The Kiddosphere @ Fauquier

Youth Media Awards Update

2012-01-25T12:10:00.003-05:00

Boo yah! The following Youth Media Awards winners and honor books are now on order:

The Great Migration: Journey to the North (Honor book for the Coretta Scott King author division)

Never Forgotten (Honor book for the Coretta Scott King author division)

Girl of Fire and Thorns (Printz Honor book)

Where Things Come Back (Printz winner and Morris winner)

Wheels of Change: How Women Rode the Bicycle to Freedom (With a Few Flat Tires Along the Way) (YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction finalist)

Music Was It: Young Leonard Bernstein (YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction finalist)

The Returning (Printz Honor book)

Jasper Jones (Printz Honor book)

Maximilian and the Mystery of the Guardian Angel: A Bilingual Lucha Libre Thriller (Pura Belpre Honor book-Author division)

Marisol McDonald Doesn't Match/Marisol McDonald no combina (Pura Belpre Honor book-Illustrator Division)

Diego Rivera: His World and Ours (Pura Belpre Illustrator Winner)

The Lily Pond (Batchelder Honor book)

Soldier Bear (Batchelder winner)

Black and White: The Confrontation Between Rev. Fred L. Shuttlesworth and Eugene "Bull" Connor (Sibert Honor book)

See Me Run (Geisel Honor book)

Tales For Very Picky Eaters (Geisel winner)

Yaaaaaaaay!

Wowbrary Wednesday

2012-01-25T10:19:00.001-05:00

My TBR (to be read) list keeps growing and growing with each new Wowbrary. Here's what's caught my eye recently:

Broadway Musicals: The 101 Greatest Shows of All Time

I can't wait to get my (jazz) hands on this monster (it's a taaaaallll book). I collect books about Broadway musicals, so I have a copy of the original publication. (It's fabulous. Gorgeous pictures and lots of behind-the-scenes stuff). I didn't have plans to purchase the updated one, so I'm happy that we're getting the updated version for our collection. A must read for any Broadway fan.

The Orphan Master's Son

Entertainment Weekly (one of my weekly must reads) gave The Orphan Master's Son an awesome review, calling it "vivid and chilling." They're not the only ones giving this novel set in North Korea stellar reviews; there are few novels dealing with the situation in North Korea, so it's no surprise that this is getting a ton of attention.

May the Road Rise Up to Meet You

Immigrant sagas and epic American historical fiction novels immediately intrigue me; this story about the first wave of Irish immigration to the United States in the 19th century is a must read for me.

The Detour

During Hitler's rise to power, the Third Reich created the Sonderprojekte, which plundered the European continent for its greatest and most iconic works of art for Hitler's benefit. A young German art collector travels to Rome in order to capture The Discobulus (The Discus Thrower) marble statue. After he meets up with Italian twin brothers, hired to escort him to the border, he discovers that their side agendas and constant detours threaten his assignment and his life. Set in the Italian countryside on the eve of World War II, this historical thriller is already generating quite a bit of buzz.

Are You Smart Enough to Work at Google?

Normally, job-seeking books wouldn't interest me, but I'm curious about Google's unique interviewing skills and work environment. Not only does William Poundstone feature the bizarre interview questions posed by Google (and the answers!), but he also discusses the need for creative thinking.

Juliette Gordon Low: The Remarkable Founder of the Girl Scouts

Oooh, this book can't come fast enough (it will be published in February). 2012 marks the 100th anniversary of the Girl Scouts, and with any monumental anniversary (2012 has quite a few big ones--100th anniversary of the Titanic, the bicentennial anniversary of the War of 1812, Louisiana's bicentennial statehood anniversary and the bicentennial anniversary of Charles Dickens's birthday are the ones that I remember off the top of my head) comes new books and renewed interest. Juliette Gordon Low has never, to my knowledge, been the subject of a serious adult biography; only a handful of unmemorable children's biographies have been published. Luckily, 2012 is changing all that, with this biography and several children's biographies (one, which will be published in a month or two, is already receiving excellent reviews and has a remarkable cover and graphic design....can't wait to show it to you), Low is finally receiving the attention that she deserves. I was a Girl Scout for many years (reached the Cadette level), so I'm super excited about the new books coming out to celebrate this terrific anniversary. In the meantime, check out The Vintage Girl Scout Online Museum. Warning: it's a timesuck if you're a former Girl Scout. Looking at the badges will remind you that the organization was quite nontraditional for its day; in the 1920s and 30s, girls could earn badges such as the "Economist," "Electrician," "Motorist," and "Handywoman."

(Check out the vintage ads, vintage camping equipment, the special Girl Scout emblems for the US's bicentennial anniversary, Dairy Queen's Tagalog ice cream cake...for real.... and even vintage pictures from the international movement. I told you it's a timesucking site!)

A Good American

Another sweeping immigrant saga to add to my list; New Orleans figures into the story, so that's an added bonus!

King Peggy

It's too bad that Oprah doesn't have her syndicated show anymore, because this is the kind of book that she would have been all over. (This is meant as a compliment--I'm a fan of Oprah for what she did to introduce people to books and authors.) Peggielene Bartels was just your everyday secretary at the Ghana Embassy in Washington DC when she received news that her uncle had died....and that she was his heir to his chiefdom of a small Ghanaian fishing village. When she arrived in Ghana, she discovered that she would have to deal with corruption (among her relatives) and the fact that the village had no high school for its teenagers. King Peggy tells her incredible story. Please tell me someone is making this into a movie. Oprah hasn't bought the rights yet?

This can't be. It's not even the end of January, and my TBR list is unbelievable (because I also have a ton of children's/YA books to read!). If you want to be among the first to know about the latest and greatest coming to the library, you should subscribe to Wowbrary. It comes once a week and it's free!

Youth Media Awards

2012-01-23T12:52:00.002-05:00

So. The Youth Media Awards have been announced. And what a relief! Only a few books that we need to order, but I'm pleased with the outcome. First of all, major thanks to ALA for a smoothly running webcast. I had no problems tuning in, and it started on time. Kudos. It's much more fun to watch it live (and to hear the reaction from the audience) than it is to follow on Twitter or Facebook.

Schneider Family Award:

This award honors books that depict the disability experience. There are three categories.

Children: Uh oh, the committee didn't find a children's book that they decided was worthy of the award. Surprised murmurs from the crowd. Too bad, but admirable that the committee stuck to their guns if they felt that there weren't any that were deserving of the award.

Middle School: Close to Famous and Wonderstruck. Hot dog. Very nice. I had a few quibbles with how soon Foster learned to read, but it's very, very minor. I'm a big Joan Bauer fan. Haven't been able to read Wonderstruck yet (I know, I know), but that's on the agenda.

Teen: The Running Dream. Wow! This book is tremendous.

Coretta Scott King Awards honor African-American artists and illustrators.

Lifetime Achievement: Ashley Bryan. A very well deserved honor for Mr. Bryan.

Illustrator Honor: Kadir Nelson for Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans. Well, naturally.

Illustrator Winner: Shane W. Evans for Underground: Finding the Light to Freedom.

Author Honor: Eloise Greenfield for The Great Migration: Journey to the North and Patricia McKissack for Never Forgotten.

Author Winner: Kadir Nelson for Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans.

Margaret Edwards Award honors the work of a young adult author, focusing on specific titles. This year's award goes to Susan Cooper, whose fantasy works straddle the children's/YA divide (her books are in both our children's and YA collection). The committee singled out Over Sea, Under Stone, The Dark is Rising, Greenwitch, The Grey King, and Silver on the Tree.

William C. Morris Award honors a (YA) debut book.

Finalists: Girl of Fire and Thorns, Paper Covers Rock, Under the Mesquite, Between Shades of Gray, and Where Things Come Back.

Winner: Where Things Come Back

YALSA Excellence In Nonfiction. Pretty self-explanatory.

Finalists: Sugar Changed the World: A Story of Magic, Spice, Slavery, Freedom, And Science, Bootleg: Murder, Moonshine, And the Lawless Years of Prohibition, Wheels of Change, Music Was It, and The Notorious Benedict Arnold: A True Story of Adventure, Heroism, And Treachery

Winner: The Notorious Benedict Arnold

(Huh. No Amelia Lost.)

Printz honors the best in young adult literature.

Honor Books: Why We Broke Up, The Returning, Jasper Jones, and The Scorpio Races

Winner: Where Things Come Back

You know, if I had just gone ahead and ordered the finalists for the Morris Awards, I'd be feeling pretty smug right now. Oh, well. We'll get Where Things Come Back (and the others not currently in the collection) soon enough.

Pura Belpre Awards honors Latino/Latina illustrators and authors.

Author Honors: Xavier Garza for Maximilian and the Mystery of the Guardian Angel: A Bilingual Lucha Libre Thriller and Margarita Engle for Hurricane Dancers: The First Caribbean Pirate Shipwreck.

Author Winner: Guadalupe Garcia McCall for Under the Mesquite. Oooh, I just returned this today. Fabulous book.

Illustrator Honor: Rafael Lopez for The Cazuela That the Farm Maiden Stirred (like this very much!) and Sara Palacios for Marisol McDonald Doesn't Match.

Illustrator Winner: Duncan Tonatiuh for Diego Rivera: His World and Ours.

Batchelder Award honors books translated into English and previously published in another country. Well, I've heard *of* the books this year, so there's an improvement!

Honor: The Lily Pond (the sequel to A Faraway Island)

Winner: Soldier Bear

Sibert Medal honors children's informational (nonfiction) books.

Honor: Black and White: The Confrontation Between Rev. Fred L. Shuttelsworth and Eugene 'Bull' Connor, Drawing From Memory, The Elephant Scientist, and Witches! The Absolutely True Tale of Disaster in Salem (I reviewed and starred this for School Library Journal!)

Winner: Balloons Over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy's Parade

(Hey! This is great! What a great selection of books. Boy, I'd like to read that Black and White book when it comes in. Wait a second....where's Amelia Lost? Well, we still have the Newbery, right?)

Geisel Award honors early readers.

Honor: I Broke My Trunk, I Want My Hat Back, and See Me Run

Winner: Tales For Very Picky Eaters. This is interesting; this seems like an early chapter book.

Caldecott Award: Honoring the best in children's picture books. Now in its 75th year!

Honor: Blackout, Grandpa Green, and Me...Jane.

Winner: A Ball For Daisy

Fist pump! We have all the honors and the medal! A Ball For Daisy wasn't a surprise; I saw it mentioned numerous times on Mock Caldecott lists and predictions.

Newbery Medal honors the best in children's literature. Can be fiction, nonfiction, poetry, picture book, easy reader...as long as it's published for children. Usually, it's fiction....

Honor Books: Inside Out and Back Again and Breaking Stalin's Nose

Winner: Dead End in Norvelt

....and like last year, historical fiction. Look, I'm a fan of historical fiction. I really am. But when every single honor and winner for this year's Newbery is historical fiction, and when all but one (out of four) Newbery Honor books and the Newbery Medal winner from last year were historical fiction....I'd just like to see more variety among the choices. I'd like to see some fantasy, or a mystery, or realistic fiction. Or a poetry title win.

Or a nonfiction win, because Amelia Lost won nothing. Nada. Zip.

Or a nonfiction book that isn't history or biography. I'm happy that we have the titles, and I see that folks have already placed holds on the books. That makes me very happy, because these are good books, and the two honor books deal with a young Vietnamese refugee living in Alabama and the experience of a young Soviet boy during Stalin's Russia. Important stories to read, and brilliantly told. And Jack Gantos is a superb writer! If the committee truly felt that the most distinguished books published in 2011 were all historical fiction, then I'll respect that.

I would just like to see some variety.

That being said--go read! I have not one specific complaint about any of these books. Congratulations to all the winners.

Your 2011 Caldecott and Newbery Award Winners

2012-01-23T10:06:00.000-05:00

The ALA Youth Media Awards have just concluded. Awesome news: we have all the honor and medal books. Woooo-hoooo! Such a relief. Here they are:

Caldecott Honor:

Blackout

Grandpa Green

Me...Jane

Caldecott Medal (the winner):

A Ball For Daisy

Newbery Honors:

Inside Out and Back Again

Breaking Stalin's Nose (I *just* finished reading it this weekend!)

Newbery Medal (the winner)

Dead End in Norvelt

Will discuss the other awards in the next post.

(No Amelia Lost. For anything. Not even the Sibert. Waaaaaht?)

2011 Memorable Reads: Poetry and Young Adult Fiction

2012-01-20T09:00:00.000-05:00

Whew! I set a deadline for finishing these lists before the Youth Media Awards, and I made it. Woo hoo! Let's start with poetry:

Bronze:

Won Ton: A Cat Tale Told in Haiku

A charming and irresistible tale of a shelter cat who finds a good home.

Silver

Every Thing On It

This posthumous work from Silverstein is hilarious, endearing, and a little outrageous--classic Silverstein.

Gold

Emma Dilemma: Big Sister Poems

Heartfelt and honest poems about the ups and downs of being a big sister. Read it. You won't be sorry.

Young Adult Fiction

Bronze

Queen of Water

A unique, outstanding, and true story about indentured servitude in Ecuador.

Silver

The Lost Crown

An unforgettable read about the tragic Romanov grand duchesses. Sarah Miller creates a sympathetic portrayal of the young sisters without romanticizing the Romanovs; a tricky and admirable feat.

Gold

Between Shades of Gray

No contest. An amazing and, at times, difficult read about Stalin's persecution of the Slav population through the eyes of a 15 year old Lithuanian girl.

Monday: The Youth Media Awards! Oooh, baby!

2011 Memorable Reads: Children's Fiction

2012-01-19T09:00:00.004-05:00

It was tough narrowing down my top three.

Bronze

The Great Wall of Lucy Wu

Funny, charming, but with enough gravitas and realism to make this a kid-friendly and appealing look into an Asian-American family's life, particularly generation and cultural gaps. I'm exceedingly fond of this book and was sorry that it seemed to have been forgotten come the end of the year and the "Best Of 2011" lists.

Silver

The Trouble With May Amelia

Huge Jennifer Holm fan. Kids love her, parents love her, critics love her. I ask you, what does this woman have to do to get a Newbery Medal?

Gold:

Young Fredle

I love this book, and I don't care what anybody says. It's funny! It has danger! Suspense! A mouse that goes on adventures! Yes, this was one of several mouse adventures stories this year, but so what?

Friday: Look for my 2011 picks for poetry and young adult fiction. And then Monday...the Youth Media Awards!

Newbery/Caldecott/Printz/Sibert Predictions and Wishes

2012-01-18T09:00:00.009-05:00

The Mock Newbery/Caldecott lists and blog predictions are coming fast and furious; next Monday at 7:45 AM CST/8:45 AM EST (the American Library Association Midwinter conference, where the awards are announced, is held in Dallas this year) will reveal the Newbery, Caldecott, Printz, Sibert, Geisel, and a slew of other award winners. You can watch the announcements here. It's always a fun time for folks involved with children's/YA literature.

For what it's worth (which is nothing), here are my "what I would like to win/what I think will win" thoughts. I don't have a great track record in accurately predicting these things, but I always like to try! I'll also throw in "dark horse" candidates just to shake things up (or to cover my bases!).

Newbery

Oooh, the gold standard. What every children's author dreams of winning.

What I would like to win:

Either Amelia Lost or The Trouble With May Amelia. (Hey, maybe one can get the Medal and the other the Honor--a good year for the Amelias.) I'm a huge Fleming fan, think Amelia Lost is nearly flawless, and I would get a kick out of a nonfiction title winning. Jennifer Holm is also a favorite, and I would love her to get the Medal (she's won the Honor several times). May Amelia is a fantastic character.

What I think will win:

Either Amelia Lost or Okay For Now. I would wager Amelia Lost over Okay For Now. Okay For Now is quite an achivement, but the problems that quite a few (raises hand) have pointed out with characterization and plot may dim its chances. If the choices are close, this may become an issue. I'm a Gary Schmidt fan, so I wouldn't be disappointed if he does win (in the end, I care more about having the actual winners in our collection than who actually wins). This is definitely is on the higher end of the age requirements for the Newbery.

Dark Horse:

Young Fredle

Oh, come on, people! Where's the love for Young Fredle? It certainly wasn't shown in the "Best Of 2011" lists, despite receiving excellent reviews upon publication. What happened? Too many mouse adventure stories?

Caldecott

The gold standard for picture book artists.

What I would like to win:

Me...Jane, Blackout, or Naamah and the Ark at Night

This was a fine year for picture books. Any of these would be a fantastic win.

What I think will win:

Grandpa Green

Quite a bit of love for this one. It's definitely memorable and unique, but it's not one of my faves.

Dark Horse:

I Want My Hat Back. If the committee is a little "quirky." For the record, I got a kick out of the ending.

Printz

Not as well known as the Newbery or Caldecott among the general population, the Printz is the award for the most distinguished contribution in young adult literature. I'm hopeless at predicting this; I'm lucky if I've ordered the winner(s) ahead of the announcement. However....

What I would like to win:

Between Shades of Gray

This is getting a lot of love. I know it has its detractors, but I think it's definitely worthy of the prize.

What I think will win:

As I said, I'm hopeless at predicting the Printz. That being said, I'm feeling good about Shades of Gray, unless Imaginary Girls gets the nod from the committee.

Dark Horse: Not going to try. Moving on....

Sibert

The Sibert is given to the most distinguished title in juvenile nonfiction. This is not on the general public's radar, but it's well-known within children's literature circles.

What I would like to win:

Amelia Lost

What I think will win:

Amelia Lost. Unless Flesh and Blood So Cheap: The Triangle Fire and Its Legacy, which would also be worthy, makes enough of an impression on the committee.

Dark Horse:

I'll go with Flesh and Blood So Cheap on this one, too. I would be very surprised if Amelia Lost doesn't win, frankly.

Other awards that I'm looking forward to:

Coretta Scott King awards, given to distinguished contributions in children's literature by African-American authors and artists.

Margaret A. Edwards award, honoring an author's body of work in young adult literature.

Mildred L. Batchelder Award, which recognizes the translation of a children's book (from a non-English language to English) . The winners are usually new to me; I like to order them to diversify the collection.

Pura Belpre Award, honoring Latino/Latina authors and artists in children's literature.

