Singing to the Sun Wins Moonbeam Children's Award

The Moonbeam Children's Awards were announced last week and Singing to the Sun by Vivian French and illustrated by Jackie Morris, tied for the Gold position in the Picture Books category for all ages.

Presented by Jenkins Group and Independent Publisher Online, the Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards are designed to bring increased recognition to exemplary children’s books and their creators, and to support childhood literacy and life-long reading. Awards are given in 30 categories covering the full range of subjects, styles and age groups that children’s books are written and published in today.

As our society has become more complex and growing up more complicated, children’s book authors and publishers have risen to the occasion, creating books that not only celebrate the joys of childhood, but also help kids and families deal with its challenges. The Moonbeam Awards recognize and reward the best of these books and bring them to the attention of parents, booksellers, librarians – and to children themselves.

Funny You Should Ask...

It's been twenty days since my last post.

Starting in November, I'll be changing my schedule and working only four days a week. I'll still be traveling and you'll still see me on the road at conventions and conferences in different cities around the country.

But, I have begun already to scale down my time spent online and updating the blog. That's why I'm reaching out and asking fellow booklovers, kidlit bloggers and the audience of readers who enjoy our books (the children they were created for) for help.

Kane/Miller is a company that values everyone's input about how to spread the word about our award-winning children's books from around the world. We're a small, independent company with much to say about our books, but we want to hear from you.

What do you want to read about? Is there a comment, story, or observation you'd like to make about one of our books, authors, illustrators, or company in general?

I'm opening up the Kane/Miller Kidlit blog to you, our loyal readers. Please email me if you'd like to contribute as a guest blogger and attach your submission. I promise I'll do my best to include your writing in some capacity.

Banned Books Week

Typically, I celebrate banned books week by checking out a book from my local library (or pulling one off of my bookshelf at home) that is included in the 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books that ALA mentions on their website under the Intellectual Freedom section.

Like many avid readers, I grew up with these books and I challenge each and every adult to read each and every one of the books from this list. Whether you agree with the ideas, values, or opinions that are expressed within these pages, I do believe there is something to be said for having the freedom to share one's thoughts, in writing, and having the equal right to close the cover of a book that might offend us, or make us feel uncomfortable in some way.

If you're not already familiar with the books on this list, or the fact that there is such a list, I encourage you to look it over. You'll find such classics included such as Of Mice and Men, To Kill a Mockingbird as well as books by Judy Blume, Mem Fox, Stephen King and Mark Twain. You'll also find Where's Waldo? on this list so you just never know who or what might prompt a book to become "challenged."