Journey to Your Imagination's Destination!

  Today Barnes and Noble launches 16th Annual Summer Reading Program!

Identify your favorite authors and illustrators
Explore different genres of literature
Imagine yourself in a historical or fictional characters role

Design a summer vacation related to your books destination

 and more.......

 

Read eight books this summer, submit your reading journal
and receive one book FREE!
 

Enjoy the Scholastic Discover More Series!

 

Weasles, wolves and owls........

A Beautiful Tribute to Jean Craighead George.
Walk with us as we reminisce.

Margarita Engle: Author put Fresno on the literary map.

Fresno's best-known children's author is making book news around the world. Actually, Margarita Engle lives in Clovis, but we can proudly claim her on behalf of the area. Since 2006 she has published seven books for young people, many reflecting her family history.

In 1947, Margarita's father, an American artist, read a "National Geographic" article about the city of Trinidad, on Cuba's southern coast. He went there to paint and met a beautiful Cuban artist. Neither spoke the other's language, but art and love conquered differences and they were married. Their daughter Margarita grew up in Los Angeles, but spent summers with her mother's large family in Cuba. Later, travel restrictions kept them apart, but by that time, childhood memories and a curiosity about Cuban history were deeply ingrained.

In college, Margarita gave up writing to study agronomy and botany. After teaching agronomy at Cal State Pomona, she returned to writing with an enhanced perspective and a new mentor, Chicano author Tomás Rivera.

Her novels in verse present vivid pictures of a Cuba filled with tropical birds, fragrant plants, exotic sounds and tastes, and above all with feelings that bring the people and the country to life.

"The Poet Slave of Cuba" tells of Juan Francisco Manzano, born a slave in 1797. Though slaves are forbidden to read and write, he learns how. This intelligent boy is kept as a pet by a rich woman, who makes him recite for guests. His story is almost too sad to read, but Margarita always offers a sense of hope, in this case his adult success as a poet.

Her second book, "The Surrender Tree," set in 1896 during Cuba's revolution against Spain, features a nurse who is an escaped slave. She heals people from both sides using medicinal plants. The book won a Newbery Honor from the American Library Association; Margarita is the first Hispanic author to receive such recognition.

"Tropical Secrets," tells the story of 13-year-old Daniel, who escapes Nazi Germany on a ship filled with Jewish refugees. When the United States turns the boat away, it sails to Havana. There a Cuban girl helps Daniel to learn Spanish and a new way of life.

"The Firefly Letters," my favorite of Margarita's books, is based on the real life of Frederika Bremer, a Swedish biologist who visited Cuba in 1851. A pregnant teenage slave serves as her interpreter, speaking English and Spanish. The third character, a wealthy girl, has less freedom than either of the other two.
"Summer Birds," a picture book, features Maria Merian, born in Germany in 1647. At age 13, she discovered that butterflies grew from caterpillars, rather than springing from mud, as people believed then.
"Hurricane Dancers" describes some Cubans' first encounters with the Spanish, again through the eyes of a bilingual slave.

Margarita's newest heroine, in "The Wild Book," is based on her grandmother, who was dyslexic as a child and who lived to be 103. The author knew her well.

Margarita's books have won Pura Belpré, Jane Addams and Américas awards, to name a few. She has been honored by the International Reading Association, the Library of Congress, and the International Youth Library in Munich, Germany. Next month she will be a featured speaker at the Asian Festival of Children's Content in Singapore.

Her books have universal appeal for all ages. This bilingual author, who receives little notice in her home town, is bringing honor to Fresno. Viva, Margarita!