Schneider Family Book Award, which honors an author or illustrator depicting the disability experience in children's/YA literature. This can include physical disabilities, learning disabilities, or emotional/behavioral issues.

Theodore Seuss Geisel Award, honoring the best in early readers.

There are other interesting awards, but these are my favorites. We shall see next Monday!

2011 Memorable Reads: Children's/YA Nonfiction

2012-01-17T10:40:00.006-05:00

2011 was a fine year for children's nonfiction. These three books were quite exceptional, yet I had no trouble picking my gold pick!

Bronze: Bootleg

Bootleg is an eye-opening and engaging account of the wild and crazy days of the Prohibition Era and its effects on American society. Blumenthal is a gifted author of children's/YA nonfiction, and this is no exception.

Silver: Can We Save the Tiger?

Can We Save the Tiger? is extraordinary; the black-and-white illustrations are striking and unforgettable; while the subject matter (endangered animals) is quite grave, successful achievements show that all hope is not lost for endangered species.

Gold: Amelia Lost

I'm seeing Amelia Lost pop up on several Mock Newbery lists; I'd be thrilled if Candace Fleming wins the Medal. This is an eye-opening and revealing book about Earhart; it's captivating reading, as are Fleming's other works, and shows Earhart's faults, which probably caused her demise, as well as her accomplishments, quite clearly.

We're in the final countdown to the ALA Youth Media awards announcements! Next Monday will reveal all.

And We're Off

2012-01-10T09:00:00.000-05:00

Here come the early birds of the 2012 children's/YA publishing year! January and February tend to be a bit slow for children's/YA publishing, so I won't feature as many books. March and April are different stories. That doesn't mean that awesome books aren't coming out already. Just take a look:

Bad Kitty For President

Just in time for Presidents Day and the presidential campaign season: Bad Kitty runs for president (of the Neighborhood Cat Association). Will the kitty on the right side of the street win, or will it be the kitty on the left (side of the street)? What happens if Bad Kitty forgets to register for vote? What if it comes down to one absentee vote ballot? This is a series that both boys and girls, especially those just getting into chapter books, LOVE. One parent told me that she read a Bad Kitty out loud during a car trip and had to reread it again because everyone (including the parents) enjoyed it so much.

The Cabinet of Earths

When 13 year old Maya's family moves to Paris, they certainly didn't expect Maya to be chosen as the next Keeper of The Cabinet of Earths, in their quest to achieve immortality. This is getting solid reviews; fantasy fans will definitely want to pick it up.

Cinder

Cinderella in a futuristic setting. Our lovely fairy tale heroine is now a cyborg mechanic. Well, naturally. The cool cover and action-packed series opener will likely draw fans.

Earwig and the Witch

No cover yet. Too bad. Diana Wynne Jones's posthumous fantasy novel involves a cheerful orphan taken in by creepy foster parents. Terrific reviews, as you can expect, with the notoriously grumpy Kirkus Reviews calling it "utterly charming," with Publishers Weekly noting its "delightfully odd characters and eccentric magic."

The Fault in Our Stars

Printz Medalist John Green's latest YA offering is receiving a lot of buzz. Based on young cancer patients (one 16 year old in particular), The Fault in Our Stars is the story of a terminally ill teen who meets an extraordinary boy at a support group meeting.

The Lions of Little Rock

I'm a fan of Kristin Levine's debut novel, The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had (despite some quibbles with the ending, but that's minor), so I'm impatiently anticipating The Lions of Little Rock. The integration of Little Rock schools is the focus, but what's intriguing is that the story takes place one year after the schools were integrated, when the media and federal officials had retreated. According to Publishers Weekly, "Levine's characters fall on both sides of the integration issue, but she avoids painting them too broadly..." Really, really excited about this one. Plus, Levine is an Alexandria-based author, which is quite cool. Reviews have been outstanding: "stunning" and "remarkable," remarks from School Library Journal and Kirkus Reviews, respectively.

May B

Novel verses just rarely work for me. Nine times out of ten, I usually wish that the author had told the story in prose. It's just tricky to pull off, and only a handful of authors have been really successful at it. I'm hoping May B will be one of those exceptions; its reviews certainly make me think it does (The Horn Book in particular). Twelve year old May B (Mavis Elizabeth Betterly) is sent to work as a live-in helper for a farmer and his new wife, who is barely older than May B. 19th century life on the Kansas prairies was harsh, and May B's story is no exception. I enjoy this particular time period, so despite my general dislike of verse novels, I'm putting it on my list.

The Pregnancy Project: A Memoir

Gaby Rodriguez was told that she would end up just like her mother and older sisters-an unwed teenage mother. Gaby's life plans didn't include teenage motherhood, yet pretty much everyone assumed that she would be no different. Wondering how her family, friends, classmates, and community would react if she did get pregnant, Gaby decided to fake a pregnancy during her senior year of high school (her mother, boyfriend, and one older sister knew about the project). What she learned and her reveal of her project made headline news, and is now the subject of a well-reviewed memoir and soon-to-be Lifetime television movie.

All right; what a cool bunch of books! One of my New Year's "readalutions" is to keep up with my 2012 to be read list. I really fell behind last year! I ended up returning too many books (for my comfort) because I hadn't even started them or weren't finished with them by the time the due date rolled around, with several patrons waiting for them. Trying to not let that happen this year!

Snow in Summer

2012-01-09T11:26:00.006-05:00

Snow in Summer

Jane Yolen is a masterful storyteller. I don't know how she does it. Picture books, poetry, nonfiction, novels...she does it all. Cue my great excitement and impatience when I heard some time last summer that she had written a retake of Snow White, set in 1940s West Virginia. Hel-lo!

Papa hasn't sung much since Summer's mother and their infant died from childbirth complications. Thankfully, Summer (named Snow in Summer at birth) has her Cousin Nancy to act as a mother figure, until Papa suddenly marries a very strange woman. Very strange, indeed. Stepmama (what Summer, now called Snow, must call her new stepmother) is hard and artificially affectionate. When Summer reaches maturity, Stepmama announces that it is time to take her to "her church." Oddly enough, Stepmama has not regularly attended any services since she mysteriously arrived in town.

This is when the parallels between the original Snow White story and Yolen's creation become most apparent. Yolen has included the well-known aspects of the story-evil stepmother/witch, magic mirror, the huntsman, and even the seven strange men. Snow White, in my opinion, is one of the darkest and creepiest Grimm tales, and Yolen incorporates the sinister aspects of the story to a chilling effect.

Snow in Summer is definitely for the mature child reader, not just for the fact that Summer entering her cycles is a key plot point of the story, but for the fact that Yolen tends to expect more of her readers in terms of vocabulary, mood, and plot development. Sensitive readers might balk (for various reasons), but I found it a very unique and memorable read.

"Hello" to a New Year

2012-01-04T16:14:00.000-05:00

Over at the ALSC blog, I discussed "hello" books. Check it out here.

Wowbrary Wednesday--A New Year and New Reading!

2012-01-04T10:09:00.004-05:00

It's only January 4, but we already have 2012 books on order. The two most recent Wowbrary editions have yielded some tantalizing titles that I'm looking forward to reading. 2012 is starting off on a good note!

Likely 2012 publishing trends are already showing up in the Wowbrary editions. Of course, political books will be all the rage:

The Obamas

The Real Romney

And there's more where that came from (especially once the Republican nominee is determined).

2012 brings many anniversaries, chief among them is the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's accession to the British throne. This very private monarch is already the subject of two new biographies:

Elizabeth the Queen: Inside the Life of a Modern Monarch

The Real Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait of Queen Elizabeth II

2012 also brings the 200th anniversary of Charles Dickens's birth. I'm currently rereading A Tale of Two Cities on my ereader (haven't read it since high school); in honor of the anniversary, I'm making an effort to read or reread his works. Charles Dickens: A Life has received terrific reviews, so it's definitely going on my list.

Enough of anniversaries for now. Let's look at some other books heading our way:

I Know Who You Are and I Saw What You Did: Social Networks and the Death of Privacy

The final cover hasn't been approved yet (the cover in the catalog says "We the People of Facebook Nation," so the title may change), so that's why I'm not showing one. Lori Andrews, a noted privacy experts, shows readers how privacy is being compromised by our everyday use of social networks, and offers advice on how to protect ourselves in this constantly evolving atmosphere.

Sophie: The Incredible True Story of the Castaway Dog

When the Griffith family lost their Australian cattle dog, Sophie, at sea, they sadly reconciled themselves to the fact that they would probably never see her again, and hoped that her death was quick and as painless as it could be. Little did they know that Sophie swam six miles (through shark-infested waters) to a remote nature preserve, where she survived for five months. Warned that their beloved family dog had probably reverted to a feral state, the Griffiths prepared for a reunion that nearly didn't happen. Dogs rule, and dog books rule too (so do cats and cat books).

I'm eager to read some awesome fiction as well:

American Dervish

This Pakistani American coming of age story sounds like a worthwhile read.

The Flight of Gemma Hardy

This modern take on Jane Eyre is already receiving lots of buzz.

The Lost Saints of Tennessee

I'm usually not a fan of devastating family sagas, but this takes place in "Virginia horse country" (I've tried to find specifics, but haven't been successful), so I'm going to take a chance on it.

The Snow Child

I tend to shy away from magical realism, but The Night Circus has convinced me to not automatically reject them. The main attraction for me is its setting--1920s Alaska.

The French Slow Cooker

Oooh, just in time for winter! If you want to step up your slow cooker recipes, this should do the trick nicely. Just know that these recipes will likely require a bit more prep beyond the the typical basic slow cooker recipes.

That's not fair, Wowbrary. I'm still trying to finish up my 2011 reads!

Children's/YA literature fans: mark Jan 23 on your calendar. That's when the Youth Media Awards will be announced in Dallas (8:45 EST). Crossing my fingers that we have the Newbery/Caldecott/Printz winners (I have my favorites, but this is my main concern). I have three books I want to finish before the awards are announced; after that, I'll post my 2011 favorites. Always a fun morning (if you ever get a chance to attend the presentation in person at the midwinter conference, I highly recommend it).

Christmas is Coming

2011-12-22T12:05:00.000-05:00

I love, love, love Christmas books and movies. They really help me get into the holiday spirit. Here are my favorites:

Movies

A Christmas Carol

There are many versions of Dickens's classic (including a lovely and surprisingly faithful adaptation by the Muppets!), but the 1984 television version starring George S. Scott is my favorite (in fact, I watched this last night). It's a beautiful production that captures the essence of the story. If you intend to watch it as a family, be warned that the introduction of the Ghost of Christmas Past is quite dramatic, and the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come is very creepy.

Meet Me in St. Louis

It's not technically a "Christmas movie," but it boasts one of the most beloved Christmas songs of all time, "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas."

Little Women

Again, not a nuts-to-bolts Christmas movie, but it begins with a beautiful Christmas scene.

A Charlie Brown Christmas

This annual classic has an amazing story behind it: it was hated by television executives, Schulz was pressured to take out Linus reciting from the Gospel of Luke, and some of the child actors were so young that they had to be read their lines one by one.

Books

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

Not only is this hilarious and a fun read aloud, but it also captures the essence of the Christmas story.

Ramona and Her Father

Christmas will be even tighter this year for the Quimbys, now that Mr. Quimby has lost his job. The funny and touching Nativity scene that concludes the novel never fails to move me.

Silver Packages

I can't read this aloud because I never fail to tear up at the end! A sweet story from Rylant's Appalachian heritage.

Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah to everyone! Posting will resume after January 2.

2011 Memorable Reads: Adult Fiction and Nonfiction

2011-12-16T09:00:00.002-05:00

This category turned out to be one of the hardest to decide. I’m extremely picky about the adult fiction/nonfiction that I read, because a great deal of my reading is focused on children’s/YA literature. Although I missed the boat on adult fiction this year, I am happy to say that I read some extraordinary nonfiction this year. This was a fabulous year for adult nonfiction.

Bronze

The Night Circus

I was immediately drawn into the world of a mysterious circus that only appears at night. It’s a strange read at times, but if you roll with it and accept it, you’ll have quite the magical read. Out of the adult fiction I read this year, this was the highlight.

Silver

Rin Tin Tin: The Life and Legend

This brilliant account of a World War I German Shepherd puppy who saved the Warner Brothers company and inspired a dynasty was ten years in the making. Orlean also inserts her personal stories of her own love for dogs and of her journey while researching Rin Tin Tin’s story. A truly remarkable read.

Gold

Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine, And the Murder of a President

I didn’t post a review of this, which is too bad. A terrific NPR interview with the author tuned me into this book. We obviously have many NPR fans in our community, because this book soon stacked up an impressive amount of holds after that interview . I knew next to nothing about James Garfield before reading this, and I soon discovered that he was quite an intelligent and forward-thinking man, particularly for his era. Candice Millard recreates the exciting and bewildering years of the late 19th century, when the country was only just starting to recover from the Civil War and when the golden era of inventions and discovery was on its cusp. Alexander Graham Bell figures prominently in this book; someone needs to write a new comprehensive biography of this man (please?). This is narrative nonfiction at its best.

Honorable Mention

Rock the Casbah: Rage and Rebellion Across the Islamic World

Rock the Casbah is an extraordinary glimpse into the multifaceted societies in the Middle East. Concentrating on the struggles being fought by traditionalists, extremists, and moderates in Middle Eastern communities, this is a fascinating look at the young Muslim revolutionaries, filmmakers, stand up comics and actors, feminists, and game changers in this ever-changing part of the world.

My other 2011 lists won't show up until the beginning of January. I'm still reading!

2011 Memorable Reads

2011-12-15T09:00:00.003-05:00

I have an inordinate fondness of (annotated) lists and countdowns. When I was a child, I repeatedly checked out something called "The Kids' Big Book of Lists" (or a similar title; I've never been able to find it, and it's probably been long out of print). It was awesome; it had an orange cover, I believe, and had a ton of lists. The best roller coasters, babysitting tips, weirdest town names,...you get the picture. So, it should come as no surprise that I'm a big fan of the "Best Of" 2011 lists. Best books, movies, recordings, craziest moments in sports, etc lists entertain me to no end.

I also enjoy making my own Memorable Books of 2011 lists. I don't call them "bests" because I'm mainly judging them on the impact that they had on me, the reader. There are some technically superior books that I've read this year that might not make it to the list.

To make the lists, I scrolled through this blog and wrote down titles that I felt should be on the primary list. I divided them into categories (YA, Adult Fiction/Nonfiction, Poetry, Children's Nonfiction, Children's Fiction, and Older Books, which consists of books published prior to 2011 that I read in 2011) and chose three books (gold, silver, bronze, and honorable mention in some cases).

I'm going to kick off this series with "Older Books"-books published before 2011 that I read in 2011.

Older Books

Bronze

I Must Have Bobo

This charmer from 2010 will captivate anyone who's ever lost a beloved toy or stuffed animal.

Silver

Five Flavors of Dumb

This 2010 young adult novel realistically captures the life of a deaf teenager who just happens to manage a teenage band.

Gold

War Horse

Originally published in 1982, this unforgettable novel about an English boy and a horse during World War I has enjoyed renewed interest due to a well-received London and Broadway production (earned the Tony for Best Play). Steven Spielberg attended the original British production and was instantly attached to the story; his film version will debut on Christmas Day. Anything Spielberg directs draws a massive amount of attention, so this is naturally drawing a ton of attention (and Oscar buzz) before it even opens (yay! the author likes it!). Yes, a few articles call the book "young adult," but the term "young adult" is something that's interpreted differently by some people. It's published and marketed as a children's novel. A sophisticated and mature children's novel, but a children's novel.

Tomorrow: adult fiction/nonfiction picks.

Bunheads

2011-12-14T09:00:00.012-05:00

Bunheads

We're seeing a spate of arts related YA fiction, thanks in part to the success of Glee, High School Musical, and their various knockoffs. As someone who grew up dance and theater-obsessed, this thrills my little heart to no end. Seriously, I cannot get enough stories about dancers, musicians, and actors who, as David Letterman would say, "seek the warmth the spotlight can't provide." Oh, oh, oh! Will the talented musician realize that there's life beyond music? (Yes! Unfortunately, that may mean that she suffers a breakdown before that, but hey!) Will the ballet dancer with promising talent chose her love of the dance over other interests, a sensitive boyfriend, and college? (Oooooh, boy!)

On the other hand, she just might end up taking a BA degree in English literature and writing a YA novel based on her actual experiences as a promising ballet dancer, which is what Sophie Flack has done.

Bunheads was named one of Kirkus Reviews's Best YA of 2011 books, and I can't argue with that. It's certainly one of my favorites from this year. I can tolerate the cheese factor in arts-related fiction and movies (to be fair, you really can find the cheese factor more readily in dance-related movies), but it's so grand when the author rises above that. Flack is definitely a promising young novelist who has taken a not uncommon story line for an arts-related novel and created a fresh, engrossing, and addictive read. She expertly reveals the strenuous life of the apprentice dancer: little time for outside interests or socializing, constant competition, insane expectations, and the physical and emotional exhaustion of a ballet career. On the other hand, it's not all eating disorders and misshapen feet; she does an excellent job in balancing both the negative and positive aspects of ballet. I am most pleased that (((spoiler alert)))))
Hannah does not lose her love for ballet, even though her dancing has taken a different path at the end of the novel. Three cheers for Sophie Flack for that one. (((end spoiler alert))))

Several strong swear words pop up throughout the story (not on a regular basis), and there is a very brief and nongraphic intimate scene. Flack's expertise in the ballet world and her innate creativity with words make this a very entertaining read.
Here is an excellent article about Sophie Flack from the Boston Globe. I'm definitely rooting for this author!

Between Shades of Gray

2011-12-13T12:12:00.001-05:00

Between Shades of Gray

Be warned: this is a very powerful, intense, and at times, upsetting read. If you can deal with that, then I strongly recommend this memorable debut by Ruta Sepetys. Drawing from her family's own history, Sepetys tells the stories of Lithuanians and other citizens of the Baltic countries who were enslaved during Stalin's reign of terror during and after World War II.

Lina is only fifteen years old when her family is arrested and sent to a prison camp in Siberia; her father is sent to prison. Stalin has ordered the arrest and exile of teachers, religious figures, librarians, musicians, artists, writers, medical professionals, and business owners from the Baltic states. Forced onto cattle cars, where they suffer unimaginable conditions, the prisoners must endure hours of hard labor and minuscule rations. Those who sign a "confession" earn bigger rations--and 25 years of hard labor.

