May 2007 Archives

Riddle Me This!: Riddles and Stories to Challenge Your Mind by Hugh Lupton, illustrated by Sophie Fatus.

Recently released in paperback, I never saw the hardcover version so this is a new book to me.  This book is filled with great riddles from the classic ones to more modern versions.  The illustrations make it child-friendly, but this book is perfect for riddle lovers of all ages.  In fact, we spent the evening last night reading the riddles out loud and trying to figure them out as a family.  I can't think of a nicer way to spend an evening. 

I love riddle books rather than joke books.  They really make you think and the groan when you are completely baffled and the answer is discovered is very satisfying.  This book is a winner for kids who enjoy a good riddle and love to think.

Orlando will be home to a new theme park based on the Harry Potter books!  Universal Studios expects to open the park in 2009.  There is just something magical about being able to experience Hogwarts and Rowling's world.  I probably should feel more cynical about this.  I know it is sure to be expensive and  filled with cheap but expensive toys that no child can live without. But still, I would love to see Hogwarts...

Off Season by Catherine Gilbert Murdock is on my list of must read titles.  I have a hold on it at the library and am waiting rather impatiently.  It certainly doesn't help when newspapers run glowing reviews. 

If you haven't read Murdock's first book, Dairy Queen, start there.  It is a winning read for teen girls who are not the prom queen type. 

I got tagged for the 8 Things Meme by Mentor Texts & More. So here are 8 of my facts/habits.

1.  I am a glutton for information, reading far too many email lists and RSS feeds.  I try to cut back, but find myself adding new items to my Google Reader almost every day, even though I don't manage to even read the RSS feeds I have every day.

2.  I am a Web 2.0 junkie and love exploring 2.0 features on sites and in libraries.  Library 2.0 has rocked my world and I go around speaking about it whenever I am asked.  Go ahead, ask me!

3.  I am very pushy when I get riled, which can be often.  A colleague once told me that my passion for libraries is never in doubt.  Wasn't sure that was a compliment, but I decided to take it as one.  I have a meeting this afternoon where I plan to be pushy as all get out.

4.  I recently discovered Mika's new CD and absolutely love it.  It pairs well with my soundtrack from Seussical the Musical which is my other current fave.

5.  I am married to my high school sweetheart.  We met in third grade where I absolutely hated him.  He grew on me after awhile and we started dating in our junior year.  We've been together ever since.  Laughter is the secret to our marriage.  That and the fact that he doesn't mind being married to such a pushy woman.

6.  I live in a house with a ravine out back which has a small creek in the spring.  I often go outside just to breathe and talk to the trees.  We are allowing the ravine to return to wildness with fallen trees, weeds galore, and lots of animals.

7.  My office is neater than my house, perhaps because children don't share it with me.  Or maybe because at home there is so much more to do than tidy up.  After all, I have to have time to read!

8.  I struggle with a TV addiction that I don't want to share with my children.  I'm afraid I could watch Top Chef, America's Next Top Model, and Studio 60 on a continuous basis.  Shameful, isn't it?

The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor.

Sometimes fate (or School Library Journal) sends you just the right book to review.  I got the ARC for Seeing Redd, the second book in the Looking Glass Wars series and reluctantly picked up the first one.  Why reluctant?  Well, I love Alice in Wonderland, fondly remembered from having it read aloud to me as a child.  I just didn't want to see it redone and perhaps diminished. 

My fears were set aside almost immediately upon opening this book.  It is a triumph of retelling where the original story still stands proudly, while this novel turns so far away from the original that it can be read entirely on its own.  This world is a very brutal Wonderland, still filled with large caterpillars, sentient cards, jabberwockies, and a Queen of Hearts, it really bears little resemblance to the world Lewis Carroll created. 

The story is that of Alyss, future queen of Wonderland who witnesses the murder of her mother at the hands of her Aunt Redd.  Redd takes over Wonderland while Alyss flees to safety through a pool that leads her to England.  There she becomes Alice and meets Lewis Carroll who writes a book about her "fantasies."  Alyss is eventually rescued and returned to Wonderland to battle Redd for the throne.

