Interview with Exquisite Corpse Authors and Illustrators!

An Interview with NCBLA Exquisite Corpse Adventure Contributor, Author Steven Kellogg!

Steven wrote and illustrated Episode 11,  in which our brave hero Joe faces off with a squidly beast in the depths of the sea, and brought Angel, the pirate, back into the story in Episode 20. Check them out!

Steven Kellogg has loved children's books since he was a child and was always drawn to stories about animals. When he grew up, his own animals inspired him to write Pinkerton, Behave! and A Rose for Pinkerton.

The NCBLA asked Steven the following questions:

Q-What did you find to be the most challenging aspect of writing an episode for The Exquisite Corpse Adventure?

A-"The most challenging aspect of creating episodes for the ECA was choosing which characters and plot directions to concentrate on during the time that I was advancing the story, and then deciding how to conclude my segment with an intriguing detail that would propel both the readers and the waiting author into the next phase."

Q-What were some of your favorite books when you were in elementary school?

A-"When I was in school, I loved books about animals. Among my favorites were King of the Wind, by Marguerite Henry, Lassie Come Home by Eric Knight, and Black Beauty by Anna Sewell."

Q-What are you working on now? Do you have a new book coming out this year?

A-"I am working on Rip Van Winkle, which will be the next book in my series inspired by American tall tales. This year Scholastic is publishing a book by Ruth Krauss that I illustrated called: And I Love You."

Look for Steven's books at your favorite library and bookstore.

Visit Steven's website for more information on his books.

The FINAL Episode of The Exquisite Corpse Adventure Will be Revealed at the National Book Festival on September 25th!

Join emcee Mary Brigid Barrett and Team Corpse authors and illustrators M. T. Anderson, Timothy Basil Ering, Linda Sue Park, Katherine Paterson, and James Ransome for an hour of fun and surprises as they bring you the conclusion to this rollicking, episodic story The Exquisite Corpse Adventure.

Katherine Paterson, National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, will lead her colleagues in a dramatic reader's theatre presentation of Episode 27, the FINAL episode to conclude this yearlong adventure that began at last year's National Book Festival with Jon Scieszka's opening episode. Be sure to join us in the Children's Pavilion on the National Mall in Washington, D. C. at 10:00 AM sharp to be among the first to learn the fate of Nancy, Joe, and their friends!

The National Book Festival is an all-day event---free and open to the public---that celebrates the joy of books by enabling book lovers to meet their favorite authors and illustrators in six different pavilions. Each Team Corpse author and illustrator will also be giving an individual presentation in the Children's Pavilion or Teen's Pavilion at different times throughout the day.

Linda Sue Park in the Children's Pavilion at 11:00 AM
Timothy Basil Ering in the Children's Pavilion at 1:15 PM

M. T. Anderson in the Teen's Pavilion at 1:45 PM

James Ransome in the Children's Pavilion at 2:40 PM

Katherine Paterson in the Teen's Pavilion at 4:05 PM

Other beloved authors and illustrators for children and teens who will be discussing their work at this year's Book Festival include: Michael Buckley,  Suzanne Collins, Margarita Engle, Jules Feiffer, Mem Fox, Margaret Peterson Haddix, Jane Smiley, Jeff Smith, Rebecca Stead, Judith Viorst, and Rosemary Wells!

Read more about this year's book festival on the LOC's 2010 Book Festival Website.

SEE YOU THERE!

"Our White House" Available in Paperback at a Teacher and Family Friendly Price

With a NEW Poem by Nikki Grimes About President Obama's Inauguration!

The award-winning art and literature anthology, Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out, will be available in paperback at a bookstore near you September 14, 2010.

Conceived and co-created by The National Children’s Book and Literary Alliance, this outstanding collection of essays, personal accounts, historical fiction, and poetry melds with an equally stunning array of original art to offer a look at America’s history through the prism of the White House. Starting with a 1792 call for designers and continuing through the present day, these highly engaging writings and illustrations, expressing varied viewpoints and interwoven with key historical events, are a vital resource for family and classroom sharing -- and a stirring reminder that the story of the White House is the story of every American.

