Congratulations to debut author Varsha Bajaj on her picture book, How Many Kisses Do You Want Tonight?, illustrated by Ivan Bates, (Little Brown, 2004), making the 2005 Texas 2 X 2 reading list for great books for ages two through second grade.

Cheers also to author Lisa Wheeler, whose Te Amo Bebe/Little One, illustated by Maribel Suarez (Little Brown, 2004) also made the list.

Varsha was a star student in a children’s writing class I taught with authors Kathi Appelt and Debbie Leland. Lisa is a friend from an e-list serv. See also: Interview with humorous picture book writer Lisa Wheeler from Debbi Michiko Florence’s Web site.

Nifty Links

The Sixteenth Annual Celebration of Children’s Literature will be held Sat., April 16 from 9 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. at Montgomery College in Germantown. Speakers will include: author/illustrator Jerry Pinkney; author Gloria Pinkney; editorial director and Philomel VP Patricia Lee Gauch; and author Joseph Lekuton (author of Facing The Lion, “an autobiography that details his life from Maasi warrior in Kenya to middle school social studies teacher in Virginia.” Writer and illustrator critiques are available for an additional fee. See also: Interview With Jerry and Gloria Pinkney (BookPage, 1992).

Note: when I was a newbie author, I signed simultaneously with Jerry Pinkney. He was across the booth at NCTE, and I was too star struck to know what to do. Should I go introduce myself? What do I say? What if I lose all power of speech? He looks up, beams a bright smile, and then bustles over to me! Hand outstretched. “So nice to meet you!” Lovely man.

Starting Your Own Critique Group by Margot Finke (part three of three) from The Purple Crayon.

Take Our Word For It: The Only Weekly Word-origin Webzine from the Institute for Etymological Research.