In honor of Banned Books Week, we'd like to take this opportunity to quote one of the greatest literary endeavors ever undertaken in the United States, The Bill of Rights.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
—Amendment I, The Bill of Rights to the U.S. Constitution

And now, we will exercise our freedom of speech.

KIDS' Q&A: MATTHEW SKELTON
Matthew Skelton's debut novel, Endymion Spring, is a riveting tale of past and present, books and readers, scholars and collectors. Like Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy, Endymion Spring is a mythic story set partially in Oxford. The young hero, Blake, isn't much of a reader until he discovers a mysterious book in the library: where did it come from, and where will it take him? Skelton utilizes his vast knowledge of book history and lore to weave a tale that will captivate readers young and old. Read our Q&A with Matthew Skelton here, and buy Endymion Spring at 30% off.

KIDS' Q&A: BART KING
Oregon teacher and author Bart King has followed up his wildly popular The Big Book of Boy Stuff with its counterpart, The Big Book of Girl Stuff. To do so, he enlisted the help of his five sisters. If you like the color pink, this book is for you. Read King's Q&A and save 30% on The Big Book of Girl Stuff for a limited time.

VOCABULARY INTERMISSION
verboten adj. forbidden, banned.

KIDS' Q&A: SHANNON HALE
The Goose Girl and Enna Burning, Shannon Hale's first two young adult novels set in the kingdom of Bayern, featured smart heroines, the magic that binds us all, and friendship that endures. Her characters are engagingly real, her stories are breathtakingly suspenseful, and her language is simply gorgeous. Her latest novel, River Secrets, may actually surpass the first two. This time, puny but affable Razo is our young hero. On a spying mission in a neighboring enemy kingdom, lonely and insecure, Razo must discover and believe in his attributes in order to prevent war and even, yes, get the girl in the end. Save 30% on Rivers Secrets — as empathetic to the human condition as any story you'll find, and so much fun to read.

KIDS' Q&A: SID FLEISCHMAN
Children today are as fascinated with Houdini as his audiences were when he was alive. Biographies of Houdini litter the shelves of book stores. But now comes the biography of all Houdini biographies, by the venerable Sid Fleischman, prolific children's author and magician. As a young man, Fleischman befriended Houdini's widow, and thus he brings a personal touch to the moving and enthralling life of the world's most famous magician. Illustrated with period photographs, the book is as beautiful as it is illuminating. Read our Q&A with Newbery Award-winning author Sid Fleischman, and buy Escape!: The Story of the Great Houdini at 30% off.

VOCABULARY INTERMISSION
malediction n. a curse; slander.

WIN OUR NEW STAFF PICKS!
Tell your friends! Tell your neighbors! Someone will win the entire selection of our new Kids' Team Staff Picks. That's right, we performed our team huddle and came up with our favorite new and classic titles for the fall, and now we want to give a lucky winner a copy of every single book. That's 24 books, folks! Click here to enter.

BANNED BOOKS
Banned Books Week is September 23–30 this year. We take this time to celebrate the right and assert the necessity of the freedom to express and to read many different points of view. The majority of challenged and banned books are children's books. Many are also award winners. Here are some of our favorite books that have been challenged and/or banned.

LEMONY SNICKET RELEASE PARTY
All good things must come to an end — and fortunately, so must all terrible things. Hence, Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events comes to a long-awaited close with the thirteenth volume, titled The End. On Friday, October 13, at 2 p.m., to celebrate our freedom from these oppressive little books, we encourage kids to dress up in their least favorite costumes, play wretched games, and attempt to win prizes that probably ought not be discussed in civilized company. We promise you a disastrous time. Don't come — you'll be sorry if you do.

VOCABULARY INTERMISSION
pariah n. an outcast; one who is shunned or avoided by his peers.

NEW ARRIVALS
If you liked The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, try Toys Go Out by Emily Jenkins. If a very British book about space pirates sounds good to you, then check out Larklight by Philip Reeve. Can't get enough of princesses? Gail Carson Levine is happy to oblige: her latest is Fairest. For something a little darker, Patricia McCormick, author of the popular novel Cut, is back to challenge readers with Sold. Or investigate the beautifully written story of a World War I deserter and the two little girls he befriends in The Silver Donkey by Sonya Hartnett. And finally, consider Justin Somper's Vampirates. Vampires that are pirates: what could be better?

KAREN'S FAVORITE READ-ALOUDS
It turns out that all of my favorite read-alouds also have amazingly interactive illustrations, which add brilliantly to the experience. One Duck Stuck by Phyllis Root is one of the best. The language sings in my mouth with soft, silky rhymes and repetitions. The best books are the ones that encourage interaction between the reader and the listener, and One Duck Stuck is masterful, with enough repetition for a child to help "read," as well as plenty of things to count and find in the pictures.

I love to express emotion while reading aloud, and it doesn't get much better than Leonardo the Terrible Monster by Mo Willems. It's a large book with big pictures, so it would be perfect for reading before a group and the illustrations contain lovely details. Tough Boris, by Mem Fox, is a fun, touching tale about pirates. As with just about any pirate book, the opportunity to exaggerate one's voice is too good to pass up, and is all the more appreciable for the poignant twist at the end.

And I simply cannot forget the book that made me realize how breathtakingly fun and involved an activity reading aloud can be: The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear, by Audrey Wood. It is impossible to read this story without injecting the words with their inherent suspense. Meanwhile, the pictures are funny and beautiful. So shed those inhibitions and get lost, out loud, in these fabulous books.

KIDS' BESTSELLERS

1. Vocabulary from Classical Roots by Nancy Fifer (English Reference) 2. Ida B by Katherine Hannigan (Choice Awards) 3. Number the Stars by Lois Lowry (Newbery Award Winners) 4. Criss Cross by Lynne Rae Perkins (Newbery Award Winners) 5. Max Malone Makes a Million by Charlotte Herman (Middle Readers) 6. The Giver by Lois Lowry (Newbery Award Winners) 7. The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer (Science Fiction and Fantasy) 8. Endymion Spring by Matthew Skelton (Young Adult) 9. D'Aulaire's Book of Greek Myths by Ingri D'Aulaire (Mythology) 10. The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo (Young Adult)

Have you read a banned book lately?