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Compiled by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Grassroots organization files for incorporation as a non-profit organization in the state of Pennsylvania, and welcomes its first advisory board members, authors Grace Lin, Jacqueline Woodson, Matt de la Peña, Cynthia Leitich Smith,
Newlyweds Chris & Jenny
By Chris Barton
Many of my ideas — good, bad, and otherwise — originate while I’m exercising, and Modern First Library was among these.
One evening this past winter, while my wife, fellow author Jennifer Ziegler, and I were walking our dog, I bemoaned an article I’d read about an independent bookseller’s baby gift registry.
Congratulations on the release of Twenty-two Cents: The Story of Muhammad Yunus, illustrated by Jamel Akib (Lee & Low, 2014)!
What was the initial inspiration for the book?
Thank you! The initial inspiration was from one of my editors at Lee &
Continue Reading Author Interview: Paula Yoo on Twenty-two Cents: The Story of Muhammad Yunus »
Compiled by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Check out the book trailer for The Vast and Brutal Sea by Zoraida Córdova (Sourcebooks Fire, 2014). From the promotional copy:
This epic clash of sand and sea will pit brother against brother–and there can only be one winner.
In two days,
Continue Reading Book Trailer: The Vast and Brutal Sea by Zoraida Córdova »
Few writers attained the fame Jack Kerouac experienced after the publication of his novel, On the Road (Viking, 1957). The book captured the spirit of rebellion bubbling beneath the staid and satisfied 1950’s, and inspired countless young people to throw off their parents’ expectations and set out on adventures of their own.
Continue Reading Guest Post: Barbara Shoup on The Real Jack Kerouac »
Compiled by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Where Books Meet Disaster: A Brief Reading List About Kids and Migration from Meg Medina. Peek: “The difficult story of migration is the Latino story, and it is the human story since time began.” See also Eleven Books on Latin American Immigration and Migration from Lee &
Compiled by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Highlights of summer included a visit to Austin by two dear friends and coleagues New York City author Rita Williams-Garcia and College Station author Kathi Appelt. While in town, they taught a full-novel workshop at The Writing Barn and teamed up for an event at BookPeople.
Rachel M. Wilson is the first-time author of Don’t Touch (HarperTeen, 2014). From the promotional copy:
A powerful story of a girl who is afraid to touch another person’s skin, until the boy auditioning for Hamlet opposite her Ophelia gives her a reason to overcome her fears.
Continue Reading New Voice: Rachel M. Wilson on Don’t Touch »
Walter Dean Myers at the 2001 Bookfest at the Library of Congress
Compiled by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Over the summer, children’s-YA literature lost a legendary author. My sympathies to his family, friends, and readers.
Walter Dean Myers, Prolific and Beloved Author of Award-Winning Children’s Books, Dies at Age 76: Myers Touched So Many with His Eloquent and Unflinching Portrayal of Young African American Lives by HarperCollins from A Fuse 8 Production at School Library Journal.
