My friend and master quilter Mary Strzelec of Lynnwood, WA created this fabulous work of fabric art celebrating the Giant Pacific Octopus, star of my book-in-progress.
What an incredible gift! While others can sleep in the arms of Morpheus, I can sleep wrapped in the eight arms and 16,000 suckers of Enteroctopus dofleni–sans slime. Mary’s husband, Mike, has been an indispensable help with the book, discovering all sorts of obscure cephalapodan information.
Temple Grandin has been selected for the list of Notable Social Studies Trade Books for 2013. This list is a cooperative project of the National Council for the Social Studies and the Children’s Book Council.
At Heavy Medal, a School Library Journal blog, they have convened a “mock” Newbery Award contest, and thrown opening the judging for discussion. Temple Grandin is one of the books under consideration. Here’s what Heavy Medal says about Temple Grandin:
“Though I always point out that ‘no book is flawless,’ I’ve been hard pressed to find the flaws in this seamless and engaging read. Montgomery creates a “you are there” feeling both without intruding as author, but also while being totally transparent as author. It is clear, from the way she constructs her sentences and from her backmatter explanations, how she has put together each piece of her vivid narrative from interviews and other sources. This is not flashy writing, and the emotional punch always comes from the story itself, not from the heavy hand of an author driving it home. “Heart-warming-ness” of the story aside (which is where the Newbery committee will have to put it), this is a wonderfully constructed piece of nonfiction, tuned perfectly to its audience in every respect.”
Temple Grandin is on the CCBC Choices list for 2013. CCBC Choices is the annual best-of-the-year list of the Cooperative Children’s Book Center.
The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) has chosen Temple Grandin as the recipient of the 2013 AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books.
The AAAS prize celebrates outstanding science writing and illustration for children and young adults. This year’s finalists were selected by a panel of librarians, scientists, and science literacy experts. They chose the four winners out of nearly 170 books up for consideration.
The judges note: “Sy Montgomery’s excellent biography of Temple Grandin focuses not just on Grandin’s research and accomplishments, but also on the role her autism played not just in terms of obstacles, but also in terms of opportunities to see things differently. This is also an important message for children with autism or other disabilities because it provides them with a role model who broke barriers and made significant contributions to science and to society.”
The AAAS award will be presented in Boston in February.
Magnificent! The School Library Journal blog, Fuse #8, has chosen Temple Grandin as one of the One Hundred Magnificent Children’s Books of 2012.