INTERVIEW

• Mahy's Muse
  From her home in New Zealand, author Margaret Mahy, 73, has penned more than 100 books—the first of which was published while working as a children’s librarian in 1969. Her latest picture book, Bubble Trouble (Clarion, 2009), a giggling romp about a baby bobbing through the air, earned her a prestigious Boston Globe–Horn Book Award. We asked her how she stays aloft as a writer and from where her inspiration flows.
  
  What was the genesis for Bubble Trouble?
  It wasn't so much the possibility of happenings as the sound of the initial words..."bubble trouble," an echoing phrase, certainly suggested trouble of a sort, and I began to think of the sort of trouble a large bubble might cause. But, underlying the possible events was the necessity of a sort of rhythm and sound. more » » » 

Blogs

• ShelfTalker: A Children's Bookseller's Blog
  Elizabeth Bluemle, Co-owner, Flying Pig Bookstore, Shelburne, Vt.
  Fall Leaves, Treats, and a Kid Named Gianna Z
  Remember those friendly middle-grade novels where kids have everyday problems and their parents, while flawed, are not only functional but are also loving, funny, exasperated, and kind? Well, there's ...
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• A Fuse #8 Production
  Elizabeth Bird, Children's Librarian, Children's Center at 42nd Street
  Review of the Day: The Squirrel's Birthday and Other Parties by Toon Tellegen
  The Squirrel’s Birthday and Other Parties By Toon Tellegen Illustrated by Jessica Ahlberg Translated by Martin Cleaver Boxer Books (distributed by Sterling in the U.S.) $12.95 ISBN: 978-...
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• Good Comics for Kids
  Lori Henderson, ,
  All ages comics and manga for 9/16/09
  Archie Comics takes the spotlight again with it's continuing saga of Archie and Veronica's marriage, this time with them actually tying the knot. Other highlights include Dark Horse with the sec...
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• NeverEndingSearch
  Joyce Valenza Ph.D, High School Librarian,
  Wordle genre signs (and authors-I-like signs)
  I've been playing with Wordle for some time now. I found it useful for Dewey signs, among many other things. Cathy Jo Nelson wrote a lovely piece on it for the July 1st issue of this ...
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NEWS

• Hundreds of Kids' Authors, Illustrators, Book Lovers Attend Brooklyn Book Festival
  Kate DiCamillo, Mo Willems, and Paul O. Zelinsky were just some of the children's and YA authors who attended the Brooklyn Book Festival last Sunday, a free annual event in New York that brings together hundreds of literary stars, emerging authors, and book lovers of all ages.
  
  The children’s area, sponsored by the discount retailer Target, featured popular authors and illustrators such as Willems, who treated the crowd to a preview of Pigs Make Me Sneeze (Hyperion, 2009), a soon-to-be-released edition to his “Elephant and Piggie” series, which happens to coincide with the media frenzy over another swine flu pandemic this fall. Adults in the audience chuckled when Willems, who lives in Brooklyn, said his publisher was embarking on a “viral marketing campaign.” more » » » 
• Selznick, Kidd, Sandell Perform at NYC’s Joe’s Pub
  Authors Brian Selznick, Laurie Sandell, and Chip Kidd recently tried their hand at something different—they took to the stage at New York City’s Joe’s Pub, where they performed at the Happy Ending Music and Reading Series, which invites storytellers, writers, and musicians to read from their works as long as they're willing to do something embarrassing.
  
  Kidd, the famed graphic designer and author who has created book covers for John Irving, Jay McInerney, and Michael Crichton’s Jurassic Park, did a dramatic reading from his book Bat-Manga!: The Secret History of Batman in Japan (Pantheon, 2008), which explores little-known facts about Batman history and the work of Japanese manga master Jiro Kuwata. Few people know, for instance, that in 1996 Kuwata drew Batman stories for the Japanese audience. Kidd’s reading of a Kuwata Batman story took both character portrayal and sound effects to new heights. more » » » 

REMARKABLE READS

• When a Parent Is Deployed
  Nothing can really prepare families for the inevitable deployment that most of our country’s military personnel face, whether it be on the ground in the Middle East or on a supply ship at a naval base. Some children may act out their feelings, making it difficult for adults to truly understand what’s going on and how to help. These titles allow kids to see someone like them in a similar situation, and may help them develop positive ways of dealing with their feelings. For online support, go to The Navy Fleet and Family Support Center, one of the best sites for kids by the Armed Services. more » » » 

LIBRARIAN'S INTERNET

• September 11th Memorial and Museum
  www.national911memorial.org
  
  Last Friday many of us paused to remember that harrowing day eight years ago when terrorists attacked the World Trade Center. A memorial and museum are being planned on the site, dedicated to the people who lost their lives that day. more » » » 

JOB OF THE WEEK