Building on the logical links between literacy, historical literacy, and civic engagement, the National Children’s Book and Literacy Alliance created Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out to encourage young people to read more about America’s rich history and culture; to think more about America’s future; to talk more about our nation’s leadership; and to act on their own beliefs and convictions, ensuring this great democratic experiment will survive and thrive.

Pulitzer Prize-winning historian David McCullough introduces this creative tour de force, in which 108 renowned authors and illustrators have donated their poetry, prose, and art to help advance the cause of young people’s literacy and historical literacy. The illustrations, essays, short stories, presidential letters, personal reflections, and historical accounts in Our White House inform and entertain, offering a window on more than 200 years of American history.

Our White House has been making headlines since it was published in September 2008!

"If books were measured like elections, this would win in a landslide." -USA Today

"This entertaining introduction to the White House is full of fascinating information, challenging ideas, and appealing artwork." - School Library Journal (starred review)

"This blue-ribbon choice for family sharing . . . makes the point that history does not have to be abstract, but a personal and ongoing engagement." -Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"A unique resource that will inform children about their country's history." -Booklist

"A remarkable mixture of contributions . . . a quirky household treasury." -Chicago Tribune

AWARDS for Our White House
Amazon.com Best Book of the Year
Horn Book Fanfare Selection
American Library Association Notable Children’s Book for All Ages
International Reading Association Teachers’ Choice
National Council for Social Studies and the Children’s Book Council Notable

Social Studies Trade Book for Young People 

Publisher's Weekly Best Book of the Year for Children's Nonfiction

School Library Journal Best Book of the Year

Companion Educational Website

Teachers, librarians, parents, and guardians, be sure to check out the NCBLA's companion educational website, www.ourwhitehouse.org, which expands the book content for Our White House and presents additional ideas, activities, and discussion questions related to book topics. Also included is an American history resource and literacy center, a guide to presidential field trip destinations, an extensive young people’s bibliography, and information on civic education.

Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out continues to be available in hardcover at libraries and bookstores.

Interview with Exquisite Corpse Authors and Illustrators!

An Interview with NCBLA Exquisite Corpse Adventure Contributor, Author Megan McDonald!

Megan contributed Episode 10 to the quirky and fun Exquisite Corpse Adventure. Check it out!

Think children's books and think Judy Moody. Award-winning author Megan McDonald says her character Judy is not unlike herself; both are moody, both have strong voices, and both stick up for themselves. In addition to the Judy Moody series, Megan writes picture books and other middle grade stories.

NCBLA asked Megan the following questions:

Q- What did you find to be the most challenging aspect of writing an episode for The Exquisite Corpse Adventure?

A-"Phew! I would have to say keeping all the previous story threads together-beast and babies, bombs, bridges, birthday cards-Yikes! That's a lot of hot potatoes to keep in the air (to pick up on M. T. Anderson's image). Figuring out how to move the existing story forward, yet contributing something different and unique at the same time. (Yes, I'm one who split up the twins and made them go in two different directions...). But hey, I loved the Telephone Games as a kid..."

Q- What were some of your favorite books when you were in elementary school?

A-"My number one favorite book as a kid was Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh. Also Nancy Drew books by Carolyn Keene, Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, Beverly Cleary's Ellen Tebbits, Stuart Little by E. B. White, Grimm's Fairy Tales by Brothers Grimm, Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House on the Prairie, and the biography of Virginia Dare."

Q-What are you working on now? Do you have a new book coming out this year?

A-"For nearly a year now, I've been working on the screenplay for the Judy Moody movie coming next year. I'm also finishing up a new Stink book: Stink and the Ultimate Thumb Wrestling Smackdown. Stink's parents encourage him to take up a sport, and he initially decides on thumb wrestling! Hardee-har-har. Judy Moody, Girl Detective is out in August 2010. Judy is in a Nancy Drew mood. There's mystery around every corner. Word of advice: Don't leave home without your S. O. S. lipstick!"

Look for Megan's fun books at your library and bookstore.

Visit Megan's website for more information on her books.

The FINAL Episode of The Exquisite Corpse Adventure Will be Revealed at the National Book Festival on September 25th!

