The last book of the year has been read (Sahwira: An African Friendship, by Carolyn Marsden) and a whole new year of reading is about to start. Oh the joys of being an avid reader!…

If, like me, you’re likely to ring in the New Year in bed, with a good book, you might want to consider Reading Into the New Year. “It hardly sounds like a challenge,” I hear you say. Well, it isn’t. It’s more like an invitation to have fun and share your passion for books with others. However, the book(s) you choose to curl up with to welcome the new year and new decade might reveal much about your aspirations and hopes—and I guarantee the fireworks in your mind’s eyes will be just as incredible as the ones outside!

Whereas I am still planning to get caught up with titles I missed from previous years, the list of 2010 releases I just started already excites me beyond words. Perhaps one or two of these titles might inspire you to start your own brand new pile of books to look forward to?

Ling and Ting by Grace Lin
A Million Shades of Grey by Cynthia Kadohata
Bamboo People by Mitali Perkins
Our Grandparents: A Global Album (A Global Fund for Children book)
Seeds of Change: Wangari’s Gift to the World by Jen Cullerton Johnson, illustrated by Sonia Lynn Sadler.

The always reliable CCBC is hard at work compiling the best of the 2009 crop: CCBC Choices 2010 will be available after March 6, 2010 (for information on how to have a copy sent to you, go to their website). And Fuse#8 has a great post on the best of the decade.

Happy New Year of Reading to all!

Phew, just made it! Where have the last two weeks disappeared to? Anyway, I’ve made my nominations for the Cybils - and if you haven’t yet, you have until 11.59 p.m. tomorrow…

So here’s my list:

Fiction Picture Books:

I nominated Naomi’s Tree by Joy Kogawa

… on my list were also Erika-San by Allen Say (Houghton Mifflin, 2009) – nominated by Kara of Not Just for Kids;
and Cora Cooks Pancit by Dorina K. Lazo Gilmore, illustrated by Kristi Valiant (Shen’s Books, 2009) – nominated by Renee of Shen’s Blog;

…and I especially want to look out:
First Come the Zebra by Lynne Barasch (Lee & Low, 2009) – nominated by Hannah from the Lee & Low Blog
Hook by Ed Young (Roaring Book Press, 2009) – nominated by Susannah of Raab Associates
My African Bedtime Rhymes by Brettell Hone (Shamwari Publishing, 2009) – nominated by Ginger Nielson;
Crow Call by Lois Lowry – nominated by Kristine at The Best Book I Haven’t Read
My Abuelita by Tony Johnston, illustrated by Yuyi Morales (Harcourt Children’s Books, 2009) – nominated by Lynn E. Hazen
…and the list continues!

Middle Grade Fiction:

I nominated Wanting Mor by Rukhsana Khan (Groundwood, 2009)

…and must seek out Brushing Mom’s Hair by Andrea Cheng (Wordsong, 2009) – nominated by Linda at Swell Books
and Journey of Dreams by Marge Pellegrino (Frances Lincoln, 2009) – nominated by Janni… and more!

Non-fiction/Information Picture Books:

I nominated My Japan by Etsuko Watanabe

…and great to see already nominated:
Balarama: A Royal Elephant by Ted and Betsy Lewin (Lee and Low, 2009) – nominated by Miri at Wands and Worlds;
Listen to the Wind: The Story of Dr. Greg and Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and Susan Roth, (Dial, 2009) – nominated by Maggi at Mama Librarian;
Shining Star: The Anna May Wong Story by Paula Yoo (Lee & Low, 2009) – nominated by Jama at Jama Rattigan’s Alphabet Soup.

I want to read:
The East-West House: Noguchi’s Childhood in Japan by Christy Hale (Lee & Low, 2009);
The Grand Mosque of Paris: A Story of How Muslims Rescued Jews During the Holocaust by Karen Gray Ruelle and Deborah Durland Desaix (Holiday House, 2009);
Tarra & Bella: The Elephant and Dog Who Became Best Friends by Carol Buckley (Putnam Juvenile, 2009) – nominated by Elaine Magliaro at Wild Rose Reader;
Nasreen’s Secret School: A True Story from Afghanistan by Jeanette Winter – nominated by Sherry at Semicolon;
Cycle of Rice, Cycle of Life: A Story of Sustainable Farming by Jan Reynolds (Lee & Low, 2009).

Non-Fiction – middle/teen:

I nominated Let There Be Peace: Prayers from Around the World by Jeremy Brooks, illustrated by Jude Daly (Frances Lincoln, 2009)

…already nominated: After Gandhi: One Hundred Years of Nonviolent Resistance by Anne Sibley O’Brien and Perry Edmond O’Brien (Charlesbridge, 2009) – I’m in the process of writing a review for this superb book and will add a link soon…
and Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Journey to Change the World… One Child at a Time (The Young Reader’s Edition) by Greg Mortenson (Puffin Young Readers, 2009).

Grace Lin’s Where the Mountain Meets the Moon (Little, Brown and Company, 2009) has been nominated in the Fantasy/Science Fiction section by Emily Reads; and John Agard’s The Young Inferno would have been my poetry nomination but Sherry got there first!

