You Are My Little Bird

How simple and sweet this wonderful CD is! Elizabeth Mitchell's voice is calming, gentle and utterly lovely. With harmony sung by her young daughter Storey and her husband Daniel, it's as if you are listening in on a family singing together around the house --which makes you want to sing along, as well. Folksy and charming, these songs are great for babies, toddlers and preschoolers --even adults will enjoy. I've been recommending it to everyone I know with small children.

Picture Book Worth Looking At

Chicky Chicky Chook Chook by Cathy MacLennan is one of our new picture books. I think it would be terrific read aloud for 2, 3, 4 year-olds. It reminds me a bit of Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. The illustrations and mood are different. The repetition of sound, the fuzzy chicks the simple story line are all delightful.

Disappointing Curtis

Christopher Curtis of Bud Not Buddy fame, has written a couple of detective/fantasy books about a Mr Chickee and I'm sadly, not impressed. Ok, I admit I've only attempted to read Mr Chickee's Messy Mission but I stopped before I got to page 100 because it wasn't funny, wasn't engaging, and was disappointing. Publisher's Weekly got it right when it says "readers may find themselves yearning for fewer gimmicks and more connections between seemingly random events."
School Library Journal calls it "zany" but points out that there are "[w]acky characters, improbable happenings, weird challenges, and a chaotic plot" and lots of exclamation points. Perhaps Mr Curtis needs to sit quietly and think?

Or maybe I'm way off in left field and the readers of Captain Underpants will love these books!
Let me know what you think.

Over a Thousand Hills I Walk With You

Just this afternoon during my lunch break I finished Over a Thousand Hills I Walk With You by Hanna Jansen (translated from the German by Elizabeth D. Crawford) --I knew for certain that I must post about it quickly as it is such a stunning, important book to recommend to you all. Jansen bases the novel on the real life experiences of her adopted daughter, Jeanne, who lost her home and entire family within the span of a few days during the Rwandan genocide when she was just eight years old. It is included in our Young Adult collection, but I think it should also be a part of the adult selection so as to increase its chances of people getting their hands on it. I first heard of it while looking for titles to update our human rights book lists and while the thought of reading about a young Tutsi girl who survived the Rwandan genocide seemed somewhat daunting and something that I knew I'd have to emotionally/mentally prepare for, I also felt that I needed to read this book. And what a rich, deep read it turned out to be --so worth it! Jansen begins each chapter with a journal-like entry addressed to Jeanne, documenting her thoughts and experiences in writing the book that we now read. We learn how much the author relies on her daughter for support in her writing, getting wonderful, little glimpses as to what Jeanne's life is now like with her new family in Germany. What this does, in fact, is reassure the reader that Jeanne will be okay, that she survives, she lives, and she finds love and trust again after having every reason to turn herself away from such things forever. It makes reading about this horrifc experience bearable, even beautiful. Jeanne is the ultimate testament to the human will to live.

A Family Tradition

I recently read Pass It Down: Five Picture-Book Families Make Their Mark by Leonard S. Marcus, currently shelved with new non-fiction. As a librarian still fairly new to children's literature, I found it quite interesting and helpful to learn how some very famous picture book authors and illustrators came into their careers and how their children ended up following suit. Discussed are Donald Crews, Ann Jonas, and thier daughter, Nina Crews; Clement and Edith Thacher Hurd and thier son, Thacher Hurd; Walter Dean Meyers and his son, Christopher Myers. Jerry Pinkney and his son, Brian Pinkney; Harlow and Anne Rockwell and their daughter, Lizzy Rockwell. What a fun way to grow up!

The Thirteenth Tale

The Thirteenth Tale: A Novel by Diane Setterfield is a very satisfying gothic story in the manner of Jane Eyre or Wuthering Heights. The story is more contempory though difficult to tell when it takes place (maybe 1960s?). I listened to it on my iPod and found myself losing track of time -- on the treadmill, doing housework, gardening. It is really several stories entwined into one sweeping saga.

