Crawling into little hearts Apr 11, 2009
ERIC Carle, the rock star of children's literature, has cobalt-blue eyes, gently accented English, and braces holding up his trousers, which together make him seem like a character from fable; part Raymond Briggs' Father Christmas, part Pinocchio's father, Geppetto. His most famous book, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, has sold 30 million copies, bringing his total to roughly 88 million, a fact that, in his 80th year, still amazes him. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Entertainment)
Lost duckling gets lift home from the Hill Apr 8, 2009
That gives authorities few clues about who defaced the tribute to children's literature that has become a postcard image of Boston. But at least they found the duck in one piece. (Boston Globe)
Publisher ordered to pay $3.6 million to toy maker Apr 8, 2009
SPARTANBURG, S.C. - A federal judge has ordered a South Carolina publisher of children's literature to pay $3. 6 million to an international toy maker in a trademark case. (Orangeburg Times and Democrat, SC)
Read about spring chickens in children's books Apr 4, 2009
Who would have thought that baby chickens would take such a prominent role in children's literature. There is no better season to explore all these books than springtime. (Cedar Park Hill Country News Weekender, TX)
Don't ask Anne Michaels what she had for breakfast Apr 4, 2009
There's been a published book of poetry (her third) and five books of children's literature, all unpublished so far, plus an oratorio composed with Omar Daniel. There was a site-specific collaboration in London in 2005 with John Berger and Simon McBurney called Vanishing Points. (Globe and Mail -- Entertainment)
Children's Easter Books Popular C... Apr 3, 2009
Well-known characters from popular children's literature like Stan and Jan Berenstain's the Berenstain Bears, Rosemary Wells' Max & Ruby, and Mercer Mayer's Little Critter star in series of books dealing with child-friendly themes and often centering around holidays. Seek out Easter books starring these classic characters for children ages 4 to 8 who are fans of them. (Suite101.com)
'Passover Around the World' Apr 2, 2009
Children's literature specialist Paula Morrow lives and writes in Princeton. She welcomes comments and book suggestions at: Reviews@PaulaMorrow. (Princeton Bureau County Republican, IL)
Editorial: Nigerians Educating Their Kids in Ghana Apr 1, 2009
The children's literature, having endeared itself to readers over time, has become a classic where Eze, the central character, has become synonymous with the Nigerian child. Sadly in our national consciousness today, the title could only appear to read: EZE GOES TO GHANA.. (Ghana Web, Ghana)
DENISE SCIANDRA: Time to celebrate Beatrix Potter Mar 28, 2009
The scientific community's loss became the children's literature community's gain, however, Beatrix Potter should have had her choice of career ... The Society plans to "Celebrate Beatrix Potter" with the Arne Nixon Center for the Study of Children's Literature at Fresno State. (Fresno Bee -- Opinion)
Nine Ways To Make Yourself Feel Better in a Crisis Mar 26, 2009
My activity is reading children's literature. 5. (Slate)
Best books do battle Mar 25, 2009
The Premier's nominees, announced in Sydney yesterday by Nathan Rees, include 62 authors and translators in categories such as fiction, nonfiction, poetry, young people and children's literature, play- and script-writing ... Tohby Riddle has been nominated twice in the children's literature category for The Word Spy and Nobody Owns The Moon. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Entertainment)
Gibbons Honored for Distinguished Service Mar 21, 2009
Saturday 21 March, 2009. Charlene Carson, a second-grade teacher at Northville Elementary School (NES), where Mrs. Gibbons works, told the school board during a brief presentation earlier this month that she even put together a picture book of her instructing students about caterpillars, which is one of the paraprofessional's many interests. (New Milford Times, CT)
Polaneczky: 'Rosa' highlights woman's feat in civil rights history Mar 15, 2009
And I actually got to meet the illustrator earlier this month at the Children's Literature Conference. He also is the illustrator of "Barack Obama: Son of Promise, Child of Hope" by Nikki Grimes, which I also reviewed. (Athens Banner-Herald)
Anna Nicole Smith, Howard K. Stern, George Clooney Mar 14, 2009
The Nobel laureate V.S. Naipaul, a native of Trinidad who now lives in England, was the subject of the biography winner, Patrick French's "The World Is What It Is." Seth Lerer's "Children's Literature," which traces young people's stories as far back as ancient Greece and Aesop's fables, was cited for criticism. The awards, chosen by American book critics, carry prestige but no cash. (International Herald Tribune -- Arts)
Young students bring literature to life at Fresno State Mar 14, 2009
