Book news: Newbery questions, bookbinding, midnight poetry and Stephen King

Is the Newbery Medal doing what it should? The Washington Post reports on a debate sparked by the School Library Journal. Newbery Medal winners are widely acquired by libraries and bookstores, but are the books really appealing to kids? John Beach, associate professor of literacy education at St. John's University in New York, tells the Post that "The Newbery has probably done far more to turn kids off to reading than any other book award in children's publishing."

Something the Newbery board should probably avoid is David B.'s graphic novel "Nocturnal Conspiracies." He's the French cartoonist whose "Epileptic" was named 2002's top graphic novel by Time magazine. New York magazine has a slide show from "Nocturnal Conspiracies," (out this month) which includes a dreamlike decapitation.

Dave Allen is not at all sinister, unless you consider a book bound in fish skin sinister. AbeBooks visits with the Canadian bookbinder to learn what it takes to restore, say, a 100-year-old edition of "The Wizard of Oz."

Ever find yourself up in the wee hours, staring into the void -- and the Internet? Maybe instead of trying to find old TV ads featuring Stephen King on Youtube, you could nourish your hungering soul with a little midnight poetry. The blog AuthorScoop is posting poems at midnight from literary giants and up-and-coming poets -- it even has a call for entries. (That Stephen King TV ad? It's after the jump).

-- Carolyn Kellogg