Basilisk by N. M. Browne (1-58234-876-6)
This is one of THOSE books. One that grabs you and won’t let you go. One that reminds you why you read books. One that takes you to another world and lets you live there for awhile. One that you can’t put down and yet don’t want to end.
This is the story of Donna, who lives in a decaying society where all people must be plain and humble and no one has enough to eat or stay warm. It is the story of Rej, who lives in the combes below the ground, and dreams of seeing the sun. And it is the story of the dreams of flying as golden dragons that they share. But it is also the story of darkness, torture, hatred, and the basilisk.
This is a dark story that should not be given to little children. It has sexuality, evil and death. But for teens of the right age, it will be a gripping read that they will long remember.
Now I am off to find more of N. M. Browne’s books!

Boston Globe — Childish things
An article on Phillip Pullman and his books from a writer that really gets it!

VH1.com : Mariah Carey Plans To Pen Series Of Children’s Books
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Why we adore Harry
“Harry Potter steals the soul of most people who pick up one of the books. Rowling’s novels are terrific page-turners and, like the Sherlock Holmes stories, they proved themselves to be an extraordinary captivation long before the first one was made into a film.”

MediaDailyNews 06-11-04
“The N announced Tuesday that it would begin production on Miracle’s Boys. It’s a teen drama centered around three orphaned brothers coming-of-age in Harlem, the premiere episode of which will be directed by Spike Lee. The six episode miniseries is based on a novel by Jacqueline Woodson. It will be shot entirely in Harlem and will premiere in February 2005.”

Children’s Book Buyers Spending More, Buying Less
Consumer spending on children’s books reached a seven-year high in 2003. However, fewer books were actually purchased, meaning that buyers are purchasing more hardcover book like Harry Potter.

PBS KIDS Share a Story
PBS Kids kicks off a national literacy program encouraging families to Share a Story. The website has information for grownups including local events, resources, and tips for book choices and reading aloud effectively. The section for kids encourages them to write stories, act them out, use artwork, and much more.

Boing Boing: Lemony Snicket trailer online
Woo hoo! The trailer for the upcoming Lemony Snicket movie is now online! Very cool.

The Globe and Mail
In this article on children’s books, four books are highlighted. Three of them cover World War II, including the well-received B for Buster.