NYT 10 Best Illustrated Children’s Books of 2013

The New York Times Book Review Announces Annual List of the 10 Best Illustrated Children’s Books

10/30/2013

NEW YORK — The New York Times Book Review has announced its annual 10 Best Illustrated Children’s Books of 2013. The books will be featured in the November 10 Sunday Times Book Review in a special Children’s Book section.

 

The Book Review’s 10 Best Illustrated Children’s Books for 2013 are:

  • “My Brother’s Book,” written and illustrated by Maurice Sendak (Michael de Capua Books/HarperCollins Publishers)
  • “Ballad,” written and illustrated by Blexbolex, translated by Claudia Z. Bedrick (Enchanted Lion Books)
  • “Jemmy Button,” written and illustrated by Jennifer Uman and Valerio Vidali (Templar Publishing/Candlewick Press)
  • “The Dark,” written by Lemony Snicket, illustrated by Jon Klassen (Little, Brown and Company)
  • “Holland,” written and illustrated by Charlotte Dematons (Lemniscaat)
  • “Journey,” written and illustrated by Aaron Becker (Candlewick Press)
  • “Fog Island,” written and illustrated by Tomi Ungerer (Phaidon Press)
  • “Jane, The Fox and Me,” written by Fanny Britt, illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault, translated by Christelle Morelli and Susan Ouriou (Groundwood Books/
  • House of Anansi Press)
  • “Locomotive,” written and illustrated by Brian Floca (Richard Jackson/Atheneum)
  • “Nelson Mandela,” written and illustrated by Kadir Nelson (Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins Publishers)

Interestingly, there are several titles which break the 32 page picture book rule…

Any comments?

The Book Thief trailer

One of my absolute favorite books, The Book Thief by Mark Zusak, is being made into a film. I’m really curious to see how they handle “Death,” who narrates this superb crossover novel.  If you haven’t read this yet, I’d suggest you pick it up before seeing the film.

I can’t wait to see the film, but in the meantime, here’s the trailer.

 

 

 

 

 

If you’re in Vancouver, don’t miss this poetic ride

Image 1The Vancouver Children’s Literature Roundtable invites you to a lively and informative morning presentation and workshop with acclaimed BC poets Tiffany Stone and Robert Heidbreder on the myriad ways to engage with children through poetry.

In addition, several CWILL BC writers will entertain you with short talks about their recent works—this is a great way to learn about new books for your classroom or library.

Expect to learn a lot, laugh a lot, and enjoy the company of other educators and lovers of books!

PoetryPlease! Tiffany Stone and Robert Heidbreder, two well-known BC children’s poets whose published works include Rainbow Shoes (Kirkus starred review), Floyd the Flamingo and His Flock of Friends, Black and Bittern Was Night (Publishers Weekly starred review) and Crocodiles Play, will take you on a poetic ride. You will listen to poetry, act it out, read it, write your own poems and discover some criteria for choosing and writing poetry with your class.

We will also have a repeat of last year’s extra fun activity—Speed Dating for Lovers  . . .  of books.

Friday November 22, 2013 at the University Golf Club 8:00 am – 12:00 pm. Includes a continental breakfast. Co-sponsored by CWILL.

Early Bird Rates until October 31 Members $40 Non-Members $55 Students $20

To register online or by mail visit our website www.vclr.ca.

More awards

More awards!  Congratulations to the winners of the awards announced last night at the CCBC gala.  Wish I could have been there. Here’s the link for the list of winners.

 

 

Never too young or too old for halloween

After a visit to the Vernon pumpkin patch, we did some pumpkin carving and seed baking.  Love this time of year.

IMG_2915  IMG_2932

IMG_2936  IMG_2938

IMG_2940  IMG_2947

IMG_2943   photo

Author of the Silverwing and Airborn series in Victoria

I won’t be in town for this, but if you are, don’t miss author Kenneth Oppel’s talk for the Victoria Children’s Literature Roundtable Monday October 21st, 7:30 at Nellie McClung Library.  I love his books and if you haven’t read them, you will too!

Monday October 21st, 7:30 pm

at the Victoria Children’s Literature Roundtable

All the way from Toronto: meet Kenneth Oppel, author of the Silverwing and Airborn series, Half Brother, This Dark Endeavor: the Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein, and more! Join us for Oppel’s illustrated talk about his career as an author – starting with his earliest writings in school, what inspired him, and how he got his first book published at age 17.

