Archive for kidlit
100 Books Every Child Should Read
COD posted about this list of 100 books every child should read published by the UK Telegraph. I’ve read about a third of the books listed. A few are on the list of books I will be recommending to my kids. But mostly? Meh. Some of them I didn’t think belonged on the list. Others I’d never heard of (maybe UK only printings?).
What are YOUR must read books for kids?
Cybils Shortlists Announced
I’m only a little late in sharing the news, but if you’re curious about which books passed from the first round of judging to the finals, you can check it out here:
Swallows and Amazons on the Big Screen?
I read over at Farm School that BBC Films is acquiring options to all twelve of the Swallows and Amazons adventures. I love these books. If you haven’t read them out loud to your kids, I highly recommend them. I haven’t seen the older versions of the Swallows and Amazons movies, so I can’t speak to them. But I will say that I’m tired of people making movies or writing books “Inspired by the success of The Dangerous Book for Boys.”
The book is just not that fabulous, people. Don’t get me wrong; it’s good in the sense that apparently it has moved some kids from the couch to the out of doors. But it’s not a new concept. Kids - including mine - have been hammering and sawing and building and climbing and decoding long before they had a brick red handbook telling them how to do so. If parents want to encourage their kids to be “dangerous”, their money would be much better spent on a toolbox filled with a hammer and a screwdriver, along with a promise of some unscheduled time.And seriously? If you’re looking for danger, you’re going to be MUCH better off with this book
./rant (my, my, I got a little off track there, didn’t I?)
Lessons from a Dead Girl
Lessons from a Dead Girl by Jo Knowles is on my “to read” list. Actually, I was going to suggest it for my book club when it’s my turn to choose. Since I’ve yet to buy it, I was excited to see that Jo is giving away copies of the book over on her blog; I’m always up for a contest. Go check it out!
Robert’s Snow winners
I’m quite late in announcing this - and many thanks to Daniel J. Mahoney for reminding me to get on it - but I have two winners for the last Robert’s Snow contest. Jama Rattigan and Gail Maki Wilson (MAN I love the goldfish on her home page!) each take away a different book from Daniel J. Mahoney. Lucky ladies! If you’re paying close attention, you’ll note that they each answered differently for that contest. Hm. When I counted, there were 10 mentions of snow on the page, so Jama’s right. But after Gail commented, I checked again, and she’s right. The Robert’s Snow folks must have made some changes to that page!
But hey, I’m lucky today, too! I just heard from Kate Messner that her lovely students pulled MY name out of a basket to win a signed book and print from Sara Kahn! Woohoo! Thanks Kate and Sara.
And thanks to everyone who helped to make the Robert’s Snow fundraiser such a success. (Did anyone bid on a snowflake??)
Go Buy a Snowflake
Seriously. The first auction for the Robert’s Snow fund raiser opened today. You know all those beautiful snowflakes you’ve seen fluttering around the ‘net? The ones created by illustrators like Alexandra Boiger, Brooke Dyer, Kevin Hawkes, and Daniel Mahoney? This is your chance to pick up original art! And even if you can’t justify buying one for yourself, just think. This could be the solution to the what-to-buy-my-mother-in-law dilemma this year.
Auction 1 will begin accepting bids on Monday, Nov. 19 at 9:00 a.m. with a starting bid of $50 for each snowflake. All bids must be placed before the close of Auction 1 on Friday, Nov. 23 at 5:00 pm. Don’t forget that 100 percent of the proceeds from this online auction will benefit sarcoma research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and that all but $25 of the winning bid is tax deductible.
Read about the artists who contributed to the first auction at the sites linked below. (The order presented is the same as on the auction page.)
