Perhaps what the world needs in order to pull itself out of the “cauldron of rage” is to read some excellent, interesting, well illustrated and subtlety values laden children’s books. Perhaps going back – way back – to our roots, shoring up those foundations with a few gentle Bible stories, some charming Aesop’s Fables and the like might create a new world filled with smiles and joy rather than frowns and sorrow. Could we turn that “cauldron of rage” into a “punchbowl of happiness”?

I plan to do my best to help the Blogosphere, and the world, on this journey – one children’s book at a time.

Happy Reading,

Kathy B.

“Count Me In!” “You Can Count on Me!” “Stand Up and Be Counted!” are just a few of the many idioms in the English language using the word “count.” In these cases, “count” implies a certain responsibility or accountability, if you will, on the part of the counted individual. By stepping forward and being counted, as in a census for example, you are attesting to the fact that you exist, are present and available for the task at hand. When you take on responsibilities or make yourself responsible, you become important or Chashuv in Hebrew.

I see the census as a way for the government to know I exist. Not in a “Big Brother is Watching” way, but in an “I need to know you are there, if I am going to be able to take care of you” way. If I fulfill my responsibilities – pay my taxes, vote, follow the law, etc. – then I expect my government to do the same in return. How will that happen, if the government has no idea that I exist? How will it know that I need a road to my home, a school for my children, or a hospital for my community?

The United States census is mandated by the U. S. Constitution, the information is absolutely, positively and utterly confidential (I believe the government is close to paranoid about this), and the information gleaned from the census impacts such significant decisions as my state’s representatives in congress, electoral votes and government funding. I am an important/Chashuv participant in making sure the information collected is accurate.

When I was in school, I learned that participating in the census was a “civic responsibility.” I wonder if they teach that any longer. In case they do not, and to be of some assistance to the enumerators out there who are working hard to make sure that everyone gets counted, I have put together a list of books that can help your child – and perhaps yourself – understand the importance of counting and the value of being counted in America.

Happy Reading,

Kathy B.

The History of Counting. By Denise Schmandt-Besserat. Illustrated by Michael Hays. © 1999, Morrow Junior Books, a division of William Morrow and Company. Ages 9-12.  How did the world arrive at the method of using numbers the way we do today? It was not always this way. This intriguing history follows humankind from pre-historic through agricultural into commercial times as the need for an abstract counting system became greater and more important. Wondrous illustrations of counting systems from the simple to the complex aid the understanding of this complicated topic. The text, while easy to understand, delves deeply into the back roads of history to unearth how we arrived at a universal system of numbers that most of us assume has been in use forever.

How Many Snails? A Counting Book. By Paul Giganti. Illustrated by: Donald Crews. ©1988, Greenwillow Books. Ages 3-6. More than a simple counting book, the reader must see the details in this charming and colorful concept book. Count the number of flowers. How many of them are yellow? How many dogs are spotted? “How many cupcakes had white icing and candy sprinkles?”   A wonderful introduction into taking a closer look at the world around us.

A Million Dots. By Andrew Clements.  Illustrated by Mike Reed. © 2006, Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers. Ages 4-10. What does a million look like? Using tiny dots and captivating information, Clements and Reed help children and adults see and understand the concept of 1 million. As you read this well illustrated and engagingly written book, they challenge you to find a specific dot and learn a fascinating fact about the number it represents. Eyes may cross, but giggles will abound as everyone learns about great big numbers.

If America Were a Village: A Book About the People of the United States. By David Smith. Illustrated by: Shelagh Armstrong. © 2009, Kids Can Press. Ages 6-9. Do you wonder how the information from the census is used? Some of it assists in the writing of wonderful books like this, that help our children understand more about the country in which they live and the people who live there. This extraordinary picture book uses the statistics from the US Census Bureau and many other resources to describe the United States of America, with a population of over 306 Million, as a village of 100 people. The results – both the artwork and the numbers – are captivating presenting you with a picture of America unlike any you have ever seen before.

