It’s the start of another week and the beginning of another book news round-up. I personally had a long week and so am enjoying a relaxing and lazy Sunday, before what I’m sure will be yet another long week. Enjoy the news.
- With all the various book awards being handed out during this time of year, it’s no surprise that someone thought of this: the Tournament of Books. Now in its sixth year, the ToB is the brain-child of the folks over at The Morning News, an online news publication. Each March, they pit the 16 best books of the previous against each other in a March Madness-like bracket situation. Only the best of the best advance to the next round. School Library Journal has it’s own, similar, contest, the Battle of the Books, specifically aimed at children’s and YA literature. Mostly, I’m just happy I have something to keep me occupied in March – this bookworm is definitely not a basketball fan.
- And in keeping up with the various book awards, the Story Prize finalists were announced this week. Also in its sixth year, the Story Prize is given annually to the best book of short fiction. This year’s finalists are all collections of short stories and, coincidentally, are all debut works from their respective authors. Winners will be announced in March.
- A recent article in Edutopia magazine urges teachers to preserve the language of Shakespeare when teaching the Bard’s stories. Owen Edwards acknowledges that teaching Shakespeare can be difficult, due to the not-quite-a-foreign-language style and words used. He applauds teachers who use modern-day adaptations to engage students with the plays, but encourages them to keep the language intact, for this one simple reason: “Shakespeare’s greatness lives in his language.” And you’ll get no argument from me.
- Between the publishing conventions, the ALA conventions and the author conventions, the literary world couldn’t possibly need yet another gathering of people coming together in its name, right? Wrong! In May, a group of bloggers will launch the first annual Book Bloggers Convention. There’s little news about what exactly will happen at this convention, but all I really want to know is this: do I count as a book blogger? No? Maybe?
- The tragic earthquake in Haiti is, no doubt, on many people’s minds and especially on those members of International PEN. Galley Cat reports that the President of PEN Haiti, Georges Anglade, and his wife were among those who died during the earthquake. International PEN, and it’s 145 affiliates across the globe, is a worldwide association for writers that promotes literature as a way to connecting people and places.
- As the Haiti story has unfolded, Boston-based children’s literature author Mitali Perkins has compiled a list of children’s books set in Haiti and another kidlit blogger has child-appropriate books about earthquakes. Meanwhile, National Ambassador Katherine Paterson is doing her part to help Haitian children through the IBBY (International Board on Books for Young People) Children in Crisis Fund, which uses literature to help alleviate the psychological affects of disaster.
