SYDNEY TAYLOR AWARDS KICK TOKHES!

I recently was so very fortunate to attend the Association of Jewish Libraries conference in Phoenix, Arizona, for the honor of receiving a Sidney Taylor silver honor award for an outstanding contribution to the field of Jewish Literature for Children for my book, VIVE LA PARIS. It was the first time this award was given for a book featuring an African American protagonist, and I must say it was one of my proudest professional achievements. During the conference, besides making many new friends, laughing with old ones and getting to enjoy a lot of good food, I attended some amazing booktalks and came away with gems. Here are just a bissel of the best that landed in my luggage!

I AM MARC CHAGALL by Bimba Landmann (Eerdmans) 3-D collage scenes populate the pages with cows, chickens donkeys, musicians and angels, the dreamlike populations of Chagall's Russian childhood and artistic imagination that insisted, "painting is as necessary as bread." Based on the artist's autobiography, the story is a great adventure of a poet-artist, a testament to possibility. Chagall speaks about children, "I was delighted to see that they understood that the world inside us is at times more real than the world outside." That line alone is worth the price of the book. (5 and up)

HANUKKAH AT VALLEY FORGE by Stephen Krensky, illustrated by Greg Harlin (Dutton) All right, it's definitely early, but if we can have Christmas in July, why not Hanukkah? I had the great pleasure of hearing both author and illustrator speak about how this book came to fruition. With a great sense of humor, Krensky shared how he once was learning to write under none other than Natalie Babbitt (author of TUCK EVERLASTING), and shared with his audience a critique of his manuscript in which she had made a remark or correction for nearly every line. Instead of being thwarted by the criticism, he was grateful, realizing that in writing, "everything counts." His well-researched prose of a likely event in which George Washington comes upon a Hanukkah celebration during the Revolutionary War is coupled by the graceful and accomplished watercolors by Harlin. Though this very sweet illustrator was shy when faced with the roomful of people, his talent came through loud and clear as he walked around "sketches" worthy of an art museum's walls and oohs and ahhs from everyone in the audience. More than a holiday story, this Sydney Taylor gold-medal winner for picture books is a piece de resistance of author/artist collaboration, and a nice reminder that America has always been a melting pot. (5 and up)

STEALING HOME by Ellen Schwartz (Tundra Books) Some bad luck and tragic outcomes leave nine-year-old mixed-race Joey Sexton to live with his aunt, a Jewish woman from the Bronx, and his bigoted grandfather who has trouble getting past the choices of his daughter. Can the support of members of his newfound family and the rise of a baseball star named Jackie Robinson keep Joey from striking out? Though some of the baseball history fact-checking could have been tightened, strong dialogue and characterization make this a grand slam for realistic fiction, and the paperback format and manageable size make it a good warm-up for reluctant readers; the last teacher I gave it to bought a classroom set of thirty. A solid choice for read-aloud, classroom lit circles or book clubs, and fun to compare and contrast with Bette Bao Lord's IN THE YEAR OF THE BOAR AND JACKIE ROBINSON (one of my all-time favorites, incidentally) and Dan Gutman's JACKIE AND ME. (10 and up)

FIVE LITTLE GEFILTES by Dave Horowitz (Putnam) Though I did not encounter this book at the conference, I would like to nominate it for consideration for next year's notable books! Based on the popular preschool fingerplay "Five Little Ducklings," readers follow along as five pieces of gefilte (a bit like a fishy matzoh ball) go out of their jar and far away, taking in plays (next weekon the marquee: "Goldie Lox and the 3 Shmears"), crash a deli buffet ("such chutzpah!" complain the knishes), and shelp around New York's garmet district in a taxi cab. "Oy vey," kvetches Mama Gefilte who is so lonely without them, but she shouldn't worry because she has raised mensches (good people) who don't forget to come back. Full of wit and visual jokes, you don't have to be Jewish to enjoy this very funny multicultural piece of children's lit, especially thanks to the dandy glossary at the back which serves as a JOYS OF YIDDISH for kids. Even if gefilte fish seems less than deelish, so what? You don't have to eat it, you just have to read it! (4 and up)

Also of interest:
If you enjoy these picks, be sure to get a Sydney Taylor Book Award kit, which includes a brochure, 20 bookmarks, a Quest for the Best CD-ROM (a truly amazing resource for booklovers of any faith), and enough gold and silver seals for the most recent year’s winner and honor books!

On a personal note:
An 2007 AJL convention photo album! Thanks to Kathe and Etta for snapping and sending!

Okay, first things first! I had the out-of-body experience of meeting super-glammy Jo Taylor Marshall, the daughter of Sidney Taylor (legendary author of the timeless ALL-OF-A-KIND FAMILY series that celebrated the urban experience of a Jewish family in the early part of the 20th century). I had the infinite honor of sitting at her table along with members of her family during the award ceremony, though I was really too star-struck to strike up a conversation (and for me, that's saying a lot).

This year the Taylor family generously underwrote a new teen category for the award, which went to Markus Zusak for her masterpiece THE BOOK THIEF, Alice Hoffman's INCANTATION and Dana Reinhardt's A BRIEF CHAPTER IN MY IMPOSSIBLE LIFE. I got to have a lovely informal lunch with Mark and Dana (above) and also attended their very engaging session in which they teamed up to lend considerable insight into their work and the genre, answering the age-old question: what is the real difference between young adult and adult literature? Answer: well, I'm still not sure, but books that feature young adults are a clue, and maybe it doesn't matter in the end, so long as the book is terrific. In the session, women in the audience struggled mightily to ignore Mark's apparent disfigurement, Australian accent, wedding ring and accompanying love-of-wife, and focus instead on his thoughtful comments. Keep fighting the good fight, ladies! And hey Dana, what are you, chopped liver?! You're plenty pretty and smart, too...and the woman can write!!!

