Author Archives: Sally Snyder

More Book Awards Announced!

The Bank Street Center for Children’s Literature announced, on May 6, 2020, the winners and honor books for two prestigious awards.  The Irma Simonton and James H. Black Award  went to The Crayon Man: The Story of the Invention of Crayola Crayons written by Natascha Biebow and illustrated by Steven Salerno. This award is for “an outstanding book for young children,” with text and illustrations working together, and is selected by children.  Given since 1973 (where have I been?  I just now heard about this award!) the award also has three honor books.

The Cook Prize has been awarded since 2012, and acknowledges excellence in picture books addressing STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) in its content.  Also selected by children, the 2020 winner is Mario and the Hole in the Sky: How a Chemist Saved Our Planet written by Elizabeth Rusch and illustrated by Teresa Martinez.

Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry is one of the Honor Books for the Irma Simonton and James H. Black Award.  Zuri’s hair is hard to control. Since today is a special day, Daddy is up to the task.  They try several hairstyles with poor results.  Then, just the right approach works for them. Everything is ready when Mommy gets home! There is a welcome banner up for her, but we do not know where she has been.  A wonderful story of family care and love.

(The Nebraska Library Commission receives free copies of children’s and young adult books for review from a number of publishers. After review, the books are distributed free, via the Regional Library Systems, to Nebraska school and public libraries.)

Teens’ Top Ten!

The Teens’ Top Ten overall list was announced yesterday. The 25 titles are listed on YALSA’s blog, The Hub, and on the YALSA website. Titles must have been published between Jan. 1, 2019 and Dec. 31, 2019 to be selected for the overall list by designated teen book groups. Encourage your teens to read from this list so they can vote for their favorite when voting is opened: August 15 – October 12, 2020.

Some of the listed titles I have read are Pumpkinheads by Nebraska author Rainbow Rowell, The Field Guide to the North American Teenager by Ben Philippe, and With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo. I talked about Pumpkinheads in my post about the 2020 Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers (on 1/9/20), so now I will share my thoughts about the other two titles.

Ben Phillippe, was born in Haiti and grew up in Montreal, Canada. The Field Guide to the North American Teenager tells of Norris Kaplan, a Black French Canadian, now living in Austin, Texas. He is smart, clever, and a little pessimistic – a tough combination for the Texans to handle. Norris, in a new high school, is constantly sweating profusely (he is unaccustomed to the hot weather). He steps back from everyone and judges who they are and what they do. Over time he begins to see the other students as people, some he likes and some he does not. After he makes a bad mistake, he realizes he has to step up, face the music, and see what he can do with his life. In January this book was named the winner of the 2020 Morris Award, for a debut book published by a first-time author writing for teens.

With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo shares the life of Emoni Santiago, who is Afro-Latina, now in her senior year at high school. She is thinking of the future but also about her daughter Emma, 2, and her abuela, with whom they live. She loves cooking in the kitchen and has an almost magical touch. Those who eat what she has cooked always comment on how the food helps them with whatever issue is in their lives. She wants to become a chef, but is aware of all the factors that make it impossible.

A new elective offered during her senior year is just what she needs, including a chance to go with the class to Spain and work with a chef there for a week. Emoni takes on so much, and is still not sure it will result in what she wishes for, until the very end of the book.

(The Nebraska Library Commission receives free copies of children’s and young adult books for review from a number of publishers. After review, the books are distributed free, via the Regional Library Systems, to Nebraska school and public libraries.)

YALSA Announces the 2020 Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers List

YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association), a division of the American Library Association (ALA),  announced the list on January 8, 2020 on their blog, The Hub.  You will see the committee also chose a “top ten” out of the 64 titles on the final list.

One of the titles selected as a top ten of the list is the graphic novel Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell, a Nebraska author. Deja and Josiah (who goes by Josie) are great friends and have worked together each fall at the pumpkin patch. This is the last day of their last fall together. Deja is determined to get Josie to talk to his four-year crush – the Fudge Girl. He is reluctant. This final evening is a whirlwind of hitting different parts of the Patch trying to find his crush. They encounter a snack-thief, a runaway goat, the maze, lots of chances to eat, all as Josie suffers anxiety about actually talking to Fudge Girl.     As School Library Journal (8/1/19) says, “The characters in this graphic novel are so expressive and authentic, it’s impossible not to love them…the dialog is cute, funny, and punny…”

Ms. Rowell notes in the back of the book that the Pumpkin Patch in the novel is fictional. However, illustrator Faith Erin Hicks did travel to Omaha to join Rainbow Rowell in a visit to her favorite Omaha pumpkin patch. There is a fun conversation between them at the back of the book.

