I’m sad to report that children’s and YA author Francess Lantz died earlier this month. She will be missed. Below is an excerpted interview with her from my site that was conducted by email in September 2000.
Francess Lantz was the author of numerous titles, including the novels FADE FAR AWAY (a highly acclaimed young adult novel), STEPSISTER FROM PLANET WEIRD (which was recently made into a TV movie on the Disney Channel),
Greg and I attended NCTE in Indianapolis earlier this month for four days. I spoke about how technology affects children’s/YA authors and about social justice in Native American children’s literature. We caught up with my Harper editor, Rosemary Brosnan, Greg’s Little Brown editor, Amy Hsu.
We also had a chance to visit with a number of wonderful authors,
From a recommended e-newsletter:
All the children’s books by Cynthia Leitich Smith are “set in the Central Time Zone and feature contemporary Native American characters,” she says. “So, for each title, I made an effort to identify those outlets with a related geographic tie and interest.”
Her examples are:
“Jingle Dancer (Morrow Junior Books/HarperCollins 2000) is a contemporary powwow set in Oklahoma.
The ever effervescent Laurie Halse Anderson‘s official author site is getting a facelift by webdesigner Theo Black, who is married to author Holly Black.
I don’t have the honor of knowing Theo, but if Laurie and Holly’s sites are any indication, he’s a first-rate Web designer.
My fave book by Laurie Halse Anderson: Catalyst (and,
Continue Reading Laurie Halse Anderson, Holly and Theo Black »
Jane Naliboff‘s new author Web site is up and running. That would be Jane Naliboff as in The Only One Club by Jane Naliboff, illustrated by Jeff Hopkins (Flashlight Press, 2004). Surf by and check it out!
How To Write A Children’s Picture Book by Eve Heidi Bine-Stock (E&E, 2004). Analyzing more than twenty-five classics such as The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle and Sylvester And The Magic Pebble by William Steig, this academic look at picture book and picture storybook structure can offer writers insights into their own work at many stages.
A college student (hi, Meredith!) emailed me a few days ago to ask me about the “effective aspects” of a children’s book. All good, except I had no idea what she was talking about. So, she clarified that she was wanting to know what a good children’s book was. This is from my answer:
What makes a good children’s book depends on the particular book in question.
Had dinner a couple of days ago with author/illustrator Janie Bynum at Z Tejas. Janie has just recently moved to nearby Wimberly, and we’re thrilled to have her in the area.
Her titles include Get Busy, Beaver by Carolyn Crimi, illustrated by Janie Bynum (Orchard, 2004) and Bathtime Blues by Katie McMullan (Little Brown,
Farrar, Straus and Giroux is pleased to announce that internationally acclaimed author Madeleine L’Engle is a recipient of the National Humanities Medal, which was conferred by President George W. Bush in a ceremony at the White House on Wednesday, November 17, 2004. Charlotte Jones, Ms. L’Engle’s granddaughter, accepted the Medal on her behalf. Madeleine L’Engle was cited “for her talent as a writer on spirituality and art and for her wonderful novels for young people.
Continue Reading Madeleine L’Engle Receives National Humanities Medal »
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“In the last three years, First Book has distributed over 20 million books to children in hundreds of communities.”