I'm crooning those revised Secondhand Serenade lyrics to my novel, The Jonah Bottle. I finished the first draft on Leap Day, ten months ago. At that point I said, "Of course, the whole thing is in desperate need of a bath, shave, manicure, pedicure, floss, brush, trim and Macy’s gift card, but the bones are there!"
And now, tonight, to the sounds of millions rejoicing--music, fireworks, and loud huzzahs--I will finish the final trim.
That's not saying the book will be perfectus. Oh, no, no, no.
But it will be ready to visit all my critique partners, who, like Cinderella's stepsisters (no offense, ladies), will rip my new Macy's ensemble to pieces, thereby reducing me to tears. But ... their actions will set me to work again, and the result will surpass this draft as the fairy godmother's dress surpassed the mice's creation.
Boy, I'm feeling lyrical this morning.
December Reading Log
Clouds of Witness, by Dorothy Sayers
Nation, by Terry Pratchett
A Comedy of Errors, by William Shakespeare *
Tender Morsels, by Margo Lanagan
A Northern Light, by Jennifer Donnelly
*denotes a title I resolved to read this year
Nation, by Terry Pratchett
A Comedy of Errors, by William Shakespeare *
Tender Morsels, by Margo Lanagan
A Northern Light, by Jennifer Donnelly
*denotes a title I resolved to read this year
YA Starts at ... Seventeen?
My mom and I were talking about some of the books I’ve read this year, and the question came up, “What is YA?”
“Well,” I said, “my age-bracket is probably way above the publisher’s target audience. Upper highschool and early college, definitely not 6th grade.”
“Do your readers know that?” she asked. “Do they know that when you recommend a YA book you don’t mean 12 & up?”
Wikipedia defines young adults as “adolescents, roughly between the ages of 12 and 18.” Their YA article is quite interesting, listing classics that appealed to young readers even though they were not specifically marketed to them: Little Women, Great Expectations, Tom Sawyer.
“Appeal” is the magic word there. In the 19th century, says Wikipedia, adolescent culture didn't exist in a modern sense. A novel didn’t require “peer pressure, illness, divorce, drugs, gangs, crime, violence, sexuality, incest, oral sex, and female/male rape” to speak to and appeal to young readers.
What did a novel require? A strong story.
Librarians often advocate “real” fiction: writing true to life, which means including all the junk that goes along with being a modern teenager. “Critics of such content argue that the novels encourage destructive or immoral behavior. Others argue that fictional portrayal of teens successfully addressing difficult situations and confronting social issues helps readers deal with real-life challenges.”
Sure and ye’ve kissed the blarney stone.
In the end, it boils down to individual readers and individual maturity. Librarians can talk until they’re blue in the face, but really, parents are the ones who should be deciding if their adolescent is ready to plunge into the world of Bella Swan.
Unhappily, many parents just don’t care. It’s fiction, for heaven’s sake. They don’t have time to preread a 200-page book. They’re glad the child is reading at all! “It’s from the school library … it won an award … they made it into a movie.” These testimonals are usually good enough.
I can’t fight apathy. I can only ask, “are young readers helped or hindered by an early diet of YA literature?” and hope that a few parents will look into the question for themselves.
“Well,” I said, “my age-bracket is probably way above the publisher’s target audience. Upper highschool and early college, definitely not 6th grade.”
“Do your readers know that?” she asked. “Do they know that when you recommend a YA book you don’t mean 12 & up?”
Wikipedia defines young adults as “adolescents, roughly between the ages of 12 and 18.” Their YA article is quite interesting, listing classics that appealed to young readers even though they were not specifically marketed to them: Little Women, Great Expectations, Tom Sawyer.
“Appeal” is the magic word there. In the 19th century, says Wikipedia, adolescent culture didn't exist in a modern sense. A novel didn’t require “peer pressure, illness, divorce, drugs, gangs, crime, violence, sexuality, incest, oral sex, and female/male rape” to speak to and appeal to young readers.
What did a novel require? A strong story.
Librarians often advocate “real” fiction: writing true to life, which means including all the junk that goes along with being a modern teenager. “Critics of such content argue that the novels encourage destructive or immoral behavior. Others argue that fictional portrayal of teens successfully addressing difficult situations and confronting social issues helps readers deal with real-life challenges.”
