Help a Kidlitosphere Librarian

If you went to the Kidlitosphere Conference this past fall, perhaps you were fortunate, as I was, to meet the lovely Bridget Zinn--a YA librarian and writer recently diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer. She's in treatment, but it's very expensive--so the kidlitosphere is chipping in to help out. Jone--conference organizer extraordinaire, and blogger at Deo Writer--is organizing an online auction as well as an in-person silent auction to help defray the cost of treatments. The online auction goes live TOMORROW--read about the details here. I've donated a handmade blank book (photos at right), Cloudscome has donated a handmade baby quilt, and there will be numerous other wonderful items up for bidding. Stay tuned!

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I was very excited about my library haul from this past week--you can see the results here. After a reading binge several days long, I've already made it through most of them, so expect some reviews to materialize throughout the next week. In the meantime, why not check out a couple of exciting new blog links? Teaching Authors, if you haven't heard, is a group blog with April Halprin Wayland, Esther Hershenhorn, Jeanne Marie Grunwell Ford, JoAnn Early Macken, Mary
Ann Rodman, and Carmela Martino--all published, working writers who also happen to be writing teachers. They'll be posting writing exercises called Writing Workouts, as well as addressing topics of interest to writers, readers, and teachers alike. Here's the official intro.

Another new star in the kidlit sky is the blog Booklights from PBS Parents--brought to you by blog buds Jen Robinson, Mother Reader, and Susan Kusel of Wizards Wireless, along with Gina Montefusco from PBS and various guest contributors. The goal of the blog is to help parents and others encourage a love of reading in kids. I can't think of better champions for the cause!