And yes, I realize it is now Friday evening. Perhaps I have been dilatory, but I prefer to think that's just how I roll ( Read more... )

Saturday morning, the day started with a keynote speech from Sharon Creech, "The Words We Choose to Say," which was uplifting and inspiring, just as you'd expect. And poetry-related, too, since she referenced both Robert Frost's "The Pasture" and Walter Dean Myers's "Love That Boy" as inspiration for her marvelous Love That Dog. She noted that if ( Read more... )

Or, better yet, let's listen to Linda Urban talk about point of view, over at her blog, Crooked PerfectWhat I especially love about Linda's post from yesterday is not that she discusses what the different narrative points of view are - first person, third person and omniscient. She pretty much assumes that you know what they are ( Read more... )

Earlier this week, I participated in my first interview. Sure, I've interviewed plenty of authors over the past few years, but this was my first time on the answering side of the stick. Luckily, I was in very good hands - those of my friend, Linda Urban.

Her post is entitled "When a Poem is Done", and you can read the whole thing at her blog. ( Read more... )

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Allow me to recommend the following books, all of which make outstanding gifts:


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So, last weekend I was fortunate enough to attend the New England SCBWI conference in Nashua, New Hampshire. I love seeing so many good friends, and to meeting new ones. Once again, I've discovered that the folks I like on LiveJournal are folks I like in real life ( Read more... )

It's not every day that one of your best friends has their first picture book hit stores. And technically, this book was scheduled to turn up in, like, May. But there it was today in all its splendor, so I bought a copy. I am giving you the biggest cover image I could find online, so that you can properly appreciate the anger on the face of the wee ( Read more... )

It is now completely official: the great State of Michigan and its children's librarians have superior taste in children's literature.

How do I know? Well, last year, they awarded their top honor, known as the "Mitten Award", to my friend Cindy Lord (cynthialord) for her lovely book, RulesAnd this year, they've given the Mitten Award for 2007 to my dear ( Read more... )

This year, I haven't read nearly as many children's and YA books as usual, on account of the Jane Project.

( A list of Jane-related books here )