Another Mount-Everest high point for me was getting to share a session with Jennifer Roy, who wrote what may very well be the most important children's book of the past year, YELLOW STAR (Marshall Cavendish), real history told in free verse, inspired by interviews with her aunt who was one of a dozen children to survive the Nazi terrors in the Lodz ghettos during WWII. The brilliance of this book is that besides being honest and powerful, it is one that is truly age-appropriate for intermediate readers on the Holocaust, a subject that often seems impossible to broach. I expected to meet someone in her 70's, and was stunned that such a wise and sensitive book was delivered by someone who was so young. It was a pleasure meeting one of her sisters and her mother, and also learning that she also had an identical twin sister, Julia DeVillers, who is the author of HOW MY PERSONAL, PRIVATE JOURNAL BECAME A BESTSELLER, which is airing later this month (July 21!) on the Disney Channel as "Read it and Weep". A lot of talent in one family, and a happy chapter, I think, in the legacy of her family's rich history. The session was deftly facilitated by Kathe Pinchuck. I was very delighted not to have to follow Jennifer as she gave a fantastic presentation incorporating maps and pictures, and had everyone's heart beating faster and more than a few tears flowing. Her experience as both a gifted and talented and special education teacher really shone through, both as a speaker and as the creator of a book that belongs in every classroom of every faith. She would be a dream guest author at any school, that's for sure! Visit her home page at JenniferRoy.com.

See these women? These are heavy hitters here. To the left is former award committee chair Heidi Estrin, who now runs the Book of Life podcast (2007 winner of the Bronze medal for outstanding audio blog...congratulations, Heidi!) , and who at one point was sporting a fabulous t-shirt illustrated by Caldecott winner Simms Taback that we all need to incorporate into our summer wardrobes. Rachel Kamin, on the right, is the current chair and a shockingly dynamic leader, who also was a stellar presence at one of the best sessions I have attended at any conference ever, titled "Adventures in Book Reviewing," which moved along at a well-timed clip that could have been a t.v. show, it was so fun to watch. Over hours that flew by like minutes, attendees were treated to a variety pack of author talks, reviews of the best books of the year by a hard core panel of librarian reviewers (Rachel Kamin, Nancy Austein, Kathy Bloomfield, Susan Berson and Kathe Pinchuck), and a brutal literary pummeling session titled "what's hot, what's not" in which reviewers with opposing views of the same book vehemently stated their cases with the fervor of high-school-debate-team-meets-roller-derby. Believe me, authors in the audience were sweating! Rachel Kamin duked it out over Micol Ostow's EMILY GOLDBERG LEARNS TO SALSA, among others. (Rachel, please get a blog! The whole world needs to hear your sassy, saucy POV!) All of this was followed with an exciting preview of what the Sidney Taylor committee is looking at now, including submissions that did not necessarily fully fit their criteria but were excellent in their own right. It was truly fascinating and enlightening, as someone who approaches books from such a secular perspective, to see each book analyzed from so many different lenses of religious practice: liberal, reform, conservative, and beyond. I really came away even more deeply appreciating what a reader brings to a book and how that impacts the interpretation of the content. I'm sure this is true whether the reader is an adult or a child. It was also impressive how even when the discussion became heated and people were very invested in their opinions, the warmth did not dissipate. This was a showcase of booklovers and people-lovers hard at work, and neither passion was compromised.

The awards ceremony was very touching, with kind and unusual attention and description given to the work of each awardee. Of course I cried when local girl and goombah Brenda Ferber accepted her gold award for her novel JULIA'S KITCHEN, I was so very, very proud of her. Earlier in the day, she gave a wonderful session in which she read extensively from her real-life journal, describing the ebb and flow of emotion and the hard work she put into her manuscript, all leading up to the great news that she had won. You've got to check out her son Sammy's hilarious take on his mom's great victory on her blog! If you want more vicarious conference attendance, check out the AJL blog comprised of entries from many attendees.

Most of all, I was proud of AJL. I've said it before and I'll say it again and again, my own great honor notwithstanding, the Sidney Taylor Award is a hyperion of what a book award should be, and sets an example for other book awards that establish criteria based on the author instead of what's in the binding. Meticulous debate, transparency, and a love of literature were clearly the order of the day, and every day that went into the work of AJL this past year. I would hope in future years the American Library Association would embrace this award as they have The Coretta Scott King Award and Pura Belpre Award, as it would only reflect well on them to do so and there is clearly a large enough body of work to warrant it. Meanwhile, kudos to everyone who worked so hard to create such a phenomenal conference. I look forward to attending the 40th anniversary of the Sydney Taylor Awards at the AJL conference in Cleveland next year, and urge anyone who works with books and children and who is interested in professional development to join me!

Links are provided for informational use. Don't forget to support your local bookseller.

A SECOND IS A HICCUP and NON-FICTION THROW-DOWN

One good throw-down deserves another! Here are rocking non-fiction recommendations, one for every finger on both hands. So often we think of kids who get lost in fictional stories as the real readers, but remember, non-fiction is real reading, too! By affirming our children's quest for information, history and how-to, we are supporting critical thinkers and bringing boys and reluctant readers into the fold.