There are so many wonderful characters here:  the rotund and double-crossing Jack of Diamonds, Bibwit the albino tutor with large ears, and Hatter Madigan who is a member of an elite fighting force.  They are the ones that carry the story and the book.  It is a delight to find characters loosely based on Carroll's who are vividly drawn and alive. 

I had thought I could only recommend this to children who had read the original books (and how many children would that be?) But this book can be enjoyed by children who have no knowledge of Alice beyond the Disney film.  And that is a compliment.  Share with children ages 9-12 who enjoy fantasy with a little gore.

Clyde Robert Bulla, author of The Chalk Box Kid and many other novels for children, died on May 23rd at age 93. 

I think this quote from his obituary article sums up his approach to writing for children:

"I'm reaching children at very impressionable age levels — third to
sixth grade, 8 to 11 years old," Bulla told The Times' Charles
Hillinger in 1973. "I have to be very careful what I write about."

For all you folks who keep commenting on your love of the Gossip Girl book series and the upcoming TV show, here are a couple of links for you!

The photo above is from the Wikipedia entry for the show.  Gorgeous, ain't it?  I like it a lot better than the photo on their official site, but intriguingly the cast doesn't look the same!  The official site has a preview video you can watch as well featuring Blake Lively from The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants as Serena.

Publib recently had a thread on children's programming blogs for libraries.  Two have been mentioned so far that focus on programs:

Around the Corner from the Olathe Public Library

Youth Services Librarians Unite! from Orange City, Iowa.

Does your youth services department blog about programming?  If so, leave a comment and a link!  I'm very interested in any children's services blog that blogs about programming theory in general rather than the specific programs their library is offering that month.

The End by David LaRochelle and Richard Egielski. 

How did I miss this one?  What a delightful book! 

This fairy tale starts with The End and works its way to the beginning.  First they all lived happily ever after.  "They lived happily ever after because..." and readers turn the page to find out what had happened to get the story to this point.  It is a backwards story with lots of repetition that small children will enjoy, but the twist of the picture book being backwards will also appeal to older elementary age children.  And how does the book end?  You wouldn't want me to reveal the beginning would you?

The illustrations are charmingly irreverent takes on classic fairy tale and nursery rhyme pictures.  There are many very silly moments that will have kids asking to see what happens previously.  A wide range of ages will be entertained and intrigued by the story.

Share this with a class of older elementary children, use it to spark imaginative writing assignments, or share it with a class of kindergarteners or first graders for an enjoyable read aloud. 

ALAN (The Assembly on Literature for Adolescents) now has an online book club!  It looks like it started back in February, and is going strong.  You don't have to be an ALAN member to participate in the online discussions.  They do a book discussion and then the following week have the author available to chat with. 

Gail Giles is the next featured author and will be chatting tonight at 9:00 pm Eastern. 

She is followed by Carl Hiaasen, on June 27th. 

Cool!

Check out this great site on Louisa May Alcott which was created to accompany a PBS documentary on her life.  The site offers information on her life, times and works as well as two image galleries filled with historical photographs.  My favorite is in the second gallery and features the sistes of Little Women as manga superheroes.  Go Jo!

FairyTalesCollection.com is a site that offers biographical information on the authors of fairy tales as well as featured stories from their writing.  I adored fairy tales as a child, which a strong preference for the Grimm brothers rather than Hans Christian Andersen.  Unfortunately, the Grimm section is still under construction, but hopefully the gore of the Grimm stories will soon fill the pages.  And why is Mark Twain listed?  I never considered him an author of fairy tales.  Is my Twain reading too limited?

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart, illustrated by Carson Ellis.

This is one of those great books that you just want to last forever and not leave the characters behind.  Reynie Muldoon is a gifted child who lives in an orphanage.  He is not neglected, just lonely with only his wonderful tutor offering him conversation.  When the two of them discover an ad in a newspaper looking for gifted children, Reynie jumps at the chance to be tested.  This decision takes him away from the orphanage and into a world of spies, espionage, international danger and intrigue.  But this book is not your normal spy novel.  Take four gifted children, give them a vague mission, and turn them loose and you get this wonderful book where mysteries must be unraveled, brains must be used and there is no talk of sports or "normal" society.  It's perfectly wonderful.

