Union Square Kids acquired five new books by Mo Willems; new picture books by Willems and Ruby Bridges will be released on September 6, 2022; Nikki Grimes Receives Another Award; “Surfside Girls” will become a streaming series; and more in this edition of News Bites.
Union Square Kids acquired five new books by Mo Willems; new picture books by Willems and Ruby Bridges will be released on September 6, 2022; Nikki Grimes Receives Another Award; Surfside Girls becomes a streaming series; and more in this edition of News Bites.
Union Square Kids will publish five new books by Mo Willems
Union Square Kids, a brand of book publisher Union Square & Co., announced that it has acquired five new books from author and illustrator Mo Willems, starting with 
The Pigeon will ride the roller coaster!to be published on September 6, 2022.
The Pigeon will ride the roller coaster! is the eighth picture book in the “Pigeon” collection, which has sold over six million copies in North America and been translated into 20 languages.
The five-pound deal covers US, Canadian and UK rights.
School to be published I am Ruby Bridges picture book
I am Ruby Bridgesa new picture book by civil rights icon Ruby Bridges and illustrated by Nikkolas Smith, will be published by Scholastic on September 6, 2022. The title marks the first time Bridges has shared her story from the perspective of her self of six year. , when she became the first black student to desegregate the all-white William Frantz Elementary School in Louisiana.
“I am Ruby Bridges is my most personal book to date,” Bridges said in a statement. “It’s not just about my school integration experience. It’s also about the innocent way a child sees the world. Writing as my six-year-old self reminded me how differently children interpret things than adults. Children are much better at finding humor in everything, and even in times of great challenge, that’s what this book really does. It allows young children to learn history in a fun way, which I am very excited about.
WNDB seeks Walter judges
We Need Diverse Books is building its 2023 Walter Awards Selection Committee. Judges will read the submissions and select our next winners and honorees. They will also receive a travel stipend and a free hotel night to attend the 2023 Walter Awards event in Washington, DC.
If you are interested, send a CV to info@diversebooks.org. Various* librarians and educators are encouraged to submit. WNDB recognizes all diverse experiences, including (but not limited to) LGBTQIA, Indigenous, people of color, gender diversity, persons with disabilities, and ethnic, cultural, and religious minorities.
Nikki Grimes will receive the 2022 Anne V. Zarrow Prize for Children’s Literature
Author Nikki Grimes is the recipient of the Tulsa Library Trust’s 2022 Anne V. Zarrow Award for Literature for Young Readers. Grimes began writing poetry at the age of six and has since received more than a dozen awards for her books of fiction, non-fiction and poetry aimed at elementary, middle and middle school readers. young adults.
The Anne V. Zarrow Award for Literature for Young Readers honors, on behalf of the Tulsa County community, a nationally recognized author who has made a significant contribution to the field of young adult literature. The winner of the prize, presented by the Tulsa Library Trust, receives a cash prize of $10,000 and an engraved crystal book.
Past winners include: Jason Reynolds (2021), Katherine Applegate (2020), Rita Williams-Garcia (2019), Pam Muñoz Ryan (2018), Laurie Halse Anderson (2017), Gordon Korman (2016), Sharon Draper (2015) , Jack Gantos (2014), Jim Murphy (2013) and Jacqueline Woodson (2012), among others.
Surfside Girls is coming to Apple TV
Apple TV+ has ordered a 10-episode live-action series of Kim Dwinell’s mid-level graphic novel series Surfside Girls. The adventure series about two friends trying to save their town will star Miya Cech as Jade and YaYa Gosselin as Sam
IMLS accepts Native Hawaiian and Native American grants
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is now accepting applications for Native Hawaiian Library Services and Improved Native American Library Services subsidies. The deadline for submitting applications is April 1.
Native Hawaiian Library Services grants of up to $150,000 over two years are awarded to improve basic library services for their communities. They are available to nonprofit organizations that primarily serve and represent Native Hawaiians. The improvement of Native American library services, which can also reach $150,000 for two years, will be awarded to advancing the programs and services of eligible Indian tribes, including Alaska Native Villages, Regional Societies, and Village Societies.