Sure and ye’ve kissed the blarney stone.
In the end, it boils down to individual readers and individual maturity. Librarians can talk until they’re blue in the face, but really, parents are the ones who should be deciding if their adolescent is ready to plunge into the world of Bella Swan.
Unhappily, many parents just don’t care. It’s fiction, for heaven’s sake. They don’t have time to preread a 200-page book. They’re glad the child is reading at all! “It’s from the school library … it won an award … they made it into a movie.” These testimonals are usually good enough.
I can’t fight apathy. I can only ask, “are young readers helped or hindered by an early diet of YA literature?” and hope that a few parents will look into the question for themselves.
Reading, ‘Riting, and Resolutions: I Simply Remember My Favorites Books (2008)
I’ve already listed my favorite children’s/YA novels of 2008, but I read so much more— classics, classics, mystery, theology, fluff—113 books to be exact, which doesn’t seem like much until you start figuring that about ten of those were over 500 pages long.
In January, I wrote an enormous reading resolution. The list included a bajillion classics, “at least five Newberys,” and the King James Bible.
I never thought I’d get through so much of that list as I did—which just shows to go you (as my grandpa likes to say) that setting goals really is a healthy habit. If I hadn’t set mine, 2008’s reading accomplishments would definitely not have included War and Peace and Moby Dick and Paradise Lost and Brothers Karamazov and Bleak House and … you get the picture.
So here’s my checklist (for the sake of posterity). Successes marked in bold.
KJ Bible: 52 of 64 books.
Iliad, by Homer
Don Quixote, by Miguel Cervantes
Les Miserables, by Victor Hugo
Paradise Lost, by John Milton
Moby Dick, by Herman Melville
War and Peace, by Leo Tolstoy
The Brothers Karamazov, by Fyodor Dostoevsky
Uncle Tom’s Cabin, by Harriet Beecher Stowe
The Great Gatsby, by John Fitzgerald
The Killer Angels, Michael Shaara
Nineteen Eighty-Four, by George Orwell
Bleak House, by Charles Dickens
Rob Roy, by Sir Walter Scott
Ivanhoe, by Sir Walter Scott
The Mind of the Maker, by Dorothy Sayers
Man Who Was Thursday, by G.K. Chesterton
Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne
House of Seven Gables, by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Brave New World, by Adolph Huxley
Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen
84 Charing Cross Road, by Helene Hanff
Antony and Cleopatra
Merchant of Venice
Comedy of Errors
Two Gentlemen of Verona
All’s Well That Ends Well
At least five old Newberys
Inspired by Sarah M.’s year-end review, I’ve categorized some of my favorites.
In January, I wrote an enormous reading resolution. The list included a bajillion classics, “at least five Newberys,” and the King James Bible.
I never thought I’d get through so much of that list as I did—which just shows to go you (as my grandpa likes to say) that setting goals really is a healthy habit. If I hadn’t set mine, 2008’s reading accomplishments would definitely not have included War and Peace and Moby Dick and Paradise Lost and Brothers Karamazov and Bleak House and … you get the picture.
So here’s my checklist (for the sake of posterity). Successes marked in bold.
KJ Bible: 52 of 64 books.
Iliad, by Homer
Don Quixote, by Miguel Cervantes
Les Miserables, by Victor Hugo
Paradise Lost, by John Milton
Moby Dick, by Herman Melville
War and Peace, by Leo Tolstoy
The Brothers Karamazov, by Fyodor Dostoevsky
Uncle Tom’s Cabin, by Harriet Beecher Stowe
The Great Gatsby, by John Fitzgerald
The Killer Angels, Michael Shaara
Nineteen Eighty-Four, by George Orwell
Bleak House, by Charles Dickens
Rob Roy, by Sir Walter Scott
Ivanhoe, by Sir Walter Scott
The Mind of the Maker, by Dorothy Sayers
Man Who Was Thursday, by G.K. Chesterton
Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne
House of Seven Gables, by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Brave New World, by Adolph Huxley
Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen
84 Charing Cross Road, by Helene Hanff
Antony and Cleopatra
Merchant of Venice
Comedy of Errors
Two Gentlemen of Verona
All’s Well That Ends Well
At least five old Newberys
Inspired by Sarah M.’s year-end review, I’ve categorized some of my favorites.
