mittenless hand. He gets a comforting hug and hot chocolate while, outside, a delighted squirrel crawls into the mitten. Soon a rabbit asks to share the warmth: " 'Please!' begged the rabbit./ 'My toes are cold as ice!/ Your mitten looks so cozy,/ and warm toes would feel so nice!'" The tale grows sillier as a fox, then a bear, repeat the rabbit's rhyme to humorous effect and persuade the mitten's occupants to let them in the tight space, massively distending the mitten (they soon discover its limits—with explosive results)… more » » » 


  • John Brown: His Fight for Freedom
    John Hendrix. Abrams, $18.95 (40p) ISBN 978-0-8109-3798-7

    This unflinching biography by illustrator Hendrix (Abe Lincoln Crosses the Creek), his first as author, begins with a lucid summary of the antislavery movement, pre–Civil War politics and Brown's early activities in the underground railroad. With the massacre of proslavery settlers at Pottawatomie Creek, Hendrix zooms in closer to reconstruct the abolitionist's transformation into an outlaw ("John's ruthless tactics spread fear into the hearts of the Border Ruffians and others, but also branded John a crazed madman"). The violent raid in Harper's Ferry, Va., leads to Brown's arrest and execution and is the climactic event of this compelling narrative… more » » » 








SOAPBOX:
Lesléa Newman



When I first conceived of Heather Has Two Mommies in 1988, I had no idea that it would be so loved—and so hated. I had no idea it would appear on "most challenged" book lists alongside Huckleberry Finn and The Catcher in the Rye. I had no idea it would become part of the congressional record and be debated on the Senate floor. read more

Rights Report

Gil Kenan will direct and Ann Peacock will adapt Eoin Colfer's novel Airman, a $150 million motion-capture fantasy adventure from Disney and ImageMovers, Variety reports. The story centers on Connor, a boy who lives on an island off the coast of Ireland, where his father is the king's bodyguard. When the king is murdered, Conor is thrown into prison for the crime, where he designs a flying machine to use to save his family.

Also according to Variety, Privileged star Lucy Hale is finalizing a deal to star in Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard, the YA series from Alloy Entertainment; ABC Family is close to giving a pilot order. The story revolves around four 16-year-olds, who have lost touch with one another until each of them begins to receive mysterious messages from their manipulative and vindictive friend Alison, who has disappeared. Warner Horizon and Alloy Entertainment will produce. Alloy and Warner have been looking to adapt the series for TV for several years; the project was previously at the WB Network.

People

Alison Donalty has been promoted to executive art director at HarperCollins Children's Books. She was previously art director, and joined the company in 1994 as an assistant designer. Among the books she has worked on are the Series of Unfortunate Events, The Princess Diaries books, the Confessions of Georgia Nicolson series, Melissa Marr's Wicked Lovely books and the Luxe series.

Mark Your Calendar

A memorial service for author-illustrator Karla Kuskin, who died on August 20, has been scheduled for Thursday, October 29, at 2 p.m. at Plymouth Church, 75 Hicks Street, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Contact Us

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Children's Bookshelf
Editor: Diane Roback
Associate Editor: John Sellers

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