Coe Booth, author of Tyrell (which I admire so much! and which won the LA Times Book Award) wrote a diary entry for Demi of Dramarama on The Longstockings blog. How cool is that?

Well. I woke up at 6 this morning
cleaned pee off things (ugh. don't ask)
waded through the mess of my house
made coffee
felt kinda cranky at being up so early
(and about the pee)
got on the computer
and
felt like a total rock star.
The Longstockings did a Dramarama roundtable.

Now, with my head gloriously swollen, I will go and do some laundry.

I made this catalog card, complete with reader scribbles, for Dramarama. Make your own, here!

Why, in Dramarama, does Demi love Liza Minnelli so very very much?

Here is why.

From the movie, Cabaret. Directed and choreographed by Bob Fosse.

For little kid book people, this post. Teenagers and people who aren't into picture books can ignore this one.

This made me happy. I am not clear on if anyone can vote or what. I thought it was children voting but then there's a ballot on the internet. But still!

Oh, also:
The Ezra Jack Keats award-winners for best illustration and best writing in a picture book by a new (3 books or less) creator of books for children!
I STRONGLY recommend both these books for all library collections and bookstores. And for birthday gifts for children ages 3-7.

The Keats awards are for books that are awesome by new artists/writers -- but they are also for books that celebrate the multi-cultural nature of our world AND the universality of childhood experience.

MYSTERY BOTTLE by Kristin Balouch, for illustration. The story of an American boy whose grandfather sends him a magic bottle that contains a warm wind -- it blows him to Tehran, where the grandfather lives, and they meet for the first time.

FOR YOU ARE A KENYAN CHILD by Kelly Cunnane, illustrated by Ana Juan, for the writing. A day in the life of a joyous, mischevious boy in a Kenyan village. He is supposed to be watching his grandpa's cows -- but he gets distracted... a really great read-aloud with wonderful repeating phrases.

If you've been following the banning of The Bermudez Triangle by Maureen Johnson, you might want to sign this petition asking that it not be removed from the shelves. I did.

Oh -- and if you are FROM Bartelsville, OK -- or live near there, there's a separate petition for your community here.

Anne Brashares has a blog, now! And you can also read the first chapter of her new adult book, The Last Summer of You and Me -- coming out in June.

Also-- a reminder. My last appearance for Dramarama is May 24th, the Park Slope B&N with Melissa Kantor.

--E

Do you love reading Holly Black like I love reading Holly Black?
Get yourself over to NYMBC's goth-out contest, and win free Holly Black stuff.

Coming next March.

Are you in NYC?
Sarah Dessen is doing her first-ever NYC signing at the Barnes & Noble at 240 E. 86th Street on Wednesday at 7pm!