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Kid Lit News

The best in children’s and young adult literature and literacy news!
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March 7, 2014
Jon Scieszka & Brian Biggs Collaborate On a New Middle Grade Series
Jon Scieszka, the first National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, has been working on a new middle grade fiction series. Book one, Frank Einstein and the Antimatter Motor, introduces readers to a 10-year-old inventor named Frank Einstein and his two robots, Klink and Klank. Read More
March 7, 2014
Reading Out Loud is One Way to Battle Illiteracy
LitWorld established World Reading Aloud Day to give people a holiday to read out loud. Reading aloud can be a simple, inexpensive, and a highly effective way of making the act of reading a communal one. Read More
March 6, 2014
Simon & Schuster Re-Designs Five Judy Blume Book Covers
Five of Judy Blume's most beloved books will be getting a makeover. Simon & Schuster Children's Books has re-designed the book jackets for Forever, Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret, Deenie, Then Again, Maybe I Won’t, and Tiger Eyes. Read More
March 5, 2014
E-Book Rising: The Changing Market in Children’s and YA Books
Though the overall sales of children's and YA books are likely to show a  downturn in 2013, e-book sales in the category continue to rise. Read More
March 5, 2014
CBC Diversity: We’re All in This Together Over the month of February, the CCBC Listserv has had a very involved conversation around diverse children’s and young adult literature and, among other things, how to support what’s out there, how to understand the nuances involved in arti... Read More
March 5, 2014
20,000 Teachers Provide Powerful Insights on Teaching in an Era of Change in New Primary Sources Survey
Teachers Want Their Voices Heard and Offer Direction on Student Success, Common Core Implementation, Teacher Evaluation and Parental Support Read More
March 4, 2014
Sylvan Dell Publishing Changes Its Name to Arbordale Publishing
Effective March 1st, Sylvan Dell Publishing changes its name to Arbordale Publishing. In business since the fall of 2004, the publisher will continue to produce the same quality fun-to-read picture books with a science or math theme. Read More
March 3, 2014
CBC Diversity: Lives Undocumented — An Interview with Maria E. Andreu Interview contributed by Lyn Miller-LachmannMaria E. Andreu’s debut novel, The Secret Side of Empty (Running Press Kids, March 2014), offers an honest, authentic portrait of an undocumented high school senior who carefully hides her circumstances eve... Read More
March 3, 2014
HarperCollins Delays Release Date for ‘Four: A Divergent Collection’ Until July 2014
The publication date for Veronica Roth's Four: A Divergent Collection has been delayed. HarperCollins Children's Books plans to release this anthology on July 08, 2014. According to Roth's blog post, "the stories turned out much meatier and more substantial than I was originally anticipating when I started them." Read More
March 3, 2014
The Particular Difficulties: Brian Floca on Watercolor
Caldecott winner Brian Floca discusses his favorite illustration mediums and how his approach to drawing and painting has changed over the course of his career. Read More
March 2, 2014
Jarrett J. Krosoczka on How Graphic Novels Can Engage Reluctant Readers
Jarrett J. Krosoczka, author and illustrator of the Lunch Lady graphic novel series, discusses how graphic novels can reach reluctant readers, parenting, and his own personal journey as a graphic novelist since 2005. Read More
February 28, 2014
With the End of February Comes a Brand-Spanking-New Diversity Newsletter! Click to view CBC Diversity Newsletter February 2014 v. 2 on GLOSSI.COM Read More
February 28, 2014
Random House Children’s Books Launches Dr. Seuss’s Birthday Club
DrSeussBirthdayClub.com launches on March 2nd. Read More
February 28, 2014
ALA Reveals 2014 ‘Great Graphic Novels for Teens’
The list of 78 titles, drawn from 122 official nominations, is chosen and presented every year at the ALA Midwinter Meeting. The books are recommended for ages 12-18 and "meet the criteria of both good quality literature and appealing reading for teens." Read More
February 27, 2014
CBC Diversity: A Conversation with Jonda C. McNair, Chair of the Coretta Scott King Book Awards Committee Interview conducted by Wendy Lamb Wendy Lamb: Can you please tell me something of your background, and your work in children’s books?  Jonda McNair: After graduating from high school in my hometown of Macon, Georgia, I attended the Unive... Read More