I Am America. By: Charles R. Smith, Jr.  © 2003, Scholastic, Inc. Ages 3-6. Simple lyrical text and warm blocks of bright, bold colors, accompany gorgeous full-color photographs of charming children from across the country in this delightful introduction to America today. The diversity of cultures, religions, styles, sounds and so much more are all represented here. I see hope for our country in the eyes of the children on these pages.

Unite or Die! The Story of the Thirteen Colonies. By Jacqueline Jules. Illustrated by Jef Czekaj. © 2009, Charlesbridge Publishing, Inc. Ages 6-10. Perhaps you have forgotten why we need a Federal Government in the first place. Possibly a refresher course in American History 101: Post- Revolutionary War is in order. Here is a perfect solution. Did you know that “in the beginning” all the states had their own currency? There was no trade agreement with foreign governments because the states could not speak with one voice? Vermont used to be land that was claimed by both New York and New Hampshire? A school play is the setting for these fun facts and many more as the students reenact the 1787 Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. Captivatingly humorous, cartoon-style illustrations will engage children of all ages in learning about a seminal moment in American history. The first census in US history followed in 1790.

©2010 Kathleen M. Bloomfield and forwordsbooks.com all rights reserved.
Books used in this review came from my public library.
I am an Amazon Affiliate. If you click on a book title referred to on my web site and purchase it from Amazon,

I may receive a very small commission on your purchase.

You will incur no additional cost, however.

I appreciate your support.

And boy, have we had a busy month! With so much going on from National Poetry Month to Earth Day, several Jewish holidays (for me) and as always, tons of books to review,  I had to take a step back and many deep breaths to figure out how to arrange all of this material.  I have had quite a journey, but a lot of fun along the way.

To organize the submissions I received around the themes I perceived, I am using excerpts from The Tree That Time Built: A Celebration of Nature, Science, and Imagination by Mary Ann Hoberman and Linda Winston (Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, 2009) as my guidebook.  I also want to thank Lee Wind at The Zen of Blogging for helping me get my head on straight as I began this endeavor. Starting with his  “thread video” for Earth Day and ending with “’Jingle Bells,’ Karaoke,…”  and Adam Lambert,  he has been a real inspiration. I want to kick the Carnival off with this  selection  in honor of Lee:

“His back legs are a pair of hands,/ They can spindle out the strands/ Of a thread that is small /It stops the sunlight not at all.” From “The Spider” by Robert P. Tristram Coffin

So let’s get started shall we?

“I should like to write a poem about the world that has in it nothing fancy. /But it seems impossible.” From “This World” by Mary Oliver

April was National Poetry Month.

Many, many members of the kidlitosphere participated in NPM in some way. Here’s the list put together by Laura Evans at All Things Poetry as posted on The Miss Rumphius Effect.

Susan Taylor Brown kicked off the month with The Child I Was at Susan Taylor Brown, saying, “The Child I Was is the first poem 30 Poems in 30 Days in the month long series for National Poetry Month in which I challenged myself to write a poem a day about the father I have never known.” Believe me when I tell you her work is powerful.

Carmela Martino sent Patterns in Poetry! How I wrote This Poem—a Poetry Writing Workout posted at Teaching Authors, saying, “April Halprin Wayland shares an original poem celebrating our blogiversary and Earth Day, along with a lesson plan for creating a unique rhyming poem.”

Mary Ann Scheuer shared Tan to Tamarind: poems about the color brown (ages 4-8) posted at Great Kid Books, adding, “At its best, poetry can help give voice and language to things we sense and experience. Young children notice different skin colors, and yet they can struggle to explain those different colors, to name them. Tan to Tamarind is a beautiful book that celebrates the beauty of brown, and helps give voice to the different shades of skin children see all around them.”

“Soak up the sun/Affirm life’s magic/Be graceful in the wind/Stand tall after a storm/Feel refreshed after it rains/Grow strong without notice/Be prepared for each season/Provide shelter for strangers/Hang tough through a cold spell/Emerge renewed at the first sign of spring/Stay deeply rooted while reaching for the sky/Be still long enough to/Hear your own leaves rustling.” “Think Like a Tree” By Karen I. Shragg

April saw the 40^th Anniversary of Earth Day.