- Daniel Mahoney at Paradise Found and Great Solutions to Team Challenges
- Brie Spangler at Lectitans
- Yangsook Choi at What Adrienne Thinks About That
- Ginger Nielson at MISS O’s SCHOOL LIBRARY
- Philomena O’Neill at Jo’s Journal
- James Gurney at Charlotte’s Library
- David Ezra Stein at Hip Writer Mama
- Barbara Garrison at Brooklyn Arden
- Hideko Takahashi at The Silver Lining
- Brian Floca at A Fuse #8 Production
- Mary Peterson at Brooklyn Arden
- Maggie Swanson at Chicken Spaghetti
- Elizabeth Dulemba at sruble’s world
- Michelle Chang at The Longstockings
- Gretel Parker at Finding Wonderland
- Sara Kahn at Kate’s Book Blog
- Ann Koffsky at Book Buds
- Frank Dormer at What Adrienne Thinks About That
- Erin Eitter Kono at Sam Riddleburger
- John Nez
- Julie Fromme Fortenberry at Your Neighborhood Librarian
- Sharon Vargo
- Abigail Marble
- Marion Eldridge at Chicken Spaghetti
- Chris Gall at Through the Studio Door
- Annette Simon at Check It Out and Deo Writer
- Rolandas Kiaulevicius at a wrung sponge
- Paige Keiser at Your Neighborhood Librarian
- Tracy McGuinness-Kelly at Sam Riddleburger’s blog
- Jeannie Brett at cynthialord’s Journal
- Peter Emmerich at Loree Griffin Burns: A Life in Books
- Anna Dewdney at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast
- Erik Brooks at Bildungsroman
- Joan Waites
- Patrick Girouard at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast
- Yuyi Morales at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast
- Jennifer Thermes at Through the Studio Door
- Liza Woodruff at Check It Out
- Ilene Richard at Something Different Every Day
- Molly Idle at The Shady Glade
- Leanne Franson at Just Like the Nut
- Anni Matsik at A Sound From My Heart
- Inga Poslitur
Let it Snow - Blogging for a Cure
Trained as an x-ray technician, Daniel J.Mahoney discovered the wonderful world of picture books one day while shopping for his niece Marissa. While the x-ray gig paid the bills, he felt that creating artwork was his true calling. After trying his hand at cartooning, he decided to pursue the possibility of working as a children’s book illustrator. It worked.
Since then, he has written and illustrated three books for Clarion: The Perfect Clubhouse, A Really Good Snowman, and The Saturday Escape. In addition, he has illustrated several other books for a number of publishers.
Daniel’s Robert’s Snow snowflake depicts a monkey named Alfie with a banana in each hand. He is standing in the grass dotted with flowers against a pink sky. Folks, this snowflake is very cool.
And you won’t even have to work very hard to bid on it. It’s the very first snowflake listed for the first auction (which starts on November 19). Where else can you buy original artwork and contribute to such a good cause, all at the same time? Really; go check it out - I’ll wait.
Okay, you’re back?
Daniel was kind enough to answer a few questions for me, so that I could share them here as part of the Robert’s Snow event. But before I do that, let me just say that generosity abounds throughout the online realm of Robert’s Snow. So, so many illustrators have given of their time and talents to create snowflakes for this fundraiser. But it doesn’t end there. A good number of illustrators – as well as blog hosts – have donated prizes that are being given away throughout the blogosphere.
Daniel J. Mahoney has outdone himself with his generosity today. He’s offered three books for a giveaway today. Three! That means three different winners! Of three different books! And, to top it off, Daniel will autograph each book with his signature and a little drawing. How cool is that? To enter, here’s what you must do. It’s easy. Just go to the Robert’s Snow auction site for auction number one and count how many snowflakes have the word “snow” in their title. Leave your answer in the comments to this post. If you answer correctly, your name goes into the hat to win one of Daniel’s books. I’ll draw for the winner on November 25th.
And now, I give you illustrator Daniel J. Mahoney!
How do you accommodate publisher’s deadlines when you’re not feeling so creative? Or is that ever a problem for an artist?
