Pigeons and Pigs

I blog because I can

2009-09-30T23:49:00.009-04:00

So I'm not convinced that this blog serves any other purpose than as a periodic writing exercise for me. However, that's a good enough reason to keep it on life support for the once-a-year blogging spurts I go through. So in honor of another year, storytime books of the week!

We're doing animals this Fall with the preschoolers, including signs, sounds, and toilet paper roll binoculars. It's really quite an adventure. This week we're going birdwatching.

Stories:

Tacky the Penguin by Helen Lester (I do a fabulous Tacky voice if I do say so myself.)

Don't Let t he Pigeon Stay Up Late by Mo Willems (I know, I know. I'm so 2005 with the pigeon books, but what's a girl to do. I'm a sucker for a good call-and-response book.)

I'm N ot Cute by Jonathan Allen (an easy book to adapt for puppets)

Ducks Don't Wear Socks by John Nedwidek

Songs:

"Hello and how are you"
"This is the Way We Start Our Day"
"Down at the Library"
"Open Shut Them"
"Wide Eye Owl"
"This is the way we say goodnight"
"5 Little Ducks"
"Animal Boogie"

They like me! They really like me!

2008-11-11T10:53:00.004-05:00

I have long neglected my blogging duties. Mainly it has been because I have been busy. Very busy. A new job, a new state, too much responsibility for too little money. However, it's also been because I've been trying to figure out the future direction of this blog. I've been batting around a few ideas, so stay posted for a new and improved Pigeons 'n Pigs. In the meantime, a few bits from the kiddy lit world.

It's literary awards season! Well almost. The big ones won't be chosen until MidWinter in Denver in January, but all the "Best of" lists are starting to come out.

The New York Times has released their "Best Illustrated Children's Books of 2008" list. I was happy to see The Black Book of Colors on the list, but also struck by how kid un-friendly most of them are. While I love most of the books chosen, they are the books that never get checked out. No kid, 20 years from now is going to remember A is for Art as their favorite book from their childhood. A beautiful book, but it just doesn't resonate with most kids. Such is the world of kiddy lit. Very few books find that happy medium of being beautiful/original/interesting yet also being kid-friendly without being trite and sickly-sweet-cute-obnoxious.

Amazon has also released their "Best Children's Picture Books of 2008" list.

LinkSalad (with dressing on the side)

2008-03-13T17:36:00.002-04:00

Now you too can make your own story of violence, magic, and objectification of women with the Fairy Tale Generator!
Sometimes I just wonder. Walking Paper blogs about old school attitudes in libraries. Sometimes I wonder why people got into working in the libraries in the first place if they don't like the public.
Video games help us with our critical thinking skills. It's proven because The Shifted Librarian blogged about it.

Muppets!!

2008-03-13T16:49:00.002-04:00

Who knew that this gem existed? Well, someone did obviously, but it wasn't me. There is a Muppet Wiki. Yes, you can go there for all of your Jim Henson and Muppet Information needs. You can also contribute your own Muppet knowledge.

LinkSalad (with dressing on the side)

2008-03-02T15:25:00.003-05:00

The stairs of my dreams - It completely supports my ideas that good design feeds directly into good information seeking behavior and practices.
An oldish post from Librarian.net about a parent complaint about King and King and the subsequent Supreme Court ruling.
Geekdad reignites my love of old television shows. I didn't even know there was a Hardy Boys show! Count me in. That reminds me. I didn't ever see the new Nancy Drew movie. Consider it added to the Netflix list.

Horton Hears a Who!

2008-03-01T23:21:00.006-05:00

Twoish weeks until Horton Hears a Who! hits the big screen. While usually I cringe at yet another sure thing children's book knock off movie, the previews show promise, and it's made by the guys that did Ice Age. So maybe it'll be genuinely funny. Yeah yeah, it's Jim Carrey and Steve Carell doing the main voices. Typical. But you've also got Will Arnett, Isla Fisher, and Jonah Hill. Intriguing.

ALA GLBT-RT Rainbow List 2008 (More acronyms for you!)

2008-03-01T23:07:00.003-05:00

ALA's Gay, Lesbian, Bi, Transgender Round Table put out their Rainbow List at the end of January. It includes their recommendations for GLBT books published between 2004 and 2007. It's now my new reading list. I've read a few...Tango Makes Three, Freakshow, to name a few. But mainly it's uncharted territory for me. I'm a bit appalled at the general lack of GLBT books being published for kids, and judging from the first two on the list I've started reading I'm a bit appalled at the literary quality of the list so far. Get writing folks! I'll keep you posted though. The first few chapters have been bleak in Far from Xanadu (girl associates as a male which means cursing and lifting weights - very flat and predictable character and plot development) but perhaps it's just a slow beginning.

