MadLuck Books Blog

A Children's Books Blog - information on award winning children's books, personalized books, reading tips, and book reviews.

Monday, January 29, 2007

It was snowing!

Quote of the week:

It was a new morning and it was snowing! Huge cotton ball snowflakes were tumbling past Kipper's window.
"Yes!" said Kipper, jumping out of his basket. "Yes! Yes!"...

Kipper was very positive about snow.

- Mick Inkpen, Kipper's Snowy Day

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Thursday, January 25, 2007

American Library Association Announces 2007 Literary Award Winners

SEATTLE, Jan. 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Library Association (ALA) today announced the top books and video for children and young adults -- including the Caldecott, King, Newbery and Printz awards -- at its Midwinter Meeting in Seattle. The ALA also provided a live Web cast of the press announcement, which is archived and available at http://www.unikron.com/ala-webcast.

A list of all the 2007 literary award winners follows:

-- John Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children's literature:
The Higher Power of Lucky, written by Susan Patron, is the 2007 Newbery Medal winner. The book is illustrated by Matt Phelan and published by Simon & Schuster/Richard Jackson.
Three Newbery Honor Books were named: Penny from Heaven, written by Jennifer L. Holm and published by Random House; Hattie Big Sky, by Kirby Larson, published by Delacorte Press; and Rules, by Cynthia Lord, published by Scholastic.

-- Randolph Caldecott Medal for the most distinguished American picture
book for children:
Flotsam, illustrated by David Wiesner, is the 2007 Caldecott Medal winner. The wordless book is published by Clarion. Two Caldecott Honor Books were named: Gone Wild: An Endangered Animal Alphabet, written and illustrated by David McLimans, and published by Walker, and Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom, illustrated by Kadir Nelson, written by Carole Boston Weatherford and published by Hyperion/Jump at the Sun.

-- Michael L. Printz Award for excellence in literature written for
young adults:
American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang is the 2007 Printz Award winner. The book is published by First Second, an imprint of Roaring Brook Press, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishing Holdings Limited Partnership.
Four Printz Honor Books were named:
The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation; v. 1: The Pox Party by M. T. Anderson, published by Candlewick; "An Abundance of Katherines" by John Green,
published by Dutton, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.; "Surrender" by Sonya Hartnett, published by Candlewick Press; and "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak, published by Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of Random House Children's Books.

-- Coretta Scott King Book Award recognizing an African American author and illustrator of outstanding books for children and young adults:
Copper Sun, written by Sharon Draper, is the King Author Book winner. The book is published by Simon & Schuster/Atheneum Books for Young Readers.
One King Author Honor Book was selected:
The Road to Paris written by Nikki Grimes and published by G.P. Putnum's Sons, a division of PenguinYoung Readers Group.

Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom
, illustrated by Kadir Nelson, is the King Illustrator Book winner. The book was written by Carole Boston Weatherford and published by Jump at the Sun/Hyperion Books for Children.
Two King Illustrator Honor Books were selected:
Jazz, illustrated by Christopher Myers, written by Walter Dean Myers and published by Holiday House Inc.; and Poetry for Young People: Langston Hughes illustrated by Benny Andrews, edited by David Roessel and Arnold Rampersad, and published by Sterling Publishing Co. Inc.

-- Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Author Award:
Standing Against the Wind, written by Traci L. Jones is the Steptoe winner. The book is published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

-- Schneider Family Book Award for books that embody the artistic expression of the disability experience for child and adolescent audiences:
The Deaf Musicians, written by Pete Seeger and poet Paul DuBois Jacobs, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie and published by G. P. Putnam's Sons wins the award for children ages 0 to 10.
"Rules," written by Cynthia Lord and published by Scholastic Press is the winner in the middle-school category (age 11-13).
"Small Steps," written by Louis Sachar and published by Delacorte Press, is the winner in the teen category (age 13-18).

-- Theodor Seuss Geisel Beginning Reader Award for the most distinguished beginning reader book:
"Zelda and Ivy: The Runaways," written and illustrated by Laura McGee Kvasnosky is the Geisel Award winner. The book is published by Candlewick Press.
Three Geisel Honor Books were named:
"Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride," written by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Chris Van Dusen and published by Candlewick Press; "Move Over, Rover!" written by Karen Beaumont, illustrated by Jane Dyer and published by Harcourt Inc.; and "Not a Box," written and illustrated by Antoinette Portis and published by HarperCollins.

-- Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement in writing for young adults:
Lois Lowry, author of "The Giver," is the 2007 Edwards Award winner. "The Giver" is published by Walter Lorraine Books/Houghton Mifflin Company.