February 27, 2014
2014 Children’s Book Week Bookmark by Caldecott-Honoree Steve Jenkins Revealed!
The animal-themed bookmark, which may be printed for free at bookweekonline.com, commemorates the 95th annual celebration of Children's Book Week (May 12--18, 2014). Read More
February 27, 2014
Bestselling Fancy Nancy Illustrator Robin Preiss Glasser’s Official 2014 Children’s Book Week Poster Unveiled at Bookweekonline.com
Preiss Glasser's official poster commemorates the 95th annual celebration of Children's Book Week (May 12-18, 2014), the longest-running national literacy initiative in the country. Read More
February 27, 2014
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers to Publish New Young Adult Novel by ‘New York Times’ Bestselling Author Becca Fitzpatrick
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers announced today that it will publish a new young adult novel written by Becca Fitzpatrick, the New York Times bestselling author of the Hush, Hush Saga, which has more than 2 million books in print. Fitzpatrick’s new standalone thriller, SAPPHIRE SKIES, will be published in Fall 2015 and be supported by a major marketing campaign and author tour. Read More
February 26, 2014
EpicReads Creates an Epic Chart of YA Retellings
The team behind the Epic Reads website has created "An Epic Chart of 162 Young Adult Retellings" poster. The books that have been chosen for this chart are all re-imaginings of popular classic literature, myths, fariy tales and Shakespearean plays. Read More
February 25, 2014
Philip Pullman Uses Twitter For Storytelling
Philip Pullman has been writing a story on Twitter. Since November 2013, Pullman has been chronicling the saga of Jeffrey the Housefly. Read More
February 24, 2014
Educators! Sign Up by 2/28 to Receive Latino Culture Books from First Book for FREE!
First Book, a nonprofit that gives new books to kids in need, launched the Stories For All Project in order to increase diversity in children's literature. Last year, the organization purchased $1 million worth of books featuring diverse characters and speaking to a wide array of experiences. This February, they began to give all those books away to educators. Read More
February 24, 2014
Sherman Alexie Talks About Inspiration, Rethinking the Native-American Literary Tradition
In an interview with the National Endowment for the Arts, Alexie shares his thoughts on inspiration and its role in his creative process. Read More
February 24, 2014
Scholastic Reading Club Collects 100 Reasons to Read
The writers behind the Scholastic Reading Club Blog have collected one hundred reasons to read. Bibliophiles sent in their reasons to participate in the #100ReasonstoRead Give-Away. Ten winners will be selected; each winner receives a prize pack of one hundred books. Read More
February 21, 2014
Authors & Illustrators: Join Kate DiCamillo and Volunteer for ‘Indies First’ Storytime Day for Children’s Book Week!
Authors and illustrators are invited to participate by reading a story out loud at their local independent bookstore on May 17, 2014, during Children's Book Week. Read More
February 20, 2014
Register Your Día Program Today!
The Día! Diversity in Action 2014 Celebration is fast approaching; have you registered your program yet? Register your Día Celebration in the 2013 Día National Program Registry to build a national database that showcases all types and sizes of Día programming and receive free bookmarks, stickers, and buttons! Read More
February 20, 2014
5 Y.A. Writers Named Finalists for the L.A. Times Book Prize
The organizers behind the Los Angeles Times Book Prize have unveiled this year's finalists. Five writers were honored in the Young Adult Literature category. Read More
February 19, 2014
2014 Ezra Jack Keats Book Award Winners Announced
Ezra Jack Keats Foundation and de Grummond Children’s Literature Collection at The University of Southern Mississippi to Present Awards at Fay B. Kaigler Children’s Book Festival on April 10th Read More
February 19, 2014
Faith Jackson Dubbed ‘Real-Life Matilda’
Faith Jackson, a nine-year-old girl from the United Kingdom, has been dubbed a "real-life Matilda" (named after Roald Dahl's famous telekinetic bibliophile). Over the course of seven months, she has read three hundred and sixty-four books. Ironically, she started off as a struggling reader but soon fell in love with books after receiving encouragement from her family and teachers. Read More
February 19, 2014
Maxine Kumin, Pulitzer-Winning Poet and Children’s Book Author, Dies at 88
Maxine Kumin was a poet, an essayist, and an author of books for children and adults. She passed away on February 13th. Read More
February 18, 2014
2013 Cybils Award Winners Announced
The Cybils awards are given annually by bloggers for the year's best children's and young adult books. Read More
February 18, 2014
Macmillan To Publish First Novel From Swoon Reads, a Crowdsourced Romance Imprint and Online Community
Slated to be published in both print & ebook formats August 26, 2014, A LITTLE SOMETHING DIFFERENT by debut author Sandy Hall is an irresistible and original romance between two college students, Gabe and Lea, told from fourteen different viewpoints. Sandy Hall, a teen librarian from Hawthorne, New Jersey, posted A LITTLE SOMETHING DIFFERENT to the Swoon Reads site in November 2013. Read More
February 17, 2014
Robert Schwentke to Direct ‘Insurgent’ Movie
Summit Entertainment has hired Robert Schwentke to serve as the director for the Insurgent film adaptation. Neil Burger, who directed Divergent, could not return for this project due to scheduling issues. Read More
February 15, 2014
Candlewick Press Releases Title and Cover for the Third Book in the Bestselling Timmy Failure Series
Timmy Failure: We Meet Again, On-sale October 28, 2014. Read More
February 14, 2014
The February CBC Diversity Newsletter Has Arrived!
Twice a month, CBC Diversity — which advocates for an inclusive and representative children’s book industry — rounds-up relevant news in children’s books and diversity. Sign up here. Read More
February 14, 2014
Actor Chris Colfer Plans for Book 3 & 4 In His Middle Grade Series
Chris Colfer, best known for being an actor on the TV show Glee, intends to write at least two more installments for The Land of Stories series. The third book, A Grimm Warning, will come out on July 08, 2014. Book four will follow sometime in 2015. Read More
February 14, 2014
Bank Street Children’s Book Committee Announces 2014 Winners
Each year, the Bank Street Children's Book Committee offers awards to children's and YA titles based on a number of different criteria. The winners of this year's awards were announced on January 31. Read More
February 13, 2014
20 More Authors Who Promote Diversity in School Visits
For teachers and librarians who are looking for authors who promote diversity for school and library events, CBC Diversity has compiled a second list of talent to consider, categorized by student grade levels. Read More
February 13, 2014
Netflix and Scholastic Send Kids and Families a BIG Red Valentine… Clifford the Big Red Dog®!
Iconic Children’s Television Series Launches on Netflix Worldwide Read More
February 12, 2014
Atheneum Books For Young Readers to Publish Inspiring Picture Book in Coordination with Ronald McDonald House
Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, is delighted to announce the publication of Mogie: The Heart of the House, a picture book by award-winning author Kathi Appelt and illustrator Marc Rosenthal, in June 2014. Mogie tells the true story of an extraordinary dog at Ronald McDonald House Houston who has comforted thousands of children and families from all over the world. Read More
February 11, 2014
‘The One & Only Ivan’ Inspires Kids to Speak Out For Animal Rights
How do books influence people? Kelly Spector, a librarian at the NEW Academy in California, used Katherine Applegate’s The One and Only Ivan to inspire her students to create art projects and perform acts of social activism. Read More
February 11, 2014
A Timeline of Black History in YA Fiction
Kelly Jensen at BookRiot compiled a list of YA historical fiction novels with black main characters, and then put them into a visually appealing timeline to more profoundly illustrate the gaps. Read More
February 10, 2014
CBC Diversity 101: Religion in YA
Aaron Hartzler, author of Rapture Practice, addresses religion and characters of faith in young adult literature. Read More
February 10, 2014
Neil Gaiman and Adam Rex to Publish the Second ‘Chu’ Picture Book
Neil Gaiman and Adam Rex are once again collaborating on picture book projects. The second book in the Chu series, Chu's First Day of School, will come out on June 24, 2014. Read More
February 10, 2014
Video: The Call of a Lifetime
Watch the ALA's Newbery, Caldecott, and Coretta Scott King committees call this year's award winners and deliver the big news. Read More
February 10, 2014
‘Rose Under Fire’ Wins the Schneider Family Book Award
Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein won this year's Schneider Family Book Award, which “honors an author or illustrator for a book that embodies an artistic expression of the disability experience for child and adolescent audiences." The book, a companion to last year's Printz winner Code Name Verity, discusses the some lesser-known impacts of the Holocaust on some of the prisoners in concentration camps. Read More
February 7, 2014
HarperCollins to Publish Middle Grade Trilogy By Lauren Myracle
Author Lauren Myracle plans to write a middle-grade trilogy and publish it with HarperCollins. Anica Rissi, an editor at the Katherine Tegen Books imprint, oversaw the acquisitions process. Read More
February 7, 2014
Sophie Nelisse to Star in ‘The Great Gilly Hopkins’ Film Adaptation
WestEnd Films plans to produce a film based on Katherine Paterson's novel, The Great Gilly Hopkins. Sophie Nelisse, the actress who played Liesel Meminger in the 2013 adaptation of The Book Thief, has signed on for the titular lead role. Read More
February 6, 2014
New Lemony Snicket Audiobook to Feature 13 Celebrity Narrators
Thirteen celebrities have signed up to serve as narrators for the audiobook edition of File Under: 13 Suspicious Incidents by Lemony Snicket. This book, the newest title in the All the Wrong Questions series, contains "13 mini-mysteries that a young Snicket must solve." Read More
February 5, 2014
CCBC Releases Stats on the Number of Diverse Children’s Books Published in 2013
The Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC) has released its annual statistics on the number of children's books by and about people of color published in the United States. Out of the 3,200 titles examined in 2013, it was found that only 93 books had significant African or African American content, 58 books presented substantial Asian/Pacific or Asian/Pacific American content, 57 books spotlighted Latino content, and 33 books contained topics related to American Indians. Read More
February 5, 2014
Of Scrabble and Stories: An Interview with Kate DiCamillo
In a recent interview, Kate DiCamillo -- the newly appointed National Ambassador for Young People's Literature and two-time Newbery Medal winner -- discusses dresses, her child-like stature, her brilliant post-Newbery-phone-call plans, and more. Read More
February 4, 2014
2014 WNBA Pannell Award Nominees Announced
The awards, hosted by the Women's National Book Association, recognize independent bookstores that enrich their community by promoting reading to young people. The two winners, one general bookstore and one children's specialty bookstore, will be announced during BookExpo America 2014 at the Children's Book and Author Breakfast. Read More
February 4, 2014
Neil Gaiman Reads ‘Green Eggs & Ham’ Out Loud
Author Neil Gaiman has created a video of himself reading Dr. Seuss' Green Eggs & Ham out loud. Gaiman revealed that this experience made him "miss having small kids around to read to." Read More
February 4, 2014
Interview with ‘Reality Boy’ Author A.S. King
A.S. King, author of Ask The Passengers, (Little, Brown) Please Ignore Vera Dietz (Ember/Random House) and, most recently, Reality Boy (Little, Brown), was interviewed by YALSA's The Hub as part of their One Thing Leads To Another interview series. Previous subjects included Maggie Stiefvater, David Levithan, Malinda Lo and more! Read More
February 3, 2014
Brian Floca & Lynne Cox to Collaborate on Picture Book
Brian Floca, the newly crowned winner of the Caldecott Medal, is illustrating a picture book written by Lynne Cox, a celebrated professional swimmer. The story featured in their book, Elizabeth, Queens of the Seas, follows a female seal named Elizabeth who faces adversities and always manages to find her way home. Read More
February 3, 2014
Lemony Snicket Interviews Kate DiCamillo
The fantastic Lemony Snicket, author of A Series of Unfortunate Events and the new middle-grade series, All The Wrong Questions, interviews Kate DiCamillo. Kate is our very own National Ambassador for Young People's Literature and recent second-time Newbery Award winner for her 2013 book, Flora and Ulysses. Read More
February 2, 2014
2014 Rainbow Project Book List Announced
The Rainbow Project is a joint committee of the GLBT-RT (Gay Lesbian Bisexual and Transgender-Round Table) and SRRT (Social Responsibilities Round Table) of the American Library Association. Each year, they select the top children's and YA books published that year which represent ideals of LGBTQ equality and social responsibility/awareness. Read More
February 1, 2014
Lemony Snicket Award For “Noble Librarians Faced With Adversity” Announced
CHICAGO — The American Library Association (ALA) Council, at a Tuesday session during the ALA Midwinter Meeting & Exhibits, approved the new Lemony Snicket Prize for Noble Librarians Faced with Adversity. Read More
January 31, 2014
250 Million Primary School Age Kids Cannot Read, Write, or Perform Basic Mathematics
A recent study, commissioned by the United Nations' education agency, reports that at least 250 million primary school age children are not able to read, write, or perform basic mathematics. Read More
January 31, 2014
Former Gamers Debut Epic!, First All-You-Can-Read eBook Service for School-Aged Kids
Epic! is the first all-you-can-read eBook subscription service made for kids 12 and under, and it just launched its iPad application! The app was designed by former game developers as well as veterans of the publishing world. It helps kids discover great books from well-known publishers while also creating an engaging and original experience to excite kids about reading. Read More
January 30, 2014
Rainbow Rowell Lands Two-Book Deal with First Second
Rainbow Rowell has landed a deal with First Second, an imprint of the Macmillan Children's Publishing Group. Rowell has become well known in the young adult world for her hit prose novels, Eleanor & Park and Fangirl. Read More
January 29, 2014
CBC Diversity: A panelist’s take on the Diversity 101 ALA Midwinter Discussion
CBC Diversity held a "Diversity 101" panel on Saturday at ALA. Here, panelist Connie Hsu -- Executive Editor, Penguin Young Readers -- shares her key takeaways from the event. Read More
January 29, 2014
Barnes & Noble Releases an Exclusive Collector’s Edition of ‘Looking For Alaska’
Barnes & Noble has published almost fifty young adult and middle grade books through the company's Exclusive Collector’s Edition program. Recently, the company released John Green's Looking For Alaska and this special edition includes endpaper art, a letter from the author, and a Q&A section. Read More
January 29, 2014
Teachers and Librarians: Apply for the Ezra Jack Keats Minigrants!
Since its inception in 1987, the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation has awarded over $800,000 in minigrants aimed towards fostering children's love of reading and creative expression in our diverse culture. This year, 70 grants for $500 each will be awarded to teachers and librarians across the country. The deadline for grant submissions is March 15, 2014, and applicants will be notified of decisions by May 1. Read More
January 28, 2014
Sundance Film Festival Alums Marius Markevicius & Ben York Jones Partner on Best-Selling WWII-Era Novel ‘Between Shades of Gray’
Sorrento Productions and Tauras Films announced today that they have optioned the film rights to Ruta Sepetys’ New York Times Bestselling WWII-era novel, Between Shades of Gray. Read More
January 28, 2014
National Ambassador Kate DiCamillo Wins Her Second Newbery Medal
Flora and Ulysses: An Illuminated Adventure by Kate DiCamillo has won the Newbery award for the best children's book of the year. DiCamillo is the current National Ambassador for Young People's Literature. Read More
January 27, 2014
American Library Association Announces 2014 Youth Media Award Winners
The American Library Association (ALA) today announced the top books, video and audio books for children and young adults – including the Caldecott, Coretta Scott King, Newbery and Printz awards – at its Midwinter Meeting in Philadelphia. Read More
January 27, 2014
ABA Bookstores: Register Now for Find Waldo Local This Summer
Candlewick Press and the American Booksellers Association have announced that they will be hosting the third annual Find Waldo Local campaign this summer in order to encourage book shoppers to buy local. Read More
January 25, 2014
Nominate Your Favorite YA Books of 2013: Time Is Running Out!
Nominations for the best teen books of 2013 are now open at Teenreads.com. The five titles that receive the most votes will serve as the finalists for the 2014 Teen Choice Book of the Year. The battle between those five finalists -- and the rest of the Children's Choice Book Awards nominees -- will open on March 25 at ccbookawards.com (new website to be unveiled soon!) and run through May 12. For now, head over to Teenreads and get your fave teen titles on the list! Read More
January 24, 2014
B.J. Novak signs with Penguin Young Readers Group to Publish Picture Book With No Pictures
Writer and actor B.J. Novak will publish a ground-breaking new “picture book” with Penguin Young Readers Group that reimagines storytelling for a young audience. THE BOOK WITH NO PICTURES, scheduled for publication in fall of 2014, turns the notion of the picture book on its head, by delivering a text-only story book for young children. Read More
January 24, 2014
Don’t Miss the CBC Diversity Newsletter!
Twice a month, CBC Diversity — which advocates for an inclusive and representative children’s book industry — rounds-up relevant news in children’s books and diversity. Sign up here. Read More
January 24, 2014
What Can Publishers Do to Help Independent Bookstores?
2013 proved to be a good sales year for independent bookstores. Many of these establishments have successfully managed to advertise their value as a community space for bibliophiles as well as a retailer. They have also received assistance from authors, such as Sherman Alexie, who helped launch the "Indies First" movement, and publishers. Read More
January 23, 2014
Scholastic to Publish Picture Book by Nick Cannon and Mariah Carey
Roc and Roe’s Twelve Days of Christmas will be released in Fall 2014. Read More
January 23, 2014
CBC Diversity: Industry Q&A with Publisher Donna Bray
Caroline Sun, assistant director of Publicity, Integrated Marketing at HarperCollins Children’s Books interviews publisher Donna Bray about recent diverse titles she's published, the biggest challenge for publishing companies who want to feature more diverse titles, and more. Read More
January 22, 2014
2014 Sydney Taylor Book Awards Announced by AJL
Laurel Snyder, Catia Chien, Patricia Polacco, and Neal Bascomb Named Gold Winners. Read More
January 21, 2014
‘If I Stay’ Movie to Be Released in August 2014
A movie adaptation of Gayle Forman's popular young adult novel, If I Stay, will come out on August 22, 2014. The film cast includes Mireille Enos, Joshua Leonard, Liana Liberato, and Chloë Grace Moretz as the primary protagonist, Mia. Read More
January 21, 2014
A California-Based 7-Eleven Gives Away Slurpees to Young Readers
Can you imagine visiting a library that is housed inside a 7-Eleven? Business owners Sushil Prakash and Josephine Kiran have installed a small library in their Fresno-based 7-Eleven store and launched a literary initiative for their community. Read More
January 20, 2014
Penguin Young Readers Group Acquires Highly-Anticipated Debut Novel ‘An Ember in the Ashes’ in Major Pre-Empt
Legend meets Gladiator in newcomer Sabaa Tahir’s young adult debut. Read More
January 17, 2014
Mitali Perkins’ Students Debate Whether or Not Faces Belong on Book Covers
Writer Mitali Perkins has been teaching a course at Saint Mary's College of California called "Race, Culture, and Power in Children's Stories." She plans to lead discussions on topics such as analytical writing, authenticity in storytelling, and the messages about race and culture presented in children's books. Read More
January 16, 2014
Laurie Halse Anderson on Writing Unresolved Endings
Laurie Halse Anderson has written a highly personal novel entitled The Impossible Knife of Memory. The inspiration for this book comes from witnessing her father and her nephew experience post traumatic stress disorder after returning from serving in the military. Read More
January 15, 2014
The Harry Potter Alliance Named a Winner in the 2013 Project for Awesome
The Harry Potter Alliance, a charity that fight for social justice and literacy, has been named one of the winners for the 2013 Project for Awesome. Altogether, ten organizations were selected for this honor and will each collect $50,000 in prize money. Read More
January 14, 2014
Outstanding Literary Work Nominated For NAACP Image Awards
The list of nominees for the NAACP Image Awards has been released -- recognizing the accomplishments of people of color "in the fields of television, music, literature and film", and honoring "those who promote social justice through creative endeavors." Several children's and YA books were recognized on the "Outstanding Literary Work" lists. Read More
January 13, 2014
Kate DiCamillo is Sworn In as National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature
Kate DiCamillo was sworn in as the National Ambassador for Young People's Literature last Friday. Walter Dean Myers, the previous National Ambassador, made a few remarks about his stint as ambassador with the platform "Reading Is Not Optional", saying that the most surprising part of his experience was "find[ing] so many people eager to hear what I had to say. They understand that reading is important." Read More
January 13, 2014
How Do Stories Connect Us? A Q&A with National Ambassador Kate DiCamillo
Kate DiCamillo, the newly appointed National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, participated in a Q&A about the role she will play in promoting reading and literacy. Over the next two years, she will travel the country and she looks forward to seeing new places, meeting new people, and gathering groups to read together through her "Stories Connect Us" platform. Read More
January 10, 2014
DreamWorks Teams Up with Fuhu to Create Tablet for Kids
DreamWorks Animation has formed a partnership with the Fuhu, Inc. company to create their own tablet for children. The DreamTab will include educational activities and games inspired by the studio's movies. Read More
January 9, 2014
A Guide to Writing POC Characters If You Are White by Kayla Ancrum
YA novelist Kayla Ancrum has assembled a guide for white authors who want to write characters of color. She acknowledges basic methods (research, persistence, and empathy), and then delves deeply into each, citing specific tools and providing examples on both sides of the admirable/ignorant spectrum. Read More
January 9, 2014
Ariel Cohn and Aron Nels Steinke to Create ‘The Zoo Box’
Ariel Cohn and Aron Nels Steinke are collaborating on a comic project entitled The Zoo Box. The book will be released by First Second, an imprint of Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, this fall. Read More
January 8, 2014
CBC Diversity: Q&A with Serafina’s Promise Author Ann Burg
A conversation about the story of eleven-year-old Serafina, who grows up in extreme poverty in a rural village outside Port-au-Prince, Haiti Read More
January 8, 2014
How Has Book PR Changed?
