Music Was IT

When Leonard Bernstein was two years old he already loved music and called it “moynik.” Even when he was very young he would cry tears of joy and wonder as he listened to beautiful music. His Aunt Clara gave the family a piano and with Leonard it was love at first sight. “There was no question in my [...]

Sydney Taylor Book Awards 2012

The Sydney Taylor Book Award Winners were announced recently for 2012. This award honors new books for children’s and teens that exemplify the highest literary standards while authentically portraying the Jewish experience.  The award memorializes Sydney Taylor; author the classic All-of-a-Kind Family series.   Michael J. Rosen and Robert Sabuda won for Chanukah Lights (Younger [...]

Bluestem Award Winner

The very first Bluestem Award winners have been announced. A total of over 42,000 readers in grades 3-5 from 504 schools and public libraries voted from the book nominees.   First place goes to Hachiko Waits, by Leslea Newman. Second place goes to BFG, by Roald Dahl. Third place goes to How to Steal a [...]

One Crazy Summer

This month I will highlight the Coretta Scott King Award winner and honor books. One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia is the winner this year for Author. Eleven year old Delphine and her two younger sisters live in Brooklyn with their father and grandmother (Big Ma). Seven years ago, Delphine’s mother abandoned them and went [...]

Miss Amanda’s Best of 2010

Miss Amanda’s top picture book and middle grade reads of 2010.

The 2010 Monarch and Caudill Winners Announced!

The Monarch and Caudill award winners are determined by grade school students at participating schools around the state of Illinois. Readers in grades K to 3rd decide on the Monarch Award; while students in grades 4 to 8 vote for the Rebecca Caudill Award. Each year the readers’ top three choices are announced at the [...]

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon

What does it mean to have good fortune?  Does it mean to have everything you ever wanted, fancy clothes, expensive toys, massive houses?  Or does it mean something else entirely? Minli works hard with her parents in their rice fields, barely growing enough to survive.  Although poor, she is happy listening to her father’s tales of dragons [...]

Caudill Round-up – Part Last

Last call for all the 2010 Caudill nominees being read and voted for across Illinois school libraries and media centers.  Check back in March and we’ll post the winner! Elephant Run by Roland Smith With Germans bombing Great Britain at the beginning of WWII,  Nick’s mother sends him to live with his father in Burma.  Danger is there [...]

Pinkney’s Dynasty

USA Today has a great article on Jerry Pinkney, winner of the 2010 Caldecott Medal, and his talented family of authors and illustrators. http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/news/2010-02-04-pinkney04_CV_N.htm It is interesting to read how the Pinkney family creates together and nurtures each other’s work.  What an interesting family! More copies of Jerry Pinkney’s 2010 Caldecott Medal winner, The Lion and [...]

2010 Caldecott Winner!

Three Cheers for the new Caldecott Winner…The Lion and the Mouse  written and illustrated by Jerry Pinkney.   2010 Honor Book All the World illustrated by Marla Frazee, written by Liz Garton Scanlon Red Sings from the Treetops: A Year in Colors illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski, written by Joyce Sidman The Caldecott is awarded for excellence in illustration.  To see more [...]