Students memorized their selections from children's literature or performed original pieces they wrote. Kindergarten through sixth-grade students performed in solo, duet, trio, small-group or large-group categories. (Fresno Bee -- Local)
Literature so good, you can eat it Mar 5, 2009
Although the author died 1991, his contributions to children's literature live on. Dr. Seuss is the pen name used by Theodor Geisel, who was born in Springfield, Mass. (Rexburg Standard Journal, ID)
Faith and good works Mar 1, 2009
The youngest of seven children growing up in a Mormon family in Medina, N.Y., Berry said she always loved children's literature and her interest extended into adulthood. She said she read the Narnia series and "Bridge to Terabithia" as a child, Lloyd Alexander while nursing babies; in her small office there is a complete set of the Harry Potter series, and the Tolkien books. (Boston Globe)
Holliston reader: Push books for kids, not cheap toys Feb 24, 2009
Over the past several years, I took advantage of this program to add quality children's literature by authors such as Jan Brett, Eric Carle and Bill Martin Jr. to our school library. Recently, however, it was becoming more and more difficult to find good books through Scholastic. (Holliston Tab, MA)
Read any good books? Kids need to find just the right page-turner to enjoy reading, teacher/librarian says Feb 17, 2009
As president of the ARA, she writes book reviews, promotes children's books, gives workshops about what's new in children's literature, recommends her favorite children's books - and reads, reads, reads. Her house is filled with new books sent by authors and publishers. (Casa Grande Valley Newspapers, AZ)
Global Society Makes Fun Geography Lessons More Important than Ever Feb 12, 2009
A simple online search of resources like Amazon or specialty publishers like Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers (known for their fairy tale collections from around the world) will yield a variety of children's literature from other lands. Read with your children and help them locate the story's country of origin on a map or globe. (Pekin Times, IL)
More of this story Feb 11, 2009
This classic story of children's literature has been adapted for touring be Alan Keith Smith, associate director of the arts center's theatre and is based on the short story by O. Henry. Directing this touring production is Katie Campbell. (Hamburg Ashley County Ledger, AR)
"Coraline" Feb 7, 2009
Site Presented By Saturday, Feb 7, 2009. Focus Features/Galvin Collins. (Salon)
Horrors! Eerie writer Neil Gaiman wins Newbery Feb 7, 2009
Oh, the horror: Neil Gaiman has received the top prize for children's literature: The John Newbery Medal. I am so wonderfully befuddled, the best-selling author said Monday after winning the 88th annual Newbery for The Graveyard Book, a spooky, but (he says) family friendly story about a boy raised by a vampire, a werewolf and a witch. (MSNBC -- Lifestyle)
President Says Plan Needed to Avoid 'National Catastrophe'... Feb 7, 2009
Political Punch: In Weekly Address, President Says Stimulus Plan Needed to Avoid "National Catastrophe". Power, pop, and probings from ABC News Senior White House Correspondent Jake Tapper. (The Drudge Report)
The art of telling tales in school Mar 31, 2008
Victoria and Western Australia already had dedicated children's literature centres, but it took years of lobbying, largely by the children's author Libby Gleeson, to create a comparable project in NSW.. Ridge is now in the process of consulting schools, libraries and organisations in western Sydney to design projects compatible with the area's needs. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Australia)
Online magazine for elementary teachers brings polar issues into classrooms nationwide Mar 28, 2008
Engaging science activities, compelling images, rich text, and multimedia resources such as podcasts and videos and even a browseable Virtual Bookshelf that includes quality children's literature for classroom use are designed to capture the interest of both teachers and students. Strategies for integrating technology, addressing misconceptions, and ensuring equity in the classroom are topics of emphasis. (EurekAlert! -- Business News)
Big man on campus: Harry Potter Mar 27, 2008
Drawing on their expertise in theology, children's literature, globalization studies and even the history of witchcraft, professors have been able to use Harry Potter to attract crowds of students eager to take on a disciplined study of the books ... Philip Nel, author of " Harry Potter Novels: A Reader's Guide" and professor of children's literature at Kansas State University, started teaching the books in 2002 ... "Harry Potter is unfairly maligned simply because of the audience for which it... (CNN -- Showbiz)
Movie Review: 'Horton' hears too much clowning, but its animation soars Mar 22, 2008
