http://shutta.com children's author and teller of stories Wed, 17 Feb 2010 16:58:08 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en I will be speaking and signing books at Central Michigan University on Tuesday, February 2nd at 7:00 p.m. at the Park Library Auditorium. Bring your questions, bring your laughter. I'll speak about the good, the bad, and the just plain silly aspects of publishing for children these days---where we've been, and where we're headed . . . A ... http://shutta.com/2010/01/come-share-an-evening-with-me/   Sometimes we need a little imbalance in our lives to make us think about how to get centered again. Writing a picture book in verse is like that, too. When writing in poetical stanzas (With all those good things that any picture book needs-characterization, setting and a ... http://shutta.com/2010/01/a-balancing-act-writing-the-picture-book-in-verse/ I just got the word that THUNDER-BOOMER! was named a notable book by ALA! Wonderful news. To see the whole list of children's notables for this year go here. Enjoy. Shutta http://shutta.com/2010/01/thunder-boomer-named-an-american-library-association-notable-book-for-2010/   There are a lot of end of the year lists going around now. Some of these are best of the year, some are just good gift lists. (See below.) I'm proud to announce that THUNDER-BOOMER! is making some of those lists, including School Library Journal's ... http://shutta.com/2009/12/thunder-boomer-makes-school-library-journals-best-of-the-year-list-2009/ As a teacher, librarian, and a children's book writer, I truly believe my life has encompassed the best of all worlds. My day job for more than 26 years meant going into a library and being surrounded with beautiful books containing inspiring words. Since retiring from the public library in ... http://shutta.com/2009/10/best-of-all-worlds/ I'm highlighting Andrea Beaty's FIREFIGHTER TED book (see sidebar). What a hoot! When the principal's pants catch on fire we see exactly why a caring bear has to do his best. Lots of heart and humor in this one! Way to go, Andrea. A wonderful NY Times article about ... http://shutta.com/2009/10/some-good-things/ It's the time of year when I feel a bit like Leo Lionni's grasshopper. Fall has well and truly come upon us in Michigan. The soy fields are dry and golden, the Virginia creeper wound round our trees is scarlet and we've had our first frost. Yesterday I heard sand ... http://shutta.com/2009/10/the-smells-of-autumn-how-do-you-write-about-that/   Deb Diesen is a wonderful writer, good friend, and perhaps(?) an alien abductee. You may not know that her first book, THE POUT POUT FISH, was named by Time Magazine as one of the top ten children's books of 2008. Check it out--you can't help but smile.  Enjoy this lighthearted ... http://shutta.com/2009/09/interview-with-the-pout-pout-fish-author-deborah-diesen/   A friend informed me of the non-profit organization, The National Society of Arts and Letters. It seems they are hosting a contest for 2010 for young (18-33 yrs) unpublished writers. Maybe that is you! Head on over to their site for specifics. http://arts-nsal.org .   Happy Writing! ... http://shutta.com/2009/09/a-contest-for-the-so-far-unpublished/ I just finished posting a blog entry for BIG UNIVERSE, about the imaginative play of my grandchildren titled: Coffee Shop Theater. If you are interested in peeking at a bit of the imaginative life of children take a trip to Big U. In the meantime, enjoy the children ... http://shutta.com/2009/08/the-imaginative-life-of-children/