A SECOND IS A HICCUP: A CHILD'S BOOK OF TIME by Hazel Hutchins, illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton (Scholastic)
"How long is an hour?/Sixty minutes singing by./ If you build a sandy tower/ Run right through a sprinkly shower/ Climb a tree and smell a flower/ Pretend you have a secret power/That should nicely fill an hour." How about a day? A month? A year? The abstract concept of time is given a poetic and tangible treatment in this lyrical book. Gentle, washy watercolors depict young children busy within a warm circle of family and friends. In perfect time with the preschool world view a la Ruth Krauss (A HOLE IS TO DIG), this title is both useful and sweet. (4 and up)

THE SNOW BABY: THE ARCTIC CHILDHOOD OF ROBERT E. PEARY'S DARING DAUGHTER by Katherine Kirkpatrick (Holiday House) Yes, this is a wintery pick, but consider it Christmas in July or your read-aloud answer to central air conditioning! I read this book on an airplane, and literally had people craning over the aisle to see the beautiful and unusual photographs of the great junior adventurer, Marie Ahnighito Peary, whose daddy Lt. Admiral Robert Peary was hell-bent on winning the race to the North Pole. An intimate and very complete look at a family on a mission, the book captures the adventure of racing down cliffs, dodging avalanches, relocating a meteorite, witnessing a walrus slaughter and being trapped amidst icebergs and midnight blizzards, as well as the dualities of Marie's frustratingly genteel life in the states and the free spirited one spent amidst her Inuit friends. Children who love non-fiction history or survival stories in the vein of Gary Paulsen will whoop with joy and disappear with the book as fast as a dog-sled will carry them, however, my one compunction is that there was nothing distinctively for children in the writing style; the straighforward essay-like text peppered with facts, long names and geography may leave some children with less prior knowledge in the dust (or the snow, as the case may be), only suggesting all the more that this is a book to be shared. The photos are plentiful, evocative and gorgeous and go far to take the reader away to the snowy landscape, with Marie at the helm (see page 31, she looks so marvelous with those buttons up and down her hood). The details of the lives are moving, from Peary's African-American companion Matthew Henson becoming an uncelebrated clerk after accompanying Peary on his celebrated adventure; the devoted wife Josephine Peary who suffered the loss of a child and followed her husband literally to the end of the earth, only to discover he was messing around with some chick named Allakasingwah; and the controversy against Peary's claim that he ever was first at all. At the core of this story with its very adult conflicts is the optimistic and confident child who finds friends all around the world, and will find a friend in readers today, a century later. Overall, this is a compelling, well-researched book that reads like a treasured photo album with a narrator to tell you the stories behind the people. Make the discovery! (8 and up)

PICTURE BOOK
DRUMBEAT IN OUR FEET by Patricia A. Keeler and Julio T. Leitao, illustrated by Patricia Keeler (Lee & Low) After seeing the Batoto Yetu performance of young dancers in New York City, the author was inspired to write this truly informative and exuberant tribute to the art form of African Dance. Double-page spreads seep from sepia-toned scenes from Africa into energetic full-color watercolors of a class in Harlem in preparation for a big show. We see the powerful dance that accompanies a boy's coming of age, the Mukanda; the image-dances that imitate lumbering elephants and high-flying birds; we learn the meaning behind the face-paint of the Yoruba and Shona; we vicariously hear drums that speak, animal skin voices that carry for miles, and communicate with each other through call and response; we honor ancestors and spirits through dance, masks, libation and celebration. The author maintains an amazingly seamless flow between the factual information and the movement toward the big performance. Notes after the text include vibrant full-color photos, as well as a clear map, pronunciation guide, and a listing of the author's sources. This high-interest, high-octane book has a tremendous immediacy and children will definitely come away from it knowing things they didn't know before. It is a brilliant contribution to multicultural literature as well as literature about the arts, and will bring out the dancer/drummer/painter in every reader. If children enjoy this book, they will also enjoy jumping in to CAPOEIRA! GAME! DANCE! MARTIAL ART! by legendary children's author and photojournalist George Ancona (also published by Lee & Low), where readers can learn the basic steps and background of the expressive Brazilian movement that synthesizes many art forms. (both 6 and up)

PALEO SHARKS: SURVIVAL OF THE STRANGEST by Timothy J. Bradley (Chronicle) Dinosaurs. Sharks. Dinosaurs. Sharks. Ask a boy what they want to read about, and at one point another, they will say dinosaurs or sharks. So how about a book that combines dinosaurs and sharks...that's right, that's what I said! Hard-core dinosaur-shark fans can delve into this full deck of super-toothy prehistoric undersea delights, illustrated with handsome, moody, decidedly graphic-novel-esque artwork, informative sidelines and enough new five-syllable names to keep paleontologists busy for a while (don't worry, pronunciation follows each word). Buzz-saw mouths! Tongues with teeth on them! Whale-eating sharks! This ain't no fooling around. What Jaws would check out if he had a library card. (7 and up)

TELL ME A PICTURE by Quentin Blake (Millbrook) Summer means visits to museums, and we have the renowned illustrator of Roald Dahl's works and Children's Laureate as a dream guide though the marble halls. Blake is dedicated to making art accessible to all, and this book is particularly effective in that regard, as we follow some cartoonish characters on an alphabetic exploration of the National Gallery. The artist is introduced, we see the painting, and then are tuned into questions and reactions of our cartoon counterparts. It gives some heavy fine art a light touch by allowing the person looking to respond without intrusive commentary, and the really brilliant stroke in this book is that it includes children's book illustration alongside the work of Old Masters. We move from Goya and Edward Hopper to Roberto Innocenti and Lizabeth Zwerger. In this way, the value of art for children is deeply affirmed, and such juxtapositions also ask children to look for and value art everywhere. The message is: Look! Look! Look! This is the most sensitive and developmentally appropriate art book for children that I know, and though this is not the newest book (it's in paperback!) I am dreadfully concerned that it's not in everyone's collection. Own some great art today by adding it to yours. (5 and up)

DOGS AND CATS by Steve Jenkins (Houghton Mifflin) By far, the most requested topic at my school library is "pets," and this fact-filled compendium by a Caldecott-winning illustrator delivers. The book can be clevery flipped, dogs on one side and cats on the other, like getting two books in one, converging in the middle to answer about felines and canines: "friends or enemies?" The whole book takes an inquiry based approach, answering questions like "where did the first dog come from?" "How is a dog breed created?' "Why do cats scratch the furniture?" Did you know cats don't have a collarbone, and can't taste sweets? Can you name the first dog in space? This book is fat with fun facts in language that is never dumbed down, fetchingly illustrated in Jenkin's signature torn-paper style. Sure to be a pet reading pick. (6 and up)

