Celebrating Children's Book Week

The beginning of Children's Book Week (that's this week, May 11–17) started with a bang, with lots of coverage all over the kid-lit/publishing blogosphere. All week long, children, schools, libraries, booksellers, parents, writers, and publishers nationwide (whew, lots o' folks!) have been participating in special reading- and books-boosting events — and we all hope this kind of focused collective effort helps create the kind of attention and momentum that inspires (reminds?) kids to choose reading as a fun leisure-time activity throughout the upcoming summer break and, of course, beyond.

I know the week is ending, but I thought it would be nice to help keep the love flowing during its last gasp. So to the blog I'm taking!

How am I observing this event? Well, for starters, I hauled myself to the bookstore last weekend to support great children's books by putting my money where my mouth is. Love, love, LOVE the library, always. Love sharing books, too. But sometimes (who am I kidding? more times than is probably prudent) I want my own copies and just go get them. I bought The Graveyard Book so I can finally catch up with the reigning Newbery winner; Inch and Miles: The Journey to Success, a character-ed picture book created for the school market (I wrote its accompanying teacher resource several years back using the manuscript's Word file!); and a classic cute-doggie novel, Ginger Pye, to pass along to an 8-year-old girl.

Next up for me is this weekend's local SCBWI conference, where I'll spend two long, intense-but-wonderful days immersed in sessions dedicated to the craft and business of creating the very works that Children's Book Week honors. Seems like the perfect capper to me, and I can't wait!