The National Children's Book and Literacy Alliance Raises It's Voice at ALA Advocacy Rally Asking Congress to Support School and Public Libraries Across America!

NCBLA Board Authors and Staff  greet U.S. Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island, a Senate Library and Education Champion, at the ALA Library Advocacy Rally yesterday at the Capitol in Washington DC!

An energized coalition of NCBLA family and friends, joined NCBLA board authors Katherine Paterson, Steven Kellogg, Nikki Grimes, Linda Sue Park, M.T. Anderson, Mary Brigid Barrett (NCBLA President), and NCBLA Program Director Geri Eddins, adding a bit of color and zest to the sizzling ALA Capitol rally, Raise Your Voice for Libraries!

Pre-rally the NCBLA group rendezvoused at the Library of Congress Jefferson Building. At left is Steven Kellogg, resplendent in a library advocacy hat he made especially for the rally! All the  children's book character rally posters were created by NCBLA President Mary Brigid Barrett, who in her non-NCBLA life is also an author and illustrator. 

United States National Ambassador for Children's Literature Katherine Paterson chats it up pre-rally with Former First Lady of Virginia, RIF literacy champion, and NCBLA adviser Lynda Johnson Robb. Mrs. Robb's father, President Lyndon Johnson, was the first president to support significant funding for our nation's public and school libraries, providing millions of books free to our nation's children.

Newbery-award winning author
Linda Sue Park ready to march to the rally!


















 



Photo-op: New York Times best-selling author and poet Nikki Grimes with Katherine Paterson! Isn't that Linda Sue, too?!

 

The Rally!
NCBLA and friends on parade for kids and libraries!

National Book  award winning author M.T. (Tobin) Anderson arrives at the rally! Tobin--trying to keep his cool under a black umbrella-represented the NCBLA, making morning Congressional calls to his U.S. Senators John Kerry and Scott Brown, reminding them:

• That Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) should be funded at $300 million to ensure the best possible library resources for our children and all Americans.
• That Improving Literacy Through School Libraries should be funded at $100 million to best prepare students for the 21^st century workforce.
•  That every school needs a fully-funded school library staffed by a full-time state certified school librarian.
• That every library needs state and local professional development funds to recruit and train school librarians.
• To support the Access to Twenty-first Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2009 (H.R. 3101 and S. 3304)
• To support a free and open Internet for all by voting in favor of net neutrality. 

NCBLA authors Linda Sue Park, Katherine Paterson, Steven Kellogg, and Mary Brigid Barrett are joined by NCBLA friends, including Sharon Hancock and Jenny Choy from library champion, publisher Candlewick Press! The NCBLA was thrilled that many Children's Literature New England and the Childrens' Book Guild of Washington DC friends joined us-- Barbara Scotto, Rita Auerbach, Kathy Roche, Anne O'Donnell, Jacqueline Jules, and so many more-- on this glorious day raising their voices for kids and libraries!

 
NCBLA adviser and former ALSC President Therese Bigelow and NCBLA's children's literature consultant Maria Salvadore and son Nick, discuss the days' events with M.T. Anderson. 

The NCBLA authors, joined forces with the American Library Association's Advocacy staff, meeting with their state's Senators and House Representatives both before and after the rally, letting them know that libraries and librarians are necessities, not luxuries, in our children's lives. We need to make sure that all of our children have ready access to school and public libraries, that those libraries are  staffed with knowledgeable librarians who can help our kids obtain essential critical thinking tools, providing them with the information they need to work and live in this new century.  

MORE RALLY PHOTOS!
Children's literacy consultant and NCBLA friend Rachel Walker just sent us these terrific new rally photos! Thanks Rachel!

 

The National Children's Book and Literacy Alliance Invites You to a Capitol Rally for Libraries, June 29th!

NCBLA Board Authors Katherine Paterson, Steven Kellogg, Linda Sue Park, Nikki Grimes, and M.T. Anderson are 
Coming to Washington to Raise Their Voices for Our Kids and Our Nation's Libraries  -- Are You? 

Katherine Paterson

Steven Kellogg

Linda Sue Park

Nikki Grimes

M.T. Anderson














We invite you to join us and raise your voice for libraries at the United States Capitol on Tuesday June 29th! We want all of our nation's young people to have ready access to information, story, and technology in their school and neighborhood public libraries-- especially now when the need is so great!

