2012-02-15T21:02:28Z http://kerirecommends.com/atom.aspx Quick Blogcast tag:www.kerirecommends.com,2012-02-14:50ef0864-c8ca-476b-90db-5877b79dbabe Keri Collins 2012-02-15T02:07:00Z 2012-02-15T02:07:00Z The Cybils Awards are listed here.Not sure what they are? They're children's lit awards given by bloggers, who explain their work thus: "One way to look at the Cybils is that instead of telling kids what we think they should be reading, we take a look at what they already are reading (or likely will read) -- and then pick out the best of them."Thanks to Gregory K. at GottaBook for the link. ... tag:www.kerirecommends.com,2012-02-08:3e65f8a3-1373-433d-9c50-6419f7ef03d8 Keri Collins 2012-02-08T18:44:00Z 2012-02-08T18:44:00Z From writing coach Daphne Gray-Grant: Negative Writing Tips.Check out more at her website. ... tag:www.kerirecommends.com,2012-02-07:c2d12a83-6785-4b3a-8f5d-d3928d63201f Keri Collins 2012-02-08T01:09:00Z 2012-02-08T01:09:00Z Here is a bookish quote in today's daily"Moment of Happiness" email from Gretchen Rubin's The Happiness Project: "If a man wants to read good books, he must make a point of avoiding bad ones; for life is short, and time and energy limited." — Schopenhauer ... tag:www.kerirecommends.com,2012-02-01:cfe87b22-3a22-4eec-b6ed-54ca6816ded5 Keri Collins 2012-02-01T18:24:08Z 2012-02-01T18:24:08Z If you follow this blog, you know I'm a fan of Jane Yolen.At the recent SCBWI NYC winter conference, she awarded funds to mid-list authors "whose careers have stalled."In publishing, everyone hears about the mega-sellers, but there is a rather large group of writers termed "mid-listers" because their books don't have huge printings, big audiences, or celebrity clout. You can hear Jane explain it in this video.She's just a classy lady, giving back to her fellow writers.Yay, Jane! ... tag:www.kerirecommends.com,2012-01-23:dec772db-8bec-4cde-8726-12d7c32576d5 Keri Collins 2012-01-23T18:25:00Z 2012-01-23T18:25:00Z Here is a list of the 2012 award winners. ... tag:www.kerirecommends.com,2012-01-21:4eb6b63d-7011-47bf-a3c0-5e66b5bd6d80 Keri Collins 2012-01-21T22:00:59Z 2012-01-21T22:00:59Z Reading a book written by someone I know is such a thrill. I was fortunate to live in an area of California overflowing with talented writers. I read the first chapter of Jay Asher's haunting novel 13 Reasons Why in manuscript form at a critique group meeting. I met Thalia Chaltas as we carpooled to the national SCBWI convention, and read her novel, Because I am Furniture in manuscript form. I had the good fortune to know what the Disco Mermaids look like without all of the glitter and glamor. They're really lovely, good people.So it was Very, Very Exciting ... tag:www.kerirecommends.com,2012-01-06:9666f839-7fc6-4712-be77-cfa281d0cad3 Keri Collins 2012-01-07T00:07:00Z 2012-01-07T00:07:00Z Today at work we received our monthly safety tips newsletter. The topic was office safety.My mind flew to one of the favorite read-alouds of my years spent teaching: Officer Buckle and Gloria, by Peggy Rathmann. In this comic tale of a boring safety officer whose passion for the rules is greater than everything -- even, in the end, his own pride -- readers experience the joy of being in on the joke before the protagonist. With visual humor in abundance, fine pacing, and lots of heart, this picture book is beloved by generations of readers. It won the Caldecott medal ... tag:www.kerirecommends.com,2012-01-01:8d64c76b-abe6-4c0e-ab04-0e2cd7a9ad8f Keri Collins 2012-01-01T22:23:59Z 2012-01-01T22:23:59Z I will forever be a sucker for January 1st. I've always been a resolver. I even managed to fulfill one of mine for 2011 -- keeping a gratitude journal with five entries for each day. I also managed to get married on Jan. 1, 2008, so happy anniversary to me.Obviously, I love new beginnings, fresh starts, and the idea of renewal.This year I'm hoping to renew