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literarykids:

UPDATE: Matt de la Pena was awarded the 2016 Newbery Medal 2016, and Christian Robinson received a Caldecott Honor.

Last Stop on Market Street, by Matt de la Peកa, illustrated by Christian Robinson; Putnam Books, $16.99, 32 pages, ages 4-6. (January 2015)

CJ and his grandmother board the Market Street bus after church every Sunday, and spend the afternoon working in the soup kitchen of a homeless shelter. One day, the boy wonders aloud why his family doesn’t have a car or an MP3 player, and his wise and patient grandmother responds with encouragement, gentle humor and love by showing CJ that there is beauty even in the muddy and mundane city streets. Brooklyn-based author Matt de la Peកa (A Nation’s Hope: The Story of Boxing Legend Joe Louis) captures the child’s inquisitive spirit as well as the time-worn perspective of an older generation with short, snappy sentences that convey just enough detail about class inequality without weighing the story down. (When CJ and his grandmother board the bus, Peកa’s ‘They sat right up front" recalls Rosa Parks and the civil rights movement in one simple sentence, and it’s perfect. ) San-Francisco native Christian Robinson (Smallest Girl in the Smallest Grade; Josephine) expertly captures the charm and vibrancy of the City by the Bay with illustrations done in bright acrylic paint and collage. This celebration of life’s simple gifts and reminds us that what matters most isn’t the acquisition of stuff, but the time we spend with each other. 

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Gene Luen Yang Named 5th National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, 2016–2017

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The Children’s Book Council, Every Child
a Reader, and the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress announced yesterday that
two-time National Book Award finalist Gene Luen Yang will serve as the National Ambassador for Young
People’s Literature for the 2016-2017 term.  Established in 2008, the program’s mission is to raise awareness of the importance of young people’s literature, and how great writing can positively impact a child’s life.

During his tenure, Yang will travel to schools and libraries nationwide promoting “Reading Without Walls,” a program aimed at showing kids, teens, and adults
that reading is vital nourishment, and how to achieve a lifelong love of reading.

Previous ambassadors include authors Jon Scieszka (2008–2009), Katherine Paterson (2010–2011),
Walter Dean Myers (2012–2013), and Kate DiCamillo (2014–2015). (NPR ran a great interview with Yang yesterday–listen here.)

Yang is setting the bar ever higher for new waves of graphic novelists: his graphic novel American Born Chinese was the first-ever to be nominated for the National Book Award, and Yang is the first graphic novelist to be named National Ambassador
for Young People’s Literature.

The inauguration ceremony will be held on Thursday, January 7 at 11
a.m. in room LJ-119 of the Library of Congress Thomas Jefferson Building,
10 First St. S.E., Washington D.C. The event is open to the public.

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2015 redux

The arrival of another year shepherds myriad award ceremonies for every possible sector, and children’s books are no exception. The Newbery, Caldecott, Carnegie and other award recipients will be announced at the ALA Midwinter Meeting, being held this upcoming weekend in Boston. These awards recognize the most distinguished contributions to American literature of 2015. (A complete list of last year’s winners can be found here.)

Which new books were your favorites last year? Let’s see if your choices stack up with the judges’ selections!

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Winter officially arrives tomorrow, and though, here in the Northeast, the thermostat doesn’t quite reflect the shift in seasons, there are plenty of books that will fill in nicely.

Snow, by Sam Usher; Templar Books, $16.99, 40 pages, ages 2-5.

Who doesn’t love a snow day? In Sam Usher’s charming picture book, a young boy wants to be the very first to step onto the freshly fallen powder, but he can’t seem to get his grandfather out the door in time. Some things are worth waiting for, as Granddad reminds the boy. There’s magic in store, and Usher’s ink and watercolor illustrations (reminiscent of Quentin Blake) capture that wonderful sight of first snow and the adventures that await on a blanket of white.

The Journey of the Penguin, by Emiliano Ponzi; Penguin Hardcover Original, $18.00, 96 pages, all ages.