Meanwhile, check out the list and let me know what you've read and can recommend.

A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly

2008-03-01T21:50:00.003-05:00

I loved Ann of Green Gables, Emily Star, and Pippi Longstocking. I thought it was glamorous to be an orphan. They always had the best adventures.

I anticipated Jennifer Donnelly's A Northern Light to be in the same vein. It felt similar in the beginning. Girl's mother dies, father is distant, must raise her siblings but she's too smart to be a farm girl. A benevolent teacher shows her opportunity, and you think you know where the book is going. It's nostalgic and comforting, a familiar story. You know she'll struggle between staying with her family and going out into the wide world, but ultimately she'll choose to write or move to the big city or both. But about 1/3 of the way through I realized this story had some interesting twists.

There's a mystery. A dead girl with a mysterious past. It's a plot device that drives the otherwise character centric story, but it doesn't feel like a gimmick. You want to find out what happened to this dead girl, but the whole time you know that it isn't really about this girl, it's about the Matty (the protagonist).

There's a hot boy who wants to feel Matty's boobs and marry her. However, he's not nice. He's sort of charming, but mainly he's dumb. Matty kind of likes him, but she kind of doesn't. And the brilliant part? The part that I respect is that she kind of likes it when he touches her boobs. She is a bit appalled, but she also likes it. And while you're pretty certain how this relationship will turn out, you wonder sometimes.

She is best friends with a guy who is black and it doesn't turn into an interracial romance. there are didactic moments in the book, and her relationship with her best friend is an opportunity to show the racism and violence of the times. But, mainly their relationship is real and smart. They both love words and literature, and their banter is one of the highlights of the book.

While it's certainly not a perfect book, it's a smart next read for young (and oldish) readers who love the orphan sagas; lonely, tough, smart girls with a dangerous need for adventure.

Babies all growed up!

2008-02-24T16:45:00.008-05:00

Marla Frazee is a busy lady, but she needs to get busier. It's rare these days that I see the combo of quirky-funny writing and it-doesn't-have-to-look-like-an-oil-painting-to-be-good style of illustrations that I so love. In fact, I haven't really loved a picture book since Frazee's Walk On!.

However, her latest, A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever, adds some more words, an actual story, but stays true to the gentle humor of her earlier works. Two boys go to (more imagination than real) nature camp while staying with their grandparents and find that adventure is more hard work than is worth it. In an awfully depressing world of Fancy Nancy, it's worth a gander. (You don't even get a link for Fancy Nancy. That's just how sad it makes me.)

Anarchy in the library

2008-02-24T14:21:00.009-05:00

I'm a card carrying member of the equal-access-means-equal-representation school of thought in libraries. Not every boy likes sports. Not every girl likes boys and heels. So I'm always excited when I come across a book that represents different types of kids. However, as the following two books demonstrate, the problem is that it still represents types. These books fall just as short as, oh let's say Gossip Girl, because they don't tell stories of characters but rather revolve around character types. They read painfully like adults trying too hard to sound like kids, and in the case of these two books, too much like adults who grew up listening to Debbie Reynolds trying to sound like punk rock kids. Case in point:

Gordan Korman's Born to Rock - Conservative teenager learns that his dad was previously a punk rock star. The book has some definite laughs but not much punk rock cred.

That being said, it would be a good reluctant reader recommendation for those non-sport boys or non-fashionista girls who don't tend to read a lot. There are enough pop culture references and laughs to keep them all engaged.

Another book missing its punk rock cred though it tries a bit harder than Born to Rock is Beige by Queen of Cool author, Cecil Castaliucci. The book follows a Canadian girl spending the summer in L.A. with her aging California rocker dad. Anyone familiar with the scene will recognize all of the music/fashion/trend references. Each chapter is named after a different punk/rockabilly anthem, and it's not a bad selection. The Boy played each one for me as I was reading the book, and strangely enough each chapter takes about as long to read as it does to listen to the song. However, that's where the authenticity seems to end. While the book is about an insider looking in to a different culture, her understanding and the overall appreciation of the culture seems superficial. Her obnoxious dislike for everything California and punk is solely based on fashion and the music. Cecil tried to make something meaningful and inclusive but did so with what appeared to be only a superficial understanding of the culture and no concept of the culture and history behind the scene. It would perhaps be entertaining for a kid like Cecil, an outsider looking in, but wouldn't read well for anyone with a functioning understanding and appreciation of punk music and culture.

Storytime books of past weeks (because I'm lazy)

2007-08-11T17:37:00.001-04:00

Picture books I've blogged about previously...

Little Red by Lynn Roberts

AND

The Mighty Asparagus by Vladamir Radunsky

Sorry. It's all the brain power I can muster.

