A super HUGE thank you to my friends at KidLit TV for not only creating the adorable book trailer for DON’T CALL ME FUZZYBUTT!, but for featuring the trailer on their website. To check out the trailer and all their awesome content, please click here. You won’t be disappointed. Promise!
I am thrilled beyond words to finally share the book trailer for DON’T CALL ME FUZZYBUTT! Mega thanks to the AMAZINGLY talented Julie Gribble and her AWESOME crew at KidLit TV for all of their hard work making the trailer super adorable.
Now, without further ado, let’s start the show!
Pre-order a signed copy of DON’T CALL ME FUZZYBUTT! from Books of Wonder by clicking here. The first 100 pre-orders will receive a BEAR-TAS-TIC swag bag with their purchase. And stay tuned for news re the launch party! WOOHOO!!!!
Cynthia S. Weill
Director of The Center for Children’s Literature at Bank Street College of Education opening the program festivities.
On March 10th, I had the privilege of attending the first biennial Best Spanish Language Picture Book Awards in Spanish given by The Children’s Book Committee at Bank Street College of Education (CBC). The 2020 prizes were given to books that were published or translated in 2018 and 2019, and selected by the CBC’s Spanish Language Affiliate (SLA), Bank Street College faculty and alumni, professors from City University, and by librarians from the New York Public Library. The books were judged on “cultural authenticity, richness of language and illustration, appeal to children as well as other criteria.” (Source: Event Program)
Shael Polakow-Suransky, President of Bank Street College of Education
Shael Polakow-Suransky, President of Bank Street College of Education, emphasized the importance of having high quality Spanish texts for children, noting that 41% of NYC Public School students are from Latinx ancestry; 15% are from Spanish-speaking families; and that thousands of NYC children are currently receiving bilingual education services in over 500 dual language programs.
Keynote Yuyi Morales
The incredible, Yuyi Morales, six-time winner of the Pura Belpré Award for Illustration, gave a moving keynote about her migration to the United States from Mexico, which ultimately became her book, Dreamers (2019). Not able to speak or read in English when she arrived in the U.S., her mother-in-law one day dropped her and her infant son at the library. And it was at the library where she not only found her new home but also her family. It is where she read stories about people just like her, written by people just like her, and for people who were just like her—immigrants.
Now, without further ado, the winners of 2020 Best Spanish Language Picture Book Awards are:
Gold Medal
MI PAPI TIENE UNA MOTO / MY PAPI HAS A MOTORCYCLE
by Isabel Quintero; Illustrated by Zeke Peña
Translator: Andrea Montejo
(Kokila, Penguin/Random House)
Silver Medals
¿DE DÓNDE ERES? / WHERE ARE YOU FROM?
by Yamile Saied Méndez; Illustrated by Jaime Kim (Harper Collins Publishers)
SEMBRANDO HISTORIAS: PURA BELPRÉ: BIBLIOTECARIA Y NARRADORA DE CUENTOS / PLANTING STORIES: THE LIFE OF LIBRARIAN AND STORYTELLER PURA BELPRÉ
by Anika Aldamuy Denise; Illustrated by Paola Escobar
Translated by Omayra Ortiz (Harper Collins Publishers)
Anika Aldamuy Denise accepting her award.
MARIO Y EL AGUJERO EN EL CIELO: CÓMO UN QUÍMICO SALVÓ NUESTRO PLANETA / MARIO AND THE HOLE IN THE SKY: HOW A CHEMIST SAVED OUR PLANET
by Elizabeth Rusch; Illustrated by Teresa Martínez
Translated by Carlos E. Calvo (Charlesbridge Publishers)
2020 Honorable Mentions
SOÑADORES / DREAMERS by YuYi Morales (Holiday House)
ALMA Y COMO OBTUVO SU NOMBRE / ALMA AND HOW SHE GOT HER NAME
by Juana Martinez Neal (Candlewick)
The program was recorded in its entirety by KidLit TV.
