Lloyd Alexander died yesterday at age 83.  His Chronicles of Prydain were some of the first fantasy books I read.  I devoured the entire series.  Then Disney came along and messed with it.  I was always thrilled that that did not become one of the Disney classics like Little Mermaid where my skin would have to crawl each time it was re-released on DVD. 

Alexander will be remembered fondly by many readers.  You can head to his amazing website about Prydain, the books and himself.

For any fans of LM Montgomery and the glory of Avonlea (which I frankly found much more fun as a television show than a series of books, something I rarely say) this is the site for you.  Picturing a Canadian Life offers glimpses into Montgomery’s personal journals, scrapbooks, and more.  View a gallery of her book covers, read about her interest in fashion, and discover her passion for collecting.  Even someone like me, who appreciates her storylines more than her writing, will enjoy the site. 

Was that blasphemy?!

Big A Little a links to an interview of Philip Pullman by the Guardian. As thrilled as I am to hear that he loves the Moomin books too, and as lovely as the rest of the interview is, the big news is at the very end.  He says that he is writing a sequel to His Dark Materials!  Amazing!  Thrilling!  And he says that it is long too!  Even better!

Liz In Ink is the name of the delightful blog from author Liz Garton Scanlon that offers glimpses into her writing process and the fast pace of her family life.

Philippa Pearce, author of ‘Tom’s Midnight Garden’ has died. I vividly remember reading Tom’s Midnight Garden and realizing that I adored fantasies with a British feel.

Blogcritics Magazine has a really nice interview with author, Adele Geras: ‘Write the Best Book You Can’: An Interview with Poet, Novelist and Children’s Author Adele Geras. She is amazingly prolific, having written 90 books for children, as well as novels for teens and adults!
You can also visit her website, which has incredible images from some of her picture books. The Sleeping Beauty ones by Christian Birmingham are particularly stunning.

Way cool!  Mo Willems has a blog filled with doodles, letters from children, and art galore.  I particularly like the Kung-Fu pigeons and the suggestion for a new Pigeon title. 

Thanks to A Fuse #8 Production for the link.

Julius Lester, amazing author of books like Day of Tears has announced that he is now blogging. His blog, A Commonplace Book, has amazing photography mixed with insightful essays. This is certainly one that should take the children’s lit blogging world by storm.
You can also visit his website to learn more about his writing. My favorites are his great folktale retellings and his work with Jerry Pinkney.

Watch Terry Trueman’s 2006 National Book Festival webcast on the Library of Congress website.  Charming and funny, he reads some of his writing which is a real treat.  Great stuff.