Category: Young Readers

‘The Princess Diaries’ Author Writing Black Canary Story

Black Canary is one of the DC Universe’s most iconic heroines. The character first appeared in 1947, slowly growing through the ages to become a self-assured, independent character. Her power is a ‘canary cry’, a supersonic scream, powerful enough to shatter windows. The current and most iconic Black Canary is Dinah Lance, who has appeared in such works like Arrow and Justice League.  Black Canary has been consistently seen as a superhero icon and a feminist role model to the comic book fanbase’s female culture. This latest book puts a new spin on the character for a new generation, written by a famous author.

 

Dinah Lance sits with her parents around a table over dinner, arguing
Image Via Bustle

 

According to Bustle, The Princess Diaries author Meg Cabot is writing a new Black Canary comic book, with art by Over the Garden Wall artist Cara McGee. The story will focus on a younger Dinah Lance, who is a brash, fun loving thirteen-year-old girl whose powers slowly begin to develop, manifesting in things she doesn’t mean to do, like shattering glass or knocking people over with her supersonic voice. Meg Cabot hopes the comic will resonate with younger readers, hence making Dinah a middle-schooler and making her face the same problems they do. The character’s typical costume, fishnets and a leotard, was also changed for this reason. Hence, her costume is this comic looks like something a kid could design themselves and make them know they could be a hero too, just like Dinah.

The novel is titled Black Canary: Ignite, and will be part of the DC Universe’s new imprint, DC Zoom, which will also have other titles focusing on younger iterations of their classic hero gallery: such as Mera: Tidebreaker, Wonder Woman: Tempest, and Batman: Gotham High. These stories, like Black Canary: Ignite, will be under a YA imprint and hopefully inspired younger readers with their tales.

 

Black Canary knocks down a bunch of her peers with her sonic scream (by accident)
Image Via Bustle

 

The book is due November 5th! Check it out or better yet, buy it for your kids. Go, Dinah, go!

 

 

Featured Image Via Meg Cabot.com

A Whole New World: Disney Drops New ‘Aladdin’ Trailer

Well the trailer is here! This morning, Disney dropped the new trailer for Aladdin, revealing a whole new menagerie of classic scenes adapted in live action. And most exciting of all: the songs! Yes, folks snippets from Friend Like Me and A Whole New World are glimpsed here, allowing the sheer scope of the project to finally come into focus. Aladdin looks appropriately epic in scale, both in the breath of the sets, the beautiful costumes, and equally lovely cinematography. It appears this move is just more than Will Smith in blue makeup, allowing fans to breathe a sigh of relief.

 

Poster for Disney's Aladdin, showcasing Aladdin, Jasmine, the Genie, and Jafar composed together
Image Via Disney.com

 

Speaking of the Genie, he’s finally shown onscreen for more than a few seconds, allowing Will Smith show us his chops. There will never be a true replacement for Robin William’s Genie but Will Smith looks to be throwing himself into the role with gusto. Showcasing charm, wit, and a great deal of energy, the Genie looks plain fun and will likely steal the show, just as he did in the original animated film.

Other glimpses in the trailer include glimpses of the sinister Jafar, the magnificently designed Cave of Wonders, and of course, Mena Massaoud’s Aladdin himself. This live action adaptation looks to be a worthy successor to the original film and we can’t wait for the film to drop in just two months.

Aladdin releases on May 24th.

 

 

 

Featured Image Via Collider 

World Book Day

10 Adorable Kids’ Costumes for World Book Day

Today, families in England, Ireland, and Wales are celebrating World Book Day (which, ironically, is not a worldwide holiday). Young readers are dressing up as their favorite characters from a delightful variety of children’s books, sharing, spreading, and thoroughly enjoying a love of reading!

Take a look at the best costumes from all over the web:

 

1. addie the Jampire

From the picture book Jampires, written by David O’Connel and illustrated by Sarah McIntyre.

 

 

 

2. A VERY ADORABLE CATERPILLAR

Based on the beloved children’s book The Very Hungry Caterpillar written by Eric Carle.

 

 

 

3. PETER PAN AND HARRY POTTER

From the book Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie and also the novel series Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling.

 

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#worldbookday2019 💙💖💙

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4. ABBY AS A SCARY CUTE ASLAN

From the book series The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe, written by C. S. Lewis.

 

 

 

 

5. RHY AS MYRTLE MEEK

From the children’s book Fing written by David Walliams and illustrated by Tony Ross.

 

 

 

6. Minnie as Miss Root

From the book The Demon Dentist, written by David Walliams and illustrated by Tony Ross.

 

 

 

 

7. Little Cindy Lou Who, ready for another holiday!

From the children’s book How The Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss.

 

 

 

8. Looks like this Pinocchio has been telling some lies.

From the classic book Pinocchio written by Carlo Collodi and illustrated by Scott McKowen.