Below are a few photographic highlights:
The seal imprinted on the winning books was designed
twenty-five years ago and adapted by Lauren Linn.
Muchas gracias to The Bank Street Center for Children’s Literature for una noche increible.
A conversation between me and one of my favorite blog readers:
Me: My sincere apologies for being a little late to the party.
Blog reader: Didn’t World Read Aloud Day ’18 happen last week on February 1st?
Me: It did. I had the best of intentions of doing a blog post last week but I got a tad bogged down with rewrites. And then I found myself complaining about the rewrites that needed rewrites. Let’s just say it wasn’t pretty.
Blog reader: You are quite gifted in the complaining department.
Me: Thank you! Everyone needs a talent. In any event, in spite of my lateness, I had a blast celebrating World Read Aloud Day ’18 at KidLit TV and I wanted to shout out a HUGE THANK YOU to Julie Gribble, Rocco Staino, and the entire KidLit TV crew for making the day extra special. And if you want to know how very special that day was take a look at this:
Help make World Read Aloud Day an every day event!
I’m a tad late to the party in posting about this AMAZING event hosted by KidLit TV, but better late than never.
March is National Reading Awareness Month and to celebrate KidLit TV invited authors and illustrators to read their picture books for their first Live Stream Read Aloud Marathon on Friday, March 3, 2017.
The Read Aloud received over 3,000 views and was featured in Publisher’s Weekly column, In Brief.
Below are a few photographic highlights:
Rocco Stanno and Katya Szewczuk
Cynthia Weill and Orel Protopopescu
Laurie Wallmark
Roxie Munro, Barbara McClintock and Elizabeth Upton
Kat Yeh
Me, Laurie Wallmark and Orel Protopopescu
Roxie Munro and Carol Weston
Julie Gribble
Steve Light
Selene Castrovilla
Me and Rosanne Kurstedt
Kelly Light
Susanna Reich
Katya Szewczuk and Laurie Wallmark
That’s one scary witch!
Erica Rand Silverman and David Weinstone
Orel Protopopescu, Cynthia Weill and Susanna Reich
Rosanne Kurstedt
Laura Sassi
The Reading Ninjas
Ender, a super adorable Reading Ninja, reading Hildie Bitterpickles Needs Her Sleep.
(This made my day!)
A GINORMOUS THANK YOU to the amazing Julie Gribble, Erica Rand Silverman, Katya Szewczuk, Rocco Staino, and to everyone at KidLit TV who made this extraordinary celebration of reading so very special. Happy Reading!
Did you know that there’s magic in the air during the month of March? March is National Reading Awareness Month and to celebrate KidLit TV is having a READ ALOUD LIVE STREAM of picture books read by your favorite authors and illustrators on March 3rd from 12 pm to 3 pm. Hildie Bitterpickles and I, along with with our bats, rats, snakes, and grouchy cat, are tapping our heals three times, grabbing our brooms, and heading down to KidLit TV to celebrate the magic of reading.
Please join us for the festivities!
If you’ve ever wanted to go to Oz, all you have to do is click your heels three times, take the #1 train to Franklin Street, and ring the doorbell at #112. As soon as you enter, you will realize there’s magic in the air. It’s the home of KidLit TV.
Julie Gribble and me (photo by Kassia Graham)
I had the chance to spend the morning in this wonderfully magical place as I waited to record a reading of Hildie Bitterpickles Needs Her Sleep.
Hildie and I enjoying our KidLit TV debut.
Hildie closeup (Photo by Kassia Graham)
Kassia Graham
Art by Kelly Light
I would love to take home each and everyone of these loveys.
Painting of Franklin Street by Roxie Munro
It was so much fun having my make up done by the incredibly talented Mable Pang. I so wish she could do my make up every day. How fun would it be showing up at school pick up looking like Cinderella rather than my usual Wicked Witch of the West in sweat pants. I wonder if my own son would recognize me.