my efforts to write, read, and publish in the realm of children's lit. It brings me great joy and energy to read well-written books, and thanks to my mom's gift of some bookstore ... tag:www.kerirecommends.com,2011-12-14:06666a55-f8e3-4661-90fb-fbbf07add1cb Keri Collins 2011-12-15T03:38:00Z 2011-12-15T03:38:00Z My friend and co-author Jana sent me this link to an interesting article on Slate.com. We actually had better help getting our books on Amazon than from local bookstores and booksellers when our book came out. I think this writer makes some valid points. On the surface, the "buy local" movement looks like an easy, "well, duh!" sort of argument, but it's more complex than that, and I like this author's approach.Thanks Jana! ... tag:www.kerirecommends.com,2011-12-12:8f2e9e38-b5c0-441d-bed6-c775ff60a1c3 Keri Collins 2011-12-13T01:00:49Z 2011-12-13T01:00:49Z It takes a true friend who knows someone very well to send this sort of link.It's not just about book sculptures (though they are incredible). It's not just about libraries, though the catalyst for the mysterious donation of these sculptures is the funding cuts of libraries in Scotland.It's about art, mystery, books, the importance of reading, poetry, taking risks, and the willingness to believe in magic.Thanks, Neesie, for sending the link! Scotland, books, art, and poetry all in one place! EPIC!Photo from blog post at Central Station, the Creative Social Network ... tag:www.kerirecommends.com,2011-12-07:7a10527c-fd24-48d1-a4a7-114ea186beed Keri Collins 2011-12-07T23:33:00Z 2011-12-07T23:33:00Z Best Books of 2011 as determined by School Library Journal. This is an annotated list so you can get an idea of what each book is about.I just love librarians.By the way, it snowed here this morning. In Mississippi. ... tag:www.kerirecommends.com,2011-12-02:94bd201e-75da-4a64-8d68-e5caae33d587 Keri Collins 2011-12-03T00:17:00Z 2011-12-03T00:17:00Z Here is the link. Looks like Richard Peck has a new book I need to check out! Note that the list starts with YA and picture books are on the second page.Anyone have any finds they'd like to share with the rest of us? Shameless self-promotion is acceptable, authors and illustrators. Just link in the comments.Photo by Pingu1963 on Flickr . ... tag:www.kerirecommends.com,2011-11-28:d4ef1cb3-65b8-48a1-b31d-29a45f74a75a Keri Collins 2011-11-29T00:14:00Z 2011-11-29T00:14:00Z Author-illustrator Jarrett Krosoczka is offering orginal artwork, a visit to his studio, and more to support the scholarship he created in honor of his grandparents. Joe & Shirley raised him, and encouraged his artistic talent by enrolling him in art classes at the Worcester Art Museum. The love he has for them is evident in the videos he posted, explaining his desire to honor them by creating a way for a child -- who may not have the means to pursue his or her artistic dream -- to take art class at the WAM as he did.If an auction ... tag:www.kerirecommends.com,2011-11-26:9cee6d95-2be2-4dc6-bfd3-ff8bdc83d497 Keri Collins 2011-11-27T00:38:56Z 2011-11-27T00:38:56Z As I mentioned in an earlier post, I signed up to participate in Picture Book Idea Month. As with many projects, my initial enthusiasm sustained me through about the first two weeks. I was even ahead at one point.Then life happened. Work, family, meals to cook, a house to clean . . . all of that stuff that goes on behind the scenes in books took center stage. (Okay, there's a lot of cleaning in Cinderella and some cooking in other tales but you know what I mean.)Then Thanksgiving happened. Contributing writers & illustrators eagerly offered ... tag:www.kerirecommends.com,2011-11-26:91b3b55c-152d-468a-b95e-e6c02ddd6897 Keri Collins 2011-11-26T23:27:08Z 2011-11-26T23:27:08Z If you've ever been curious about publishing, this info graphic and set of videos will explain the many wondrous people required to bring a book from