The Curious Type

Newbery and Caldecott Award Winners Announced

noreply@blogger.com (The Curious Type) — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 21:15:00 +0000

The American Library Association announced the winners of the Newbery and Caldecott Medals today. They also announced a host of other prestigious awards, all of which recognize the best in children's and young adult literature.

The honorees are:

Newbery Medal Winner:
When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

Newbery Honor Books:
Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Phillip Hoose
The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin
The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg by Rodman Philbrick

(The John Newbery Medal is given for most outstanding contribution to children’s literature.)

-----------------------------------------------------

Caldecott Medal Winner:
The Lion & the Mouse, illustrated and written by Jerry Pinkney

Caldecott Honor Books:
All the World, illustrated by Marla Frazee, written by Liz Garton Scanlon
Red Sings from Treetops: A Year in Colors, illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski, written by Joyce Sidman

(The Randolph Caldecott Medal is awarded for most distinguished American picture book for children.)

-----------------------------------------------------

Michael L. Printz Award Winner:
Going Bovine by Libba Bray

Michael L. Printz Honor Books:
Charles and Emma: The Darwins’ Leap of Faith by Deborah Heiligman
The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey
Punkzilla by Adam Rapp
Tales of the Madman Underground by John Barnes

(The Michael L. Printz Award is given for excellence in literature written for young adults.)

-----------------------------------------------------

Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner:
Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U.S. Marshal by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson

Coretta Scott King Author Honor Book:
Mare’s War by tanita s. davis

Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award Winner:
My People, illustrated by Charles R. Smith Jr.

Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book:
The Negro Speaks of Rivers, illustrated by E. B. Lewis, written by Langston Hughes

Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Author Award Winner:
The Rock and the River by kekla magoon

Coretta Scott King/Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement:
Author Walter Dean Myers

(The Coretta Scott King Awards recognize African American authors and illustrators of outstanding books for children and young adults.)

-----------------------------------------------------

Pura Belpré Illustrator Award Winner:
Book Fiesta!: Celebrate Children’s Day/Book Day; Celebremos El día de los niños/El día de los libros, illustrated by Rafael López, written by Pat Mora

Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor Books:

Diego: Bigger Than Life, illustrated by David Diaz, written by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand
My Abuelita, illustrated by Yuyi Morales, written by Tony Johnston
Gracias, Thanks, illustrated by John Parra, written by Pat Mora

Pura Belpré Author Award Winner:
Return to Sender by Julia Alvarez

Pura Belpré Author Award Honor Books:
Diego: Bigger Than Life by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand
Federico García Lorca by Georgina Lázaro

(The Pura Belpré Awards honor Latino writers and illustrators whose children’s books best portray, affirm and celebrate the Latino cultural experience.)

-----------------------------------------------------

For the entire list of awards, click here.

Bestsellers: Sunday, January 17, 2010

noreply@blogger.com (The Curious Type) — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 19:45:00 +0000

NYT Hardcover Fiction Top 5:

1. THE HELP by Kathryn Stockett
2. THE LOST SYMBOL by Dan Brown
3. NOAH’S COMPASS by Anne Tyler
4. IMPACT by Douglas Preston
5. I, ALEX CROSS by James Patterson

NYT Hardcover Nonfiction Top 5:

1. COMMITTED by Elizabeth Gilbert
2. HAVE A LITTLE FAITH by Mitch Albom
3. THE CHECKLIST MANIFESTO by Atul Gawande
4. GOING ROGUE by Sarah Palin
5. STONES INTO SCHOOLS by Greg Mortenson

NYT Children's Books Top 5:

1. LEGO STAR WARS by Simon Beecroft
2. WADDLE! by Rufus Butler Seder
3. SKIPPYJON JONES: LOST IN SPICE by Judy Schachner
4. GALLOP! by Rufus Butler Seder
5. THE LION AND THE MOUSE by Jerry Pinkney

For the most up-to-date New York Times Bestseller List, click here.

The Baby-Sitters Club is Back

noreply@blogger.com (The Curious Type) — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 04:53:00 +0000

The Baby-Sitters Club, a popular series of children's books from the '80s and '90s, will be making a comeback this year.

