INTERVIEW

• The Very Wonderful Eric Carle
  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.
  
  It’s been a while since your last book. Can we expect another any time soon?
  I’m in retirement mode. I haven’t done a book in a couple of years. I don’t feel like doing another one, and I doubt that I will. My last book was Baby Bear, Baby Bear, What Do You See? (Holt, 2007). more » » » 

Blogs

• ShelfTalker: A Children's Bookseller's Blog
  Josie Leavitt, Co-owner, Flying Pig Bookstore, Shelburne, Vt.
  Price War Thoughts
  Price wars are all over the news. In fact, unless you lived under a rock, you'd be hard-pressed to not have heard about the Amazon/Wal-Mart/Target and now Sears (yes, Sears!) ever-escalating one-upman...
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• Nonfiction Matters
  Marc Aronson, AUTHOR, EDITOR, PACKAGER, SPEAKER,
  don't worry if you are having trouble posting comments
  IT just told me that the spam blocker -- the captcha letters and numbers you need to write to post your comment -- is not working I'll let you know when it is fixed -- this is for all of the SLJ bl...
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• NeverEndingSearch
  Joyce Valenza Ph.D, High School Librarian,
  AASL: A geek packing list and more
  Okay, so I may not be feeling the NASCAR references as much as my fellow committee members, but I do REALLY have Charlotte on my mind and I hope that many of you are growing as excited about AASL0...
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• A Fuse #8 Production
  Elizabeth Bird, Children's Librarian, Children's Center at 42nd Street
  Remarkable Reissues: The Man Who Lost His Head by Claire Huchet Bishop
  Children's librarians have a sneaky tendency to become children's authors. Tis the natural way of things. There comes a point when the average librarian starts to feel a tug on the old h...
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NEWS

• Scholastic Censors Myracle’s ‘Luv Ya Bunches’ from Book Fairs
  Don't expect to see Lauren Myracle’s new book Luv Ya Bunches (Abrams/Amulet, 2009) at Scholastic school book fairs this year. It’s been censored—at least for now—due to its language and homosexual content.
  
  Luv Ya Bunches, about four elementary school girls who have little in common, but bond over the fact that they’re all named after flowers, is the first installment of a four-book series. But Scholastic says the book, released on October 1, failed to meet its vetting process because it contains offensive language and same-sex parents of one of the main characters, Milla. more » » » 
• Chicago Public Library Unveils 21st-Century YOUmedia Learning Space for Teens
  The Windy City just landed one of the hottest spots for teens—and it’s at the public library.
  
  Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley recently visited YOUmedia, an innovative 21st-century learning space for high school students located at the Chicago Public Library’s Harold Washington Library Center, which connects teens, books, technology, and institutions throughout the city in one dynamic space. All students need is a valid library card to take advantage of it. more » » » 

SLJ GOES TO THE MOVIES

• Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant
  The freak flag flies high in this rambunctious, speed-through adaptation of the first three “Cirque du Freak” books (Little, Brown) by Darren Shan. Indeed, fans of the macabre will enjoy Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant’s gross-out traveling freak show with star attractions who are just as far-out and fantastical as those in the series: a performing tarantula, a wolf-man, and Salma Hayek as the bearded lady. more » » » 

REMARKABLE READS

• Ghosts and Spectres
  There's no shortage of paranormal titles for tweens and teens lately. But let’s give the fangs a rest for a minute and consider our spectral friends from the “other side.” Some are benevolent, others not so much, and it’s clear that the living and the dead just need to find a way to get along—or stay out of each other’s way! These titles will make for a great teen Halloween reading display. more » » » 

LIBRARIAN'S INTERNET

• Three Halloween Treats
  Next week kids will be carving pumpkins and figuring out what they'll be for halloween. They’ll also start anticipating the sweet and gooey treats they’ll receive. Why not provide the kids in your library with three sweet Halloween games as well? The audio for these games is great so, if possible, provide kids with headphones or dare to let them use your computer speakers in order to get the full effect. more » » » 

JOB OF THE WEEK