The Books Change Lives Program is part of the Ann Arbor Book Festival. BCL encourages readers to tell us about their favorite all-time book and how it changed their lives. Rachel's favorite book is Strider by Beverly Cleary. Here's what she had to say about it: "I don't know how many times I have read Strider, but I know it better than any other book. The situations that Leigh Botts faces make me love it so much. He found his comfort in writing about his anxieties and in running with his dog. The way he wrote about running made me want to run. In high school I started. Running boosted my self-esteem, kept me focused and lively, and helped me push myself. Like Leigh Botts, running helped me deal with my social awkwardness." Do you have a favorite book that influenced your life?

Katherine Paterson, author of Bridge to Terabithia, Flip-Flop Girl, and The Master Puppeteer, has won Sweden's most prestigious award, the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award for Literature.

Ms. Paterson, who was informed of this honor on March 15th, did not even know she was nominated.

The prize is named after Astrid Lindgren, the Swedish author who created one of children's literature's most beloved characters, Pippi Longstocking.

Ms. Paterson, 73, will receive the $640,000 purse, established by the Swedish government, in Stockholm on May 31st from Crown Princess Victoria.

It's been a while since we've seen much in wordless picture books. The Flower Man is a dandy for studying the details and changes in each picture while develop your own imaginary story. This wordless book may make you want to seek out past favorites like creepy castle, yellow umbrella, or home.

These are not just for kids. M.T. Anderson has two new books with two different illustrators and they are lovely "share alouds" for elementary school ages! In Me, All Alone, At The End Of The World and A Serpent Came To Gloucester Anderson's melodious prose wrap around dramatic pictures and make these original tales memorable.

The winner of the 2006 Caldecott Award for picture books is The Hello,Goodbye Window. The text is by Norton Juster and the illustrations are by Chris Raschka, who is illustrator for Charlie Parker Played BeBop, Mysterious Thelonius, and more.

Arab children's literature continues to emerge. Notable titles to look for are The Three Princes: A Tale From The Middle East and Goha The Wise Fool, a collection of fourteen tales about the folk hero Nasreddin Hoca, also known as Goha. Goha is a man with a reputation for being able to answer difficult questions in a clever way ... a middle east trickster.
For further links try http://www.ala.org/BookLinks, click on "Web Connections" down the left-side menu, then choose "January 2006" issue. Scroll down to "Arab Children's Literatu

At the end of the nineteenth century in Libya, eleven-year-old Malika simultaneously enjoys and feels constricted by the narrow world of women. This slim piece of historical fiction draws a picture of Malika's daily Muslim life, which includes generous and understanding parents, well-drawn family and cultural roles, and a compelling story to keep the pages turning. Shadows Of Ghadames is a timeless glimpse into a traditional Muslim village.

National Public Radio's Story Corps seeks oral histories from ordinary folks "as a record of the way we live today--and how we got here." In the case of Blanca Alvarez this is very literally a story of how she got here. In the Story Corps interview with her daughter, Connie, Alvarez describes crossing the border from Mexico to the United States over thirty years ago and the jobs she held to support her family in those difficult early years.

Learning History through fiction is a great way to learn about Michigan roots, whether reading on your own, or as a family read-aloud activity. Patricia Reilly Giff's http://www.patriciareillygiff.com/ new book, Willow Run, follows a young girl's family to the B-24 Bomber Factory as they look for work during World War II at the Willow Run plant.

On Valentine's Day 2006 Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane became available. The newest book by DiCamillo, Kate is a great family read-aloud. Edward Tulane is a ceramic doll rabbit who falls from the arms of his adoring Abilene on a trans-Atlantic cruise. Thus begins the "miraculous journey". Extending experiences can be found at http://www.edwardtulane.com/.