I have to say I haven’t experienced that problem yet. (knock on wood) Usually by the time I’m faced with a deadline for a project, I’ve already got the creative juices flowing. I’ve already completed the manuscript, the dummy book and all the character sketches, so I know exactly what the little world in my book is going to look like. My creativity is at it’s peak at this point because I have the whole book mapped out and I’m so ready to take the journey it leads me on. Getting published is still the most exciting feeling I have ever experienced, so whenever I am given a new book to create somehow I’m at my artistic best throughout the whole thing!
Do you work on a schedule, or paint and create as the mood strikes?
My schedule is set by my son! Whenever I’m not feeding him, or playing with him, or getting him off to preschool is when I hit the paints. He’s three, and my wife and I both have part-time “real jobs”. So my time is limited for when I can really get into my creative work. I’m the type of person who would LOVE to have a schedule, because that’s the only way I can get things done. Sometimes I paint and create when I don’t even feel like it, because it might be my only opportunity before I have to hit the sandbox again!
What inspires you?
Honestly I have to say other illustrators and their work. There are so many extremely talented artists out there who I just look at and think, “I have to get to the studio!” I become so motivated and inspired to create beautiful work when I see beautiful work.
Tell me about the images on your snowflake and the how/why of getting involved with this project.
Alfie is a character that my 3 year old son Ryan collaborated with me on. One day we were playing in his sandbox, and he says,” Daddy, tell me an Alfie sandbox story.” At first I thought, what are you talking about? Then the children’s book part of my brain spoke up and prompted me to start telling a story about a monkey named Alfie and his adventures in the sandbox. Before I knew it I was improvising daily Alfie stories. I just loved the ring to “Alfie Sandbox Stories”, I just had to come up with a book idea about Alfie and his adventures in the sandbox. The back of the snowflake, however, I have to say I’m not very happy with now that I’ve seen it on the website a few times. It says Alfie Sandbox Stories, coming soon. Not that this was my intention when I created it, but it feels now like I was advertising for a new book I’m working on. I’m sorry if it comes across that way, and I regret doing that and wish I could change it. Sometimes I do things like that and regret them later and say, what was I thinking! Hopefully someone will see it and love it and bid on it. I stumbled upon the Robert’s Snow website one day and was mesmerized by the whole thing. I thought, what a wonderful way for an illustrator to do their part and contribute to such an important cause. I immediately e-mailed the person in charge and asked how I could help. Before I knew it, I was unwrapping a package with a wooden snowflake in it. I thought, what an honor it is to be able to help raise money for cancer research with my art. That they actually want me to illustrate a snowflake alongside all these other big names in the children’s book field is quite an honor in itself. I’m just thrilled I can contribute to this extremely important endeavor.
Since my blog readers are primarily educators and those interested in boosting kids’ creativity, do you have a single suggestion for encouraging kids to get out there and be creative?
Tell them simply that whatever they choose to create, be it an intricate wall mural or a popsicle stick jewelry box, it’s beautiful and special because they created it, and that no one else in the world can create something quite like it.
Note to Blog Readers about Blogging for a Cure (courtesy, Elaine Magliaro): When Jules of 7-Imp put out her call in September for bloggers to interview/feature artists who had created snowflakes for Robert’s Snow 2007 at their blogs, a number of artists had not yet sent in their snowflakes to Dana-Farber. As time was of the essence to get Blogging for a Cure underway, we worked with the list of artists whose snowflakes were already in possession of Dana-Farber. Therefore, not all the participating artists will be featured. This in no way diminishes our appreciation for their contributions to this worthy cause. We hope everyone will understand that once the list of artists was emailed to bloggers and it was determined which bloggers would feature which artists at their blogs, a schedule was organized and sent out so we could get to work on Blogging for a Cure ASAP. Our aim is to raise people’s awareness about Robert’s Snow and to promote the three auctions. We hope our efforts will help to make Robert’s Snow 2007 a resounding success.