The novel combines fast action with thought-provoking puzzles and enough twists and turns to give you whiplash.  The storyline is compellingly parallel to today's society with enough nuance to keep it fresh and fascinating.  The writing is friendly, warm and also fresh.  The author has taken traditional story features like orphanages, espionage and danger and whipped them together with modern touches to create quite a unique and interesting package.

Share this with children who enjoy mental puzzles and may even be gifted themselves.  But also give it to adults who are willing to try a children's book once in awhile.   Recommended for grades 4-8.  Enjoy! 

I always love it when a Sunday Unshelved focuses on a teen novel.  This week's Unshelved Book Club features An Abundance of Katherines. 

(If you don't read this comic and you're a librarian, it is a must read! If you're not a librarian, you may find yourself wondering exactly what's so very funny.) 

Lloyd Alexander died yesterday at age 83.  His Chronicles of Prydain were some of the first fantasy books I read.  I devoured the entire series.  Then Disney came along and messed with it.  I was always thrilled that that did not become one of the Disney classics like Little Mermaid where my skin would have to crawl each time it was re-released on DVD. 

Alexander will be remembered fondly by many readers.  You can head to his amazing website about Prydain, the books and himself.

The winners of the 2007 Ezra Jack Keats Book Award have been announced.  The awards are for the best new writer and best new illustrator in children's literature.



Best New Illustrator: Kristen Balouch for Mystery Bottle.

And one of my favorites of last year:



Best New Author: Kelly Cunnane for For You Are a Kenyan Child.

Looks like the CW has officially picked up Gossip Girl for the 2007-2008 season.  The article is filled with praise: 

With its teen-angst theme, easy promotability and strong pedigree,
"Gossip Girl" had emerged early on as the most promising pilot at the
CW this year. Based on the popular "Gossip Girl" series of books, it
was penned by "The O.C." creator Josh Schwartz and the show's Stephanie
Savage.

From all of the positive comments I got on this blog from teen girls who love the series, it looks like it should be VERY successful.

I missed the fact that Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney was published first online!  Very cool!  You can read this Yahoo! article about its success when it launched on Funbrain.com.  The article says that it may be one of the most widely read new children's books with 40 million reading it on Funbrain!  It is now available in print, and when I took a copy home for my 10-year-old son, he finished it in one sitting.  This is one that definitely belong on a list of books to hand to boys.

Times Online has a list of the top books for boys.  It is a rather confusing list of adult titles, children's titles and even picture books.  I would go through and mark the ones I've read, but it's not that many of them.  As I scan the list, I see lots of fantasy, but also humor and nonfiction.  As I read a list like this my mind always blanks on things that are not on it, but I'd like to see more graphic novels.

The Incredible Book Eating Boy by Oliver Jeffers. 

Ah, the joy of a new Oliver Jeffers book where one is sure to venture into a strange, unknown world and return with a slightly different view of our own. 

This one is a winner from its title on through to the very end.  Henry is a boy who loves books, but not like we do.  Henry loves to eat books.  And as he eats them, they fill not only his stomach but his mind.  He decides that he has to eat more and more of them so he can become the smartest person in the world.  But eventually, the books start to upset his stomach and he can't continue.  Or can he?

The illustrations are wonderful and complex.  They are done on a variety of book spines, book order cards, book pages, and much more.  This adds an entirely different dimension to the book and its illustrations.  On each page, there is an implied flavor and scent of old yellowed pages, wide and thin spines, and books in all of their varieties.  The text and illustrations are filled with sly humor which kids will love. 

So Jeffers does it again.  This is a great book to share with older elementary students who will get the jokes and the bizarre situation.  Preschoolers may not be sophisticated enough to truly get this story, so this would be a great one to share with elementary students learning about the library.  It would demonstrate how very cool librarians really are, just by reading this one aloud.