The Miss Rumphius  Effect provided a fantastic book list on Trees.

Julie Hedlund sent along Picture Books for the Planet at Write Up My Life, saying, “In honor of Earth Week, I rounded up some of my favorite books with nature, wildlife and ecological themes.”  I love that she focused not just on Earth Day but on everyday respect for Nature.

Eric Aldrich shared 10 Works – List # 3 – Nature, Animals, and Survival in Young Adult Literature at making owls cool since 1986. A list of outdoor classics.

“In honor of Earth Day,” Deborah Freedman provided probably one of the most unique Earth Day blogs I have seen –  The Real World at Writes with Pictures .

“Sing of the Earth and sky,/sing of our lovely planet,/sing of the low and high, of fossils locked in granite./ Sing of the strange, the known,/ the secrets that surround us,/ sing of the wonders shown,/ and wonders still around us.”  By Aileen Fisher

If Poetry and Mother Earth were not enough, April had plenty of other things to rejoice over.

Trickster Fiction with Kate Coombs at Book Aunt. “A mega-post taking a look at tricksters in children’s literature.”

Archaeology and Fossils with SarahN. If you are able to tear yourself away from the picture of the most delicious cookies I have seen in a while (I need that recipe!) read  “a review of 3 children’s books about fossils and archaeology” Non-Fiction Monday: Fossils and Archaeology at In Need Of Chocolate.

Celebrate Every Family with Amanda Hartman at The Literary Family. “The books we read to and with kids matter. This posting celebrates families. All different kinds of families. Families that resemble our own and ones that do not! To grow a more lovely world, the books and ideas we discuss with all kids matter. Help kids build positive self images of themselves and build positive images of others. You will see that this blog helps aunties, teachers, friends, and parents build strong relationships through reading books together. Enjoy the books, enjoy the blog and enjoy the read.”

Nonfiction with Jennifer at Jean Little Library, as she writes about Exploring Nonfiction With New Readers. “I’ve offered several suggestions on books to introduce new readers to nonfiction as well as ideas on how to use nonfiction to interact with emerging readers.”

Exoplanets with Shirley Duke. What? You never heard of an exoplanet. Then you better get to SimplyScience Blog,and read about Planet Hunter–Out of this World! “Written by Vicki Oransky Wittenstein, this book traces the career of Dr. Geoff Marcy and his search for exoplanets, or planets outside of our solar system.”

Pajamas with Mary Ann Dames. “Did you know that April 16 was Wear Your Pajamas to Work Day? Well, it was. For that week’s Reading Monday I shared picture books about PJs. Recipe Wednesday told how to make Breakfast-for-Lunch Sandwich. Writing Friday’s prompt was about wearing your PJs all day. 8-)”  Reading, Writing &.. – Mary Ann Dames, M.S., R.D. at Reading, Writing, and Recipes.

Fairy Tales with Roberta Gibson. A review of three delicious picture book fairy tales.  Wrapped in Foil · Three Servings of Fairy Tales at Wrapped in Foil,

Unconditional Love with Saraline Grenier. Stories of unconditional love for children at Feminist Mom in Montreal

“…Those who saw the buffaloes are gone,/And the buffaloes are gone.”  From “Buffalo Dusk” by Carl Sandburg

Zachor/Remembrance was my theme for the month of April. It appears that resonated with others as well.

Barbara Bietz presents an interview with Debbie Levy, author of The Year of Goodbyes posted at Jewish Books for Children with Author Barbara Bietz.

Susan Kusel shares When I was your age…at Booklights, commenting, “Remember a book you loved as a child? Read it again before recommending it to children today.”

Remember taking those standardized tests in school? Camille at BookMoot will remind you It’s TAKS time in Texas.

“This is the gist of what I have to say./From an embryo, whose nourishment comes in the blood, /move to an infant drinking milk,/to a child on solid food,/to a searcher after wisdom,/to a hunter of more invisible game…” From Little by Little by Jelaluddin Rumi. Translated from the Persian by Coleman Barks.

Several contributions assist in creating those “searchers after wisdom” by helping children read.

