The Edge of The Forest: A Children’s Literature Monthly, volume 1, issue 1, debuts February 2006. Under the guidance of editor/webmaster, Kelly Herold of Big A little a, this new online magazine will seek to publish on the 15th of each month.

The editorial board is comprised of: Liz Burns of A Chair, a Fireplace and a Tea Cozy, contributor to Pop Goes The Library; Michele Fry of Scholar’s Blog; Anne Boles Levy of book buds; Camille Powell of Bookmoot; and Susan Thomsen of Chicken Spaghetti. See also submissions and advertising information.

The debut issue features include: “Black History Month Roundup” and “Top 10 Picture Books of 2005,” both by Anne Boles Levy of book buds; “An Interview with Sue Halpern” by Kelly Herold of Big A little a.

Additional highlights include: reviews of picture books, middle grade fiction; non-fiction; young adult; and fantasy; Best of the Blogs; and Kid Picks.

I’m also honored to announce that Kelly Herold interviewed me as the “Blogging Writer.”

Congratulations to Kelly and her board on the launch, and thanks to all of them for this wonderful contribution to our online children’s/YA literature community!

Cynsational News & Links

In The Break by Jack Lopez (Little Brown, 2006): a recommendation from Greg Leitich Smith.

Judging for the [SCBWI] Golden Kite Fiction Award by Uma Krishnaswami (author interview) from Writing with a Broken Tusk. Congratulations to winner Mary E. Pearson for A Room On Lorelei Street (Henry Holt, 2005)(author interview)(recommendation) and honor winner Deborah Wiles for Each Little Bird That Sings (Harcourt, 2005)(recommendation). Incidentally, both Golden Kite honorees also were named among my Cynsational Books for 2005.

Look for “David Lubar: A Passion for Stories: An Interview with Cynthia Leitich Smith” in the winter 2006 issue of YALS: Young Adult Library Services, the official journal of YALSA. See also my recent Cynsations interview with David Lubar.