Who Likes Rain? by Wong Herbert Yee.

I enjoyed Yee's Tracks in the Snow, and this one is another good one.  Published in the same half-size as his first book, this book takes a small child through a rainy day.  It pairs rhymes with a form of guessing game where sounds and rhyme give a hint to the type of animal that will fill in the blank.  The joy of a rainy day is captured as the little girl moves through her exploration of puddles, rain and wetness. 

The illustrations are charmingly done.  I appreciate the fact that the child could be of almost any race with her brown skin and dark hair.  Combine that with the great sound language where rain and water make a wide range of sounds from gurgle to rum-a-tum-tum to plip-plip-PLOP! 

It is a joy to read aloud and will have all children ready to get out their rain gear and jump into puddles.  Perfect for a spring storytime or to share with children who are learning to rhyme.  There is enough here to keep even antsy preschoolers happily listening.

Many of you probably already read Anastasia Goodstein's blog YPulse.  It is a look at marketing and media targeted at teens and can offer great insight into teens and how to market for them as a library.  Give it a read, if you don't already.  Look especially for her nice round-up of news stories on a regular basis.  Very handy.



Anyway, Anastasia has now written a book on the same subject.  Totally Wired: what teens and tweens are really doing online has been reviewed on Yahoo! Tech where I find that it has been well received, which will not surprise any of Anastasia's blog readers. 

Rainstorm by Barbara Lehman.

Lehman does it again with another winner of a wordless picture book.  This is the story of a boy who is in a big house during a rain storm.  He finds a key that unlocks a trunk which has a ladder inside.  This leads him through tunnels and a looping stair to a lighthouse.  There he finds a group of children who befriend him and let him join in their play.  He is sad when he has to return home again and leave them behind, but perhaps they will find a way to see each other again!

Lehman's illustrations are so evocative but clear.  They need no words to carry the story forward at all.  The sharp-eyed child will see the lighthouse out of the boy's window, tying the story together. 

I find that wordless picture books don't work for a story time, but are ideal to read with children in Kindergarten and first grade who are just on the cusp of learning to read.  The power to create their own story and the freedom from struggle with the act of reading allows them to really connect with this type of book.  Perfect to pull out when children are getting frustrated.

Every Friday by Dan Yaccarino.

This is a lovely book.  It is the story of every Friday in the life of a boy and his father.  Friday is the day they look forward to most of all because of what they get to do.  In their urban lives no matter what the weather or season, they walk through the city, stopping now and then to look at interesting things like buildings being built, store windows, and counting the dogs they see.  At last they arrive at the diner for breakfast together where they order pancakes and sit together and talk about "all sorts of things."

The illustrations of the book are modern but retro as is the diner that they end up in.  The story is told simply, but has lines that reverberate with meaning.  I particularly enjoy this:  "Everyone is rushing, but we're taking our time." That sums the entire book up. 

Share this for Father's Day with a kid near you.

A huge THANK YOU to the Horn Book and Fuse #8 for including me in their list of Kid-Lit Bloggers to Watch.  What a great list of bloggers to be a part of!  I also love that I am described as one of the first kidlit bloggers out there.  Yup, that's why I missed out on the cool trend of creating amazing names for blogs.  LOL

Of course, it does make me feel a bit of an elderly, kind auntie to all of you younger bloggers out there.  And that's younger not only because of the age of our blogs!

From Auntie Tasha to all of you: thanks so much for allowing me this seat to watch the world of kidslit blogs evolve and grow.

For any fans of LM Montgomery and the glory of Avonlea (which I frankly found much more fun as a television show than a series of books, something I rarely say) this is the site for you.  Picturing a Canadian Life offers glimpses into Montgomery's personal journals, scrapbooks, and more.  View a gallery of her book covers, read about her interest in fashion, and discover her passion for collecting.  Even someone like me, who appreciates her storylines more than her writing, will enjoy the site. 

Was that blasphemy?!

