One never knows how a book will fare until it finally appears after years of work. MANGER (Eerdmans), illustrated by Helen Cann, got off to a roaring start. Published in September, the first edition print run was gone by November. Promotion was widespread: A terrific blog by Sylvia Vardell at www.poetryforchildren.blogspot.com–a long interview with Tim Podell at www.goodconversations.com a main selection at Politics & Prose Booksellers in Washington, D.C. – a bevy of rave reviews

I met Daniel Handler, also known as Lemony Snickett, only once – at a conference – at the height of his popularity having written his “…Unfortunate Events” series. He was then – overblown! I’ve known Jackie Woodson for quite some time. I know of her passion to write, to get published, to keep the pace of genius. I know of her fight, her plight for human rights – her vision of a better future for

Time is once upon, upon again. Where does it go? Better yet, why doesn’t some of it stay? NO! Can’t be NO-vember. Yet it is. I oft reread a quote from the brilliant Tennessee Williams: “Life is all memory, except for the one present moment that goes by so quick you hardly catch it going.” So — it is November. My latest book, MANGER (Eerdmans) has received glorious reviews including a Children’s Book Council “Hot

Renee LaTulippe and I continue our NCTE Poet Series. Forthcoming is an interview about the work of the incredible Lilian Moore whose wordplay was as unique as she was. We also did introductory work on Arnold Adoff and Valerie Worth all to be posted in the future. For past interviews click top left icon on my Home Page, “NCTE Interviews”. It is less than a month away until the publicaiton of MANGER (Eerdmans) illustrated by

This post is not about Walter’s incredible literary accomplishments; it is about my relationship with one of the greatest human beings one could encounter in life. We met in the late l960’s when I worked at Bank Street College at a research center on l25th Street-smack in the middle of Harlem. A group of us, including poet, Lilian Moore, became quite active with the Council on Interracial Books encouraging the organization to initiate a Children’s