This is an incredibly sad novel, but the courage, determination, and love for family that the prisoners exhibit is phenomenal and balances the misery and horror detailed throughout the story. The community that is formed is also extraordinary--the prisoners comfort each other with tales of family, good things to eat, and Christmas memories. Flashbacks to Lina's life before exile reveal opportunities that were lost, and eventually, the reason why her family was targeted.

Emotionally challenging and rich with unforgettable characters, Between Shades of Gray is one of the best YA novels I've read this year. Definitely hope it's in the running for the Printz.

I Want My MTV

2011-12-12T12:08:00.003-05:00

I Want My MTV

Ladies and gentlemen, rock and roll.

Those words ushered in one of the wildest, weirdest, and most unpredictable television networks in history: MTV. Music Television. Twenty-four hours of music videos hosted by people called VJs (video jockeys). Craig Marks tells all (or rather, in this oral interview format, lets others tell all) in this bewitching and bewildering account of the executives, directors, VJs, and of course, bands and performers, who made it all possible. MTV's humble beginnings (MTV people had to watch the premiere in New Jersey because no New York cable company carried the network), the rise and fall of VJs, MTV's nearly late to the game entry into the rap world, the befuddling standards and practices (yes, MTV had them) that were thrown out the window for certain performers (Madonna, Michael Jackson, Guns 'n' Roses), the heavy metal hair bands (and the women who starred in their videos), grunge music, and the introduction of non-music oriented television shows (Remote Control, House of Style), which eventually led to The Real World, The Jersey Shore, and the end of music television as we know it....it's all here, folks.

Anyone who knows anything about music during the 1980s knows that this particular era was full of astonishing excess displayed by musicians (even, be still my heart, by New Kids on the Block), record executives, and anyone attached to MTV. This excess is displayed in all its gory glory; you've been warned. Frankly, these stories get to be a bit old and predictable after a while. The sections on MTV's influence (especially the Clinton campaign), the love-hate relationships musicians had with the network, the Milli Vanilli scandal (Fab Morvan, the surviving member of the group, spoke honestly and at length) and the development of key shows
(120 Minutes, Yo! MTV Raps, MTV Unplugged, and Headbangers Ball) were the most fascinating. The heavy metal guys were very entertaining, particularly whenever Winger was whining about the audacity of MTV allowing Mike Judge to make fun of them and when the Headbangers Ball guys made fun of Bon Jovi. Also loved reading about a 17 year old kid from Philadelphia named Will Smith rapping about how parents just don't understand, and how the Beastie Boys turned into their own parody.

The author interviewed an impressive amount of people, but I was still disappointed by the absence of several people, namely Axl Rose and Eddie Vedder (but not surprised). We hear from Debbie Gibson and Paula Abdul *multiple* times, though. There was a lot of talk about Michael Jackson (mainly how he forced MTV to call him "The King of Pop"), but I wanted more about the actual making of his videos, particularly Thriller and his deep conflict with its supernatural elements.

While there was definitely nostalgia for 1980s/early 90s MTV and much disappointment over the network's current programming, I was intrigued to find that many musicians were relieved that the emphasis on music videos and MTV's dominance in the music industry is over. Still, for many people who grew up watching MTV during the 80s and early 90s, this book will make you want to call your cable operator and tell them, "I want my MTV!"

(Take heart, those overcome by 80s and early 90s nostalgia during the reading of this book; there's always Youtube. That's why it took me so long to read the book; I interrupted my reading many times to Youtube a video or MTV show that was being discussed. Best to keep your computer/mobile device nearby while reading it.)

Picture Book Roundup, Etc

2011-12-09T12:02:00.000-05:00

Haven't written a Roundup in a while! I must rectify this immediately.

The Christmas Coat

I love this book; it's now one of my favorite Christmas books. Based on author Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve's childhood on the Rosebud Sioux Reservation, The Christmas Coat tells the tale of young Virginia, who coveted a lovely coat that was sent with "Theeast" boxes (boxes sent to the reservation from New England churches). As the daughter of the reservation's Episcopal priest, Virginia must allow others' needs to come before her own. What results is a gentle story about showing kindness and humility to others, even to the ones who aren't necessarily our friends. The illustrations are precious and so life-like; the careful observer will notice delightful touches such as Native American dolls in Santa's sack and the Three Wise Chiefs at the children's nativity pageant. Although the people on the reservation are quite poor, their poverty is not the focus of the story; rather, it's the loving-kindness of the priest's family and the community that's emphasized, along with the rewards that come from putting others first.

Everything Goes: On Land

This is a must for any transportation-crazed preschooler. Everything Goes: On Land features a family going about their day in a very busy urban environment. As they traipse through the city, they discuss the diversity of the cars, trucks, buses, and other modes of transportation. This goes beyond your basic transportation book; in the cars spread, we see a station wagon, a hatchback, an electric car, an antique car, a jeep, taxicab, police car, and even a car driven by a student driver (the same level of detail is shown in the bike spreads, the motorcycle spreads, etc). Our family talks about what happens when you turn the key in the ignition, the different types of trucks, what an RV is (love the stickers on the RV showing where the RV family has been), public transportation, motorcycles, and many other awesome things about things that go. Whew! There's a tremendous amount of detail; if you're reading it to a young child, you may not get through everything, but that's okay. This is definitely a book to return to again and again. It looks like it's the first in a series of similar books, which is very cool.

King Jack and the Dragon

King Jack and the Dragon is an irresistible look at the joys of pretend play and imagination, as exemplified by three young boys. King Jack and his trusty knights must battle the ferocious dragon, and battle they do, bravely and magnificently. Unfortunately, darkness falls, and the parents of the brave warriors send them off to bed. I got a real kick out of this story; not only is this is a great story about pretend play, but I love the fact that it's multicultural and that Jack's little brother is included in the play as a matter of fact. Definitely one of my favorites of 2011.

Titanic Sinks!

Titanic Sinks is not a picture book, but I wanted to tell you about it while I still have it here on my desk. 2012 marks the 100th anniversary of the Titanic disaster, so expect plenty of books about the tragedy (I assume that there will be television specials as well, and I heard that James Cameron is rereleasing his Titanic movie in 3-D). Titanic Sinks is a recreation of newspaper articles, timelines, and interviews about the building of the ship, the voyage, the shipwreck, and the recovery of survivors. I've only had time to browse through it, but I can tell that this is an absorbing and worthwhile read.

We're a month away from the Youth Media Awards (Caldecott, Newbery, and all that jazz)! Crossing my fingers that we have the winners!

Having problems with the trailers?

2011-12-01T10:11:00.003-05:00

Hello everyone! If you're a feed subscriber and are having trouble accessing the trailers from the previous post, try this link. I had to edit one of the links when I realized that an embedded video wasn't working. My apologies for any troubles!

Best Books of 2011

2011-11-30T11:51:00.007-05:00

Tomorrow is December 1st (yikes!). As such, the numerous "Best Of" lists are coming in fast and furious. I participated in a Twitter chat hosted by School Library Journal and was able to get a sneak peek at several titles on their list, to be released tomorrow. They didn't say if Young Fredle was on that list; I love that little mouse, so I hope so! However, was very happy that Amelia Lost made the list; it would be awesome if a nonfiction book won the Newbery. I'll post my personal favorites list in January; I'm still trying to get through 2011 books! If you're wondering how these publications make their Best Of 2011 lists before we even hit December 1st, it's because review publications receive advance reader copies several months in advance. They've been digging into 2012 reads for several months by now.

As Early Word points out in this post, the various Best Books list generally don't overlap. There's just so many books, and so many lists that the odds greatly diminish. However, there are a few that are repeatedly popping up on many lists:

Blackout

Here's a great trailer for Blackout:

Between Shades of Gray

Ruta Sepetys discusses Between Shades of Gray.

Chime

Find out more about Franny Billingsley here.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone

See the trailer for Daughter of Smoke and Bone here, and find out more about the book (can't embed it in this post).

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making (this was originally published online, so it's ineligible for the Newbery)

Heart and Soul

Kadir Nelson discusses Heart and Soul:

I Want My Hat Back

Trailer for I Want My Hat Back:

Inside Out & Back Again

This NPR article discusses author Thanhha Lai and her book, Inside Out and Back Again.

Me...Jane

Find out more about Patrick McDonell here.

A Monster Calls

Patrick Ness writes a diary on his website.

Okay For Now

Gary Schmidt's website includes an interview with the author.

Press Here

This is a great trailer for Press Here (edit: embedding, unfortunately, doesn't always capture the entire video).

The Scorpio Races

Virginia author Maggie Stiefvater is so talented that it's unreal. She animated and composed the music for The Scorpio Races trailer:

Wonderstruck

And last but certainly not least, a trailer for Wonderstruck (the Brian Selznick book, not Taylor Swift's perfume):

I've been in a reading slump recently, which is why I haven't posted many reviews. I'm currently reading Bunheads, which I am loving (it also appeared on Kirkus's best books for teens list), and Imperfect Justice, which I can't say that I love, of course, but find compelling. Also just checked out several books on Early Word's list that I haven't read yet. I've got a lot to read before 2011 is over!

Over at the ALSC blog

2011-11-21T09:00:00.000-05:00

I recently blogged about hibernation themed picture books. Make sure you read the comments for even more great title suggestions!

Steve Jobs: The Biography and Fed Up With Lunch

2011-11-18T09:00:00.003-05:00

Steve Jobs

It's interesting to contemplate what sort of biography this would have been if the author and publisher weren't working against time to complete and release this biography. Walter Isaacson had extraordinary access to Jobs, even visiting and interviewing him the months before his death, when he was extremely ill and tired easily.

Like many larger-than-life personalities, Steve Jobs was a complicated man, to put it mildly. He had difficult relationships with his staff, family, friends, and competitors. He was arrogant and rude at times, shockingly so, and had major mood swings. My main interest was in discovering Apple's influence on society as a whole, rather than Jobs's personal demons, so I was caught by the chapters on the early days of Silicon Valley, including Jobs's early career at Atari, the ouster of Jobs from Apple, Jobs's partnerships and tiffs with Bill Gates, and the impact of iTunes on the music industry. I wasn't expecting Isaacson to delve into Jobs's relationship with Pixar in such detail; this was the highlight of the biography for me (will someone write an updated history of the Disney company, please?). It would have been neat to have had Jobs's perspective on Amazon/Jeff Bezos, but Amazon moved into the tablet business weeks before Jobs's death (I can guess his opinion, though--not thrilled and unimpressed, to say the least!).

At nearly 600 pages, it's a doorstopper, but not a challenging read, unless you have a time limit for reading this book, as I did (this is when speed reading techniques come in handy). It's rare that a biographer had such immediate access to his/her subject, as well as the subject's friends, coworkers, rivals, and family, so it's a unique perspective on a challenging man.

Fed Up With Lunch

It was an otherwise normal day when Sara Wu, a speech pathologist for a Chicago public school, realized that she had forgotten her lunch. Confronted with a pathetic concoction called a "bagel dog," Wu decided that she would buy, eat, and blog her school's lunch for an entire year. Posting anonymously as "Mrs. Q," Wu gained the attention of Jamie Oliver and others involved in food/nutrition advocacy as well as everyday teachers and parents frustrated with lunch options at their schools.

Fed Up With Lunch is not, unlike other "blog-to-book" ventures, a rehashing of blog posts. As Wu became more concerned about food choices available to her students, several of whom rely on school lunch for their only set meal, her research and discussion with other worried parents and teachers through her blog and through carefully veiled interviews convinced her that change was desperately needed in school lunch programs. Interspersed throughout her chronicle are information sidebars containing information about nutrition, the importance of recess and gym for young students, and concrete ways individuals can bring change to their local school lunch program. The appendix of information on school lunch advocates and food issues is tremendous; Wu's snapshots of her school lunches are eyeopeners. This is a sobering, enlightening, and empowering read.

Everything On It

2011-11-16T09:00:00.004-05:00

Every Thing On It

Shel Silverstein was a huge favorite of mine when I was in elementary school. I can still remember the poem I chose to memorize in second grade:

If you're a bird/be an early bird/and catch the worm for your breakfast plate/If you're a bird/be an early bird/But if you're a worm/sleep late

Silverstein was a genius at capturing children's humor, interests, thoughts, and worries. Although his poems are often silly, laugh out loud, funny, and occasionally gross, his poems are also occasionally wistful and quite tender.

Every Thing On It, Silverstein's latest posthumous collection (he died in 1999), is no different. These poems were not rejected from previous editions because they were half-finished or because Silverstein wasn't satisfied with them; they simply didn't, in Silverstein's view, fit the flow of the other works. These are not second-best or also-ran poems; they can stand with the best of Where the Sidewalk Ends and his other works.

Silverstein's death makes reading the poems all the more poignant; this sentiment hits you with the first poem, "Years From Now":

Although I cannot see your face/As you flip these poems awhile/Somewhere from some far-off place/I hear you laughing-and I smile

While reading through Every Thing On It, I marked several poems that illustrated Silverstein's trademarks:

*The poignancy of childhood and children growing up ("Growing Down" and "The Dollhouse")

*The one that might make you cry ("The Clock Man")

*The slightly gross humor ("Investigating" and "Rude Rudy Reese")

*The story poem ("A Mouse in This House")

Silverstein fans young and not-so-young will eat this up. If you need a pick-me-up, grab it. You'll be grinning in about five seconds.

NPR ran a good story about Every Thing On It in September.

New In November

2011-11-14T09:00:00.002-05:00

We are winding down the Fall 2011 publishing year. The usual suspects are producing their best books list; I'm happy that we have the majority of the books on the lists, but there are always a handful of books that require further investigation for possible ordering! That's for the December/January orders, though. Let's take a look at some enticing November releases:

All These Things I've Done (YA)

AwwwManNotAnotherDystopianYABook. Hold your horses. As someone who can only take dystopian fiction in small doses, I can tell you that I'm eager to read this one. This one involves illegal chocolate, caffeine, and teen use of cellphones. And a Mafia family. School Library Journal calls it "incredibly compelling"; Publishers Weekly opines that it offers "the excitement of a crime drama and the allure of forbidden romance." Woo hoo.

Anna Dressed in Blood (YA)

Horror fans, take note. You'll want to grab this one. Theseus's family business isn't like your normal mom-and-pop operation: his family kills ghosts. But only the ghosts that kill people. (Got it?) His next assignment involves a ghost named Anna, who's apparently been causing all sorts of havoc. When Kirkus loves a book, they really, really, really, really like a book. Like they want to cover it in chocolate and eat it all up: "Abundantly original, marvelously inventive and enormous fun, this can stand alongside the best horror fiction out there." Nice.

Bad Island

Dad decides to take the family on a fishing trip, and look what happens: they end up on an island that's not so much an island as it is the submerged body of a monster. Don't you hate it when that happens? This graphic novels already has its fans: School Library Journal calls it a "rip-roaring adventure," and Publishers Weekly approvingly notes that it "features sympathetic adult characters as heroic as the children." I like the sound of that!

Bun Bun Button

A beloved stuffed animal gets separated from its owner and has wild adventures on its own before reuniting with its young owner. Yes, there are similar stories out there (such as one of my favorites, La La Rose), but THIS one is written by Patricia Polacco. (Ooooh. Aaaah.) It's receiving lovely reviews, as can be expected.

Caleb's Wars (YA)

Historical fiction about the civil rights movement and slavery is important, but I'm always keen to read African-American oriented historical fiction that's set during different eras. Life's not easy for 15 year old Caleb, nor for any other African-American in Georgia during World War II. Hoping to escape a bad home life, Caleb takes a job washing dishes in a local restaurant, where he's shocked to find a German POW on staff. Andreas seems eager to be his friend; as he is a)not only white but b) a German POW, this is a bit unsettling for Caleb. This is getting excellent reviews; very intrigued about this one.

The Christmas Coat: Memories of My Sioux Childhood

I thought I had ordered all the new winter holiday books that I was going to order for this year, but I couldn't resist this one. When boxes of donated clothing arrive in time for Christmas at the Rosebud Sioux Reservation in South Dakota, Virginia and her brothers must always be the last children to chose from the selection. As children of an Episcopal priest, they have been told that others take precedence. Naturally, the beautiful fur coat that Virginia has had her heart set on is taken by Virginia's rival. But what can be in a special box marked specifically for Virginia and her brothers?

Daughter of Smoke and Bone (YA)

Is this the next breakout YA novel? Publishers Weekly named it one of the best books of 2011, and it's received FIVE starred reviews and bang-up reviews from The New York Times and Entertainment Weekly (can I just say how awesome EW is in taking YA literature seriously?). Teen Vogue, American Cheerleader magazine, and Amazon love it too. Author Laini Taylor (and her pink hair) is on a mega-tour right now. Are you getting the picture? It's set in Prague and features an art student who considers her artist notebook of monsters her true family. There's lots of angels and battles between supernatural beings, so fantasy lovers will definitely eat it up. First in a trilogy.

The Day Roy Riegels Ran the Wrong Way

Imagine it: The 1929 Rose Bowl tournament between the University of California and Georgia Tech. Georgia Tech drops the ball! UC center Roy Riegels grabs the ball and sprints--the wrong way! He realizes his error at the 1 yard line, but it's too late. Thankfully, as Riegels demonstrates (and as the narrator, a grandfather telling his grandson the story, tells us), "...mistakes are not the end of the world." Dan Gutman is a master of sports stories and crazy middle grade fiction in general, so I have high expectations for this picture book.

Duke Ellington's Nutcracker Suite

Duke Ellington's band and recording executives were plenty skeptical about jazzing up the Nutcracker score, but Ellington was not to be dissuaded. Publishers Weekly cheers author Anna Harwell Celenza's "vibrant writing" in this "upbeat Christmas book about breaking boundaries and experimenting with new ideas." This comes with a CD recording of Ellington's score (a "must listen" according to Kirkus Reviews). I dig that.

Icefall

Three children of a king and a band of warriors find themselves stranded on a deserted island in the winter. Based on Norse mythology and history, this has been picked as a Newbery favorite on some blogs and blog comments. School Library Journal recommends this for Ranger's Apprentice fans (must remember that!).