Carrey not only breaks character with his goofing, he also all but destroys the nobility and sweetness that make Horton such a durable hero of children's literature. Horton is loyal, stubborn and compassionate - traits that are all drowned out in the static of Carrey's performance and the hectic proliferation of subplots. (International Herald Tribune)
Major Cultural Award in Arab World Announces Winners Mar 17, 2008
Other winners honoured at the ceremony this year were: - Ibrahim Al Kouni of Libya - Literature - Huda Al Shawa of Kuwait - Children's Literature - Emirates Centre for Strategic Studies and Research - Best Publisher- Distributor - Dr. Faiz Assayagh of Jordan - Translation - Rifat Chadirji of Iraq - Architecture - Dr Mohamed Saadi of Morocco - Young Author Rashed Al Ureimi, Secretary General of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award Committee said: 'I would like to congratulate all of the winners for their... (PR Newswire)
Pulp factions Mar 16, 2008
It was a mild revelation to me, when I had kids, that we would feed them a steady diet of "children's literature," and that with the exception of Daniel Pinkwater's collected works these predigested texts would be so insipid. It was a revelation because, growing up in the 1960s and left to my own literary devices, I survived on comic books. (Boston Globe)
Lit life survives politics Mar 16, 2008
Shihab-Nye is one of the country's most prolific poets with more than 20 books of poetry and children's literature on her resume. Her work often explores her Palestinian heritage. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA)
The Oz books and Theosophy Mar 16, 2008
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) by L. Frank Baum is a classic of children's literature. It has been adapted to the screen several times (most famously by MGM in 1939) and has inspired authors from Ray Bradbury to Salman Rushdie. (Suite101.com)
The pleasure of a good story, simply told Mar 15, 2008
His 2000 novel, "Jim the Boy," became a surprise critical darling and bestseller by taking the tools of children's literature and bending them to a book for adults. It was a brilliant idea: Adult bookworms (at least of the genus voraciatus fictionus) are constantly searching for a book that will hit us the same way the ones from childhood did, and usually coming up short. (Christian Science Monitor)
Munsch moves beyond bedtime theatre Mar 15, 2008
Love You Forever is primarily a story for adults told in the language of children's literature. (Indeed, it apparently sells very well in retirement communities. (Globe and Mail -- Entertainment)
Hartnett wins top prize for children's literature Mar 15, 2008
The Sydney Morning Herald: national, world, business, entertainment, sport and technology news from Australia's leading newspaper. Sonya Hartnett yesterday. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Entertainment)
Building Students' Vocabulary Mar 9, 2008
Reading Aloud Children's Literature Builds Vocabulary. Build your students' vocabulary through reading aloud children's literature. (Suite101.com)
Saraiva acquires Siciliano Mar 7, 2008
In 1996, these two publishing houses became one, selling content through four brand names: Arx, fiction and non-fiction books; Futura, general business literature, technical and information technology publications; Caramelo, specialized in children's literature; and Arxjovem, whose main publishing lines are fiction and non-fiction books for teenagers. The following year, Siciliano launched its e-commerce web site, which can be accessed at. (PR Newswire)
* Big fish in a little pond Mar 7, 2008
Though best known as a novelist, Huang has gravitated toward children's literature in later life. His most famous story, Erzi de Dawan'ou (lj), was adapted by director Hou Hsiao-hsien (J) for the 1983 film The Sandwich Men. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
The great debaters: L-S Speech and Debate team making points Mar 6, 2008
You need a lot of energy to do children's literature because you're always hopping back and forth. Debate events include a similar scope of events. (Lincoln Journal, MA)
God, the Coetzee effect and the Carey gang Mar 3, 2008
Other award winners were the essayist John Hughes, whose Someone Else: Fictional Essays won the award for innovation, Jacob G. Rosenberg the non-fiction prize for Sunrise West, Roger McDonald the fiction award for The Ballad Of Desmond Kale and Michael Gerard Bauer received the award for children's literature for his novel Don't Call Me Ishmael. Angela Bennie. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Entertainment)
Education briefs Mar 2, 2008
The conference also will include an address by Claiborne Barksdale, CEO of the Barksdale Reading Institute in Oxford, and the presentation of the CELI Children's Literature Award to children's author Laurie Parker of Starkville. The fee is $75. (The Clarion-Ledger)
'A Writer's Summer' Comes To S'hampton Feb 28, 2008