Join emcee Mary Brigid Barrett and Team Corpse authors and illustrators M. T. Anderson, Timothy Basil Ering, Linda Sue Park, Katherine Paterson, and James Ransome for an hour of fun and surprises as they bring you the conclusion to this rollicking, episodic story The Exquisite Corpse Adventure.

Katherine Paterson, National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, will lead her colleagues in a dramatic reader's theatre presentation of Episode 27, the FINAL episode, to conclude this yearlong adventure that began at last year's National Book Festival with Jon Scieszka's opening episode. Be sure to join us in the Children's Pavilion on the National Mall in Washington, D. C. at 10:00 AM sharp to be among the first to learn the fate of Nancy, Joe, and their friends!

The National Book Festival is an all-day event--free and open to the public--that celebrates the joy of books by enabling book lovers to meet their favorite authors and illustrators in six different pavilions. Each Team Corpse author and illustrator will also be giving an individual presentation in the Children's Pavilion or Teen's Pavilion at different times throughout the day:

Linda Sue Park in the Children's Pavilion at 11:00 AM
Timothy Basil Ering in the Children's Pavilion at 1:15 PM
M. T. Anderson in the Teen's Pavilion at 1:45 PM
James Ransome in the Children's Pavilion at 2:40 PM
Katherine Paterson in the Teen's Pavilion at 4:05 PM

Other beloved authors for children and teens who will be discussing their work at this year's Book Festival include: Michael Buckley, Suzanne Collins, Margarita Engle, Jules Feiffer, Mem Fox, Margaret Peterson Haddix, Jane Smiley, Jeff Smith, Rebecca Stead, Judith Viorst, and Rosemary Wells!

Read more about this year's book festival on the LOC's 2010 Book Festival website.

SEE YOU THERE!

Sneak Peek: Episode 26 Goes Live Friday, September 10th!

Latest Exquisite Corpse Adventure Episode Written by M. T. Anderson!

Last Adventure Before the Grand Finale!!

In our last episode of The Exquisite Corpse Adventure 25 by Jack Gantos, Nancy and Joe wanted to open the blue door, step through, and search for their parents. Genius Kelly, the pig, stopped them when he recognized the yucky whitish, yellowish goop oozing out of the mail slot as advance scouts for an Eggy-Thingy Invasion Force. The group sealed up the door with coffins and wood glue. Nancy and Joe realized that with the front door now permanently shut, they would need a back door. And that door was last seen at Pirandello's.

In Episode 26 by M. T. Anderson, do Nancy and Joe find the door? What does Joe pull out of his pocket? Who's behind the door? Why are they afraid?

Read the Episode and see James Ransome's colorful and fun illustrations at Read.gov!

A crop of James' Episode 26 illustration appears at top right.

Award winning author, M. T. Anderson, writes picture books and young adult novels. He says, "People write for children for two reasons: Either they have children, or they are children. I'm in the latter category. I loved my childhood, and I write for children so I can recall it." M. T.'s intriguing and thought-provoking stories are a must read!

Be sure to check for these titles and others at your local library or bookstore.

For more information on M. T. Anderson and his books, visit his website.

James Ransome is an award-winning illustrator and author. The Children's Book Council named him one of the 75 authors and illustrators everyone should know. His works have appeared on Reading Rainbow and PBS's Storytime.
 

You can find examples of James' vibrant illustrations in Episode 2, Episode 6, Episode 10, Episode 14, Episode 18, and Episode 22.  Some of James' works include:

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

ENJOY THE EPISODE!

Interview with Exquisite Corpse Authors and Illustrators!

An Interview with NCBLA Exquisite Corpse Adventure Contributor, Author Jon Scieszka!

Jon kicked off The Exquisite Corpse Adventure by writing Episode 1. Check out how it all began at Read.gov.

Jon Scieszka writes funny, weird stories and collects awards for them. His first book, The True Story of The 3 Little Pigs!, has sold over three million copies and has been translated into 14 languages! Jon is the founder of Guys. Read, a nonprofit literacy organization dedicated to encouraging boys to read.

NCBLA asked Jon the following questions:

Q-What did you find to be the most challenging aspect of writing an episode for The Exquisite Corpse Adventure?