SLJ's April issue has an interview with Sara Pennypacker, author of one of my favorite new series Clementine.   I enjoyed reading about her background in visual arts and how her family factors into the stories.  She seems as lovely and warm as her writing.

Pictures from Our Vacation by Lynne Rae Perkins.

This picture book by Newbery Award winner, Perkins offers a quiet look at a trip to the family farm.  Before the trip begins, a brother and sister each get cameras that print tiny pictures as well as journals to record their trip.  Upon reaching the farm, the children play badminton, then get rained into the house for several days, and then find the lake.  When their cousins arrive at the farm, they forget all about using their cameras and just have fun.  It isn't until they are on their way back home that they realize the photographs don't really tell the full story of their trip.  Only the pictures in their minds can do that.

This is such an accurate portrayal of a family reunion from the point of view of the children.  I love the girl's daydreams and vivid imaginings brought to life in the illustrations.  Her boredom with the rain, joy at finding the lake, and their dismay at having to wear a dress to a memorial service all ring perfectly true.  My favorite description is about the old badminton rackets which were "shaped like potato chips because they had been left out in the barn for so long."  Can't you just see it?  Perkin's language immediately describes not just that specific thing but also enhances the feeling of dust and age around the farm from a childlike perspective.

This is a quiet book.  There is no tension, no thrilling action, nothing like that.  It is a glimpse into the summers that we had as children and that we hope we are giving our own children as well.  Those boring times to fill with their own thoughts, joy at discovering cousins and playing for hours, and a sense of family that deepens with this sort of visit. 

I highly recommend this book.  It could be used upon return to school after summer vacation to inspire children to create pictures and short descriptions of their own experiences.  Or it is a lovely look forward at this time of year to summer and family travel.

My Cat Copies Me by Yoon-duck Kwon.

I just love what Kane/Miller does.  They bring picture books from across the world to children here so that we can all get a glimpse at another culture while remembering that we are all more alike than we are different.  This book by a Korean author follows a young girl and her relationship with her sweet-faced cat.  The girl and cat copy each other in the book:  crawling under newspapers, hiding, chasing flies, and facing the darkness of night without fear.  The language of the book is strong and simple, guiding children to see that there are lessons to be learned in even the most basic parts of our lives. 

This is a quiet story, perfect for a bedtime read or for children who enjoy books without a strong storyline.  The illustrations add to the softness of the book with pictures full of deep colors and pastels.

Recommended for cat storytimes or bedtime reading for preschoolers.

The Series Binder from the Webster Public Library is a wiki dedicated to children's series.  This handy site lets you see a list of the series included by clicking on Table of Contents, or you can browse by genre.  What a handy link to have at a children's reference desk!

Thanks to Marge for the tip!

The Ice Dragon by George R.R. Martin.

This very popular author of fantasies for adults has written a story for children.  It is the story of Adara, a child born in the depth of one of the coldest winters ever.  The same winter that killed her mother.  Now at age seven she lives with her father, brother and sister as the springs continue to shorten due to the ferocious winters.  Adara is a cold child both in personality and in temperature.  She can hold the ice lizards because her bodyheat is so low and she can play out in the snow without much protection.  Each winter, Adara longs for her birthday to come so that she can see the ice dragon flying.  As she grew older, Adara grew more comfortable with the dragon and now flies on his back into the sky. 

But war is coming to Adara's farm, and she will be tested along with the rest of her family.  When her father refuses to leave the farm until it is too late Adara must face her greatest fear and have her icy coldness truly tested.

The book is exactly the right level for third and fourth graders.  It has illustrations on some of the pages, fairly large text size, and nice short chapters.  Even better, it is a serious fantasy novel that will invite young readers into a world of danger and dragons.  There are some issues with tone at times, where there is a sense that the author is addressing child readers rather than writing for them.  But those areas are brief and do not interfere with the storyline.  Adara is a wonderful heroine who despite her chilly demeanor will have young readers enjoying her adventures. 

Recommended for children moving from readers to full chapter books, especially those who enjoy dragons, fantasy and fairy tales. 