2007-07-20T00:02:00.002-04:00

I'm sick but also dreadfully behind on my blogging. So here are some things I've read recently that you should as well. The abridged version...

The Specials by Scott Westerfeld

The third in the series. I wasn't as impressed with this as a finale. The characters were a bit tired and there wasn't enough of a new twist to keep my attention. I think this is where Westerfeld's lack of character development caught up with him. A quirky set and plot weren't enough to carry him through three longish novels.

Devilish by Maureen Johnson

Fun, snarky fantasy novel for teens. A girl sells her soul to the devil, and her friend tries to save her by banding with a priest, 300 year old 14 year old, and selling her own soul. Genuinely funny and a good cross-over novel for the kids who aren't quite into the extreme fantasy/science fiction genre.

Eggs by Jerry Spinelli

Look at me! I'm reading something for kids and not teens! Hurrah for me. I can't tell you enough that you should read this novel. Two kids from difficult home lives deal with it with a healthy fantasy life and a good dose of adventure. I love quirky kids, and the bittersweet humor of this book makes it a lovely read.

Storytime Book of the Week

2007-07-19T23:58:00.001-04:00

I'm not Cute! by Jonathan Allen

With puppets!

Storytime Book of the Week

2007-07-06T18:14:00.001-04:00

Owl Babies by Martin Wadell

Bill needs to grow a pair.

Fruits Basket by Natsuki Takaya

2007-07-06T18:09:00.001-04:00

I didn't read comics as a kid. I don't read the funnies in the paper as an adult. Some might say I'm no fun. I say, "Just look at my collection of picture books and my crab hat, and you will realize that you are wrong." I am fun. I swear.

And just to prove it, I read my first bit o' manga.

Fruits Basket introduces Tohru who is orphaned, kicked out of her grandpas house, lives in a tent, and eventually moves in with a family who turns into animals from the signs of the zodiac when hugged by members of the opposite sex. It's true. They turn into cats, rats, pigs, etc. Because of this, they have a lot of pent up angst. Teenage boys stuck with the plight of never being able to touch a girl. You'd be pissed as well.

Things I like:

1. Androgoneous boys. God bless the Japanese culture for loving boys that look like girls.

2. Cute animals

3. An angry cousin that turns into a boar and beats boys up

Things I don't like (keeping in mind that this may just be about my dislike for manga in general):

1. Tohru Honda will only be happy if she pleases those boys. She cooks and cleans for them and often tells them that she'll do anything for them. Gag.

2. The melodrama is a bit strange. I realize now that this is part of the style, but it's hard for me to connect to the story when someone reacts to a friend being a bit down by having their eyes pop out of their head and weaping uncontrollably.

3. I get the characters confused easily. I suppose it's partially the illustrations (all the characters are slightly different version of the same hyper-feminized person) and partially my lack of experience with the style.

I'm willing to give manga another go, but I'd say that I'm not an immediate fan. Give me ridiculously long exposition any day.

Uglies and Pretties by Scott Westerfeld

2007-07-06T15:50:00.002-04:00

High off of my indulgence in Peeps I decided to give his sci-fi thriller a whirl. After all, I've been watching Alias from the beginning so I've been in a life or death, ridiculously unrealistic, high drama thriller sort of mood. This trilogy delivered all of the above.

Uglies introduces Tally Youngblood's world where people are "ugly" until 16 when they get plastic surgery to make them symmetrical. So Tally gets mixed up with some shady folks and takes off to join a group of renegades who refuse to go pretty and ultimately betrays them. Hoverboards! Psuedo medical speak! Teenage romance! It hits all of the right notes.

And now, the sequel! Tally is now pretty, a sleeper agent of sorts for those rogue uglies. New face. New love. Same bad guys.

I've got the third installment on hold through my lovely local library.

I'm into these books for the same reason I'm into Lost, Alias, and now MI-5. High drama and unlikely scenarios. Emotional meladrama that you've forgotten by the next show. Love affairs between pretty people. What more could you want?

However, like some of my favorite shows it also falls short because it does rely too heavily on the action packed mystery that drives the plot. The characters get little time to develop. And while all the characters in the book talk about how unique and complex Tally is, she isn't really. Her selfishness is rather predictable, and we don't get enough of a breather to look inside her head and get the full effect of what it must be like to be a teenage girl in love with an ugly boy, wanting to be pretty, living with other ugly teenagers and no adults.

But there are hoverboards involved.

Storytime Book of the Week

2007-07-02T19:52:00.001-04:00

Bounce by Doreen Cronin

Yes, I will be hopping like a frog.

Storytime Book of the Week

2007-06-25T19:28:00.002-04:00

What will Sarah be making a fool of herself with this week?

Mama Don't Allow by Thacher Hurd!

Good times with the Swamp Land Band.