Penguin Books was founded in 1935 by Allen Lane, and today, the publishing house’s flightless black-and-white mascot is recognized by readers worldwide. In this wordless picture book, a lonely Antarctic penguin leaves his icy home in search of adventure, and after traveling all over the world, ultimately wins a competition to become the face of a new publishing house. I hesitated on whether to include this book–it is nothing if not total self-promotion–but the art is exquisite. The striking compositions of bold color and graceful texture by Milanese artist Emiliano Ponzi make this a worthy gift for the design enthusiast in your life.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar Shadow Puppets, The World of Eric Carle; Mudpuppy, $16.99, ages 4 and up.

The first day of winter is also the shortest day of the year, so why not celebrate the dark with these shadow puppets? The kit comes with eight puppets on sticks, tips on storytelling, and a short history on the genre’s Chinese origins. Shadow puppets have the potential to unlock children’s imaginations, but caveat emptor: While the idea is adorable, the construction is delicate. These little sticks are featherlight, and best suited for children over the age of four. 

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Mid-week quick picks

It’s a crazy time of year, and I have a feeling most of you have little time to spare for reading reviews right now, so I’ll get right to it: Herewith, a list of this week’s best books, for kids from one to 92. Enjoy!

Miniature Treasures from Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House: A Sherlock Holmes Story: How Watson Learned the Trick, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle; and J. Smith, by Fougasse; Candlewick Press, $25.00 each, all ages.

These miniatures are facsimiles of books in the library of Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House. (Check out the Guardian’s 2010 story about the miniature building and its contents.) While the originals remain on display at Windsor Castle, these tiny replicas are beautiful jewels available to everyone.

Frozen Wild: How Animals Survive in the Coldest Places on Earth, by Jim Arnosky; Sterling Children’s Books, $14.95, 32, pages, ages 6-10.

Award-winning author and illustrator Jim Arnosky has dedicated a career to crafting children’s literature with a focus on the natural world, and his latest offering doesn’t disappoint. Five stunning foldouts reveal where otters, beavers, penguins, and other creatures survive during the coldest months of the year, and points out animals most of us might see in our own backyards. A must-have for the budding naturalist. (Check back in a few weeks to read my interview with Arnosky!)

An A from Miss Keller, by Patricia Polacco; Putnam, $17.99, 40 pages, ages 5-8.

If you want to give a great gift to a teacher this year, make sure that An A From Miss Keller is in your child’s classroom or school library. “If anyone opens the world up to children, it is teachers,” says beloved author-illustrator Patricia Polacco, and in her sixth homage to educators (Thank You Mr. Falker is now an established schoolhouse classic), readers meet young Tricia, a nervous student in “Killer Keller’s” writing class. A sudden loss leaves the child feeling adrift, but Miss Keller helps Tricia channel those emotions into a powerful personal narrative. Don’t be surprised if you start tearing up while reading this one. 

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(via Emily Dickinson’s 185 Birthday Celebration Includes Coconut Cake and Crowd-Sourced Poetry – The Fine Books Blog)

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Great Holiday Gifts for Grownups

Why should kids have all the fun this holiday season? It’s easy to forget the grownups during this hectic time of year, and checking off everyone on your list can get pricey. Consider giving the gift of great literature without breaking the bank: The Folio Society recently released a new series called Folio Collectibles, with four classic English-language titles (A Christmas Carol, The Hound of the Baskervilles, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and Frankenstein) produced especially for the lineup. Why these books? “We wanted to chose popular classics that everyone should have in their library across a range of genres, said Vicky Traino, Folio Society spokeswoman. “We think that they are the perfect gift to yourself or to introduce someone to the joys of books from The Folio Society.” I’m reading Doyle’s chilling crime caper, The Hound of the Baskervilles, complete with linocut reproductions by English artist and printmaker Edward Bawden (1903-1989), who was commissioned by the Folio Society in 1987 to produce six illustrations for the book. Perhaps as exciting about the Collectibles is their price: each soft-covered, flexibound volume retails for $34.95, and perfectly sized to tote around.

Most Folio Society editions are works of art in their own right, and, at least in my house, are handled with kid gloves. The Collectibles series easily lend themselves to cozying up by the fire, book in hand, and reveling in the joys of the season. Interested? Better act fast: Holiday order deadlines are December 9 (today) for regular delivery; December 14 for express.