The Joslyn Art Museum in Omaha, NB Presents American Illustrations by Wendell Minor

The Joslyn Art Museum is presenting "Wendell Minor: In the American Tradition," which will be on view through December 31, 2011. A lifelong fascination with America’s national heroes, traditional folkways, classic literature, and natural wonders great and small inspires much of the accomplished work of Wendell Minor. The paintings for his children's books frequently express his sense of amazement at the sweep and grandeur of our nation’s natural inheritance. Through much of his work, Minor brings to mind the urgent need to protect America’s wildlife and unspoiled places. Nowhere has he done so more eloquently than with Jean Craighead George’s EVERGLADES, a celebration of nature’s bounty and a dramatically clear reminder of why the world’s wonders are worth saving.

The exhibition comprises approximately 60 watercolors, including those from Diane Siebert's MOJAVE, Ann Turner's ABE LINCOLN REMEMBERS; Amy Ehrlich's RACHEL, Katharine Lee Bates' AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL, and George's EVERGLADES.

If you're in or near Omaha, Nebraska, don't miss the opportunity to see this exceptional exhibit.

S.A. Bodeen’s THE COMPOUND keeps one family glued to their car seats

  

Surely, this fan email will convince S.A. Bodeen to write a sequel to THE COMPOUND:

Dear Stephanie,

I often check out books on CD from our local library for the kids (Max age 14 & McKenna age 10) and I to listen too.  I started this several years ago primarily because my son has ADHD & Tourette’s.  This was a way to keep him calmed down and so that he would not bug his sister.  We have listened to quite a few but there haven’t been that many that have captivated all of us as your book, The Compound, had.  Each of us couldn’t wait to get into the car to listen to what was going to happen next.  The story kept us so interested that it seemed like every time we were reaching our destination and had to turn it off, we were left at some cliffhanging spot in the story.  There were many times we just sat in the car until we found that we had to get out.  In, fact, twice I took the CD out and listened to it during the day while the kids were at school.  We would often speculate as to what would happen to Eli and his family next. 

(Name withheld)

Let’s start a campaign. You followers out there: Let us know if you’d like to read a sequel.

From Darcy Pattison's Bag of Fan Mail: A young fan with lots of questions!

And what does the K stand for, anyway?

Marilyn Singer: A FULL MOON IS RISING in the Litchfield County Times

Of Marilyn Singer's A FULL MOON IS RISING, Booklist had this to say, "In this picture-book collection, veteran children's poet Singer offers a moving, informative lunar journey around the globe, starting with New York City's Broadway Moon, which waits behind skyscrapers / a brilliant actor in the wings. On each spread, Singer creates an evocative verse vignette that suggests a whole story with only a few lines. In the Sahara, for example, a Moroccan boy gazes at the full moon from his tent and dreams of exploring it himself: Astronauts less familiar with heat and dust / have walked there. / Why not one day / him? In many selections, Singer neatly folds scientific information into the lyrical lines, as in a scene of ghostly divers moving silently over a reef as the coral prepare to spawn under the full moon. The. . . . joyful colors and compositions echo the words celebratory tone. More lunar information opens and closes this creative choice for cross-curricular sharing that taps into the moon's mysterious, awe-inspiring allure.

Ms. Singer was also recently interviewed for an article written by Jack Coraggio and published in the 10/20/11 issue of the Litchfield County Times. “When I was a kid on Long Island, I used to sneak outside at night and dance under the full moon, unbeknownst to my parents,” Ms. Singer admitted during the interview. For further insights into the author's life, take a look at the article Mr. Coraggio wrote. We hope you find it as enjoyable as we did.

