Click on event name for more information

Growing Every Which Way But Up: The Children’s Book Art of Jules Feiffer~ ongoing until Jan 22, 2012, Amherst, MA, USA

A Journey Without End: Ed Young~ ongoing until Jan 28, 2012, Abilene, TX, USA

International Library of Children’s Literature Exhibit: Dragons, Dragons, Dragons!~ ongoing until Jan 29, Tokyo, Japan

An Artist Remembers: Hanukkah Lamps Selected by Maurice Sendak~ ongoing until Jan 29, New York, NY, USA

The Snowy Day and the Art of Ezra Jack Keats Exhibition~ ongoing until Jan 29, New York, NY, USA

Children’s Literature Exhibition~ ongoing until Jan 31, Muttukadu, India

2nd National Children’s Book Award~ nominations accepted until Jan 31, Philippines

Exhibits of Winning Entries from the 2011 Growing Up Asian in America Contest~ ongoing until Feb, USA

Book Week 2012 Writing Contest for Kids & Teens~ submissions accepted until Feb 1, Canada

Japanese Children’s Literature: A History from the International Library of Children’s Literature Collections~ ongoing until Feb 12, Tokyo, Japan

Osborne Collection of Early Children’s Books Exhibition: Secret Gardens~ ongoing until Mar 3, Toronto, ON, Canada

Look! the Art of Australian Picture Books Today~ ongoing until Mar 4, Brisbane, Australia

2012 – 2014 National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature~ to be announced in Jan, USA

National Year of Reading~ Australia

2011 Cybils (the Children’s and Young Adult Bloggers’ Literary Awards) Shortlists Announced~ Jan 1

Modern Language Association Annual Conference~ Jan 5 – 8, Seattle, WA, USA

Chennai Book Fair~ Jan 5 – 17, Chennai, India

10th Annual Hawaii International Conference on Arts and Humanities~ Jan 10 – 13, Honolulu, HI, USA

Galle Literary Festival~ Jan 18 – 22, Galle, Sri Lanka

ALSC (Association for Library Service to Children) Events at the ALA Midwinter Meeting~ Jan 19 – 24, Dallas, TX, USA

USBBY Cosponsored Event at the ALA Midwinter Meeting~ Jan 20, Dallas, TX, USA

YALSA Events at the ALA Midwinter Meeting~ Jan 20 – 24, Dallas, TX, USA

American Library Association (ALA) Midwinter Meeting~ Jan 20 – 24, Dallas, TX, USA

Jaipur Literature Festival~ Jan 20 – 24, Jaipur, India

2012 ALA Youth Media Awards  Press Conference~ Jan 23, Dallas, TX, USA

No Name-Calling Week~ Jan 23 – 27, USA and Canada

MACL Presents: A Talk by One of Canada’s Most Beloved Children’s Book Writers: Paulette Bourgeois ~ Jan 26, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Kolkata Book Fair~ Jan 26 – Feb 6, Kolkata, India

Family Literacy Day~ Jan 27, Canada

13th Annual SCBWI International Winter Conference~ Jan 27 – 29, New York, NY, USA

Fremantle Children’s Literature Centre Exhibits and Programs~ Fremantle, Australia

Dromkeen National Centre for Picture Book Art Exhibits~ Riddells Creek, Australia

Books Illustrated Events and Exhibitions~ Middle Park, Australia

Tulika Books Author and Illustrator Events~ India

International Library of Children’s Literature Events~ Tokyo, Japan

International Youth Library Exhibits~ Munich, Germany

Newcastle University Programme of Talks on Children’s Books for 2011-2012~ Newcastle, United Kingdom

Seven Stories (the National Home of Children’s Books in Britain) Events~ Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom

Discover Children’s Story Centre~ London, United Kingdom

Events Sponsored by The Center for the Book in the Library of Congress~ USA

The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art~ Amherst, MA, USA

The National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature Exhibits~ Abilene, TX, USA

Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators Events

School Library Journal’s Battle of the (Kids’) Books

Yesterday, in round one, match one, Jim Murphy chose Deborah Heiligman’s Charles and Emma: The Darwins’ Leap of Faith over Phillip Hoose’s award-winning Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice. Today’s battle, judged by Nancy Farmer, pits Fire (Kristin Cashore) against Evolution of Calpurnia Tate (Jacqueline Kerry). Click here to see the schedule. Spread the word and get involved in the event: you could win a 2010 Battle of the Kids’ Books t-shirt!

