End-o'-the-Week Kid-Lit Roundup
"Pimp My Bookcart" is back! If you're at a school, library, or bookstore, begin your pimping preparations now. The "Pimp My Bookcart" competition is back for its fourth year, brought to you by the folks behind the comic strip Unshelved. Below is just one example of the creativity inspired by the contest, Optimus Bookcart (it actually transforms!):
Browse through previous winners for more great pics.
"Ounce, Dice, Trice Times the Charm." We're really excited to get this 1958 reprint at our house. Publishers Weekly describes Ounce, Dice, Trice as "an unconventional, exuberant poetry book made up of silly names, old words and, according to its introduction, 'new words which ought to exist if they do not.'" Click through to the PW story to see a sample page.
How do you help your kids read? Pam at PBS Booklights has three really thoughtful back-to-school tips. I particularly liked the second one, about accepting--or even better, encouraging--books that are across the spectrum in terms of your kid's comfort zone, from easy to challenging. ("In fact, while this approach seems somewhat natural for the early reading stage, it applies throughout a person's reading life even to adulthood.")
Pooh is back, with honey recipes. Return to the Hundred Acre Wood, the new authorized Winnie-the-Pooh book, is coming out next month--but you can start learning more about it (along with activity sheets, contests, and even honey recipes) on the book's website:
(via Cynopsis Kids)
Magician's Elephant review and interview. Twenty By Jenny has a new video interview with her pal Kate DiCamillo, along with an intriguing, spoiler-free review of The Magician's Elephant.
New Notes from the Horn Book. The September installment of the Horn Book's always-worthwhile monthly newsletter is out. Along with recommendations for much-anticipated middle-grade novels, the new Notes features an interview with Richard Peck on the publication of A Season of Gifts, his third novel about Grandma Dowdel. ("Grandma Dowdel is my humble homage to all my long-vanished great-aunts: Midwestern farmwomen in Lane Bryant dresses who ruled the universe from black-iron stoves in kitchens hot enough to steam the calendars off the walls.")
Comic review of The Lion and the Mouse. 100 Scope Notes put up a funny comic review of Jerry Pinkney's moving The Lion and the Mouse. This if the first of three parts (visit 100 Scope Notes for the rest):
"No Butts About It, We Love to Read." Let's end the round-up with this cute rap video (featuring a Fuse #8 cameo, no less!) from Ayun Halliday (Always Lots of Heinies at the Zoo) and Erica S. Perl (Chicken Butt!):
And one final note: don't forget that September 14-18 is Book Blogger Appreciation Week! So show some love to your favorite book blogs out there (like those under "Blogs We Read" on the right).... --Paul
bluetooth freisprecheinrichtung on September 14, 2009 at 04:32 AM
Great Post! I really liked the transformable book kart which looks good and I will definately try to make one for myself.....
Jenny Brown on September 14, 2009 at 05:48 AM
Paul, What a terrific round-up! Thanks for spreading the word about the Kate DiCamillo interview, and LOVE the "No Butts About It" YouTube video. Cheers, Jenny
Paul on September 14, 2009 at 09:09 AM
Thanks! And Twenty By Jenny has been great, btw--thanks for all your work on that, always love to read it.