 

 

 

9. A Jr. Christmasaurus.

From the book The Christmasaurus written by Tom Fletcher and illustrated by Shane Devries.

 

 

 

And last but not least…

 

10. A live beanstalk.

Based off the old fairy tale Jack and the Beanstalk.

 

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Fee-fi-fo-fum #worldbookday #worldbookday2019 #jackandthebeanstalk

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Now this is parenting done right!

Happy World Book day to young and old alike.

 

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Image Via World Book Day

 

 

Featured Image Via Delph Community Primary School.

New Book Contest Highlights Disability Inclusion in Children’s Lit

Author Julia Donaldson and actress Rachel Shenton are teaming up for a new book competition that hopes to bring more disability inclusion to the children’s book industry for World Book Day.

The National Deaf Children’s Society will open submissions for any story featuring a deaf character. The story needs to be written by a child ages 7-11 and between 200-800 words. The winner will get a chance to work with author Sarah Driver to turn this story into a published work. Donaldson will be the head judge.

Shenton, who won an Oscar for her documentary The Silent Child about a deaf girl struggling to communicate, stressed how much this contest meant to her.

 

“For World Book Day, which is such an exciting time for kids across the country to think about the stories they love, we need to remind everyone involved in the industry of how important disability inclusion is. From children’s authors to book publishers, featuring disabled characters and the experiences they go through couldn’t be more important.”

 

Donaldson has written two books about children with disabilities: Freddy and the Fairy about a fairy who learns how to read lips, and What the Jackdaw Saw about a bird who learns sign language. She expressed how excited she was to read these new stories.

 

Book covers for Freddie and the Fairy and What the Jackdaw Saw
Images Via Amazon

 

“I loved working on that story, and now I’m delighted to be involved in this writing competition. I can’t wait to see the stories that deaf children across the country come up with.”

 

The submission deadline is April 30th. You can find more information here.

 

 

Featured Image Via Eventbrite

"Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss! March 2, 1904"

Oh The Reasons We Love Dr. Seuss!

Today is Dr. Seuss’ birthday! To celebrate his life and legacy, let’s look at all the reasons to love Theodore “Seuss” Geisel!

 

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                                                                 Painting of Theodore Seuss Geisel at work. | Image via myhero.com

 


1. “Zoyce” is the German pronunciation of Seuss; however, Seuss liked that “Soose” rhymed with Mother Goose, so he adopted the pronunciation.

 

 

2. Seuss’s father would dream up complicated inventions in his spare time, like the “Silk-Stocking-Back-Seam-Wrong-Detecting Mirror. This explains all those wacky contraptions in Whoville.

                                                                                                                                                   Image result for dr. seuss whoville    Image via Dr. Seuss Wiki

 


3. Shockingly, Seuss was voted “least likely to succeed” by Casque & Gauntlet, the senior society he belonged to at Dartmouth College. He really showed them!

 

 

4. Although Seuss once attended Oxford University, with the encouragement of his fellow student and future wife, Helen Palmer, he quit school to concentrate on building his art career! Not an easy decision to make, but we’re all so glad that he did.

 

 

5. Dr. Seuss is credited with inventing the word “nerd” in his book If I Ran the Zoo as early as 1950.       

 

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Image Via Google Books

 

6. Green Eggs and Ham was written because Seuss took a $50 bet that he could write a book with only 50 words. He could.

 

 

7. Dr. Seuss kept a closet full of wacky hats. Whenever he came up against writer’s block, he’d put on a suitable hat to help the words flow. 

                                                                                                                                                   
Related image          Image via Collectors Weekly

 

8. He reportedly would write every day for eight hours. Now that is dedication!

 

9. After WWII, back when he worked for a magazine, Seuss travelled to Japan to do research for an article. While there, he asked children to draw what they wanted to be when they grew up. This stirred up his inspiration for Horton Hears A Who.   

 

 

10. Horton Hears A Who was inspired by Seuss’ time in Japan. After creating racist, anti-Japanese propaganda, Seuss realized his mistake during his trip. The idea “a person is a person, no matter how small” had much to do with the country just emerging as a democratic nation, and people gaining the power to make their own decisions and empower their own voices.  

11. Seuss was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1984 for “his special contribution over nearly half a century to the education and enjoyment of America’s children and their parents.” He was the first person to win the Pulitzer Prize for writing children’s books.

 

 

12. Seuss became dedicated to creating books for early readers after stumbling across an article about American children having trouble learning to read. The man had a goal, and boy did he achieve it!

 

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Photograph of a young Theodor Seuss Geisel. | Image via The national Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature.

 

 

Many of these facts and more can be found in author Janet B. Pascal’s insightful book Who Was Dr. Seuss.

 

 

Featured Image via Today.