Just enter the title in their search engine on the left. ISBN# 1-58536-004-X, published November 2000, ages 4 – 8.

The Wonderful Wizard
Guess everyone knows that the Wizard of Oz turned 100 last year. First published in 1900, the book has obviously had lasting appeal. Rather sad that author L. Frank Baum had to file for bankruptcy before his death and illustrator W.W. Denslow died a forgotten man, working for a second-rate art agency. For more interesting trivia facts on the book, stage and film versions, etc., purchase the just released The Annotated Wizard of Oz: The Centennial Edition by Norton Publishers, $39.95. It includes an exact reproduction of the 1900 edition with the W.W. Denslow illustrations. (Buy it for $31.96 from Amazon – ISBN: 0393049922).

And on top of my Christmas Wish List was the new pop-up by Robert Sabuda of The Wizard of Oz – and what an outstanding pop-up it is. Some are even mentioning that it should make notable books. If you have not seen it, go to any book store and check it out – it is definitely a top-seller. And thank goodness, one of my relatives took my Christmas Wish List seriously…

Newbery/Caldecott Awards To Be Announced

New Awards to Be Announced
This year there is a brand new award - the ALSC/Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award. This new award shall be awarded annually to the author of the most distinguished informational book published during the preceding year. The award is named in honor of Robert F. Sibert, the long-time President of Bound to Stay Bound Books, Inc. of Jacksonville, Illinois, and is sponsored by the company. 

Information books are defined as those written and illustrated to present, organize and interpret documentable factual material for children. There are no limitations as to the character of the book, although poetry and traditional literature are not eligible. Honor books may be named; they shall be books that are truly distinguished.

Want more information on criteria for this award? Check it out at: http://www.ala.org/alsc/sibert.html

This is the second year that the Michael L. Printz Award will be given. This is an award for a book that exemplifies literary excellence in young adult literature. It is named for a Topeka, Kansas school librarian who was a long-time active member of the Young Adult Library Services Association. The 2000 Award Winner was Walter Dean Myers for the book "Monster”. For more information on this award, check out the YALSA site at: http://www.ala.org/yalsa/printz/index.html

Best Books for Young Adults and Quick Picks for Young Adults
The books that will make the final lists for the above for the year 2001 will also be announced at the ALA Conference, though the lists will probably not be available the same day online. However, these two lists are the only lists (unlike Children’s Notables mentioned below) where the nominations are released before the actual winners are announced. For a full listing of the 2001 Best Books for Young Adults’ nominations go to: http://www.ala.org/yalsa/booklists/bbya/01bbyanoms.html and for the 2001 Quick Picks for Young Adults’ nominations: http://www.ala.org/yalsa/booklists/quickpicks/01qpnoms.html

Notable Children’s Books
The Notable Children’s Books are also announced at the conference, but the final list is not usually available until after the ALA Conference since committee members must write annotations for each book on the list – a time-consuming job. Notable Books are the “cream of the crop” for the year and libraries will want to consult the list and possibly pick up books they have not already ordered. 

Here is the definition of “notable books” - notable should be thought to include books of especially commendable quality, books that exhibit venturesome creativity, and books of fiction, information, poetry and pictures for all age levels (through age 14) that reflect and encourage children's interests in exemplary ways. 

The evaluative criteria to be used are: 

1. literary quality; 
2. originality of text and illustration; 
3. clarity and style of language; 
4. excellence of illustration; 
5. excellence of design and format; 
6. subject matter of interest and value to children; 
7. the likelihood of acceptance by children. 

Want more information? Check out: http://www.ala.org/alsc/notablebooks_terms.html

What’s New at the Movies? (And on the Tube)
Well now that we have all seen Jim Carey as the Grinch and some even suffered through the Rugrats Adventures in Paris, what is new for the big screen?

How about Tim Allen starring in The Cat in the Hat, and Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are, both being released this year to the big screen.

And here’s one we will probably want to miss – Shrek – voiced by Mike Meyers (Austin Powers). Based loosely on William Steig’s book Shrek, the creature is a smelly, green, anti-social ogre. As a computer-animated star, the power team of DreamWorks and Pacific Data Images (Antz) produced it. Other famous voices will be John Lithgow as Lord Farquaad, Cameron Diaz as the Princess, and Eddie Murphy as a donkey. This is definitely PG however – the movie to be released May 18 has been described as rude and irreverent. Here’s just one clip – “The Shrek fishes by farting in the lake, making all the fish float to the surface.” (USA Today, Jan. 2, 2001) Like I said – we may want to miss this one…..

And finally, on the TV screen, Clifford the Big Red Dog, has been renewed for PBS. The new season begins January 15 and there will be 13 new episodes. Load up on those Clifford books. 

Kids Rule! 
And don’t you just love it?? It’s true – kids do rule according to the USA Today, December 29, 2000 with a full-page article on “Kid-Fluence.”

Just read this—

“The 19-and-under crowd, 78.2 million strong, now tops the 77.8 million baby boomers. Last year, just the 12-and-under gang spent $27.9 billion of its own money and influenced $248.7 billion of Mom and Dad’s spending. This “kid-fluence” – as James McNeal of McNeal & Kids consulting in Austin, Texas, calls it – is expected to grow 5% to 20% over the next 10 years, enabling young controllers-of-the-purse-strings to steer even more of the family’s entertainment decisions and demand more from the entertainment industry. Kids in 2001? They’ll rule. Exerting the most influence – the tweens, ages 8 to 12. 

‘I think they’re determining everything – from what we watch, to fashion, to music, to what films are getting made, what product is being produced,’ says T.L. Stanley, editor of What’s Hot Now (whnx.com), an online licensing marketplace. ‘If you can tap into that group, I think you’re gold, because they are influencing kids younger than they are, and closely watching and emulating what’s going on with the group that’s older than they are.’ ”

Which leads to my last topic….

Tweens Rule….or Middle School Mania
So if tweens rule, then why do you read and hear so little on service to middle schoolers in libraries today? We talk about young children and young adults, but what about this in-between important group?

We will be addressing just these ages – grades 5 to 8 – at our Youth Services Symposium this year on May 10 and 11 at Mohican State Park. Our program - Middle School Mania: Materials, Programming and Services for Grades 5 to 8 – will feature Patrick Jones, author of Connecting Young Adults and Libraries and also author Patricia Hermes, who has written some insightful books for middle schoolers. The conference is sponsored by MOLO, NOLA and NORWELD Regional Systems. Mark your calendar now – this is one you won’t want to miss!

Items submitted by:
Sue McCleaf Nespeca
[email protected]