The VCLR is open to the public. Members free, drop-ins $5, students $4. Meetings are held at the Nellie McClung Branch Library, 3950 Cedar Hill Road.

Doors open at 7 pm. Browse Schoolhouse Teaching Supplies and Children’s Bookstore’s table before the meeting. Bring a friend!

For more information about the Roundtable, call 250-598-3694, find us on Facebook, or visit:

www.victoriachildrensliteratureroundtable.blogspot.com.

Misty morning fogs

While many of my colleagues have been prepping for launching new books this fall, I’ve taken time out for family; helping my lovely daughter prep for her fall wedding, spending wonderful time with my first grandchild, enjoying fall festivities with family, and doing some Gulf Island hopping to visit with friends (Andrea and Dave, Pender is next on my list!).   Today, I head for the Okanagan to help my youngest settle into a new  place.  Our fall misty morning fogs have set in and it’s been reeking havoc on air travel, so I have a few extra hours to catch up on my reading.  I’ve always taken chucks of time off work for family, and although it means I am less productive, I’ve never regretted it.  Right about now, life is feeling pretty good.

 

Thanks for the Honey Linda

But winning isn’t always related to literature 🙂

I’m lucky enough to have some very winning friends, one of whom raises bees. This lovely jar of honey hails all the way from Alberta (and Linda’s own back yard).

How sweet is that!

IMG_2895

Short-lists and winners

It’s award season, and yes, it’s hard to keep up.  If you hail from north of the 49th parallel, you’ll be familiar with the Ontario Tree Awards…These are a big deal here, cuz they’re a reader’s choice award, and what author doesn’t want his/her readers to love their books!  There are awards for fiction as well as non-fiction with 6 English categories and two French.  Their site has a handy template that links each category to this year’s short list as well as short lists and winners for several previous years.  I recommend printing the lists off for future reading.

********

The short-list for the Governor General’s Literature Award For Children’s Text (see below)

   

The White Bicycle by Beverley Brenna

Becoming Holmes by Shane Peacock

Once Upon a Northern Night by Jean E. Pendziwol

Counting Back from Nine by Valerie Sherrard

and short-list for the Governor General’s Literature Award for Illustration (see below) were also recently announced.

    

Miss Mousie’s Blind Date illustrated by Rachel Berman

Oy, Feh, So? illustrated by Gary Clement

Northwest Passage illustrated by Matt James

The Dark illustrated by Jon Klassen

How To illustrated by Julie Morstad

********

Our friends south of the Canuck border are also celebrating short-lists of their own. The finalists for the 2013  National Book Award for Young People’s Literature has just been announced.

The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp by Kathi Appelt (S&S/Atheneum).

The Thing About Luck by Cynthia Kadohata (S&S/Atheneum).

Far Far Away by Tom McNeal (Knopf).

Picture Me Gone by Meg Rosoff (Putnam).

Boxers and Saints by Gene Luen Yang (First Second).

************

And finally, here in Victoria, BC we are celebrating Polly Horvath’s Bolen Books Prize win for Children’s Literature.

GG nominations are all winners.

Congratulations to all the  authors and illustrators whose books made the GG shortlist for 2013. But, you don’t wait until November 13th to find out the winners of the Governor General’s Awards for Children’s Literature.  Pick your own winner!

All you have to do is read the short list books and drop the author or illustrator a line if you liked their books.  They’ll all feel like winners if you enjoy their work.

Children’s Literature — Text:

  • Beverley Brenna (Saskatoon) for The White Bicycle;
  • Shane Peacock (Baltimore, Ont.) for Becoming Holmes: The Boy Sherlock Holmes, His Final Case;
  • Jean E. Pendziwol (Thunder Bay, Ont.) for Once Upon a Northern Night;
  • Valerie Sherrard (Miramichi, N.B.) for Counting Back From Nine;
  • Teresa Toten (Toronto) for The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B.

Children’s Literature — Illustration:

  • Rachel Berman (Toronto) for Miss Mousie’s Blind Date, text by Tim Beiser;
  • Gary Clement (Toronto) for Oy, Feh, So?, text by Cary Fagan;
  • Matt James (Toronto) for Northwest Passage, text by Stan Rogers;
  • Jon Klassen (Los Angeles) for The Dark, text by Lemony Snicket;
  • Julie Morstad (Vancouver) for How To, text by Julie Morstad.

Previous Older Entries Next Newer Entries