January 2013

WINNING THE NONFICTION WAR

Famous as the "Julia Child of hands-on science," Vicki Cobb is the highly regarded author of more than 85 nonfiction books for children. Yes, you read that right!  Her book Science Experiments You Can Eat established her as an innovator in the field and has long since become a classic. It was written way back in 1972 and is still in print to this very day. And she has performed her interactive and eye-popping show Science Surprises in 49 of the 50 states (missing only North Dakota). Cobb is also this year’s recipient of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Lifetime Achievement Award.

 

We are lucky to meet this dynamic and charismatic speaker who will tell the compelling story of her personal battle to help nonfiction evolve from a mere stepchild genre in children’s literature to a true art form that has finally emerged from the shadows. As the founder of iNK Think Tank, an online organization of award-winning nonfiction authors, she will share her vision of a future in which nonfiction books become the primary classroom reading materials and children and teachers can pick the brains of their authors as masters of the skills mandated by the Common Core State Standards.

Date: Thursday, January 17
Time:  11:30 a.m. "social hour"; noon luncheon
Place: Busboys and Poets 
1025 Fifth Street NW (at K Street)
Menu: All choices $22    

:: CHOICE OF SANDWICH (all sandwiches served with a salad of baby greens and house-made kettle chips) ::
• Falafel Sandwich (vegetarian/vegan) with house-made hummus, cucumbers, lettuce, tomato and onion on whole-wheat pita, served with tahini sauce (vegan without tahini sauce) 
• Home-Roasted Turkey Sandwich with havarti cheese, Dijonnaise, lettuce, tomato and onion on wheat bread
• Grilled Chicken Panini with chipotle mayo, caramelized onions, pepper jack, lettuce and tomato on ciabatta
• Portabella Mushroom Panini (vegetarian) with pesto, roasted red pepper and fresh mozzarella on herb ciabatta  
:: DESSERT ::
Assorted Cookies (family style)
:: BEVERAGES ::
Fountain Drinks (unlimited soft drinks and iced tea), fresh coffee and organic tea

RSVP NOW! 

IN THIS ISSUE:

1. Sushmita Mazumdar Nominated for Guild Membership

2. New Literacy Awards Announced

3. Frederick, Md., Book Festival

4. The Guild's Winter Party

5. Dianne Hess's Program at the December Guild Meeting

6. Scholastic Forecasts Trends in Children's Books

7. Member News

MEMBER NOMINATION: SUSHMITA MAZUMDAR

Karen Leggett nominates Sushmita Mazumdar for membership in the Guild as a children's literature specialist. Rhoda Trooboff seconds the nomination. Karen notes, "Sush is an artist who teaches and makes handmade storybooks (www.handmadestorybooks). She brings a marvelous sense of creativity, energy and fun to her art and is always seeking ways to expand her multicultural outreach. At least a few Guild members already know Sush and have taken her bookmaking workshops. She will be a sure asset to the Guild."

Sushmita Mazumdar writes: "I moved from my 15-year-long career as an art director in advertising to become a full-time writer, book artist and educator. Initially, I just wanted to tell my four-year-old son what my childhood had been like in another country, amidst very different people. Today my stories are for all children and adults, and I design them into artist’s books, collages and mixed media pieces. My aim is not only to express myself, but also to provide story-telling and artistic opportunities to members of community. 

"I engage in many activities that directly support my art. I am an assistant organizer of a writers' group I joined six years ago. I also teach schoolchildren, families and adults how to share real-life stories and own them by making them into handmade storybooks. I teach writing and book arts at schools, libraries, wellness centers and museums in the Washington, D.C., metro region. For 13 years I have also been a docent at the Smithsonian’s Freer and Sackler Galleries, where I give tours of Asian art to school groups, helping them understand art and artists from around the world.

"I would love to become a member of the Children’s Book Guild. I attended the last meeting as a guest and I met the panel of local literacy organizations. I was thrilled to see how the Guild works with writers, authors, local nonprofits and the entire community. Your members are so warm, talented and creative, and I am excited by all the things I could learn from them. I would also be very interested to help the Guild revive a writing and/or art workshop or seminar to give the community an opportunity to benefit from the Guild members’ talent."

THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS ANNOUNCES NEW LITERACY AWARDS

David Rubenstein, a co-founder of the Carlyle Group and major donor to the Library of Congress, recently announced that he is contributing $1.5 million to fund three new Library of Congress annual literacy awards over five years."Reading has been a powerful force in my life and is a major contributor to my success," said Rubenstein. "The public library my parents urged me to investigate as a child turned into a limitless source of information and amazement. For me, it opened a door to the universe. Considering that the Library of Congress is the world’s largest library, it’s an apt place to launch this series of literacy awards."

The trio of annual awards will include the David M. Rubenstein Prize for a groundbreaking contribution to the sustained advancement of literacy by any individual or entity worldwide; the American Prize, honoring a project developed and deployed in the United States during the preceding decade with special emphasis on combating aliteracy; and the International Prize, which would honor the outstanding work of an individual, a nation or a nongovernmental organization (NGO) working in a specific country or region.

The literacy awards program will be managed by the Library of Congress Center for the Book. Final selection of prize winners will be made by the Librarian of Congress, who will solicit recommendations from literacy experts on a national advisory board to be established for the program. Criteria for the prizes include innovation, replicability, sustainability, measurable impact and demonstration of reliance on existing professional literature and applied practice. 

The first winners will be announced in 2013 at the second annual International Summit of the Book, which will be held in Singapore on August 16, 2013.


FREDERICK BOOK FESTIVAL 

The first annual Frederick Book Festival is taking applications for featured-author slots for all genres. Applications must be received by February 15, 2013. To be eligible, an author must have had a book released in the last year or have a new release by May 2013. The book festival will take place on May 18, 2013, at the Eventplex at the Frederick Fairgrounds in Frederick, Md. 

This is a multi-genre event, catering to a wide variety of readers. The festival offers readers the opportunity to meet authors and attend interactive panel discussions and other activities. Planners hope to grow the event each year, bringing a host of new authors and books to the reading community. 

To be considered for a featured slot at the 2013 Frederick Book Festival, please go to the event website, www.frederickbookfestival.com, and follow the instructions on the Featured Authors page under Applications. Authors who are not selected are encouraged to participate as exhibitors.

COME AND WARM A WINTER NIGHT...

at the Children's Book Guild party!

It's a pot-luck gathering
for Guild members, spouses and
significant others
 

on Saturday, January 19, 
from 7 to 10:30 p.m.,

at Laura and Allan Melmed's house
in Washington, D.C.

RSVP by Saturday, January 5, to lauramelmed@yahoo.com
and specify what you will bring (main dish, salad, side or dessert). 

EDITOR DIANNE HESS WELCOMED THE CHILDREN'S BOOK GUILD INTO HER WORLD

At the request of Scholastic, our guest for December, Dianne Hess, has furnished us with a summary of her talk along with some bonus material. 

Dianne Hess, Executive Editor at Scholastic Press, treated the Guild's large December meeting audience to a whirlwind glimpse of her world at Scholastic Inc., beginning with photos of the inviting street-level windows of The Scholastic Store at 557 Broadway in New York City's Soho neighborhood, and the impressive lobby filled with sculptures and posters of Scholastic's most notable characters, including Harry Potter, Captain Underpants, Miss Frizzle, Katniss, and others. Ms. Hess's talk, entitled "Welcome to My World," then moved her audience imaginatively up the elevator to be greeted by Clifford the Big Red Dog™ past walls adorned with the marvelous artwork of students in grades 7-12 from around the nation who have been recognized with a prestigious Scholastic Art and Writing Award. And she notably pointed out the carpeting that runs down the long hallways through the heart of the building with Scholastic's credo woven into it: http://www.scholastic.com/aboutscholastic

Ms. Hess invited conferees to join her in her office, where she highlighted other meaningful items that she keeps near her desk to inspire her every day. Ms. Hess's PowerPoint presentation included shelves of the many award-winning books she has shepherded into the world of children's literature, and she noted how the messages in each of them are timeless and always inspiring. And she told interesting anecdotal stories about her books as she worked through the presentation.

