Missing ALA

This is the time of the year when I am most envious of you lucky ducks who are members of the American Library Association.  You are mostly all at ALA this week.  Because I got to go last year I know how exciting and fun it can be.  I had the best or second best week of my life last year at ALA (I can't decide if it beat my 6th birthday when I spent at week at Disney World and had lunch with Cinderella on my birthday.  They were both amazing.).  There is the one thing that is better about being at home: I slept until 11:00 this morning, and I'm not exaggerating at all.  The reason I am thinking about this right now is that I did my 10 page 4-H scrapbook this afternoon alone and it was on my amazing experience at ALA last year.  My favorite page title is Ace of Libraries (about the cake Charm City Cakes made last year) and my favorite picture is one of just me at the Newbery/Caldecott Gala.  So my request to all of you lucky ducks that are at ALA right now is to post a comment about your favorite part and the things you are doing / did so that I can hear about ALA Annual 2011 while I remember ALA Annual 2010.

2011 Notable Children's Books

One of my favorite parts of going to the ALA conference last summer (which was ALL so GREAT)  was getting to hear several of the discussion sessions of the 2011 Notable Children's Books committee.  This committee of the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC),

" identifies the best of the best in children's books. According to the Notables Criteria, "notable" is defined as: Worthy of note or notice, important, distinguished, outstanding. As applied to children's 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 (birth through age 14) that reflect and encourage children's interests in exemplary ways."

It is the only award committee where anyone can go in a watch the discussion.  You can't talk, which was really hard because I had lots to say about the books they were talking about.  I was excited to see the list today of which books they ended up picking.  Some of my favorites are on the list, The Dreamer, One Crazy Summer,  Mockingbird and Countdown.  If I runaway and hitchhike my way to New Orleans this summer I am defiantly going to watch the committee again!  If you are going I would really recommend it!

Lend Your Voice, Sneek Peek

When I was in Washington DC for ALA I got to record paragraph 16 for Random House’s community-sourced recording of "The Wizard of Oz.”  This was super cool for several reasons: first, I love audio books, I listen to them all the time in the car and sometimes if I feel too sick to read; second, lots of really amazing people participated (authors, librarians, editors) and my reading is going to be together with theirs!; and finally when it is done, the audio book will be made available for download for a donation, and all those donations will go to First Book.  First Book is a not for profit that provides new books to kids in need, a cause I really believe in.  All kids should have books of their very own!

Today the nice folks from Random House Audio & Listening Library sent me my section and said I could share it with you.  Click below to hear me read, and stay tuned for when the download is available  in August!

ALA Day 5

This was the last day of the conference, which is a little sad, but I did get to do EVERYTHING.  I had the most amazing time and met the most wonderful people.  I also learned lots, more about different jobs in libraries and different types of libraries, more about editing and publishing (all of the authors I met seemed to really LOVE their editors), more about blogging and bloggers, more about poetry, more about awards and book reviews, and more about books. 
I got so many great books as wonderful gifts, and I heard about other books people loved that I now am really looking forward to reading.  And I heard about books that are "coming soon" that I can't wait for.  Books mean a lot to me, I can escape into them, learn from them, and experience the world and this week I was surrounded by people who "get that."  They are "my people."
I have a million thank you notes to write and I will get them done!!! But I want to shout some thanks to:

Camila Alire, Aimee Strittmatter, Laura Schulte-Cooper, and Cheryl Malden.  I know they work really hard all the time and extra hard this week and still they puts lots of energy into making everything wonderful for me.  All of the ALA and ALSC board members were super nice to me, thank you!
 
So many authors, who I adore, were so kind to meet me, sign books for me and talk to me.  It was so exciting I really can't describe it. And many publishers and editors were wonderful too.  
 
I LOVE librarians (who doesn't?), but so many of them did amazing things to make this week possible that you might really believe they have magical powers. Special thanks to Maria, Maria, and Mary who got all of this started for me. 

And thanks to Steve, the social worker turned Agent who needs a raise.

Also, thanks to my mom, who was very supportive of me during my Newbery journey and the conference.  She was also the one who carried all of my new books!!!