DADBLAMED UNION ARMY COW by Susan Fletcher, illustrated by Kimberly Bulcken Root (Candlewick) "That dadblamed cow! When I went off to the railway station to ride with my regiment, I told her, 'Git home now, you dadblamed cow.' But she snuck on board when nobody was looking. 'Whose dadblamed cow is this?' Captain asked. Dadblamed cow said, 'Moo.' That dadblamed cow! She followed me to the war. Marched step by step all the way South. Clop two three four, Clop two three four. Dadblamed, footsore cow!" The loyal bovine follows her swearing soldier all the way into battle, where her devotion and her udders go far to save lives. Based on a true story of a cow that marched with the Union Army during the Civil War (author's note included), this colloquial, spirited tale that the youngest history enthusiasts and military families can enjoy captures the voice and frustration of its narrator, and is accompanied by folksy, sketchy landscapes of the war and its weary combatants. A book with a lot of heart, and milk with which to wash it down. (5 and up)

THE GOLDEN RULE by Ilene Cooper, illustrated by Gabi Swiatowska (Abrams) A thoughtful conversation between a boy and his grandfather is inspired by the words, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." How does one start to practice such a rule? Can the little boy stretch his imagination and put himself in somebody else's shoes? By telling the truth, helping others in need and listening to others he finds the way to gild himself with what is truly golden. This book asks big questions such as what would happen if the whole world practiced what they preach, and ends with a high note of personal responsibility. The context of a boy speaking to a loved one keeps the story from being too preachy, and thoughtful artwork incorporates iconic imagery from all over the world. If you want to split library classification hairs, this does not officially qualify as a non-fiction book, but it's greatest strength is its aspects of philosophy and religion, and a look at the way The Golden Rule is worded from six different faiths. This is a powerful and necessary springboard into conversations with our own children, and would also be a welcome gift for any teacher or religious leader. (5 and up)

JANE ADDAMS: CHAMPION OF DEMOCRACY by Judith Bloom Fradin and Dennis Brindell Fradin (Clarion)

"Then Jane Addams came into the room! It was the first time that I looked into those kind, understanding eyes. There was a gleam of welcome in them that made me feel I was wanted. She told us that she was glad we had come. Her voice was warm and I knew she meant what she said. We were all poor. Some of us were underfed. Some of us had holes in our shoes. But we were not afraid of each other. What greater service can a human being give than to banish fear from the heart of a child?"

My high school history teacher Ms. Weissenberg once assigned what was for me a watershed book, ALTGELD'S AMERICA by Ginger Ray (now out of print), bringing the turn of the past century to life and infusing in me a lifelong interest in and inspiration through the contributions of Jane Addams and her Hull House. I was frustrated in later years by slim pickings of literature about her life. Imagine my delight in finding a children's book that does both Addams and that time period some justice! Lots of primary sources, lovely photographs and writing that doesn't balk at the tough stuff but words it in a way young people can understand brings history to life. This solid biography will also bring children to the point that they will appreciate this iconic figure from the past as a hero in the present, and is an especially poignant requisite reading choice as a woman contender enters the arena of presidential candidacy. Addams' far-reaching efforts such as co-founding the National Association of the Advancement of Colored People, presiding over the Women's Peace Party and and her outspoken role as a suffragette are legendary, but my favorite of her achievements was the establishment of Hull House settlement, a place where all of Chicago's tired, poor, hungry, huddled masses could come to learn languages, take classes in child care, cooking, drawing, singing, piano, athletics, chemistry, math, gymnastics, and participate in storytelling sessions, youth clubs, and reading groups. She also delivered a baby or two. All of her affiliations and actions earned her both the monikers "Miss Kind Heart" and "Most Dangerous Woman in America," but one thing for sure, Jane Addams was a "doer." The Fradins always write about doers. You can be a doer this summer by reading aloud their biographies to your children, so they can have great mentors and grow up to be doers, too. (10 and up)

Also of interest:
Flag still unfurled from the glorious Fourth? Keep that sparkler of interest glowing with Patriotic Picks from PlanetEsme, a list of All-American children's books.

Links are provided for informational use. Don't forget to support your local bookseller.

CHERRY THE PIG and PICTURE BOOK THROW-DOWN

Let's give a little jump-start to our summer blogapalooza with a picture book throw-down of a few choice picks from the new picture book pile!

THE STORY OF CHERRY THE PIG by Utako Yamada (Kane/Miller) When I read this book, I thought, "ah, what an absolutely darling story, and so old-fashioned in the best sense of the word! They don't make 'em like this anymore!" And I guess they don't, because it turns out this author has been writing for decades, and now we have the chance to discover her talents! This Japanese reprint import is the charming story of a piggy who bakes her best apple tart to enter in the big bake-off, but is discouraged when some nibbling mice give it less than rave reviews. Can she still make the cut in the competitive world of pastries? A sunny, retro take on the subjectivity of art, and the author went on to open a dessert shop, so she knows from whence she speaks! (4 and up)

FIX IT, SAM by Lori Reis, illustrated by Sue Rama (Charlesbridge) This little gem achieves a kind of picture book perfection. A few well-chosen words and jubilant crayon-scribbled depictions manage to speak volumes about the far-reaching effects of patience and kindness. Baby break, baby spill, baby drop, and brother fix, fix, fix. Though big boy Sam sometimes rolls his eyes, scratches his head and bends an eyebrow, in the end, it's the helping of his little brother that makes his rugrat counterpart want to follow in his footsteps. Just look at that little guy on the last page, bursting with pride after helping to assemble a motley tent for make-believe! This is the kind of unassuming book that may not win big awards, but kids will ask for it again and again, and it also shows boys in the best and brightest light. (3 and up)