Jennifer at the Jean Little Library is hosting her own “I Can Read Carnival!” this month. Stop in for a visit and check out some interesting books for early readers.

Fiona Ingram shares Does Your Child Struggle to Read? Tips for Parents at Word Magic: Articles & Tips for Authors, she says, “It can be disappointing when your child expresses absolutely no interest in reading. Reading is a skill, just like any other skill. It has to be introduced, nurtured, and developed. Here are some great tips for parents.”

Helaine Becker sent along How to Stimulate Scientific Curiosity in Your Kids at Track & Display Changes: A Writer’s Blog, with the comment, “Some notes about what I’ve learned as a writer of science-y non-fiction for kids and as a former kid myself.”

“…Put on the palm,/Still rough/With crumbs,/They roll and/Glisten in the sun/As fresh/As new rubies/Dug out of/Deepest earth.” From Earthworms by Valerie Worth.

Let’s put those books to work!

Abigail Bailey read The Dark is Rising and got out her yarn and crochet hooks!  Crochet basics – Sign seeker belt « abigailscraftshowto.com at abigailscraftshowto.com, she adds “I’ve been re-reading “The Dark is Rising” every year since I was 11 years old. This crochet pattern is inspired by one of the kid’s books that matters very much to me.”

Katie Fries sent along The Day-Glo Brothers – Neon Painted Cake at Eat Their Words, saying, “After reading Chris Barton’s The Day-Glo Brothers, my kids and I explored fluorescence in the kitchen by painting cakes with fluorescent edible (cream cheese) paint.” I am doing this ASAP!

Paula, in Belgium, presents arts and crafts using the art of  Carl Larsson at Books Etc.

Zoe Toft shared Stories in tune – The Magic Flute; Part 1 at Playing by the book, comments, “Tips on using picture books to introduce more classical music into your family home, with a roundup of retellings of Mozart’s Magic Flute”

“take the leaf of a tree…memorize the way it is fastened to the twig…crumple it in your hand…when there is no leaf left/invent one.” From Reply to the Question: “How Can You Become a Poet?” by Eve Merriam

Admit it, we are all writing something. Thankfully, several colleagues are there to help.

D.M. Cunningham sent ReSearching for the Story at Literary Asylum, with the comment, “When working on your children’s story, can you do enough research or too much? Is there a way to use that research to discover your story?”

Linda Benson shared Shelter Animals – Writing your Passion at Linda Benson, she says, “Writing about animals helps children develop compassion and animals find homes.”

Greg Trine provided Funny Words ? Building Blocks of Humor at Greg Trine’s Blog, saying, “Want to write funny books for kids? Start with funny words.” Greg Trine wants to know about your funny words.

Wendy Wax shared You Wrote a Children’s Picture Book –So NOW What? at Wendy Wax adding “Here are some children’s book writing tips from a children’s book editor/author/illustrator.”

“Dinosaurs get all the press/ in books and movies/on subway walls…” From “Prehistoric Praise” by Marilyn Singer

Book Reviews:

Sally Apokedak shared Weaving in Worldview ~ Wednesday Writers ~ Faery Rebels at Whispers of Dawn ~.”A discussion on how RJ Anderson wove her weltanschauung (worldview) into her book, Spell Hunter, without preaching.”

A.C.E. Bauer reviews Skim the YA graphic novel SKIM by Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki at I’m working on it

A.C.E. Bauer also reviewed Tales from Outer Suburbia Shaun Tan’s wonderful and quirky YA picture book at I’m working on it.

Debra Black reviewed Tuck Everlasting at Litland.com Book Reviews adding, “my review of Tucks Everlasting leads to the corresponding commentary.

Tammy Flanders reviewed Finding Violet in her piece entitled,  For the pure pleasure of it. at Apples With Many Seeds, sharing, “A recommendation for Finding Violet by Jenny Valentine. It’s all about connecting kids (especially those who see themselves as non-readers) to books. And finding a book with a unique premise and great characters can be what makes the difference in turning a non-reader to the other side. No connection to what is being taught in the classroom just a really great story. No strings attached.”

