ALA Midwinter Conference in San Antonio reports from Chris Barton, Debbi Michiko Florence, Varian Johnson, Greg Leitich Smith, Don Tate.

Congratulations to Vermont College MFA graduate Liz Gallagher on her two-book deal with Wendy Lamb Books!

Hot off the Press from the Children’s Book Council. Highlights include Babymouse, Queen of the World! and Baby Mouse: Our Hero, both by Jennifer L. and Matthew Holm (Random House, 2005)(interview with Matthew).

Not Your Mother’s Book Club: a community for those in 7th to 12th grade. “Authors, librarians, booksellers, teachers, and those who just love teen books are also WELCOME, but contests and other special treats are for those in grades 7-12 only.” Designed as a forum for meeting fellow readers and authors, discussing new books as well as posting book reviews and stories. Thanks to author Tanya Lee Stone for the heads-up on this great news!

“You Should Read This!” “a purely subjective list based on young adult titles [] read and reviewed that were published last year” from Chasing Ray: For Your Consideration.

Young Adult and Chapter Books: Teens Run Into Trouble in Cyberspace by Deborah Wormser, special to The Dallas Morning News. Discusses Click Here (to Find Out How I Survived Seventh Grade) by Denise Vega (Little Brown), Thou Shalt Not Dump the Skater Dude and Other Commandments I Have Broken by Rosemary Graham (Viking)(author interview), and M or F? by Lisa Papademetriou and Chris Tebbetts (Razorbill)(co-authors interview).