And finally (how’s that for the longest post ever?), here are the other illustrator features for today:
- R.W. Alley at at Jama Rattigan’s Alphabet Soup
- Jeannie Brett at cynthialord’s Journal
- Amy Young at Kate’s Book Blog
STICKY: Prizes from Robert’s Snow illustrators
STICKY (Thanks, Andrea!) - scroll down for newer posts. This post will stay at the top of the page until the Robert’s Snow blogging event is over. Go see what you can win (there are some really cool prizes out there!). Also, I’m NOT taking the time to remove contests if they are over; I’ll leave that sleuth work up to you. I just don’t have the time to keep up with every giveaway - there are so many!
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NEW! Gail Maki Wilson is featuring illustrator/author Chris Gall (you HAVE to check out his dino flake!) and offering visitors the chance to win a copy of Chris’s book, Dear Fish.
NEW! Win a signed copy of one of Amy Young’s books from the Belinda series over at Kate’s book blog.
NEW! Jama Rattigan hosts R.W. Alley today (Nov. 10). Some of you may recognize him as the guy who brought Paddington Bear to life in the stories by Michael Bond. Hop on over to check out his wonderful snowflake and enter to win a signed copy of PADDINGTON.
NEW! Daniel J. Mahoney, featured at Paradise Found, is giving away three autographed books to three different visitors.
NEW! Cynthia Lord is giving away Jeannie Brett’s “Fishing for Numbers” on Nov. 10.
Leave a comment over at Check it Out, where MsMac is featuring illustrator Annette Simon today (Nov. 9). Your name will be entered in a drawing for a copy Annette’s book, Mocking Birdies.
To be entered to win a signed copy of Denise’s Ortakales beautiful Good Morning, Garden, leave a comment on author Cynthia Lord’s feature by midnight this coming Wednesday. I love the snowflake that Denise designed - go have a look!
Illustrator Sara Kahn is being featured at Kate’s book blog today (Nov. 2). Sara has donated a signed print of an illustration from one of her books.
On November 4th, Nancy Wallace is the featured illustrator on In The Pages and will be giving away a copy of the book “Snow”.
Kate Messner features illustrator Shawna Tenney on Halloween. To enter the drawing, folks should leave a comment about one of their favorite Robert’s Snow snowflakes. A winner drawn after the auction will receive a copy of AMY’S BIKE and a print signed by Shawna.
On Halloween, Booktopia and Welcome to my Tweendom will proudly show-case Adam Rex! Adam has graciously agreed to answer some burning questions, and you can win a brand spanking new hardcover copy of The True Meaning of Smekday to a lucky reader!
Matt Phelan has donated a “raffle doodle” — a sketch that we’ll give away by putting all the names of the folks who comment on his feature (Oct. 30, A Year of Reading) into a hat and picking one. A plain, old-fashioned drawing…for a drawing!
Leave a comment on this post over at In the Pages and you will be entered into a drawing for a signed copy of Grace Lin’s book, Lissy’s Friends, AS WELL AS an accompanying Lissy Doll!
Enter to win a signed copy of one of Judy Schachner’s books AND a Skippyjon Jones doll over at Kate Messner’s book blog. (Kate, by the way, is the author of the newly released historical fiction novel Spitfire which sits high atop my wish list.)
Win a book from author/illustrator Linas Alsenas over at A Wrung Sponge, where TWO lucky winners will each win one of his books.
Gail Maki Wilson at Through the Studio Door features Jennifer Thermes who has graciously offered an autographed book for you to win.
Wild Rose Reader is offering a limited edition Robert’s Snow giclee print by Grace Lin.
Riddleburger will be offering is giving away an original sketch by Erin Eitter Kono (details and illustrator feature up tomorrow now).
It’s easy to enter and might I add that these prizes would make for some wonderful holiday gifts! Many thanks to the illustrators who graciously donated their work and to Jules and Eisha at 7-Imp for organizing this event.
