1. Beverly Cleary is the oldest living Newbery Award winner.

She is 95 years old.

2. Ned Vizzini has a new book coming out this year. It is sci-fi/fantasy-y… but I have been reading Mr. Vizzini since I read Teen Angst? Naaahh… in like, 1998 or something.

His new book – The Other Normals, due out in in Fall 2012 – is somewhat on the hush-hush. There’s not even a cover online.

But it does have a cover. I saw it! In the flesh! Today! Maybe I’ll even get to take it home. Who knows.

3. One my absolute favorite book series of all time has been repackaged and reissued.

So this is a great series that has been around for my entire lifespan of almost-27-years, but it has been constantly plagued by terrible covers. The characters either look way too young, way too old, way too eighties, way too nineties…

but finally, Alice McKinley has found…

THE PERFECT COVER ART.

Seriously. Perfect. I’m officially obsessed. I want to buy a brand new set, abandon my life’s duties, and re-read and gaze lovingly upon every cover. Julia Denos, rock on. Rock. On.