For the first time in the program's history, two conferences have been added: The Southampton Children's Literature Conference (July 9-13) and the Southampton Screenwriting Conference (July 30-August 3) ... "It wasn't a part of [previous] Southampton conferences, but there's a lot of demand in the world today from ... [learning about] children's literature and screenwriting." Graduate students will be able to earn credits toward their degree, Reeves said ... "We're trying to keep it small,... (Suffolk Life Newspapers, NY)
Book conference brings characters to town Feb 23, 2008
39th Annual Conference on Children's Literature. The two-day event will take place Feb. 29-March 1 at the Georgia Center for Continuing Education. (Athens Banner-Herald)
Paying homage to a poet Feb 18, 2008
Angelica Carpenter, curator of the Arne Nixon Center for the Study of Children's Literature at Fresno State, puts it this way: "This is one of the biggest awards for children's literature in the entire country."For Engle, it has been a year of accolades since her book was published in 2006 (by Henry Holt $16. 95). (Fresno Bee)
Ginger winner Feb 16, 2008
Ginger is a flavour that should bring warmth and relish to every childhood: Hansel and Gretel were seduced by it, Enid Blyton's heroes and heroines glugged lashings of it - and one of my favourite couplets in the pantheon of children's literature is: "Run, run as fast as you can,/You can't catch me I'm the gingerbread man!" If he hadn't met such a grisly end, I'd have wanted to be the gingerbread man. Certainly to me, because it's been with me practically since I was a baby, ginger seems less... (Guardian Unlimited)
African-American Read-In brings Orange, Lowell students to HCC Feb 16, 2008
Don't have an account. (older than 14 days). (Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier)
The Spiderwick Chronicles Feb 14, 2008
Authors Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black are a couple of Americans in their 30s, whose deliberately quaint books derive from the golden age of English children's literature in the Victorian and Edwardian eras, particularly the sinuous, linear illustrations of Arthur Rackham ( Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Grimm's Fairy Tales). You can see Rackham's influence in the whole setting, the dilapidated mansion, the gnarly nearby trees and various swollen,... (Globe and Mail -- Entertainment)
Literary allure Feb 12, 2008
By Greg Toppo, USA TODAY NEW YORK America's children aren't reading very much or very well these days, so the nation's finest minds have come up with a Big Idea: Find an author who can tap into the richness of children's literature and persuade kids to drop their idle pursuits their Facebooks, Nanos and Wiis for the thrill of a good book ... Jon Scieszka, the Library of Congress' ambassador for children's literature, says reluctant kids will take to reading if there is a humorous payoff. (USA Today -- News)
Library's new assistant director has worn many career hats Feb 10, 2008
His knowledge of children's literature supports his ability to build a children's collection," Sullivan said."I started thinking about it seriously and I talked it over with my wife and finally decided it was the right decision," Trischitti said.Trischitti said one of the biggest incentives to take the job was simply that it allowed him more time to spend with his family, which by this time also included a 3-year-old daughter, Olivia."Overall, I think it was God's plan. I was used to working 50... (Terrell Tribune, TX)
Great firewall of China faces online rebels Feb 4, 2008
"I had had an impression that some kind of mechanism controls the Internet in China, but I had no idea about the Great Firewall," said Pan Liang, a writer of children's literature and a Web site operator who first learned the extent of the controls after a friend's blog was blocked ... "Then the 17th Party Congress came, and I received an order that my Web site, which is about children's literature, had to close its message board. It made me even angrier.". (International Herald Tribune)
Towards the end Jan 26, 2008
(It is almost a rule, these days, that in children's literature death has to be presented as life-affirming, or even life-enhancing. Beyond all this, of course, is the reasonable suspicion that killing children is the easiest way for writers to squeeze their readers' tear ducts. (Guardian Unlimited -- Books)
A what conductor?Many jobs in children's stories and rhymes have disappeared Jan 23, 2008
The mad hatter is one of the most familiar characters in children's literature as the host of the surreal tea party in Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland". While there are still hatters, it is to be hoped that fewer of them are mad. (BBC News -- UK)
Taking a wooden nickel Jan 22, 2008
Adorned with a sketch of the cat in the hat, it holds a special place in Morice's heart because of, in part, his own experiences with children's literature. Over the next four years, he continued to send out nickels. (Daily Iowan, IA)
Deadlines approach for summer programs Jan 17, 2008
