Bookjoy Legacy

What an emotional and uplifting day for this nation and the world. In his inaugural address, President Barack Obama challenges each of us. “Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.” As a speaker, writer and leader, Obama is comfortable with the word “work” and with the struggle implied. As a country, we often celebrate and reward wealth and power rather than honoring the daily challenges we all face and the challenges some of us have been spared.

Obama also spoke about legacy, and those of us who know bookjoy have an exciting legacy to share—with friends, family, colleagues, and especially with families and children who haven’t yet experienced the wonder, information, pleasure and power in the volumes we hold in our hands, share and discuss. Energized by this historic day, may we commit ourselves again to sharing and promoting the power of words and literacy to change and enrich the lives that need us to excite them about books. May we be part of the grand “work of remaking America” by being creative, committed literacy advocates.

Mock Pura Belpré

It's the time of year when many libraries are holding mock Newbery and Caldecott Awards. The ALSC listserv recently reported the results of the Mock Belpré that was sponsored by the Heartland Chapter of REFORMA on Jan. 3. You can see the list of books up for discussion and the link to the program at http://skyways.lib.ks.us/orgs/reforma/belpre08.html

The honored books were:
Winner: Text
The Surrender Tree by Margarita Engle

Honor Books: Text
Animal Poems of the Iguazu by Francisco Alarcon
Perfect Day for Dreaming by Benjamin Alire Saenz

Winner: Illustration
Papa and Me by Arthur Dorros, illus. By Rudy Gutierrez

Honor Books: Illustration
Animal Poems of the Iguazu by Francisco Alarcon, illus. by Maya Christina Gonzalez
Quinito Day and Night by Ina Cumpiano, illus. by Jose Ramirez

Thanks to Jean Hatfield for the news.