The NCBLA authors and friends are meeting in front of the Library of Congress' Jefferson building steps at 10:30 am, June 29th. If you are a parent, grandparent, family member, teacher, librarian, author, illustrator, tinker, tailor, soldier, sailor--if you love kids and books and the Internet and libraries-- bring your kids and walk with us to the Raise Your Voice for Libraries Rally! The rally is sponsored by the American Library Association. It will held on the north, or Senate, side of the Capitol, and begin about 11:00 AM. 

If you cannot attend the rally in person, please write to your Congressional representatives and let them know that you value libraries. For information that will help you in that endeavor, go to:   

http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/altaff/advocacy/virtualmarch/index.cfm

For more details about the rally go to: 

http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/advocacy/libraryadvocacyday/index.cfm

http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/advocacy/libraryadvocacyday/coordinators/index.cfm

http://annual.ala.org/2010/index.php?title=Directions_to_the_Rally

You can read all about the NCBLA authors and illustrators at:http://www.thencbla.org/boarddirectors.html )

The NCBLA Invites You to a Capitol Rally for Our Nation's Libraries!

The National Children's 

Book and Literacy Alliance Invites You to Join Renowned Children's Book Authors--Katherine Paterson, Linda Sue Park, Nikki Grimes, M.T. Anderson, and Steven Kellogg to Raise Your Voice for Libraries at our U.S. Capitol

June 29th!

The NCBLA authors will be meeting informally in front of the steps of the Jefferson Building at 10:30 AM on June 29th, then walking together over to the National Rally for Libraries that will be held on the north side of the United States Capitol at 11:00 AM.  

Bring your kids, your friends, colleagues, and neighbors and join us in celebrating our nation's great public and school libraries. Raise your voice to let Congress know that school and public libraries are life necessities for our children, not luxuries. 

If you cannot attend the rally in person, please write to your Congressional representatives and let them know that you value libraries. For information that will help you in that endeavor, go to:   

http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/altaff/advocacy/virtualmarch/index.cfm

For more details about the rally go to: 

http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/advocacy/libraryadvocacyday/index.cfm

http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/advocacy/libraryadvocacyday/coordinators/index.cfm

http://annual.ala.org/2010/index.php?title=Directions_to_the_Rally

Sneak Peek: Episode 20 Goes Live Friday, June 18th

Latest Exquisite Corpse Adventure Episode Written by Steven Kellogg

In our last episode of The Exquisite Corpse Adventure 19, by Shannon Hale, our heroes found Genius Kelly, the pig, beneath a chestnut tree. Their delight was short-lived. The wolf attacked and Nancy killed it, releasing the eggy being inside who signaled his fellow aliens. Joe, Nancy, and Roberta realized that her robot legs were still running through time. The three of them formed a human (and robot) chain to grab them while Hathi, Sybil, and Genius Kelly prepared for the attacking aliens. The legs appeared, the three tackled them, and Roberta snapped them on. Unfortunately, the chaos of capturing the legs threw Joe, Nancy, and Roberta into a different time dimension. One without Hathi, Sybil, and Genius Kelly.

In Episode 20 by Steven Kellogg, what happens to Leonardo Dubenski, the evilest villain in all of Villiandom? Who saves Hathi, Sybil, and Genius Kelly, the pig? What is he traveling in? Where are Nancy, Joe, and Roberta?

Read the Episode and see Timothy Basil Ering's colorful and fun illustrations at Read.gov!

Steven Kellogg has written and illustrated over one hundred picture books. His love of drawing began at a young age where he entertained his sisters with, "Telling stories on paper." He is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Irma Simonton Black Award, the IRA-CBC Children's Choice Award, the Parents' Choice Award, inclusion on the ALA Notable Books lists, Booklist Editor's Choice, School Library Journal Best Books of the Year, the Horn Book Fanfare, and the list of Reading Rainbow featured selections. Episode 11 of The Exquisite Corpse Adventure is illustrated by Steven.

Be sure to check for Steven's books at your favorite library and bookstore. Especially his Pinkerton series based on his own Great Dane! To learn more about Steven and his work, visit his website.

Timothy Basil Ering is an author and illustrator. He says, "I always think of illustration as a form of acting. Each time I approach a project, I need to become the character I'm depicting. And then I have to choose the appropriate medium that will allow me to speak the voice." You can see more of Timothy's wonderful illustrations for The Exquisite Corpse Adventure in Episode 4, Episode 8, Episode 12, and Episode 16.

Some of Timothy's works include:

Visit Timothy's website for  more information on his books and illustrations.

ENJOY THE EPISODE!

Looking for Summertime Fun?

