Tough Love: An Open Letter to Kids' Book Publishers By Diantha McBride - 07/01/2009
Dear Publishers: I'm a school librarian. During the past 30 years, I've worked with children and young adults from ages 3 to 18 (not to mention teachers, families, administrators, lecturers, and visiting authors), and I've read a lot of books. Because there are so many kids' books being published these days, I'm not expecting total perfection.
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Father Knows Best: An Interview with Fran Cannon Slayton By Rick Margolis - 06/01/2009
When the Whistle Blows follows the adventures of Jimmy Cannon, a boy growing up in a rural West Virginia railroading town. Jimmy’s family has worked on the railroad for generations, and that’s what he dreams of doing. But the times are changing, and the town’s old way of life is in danger of disappearing.
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Lookin’ for Trouble: An Interview with K. L. Going By Rick Margolis - 04/01/2009
You excel at creating teen troublemakers—Troy Billings in Fat Kid Rules the World, Iggy Corso in Saint Iggy, and now Liam Geller, a kindhearted, drop-dead gorgeous guy who’s a first-class screwup. Growing up, you were a straight-A student and thought seriously about joining the Peace Corps.
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For the Love of Art: The Road to Fame Was Long and Hard for Some of the Best Artists By Kathleen Baxter - 04/01/2009
The words “starving” and “artist” are a too-familiar pair. Some creators are willing to suffer whatever it takes. But the grit and sweat that challenge artists also make them fascinating, compelling, and unforgettable. Children in grades 2–5 will be charmed and intrigued by a trio of stunning author biographies.
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Saint in the City: An Interview with Francisco X. Stork. By Rick Margolis - 03/01/2009
Marcelo is a bright 17-year-old who works with therapy horses, is wild about religion, and stumbles humorously into his first romantic relationship. You once lived at a home that was part of L’Arche, a faith-based community in which so-called normal adults live alongside those with developmental disabilities.
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Remembering Kate and Kathy: Two Passionate Youth Librarians Leave Behind a Lasting Legacy By Vicky Smith - 03/01/2009
For children’s book lovers, the world was infinitely glorious on Monday, January 26, 2009, as the winners of the American Library Association’s (ALA) awards were announced at the midwinter meeting in Denver. But two days later, a drunk driver slammed into a taxicab, killing two children’s librarians as they were on their way to the Denver International Airport, and suddenly ou...
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It’s Good to Be Gaiman: A Revealing Interview with Newbery Winner Neil Gaiman By Roger Sutton - 03/01/2009
Neil Gaiman has been a busy boy. I caught up with him by phone at his Wisconsin home, to which he had returned the night before from the film premiere of Coraline in Portland, OR. The movie hoopla, of course, was but a footnote to his Really Big News, winning the 2009 Newbery Medal for The Graveyard Book (HarperCollins, 2008).
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Be Still My Heart: A Shameless Guide to Sweet, Sexy Romance Novels for Teens and Tweens By Donna Freitas - 02/01/2009
In my other life, you know, the fantasy one, I’m a school librarian by day, complete with tortoise-shell glasses and a hot factor of 10. By night, I transform into something akin to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, at which point I spend time saving the world, of course. With February 14 quickly approaching, I’m worried about the strange but interesting suitors lining up to be my valentine...
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The Great Unknown: Daniel Handler Interviews National Book Award-Winner Judy Blundell By Daniel Handler - 01/01/2009
If you haven’t heard of Judy Blundell until recently, join the club. For nearly 20 years, Blundell has toiled in anonymity, turning out more than 100 mysteries, romances, and media tie-ins under various pen names, such as Jude Watson. But in mid-November, the writer-for-hire was suddenly shoved into the spotlight.
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School Library Journal's Best Books 2008 By SLJ Book Review Editors Trevelyn Jones, Luann Toth, Marlene Charnizon, Daryl Grabarek, and Joy Fleishhacker - 12/01/2008
Of the more than 5000 books reviewed in SLJ’s pages in 2008, the 67 books listed below stood out as having distinctive voices, singular vision, and/or innovative approaches. They include books for toddlers and preschoolers, terrific picture books and easy readers, and some highly original novels.
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SLJ Presents the Best Adult Books for High School Students 2008 By Francisca Goldsmith, Chair, Adult Books for High School Students Committee - 12/01/2008
It was a banner literary year and so SLJ's Adult Books for High School Students Committee decided on 30 titles, published between September 2007 and November 2008 (with reviews published in 2008), to recognize as the best for high school readers. The list includes realistic and historical novels as well as some genre-blending titles.
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Candlewick Unveils Judy Moody Contest Winners By Amrisa Niranjan - 11/14/2008
One public library and two bookstores are winners of the “Judy Moody’s Totally RARE Author Visit” contest, which comes with a very special grand prize—a visit from Megan McDonald, author of the popular early chapter book series.
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‘Click, Clack, Moo’ in the White House Library? By Debra Lau Whelan - 11/10/2008
Chances are you won’t see Click, Clack, Moo (S & S, 2000), TheTale of Despereaux (Candlewick, 2003), and Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Abrams, 2007) in the White House library. But if students at Milton Terrace South Elementary School in upstate New York have their way, these and other children's books will be on the library's shelves by the time President-elect Barack Obama and his family move in.
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Give a Goat By Debra Lau Whelan - 10/29/2008
Jan Schrock knows a thing or two about giving. As the daughter of Dan West, founder of the charity Heifer International, she was surrounded by generosity all the time. In her first children’s book, Give a Goat (Tilbury, 2008), Schrock tells the true story of a fifth-grade class in Maine that learns they can make a difference by carrying out Heifer’s mission: to stop poverty and world hunger by giving the gift of livestock and training.
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Has the Newbery Lost Its Way? By Anita Silvey - 10/02/2008 Are children, librarians, and other book lovers still rushing to read the latest Newbery winners? Or has the most prestigious award in children’s literature lost some of its luster? More
Paperback Edition of ‘Deathly Hallows’ Slated for July 2009 By SLJ Staff - 09/29/2008
The paperback edition of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Scholastic, 2007), J. K. Rowling’s seventh and final Harry Potter novel, will be released on July 7, 2009.
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Scholastic Hosts ‘Harry Potter’ Cover to Cover Read-A-Thon By Debra Lau Whelan - 09/23/2008
Some 600 muggles of all ages gathered in New York City yesterday for a cover to cover read-a-thon to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the U.S. release of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.More
'Discovery Girls' for Tweens By Debra Lau Whelan - 08/06/2008
It’s not easy being a tween. That’s why Catherine Lee founded Discovery Girls, a bimonthly magazine that targets girls eight to 12. What makes it stand out? It’s all about promoting self-esteem—and a huge chunk of its content is written by its readers. SLJ spoke to Lee about how she started DG and why it’s the No. 4 magazine title at Barnes & Noble for its Family and Children section.
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