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

2007-06-21T21:15:00.001-04:00

Evidently this guy wrote a fabulous book called Looking for Alaska. Evidently I live in a cave. Hey! There's a cave in this book! Look at me, making all these literary connections. While I missed the Green bandwagon the first time around, I did catch his latest book.

After being dumped by 19 Katherines, boy genius-recent high school graduate takes his best friend on a road trip. They end up in Gutshot, TN and boy-genius tries to develop a mathematical formula to predict when two people will break up. Silliness, overeating, and girl trouble ensues.

Reasons I liked this book:

1. I laughed out loud. This does not happen very often.

2. There were very few pretty people in it.

3. The math actually checks out. Well, at least the book claims it checks out, and I'm not smart enough to disagree.

4. It feels a little like High Fidelity for kids, And if you know about my love of John Cusack you know that anything that smells like that fast talking, self-deprecating, wise guy is good enough for me.

2007-06-21T21:11:00.000-04:00

Dreamland by Sarah Dessen

So by now I can't hide my obsession. I'm on the brink of reading everything she's written. Here's my two cents about this little number.

In Dreamland Caitlin is dealing with her overprotective mother and her runaway sister so finds solace in drug dealer rich boy, Rogerson. The novel follows the evolution of an abusive relationship, and is a bit of a tear-jerker if I do say so myself. (So they say. I, personally, never cry. That is unless I'm cutting onions or watching Beauty and the Beast.) I am impressed with this book, like so many others of hers, with the honesty and complexity of her treatment of her characters. Caitlin's abuser is not just a monster, but a guy who is abused himself, and frankly is just likeable at times. It's because of the emotional complexity of the story that Dessen is able to tell a story with a lesson without being preachy. And no one likes sermons.

And just because you know I can't only say nice things: The resolution was too easy. Caitlin heals and forgets Rogerson all too quickly. I suppose that's the way of the teen drama, but I sure enjoy some prolonged angst. Just add a few more pages.

2007-06-21T20:46:00.000-04:00

I'm not afraid to admit that I, at one point, had seen every vampire movie owned by my local grocery store.

This book is about vampires. Not the kind with fangs and black cloaks who hiss at crosses. Nope. These vampires live in your apartment building. Really. No joke. Judging by the amount of death metal my neighbors listen to, I'd guess they are leaning that way.

So, I love vampire movies, but have never much liked vampire books. They tend to be cliche and lack the liquid mystery of a good movie vampire. However, Westerfeld kept me up all night finishing this story of a 19 year old who has been infectd by a vampire (peep) but due to some genetic miracle has all of the super powers of a vampire without actually becoming one. So he hunts them and sends them to rehab. There's a little bit of mystery, suspense, and the requisit relationship drama. However, like any good fantasy book it creates a fascinating other world with just enough realistic reference points to keep you grounded (a vampire repelled by a Velvet Elvis?). It reads like a good action movie, little in the way of good character development but enough action to keep you hooked until the end.

2007-06-10T22:51:00.000-04:00

Summer book club!

Yes, I do indeed belong a book club. What did we read this month? Artemis Fowl and Gossip Girl. Yes, I know. It was a decision made on what gets asked for a lot in our various kiddie libraries and also what was on the bargain table at Borders. And what a bargain it was. All the staples of children's blockbusters rolled into a collective 300 pages. I can almost muster up a dance of joy. Almost.

Nobody Does it Better: a Gossip Girl novel - Is it bad that I didn't remember which one I read and had to get up and find the book to remember the title? Well, if you know me at all you can probably predict my thoughts on this book. However, my snobbery aside after finishing the book, my main thought was, "Yes, this is fluff but what makes it so wildly popular?" Kids aren't stupid. They appreciate innovation and creativity, so there's got to be something in this series that makes it so wildly popular. My theories are as follows:
1. The identity of the Gossip Girl adds a bit of mystery and suspense throughout.
2. The extreme wealth combined with destructive behavior creates tension that appeals to people much in the same way Paris Hilton does. Seems untouchable, but still has a tendency to self-destruct.
3. There is a bit of wit there. Snarky and sarcastic, perhaps there's a strong narrative voice in there.
Or maybe it's just entertaining to watch rich people fight and make up.

Artemis Fowl was an interesting read. I know I should've read this a long time ago, but my aversion to fantasy kept it at the bottom of my to-read pile. However, I was pleasantly surprised. I've gotten mixed reviews from young library users, but generally I got its appeal. The protagonist, Artemis Fowl, is smart and strange, a villain actually. This was surprising, and while his tendency towards cruelty made it difficult to be emotionally attached to him, it was refreshing. The world around him (full of fairies) also did the work that any fantasy novel should do, constructing a new world while keeping it familiar enough that one can relate to it. Frankly, it was the fairies that made the novel. Artemis is hard to love, but the leprechauns to which he is so cruel are quite the opposite. He is merely a framework for their story.