I am off to the WAPL (Wisconsin Association of Public Librarians) conference for the next couple of days. I'm speaking on a panel about Web 2.0 sites of interest to librarians, so that should be fun. Have a wonderful end to the week and we will see you next week - when I will hopefully have finished the book I am reviewing for SLJ and have discovered something new and fantastic to share!

Don't Touch My Hat! by James Rumford.

Sheriff John keeps the town of Sunshine civilized in his ten-gallon hat.  He wouldn't let anyone touch it, because he thought it was the key to keeping the peace.  But his wife begins to get jealous of the hat, even though she loves hats herself, especially ones with large colorful feathers.  She had just purchased a new one when Sheriff John faced a wild night in the town.  When he grabbed his hat in the dark, he grabbed his wife's instead.  So he learns that it is him not his hat that keeps the town safe.

The fun of this book is reading it aloud.  The western drawl is written right into every page, so you will be sounding like an old cowhand in no time.  Children will adore the western theme as well as the spectacle of the sheriff in his wife's very feathered and rainbow colored hat. 

A sure winner, share this with preschoolers and kindergarteners. 

New Clothes for New Year's Day by Hyun-Joo Bae.

Entrancing illustrations and a poetic but accessible text make this one quite a gem.  A young Korean girl is celebrating the new year with new clothes.  Readers follow her excitement as she puts on each piece of the traditional dress.  This may sound like a slow-moving book, but the eagerness of the character and her struggles to dress herself make it very friendly.  It is a book that easily removes barriers and examines cultural dress. 

The illustrations are at once both traditional and modern.  The young girl is pictured in a fresh way as she struggles to dress, while traditional patterns make up the background of many of the illustrations.

A wonderful New Year's read, this is a friendly and accessible book on Korean dress and culture.

Anthony Horowitz's Night Rise is the third in his Power of Five series.  Now Nickelodeon is having a contest where students can enter to win a signed copy of the new book, a pin badge AND a visit to their school by Horowitz himself!  Just head here to play the online game and enter.

The Twin Princes by Tedd Arnold.

Tedd Arnold has long been one of my favorite authors for children.  He captures the rumpus and joy of childhood in his spiraling art and child-friendly language.  In this new book, he has created a medieval story where twin princes vie for the chance to be king.  One brother, Fowler, is a real villain who cheats at everything.  His brother, Henry, is the hero of the story: good to everyone, honest and caring.  The story pits the two against each other in a race with a twist.  Add to the twist the fact that it is a riddle for the children reading the book to solve and you have a winner of a book on your hands!

With puns galore, his usual accessible artwork, and mysteries and twists, this book will fly off the shelves.  Add to it the medieval theme, and you have a book that can be used in many, many storytimes and units.  Friendly and easy enough for kindergarteners, I could see sharing this with older elementary as well due to the great puns and the riddle. 

The Chicken-chasing Queen of Lamar County by Janice N. Harrington, pictures by Shelley Jackson.

This first-person picture book is about a little girl who chases Big Mama's chickens even though Big Mama has told her not to.  She has one favorite chicken in particular, Miss Hen, who always manages to just escape her hands.  Try though she might, she can't lay a finger on Miss Hen, though she gets temptingly close.  Feathers fly, squawking is heard, but no hen.  Then Miss Hen seems to disappear and hide very quietly.  When she is finally found, she has a surprise of her own.

This book is amazing.  The voice of the first person is strong and individual.  The charm of the storyline cannot be easily summarized because it is so simple, but the voice lends it a richness that makes it much more than a simple story.  Add to that the collage and paint art of Jackson and the book is taken to yet another level.  I loved the fact that the different hens are made up of all different types of paper and that action is captured so amazingly in the illustrations.  They not only support the story, but add even more action and movement to it.

Add this one to your chicken storytimes, but realize that it is about so much more.  It could easily be used in a unit on responsibility or just for a treat for children.  Remember to read it aloud, because the language of the book calls for it.  Lovely.  One of the best of the year.

Reviewed by Fuse #8 in March.