Category Archive

“A Visitor for Bear” by Bonny Becker and Kady MacDonald Denton has been getting a lot of much-deserved attention lately. The story gets some radio play in this clip from NPR. If you haven’t yet read the story, you’re in luck - it’s read here in its entirety. Click the play button to head over to the NPR website and have a listen.

[7 min. 11 sec.]

The American Library Association recently released its list of the 10 Most Challenged Books of 2007. There are some old standbys on the list like “The Chocolate War”, but there are also some younger bucks making waves. “And Tango Makes Three” holds onto the top spot for the second straight year, and the controversy surrounding “The Golden Compass” movie resulted in more challenges to its print version.

Click here to read the whole article at the ALA website.

1. “And Tango Makes Three,” by Justin Richardson/Peter Parnell

Reasons: Anti-Ethnic, Sexism, Homosexuality, Anti-Family, Religious Viewpoint, Unsuited to Age Group

2. “The Chocolate War,” by Robert Cormier

Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Violence

3. “Olive’s Ocean,” by Kevin Henkes

Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language

4. “The Golden Compass,” by Philip Pullman

Reasons: Religious Viewpoint

5. “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” by Mark Twain

Reasons: Racism

6. “The Color Purple,” by Alice Walker

Reasons: Homosexuality, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language,

7. “TTYL,” by Lauren Myracle

Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group

8. “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” by Maya Angelou

Reasons: Sexually Explicit

9. “It’s Perfectly Normal,” by Robie Harris

Reasons: Sex Education, Sexually Explicit

10. “The Perks of Being A Wallflower,” by Stephen Chbosky

Reasons: Homosexuality, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group

(Thanks to Bookshelves of Doom and ALA for the link)

You ever look around the library and think, “This is nice and all, but can’t we get some trees in here?” All the time, you say? Well you’re more ahead of the outdoors as indoors movement than I. You’re also a lot like the folks at the Public Library in Canton, Michigan - take a look:

Very cool. If you click the image it will take you to the CPL Flickr page where there are more photos of the installation. I say installation because this flora is not living and breathing. The tree, similar to 75% of my high school math homework, it is an elaborate approximation of the real thing. Gotta go - I’m going to get to work installing a small creek in my living room.

• Booklist does nonfiction. Booklist recently published it’s “Top 10 Series Nonfiction for Youth”. Some of their picks I know well (”Face to Face with Animals”, “Nic Bishop”) and wholeheartedly endorse. There are others that I have yet to get acquainted with - I’ll get started with that. Click the logo below to read the entire list.

• The Pigeon revealed. Yes, it’s hard to believe, but the full title of the forthcoming Pigeon book is gonna be announced in a matter of hours. PW Daily will have the scoop, so check back there on the 1st. In the meanwhile, click here to read more about the announcement in PW Children’s bookshelf.
• YouTube + children’s lit = StoryTubes. Beginning April 1st, students nationwide will be taking part in “StoryTubes”, a student booktalk contest. The best way to get the whole lowdown is by watching the video clip below and clicking here to read more about the contest at children’s lit blog The Miss Rumphius Effect.

• Endangered species: Encyclopedia Britannica. Is the print encyclopedia going the way of vinyl? Is it becoming a “niche, luxury item”? The New York Times says “Get’cha turntables ready”. Pretty fascinating reading. Click here to check out the whole story. (Thanks to Blue Skunk Blog for the link)

• Late Night with Dr. Seuss. Letterman is getting in on this whole children’s lit thing with his recent “Top Ten Least Popular Dr. Seuss Books. My favorite? “Horton Hears A Who Via An Illegal Government Wiretap”. To check out the rest of the list, click here.

• Speaking of Seuss, “Horton Hears a Who” is a certifiable hit. So says Publishers Weekly:

Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who! opened in movie theaters last Friday, and had a $45.1 million weekend, the biggest opening weekend so far this year, according to Variety. It was the fifth-best debut ever for a G-rated cartoon. 20th Century Fox senior v-p of distribution Chris Aronson called it a “who-mongous opening.”

• Nice pick, Al. I whole-heartedly agree with Al Roker’s latest book club pick.