Visit The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, Massachusetts

The Eric Carle Museum is not your typical museum filled with landscapes and portraits. The walls of this unique and fun place are covered with illustrations from some of the most loved and colorful picture book art from around the world.

Founded by award winning author, Eric Carle, best known for The Very Hungry Caterpillar, the museum's goal is twofold. To introduce children and their families to picture book art and in doing so, increase literacy.

Plan to spend a few hours or the whole day exploring the galleries of Eric Carle's work, themed exhibits, and the exciting process of first sketches to final prints of individual artists. Special events like ballets based on picture books, lectures, and movies are shown in the auditorium so be sure to check it out.

The Art Studio is a must. Free materials and guided programs allow children (and adults) to let their imaginations go wild and try their hand at art. Who knows maybe a future illustrator is hiding inside your child!

For a much needed rest after all the activities, head to the museum's library where you'll find over 3,000 books. Share a quiet moment reading or settle in for story time.

Hungry? The Cafe serves healthy snacks and meals. And don't forget the museum's signature Caterpillar Cookie. Yum!

End the day visiting the Museum Shop for books, art supplies, toys, and more.

The Eric Carle Museum is a family outing that is fun and educational!

ENJOY!

NCBLA Recommends: Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards Announced!

Direct to you from the fabulous 

 

The 2010 Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards

Here they are:
Fiction: When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead (Wendy Lamb Books)
Honor books: The Dreamer by Pam Muñoz Ryan; illustrated by Peter Sís (Scholastic)
A Conspiracy of Kings by Megan Whalen Turner (Greenwillow)

Nonfiction: Marching for Freedom: Walk Together Children and Don't You Grow Weary by Elizabeth Partridge (Viking)
Honor Books: Anne Frank: Her Life in Words and Pictures by Menno Metselaar and Ruud van der Rol (Roaring Brook/Flash Point)
Smile by Reina Telgemeier (Scholastic/Graphix)

Picture Books: I Know Here by Laurel Croza; illustrated by Matt James (Groundwood)
Honor Books: The Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney (Little, Brown)
It's a Secret! by John Burningham (Candlewick)

The judges were Martha Parravano of the Horn Book; NYTBR Children's Books editor Julie Just; and novelist Gregory Maguire. The complete announcement can be found here.

The Library of Congress and The National Childrens' Book and Literacy Alliance (NCBLA) Have Great News to Share!!!

The 
NCBLA is 
Thrilled to Announce!

The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS) has provided audio recordings for all the episodes of "The Exquisite Corpse Adventure," the rollicking episodic story available exclusively at Read.gov. These podcasts enhance the accessibility of this story, which is being created by some of America’s finest writers and illustrators for young people. Read.gov is a website of the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress.

Read more about it at: http://www.loc.gov/today/pr/2010/10-129.html 
and at:  http://read.gov/exquisite-corpse/

Sneak Peek: Episode 19 Goes Live Friday, June 4th

Latest Exquisite Corpse Adventure Episode Written by Shannon Hale

In our last episode of The Exquisite Corpse Adventure 18 by Gregory Maguire, our group discovered that the light was a regional meeting of the evil aliens who were trying to do them in. Out of their hideous costumes, the aliens appeared like floating half-cooked poached eggs. Their prisoner, a flickering hologram of Genius Kelly, the pig, revealed that the memory they sought was not an object, but the bond between their heart and mind. The hologram also provided a clue as to the whereabouts of another piece of Roberta.

In Episode 19 by Shannon Hale, who do our heroes see under the chestnut tree? What happens to Hathi, Sybil, and Genius Kelly, the pig? What about Roberta's legs?

Read the Episode and see Calef Brown's colorful and fun illustrations at Read.Gov!

A crop of Calef's Episode 19 illustration appears at top right.

Newbery Honor winner and New York Times best-selling author Shannon Hale writes for teens and adults. Her children's books include a series, standalone books, and graphic novels. The graphic novel Rapunzel's Revenge was selected by Al Roker of the NBC Today show for his Book Club for Kids.

Be sure to check for Shannon's books at your favorite library and bookstore.  To learn more about Shannon Hale, visit her website.

Calef Brown is an author and award-winning illustrator. Some of his own works include fun titles like Polkabats and Octopus Slacks and Dutch Sneakers and Fleakeepers. His works have also appeared in numerous magazines including Time, Newsweek, and The New Yorker. You can see more of Calef's colorful illustrations for The Exquisite Corpse Adventure in Episode 3, Episode 7, and Episode 15.


Visit Calef's website for more information on his books and illustrations!

ENJOY THE EPISODE!