J. D. Salinger

J.D. Salinger, author of "Catcher in the Rye," has died at the age of 91. Read more about his life and work at "The New York Times."

Teen Writers' Web Sites

Inkpop – a Web site where teens can upload their writing and receive commentary from peers and HarperCollins editors (http://inkpop.com)

PulseIt! – Web site established by Simon and Schuster where teens can read advance galleys and comment on them (http://www.simonandschuster.com/specials/pulseit/)

Newly Published Books

The Swan Thieves / Elizabeth Kostova
Kostova's first novel, "The Historian", topped the best-seller list in its first week.

I am Ozzy / Ozzy Osbourne

Remarkable Creatures / Tracy Chevalier
The author of "The Girl with the Pearl Earring"

The Murderer's Daughters / Randy Susan Meyers

Watchlist / Jeffrey Deaver

The Melting Season / Jami Attenberg

Read more at The New York Times

Neil Gaiman - author of "Coraline"

January 25 issue of "The New Yorker' features an interview with Neil Gaiman, author of "Coraline" and "The Graveyard Book." When Gaiman first approached an editor with a draft of "Coraline," he was told the story was too frightening for children. Finally published in 2002, the book spent 17 weeks on the bestseller list.

Read the rest of the story in The New Yorker.

New Library Books 1/21/2010

600
Brains that work a little bit differently / Allen Bradgon and David Gamon (includes S.A.D., A.D.D., autism, addiction, dyslexia)
Alzheimer’s disease / Adela Soliz
Understanding diseases : Alzheimer’s / Barbara Webber
Winter blues : everything you need to know to beat seasonal affective disorder / Norman Rosentahl

900
Interpreting Primary Documents :
The American Revolution
Colonial America

Fiction
The graduation of Jake Moon / Barbara Park
Faerie Lord (Faerie Wars chronicle; bk. 4) Herbie Brennan

American Library Association Literary Awards

A list of all the 2010 literary award winners follows:

John Newbery Medal for most outstanding contribution to children’s literature
“When You Reach Me,” written by Rebecca Stead, is the 2010 Newbery Medal winner.

Four Newbery Honor Books also were named:
“Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice” by Phillip Hoose
“The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate” by Jacqueline Kelly
“Where the Mountain Meets the Moon” by Grace Lin
“The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg” by Rodman Philbrick

Randolph Caldecott Medal for most distinguished American picture book for children
“The Lion & the Mouse,” illustrated and written by Jerry Pinkney

Two Caldecott Honor Books also were named:
“All the World,” illustrated by Marla Frazee, written by Liz Garton Scanlon
“Red Sings from Treetops: A Year in Colors,” illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski, written by Joyce Sidman

Michael L. Printz Award for excellence in literature written for young adults
“Going Bovine,” written by Libba Bray

Four Printz Honor Books also were named:
“Charles and Emma: The Darwins’ Leap of Faith” by Deborah Heiligman,
“The Monstrumologist” by Rick Yancey
“Punkzilla” by Adam Rapp
“Tales of the Madman Underground: An Historical Romance, 1973” by John Barnes

Coretta Scott King (Author) Book Award recognizing an African American author and illustrator of outstanding books for children and young adults
“Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U.S. Marshal,” written by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie

One King Author Honor Book was selected:
“Mare’s War” by Tanita s. davis

Coretta Scott King (Illustrator) Book Award
“My People,” illustrated by Charles R. Smith Jr., written by Langston Hughes

One King Illustrator Honor Book was selected:
“The Negro Speaks of Rivers,” illustrated by E. B. Lewis, written by Langston Hughes

Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Author Award
“The Rock and the River,” written by Kekla Magoon

Coretta Scott King – Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement
Walter Dean Myers is the winner of this first-ever Coretta Scott King – Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement. The award pays tribute to the quality and magnitude of beloved children’s author Virginia Hamilton. Myers’ books include: “Amiri & Odette: A Love Story,” published by Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic; “Fallen Angels,” published by Scholastic Press; “Monster,” published by Amistad and HarperTeen, imprints of HarperCollins Publishers; and “Sunrise Over Fallujah,” published by Scholastic Press.

