Tag Archives: news

ALA Youth Media Awards

I’m here in Denver, where the ALA Youth Media Awards were announced this morning. Along with adding a few new titles to my hold list (WE ARE OKAY and HELLO, UNIVERSE) I was pleased to see a few of my favorite books receiving awards! Specifically PIECING ME TOGETHER, which won both the Coretta Scott King award and a Newbery Honor. It’s a character-driven novel after my own heart. Add it to your reading lists!

Other than that, there’s not much to update in… uh, two years. I still work as a comic editor, and I’m still working on PAPER MOON (and another book that is also exciting and wonderful). Since I’ve been in Denver I’ve had to listen to white noise playlists to fall asleep, and I hope that when I return home to Oregon the sleep will come easier. I’m pretty sure I’m just not used to sleeping all alone somewhere. And I’m also not used to sleeping with the high whine of a heater/air conditioner unit.

Also, a quick brag: I grabbed like, five pairs of PATINA shoelaces at ALA and I’m going to re-lace all of my shoes. ALL OF MY SHOES.

Oh, and I did a short story in an Anthology last year! So I should update my books section with that. Look, I’ve been busy, okay? Don’t shame meeeeeeee

Leave a Comment

Filed under Book Awards, Book Recs, Books

Oregon Book Awards

The Oregon Book Award finalists have been announced, and guess what? HOPE IS A FERRIS WHEEL is one of them! Below are all the nominees for both the children’s and young adult categories, from the Literary Arts website. I’m very pleased to be in this company!

ELOISE JARVIS MCGRAW AWARD FOR CHILDREN’S LITERATURE
Judge: Lesléa Newman

Kim T. Griswell of Ashland, Rufus Goes to School (Sterling Children’s Books)
Susan Hill Long of Portland, Whistle in the Dark (Holiday House)
H. Joseph Hopkins of Portland, The Tree Lady (Beach Lane Books)
Deborah Hopkinson of West Linn, The Great Trouble: A Mystery of London, The Blue Death, and a Boy Called Eel(Alfred A. Knopf)
Elizabeth Rusch of Portland, Electrical Wizard: How Nikola Tesla Lit Up the World
(Candlewick Press)

LESLIE BRADSHAW AWARD FOR YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE
Judge: Mitali Perkins

April Henry of Portland, The Body In the Woods (Henry Holt)
Robin Herrera of Portland, Hope is a Ferris Wheel (Amulet Books)
Lisa Schroeder of Beaverton, The Bridge From Me To You (Scholastic)
Christina Struyk-Bonn of Portland, Whisper (Orca Book Publishers)

2 Comments

Filed under Book Awards, Books, Hope Is a Ferris Wheel, My Books

Things I’m Excited About This Week

This may become a regular feature. But here are some things I’m excited about this week! (And it’s only Wednesday!)

FIRST, Louis Sachar is writing another book. EXCITEMENT!

Screen Shot 2014-05-06 at 2.30.53 PM

SECOND, Larissa Theule, whose work I was lucky enough to read at Vermont College, posted the cover of her new book, FAT & BONES. EXCITEMENT!

10259763_10152452927416255_3768470366857390319_n

THIRD, Marie Lu dropped some info about a LEGEND graphic novel. EXCITEMENT!

Screen Shot 2014-05-07 at 5.15.21 PM

FOURTH is, of course, the Kidlit Trivia I’m co-hosting at Green Bean books in Portland this Saturday. (See previous post for pertinent information.)

EXCITEMENT!

Leave a Comment

Filed under Books, Events