Scholastic will be repackaging the first two volumes of the series, and Ann M. Martin, author of the original series, has signed on to write a new prequel to the series: The Baby-Sitters Club: The Summer Before, which will be released April 1st.

The series is recommended for children ages 7 to 10.

The Lovely Bones One of Many Film Adaptations This Year

noreply@blogger.com (The Curious Type) — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 19:52:00 +0000

2010 is proving to be another big year for book-to-film adaptations. The film version of C. D. Payne's Youth in Revolt hit theaters last week, and director Peter Jackson's version of Alice Sebold's The Lovely Bones comes to theaters today.

Other book-to-film adaptations you can expect to catch in theaters this year include:

Dear John by Nicholas Sparks
An army sergeant falls in love shortly before 9/11.
Movie Release Date: February 2010

Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
Classic children's book reworked Tim Burton-style.
Movie Release Date: March 2010

Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
The trials and triumphs of a wise-cracking junior high school student.
Movie Release Date: April 2010

The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks
Another Nicholas Spark book hits the big screen. Stars Miley Cyrus.
Movie Release Date: April 2010

Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
Third movie in the Twilight vampire saga.
Movie Release Date: June 2010

Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
Chronicles a divorcee as she travels the globe in search of happiness.
Movie Release Date: August 2010

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling (Part One)
First part of final book in Harry Potter series.
Movie Release Date: November 2010

National Jewish Book Awards Announced

noreply@blogger.com (The Curious Type) — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 19:24:00 +0000

The Jewish Book Council has revealed the winners of the 59th Annual National Jewish Book Awards. Joseph Kertes was awarded the JJ Greenberg Memorial Award for Fiction for his novel, Gratitude. The Poetry Award went to Alicia Suskin Ostriker for The Book of Seventy. Author Kim Ablon Whitney was awarded the Children's and Young Adult Literature Award for her book, The Other Half of Life: A Novel Based on the True Story of the MS St. Louis.

For the full list of winners, click here.

Carmen Tafolla Wins Charlotte Zolotow Award

noreply@blogger.com (The Curious Type) — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 20:52:00 +0000

Author Carmen Tafolla has been named this year's winner of the Charlotte Zolotow Award for outstanding writing in a picture book for What Can You Do with a Paleta? (illustrated by Magaly Morales).

The award, given by the Cooperative Children's Book Center, also named three honor books: Birds, written by Kevin Henkes and illustrated by Laura Dronzek, Pouch! by David Ezra Stein, and Princess Hyacinth: The Surprising Tale of a Girl Who Floated, written by Florence Parry Heide and illustrated by Lane Smith.

The Charlotte Zolotow Award was established in 1998, to honor the work of Charlotte Zolotow, a children's book editor for 38 years and the author of more than 70 picture books.

The Storm in the Barn Wins 2010 Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction

noreply@blogger.com (The Curious Type) — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 20:48:00 +0000

Our congratulations go out to author Matt Phelan. His book, The Storm in the Barn, has been named winner of the 2010 Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction. It is the first time a graphic novel has won the annual award, which was established by historical fiction writer Scott O’Dell in 1982. The award is given to a distinguished work of historical fiction written for young people.

Author William J. Lederer Dies at 97

noreply@blogger.com (The Curious Type) — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 19:53:00 +0000

William J. Lederer, co-author of The Ugly American, has passed away from respiratory failure at age 97. Lederer died on December 5 in Baltimore, Maryland, but the family delayed reporting the news of his death until arrangements could be made for a military funeral at Arlington National Cemetery.

Lederer was the author of several books, including All the Ship’s at Sea, Ensign O’Toole and Me, A Nation of Sheep, and Our Own Worst Enemy, but was best known for The Ugly American, which was made into a movie starring Marlon Brando in 1963.

Lederer was born March 31, 1912.

Author Katherine Paterson Named National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature

noreply@blogger.com (The Curious Type) — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 19:39:00 +0000

Two-time National Book Award winner Katherine Paterson has been named National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature by the Library of Congress.

Paterson is perhaps most famous for her Newbery Medal award-winning books Bridge to Terabithia and Jacob Have I Loved. She has also won the National Book Award twice, once for The Great Gilly Hopkins and once for The Master Puppeteer.