-- Laura Ingalls Wilder Award for a substantial and lasting contribution to literature for children:
Author-illustrator James Marshall is the 2007 Wilder Award winner. Marshall was the author and illustrator of the "George and Martha" books, the "Fox" easy reader series, "The Cut-Ups" and "Goldilocks and the Three Bears."

-- Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award for most distinguished informational book for children:
"Team Moon: How 400,000 People Landed Apollo 11 on the Moon," written by Catherine Thimmesh, is the 2007 Sibert Award winner. The book is published by Houghton.
Three Sibert Honor Books were named:
"Freedom Riders: John Lewis and Jim Zwerg on the Front Lines of the Civil Rights Movement," written by Ann Bausum and published by National Geographic; "Quest for the Tree Kangaroo: An Expedition to the Cloud Forest of New Guinea," written by Sy Montgomery, photographs by Nic Bishop and published by Houghton; and "To Dance: A Ballerina's Graphic Novel," written by Siena Cherson Siegel, artwork by Mark Siegel and published by Simon & Schuster/Richard Jackson (hardcover) and Simon & Schuster/Aladdin.

-- Andrew Carnegie Medal for excellence in children's video:
Author/illustrator Mo Willems and Weston Woods Studios, producers of "Knuffle Bunny," are the 2007 Carnegie Medal winners. The DVD is based on Willems' book "Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale" and is performed by Willems, his wife Cheryl and their daughter Trixie. It is directed and animated by MaGiK Studio, with music by Scotty Huff and Robert Reynolds.

-- Mildred L. Batchelder Award for the most outstanding children's book translated from a foreign language and subsequently published in the United States:
Delacorte Press is the winner of the 2007 Batchelder Award for "The Pull of the Ocean." Originally published in France in 1999 as "L'enfant Ocean," the book was written by Jean-Claude Mourlevat and translated by Y.Maudet.
Two Batchelder Honor Books also were selected:
"The Killer's Tears," published by Delacorte Press, and "The Last Dragon," published by Hyperion/Miramax.

-- Alex Awards for the 10 best adult books that appeal to teen audiences:
"The Book of Lost Things," written by John Connolly and published by Simon & Schuster/Atria
"The Whistling Season," written by Ivan Doig and published by Harcourt
"Eagle Blue: A Team, A Tribe, and A High School Basketball Season in Arctic Alaska," written by Michael D'Orso and published by Bloomsbury
"Water for Elephants," written by Sara Gruen and published by Algonquin
"Color of the Sea," written by John Hamamura and published by Thomas Dunne.
"The Floor of the Sky," written by Pamela Carter Joern and published by the University of Nebraska
"The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game" written by Michael Lewis and published by Norton
"Black Swan Green," written by David Mitchell and published by Random House
"The World Made Straight," written by Ron Rash and published by Henry Holt
"The Thirteenth Tale," written by Diane Setterfield and published by Simon & Schuster/Atria

-- May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture recognizing an individual of distinction in the field of children's literature, who then presents a lecture at a winning host site:
David Macaulay will deliver the 2008 lecture. Macaulay's work varies from the Caldecott Medal-winning "Black and White" to the satiric fiction of "Motel of the Mysteries."

Recognized worldwide for the high quality they represent, ALA awards guide parents, educators, librarians and others in selecting the best materials for youth. Selected by judging committees of librarians and other children's literature experts, the awards encourage original and creative work. For more information on the ALA youth media awards and notables,
please visit the ALA Web site at http://www.ala.org/mw07winners.


SOURCE American Library Association

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Copyright © 1996-2007 PR Newswire Association LLC. All Rights Reserved.
A United Business Media company.
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Tuesday, January 23, 2007

My Camping Adventure Personalized Book


Product Spotlight

Title: My Camping Adventure Personalized Book
Manfacturer: Create-A-Book (Hefty Publishing, Inc.)
Illustrator: Lyn Gray Rackley
Seller: Personalized Children's Books by MadLuck Books
Description: Discover the legend of the old mountain's treasure in this personalized camping adventure. (Ages 4-10)


Buy Here
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Here's the whole story with samples of the illustrations (Personalized information is in red here, but not in the ordered books):




Pages 1 & 2 - Illustration pages

Page 3
It was "Old Teddy Bear," the hermit, who told Dad the story of the mountain's treasure. Now Dad would pass the story along to Mike. "It's over that ridge," Dad told Mike. "We'll have to camp overnight."

