- The Cooperative Children’s Book Center creates annual statistics on African American authors and illustrators of children’s books, and Black Threads in Kids Lit has shared this year’s findings. The numbers are up across the board this year, which is great to see. However, there’s only one year listed where the number of published books by an African American author or illustrator tops 100. And considering the number of children’s books published each year, we still have a long way to go.
- Over at the Chronicle of an Infant Bibliophile, a couple of blogging librarians (myself included!) share some tips for choosing books to read with your child.
- Author Kay Cassidy is hosting a really fun scavenger hunt for libraries to do with their young patrons. There’s a wide variety of books that patrons can read, and by answering a few questions about the book they will be entered in a monthly prize drawing. (Hat tip to YA Fresh)
- Wands and Worlds wants your input! Go comment about your favorite undiscovered gems from 2008.
- At R. L. LaFevers’ blog, a great post about going beyond the basics to find your author voice and your character voice.
- You’ve probably seen this elsewhere by now, but Mitali Perkins’ School Library Journal article on race in children’s books is a must-read. She presents five great questions to ask about the books you’re reading (or writing). Mitali also links this heartbreaking video, created by a teen, on African American girls and perceptions of race and beauty.
- I’m going to do my first read-a-thon next week! Who else is participating?
- And finally, a big thanks to the awesome ladies of Oops… Wrong Cookie for giving this blog a Proximidade Award!