Valley Voice: Saturday, May. 05, 2012 | 12:00 AM

By Angelica Carpenter, Curator Emerita for the Arne Nixon Center for the Study of Children's Literature, 
Henry Madden Library, California State University, Fresno

Annual Children's Literature Association ~ June 2012

Thursday, June 14, 2012:
Literary Slipstreams:
39th Annual Children’s Literature Association Conference
Simmons College

Annual Children's Literature Association

Maurice Sendak 1928 ~ 2012 But the wild things cried, "Oh please don't go — we'll eat you up — we love you so!" From Where The Wild Things Are, 1983. We welcome you to visit our reading library. Pull up a chair and reminisce with our broad collection of Maurice Sendaks' creative spirit published in books, posters, stage productions, storyboards and more! Enjoy the beloved author and curmudgeon as  he shares  his thoughts in classic Sendak style and colorful language. Watch the HBO Documentary "Tell Them Anyting You Want." A Portrait of Maurice Sendak. In addition, a wonderful review of the artists' life by The New York Times. Times Article: May 9, 2012

Maurice Sendak 1928 ~ 2012

But the wild things cried, "Oh please don't go — we'll eat you up — we love you so!" From Where The Wild Things Are, 1983. We welcome you to visit our reading library. Pull up a chair and reminisce with our broad collection of Maurice Sendaks' creative spirit published in books, posters, stage productions, storyboards and more! Enjoy the beloved author and curmudgeon as  he shares  his thoughts in classic Sendak style and colorful language. Watch the HBO Documentary "Tell Them Anyting You Want." A Portrait of Maurice Sendak.

In addition, a wonderful review of the artists' life by The New York Times. Times Article: May 9, 2012

Maurice Sendak 1928 ~ 2012

Collection includes signed editions by author.

Part of the collection of Maurice Sendak located.

 

Wild About Books: Interview by CBS47 Fresno, CA

Thank you Zara Arboleda, CBS 47,  for the opportunity to share the news of the contest "Wild About Books!"

Jennifer Crow, Interim Curator at The Arne Nixon Center for the Study of Children's Literature, announced the contest details this morning on CBS 47. 

Enjoy the interview here. CBS47, Fresno, CA Interview with Jennifer Crow

One of many sponsors of the contest , CBS 47 encouraged  students  to participate and become part of the Central Valley's rich culture of authors and illustrators.

'Wild About Books' is a writing contest for children between 3rd and 12th grade.The contest will award prizes for writing and illustrating.

Prizes will be awarded for grades 3-5, 6-8 and 9-12 and range from $25 to $100.

The contest is open to students in Fresno, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced and Tulare Counties.

Entry forms can be picked up at the CBS47 Studios at 4880 N. Fist Street in Fresno, A Book Barn at 640 Clovis Avenue in Clovis, Arne Nixon Center for Children's Literature, Madden Library at Fresno State, and all Fresno County Public Libraries.

Contest details, guidelines and permission form accesible online by clicking here. 

Womack Lecture: FAIR Education Act

Jennifer Crow, Interim Curator at the Arne Nixon Center for the Study of Children's Literature
welcomes Dr. Robert McGarry, Shelbi Day and Lee Wind.

Three panelists presented to an engaged audience at the Henry Madden Library on Wednesday evening, May  1, 2012. Each speaker presented experienced, informative and varying perspectives regarding the  FAIR Education Act.

Shelbi Day, staff attorney in the Western Regional Office of Lambda Legal, did a great job at explaining the law behind the Act and the reasons for the Act. Her passion on the topic and willingness to translate the evolution of the law with a non - lawyer audience created understanding and awareness.

In addition, Dr. Robert McGarry, director of education for the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, was a wonderful speaker, centering his talk on the value of respecting difference..  His message reflected the impact on students when people are left out of the textbooks in describing our history.

And finally,  Dr. Lee Wind, author, speaker, and official blogger for the Society of Children’s Books Writers and Illustrators was a brilliant speaker as well.   His ability to engage with the audience, get us to interact  and bring the program around full-circle was a successful effort towards a content rich event. He brought humor, love, and pizzazz into this very serious FAIR Education Act topic.

Audience questions were welcomed and discussed. And appreciation was experienced for all speakers, who have experienced and seen such difficult and even negative events in their lives and careers but continue to approach  this serious FAIR Education Act topic with passion and a positive manner.

Thank you again to all our speakers for your contributions to an EXCELLENT lecture event!

To view more photos of this event Womack Lecture: FAIR Education Act Panel