Best New Discovery of 2008
Frank Cottrell Boyce
Favorite Classic
Brothers Karamazov, by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Favorite Mystery
Busman's Honeymoon, by Dorothy Sayers
Greatest Reading Accomplishment
War and Peace, by Leo Tolstoy
Favorite Reread
I just realized that I didn’t reread The Blue Castle this year. This. Is. Serious.
Biggest Failure to Complete
Don Quixote, by Miguel Cervantes
Five Books I Wish I Never Laid Eyes On
Melusine, by Lynn Reid Banks
Moby Dick, by Herman Melville
1984, by George Orwell
Nick and Norah's Infinate Playlist, by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
Breaking Dawn, by Stephenie Meyer
Books I Didn’t Think I’d Like But Ended Up Amazing
Favorite Classic
Brothers Karamazov, by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Favorite Mystery
Busman's Honeymoon, by Dorothy Sayers
Greatest Reading Accomplishment
War and Peace, by Leo Tolstoy
Favorite Reread
I just realized that I didn’t reread The Blue Castle this year. This. Is. Serious.
Biggest Failure to Complete
Don Quixote, by Miguel Cervantes
Five Books I Wish I Never Laid Eyes On
Melusine, by Lynn Reid Banks
Moby Dick, by Herman Melville
1984, by George Orwell
Nick and Norah's Infinate Playlist, by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
Breaking Dawn, by Stephenie Meyer
Books I Didn’t Think I’d Like But Ended Up Amazing
Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley
The Killer Angels, by Michael Shaara
The Killer Angels, by Michael Shaara
And then, because I’m sure as heck not making another monster list this year:
Five Books I Wish I Had Read and Plan on Reading in 2009
Les Miserables, by Victor Hugo
The Mind of the Maker, by Dorothy Sayers
Manalive, by G. K. Chesterton
Mystery and Manners, by Flannery O'Connor
Anna Karenina, by Leo Tolstoy
Plus finish the King James Bible:
2&3 John, Jude, Revelation
Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1&2 Samuel, 1&2 Kings, 1 Chronicles
PHEW!
Best of the 2008 Crowd
Again we find ourselves at the end of a year as we knew it. Predictions are dire for 2009, but the publishing industry has hit brick walls before--readers and writers alike must trust that the One who stops the presses will continue to open windows, even in uncertain times.But what about 2008? What stories deserve fanfare as the best of the new? My personal top ten (in no particular order) ring up as follows:
The Penderwicks on Gardam Street, by Jeanne Birdsall
The Underneath, by Kathi Appelt
Trouble, by Gary Schmidt
Jellicoe Road, by Melina Marchetta
Savvy, by Ingrid Law
The Adoration of Jenna Fox, by Mary Pearson
The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins
Impossible, by Nancy Werlin
You're So Vain You Prob'ly Think This Blog is About You
Excuse the vanity shot. Sometimes I wonder, Aren't I too old to pose in the front of the mirror with disheveled hair and way more make-up than I ever wear in real life? But then a photo turns out like Anne of Cleves (you know, the queen who got engaged upon receipt of her portrait, and divorced upon receipt of her person ... or was it beheaded?). And my vain little bookish librarian self says, That was fun.
I Love, I Work, I Am
The public library hired me when I was seventeen. I'd been volunteering for months, shelving books, typing card kits, and chatting literature with the librarians. My passionate affair with reading had been going on for years--Nate the Great, Nancy Drew, David Copperfield. Now, four Saturdays a month, I was getting paid to indulge my love. I was a youth librarian.
Or was I?
Five years later, I'm still at the same library, and I'm still asking that same question. Am I a librarian? I don't work full time. I don't have a library science degree. I don't have a college education at all.
"You work at a library," my dad said once. "But do you think you're a librarian?"
Many writers encounter similar hesitation from without and from within. Am I really an author, just because I write? I mean, let's face it, there's no MFA after my name, and there's no hardcover novel waiting for my autograph. I write, but am I an author?
