This has been a season of firsts. I did my first Albert Whitman preview a week or so ago. I'll be doing my first National Geographic preview in the future. And I've certainly never done a Lerner Publishing Group preview before! That's the nice thing about New York. Even if the publishers ain't local, there's no reason for them not to say howdy when they happen to be in town.
And howdy it was! Two lovely ladies, Lindsay Matvick and Terri Reden,...Read More
I'm allowed to be a fangirl once in a while, I think. Now I don't often get a chance to interview an author or illustrator from my own youth. Inevitably they're either dead or no longer working in the field of children's literature. But you know, there was one artist around when I was a kid that has stayed in my brain. The guy who really introduced me firsthand to the works of C.S. Lewis, Kenneth Grahame, J.M. Barrie . . . basically almost every classic I know today. His name was Michael Hague and to this day the man is s...Read More
A conflict of interest question has arisen regarding the National Book Awards in the Young Person's category over at One-Minute Book Reviews. The writer is Janice Harayda, an award-winning journalist and former book editor of the Plain Dealer in Cleveland who has been a vice-president of the National Book Critics Circle. It makes for interesting reading. I understand the argument (in brief: Since Small illust...Read More
For the first time ever, I am indulging in a Video Interview for the WBBT. Our subject is Dan Santat, one of the wonders of the illustration biz. This is, without a doubt, one of the best interviews I've ever done, and it's all thanks to Dan.
The following will appear during this interview at some point: Lightsabers, clones, chicken puppets, Rock Band, the digestion of hamburgers, L.A., New York, tears, sweat, and very little blood.
Here are two versions of the interview, depending on what your computer can take. This is a Vimeo interview in full:
You have a chance to win a whole bunch o' fabulous books for the lovely folks at The Class of 2K9. Forewarned is forearmed. Note this release:
The weather's getting cooler, the leaves are falling... That means it's time for one last giveaway before 2009 comes to an end!
Between now and Thanksgiving weekend, the Class of 2K9 will be celebrating the many wonderful librarians who've supported us throughout the year by offering not one, not two, but THREE sets of books:
Set 1 (a full set for public libraries -- 23 titles in all):
One of the most striking works of fiction for young people this year won't be winning any Newberys. That's because Frances Hardinge, the brains behind the extraordinary Gullstruck Island (called The Lost Conspiracy here in the U.S.), is also a resident of the British Isles and is technically ineligible. A true pity since as novels go, Gullstruck Island is probably the smartest, fastest, most intriguing middle grade chapter books to hit bookstore shelves in recent years. I was honored to get a chance to ask Ms. Hardinge some questions about her book, as...Read More
The Winter Blog Blast Trou begins today, you lucky ducks! For some insightful, downright intriguing interviews with the top writers out there, boy are you in luck. Check out the offerings of the day:
