Kid Lit News
The best in children’s and young adult literature and literacy news!
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August 1, 2014
Does Young Adult Literature Need a Little Less ‘Katniss Everdeen’?
Within the young adult genre, should there be more heroines who don't exhibit tough personalities? At the Young Adult Literature Convention (YALC), a panel of female authors discussed the need for fewer female protagonists like Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games. Read More
July 31, 2014
Happy Birthday, Harry Potter!
On this day in 1980, Harry Potter was born to Lily and James Potter. Celebrate "The Boy Who Lived"s birthday, and that of his creator, J.K. Rowling, today! Read More
July 31, 2014
‘The Day the Crayons Quit’ Movie is Coming!
Universal Pictures has preemptively acquired the film rights to the New York Times bestseller The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt, illustrated by Oliver Jeffers! Matt Lopez (The Sorcerer's Apprentice, Race to Witch Mountain) will write the script and the film will be produced by Madhouse Entertainment. Read More
July 31, 2014
See a Cut Scene From the ‘Divergent’ Movie!
What violent scene did the filmmakers behind Divergent leave on the cutting room floor? In her young adult novel, Veronica Roth describes a moment where one villainous Dauntless initiate stabs another in the eye. Read More
July 30, 2014
Industry Q&A with Publisher Christy Ottaviano
Please tell us about the most recent diverse book you published.
I recently published Jumped In by Patrick Flores-Scott. This novel is about Sam, a Mexican American teen who’s in a depressed state due to the breakdown of his family. He’...
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July 30, 2014
Watch ‘The Maze Runner’ Trailer Here!
Newly-released trailer builds excitement for the highly anticipated movie, The Maze Runner. Read More
July 30, 2014
Kate DiCamillo Wins ‘Voice of the Heartland’ Award
Kate DiCamillo -- National Ambassador for Young People's Literature and author of recent Newbery winner Flora and Ulysses -- has been awarded the 'Voice of the Heartland' prize, which "recognizes those who uphold the value of independent bookselling and have made a significant contribution to bookselling in the Midwest." The honor is given by the Midwest Independent Booksellers Association and the Great Lakes Independent Booksellers Association.
recognizes those who uphold the value of independent bookselling and have made a significant contribution to bookselling in the Midwest - See more at: http://midwestbooksellers.org/2014/07/kate-dicamillo-recipient-of-the-voice-of-the-heartland/#sthash.QXAC57SJ.dpuf
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July 29, 2014
Little Five Star Seeks Sponsors to Help Give Every Third Grader in Arizona a Copy of ‘Arizona Agriculture: Bee’s Amazing Adventure’
Arizona-based publisher Little Five Star, a division of Five Star Publications, Inc. has launched a campaign to give every third grade student in the state a free copy of its new title, Arizona Agriculture: Bee’s Amazing Adventure. Read More
July 29, 2014
Penguin Young Readers Group Launches Pre-Publication Marketing Campaign For New Stephanie Perkins Book
Dutton Children's Books, an imprint of the Penguin Young Readers Group, has launched a pre-publication marketing campaign for Stephanie Perkins' young adult novel, Isla and the Happily Ever After. The publishing house has partnered with fifty-five independent booksellers; fans who place pre-orders at one of these retailers will receive a signed copy, a bundle of three buttons and a sheet of decals. Read More
July 29, 2014
Happy Birthday, Sharon Creech!
Happy Birthday to Sharon Creech, author of the Newbery-Medal-winning Walk Two Moons, along with Ruby Holler, The Great Unexpected, and more. Creech is 69 years old today. Read More
July 28, 2014
SCBWI Announces 2014 Book Launch Award Winners
The annual award, established by the SCBWI in 2012, provides authors or illustrators with $2,000 in funds to supplement the promotion and marketing of newly published works for children. Read More
July 28, 2014
Scholastic to Publish ‘Bone’ Tribute Edition with New Art From Creator Jeff Smith, Plus More Than 15 Top Artists
Scholastic, the global children’s publishing, education and media company, will publish BONE #1: Out from Boneville, The Tribute Edition on February 24, 2015. Read More
July 28, 2014
Happy Birthday to the Many-Hat-Wearing Beatrix Potter!
Beatrix Potter was born on July 28, 1866, 148 years ago today. A natural scientist and conservationist, she was the author and illustrator of beloved childhood classics The Tale of Peter Rabbit, The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck, The Tailor of Gloucester, and many more. Read More
July 25, 2014
R.L. Stine & Marc Brown Team Up For ‘Little Shop of Monsters’ Picture Book
R.L. Stine and Marc Brown have teamed up for a picture book project entitled Little Shop of Monsters. The story is set in an atypical pet store where customers can purchase their very own monsters. Read More
July 25, 2014
Expert Argues That Profanity Is No Reason to Remove LGBT Coming-of-Age Novel From Cape Henlopen High School Summer Reading List
Capen Henlopen School Board will vote to reconsider the removal of The Miseducation of Cameron Post at Thursday meeting. Read More
July 25, 2014
“So, What District Are You In?”: Stuff YA Readers Say
Scholastic's This Is Teen has created a video of the common gripes and particular situations that readers of young adult literature find themselves in. Read More
July 24, 2014
Effingham County Students Make Dramatic Reading Gains in 2013-14 School Year
Nearly Half of the Students in the District’s Scholastic READ 180® Intervention Program Gained the Equivalent of Two Years in Reading Ability; 65 percent of 9th-graders in READ 180 passed the end-of-year state literature test. Read More
July 24, 2014
How To Create Safe Space From Slut-Shaming: A Librarian’s Guide
How can we address the issue of slut-shaming in high schools? Teachers and librarians can help by creating safe spaces and guiding teens toward complex narratives. Read More
July 23, 2014
CBC Diversity: Subjective Reality
Full disclosure up front: this is a post that asks more questions than it has answers.
I was speaking with a librarian the other day who told me that one of her challenges was handling the myriad restrictions parents put on their kids’ reading. In...
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July 23, 2014
‘Who Was…?’ Wrap Your Head Around History!
Grosset & Dunlap just wrapped up the Who Was...? book contest, which ran from March 1st - June 1st, allowed readers from all over the country to cast their vote at their local bookstore or online for the personality they wanted to see featured as the 100th biography in the series. Read More
July 23, 2014
Your Favorite Quinquagenarian Books
How's that for a word of the day? This year marks the 50th anniversary of many classic children's books!
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July 23, 2014
Vote for the Fairest Book of Them All!
Everyone is invited to submit nominations and vote for the “Beauty and the Book” award, which is the Stiftung Buchkunst and Frankfurt Book Fair’s international audience prize for the best-designed book.
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July 22, 2014
Amanda Hocking Writing New Young Adult Series
Amanda Hocking, the woman who established her writing career as a bestselling self-published author, has been working on a new young adult series called The Kanin Chronicles. The first book is entitled Frostfire. Read More
July 22, 2014
Educational Psychologist Recommends That Adults Read YA
Should adults be judged for reading young adult books? Lori Day, an educational psychologist, believes that the answer is, "no." She argues that although she herself enjoys "maximally sophisticated and challenging" titles such as Crime and Punishment, she can't read books in that vein all of the time. She also observes that YA books very often feature stories about marginalized teenagers, stories that would be difficult to access in any other genre. Read More
July 22, 2014
‘Looking For Alaska’ Challenged in Wisconsin, Second Challenge to a John Green Book This Summer
Following the reinstatement of Paper Towns in a Florida school, NCAC’S Kids' Right to Read Project is "Looking For" another successful defense of a novel by the popular author, John Green. Read More
July 21, 2014
Penguin Group Announces Mad Libs Pop-Up Booth at Comic-Con International San Diego
MadLibs to partner with Cartoon Network on series of co-branded Adventure Time products. Read More
July 20, 2014
Kid Lit City: A New York Itinerary
For families in the city, a selection of spots made famous by new and classic children's literature! Destinations include The Met, (from From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg, Atheneum 1967) the stairs of the General Post Office (from Better Nate Than Ever by Tim Federle, Simon & Schuster 2013) and more. Read More
July 19, 2014
“Steig’s Books are Like Perfect Smooth Stones”: Jon Klassen on His Hero
Jon Klassen, author and illustrator of I Want My Hat Back (Candlewick, 2011) and This Is Not My Hat (Candlewick, 2012) -- the latter of which was recently awarded the Kate Greenaway Medal -- discusses his personal hero, author and illustrator William Steig. Read More
July 18, 2014
Bookopolis Launches 1,000 Minute Summer-Reading Challenge
This summer, Bookopolis challenges young readers to read at least 1,000 minutes, approximately 20 minutes a day. Read More
July 18, 2014
Lee Peters Named Senior Vice President, Strategic Marketing for Scholastic Education
Scholastic, the global children’s publishing, education and media company, today announced the appointment of Lee Peters as Senior Vice President, Strategic Marketing for Scholastic Education. Read More
July 18, 2014
US and International Organizations Protest Singapore National Library Board’s Decision to Pulp Children’s Books Over LGBT Content
The National Coalition Against Censorship (USA) has been joined by freeDimensional and PEN International in issuing a statement opposing the decision of the Singapore National Library Board to remove and pulp three children’s books. Read More
July 18, 2014
Curious George: Your New NYC Ambassador
The New York City tourism department has passed the 'family ambassador' torch from Waldo of Martin Handford's classic "Where's Waldo" books (Candlewick) to the familiar fun-loving monkey Curious George, created by H.A. Rey (HMH Books for Young Readers). Read More
July 17, 2014
Hans Christian Andersen: An Enduring Houseguest
Betsy Bird, Julie Danielson, and Peter D. Sieruta have launched a website to precede the publication of their new book, Wild Things: Acts of Mischief in Children's Literature (Candlewick, August 2014), where they've been posting anecdotes about children's book creators. A recent story illuminates the little-known friendship between master storytellers Hans Christian Andersen and Charles Dickens -- and the visit that promptly changed it for the worse. Read More
July 17, 2014
Rainbow Rowell to Read Her Own ‘Harry Potter’ Fan Fiction at LeakyCon
How did Rainbow Rowell deal with depression between writing projects? She wrote Harry Potter fan fiction. The final piece is a 30,000 word novella. Read More
July 17, 2014
David Levithan to Pen ‘Hold Me Closer: The Tiny Cooper Story’
Back in 2010, Penguin Young Readers Group released a young adult novel written by David Levithan and John Green. Will Grayson, Will Grayson went on to win the 2011 Children's Choice Book Award in the Teen Book of the Year category. In the story, one of the main characters named Tiny Cooper writes and produces a musical. Read More
July 16, 2014
Scholastic to Launch Tombquest, A New Multi-Platform Action Adventure Series, in February 2015
Book 1: Book of the Dead by Michael Northrop Brings the Thrill and Mysteries of Ancient Egypt to Life. Joins Scholastic’s Collection of Bestselling Multi-Platform Series with More Than 22 Million Books in Print, and Integrated Online Game Community with More Than 3 Million Registered Users to Date Read More
July 16, 2014
Lois Lowry and Jeff Bridges Discuss ‘The Giver’
At the ALA conference, Lois Lowry, author of children's classic The Giver, and Jeff Bridges, the actor who will star as the Giver in the upcoming movie adaptation, discussed the process behind the creation of the film. They also talked about their mutual love for this particular story, and for storytelling in general. Read More
July 15, 2014
Film Adaptation of ‘Wicked Lovely’ On the Way
Wild West Picture Show Productions will collaborate with Pukeko Pictures and Weta Workshop to create a movie adaptation of Melissa Marr's young adult novel, Wicked Lovely. HarperCollins released the first installment of this popular book series back in June 2007. Caroline Thompson, the screenwriter behind Black Beauty and The Corpse Bride, penned the script. Read More
July 15, 2014
Science! Naturally Presents ‘Mystery of the Month’
Each month, Science! Naturally posts a brief brainteaser from their popular children's book series, One Minute Mysteries. Check out July's mystery of the month, 'A Measured Response' now! Read More
July 15, 2014
UK’s “Next Big Thing” Writing Competition
In a new contest open to the public, Bloomsbury Children's Books and the UK's National Literary Trust are seeking the 'next big thing' in children's books. Read More
July 14, 2014
First Lemony Snicket Prize Awarded to Lower 9th Ward Librarian
In the Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans, one librarian spends her days traveling by bicycle--with handmade bookmobile attached--giving away books to children. Her name is Laurence Copel and on June 29, she was given the first Lemony Snicket Prize for Noble Librarians Faced with Adversity. Read More
July 14, 2014
Parents: Free Summer Reading Resources for the Whole Family
Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge gets kids reading with fun interactive website; free tools for parents include a reading guide, reading timer app, Facebook daily calendar, Google+ chats and more. Read More
July 13, 2014
London Launches “Books About Town”
The National Literacy Trust and Wild in Art are collaborating to bring Books about Town to the streets of London in the summer of 2014. Benches shaped as open books, decorated by both professional illustrators and local artists, will be placed throughout the city for the general public to interact with and enjoy. Read More
July 12, 2014
Breathtaking Children’s Book Tattoos
A round-up of beautiful picture book tattoos, including full-color images from classics like The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, illustrated by Tasha Tudor and The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf, illustrated by Robert Lawson. Read More
July 11, 2014
“A book is a sneeze.” E.B. White on Why He Wrote ‘Charlotte’s Web’
A few weeks before the release of the soon-to-be-canonical Charlotte's Web in 1952, Elwyn Brooks "E. B." White was asked by the Harper & Row publicity department to explain his rather unconventional choice of protagonist -- a spider. In response, White wrote an extraordinary letter to his editor, the legendary Ursula Nordstrom.
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July 11, 2014
Get a Portrait of Your Pug Painted by Jarrett J. Krosoczka!
Children's books creator Jarrett J. Krosoczka (Lunch Lady, Punk Farm, Platypus Police Squad) has launched an Etsy shop for the summer, "Pugs by JJK", where he will paint YOUR pug. Krosoczka kicked things off by listing a painting that features his own pug, Ralph Macchio. Read More
July 11, 2014
TV Pilot of ‘Delirium’ Made Available on Hulu
Have you ever wanted to see a Hollywood adaptation of Lauren Oliver's Delirium trilogy? Fox shot a TV pilot starring actress Emma Roberts in the lead role of Lena Haloway. Though the show never aired, fans can watch it online at Hulu until July 15. Read More
July 11, 2014
Miscommunication: A Cameron Post Story
In a perplexing case of censorship, The Miseducation of Cameron Post by emily m. danforth was removed from a recommended summer reading list for incoming ninth graders at Cape Henlopen High School. The cause for removal is ostensibly gratuitous use of profanity in the story, which centers around a teenage girl grappling with growing up, falling in love, and coming out as a lesbian. Read More
July 10, 2014
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Acquires SchoolChapters Inc.
Acquisition of market-leading ePortfolio company represents latest investment in cloud-based technologies that are supporting cutting-edge digital learning solutions. Read More
July 10, 2014
Alice Through the Ages
A selection of illustrations from 'Alice in Wonderland', drawn by seven different artists and spanning 150 years Read More
July 9, 2014
Maurice Sendak’s Advice to Aspiring Children’s Book Creators: “Move to New York”
Betsy Bird, Julie Danielson, and Peter D. Sieruta have launched a website to precede the publication of their new book, Wild Things: Acts of Mischief in Children's Literature (Candlewick, August 2014), where they will post anecdotes that didn't make it into print. One of the first posts is about Maurice Sendak and the various ways in which he has mentored and advised young artists. He could be kind, stern, and funny by turns, but his advice was unwavering on one point: that aspiring children's book creators should move to New York. Read More
July 9, 2014
Netta Rabin Named VP, Product Development for Klutz
Scholastic, the global children’s publishing, education and media company, today announced the appointment of Netta Rabin as Vice President of Product Development for Klutz, the popular "books-plus" brand from Scholastic. Read More
July 9, 2014
J. K. Rowling Reunites Harry Potter with Old Friends in New Article for Pottermore
J.K. Rowling has reunited Harry, Ron and Hermione with their old cohorts from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, in a 1500-word piece written for her website Pottermore.com to be posted on the July 8, 2014. Read More
July 8, 2014
All Children Deserve to See Themselves in Story: CBC Diversity, 2.5 Years In
The need for diversity in children's books is incontrovertible and CBC Diversity is one of many movements -- spearheaded by groups and individuals -- that have risen over the decades to address it. Read More
July 8, 2014
The Jim Henson Company Together With Penguin Young Readers Group Announce Winner of the Dark Crystal Author Quest
J.M. Lee to pen the first book of a new young adult novel series based on Jim Henson’s classic fantasy film. Read More
July 8, 2014
Making Hearts Large Through Story: Kate DiCamillo’s Newbery Acceptance Speech
Kate DiCamillo, current National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, received the 2014 Newbery Medal for Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures. Her remarks were given at the Newbery Caldecott Banquet on June 29, 2014 at the American Library Association Annual Conference.
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July 8, 2014
Ellen Oh: Diverse Books are Not ‘Special Interest’
Ellen Oh, YA author of the Prophecy series, recently weighed in on the inappropriate and unfair treatment of diverse books; specifically the way that they are handled like 'special interest' books instead of being promoted as much as other titles.
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July 7, 2014
American Academy of Pediatrics Officially Recommends Reading Aloud to Children Daily
The American Academy of Pediatrics has released an official statement saying that reading aloud to children in infancy is a significant developmental aid and is, as of now, officially recommended by the AAP. The statement is related to Hilary Clinton's recent announcement of a new literacy partnership between The AAP, Too Small to Fail, Scholastic, and Reach out and Read. Read More
July 7, 2014
Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group Honors Memory of Nancy Garden with Donation to NCAC’s Kids’ Right to Read Project
To honor Nancy Garden, prolific author of Annie On My Mind, Endgame, and The Year They Burned Books, who died on June 23, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group will donate $2,500 to the Kids' Right to Read Project (KRRP), an initiative of the National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) that offers support, education, and direct advocacy to people facing book challenges or bans in schools and libraries and engages local activists in promoting the freedom to read. Read More
July 6, 2014
Read Like A Teen
"Teen reading"--not YA, exactly--often holds a unique thrall over readers of all ages. At Buzzfeed, a writer emphasizes the importance of accessing that mindset as an adult. Read More
July 5, 2014
Terrifying Unknowns: The Death of Lois Duncan’s Daughter
Lois Arquette (pen name Lois Duncan), popular author of YA thrillers including I Know What You Did Last Summer (1973), stopped writing her suspense novels after her daughter was killed. This piece discusses the case and shows the complex grief caused by a murder mystery without narrative arc or conclusion. Read More
July 4, 2014
Behind-the-Scenes Moments from ‘Mockingjay’
For your enjoyment and speculation, a few photographs from the Mockingjay film set, made public via various social media accounts! Read More
July 3, 2014
Read Aloud Book Award Winners Announced!
Eighteen regional teachers and librarians, along with 197 MSUM students, read aloud 220 picture books to 20,081 children during the 10th anniversary Read Aloud Book Awards event. The winners and honor books were determined after the Read Aloud Committee examined feedback from readers, which included responses from children to each of the books. Each book in the competition was read aloud to various groups of children numerous times. Read More
July 3, 2014
David Levithan on LGBTQ Young Adult Books
More than ten years ago, David Levithan's Boy Meets Boy was released. Since that time, many more young adult books featuring LGBTQ stories have been published. In an interview with The Associated Press, he talks about both the community and the state of these books. Read More
July 3, 2014
The Harry Potter Alliance & the World-Changing Power of Children’s Books
Founder Andrew Slack and his team at the Harry Potter Alliance (HPA) have pledged to use the stories in popular children's books, such as the Harry Potter series and the Hunger Games trilogy, to inspire fans into activism. Followers have joined in by shooting YouTube videos, creating viral memes, writing blog posts, and composing wizard rock songs. Read More
July 3, 2014
‘Rookie Yearbook 3′ Cover and Guest Contributors Revealed
Haim, Lorde, Shailene Woodley, Sia, and Elle and Dakota Fanning among the contributors to the Penguin Young Readers Group title out October 2014. Read More
July 3, 2014
‘Looking For Alaska’ Adaptation Will Be Directed by Sarah Polley
John Green recently announced that his first book, Looking For Alaska, will be adapted into a movie following the record-breaking success of The Fault in Our Stars and the in-process adaptation Paper Towns. Canadian actress and director Sarah Polley (Stories We Tell, Take This Waltz) will adapt the text and direct the movie. Read More
July 2, 2014
Walter Dean Myers, Prolific and Beloved Author of Award-Winning Children’s Books, Dies At Age 76
Myers Touched So Many With His Eloquent and Unflinching Portrayal of Young African-American Lives Read More
July 2, 2014
‘Winnie the Pooh’ Claims Top Spot in the UK’s Best-Loved Children’s Book Poll
YouGov polled 2,652 adults to figure out which children's book is the most beloved in the United Kingdom. AA Milne's classic novel, Winnie the Pooh (1926), claimed the number one spot. The two other titles that make up the top three include Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures In Wonderland (1865) and Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar (1969). Read More
July 2, 2014
Marissa Meyer to Write Prequel For ‘The Lunar Chronicles’
Marissa Meyer plans to write a prequel for The Lunar Chronicles entitled Fairest. This science fiction story stars Snow White's nemesis, Queen Levana. Macmillan Children's Publishing Group will release the book on January 27, 2015. Read More
July 2, 2014
James Patterson to Give Away 45,000 Books to NYC Students
James Patterson plans to donate 45,000 books to New York City students. In June 2014, Patterson gave away 28,000 books to Chicago students. Read More
July 2, 2014
Remembering Nancy Garden, Author of ‘Annie on My Mind’
Nancy Garden, author of the classic lesbian love story Annie On My Mind (1982) as well as many other books for children and teens, died of a heart attack on the morning of June 23rd. She was 76. Read More
July 2, 2014
Natural Wonder: Jean Craighead George
Newbery Award-winning author Jean Craighead George would have been 94 years old today. Her books—including My Side of the Mountain (1959), which she also illustrated, and Julie of the Wolves (1972), illustrated by John Schoenherr—instilled a love for nature in generations of young people (1972). Read More
July 1, 2014
‘Lemony Snicket’ Author Daniel Handler Will Host National Book Awards
Daniel Handler, author of Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events and more, will host the 2014 National Book Awards. The event will be held in New York on November 19. Read More
July 1, 2014
Calling All Harry Potter Readers: The Scholastic Store Brings the Magic to Life Throughout July
Free Harry Potter Activities All Month Long, Plus Donation for Every Harry Potter Book Purchased in The Store. Read More
July 1, 2014
Pasco School District’s Removal of ‘Paper Towns’ From Summer Reading List Violates Own Policies, Sound Educational and Constitutional Principles
Removal of John Green's novel triggers response from national free speech organizations. Read More
July 1, 2014
Phillip Pullman: Let Them Read Fairy Tales
Phillip Pullman offers his thoughts and research in opposition to Richard Dawkins' suggestion (made a few years ago) that fairy tales may have a pernicious effect on children, contributing to issues distinguishing fantasy from reality. Read More
June 30, 2014
Kate DiCamillo Tells Kids How She Overcame Her Fear of Writing
Kate DiCamillo -- beloved author with 20 million copies of her 17 books in print (two of which have been adapted into movies), two-time Newbery Medal winner, and reigning National Ambassador for Young People's Literature -- visited Longwood Elementary outside of Chicago to talk to 4th and 5th graders. There, she shared how she struggled for a decade to overcome her fear of writing: “I thought if I actually wrote and found out that I couldn’t write, then who am I? I don’t even have a dream anymore”. Read More
June 30, 2014
Business, Medical, and Non-Profit Partners Launch New National Effort at CGI America to Help Close the Word Gap
American Academy of Pediatrics, Reach Out and Read, and Scholastic Inc. working with Too Small to Fail to Equip Parents with Tools to Promote Early Literacy and Vocabulary Development. Read More
June 30, 2014
“Are They Books at All?”: Disney’s Innovative New Storytelling
In conjunction with constant technological advances and steady growth in e-book popularity, Disney's digital book department has chosen to focus on "interactivity and reader-driven narratives" with tablet apps for children--developing programs that tell stories in a format closely linked to video games. Read More
June 29, 2014
YA: The Reality Trend, And Beyond
Publishers Weekly reviews current and upcoming realistic YA, along with a nod to YA authors of yore who dealt in contemporary YA before it was marketed as such. Here, they also speculate on the age-old question: what will come next? Read More
June 28, 2014
Penguin and NFL Players Inc. Tackle Children’s Books
Penguin Young Readers and NFL Players Inc. have joined forces to create a series of children's book that focus on individual NFL athletes, including information about their life stories, their styles of playing, and peeks behind-the-scenes. The stories will range in format from Mad-Libs to chapter books and more. Read More
June 27, 2014
U.S. Governors and Governors’ Spouses Sign On as Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge “Reading Ambassadors”
42 Gubernatorial Spouses and 4 Governors Promote the Importance of Summer Reading by Hosting Reading Events in Their States; Scholastic Donates 500 Books per State on Their Behalf. Read More
June 27, 2014
Bookstore of A Wimpy Kid
Jeff Kinney has just announced plans to open up an indie bookstore in Plainville, Massachusetts. Though his illustrious career as a children's book author will likely be a big draw for customers, Jeff doesn't want the store to focus on his Diary of a Wimpy Kid books. Rather, he wants to create a community hub that outlives him. Read More
June 26, 2014
Highlights for Children, Inc. to Partner with INscribe Digital for eBook Distribution and Marketing
INscribe Digital has inked an eBook distribution deal with the iconic children’s publishing and family media brand Highlights for Children, Inc., including the Highlights Press and Boyds Mills Press imprints. The San Francisco-based digital distributor will deliver Highlights’ eBooks to retail outlets starting immediately. Read More
June 26, 2014
The Genre Has Limitations: An Exploration of Diversity in YA Speculative Fiction
One YALSA writer sets out to assess the state of queer-themed diversity in speculative fiction. Read More
June 26, 2014
Thank You for the Lovely Presents, Charlotte Zolotow!