Mable Pang reading Hildie Bitterpickles
Signing a copy of The Case of the Missing Carrot Cake for Maple Pang’s daughter.
Rocco Staino
Steve Light
Steve Light (photos by Kassia Graham)
Unfortunately, I missed catching up with Joyce Wan. But here are some photographs Kassia Graham took of her visit to KidLit TV.
On my way out, all that I could think of was “There’s no place like KidLit TV. . . . There’s no place like KidLit TV.”
It was a day of celebration at Bank Street Book Store, an INDIES FIRST select store. INDIES FIRST is a special day of reading in recognition of neighborhood bookstores. The date coordinates with Small Business Saturday by encouraging holiday shoppers to support independent booksellers, a most precious and valuable resource for all.
An all-star lineup of authors and illustrators came out in droves to support Bank Street on this very special day.
Here are some photographic highlights:
Robie Harris
Amy Hest
Chris Grabenstein
Vin Vogel
Gail Lauren Karp
Todd Tarpley
Patricia Lakin
Mike Curato and Steve Light
Steve Light
A sneak peek of Steve Light’s new book, Swap!
(Ahoy, Mateys! Swap! sails onto bookshelves February 2016)
Yippee Skippee Puppet Theatre, starring Andrew Laties
Julie Gribble from KidLit TV
The Case of the Missing Carrot Cake on a shelf at Bank Street Book Store. 🙂
Karin Lefranc and Dan Gutman
Monica Wellington
Daphne Benedis-Grab and Laura Pedersen
Thank you Bank Street Book Store for a terrific day.
****
During this holiday season, please remember to support your neighborhood independent bookstore.
It was a wonderful year of firsts for KidLit TV. Founded by Julie Gribble, KidLit TV is the first multimedia website created to aid parents and educators explore the world of children’s literature. It received its first big award, the Parents’ Choice Gold Award, and it is currently in the process of launching KidLit RADIO.
“KidLit TV is an exciting and informative destination for authors, illustrators, teachers, publishers, and anyone with a passion for children’s literature.” — Children’s Book Council
“Visitors are almost guaranteed to find something interesting and useful, whether they are consumers, producers, or curators of children’s literature.” — Parents’ Choice on KidLit TV
Authors, illustrators and fans of all ages came out in droves to celebrate KidLit TV’s BIG ONE.
Here are some photographic highlights:
Julie Gribble and Katya Szewczuk
Adam Lehrhaupt and Ame Dyckman
Roxie Munro and spouse
Kelly Light and Kat Yeh
Nick Bruel and me
Beth Ferry, Annie Silvestro, me and Kelly Calabrese
Annie Silvestro, me, Katya Szewczuk, Beth Ferry and Ame Dyckman
Katya Szewczuk, Dan Yaccarino and Julie Gribble
Katya Szewczuk, Julie Gribble and Nick Bruel
Katya Szewczuk, Julie Gribble, Rocco Staino and Tad Hills
Rocco Staino and Kelly Light
Paul Zelinsky, Adam Lehrhaupt and Katya Szewczuk
And as part of this jubiliant celebration, KidLit TV teamed up with Tad Hills and ArtWorks for Youth (AWFY). AWFY provides free visual art instruction, academic support, and mentoring to students in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. To learn more about this wonderful program, please visit: http://artworksforyouth.co.za
Happy Birthday, KidLit TV! I suspect that the BIG TWO is going to be even bigger and better.
For more information about KidLit TV, please visit: http://kidlit.tv
It was the Kat’s Meow chatting with Katya Szewczuk from KidLit TV at the Princeton Children’s Book Festival. Check out all of her wonderful interviews!
Detectives Wilcox and Griswold were relieved to learn that Katya was not a real cat. However, they were most perplexed about the whole cat appeal. Why would anyone want to be an ordinary cat when you could be a far superior mouse? 🙂
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