The Joy of Children's Literature

From On Our Minds @ Scholastic Set aside your coffee so you don't spill it when I share the big news...It was just announced this morning that " The Oprah Winfrey Show" will be airing an exclusive interview between Oprah and J.K. Rowling, author of the best-selling Harry Potter book series. The interview, which will be Rowling's first appearance on "The Oprah Winfrey Show," will air this Friday, October 1, 2010. In the interview, which took place in Edinburgh, Scotland, Rowling shares with Oprah about her life and career as well as how she became one of the most recognizable writers of children’s literature today. Rowling, who rarely does interviews (so can you imagine how psyched we book-nerds are?!?!), also shares her thoughts on the possibility of ever writing another Harry Potter book in the future. Could Friday take any longer to get here? The interview with Oprah Winfrey and J.K. Rowling will air this Friday, October 1, 2010 on ...

Defending the Right to Read: Celebrating Banned Books Week   September 28, 2010 2 p.m. EDT/1 p.m. CDT/12 p.m. MDT 11 a.m. PDT   Librarians and teachers face more challenges than ever when it comes to defending children’s right to read. In celebration of Banned Books Week, this webinar features a stellar panel of experts, including renowned author and longtime advocate of intellectual freedom Judy Blume, who will discuss book rating systems, the impact of the Internet on challenges, the effect of censorship on children’s publishing, and how to best prepare for book challenges.    A dditional speakers include Beverly Horowitz, Vice President and Publisher of Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers; Pat Scales, former school librarian and a member of the National Coalition against Censorship Council of Advisors; Kristin Pekoll, a youn...

Via Fuse#8 School Library Journal Joins Picture Literacy’s Summer Sweepstakes as Co-Sponsor August 31, 2010; Milwaukie, OR School Library Journal is now co-sponsoring Picture Literacy’s End of Summer Sweepstakes, in which $1500 in graphic novels for emerging and reluctant readers in grades K-6 will be given away to four winners. Ads for the sweepstakes will appear on the School Library Journal website and in their electronic newsletters. A full-page ad will appear in the September 2010 issue of the School Library Journal magazine. “It’s very exciting to have School Library Journal join us in promoting this sweepstakes,” said Andrew McIntire, Director of Marketing at Picture Literacy. “Graphic novels are a powerful literacy tool, and we love helping schools out during these rough times by giving away these books. The first national launch of our catalog will go out at the end of September to hundreds of classrooms in 48 states. We couldn’t be more pleased to be sharing...