manuscript to finished product. Brought to you by Publishing TrendSetter, with thanks to the SCBWI blog for the link!I love the writer's story -- he's a school teacher and didn't fancy himself an author. He wrote one chapter at a time, read it to his class, and every night he had to write a new chapter to keep them satisfied with "what happened next?" His first response by someone in the industry was, ... tag:www.kerirecommends.com,2011-11-23:5ff9f0d3-6be7-46b7-8501-6b8bdf4595db Keri Collins 2011-11-23T14:26:14Z 2011-11-23T14:26:14Z I love clever people. I also love poetry.Sylvia Vardell (professor and author) and Janet Wong (poet and author) are clever indeed. They created the "Kindleku" -- a poem that is no longer than 10 lines with no more than 25 characters (with spaces) per line. A poem of this size is easily viewed on a Kindle, even if the user has increased the type size for legibility. Ahem.For their e-book Gift Tag, Vardell and Wong asked a pod of famous poets to select a photo from the Gift Tag photo blog, and write a Kindleku to match it. Each ... tag:www.kerirecommends.com,2011-11-17:7e7acba1-e6f9-477d-8ac4-82eabe111171 Keri Collins 2011-11-17T18:45:00Z 2011-11-17T18:45:00Z I went to my local library to search for mentor texts. I checked out several books and The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog! was in the pile.Pigeon discovers a hot dog, and is about to devour it, when a little duckling approaches and casually asks what a hot dog tastes like. Of course the pigeon sees through the duckling's innocent inquiry, but his ensuing moral dilemma is painful. Never does Willems say a word about sharing, being kind, or any of the lessons involved in confrontations such as this. He doesn't have to, because . . .The pigeon ... tag:www.kerirecommends.com,2011-11-01:f97f9f1b-230b-453e-b7fd-0ee120649ef0 Keri Collins 2011-11-01T12:29:00Z 2011-11-01T12:29:00Z I'm a fan of author/illustrator Loren Long. In my dream world, I write a picture book manuscript worthy of his art. But, he works with presidents, so it's an unlikely occurrence.While I was in a local bookstore on Saturday, I picked up his book Otis. It's a charming tale of friendship, of life on the farm, and how fancy new tractors snore. Well, it's not really a story about tractors and their sleep habits, but let's face it, old tractors (and the dudes who drive them, like my husband) rule. So do boys named Otis, but that ... tag:www.kerirecommends.com,2011-10-29:4bb12939-51f5-44e2-ba09-36acc3839a1c Keri Collins 2011-10-30T02:10:38Z 2011-10-30T02:10:38Z Read Mo Willems' lecture on The Horn Book's website.Not having an iAppliance of any type = ignorance about apps in general, and kids' apps in particular.Yes, I have a Kindle (which doesn't get nearly as much use as I thought it would, but winter is coming, and hopefully more time to read!), but the idea of not having a picture book, the idea of losing the literal page turn, seems to be a terrible blow to childhood. I hope books are never exclusively digital.If you're not familiar with Mo Willems' work, he's most famous for his books about the ... tag:www.kerirecommends.com,2011-10-27:89a25a67-02cb-4851-a331-8ce389831ce7 Keri Collins 2011-10-27T21:37:03Z 2011-10-27T21:37:03Z Hey, all you writers, dreamers, illustrators, teachers, and parents-who-make-up-stories-every-night-at-bedtime!The lovely Tara Lazar has created the children's writers' & artists' response to National Novel Writing Month: Picture Book Idea Month. The goal is to create one new picture book idea each day during the month of November. In Tara's words: "You don’t have to write a manuscript. You don’t need potential best-seller ideas. You might think of a clever title. Or a name for a character. Or just a silly thing like “purple polka-dot pony.” The object is to heighten your picture-book-idea-generating senses. Ideas may build upon other ...