Two paragraphs that are particularly insightful with respect to multicultural literature really struck me:

Scieszka’s ambassadorial platform was reaching reluctant readers. Paterson’s is “read for your life.” With books, she said, kids (and adults) use their “powers of intellect and imagination” and experience “delight.” Stories also teach children about people from other religions, races, and countries, said Paterson, who spent the first three years of her life living in China with her missionary parents. “Books help us make friends who are different from ourselves.”

It bothered Paterson when she heard a librarian say she didn’t buy any Virginia Hamilton books because no black children attended her school. “That’s the very reason you should be buying Virginia Hamilton’s books,” she said. “Because your kids don’t have an opportunity to have friends who are African-American, they should be making those friends in books. Same thing with religion.” Jimmy Carter said becoming friends with Anwar Sadat was the most important thing that happened to him as president, she added. “Neither was trying to convert the other. I love the fact that we might be able to do that in this country—that we might be able to learn to understand each other…. The more we know about each other, the better.”

Congratulations and best wishes, Katherine!   We wish you every success and look forward to the amazing work we know you will do in your new role as National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature.

Photo credit: Abby Brack

Katherine Paterson, two-time winner of the National Book Award and Newbery Medal, was today named National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature by Librarian of Congress James H. Billington. Paterson will serve in the position during 2010 and 2011; she succeeds Jon Scieszka, appointed in 2008, who was the first person to hold the title. Katherine Paterson has chosen “Read for Your Life” as the theme for her platform.

“Katherine Paterson represents the finest in literature for young people,” said Dr. Billington. “Her renown is national as well as international, and she will most ably fulfill the role of a national ambassador who speaks to the importance of reading and literacy in the lives of America’s youth.”

The National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature is named by the Librarian of Congress for a two-year term, based on recommendations from a selection committee representing many segments of the book community. The selection criteria include the candidate’s contribution to young people’s literature and ability to relate to children. The position was created to raise national awareness of the importance of young people’s literature as it relates to lifelong literacy, education, and the development and betterment of the lives of young people.

“Katherine Paterson is a longtime friend and supporter of the Library of Congress, and we are honored that she will be the national spokesperson for our message to young people, parents and caregivers that reading is fundamental for success in life,” said John Y. Cole, the Center’s director. “Katherine has been a popular speaker at previous National Book Festivals, and we look forward to her participation in the 2010 event.”

Katherine Paterson’s international fame rests not only on her widely acclaimed novels but also on her efforts to promote literacy in the United States and abroad. A two-time winner of the Newbery Medal (“Bridge to Terabithia” and “Jacob Have I Loved”) and the National Book Award (“The Great Gilly Hopkins” and “The Master Puppeteer”), she has received many other accolades for her body of work, including the Hans Christian Andersen Medal, the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award and the Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts, given by her home state of Vermont. Paterson was named a Living Legend by the Library of Congress in 2000. Paterson’s most recent book is “The Day of the Pelican,” a moving, dramatic story of a refugee family’s flight from war-torn Kosovo to America. She and her husband, John, live in Barre, Vt. They have four children and seven grandchildren. For more information, visit www.terabithia.com.

SOURCE Library of Congress

Tomorrow, January 5th the  Announcement of the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature will take place. For the past two years, Jon Scieszka has held this position and has done an absolutely outstanding job! Check out the roundup of thank-you posts to Jon compiled at A Year of Reading.

