Just thinking of giving up the piano makes me break out in hives. Big fat red ones. But I think about it all the time. Allegra Katz—Alley Cat to her mother, just plain Ally to her friends—is struggling to decide whether music is really worth giving up her Saturdays with BFF Opal and just being…
Month: March 2013
Young People’s Pavilion – P is for Potato: An Idaho Alphabet (Discover America State by State)
By The Book Bear I first met Stan “The Bookman” Steiner at a reading conference many years ago. He was dubbed “The Bookman” by his students because of his vast knowledge of children’s literature. That is why I was very pleased to see that the acclaimed Discover America State by State series continued with his…
Rich, Beautiful and Popular: Foul-mouthed Characters in Teen Books Have it All
“To swear is neither brave, polite, nor wise.” -Alexander Pope Bestselling authors of teen literature portray their more foul-mouthed characters as rich, attractive and popular, a new study finds. Sarah Coyne analyzed the use of profanity in 40 books on an adolescent bestsellers list. On average, teen novels contain 38 instances of profanity between the…
When Thunder Comes: Poems for Civil Rights Leaders is a Must-have Literary Treasure
In moving verse, Children’s Poet Laureate J. Patrick Lewis gives new voice to seventeen heroes of civil rights. Exquisitely illustrated by five extraordinary artists, this commanding collection of poems invites the reader to hear in each verse the thunder that lies in every voice, no matter how small. Featuring civil rights luminaries Coretta Scott King,…
Jane Yolen on FOILED: “As for the illustrations by Mike Cavallero, he put his heart and soul into them”
FOILED is a graphic novel, first of two, about a New York City high school fencer who finds out she is the Last Defender of Faerie, illustrated by Mike Cavallero. About the work, Jane Yolen wrote: FOILED began when my then eleven-year-old granddaughter Maddison became an avid fencer. But the story was also about my…
Floyd Cooper’s stirring pictures celebrate the historic civil rights and union protests
“For all the many titles that appear on segregation and protest for younger readers,” wrote the Kirkus review, “this one stands tall not just for delving into a piece of labor history not previously covered, but for its ability to relate history with heart and resonance.” Publishers Weekly called it “a moving study of multigenerational…
Puffling Patrol: Written and illustrated by Ted Lewin and Betsy Lewin
Every April, the Westman Islands off the coast of Iceland become home to hundreds of thousands of puffins, small black-and-white seabirds with colorful bills. They spend the summer on the rocky cliffs of the islands, caring for their newly hatched chicks. By the middle of August, it is time for the young puffins, called pufflings,…
Illustrator Ralph Masiello reveals a spritely world of fluttering fairies
In Ralph Masiello’s Fairy Drawing Book, the illustrator and author reveals a spritely world of fluttering fairies in his popular drawing series. Step-by-step diagrams show young artists how to draw tiny fairies, a fairy godmother, a fairy princess, a garden fairy, and more. Challenge steps encourage kids to add fairy accessories and details. A fairy-fete…
A Monster is Coming! (Step into Reading) by David L. Harrison, Illustrated by Hans Wilhelm
“Beginning readers who crave suspense will be drawn to this gentle spin on the ‘Chicken Little’ motif.”—Kirkus Reviews When Inchworm misunderstands a conversation between Mama Bug and her baby, he warns Toad who tells Rabbit. Rabbit tips off Mouse who alerts Fox. Before long they’ve concocted a monster of a rumor that is flat-out funny!…
Featured Artist – Thomas Locker: Views of Arcadia
R. Michelson Galleries is proud to present Thomas Locker (1937 – 2012) Views of Arcadia March 6 – June 6 2013 Opening reception March 15, 6-8pm Thomas Locker was one of the major American painters of the past century. In a career that spanned almost 60 years, he had over 75 solo exhibitions. His work ranged from…