I know its somewhat irrelevant at this point, since I'm way behind the times, but this is a good book for any kid (teen/tween) who's into Harry Pottery, Lemony Snicket, Warriors, or even fantasy for older kids.

2007-06-10T20:04:00.000-04:00

More Sarah Dessen

This Lullaby is a bit more relationship-heavy than the other Dessen novels I've read. However, once again this isn't just another teen story about the girl getting the guy. In this story, Remy deals with the idea of love and commitment with her five time married mom and absentee father as examples. She, like many of Dessen's protagonists, borders on a stereotype (pretty, popular) but avoids that pitfall with complications that make her a seem real, complex, interesting. She's ambitious though mediocre at school and dealing with learning how to handle stress without using alcohol and sex. Kudos to Dessen for talking about drinking and sex without becoming preachy. No one gets pregnant! No one gets arrested! There are a few walks of shame, however. So while I'm not sure this is my favorite so far, it does hit all the right emotional notes and tells a great story. Having also read Gossip Girls this week (review to follow) I would recommend this to anyone who is trapped in the pop-chic lit series genre and wants a bit of substance.

2007-06-03T18:47:00.000-04:00

Eloise in Hollywood

I'm usually skeptical of drawing a series out as long as humanly possible for branding purposes, however, I'm always hopeful when it comes to a new Eloise. Reading Kay Thompson's original, I was in love with the irreverant spunk of the little girl. Wild adventure, childhood innocence with a twinge of sadness - I just can't resist. But sadly, no one told Eloise to go out while she was on top. Quit while you're ahead. Instead she's making the slow walk of shame.

The latest book in the series takes Eloise to Hollywood where she makes her movie debut. The tone still has a bit of Eloise's original romp to it, and there are genuinely funny bits. However, part of what I loved about early Eloise was her innocence and genuine love for everyone around her. She was classless in a way. However, the latest addition has Eloise playing adult in a way that mimics the snobbery and entitlement that one expects the adults in her world to have. There is a sense that this is merely a story about a precocious little girl acting as her mother would, an ever absent presence in these stories. To me this does a disservice to the spirit of the original Eloise.

That being said, Eloise's spunk and the giggle-worthy language would still make this a recommendation for those that enjoy the likes of Lily and Olivia.

2007-06-03T18:19:00.000-04:00

Will they all wear colonial wigs and sport fake, bloody wounds?

While searching for teen library event inspiration I came across this honey of an event at the New York Public Library. Their Anti-Prom will be hosted by none other than James St. James, former club kid extraordinare turned teen author. If you didn't live in New York in the 80's then check out the 1998 documentary, Party Monster. I would, however, recommend avoiding the 2003 remake starring Macauley Culkin. Perhaps it's too far of a stretch for the little boy who's handy with thumb tacks and propane torches. Or perhaps it's not a stretch at all, and that's what makes it so bizarre.

Regardless, perhaps if I'd had this as a prom option I wouldn't have had to spend the evening uncomfortably slow dancing to pop ballads under an arch of balloons with my fabulous but very platonic friend. We were much more suited for the aging club kid in a library scene. Those New Yorkers get all the fun.

2007-05-28T16:25:00.000-04:00

Mo Willems for Early Readers

I love pigeon, Trixie, Edwina, and the whole cast of Mo Willems characters. So, I'm of course in love with the new set of easy readers. Introducing My Friend is Sad and Today I will Fly! Pig and Elephant offer the same dry, quirky humor as other Willems books but with sight words! And you can even search for pigeon.

In honor of Mo Willems excitment, I'd like to point out my favorite bits of Willems news. Check it out!
1. The pigeon has his own website. Play the hot dog dress up game, and other pigeon fun.
2. Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity will be out in Fall 2007. Pre-order your copy today.

2007-05-28T15:45:00.000-04:00

Just Listen and The Truth about Forever by Sarah Dessen

I am a little embarrassed to admit that I read this book in one sitting and stayed up much later than I should have to finish it. "But Sarah," you say. "While you are the first person to jump on the pop culture band wagon with television, you are quite the book snob." (Embarassed laugh, shuffles feet) "And Sarah," you continue. "Haven't I heard you say that 'New York Times Best-Selling Author' on the cover of a book might as well say "no literary merit." Fine I say! You caught me! I'm a snob, but when it comes down to it, you give me a complex character and a bit of suspense and I'm hooked. Sarah Dessen's good, and like a good episode of the Gilmore Girls, I'm in for the long haul.