(Click on event name for more information)

Summer Reading Club: Read on the Wild Side~ ongoing until Jan 31, 2010, Australia

Golden Legacy: Original Art from 65 Years of Golden Books Featuring Artwork from Iconic Children’s Books~ ongoing until Feb 28,  Amherst, MA, USA

2009 Bologna Illustrators Exhibition of Children’s Books~ ongoing until Mar 1, Seoul, Korea

Osborne Collection of Early Children’s Books Presents: Journey to Adventure~ ongoing until Mar 6, Toronto, ON, Canada

The Making of the Word Witch: The Poetic & Illustrative Magic of Margaret Mahy & David Elliot~ ongoing until  Mar 14, Ashburton, New Zealand

Mother Goose in an Air-Ship: McLoughlin Bros. 19th Century Children’s Books from the Liman Collection~ ongoing until Apr 18,  Amherst, MA, USA

Heart and Soul: Art from Coretta Scott King Award Books, 2006–2009~ ongoing until Apr 18, Chicago, IL, USA

From The Tiger Who Came to Tea to Mog and Pink Rabbit; A Judith Kerr Retrospective~ ongoing until May, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom

2009 Cybils (the Children’s and Young Adult Bloggers’ Literary Awards) Finalists Announced~ Jan 1

Launch of the 5th Romeo Forbes Children’s Story Writing Competition~ Jan 4, Philippines

Announcement of the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature~ Jan 5, USA

Costa Book Awards Winners Announced (formerly the Whitbread Literary Awards)~ Jan 5, London, United Kingdom

Canadian Literature Centre Presents Brown Bag Lunch with Award Winning Poet, Author and Cultural Worker Afua Cooper~ Jan 13, Edmonton, AB, Canada

8th Annual Hawaii International Conference on Arts and Humanities~ Jan 13 – 16, Honolulu, HI, USA

21st Annual Children’s Book Illustrators Exhibit~ Jan 13 – Apr 3, Hayward, CA, USA

American Library Association (ALA) Midwinter Meeting~ Jan 15 – 19, Boston, MA, USA

Storytelling by Winners of the First Time Writers & Illustrators Publishing Initiative 2009~ Jan 16, Singapore

The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art Presents: The Wonder of Words, The Power of Pictures~ Jan 17, Amherst, MA, USA

ALA’s Youth Media Awards Presentations~ Jan 18, Boston, MA, USA

Jaipur Literature Festival~ Jan 21 – 25, Jaipur, India

Book Reading and Signing with Uma Krishnaswami author of Chachaji’s Cup~ Jan 22, New York, NY, USA

ZORA! Neale Hurston Festival of the Arts and Humanities~ Jan 23 – 31, Eatonville, FL, USA

No Name-Calling Week~ Jan 25 – 29, USA

“Tea with Chachaji” A Musical Production based on Chachaji’s Cup by Uma Krishnaswami~ Jan 25 – Feb 11, New York, NY, USA

Yabun 2010: Celebrating Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Cultures~ Jan 26, Sydney, Australia

Family Literacy Day~ Jan 27, Canada

CCBC Presents: ALA Award-Winning and Outstanding Books for K-5 (video can be watched on-line)~ Jan 27, Madison, WI, USA

Kolkata Book Fair~ Jan 27 – Feb 7, Kolkata, India

SCBWI Tokyo Presents: Cut to the Chase with Patrick Gannon: Discovering and Making Cut Paper Art and Illustration~ Jan 27, Tokyo, Japan

Galle Literary Festival~ Jan 28 – Feb 1, Galle, Sri Lanka

Hay Festival Cartagena de Indias~ Jan 28 – 31, Cartagena, Columbia

Children’s & Young Adults’ Book Fair~ Jan 29 – 31, Marousi, Greece

Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) Winter Conference~ Jan 29 – 31, New York, NY, USA

Winter Words Festival 2010~ Jan 29 – Feb 7, Pitlochry, United Kingdom

How is it possible? This is my last month as the first National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature – appointed by the Library of Congress and the Children’s Book Council. But I’ve only been to about 33 states and 274 schools, libraries, bookstores, conferences, and festivals in the past two years. And now it’s time to pick a new Ambassador? I still don’t have my Ambassador Attack helicopter.

