Meet Author Rebecca Stead

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1 release dates: April (10) 2010 Universal Uclick Newbery and Caldecott 2010 Winners Meet Author Rebecca Stead Have you visited a library recently? This year, National Library Week will be celebrated from April The theme is Communities your library. In honor of libraries, The Mini Page talked with the winners of the 2010 Caldecott and Newbery medals. The John Newbery Medal is awarded each year to the author of the most outstanding children s book. This year s medal was awarded to Rebecca Stead for When You Reach Me. Writing for a living Rebecca was working as a lawyer when she took a short-story writing class. She loved it and kept writing after the class. After her second son was born, she quit her job and started writing her first book. When You Reach Me tells of a sixthgrade girl, Miranda, growing up in New York City in When she starts getting notes that tell the future, she sets out to solve the mystery of who is sending them. jacket art 2009, published by Random House Rebecca Stead, 42, lives in New York City. She and her husband, Sean O Brien, have two sons, Jack, 11, and Eli, 9. Some favorites Color: I don t have one now, but if I did have one, it might be orange. But the next time, it might be purple. Hobbies: Reading, seeing plays, working with arts and crafts Music: When she s writing, she doesn t listen to music with words. She listens to classical music or guitar music. When she s not writing, she said, I sometimes like to listen to music that reminds me of the book I m writing. photo by Joanne Dugan Growing up Rebecca Stead (pronounced STED) went to school in New York City. The school system brought in writers, filmmakers and artists to work with students throughout the school year. Because of this program, her elementary school put out a literary journal of the students writing and artwork. The visiting writers and her teachers had to push her to finish her stories. She kept starting them, but they had no endings. The first story she finished, The Spicy Meatball, was published in this journal when she was in sixth grade. jacket art 2007 by Ericka O Rourke, published by Random House Inc. In First Light, Peter joins his parents on a scientific trip to Greenland. While on an ice cap, Peter has mysterious visions. At the same time, a girl, Thea, hides with her amazing people deep under the arctic ice. Advice for kids The best advice I ve heard is, First read, Rebecca said. For her, reading is the gas in the tank. It s what makes me go as a writer. She said reading gets me excited about my own writing.

2 15-2 (10); release dates: April Coretta Scott King Winners Coretta Scott King Awards are given each year to an outstanding black author and illustrator. Author award Vaunda Micheaux Nelson won the Coretta Scott King Author Award for Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U.S. Marshal. Vaunda has written several books for kids. She has also worked as a teacher, newspaper reporter and children s librarian. She lives in Rio Rancho, N.M. Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U.S. Marshal is the true story of a lawman who was born a slave. Vaunda Micheaux Nelson jacket art 2009 by R. Gregory Christie, published by Carolrhoda Books Illustrator award Charles R. Smith Jr. won the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award for My People. He has written several books for kids and also writes poetry. In addition, he takes photographs for a living. He learned to love photography when he began shooting pictures for his yearbook in high school. He loves basketball and baseball and has written and taken pictures for books about these sports. In My People, Charles Smith uses photographs to illustrate a poem by Langston Hughes. Charles R. Smith Jr. jacket art 2009 by Charles R. Smith Jr., published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers Honor awards There was one Author Honor Book and one Illustrator Honor Book this year. Author honor Tanita S. Davis grew up in California and now lives in Scotland, where she sings, dances and writes. In Mare s War, a grandmother opens her granddaughters eyes with stories of her service in the Women s Army Corps during World War II. Illustrator honor E.B. Lewis has illustrated many books for kids. He teaches illustration at a college. The Negro Speaks of Rivers is a poem by Langston Hughes. jacket art 2009, published by Alfred A. Knopf jacket art 2009 by E.B. Lewis, published by Disney Jump at the Sun Books Ready Resources The Mini Page provides ideas for Web sites, books or other resources that will help you learn more about this week s topics. On the Web: At the library: The Art of Reading: Forty Illustrators Celebrate RIF s 40th Anniversary by Reading Is Fundamental Word After Word After Word by Patricia MacLachlan Library Week try n find Words that remind us of things you can find at the library are hidden in the block below. Some words are hidden backward or diagonally. See if you can find: ART, BOOKS, COMPUTERS, DATA, DIARIES, DICTIONARIES, ENCYCLOPEDIAS, FACTS, FICTION, INTERNET, JOKES, LAWS, MAGAZINE, MAP, MOVIES, MUSIC, NEWSPAPERS, STORIES, VIDEOS. Discover the world at the library! Basset Brown The News Hound s D M F B S R E P A P S W E N M I L U A O K K N O I T C I F A A A K S C O M N S O E D I V G R W L V I T K S E I R O T S A I S A R T C S S M O V I E S Z E D A T A S R E T U P M O C I S S E K O J T E N R E T N I N S A I D E P O L C Y C N E M E P A M S E I R A N O I T C I D