Page 4
"We should check our supplies, Mike. We wouldn't want to forget anything," said Dad. Mike's friends, Austin, Steven, and Billy, were there to help load the van. Everyone was very curious about the treasure.

Pages 5 & 6 - Illustration pages

Page 7
There was so much camping gear that Mike, Austin, Steven, and Billy had to get behind Dad and push to make it all fit. Finally, the van was packed. Everyone squeezed in, and off they went. The adventure had begun!

Page 8
It was a long day of traveling, and the children were tired. The setting sun stirred the natural sounds of the forest. After everyone had made camp, Steven studied the map with Mike. "Look, Mike, we'll go this way."

Pages 9 & 10 - Illustration pages

Page 11
That night, Mike could hear an owl hooting in the distance. He found it very difficult to sleep. Everyone was so excited about the treasure! The snoring that was coming from Dad didn't help matters either.

Page 12
Finally, morning came. Everyone was up early and ready to go. "We want to be sure not to leave any trash behind, so let's clean up our campsite," ordered Dad.
"Here is some paper," said Billy, while ripping it up and stuffing it into the trash bag. Mike thought that the paper looked a lot like the map. No, it couldn't be.

Pages 13 & 14 - Illustration Pages
"It's a rough trail, and we'll have to go by horseback," said Dad. "Mike, stay close to Austin, Steven and Billy."

"Don't worry, Dad. You can count on me," said Mike. Dad was glad to have Mike with them.

Page 16
Up the mountain, the trail became narrow and winding. Mike was amazed by the beautiful plant life surrounding them. Finally, everyone stopped for lunch.
"Who has the map?" asked Dad.
"Not me," said Mike.
"Not me," said Steven.
"Not me," said Billy.
"It's gone!" exclaimed Mike. "How will we ever find the treasure?"
"Hmmm... " said Dad. "Perhaps I can remember the way."

Pages 17 & 18 - Illustration pages

Page 19
Dad seemed confident about the way to the treasure. This made Mike feel better about the lost map. "Let's catch some fish for lunch!" Dad said. Mike, Austin, Steven and Billy cast their lines into the clear mountain stream. Mike immediately hooked a big fish. It was big enough for everyone to eat.

Page 20
While everyone helped to prepare lunch, Dad spoke to Mike, Austin, Steven and Billy. "When I was a young cub like you, I met Old Teddy Bear, the hermit, out here in these very woods. I'll tell you his story tonight after dinner." The food was served, and everyone ate until they could eat no more.

Pages 21 & 22 - Illustration pages


Page 23
"The old hermit told me of the mountain's great treasures many years ago. He said that only the wisest of all of the bears would discover the treasure's true value. Tomorrow, we will travel down the mountain stream."

Page 24
The next morning brought dew and beautiful singing birds. Mike smelled the fresh, clean air as they paddled away in their canoe. Mike reminded everyone to put on a life jacket.

Pages 25 & 26 - Illustration Pages

Page 27
Austin leaned over to get a life jacket and fell head first into the cold mountain stream. "Help!" Austin cried. Everyone was alarmed. Mike quickly grabbed a life jacket and threw it out to help Austin swim ashore.

Page 28
Mike helped Austin out of the stream and onto the grassy bank. Dad put an arm around Mike. "That was quick thinking, Mike," said Dad. "I'm very proud of you. Next time, we'll all remember to put on our life jackets before we get in the canoe."

Pages 29 & 30 - Illustration pages

Page 31
Later that day, Dad told everyone to gather around. "How much farther, Dad?" asked Mike.
"We are here," Dad remarked, to everyone's surprise.
"But where's the treasure?" asked Mike.
"Don't you see?" said Dad. "It's all around us, and it's been here all along. It's the natural sounds of the forest. It's in the green trees, the fresh air, and clean water. These things are the real treasures of the mountain."

Page 32
At first, Mike, Austin, Steven and Billy were puzzled. Then, Mike realized what Dad meant! He envisioned the old hermit telling Dad that only the wisest of all of the bears could find the real treasure of the mountain, and he was right!

Pages 33 & 34 - Illustration pages


Page 35
Mike would always remember this special camping adventure, and he would tell all of his friends in Warrenton about his discovery of the real treasures of the mountain.

Page 36
From that day forward, Mike always remembered to respect the beauty and wonder that nature has to offer, and so should everyone.

Dedication page
My Camping Adventure
was created especially for
Michael Jeremy Smith
at the age of 8

With love from
Mom and Dad
June 12, 2006

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Monday, January 22, 2007

One kind word...