I’ve realised that I have read very little newly-published YA fiction this year so I haven’t made a nomination there either – but it’s good to see Mitali Perkins’ Secret Keeper in there, nominated by Sarah at Archimedes Forgets (what a wonderful name for a blog!); and I do have a copy of Shine, Coconut Moon by Neesha Meminger (Margaret K. McElderry, 2009) in my to-be-read pile (nominated by R. J. Anderson)…

So it looks like I’m going to be busy enough – I can’t imagine how the judges are going to manage to read all the nominees. And after tomorrow, we’ll be waiting with baited breath to find out the shortlists, published on 1st January…

Amy Bowllan at Bowllan’s Blog has a series of posts titled “Writers Against Racism,” in which she asks authors about their experiences of racism and their opinion on the ways in which literature can be used to combat its effects. The ongoing series so far includes interviews with Zetta Elliot, Mitali Perkins, David Yoo, Neesha Meminger, Tanita S. Davis, and many more. In one of the August installments, Bowllan interviewed children’s literature specialist—and PaperTigers contributor/consultant—Laura Atkins. Laura’s views on the topic are very interesting, and partly informed by years of working in the children’s publishing industry developing multicultural picture books (her insightful paper “What’s the Story? Reflections on White Privilege in the Publication of Children’s Literature,” has recently become available online).

Laura says on her blog of the “Writers Against Racism” series: “The questions and answers reveal how the personal and the political are intimately linked. Each person has their own experiences, their own stories to tell—and all of us have connected to and through literature as a way of combating racism.” I can’t imagine a more effective weapon than literature in this worthwhile battle. Can you?

The Children’s Book Council of Australia has just announced the winners of this year’s awards. I’ve spotted two of my favorite books of the past year among them: Shaun Tan’s Tales from Outer Suburbia (Winner, Older Readers Book of the Year) and Home and Away by John Marsden, illustrated by Matt Ottley (Honour, Picture Book of the Year). Read this rather sobering post from The Book Chook outlining the awards and highlighting possible changes afoot in Australian publishing and their potential effect on the many wonderful small independent publishers in Australia.

Just One More Book has this podcast about Ten Days and Nine Nights: An Adoption Story by Yumi Heo.

Shelf Elf has a review of Mitali Perkins‘ Secret Keeper (you can also read PaperTigers’ review here).

And read Chicken Spaghetti’s great post, “Neesha Meminger on Kids’ Books by South Asian Authors” – including Neesha’s South Asian selection of books she would add to the CCBC’s list of “50 Multicultural Books Every Child Should Know” – apparently soon to become 75… – Hmmm – take a look at the list and tell us what you would add…

Exploring Mitali Perkins’ Twitter files, I discovered that her book, Rickshaw Girl, which won the prestigious Jane Addams Award, in addition to a string of other accolades, will be translated into Marathi and published by Jyotsna Prakashan, a publisher in Maharashtra (of which Mumbai is the capital). The Marathi language is spoken by the Marathi people, or Maharashtrians, living in the state, and also in some parts of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Goa, as well as in Karnataka and the union territories of Daman and Diu (here’s a map of India, to help you get oriented).

To book a “Chai & Chat” school/library/book group visit with Mitali, virtual or otherwise, visit her at the Fire Escape (and for a lowdown on virtual author visits, see Deborah’s Sloan’s post, at The Picnic Basket, and Kate Messner’s, at Kate’s Book Blog).

The new issue of PaperTigers, focusing on Children’s Book Awards, is now live! The homepage welcomes readers with a quote from Astrid Lindgren, whose Memorial Award is among the most prestigious in the world:

Somewhere inside the secret rooms of the soul a child, alone with a book, creates personal images that surpass everything else. Such images are necessary for human beings. The day
that children’s imaginations no longer have the energy to create them will be the day when the human race becomes poor. All the big things that happened in the world happened first in the imagination of one person, and how the world of tomorrow will look depends largely on the measure of imaginative power in the minds of those who right now are learning how to read. That is why children need books.

Lindgren’s powerful words leave no doubt as to the importance of children’s books… But how do we find the best books, if we can’t read them all? That’s one of the reasons why we need book awards.

Our newly-added features highlight prize-winning books, book creators, and the many awards that honor them and help the shining light of great stories reach near and far… Some of the new features include: interviews with Américas Award Coordinator, Julie Kline; Asian/Pacific American Award Committe Chair, Dora Ho; and Jane Addams Award Committee Chair, Susan C. Griffith. Plus opinion pieces by Malathi Michelle Iyengar and Mitali Perkins, illustrators’ gallery features, and more. Enjoy them, and let us know what you think!

We’ll also be further exploring the theme of children’s book awards, here, on the blog, for the next two months, so check back often for more treats and information!

image credit: © Wen Hsu, winner of the 2009 NOMA Concours Grand Prize

Skipping Stones is an award-winning, nonprofit magazine for youth that encourages communication, cooperation, creativity and celebration of cultural and environmental richness. Founded in 1988 and published five times a year, Skipping Stones provides a forum for sharing ideas and experiences among youth from different countries and cultures. Art and original writings submissions in every language and from all ages are always welcomed.