It has been an incredible run. One of my favorite moments took place in a California school shortly after I was appointed. The kindergarteners made me a beautiful red sash with blue tape letters that spelled A-M-B-A-S-S-A-D-O-R. And then, as I walked into the presentation hall, a group of 5th-graders played an original Ambassador Fanfare, which they had composed, on kettle drum, trumpet, trombone, and xylophone. I put the Fanfare on my iPhone and played it everywhere I went after that.

At an incredibly poor school in Arizona, I got to speak to a very intense group of 3rd-grade writers and illustrators who had never seen any kind of author . . . let alone an Ambassador author. I read some books, talked about the process of writing, explained my job as Ambassador, showed them my official medal, and asked if there were any questions. The first question, from a little girl, was: “Can I try on the medal?”

I loved it. She posed, and I took her picture as Ambassador. Then everyone decided they wanted to try on the medal and be Ambassador for a moment. It was incredibly heart-warming. And you never know what dreams were created that day.

It was great, because the teachers and kids instantly “got” the whole idea of the Ambassador. And they made it even better. I was the same author, but people listened with new interest.

I used my two-year term to work on reaching the reluctant reader: that’s the kid who might be a reader, who could be one, but just isn’t that interested in reading. The new Ambassador will have his or her own program, and ideas on connecting kids with reading. Here is the advice that I have been giving throughout my tenure:

* Let each child choose what she or he wants to read. I’ll never forget my own son’s reaction reading Little House on the Prairie (a favorite of many readers): “Are they really going to spend this whole chapter making a door?”

* Expand the definition of “reading” to include non-fiction, humor, graphic novels, magazines, action adventure, and, yes, even websites. It’s the pleasure of reading that counts; the focus will naturally broaden. A boy won’t read shark books forever.

* If a kid doesn’t like one book, don’t worry about finishing it. Start another. The key is helping children find what they like.

* Be a good reading role model. Show kids what you like to read, what you don’t like to read, how you choose what you read. Let them see you reading.

* Avoid demonizing television, computer games, and new technologies. Electronic media may compete for kids’ attention, but we’re not going to get kids reading by badmouthing other entertainment. Admit that TV and games can do things books can’t. Talk about how reading can make a world in ways that movies and games can’t.

I am honored to have served as our great nation’s first National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. I will continue to serve as Ambassador Emeritus. And I will make good on my Ambassadorial promise to my wife to stop playing the Fanfare every time I walk into or out of a room. Now, if someone could just get word to the New York City traffic department that I do have complete Diplomatic Immunity.

Thank you, Jon, for the enthusiasm, humor and rigor you brought to your ambassadorial role. You’ll be a hard act to follow – and yes, I expect some writers of the future will pin point their moment of vocational inspiration to your school visit many years earlier. Stay tuned to PaperTigers and on January 5th we will bring you the announcement of Jon’s successor.

What should we expect from a guy whose Little Red Hen questions the presence of the ISBN number in the volume she appears on, and who allows her, later on, to be eaten by the giant from Jack and the Beanstalk?… Well, lots of gutsy energy to impart momentum and backbone to his important mission.

(Click on event name for more information)

Announcement of the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature~ Jan 3, USA

SCBWI Speaker Event: Lara Saguisag on “The Filipino Child and Filipino Children’s Literature”~ Jan 7, Makati, Philippines

Hawaii International Conference on Arts and Humanities~ Jan 11 – 14, Honolulu, HI, USA

American Library Association Midwinter Meeting~ Jan 11 – 16, Philadelphia, PA, USA

American Library Association Literary Awards Announced~ Jan 14, Philadelphia, PA, USA

Mumbai International Book Fair~ Jan 16 – 20, Mumbai, India

Cooperative Learning in Multicultural Societies: Critical Reflections Conference~ Jan 19 – 22, Turin, Italy

Costa Book Awards Winners Announced (formerly the Whitbread Literary Awards)~ Jan 22, London, England

Hay Festival Cartagena de Indias~ Jan 24 – 27, Cartagena, Columbia

SCBWI Tokyo Author and Illustrator Showcase~ Jan 26, Tokyo, Japan

Family Literacy Day~ Jan 27, Canada

Kolkata Book Fair~ Jan 30 – Feb 10, Kolkata, India