THE DUMPSTER DIVER by Janet S. Wong, illustrated by David Roberts (Candlewick)
As a die-hard reader of ReadyMade magazine, I was thrilled by this ahead-of-its-time tome about Steve, a laid-back hipster bent on giving old things new life. Donning full protective regalia (half scuba-diving, half spaceman suit), he braves winged roaches and possible tetanus to dumpster-dive in search of treasure. To the delight of his young neighbors, a blender becomes a lava lamp, an old computer becomes a flowerpot, a tubeless tv becomes an aquarium. When Steve hurts himself, its up to the kids to collect Useful Junk from other neighbors to create something their friend will use...and love. In addition to developmentally affirming kids' desires to make things using what they have, the book realistically portrays the dangers of actual dumpster diving and underscores the pooh-poohing of it by old-school consumers ("The Grouch...says Steve is crazy--too lazy to work hard to make enough money to buy new stuff at the store like good people should. She says his apartment is full of junk!" ) Love those buggy endapapers and Steve's groovy digs, decorated with a Bette Midler poster and bike-wheel mobile. This is an upbeat book to dive into again and again as a springboard for meaningful discussions about consumerism and recycling with the next Greatest Generation. (6 and up)

GATOR by Randy Cecil (Candlewick) When business at the amusement park carousel slows down, the most popular animal on the ride goes out to explore the world on his own. Children will appreciate the sense of adventure and the expressive, memorable hero with a hole in his heart where the pole used to be. (4 and up)

SKY SWEEPER by Phyllis Gershator, illustrated by Holly Meade (Farrar Straus & Giroux) The monks need a temple, the temple needs a garden, and the garden needs a flower keeper...Takeboki! As one season follows another, though, members of the Japanese community question why Takeboki's ambitions do not stretch far beyond the garden gates. In the end, Takeboki's dedication and singleness of purpose inspires all. In these days of unnecessary competition, this story of a boy who is content to do one simple job well is very refreshing...and this book will also awaken an understanding in children to give thought to workers who do the tasks that may seem mundane, but are necessary and deserve appreciation. (6 and up)

I DON'T LIKE GLORIA by Kaye Umansky, illustrated by Margaret Chamberlain (Candlewick) "The first thing she did was eat out of my bowl. MY bowl. She has her own bowl. It says GLORIA on it. Mine says CALVIN. Can't she read?" One pet feels displaced by another, but then again, it could always be worse in this bold and funny tribute to family rivalries. If you liked the brave, rueful art and humor of Sam Lloyd's MR. PUSSKINS, you will like this title as well. A nice storytime pairing with I DON'T LIKE GLORIA would be LOVE THE BABY by Steven Layne, illustrated by Ard Hoyt (Pelican), about a poor big brother bunny who is perpetually entreated to "help me love the baby," which is hard to do when Baby is getting lap time with Mommy and blocks with daddy and the special Scrub-a-Dub song from Nana! Brother manages to help love the baby when only he has the magic touch that can get wascally wabbit back to sleep. Especially comical text and illustration keep this book fresh...yes, this "newcomer-grows-on-you" theme has been visited before (as in Kevin Henkes' JULIUS, THE BABY OF THE WORLD), but who can tire of seeing it done right? (4 and up)

THE DOG CHILD by Simon Black, illustrated by Gernimo Garcia (Cinco Puntos Press) Well, I'm afraid this book's execution really stretched the limits of credulity for me, but given the wildly enthusiastic response of the children, I would be remiss if I did not recommend it. Ever meet those kind of people who, when you ask them to show you a picture of their kid, they show you their dog or cat? Such are the "parents" of the Dog Child. They push the limit between loving and loony by enrolling him in school, signing him up for t-ball, and when they ultimately throw him a birthday party, he uses his wish upon the candles to ask for a human addition to the family (when this canine backed up to the cake I thought we were going to have a derivative toot-salute to William Kotzwinkle's WALTER THE FARTING DOG, but no, he blows out the candle another way). Good call, doggie! (5 and up)

DELILAH D. AT THE LIBRARY by Jeanne Willis, illustrated by Rosie Reeve (Clarion) Delilah D. hails from a faraway land where they eat doughnuts and cupcakes in the library, a dreamy princess delivers storytime and trapeze are handy for reaching the high shelves. Where is this land? Alas alack, even a double-page spread cannot help Delilah D. find it on the map, and her ambassador status does not exempt her from following the library rules. Oversized format, a jaunty font, smiling faces a-plenty and a push-the-limits little girl all converge to give this book energy akin to the work of Lauren Child. A dandy read-aloud choice whether starting the summer library reading program or hosting a storytime amidst the shelves. (5 and up)

AND THE TRAIN GOES... by William Bee (Candlewick) Clickerty-click, clickerty-clack, an onomatopoetic train comes down the track! Do you hear the whistle blowing? The book calls for you to get on board with some choral reading. Quirky swirls and lines, bold symmetry and patterns bring to mind vintage Ed Emberley revisited for a new century (check out the Caldecott-winning classic, DRUMMER HOFF to see Bee's stylistic cousin). (2 and up)

Links are provided for informational use. Don't forget to support your local bookseller.

EMMA-JEAN LAZARUS FELL OUT OF A TREE (FICTION)

FICTION
EMMA-JEAN LAZARUS FELL OUT OF A TREE by Lauren Tarshis (Dial)

An unusual surge of energy came over Emma-Jean, very possibly a thrill, as she took a step toward Colleen. She had the feeling of walking through an invisible door, the door that had always seemed to separate her from her fellow seventh graders.
Surprisingly, the door was wide open.

Emma-Jean Lazarus approaches her 7th grade class with the distant, bemused air of a cultural anthropologist, and years of careful observation have culminated in a confidence that she can solve her cohorts' condundrums, whether they be botched invitations, false accusations by teachers, or grown-ups who fall in love when it is clearly not a good idea. Unfortunately, Emma-Jean's methodology for problem-solving generally involves forgery, and she manages to complicate things more often than not.

