Librarian Previews
Top 100 Children's Novels Poll
Top 100 Picture Books Poll
Fuse 8 n' Kate
Press Release Fun
Fusenews: But you tell me over and over and over again my friend
November 10, 2016 by Elizabeth Bird
Remember the moment at the end of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire when he funds Fred and George's joke shop? What is it he says to them? Ah yes. "I could do with a few laughs. We could all do with a few laughs. I've got a feeling we're going to need them more than usual before long." I feel like, once again, Rowling put her finger on the pulse of what we need to hear. Today's post is in honor of that spirit.
Here's a little happy news for you to kick it all off. The World Science Fiction Society (WSFS), coordinator of the World Science Fiction Convention (WorldCon) has given first approval to a new Young Adult Science / Fantasy Award. The problem? It needs a name! That's where you come in. There's a name-the-award-survey out there, but the deadline is November 15th. Now, could we talk about doing something similar for ALA's YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults? Perhaps rename it and stat?
In other news, the nominees for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award for 2017 were announced. If you're unfamiliar with that particular award, it's the one with the biggest monetary prize attached to it. The prize can go to any author, illustrator, storyteller or "reading promoter". American nominees on this year's list include:
Anderson, Laurie Halse
Bányai, István
Children's Literature New England (CLNE) & The Examined Life (EXL) Organisation
Dezsö, Andrea
Friends of African Village Libraries (FAVL) Organisation
Kalman, Maira
LeGuin, Ursula
Lowry, Lois
Maguire, Gregory
Neighborhood Bridges
Pellowski, Anne
Shihab Nye, Naomi
Taylor, Mildred
On Saturday I offered you the chance to win some original Sophie Blackall art. Today, I'm offering you the chance to bid on some original John Parra art. In 2017 his book Frida and Her Animalitos, written by Monica Brown, will hit shelves everywhere. Now you have a chance to bid on this painting, inspired by the book by its illustrator:
Gorgeous, no? Best of all is the cause. SCBWI-IL is auctioning it during the week following Prairie Writer's and Illustrator's Day 2016 to raise funds for SCBWI-Illinois' Diversity Initiatives. Better hurry, though. Bidding ends Saturday, November 12th. More info here.
I've very much been enjoying the multiple articles out there about Are You an Echo?, that remarkable picture book biography/poetry collection about Misuzu Kaneko. First there was this 7-Imp interview with David Jacobson, the writer/translator of the book. Then there was this great piece over at Playing By the Book that gives additional background information about its illustrator Toshikado Hajiri. Love it. Be sure to check out the interior art at 7-Imp here as well.
It occurs to me that I don't think I've ever had a chance to examine Robert McCloskey's artwork and sketches up close before. If I were in Boston I could remedy the situation with the upcoming Make Way for Ducklings: The Art of Robert McCloskey, held at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston. Good to know about in any case.
It's not uncommon for me to be the last to know when a picture book has struck a nerve. Such was the case with Shmelf the Hanukkah Elf, though if I'd taken even two seconds to think about it I probably could have seen it coming. Marjorie Ingall slices and dices the book, clarifying precisely why what it does doesn't work. There's also a truly lovely shout out in there for Dear Santa, Love Rachel Rosenstein which I gave too little attention to when it came out. Well played, Marjorie.
By the way, I feel I should also mention her stellar post How to Explain the Refugee Crisis to Kids as well. If you read nothing else today, read this.
Oh. I won a thing but I don't think I mentioned it before. Remember when I said in an earlier post that A Fuse #8 Production was nominated for a 2016 FOLIO: Eddie and Ozzie Award? Well, it won! Yep! Neat!
Conspiracy theories and children's books: Two great tastes that taste great together. Nowhere more true than in the recent 100 Scope Notes piece We Found a (Man in the Yellow) Hat? It ties an old picture book to a new one in an original way. No small task.
Boy, if it weren't for the Cubs winning the World Series, I'd swear the universe had it out for me. Now I hear that the Rosenbach of the Free Library of Philadelphia lost a significant chunk of its case against the Sendak Estate? Doggone it. That's it. I'm moving to Australia.
