Recently in Children's Book News Category

In a society that teaches that quiet activities like reading and learning are for girls, getting boys to read can be a bit of a challenge. Jon Scieszka, the national Ambassador for Young People's Literature and well-known author of The Stinky Cheese Man, comes to the rescue with a new web-based literacy program for boys called Guys Read.

Featuring reading lists with categories like "At Least One Explosion" and "Realistic Kids in Realistic Situations," this program is sure to be a crowd-pleaser. Guys Read not only introduces boys to books they are likely to enjoy, but also engenders a club-like atmosphere which encourages them to share these books with one another.

The book lists cover a variety of age ranges, but are mostly geared toward older boys. For the younger crowd, we've got a couple of Illumination Arts titles that always seem to draw the attention of boys at shows. The Whoosh of Gadoosh features a zany world of laughter and misbehavior, akin to the Wayside School series. Dragon depicts the exploits of a prince and one angry, fire-breathing dragon.

[via Fuse #8]

Tomorrow, April 30, is Dia, a day to celebrate children's books.

El día de los niños/El día de los libros (Children's Day/Book Day), known as Día, is a celebration EVERY DAY of children, families, and reading that culminates every year on April 30. The celebration emphasizes the importance of advocating literacy for children of all linguistic and cultural backgrounds.

In honor of the day, all of our multicultural books are on sale at 50% off the retail price! This is a one-day only sale, so don't miss out on this great deal. Among the books on sale are Am I a Color Too? and We Share One World.

Did you know that Eric Carle, creator of The Very Hungry Caterpillar and other classic children's books, has a blog? He does indeed! It includes some news on The Very Hungry Caterpillar's 40th Anniversary celebrations as well as a fascinating look at his creative process. I'd call it required reading for children's book fans!

[Via the ever-fabulous Miss Bird of Fuse #8]

Now through the end of the April, two of Illumination Arts' greenest titles are on sale for $12 each! The Tree, written by Dana Lyons and illustrated by the incredibly talented David Danioth, is the song of an ancient Douglas fir tree, celebrating the cycle of life and the importance of preserving nature. Little Yellow Pear Tomatoes, written by Demian Elaine Yumei and illustrated by Nicole Tamarin, teaches children about the collaboration that goes into growing a single yellow pear tomato. Earth Day is April 22, and both of books would make a splendid addition to your discussions about the environment.

If you're already familiar with these books, look for this year's winners of the Green Earth Book Award: Planting the Trees of Kenya and Varmints. The winners will receive their awards at the Environmental Literature Festival on April 15.

I'd be a very bad children's lit blogger if I didn't mention that the ALA announced the Caldecott and Newbery award-winners today. Big congratulations to The House in the Night by Susan Marie Sawnson and The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. Also honored with the Coretta Scott King award were The Blacker the Berry by Joyce Carol Thomas, illustrated by Floyd Cooper, and We Are the Ship, written and illustrated by Kadir Nelson.

After you check out all the winners, run over to Neil Gaiman's blog for his shocked reaction to the award.