3 Mini Spy... Mini Spy loves to read a good book before she falls asleep. See if you can find: exclamation mark butterfly net ladder word MINI letter E snake pea pod arrow ruler letter A candle pencil kite heart carrot photo courtesy PBS 15-3 (10); release dates: April Rookie Cookie s Recipe Orange Crush Delight You ll need: 1 (16-ounce) container low-fat small-curd cottage cheese 1 (.3-ounce) small box sugar-free orange gelatin mix 4 ounces light whipped topping (half of 8-ounce container) 1 (10.5-ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained What to do: 1. Mix cottage cheese with orange gelatin mix. 2. Fold in whipped topping and stir gently to blend. 3. Add mandarin oranges and stir to mix. 4. Chill for one hour before serving. You will need an adult s help with this recipe. Meet Russell Schweickart Former astronaut Russell (Rusty) Schweickart will be one of the featured people on the PBS American Experience show Earth Days, airing April 19. In 1969, he was the lunar module pilot for Apollo 9. While he was working outside the space capsule, he got to really look at Earth from space. He said he saw a shining gem against a totally black backdrop. Before becoming an astronaut, Rusty served as a fighter pilot in the U.S. Air Force and for the Massachusetts Air National Guard. After flying as an astronaut, he worked in many scientific areas, including energy, wireless Internet equipment, communications satellites and safety in Antarctica. He has helped research ways to protect the Earth from asteroid hits. Rusty, 74, was born in Neptune, N.J. He enjoys hiking, bicycling and golfing. NEW! The Mini Page Book of States The Mini Page s popular series of issues about each state is collected here in a 156-page softcover book. Conveniently spiral-bound for ease of use, this invaluable resource contains A-to-Z facts about each state, along with the District of Columbia. Illustrated with colorful photographs and art, and complete with updated information, The Mini Page Book of States will be a favorite in classrooms and homes for years to come. To order, send $15.99 ($19.99 Canada) plus $5 postage and handling for each copy. Make check or money order (U.S. funds only) payable to Universal Uclick. Send to The Mini Page Book of States, Universal Uclick, P.O. Box 6814, Leawood, KS Or call toll-free or go to Please send copies of The Mini Page Book of States (Item # ) at $20.99 each, total cost. (Bulk discount information available upon request.) Name: Address: City: State: Zip: All the following jokes have something in common. Can you guess the common theme or category? Andrew: What is a good way to get a book to respond? Aaron: Page it! Abigail: How is a book like Congress? Ashley: They both have pages! Aston: Why is it bad to leave a book outside overnight? Abel: Because in the morning it will be overdew!