Her most recent book is The Day of the Pelican, which tells story of a refugee family's trek from Kosovo to the United States.

New Book Out by Mean Girls Author

noreply@blogger.com (The Curious Type) — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 16:40:00 +0000

Rosalind Wiseman, author of Queen Bees & Wannabes, the inspiration for the 2004 hit movie Mean Girls (which starred Lindsay Lohan), has written a new book for young adults. The book, Boys, Girls, and Other Hazardous Materials comes out this week.

To view Wiseman's interview on the TODAY show, click here.

Warren Beatty Tell-All in Bookstores Today

noreply@blogger.com (The Curious Type) — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 18:21:00 +0000

A new Warren Beatty biography, Star: How Warren Beatty Seduced America, hits bookstores today. The book asserts that Beatty has slept with over 12,000 women. Beatty has not confirmed or denied whether the number is accurate or not.

Beatty was actually interviewed for the book, but did not get to review the final copy of the book before it was published.

Game Change: Obama and the Clintons, McCain and Palin, and the Race of a Lifetime Hits Shelves Today

noreply@blogger.com (The Curious Type) — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 14:49:00 +0000

Political reporters John Heilemann and Mark Halperin know how to get the political pundits talking. Their new book, Game Change: Obama and the Clintons, McCain and Palin, and the Race of a Lifetime, sparked a huge controversy this past week, when it was leaked that the book revealed racist comments made by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid during the 2008 presidential campaign.

The 464-page book, which is expected to provide behind-the-scenes info and insight into the three largest presidential campaigns of 2008, will be available nationwide today.

Release Date for Jenny Sanford Book Moved Up

noreply@blogger.com (The Curious Type) — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 20:30:00 +0000

Staying True, a memoir written by South Carolina first lady Jenny Sanford, will hit bookstores and libraries earlier than anticipated. The book was scheduled to be released sometime in April, but is now set to hit shelves February 5th.

Jenny Sanford is the estranged wife of South Carolina governor Mark Sanford, who publicly admitted to having an extra-marital affair last year. Sanford told his staff he was hiking the Appalachian trail when in fact he was cavorting with his mistress in Argentina.

Bestsellers: Sunday, January 10, 2010

noreply@blogger.com (The Curious Type) — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 12:10:00 +0000

NYT Hardcover Fiction Top 5:

1. THE LOST SYMBOL, by Dan Brown
2. THE HELP, by Kathryn Stockett
3. I, ALEX CROSS, by James Patterson
4. SIZZLE, by Julie Garwood
5. FIRED UP, by Jayne Ann Krentz

NYT Hardcover Nonfiction Top 5:

1. HAVE A LITTLE FAITH, by Mitch Albom
2. GOING ROGUE, by Sarah Palin
3. WHAT THE DOG SAW, by Malcolm Gladwell
4. SUPERFREAKONOMICS, by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner
5. STONES INTO SCHOOLS, by Greg Mortenson

For the most up-to-date New York Times Bestseller List, click here.

RNC Chairman's Book Stirs Up Controversy

noreply@blogger.com (The Curious Type) — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 15:20:00 +0000

According to the Washington Post, Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele is under fire from members of his own party who were unaware Steele was publishing a book until they saw him promoting it on TV. The 256-page book, Right Now: A 12-Step Program for Defeating the Obama Agenda, was just released on January 4th.

Several GOP fundraisers have criticized Steele for choosing to focus on himself instead of the party as a whole. In response to those critics, Steele told ABC News Radio: "I'm telling them and I'm looking them in the eye and say I've had enough of it. If you don't want me in the job, fire me. But until then, shut up. Get with the program or get out of the way."

It will be interesting to see if all the controversy sells more books.

January's New Releases

noreply@blogger.com (The Curious Type) — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 20:16:00 +0000

Each new year brings us a list of books so long, we couldn't possibly read them all. So let's start small and take a look at just a few of the books that will be available during the month of January. Which book will you start your year with?