Pura Belpré (Illustrator) Award honoring a Latino writer and illustrator whose children’s books best portray, affirm and celebrate the Latino cultural experience
“Book Fiesta!: Celebrate Children’s Day/Book Day; Celebremos El día de los niños/El día de los libros,” illustrated by Rafael López, written by Pat Mora

Three Belpré Illustrator Honor Books were selected:
“Diego: Bigger Than Life,” illustrated by David Diaz, written by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand
“My Abuelita,” illustrated by Yuyi Morales, written by Tony Johnston
“Gracias Thanks,” illustrated by John Parra, written by Pat Mora

Pura Belpré (Author) Award
“Return to Sender,” written by Julia Alvarez,

Two Belpré Author Honor Books were named:
“Diego: Bigger Than Life,” written by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand, illustrated by David Diaz
“Federico García Lorca,” written by Georgina Lázaro, illustrated by Enrique S. Moreiro

Schneider Family Book Award for books that embody an artistic expression of the disability experience
“Django” written and illustrated by Bonnie Christensen wins the award for best young children ages 0 to 10.

“Anything but Typical” written by Nora Raleigh Baskin and published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, is the winner for middle grades (ages 11-13).

The teen (ages 13-18) award winner is “Marcelo in the Real World,” written by Francisco X. Stork and published by Arthur A. Levine Books, an imprint of Scholastic Inc.

William C. Morris Award honors a book written by a first-time author for young adults
“Flash Burnout,” written by L.K. Madigan

Odyssey Award for excellence in audiobook production
Live Oak Media, producer of the audiobook “Louise, the Adventures of a Chicken” is the winner of the Odyssey Award. The book was written by Kate DiCamillo and narrated by Barbara Rosenblat.

Three Odyssey Honor Audiobooks were named:
“In the Belly of the Bloodhound: Being an Account of a Particularly Peculiar Adventure in the Life of Jacky Faber,” produced by Listen & Live Audio, Inc., written by L. A. Meyer and narrated by Katherine Kellgren;
“Peace, Locomotion,” produced by Brilliance Audio, written by Jacqueline Woodson and narrated by Dion Graham;
“We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball,” produced by Brilliance Audio, written by Kadir Nelson and narrated by Dion Graham.

Theodor Seuss Geisel Award for most distinguished beginning reader book
“Benny and Penny in the Big No-No!,” written and illustrated by Geoffrey Hayes

Four Geisel Honor Books were named:
“I Spy Fly Guy!” written and illustrated by Tedd Arnold
“Little Mouse Gets Ready,” written and illustrated by Jeff Smith
“Mouse and Mole: Fine Feathered Friends,” written and illustrated by Wong Herbert Yee
“Pearl and Wagner: One Funny Day,” written by Kate McMullan, illustrated by R. W. Alley

Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement in writing for young adults
Jim Murphy is the 2010 Edwards Award winner. His books include: “An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793,” published by Clarion Books; “Blizzard! The Storm That Changed America,” published by Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic; “The Great Fire,” published by Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic; “The Long Road to Gettysburg,” published by Clarion Books; and “A Young Patriot: The American Revolution as Experienced by One Boy,” published by Clarion Books.

Robert F. Sibert Medal for most distinguished informational book for children
“Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream,” written by Tanya Lee Stone

Three Sibert Honor Books were named:
“The Day-Glo Brothers: The True Story of Bob and Joe Switzer's Bright Ideas and Brand-New Colors,” written by Chris Barton, illustrated by Tony Persiani
“Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11,” written and illustrated by Brian Floca, “Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice,” written by Phillip Hoose

YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Award
“Charles and Emma: The Darwins’ Leap of Faith,” written by Deborah Heiligman,

Andrew Carnegie Medal for excellence in children’s video
Paul R. Gagne and Mo Willems of Weston Woods, producers of “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!,” are the Carnegie Medal winners. The video is based on the book of the same name written and illustrated by Willems; it was narrated by Willems and Jon Scieszka with animation by Pete List.

Mildred L. Batchelder Award for an outstanding children’s book translated from a foreign language and subsequently published in the United States
“A Faraway Island” is the 2010 Batchelder Award winner. Originally published in Swedish in 1996 as “En ö i havet,” the book was written by Annika Thor, translated by Linda Schenck, and published by Delacorte Press, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books.

Three Batchelder Honor Books also were selected:
"Big Wolf and Little Wolf,” written by Nadine Brun-Cosme, illustrated by Olivier Tallec, translated by Claudia Bedrick
“Eidi,” written by Bodil Bredsdorff, translated by Kathryn Mahaffy
“Moribito II: Guardian of the Darkness,” written by Nahoko Uehashi, illustrated by Yuko Shimizu, translated by Cathy Hirano a

Alex Awards for the 10 best adult books that appeal to teen audiences:

1.“The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope” by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer
2. “The Bride’s Farewell” by Meg Rosoff, published by Viking Penguin, a member of Penguin Group
3. “Everything Matters!” by Ron Currie, Jr., published by Viking Penguin, a member of Penguin Group
4. “The Good Soldiers” by David Finkel, published by Sarah Crichton Books, an imprint of Farrar, Straus and Giroux
5. “The Kids Are All Right: A Memoir” by Diana Welch and Liz Welch with Amanda Welch and Dan Welch, published by Harmony Books, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House
6. “The Magicians,” by Lev Grossman, published by Viking Penguin, a member of Penguin Group
7. “My Abandonment” by Peter Rock, published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
8. “Soulless: An Alexia Tarabotti Novel,” by Gail Carriger, published by Orbit, an imprint of Hachette Book Group
9. “Stitches: A Memoir” by David Small, published by W.W. Norton & Company
10. “Tunneling to the Center of the Earth” by Kevin Wilson, published by Harper Perennial, an imprint of HarperCollins

May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture Award recognizing an author, critic, librarian, historian or teacher of children's literature, who then presents a lecture at a winning host site
Lois Lowry will deliver the 2011 lecture. The internationally acclaimed author’s career spans more than 30 years. She is a two-time recipient of the Newbery Medal, in 1990 for “Number the Stars,” set in Denmark during World War II, and in 1994 for the eerily dystopian “The Giver.” Both books are published by Houghton Mifflin.

Recognized worldwide for the high quality they represent, ALA awards guide parents, educators, librarians and others in selecting the best materials for youth. Selected by judging committees of librarians and other children’s experts, the awards encourage original and creative work. For more information on the ALA youth media awards and notables, please visit the ALA Web site at www.ala.org.

Erich Segal dies

Erich Segal, Classics professor and best-selling author, has dies at age 72. Segal was best known for the novel "Love Story." Read more at The New York Times.

Robert Parker Dies

Robert Parker, best-selling author and creator of "Spenser" novels, has died at age 77. A disciplned and prolific writer, Parker wrote five pages per day every day but Sunday.

"Spenser, spelled “like the poet,” as the character was wont to point out (his first name was never revealed) — was Parker’s signature creation. He appeared for the first time in 1973 in “The Godwulf Manuscript,” in which he is hired by a university to retrieve a stolen medieval document, an investigation that triggers a murder. The first pages of the book revealed much of what readers came to love about Spenser — his impatience with pomposity, his smart-alecky wit, his self-awareness and supreme self-confidence.

“Look, Dr. Forbes,” Spenser says to the long-winded college president who is hiring him. “I went to college once. I don’t wear my hat indoors. And if a clue comes along and bites me on the ankle, I grab it. I am not, however, an Oxford don. I am a private detective. Is there something you’d like me to detect, or are you just polishing up your elocution for next year’s commencement?” (quoted from The New York Times; 1/20/2010).

Read more in the The New York Times or explore Parker's books in the Mac library.

Miep Gies

Miep Gies, the brave Christian woman who assisted Anne Frank and her family in hiding from the Nazis, has died.
Read more at The New York Times.

Booktalk Video Contest

School Library Journal is sponsoring a StoryTube contest for students in which they can create a two minute video promoting a favorite book. Students may work as individuals or as a group.


Visit http://www.storytubes.info/ to learn more!

Cheese Grits

"Off to the Library and Grandpa's Workshop"

Who could Mrs. Claus' librarian friend be?!

New Library Books 1/6/2010

New Books – 1/6/2010

200
Manitou and God : North American Indian religions and Christian culture / R. Murray Thomas

300
Adopting maternity : white women who adopt transracially or transnationally / Nora R. Moosnick
Adoption : a reference handbook, 2nd ed. / Barbara Moe
Children in the digital ages : influences of electronic media on development / Sandra L Calvert, et. al.
Health care systems of the developed world : how the United States’ system remains an outlier / Duane A. Matcha
Hospice or hemlock? : searching for heroic compassion / Constance E. Putnam
Too big to fail : policies and practices in government bailouts / Benton E. Gup, ed.

600
Bleeding to ease the pain : cutting, self-injury, and the adolescent search for self / Lori G. Plante
No child left different / Sharna Olfman, ed.
The vaccine controversy : the history, use, and safety of vaccinations / Kurt Link

Reference 800
All things Chaucer : an encyclopedia of Chaucer’s world. 2 volumes / Shannon L. Rogers

National Ambassador for Young People's Literature

Katherine Paterson, author of Bridge to Terabithia, has been selected as the national ambassador for young people’s literature. The position is a joint appointment by the Library of Congress’s Center for the Book and Every Child a Reader, a nonprofit group affiliated with the Children’s Book Council, a trade association for children’s book publishers. Paterson has twice been awarded both the Newbery Medal and the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature. Read more at The New York Times.