Ages 3-7, comics, graphic novels, kids books

Book – Graphic Novel, Stinky by Eleanor Davis

Stinky - graphic novel - by Eleanor Davis

One of the honorees for the 2009 Theodor Seuss Geisel Award, recognizing the most distinguished books for beginning readers.

Deep in the swamp dwells Stinky, a purple, spotted monster with horns and a hedgehog do. Stinky lives up to his name, and the swamp is the perfect place for him: I love the mushy, mucky mud. / I love the slimy slugs. / And I love the stinky smell! / (SNIFF) AHHHH... But on the other side of the swamp is the town, which is full of children, who like to take baths! When a little boy builds a treehouse in Stinky's swamp, he tries everything he can think of to drive the disgustingly clean creature out until he discovers that this particular child is definitely a kindred spirit.

The winning story carries itself on spunk and a controlled vocabulary that combines judiciously chosen sight words (onion, gross) with easily sounded-out words (slimy slugs!) that will have emerging readers in stitches Davis’ colorful art makes Stinky and his swamp delightfully attractive to young readers.

It’s impressive that Davis can draw characters like Wartbelly the toad in a way that makes her clearly smelly and slimy, but at the same time actually cute.

more, including lesson plans and more in the Toon Books series

books for teenagers, graphic novels, kids books

YALSA Announces 2009 Great Graphic Novels for Teens

The American Library Association's (ALA's) Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) has announced the selected fiction and non-fiction works for its 2009 Great Graphic Novels for Teens list.

Designed to aid Young Adult librarians with graphic novel collections, the list presents graphic novels published in the past 16 months, selected for proven or potential appeal to the personal reading tastes of teens.

The 53 selections for the 2009 Great Graphic Novels for Teens features several of the comic industry’s best and brightest, including Dark Horse Comics’ Umbrella Academy Apocalypse Suite TP (ISBN: 9781593079789), DC Comics/Vertigo’s Cairo HC (ISBN: 9781401211400), Image Comics’ Astounding Wolf-Man TP Vol 1 (ISBN: 9781582408620), Marvel Comics’ Dark Tower: the Gunslinger Born (ISBN: 9780785121442) and Dark Tower: The Long Road Home (ISBN: 9780785127093) and Go Comi’s Japan Ai: a Tall Girl’s Adventures in Japan (ISBN: 9781933617831). To view the complete list, click here.

kids books, Laura Vaccaro Seeger, One boy

Book – One Boy by Laura Vaccaro Seeger

A CLASSIC IN THE MAKING FROM THE 2008 CALDECOTT HONOR WINNER

ONE BOY is a perfect example of why Kirkus Reviews calls Laura Vaccaro Seeger the “emerging master of the concept book”—a die-cut book exploring counting and words-within-words, and the power of art and imagination.

kids books, magazines

Buzz words

Buzz Words (All the Buzz about Children’s Books), is targeted at children’s writers, illustrators, librarians, teachers and editors. On the 1st and 15th of every month the e-zine features a free-entry writing contest – with prizes – as well as interviews with editors, authors, illustrators, agents, booksellers and publicists as well as writing markets, opportunities, competitions, courses, conferences, book reviews and valuable industry information all related to the children’s book industry. If you wish to download a sample issue, go to www.buzzwordsmagazine.com Compiler/editor Dianne (Di) Bates pays for articles and interviews. The magazine was begun in July 2006 and to date it have published over 700 reviews of children’s books. An online review magazine, Books Buzz, is also sent to subscribers bimonthly. Check out Di’s books on her website www.enterprisingwords.com

PRAISE FOR BUZZ WORDS...
Buzz Words is brilliant! I'm learning a lot, and finding heaps more markets and comps than I dreamed of!! ... Michelle Meaby

I really like Buzz Words. I browse it while eating my sanga and want something fulfilling and I can skim parts and read the rest tomorrow. I’m so sick of lightweight fluff, but BUZZ WORDS has lots of real info... Cathie Tasker, Children’s Editor, Koala Books

I love reading Buzz Words. It is not only interesting and informative, but it inspires me to actually sit down and write, rather than just think about it (After I've finished reading it, of course!) ... Jenny Heslop

I absolutely love receiving Buzz Words. I find the information helpful and interesting. It also helps me feel connected to the writing community in what can otherwise often be a lonely occupation...Amanda Holohan

kids books

RDR Books to Appeal ‘Lexicon’ Ruling

{Via Children's Bookshelf]

Representatives for RDR Books plan to appeal last week’s ruling by Judge Robert Patterson in J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros. Entertainment’s lawsuit against the Michigan-based publisher, according to the Detroit Free Press. RDR publisher Roger Rapaport told the paper that he expects his legal team to file an appeal this week, in an effort to allow The Harry Potter Lexicon by Steven Vander Ark to be published.

The Free Press reports that RDR and Vander Ark are considering presenting a revised version of the Lexicon, in the hopes that the Judge Patterson might allow it to be published. “I’ve always been very much willing to work with [Rowling and Warner Bros.] and try to see what can be done,” Vander Ark told the paper.

Books, kids books

Socks away! Roald Dahl’s wartime sex raids

Children's author seduced for Britain in undercover mission

He is known to the world as the author of bestselling children’s books such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and James and the Giant Peach. Yet before he became a successful writer, Roald Dahl had a very different reputation – as the sexiest British spy in America.