Hey! Did you know that there's a Chicago Book Expo? News to me. Better still, there's a neat event going on there called Our Voices Initiative: Encouraging Diversity in Publishing. Here's the program description:
The demand for diverse, quality books is great. Independent publishers have responded with an explosion of books by and about diverse people. Join members of the American Library Association Our Voices advisory council, who represent professionals from across the book ecosystem, to discuss the issue of diversity in publishing and the work they are doing to promote and support diverse content. Come and add your voice to the discussion.
Panelists will include Curt Matthews, Founder and Chairman of the Board for the Chicago Review Press and Independent Publisher's Group; Jeff Deutsch, Director of the Seminary Co-op Bookstores, which includes 57th Street Books; Felicia Shakespeare, best-selling author and library media specialist; and Joy Triche, Founder and Publisher of Tiger Stripe Publishing. Donna Seaman, Editor, Adult Books at Booklist, will moderate the discussion.
You can see more information at this Facebook link too.
The New York Times Best Illustrated list of 2016 children's books was released earlier this month. Some good choices. Some choices that cause me to grind my teeth in a counter-clockwise direction. In other words, a pretty standard year.
Fun Fact: Were you aware that Lois Lowry's Anastasia Krupnik books were never meant to be a series? Do you know what Ms. Lowry thinks about censorship? Do you know what her next projects are (and that they're completely out of her genre)? Good news then. Over at the Cotsen Children's Library the podcast The Bibliofiles has an interview with Lowry about all these things. And more.
Daily Image:
I'm fine. I'm all fine here now, thank you. How are you?
Filed Under: Fusenews Tagged With: Are You an Echo?, Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, Eddie and Ozzie Award, John Parra, Lois Lowry, Make Way for Ducklings, Marjorie Ingall, Me stuff, New York Times Best Illustrated, Robert McCloskey, World Science Fiction Society
About Elizabeth Bird
Elizabeth Bird is currently the Collection Development Manager of the Evanston Public Library system and a former Materials Specialist for New York Public Library. She has served on Newbery, written for Horn Book, and has done other lovely little things that she'd love to tell you about but that she's sure you'd find more interesting to hear of in person. Her opinions are her own and do not reflect those of EPL, SLJ, or any of the other acronyms you might be able to name. Follow her on Twitter: @fuseeight.
Kathy Ishizuka says:
Sending you the [FOLIO] hardware, Betsy. Congratulations!
Elizabeth Bird says:
I get the hardware? Bonus!
I feel a bit like a screaming person trapped in a burning building, too.
Goodness will prevail.
Jennifer Schultz says:
Shoutout to everyone working on Who is Donald Trump? at Penguin Random House.
Congratulations on your win, Betsy!
Oof. I want to read an anonymous blog by one of those writers.
If you find one, let me know. I'd be interested in reading what they have to say.
Golly, collection development is going to be tricky with this POTUS.
Nocturnals World says:
Congrats on the FOLIO award! And thanks for that timely Harry Potter quote. Literature always has something to say in troubled times.
Top 100 Polls
Top 100 Children's Novels Poll
Review of the Day: Katie the Catsitter by Colleen AF Venable, ill. Stephanie Yue
Newbery/Caldecott 2021: Final Prediction Edition
Interrogating the Passover Guest: A Susan Kusel and Sean Rubin Interview
Just Try It: An Interview with Mara Rockliff
Fuse 8 n' Kate: Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney, ill. Anita Jeram
Kingston and the Magician's Lost and Found: An Interview with Three Authors at Once!
