Elizabeth's Children's Books Blog

Today is the birthday of author and illustrator Jeanette Winter, who was born on October 6, 1938. In addition to writing and illustrating The Librarian of Basra, a nonfiction picture book for 8- to 12-year-olds about how one determined woman helped save the Basra Central Library's books during the invasion of Iraq in 2003, Winter has written and/or illustrated numerous other children's books. Among my favorites is September Roses, a poignant story based on Jeanette Winter's experience a few days after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack in New York City.

(Cover art courtesy of Harcourt)

Sherri Osborn, the About.com Guide to Family Crafts, has a terrific photo gallery of Halloween costumes. The children's Halloween costume based on Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr and John Archambault, with illustrations by Lois Ehlert, is one of my favorites. There are also costumes based on Cinderella, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl, among others. Have your children ever dressed up for Halloween as characters from children's books? If so, click on "Comments" below and tell me about it.

(Cover art courtesy of Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers)

In addition to reading the articles listed in the Banned Books Week section of my 2008 Calendar of Children's Books, I recommend you read the following articles from About.com Guides:

• What is a Banned Book? (About.com: Classic Literature)
• Sampling of Banned Books (About.com: Secondary Education)
• Censorship and Banned Books in American Secondary Schools (About.com: Secondary Education)
• How to Save a Book from Banning (About.com: Classic Literature)

Click on "Comments" below and share your feelings about book banning and censorship.

From what I've read about Stephanie Meyer's vampire series, I always assumed it was for high school students and older. However, there has been a lot of publicity about the movie version of her book Twilight, and I have been wondering if middle school and younger kids are also interested in the books and the movie. I know that the series has a lot of adult fans, but I don't know any kids 12 and under who have read the books. Has anyone read them in your family? Would you recommend them? If so, for what age group(s)? Click on "Comments" below and share your thoughts about the books in the Twilight series: Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn.

For more information, see:
Book Review of Twilight (About.com: Bestsellers)
Book Review of New Moon (About.com: Bestsellers)
Twilight: The Movie (About.com: Hollywood Movies)

Celebrate your freedom to read during Banned Books Week (BBW), which starts today and runs through October 4th. On its website, the American Library Association (ALA) reports,

BBW celebrates the freedom to choose or the freedom to express one’s opinion even if that opinion might be considered unorthodox or unpopular and stresses the importance of ensuring the availability of those unorthodox or unpopular viewpoints to all who wish to read them. After all, intellectual freedom can exist only where these two essential conditions are met.

For the latest information on the books that have been challenged recently, see Censorship, Banned and Challenged Books: 2008 Banned Books Week Report. Who do you feel should censor your children's books? Vote in our poll, then join the discussion on the About Children's Books Forum or click on "Comments" below and share your opinion.

Although today is the official Family Day, there are lots of things you can do every day to give your children a good start and to maintain close family ties. They include eating dinner together, reading aloud to your children, doing crafts together and playing games with your children. To make it easier for you, here are some helpful resources:

• The Read-Aloud Handbook and Ten Lessons I Learned From It
• Crafts Books for Kids
• Family Night: Make It Part of Your Family's Routine (About Parenting of Adolescents)
• Autumn Crafts and Activities (About Family Crafts)
• Simple Educational Games for Infants and Toddlers (About Learning Disabilities)

I was delighted to have the opportunity to interview Jon Scieszka for several reasons. I like his books, particularly The True Story of the Three Little Pigs, and I wanted to know more about his writing. I also wanted to know more about his emphasis on encouraging boys to read and his new role as the nation's first National Ambassador of Children's Literature. Since I won't be able to travel to Washington, D.C. to meet him in person at the National Book Festival on Saturday, I was happy to at least be able to interview Jon Scieszka and get the answers to some of my burning questions. Are their other authors of children's books you'd like me to interview? What would you like to know about them? Click on "Comments" below and share your ideas. Thanks.

(Photograph courtesy of the National Book Festival)

Are you ready for Family Day: A Day to Eat Dinner With your Child on Monday, September 28? Family Day is a "national effort to promote parental engagement as a simple, effective way to reduce youth substance abuse and raise healthier children." (CASA) Make dinner a special event by preparing it with your children using cookbooks for children. Even quite young children enjoy learning to cook. Many children's cooksbooks use photographs to illustrate the steps in recipes, making them easy for children who can't read yet to comprehend. Let me know if there are children's cookbooks you and your children particularly like by clicking on "Comments" below and posting your recommendations.

(Cover art courtesy of Random House)

Te deadline is fast approaching for Lee & Low Books ninth annual New Voices competition. Lee & Low Books, an independent publisher of children's books with multicultural themes, is accepting entries through October 31, 2008. According to the company's guidelines, "The contest is open to writers of color who are residents of the U.S. and who have not previously had a children’s picture book published." Both fiction and nonfiction picture books are eligible. The winner of the New Voices Award will receive a grant of $1,000, plus a publication contract. Children's picture books published by Lee & Low Books include:

• Singing with Momma Lou, and
• Love to Mamá: A Tribute to Mothers.

(Cover art courtesy of Lee & Low Books)

In honor of the 10th anniversary of the U.S. publication of J.K. Rowling's first book in the Harry Potter series, Scholastic has published a special 10th anniversary edition of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. As of today, it's available in bookstores across the country. In December, another book by J.K. Rowling will be released: The Tales of Beedle the Bard. While not part of the Harry Potter series, it is directly related to it and played an important role in the final book in the series.

(Cover art courtesy of Scholastic)