Lost! A Dog Called Bear

Yaaay! A new easy chapter book series! Thank you, thank you, thank you, Wendy Orr. This first entry (Missing! A Cat Called Buster is the second book) in a series about children helping animals and an animal shelter will undoubtedly appeal to both boys and girls. It's received high praise from the major review publications.

Outlaw (YA)

I'm all for YA thrillers; they're awesome for reluctant readers and are welcomed by those who aren't into the supernatural craze (particularly supernatural romance). Outlaw seems a step above your everyday thriller, because it's set in Burkina Faso and deals with contemporary issues involving much of Africa. Technology also plays a big part of the story, which isn't common in a story set in an African country. The teenage children of the United Kingdom's ambassador to Burkina Faso are kidnapped by a man whom some consider a terrorist and others consider Africa's modern day Robin Hood. "Nonstop action" sayeth Kirkus Reviews.

Snow in Summer: The Fairest of Them All

Finally! I've been waiting for Jane Yolen's latest novel for some time. How can you blame me, knowing that it's an adaptation of the Snow White story set in 1940s West Virginia? Publishers Weekly informs us that it's "beautifully written and deliciously scary." Awesome.

The Winter Pony

Kudos on that beautiful cover, Delacorte Press. Well done. Horses, adventure, and the race to the South Pole with Robert Falcon Scott. Are you hooked yet? It's told from the perspective of James Pigg, one of the twenty ponies that accompanied Scott's team to the South Pole. If you don't know anything about Scott's expedition to the South Pole, here's a helpful hint for you to decide if you want to emotionally invest in a story about that gorgeous little pony with the soft, trusting gaze on the cover...it doesn't end well. I haven't read reviews of this yet; I'm going solely on the author's past works and on the subject matter. November 1st marked the 100th anniversary of the first day of Scott's expedition, so this is quite timely.

Zombie Mommy

Lily's mom has been possessed by a zombie trying to take over the world! Killer tarantulas and teenage vampires are out for M.T. Anderson's Pals in Peril group. Kirkus Reviews ended its positive review with this: "Ridiculous in all the best ways." Having read the previous Pals in Peril, I can definitely believe that.

Does that sound good to you? We have so many great stories coming to our new shelves in the upcoming weeks. Cannot wait.

Media Matters: Monster

2011-11-10T10:33:00.005-05:00

Monster

Late yesterday afternoon, I realized that I hadn't picked a DVD/CD for this week's Media Matters post. Yikes! I'm working my way through Ken Burns's Civil War documentary and a long-ish book on CD, so anything I chose needs to be short. I scanned the DVD selection; my eye caught a DK Eyewitness DVD. 27 minutes! Perfect!

DK (Dorling Kindersley) is a powerhouse publisher known for their high-impact graphic design. Pick up a DK book, and you'll probably find it hard to put it down. Occasionally, I find the doorstoppers a bit overwhelming, but kids (especially boys who devour fun facts and nonfiction) love them.

DK's Eyewitness series, covering an array of science, history, and cultural topics, is probably its best known product. I was pleased, but not surprised, that its Monster DVD follows the same principles of its Eyewitness books; lots of fascinating information with appealing graphics. Monster features a variety of animals that many find scary, such as spiders and the great white shark. Viewers also learn about the Loch Ness Monster and Dracula (the brief discussion about Vlad the Impaler might gross out sensitive viewers). I really appreciated that the narration doesn't condescend to children; adults will enjoy this as much as the DVD's intended audience. For children (the book and DVD series is aimed for children 8 and older) interested in close ups of creepy crawlies and huge animals, this should be a hit.

Wowbrary Wednesday/Waiting For Wednesday

2011-11-09T09:00:00.011-05:00

Another installment of Wowbrary Wednesday (which I'm expanding to Waiting For Wednesday). I am overwhelmed with all the new fall books coming in!

I Want My MTV

A 600 page book about the first decade of MTV? Oh, hello! Yes, I am part of the MTV generation that remembers when MTV played music videos. Oh, what glorious times, my friends. We didn't care what happens when roommates stop being polite and start being real. We stayed up super late at slumber parties to watch Headbangers Ball, tuned into 120 Minutes despite our hatred of Kennedy, and hoped that our favorite video was #1 on the top 20 video countdown. VJ rivalries and crazy stories about the making of music videos? I am so there.

Prohibition

I missed the original airing on PBS, so I am very excited that we will soon receive DVD copies of Ken Burns's latest documentary. I'm working my way through his Civil War documentary in the meantime; I'm a latecomer to Burns's documentaries, so I have a lot left to explore of his works (I think the baseball and national parks documentaries will go to the top of my list).

Elizabeth and Hazel

It's a picture that has defined the school desegregation struggle: a young African-American student walks to Little Rock's Central High School, while an angry young Caucasian woman screams in anger, her face twisted in hatred. Those two young ladies, Elizabeth Eckford and Hazel Bryan Massery, eventually formed a difficult and eventually, heartbreaking friendship. Author David Margolick tells the tale of their relationship, as well as their difficulties emerging from the shadow of that famous photograph. Sounds like a worthwhile, but rather sad, read.

The White House: The President's Home in Photographs and History

Presidential history fascinates me (I just finished Destiny of the Republic, which is an amazing and brilliant read...cannot recommend it highly enough). This look at the changes and renovations of the White House looks like a winner, just from the chapter titles: Weddings and Funerals, The White House in Advertisements, The White House and Technology, and Animals, among others.

If you want to be among the first to know about the latest books at the Fauquier County Public Library (even before they hit the shelves!), subscribe to Wowbrary (it's a free service). Be warned that your holds list will never recover.

Holiday Books

2011-11-04T11:25:00.002-04:00

We have so many Christmas books (and a good number of Hanukkah books) that I'm quite picky about the new ones that I order every year. The ones by popular authors are ordered, of course, but I'm really on the lookout for books that are unique and out-of-the-ordinary. The new winter holiday books that are either on our shelves or will soon be there are a mix of multicultural, historical, or just unique takes on the holiday season.

The Third Gift

Newbery Medalist Linda Sue Park's Nativity-themed picture books starts off with a startling and intriguing whallop: "My father collects tears." The narrator, a young boy, is learning his father's trade of collecting dried pearls of sap from myrrh trees. We learn how the bark is cut and how the sap is harvested. The boy and his father take the largest "tear," harvested by the boy, to the spice market, where it is bought by three men who are purchasing beautiful gifts for a baby. (You see where this is going?) Reviews have been stellar, with School Library Journal approvingly noting the close relationship between son and father; Publishers Weekly praises Park for bridging "the ordinary and sacred to powerful effect."

A Bad Kitty Christmas

The Bad Kitty chapter books are huge hilarious hits; author Nick Bruel gets into the holiday spirit with this presentation of Bad Kitty in a picture book parody of "The Night Before Christmas." While there's plenty of humor and zany antics, Bad Kitty does learn the true meaning of Christmas.

Christmas in Williamsburg

I *knew* this book would be popular. I sneaked a peek at it before it went on the shelf, because I knew that it wouldn't stay there long (I was right). This overview of colonial Christmas celebrations (it does touch on Christmas celebrations beyond the colonial period) is an intriguing read for both kids and parents. Pictures of reenactors make this a visually attractive browse worthy book. Recipes and craft instructions are included.

The Golem's Latkes

This Hanukkah fairy tale by master folklorist Eric Kimmel has been admired by Kirkus Reviews ("a fine read-aloud holiday treat") and Publishers Weekly ("Kimmel has the pacing of a comic"). We're always in need of Hanukkah books that aren't simple explanations of Hanukkah, so I'm super pleased about this one.

Grace at Christmas

Grace is back! This irresistible star of four picture books is featured in her first Christmas story. Grace, friends, and family members act out the Nativity story, but not without conflict and lessons being learned.

Let the holiday reading begin!

Media Matters: Sleeping Beauty

2011-11-01T09:00:00.015-04:00

Let me tell you about Sleeping Beauty. First of all, let's acknowledge the fact that yes, people have issues with the story. A beautiful princess (raised as a peasant) pricks her finger on a spinning wheel and falls into a deep sleep until a handsome prince kisses her and wakes her up. We all know the story. However, unlike Snow White and Cinderella, the triumph of good over evil is much more evident in this story than those other Disney classics. The emphasis on Prince Philip's weapons of truth and virtue are contrasted against Maleficent's evil powers. The three good fairies are invaluable to Prince Philip (although they get no thanks from him!).

(Was Prince Philip named after the Duke of Edinburgh? He's not named in the various Sleeping Beauty folktales or in the ballet. I did a little research and found that Princess Elizabeth, later Queen Elizabeth II, and Prince Philip married in 1947. Disney released Sleeping Beauty in 1959; the studio spent an entire decade creating the film, so it's entirely possible that the hoopla over the attractive young royal couple inspired the naming. The princes in Snow White and Cinderella are not named.)

Maleficent. The evil fairy who, in revenge for not being invited to the Princess Aurora's christening, is truly one of the most straight-up evil and chilling villains ever created by Disney. I distinctly remember how scary I found her when I was a child; combined with the sinister music and the deliciously creepy voice of Eleanor Audley, this villain-est of Disney villains still manages to creep me out. (She's also quite snarky, which I never realized until watching it this week.)

Unlike Cinderella and Snow White, Aurora/Briar Rose has, in my opinion, personality, warmth, charm, and humor unlike the other early Disney heroines. This is largely in thanks to the delightful Mary Costa, who voiced the character (she's adorable in the documentary; would you guess that she's as Southern as Paula Deen?). Disney's princes tend to be as dull as dishwater, yet Prince Philip manages to come alive through the talents of Bill Shirley. Actually, the entire movie has depth and humor that I think is lacking in those other early Disney classics, as brilliant and groundbreaking as they were. I'm biased, though; can you tell that this is my favorite of the early Disney classics?

Although the story line might not appeal to all, Sleeping Beauty is one of the most beautifully animated movies ever created by Disney. Lots of fun to revisit this one.

In Progress

2011-10-27T09:00:00.000-04:00

Every now and then, I'll blog about my "in progress" reads, rather than wait to give a full review (in the interest of keeping the blog up to date on a regular basis).

Missing on Superstition Mountain

If you need a boy-friendly mystery, pick up Missing on Superstition Mountain. The Barker boys have been warned time and time again to STAY AWAY from Superstition Mountain (too little, too late). What happens when they climb Superstition Mountain in pursuit of their runaway cat? Oh, not much....they just come across a small collection of skulls, that's all. Of course, they must investigate, which they do thanks to the help of a terrific girl character named Delilah. First in a series, this is a classic whodunit mixed with enough creepy elements to satisfy middle-grade readers.

Welcome to Your Child's Brain

Brain development is endlessly fascinating; it's one of my favorite non-fiction subjects. This information-packed but immensely readable guide to child/teen brain development is a fantastic journey into the awesome and mysterious workings of the developing brain. This includes the latest research into brain development, which has definitely changed in the years since I studied it in depth as a Family, Child, and Consumer Sciences student (most notably in terms of adolescent brain development). This is an exciting and amazing read; the human brain is a mighty instrument.

(I also recommend reading National Geographic's October cover story on the adolescent brain. Actually, I recommend the entire magazine; I've recently started to read NG again, and I love it. While you're at it, The New Yorker's article last week about Taylor Swift is also an intriguing read; many teen girls loooove Taylor Swift, so it's kinda sorta related. We have so many awesome magazines here at the library; I should blog about them more.)

Media Matters: Ballet Shoes

2011-10-25T09:00:00.004-04:00

Ballet Shoes

Here's a review for you: I enjoyed this much, much more than I anticipated I would. Ballet Shoes, based upon the book by Noel Streatfeild, is the story of three former orphans studying at a prestigious London performing arts academy. Pauline (played by Emma Watson, otherwise known as Hermione from the Harry Potter movies) has acting talent, Posy has ballet talent, and Petrova would rather take flying lessons and cars than tap lessons.

It's been some time since I've read the novel, but I know that some liberties were taken from the book. Pauline and Posy are a bit unlikeable at times, yet their behavior is due to their sudden successes getting to their head. The three young actresses (as well as the young girl playing their rival) give convincing and natural performances. I loved the way the 1930s era came alive through the costumes, hairstyles, and music. Also--quite a bit of smoking (by the adult characters, but that's also in tune with the era)! In fact, that's why it's rated PG (I laughed when the parental guidance information was flashed before the movie started, but yes, the smoking is prominent in several scenes).

This is a children's movie, but children who need a lot of action and excitement in their movies (and who aren't interested in dance) might find this quiet movie boring (I would have loved it when I was ten or so, but I would have found the orphans' lives very exciting and glamorous!).

'Tis the Season

2011-10-24T09:00:00.001-04:00

...for holiday reading!

Ah, the holidays will soon be upon us like a freight train. Our new Thanksgiving and Christmas books will be on our shelves soon. Here's a sneak peek at some tasty titles for Thanksgiving (winter holiday books will be featured in a later post):

10 Turkeys in the Road

A Thanksgiving read aloud? Yes! 10 turkeys are blocking the road of a busy and impatient farmer. One by one, they fly off; finally, the farmer can go on his way! Or, can he? Finding Thanksgiving read alouds suitable for my toddler story time is challenging (I don't think kids really get Thanksgiving until they are in a school setting), so I am super excited about including this in a November story time.

Annie and Snowball and the Thankful Friends

Cynthia Rylant's easy readers are so irresistibly cute; it's always a good day when she debuts a new one. Annie (cousin to Henry in the Henry and Mudge series) loves Thanksgiving and wants to celebrate it with a big crowd. That's a bit hard to do when it's only you, your father, and your rabbit, Snowball. Who can she invite in order to fill the chairs around the table?

Balloons Over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy's Parade

Like many families, watching (or having it on in the background while getting ready for the big meal) the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade is a tradition in my family. Naturally, I'm delighted about this picture book biography of Tony Sarg, the inventor of the parade's iconic balloons. I'm not so delighted about the fact that it's not being released until November 1 (seriously--holiday books should be released at the beginning of the month prior to the actual holiday). Oh well...I think this will remain popular after Thanksgiving. It's been receiving stellar reviews (since August!).

I Spy Thanksgiving

How genius is this? I Spy books in easy reader format! Just the thing to entice beginning or struggling readers and build their confidence. I Spy books and other picture puzzle books are terrific for beginning readers; they help to develop tracking and critical thinking skills, which are necessary for reading development. Jean Marzollo has written new clues designed for early readers, so it's not just a repackaged format.

Let the holiday reading begin!

New Books For October

2011-10-20T09:00:00.001-04:00

Ready to settle in for some fall reading?

Bunheads

The success of Glee, the High School Musical franchise, Black Swan, and the like have undoubtedly inspired an uptake in arts-themed YA literature. Fine by me. Bunheads seems to be in the "there's more to life than tutus and toe shoes" vein. Fine by me, too. However, it would be nice to have some performing-arts oriented YA novels in which the main character...I don't know....finds some kind of balance and continues her studies? As much as I loved Revolution and Four Seasons, it would be great to have a character that doesn't have a nervous breakdown or chucks her studies because of the pressure and expectations (and don't get me wrong-those are awesome, awesome reads). Yes, this creates drama, and yes, kids who are in intense performing arts prep programs are under enormous pressure, but can we have...another perspective? Not to knock Bunheads (because I don't even know if this is the case--I'm just speculating), because I adore any novel with a performing arts theme (more, more! especially in adult fiction! circuses are cool, too!), so I can't wait to get my paws on this book and find out what Hannah loves more--a normal life or the stage? I have a hunch.

Drink, Slay, Love

OhNoNotAnotherTeenVampireNovel. Wait, wait, wait. Reviews are praising this as a clever take on the teen vampire rage. VOYA digs it: "This book will likely appeal to young horror fans who enjoy a snarkier, smarter, distinctly less sparkly brand of vampires." All I know is that a unicorn stabs her, which develops her conscience (before that, she quite enjoyed sucking people's blood). And the unicorn won't give up on her. Actually, the unicorn is a "were-unicorn." Yeah, I'm not sure how that works either. Gotta read the book.

The Last Musketeer

I'm fond of books that use a classic as a jumping-off point; if they're really good, they may inspire the reader to seek out the original text. School Library Journal seems to think so: "Full of jovial humor, narrow escapes, sorcery, and intrigue, this novel will likely generate interest in the classic."

Liesl and Po

I've heard some late Newbery excitement about this one. Lauren Oliver is well known to YA readers; Liesl and Po is her first foray into children's literature. Liesl is locked away by her mean stepmother in a bedroom attic. Po is the ghost who (that?) visits her. They get together with an alchemist's apprentice and have many adventures. That's pretty much what I know. Kirkus loves it so much, it should marry it: "wonderfully imaginative," "startingly moving," "wickedly funny," "quietly lyrical philosophical passages" and "laugh-out-loud broad comedy/farce." Publishers Weekly thinks it's pretty cool, too: "invigorating and hopeful." Nice. Very nice.

My Life as a Stuntboy

Janet Tashjian usually knocks it out of the ballpark every time she has a new book out; I wish her books received more attention. They are grade A and just the right size for reluctant middle school readers and boys who want funny realistic fiction. 12 year old Derek has been given what any 12 year old boy would deem a dream opportunity: the chance to be a stunt performer. (Yeah, OK.) There's shenanigans with his pet capuchin monkey, issues with schoolwork and a suddenly jealous best friend, and parents that tend to turn everything into a "teachable moment." Kirkus praised this "fun, emotionally resonant" companion to My Life as a Book (which I loved).

National Geographic Kids Beginner World's Atlas

We needed a new atlas (each branch is receiving a copy). Yes, there are excellent databases and apps (I bought a nifty atlas app from National Geographic myself just yesterday), but I think there's still a need for print atlases and map skills. National Geographic Kids' books are excellent, so I'm confident that this will be a worthwhile and attractive atlas.

Secrets at Sea

People, what is the deal with mice novels this year? Richard Peck's first animal fantasy is centered around a mice family living with an upper crust family determined to make a splendid match for their eldest daughter (looks like it's set during the Victorian times?). School Library Journal calls it "fast paced", while Publishers Weekly praises its "dry wit."

Swirl By Swirl: Spirals in Nature

I adore Dark Emperor of the Night, so I'm anxious to read Joyce Sidman's newest collection of poems. One of a kind.