ALA Day 4

As you all know I am "Nuts about the Newbery", but yesterday was about another great award.  When I was reading Mock Newberys for 2010, I read and LOVED Anything But Typical by Nora Raleigh Baskin .  I was thrilled when it won the Schneider Family Book Award and wanted to learn more about that award. The Schneider Family Book Awards honor an author or illustrator for a book that embodies an artistic expression of the disability experience for child and adolescent audiences. Three annual awards are given  in each of the following categories: birth through grade school (age 0–8), middle school (age 9–13) and teens (age 14–18).  This year the winners were: Anything but Typical  by Nora Raleigh Baskin; Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Stork; and Django by Bonnie Christensen.

I am in LOVE with this award because these books are great books AND they talk about disability appropriately; as a kid growing up with a disability I like to see books where the characters look like me and I get really annoyed when characters with disability are talked about using outdated and wrong language.  The Schneider Family Books are great and I hope having this award improves how all authors, illustrators, editors, and publishers include disability. 
Now that you know all of that you will understand how excited I was to go to the luncheon honoring the winners!  I got to meet them and sat right next to Nora Raleigh Baskin, she was amazing and super nice (also her partner was super nice; he is also an art teacher).  Listening to all the award winners talk about their books was wonderful.  I am SO lucky.

I also went to the closing of the stacks (no IPad for me but I have so MANY books).  I checked out the ALA notable discussion one last time.  I think listening to them will make me a better reviewer and a better writer! 

And I got to meet....Rita Williams-Garcia, she was SO KIND to come meet me, I LOVE her book, One Crazy Summer (like almost everyone I meet), and she is really nice and a great teacher, I think I will be a better writer just from standing next to her.

My Interview

ALA Day Three

Sometimes dreams come true.  This whole trip has been a dream come true but yesterday was so amazing I almost don't have words to talk about it.  The day started by checking out a session on book blogging, one of my favorite topics!  Then I got to meet Katherine Paterson, National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, and she was really nice.  She had read my blog, amazing, and was not mad that I did not love Jacob Have I Loved. I will read it again!  She said the reader is like the co-author on a book; imagine being a co-author with Katherine Paterson!  If this had been the only thing that happened to me today I would have been very happy and very excited.  But, there is more!
I was invited by ALA President Camila Alire to an amazing luncheon. I got to meet many board members of ALA and ALSC (all the folks who make the ALA work!). 

Three wonderful authors also attended: Rebecca Stead, Jacqueline Kelly and Rodman Philbrick.  For lunch I got to sit by all three of them and talk about books, can you even believe it?
This was not the end of my amazing day.  I managed to squeeze in listening to the ALA notable discussion, and seeing the book cart drill team (you have GOT to see this!).

And then I put on my purple poof dress and went to the 2010 Newbery/Caldecott Gala.  Before the event even started  I got to meet Grace Lynn and Jerry Pinkney. I now have a set of all the Award and Honor books from 2010 autographed to me! 

The Gala was wonderful. I sat where I could see everything. I met MORE wonderful people and the President of ALSC even talked about me and my blog in his speech.

 I could not have had a more wonderful day and time. I have a million amazing people to thank who made this all possible for me, and I will start on thank you notes soon, but today is even more fun! 

ALA Day Two

I usually don't expect a lot so I don't get disappointed, but I expected a lot from ALA and I was definitely NOT disappointed.  Today I started by going to the STACKS.  I met many authors/heroes.  The books I had signed were: The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate, A Nest for Celeste, The Fighting Ground, Knucklehead: Tall Tales and Almost True Stories of Growing up Scieszka, and One Crazy Summer.  First I got AVI's signature.  Then I walked around and looked for where my next signings were.  When it was 11:00, I was quintuple booked.  My mom stood in line for Henry Cole and dropped off my copy of One Crazy Summer for Rita to sign because I would be at a luncheon during her signing and we had corresponded so I really wanted her signature.  I was in line for Jon Scieszka and had him sign Knucklehead to me and Matthew (you might remember his guest blogger post about the book). 

Next I got in line for Jacqueline Kelly.  While I was in line, Maria Gentle spotted me. 

We talked as I moved up in the line then we left for our separate luncheons.  I took my first cab to the luncheon in honor of Cornelia Funke.  I had her sign my copy of Inkheart (it is in German because my grandparents went to Germany and got me a book).  Everyone got an advance limited edition copy of Reckless, her book that will come out this year.  I had mine signed. 

Next I listened to the Notable Children's Book Discussion.  It was hard not to say what I was thinking out loud, especially about Countdown. And then I had a  piece of the Ace of Cakes cake.  It was delicious!!! 