Robin Gaphni reviewed Art From Her Heart: Folk Artist Clementine Hunter at thebooknosher .

Becky Laney reviewed a retelling of Cinderella, Princess of Glass (MG/YA) by Jessica Day George at Becky’s Book Reviews,

Becky Laney also sent along a review of Farm by Elisha Cooper at Young Readers.

Aaron Mead discussed Harry Potter: Christian Allegory or Occultist Children’s Books? (Part 3) posted at Children’s Books and Reviews.

Eva Mitnick sent her Review of The Dreamer by Pam Muňoz Ryan at Book Addiction

Anastasia Suen presents 5 Great Mother’s Day Books at 5 Great Books adding “It’s almost time for that special day, Mother’s Day!”

Anastasia Suen also sent along a review for Good Night, Little Bunny at Read to Me sharing that it is “A sweet board book for bedtime.”

“The trees ask me,/And the sky,/And the sea asks me,/ Who am I?…The wind tells me/At nightfall, /And the rain tells me./ Someone small./…But a piece/of/it/all.” From “Who Am I?” by Felice Holman

Author/Illustrator Interviews:

Tarie talks with children’s book Author/Illustrator Interview: Grace Lin posted at Asia in the Heart, World on the Mind.

Lori Calabrese discusses how You can accidentally become a novelist at Lori Calabrese Writes!, with fellow Indie-Debut 2010 author, Danika Dinsmore.

Barbara Bietz presents an interview with Debbie Levy, author of The Year of Goodbyes posted at Jewish Books for Children with Author Barbara Bietz.

Samantha Clark presents an Interview with new agent Bree Ogden at Day By Day Writer, adding, “In this interview, new Martin Literary associate agent Bree Ogden explains why she is specializing in children’s literature and graphic novels, her favorite books and the type of agent she will be.”

“The Galapagos Islands, Ecuador: Such strange creatures!/ Huge tortoises, big enough for me to ride;…What amazes me most are the tiny finches./Each island’s finches have different beaks!” From “Journal Jottings of Charles Darwin” by Bobbi Katz

News

Sit at the SCBWI Booth with Angela Cerrito while she presents a view of  SCBWI Bologna 2010 at Angela Cerrito – “Illustrators and writers at the Bologna Rights Fair in Bologna, Italy.”

Angela Craft sent Book Thoughts: My Role as a Reviewer at Bookish Blather, her “response to the Huffington Post’s essay about negative reviews in the YA blogosphere”. In case you missed this, here is the original essay  entitled “Faking Nice in the Blogosphere: Women and Book Reviews“, and here is what our  Liz B. at A Chair, A Fireplace and a Tea Cozy had to say about it. [No, Liz did not send me her blog, I include it here because I think it is good and well worth reading.]

Wendie Old looks at iPad+Picture Books at Wendie’s Wanderings commenting “I have been amazed at the things people can do with the new iPad.  For example, in the blog post I’m linking to — I talk about how I’m going to have to completely re-write the ending of my Critical Essay about the history of Picture Book Biographies.”

Book Fairs Online? Having once had a book fair business myself, I am curious and interested in the idea Elizabeth Dulemba is sharing regarding Big Noodle Books at dulemba.

Throughout their May 2010 issue, Hunger Mountain, the Vermont College of Fine Arts Journal, will feature an exclusive, 2-chapter excerpt of Holly Cupala’s young adult novel, TELL ME A SECRET!  (article will be posted May 1)

Elizabeth Bird at A Fuse #8 Production released her Top 100 Children’s Novels. Charlotte’s Web was Number 1. Would you have guessed differently?

“Think of a circle   think/our planet/Earth/solid globe/spinning   holding us…” From “Circles” by Barbara Juster Esbensen

Additional News, Enquiring Minds Need to Know

Jen Robinson has a new baby – a girl.  Mazel Tov, Jen and Family! Understandably, she is taking a break from blogging, but says she will return soon. Jen, if there is something you need, other than books, please let us know.