Treasury of Greek Mythology

Donna Jo Napoli's Greek mythology book is receiving tremendous acclaim. School Library Journal recently hailed it: "Wise, witty, and thoroughly entrancing."

Under the Mesquite

I'm thrilled to see more Latino-oriented YA novels (would like to see more YA novels set outside of Texas, but since I'm guessing that's where many of these authors live or grew up, it's understandable). When her mother is diagnosed with cancer, Lupita must take on more responsibility for childcare and household chores. Although I don't particularly care for novels in verse, this one will probably make sense because Lupita is an aspiring poet. This debut novel is receiving lovely praise for its depiction of an immigrant family.

It's still tooooo soon to blog about Thanksgiving and Christmas books; that will come later!

Liebster Award

2011-10-19T09:17:00.004-04:00

What a lovely surprise I received today! Ms. Yingling of the fabulous Ms. Yingling Reads blog gave me a Liebster blog award. What's a Liebster blog award?

The Criteria: The Liebster Blog Award is meant to showcase bloggers who have fewer than 200 followers. This is all done in the spirit of pay-it-forward.

The Rules: You must mention and link to the person who awarded you the Liebster, and mention 5 other blogs with fewer than 200 followers you think worthy of the Liebster. You have to leave a comment in their blogs telling them about the award.

Awww, thank you, Ms. Yingling!

OK...here are my picks:

Mr. H Reads: Mr. H is a 5th grade teacher in Iowa. Engaging, opinionated, and a frequent participant over at the Heavy Medal blog.

The Miss Rumphius Effect: Miss Rumphius and I served on a Cybils committee back in the day. Not only that--she also lives and works in our great state (at the University of Richmond). Strong on poetry and nonfiction reviews.

The Brown Bookshelf: A terrific resource for multicultural literature. Creators of the 28 Days Later campaign, held every February in honor of African-American authors and illustrators.

Age 30+....A Lifetime of Books: Heather J. began her blog in order to keep track of one year's reading. She enjoyed the experience so much that she's continued her blog to this day. Heather blogs about her personal reading (and listening) choices, which includes adult fiction/nonfiction and children's books that she reads with her young son. Heather lives in Maryland and has done a great job of connecting MD/DC/VA bloggers.

The Goddess of YA Literature: The Goddess of YA Literature (or, Professor Nana) teaches children's/YA literature at Sam Houston State University. Her blog is packed with fantastic reviews of YA literature. Always fun to read.

Spreading the blog love around the kidlitosphere! Thanks again, Ms. Yingling.

Media Matters: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

2011-10-19T09:00:00.007-04:00

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Today starts a new little feature on the Kiddosphere: Media Matters. Every week, I'll try to highlight a DVD or audiobook (mostly from the children's/YA collection, but I'll include material from the adult collection as well).

Let's begin with the one that started it all for Disney and animation movies in general. Called "Walt's Folly" when it was announced that Disney was planning the first animated feature, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was an instant smash hit when it debuted. This tale of a princess, dwarfs, and a poison apple has remained a classic.

Point #1: Wow. The evil queen is really, really creepy. Not as frightening, in my opinion, as Maleficent in Sleeping Beauty, but this is a character that plans to have her stepdaughter's heart cut out and cackles about Snow White being buried alive after eating the poison apple (as well as cackling "Thirsty?" when she passes a skeleton reaching out for a jug).

Point #2: Out of all the dull as dishwater princes in Disney films, the Prince in Snow White takes the cake. Prince Philip in Sleeping Beauty has more presence and personality (and has a really cool battle scene with a dragon), the Prince in Cinderella has a mission that makes him a bit more interesting, but this dude sings a little song at the beginning and rides up on his horse at the end, kisses Snow White, and takes her away. Big ol' snooze. It's been a long, long time since I've seen Snow White (and I don't remember it being a childhood favorite like Sleeping Beauty), but I was expecting him to have to battle the witch or go through a test before finding Snow White. But, no. This guy hears rumors about a sleeping girl in a glass coffin and decides to take a little trip into the woods. Big deal, Prince Charming.

Point #3: Someday My Prince Will Come. Yes, yes, roll your eyes. But, let's consider. This is a girl who grew up with a stepmother who wanted her heart cut out, is forced to flee into the woods, and in exchange for room and board, has to keep house for a bunch of weird little men with filthy living habits. Wouldn't you want someone, anyone, to rescue you? Give the girl a break. And secondly, this film was released in
1937. Wasn't everyone wishing that someone would just sweep in and make all the misery go away? It makes sense, people! Don't hate, relate.

Point #4: Heigh-ho! Heigh-ho! It's off to work we go! Isn't that the best? I was singing it on my way to work this morning.

If you have time, watch the "making of" documentary.

Tomorrow-look for a post on new books for October.

Warp Speed

2011-10-17T09:00:00.006-04:00

Warp Speed

Marley is having a tough time in middle school. Bullies are his main problem; one gang in particular gets a lot of fun out of chasing him and beating him up, and another kid forces him to share his homework and test answers. Not only that, he mistakens a new girl in the AV Club for a boy. Things start to brighten when a new girl befriends him, but his ex-best friend, basketball jock Stanford, soon throws a wrench into the relationship.

Although this is part of Lisa Yee's Millie Trilly trilogy, it's not necessary to have read its predecessor, Stanford Wong Flunks Big Time, in order to enjoy and understand the story. Although Warp Speed covers serious issues-bullying and, later, child abuse-it's not written in a heavy-handed and preachy way.

Lisa Yee gets middle school culture like few middle grade authors do. Her portrayal of the dorky teacher who thinks she's cool (by composing groan-inducing raps), cheesy issues-oriented (and carefully diversified) videos that the students are forced to watch, and the bullying campaign that's long on message but short on action (created by the PTA in a scene that's worth the price of the book) are sharp, hilarious, and truthful. Child abuse rears its painful head later in the story; it is handled appropriately, realistically, and honestly. Marley's mother is blind, which adds an important dimension to the story; in this subplot, Yee paints a realistic picture of the assumptions and condescending attitudes (in a brilliant scene at the putting range) that many have toward the legally blind. Yee's depiction of geek culture (the AV club fights over the various merits of superheros) is also spot on. As you can see, there are several heavy issues addressed within the story, but Yee juggles them expertly and with plenty doses of humor and wry commentary in order to lighten the mood. Marley is a fantastic character; readers will cheer him wholeheartedly along the way.

Spooky Reads

2011-10-13T09:00:00.001-04:00

Ah, Halloween! Of course, the stores have had their Halloween candy since, I don't know, the Fourth of July? Nevertheless, costumes are being prepared and Halloween books are flying off the shelves. Here are a few of my favorites:

Piper Reed, Campfire Girl

Piper Reed is a lovely series for young elementary students. You don't really need to read them in order (but many kids are fussy about that, and sometimes, especially in fantasy series, you really do need to read them in order). In this fourth book of the Piper Reed series, Piper goes on a camping trip at Halloween (which she's not too thrilled about!). Not only is Piper Reed a cute series, it also features the everyday life of a military (Navy) family, which we don't often see in children's books.

If You're a Monster and You Know It

This isn't specifically Halloween-oriented, but it works if you need a read aloud for toddlers or preschoolers. As you can guess, it's a takeoff on "If You're Happy and You Know It." Rebecca and Ed Emberley's picture book contributions are fun and clever; this is no exception.

Ant and Honeybee: A Pair of Friends at Halloween

The Ant and Honeybee books are perfect for beginning readers (the books are a little over 40 pages). Ant and Honeybee decide to dress as appliances for Halloween.

And Then Comes Halloween

And Then Comes Halloween isn't just about trick-or-treating; it's also about the fun of creating costumes and decorating for Halloween. A good emphasis on the creative side of the holiday!

A Creepy Countdown

If you want something that's a little shivery but not too scary, check out A Creepy Countdown. This Halloween counting book has deliciously spooky illustrations.

I'm looking for a really good scary audiobook. Adult fiction. I'm thinking about Carrie (oooh, narrated by Sissy Spacek....I do have a cassette player) or something else by Stephen King (listening to Christine while driving might be interesting). Or maybe Interview With the Vampire. There's also this Classic Tales of Terror that I have my eye on. Any recommendations?

Wowbrary Wednesday

2011-10-12T09:00:00.006-04:00

I received a new Wowbrary notice in my email this Tuesday morning. Click. Click. Click. Here's what caught my eye:

Steve Jobs

Actually, I put in a request for this before the latest Wowbrary came out (as did several others). I believe this was originally set for publication early next year. When Jobs announced his retirement, it was pushed to November; with his recent death, publication was rushed to late October. Jobs was an extremely private man, yet he consented to many interviews for this biography (he did not ask to approve or even read the book before publication, and he encouraged friends and associates to speak honestly). Should be a fascinating read.

Jack Kennedy, Elusive Hero

Another JFK biography? Some may say that, but I'm looking forward to reading it (I've never read much about the Kennedys, but the recent Jacqueline Kennedy book/CD release intrigued me). The author interviewed Kennedy's closest associates during his research.

Then Again

From what I've read, Diane Keaton's memoir is not only a memoir of her acclaimed Hollywood career, but also a loving tribute to her mother. How refreshing. (I've avoided much of the "my family is so dysfunctional" memoir craze.)

Imperfect Justice: Prosecuting Casey Anthony

Don't know why there's no picture in the catalog. Sorry. I've been waiting for this ever since the end of the Anthony trial (not surprisingly, so have several others, as there are already a handful of holds). I won't review it on this blog; just wanted to point out that it's been ordered.

The Pilgrim

Now, this looks really interesting. The Pilgrims don't figure that much...well, at all in modern historical fiction. Nice to see someone tackle something other than the usual suspects of kings and princesses. Charles Wentworth journeys to the Plymouth Colony in hopes of easing his heartbreak, where he discovers, of course, danger, excitement, and even new love. Awesome. Something for Thanksgiving vacation reading!

White Truffles in Winter

I don't know anything about culinary history, but I do love a good foodie novel. This is about the French chef Auguste Escofiier, who was torn between his wife and the famous actress Sarah Bernhardt. Food, theatre, and a love triangle? Oui, oui, oui!

Of course, this doesn't mean that I'll get to them all, but they sound pretty awesome!

Picture Book Roundup

2011-10-11T12:14:00.000-04:00

We've received so many terrific picture books recently. Here are some standouts:

Kai-Mook

Kai-Mook would hate me saying this, but this book is SO CUTE. Who is Kai-Mook? Kai-Mook is the newborn baby elephant. Like all baby elephants, she is ridiculously cute. All the other animals think so, and gush that she is just SO CUTE. Eventually, Kai-Mook has enough of this SO CUTE nonsense that she rises up in protest. '"I I AM NOT CUTE," the baby elephant trumpets, staggering up onto her flobby flabby legs. "I AM KAI-MOOK!" Of course, the animals just think this is so cute. Kai-Mook can't win. This funny and darling read aloud should be a hit with most toddlers and preschoolers.

Maisy's Amazing Big Book of Learning

Maisy takes the reader through various concepts, making this a very interactive book. In this sizes section, we see a variety of animals. "Who is big? Who is tall? Who is thin?" And so on. Similar thing for colors: "Who is blue? Who is green? Who is brown?" Lift-the-flaps also engage the reader. This slightly oversize picture book makes it ideal for lap-sharing.

Miss Lina's Ballerinas and the Prince

Miss Lina's pretty-in-pink ballerinas are back! And this time, a boy is joining their ballet class. The girls think this is marvelous, and begin dreams of elegant pas de deux. Unfortunately, the new boy is a bit of a show off, and not too sure about being the only boy (he's not the typical ballet prince that they were expecting). Luckily, after a mad escapade, the class settles down and debuts an enchanting end-of-the-year recital. Lovely!

Coming soon: update on new books arriving for October, and holiday books!

The Night Circus and Rin Tin Tin

2011-10-06T09:00:00.028-04:00

When books arrive with tons of advance publicity, my suspicions are raised a tad. Are they really all they are cracked up to be? Sometimes, they aren't.

Sometimes, they are.

Case in point: Example A.

Tons. TONS of hoopla over this book. Movie rights have already been sold.

Looking for a wild, evocative, and weird read? Check this one out. Actually, you'll need to get in line for this one. Lots of hold requests. It's a mysterious and romantic story set against the backdrop of a magical Victorian circus. I don't want to give away too much, so I'll stop right here.

Case in point: Example B.

Rin Tin Tin also arrived with a lot of publicity and advance praise, not surprising for a new book by Susan Orlean. Let me tell you: SO WORTH IT. This is an incredible read. It's a beautifully and movingly written story that intertwines the history of dogs and people in modern day peacetime and wartime, the rough and tumble years of early Hollywood and the awkward transition to sound, the rise and fall of television westerns, and the amazing and unbelievable story of the first Rin Tin Tin, his devoted owner, Lee Duncan, and Rin Tin Tin's descendants. Susan Orlean interjects herself into the story from time to time, which makes her writing more personal and intimate. I knew very, very little about Rin Tin Tin before reading this, so the depth of the original Rin Tin Tin's popularity and how seriously he was taken as a genuine actor and as an icon astounded me. This is narrative nonfiction at its best. Orlean is doing a big book tour and a good amount of publicity for her book; holds will probably increase (especially if it shows up on bestseller lists, which I'm sure it will, and on the "Best Of 2011" lists which will be out shortly) so I would request now if you think you want to read it. If you love dogs or if entertainment history interests you, trust me...you want to read this book.

A book trailer for The Night Circus:

Book trailer for Rin Tin Tin:

17 out of the original 23 Rin Tin Tin movies have been lost forever. Fortunately, you can see some clips on Youtube:

The Hills of Kentucky:

A movie starring Junior, Rinty's son. Like many second-generation entertainers, he was compared to his old man and found wanting:

The Rin Tin Tin television show. Hey, that dog's a bit blond, dontcha think? Oh, dear...better read the book. This is the brief opening:

Isn't Youtube the best? There are also terrific clips of Lassie, Rin Tin Tin's rival. Rin Tin Tin's folks would sometimes get a bit unhinged when the subject of Lassie came up.

And while we're on the subject of trailers and Youtube, a new trailer for Steven Spielberg's War Horse movie has been released:

Waah. Cannot wait. Read the book before the holds start stacking up.

Enjoy these wonderful stories!

Apples For All: A Toddler Story Time

2011-10-04T14:50:00.001-04:00

Seasonal story times are my mainstays as a youth services librarian. It's easy enough to find general fall-related story times, but they tend to not be very captivating for a toddler story time (winter themed picture books are another matter).Apples, however, are another story. They can definitely relate to apple stories, and with pick-your-own farms and orchards so close by, many young Fauquier County patrons are familiar with apples orchards and apple trees.

The Apple Pie Tree

Through the narration of a preschooler, readers are introduced to the stages of an apple tree (featuring some lucky robins) in this cheerfully illustrated picture book perfect for reading aloud. "There's nothing as good as an apple pie you grew yourself." You said it, sister. A quick guideline on the importance of bees for an apple tree and an apple pie recipe are included in the back matter.

Apples and Pumpkins

Anne Rockwell is a master of concept and nonfiction books for very young children; Apples and Pumpkins is one of her classics. The experience of a young girl's trip to the pick-your-own apples and pumpkins farm is told through simple sentences and charming illustrations. Admittedly, the pumpkin is the real focus of the story, and the Halloween ending makes it appropriate for a Halloween-themed story time as well.

One Red Apple

Out of all my apple-themed picture books, Harriet Ziefert's One Red Apple is my favorite. It may be one of the simplest in terms of sentence structure and story line, but the illustrations by Karla Gudeon are absolutely gorgeous. A farmer and his farmhands pick delicious red apples and drive them to the market, where they are bought and enjoyed by customers. The birds even get a little taste of the action by nibbling on discarded apple cores. The apple seeds are scattered by the wind, land, and grow into apple trees. The visual evolution (through an opened flap) of a growing apple tree at the end of the story puts an enchanting end to this remarkable picture book.

The Seasons of Arnold's Apple Tree

Gail Gibbons's marvelous nonfiction picture books are usually suitable for older children, but I'm going to try out The Seasons of Arnold's Apple Tree on my toddler story time group tomorrow. This is a bit longer than the books that I normally read, but if I read this first, I may have some success. We'll see. Arnold's apple tree is busy throughout all seasons, making this a good choice for any seasonal story time; the inclusion of Halloween makes it suitable for a Halloween-themed story time.

Fingerplays

There are tons of apple-themed fingerplays that go great with this story time. Here are my standards:

Little Apples (Tune: 10 Little Indians)

Count on fingers while singing the song.

1 little, 2 little, 3 little apples
4 little, 5 little, 6 little apples
7 little, 8 little, 9 little apples
All fell to the ground.

For added emphasis and to provoke giggles, everyone can fall dramatically to the ground at the end. You may have to repeat this several times for full enjoyment.

Round the Apple Tree (Tune: Mulberry Bush)

Everyone stands in a circle. Holds hands and walk in a circle while singing the chorus. Mime the motions.

Chorus: Here we go round the apple tree, the apple tree, the apple tree/Here we go round the apple tree, so early in the morning

This is the way we plant the seeds...
This is the way the apples grow...(curl up and unfold, standing on tiptoe)
This is the way we pick the apples...
This is the way we wash the apples...
Thhis is the way we cut the apples...
This is the way we eat the apples....

If you're short on time, or if they get restless during the circle time, cut the chorus and just repeat at the end. Or, start the song at "pick the apples."

Apple Tree

This is the tree with leaves so green (wiggle fingers above head)
Here are the apples that hang in between (make fists)
When the wind blows (wave arms)
The apples will fall (arms down)
Here is the basket to gather them all (make a circle with arms, mime gathering)

10 Red Apples

10 red apples growing on a tree (show 10 fingers)
5 for you (show five fingers) and 5 for me (show other five)
Help me shake the tree just show (mime shaking)
And 10 red apples fall down below
(Count to 10 on fingers)

Coloring page: Apples 4 the Teacher is one of my favorite coloring page sites. The pictures are clear and big. Apple

Big Shots

2011-09-30T09:00:00.007-04:00

We have quite a few big authors/series with new books coming out this fall. Here's a sneak peek:

Abe Lincoln at Last

Mary Pope Osborne's latest entry in her wildly popular Magic Tree House series takes readers to the Lincoln administration (we also ordered the nonfiction companion; note that the Magic Tree House Research Guides are now called Magic Tree House Fact Trackers). Late December release.