(The Nebraska Library Commission receives free copies of children’s and young adult books for review from a number of publishers. After review, the books are distributed free, via the Regional Library Systems, to Nebraska school and public libraries.)

Teens’ Top Ten Voting is Now Open!

YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), has announced that voting is now open for the 2019 Teens’ Top Ten.  They encourage teens, ages 12-18, at your library to read and vote by October 13, 2018 for the book they think is the best.

The list of 25 contenders is located on YALSA’s Teens’ Top Ten (TTT) page, just scroll down a bit for it, and you will also see where you can download a PDF of the 25 titles with annotations.

Teens, and only teens, may vote on this designated page by clicking on the “Vote” button below their choice. Teens may vote for up to three books.

The “Top Ten” titles will be announced on October 16, 2019.  You can revisit the main TTT page to learn the results.

Not on this year’s TTT list, but still powerful, Kwame Alexander and Mary Rand Hess bring us Swing. Noah (17) (and white) has feelings for longtime friend, Sam (Samantha) but has yet to say anything to her. His best friend, Walt (African-American), who now goes by Swing, encourages him to let her know. Walt is determined to make the baseball team this coming year, and has a love of jazz – so both combine for his new, self-imposed, nickname. When Noah finds some old love letters in a gently used handbag he bought for his mother, he is inspired to use them as a guide to write to Sam. But he is caught off-guard when Swing gives one to her anonymously, for him. All of this is swept aside after a tragedy in the park.

Jazz, poetry & art, love, told in free verse.  As Kirkus (9/1/18) says, “Noah is the narrator, but it is Swing, with his humor, irresistible charm, and optimism, who steals the spotlight.”

(The Nebraska Library Commission receives free copies of children’s and young adult books for review from a number of publishers. After review, the books are distributed free, via the Regional Library Systems, to Nebraska school and public libraries.)

How to Pronounce an Author’s Name

It has been awhile since I mentioned the place to go to learn how to pronounce an author’s name, on Teachingbooks.net – this section of the page is free to visit and use, you do not need to sign up for it.

The website on June 4, 2010 noted it had 2,207 author names included and on July 25, 2019, it had 2,559 author names included, so they are continuing to add pronunciations. For each entry the author has been recorded pronouncing his or her name, and they usually have a comment or two as well, about their families or a funny occurrence at a conference.

You may wonder why some of the authors’ names are included – they may pronounce their name just like we think it is, or it may be a bit different. For example, I listened to Gail Carson Levine since I wondered if she pronounces it Le-veen or Le-vine. It is Le-veen.

Many authors or illustrators give the listener a rhyming word to help remember the pronunciation.  I liked Ibi Zoboi’s recording, explaining that her students used to say “Ibi is a boy” (even though she isn’t).   Warning: you can spend a lot of time on this website.

Mangoes, Mischief, and Tales of Friendship: Stories from India by Chitra Soundar contains two books from India of traditional folktales brought together in this volume encompassing a total of eight wisdom stories.

In them, Prince Veera and Suku, his best friend, occasionally step in for the King to listen to complaints and disagreements among their subjects. Some of the stories may be familiar to adults, but will intrigue those new to the logic used by the Prince.  For example, one merchant charged a poor man for enjoying the aroma of his delicious baked goods. In another, a man sells his neighbor a well, but did not include the water.

Compassion and empathy are emphasized, and some humor is included as well.   Stylized black-and-gray illustrations throughout add to the stories and there are only seven two-page spreads without any art.  This title is designed for grades 3-6.  (This will be on my Summer Reading Program list for 2020!)

(The Nebraska Library Commission receives free copies of children’s and young adult books for review from a number of publishers. After review, the books are distributed free, via the Regional Library Systems, to Nebraska school and public libraries.)

YALSA asks for book recommendations

The Hub, the blog site for YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association), encourages teens and adults to submit recommendations for their Media Lists that will be announced in early 2020. Criteria varies between the lists but in general, the book must not have been published before July 1, 2018 (Quick Picks) or Nov. 1, 2018 (all the other lists) and final publishing dates vary.  The lists are: Amazing Audiobooks for Teens, Best Fiction for Young Adults, Great Graphic Novels for Teens, Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers

Links to the individual “Field Suggestion” forms can be found on this posting.  You have plenty of time to ask your teens what new books they think deserve consideration, or you can recommend some titles you have read and think are worthy.  YALSA does state that “suggesting a title does not guarantee it will be nominated or blogged about.”

