Come one, come all to the February Carnival of Children’s Literature!
I’m so happy to be hosting the event this month. We have book reviews, author interviews, and discussions about literacy. Then there’s writing and research and ebooks, oh my!
I found bunches of new and interesting blogs this month and a shelfful of books that look really good. (Yikes! Shelfful is a funny looking word!) No matter what you’re looking for, if it involves children’s books, from author interviews to marketing tips for authors, or from edgy YA novels to nonfiction books for youngsters, you’re bound to find something of interest in this carnival.
So without further ado, I invite you onto the concourse to view the main attractions!
Author Interviews
“I met Kirby at the Austin SCBWI conference,where she gave an awesome talk about her journey from unpublished writer to her current success and all the peaks and valleys in between. I asked her to answer a few questions on research, both the research she did for her fictional Hattie Big Sky (2007 Newbery Honor book) and the research she now does for her non-fiction books.”
“In a Heartbeat has a strong plot line – a star ice-skater is killed suddenly in a freak fall and her heart is donated to a sick teen who has needed a transplant for years and was running out of time. But when her heart is transferred into the new girl’s body – some things from the past life.”
“What’s so exciting about [Meanwhile, by Jason Shiga]? It’s described as a wild cross between Choose Your Own Adventure and a comic book. It’s like a flow-chart with a narrative! A maze with a plot!”
Book Reviews ~ Journals/Interactives
“When they realized they needed a Coke or Pepsi? book for boys, one that was just as creative and just as ingenious, but was, well, to be honest, full of the immature and gross stuff that boys like to think about, DUDE!, the book of crazy, immature stuff was born.”
“I love that the Spinellis used children’s books as their source of thought-provoking, heart-grabbing journal prompts.”
Book Reviews ~ Novels
“I was so excited to see this one. A new Cynthia Kadohata book! And it’s about elephants too! I was not disappointed.”
Kate Coombs talks about the overlap of ideas among writers and reviews three retellings of the the fairytale, The Twelve Dancing Princesses. (Beware: You’ll want to buy the books!)
“I predict that Emma Clayton’s THE ROAR (book 1 in a trilogy) will be the next big thing to have adults reading kidlit. With it’s dystopian setting and complex characters, there are definitely echoes of THE HUNGER GAMES, but for a younger crowd.“
A wonderful series of short reviews highlighting the virtue of speaking the truth. “….I listened to stories about George Washington admitting to chopping down the cherry tree and Honest Abe studying by the fireplace. It was clear – through those stories – that telling the truth would get us ahead in this world.”
“This student found a book that spoke to him and completely engaged him – and that experience can last a long time with a student. This winter, I read The Rock and the River, and I wholeheartedly agree with this student – it’s a gripping, thought-provoking book.”
Book Reviews ~ Picture Books and Easy Readers
A new carnival featuring chapter books and easy readers. Full of great links!
“The book is honest and straight forward and answers some seemingly complex questions in a simple way that children can understand. The simple cartoon-like illustrations, while anatomically correct, are modest and not at all graphic.”
A Word Choice Mini-lesson based on There Was an Old Monster.
“I think this is a quite exceptional book. Every time I’ve read it, with the girls or on my own, it has haunted me for sometime afterwards. I really hope you’ll now go and find a copy to enjoy…”
“Sharon Robinson’s childhood story and Ntozake Shange’s poems offer insights that we can connect to as “people like us.” No, I don’t pretend to understand what racism feels like, and I have never experienced that kind of hate. But, I can relate to the fear of losing my job, not having enough to eat, having my intelligence questioned, the power of faith, and the thrill of spending time playing with my friends.”
“The clear, sharp writing makes this book perfect for the lower grades and leads the way to a discussion of adaptations and camouflage for science classes.”
“One of my very favorite books, EVER, is called The Travel Adventures of Lilly P. Badilly: Costa Rica (and not only because we share the same name). This book made me laugh, and laugh. It has a cd that goes along with it, and it is full of funny, original music. The songs are so great.”
“Small Pig is off for a day of fun. A day of adventure. A day of new experiences. With two good friends by his side. Turkey. Old Goat.”
Literacy
“Now I want to discuss how I introduce a Reader’s Theatre script to a group of children. Remember, Reader’s Theatre can be used simply as a script to read aloud, with as few as two people to take all the parts, and no props or costumes. But I prefer it as a piece practised for performance in front of an audience.”
“…a few ideas for pointing out the positive consequences that come from knowing how to read.”
“As a parent, I understand how the mom might want her 7-year-old to choose a book that’s right for his reading level. But as a book lover who is passionate about choosing her own books, I can’t help but wish for children to be allowed a similar freedom.”
Technology
“Still, as 3-D technology advances, I wonder. Will computer algorithms based on folding be able to create even more dazzling books?”
Tips for Writers ~ Marketing
“I LOVE Google Alerts. If I didn’t have my name and books listed there I probably wouldn’t have heard about a fantastic project recently created at Dixie Elementary Magnet School in Lexington, Kentucky.”
Greg Pincus give a quick tip for keeping up with people who are interested in you or your books and tells you why you should join their conversation.
“I discovered that using simple but effective items to enhance your topics adds interest to the reading and contributes to the fun!”
Tips for Writers ~ Writing
“I want to see, hear, smell, feel, and maybe even taste the world I’m visiting in a book. But if you really want to put me there you need to be careful not to load me down with too many mundane details.”
Tours and Book Excerpts
“I’m proud to host Day 4 of N.D. Wilson’s blog tour to celebrate the publication of The Chestnut King (my review)!“
Widgets
A widget for your blog that will link your readers directly to free weekly coloring page downloads.
That’s it for the February Carnival. Tricia at Miss Rumphius Effect will host the March Carnival. Entries must be in by March 25th and the Carnival will be posted on March 28th. Sign up at the Carnival website!
categories: Around the Blogosphere, Author Interview, Description, E-books, Early Reader, Interviews, Marketing, Middle Grade, Nonfiction Monday, Picture Books, Poetry, Reviews, YA
tags:
Children' Books, children's authors, children's literature carnival, Interviews, librarians, mg, Middle Grade, pb, Picture Books, Reviews, teachers, YA, young adult
Today I read a gripping book, The Daring Escape of Ellen Craft, written by Cathy Moore and illustrated by Mary O’Keefe Young.
The idea that a family could be celebrating Christmas and not realize it is wrong to own people as one owns a dog, is impossible for me to get my mind around. So I was desperately wanting Cathy and William to escape and I was so afraid that they would be caught and beaten.