After that I got my copy of Mockingbird signed by Kathryn Erskine.  She was very nice and let me have MORE stickers and temporary tattoos of the cover of her book.  Next I walked around the STACKS and got even more free books.  I was there so long that I was on the floor when it closed.  As you can see, I had a very busy day.  I am excited for tomorrow!

ALA Day One

Today was the day ALA Annual 2010 started!  I have to admit I was a bit nervous and REALLY excited.  To start the day I recorded paragraph 16 for the Random House’s community-sourced recording of "The Wizard of Oz.”  Way cool because I LOVE audio books.  Then I went to register and explore the convention center.  Finding out where the elevators are is important for me.  I got to talk to several people (some of you even recognized me from my blog!).  And then it was time for the STACKS to open. Wow, every book lover should go at least once!  Bookarama and I have so many ARCs, yippee!!!  I expected the STACKS to be in a hotel ballroom-sized area with a few scattered tables with white table clothes.  Boy was I wrong!  There was an area that was over two blocks long (it went under a street!).  The signs lit up and the tables were everywhere.  Each booth had lots of tables covered with books on top of more books.  Whereever you looked, there were stacks of books on the floor and sculptures of books that were made to keep all of them under control!  It was amazing and great fun!!!!!!!  Tomorrow is a jam-packed day and I can't wait, but I have to sleep sometimes. 

ALA is Coming Soon!!!

I can't wait for ALA!!!  I have already started packing and I know that I will have a great time.  I leave on Thursday to drive 12 hours (I have books to read and listen to on the drive!).  My mom is going to take me everywhere I need to go during the conference, which is helpful because there is SO much to do! Some of the things that I am particularly looking foward to are:

• Cornilia Funke's luncheon
• My luncheon
• The Newbery/Caldecott Awards Banquet
• Meeting Katherine Paterson
• Schneider Family Book Awards
• Seeing the Stacks (and winning an ebook reader Kindle or IPad, I'm not picky ; )
• Seeing Authors
• Seeing the two Maria's!
• Learning Lots
• Meeting lots of people!

If you are going be sure to say hi. I am easy to spot: I will be the ten year old girl with the GIANT smile who is on the cool red scooter!

I Interrupt this blog….

This is not a book review post, but I wanted to share some updates. A few readers have been asking for my list of “favorite” Newbery’s. My plan is to rank them in order of preference after I get all the review posted. So stay tuned for that. In the mean time if you might be interested in the Allen County Library list, http://www.acpl.lib.in.us/children/newberyranking.html; they even let me give input on where When You Reach Me belongs.


Right now I am reading possible contenders for next year’s Newbery. I wrote a grant to my local library and they are letting me host a Mock Newbery event next December. If you have suggestion for books I must consider, PLEASE let me know! When I wrote the grant they asked me to hold a Newbery program in August as part of the Summer Reading program. I am excited to talk about Newberys, the fun of reading them ALL, and reasons kids can find great books from the “Newbery shelf”. If you have any advice for this talk PLEASE share!

Finally, I am counting down the days to the ALA conference; I am so excited and can’t really believe I get to be where that many authors, illustrations, librarians and booklovers are in ONE place. Did I mention I’m really excited????

Ok, book reviews will return with the next post.

The American Library Association 2010 Annual Conference...

I'M GOING!!!!!!!!!!!!! A few months ago, I was researching who was in charge of the Newbery. I learned about ALA (The American Library Association), which is in charge of the Newbery. ALA is made up of librarians, authors, and other people who like books (my kind of people!). I also learned about their annual conference which has amazing workshops and presentations. During this conference the Newbery Caldecott Banquet, where the award winners are honored, is held. Learning all of this I instantly wanted desperately to go. Luckily for me, it takes place in the summer (school will be out) and in Washington DC (my grandparents live in Arlington and my parents are willing to consider timing our annual summer visit to match the conference). But, I am only 10 and don't have a job and the registration was lots of money.


Today, the most amazing, wonderful, terrific, exciting, fabulous, and magnificent thing happed. the Association for Library Service to Children, a Division of the American Library Association, offered to give me (and my mom who has to come with me because I am only 10) VIP registration. So, I GET TO GO!!!!!!!! I am so happy that I can't stop smiling!!!