School Library Journal talks to publishing's brightest stars.
Running Wild with Michael Morpurgo By Debra Lau Whelan - 11/04/2009
Former Children's Laureate Michael Morpurgo talks about his latest book Running Wild, his passion about the world’s natural habitats, and why he’s throwing his weight behind MySchoolBook.com. More
Ordinary Heroes: Barbara O'Connor's latest book, 'The Small Adventure of Popeye and Elvis,' is a big treat By Rick Margolis - 11/01/2009
Popeye lives with his grandmother, Velma, who recites the names of the kings and queens of England in chronological order so she won’t go crazy. What else should we know about Popeye’s life? Popeye lives in a small Southern town with nothing to do in the summer, and he’s bored. And then, lo and behold, a shiny silver motor home gets stuck in the mud in front of his house and, ...
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A Touch of Grace By Madeleine Blais - 11/01/2009
From Grace Lin’s blog: June 19, 2007 Relief Even though I have been quiet about it, the last two weeks have been really brutal. Robert has suffered viciously, yet still soldiered on. I felt the least I could do was try to do the same. But the last few days have brought improvement and relief, and as it rains upon us, my creative seeds begin to sprout again… and it looks like I’...
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Jeff Kinney on 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days' By Debra Lau Whelan - 10/29/2009
Greg Heffley’s back again—and Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days (Abrams/Amulet, 2009), the fourth book in Jeff Kinney’s hugely popular series, is already dominating national bestseller lists. SLJ just caught up with Kinney to talk about his book tour, why he’s keeping his day job—and yes, the fact that a fifth book is in the works.
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The Very Wonderful Eric Carle By Debra Lau Whelan - 10/21/2009
Eric Carle, 80, says he’s officially retired. SLJ caught up with the legendary author and illustrator to talk about the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art and how he spends his time these days.
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Sandra Day O'Connor's Our Courts Web site By Shanti Menon - 10/14/2009
Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor has been keeping busy since her retirement three years ago. Her semi-autobiographical picture book, Finding Susie (Knopf, 2009), came out in June, and she recently launched Our Courts, an interactive civics Web site for middle schoolers, which features cleverly animated role-playing games, videos, resources for teachers—and a chance to chat with the first woman justice herself.
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Bill Cosby: Librarians Are Key By Lauren Barack - 10/07/2009
Leave it to the Father of Fat Albert to champion libraries. Bill Cosby, the legendary comedian, actor, author, and supporter of public schools, recently flew to Detroit to tape two public services announcements (PSAs) meant to remind students in failing school districts about the treasures they can unlock inside libraries. We caught up with Cosby, who also has a PhD in education, to ask why we need libraries now more than ever—and how parents can benefit, too.
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The Lady in Black By Rick Margolis - 10/01/2009
Your new novel takes place on a fictitious volcanic island, where a group of extraordinary people, called the Lost, are mysteriously murdered. What exactly is a Lost? A Lost is somebody who is capable of sending their senses—effectively fragments of their consciousness—away from their body in a loosely tethered fashion.
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Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog Jonathan Hunt, Librarian and teacher, Modesto City Schools November 3, 2009 The Plot Thickens
Laurie wrote--
I am very surprised that The Hunger Games was third on your perso... More
SLJ Covers 2009 A bigger and better view of SLJ's covers from 2009
BookExpo America 2009: SLJ's Day of Dialog School Library Journal held a Day of Dialog in conjunction with the annual BookExpo America on May 28, 2009 at the Brooklyn Public Library. Full story: bit.ly/1a0G7o
2008 National Book Awards Nominees in the young people's literature category graced the red carpet on Awards night Nov. 20, 2008.
The Alvin Ho Collection, Books 1 & 2 (unabr). 4 CDs. 4 hrs. Prod. by Listening Library. Dist. by Listening Library/Books on Tape (library.booksontape.com). 2009. ISBN 978-0-7393-7997-4. $38. Gr 2-4–Alvin Ho, a quirky Asian-American second grader, is articulate at home but so afraid of school that he is unable to speak while he is there.
Clowning around at the second annual Atlantic City Free Public Library Family Fun Festival last weekend. About 2,500 people came out to enjoy the beautiful day and the many festivities, including an array of performances, face painting, poetry readings by local teens, games, and music.
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The Alvin Ho Collection, Books 1 & 2 (unabr). 4 CDs. 4 hrs. Prod. by Listening Library. Dist. by Listening Library/Books on Tape (library.booksontape.com). 2009. ISBN 978-0-7393-7997-4. $38. 
