Category Archives: Children’s books

"Deathly Hallows" contest with judge Dave Barry

Posted on May 28, 2007 by Keren

The Leaky Cauldron writes:

Thanks to all the readers who mailed about the new contest the Miami Herald is holding asking fans to write their own final chapter to “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.” In 300 words or less, submissions entered by June 21 from those 18 years and younger may be the winners of a free copy of the last Harry Potter book as well as free tickets to an advance screening of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Along with Herald columnist Sue Corbett, the judge for this contest will be noted (and very funny) author Dave Barry. Good luck!

Link

Posted in Children's books, Contests, Science fiction/fantasy, Young Adult |

Deathly Hallows cover art released

Posted on March 28, 2007 by Mark

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows US, UK, and UK adult cover art, from left to right:

Deathly Hallows cover art

Links to larger versions:

The jacket text on the UK covers reads:

Harry has been burdened with a dark, dangerous and seemingly impossible task: that of locating and destroying Voldemort’s remaining Horctuxes. Never has Harry felt so alone, or faced a future so full of shadows. But Harry must somehow find within himself the strength to complete the task he has been given. He must leave the warmth, safety and companionship of The Burrow and follow without fear or hesitation the inexorable path laid out for him…

In this final, seventh instalment of the Harry Potter series, J.K. Rowling unveils in spectacular fashion the answers to many questions that have been so eagerly awaited. The spellbinding, richly woven nerrative, which plunges, twists and turns at a breathtaking pace, confirms the author as a mistress of storytelling, whose books will be read, reread and read again.

Posted in Children's books, Publishers, Reading, Upcoming releases, Young Adult |

Hamas rescinds book ban after public outcry

Posted on March 11, 2007 by Keren

The Hamas-run Education Ministry on Saturday rescinded its decision to pull an anthology of Palestinian folk tales from school libraries and destroy copies, reportedly over mild sexual innuendo, following a widespread public outcry.

Some 1,500 copies of the book [Speak Bird, Speak Again] were destroyed — the most direct attempt by the militant Muslim group to impose its beliefs on Palestinian society.

Link to the Yahoo News article

Posted in Articles, Banned Books, Children's books, Education |

Librarians ban top children's book

Posted on February 19, 2007 by Mark

The New York Times posted a story on this a few days ago, but Times Online has their own article now:

An award-winning children’s book about a ten-year-old girl seeking answers about life has provoked an uproar in America because it uses the word “scrotum” on the first page.

[...]

The Higher Power of Lucky won the Newbery Medal, considered the Pulitzer of children’s literature, last month and has gone into a second print run of 100,000.

Continue reading on TimesOnline.co.uk.

Posted in Banned Books, Children's books |

Censorship for the sake of the children is still censorship

Posted on February 17, 2007 by Heidi Kathleen

Another book has found its place on ban lists around the country on the basis of protecting the delicate constitutions of American children.

The word “scrotum” does not often appear in polite conversation. Or children’s literature, for that matter.

Yet there it is on the first page of “The Higher Power of Lucky,” by Susan Patron, this year’s winner of the Newbery Medal, the most prestigious award in children’s literature. The book’s heroine, a scrappy 10-year-old orphan named Lucky Trimble, hears the word through a hole in a wall when another character says he saw a rattlesnake bite his dog, Roy, on the scrotum.

“Scrotum sounded to Lucky like something green that comes up when you have the flu and cough too much,” the book continues. “It sounded medical and secret, but also important.”

The rest of the article can be read here, and the definition of ridiculous can be found here.

Posted in Banned Books, Children's books, Education, Libraries, Library |

Harry Potter 7 date announced

Posted on February 1, 2007 by Keren

Anticipation over the ending of the best-selling Harry Potter series reached new heights today as J. K. Rowling announced today on her site that:

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will be published on Saturday 21st July 2007 at 00:01 BST in the UK and at 00:01 in the USA. It will also be released at 00:01 BST on Saturday 21st July in other English speaking countries around the world.

BBC News says:

[Bloomsbury] said it would publish a children’s hardback edition, an adult hardback, a special gift edition and an audio book on the same day.

As well as making Rowling a dollar billionaire, the books have been credited with bringing children back to reading and reviving the British film industry.

Posted in Articles, Authors, Book Release, Children's books, Reading, Science fiction/fantasy, Upcoming releases, Young Adult |

Newbery and Caldecott winners announced

Posted on January 23, 2007 by Keren

Susan Patron has won the John Newbery Medal for her novel The Higher Power of Lucky, illustrated by Matt Phelan (S&S/Jackson), and David Wiesner won the Randolph Caldecott Medal for Flotsam (Clarion). Wiesner had won the Caldecott twice previously, for The Three Pigs and Tuesday, and a Caldecott Honor for Sector 7. The awards were announced this morning at the ALA’s midwinter conference in Seattle.

View the rest of the award winners in the Publishers Weekly article; Yahoo! News has an article on the same subject here.

Posted in Articles, Authors, Awards, Children's books |

Obituary: Philippa Pearce

Posted on January 3, 2007 by Keren

Yahoo News reports:

British children’s author Philippa Pearce, best known for “Tom’s Midnight Garden,” has died aged 86, her publisher said on Wednesday.

Pearce suffered a stroke and passed away on December 21, according to Puffin, part of the Penguin Group publishers.

“Her books are outstanding, classics which have delighted and inspired generations of children and for many people ‘Tom’s Midnight Garden’ is their absolutely favorite children’s book.”

Read the full Yahoo News article here.  The Guardian has a more in-depth article here.

Posted in Authors, Children's books, Obituaries |

Bloomsbury's profits drop without Harry

Posted on December 14, 2006 by Mark

The magic abandoned Bloomsbury Publishing late last night as the publisher of the hugely successful Harry Potter books sneaked out a dire profit warning after the stock market had closed.The company, which has raked in tens of millions of pounds from JK Rowling’s success but does not have a new instalment this year, blamed the collapse in its annual profits on a poor run-up to Christmas and problems selling electronic rights to some of its reference titles.

You can read the full story on Guardian Unlimited Books. The seventh Harry Potter book is likely to be released sometime in 2007, though no official date is set yet.

Posted in Children's books, Publishers, Young Adult |

Bookstart founder honoured for promoting children's literature

Posted on November 26, 2006 by Keren

Wendy Cooling has been awarded the Eleanor Farjeon award for a life spent promoting children’s literature. She ran the Children’s Book Foundation and National Chidren’s Book Week, and founded Bookstart, a national programme which gives free books to every child in the UK.

The Eleanor Farjeon award is given in recognition of an individual’s contribution to the world of children’s books; recent winners have included the children’s laureate Jacqueline Wilson, writers Philip Pullman and Malorie Blackman, and Julia Eccleshare, the Guardian’s children’s books editor.

Read the full Guardian Unlimited article here.

Posted in Articles, Awards, Children's books, Education |