School Library Journal calls Nancy Elizabeth Wallace’s READY, SET, 100TH DAY an excellent choice for school librarians in particular

Nancy Elizabeth Wallace’s READY, SET, 100TH DAY was reviewed in the October 2011 issue of SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL, as follows:

Young Minna enlists the family’s help in coming up with a unique way to display the number 100 to her class. She makes 20 piles of 5 sticks, 10 rows of 10 stickers, 5 rows of 20 pom poms, and other combinations using pasta, paper clips, and punched shapes. But nothing is original enough for Minna. Her final masterpiece is a collage with a little bit of everything. This is definitely a book that will appeal to children. All of the characters are anthropomorphic brown rabbits done in large, colorful collages. The concepts are shown in a straightforward way that will be useful for introducing and reinforcing the number sets. The text is simple, with a sweet interaction between Minna and her preschooler brother. The final page includes a picture of the finished project, asking readers to find 10 of each item. This is an excellent choice for school librarians in particular. Teachers can use the book to pre-teach the concept and motivate children to find an original way to depict 100.

And another of Nancy Elizabeth Wallace's favorite fan letters

One of Nancy Elizabeth Wallace's favorite fan letters

Gerald Hausman's story, NGOMA: A ZIMBABWEAN ORIGIN STORY, appears in Anansesem, an ezine for children with a Caribbean flavor

Anansesem, the Caribbean ezine for children, recently published NGOMA: A ZIMBABWEAN ORIGIN STORY, retold by Gerald Hausman and Seth Cohen. We hope you enjoy this tale about the power of drums bringing people together.

This is a free e-zine, and feel free to sumbit your own stories if they have any link to the Caribbean or Africa. Anansesem also does book reviews. Gerry Hausman says he waited a long time for NGOMA: A ZIMBABWEAN ORIGIN STORY to make its appearance in this e-zine, but it was well worth the wait.

 

Listen to illustrator Wendell Minor and Mary Higgins Clark discuss THE MAGICAL CHRISTMAS HORSE

See suspense author, Mary Higgins Clark and her longtime friend and illustrator, Wendell Minor discuss their newest collaboration, a seasonal children's book entitled THE MAGICAL CHRISTMAS HORSE -- and be sure to listen for the clues that inspired the book!

Jan Spivey Gilchrist’s and Eloise Greenfield’s presentations and autographing sessions at the National Council of Teachers of English Conference on 11/19/11 in Chicago

As we mentioned in April, Eloise Greenfield and Jan Spivey Gilchrist will each be on programs during the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Conference on 11/19/11 in Chicago.

Ms. Greenfield will be on Lee Bennett Hopkins' panel called "A Parade of Poets: A Celebration Honoring All 16 NCTE Poetry Award Recipients: 1977 – 2011,” and more information about the NCTE Poetry Award can be found on Lee BennettHopkins' website. 

Ms. Gilchrist will do an interactive program called “Mini-illustrating Workshop: Collage and Research and How They Work Together.” She’ll discuss Eloise Greenfield’s THE GREAT MIGRATION, explaining how her research influenced her work on the collages for this book. She’ll also guide attendees in creating a collage illustration of their own. If you would like to attend, you need not bring anything. Drawing and collage materials will be provided.

Here is their schedule:

Saturday, November 19, 2011

9:30 to 10:45 am – Eloise Greenfield’s “A Parade of Poets” program

11:30 to Noon – Ms. Greenfield & Ms. Gilchrist autograph in the Harper booth # 513

2:45 to  4:00 pm – Jan Spivey Gilchrist’s “Mini-illustrating Workshop” program

If you’re attending NCTE or live in the Chicago area, Eloise and Jan would be delighted to meet you.

April Henry’s GIRL, STOLEN chosen for One Book, One Community in Olney, IL – where her great-grandparents were married

One Book, One Community is a community-wide reading program developed by the American Library Association and adopted by cities across America. Olney, Illinois, an isolated rural community, has chosen April Henry's GIRL, STOLEN for their "One Book" selection. Hundreds of copies of the book will be distributed to adults and students at Richland Middle School. The theme of the program this year is "One Theme, One Community. Overcoming Adversity" and is well-suited to GIRL, STOLEN.  In an odd twist of fate, April's great-grandparents were married just outside Olney in 1904. Her grandfather later moved to Oregon, and April herself was raised in a poor rural community.