She also spoke about the Common Core State Standards, and how important it is becoming in the schools--and that it is now creating new opportunities to publish innovative nonfiction. http://www.corestandards.org/the-standards 

Ms. Hess described her role as editor as helping authors and artists find their best voices, points of view, and story structures. She spoke of the challenges of title selection and cover design to best embody the truth of a book. And she emphasized that she is more interested in publishing "the story that lives in your heart," in favor of following the latest trends. "Trends are discovered by looking at an overview of what has already been done and what is selling. By the time you jump on the trend bandwagon and take a year or more to produce your book, new trends are being born and taking off. You need to educate yourself about what the current trends are. But you also need to be true to yourself and work on books that have authentic meaning to you." Ms. Hess noted that her primary goal in choosing projects is "finding books that have heart and soul--and something to say and a real reason to be." There are too many books out there--I'm not just looking to publish one more book." She also talked a bit about authors whose seeming "overnight success" was indeed the result of decades of persistent work. "There is nothing more important than taking the needed time to learn your craft."

During the Q&A, when asked about the future of e-books for children Ms. Hess said, "That train has left the station. They are out there, kids are reading them, and they are here to stay." But she also expressed her love for paper books as well, and feels there is still a market for them. She also expressed active interest in nonfiction, particularly new and innovative nonfiction picture books with interesting topics and child-friendly formats that are Common-Core friendly. Ms. Hess closed her remarks by noting once again that one should do the work "that is in your heart."

SCHOLASTIC EDITORS FORECAST TOP 10 TRENDS

IN CHILDREN’S BOOKS FOR 2013

December 11, 2012 – New York, NY – The editors at Scholastic have been publishing, curating and distributing award-winning books for children for decades, and have become experts at predicting exactly where kids’ book interests will go next. Today, the editors of Scholastic Book Clubs and Scholastic Book Fairs, along with editors in the Trade Publishing group, present their list of top ten trends in children’s books for the coming year. "Publishing trends are truly driven by a vital community of readers – our kids," David Allender, Editorial Director for Scholastic Book Clubs. "We see readers get excited about books, talk about them, and share them with their friends. Before you know it a book is trending, more and more kids are vying to read it, and they can't get enough of it." Hear more from David Allender.

THE SCHOLASTIC EDITORS’ TOP 10 TRENDS FOR 2013                                

 (list is not ranked in any order) 

1)    Bullying is THE Timely Topic in Kids’ Books.

The fact is nearly every child will face or witness the effects of bullying at some point in their lives.  Children’s authors recognize this as a major concern for kids and have become more adept at weaving bullying themes into storylines, from picture books to young adult titles.  In 2013 look for: The Meanest Birthday Girl by Josh Schneider (May 2013/Clarion), and The Call of the Bully: A Rodney Rathbone Novel - the sequel to How to Beat the Bully Without Really Trying by Scott Starkey (January 2013/Simon & Schuster).

2)    ’13 Will be a Lucky Number for Science Fiction Fans.

     While the end of dystopian novels is no-where in sight, fans can expect to see a new theme uncovered, bringing some stellar new titles with a “true” science- fiction edge. Books to watch for in the New Year include Marissa Meyer’s Lunar Chronicles: Scarlet (February 2013/Feiwel & Friends), Enders the second title in the Starters series by Lissa Price (December 2012/Delacorte), and Pulse by Patrick Carman (February 2013/HarperCollins). 

3)    Intriguing Nonfiction. 

     Biographies have always been a staple in kids’ literature, but fans are going to see even more great ones in 2013. With the new Common Core State Standards, which are currently adopted in 46 states, the way students learn in school is changing and there is an elevated importance being placed on nonfiction, or “informational texts.”  Standouts in 2013 will be Nelson Mandela by Kadir Nelson (January 2013/HarperCollins), A Splash of Red: The Life and Art of Horace Pippin by Jen Bryant and Melissa Sweet (January 2013/Knopf), and Lincoln's Grave Robbers by Steve Sheinkin (January 2013/Scholastic).  

4)    Novels-in-Cartoons.                                                                    

      With the success of the Bone, Captain Underpants, and Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, there continues to be an insatiable demand for the “novels-in-cartoon” genre. The illustrations provide entertainment value and urge kids to continue reading; especially for reluctant readers.  Fans are going to see a great flood of fun, new reads in 2013 such as: Chickenhare by Chris Grine (February 2013/Scholastic), Stick Dog: A Really Good Story with Kind of Bad Drawings by Tom Watson (January 2013/HarperCollins), Dav Pilkey’s Captain Underpants and the Revolting Revenge of the Radioactive Robo-Boxers (January 2013/Scholastic) and Bad Kitty: School Daze by Nick Bruel (January 2013/Roaring Brook)

5)    Kid Lit on the Screen. 

