The Library of Congress is looking for the next National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. Here are the criteria: *Author or illustrator of fiction or nonfiction books * U.S. citizen, living in the U.S. * Excellent and facile communicator * Dynamic and engaging personality * Known ability to relate to children; communicates well and regularly [ Read the full article… ]

First, let me say, as a teen I would have totally picked up a book called The Lip Gloss Chronicles. Because for reasons unknown to mankind, some girls are mesmerized by lip gloss. I was am one of them. My five-year-old has a terrible addiction to it, already. Whether it’s in the chapstick tube form [ Read the full article… ]

John Green (who is my author crush, except don’t tell Scott Westerfeld!) has broken down all of this cover madness, for us, in his brutally honest and Nerdfighter way. He says: Designers will be liberated to design the coolest jackets without so many commercial constraints, because the focus will be on the right audience instead [ Read the full article… ]

Over at my blog, I’m calling readers of my series to take action and be counted. I’m asking them to write to my publisher with a very simple: I read this book. I like it. I am here! sort of message. This, as a result of the LIAR cover and ensuing discussion about “black books” [ Read the full article… ]

I was so pleased to hear about a new book blog in town. Which may seem weird, because there’s truly no shortage of book blogs. Unless you’re looking for one from the perspective of a Black teen. And I’ll glaldy be proven wrong, here. If you know of book blog sites helmed by an African [ Read the full article… ]

Yup, gonna throw my .02 in the ring on Justine Larbalestier’s LIAR cover. And if Justine got even a quarter of the .02 cents accumulating, she wouldn’t have to write anymore. There’s quite a buzz about this book, but especially its cover. In case you didn’t know (and if you’re bookish, you already do), Justine [ Read the full article… ]

Personally, I don’t know how book bloggers do it. Read all those books and actually articulate how they feel about them. Yes, yes, I know that The Brown Bookshelf is a book-sih blog. But we’re not a review site. We aim to increase awareness by highlighting authors and their books – but note, rarely in [ Read the full article… ]

You know how, when someone loses out on an award they immediately say, “It’s just an honor to be nominated?” And being the skeptics that we sometimes are, we question if they mean it. I mean who doesn’t want to be win an award? Anyone not want to? Anyone? I didn’t think so. The good [ Read the full article… ]