Let it Snow!
It’s a new week, which means new illustrator features all around in honor of Robert’s Snow.
As you know if you’ve been visiting any children’s book blogs for the past few weeks, Robert’s Snow is an online auction that benefits Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Over 200 children’s book illustrators have created art on individual snowflake-shaped wooden templates. The snowflakes will be auctioned off, with proceeds going to cancer research. You can view all of the 2007 snowflakes here. Jules and Eisha from Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast have found a way for bloggers to help with this effort, by blogging about individual illustrators and their snowflakes. The idea is to drive traffic to the Robert’s Snow site so that many snowflakes will be sold, and much money raised to fight cancer. The illustrator profiles have been wonderful so far - diverse and creative and colorful. And there are lots more to go.
Here’s the schedule for Week 3, which starts Monday. As previously, this early schedule links to the participating blogs, instead of to the individual posts. You can find links to the posts themselves, and any last-minute updates, each morning at 7-Imp. Jules and Eisha have also set up a special page at 7-Imp containing a comprehensive list of links to the profiles posted so far. Also remember to check this post summarizing snowflake-related contests to date.
Monday, October 29
- Dan Santat at Writing and Ruminating
- Joanne Friar at The Longstockings
- Alissa Imre Geis at Wild Rose Reader
- Diane Greenseid at Just One More Book!!
- Sean Qualls at Brooklyn Arden
Tuesday, October 30
- Ann Koffsky at Book Buds
- Bill Carman at A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy
- Gretel Parker at Finding Wonderland
- Matt Phelan at A Year of Reading
- Stephanie Roth at Writing with a broken tusk
Wednesday, October 31
- Shawna Tenney at Kate’s Book Blog
- Adam Rex at Booktopia and Welcome to my Tweendom
- Mo Willems at MotherReader
- Rolandas Kiaulevicius at a wrung sponge
Thursday, November 1
- Karen Lee at sruble’s world
- Diana Magnuson at A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy
- Melissa Iwai at Brooklyn Arden
- Victoria Jamieson at AmoXcalli and Cuentecitos
- Molly Idle at The Shady Glade
- Meghan McCarthy at A Fuse #8 Production
Friday, November 2
- Tracy McGuinness-Kelly at Sam Riddleburger’s blog
- Sarah Kahn at Kate’s Book Blog
- Sylvia Long at Whimsy Books
- Jeremy Tankard at the excelsior file
- Holli Conger at Please Come Flying
Saturday, November 3
- Susan Miller at Your Neighborhood Librarian
- Ellen Beier at What Adrienne Thinks About That
- Hideko Takahashi at The Silver Lining
- Judith Moffat at Jo’s Journal
- Wendell Minor at Wild Rose Reader
Sunday, November 4
- Joy Allen at Check It Out
- Robin Brickman at Greetings from Nowhere
- Lauren Stringer at laurasalas
- Nancy Wallace at In the Pages . . .
See also the following note from Elaine Magliaro of Wild Rose Reader:
Note to Blog Readers about Blogging for a Cure: When Jules of 7-Imp put out her call in September for bloggers to interview/feature artists who had created snowflakes for Robert’s Snow 2007 at their blogs, a number of artists had not yet sent in their snowflakes to Dana-Farber. As time was of the essence to get Blogging for a Cure underway, we worked with the list of artists whose snowflakes were already in possession of Dana-Farber. Therefore, not all the participating artists will be featured. This in no way diminishes our appreciation for their contributions to this worthy cause. We hope everyone will understand that once the list of artists was emailed to bloggers and it was determined which bloggers would feature which artists at their blogs, a schedule was organized and sent out so we could get to work on Blogging for a Cure ASAP. Our aim is to raise people’s awareness about Robert’s Snow and to promote the three auctions. We hope our efforts will help to make Robert’s Snow 2007 a resounding success.
Many, many thanks to Jen Robinson for the previous post, complete with html.