Just Listen is about a teenage girl dealing with her anorexic sister moving back in with the family, losing a best friend, dealing with sexual violence, and a new alternative DJ boyfriend. All of those different story lines somehow make sense together. What makes this not just another teenage girl fluff story? The protagonist is a model, blond, bordering on a cliche, but she's not. She's not aware of her own perfection, and while she is concerned with things like friends, it has nothing to do with popularity. And while she is interested in a boy, it's because he's smart, unconventional, and honest. She's equally as concerned with her family and not at all concerned with her clothes!
The Truth about Forever follows a similar plot format. Girl dealing with a family drama, falls for an unconventional artsy boy, struggles with what it means to be perfect. However, it feels completely original. The protagonist is a person, with her own sets of issues and problems. Yes, the romantic story drives the plot, but the protagonist reacts in ways that demonstrate that the relationship is part of her life without being her entire life.

All in all, while Dessen's novels have a positive message, they do not come across as preachy. She also is not patronizing about the complexity of being a teenager, offering easy solutions and simple emotional reactions to situations. So not unlike my love of the Gilmore Girls, I'm no longer ashamed to say I love it. There's no shame in reading about strong females even if they are blond models who have crushes on boys.

2007-05-28T12:26:00.000-04:00

Stick Figure: a Diary of my Former Self by Lori Gottlieb

I've recently been spending time on various online reference services paying particular attention to what the kids these days are asking. I was a little uneasy about how many young (under 12 girls) were asking questions about diets. So like any good librarian I started looking for what sorts of books tackled eating disorders.

Stick Figure is the memoir of a woman written from the perspective of her 11/12 year old self. They are based on diaries found as an adult and follow Lori through her development as a tomboyish young girl to a teenager fully aware and obsessed about the body image issues and weight expectations placed on women. Readers stay almost completely in the head of this smart pre-teen.

I wonder though if it was too smart. It was definitely an adult remembering what it was like to be a kid, and at times I felt the "message" too much. The author had an agenda, and the attempt to make this a universal female story at times made the individual character disapear. This was especially apparent when Lori decides to start eating again. It was too hurried, too easy.

I also don't necessarily know what to do with "teen books" with a pre-teen protagonist. While the subject matter may be best suited to a more mature reader, I'm skeptical that a 16/17 year old reader would want to read about a 12 year old. I could be wrong though.

In sum: An important resource, but confused about who I would recommend it to. Is there better out there?

2007-05-22T20:56:00.000-04:00

Some items of interest from the past year. Some are newish, and some are just newish to me.

The good (as in this should be part of anyone's collection/reading list):
1. Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith's Seen Art?
*Funny and smart, this picture book pokes fun at the pretension of the art world all while
teaching you something! Funny how that happens.
2. Peter Mayle's Where did I come from: the facts of life without any nonsense and with illustrations
*The 70's produced The Muppet Show AND the best sex-ed picture book around. I still haven't found anything to top the illustrations of tubby moms and dads having sex. There's an African American version as well. I'm waiting for the two mommies, two daddies and all other combos.
3. Alan Katz's Take Me Out of the Bathtub and Other Silly Dilly Songs
*Naughty kids set to a melody!
4. Guys Write for Guys Read
*Short stories written by your favorite male children's authors for young boys. The stories are meant to reach reluctant readers but are not dumbed down at all or limited to stereotypical boy topics (sports, violence, etc). Instead it targets emotional and social issues boy face as they approach puberty. Funny and smart.

Worth it if you like that sort of thing:
1. Anthea Paul's Girlosophy: Real Girls Eat
*Part cookbook, part MTV style anti-eating disorder mantra, the style is a little too trendy but the message and content is appreciated

Some things that could have used some more editing:
1. Eirreann Corrigan's Splintering
*Kudos for tackling tough subject matter (abuse and violence) but this novel, written as a series of poems from different family points of views, falls short on literary merit. Call me a snob, but you can't just put mediocre prose in stanzas and call it poetry.

And lots more, but after a year of no blogging a girl's got to take it slow.

2007-05-22T12:34:00.001-04:00

After a long hiatus from blogging , I'm back! A new children's library, a whole new collection of books, a whole year of new material that I neglected to keep up with, and a whole summer mean an updated blog. I can't promise it'll be the latest and greatest thing as I'm still playing catch-up with the latest and greatest things from last sumer, but I do promise brutal honesty and some new books about bad kids. Suggestions are welcomed.

2006-08-21T20:31:00.000-04:00

My summer in a children’s library is drawing to a close. Consequently I won’t have access to all of those just-released-you’re-not-special-enough-to-see-them-yet books so here’s a quick list of what I’ve read at least part of recently that is worth checking out.

Hoot by Carl Hiaasen– I know everyone else in the literate world has read it, but I’m a bit slow sometimes. My thoughts: Just as good as the hype.