Alice I Have Been: A Novel by Melanie Benjamin
Blood Ties by Kay Hooper
Committed by Elizabeth Gilbert
I Am Ozzy by Ozzy Osbourne
Impact by Douglas Preston
Kisser by Stuart Woods
Noah's Compass by Anne Tyler
Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier
Sleepless by Charlie Huston
The First Rule by Robert Crais
The Pickup Artist: The New & Improved Art of Seduction
by Mystery
The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova
Why I Stayed: The Choices I Made in My Darkest Hour
by Gayle Haggard

For a full list of upcoming releases, click here.

January Author Birthdays

noreply@blogger.com (The Curious Type) — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 19:35:00 +0000

Many famous authors were born in January.
Is your favorite writer on the list?

J.D. Salinger, January 1, 1919
Isaac Asimov, January 2, 1920
J. R. R. Tolkien, January 3, 1892
Umberto Eco, January 5, 1932
Kahlil Gibran, January 6, 1883
Zora Neale Hurston, January 7, 1891
Judith Krantz, January 9, 1928
Stephen Ambrose, January 10, 1936
Jack London, January 12, 1876
Ernest Gaines, January 15, 1933
Susan Sontag, January 16, 1933
Robert Cormier, January 17, 1925
A. A. Milne, January 18, 1882
Edgar Allan Poe, January 19, 1809
Lord Byron, January 22, 1788
Derek Walcott, January 23, 1930
Edith Wharton, January 24, 1862
Robert Burns, January 25, 1759
Lewis Carroll, January 27, 1832
Anton Chekhov, January 29, 1860
Zane Grey, January 31, 1872

Quickie Book Reviews

noreply@blogger.com (The Curious Type) — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 19:55:00 +0000

No time to read full-length book reviews? Why not check out the new 30-second book reviews at The Counter Project and save yourself some time!

2009 National Book Award Winners

noreply@blogger.com (The Curious Type) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:39:00 +0000

The National Book Foundation announced the 2009 National Book Award Winners last night in a ceremony in New York City.

The winners are:

Young People's Literature
Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice
by Phillip Hoose

Poetry
Transcendental Studies: A Trilogy
by Keith Waldrop

Nonfiction
The First Tycoon: The Epic Life of Cornelius Vanderbilt
by T. J. Stiles

Fiction
Let the Great World Spin by
Colum McCann

Distinguished Contribution to American Letters
Gore Vidal

The Literarian Award
Dave Eggers

The Best of the National Book Awards Fiction
The Complete Stories
by Flannery O'Connor

You can catch the ceremony on C-Span 2's BookTV on Saturday, November 21 at 8:00 pm.

November Author Birthdays

noreply@blogger.com (The Curious Type) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 23:34:00 +0000

Happy Birthday to the following authors who celebrate their birthday in November:

Stephen Crane, November 1, 1871
Michael Cunningham, November 6, 1952
Albert Camus, November 7, 1913
Bram Stoker, November 8, 1847
Neil Gaiman, November 10, 1960
Robert Louis Stevenson, November 13, 1850
Christopher Paolini, November 17, 1983
Sharon Olds, November 19, 1942
Marjane Satrapi, November 22, 1969
Kevin Henkes, November 27, 1960
William Blake, November 28, 1757
Mark Twain, November 30, 1835

Book Discounting Good for Some, Bad for Others

noreply@blogger.com (The Curious Type) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 21:45:00 +0000

There's been an intense price war going on between Wal-Mart, Target, and Amazon.com over the past few weeks, and it's all about books. The three retailers will be selling some of the hottest new titles at just $10 a pop.

But the big three want to make sure that other booksellers don't benefit from their discounts. Wal-Mart will be limiting its customers to two copies of each discounted book. Amazon.com will limit its customers to three copies, and Target will have a five-copy limit.

The new $10 pricing will be great for consumers, but it won't be good for independent bookstores and smaller book chains, who may not be able to compete with the larger retailers. It will be interesting to see if the new discounted pricing system works. Time will tell.

Spookiest Halloween Books

noreply@blogger.com (The Curious Type) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 03:54:00 +0000

There's no better way to enjoy Halloween than with a book (after you go trick-or-treating, of course). Here are some of the best Halloween books around, grouped by age/grade level.