The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse

Eric Carle's latest work is an homage to the German artist Franz Marc, who specialized in unusual animal drawings. Early October release.

Cabin Fever

The latest Diary of a Wimpy Kid book will be released in mid-November.

Clockwork Prince

Cassandra Clare fans are undoubtedly counting down the days until the sequel to Clockwork Angel in the Infernal Devices series will be released (early December). If you're wondering what all this steampunk stuff is all about, check out Clare's novels. You can start with either the Mortal Instruments series or the Infernal Devices series; they complement each other, but are not dependent upon each other and they don't contain "spoilers" about the other series (the Infernal Devices series is the prequel to Mortal Instruments).

Crossed

Woo hoo! The highly anticipated sequel to Matched will be released in early November. Will Cassia find Ky? And there's a rebellion coming? Cannot wait.

The Fire

James Patterson and Jill Dembowski's latest entry in the Witch and Wizard series will be released in early December.

The Forgotten Warrior

We already have two holds for the next Warriors book (late November release).

Inheritance

Same for the final book in Christopher Paolini's Inheritance series (early November release).

John Flanagan's first book in the Brotherband Chronicles (companion series to The Ranger's Apprentice series) will be released in early November.

Fans of Virginia author Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver trilogy can't wait for The Scorpio Races. Stiefvater turns her attention away from werewolves to killer water faerie horses, although she says that it's not really about killer water faerie horses. Huh? Oh, well. We'll just have to wait until mid-October to figure out what it's all about.

Becca Fitzpatrick concludes her Hush trilogy (it's about fallen angels) with Silence, out in early October. On second thought, it's supposed to be the conclusion to the trilogy. However, the cover says it's the "third book in the New York Times bestseller Hush, Hush saga." Huh. That sounds a leeetle different from a "conclusion." On the other hand, Becca Fitzpatrick recently blogged that "You'll finally know what happens to Patch and Nora." Which does sound like she's done with the series. I dunno.

We should have many happy fans during the forthcoming months!

Historic Conversations on Life With John F. Kennedy

2011-09-28T11:38:00.005-04:00

Historic Conversations on Life With John F. Kennedy

To my surprise and delight (and consternation, because there were two other high-demand books on hold for me), my hold request for Historic Conversations came in yesterday afternoon. Although I'm not someone who has an enormous interest in the Kennedys, I was intrigued by the release of a series of interviews granted by one of our most private First Ladies (a term she hated because she thought it sounded like the name of a horse). Beginning in January 1964, mere months after the assassination of President Kennedy, this is a snapshot of Mrs. Kennedy's thoughts, feelings, and reminiscences during a time of intense grief and chaos. Due to the number of CDs (8), the complexity of the companion book (many footnotes), and the sheer number of patrons waiting for their turn, I ended up listening to about 2 1/2 CDs and browsing through the book. Therefore, this is more of an impression of the CDs/book than a full review.

Listeners may be tempted to skip over Caroline Kennedy's lengthy foreword; I would encourage them to not do so. Caroline Kennedy has a somewhat dispassionate delivery (although she clearly adores her mother), yet it's important to realize the history behind the interviews and Kennedy's dilemma over releasing the tapes. Having known the contents of the interviews since her mother's death in 1994, Kennedy was well aware that her mother's comments did not necessarily reflect her later views, and that some comments about prominent figures would incite gossip and criticism (which we have seen since the publication of these recordings). By the time Michael Beschloss begins his own introduction, you may be impatient to skip ahead. For those who only have a basic understanding of the Kennedy presidency (such as me), it's a worthwhile listen.

Finally, we get to the actual interviews! They require a careful listen, as Mrs. Kennedy's voice was famously quiet and breathy. The Schlesinger interviews were being conducted at the same time as she was sitting for interviews with another Kennedy biographer (whom she sued in order to prevent comments being published that she later regretted saying about the assassination) and the Warren commission, and it shows; she sounds quite weary at the beginning. Rather endearingly and movingly, she slips into present tense at times when talking about JFK (I counted three times, which are all in the first two conversations; she doesn't do this in further conversations). John Jr. also appears on the recording, during which Schlesinger asks him what happened to his father ("Well, he's in heaven") and if he remembers his father. John Jr. answers yes and no to two different questions; as he was only three at the time of the recording (he turned three on the day of President Kennedy's funeral), this is entirely understandable (at that age, children will often say what they think the adult wants to hear, and a three year old can't really grasp abstract concepts like "remember"), yet quite sad (in his adulthood, John Jr. did not have many memories of his father or life in the White House). On a lighter note, an amusing moment occurs when she can only bear to whisper about JFK's "stomach problems" (she has to repeat it several times before Schlesinger understands what she is saying).

Jacqueline Kennedy's comments in this interview about Martin Luther King, Jr., Indira Gandhi, and feminism have been well documented in recent articles; it helps to read and listen to the comments in their full text (and to understand why she may feel that way), and also to realize that this is a snapshot at a very specific moment in time. As Caroline Kennedy notes in her foreword, Schlesinger also spends time on issues regarding the Kennedy administration that have not really stood the test of time in terms of historical and cultural significance, and that the listener/reader may wish that he had expounded upon other issues/events. Listeners who rely solely on the recordings and/or don't have a great knowledge about the Kennedy administration may get a bit lost when Jacqueline Kennedy and/or Arthur Schlesinger refer to someone by last name only. This is a remarkable series of interviews granted by a woman who was deeply and famously private, yet had such an enormous regard for history that she saved untold amounts of letters and documents and severely rebuked White House staffers who threw away seemingly meaningless scraps of paper. We now have a more complicated and fuller knowledge of the Kennedys' marriage and the Kennedy administration, so these tapes didn't release any shocking new details; rather, it's a unique and immediate series of recollections conducted under a stressful and chaotic time for the former First Lady, released in time for the 50th anniversary of Kennedy's inauguration. Well worth your time for history buffs.

Past, Present, and Future (Reads)

2011-09-27T10:00:00.016-04:00

Oh, that Wowbrary is getting me into so much trouble. I have several high-demand books that I really need to get through in the next two weeks. The fall releases are coming in fast and furious; there are a number of tempting things that we are just about to put on the new books shelf.

Past Reads:

The Absolute Value of Mike

Mike is the son of a brilliant mathematician; unfortunately, he has no mathematical aptitude. Sent to live with elderly and odd relatives for the summer (dad is in Romania for research), Mike gets involved in the town's efforts to bring a Romanian orphan to America.

Some people have a lot of patience for quirk; I don't. This has an abundance of quirk. If that's your style, then you should enjoy The Absolute Value of Mike.

Rock the Casbah: Rage and Rebellion Across the Islamic World

Wow; this was a terrific and eye-opening read. Robin Wright interviewed key players in the recent Arab uprisings, hijab-wearing Muslim feminists, Arab and Arab-American stand up comics, filmmakers, and other Muslim political and cultural figures in the Middle East and other Muslim communities. Fascinating, moving, funny, and sobering reading. Highly recommended.

Present Reads:

Aliens on Vacation

I am getting a big kick out of this book, and it's not normally the type of book that I really enjoy. (The quirkiness issue.) However, an alien story is bound to draw the attention of young readers, especially boys, so I needed to check this out. Scrub's grandmother, with whom he is spending the summer, is a known eccentric in her small town. Everybody (well, pretty much everybody) thinks that her intergalactic-themed bed and breakfast is plenty weird, even without knowing that the guests are actually alien life-forms disguised as humans.

Scrub's bewilderment and the kooky guests are super funny; although I'm only halfway through the book, I'm already looking forward to the sequel, to be published next summer.

The Night Circus

This received a crazy amount of press before it was even published, so I was curious to see if it lived up to its hype. I only started this last night, but I'm totally loving it. I'm not quite sure where it's going (if you want a brief summary, click on the link), but I'm on board for the ride. Trying to get through it as quickly as possible, since there are a number of holds for it. I also have The Language of Flowers waiting, so I'm planning to juggle both at the same time.

Future Reads

Warp Speed

I'm trying to get through early 2011 reads that I've missed. I've never read anything by Lisa Yee that I didn't enjoy. This is a look at bullying at a middle school; definitely timely.

Cannot believe that September is almost over. That means that I'm about to order new titles for October!

(I already ordered Thanksgiving/Christmas books, but will save that when it gets a little closer to the holidays. Most won't be available until very late in October or early November. We have several neat Thanksgiving books on the way, about which I'm very happy, since interesting and creative Thanksgiving books are not always easy to find. We also have some lovely Christmas books on the way, as well as a new Hanukkah folktale by Eric Kimmel.)

September to Remember

2011-09-15T09:00:00.005-04:00

Oooh boy. The fall reading season is definitely upon us. So much to discuss...let's get to it! These will be very short annotations.

Ten Rules for Living With My Sister

Why I'm looking forward to it: It's an Ann M. Martin novel about a sister relationship from the nine year old little sister's perspective. It's already received a starred review from Publishers Weekly (praising Martin's "credible characterizations, on-the-nail humor, and well-observed family dynamics") and excellent reviews from other sources.

13 Gifts

Why I'm looking forward to it: Wendy Mass is a fantastic writer, and she's popular with tween girls. School Library Journal is among its admirers, noting that "[B]y fusing middle-school drama with just a sprinkle of magic and mystery, Mass provides an optimistic and and genuine addition to the coming-of-age genre."

The Astonishing Secret Of Awesome Man

Why I'm looking forward to this book: Looks like an action-packed "superhero" story with a moral that's not overly preachy.

The Bippolo Seed and Other Lost Stories

Why I'm looking forward to it: Frankly, I think calling these "lost stories" is rather pushing it. When I heard (about a year ago) that a collection of "lost" Dr. Seuss stories was being published, I imagined that a bunch of looseleaf papers were discovered by a nephew twice removed or something like that. Actually, these stories were published in various publications during the 1950s and were never found in book form until now (some were recorded). Not really lost, in my opinion, but the stories will be new to the vast majority of people (including me). And that's cool.

Breadcrumbs

Why I'm looking forward to it: This is a retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's The Snow Queen. I love expanded fairy tales (Jane Yolen has one coming out in November; it's a Snow White story set in 1940s West Virginia...wow!), and this is getting terrific reviews.

City of Orphans

Why I'm looking forward to it: It's a mystery by Avi set in 1890s New York. I'm not a fan of everything that Avi has written, but I usually enjoy his historical fiction books. That's why! Starred reviews from Booklist, Kirkus, and Publishers Weekly.

Cows to the Rescue

Why I'm looking forward to it: Himmelman's other "--To the Rescue" books are hilarious. Let's hope that he won't run this clever idea into the ground.

Every Thing On It: Poems and Drawings

Why I'm looking forward to it: Okay, here's your honest-to-goodness "never before seen" book. Shel Silverstein's family selected these poems and drawings from his archive (so, not lost, but they're not advertising them as "lost"). The reviews have been very positive; it sounds like classic Silverstein, with a good mixture of silly and poignancy (particularly the final poem).

Wisdom's Kiss

Why I'm looking forward to it: One of my favorite YA authors. I love the fact that Catherine Gilbert Murdock writes about football-playing girls and princesses (not in the same book). Obviously, this is a princess-y book. However, some of the reviews make me wonder if this is a bit too clever for its own good (she uses a variety of devices through which to tell the story: diaries, letters, a play, encyclopedia entry, etc). We'll see.

There's a lot that I've left out and that I'm planning on highlighting once I've read them. Must read faster!

Wowbrary Wednesday

2011-09-14T09:00:00.002-04:00

Yay! The recent Wowbrary edition yielded several goodies that I just had to add to my ever-growing requests list.

(Note: Wowbrary Wednesday features adult fiction and nonfiction.)

The Maid: A Novel of Joan of Arc

This debut novel has already earned a starred review from Publishers Weekly.

The Dovekeepers

I've never read anything by Alice Hoffman, but I've heard *of* her, and I know she's quite popular. This forthcoming novel is set in ancient Israel; not a period often explored in historical fiction, so I'm intrigued.

Nanjing Requiem

From the subject matter and review excerpts, I know that this will not be an easy read. It's receiving excellent reviews, including starred reviews from Booklist and Library Journal.

Lionheart

I've read several Sharon Kay Penman novels, so I know that she writes grand epics. This clocks in at 608 pages; since I'm sure this will receive more holds requests once the publication date draws closer, I'll need to get through this quickly!

Mary Boleyn: The Mistress of Kings

I'm kind of over the whole Tudor phenomenon, but since this is a look at the sister of Anne Boleyn written by a terrific historian, I'm looking forward to reading this. Will probably be another popular request!

Our September children's/YA orders are in the catalog! Look for a highlights post later this week.

2 New Reviews

2011-09-13T10:20:00.000-04:00

Silhouetted by the Blue

Serena is the star of her school's production of The Wiz, but her home life is threatening her concentration on school and the play. Her father has sunk into a deep depression over her mother's death in a car accident; it's so bad that he doesn't change out of his pajamas for days, is letting illustration jobs pass him by, and generally spaces out. Taking care of her little brother, who's acting out in school, is generally left to her. Not only must Serena negotiate this difficult home life, but she must also juggle the responsibilities of the play and the everyday normal life of a middle school girl.

What I liked: Serena is an engaging and realistically drawn character. Although the cover and distinct details in the story identify her as African-American, race is not a central aspect of the story. The effect of a disruptive home life is accurately depicted in Serena's lack of concentration and her younger brother's sudden acting-out in school. Musical theater fans will enjoy the references to shows (the title comes from a lyric in Ragtime); non-musical fans will not find the references overbearing. The ending is optimistic but truthful. The relationship between Serena and a boy in her Spanish class is cute and sweet; one of the highlights of the story.

Picky Picky: Serena's father is unreliable for school pickup, so Serena must either pick up her younger brother from school or ask friends to pick him up. This is unrealistic for the majority of schools; most schools will not release a child to a non-custodial parent unless there is a note from a parent or guardian. Simply calling a teacher, as Serena does, will not fly, especially if the person picking up the kid is an unrelated minor (she gets her friends to pick him up).

Overall: A good "issues driven" novel that manages to balance the darker parts of the story with fun moments. Highly recommended for YA collections.

Bestest. Ramadan. Ever.

Almira is valiantly struggling through her first real Ramadan. Last year's fasting attempt was a disaster, so she's trying extra hard to make it through the long month. A crush on a (non-Muslim) boy and the sudden arrival of a sophisticated mean girl (Muslim) only complicates matters.

What I liked: It's been interesting watching and reading the trickle of YA books written by Muslim authors and featuring Muslim characters. Wearing hijab (head covering) is a significant concern in books like Does My Head Look Big in This?, but Bestest.Ramadan.Ever is primarily focused on Almira's experience while fasting for Ramadan, which doesn't largely figure in other YA novels with Muslim characters. Almira realistically struggles with wanting to fit in with the other kids at her Miami high school; although her parents are not faithful mosque goers, they are still socially conservative and expect Almira to be as well. Almira will resonate with many teen girl readers, even if they aren't Muslim.

Picky Picky: The grandfather seems a bit over the top in his remarks, but that's a minor complaint. The mean girl story line was a bit predictable, but the lessons drawn from it are good ones to remember.

Overall: A terrific addition to multicultural YA collections. Definitely recommended!

Picture Book Round Up, Again

2011-09-08T09:01:00.004-04:00

Don't have much to report on vacation reading, because it was mainly magazines and reading my way through We Two, which is about Queen Victoria and Prince Albert (I don't bring library books or children's/YA books on vacation).

Knowing that I needed a new post soon, I grabbed a handful of picture books for my lunch time reading. Three I liked in particular:

Jim Henson: The Guy Who Played With Puppets

Kathleen Krull has delivered another terrific biography for young readers. With a new Muppet movie out this Thanksgiving, a renewed interest in the Muppets is likely. Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher's illustrations of the Muppets are astonishingly realistic. I really like afterwords in children's biographies, so I was a bit disappointed this has none. A minor quibble in an otherwise excellent biography. I was happy to see a mention of Labyrinth, one of my guilty pleasure movies (we all have them). There's a bit more discussion of the creation of Sesame Street and its Muppets than The Muppet Show, but considering that the targeted audience will be much more familiar with Sesame Street, it makes sense.

The Haunted Hamburger and Other Ghostly Stories

Halloween will soon be in the air, and with that comes requests for ghost stories. This is perfect for children who aren't ready for truly shivery stories. Children are more likely to shriek with laughter than horror at these very silly stories.

Naamah and the Ark at Night

There are plenty of Noah's Ark picture books, but this story (really, a lullaby than an actual story) is from the perspective of Noah's wife (in Jewish tradition, she is called Naamah). Naamah soothes the humans and the beasts of the ark through the tumultuous storm through a soothing lullaby. This is going on my Caldecott shortlist; it definitely deserves a second look come Caldecott decision time.

I'm working on the September order; oh my goodness, there are some great things coming out this month!

I blogged about books for National Library Card Sign-Up Month on the ALSC blog recently. You can check it out here.

Picture Book Round Up

2011-08-24T09:00:00.003-04:00

Haven't done this in a while!

The Gingerbread Man Loose in the School

This Gingerbread Man story adapted for a school story is funny, charming, and a good read aloud for a school-themed story time. After Class 23 finishes baking their gingerbread man, they leave the room to focus on other activities and to let him cool. Alarmed that his class has left him, The Gingerbread Man races from place to place in search of the students: "I'm the Gingerbread Man/And I'm trying to find/The children who made me/But left me behind." The school nurse, art teacher, and principal assist him on his way to the eventual reunion. Not only is it cute (the rhymes are occasionally a little forced, but no big deal), but it includes school officials not normally seen in school-related picture books (art teacher and school nurse).

Me...Jane

I love this. I really, really, love this. If I were pressed to pick my favorite for the Caldecott, I think this would be it. Me...Jane is the story of a little girl who loved animals. She loved reading about animals, observing animals, and drawing animals. She also dreamed of going to Africa. Every night, she would tuck in her stuffed monkey, Jubilee and dream big dreams. Until one day, she woke up (we see an illustration of a grown up Jane awakening in a big tent) "to her dream come true" (we see a photograph of a young Jane Goodall reaching out to a small chimpanzee). Beautiful! The life of Dr. Goodall has been the subject of several picture books (several written by Goodall herself, who includes the education of children as a very important part of her work) but none nearly as beautiful and touching as this one.

