I wasn’t going to address the infamous scrotum issue, because it is everywhere! AND I find it horribly disappointing and embarrassing that LIBRARIANS are reacting this way. How very very very sad for our profession. Anyway, Gelf Magazine has done some research and found that Youth Literature is Filled with Scrotums.
These librarians causing the fuss need to grow a backbone, stand up for books for children, oppose any sort of censorship based on a single word, and know that there are many things in our profession worth fighting for and freedom to read is certainly one of them!
Librarians are often heard wondering why the general public doesn’t understand our passion for service, books and people. Perhaps it is things like this? Grow up, get professional, take a deep breath, share this great book with children, and remember that books have great power. Power that is worth getting damn angry about when it is not defended.
Link to article via Bookslut.

I love it when a publisher goes all out and really builds a site around a book.  This is especially effective for teen readers.  The new thriller by Kevin Brooks has gotten this treatment with a debate, large excerpts from the book, news, and promises of more content as the March release date gets closer. 

I know, I know, I’m the last blogger in the bunch to post that the Last Potter Book is to be Released July 21st. Sigh. Such is the life of a blogging library director.
Anyway, our library is planning a library sleepover where a copy of the book will be opened at midnight and read aloud from. Hurrah! This will be a huge year for Potter fans with not only the final book being released, but also the 5th movie will open on July 13th. That’s only a week before the book comes out. Think of the frenzy!
The sixth movie is scheduled for Thanksgiving 2008 release. Whew!
So what do your libraries do for Harry Potter frenzy? At the smaller library I worked at, we had a grand party one year where we created wands. I had dowels and all sorts of doo dads. Each kid created their wand out of whatever they liked and then I had assigned meanings to the different components. The kids loved it! Most of the meanings were complimentary, but some I made just plain silly to get the giggles. Even the cool older kids got caught up in the laughter.

Orion Books has a completely lovely audio interview with author Kevin Crossley-Holland about his new book, Gatty’s Tale.   Gatty is a beloved character from his Arthur trilogy, and readers will be thrilled to see her back again in a story all her own. 

National Public Radio has a wonderful A Gruesome Guide to Lemony which celebrates the release of The End, the 13th volume in the Lemony Snicket Series of Unfortunate Events. Listen to an interview with Daniel Handler, take a quiz, and it would not be complete without an interview with Lemony himself.

Simon & Schuster now do podcasts about their new children’s book releases.  They have a feed you can subscribe to as well.  This week’s podcast is all about Peter Pan in Scarlet, the newly released sequel to Peter Pan, written by Geraldine McCaughrean. 

Please play safe: Penguin’s guide to playground safety by Margery Cuyler, illustrated by Will Hillenbrand.
Safety books can be deadly serious, dull and dismal, but this one has a broad sense of humor and will get kids giggling.  What more could be asked for in a safety book?  The book demonstrates first how NOT to be safe and then shows how to act safely on a playground.  When the dangerous way is shown, the text asks “Is that right?”  If you are sharing this with a group or even a single child, expect them to vigorously protest that it is wrong even though they are laughing at the very idea.  The pattern and rhythm of the book, its humor and participation aspects (as well as the potential for readers adding zany sound effects) make this a great choice for safety units in preschool and kindergarten. 

Official Peter Pan sequel faces stiff rivalry is the story in The Age, an Australian newspaper. Author Geraldine McCaughrean has finished her official sequel to Peter Pan, Peter Pan in Scarlet, which will be released in October. I enjoy the fact that they talk about staying true to the original in more than just broad terms, referring to the darkness of the original story. Most peoprle know Peter Pan from the Disney film, rather than the book. Hopefully this new sequel will have children and adults returning to the original book.

Baker & Taylor is now doing a Booking Ahead for children’s and teen titles. Hurrah!
I use their Booking Ahead for adult tiltes all the time, and really look forward to having a list of new children’s and YA books that will be released in two months. What a great way to get things ordered way ahead of time so they can be ready and on the shelf when they are released.