Quote of the week:

One kind word can warm three winter months.

- Japanese proverb

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Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Golden Kite Awards

The Golden Kite Awards are given annually by the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) to recognize the best books by its members in four categories:
Fiction, Nonfiction, Picture Book Text, and Picture Book Illustration.

The winners from 1986 through the present:
2006
To be announced early 2007

2005
Fiction
A ROOM ON LORELEI STREET by Mary E. Pearson
Nonfiction
CHILDREN OF THE GREAT DEPRESSION by Russell Freedman
Picture Book Text
DOÑA FLOR by Pat Mora (illus. Raul Colón)
Picture Book Illustration
BABY BEAR'S CHAIRS Illus. by Melissa Sweet (author Jane Yolen)

2004
Fiction
BUCKING THE SARGE by Christopher Paul Curtis
Nonfiction
DUST TO EAT: DROUGHT AND DEPRESSION IN THE 1930s by Michael L. Cooper
Picture Book Text
APPLES TO OREGON by Deborah Hopkinson (illus. Nancy Carpenter)
Picture Book Illustration
THE MYSTERIOUS COLLECTION OF DR. DAVID HARLEYSON by Illus. and writthen by Jean Cassels

2003
Fiction
MILKWEED by Jerry Spinelli
Nonfiction
LEONARDO: BEAUTIFUL DREAMER by Robert Byrd
Picture Book Text
THE DIRTY COWBOY by Amy Timberlake (illus. Adam Rex)
Picture Book Illustration
I DREAM OF TRAINS Illus. by Loren Long (author Angela Johnson)

2002
Fiction
FRESH GIRL by Jaïra Placide
Nonfiction
THIS LAND WAS MADE FOR YOU AND ME: THE LIFE AND SONGS OF WOODY GUTHRIE by Elizabeth Partridge
Picture Book Text
GEORGE HOGGLESBERRY, GRADE SCHOOL ALIEN by Sarah Wilson (illus. Chad Cameron)
Picture Book Illustration
MRS. BIDDLEBOX Illus. by Marla Frazee (author Linda Smith)

2001
Fiction
TRUE BELIEVER by Virginia Euwer Wolff
Nonfiction
BLACK POTATOES: THE STORY OF THE GREAT IRISH FAMINE by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
Picture Book Text
THE SHOE TREE OF CHAGRIN by J. Patrick Lewis (illus. Chris Sheban)
Picture Book Illustration
THE LAMP, THE ICE, AND THE BOAT CALLED FISH Illus. by Beth Krommes (author Jacqueline Briggs Martin)

2000
Fiction
THE BOXER by Kathleen Karr
Nonfiction
DARKNESS OVER DENMARK by Ellen Levine
Picture Book Text
RIVER FRIENDLY, RIVER WILD by Jane Kurtz (illus. Neil Brennan)
Picture Book Illustration
THE RAIN CAME DOWN by David Shannon

1999
Fiction
SPEAK by Laurie Halse Anderson
Nonfiction
SPACE STATION SCIENCE: LIFE IN FREE FALL by Marianne J. Dyson
Picture Book Text
A BAND OF ANGELS by Deborah Hopkinson
Picture Book Illustration
THE LITTLE RED HEN (MAKES A PIZZA) Illus. by Amy Walrod, (author Philemon Sturges)

1998
Fiction
RULES OF THE ROAD by Joan Bauer
Nonfiction
MARTHA GRAHAM: A DANCER'S LIFE by Russell Freedman
Picture Book Text
OLD ELM SPEAKS: TREE POEMS by Kristine O’Connell George
Picture Book Illustration
SNOW by Uri Shulevitz

1997
Fiction
STONES IN WATER by Donna Jo Napoli
Nonfiction
CARMINE'S STORY: A BOOK ABOUT A BOY LIVING WITH AIDS by Arlene Schulman
Picture Book Text
THE PAPER DRAGON by Marguerite W. Davol (illus. Robert Sabuda)
Picture Book Illustration
THE PAPER DRAGON by Robert Sabuda (author Marguerite W. Davol)

1996
Fiction
THE MOORCHILD by Eloise McGraw
Nonfiction
SMALL STEPS by Peg Kehret
Picture Book Text
SAVING SWEETNESS by Diane Stanley
Picture Book Illustration
MARKET DAY Illus. by Holly Berry (author Eve Bunting)

1995
Fiction
THE WATSONS GO TO BIRMINGHAM - 1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis
Nonfiction
ABIGAIL ADAMS by Natalie S. Bober
Picture Book Illustration
FAIRY WINGS by Dennis Nolan and Lauren Mills

