Enter the November drawing for sets of terrific titles for your youth book club from the Kids’ Book Club Book by Judy Gelman and Vicki Levy Krump (Tarcher, 2007). This month’s titles are: Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan (Scholastic, 2000) for grades 4 and up, Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse (Scholastic, 1997) for grades 5 and up, and A Certain Slant of Light by Laura Whitcomb (Houghton Mifflin, 2005) for grades 9 and up. Learn more about these books. Up to 15 books per club; entry deadline Nov. 30.

At Can You Hear Us Now? at Blogging in Black, four talented youth literature creators respond to the following question: “Of 5,000 children’s books published in ’06, only about 100 were by African Americans. But of that 100, most people can name maybe three. Why are the rest going virtually unnoticed?”

Two new articles for Stephenie Meyer fans: Valley mom sinks her teeth into Gothic romance and finds international fame by Jaimee Rose from the Arizona Republic. See also Series Gets the Blood Racing by Malene Arpe from the Star. Source: Vampire Wire. Read a Cynsations interview with Stephenie.

Recommended Books About Thanksgiving from American Indians in Children’s Literature. Note: offers additional insights into Native-US cultural relationships associated with the holiday and more broadly.

If you are traveling to Ethiopia, Ethiopia Reads challenges you to take one book with you, because we believe that education is hope and books can change lives. We would love the book to go to our projects – books can be dropped off at the Shola Children’s Library in Addis Ababa. Shola is located in Beklo-bet, behind the Dashen Bank off of Debre Zeit road. If you can’t make it to Shola – just give one book to any child in Ethiopia, because books can change lives. For more information about Ethiopia Reads and it’s projects visit www.EthiopiaReads. Read an interview with Jane Kurtz on the Ethiopian Books for Children and Educational Foundation.