Sunday Afternoon Visits: Baseball Books, Adoption Month, and Kid Appeal

I posted a bunch of Kidlitosphere links on Thursday, so this week's Sunday Visits post will be a bit shorter than usual. I have, however, found a few new things over the course of the weekend. My brother Steve is visiting, and I didn't think I'd have much blog time. However, in between wine tasting, movies, and meals out, we've spent some quietly companionable time, each on our respective computers.

• Over at Bookshelves of Doom, Leila has decided to start a book club of sorts, saying: "I'd like to read and blog about a book (or a series) over an extended period of time, rather than the usual go-for-broke-read-book-in-one-sitting-and-then-begin-typing-frenzy. And it would be even better if other people wanted to jump in on the action." She took a vote, and the first book she's going to read is Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca. She has set out her planned reading/posting schedule.
• Mitali Perkins asks whether illustrators should be limited by race or culture. She quotes Fran Manushkin from last month's PEN young adult and children's book committee meeting, who notes that "today many editors prefer that books about African-Americans be illustrated by African-American artists", and asks whether or not this is the right thing to do.
• After reviewing The Aurora County All-Stars, Sherry from Semicolon put together a list of great baseball stories for kids. She includes Mike Lupica's Heat, which was one of my favorites of 2006. I personally would also add Free Baseball, by Sue Corbett.
• Ms. Yingling Reads asks: "Is there a happy medium between what children want (manga) and what the awards tell us to buy ... Covering serious issues and well-written but also (*GASP*) vastly appealing to students." I say, that happy medium is exactly what the Cybils are going after. I would also refer people to a book, book, book post from last April in which Els refers to books with "the thump factor... thump in this context refers to a perfect or near-perfect balance of emotional plot and action plot".
• Speaking of the Cybils, Anne has published an updated list of frequently asked questions at the Cybils blog. Also speaking of the Cybils, Becky from Farm School has published the list of nominated titles in middle grade/YA nonfiction, as well as a list of other 2007 non-fiction titles that have not been nominated. Check out Becky's list, and if any of them strike your fancy, and you haven't nominated yet in the MG/YA nonfiction category, we hope that you will.
• For nearly two years now, Betsy has been doing her Hot Men of Children's Literature feature at A Fuse #8 Production. This feature has entertained many people, and garnered quite a bit of attention. However, Betsy has decided that it's time to focus on women for a while. Thus in 2008 she will have an occasional series on "Hot Women of Children's Literature" (children's, not YA, just to keep things focused). Responses so far are mixed.
• In honor of National Adoption Month, Susan from Chicken Spaghetti has put together a list of adoption-focused books for children. She includes Rose Kent's Kimchi & Calamari, which I just reviewed on Friday. Little Willow also has a list of adoption books (fiction titles) at Bildungsroman.
• Via the ChronicleKids.com Book Blast, teachers can win a school visit from Annie Barrows, author of the Ivy and Bean series. The announcement says: "Know an elementary classroom teacher? Tell them to enter the Ivy and Bean Friendship Contest! It's easy. If they read one or more of the Ivy and Bean books with their classroom and follow the entry guidelines, they will be eligible to win many prizes, including a classroom visit by the author herself!"
• Cheryl Rainfield has put together some selected quotes about books and reading by children's and young adult writers. If you are feeling in need of inspiration, this post is well worth reading. Here's the very last quote: "There is no better way to get to know your child than to share their books with them." -- Anthony Horowitz.
• Robin Brande has announced a new crusade (or maybe it's more of a milestone in a crusade that she's been on for the pat year). She's saying no to "should", and spending her time doing what she wants to do. She believe that people who take care of themselves first will ultimately "do nice things because we feel moved to from our hearts, instead of compelled to because of some wrong-headed notion about what other people will think of us if we don’t say yes to absolutely everything." What say you all?

And that's all for today. Go Pats!