To learn more about each of the lists prior to submitting suggestions, visit this YALSA page and scroll down a bit to see the Media Lists.

New Kid by Jerry Craft is a full-color graphic novel I recently finished reading.  Jordan Banks (12), who loves drawing, is new to the Riverdale Academy Day School and discovers he is one of only a few people of color in the seventh grade.  This school is much larger, and more confusing, than his previous school.  Finding friends and his way is difficult, especially with some students and teachers who are less than aware of their troubling viewpoints and comments.  One teacher has continued to call a student by the wrong name for years.  Some teachers also make book suggestions based on a student’s race rather than his or her interests and are oblivious to the implications, demonstrating some common microaggressions people of color encounter.

As Booklist says, “this remarkably honest and accessible story is not just about being new, it’s unabashedly about race.”  Still the artwork and Jordan’s own sketchbook lighten the mood.  This is a book for every middle school, as Kirkus notes.  Starred reviews from Booklist, School Library Journal and Kirkus.

The Classroom Bookshelf blog of the online School Library Journal has a review and some teaching ideas connected to the book.

(The Nebraska Library Commission receives free copies of children’s and young adult books for review from a number of publishers. After review, the books are distributed free, via the Regional Library Systems, to Nebraska school and public libraries.)

School Library Journal Announces 2018 Best Books

Recently, in their December 2018 issue, School Library Journal listed 17 picture books, 21 Chapter Books & Middle Grade titles, 17 YA titles, 12 Nonfiction choices, four Poetry titles, and nine Graphic Novels & Nonfiction choices.  You can visit their web page for a look at the titles they chose to see what you might already have on your shelves, and what you may want to consider adding.  Underneath the slideshow of the titles is an opportunity to download the lists.

As usual, I have read and reviewed some of the titles on their lists, but not had a chance to see and read all of them. Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi is one of the Middle Grade titles they selected. It is the first of “Rick Riordan Presents,” an imprint of Disney Publishing Worldwide.

Aru (12) lives with her mother at the Museum of Ancient Indian Art and Culture in Atlanta, Georgia. Her mother is often gone on trips to research and discover artifacts for the Museum. At the beginning of winter break, three schoolmates stop by to challenge Aru to prove one of her stories is true (Aru has a good imagination), thus prompting her to light the lamp that could end the world. This freezes her mother and her schoolmates so Aru appears to be on her own to rectify her mistake. Fortunately, she is teamed up with another girl, Mini.  Soon Aru and her fellow heroine, Mini, are traveling to mystical places to try and save the world. Wonderful action, working through a possible friendship with Mini, and dealing with the guilt she feels keeps Aru on her toes. I am looking forward to the next book, Aru Shah and the Song of Death, which will be published on April 30, 2019.

(The Nebraska Library Commission receives free copies of children’s and young adult books for review from a number of publishers. After review, the books are distributed free, via the Regional Library Systems, to Nebraska school and public libraries.)

Teens Top Ten

Recently the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a section of the American Library Association (ALA) announced this year’s Teens Top Ten.  The titles are voted on by teens across the country from a list created by 15 designated teen groups in the U.S.  The 2018 Teens’ Top Ten PDF with annotations.

The list of 25 titles the teens chose from is also available.  Additionally, any reader from age 12 to 18 can nominate a title to be considered for the list by going to the nomination form.

You can learn more about the Teens Top Ten by visiting YALSA’s website for it.

One of the Top Ten I have read that is intriguing and complicated (in a good way) is Warcross by Marie Lu.  Emika Chen (18) is one of the millions of players who log into Warcross every day. The virtual reality game began 10 years ago, and now it has become a way of life. Emika, a top coder and bounty hunter, is not your average Warcross player. Desperate for money to pay her bills, she risks everything by hacking into the Warcross championships, but instead she glitches herself into the game and everyone sees her true identity. Emika believes she will be arrested, but instead the game’s creator has other plans. Billionaire Hideo Tanaka decides to pay off Emika’s debt and offer her a job. Will Emika accept the bounty job and help uncover a sinister plot against the Warcross game and its players? Action-packed science fiction novel that will keep you guessing until the very end!  Plus the sequel, Wildcard, came out in September (I haven’t read it yet).

(The Nebraska Library Commission receives free copies of children’s and young adult books for review from a number of publishers. After review, the books are distributed free, via the Regional Library Systems, to Nebraska school and public libraries.)