First there is the tale of Margaret, a young woman who works in her father's antiquarian bookstore She reads mostly 19th century fiction and biographies and writes the occasional essay for publication. She harbors a secret tragedy from her past. A letter arrives the most popular novelist of the day whose pen name is Vida Winter. Miss Winter wants Margaret to write her true biography. Margaret who had never read any of Miss Winter's books hesitates to get involved.

Second, is Miss Winter's story as told to Margaret of the feral twins, Emmeline and Adeline, their mother, Isabelle; their uncle, Charles; the housekeeper; the governess, and the gardener; the strangeness, the neglect and the fateful, the secrets and the tragic fire that destroyed Angelfield estate, the family home.

Third, the story of Margaret and Vida Winter -- the revealing of their pasts, the intersecting and weaving of their stories, the forging of a bond, the unfolding secrets, the developing friendships.

Just when I started to think I had the story figured out it would take a new twist and I would have to rethink where it was going. This isn't a YA book by definition but we do have it in our YA collection. There is violence but not graphic, no sex, no inappropriate language. The emotional issues are complex. I don't think I would recommmend it for a precocious preteen. The themes are mature.

Two Picture Books Worth Noting

There are two picture books in the current crop of new books that I think are worth noting.



Stick by Steve Breen is about a little frog who wants to do everything by himself. This leads him on a remarkable adventure. The story is told mostly through the illustrations. There are few words. It is a delightfully funny story and the illustrations are terrific -- simple but evocative. Note the expressions on faces and some of the detail shown in various reflections -- in the rearview mirror, on the water, in the shiny paint on the side of a car. The author and illustrator won the Pulitzer Prize for his comic strip "Grand Avenue."



Allison, he used to live and work in New Jersey -- alas, no longer. He would have been great for the festival in September.



Sky Sweeper by Phillis Gershator and illustrated by Holly Meade is a completely different sort of book. It is about Young Takeboki who needs a job and finds one as Flower Keeper in a temple. He is encouraged to find a better job, to make more money, to visit faraway places and to marry. But he finds fulfillment in his sweeping and gardening. The illustrations are collages using Japanese papers -- beautifully done. Very Buddhist!



The author was a children's librarian in Brooklyn -- but apparently now live in the US Virgin Islands.

Laughing out loud

You've got to read The Shivers in the Fridge by Fran Manushkin. It had Linda and me giggling out loud Tuesday night. I'm not going to give away the ending but I think this will be my new favorite for reading to second graders!

Looking for it? For the next few weeks it'll be in my office on the shelf behind my desk just under the "old lady who swallowed a fly".
Enjoy!

Reading YA before and after the Teen Book Bash

As time for the Teen Book Bash approached, I turned my attention to the authors we 'd be hosting and spent time reading fairly well crafted but predictable books.
That said, I must confess that I had stay up late to finish Fix by Leslie Margolis the night before the bash. Did I know how it would end? You bet, but I really wanted to see how she would get us there. That's where the craft comes in. Well done Leslie!

The chance to speak with Patricia McCormick about SOLD, was priceless. Did you know that her next novel is from the point of view of a girl whose brother is killed in Iraq? That women certainly tackles the hard subjects. I can't really say I look forward to reading it, but I guess the better expression is "I won't miss it!"

What did you learn? Who did you talk with?

Jan

The Great Big Treasury of Beatrix Potter

Beatrix Potter without the illustrations? Heresy! What were they thinking? I think of the Beatrix Potter books as the perfect integration of illustration and text. Having one without the other just doesn't cut it. And the book itself is an expanse of white with black print. There is no explanation of why it contains just the text for all her books. It totally drains the life out of her stories. Bad, bad, bad idea!

Invention of Hugo Cabret

This is a book you really have to sit down to read. At 533 pages it is heavy and awkard to hold in one hand. Though it is not a graphic novel the story is told in word and drawing alternately. There are pages of pictures followed by pages of words followed by pages of pictures. The drawings which are only in shades of black, white and grey, fully evoke the enormity and the scariness of the huge railroad station where Hugo hides/lives. Most interestingly, it is based on an actual historical event - the invention of an automaton which could draw and write.
Check it out. I think the Children's Lit world will be talking about it for some time.