A close cousin of mine is planning to attend Wheaton next fall, where she'll begin work on her library science degree, partially, she says, because of my choice. "I know a lot of people who are librarians--my mom was, and you are."
Technically, however, in the eyes of society, my cousin will be the librarian, because she will be the professional. I can tell you without blinking who wrote Shakespeare for Kids, translate a request for "something red, or crimson, and a valley" into Ruby Holler by Sharon Creech, and recommend stories you'll come to adore based on titles you already love, but I will be the amateur.
I can spend thousands of dollars acquiring novels that fly off the shelves, catalogue a fifty-pound box of new books faster than a speeding bullet, and recite every likely Newbery candidate from a dozen lists and personal experience, but I will be the amateur.
Society views writers in much the same way: we're dreamers indulging a hobby unless our novel breaks through the Red-Rover chain of publishers. Only then do we become authors.
But could our culture's view of us--as authors and librarians--have anything to do with our view of ourselves? Could the opinion of the people around us be changed by an alteration of our self-respect? I'm not advocating belief in oneself. I heartily echo G.K Chesterton's assertion that "the men who really believe in themselves are all in lunatic asylums." But do you value your abilities honestly enough to be able to proclaim with conviction, "I am an author"?
The word amateur is rooted in Latin. Amo. I love. This might seem odd at first--doesn't amateur mean inexperienced? How does that relate to love? Look closer, though, and the etymology makes sense. A professional athlete plays the game for money. An amateur plays for love of the game--and sometimes plays it very well. A professional author can write for both money and love, but only an amateur writes purely for love.
Writers who are amateurs in the truest sense are also authors in the truest sense. They spend long hours studying the market, the tastes of editors, reading industry books and countless novels, the toast of every genre, trading days with friends and family for days with a computer screen. They write, in Uncle Andrew's words, "dem fine" stories, and they write them because they love them.
Amo being a librarian. I am a librarian. Amo being an author. I am an author.
What about you?
Or was I?
Five years later, I'm still at the same library, and I'm still asking that same question. Am I a librarian? I don't work full time. I don't have a library science degree. I don't have a college education at all.
"You work at a library," my dad said once. "But do you think you're a librarian?"
Many writers encounter similar hesitation from without and from within. Am I really an author, just because I write? I mean, let's face it, there's no MFA after my name, and there's no hardcover novel waiting for my autograph. I write, but am I an author?
A close cousin of mine is planning to attend Wheaton next fall, where she'll begin work on her library science degree, partially, she says, because of my choice. "I know a lot of people who are librarians--my mom was, and you are."
Technically, however, in the eyes of society, my cousin will be the librarian, because she will be the professional. I can tell you without blinking who wrote Shakespeare for Kids, translate a request for "something red, or crimson, and a valley" into Ruby Holler by Sharon Creech, and recommend stories you'll come to adore based on titles you already love, but I will be the amateur.
I can spend thousands of dollars acquiring novels that fly off the shelves, catalogue a fifty-pound box of new books faster than a speeding bullet, and recite every likely Newbery candidate from a dozen lists and personal experience, but I will be the amateur.
Society views writers in much the same way: we're dreamers indulging a hobby unless our novel breaks through the Red-Rover chain of publishers. Only then do we become authors.
But could our culture's view of us--as authors and librarians--have anything to do with our view of ourselves? Could the opinion of the people around us be changed by an alteration of our self-respect? I'm not advocating belief in oneself. I heartily echo G.K Chesterton's assertion that "the men who really believe in themselves are all in lunatic asylums." But do you value your abilities honestly enough to be able to proclaim with conviction, "I am an author"?
The word amateur is rooted in Latin. Amo. I love. This might seem odd at first--doesn't amateur mean inexperienced? How does that relate to love? Look closer, though, and the etymology makes sense. A professional athlete plays the game for money. An amateur plays for love of the game--and sometimes plays it very well. A professional author can write for both money and love, but only an amateur writes purely for love.
Writers who are amateurs in the truest sense are also authors in the truest sense. They spend long hours studying the market, the tastes of editors, reading industry books and countless novels, the toast of every genre, trading days with friends and family for days with a computer screen. They write, in Uncle Andrew's words, "dem fine" stories, and they write them because they love them.