The true beauty of this first novel is the deep compassion for outsider Emma-Jean, who takes pride in being "strange" (dictionary definition: extraordinary, remarkable, singular), who rationalizes the world according to the theories of Jules Henri Poincaré (a mathematician held in high esteem by her deceased father), and manages to have a real affection for her classmates despite the lack of inclusion in their circles. There is also strong attention given to other characters: the grown-ups are flawed but appropriately involved and refreshingly likable; the boys are often oblivious to machinations for and against them ("Perhaps there was more to Will Keeler than mediocre grades and exceptional basketball skills. Perhaps he posessed a talent for old-fashioned gallantry that went largely unnoticed in the modern hallways of William Gladstone Middle School") and popular Colleen, cheerful and repressive, cares desperately and distractingly about what other people think ("She wished she could recapture the feeling she'd had the other day at school, when for just a few moments she really didn't care what Laura Gilroy thought of her. But that had lasted no longer than the flavor in a stick of sugarless bubble gum").

Emma-Jean's developmentally pitch-perfect delusions of her own power are poignant, but even more stirring is the the underlying message that being nice and having good intentions counts for something in this world, even when the best laid plans of mice and men and middle school girls often go awry. Also impressive was this new author's ability to write a book in third person that feels as confidential as first person...aspiring authors, take note of her formidable technique. This novel is that rare realistic fiction that works as a read-aloud for older kids, and is also a really perfect choice for those 'tweeners who are not quite ready for the pallor of some hard-core young adult fiction. It's light without feeling facile, and features strong characters that will have plenty of middle-schoolers saying, "hey, that's me!" (11 and up)

Also of interest:
An extra dose of intermediate girl-power!
It is very rare to find a book in which you cannot manage to turn a page without laughing, but Sid Fleischman Humor Award winner MILLICENT MIN: GIRL GENIUS by Lisa Yee (Scholastic) is that book. Millicent's tentative, earnest steps toward achieving every pre-teen girl's dream--making and keeping a real best friend--loom larger even than Millicent's goal to win the Field's Medal, the highest mathematical honor a person under forty can achieve. ("It would be great to do all this by age twenty but I don't want to put too much pressure on myself. Therefore, if it doesn't happen until I am, say, twenty-three, that's fine with me.") As Millicent tutors a jock named Stanford (who stars in his own sequel, STANFORD WONG FLUNKS BIG TIME), survives her first sleepover, spikes a point for her volleyball team and tries valiantly to hide her genius from her ebullient friend Emily, she learns that there are book smarts and people smarts, and both are important. It's nice to have a heroine who is more concerned with learning curves than body curves, and her character's development is gradual and convincing and a pleasure to read. Millicent is the valedictorian of the intermediate reading list (no Field's Medal, I know, but it will have to do for now). (11 and up)

DIARY OF A WOULD-BE PRINCESS by Jessica Green (Charlesbridge) shows us that mean girls and typecasts are an international malaise, as an Australian girl does some clumsy social climbing. Episodic writing is hilarious in parts, and readers sympathize with feel for the heroine as her party goes exactly as unplanned, she trips over her own true talents for public speaking and struggles with the making and keeping of friends...the best one being a boy. (11 and up)

MAKEOVERS BY MARCIA by Claudia Mills (Farrar Straus Giroux) Marcia is less than thrilled when she discovers her eighth grade community service project will entail visits to the local nursing home. Distracted by pre-teen concerns like her perceived weight gain, difficulties in art class and the upcoming dance, working with a bunch of old people is last on her list. When her savvy sister suggests she combine her talent and interest in makeup with her requisite visits, it sets off a series of connections that, in the end, help Marcia get her priorities straight. Mills is a too-often overlooked talent when it comes to the delicate art of capturing the voice of the 'tweenager: "Of course, it was only the second week of school, and Marcia knew that no boy was even thinking of asking a girl to the dance yet. It would take some serious, but subtle, manipulating by the girls to plant the seed of that thought in the dry, stony soil of an eighth grade boy's brain." Marcia's magazine-inspired machinations backfire hilariously, and her relationships with the elderly blossom in a way that is both believable and uncontrived. A nice balance is achieved between who Marcia is trying to be and who she really is, and make her a character that many girls will look upon with both sympathy and empathy. Emotional depth, laugh-out-loud humor and a rhythm that matches the heartbeat of its intended audience mark this well-written intergenerational story that will inspire community service, self-esteem and an appetite for more books by the author. (11 and up)

IDA B. AND HER PLANS TO MAXIMIZE FUN, AVOID DISASTER AND (POSSIBLY) SAVE THE WORLD by Katherine Hannigan (Greenwillow) The unconventional heroine of this award-winning book is homeschooled, and likes her cozy world built around her by her loving parents, but when her mother's health takes a turn for the worse, the family must sell part of their beloved orchard, and Ida B. must go to a public school. Ida B's character is a standout as a philosophical, inventive and imaginative, but also deeply flawed, as she has many preconceptions about people who are not like her (and in need of her correction), and harbors a bit of a mean streak. Ultimately she freewheels out of the orbit in which her only-child self was once the gravitational force, but whether you like her or not, it's hard to get this precocious protagonist out of your mind. A must for free-spirits and tree-spirits. (10 and up)

On a personal note
I recently had the massive pinch-me-I'm-dreaming honor of sharing a podium with the legendary National Book Award and Newbery-winning author Katherine Paterson (of BRIDGE TO TEREBITHIA fame) at the recent conference for the International Reading Association in Toronto. We both read aloud from our work, and we agreed that her character Rosa and my character Paris would have made good friends. Everyone was wildly impressed with the charming Italian affect Katherine gave to the characters in her recent historical fiction, BREAD AND ROSES, TOO. I was greatly relieved at how absolutely kind and personable she was, especially since I don't think I could have been more nervous about meeting her than if I were meeting the Queen of England. Katherine Paterson in fact met the Queen of Sweden this year to receive the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, which is pretty much the Nobel Prize for children's literature.