AGES 5 AND UP:

Five Little Pumpkins by Dan Yaccarino
The Hallo-Wiener by Dav Pilkey
Los Gatos Black on Halloween by Marisa Montes
Boris and Bella by Carolyn Crimi

AGES 9 AND UP:

Scary Stories to Tell In the Dark by Alvin Schwartz
Beware! by R.L. Stine

FOR TWEENS:

Half-Minute Horrors by Susan Rich
A Light in the Darq (Scarlett & Crimson Series) by Allyson Black

FOR TEENS:

Hunted by P. C. Cast
The Werewolf's Guide to Life by Ritch Duncan, Bob Powers
Ghostgirl by Tonya Hurley

FOR ADULTS:

Hallowe'en Party by Agatha Christie
The Collected Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe by Edgar Allan Poe
The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury

Scholastic Decides Against Censorship

noreply@blogger.com (The Curious Type) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 23:50:00 +0000

On Wednesday, October 21st, School Library Journal, a magazine for children's librarians, reported that Scholastic Book Fairs were refusing to sell the book Luv Ya Bunches because of its 'homosexual content.'

It turns out the 'homosexual content' wasn't anything racy or inappropriate at all. The book, written by Lauren Myracle, centers around four girls. One of the girls (Milla) is being raised by two moms. Hardly revolutionary in 2009.

Scholastic went so far as to ask the author to rewrite the book and make Milla's parents heterosexual. The author refused.

After School Library Journal publicized the information, Scholastic received a number of e-mails and phone calls from librarians, teachers and parents protesting their decision. They reviewed the book a second time, and have decided to include Luv Ya Bunches in the Spring book fair.

Hooray for progress!

Sports Heroes Come Clean

noreply@blogger.com (The Curious Type) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 22:51:00 +0000

Sports aficionados will have a lot to read during the next few weeks. Two intriguing and controversial books will be in bookstores and libraries soon.

In his new book, Open: An Autobiography, tennis champion Andre Agassi writes about the ups and downs he's experienced throughout his life, from his marriage to actress Brooke Shields to his struggle with constant, crippling pain. Of course, that's not why his book is getting so much press. That's all because of the shocking admission Agassi makes in the book about doing crystal meth while still a professional tennis player.

Magic Johnson and Larry Bird (with the help of author Jackie MacMullan) have also penned a new book, When the Game Was Ours. In the book, the two lifelong friends write about their time in the NBA, when they were aggressive, competitive rivals.

Don't worry, this book has its own controversy. Magic Johnson reportedly accuses fellow NBA alum Isiah Thomas of starting rumors about his sexuality. Thomas recently found out about the book's claims and has publicly denied Johnson's accusations.

Sounds like these 2 books are going to be flying off the shelves.

When the Game Was Ours by Larry Bird and Earvin 'Magic' Johnson will be released on November 4th.

Open: An Autobiography by Andre Agassi will be out November 9th.

School Library Switches to E-Books

noreply@blogger.com (The Curious Type) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 03:15:00 +0000

Cushing Academy, a private, co-ed high school in northern Massachusetts is one of the first school libraries to make the switch from print books to e-books. According to USA Today, the school decided to change to electronic books because students were hardly using the print collection. Economics also played a role in the decision. The school administration is hoping that e-books will cost the school less than print books in the long run.

E-books aren't the only new devices in the Cushing library. It is now home to 3 big-screen TVs and a coffee bar, which features a $12,000 espresso machine. Hmm.

As a librarian, I wonder if the school might be jumping the gun by getting rid of the majority of their print books. I'm all for new technology and I'm all for getting books into the hands of kids, whether they are ink-and-paper books or e-books. Let's face it: reading is reading. My concern is whether or not a library that couldn't get kids to read regular books is going to be able to get them to read e-books.

Yes, for some kids and teens, technology is the perfect hook to get them reading. But for many others, it isn't the format of the book that makes the difference, it is finding the right book for the right child. I've seen many kids go from being non-readers to readers because of one book. Consider the popularity of books like Harry Potter, Captain Underpants, A Series of Unfortunate Events, and Twilight. Some kids fall in love with reading because of a particular author or genre. You never know what type of book will motivate someone to read.

In the end, I don't think it really matters if you give someone a paperback book, a magazine, a newspaper, a laptop, or an e-book. What matters is that the right book somehow gets into the right hands.