100 Scope Notes

Your 2026 Labor Day TO READ List

Travis Jonker — Mon, 07 Sep 2026 04:01:00 +0000

Today is Labor Day in the United States, a day to recognize the contributions of American workers. It’s a day to rest and relax – maybe with one of these excellent on-theme books below.

Name That LEGO Book Cover! (#78)

Travis Jonker — Fri, 04 Sep 2026 04:01:00 +0000

Once again, it’s the game that’s sweeping the country. I used this website to (virtually) create 3 LEGO book covers. See how many you can name!

#1:

#2:

#3:

Answer

How’d you do?

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Previously . . .

Name That LEGO Book Cover! (#1)

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Kirkus Prize Finalists Announced!

Travis Jonker — Thu, 03 Sep 2026 04:01:00 +0000

The Kirkus Prize, sporting one of the biggest monetary awards in literature, has announced their group of 2026 Finalists. There are three children’s book categories:

Picture Books

Navigating Night, written by Julie Leung and illustrated by Angie Kang, and Electric Birds of Pothakudi, written by Karthika Naïr and illustrated by Joëlle Jolivet.

I already love Navigating Night, and now I’m looking forward to seeing Electric Birds, which I’v never read. I love it when awards season points out books I’ve missed.

Middle Grade

The Lovely Dark by Matthew Fox and This Is a Door by Daniel Nayeri

Consider me very curious about both these books, especially Nayeri’s uniquely visual hero’s journey.

Young Adult

Anger Is Only a Shadow by Elizabeth Acevedo and When It’s Your Turn for Midnight by Blessing Musariri

On October 7th, one of the above books will win the Kirkus Prize in the Children’s category. The announcement will be livestreamed on Kirkus’ YouTube channel at 7:30 p.m. EDT.

Odd Bookmarks

Travis Jonker — Tue, 01 Sep 2026 04:01:00 +0000

A long time ago, I made a bracket-style tournament to determine the worst bookmark ever. It was a tight race.

So I was delighted to come across this piece at the new-to-me 1000 Libraries Magazine titled Libraries Reveal the Oddest Bookmarks Ever Left In Books. The saw blade really hooked me.

Click here to read (I had to refresh the page once to skip over the “enter your email” pop-up)

Notes on August 2026

Travis Jonker — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 04:01:00 +0000

In August . . .

. . . we went down the children’s book parody rabbit hole again.

There’s always a fresh crop.

. . . I asked if you’d like to predict the 2027 Newbery Medal winner.

The list of suggestions at Heavy Medal is a good place to start.

. . . I challenged you to name three books based on their LEGO-fied covers.

#3 is the trickiest.

Updating the Caldecott Infographic!

Travis Jonker — Fri, 28 Aug 2026 04:01:00 +0000

It’s been too long since the last version of the Caldecott Infographic – around 14 YEARS, actually. What the heck? It’s been on my to-do list for a long time, and I finally gave it a refresh. Now revised for 2026, the infographic is sporting updated numbers and some brand-new facts and figures.

CLICK HERE TO CHECK IT OUT!

Book-Related Headline of the Year?

Travis Jonker — Thu, 27 Aug 2026 04:01:00 +0000

Sometimes I come across a children’s book story in the news that catches my eye. And this recent one from The Futurist definitely did that:

Baby Boomers are whipping up AI-generated books for their grandkids, and the results are . . . awkward.

Do I have to say, don’t do this?

Now on The Yarn Podcast: Rex Ogle

Travis Jonker — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 04:00:00 +0000

At the American Library Association Annual Conference in Chicago this summer, Colby Sharp and I heard author Rex Ogle share his latest book, Absent. Ogle talked a bit about his life story, and how it led him to write the book – and now he’s sharing it with you in the latest episode of The Yarn podcast.

Subscribe below to catch every episode of The Yarn:

iTunes

Spotify

Stitcher

The Mind of The Henk

Travis Jonker — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 04:01:00 +0000

I loved this recent piece in Wisconsin Life about Keven Henkes. The interview Henkes about his life and career, and the story about him selling his first book is worth the price of admission.

Click here to read.

One Star Review, Guess Who? (#235)

Travis Jonker — Fri, 21 Aug 2026 04:01:00 +0000

Can you guess the children’s book by its scathing one-star review on Goodreads?

The story is about someone (probably an entitled guy) who write to the zoo to get an animal and sends all the animals back because they are too dangerous or something else. I mean, a book about sending animals back? No way I’m going to teach my daughter that!!!

Click here for the answer.

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Previously . . .

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