Review of the Day: Escape at 10,000 Feet by Tom Sullivan
Stand Aside, Summer Reading. Winter Reading Takes the Stage
Gary Paulsen: Videos, Conversations, and a Brand New Book
Fuse 8 n' Kate: 2021 Caldecott Contenders
Judy Weymouth on Newbery/Caldecott 2021: Final Prediction Edition
Elizabeth Bird on Newbery/Caldecott 2021: Final Prediction Edition
Susan Northsea on Newbery/Caldecott 2021: Final Prediction Edition
Langston on Newbery/Caldecott 2021: Final Prediction Edition
Silvia Lopez on 31 Days, 31 Lists: 2020 Nonfiction Picture Books
Archives Select Month January 2021 (16) December 2020 (42) November 2020 (20) October 2020 (17) September 2020 (20) August 2020 (16) July 2020 (23) June 2020 (21) May 2020 (17) April 2020 (21) March 2020 (22) February 2020 (18) January 2020 (19) December 2019 (36) November 2019 (20) October 2019 (18) September 2019 (24) August 2019 (17) July 2019 (19) June 2019 (18) May 2019 (18) April 2019 (18) March 2019 (18) February 2019 (18) January 2019 (20) December 2018 (35) November 2018 (20) October 2018 (20) September 2018 (20) August 2018 (19) July 2018 (21) June 2018 (18) May 2018 (17) April 2018 (19) March 2018 (20) February 2018 (18) January 2018 (20) December 2017 (37) November 2017 (18) October 2017 (20) September 2017 (19) August 2017 (19) July 2017 (18) June 2017 (16) May 2017 (17) April 2017 (15) March 2017 (20) February 2017 (15) January 2017 (15) December 2016 (33) November 2016 (21) October 2016 (20) September 2016 (17) August 2016 (19) July 2016 (17) June 2016 (17) May 2016 (16) April 2016 (15) March 2016 (18) February 2016 (17) January 2016 (19) December 2015 (18) November 2015 (18) October 2015 (19) September 2015 (17) August 2015 (15) July 2015 (17) June 2015 (18) May 2015 (17) April 2015 (20) March 2015 (20) February 2015 (18) January 2015 (21) December 2014 (18) November 2014 (16) October 2014 (25) September 2014 (18) August 2014 (20) July 2014 (23) June 2014 (21) May 2014 (21) April 2014 (24) March 2014 (20) February 2014 (20) January 2014 (25) December 2013 (19) November 2013 (19) October 2013 (20) September 2013 (19) August 2013 (20) July 2013 (22) June 2013 (20) May 2013 (23) April 2013 (20) March 2013 (15) February 2013 (17) January 2013 (20) December 2012 (18) November 2012 (17) October 2012 (16) September 2012 (19) August 2012 (20) July 2012 (24) June 2012 (77) May 2012 (146) April 2012 (23) March 2012 (24) February 2012 (26) January 2012 (32) December 2011 (26) November 2011 (28) October 2011 (28) September 2011 (31) August 2011 (31) July 2011 (29) June 2011 (25) May 2011 (34) April 2011 (31) March 2011 (33) February 2011 (28) January 2011 (35) December 2010 (34) November 2010 (33) October 2010 (30) September 2010 (34) August 2010 (34) July 2010 (34) June 2010 (34) May 2010 (37) April 2010 (47) March 2010 (50) February 2010 (36) January 2010 (47) December 2009 (41) November 2009 (43) October 2009 (37) September 2009 (49) August 2009 (39) July 2009 (53) June 2009 (43) May 2009 (62) April 2009 (63) March 2009 (51) February 2009 (42) January 2009 (57) December 2008 (47) November 2008 (51) October 2008 (48) September 2008 (56) August 2008 (62) July 2008 (50) June 2008 (52) May 2008 (59) April 2008 (60) March 2008 (59) February 2008 (54) January 2008 (51) December 2007 (60) November 2007 (88) October 2007 (92) September 2007 (61) August 2007 (71) July 2007 (64) June 2007 (92)
My Reviews Collected
A Fuse #8 Production Reviews
About A Fuse #8 Production
Features everything from librarian previews of upcoming children's books to news, reviews, and videos. If it has something to do with children's literature, it will rate a mention here.
Betsy Bird is the Youth Materials Specialist of New York Public Library. She's reviewed for The New York Times and Kirkus, writes articles for Horn Book and SLJ, and wrote the picture book Giant Dance Party. You can contact her at Fusenumber8@gmail.com or follow her on . . .
LEARN MORE ABOUT A FUSE #8 PRODUCTION »
Follow @FuseEight
Tweets by @fuseeight