"From Beatrix Potter to Harry Potter" is a children's literature course that will provide students with the opportunity to visit various sites in Scotland that inspired the works of several children's authors, according to Rushing. Some of the authors covered will include Potter, Rowling, Lewis and Barrie. (The University Echo, TN)
Park School librarian receives national book award Jan 15, 2008
The annual award is for the most distinguished contribution to American children's literature ... When Park School librarian Laura Amy Schlitz arrived at work yesterday, she was presented with a tiara borrowed from the theater's props department - a fitting tribute for the newly anointed queen of children's literature. (SunSpot.net)
Shining Stars Jan 10, 2008
The Hawaii Council for the Humanities awarded funding to the following organizations for their humanities projects: $15,000 to Hawaii Architectural Foundation for "Hawaii's Forgotten Japanese Temples"; $14,000 to Judiciary History Center for "When the Military Ruled: Military Rule in Hawaii 1941-1944," an education and dialogue-based multimedia project; $10,000 to Children's Literature Hawaii for its "Fourteenth Biennial Conference on Literature and Hawaii's Children"; $10,000 to Honolulu... (Honolulu Star-Bulletin)
Q&A with Alice Kelikian Jan 7, 2008
KELIKIAN: I would say so if you're talking about tent-pole studio films, which now derive from popular or children's literature, like "The Chronicles of Narnia," "Spider-Man," and "Harry Potter." In this country, the best movies being made are documentaries. In the past, the documentary was reportage, but now the techniques of fiction film are finding their way into the documentary genre. (Boston Globe)
Released at last Jan 5, 2008
The fact that its heroines are icons of children's literature, shown having sex from the age of 14 onwards, aroused fears that retailers and buyers might be charged with possession of child pornography. Granted, the book (all three and a half kilos of it) couldn't be more arty if it was hand-crafted by William Blake and annotated by John Berger. (Guardian Unlimited -- Books)
US Children's Literature Gets National Ambassador Jan 4, 2008
VOA News - US Children's Literature Gets National Ambassador. A trusted source of newsand information since 1942. (Voice of America)
Brevard County Moms Dec 15, 2007
Kathleen Krull has reviewed children's literature for parenting magazines nationwide for nearly a decade. She is the author of the "Lives of " series and other books for young readers. (Florida Today)
Unique JK Rowling book snapped up at auction for a cool 2m Dec 14, 2007
Sotheby's deputy director Dr Phillip Errington described it as "one of the most exciting pieces of children's literature" to have passed through the auction house. The author will give away the remaining six copies of the book to those closely connected with the Potter novels. (BBC News -- UK)
Udupi: Festival of Kannada literature off to a rousing start Dec 13, 2007
Stressing on the need for more exciting and imaginative children's literature in Kannada similar to English to attract young minds, he said there was a need to have an institution comprising child expert teachers, psychologists and artistes supported by the government to bring out healthy literary interest among children. He also said it was the prime duty of the society to improve the conditions of our farmer's community who were the backbone of the nation. (Mangalorean.com)
Children's center celebrates 10 years Dec 7, 2007
He always had dreamed that his huge collection of children's books could be a source for the study of children's literature and had two years earlier donated the volumes to the university library ... That donation helped establish the Arne Nixon Center for the Study of Children's Literature. (Fresno Bee)
PREACHING ATHEISM: Author says no; others fear books 'sway innocent children' from their faith Dec 7, 2007
" He has also said in recent interviews he is not promoting atheism in his books but rather simply telling a story.Local pastors from several Christian denominations were contacted for this story but declined to comment, saying they had not heard enough about "His Dark Materials" books or "The Golden Compass" movie to discuss it.Books in the trilogy have sold more than 15 million copies around the world, with "Northern Lights" winning the Carnegie Medal for Children's Literature in 1995. In... (Orangeburg Times and Democrat, SC)
Is the Golden Compass anti-religion? Dec 6, 2007
" Literary value of the book The Golden Compass, and its companions The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass have all the look of a classic trilogy. The Golden Compass, or Northern Lights, as published in England, has been highly recognized, winning the Carnegie Medal for Children's Literature in 1995, the year it was purchased. Twelve years later, the book won again, this time taking home an online poll vote to determine the best book ever awarded by the Carnegies, making it "The Carnegie of... (SunOnline)
