Top Shelf

The Closed Stacks blog pointed me to this post featuring amazing cakes decorated like children’s books. They are so cute that I just had to share! Go to the original post to see more.

PBS Parents has launched a new blog that focuses on “spreading the fun and love of children’s books,” Booklights. The blog’s contributors (Susan, Pam and Jen) have started off by listing their 10 favorite picture books. I loved reading their lists, so I was inspired to try and do the same. Easier said than done! After thinking about it, I discovered that my favorites tend to either be books that I loved reading aloud to students as an elementary librarian (many years ago!) or ones that I have fond memories of sharing with my niece and nephew, who are now 15 and 16.

Here is my list (in no particular order):

1. George and Martha by James Marshall

2. King Bidgood’s in the Bathtub by Don and Audrey Wood

3. Horton Hatches the Egg by Dr. Seuss

4. Verdi by Janelle Cannon

5. Humbug Witch by Lorna Balian

6. Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes

7. Rumplestiltskin by Paul O. Zelinsky

8. Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathman

9. Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

10. Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing by Judi and Ron Barrett

What are your favorite picture books?

Have you seen the trailer for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince? Looks like lots of special effects and action. The movie comes out July 15. I’ll be there – will you?

The American Library Association (ALA) announced the top books, videos and audiobooks for children and young adults – including the Caldecott, King, Newbery, Schneider Family and Printz awards – at its Midwinter Meeting in Denver yesterday.

Newbery Medal – The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Newbery Honor Books:

The Underneath by Kathi Appelt

The Surrender Tree: Poems of Cuba’s Struggle for Freedom by Margarita Engle

Savvy by Ingrid Law

After Tupac & D Foster by Jacqueline Woodson

Caldecott Medal – Beth Krommes, illustrator of The House in the Night by Susan Marie Swanson

Caldecott Honor Books:

A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever written and illustrated by Marla Frazee

How I Learned Geography written and illustrated by Uri Shulevitz

A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams illustrated by Melissa Sweet, written by Jen Bryant

Printz Award – Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

Printz Honor Books:

The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II, The Kingdom on the Waves by M.T. Anderson

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart

Nation by Terry Pratchett

Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan

Coretta Scott King Author Award – We Are the Ship: The Story of the Negro League Baseball written and illustrated by Kadir Nelson

Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award – The Blacker the Berry illustrated by Floyd Cooper, written by Joyce Carol Thomas

Read the rest of the list here.

The Bookworm’s Booklist blog is mounting a chapter book challenge for this year. Here are the details:

Read one chapter book per month!

You can join this challenge at any time during the year!

Either you read the book with your children or your child reads the book by himself.

At the end of the month, report the following information to me in the form of a comment on my blog!
First name and age of reader/readers:
Book Title:
Author:
Illustrator (if there is one):
Rate the book on a scale from 1-10 with 10 being the best.
Give the book 1-5 stars with 5 being the best.
One sentence (or more) of what you liked about the book.
One sentence (or more) of what you didn’t like about the book.

Here’s what a sample report will look like:
First name of reader/readers: Marietta (Mommy), J.P.(8) and Will (6)
Book Title: My Father’s Dragon
Author: Ruth Stiles Gannett
Illustrator: Gannett
Marietta-9, J.P.- 10., Will-10
Marietta-*****, J.P. *****, Will-*****
Marietta: I loved the unique storyline and how my boys were completely enthralled with this book! J.P.- The adventure! Will- That Elmer saved the dragon.
Marietta: Some of the animals were really mean. J.P.-I liked everything about the book. Will: I did too!

I hear lots of folks talk about wishing they had time to read more children’s literature. Maybe taking this challenge would motivate us to read more. I can also see the challenge being used with a small group of students as a book club activity.

If you are interested in participating, you can sign up by leaving a comment here.

Thanks to Diane Chen at Practically Paradise for the tip.

Image citation: upstairs display bookworm uploaded on May 28, 2008 by Rapid City Public Library.

Richardson ISD will be hosting their 8th annual Literary Festival on January 29, 2009 from 4:30-6:30.

This year’s festival features Sarah Weeks, author of more than 30 children’s & YA books, including So B. It, Regular Guy and Mrs. McNosh Hangs Up Her Wash.

Events include a keynote by Sarah Weeks, booktalks of the current 2×2, Bluebonnet, Lone Star and Tayshas lists, author signing, and a book fair where books by Sarah Weeks and others will be available for purchase.

For more information, download the event flyer.

The MotherReader blog has cute post summarizing her favorite Thanksgiving storytime books. You can read it here.

Image citation: Thanksgiving Drive uploaded on November 22, 2006 by katmere. Used under a Creative Commons Attribution license.

One of our fabulous librarians alerted me to the news that Dallas is one of the scheduled stops on Jan Brett’s Fall tour. This tour is to introduce her new book, Gingerbread Friends. At each stop, they are doing a “party.” Her web site says that tickets are free, but limited, so you may want to call the book store and find out when they will be available. The Dallas party will be at the Borders on Preston Rd. on Thursday, November 6. Mark your calendars – sounds like a lot of fun!

Wow – I’m finding all kinds of stuff about popular books that are being made into movies today! USAToday has a first look at Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, due in theaters Nov. 21…

Looks like The Tale of Despereaux, Kate Dicamillo’s sweet Newbery Award winner, has been turned into another slapsticky cartoon. This is not the Despereaux I remember. See what you think – watch the trailer here. Or better yet – do yourself a favor and read the book instead.