A-"Since I got to write the first episode, my challenge was to seed that first chapter with enough weird details for all the crazy writers following me. That turned out to be the fun part. The harder part was trying to set up a plot that would be strong enough to stand up to all the crazy writers."

Q-What were some of your favorite books when you were in elementary school?

A-"I loved: Go, Dog, Go! by P. D. Eastman, Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina, The Five Chinese Brothers by Claire Huchet Bishop, most all of Dr. Seuss, The Hardy Boys by Franklin W. Dixon, Fantastic Four comics, war comics, and MAD Magazine."

Q-What are you working on now? Do you have a new book coming out this year?

A-"I have a new series called Spaceheadz. It's about three aliens who come to take over the Earth. But they are not so bright, so they disguise themselves as a 5th grade girl, a 5th grade boy, and the 5th grade class hamster. Half the story is told in four crazily-illustrated books. The other half is online in websites, blogs, tweets, videos, posts, ads, and all sorts of digital forms. Sphdz.com is the website to lead you into the Spaceheadz world."

Look for Jon's fun books at your favorite library and bookstore.

Visit Jon's website for more information on his books.

The Final Episode of The Exquisite Corpse Adventure Will be Revealed at The National Book Festival on September 25!
Join emcee Mary Brigid Barrett and Team Corpse authors and illustrators M. T. Anderson, Timothy Basil Ering, Linda Sue Park, Katherine Paterson, and James Ransome for an hour of fun and surprises as they bring you the conclusion to the rollicking, episodic story The Exquisite Adventure.

Katherine Paterson, National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, will lead her colleagues in a reader's theatre presentation of Episode 27, the FINAL episode, to conclude this yearlong adventure that began at last year's National Book Festival with Jon Scieszka's opening episode. Be sure to join us in the Children's Pavilion on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. at 10:00 AM sharp to be among the first to learn the fate of Nancy, Joe, and their friends!

The Book Festival is an all-day event enabling book lovers to meet their favorite authors and illustrators in six different pavilions set up on the National Mall. Each Team Corpse author and illustrator will also be presenting an individual presentation in the Children's Pavilion or Teen's Pavilion at different times throughout the day. 

Other beloved authors for children and teens who will be discussing their work at this year's Book Festival include:  Michael Buckley, Suzanne Collins, Margarita Engle, Jules Feiffer, Mem Fox, Margaret Person Haddix, Phillip M. Hoose, Norton Juster, Brad Meltzer, Pat Mora, Marilyn Nelson, Jerry Pinkney, Anita Silvey, Jane Smiley, Jeff Smith, Rebecca Stead, Judith Viorst, and Rosemary Wells!

Read more about this year's book festival on the LOC's 2010 Book Festival website.

SEE YOU THERE!

Interview with Exquisite Corpse Authors and Illustrators!

An Interview with NCBLA Exquisite Corpse Adventure Contributor, Author Shannon Hale!

Check out Episode 7 and Episode 19 of The Exquisite Corpse Adventure to read Shannon's fun contributions.

Award winning author Shannon Hale writes for young adults and adults. She began writing at age 10 and has never looked back. One of her graphic novels, Rapunzel's Revenge, co-authored with her husband, was an Al's Book Club for Kids selection on NBC's Today.

NCBLA asked Shannon the following questions:

Q- What did you find to be the most challenging aspect of writing an episode for The Exquisite Corpse Adventure?

A-"It's so hard to write your episode without knowing where the story will go. When writing my own book, I can rewrite the whole thing extensively to make sure all the parts work together, but with this kind of writing you have to write your little bit and then let it go."

Q- What were some of your favorite books when you were in elementary school?

A-"The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis, Nancy Drew by Carolyn Keene, The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander, The Blue Sword and Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley, The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken, The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin, and Homecoming and Dicey's Song by Cynthia Voigt."

Q-What are you working on now? Do you have a new book coming out this year?

A-"I have two twin babies coming out this year! But no book release. Daisy Danger Brown probably won't be for a couple of years."

Look for Shannon's wonderful books at your favorite library and bookstore.

For more information on Shannon and her books, visit her website.

The Final Episode of The Exquisite Corpse Adventure Will Be Revealed at The National Book Festival on September 25th!

