We Are Family Foundation is the organization that sent the Christian right into a tizzy over SpongeBob. The fundamentalists argue that SpongeBob is a homosexual icon and that the Foundation is trying to promote homosexuality to children. A video of the song “We Are Family” was sung by over 100 characters from beloved TV shows, including Barney, Arthur, Bear, Big Bird, Clifford, JoJo and of course, SpongeBob. The performance was done in the wake of 9/11 to celebrate our diversity and tolerance. A DVD will be released “soon” that has the children’s music video on it.

The Comic Brief has a story about Marvel’s new publishing contracts:
“Marvel Enterprises, Inc., (NYSE:MVL) – the dominant force in the comic book market through its Marvel Comics division – has entered into major licensing agreements with four of the world’s leading publishing houses: DK Publishing, Harper Collins, Meredith Books and Simon & Schuster’s Pocket Books as part of a strategy to increase the presence of its leading character franchises in various mass market book publishing formats.”

ALSC announces new children’s book award named for Theodor Seuss Geisel
The Theodor Seuss Geisel Award will be presented annually to the author and illustrator of the most outstanding book for beginning readers. The first award will be presented in 2006.