At the conference, she paraphrased from her lecture given in Stockholm to the breathless teachers in the room:

“I’m very Biblically oriented, and so for me the most important thing is for the word to become flesh. I can write stories for children and young people, and in that sense I can offer them words, but you are the word become flesh in your classroom. Society has taught our children that they are nobodies unless their faces appear on television. But by your caring, by your showing them how important each one of them is, you become the word that I would like to share with each of them. You are that word become flesh.”

This lecture was personally inspiring to me, as I have often been questioned about why I went back to teaching when my writing career was in full swing. It was hard to explain the spiritual and pragmatic need for a balance between writing and teaching; I did not see the sense of writing books unless I was also working to support kids directly so they could and would read. Whether secular or not, teaching really does feel like the word is being made flesh, and is a natural compliment to the communication and sharing intrinsic to writing. Thank you, Katherine Paterson, for articulating that connection so meaningfully, and acknowledging the work of teachers. There was not a dry eye in the house, as they say! More of Katherine Paterson's brilliant and inspirational essays and lectures have been compiled in the hard-to-find treasure THE INVISIBLE CHILD: ON READING AND WRITING BOOKS FOR CHILDREN, and Ms. Paterson has been featured in Gail McMeekin's 12 SECRETS OF HIGHLY CREATIVE WOMEN: A PORTABLE MENTOR. Writing, read-aloud and giving lectures that resonate, this is a woman with many talents and gifts; the world is a better place because she is in it.

Links are provided for informational use. Don't forget to support your local bookseller.

INVENTION OF HUGO CABRET (FICTION) and VISIT TO READING REPTILE

FICTION
THE INVENTION OF HUGO CABRET by Brian Selznick (Scholastic)

From Wikipedia:

In 1913 Georges Méliès' film company was forced into bankruptcy by the large French and American studios and his company was bought out of receivership by Pathé Frères. After being driven out of business Méliès became a toy salesman at the Montparnasse station. In 1932 the Cinema Society gave Méliès a home in Château d'Orly. Méliès did not grasp the value of his films, and with some 500 films recorded on cellulose, the French Army seized most of this stock to be melted down into boot heels during World War I. Many of the other films were sold to be recycled into new film. As a result many of these films do not exist today. In time, Méliès was rediscovered and honored for his work, eventually taking up stage performance.

The scene opens. The moon sets and the sun rises over a bustling train station, so crowded, it's hard to differentiate one person from the other, but no...here is one Hugo Cabret, a wide-eyed boy looking furitively over his shoulder. Does anyone see him disappear into the walls, does anyone see him peer from behind the hands of a large clock at the doings of the station's toy booth, where he will pilfer yet another mechanical toy for parts to repair the mechanical man he has hidden away, an "automaton," rescued from a fire? If he can make the automaton work, Hugo feels sure its metal hand will write a note from his departed father, conveying a plan to keep him safe. But when the hot-tempered man in the toy booth discovers Hugo's misdeeds, and his notebook with cryptic sketches that the peddler inexplicably recognizes, all bets are off. Only the telling of well-kept secrets by all the characters can free them.

I always felt that Brian Selznick reinvented the illustrated novel with THE MEANEST DOLL IN THE WORLD, but with HUGO CABRET, I think he has managed to create a whole new genre in children's literature: the cinematic novel. An astonishing hybrid of screenplay, graphic novel and good old fashioned page-turner, this is as perfect a foray into the new as was Georges Melies' movie, "A Trip to the Moon," which, fittingly, is featured in this novel. Selznick builds the action not only with words but with illustration, heightening, tightening with close-ups and pans, an artistic technique that magically puts the action into real time. As you read this book, you can feel that you are reading something new and old at once, like you are discovering a carefully machined nineteenth-century technology that has been long dormant in some attic, but still manages to inspire wonder..an automaton, perhaps? No, it is a book, a book that breaths new life into both publishing and reading, and one that, at last, speaks to kids from a world where they have been inundated with images. Selznick often manages to weave his own interest in magic, art and cinema into his work, and his personal affection for his subjects are contagious. So many times children want to read long books for status (Harry Potter effect) but the themes or story are not necessaily developmentally suitable, but here we have a book that feels long and thick but is truly readable and appropriate for intermediate readers, ages 9-12. This book with the feel of another time is for this time, a generation of children who have been preparing for the visual acrobatics that HUGO provides. This groundbreaking mystery is pure excitement that will allow young readers a sense of accomplishment in its completion. It's a great read-aloud, a must read for anyone who keeps up with the award contenders and an absolute must-share for any boy. A few favorite lines:

Hugo thought about his father's description of the automaton."Did you ever notice that all machines are made for some reason? he asked Isabelle. "They are built to make you laugh, like the mouse here, or to tell the time like clocks, or to fill you with wonder, like the automaton. Maybe that's why a broken machine always makes me a little sad, because it isn't able to do what it was meant to do....

"Sometimes I come up here at night, even when I'm not fixing the clocks, just to look at the city. I like to imagine that the world is one big machine. You know, machines never have any extra parts. They have the exact number and types of parts they need. So I figure if the entire world is one big machine, I have to be here for some reason. And that means you have to be here for some reason, too."