Join emcee Mary Brigid Barrett and Team Corpse authors and illustrators, M. T. Anderson, Timothy Basil Ering, Linda Sue Park, Katherine Paterson, and James Ransome for an hour of fun and surprises as they bring you the conclusion to the rollicking, episodic story The Exquisite Corpse Adventure.

Katherine Paterson, National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, will lead her colleagues in a reader's theatre presentation of Episode 27, the FINAL episode, to conclude this yearlong adventure that began at last year's National Book Festival.

Be sure to join us in the Children's Pavilion on the National Mall in Washington, D. C. at 10:00 AM sharp to be among the first to learn the fate of Nancy, Joe, and their friends!

Read more about this year's book festival on the LOC's 2010 Book Festival website.

SEE YOU THERE!

Spotlight on Exquisite Corpse Adventure Contributor Gregory Maguire

Attention Gregory Maguire fans! Have you been reading The Exquisite Corpse Adventure?! If not, be sure  to check it out on Read.Gov where you can find Maguire's engaging contributions -- Episode 5 and Episode 18 -- to this fun and quirky tale. In Episode 18, "The Regional Conference," the young protagonists Nancy and Joe discover the true form of the villains who have captured and trapped their parents in another dimension. Armed with this revelation, Nancy and Joe continue their journey to find and free their parents. Will this family ever be reunited? Keep reading to find out! Episode 25 is the most recent episode to go live on Read.Gov. 

Gregory Maguire is the author of six novels for adults (including “Wicked,”  the inspiration for the Broadway musical of the same name) and several dozen children’s books, most recently “What-the-Dickens: The Story of a Rogue Tooth Fairy.”

Maguire is a co-founder and co-director of Children’s Literature New England Inc., an educational charity whose mission is to raise public awareness of the significance of literature in the lives of children. In addition to teaching at and helping to direct the Center for the Study of Children’s Literature at Simmons College, he was a founding board member of The Foundation for Children’s Books and is an honorary board member of the National Children's Book and Literacy Alliance. Additionally, he has served on Caldecott and National Book Award juries and has been a regular contributor to the “New York Times Book Review.”

Maguire’s recent works include “Making Mischief: A Maurice Sendak Appreciation” and “Matchless: A Christmas Story,” a work written originally for performance on "All Things Considered," Dec. 25, 2008, and in the Morrow edition illustrated by the author.

When not involved in advocacy for children and the arts or in writing, Maguire remembers he has three small children at home in Massachusetts, and regularly visits the public library in an obsessive and even devotional way. Some of Maguire's favorite books when he was in elementary school include The Diamond in the Window by Jane Langton, Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh, A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle, and The Narnia Chronicles by C. S. Lewis.

Maguire's current work includes an original paperback novel for adults coming out this fall called The Next Queen of Heaven. Regarding other current work, Maguire has said, "I hope to supply my publisher the fourth and I think final volume of my series called THE WICKED YEARS, the working title of which is OUT OF OZ."

Look for Maguire's unique books at your favorite library or bookstore:

For more information about Gregory and his books, visit his website.

What is The Exquisite Corpse Adventure?

For those not in the know, The Exquisite Corpse Adventure is a series of episodes written and illustrated by famous children's authors and illustrators. Each author and illustrator inherits the story from the previous folks. It's like taking over a recipe in the middle, you need to understand what's gone into the stew so far and then add your own ingredients to make it hot and spicy! To catch up on all the exciting episodes, go to Read.gov.

And parents, teachers, and librarians be sure to check out the NCBLA's Exquisite Corpse Adventure Educational Resource Center for great ideas on how to turn The Exquisite Corpse Adventure into a great educational adventure!

The Final Episode Will Be Revealed at The National Book Festival on September 25
Join emcee Mary Brigid Barrett and Team Corpse authors and illustrators M.T. Anderson, Timothy Basil Ering, Linda Sue Park, Katherine Paterson,  and James Ransome for an hour of fun and surprises as they bring you the conclusion to the rollicking, episodic story The Exquisite Corpse Adventure. Katherine Paterson, National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, will lead her colleagues in a reader's theatre presentation of Episode 27, the FINAL episode, to conclude this yearlong adventure that began at last year’s National Book Festival. Be sure to join us in the Children's Pavilion on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. at 10:00 AM sharp to be among the first to learn the fate of Nancy and Joe and their friends! 