In the past, promotions for anticipated bestseller could take place over a two-to-three-month period. The practice of book publicity is shifting to include more long-term strategies. Read More
January 7, 2014
Naoko Stoop Talks About Her Creative Process
Picture book author and illustrator Naoko Stoop, best known for the Red Knit Cap Girl series, discusses her creative process in an interview. For her, it all begins with the images. As she visualizes and develops her art pieces, she is able to shape the story and pin down plot points. Read More
January 7, 2014
Black Feminist Writers Discuss Black Girls in YA; Rue in The Hunger Games
At Bitch Magazine, black feminist writers Zetta Elliott and Ibi Aanu Zoboi discuss the presence, absence, and stereotypes (like "fridging") of black girls in YA fiction, and address Rue in The Hunger Games series. Read More
January 6, 2014
Scholastic Declares January “Get Book Fit” Month, Calls All Kids to Read Books to Get Their Minds in Shape
“Like” Scholastic on Facebook to Scratch Off Daily Tips, Get the Chance to Win Books and Get Kids #BookFit for 2014. Read More
January 6, 2014
CBC Diversity 101: Inserting Spanish language into the English text to create an atmosphere
Alma Flor Ada, Pro­fes­sor Emerita at the Uni­ver­sity of San Fran­cisco, addresses widespread misconceptions about the diverse forms of the Spanish-language, and what she'd like to see in its written usage. Read More
January 3, 2014
NPR Unveils a List of Diverse Children’s Book Recommendations
Code Switch, a blog at NPR, has created a list of diverse children's titles in response to a message from a reader requesting "book recommendations for a multiracial teen." Read More
January 2, 2014
Kate DiCamillo Named New National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, 2014-2015
'Stories Connect Us' will serve as her platform. Read More
December 30, 2013
Scholastic Reports Fiscal 2014 Second Quarter Results
Strong performance drove 19% operating income growth in children’s books (excluding one-time charge). Continued momentum from high-margin sales in education businesses Read More
December 28, 2013
Where the Sidewalk Began
Sheldon Allan Silverstein was a jack of all trades -- his array of careers included playwright, actor, singer, songwriter, and cartoonist. However, "Mega-Bestelling Children's Book Author," may have been his most unlikely vocation.

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December 27, 2013
Scholastic Media Announces Production Order for 26 New Episodes of Emmy Award-Winning PBS Kids Series ‘WordGirl’
Scholastic Media, a division of Scholastic Inc, the global children’s publishing, education and media company, announced today a new production order from PBS KIDS for 26 additional episodes of WordGirl®, the Emmy® award-winning children’s television series. The popular show, created and produced by Scholastic’s animation studio Soup2Nuts, aims to enrich children’s vocabulary while instilling a love of language and fostering better reading comprehension. Read More
December 26, 2013
14 Illustrators Contribute Pieces for the ‘What’s Your Favorite Animal?’ Anthology
Macmillan Children's Publishing Group has assembled a group of fourteen illustrators for the What's Your Favorite Animal? anthology. All of the royalties from this project will be donated to the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art. Read More

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