On a personal note
Must gush.
My trip to Reading Reptile in Kansas City, MO for the DNA Festival of Children's Literature can only be described as transcendental. It was one of the nicest weekends of my entire life both as an author and as a reader. I got to speak to hundreds of school children, and also had the pleasure of speaking to educators and listening to other great talents present: the effervescent Pam Munoz Ryan (have you read RIDING FREEDOM, a great fictionalized chapter-book biography of the first woman to vote in California, years before any other woman, by disguising herself as a man?) Kadir Nelson (who is as beautiful and brilliant in person as his artwork is on the page), my new friend Mark Teague (who is not actually a dinosaur), a rare appearance by Paul Goble who traveled all the way from England, my favorite genius Brian Selznick, and dear heart Mordicai Gerstein, who I was especially excited to see so I could tell him how I had just recently read aloud his brilliant and under-recognized CAROLINDA CLATTER to a rapt audience of children (book review below). The Reading Reptile is a true traveling bibliophile's destination, a children's booklover's dream come true. Co-owner Pete is an Aslan-like kid-lit leader with an outspoken and sparkling wit, and kind, generous and patient angel co-owner Debbie is also a ridiculously talented paper-maché artist who uses her formidable gifts to bring favorite characters from books into our 3-D world, and going to the store was like getting to walk around some fantastic real-life Viewmaster. Honestly, I walked around and around that store eating up the eye-candy for at least an hour, and every time I took another spin there was something wonderous that I hadn't noticed before. From the handmade No, David! puppets to the room you can walk into that looks like a scene from James Marshall's George and Martha to the Babar fresco on the ceiling to paper maché scupltures of Harry the Dirty Dog and Tintin and Rosemary Well's bunny Max to a parade of characters inspired by Kevin Henkes to Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree to Dr. DeSoto fixing a Fox's teeth and dragons and Daniel Pinkwater characters and Wild Thing Max and a stampede of gerbils flying from the ceiling, and...and...and...will you indulge me in a few photographs?

Caps, caps for sale! Fifty cents a cap! (as inspired by the work of Esphyr Slobodkina)

Interesting collections were interspersed throughout the shelves, protected by plexiglass like little museum exhibits

The George and Martha room, as inspired by the work of James Marshall

Brian Selznick and Esme Codell: if they mated! See our love child?

No, David! puppets, as inspired by the work of David Shannon

Goodnight, Gorilla swings from the ceiling, as inspired by the work of Peggy Rathmann

A wonderful frieze inspired by Ruth Stiles Gannett's My Father's Dragon

Baby Sunny from Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events hangs in her cage from the tower

Jean de Brunhoff's Babar makes for a celestial ceiling

Illustrator Kadir Nelson can't resist a little browsing...

Even the seat cushions were inspired by children's books!

Fun flying in from every corner!

I think Harry the Dirty Dog inspired by Gene Zion's book was my favorite!

On top of these wonderful opportunities to talk to folks, our posse of book-creators were treated to a home-catered meal of salmon and noodles and a sauce that was so glorious, it elicited tears, trembling and groans of joy. I promise you, I could not have enough film to capture all the delightful pieces in this haven. I thought nothing could beat Wisconsin's House on the Rock for sheer artistic inspiration, but Reading Reptile sure gave it a run for the money. Mordicai Gerstein made some resonating closing remarks at the presentations about the importance of imagination, and how we live in one another's imagination through the environments we create and the ideas we share. I just feel so blessed that I could walk around for a little while in Pete and Deb's imagination, and also meet their amazing children, staff, friends and family. When I say my links to Amazon on my wesbite are for informational purposes, I mean it; they may be a great resource for reviews and opinions, but walk into a place like Reading Reptile and you will see why independent booksellers have something that no chain or on-line seller can ever come close to replicating, and why they deeply deserve our support. This place had so much heart and warmth and a remarkable selection of books clearly chosen by people who knew what kids love, this store conveyed a real desire not only to sell books but to spread the pulsating and visceral joy, and P-O-W-E-R of children's literature. Reading Reptile is a living testament to how independent booksellers can build community and support the arts. After my visit, my new goals in life are a) to get better at working with paper maché and b) write something or be someone worthy of canonization in their magnificent and magical space. Going to Reading Reptile was like getting to stand inside a firework, a zinnia, a book come to life . I hope you all get to go someday.

On another personal note:
I will be speaking and signing at The International Reading Association (IRA) conference in Toronto next week, presenting on Wednesday a.m., in a session with Katherine Paterson and signing my favorite, VIVE LA PARIS at the Hyperion booth at noon....if you are coming, please do say hi! I can't wait. Wish me luck!

And on another personal note:
Ah, I'll pace myself...a lot going on. I'll share in the weeks to come.

Also of interest:
CAROLINDA CLATTER
by Mordicai Gerstein (Roaring Brook)
A giant's unrequited love with the moon causes him to cry himself to sleep. "After a hundred years, grass grew all over him. After a thousand years, his eyes became two ponds. His tears became two waterfalls. His beard and the hair on his head became forests." The town of Pupickton is built on the mountain that looks like a giant, right on his belly, and through the years, the townspeople whisper "Shhhh! You'll wake the giant." This is too tall an order for Carolinda Clatter, who is born noisy and whose clamor ultimately rouses the giant from his sleep. Can this boisterous girl find the song to soothe his broken heart? This book is a delight to read aloud (if you can manage the catch in your throat on the last few pages) with an original plot and pictures that capture all the colors and moods of this magical man and mountain. As always, Gerstein's work captures something deep; not just the lightning bug, but the glow of the lightning bug, not just the tear, but the salt, and in this noisy book is the whisper of things universal: the need to be loved, the need to be ourselves, the need for peace. In the body of work of this gentle giant called Gerstein, this title is one of the great romances of children's literature and is not to be overlooked. (6 and up)

And it has come to my attention that some young people in this country still have not read Rick Riordan's PERCY AND THE OLYMPIANS series (Hyperion)! Gasp! This is a very grave situation! Children MUST not miss out! This is our American Harry Potter, the thrilling chronicles of a boy who thinks he has behavioral disorders, only to find out that his father is a Greek god, thus making him a demi-god and prone to, uh, learning differences, and more than a few breathtaking adventures! Children can brush up on Latin and mythology subliminally, and best of all, the series has kids disappearing for hours to read, carried off and away by the fantasy. The latest one, THE TITAN'S CURSE, is out now! Get all three for perfect summer reading for ages 10 and up.

Links are provided for informational use. Don't forget to support your local bookseller.