Pam Coughlan at MotherReader could use our prayers. Her mother had a medical issue earlier this month. Pam does so much for this online community. I hope there is something we can do for her. Pam, we are holding you and your mother in our hearts.

There you have it,  the April edition of the Carnival. I want to thank Anastasia Suen for her support in helping me with this process. She is a blessing to the entire Kidlitosphere. Thanks, Anastasia! Next month’s Carnival host will be Homespun Light. Please submit your May blog article to the Carnival of Children’s Literature by using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page. Thanks for stopping by.

Happy reading!

Kathy B.

- George Santayana

This morning, I was listening to On Point, a nationally broadcast call-in news program hosted by Tom Ashbrook.  The topic was West Virginia’s Coal Mines with a focus on the disaster and rescue operations currently taking place at the Upper Big Branch mine.

As I listened to a  Mine Safety expert, two miners, a news person from Virginia and many callers talking about the situation in West Virginia, a dark parallel kept entering my mind.  This is just like what happened to the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in 1911. Health and safety standards were ignored,  productivity was more important than human lives and there were no unions in place to protect individuals.

The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire cost the lives of 146 workers, most of them young immigrant women, who could not escape from their workplace because managers had locked or blocked the fire escapes to prevent them from leaving for any reason during working hours. The owners of the building suffered no severe losses as a result of their inaction nor over the deaths of those innocent victims.

Here we are 100 years later, hearing, watching, reading about a similar situation.  A company -  Massey Energy Corp. – doing its business providing needed coal for America, yet doing so by violating every kind of health and safety code at the cost of human lives.  Is this progress?

Perhaps we should all go back and read about that 1911 fire, just to remind ourselves in what situations labor unions are necessary, why standards, laws  and practices for risky businesses  continue to be essential and why heath and safety organizations come out and do inspections and must be respected. People need jobs, America needs energy (or clothes or food or you name it) but at the cost of human lives? Seems like a pretty high price to me.

Happy reading,

Kathy B.

©2010 Kathleen M. Bloomfield and forwordsbooks.com all rights reserved.
The Book used in this review was provided by the publisher.
I am an Amazon Affiliate. If you click on a book title referred to on my web site and purchase it from Amazon,

I may receive a very small commission on your purchase.

You will incur no additional cost, however.

I appreciate your support.

The Future of Publishing

What more can a person say? Thank you Dorling Kindersley.

Happy reading,

Kathy B.

By the end of December, I was thinking, “Oh well, it won’t be the 2009 Catalog of Books.” In January it was “I will never finish this.”  However, in February, as I began to see some light shining at the end of this very long tunnel, I knew that I would find a stopping point. Not an end point mind you, a stopping point, because even as I  write this there is a pile of books sitting on the floor of my office that I need to read and review, publishers are printing and sending out new books for consideration, editors are preparing new materials for production and authors and illustrators are working at their craft to bring us their latest creative ideas.

I look forward to reading, reviewing and bringing them all to you in updates and new editions to the forwordsbooks Catalog of Books. I can assure you, it will not be ten years and six months before you hear from me again.

Happy Reading,

Kathy B.

I spent my weekend at the American Library Association’s Midwinter Conference in Boston. My “job” was to walk around the Exhibit Hall and find the publisher’s who had Sydney Taylor Award Winners, Honor Books and Notable books and bring them congratulations and mazel tovs on behalf of the Association of Jewish Libraries and the Sydney Taylor Award Committee and also provide them with gold and silver seals for the winning books.  It was very exciting to meet the publishers and some of the editors responsible for these excellent books. Even more exciting, I got to tell them a bit about forwordsbooks and what I do.  Call me crazy, but I love publishers and exhibit halls. I have a stack of books at home that I am so looking forward to telling you about.

On Saturday evening, I joined up with the ALATweetup and met a number of interesting people from the kidlitosphere, kidlit publishing and children’s magazines.  I will admit, I went out of my way to say hello to Elizabeth Burns of A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy, who I consider a STAR of the kidlitosphere.  We all have a right to our idols. Well, she is one of mine.  As always, Ms. Burns was gracious. I felt my Tweetup was well spent.