The list-ization of the children’s lit world continues this week with a new “best of” poll from the Brits at Daily Mail. The list compiles the opinions of 4,000 voters. The author receiving the most love? Roald Dahl. I can’t argue with that.

To see the entire list click on the children’s lit blogs Charlotte’s Library or Kids Lit, both of whom throughly beat me to the punch posted about it earlier in the week.

To me, children’s lit news is like Reese’s Eggs on Easter: try as I might, I can’t get enough. Today’s LDJ is actually a batch of links that I use to find out what’s happening in the world of books for kids. All of these can be subscribed to and sent directly to you each week through RSS or email. Bon Appetito.

First up, we’ve got Publishers Weekly Children’s Bookshelf. As you might guess, this one provides the publisher’s perspective: upcoming releases, hot sellers, featured titles, books in the media, authors, editors, etc. A great resource.

Next up is School Library Journal Extra Helping. This newsletter now arrives twice weekly and has all the info a school librarian can handle. Reviews, author interviews, and more.

Sticking with the SLJ theme, the next one is all about how children’s books can be used in the classroom. As a school librarian, this one is always worth checking out. Curriculum Connections from School Library Journal.

This next one’s brand new, but I’m expecting good things. It’s like if you know a new Wes Anderson movie’s coming out. It’s bound to be worth your time. The Horn Book is starting a weekly newsletter “about good books for children and teens”. I’m waiting for the first issue.

Are there any great newsletters that I’m missing? Let it be known in the comments.

I have to admit that I like it when I can consolidate. Why break eggs into a bowl if you’re just going to pour them into the skillet? Crack them into the pan, scramble later I say. It is for this reason (and more) that I bring you today’s link. Kidsreads.com is really a one stop shop. It has reviews, author information, and even book recommendations for each month. Click below to take a look.

One of the greatest inventions of the Aughts has been the podcast. And the “20 Q” ball (I just can’t stump that thing). Below are a few podcasts that I like to listen to on my way to work each morning that deal with children’s lit. Did I leave out one of your favorites? Let me know in the comments.

http://fusenumber8.blogspot.com/

All the wit and wisdom you love about A Fuse #8 Production, in an ear-friendly format. Published monthly

http://www.justonemorebook.com/

A couple canucks (I have Canadian blood, so I can use that term) talking kids books in their local coffee shop. They record three times weekly and are already over 300 episodes strong.

http://childrensbookradio.com/episodeguide.html

Some great author interviews and book reviews.

http://www.alsc.ala.org/blog/?p=245

ALSC just started up their podcast, and it looks like a winner. Plus the host (I think it’s Teresa Walls) kinda sounds like Ellen.

If you’re a school librarian like I am, and work with students to help them find information, the following link might make you say “A-hah! I knew it.” If you’re not a school librarian, well, you might say the same thing, but without the exclamation point. It turns out that the youngsters, occasionally called “the Google generation” (although I have never actually heard anyone speak this phase - must be a print only thang) are not so hot at googling. Yep, Google Generation = poor googlers. It turns out that babies don’t come out of the womb as canny boolean searchers, as previously thought. Click the logo below to read all about it.

(Thanks to the blog Ars Technica)

This week our Link Du Jour comes from overseas. Telegraph - “Britain’s no. 1 quality newspaper website” - published their list of 100 books every child should read. Split into three age groups, the list starts hitting the fundamentals early: your Sendak, your Seuss, your White. Yes, the classics are encouraged, with an expected slant toward Brit authors. However, I really can’t disagree too much with a list that features no less than 5 titles by Roald Dahl. Click the logo below to take a look.

Here at 100 Scope Notes we’re starting a new weekly feature: Sunday Link Du Jour. Be warned: it has nothing to do with soup. Over the course of my weekly internet meanderings I run across websites that are useful for my profession (elementary school librarian), and maybe for yours too. The cream of the weekly crop will become the Sunday Link Du Jour.

Today’s link is a doosy. Tomorrow (January 14) is the big day when the American Library Association (ALA) announces the winners of their annual awards, including the Geisel, Caldecott, and Newbery; A.K.A.: the most exciting time of year for us librarian types. The fine, fine folks at ALA are providing a live webcast of the event. Be sure to click the link below and tune in - the excitement begins at 7:45 a.m. EST.