Chu Ju’s House by Gloria Whelan – A William Allen White list book worth taking a gander at. It offers a complex, female character, something I am usually a fan of.

Immersed in Verse: An Informative, Slightly Irreverent and Totally Tremendous Guide to Living the Poet’s Life by Allan Wolf – As a short story writer I love nothing more than making fun of poets. Wolf offers a funny, self-deprecating look at poetry and poets. It does offer some good advice for the beginner poet, and breaks down the all too solemn world of poetry. I plan on buying this for all of my poet friends who take themselves entirely too seriously.

Honky-Tonk Heroes and Hillbilly Angels: The Pioneers of Country and Western Music by Holly George Warren, illustrated by Laura Levine – Laura Levine’s illustrations are what sold this book for me. I don’t particularly like country music but her picture of Johnny Cash standing in a ring of fire is worth a look-see. If anyone knows where I can get prints of Levine’s work, let me know! Laura, you tease us by not selling out and allowing your work to be mass produced in posters and t-shirts. Give me merchandise!

Walk On! A Guide for Babies of All Ages by Marla Frazee – In a world where toddler books rarely leave the realm of cute bunnies and “your mommy will never leave you”, Marla Frazee rocks my socks. Written like an infomercial or a self-help guide, this fabulous book is an encouraging guide for those beginning walkers. Check it out. Do it.

Black Duck by Janet Lisle – A Young Adult book that offers just the right amount of suspense. I have yet to finish it, but it’s not because of the lack of a good story. I’m just slow and trying to get things done, like planning a wedding and moving across the country.

2006-07-31T21:11:00.000-04:00

Fast as lightning picture book recommendations:

The Boy Who Loved Words by Roni Schotter, Illus. by Giselle Potter
--A boy gets teased for his love of words but finds his purpose as he discovers the power of giving people the right word. Full of delicious vocabulary words and heartwarming for those of us "oddballs" who read too much as children.
--Favorite line: "His father, a practical man who sold sturdy shoes for a living, wondered what good could possibly come from a son with such a strange predilection. His mother, a large, lovely woman from the Old Country, worried--could her beautiful boy find happiness? Waving her arms in the air, she was a windmill of worry."

The Mighty Asparagus by V. Radunsky
--A giant stalk of asparagus sprouts in a village and the silly king and queen and their silly cohorts try to pull it out. Told by a very forgetful and silly narrator this silly story is just silly. Silly and full of lessons and crazy illustrations that is. (Five "silly" mentions in one post!)
--Favorite line: "And the king's musicians even composed a song. A ballad. It was called 'The Ballad of the Mighty Asparagus.' I remember the melody went like this: 'Tra-la-la-la-la. Tra-la-la-la-la...' That would be sung high. And then low, 'Tru-lu-lu-lu-lu...' A very beautiful ballad."

2006-07-23T18:21:00.000-04:00

This picture book is better than peanut butter. This ain’t your mama’s “Little Red Riding Hood.” Nope, this one’s about a boy, and it involves burping and deep cleavage. Thomas likes the color red, though this is completely irrelevant to the rest of the story. He and his family make ginger ale, and sure enough Thomas must take some to his grandmother. The story is pretty familiar and therefore predictable (aside from grandmother’s plunging neckline) but the resolution of the story (which involves ginger ale and burping) makes it giggle-worthy. The illustrations remind me of Edward Gorey in some ways which makes me a happy duck. If those Gashlycrumb Tinies had even had a chance I imagine they would’ve been friends with Thomas. In general it’s funny and deliciously weird, and I’m a fan of the non-violent ending. The day I’m allowed to do a Burps and Belches storytime, this one will be my opener.

2006-07-23T16:00:00.000-04:00

I imagine that Ramona Quimby’s mom had a screaming eagle tattoo on the small of her back underneath her sweater set. She must have. I remember in Middle School one of my friend’s mothers had a rose tattoo on her chest, and when I caught a glimpse of it I always imagined that she had a secret wild life. Now that tattoos are so common, I’m sure plenty of children’s literature moms have secret tattoos. They must have. However, when I went a searching this is what I found: one book discussing the dangers of getting a tattoo and The Illustrated Mum. So due to the lack of any competition, The Illustrated Mum is now the definitive tattoo book in children’s literature. Olivia, you’ve been dethroned. (See Olivia Saves the Circus)

In a short fiction class I took we talked about first lines. First lines should make you want to read more. They should be weird and wonderful and not spend for ever explicating a landscape and should not be an avenue for you to demonstrate your ability to string together as many adjectives as possible. Jacqueline Wilson begins The Illustrated Mum with “Marigold started going weird again on her birthday.” Ok, I’m game. I’m always up for stories about weird people especially people who progressively “go weird” and who are named after plants. The Marigold in question is a mother of two, Dolphin and Star, who moves her children from apartment to apartment, creates tattoo flash periodically to make money, and fluctuates between manic episodes of baking and shopping to depressive days spent in bed and the bathtub. The novel is told through the youngest daughter, Dolphin’s, point of view, and she tells the story of her relationship with her increasingly unstable mother and her increasingly “cool” teenage sister. When Star’s father and the original love of Marigold’s life, Mickey, returns to take Star away with him, Dolphin’s responsibility increases as she must now take care of her mother all while navigating a world that doesn’t see things quite the same way as this family.