Amo being a librarian. I am a librarian. Amo being an author. I am an author.
What about you?
Merry Christmas
They all drew to the fire, Mother in the big chair with Beth at her feet, Meg and Amy perched on either arm of the chair, and Jo leaning on the back, where no one would see any sign of emotion if the letter should happen to be touching. .
"Give them all of my dear love and a kiss. Tell them I think of them by day, pray for them by night, and find my best comfort in their affection at all times. A year seems very long to wait before I see them, but remind them that while we wait we may all work, so that these hard days need not be wasted. I know they will remember all I said to them, that they will be loving children to you, will do their duty faithfully, fight their bosom enemies bravely, and conquer themselves so beautifully that when I come back to them I may be fonder and prouder than ever of my little women."
Trivia Tuesday Answers
Answers to last week's Tuesday Trivia:
What two hippos star in seven books by James Marshal?
George and Martha
What boy detective solves mysteries with his pet pooch Sludge, in Marjorie Sharmat books?
Nate the Great
What title character visits Earth from his home on asteroid B612?
The Little Prince
Congratulations, Ms. Yingling!
What two hippos star in seven books by James Marshal?
George and Martha
What boy detective solves mysteries with his pet pooch Sludge, in Marjorie Sharmat books?
Nate the Great
What title character visits Earth from his home on asteroid B612?
The Little Prince
Congratulations, Ms. Yingling!
Do you have the "Shoe" books?
My dad took me to B&N this morning to spend time and money on books, but the highlight of my day was a gorgeous Kathleen Kelly moment. There were no employees in the Children's Corner, and this guy (young and cute, btw) called over his shoulder to his friend, "I need to find somebody who works here, I've got to find those Shakespeare For Kids books. I don't even know who they're by."
I couldn't help myself. I peeked over the top of a book and said, "Lois Burdett."
"Huh?" He turned, pausing midstep.
"Lois Burdett wrote the Shakespeare For Kids books."
"Oh." He came closer. "B-U-R?"
"Yeah."
He smiled. "Thanks. I love you."
.
.
"No problem," I replied. "I'm a librarian."
Why oh why wasn't I wearing my shirt? Of course, that would have required me to rip off my coat, which would have been slightly startling and creepy. But still.
William Wordsworth
This morning we had our family Christmas--tomorrow, we head to Chicago, to spend a week with grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins, as we do each Christmas. (Look for even less jam than usual around here.)
I got two books: A Lord Peter mystery from my sister, and Selected Poems of William Wordsworth from my parents. I knew the man was brilliant, but not this brilliant ...
NUNS fret not at their convent's narrow room,
And hermits are contented with their cells,
And students with their pensive citadels;
Maids at the wheel, the weaver at his loom,
Sit blithe and happy; bees that soar for bloom,
High as the highest peak of Furness fells,
Will murmur by the hour in foxglove bells:
In truth the prison unto which we doom
Ourselves no prison is: and hence for me,
In sundry moods, 'twas pastime to be bound
Within the Sonnet's scanty plot of ground;
Pleased if some souls (for such there needs must be)
Who have felt the weight of too much liberty,
Should find brief solace there, as I have found.
...
THE world is too much with us; late and soon,
Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers:
Little we see in Nature that is ours;
We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!
The Sea that bares her bosom to the moon;
The winds that will be howling at all hours,
And are up-gathered now like sleeping flowers;
For this, for everything, we are out of tune;
It moves us not.--Great God! I'd rather be
A Pagan suckled in a creed outworn;
So might I, standing on this pleasant lea,
Have glimpses that would make me less forlorn;
Have sight of Proteus rising from the sea;
Or hear old Triton blow his wreathed horn.
I got two books: A Lord Peter mystery from my sister, and Selected Poems of William Wordsworth from my parents. I knew the man was brilliant, but not this brilliant ...
