Children

The business of children's bookselling, award-winning authors and booksellers, and the best of publishers' children's lists were all part of Thursday's and Friday's program at this year's BookExpo America.

Book-banning is familiar territory for Chris Crutcher: Each of his nine books has caught the attention of censors around the country. It is fitting, then, that his latest novel, The Sledding Hill (Greenwillow Books), a Summer 2005 Book Sense Children's Pick, explores friendship, grief, growing up -- and a censorship attempt at an Idaho high school.

Looking to better represent the nature of children's bookselling and publishing, Book Sense has revamped its Children's Bestsellers List by breaking out bestsellers into three categories: "Children's Interest," "Illustrated," and "Series Fiction."

Building on the success of Book Sense Best Books: 125 Favorite Books Recommended by Independent Booksellers, Newmarket Press and Book Sense are teaming up once again -- to publish Book Sense Best Children's Books: Favorites for All Ages Recommended by Independent Booksellers. The new title, to be published in September 2005, will feature more than 200 "favorite book" recommendations from independent booksellers with Book Sense.

This week, BTW shines a spotlight on Thursday, June 2, programming at this year's BookExpo America (BEA) for children's booksellers, for African-American booksellers, and for college stores. BEA will be held from June 2 - 5, at New York City's Jacob Javits Convention Center.

1. WOLF BROTHER (Chronicles of Ancient Darkness #1), by Michelle Paver, Geoff Taylor (Illus.) (HarperCollins, $16.99, 0060728256) "Twelve-year-old Torak and his companion wolf-cub work together to defeat the evil demon intent on destroying their clans. Set 6,000 years ago, this thrilling, coming-of-age adventure takes Torak through deep forests and perils unfathomable to contemporary city dwellers." --Carolyn Frakes, Enchanted Forest Books, Forest City, IA

In the coming weeks and months, Bookselling This Week would like to shine the spotlight on booksellers who have developed special events to celebrate the Saturday, July 16, release of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Scholastic).

Strains of "At the Copa" may be heard as children's booksellers make their way to BookExpo America 2005 at the Jacob Javits Convention Center during the first week in June. Educational programming for children's booksellers is scheduled for Thursday, June 2, and the day concludes with a dinner and auction at Manhattan's legendary Copacabana to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Association of Booksellers for Children (ABC).

1. PETER AND THE STARCATCHERS, by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson (Disney Editions, $17.99, 0786854456) "Arrr matey! Hop on board this swashbuckling adventure that tells the story of how Peter Pan came to be. A fantastic read-aloud for younger fans of Neverland, too." --Sonya Yruel, The Storyteller, Lafayette, CA Also a Brilliance Audio (Unabridged CD, 159355978X)

From her spot behind the counter at Diesel: A Bookstore, in Oakland, California, bookseller Melissa Lion recommends great reading from her current favorite genre, young adult fiction.