Immediately following,  I headed over the bridge to the Boston World Trade Center to listen to Brian Stokes Mitchell talk about the new book he worked on with Harriet Ziefert called Lights on Broadway from Blue Apple Press.  He sang two songs and let me tell you, this man has a gift from God.  When you hear someone refer to their voice as their instrument – this is what they are talking about.  I would have sat in that chair in that hotel conference room all night and listened to that man sing whatever he wanted. There was no theater orchestra, professional sound system, Broadway stage lighting, nothing.  Just “Stokes” (as everyone was calling him), a cordless microphone and a piano player.  Thank you very much…I was in heaven.

What could be better than that? Listening to him describe sitting in his public library as a kid, checking out every Broadway musical in the collection and sitting in a special room they had listening to the music. Hearing him describe librarians as his heroes. Watching him clap and bow to the librarians in the room.  All followed by his taking the time to have his picture taken, shaking hands, hugging and providing autographs for anyone who asked. We have a word for this – Mensch.

I was not able to attend the Awards Ceremony on Monday morning, but I did view the recording of the event.  How very exciting.  I was happy to see that on of our Sydney Taylor Honor Books, A Faraway Island by Annika Thor was awarded the Batchelder Award for the most outstanding children’s book originally published in a language other than English.  I was also excited that Jerry Pinkney’s The Lion & the Mouse won the Caldecott Award having seen him discuss the book at the School Library Journal Day of Dialogue last May.  As for all the rest of the award winners, let’s just say I have a lot of reading to do!

And now I am in Southern California, as I said, battling a rainstorm of “Biblical” proportions.  I am way behind in my Comment Challenge activities, but hope to catch up in the next couple of days.  I will keep you posted. Until then,

Happy Reading,

Kathy B.

The 2010 Sydney Taylor Book Award Winner

for YOUNGER READERS

• New Year at the Pier. April Halprin Wayland. Illustrated by Stéphane Jorisch.Dial Books for Young Readers, 2009.

The 2010 Sydney Taylor Honor Award Winners

for YOUNGER READERS

• Nachshon Who Was Afraid to Swim: A Passover Story.        Deborah Bodin Cohen.  Illustrated by Jago. Kar-Ben Publishing, 2009.

• Benjamin and the Silver Goblet. Jaqueline Jules. Illustrated by Natascia Ugliano. Kar-Ben Publishing, 2009.

• The Yankee at the Seder. Elka Weber. Illustrated by Adam Gustason. Tricycle Press, 2009.

• You Never Heard of Sandy Koufax? Jonah Winter. Illustrated by André Carrilho. Schwartz & Wade Books, 20

The 2010 Sydney Taylor Book Award Winner

for OLDER READERS

• The Importance of Wings. Robin Friedman. Charlesbridge, 2009.

The 2010 Sydney Taylor Honor Award Winners

for OLDER READERS

• Anne Frank – Her Life in Words and Pictures: from the Archives of the Anne Frank House. Menno Metselaar and Ruud van der Rol. Translated by Arnold J. Pomerans. Roaring Brook Press, 2009.
• A Faraway Island. Annika Thor. Delacorte Press, 2009.

The 2010 Sydney Taylor Book Award Winner

for TEEN READERS

• Tropical Secrets: Holocaust Refugees in Cuba. Margarita Engle. Henry Holt, 2009.

The 2010 Sydney Taylor Honor Award Winners

for TEEN READERS

• Lost. Jacqueline Davies. Marshall Cavendish, 2009.

• Naomi’s Song. Selma Kritzer Silverberg. Jewish Publication Society, 2009.

The 2010 Sydney Taylor Notable Book for ALL AGES

• JPS Illustrated Children’s Bible. Retold by Ellen Frankel. Illustrated by Avi Katz. Jewish Publication Society, 2009.

____________________________________________________________

It has been my honor and my privilege to be a member of the Sydney Taylor Book Award Committee for the past four years. My term ends with this award year. I have mixed feelings about saying goodbye to an opportunity that has brought me back in touch with my passion for Jewish children’s literature and with the people who ignite the fires for that passion in others – Jewish librarians and educators.