Read more about this year's book festival on the LOC's 2010 Book Festival website.

Sneak Peek: Episode 25 Goes Live Friday, August 27th!

Latest Exquisite Corpse Adventure Episode Written by Jack Gantos!

In our last episode of The Exquisite Corpse Adventure 24 by Natalie Babbitt, Nancy, Joe, and Genius Kelly, the pig, traipsed through the woods in search of the shop that sold doors. They reached the shop and met the proprietor, Doris. At the mention of Nancy and Joe's surname, Sloppy, the backroom of the shop exploded with the sound of doors slamming over and over. A mysterious voice yelled at a closed blue door. Nancy inspected the door and found a brass mail slot with her father's initials on it. As she reached to open the blue door, the voice boomed that it would be the end of her if she tried.

In Episode 25 by Jack Gantos, what oozes out of the mail slot? Where does Genius Kelly go? What's up with Pirandello's door?

Read the Episode and see Chris Van Dusen's colorful illustrations at Read.gov!

A crop of Chris' Episode 25 illustration appears at top right.

Award winning author Jack Gantos writes picture books and middle grade and adult novels. He says the seeds for his writing career were planted in the sixth grade when he read his sister's diary and decided he could write better. In high school he knew he would be a writer and in college began in earnest.

Check out Jack's books at your local library or bookstore.

For more information on Jack and his books, visit his website.

"Dr. Seuss and Robert McCloskey were my heroes," says author and illustrator Chris Van Dusen. "I loved the rhythm of Dr. Seuss' words and I was fascinated by the meticulous details of Robert McCloskey's illustrations. I had no idea back then that I'd end up writing and illustrating children's books when I grew up."

You can find examples of Chris' fun illustrations in Episode 1, Episode 5, Episode 9, Episode 13, Episode 17, and Episode 21.

Some of Chris' works include:

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

ENJOY THE EPISODE!

Save the Dates for These Fall Literacy and Literature Events

Reading Is Fundamental Releases Results of Meta-Analytic Review

Shows Positive Effect of Book Distribution Programs on Education-Related Outcomes

 

Press Briefing to include in-depth review and discussion of the research on Tuesday, September 21, 2010, 10:00-11:00 AM at the NATIONAL PRESS CLUB (529 14th Street, NW; Washington, DC 20045).

 

Reading Is Fundamental commissioned Learning Point Associates (an affiliate of American Institutes for Research) to conduct an intensive meta-analysis of research on education-related outcomes of children’s access to print materials. This near exhaustive study uncovered more than 11,000 research reports. After rigorous screening to determine inclusion in the full meta-analytic review, the final study included 108 reports of the most exacting data and topical relevance. Please contact Melissa Mills, mmills@rif.org, 202.536.3528, for more information.

National Book Festival

The 10th Annual National Book Festival, celebrating "A Decade of Words and Wonder," will be held from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 25, 2010, on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The 2010 National Book Festival will feature authors, poets and illustrators in several pavilions. Festivalgoers can meet and hear firsthand from their favorite authors, get books signed, have photos taken with PBS storybook characters and participate in a variety of activities. Some 130,000 book fans attended the festival of 2009.  Read more about this year's book festival on the LOC's 2010 Book Festival website.

Exquisite Corpse Adventure Authors and Illustrators to Open the Book Festival in Children's Pavilion

Join emcee Mary Brigid Barrett and Team Corpse authors and illustrators M.T. Anderson, Timothy Basil Ering, Linda Sue Park, Katherine Paterson,  and James Ransome for an hour of fun and surprises as they bring you the conclusion to the rollicking, episodic story The Exquisite Corpse Adventure, available exclusively at www.Read.gov. Katherine Paterson, National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, will read her episode that concludes this yearlong adventure that began at last year’s National Book Festival.

One-Day Colloquium at Simmons College

Join The Boston Globe–Horn Book Award–winning authors and illustrators, as well as their editors and the award judges, as they explore the unique collaborations that create children’s books.