           In 2013, readers will be seeing the pages out of their favorite books on the big screen!                Get ready to watch the movie versions of Scott Orson Card’s Ender’s Game the  

             supernatural romance, Beautiful Creatures (based on the 2009 series by Kami Garcia 

             and Margaret Stohl/Little, Brown), and the action adventure saga Mortal Instruments: 

             City of Bones (based on the 2008 series by Cassandra Clare/ Margaret K. McElderry 

            Books). Middle grade readers will also find the second film from Rick Riordan’s Percy 

            JacksonPercy Jackson: Sea of Monsters. series (2007/Hyperion Book) in theaters in 

            late summer: “While there is never a shortage of works about the undead and 

            paranormal in young-adult literature, we’ve recently seen the release of a wide range of 

            post-apocalyptic novels brimming with action and romance,” said Ed Masessa, Senior 

            Manager Product Development for Scholastic Book Fairs and New York Times 

            bestselling children’s book author. “But perhaps the bigger trends are the return to 

            realistic action-packed novels and to books that reinforce the positive messages of 

            tolerance, hope and acceptance. Regardless of their reading preference, children will 

            find that 2013 is going to be a banner year.”    

                                                            

6)    War.

Whenever we reach a historical anniversary, there is an increased interest in books related to the topic.  2013 marks the second year of the American Civil War Sesquicentennial (150^th anniversary), so history buffs will see an influx of Civil War titles to read.  Wars in general will be making their way on to the bookshelves in 2013, which is great news for teachers looking for great nonfiction to supplement classroom learning and help kids meet the Common Core State Standards.  Look for a broad selection of Civil War books including: I Survived the Battle of Gettysburg by Lauren Tarshis (January 2013/Scholastic) and What Was the Battle of Gettysburg? Jim O'Connor, John Mantha and James Bennett (February 2013/Grosset & Dunlap).

7)    Tough Girls.

Katniss from The Hunger Games is building a legion of strong girl protagonists.  In 2013, readers can expect to be introduced to more powerful female characters that exhibit the willingness to accept challenges. These characters do not set limits for themselves or take the easy way out – an important lesson for both boys and girls. Books with exceptionally resourceful lead characters include: Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein (May 2012/Hyperion), Legend and its sequel Prodigy by Marie Lu (January 2013/Putnam),  and Lawless by debut author Jeffrey Salane (February 2013/Scholastic).

8)    Survival Stories.

Survival stories have always been popular, but they have become more prominent as a result of popular movies and reality television shows. Whether the setting is historical as in Finding Zasha by Randi Barrow (January 2013/Scholastic) or contemporary like Stranded  by Survivor host Jeff Probst and Chris Tebbetts (February 2013/Puffin) thrilling page-turners filled with tension and excitement will set their hooks into young readers.

9)    Spotlight on Diversity. 

     Kids want to see themselves in the novels they read, and publishers are embracing their individuality. Readers can learn about their families, cultures, and themselves with these books that focus on cultural diversity. Historical novels like The Lions of Little Rock by Kristin Levine (January 2012/Putnam) will provide plenty of home and classroom discussion. Novels with more contemporary settings include Hold Fast by Blue Balliett (March 2013/Scholastic).

10) Nature Runs Amok.

     From campy, fantastical sci-fi to more realistic eco-thrillers, there is nothing like adventure in the wild. Readers will come face-to-face with more and more page-turning sci-fi titles that cover the unrealistic to the actual – yet the common theme is that they all focus on ecology and the environment. Books like Killer Species: Menace from the Deep by Michael Spradlin (July 2013/Scholastic), Infestation by Timothy J. Bradley (April 2013/Scholastic), and Last Dogs: The Vanishing by Christopher Holt (September 2012/Little, Brown) will keep kids reading well into the night.

All the books listed above will be available through either Scholastic Book Fairs and/or Scholastic Book Clubs and book stores.

For more information about Scholastic visit our media room or website at www.scholastic.com. To learn more about Scholastic’s global literacy campaign, Read Every Day. Lead a Better Life, visit www.scholastic.com/readeveryday.

