How exciting to see Santa Knows (Dutton, 2006) included among “Holiday High Notes” (“best new books of seasonal interest”) at the Horn Book Magazine! Praise includes “neatly structured” and readers are urged to “check out Alfie’s anti-Santa PJs.” You’ll also find the title and authors’ blogs highlighted at Horn Book’s Web Watch with a warning: “Grinches beware!”

In other news, Greg and I had the honor of keynoting at the Fifth Annual Fall Literacy Conference, “Reading and Writing: Not an English Thing, but an Everything!” (“Literacy is the common thread that connects all learning.”) on Nov. 4 at Angelo State University. Special thanks to Dr. John Miazga, dean of the College of Education, Dr. Cheryl Hines, director of reading programs, and Selina Jackson, co-director of Pearl of the Concho Writing Project, which is affiliated with the National Writing Project. Read a complete report on Spookycyn.

More News & Links

Children’s Book Reviews by Bob Sibert from Bound to Stay Bound. Offers an overview of the history, scope, and approach of the major review sources.

“Rising Star: Lenore Look” by April Spisak from the Bulletin of the Center of Children’s Books. Look’s titles include: Love as Strong as Ginger (Atheneum, 1999); Henry’s First-Moon Birthday (Atheneum, 2001); Ruby Lu, Brave and True (Atheneum, 2004); Ruby Lu, Empress of Everything (Atheneum, 2006); and Uncle Peter’s Amazing Chinese Wedding (Atheneum, 2006). See also “Living in the City: An Urban Life Dozen” selected by Cindy Welch from BCCB.

Writing Across Genres with Tanya Lee Stone: a chat transcript from the Institute of Children’s Literature. Read a Cynsations interview with Tanya.