4 15-4 (10); release dates: April Meet Artist Jerry Pinkney The Caldecott Medal is presented each year to the illustrator of the most distinguished picture book for children. This year the medal was awarded to Jerry Pinkney for The Lion and the Mouse. He is the first individual African- American to win the award. Growing up Jerry Pinkney said: I drew since as far back as I can remember. Both my parents encouraged the six of us to draw. They were really keeping us busy, so we always had some of the simplest materials to make images with. There were no artists in his family or in his neighborhood. He didn t realize people made a living with art. A lucky meeting When he was about 12, he took a job selling newspapers at a stand in Philadelphia. In between selling newspapers, he drew pictures of the people he saw around him. A cartoonist saw him drawing, and they became friends. It was my first experience with someone making a living drawing pictures, Jerry said. He was doing something I loved doing and was able to make a living doing it. Jerry realized that he too could earn a living with his art. The Lion & the Mouse is a re-telling without words of one of Aesop s Fables. jacket art 2009 by Jerry Pinkney, published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers Jerry Pinkney, 70, has illustrated about 100 books. His wife, Gloria Jean, is a writer and singer. They live in Crotonon-Hudson, N.Y. They have four adult children: Troy, Scott, Brian and Myles. All the kids work with art. Brian and Myles also illustrate children s books. Going to school Jerry said his teachers always encouraged his gift. When he was in the first and second grades, the teachers had him help with visual aids. He had a reading difficulty called dyslexia (dis-lek-see-uh), so school was hard for him. But his art evened things out. I could do something other children couldn t do as well. It kept me balanced. It helped me recognize that some people had gifts in one area, but maybe not in other ones. Background Jerry got a scholarship to a college of art. After college, he worked at different jobs, including designing flower arrangements and working at a greeting card company. He worked for an illustration and design studio. He illustrated his first children s book as a project for the studio. He later opened his own studio. He has illustrated many textbooks as well as picture books. In the last 46 years, he has won five Caldecott Honor Book awards. Some favorites Color: Red is a favorite of mine. It is a color that attracts the eye. You ll see it in a lot of my books. Music: Classical in the morning, jazz in the afternoons. He also likes soft rock. jacket art 2009 by Jerry Pinkney, published by Dial Books Advice for kids If you can find and recognize a thing you re interested in and passionate about, stick with it. Believe in it. Realize that things take time to mature and grow. Look through your newspaper for stories you would like to illustrate. Next week, The Mini Page celebrates the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. The Mini Page Staff Betty Debnam - Founding Editor and Editor at Large Lisa Tarry - Managing Editor Lucy Lien - Associate Editor Wendy Daley - Artist photo by Thomas Kristich Sweethearts of Rhythm by Marilyn Nelson is the true story of an all-girl integrated band in the 1940s and their victory over discrimination.

5 Meet author Rebecca Stead in photo by Joanne Dugan Distributed by Universal Uclick by Betty Debnam Appearing in your newspaper on. (Note to Editor: Above is cameraready, one column-by-3 1 /2-inch ad promoting Issue 15.) release dates: April (10) Standards Spotlight: Meet Author Rebecca Stead Mini Page activities meet many state and national educational standards. Each week we identify standards that relate to The Mini Page s content and offer activities that will help your students reach them. This week s standards: Students comprehend and respond to a variety of images and text. Students identify forms and elements of literature. (Language Arts: Reading) Activities: 1. Paste three newspaper pictures on a piece of paper. Write a sentence that tells a story for each picture. 2. Pick three books in The Mini Page that you would like to read. Explain why. 3. Match books in today s Mini Page with friends who would like them. 4. Which author/illustrator (a) has a hobby you like, (b) writes about real people, and (c) got started with writing or drawing in school? 5. Develop a story to go with a newspaper headline. Draw a series of five pictures that tell the story. Write the story under the pictures. (standards by Dr. Sherrye D. Garrett, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi) Supersport: Apolo Ohno Birthdate: Hometown: Federal Way, Wash. Whether he s speedskating in world competition or doing a rumba on Dancing With the Stars, Apolo Ohno pleases the crowd. The son of an American mother and Japanese father, Ohno has won eight medals in three Winter Olympics the most by a U.S. Winter Games athlete. He earned a silver and two bronze medals this year in Vancouver. Ohno s Olympic dream began when he watched the 1994 Games. Inspired by them, he practiced hundreds of hours, and the hard work paid off. His overall record includes 12 men s national championships to go along with his Olympic medals: two gold, two silver and four bronze. Ohno also is a dazzling dancer. In 2007, he teamed up with Julianne Hough to win TV s Dancing With the Stars title. Away from competition, Ohno helps people in need. Supporting the battle against diseases in Africa and aiding the Salvation Army and Ronald McDonald House are among his charity efforts. (Note to Editor: Above is the Standards for Issue 15.) (Note to Editor: Above is copy block for Page 3, Issue 15, to be used in place of ad if desired.)