The author and editor of over 70 books, Zolotow collaborated with children's book legends Maurice Sendak (Mr. Rabbit and the Lovely Present), Hilary Knight (When I Have a Little Girl), Roger Duvoisin (One Step, Two…), and many others. She would have been 99 years old today. Read More
June 25, 2014
Stacy Lellos Named Senior Vice President, General Manager, For Klutz
Scholastic, the global children’s publishing, education and media company, today announced the appointment of Stacy Lellos as Senior Vice President and General Manager for Klutz, the popular “books-plus” brand from Scholastic. Reporting to Ellie Berger, President of Scholastic Trade Publishing, Lellos will carry on the great Klutz tradition of innovation, quality, creativity, and fun that has defined the brand for decades. Read More
June 25, 2014
Mary Poppins: A Newer, Truer Story
P.L. Travers wrote a story about her great-aunt Helen, nicknamed Aunt Sass, and gave it to friends and family as a Christmas gift in 1941. This Christmas, for the first time, the story will be distributed publicly. Sass was a stern woman with a heart of gold whose fierce and loyal care-giving deeply influenced Travers' life and upbringing. Sound familiar? Read More
June 24, 2014
The National Endowment for the Arts Selects Amy Stolls as Director of Literature
The National Endowment for the Arts is pleased to announce that Amy Stolls has been appointed director of literature. Since May 2013, Stolls has served as acting director of literature. She will continue to oversee the NEA's grant awards in literature, which includes grants to organizations for publishing and audience and professional development projects, as well as for fellowships to individual poets, prose writers, and translators. Read More
June 24, 2014
#WeNeedDiverseBooks’ Summer Reading Recommendations
Nationwide campaign #WeNeedDiverseBooks has launched a summer reading series. In order to help people learn about what diverse books they might like, #WNDB will be offering book picks on a "if-you-liked-that-how-about-this?" rubric.
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June 23, 2014
Jon Klassen Wins Greenaway Award for ‘This Is Not My Hat’
John Klassen has won the CILIP Kate Greenaway award for his much-renowned picture book This Is Not My Hat, which received the Caldecott Medal when it was published in 2012. Read More
June 23, 2014
New Survey: Only 17 Percent of Parents Believe Reading is Top Priority
During the Summer; Kids Spend Nearly Triple the Time Playing Video Games or Watching TV. Macy's and Reading Is Fundamental Launch Be Book Smart Campaign June 18 to Support Children's Literacy. Read More
June 23, 2014
#DiversityatALA
The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) is determined to keep the #WeNeedDiverseBooks campaign fire stoked at the American Library Association's annual conference from June 26-July 1.
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June 21, 2014
A.S. King on nUrdfighters and Paul Zindel
Book Riot and A.S. King discuss YA books of yore, namely classics by Paul Zindel (The Pigman, Confessions of a Teenage Baboon) that seem to be missing from contemporary discussions of the genre.
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June 20, 2014
Scholastic Wins 26 REVERE and Beacon Awards for Outstanding and Innovative Educational Publishing
K–2 Digital Reading Program “iRead” Wins Prestigious Golden Lamp Award; “MATH 180” Wins Innovation Award. Read More
June 19, 2014
Veronica Roth, Author of the Divergent Series, Announces FOUR-City National Tour to Celebrate New Book Release with Fans Across the Country
Now fans have the chance to see #1 New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth as she visits bookstores across the country to celebrate the release of her next full-length book. Four: A Divergent Collection, a compilation of four short stories set in the Divergent world but told from the perspective of Tobias "Four"Eaton, will be released on July 8 from Katherine Tegen Books, an imprint of HarperCollins. Read More
June 19, 2014
“I Used to Ask A Lot of Questions”: One Man’s Search for the Real-Life Little Prince
The story of the hunt for the golden-haired boy who served as the true-life inspiration for Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's Little Prince. Read More
June 18, 2014
Scholastic Media’s The Magic School Bus Continues Legacy with The Magic School Bus 360°, A New Netflix Original Series for Kids
All New Episodes of the Emmy® Award–Winning Series To Debut Worldwide on Netflix in 2016. Read More
June 18, 2014
Reading Ramona Quimby at Forty
A grown-up parent of a five-year-old re-reads all of Beverly Cleary's Ramona books and discovers a surprising new perspective. Read More