Each year Skipping Stones recognizes outstanding authentic books and teaching resources with the Annual Skipping Stones Honor Awards. The honored books, published by both large and small publishers, promote cooperation and cultivate an awareness of our diverse cultures. Together, they encourage an understanding of the world’s diversity, ecological richness, respect for differing viewpoints and close relationships in human societies. Bound to provide a great reading adventure, they offer a variety of learning experiences. Reviewers aged 8 to 80, from many backgrounds and life experiences, help select the winners and their reviews are published in the Summer Skipping Stones issue.

The 2009 winners are broken down into 3 categories – Multicultural & International Awareness, Nature and Ecology Books, and Teaching and Parenting Resources; and winning titles include:

Secret Keeper by Mitali Perkins,
The Storyteller’s Candle by Lucia Gonzalez, illustrated by Lulu Delacre,
Grandfather’s Story Cloth by Linda Gerdner and Sarah Langford, illustrated by Stuart Loughridge.

For a complete list of the winners, click here: I just printed it off and will be heading to my local library this afternoon to see what treasures I can find!

Creating a more peaceful and compassionate world continues to be the most significant challenge of humankind. To acknowledge children as agents of positive change and to celebrate the ways in which they help create a better world, PaperTigers’ new issue offers interviews, articles, reviews and resources that point to their heart, determination and resolve to make a difference. We encourage you to take the time to explore these new offerings. And should you need further enticement, here’s an excerpt from author Mitali Perkins‘ article, “Books Can Shape A Child’s Heart:”

Stories are powerful allies as we seek to raise a generation of compassionate children. I distinctly remember the moment when I grasped the beauty of sacrificial giving. I was nine years old and befriending Sara Crewe in Frances Hodgson Burnett’s The Little Princess (J. B. Lippincott) for the first time…

Ready to be moved, inspired and energized?… Just head on over to the website. Then check back here, as we post more about this theme in the coming weeks.

(image credit: “My World” by Esau Andrade Valencia)

It all began with a Twitter and spread across the country in no time! Author Mitali Perkins put her idea on techology that some of us have yet to understand and from New England to the Pacific Northwest, independent bookstores, children’s authors, illustrators, and the young readers who love them are coming together on February 14 in a grand celebration.

It’s happening in New England, in New York (both in the city and across the state), in Seattle, (where, in independent Northwest style, they’ve rechristened the celebration Kids Heart Books), and in Los Angeles. By the time this post goes up, heaven only knows how many more bookstores, and writers, and illustrators–in how many more cities–will have joined this absolutely amazing union that brings together all facets of the kidlit world!

Among the number of authors and illustrators who will be flocking to their neighborhood bookstores are Grace Lin,  Karen Cushman, Kevin Hawkes, Cynthia Lord, David Yoo, Jamie Hogan (illustrator of Rickshaw Girl) and Mitali Perkins. In New England alone, over 160 authors and illustrators are turning out to meet their readers in their favorite bookstores.

Is this happening in your town? In your neighborhood bookstore? It’s not too late. Join the party that was started with Mitali’s Twitter, or help to start one–there are still 11 more days until February 14.  Make it possible for a child–or you yourself–to  heart an author–or an illustrator–and their books on Valentine’s Day!

Entering Bangkok’s Neilson Hays Library is like launching an adventure into time travel. Not a computer can be seen, card catalogs still hold sway, and books–no video cassettes or DVDs–wait behind glass doors in old-fashioned bookcases. Patrons remove their shoes before entering the building, and the smooth, highly polished wooden floor feels like satin beneath the soles of bare feet.

Make no mistake about it, this is a true library, not a museum, and nowhere is that more evident than in the children’s section. Shelves built over 140 years ago hold Lemony Snicket, Harry Potter, Artemis Fowl, and Montana prodigy Christopher Paolini’s Eragon series. They are joined by modern classics–Hatchet and The Outsiders, Edward Eager’s Knight’s Castle, Arthur Ransome, Enid Blyton, and all of Mary Poppins, as well as the more venerable Don Quixote, Lorna Doone, and The Pathfinder.  Among this august company is Mitali Perkins’ wonderful novel, Rickshaw Girl, the story of a Bangladeshi girl who transforms her talent for painting alpanas, the traditional patterns that adorn household walkways and thresholds, into a financial contribution for her family.

It’s a good thing that bean-bag chairs are near the picture books, because this is a corner that demands lingering, filled with gorgeous books from all over the English-speaking world. New Zealand’s wonderful Hairy MacLary lives here, as does Where the Giant Sleeps, by Mem Fox, illustrated by Vladimir Radunsky–and a treasure from New York City’s Chinatown that deserves–and will soon receive–its own post.

Set in a serene little garden, with an adjacent cafe and outdoor tables, this library is an oasis of tranquility in a restless city. It’s not only a respite for Bangkok residents, the library also offers a welcome vacation from shopping and sightseeing for travelers, with a small charge for those who are not library members.