On one hand, I am now free to read and review whichever books I want. This means, without naming names or titles, if a self-published work comes to my door and I know just by looking at it that there is good reasons why it is self-published, I no longer have to go through the effort of reading the book, giving it a score and writing a review. It means that I am able to search for those secular books with Jewish values content that I feel are so important to have in our libraries. It means that I may, on occasion be able to sit back and enjoy reading an adult book just for myself once or twice a year.

On the other hand, I am truly going to miss my interaction with my fellow committee members. You have probably heard the joke about 3 Jews, 4 opinions. Well, imagine a committee of six Jewish women – Professional Jewish women – librarians, booksellers, authors, educators, managers – Opinionated professional Jewish women. Now imagine that these six women have spent a year reading, scoring and reviewing approximately 150 Jewish children’s books. They must arrive at a consensus as to which book will win the top prize in each of three categories: Younger Readers, Older Readers and Teen Readers. Following that discussion, an agreement about Honor books takes place and then a discussion about Notable books.

Somehow, over a period of about 7-10 days, with a group that spans the continent and all its time zones, the Committee manages to pull this off every year, professionally, amicably, tactfully. Our significant others know that during this period we are not to be far from email access, and don’t even think about  talking to us as our minds our on the books, the books, the books, the Awarding of the Books. I wonder, do the Newbery and Caldecott Committees go through similar tzuris (Yiddish for troubles)? In the end, we all agree, we are happy and next year’s books are showing up on the doorstep. The cycle begins again.

Fortunately, during my time on the Committee, I have been blessed to serve under two remarkable Committee Chairs, Rachel Kamin and Kathe Pinchuck. It takes stamina, political savvy and emotional armor to sift through all the comments and steer this group in the a direction that will lead to consensus, both Rachel and Kathe managed the task perfectly.

So now the winners have been announced. In July, I will join my colleagues in Seattle for the AJL Convention, where we will discuss some of the books that did not make the list in our presentation “The Sydney Taylor Committee Tells All.” It is one of the high points of the Conference. Would you like to join us? Become a member of the Association of Jewish Libraries and meet us in Seattle.

Happy Reading!

Kathy B.

PS  There were also twenty-two Notable Books selected by the Committee for 2010. All the Winners and the Notable titles can be found at www.sydneytaylorbookaward.blogspot.com.

©2010 Kathleen M. Bloomfield and forwordsbooks.com all rights reserved.
Books used in this review were provided by the publishers cited.
I am an Amazon Affiliate. If you click on a book title referred to on my web site and purchase it from Amazon, I  may receive a very small commission on your purchase. You will incur NO additional cost, however. I appreciate your support.

1. I began on Friday by signing up for the 2010 Comment Challenge on the MotherReader Blog. Since then I have commented on 18 blogs some of which I have not visited before.
2. I prepared my 2010 New Year’s resolutions thanks to Rebecca at the Book Lady’s Blog.
3. I began preparing cheat sheets and templates for my book reviews and blogs thanks to the great idea provided by Danielle at There’s a Book.
4. I checked to make sure my copyright date was up-to-date and that my copyright information on my blogs was current, thanks to Pam at Bookalicious.
5. I backed up my blog thanks to Jackie from Farm Lane Books.
6. I joined the Bloggie Cult and asked to become a Mentee thanks to Kristen from Bookworming in the 21st Century. But wait, there’s more…
7. I added RSS, Facebook and “Follow me on Twitter” widgets to my sidebar.
8. I created a Facebook page for forwordsbooks.
9. I added an Amazon.com search widget to my sidebar.
10. I wrote my Sydney Taylor Book Award Blog for next Tuesday.
11. I finalized my Tu B’Shevat Blog for next Thursday.
12. I wrote 7 book reviews. I have a lot more waiting for me.

I have spent approximately 16 hours over the course of the last three days working on things connected with my website. That is simply fantastic. Thank you Maw Books, Pedro and everyone associated with Bloggiesta for the chips, the salsa or whatever it is that put that fire in my belly to move me forward. See you in June!

Happy Reading,

Kathy B.