Middle School Books?

Hi,
I know everyone has been reading Book Bash Authors. Has anyone read any
titles that they would recommend for middle school readers. It seems that
there is a preponderance of High School Titles. It would be helpful to have a list
of authors and titles to recommend to our younger reading zealots. The following authors
seem to fit the bill so far: Ann Rinaldi, David Lubar, Wendy Mass, Maureen Johnson's
Little Blue Envelopes. Any other suggestions?
Ann

Illustrations

Reading though the new picture books I found one with lovey illustrations. Half a World Away is by Libby Gleeson and illustrated by Freya Blackwood. It is a simple, sweet story about the power of friendship. The illustrations are water colors -- fairly monocromatic and simple but the use of red on each page focuses one on the important detail. The children's faces are sweet and a tad melancholy -- appropriate to the story line.

New Picture Books

Of the current new batch of picture books I found a few I thought were worth noting.

1) The Pink Refrigerator by Tim Egan tells the story of Dodsworth. Dodsworth spends his days doing as little as possible -- running his trift shop, visiting the junkyard to find new things for his store, napping, and watching TV. One day he finds a pink refrigerator with a note clamped to the front with a powerful magnet. The note contains a mysterious message. Soon Dodsworth is living a very different, far more interesting life. Great message about living life to the fullest.

2) Wolf! Wolf! by John Rocco is the story of "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" from the perspective of the hungry old wolf. Nice resolution. The illustrations have a Japanese quality (-- and I don't mean anime.)

3) Silly Billy by Anthony Browne is about a boy with too many worries. The solution proposed by his grandma? Worry dolls! Soon that poses a new problem. But a stronger Billy finds a solution to this new problem on his own.

Checking Blog Status

This is a trial post to see whether we have publishing capability again.
Ann

Frog, Toad and Pooh?

Sheep and Goat. by M. Westara. A warm, fuzzy book that is reminiscent of Frog

and Toad in its tone. "Goat is talkative, impulsive, curious and full of energy, while

Sheep tends to be quiet, sensible, pensive and sedentary, but the two have more

in common than it initially appears.Together, these two young females share a comfortable meadow on a sleepy farm." The two friends quarrel, however they also get along. Through the year they experience storms, birthdays, accidents, visitors, adventures, and in the process we grow and learn with them. It is a comforting book with Pooh-like subtle philosophy throughout. A sweet choice for ages 7-10 that would make a wonderful read aloud for bedtime or anytime!

A Moving Memoir

It's not new , but I highly recommend this small yet powerful book that does a great job taking the reader back to 1949 when the author contracted polio at the age of 12. In Small steps : the year I got polio, Peg Kehret uses fictionalized dialogue and tender scenes to draw you into her world as she copes with her seven month ordeal. Her description of the onset of the illness is gripping, her account of being quarantined and her subsequent long hospitalization is fascinating. It's funny, sad, poignant and inspiring... and, of course, educational as we get to learn about all aspects of the disease. I used it with a group of 10-12 year olds and they all enjoyed it.

Gossamer by Lois Lowry

I really enjoyed this little book about the power of dreams -- for good and for evil. This is a sweet tale about a little boy who has been abused and abandoned by his father and taken from his mother. He comes under the foster care of a lonely retired teacher. But the "heroine" of the story is a dream giver named Littlest who is just learning her craft from a kindly more experienced dream giver. They battle the Sinisteens for the heart and mind of this little boy. I recommended the book to one of our preteen patrons who is a voracious reader and she stopped by a day or two later to tell me she loved it.

Bridge to Terabithia

The ads for the movie version of The Bridge to Terabithia by Katerine Patterson pushed me into "reading" the audiobook. The book was wonderful, satisfying and real. I am now convinced that the movie completely misses the main point which is the friendship and acceptance between two children who feel outside the norm. Katherine Patterson's characters are so thoughtfully drawn. The movie seems to be about the fantasy world they create -- an important part of the story but not one that is described in much detail in the book.

I am guessing the movie industry is reluctant to move too far from the Harry Potter fantasy formula. What a wasted opportunity to do something different.