Runny Babbit; A Billy Sook; Poems and Drawings by Shel Silverstein
“HarperCollins Children’s Books announced today the March 2005 publication of Runny Babbit, an exciting new book by the incomparable Shel Silverstein. Completed before his death in 1999, this collection of poems and drawings was a work in progress for over 20 years and is as ground-breaking, insightful, witty, and wondrous as Shel Silverstein’s imagination. Runny Babbit is destined to be a classic for readers of all ages.”
Woo hoo!

DesMoinesRegister.com has a nice article on Tamora Pierce, author of the new Trickster’s Queen. Pierce speaks about why she writes for young adults and why she primarily writes female heroes.

Getting teens to read
A nice glimpse into programs being offered during Teen Read Week at libraries, including raffles, candy, and movies.

Maud Newton: Blog has a piece about Bill O’Reilly’s new children’s book and the many awful reviews it has received so far that include excerpts from the book that are strange and frightening.

No Child Left – Committed to Repeal of NCLB/Helter-Skelter
This site is committed to repealing or overturning No Child Left Behind. It offers news, articles, and cartoons supporting its cause.

Scholastic Unveils Study on Effective School Libraries
Scholastic Library Publishing has released studies that prove that school libraries have a positive effect on student achievement levels. No duh!

BostonHerald.com – the Edge: Tricky treats: Celebrate Halloween with spook-tacular stories and crafts
A short list of Halloween books plus some crafts to do with kids.

Corante > Copyfight > Disney Caught Pirating from Public Domain — and Children!
Copyfight has this article on the fact that Disney is not honoring royalties owed to Great Ormond Street, a children’s hospital in London that receives the royalties from Peter Pan. Disney published the new book Peter and the Starcatchers by Ridley Pearson and Dave Barry. Disney denies that there is a valid copyright on Peter Pan in the U.S.

The Realm of Possibility by David Levithan (0-375-82845-1)
David Levithan wrote a utopian fantasy in Boy Meets Boy. Now he has written an achingly real novel in verse that is the linked stories of twenty teens who all attend the same high school. It is about love, life, beliefs, and being. It features girls, boys, gay and straight.
I believe that this is one of the best verse novels yet. The poetry itself sings, adding additional meaning in word play and creatively broken lines. It is true poetry rather than a novel broken into stanzas.
Share this with older teens who appreciate words and books. Both gay and straight kids will find people in the book who are just like them and others who are very different from them but somehow feel the same way. It is a celebration of diversity and humanity in one.