Dolphin’s voice is what sells this book. Her innocence and fierce defense of her beautiful torrent of a mother create a complicated but interesting view of the mother/daughter relationship. She is innocent and childlike in her love for her family and her view of what is beautiful, but she also has a maturity that comes from having to take care of herself for too long. While some of the plot points seem a bit too coincidental, kudos to Wilson for not shying away from difficult subject matter that is real for entirely too many children. Wilson looks at abuse and neglect in a way that illuminates the gray areas of such complicated family issues.

I read a customer review of the book on an unnamed booksellers site that said that the book should be for grades five and up because of sensitive subject matter such as mental illness and foster care. Whattabadda bing bong? Let me remind you, gentle readers, that there’s nothing that says that the world needs to be sugarcoated. How many kids come into my library that live with foster families and have watched their parents go through much worse things than bipolar disease? Don’t they get to have books that they can relate to as well? Ok, my soap box has been firmly kicked under my desk. I’m done for now. Hurrah for honesty and reality in children’s books. And hip, hip hurrah for British quirkiness and lingo. Cheers, Jacqueline Wilson.

2006-07-22T17:26:00.000-04:00

Oh the difficulty of working in a library in a Red State in a country that doesn’t always reflect Red State ideals. I grew up in a white middle-class home with a mom and a dad who stayed together despite my dad’s love for The Three Amigos and my mom’s love for kale. Hurrah! I could relate to most families represented in children’s books. However, I’m probably in the minority and finally children’s picture books are starting to reflect the composition of contemporary society. Susan Kuklin’s book, Families, is another step in the right direction.

Marketed towards ages 4-8, but certainly enjoyable for readers of all ages, this book introduces readers to elastic term “family” by introducing them to different types of families. Different religions, different sexual orientations, different races, divorce adopted children, only children, large families and all combinations of the above are represented in this honest look at families. Kuklin’s book avoids the muddy waters of patronizing political correctness by allowing the children represented in the book to describe their own families. Their voices give the book authenticity and also give an insiders view to their family. Children rarely think in labels and stereotypes, so their descriptions of their family are never, “I come from a single parent home.” Instead the focus is on what it should be anyways, the love found in their respective families, the good times they have together, and what the child thinks makes them special. The focus is then on the children as humans and not as representations of a type of family. Ella says about her two bi-racial fathers, “Once, we had an ice cream party. It’s kind of silly, but when I saw cartoons of vanilla and chocolate ice cream, it reminded me of Stephen and me and Frank. Sometimes my family reminds me of an Oreo cookie. Some people ask questions about how we are different. I’d rather they ask how we’re alike.” Yeah, Ella!

2006-07-19T15:14:00.000-04:00

Last night I read Gender Blender in lieu of a back episode of Lost. I was so disheartened by the loss of those two hours of my life that I thought I'd best start a blog to warn other unsuspecting folks out there. Let that be a lesson to me. Lost should always take priority.

Gender Blender, the latest tween novel by Blake Nelson, follows Emma and Tom as they, following a freak trampoline accident, swap bodies. The two sixth graders deal rekindle their friendship as they navigate the pitfalls of pre-puberty in a strange body. Tom gets his period and hangs out with the Girl Scouts while Emma learns not to be scared of things like riding in shopping carts down steep hills and deals with "boners." Speaking of "boners," are sixth graders really so comfortable with their changing bodies? I freely admit that I have been a bit more uptight than most as a 12 year old, but the sexual vocabulary and eagerness of the kids in the novel read more like a group of teenagers than late elementary school kids. They all eagerly wait for their turn in the closet for "Seven Minutes of Heaven" and talk about breasts and "pitching a tent" with no embarrassment. Yeah, yeah, I get the raging hormone thing, but where's the girl in Converse All-Stars reading Wuthering Heights who really just wants a bowl of icecream and a good book?

So here's my beef, Mr. Nelson. I think you're trying too hard for a laugh. Your characters read too much like characters, not people, and the proliferation of pop culture references will date this novel by next year. And what's your point about gender? Yeah, yeah, in the end we all are just people, but there only seem to be two types represented here. What falls between the girly girl and the dirty boy? Is gender learned? What are you trying to say? I'm thirsty for a slushie and some substance.