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A Fuse #8 Production
Inside A Fuse #8 Production

Video Sunday: She’s not your wife. She’s the princess.

LunchLady

Can you think of a better way to kick off?  Not I, said the fly.  Yes, the world’s most confused woman (not me) is celebrating her 50th birthday.  I am pleased to report that Harper Collins is allowing me to reveal this video today.  The strange thing about Amelia B is that she seems to [...]

Celebrate the Life of Peter Sieruta

Peter

Celebrate the Life of One of Children’s Literature’s Luminaries: A Peter Sieruta Event Friday, June 28th, 4:30 p.m. The Lake Erie Room at the Hilton Chicago How did you best know Peter Sieruta?  Was it through his remarkable blog Collecting Children’s Books (a go-to site for wit and historical tidbits)?  Was it from his countless Horn Book articles or his work on the Horn Book Guide?  [...]

Show Me the Awesome: Children’s Librarians Can Do Anything

ShowMeAwesome

If you traverse the interwebs on a regular basis then you may have spotted the catchy “Show Me the Awesome” posts that have been springing up hither and thither.  Thither and yon.  The initiative was started by Kelly Jensen, Sophie Brookover, and Liz Burns. Designer John LeMasney was, in turn, responsible for the kicky graphic [...]

Press Release Fun: 2013 Carle Honors Honorees Announced

The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art Announces 2013 Carle Honors Honorees   Eighth annual awards fête the individuals and organizations that provide creative vision and long-term dedication to the world of picture books   (Amherst, MA –May 20, 2013) The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art is pleased to announce the 2013 [...]

BEA One Stop Shopping: What to See and Do That’s YA & JUV

book-expo-america

Howdy, folks! I can’t take full credit for today’s post since it was my ineffable co-worker Alison Hendon who took the time to cull together all the stuff at this month’s upcoming Book Expo that is children and YA book related.  If you have any interest at all in attending but you’re not quite sure [...]

Review of the Day: Hold Fast by Blue Balliett

HoldFast

Hold Fast By Blue Balliett Scholastic $17.99 ISBN: 978-0545299886 Ages 9-12 I honestly don’t think you can be a reviewer without being honest about your own personal prejudices first. When I pick up a book for children I have to cut through a thick swath of issues infecting my brain that may have little to [...]

Fusenews: Honest Toddlers and Awesome Amish

Print

First off, I have to suspect that after this week my blogging stats will be fairly healthy.  First I wondered whither the 2013 middle grade black boys and then Sophie Blackall let me become the repository for some truly fantastic stories.  Doubling back to that question about diversity in 2013 middle grades, author Varian Johnson [...]

Press Release Fun: 2014 Hans Christian Andersen Award Nominees Released

Swoon. IBBY Announces the 2014 Hans Christian Andersen Award Jury and Nominees The Hans Christian Andersen Award is the highest international distinction given to authors and illustrators of children’s books.  Given every other year by IBBY, the Hans Christian Andersen Awards recognize lifelong achievement and are given to an author and an illustrator whose complete [...]

The Mighty Lalouche Contest (which I don’t normally do, but this one is sort of too cool to ignore)

MightyLalouche

Hidy-ho, faithful readers. A blogger might field any number of requests to host contests for new books on their blogs.  And generally speaking, you could be forgiven for almost always politely declining. “No”, you might say, “I just don’t run that sort of blog”.  It is the rare book that snaps me out of such [...]

Review of the Day: Take Me Out to the Yakyu by Aaron Meshon

TakeMeYakyu

Take Me Out to the Yakyu By Aaron Meshon Atheneum Books for Young Readers  (an imprint of Simon & Schuster) $15.99 ISBN: 978-1442441774 Ages 3-7 On shelves now. Corner a children’s librarian. Say the words “Japan” and “baseball”. Ask for picture books that involve both topics. What will you get? If I were a betting [...]

Video Sunday: The Happy Mother’s Day Edition (Warning: Contains no mom-related material)

Happy Mother’s Day! It was Monica Edinger who alerted me to the fact that fresh on the heels of the Matilda musical is an upcoming British production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.  She has the details and directed me to this truly unfair let’s-not-give-anything-away teaser trailer. This introduction is a bit better. You know [...]

2013 Middle Grade Black Boys: Seriously, People?

STAT

So I’m in the office talking with my colleagues about A Girl Called Problem by Katie Quirk and how awesome it is. Then the topic shifts to books with African-American protagonists published in 2013 for kids between the ages of 9-12.  You know.  Middle grade fiction.  And in the midst of my lamenting how few [...]

Here’s to You, Mrs. Berenson

GrandmaGreatGourd

A treat for you today. Yesterday I had the very great pleasure of sitting down with author Dr. Chitra Divakaruni, illustrator Susy Pilgrim Waters, and their editor Neal Porter.  You may be aware of the remarkable collaboration these clever folks have concocted.  The book is called Grandma’s Great Gourd and it’s a Bengali folktale of [...]

Press Release Fun: Hip Tot Music Fest

HipTot

What does this have to do with children’s literature? Oh ye of little faith. Read on everything shall be revealed to you.  It’s right there in the fourth paragraph, bright and shiny and new.  I’m so pleased and proud.  Many many thanks to Melanie for inviting me in the first place. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE PLAID [...]

Review of the Day: Cowboy Up! Ride the Navajo Rodeo by Nancy Bo Flood

CowboyUp1

Cowboy Up!: Ride the Navajo Rodeo By Nancy Bo Flood Photography by Jan Sonnenmair Wordsong (an imprint of Highlights) $17.95 ISBN: 978-1-59078-893-6 Ages 8-12 On shelves now Sometimes I think half my job simply consists of making lists. Not that I’m complaining. I love lists. I love making them, and checking them, and adding to [...]