 
 

MEMBER NEWS

PHYLLIS NAYLOR was one of three honorees at the National Coalition Against Censorship's annual celebration of free speech and its defenders, held on November 12 in New York City.  Ellen Hopkins, author, and Chris Finan, president of American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression, were the other two. Phyllis notes, "It was a hilarious evening, emceed by Jon Scieszka, that featured the auctioning off of original children's book jackets (which would never pass the censors). The audience was also treated to a video parody of both the documentary March of the Penguins and the much-censored picture book And Tango Makes Three.

JOAN CARRIS reports: "Beginning this year and into next, the Newspapers in Education foundation is serializing my short chapter book Howling for Home (Little, Brown, 1992). It will run in the Raleigh News and Observer, as well as any other newspapers willing to pay. An SLJ reviewer, who must have been savaged by a Bernese puppy dog in her youth, panned this book, but I remain stubbornly proud of it. My income on this is small for now, but the byline publicizes my current Bed and Biscuit series, so let’s hope the publicity will be worth it. Just an idea...."
 

KATHLEEN KARR is amused to announce that three of her early, pre-kids' lit "Inspirational" (i.e., sweet, with a little period religion thrown in) romances are now available on Kindle. Writes Kathleen, "Two titles from the Destiny's Dreamers series, Gone West and The Promised Land, were put up in their original editions with new covers created from stock photos courtesy of my son, Daniel Karr. The third, Light of My Heart, had to be scanned. For those of you unaware of the process, the text comes back in a huge block that I can only compare to the way a car looks when it's been crunched for recycling. It had to be unraveled line by line, paragraph by paragraph. That being the case, I had some fun with the content as it was recovered. I revised it from the point of view of what I'd learned as a writer 25 years along. The story, characters, etc., remain unchanged. I just tidied up dialogue, descriptions and transitions. It has a new cover, too, a tad more Impressionistic, courtesy of my daughter, Suzanne Karr Schmidt. I'm pleased to note that, offered at 99 cents per book, the lot of them produces a surprisingly nice royalty check each month. Hey, if you can't beat the system, why not try joining it?"

 

JACQUELINE JULES and KATHERINE JANUS KAHN will be signing books between the Sunday, January 27, performances of The Quest for the Ziz Bird, an original musical based on their book The Hardest Word. The musical is being staged by the Pumpkin Theater in Baltimore and will feature a three-dimensional puppet of the main character, the giant mythological Ziz. The website of the Pumpkin Theater is http://ptheatre.spaceports.com/mainstage.html

MARILYN COURTOT has big news to share: "Children’s Literature, which I founded 20 years ago, is soon moving into the hands of a very talented new owner. Her name is Emily Griffin. She has been consulting to Children’s Literature for several years and soon will be at the helm. It will all be 'official' on December 20, but in reality Emily is handling everything now. (To read more about Emily go to http://www.childrenslit.com/about_new.php)

"Little will change, and most of our reviewers will not notice any change. The biggest one will be that your reviews will now go to emily@childrenslit.com instead of to me. Emily will also be available to answer questions and handle special requests. As things evolve, I am sure Emily will be in touch as she updates the website and works on expanding the author booking service. The company phone number remains the same (301-469-2070), as does the website (www.childrenslit.com.)

"It is a big job running a reviewing service with more than 150 current reviewers. I have certainly
found it rewarding to work with so many wonderful people over the last two decades. I will probably continue to do some reviewing (I do need to ease my way out of the children’s book world) and then invest even more time in travel and other passions such as music, art and bridge.

"All I can say is a big thank you to everyone who has made Children’s Literature a success. Without our reviewers and editors we would not be where we are today—respected, appearing on jacket and catalog copy and providing reviews for Barnes & Noble and CLCD."

 

MARFE FERGUSON DELANO reports that her book Master George's People: George Washington, His Slaves, and His Revolutionary Transformation, published by National Geographic Children's Books, comes out January 8. Kirkus calls it, "A revealing portrait of the father of our country as a slave owner....A thoughtful new insight into an iconic American life."  

Kirkus included The Bronte Sisters, by CATHERINE REEF, in its list of "Best Books for Teens, 2012."

The Association of Jewish Libraries included LAURA KRAUSS MELMED's Moishe's Miracle in its "Hanukkah Read Up, Great Hanukkah Books for Kids Recommended by the Sydney Taylor Book Award Committee."