Now We Can Have a Wedding!

I believe this came to our library through a donation, and I'm so pleased that we have it. Sallie's sister is getting married; as she visits her neighbors in her diverse apartment building, we are introduced to a variety of wedding food from different cultures. Yes! I'm a fan of cross-cultural books like this (Everybody Cooks Rice, which is similar, Bread, Bread, Bread, etc). The neighbors also teach Sallie the symbolism of the food and why they are prepared a specific way. An appendix identifies each food and its significance in its culture.

Tweak Tweak

This is just so darn cute. Cute with a capital C. But not so cute that it's overbearing. Little Elephant, like the young of every species, is curious about everything. Mama Elephant has told Little Elephant to tweak twice on her tail if he/she has a question; of course, Little Elephant is full of questions about all the creatures that come into their path. No, Little Elephant cannot jump like a frog, but he/she can stomp his/her foot and make a big sound! Little Elephant cannot climb up the acacia tree like a monkey, but he/she can scratch against the tree. And so on and so on, until it's time to go home. Does Little Elephant remember the way home? Sure he/she does!

Although the majority of the text is dialogue, I'm planning to use this in an upcoming elephant-themed story time (I don't often use dialogue-heavy books for read alouds). The dialogue is distinct, captivating, and compact, making it a fine read aloud. I'm putting this on my Caldecott shortlist; don't expect it to win, but that Little Elephant is just too adorable to ignore.

The Crossing

Also on my Caldecott shortlist is The Crossing, which tells the Lewis and Clark Expedition through the eyes of Sacagawea's baby, Jean Baptiste. Jean Baptiste, strapped to his mother's back for months as she guided the men to and through the Pacific Northwest, narrates the perilous journey and the majestic scenery of this awe-inspiring territory. Donna Jo Napoli's text and Jim Madsen's illustrations evoke the grandeur of this unspoilt territory and the grand adventures of exploration.

Awesome August Reads

2011-08-19T09:00:00.005-04:00

We are running full steam ahead into the fall publishing season. The forthcoming months promise to bring many great reads...perhaps the next Newbery, Caldecott, or Printz winners? Or have those already been published? Online chatter about possible winners will increase with the relaunch of the Heavy Medal blog, probably in September. The Horn Book will also host its first Caldecott discussion blog, Calling Caldecott, launch date TBD. There's lots to talk about, so let's get started!

10 Little Caterpillars

Fall 2011 brings several posthumous publications from beloved children's authors (in addition to this month's Bill Martin Jr., this fall will bring a volume of newly discovered Shel Silverstein poems, Eva Ibbotson's second-to-last novel, and a volume of Dr. Seuss stories). 10 Little Caterpillars, originally published in a volume of Martin's poetry, is given a new interpretation in this picture book version illustrated by the fabulous Lois Ehlert. Ten caterpillars crawl, munch, and discover outdoor wonders. These are no generic caterpillars; each caterpillar is its own unique species, which adds a scientific flavor to this counting story.

America Is Under Attack

Several months ago, I began looking for recent children's/YA books about the tragic events of September 11, 2001, in anticipation of next month's 10th anniversary. I was gratified to find early positive buzz about America is Under Attack from online blogs and early reviews. Booklist informs readers that Don Brown "brings things to many an uncomfortable point--that cannot be avoided--without going too far." I've seen digital images of the book (sorry, cannot remember where!); one of the most striking illustrations is that of New Yorkers looking up in horror (or shielding their eyes) at the Twin Towers.

Bear's Loose Tooth

On a much lighter note, we turn to Karma Wilson's latest entry in her adorable bear picture books. Children will definitely relate to Bear's issues over a loose tooth. His friends assure him that it will fall out and another will replace it, but how will Bear eat in the meantime? Of course, the tooth falls out, all is well, and the tooth fairy even brings blueberries.

Bestest.Ramadan.Ever

Fifteen year old Almira is determined that she's going to do Ramadan right this year (last year's fast was foiled by the temptation of Oreos). She reveals her Ramadan experience "in a breezy banter that progresses from the shallow to the insightful as she learns humility, patience, and the importance of faith," according to Kirkus Reviews. Looking forward to this one; most YA fiction that I've read were centered around a Muslim girl wearing the hijab and issues with immigrant parents; this strikes me as a bit different.

Beyond Lucky

Can we make our own "luck?" What does it mean to really be a hero? Those are the questions central to Sarah Aronson's debut novel. Twelve year old Ari is sure, absolutely sure, that the priceless soccer training card that he discovered has changed the luck of his soccer team. That is, until the card is stolen. Accusations are hurled, friendships are threatened, and the soccer team's games are pitiful. What can be done? Kirkus calls Beyond Lucky "solid," Publishers Weekly praises the "graceful storytelling," and School Library Journal notes that "[T]he soccer action will make the story extra appealing to seasoned players, but does not exclude those who are unfamiliar with the sport." Excellent.

Bumble-ardy

Maurice Sendak has not had a solo work published since 1981 (he's collaborated on several projects since then, but nothing that's his creation only). Bumble-ardy, based on his 1970 Sesame Street short film, marks a welcomed return for the picture book master. Poor Bumble-ardy has never had a party! His lucky day comes on his ninth birthday, when a pile of partying pigs surprises him. Those familiar with Sendak's work will not be surprised to find that Bumble-ardy is a bit strange and a little dark. The story has been changed slightly from its original film plot (no more pigs drinking wine at the party).

The Drop

Four teens in training for British Columbia's snowboarding Backcountry Patrollers (rescuing people lost in the mountains) put their skills to the test when a friend goes missing. School Library Journal acclaims Jeff Ross's vivid descriptions of snowboarding and mountain climbing and recommends The Drop to readers who "like sports adventure novels that move at a downhill pace." Cool.

Ghetto Cowboy

Cole's mother has had it with his behavior; hoping that a change in environment will shape him up, she sends him to live with his father in Philadelphia. Cole's father is part of an urban cowboy community dating back to the Civil War that mentors at-risk kids. Cole bonds with a horse named Boo and changes his attitude about his new life. G. Neri based Ghetto Cowboy on the actual urban cowboy communities in Philadelphia and Brooklyn. Cannot wait to read this!

The Haunted Hamburger and Other Ghostly Stories

Father Ghost's children just can't go to sleep! What to do? If you're a daddy ghost, you tell your little ghostlings scary stories until they fall asleep. What kind of stories do ghosts find scary? Well, there once was a scary BABY...and one time, a really scary HAMBURGER...and finally....a terrifying GRANDMOTHER. Perfect for young children who want a "ghost story" around Halloween (or any time), but really can't tolerate anything too shivery.

It's the First Day of School--Forever!

Oh, the horror! The king of middle-grade horror returns with a truly frightening prospect: reliving the first day of school over and over again. School Library Journal promises that "kids will love the twist at the end." Can't imagine that this will stay on the shelves long.

Jim Henson: The Guy Who Played With Puppets

Regular blog readers know that I am a huge Muppets fan, so you can imagine how happy I was when I learned that Kathleen Krull had written a biography on Jim Henson. Krull is a master of picture book biographies, and Jim Henson's life story is a natural fit for her talents. A new Muppets movie is set to be released come Thanksgiving time (their first movie since 1999), which will hopefully, along with this book, create a new generation of Muppets fans.

Labracadabra

I have a fondness for early chapter books/independent reading books. With a bloated market of 400+ paged chapter books (many of them series), it sometimes seems that short chapter books for the emerging reader are neglected. Thankfully, we have books like Labracadabra. Zach wanted a dog more than anything, but he's rather disappointed with the dog his parents bring home. You see, Labracadabra is no puppy; he's fully-grown, of indeterminate ancestry, is a "used dog" from the shelter, and has a weird name. Zach has an unusual tail, though. A very unusual tail. He and Zach have many adventures in five chapters, which should delight young dog owners and hopeful dog owners.

Lottie Paris Lives Here

A sweet relationship between a spirited young girl and her father or grandfather (we never really find out) is highlighted in this tale of an outing to the park. Looks very cute.

Megan's Year: An Irish Traveler's Story

My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding has definitely sparked interest in the Irish Travelers community, so I am very curious about this book! Gloria Whelan is one of my favorite authors; although she's best known for her historical fiction novels, she is the author of one of my all-time favorite picture books. I was initially disappointed that this wasn't a novel, but I'm still eager to read it.

Sweetly

Jackson Pearce continues his series of reimagined fairy tales (Sisters Red was his first, and his follow-up to Sweetly will be a retelling of The Little Mermaid) in this Hansel and Gretel-ish story involving witches, werewolves, and candy. Sounds awesome.

This Dark Endeavor, Book 1: The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein

*Happy dance* I've been waiting forever for this! Kenneth Oppel is one of my go-to recs for YA literature, and the fact that he has a new series out makes me doubly happy. This Dark Endeavor series is centered around a teenaged Victor Frankenstein. Publishers Weekly hails it as being "melodramatic, exciting, disquieting, and intentionally over the top."

Trapped: How the World Rescued 33 Miners From 2,000 Feet Below the Desert

Chi! Chi! Chi! Le! Le! Le! Marc Aronson captures the dramas, fear, and exhilarion of the Chilean mine rescue nearly one year after the collapse and miraculous ending. It's already received numerous positive reviews.

Whoa! I even intentionally left off some titles that I really wanted to tell you about (in anticipation of reviewing them). August-October is a busy publishing month in children's/YA literature; hope you can keep up!

Imaginary Girls

2011-08-17T12:25:00.008-04:00

I don't know about you, but I'm really, really over YA paranormal novels. Vampires, mermaids, Other Worlds.....enough! Please! Stop! Same thing goes for you, Hunger Games wannabes. I'll admit that despite paranormal and dystopian novels not normally being my cup of tea, I've discovered some fondly remembered favorites in those genres (Shiver, The Roar, Matched, The Dead and the Gone). I know that paranormal and dystopian fiction weren't created yesterday, but the lesser novels are really starting to run together in my mind.

I knew Imaginary Girls had a dead person mystery aspect to the story, but it wasn't until I was already beyond hooked that I found out that OH WHADDYA KNOW...IT'S A PARANORMAL NOVEL. Thanks a lot, Nova Ren Suma. Thanks.A.Lot. Sneaky!

Other than discovering the dead body of a classmate, it was a fairly normal night of hanging out at the resevoir for Chloe. Naturally, this shakes up Chloe quite a bit (!), so she's sent away to live with her father in Pennsylvania (her mother is eccentric and older sister does most of the caretaking). Several years pass; Ruby, Chloe's wildly popular and offbeat sister, shows up to bring Chloe back home, where she encounters...well, the very last person she'd expect to encounter.

Let me tell you--this book is *freaky*. (It's also for more mature YA readers.) I still have some unanswered questions about some plot elements. But it is absolutely deserving of the reviews and attention it's received (including three starred reviews). Ruby is quite an astonishing character. Once you start it, it's very hard to put it down. It's quite a surreal read.

Recent Reads, Listens, and Current Reads

2011-08-08T14:14:00.001-04:00

Quick updates.

Recent Reads:

Okay For Now

This has received quite a bit of Newbery buzz; of course, I can name any number of books that had significant Newbery buzz that either received the Honor or nothing at all, so I'm keeping that in mind.

Okay For Now reintroduces us to Doug, a character in Gary Schmidt's Newbery Honor book, The Wednesday Wars. Doug's father has taken a new job in upstate New York; a rather dull and depressed town where nothing much goes on. Right from the start, Doug unfairly receives a bad reputation due to the police's suspicions about his older brother, Christopher. His refuges are in Lily, a girl he meets at the library (and daughter of his store keeper boss) and in drawing lessons he receives from one of the librarians.

Doug's home life isn't much better. His father and brother are both physically abusive, which makes this story difficult to read. There's one instance of abuse that's literally breathtaking. His older brother returns from Vietnam, physically and emotionally damaged. It's quite a lot to take in, so this might not get a wide readership.

Although there's a multitude of issues swirling about, Schmidt manages them quite fine until Doug and Lily get involved in a Broadway show. This was completely unbelievable to me. Actors on Broadway belong to a union (Actors Equity) that, even in the 1960s, would never have allowed a non-union and inexperienced girl take a chorus part, much less the significant child role of Helen Burns in an adaptation of Jane Eyre. No way. Preteen/teen actors would give their eyeteeth to play such a meaty role. And the role of Helen Burns would definitely have an understudy. If Schmidt had set this plot segment at a nearby community theater, it would have been totally understandable. But not a Broadway show. Not to mention that the kids are apparently traveling to Manhattan to perform on the weekends? What happens to the weekday performances; who's taking care of that? Or did I miss something?

That being said, I can understand why this is getting Newbery buzz. It's a powerful read. It's on my shortlist (I'll confess that I wish that a book for younger children would win; the reading/maturity level for recent Newbery winners has been at the high end of the eligibility requirements), but let's keep in mind that we still have many fall books that haven't been published yet!

Mindset Lists of American History

If you enjoy reading the annual Mindset Lists or social history in general, you'll enjoy this very much. Starting with 1880 and ending with the class of 2009, Tom McBride creates lists for nine generations of Americans, followed by extensive chapters detailing the social and political norms for each generation. It's an amusing read, but keep in mind that, for the most part, the experiences described are largely those of Caucasian middle-class students (save for the Depression generation). Not a major criticism-just an observation.

Recent Listens:

A Garland For Girls

Finally finished listening to A Garland For Girls, and it turned out to be more enjoyable than I expected it to be (especially after the initial story of the young Lady Bountifuls and the great unwashed masses). I particularly enjoyed the stories of Rosamund/Button Rose and the impoverished sisters who used to be rich, but are now invalid or teaching dance to little rich girls. The narrator, C.M. Hebert, recorded other Alcott stories, and I just may have to listen to them. She's an exceptional reader.

Current Reads:

The Peach Keeper

Part of my ongoing quest to read more adult fiction books. I'm enjoying this very much. A Southern historic house has been renovated, bringing together old acquaintances. It may also be haunted. When I left our heroes and heroines this morning, they had just discovered a skull. Oooh.

Department 19

A teenage boy joins the super secret Department 19, Britain's vampire fighting agency. I'm not much for vampire reads, but this is quite the page turner. Perfect for those who prefer their vampires scary rather than sexy (I think a teenage vampire vamp turns up somewhere in the book, but these are hardcore vampires).

Current Listens:

The War to End All Wars

This is another absorbing book from Russell Freedman; it doesn't flinch from the realities of World War I battles. I think a narrator with more gravitas would have worked better, though. He has a singsongy aspect to his voice that jars with the text, in my opinion. It's still a worthwhile listen.

We just ordered some terrific new books for August; stay tuned!

ALSC blog: Back to School

2011-08-04T16:18:00.001-04:00

My monthly ALSC blog post is about back to school books.

Wowbrary Wednesday

2011-08-03T09:00:00.006-04:00

I'm starting a new feature on my blog: on Wednesdays, I'll discuss the books that I've discovered through Wowbrary. Don't know what Wowbrary is? Look here. It is fabulous. Click "sign up" if you're a Fauquier County library patron so that you can be among the first to know what new books, CDs, and DVDs have been added to the collection. This probably won't be every Wednesday; I'll post when I have a few titles to discuss. These will typically not be children's/YA books, since I post about them in my new books posts.

Pearl Jam Twenty

Ohwowohwowohwow. This is a companion to the upcoming Pearl Jam documentary. Had no clue that a Pearl Jam documentary was in the works, but I am so there. This is a behind-the-scenes look at one of the most popular and influential alternative/grunge/Seattle sound groups ever. So excited. I cannot even tell you.

Tension City

Jim Lehrer has moderated 11 presidential and vice-presidential debates over the past 40 years. In Tension City (which is how President George W. Bush described the debates to Lehrer), Lehrer looks back at the triumphs, failures, mishaps, and surprises of these debates. Starting with the Kennedy-Nixon debate and concluding with the Obama-McCain debate, features his insights on the "Major Moments" and "Killer Questions" that framed each debate. Really looking forward to his insights.

The Puppy Diaries

Squeee! Oh, is there anything cuter (and more exasperating!) than a Labrador Retriever puppy? Look at that little baby. Friends, that's a cover that's gonna sell books. This is New York Times managing editor Jill Abramson's account of her puppy Scout's first year, which she chronicled in her online column. Readers from across the nation sent in tips, encouragement, and pictures of their own dogs. Abramson delves deeper into Scout's first year and addresses controversies and debates within the canine community, such as adoption vs. buying from a breeder, theories of puppy training, and diet.

I'm Feeling Lucky: The Confessions of Google Employee Number 59

Google is not just a search engine anymore. It's way, way, beyond that. People don't say that we searched for information on the Internet. People say they "Googled" it. Unless you work for Yahoo, I guess. Or Microsoft. Or Facebook. Amazon, too, probably.

I remember watching a video of Conan O'Brien talking to an audience of Google employees (shortly after the Tonight Show debacle). It's a great video if you have the chance to watch it (you can find it on Youtube). I can't remember exactly what he was talking about, but he was goofing around (of course) and talking about something that would constitute a really big moment of opportunity. Well, Conan decided to equate this to "writing code for Bill Gates." Ooooooh, the audience murmured. I laughed, because moments before, he had talked about his visit to Twitter headquarters, and he asked if Google "hates" Twitter (well,not at the moment). I don't think Conan could have picked an unlikelier example, unless he did the interview right now and said Facebook. Google has ambition beyond being just a widely popular search engine, and in I'm Feeling Lucky, we'll read about the creation of Google, its unique workplace, and its plans for world domination. Not so much the last part, perhaps, but you get the idea.

Wonder Girl: The Magnificent Sporting Life of Babe Didrikson Zaharias

I never heard of Babe Didrikson Zaharias until I moved to Texas. When I took I-10 past Beaumont on my way to visit family in Louisiana, I would always pass the sign for the Babe Didrikson Zaharias Museum. Unfortunately, I never stopped, which is why I'm looking forward to reading this upcoming biography on one of the greatest athletes of our time. Zaharias conquered golf, track and field, tennis, and for a time, cancer. She also battled the stereotypes of female athletes during the early years of the 20th century. I'm pleased that there are a number of holds on this already; Zaharias's story is one of a kind.