1994
Fiction
CATHERINE, CALLED BIRDY by Karen Cushman
Nonfiction
KIDS AT WORK: LEWIS HINE AND THE CRUSADE AGAINST CHILD LABOR by Russell Freedman
Picture Book Illustration
BIG FAT HEN by Keith Baker

1993
Fiction
MAKE LEMONADE by Virginia Euwer Wolff
Nonfiction
ELEANOR ROOSEVELT by Russell Freedman
Picture Book Illustration
BY THE LIGHT OF THE HALLOWEEN MOON Illus. by Kevin Hawkes (author Caroline Stutson)

1992
Fiction
LETTERS FROM A SLAVE GIRL by Mary E. Lyons
Nonfiction
THE LONG ROAD TO GETTYSBURG by Jim Murphy
Picture Book Illustration
CHICKEN SUNDAY by Patricia Polacco

1991
Fiction
THE RAIN CATCHERS by Jean Thesman
Nonfiction
THE WRIGHT BROTHERS by Russell Freedman
Picture Book Illustration
MAMA, DO YOU LOVE ME? Illus. by Barbara Lavallee (author Barbara Joose)

1990
Fiction
THE TRUE CONFESSIONS OF CHARLOTTE DOYLE by Avi
Nonfiction
THE BOYS' WAR by Jim Murphy
Picture Book Illustration
HOME PLACE Illus. by Jerry Pinkney (author Crescent Dragon Wagon)

1989
Fiction
JENNY OF THE TETONS by Kristiana Gregory
Nonfiction
PANAMA CANAL: GATEWAY TO THE WORLD by Judith St. George
Picture Book Illustration
TOM THUMB by Richard Jesse Watson

1988
Fiction
BORROWED CHILDREN by George Ella Lyon
Nonfiction
LET THERE BE LIGHT by James Cross Giblin
Picture Book Illustration
FOREST OF DREAMS Illus. by Susan Jeffers (author Rosemary Wells)

1987
Fiction
RABBLE STARKEY by Lois Lowry
Nonfiction
INCREDIBLE JOURNEY OF LEWIS AND CLARK by Rhoda Blumberg
Picture Book Illustration
THE DEVIL & MOTHER CRUMP Illus. by Arnold Lobel (author Valerie Scho Carey)

1986
Fiction
AFTER THE DANCING DAYS by Margaret Rostkowski
Nonfiction
POVERTY IN AMERICA by Milton Meltzer
Picture Book Illustration
ALPHABATICS by Suse MacDonald


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Monday, January 15, 2007

Martin Luther King Jr. Picture book biographies

Went to the Library yesterday to research some picture book biographies of Martin Luther King Jr. Here are the best one's I found:

I've Seen the Promised Land The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by Walter Dean Myers, illustrated by Leonard Jenkins. Walter Dean Myers (recipient of the Margearet A Edwards Award and five Coretta Scott King Awards) provides the powerful simple text for this biography. Leonard Jenkins expressive, colorful illustrations are very dramatic.



Martin Luther King by Rosemary L. Bray, illustrated by Malcah Zeldis. The text of this biography is suited for the older reader, and deals with King's life in more detail than the other books listed here. Zeldis's paintings complement nicely.



Happy Birthday Martin Luther King by Jean Marzollo, Illustrated by J Brian Pinkney. This gentle book is geared to the preschool/kindergarten audience.




My Dream of Martin Luther King by Faith Ringgold. Told in the form of a dream had by the narrator, this simple picture book makes for interesting reading. The illustrations add to the dream like qualities of the text.



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Bywords of the modern world

Quote of the week:

Success, recognition, and conformity are the bywords of the modern world where everyone seems to crave the anesthetizing security of being identified with the majority.

Martin Luther King, Jr., Strength to Love, 1963.

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Monday, January 08, 2007

A huge restless Universe

Quote of the week:

My story lives inside of you and the story continues with you. Every day, you add more to the story. You are me being you, and through you I see myself...a huge restless Universe who loves to morph.

- Jennifer Morgan, Mammals who Morph

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Tuesday, January 02, 2007

You eat words?

Quote of the week:

The bookworm contracted and expanded like a jack-in-the-box. "You eat words?"
Fip squirmed. "You don't?"

The bookworm whispered. "To tell the truth, I've thought of it. Words are so wonderful to read, so nourishing to the mind. But really! It's just a fantasy. One doesn't eat words! One reads them."

- Mary Amato, The Word Eater

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