Registration includes the full-day colloquium at Simmons College featuring speeches, breakout sessions, and panel discussions, as well as admittance to the 2010 Boston Globe–Horn Book Awards ceremony and reception on Friday evening, October 1. Learn more at: www.hbook.com/hbas.

Panelists will include: Rebecca Stead, Fiction winner; Elizabeth Partridge, Nonfiction winner; Laurel Croza and Matt James, Picture book winners; John Burningham, Picture book honor book; Peter Sís, Fiction honor book illustrator; and Megan Whalen Turner, Fiction honor book.

2010 Children's Literature Festival at Keene State College

Join other children's literature enthusiasts at this year's Keene State College Children's Literature Festival on Saturday, October 30 at Keene State College in Keene, New Hampshire. Scheduled speakers at this year's festival will each give a one-hour presentation: Susan Cooper, Paul B. Janeczko, Marty Kelley, Chris Raschka, and Jeanette Winter. The authors' and illustrators' books will also be on sale throughout the day of the festival. Learn more at the Festival website.

Interview with Exquisite Corpse Authors and Illustrators!

An Interview with NCBLA Exquisite Corpse Adventure Contributor, Author Susan Cooper!!

Check out Episode 4 and Episode 17 of The Exquisite Corpse Adventure to read Susan's part in this fun story.

Newbery Medal winner Susan Cooper writes novels, picture books, chapter books, and screenplays for television and Broadway. In the world of children's literature, fantasy and Susan Cooper are synonymous. One only has to read her The Dark is Rising series to see how she magically weaves myths and legends into gripping tales.

The NCBLA coaxed Susan back into the real world to answer a few questions:

Q- What did you find to be the most challenging aspect of writing an episode for The Exquisite Corpse Adventure?

A-"I suppose the most challenging aspect was the one that was also the most fun - the fact of having absolutely no control over what happened to the characters before the start of my episode, or after it. The second time around was even more fun than the first, because so much outrageous stuff had happened to them in between. And the second time offered extra challenges because I felt I should go back to Jon S's (Scieszka) list of forthcoming events and characters mentioned in his first episode and try to pick up some that we hadn't yet dealt with. The whole thing was a blast, and I hope it's been enjoyable to read - though it does probably prove that a truly coherent novel is best written by a single author."

Q-What were some of your favorite books when you were in elementary school?

A-"I was in elementary school A VERY LONG TIME AGO, and in England. I loved The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame, Kipling's Jungle Book, the Just So Stories, and Kim E. Nesbit's fantasies, The Five Children and It, The Phoenix and The Carpet, and non-fantasy, The Railway Children (these three were very old-fashioned even then, but are still worth reading). And most of all, everything by my favorite author, Arthur Ransome, stories about children and boats, from Swallows and Amazons all the way to Great Northern? My American children loved them too. When they grew up and left home, my son Jon carried off my childhood set, so I wailed to a secondhand bookseller friend in England and she found me substitutes. There they sit on my shelf, all twelve of them, in the original green bindings."

Q-What are you working on now? Do you have a new book coming out this year?

A-"Candlewick will be publishing a book I've written about the singer/director/author John Longstaff in 2011. I've been writing a novel (for 10 year olds, I imagine - it's the publishers who decide that) for the past two years and am just finishing it, so it probably won't come out till 2011 either. It jumps from the 17th century to the present day and is written in the first person by a Native American boy, which is either very courageous of me or very rash - perhaps both! Neither book yet has a title: I always have trouble with titles. The novel, I suppose, will be Simon & Schuster (McElderry) over here and Random House (Bodley Head) in the UK, as usual."

Look for Susan's intriguing books at your favorite bookstore or library.

For more information about Susan and her books, visit her website.

What is The Exquisite Corpse Adventure?

For those not in the know, The Exquisite Corpse Adventure is a series of episodes written by famous children's authors and illustrators. Each author and illustrator inherits the story from the previous folks. It's like taking over a recipe in the middle, you need to understand what's gone into the stew so far and then add your own ingredients to make it hot and spicy! To catch up on all the exciting episodes, go to Read.gov.

And parents, teachers, and librarians, be sure to check out the NCBLA's Exquisite Corpse Adventure Educational Resource Center for great ideas on how to turn The Exquisite Corpse Adventure into a great education adventure.