The Emperor of Lies

This is the tale of Mordechai Chaim Rumkowski, appointed by the Nazis to lead the Jewish ghetto of Lodz (Poland). Rumkowski sought to make the ghetto indispensable to the Nazis, using methods that irrevocably changed his life and the lives of the people living in the ghetto. This won the highest literary award in Sweden and is set to be published in over 25 languages. Sounds like a challenging yet worthwhile novel.

The Girl in the Blue Beret

When World War II pilot Marshall Stone returns to France decades after the war's end, he searches for the members of the French Resistance who saved his life, especially the teenage girl who guided him through Paris. This sounds promising.

I'm telling you, Wowbrary does some serious damage to your holds list. You may never recover if you sign up. The bad thing is that you may get a batch of requests that come in at the same time (I just received four books at once-uh oh!).

Back to School

2011-07-29T12:32:00.000-04:00

The time has come....to talk about our new "back to school" books. Every summer, I order a handful of new picture books about school. We have some fun books perfect for new students and old pros.

Kindergators: Hands Off, Harry!

Harry is not having a good day at kindergarten. It seems that Harry has a hard time remembering to respect his classmates's personal spaces. How will Harry learn to keep his hands to himself and not tackle anyone? This is a cute story (featuring alligators as the characters) about a very common issue with young children. Hands Off, Harry is the first in a series by Rosemary Wells; looking forward to the forthcoming books!

Follow the Line to School

I *love* Laura Ljungkvist's Follow the Line books. They are very awesome. In Follow the Line To School, we follow the line through the many different places in a school. The first room we enter is the classroom: "Say hello! Hello! Hello to your friends and go to your classroom. Fred is the class pet. Can you guess what kind of animal he is? Look at the alphabet chart. What letter does your name start with? What sport would you play with the ball in this room?" We follow the line to the science corner, the library, the art room, back to the classroom, to the cafeteria, the playground, the math area, the music room, back to the classroom, and finally, out the door: "Follow the line out the door, because it's time to go...HOME! It's so much fun to learn new THINGS. I wonder what...TOMORROW brings."

You really need to see this to appreciate it. Just grade A, 100% perfect for sharing with a kindergartner on your lap and interacting with the book.

First Day of School

Most first day of school books are centered around a small child's actual first day of school, and all drama and happiness that comes with it. Of course, everyone who attended school knows that every first day of school, no matter if you are a kindergarten student or a college student, is fraught with excitement and no small amount of nervousness. The children in Anne Rockwell's First Day of School play together at the park during one of the last days of summer. They talk about getting ready for school (new haircut, shopping for backpacks and school supplies), hoping that they'll be in each other's class, and about last year's first day of school, now that they are older and wiser about such things. Dad takes the unnamed star of the story shoe shopping, where he meets his teacher from last year.

The last day of school is finally here; new teacher, new supplies, and an old friend in the classroom. Awwww. A sweet, realistic, and multicultural story (yeah!). Love it.

No More Slumping

2011-07-22T10:17:00.000-04:00

Whoo hoo! I've read three terrific books in a row.

Lexie

Lexie is looking forward to her annual trip to the beach, even though this year is different due to her parents' divorce. This time, it's just Lexie and her dad. Or so she thinks, until she finds out that Dad's new girlfriend and her two sons are joining them. As you can imagine, Lexie is none too thrilled about these new developments, and everybody has to maneuver around each other rather awkwardly.

This is an honest yet positive story about blended families. Lexie's disappointment is acutely real, yet the baby steps that everyone takes in order to form relationships are sweetly awkward and realistic. As this takes place in the span of one week, not everything is resolved, naturally, but it ends with a satisfying conclusion. Audrey Couloumbis is a fantastic author; if you haven't read her other books, check them out (especially Getting Near to Baby and the Maude March novels).

Anya's Ghost

Oooh, you have to read this! Anya, a Russian immigrant, doesn't really fit in with the other kids at her private high school. She's embarrassed by her mother's Russian ways, doesn't particularly like school, and to make things even worse, falls down a well, where she meets the ghost of a murdered girl.

(Or, so she thinks!)

Taken in by the girl's sad tales of woe, Anya befriends the ghost, until she finds out that her story might not be entirely kosher.

The artwork in this graphic novel is tremendous, the story line has twists and turns that catch you by surprise, and it gets deliciously eerie. Oh, and there's a great section that takes place in the library (where Anya goes to research the ghost girl's murder). Highly recommended.

Bootleg

Bootleg is an eye-opening account of the Prohibition Era. Prohibition activists, gangsters, bootleggers, repealers, politicians, speakeasies, police and judges who looked the other way....it's all covered in fascinating detail. An epilogue looks at the effects of Prohibition and its repeal, including changes in legislation and advocacy (including MADD, or Mothers Against Drunk Driving).

Have a great weekend; stay cool!

Recent Reads Roundup

2011-07-20T11:58:00.012-04:00

Well, I've hit it again. The reading slump. After reading several awesome books in a row, I'm not finding anything particularly inspiring. This tends to happen to me after reading books that really blow me away. No matter. I've requested some "older" 2011 books that I've been meaning to read, and meandering through the folktale and poetry aisles (which helps, but haven't found anything that I really want to blog about). This is what I've been occupied with:

A Garland For Girls

I'm getting back into audiobooks. This was the first on the shelf, so I grabbed it. Now, I've never been much of a Louisa May Alcott fan. Little Women was not a pivotal reading experience in my childhood; I read it, but never loooooooved it like some young girls and women do. I've tried to get into her other books, but no dice. Unfortunately, A Garland For Girls is reminding me why I don't like Alcott. The entire first CD consisted of girls working on needlework and talking about their charitable excursions among the less unfortunate of Boston (they seem particularly concerned with the well-being of shop girls). I am not kidding. The narrator is the recording's saving grace. She manages to bring to life these ridiculous girls. I am listening more out of curiosity than actual interest (it's rather amusing to listen to these silly girls' prattle); only the most ardent Alcott fan would enjoy this.

Smoky the Cow Horse

A reading slump is a good time to go back to my Newbery reading challenge. I've been avoiding the Newbery books from the 1920s because none of them appeal to me at all. Smoky the Cow Horse won the medal in 1927. Smoky is trained and beloved by his cowboy friend, stolen by horse thieves (he kills one of them), and becomes an attraction in a Wild West show. Other adventures and scenarios follow until he is reunited with his cowboy. Unfortunately, it does reflect the racism of its time (all the bad guys have dark complexions). The deliberate poor grammar and spelling was very distracting, and I'm usually tolerant of that when it's not overdone. But, yay! One more Newbery to cross off my list!

King of the Wind

Marguerite Henry is perhaps most famous for Misty of Chincoteague (1948 Newbery Honor), but King of the Wind is the book for which she won the 1949 Newbery Medal (Justin Morgan Had a Horse was a 1945 Newbery Honor recipient). King of the Wind tells the tale of an Arabian horse and the mute stable boy who cares for him. I was intrigued the moment I began it, for the story began at the end of Ramadan in Morocco. Quite an unusual setting for a book published in 1948. Henry's research on Ramadan, Islam, and Morocco is evident in her respectful descriptions of Islam and the Moroccan characters (she does refer to Muslims as "Mohammadans," but that's reflective of the times). A delightful surprise.

Letters From Rifka

Letters From Rifka chronicles the journey of a Russian Jewish girl to the US in a series of letters written to her cousin. Rifka's family flees Russia in order to escape persecution. While in Poland, they contract typhus; thankfully, they survive, but Rifka catches ringworm, for which she must stay behind in Belgium while her family travels on to America. While under the care of a kindly nun, she tastes chocolate and ice cream for the first time. Once she recovers, she continues to America, where she is detained at Ellis Island before finally being reunited with her family.

Based on Hesse's great-aunt's immigration to America, Letters From Rifka is an eye-opening and engrossing tale of survival, persistence, and hope. This is on this year's Battle of the Books list (elementary school); I'm delighted that Rifka's story will reach so many local students.

Up next: Lexie by Audrey Couloumbis. From the catalog description:

"When ten-year-old Lexie goes with her father to the beach for a week, she is surprised to find that he has invited his girlfriend and her two sons to join them for the entire week."

I'm a fan of Couloumbis, so I'm looking forward to reading this. Yay! Hoping that it will get me back on the reading track. (Wondering if Ms. Yingling has read this, considering that she just did a nice rant about leisurely summer books for kids.)

(More) Sizzling Reads for Summer

2011-07-12T15:03:00.040-04:00

Looking for new summer reads? We have some terrific books on the way!

10 Rules You Must Absolutely Not Break if You Want to Survive the School Bus

Kyle is rather nervous about riding the school bus. His older brother gives him a set of rules, which he promptly breaks. At the end, he discovers that there's one rule that his brother doesn't know about! This received starred reviews from Booklist, Kirkus, and School Library Journal. Pretty impressive!

Blackout

Ugh, blackouts. Such inconveniences! A busy family's activities come to a screeching halt when the lights go out. When it becomes too uncomfortable to stay inside, they climb to their rooftop, where they find peace and enjoyment under the stars. This also received three starred reviews-Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and School Library Journal.

The Bridge to Never Land

This won't be released until August 9, but I'm anticipating that there will be a lot of publicity and interest once we're closer to the release date. Two fans of the Peter and the Starcatchers series discover that the books captured real events. Kirkus Reviews gave it an excellent review.

The Elephant Scientist

The Scientists in the Field series is exceptional, so I'm happy to see a new one coming soon! This one focuses on Caitlin O'Connor and her work with elephants in Nambia.

Forever

The final book in Virginia author Maggie Stiefvater's Wolves of Mercy Falls series. I'd recommend placing a hold if you want to read it ASAP. If you're not familiar with the series, it's about a human girl and her werewolf boyfriend. Verrry popular. No, no, no....don't draw any comparisons to Twilight. It's much better than that.

Frankie Pickle and the Mathematical Menace

I get a kick of out Frankie Pickle. We have a number of easy chapter book series featuring spunky little girls, but not nearly enough featuring young boys. In his latest adventure, Frankie tackles math.

Sidekicks

What would a superhero be without a sidekick? Captain Amazing is getting a little long in the tooth, so he needs a sidekick to help him out. He just doesn't expect his pets to fight over the position! This graphic novel is receiving praise for its humor and bright illustrations.

Sidekicks

Two books titled Sidekicks published in the same month? Luckily, one is a children's graphic novel, while this one is YA fiction. Bright Boy has been the crime-fighting Phantom Justice's sidekick for years. After meeting his rival sidekick, he realizes that Phantom Justice may not be the good guy that everyone thinks he is.

Star Wars Character Encyclopedia

It's a bit embarrassing how much I am looking forward to this book; I grew up watching the original Star Wars trilogy and dressed up as Princess Leia (Star Wars Leia, not Return of the Jedi Leia) for Halloween when I was a kid. This is a guide to all six Star Wars movies: "With stat boxes, expert text, incredible movie stills, and more than 200 profiles" according to the publisher. Geek out to your heart's content.

Total Sports

I have a grownup version of this book (it's very cool; covered in astroturf) that I appreciate very much, so I'm happy that a kid-friendly version is available. Total Sports covers every Olympic sport, so this will definitely come in handy for next summer's Olympics in London (yay!) and you're trying to figure out the ins and outs of curling or what the deal is with synchronized swimming. Extreme sports are also covered (cliff diving, mountain biking, etc) as well as more traditional non-Olympic sports (golf, rugby, American football, cricket, and motor sports). A section on the Paralympic Games (for athletes with physical disabilities) is also included. Rules and techniques are outlined; histories of the sports, key athletes, bizarre moments, major competitions, and geographical range of the sports round out this browse-worthy sports reference book.

That's just a sample of the books coming our way.

I'm also making more of an effort to read adult fiction. Here's what I have on tap:

The Peach Keeper-I'm very picky about Southern fiction. I don't like books stuffed with wacky Southern characters and their wacky Southern ways. Having lived in the South all my life, I've known my share of colorful characters (especially since I grew up in Louisiana), but reading about characters constantly acting wacky is tiresome. If someone talks about enjoying it with a tall glass of iced tea (or worse, mint julep) while swinging in a hammock on a gentle summer day, that's usually a sign for me to stay far away. Thankfully, this doesn't seem to be the case with this book. It take place in North Carolina and involves family secrets that are revealed when a historic house is renovated. Nice.

The American Heiress-Reviewers have said that this has shades of Edith Wharton; I'm a fan of Edith Wharton, so this has been on my radar for a few months. Cora Cash, member of a very wealthy American family, marries an English aristocrat. After their lavish New York wedding, they move to England, where even the servants look down on her. Oh, goodie.

A coworker noticed that I had returned Tolstoy and the Purple Chair and wanted to know my opinion on it. Regrettably, I had to tell her that I had to return it without finishing it, for I knew that several people had it on hold (she had already finished it). What I read was exceptional: after the death of her sister, the author sought comfort in literature and vowed to finish a book every day for a year. Once I'm in the mood for more reflective reading, I'll pick it up again.

Be cool, everyone. I mean that literally.

The Lost Crown

2011-07-07T13:50:00.035-04:00

The Lost Crown

I think Sarah Miller is great. Her debut novel, Miss Spitfire, is marvelous. Whenever I get a historical fiction request, I regularly recommend this fantastic biographical novel about Anne Sullivan. Naturally, you would think that I would have flipped out once her sophomore novel was announced. Right?

It's about the Romanovs. Now, there are many people who have an interest....fascination....obsession with the assassinated Romanovs. And for a while, I shared that interest. It started when I read my grandparents' copy of Nicholas and Alexandra. If you haven't read it, I highly recommend it. It's a sweeping and grand account; the imperial extravagance, the sickly heir, the controversial Rasputin, and the drums of impending doom. I read it in high school; after that, I read every book on the Romanovs that I could find in the library (even Anna Anderson's "autobiography"). For a few years after that, I would read whatever new books came out about the Romanovs.

Eventually, that stopped. The truly objective biography on the Romanovs has yet to be written, although there have been several excellent and thoughtful books written about them (I'll list my picks at the end of this post). I'm not sure it's possible to be objective about the Romanovs, and even more difficult to not have your viewpoint on the family come across if you're writing about them (I'm certainly trying to hide my viewpoint in this post). And after a while, there's not much more to say about a particular subject that's been chronicled to the nth degree.

And then, a gifted author writes a young adult novel about the Romanovs. Let me tell you, although I was very eager to read it, I was also a bit skeptical when I picked up this book, despite my confidence in Sarah Miller's writing ability and judgment. Just as it's easy to romanticize the Romanovs, it's equally easy to paint them (the Emperor and Empress, at least) as monsters, and I was hoping that either side wouldn't be the case in The Lost Crown.

And THEN, it turns out that it's written in first person present narrative. Not my favorite. Writing in a character's voice in the present is tricky to pull off; I find it to be quite annoying at times.

Well, I'm happy to tell you that Sarah Miller does an excellent, superb, fantastic job in creating a story that's neither apologetic nor relentlessly harsh. Of course, focusing on the defenseless Romanov daughters was a wise idea; the Tsar and Tsarina are only peripheral characters. Miller brilliantly depicts their extremely limited worldview, the gilded cages in which they live, and the suffocating lifestyle imposed on them by their parents and society before the Revolution and by their captors after the abdication. Admittedly, since the chapters are alternately narrated by the four grand duchesses, keeping their identities and voices distinct can get confusing, but this is a minor complaint. The more salacious aspects of the family's story, such as Rasputin and rumors about the Empress Alexandra, are hinted at but not exploited. The sisters' close yet claustrophobic relationships are tenderly described, and the tragedy of Aleksei, the long awaited, beloved, spoiled, and hemophiliac heir, is breathtakingly rendered. The family's violent end is shocking, even if you know what happens, and revealed without sensationalism. Appendices include further information about the family, pictures, and a list for further reading. Brava.

My picks for further reading:

Anastasia's Album-This is pretty much it for children's nonfiction material about the Romanovs.

The Flight of the Romanovs-Covers the colorful and strange fates of the exiled members of the Romanov family. Published in 1999, it covers details that The Romanovs: The Final Chapter doesn't include.

King, Kaiser, Tsar: Three Royal Cousins Who Led the World to War-This chronicles the intertwined lives of George V (England), Wilhelm II (Germany), and Nicholas II (Russia). Fantastic read.

Nicholas and Alexandra-although several decades old, this is still one of the best.

The Romanovs: The Final Chapter-This covers the finding of several Romanov remains in 1991, and the forensic disputes that followed. Reads like a detective story. Written by the author of Nicholas and Alexandra.

Oh, and War Horse? Finished it this week as well. The ending will leave you bawling. In a good way. Read the book before the movie comes out!

Currently Reading

2011-07-02T14:06:00.014-04:00

Let's get caught up, shall we? I've been in a bit of a reading slump, and haven't found anything that I really wanted to blog about. Until now. Thank goodness! I'm in the middle of reading two fine books, and since I'm overdue for a new post, I'll just tell you about my latest great read!

My current obsession right now is War Horse. Avid readers undoubtedly know what it's like to be so engrossed in a book that you cannot wait to return to it. Arrgh! That's how I feel about War Horse. I can't wait to tell everyone I know about it, and I have a feeling that I will, because the trailer for the movie has just been released. Christmas
2011. Directed by Steven Spielberg. The trailer won't tell you much about the story, but take a look anyway:

War Horse is a rather slim novel, but its brevity belies its strength and maturity. When Joey, a young untrained horse, is sold to his new owner, he quickly bonds with the owner's young son, Albert. Albert's father, needing money to pay the mortgage, sells Joey to the British army. Heartbroken and too young to enlist, Albert vows to reunite with Joey as they trek separately trek over the war-torn lands of Europe.

I'll have more to say about it when I'm done, but I can tell you that this is a heartbreaking, moving, and sophisticated story. Alcoholism and poverty play a role at the beginning of the story, and I know that the conflict between the mounted British cavalry and the automatic guns and tanks of the Germans will also be significant factors. I'm really looking forward to the movie; as I'm reading it, I can see why Steven Spielberg was drawn to it (he saw the stage production in London; the Broadway version recently won the Tony for Best Play), for it has elements of his famous movies: parent-child issues, a coming of age story arc, and the effects of war.

(Unfortunately, the summary in the catalog spoils the ending. Don't read it if that sort of thing bothers you.)