NUNS fret not at their convent's narrow room,
And hermits are contented with their cells,
And students with their pensive citadels;
Maids at the wheel, the weaver at his loom,
Sit blithe and happy; bees that soar for bloom,
High as the highest peak of Furness fells,
Will murmur by the hour in foxglove bells:
In truth the prison unto which we doom
Ourselves no prison is: and hence for me,
In sundry moods, 'twas pastime to be bound
Within the Sonnet's scanty plot of ground;
Pleased if some souls (for such there needs must be)
Who have felt the weight of too much liberty,
Should find brief solace there, as I have found.
...
THE world is too much with us; late and soon,
Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers:
Little we see in Nature that is ours;
We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!
The Sea that bares her bosom to the moon;
The winds that will be howling at all hours,
And are up-gathered now like sleeping flowers;
For this, for everything, we are out of tune;
It moves us not.--Great God! I'd rather be
A Pagan suckled in a creed outworn;
So might I, standing on this pleasant lea,
Have glimpses that would make me less forlorn;
Have sight of Proteus rising from the sea;
Or hear old Triton blow his wreathed horn.
...
IF thou indeed derive thy light from Heaven,
Then, to the measure of that heaven-born light,
Shine, Poet! in thy place, and be content: --
The stars pre-eminent in magnitude,
And they that from the zenith dart their beams,
(Visible though they be to half the earth,
Though half a sphere be conscious of their brightness)
Are yet of no diviner origin,
No purer essence, than the one that burns,
Like an untended watch-fire on the ridge
Of some dark mountain; or than those which seem
Humbly to hang, like twinkling winter lamps,
Among the branches of the leafless trees.
All are the undying offspring of one Sire:
Then, to the measure of the light vouchsafed,
Shine, Poet! in thy place, and be content.
Anne Bradstreet
My 2nd-grade sister and I are learning about Anne Bradstreet this week. I remember reading "Some Verses Upon the Burning of Our House" in high school, but her words, her conclusions about trouble and hard times, really impressed me yesterday, having just finished Terry Pratchett's vague, unsatisfying answers to the same questions. Why do bad things happen? Why does God allow them? Here is Anne's reply.
In silent night when rest I took,
For sorrow neer I did not look,
I waken'd was with thundring nois
And Piteous shreiks of dreadfull voice.
That fearfull sound of fire and fire,
Let no man know is my Desire.
I, starting up, the light did spye,
And to my God my heart did cry
To strengthen me in my Distresse
And not to leave me succourlesse.
Then coming out beheld a space,
The flame consume my dwelling place.
And, when I could no longer look,
I blest his Name that gave and took,
That layd my goods now in the dust:
Yea so it was, and so 'twas just.
It was his own: it was not mine;
Far be it that I should repine.
He might of All justly bereft,
But yet sufficient for us left.
When by the Ruines oft I past,
My sorrowing eyes aside did cast,
And here and there the places spye
Where oft I sate, and long did lye.
Here stood that Trunk, and there that chest;
There lay that store I counted best:
My pleasant things in ashes lye,
And them behold no more shall I.
Under thy roof no guest shall sitt,
Nor at thy Table eat a bitt.
No pleasant tale shall 'ere be told,
Nor things recounted done of old.
No Candle 'ere shall shine in Thee,
Nor bridegroom's voice ere heard shall bee.
In silence ever shalt thou lye;
Adieu, Adeiu; All's vanity.
Then streight I gin my heart to chide,
And didst thy wealth on earth abide?
Didst fix thy hope on mouldring dust,
The arm of flesh didst make thy trust?
Raise up thy thoughts above the skye
That dunghill mists away may flie.
Thou hast an house on high erect
Fram'd by that mighty Architect,
With glory richly furnished,
Stands permanent tho' this bee fled.
It's purchased, and paid for too
By him who hath enough to doe.
A Prise so vast as is unknown,
Yet, by his Gift, is made thine own.
Ther's wealth enough, I need no more;
Farewell my Pelf, farewell my Store.
The world no longer let me Love,
My hope and Treasure lyes Above.
Tuesday Trivia
How well do you know your childrens' books? Leave a comment with your answers!.
What two hippos star in seven books by James Marshal?
.
What boy detective solves mysteries with his pet pooch Sludge, in Marjorie Sharmat books?
.
What title character visits Earth from his home on asteroid B612?
.
.
Answers to last week's trivia:
.
Mice
David McCauley
Pollyanna
.
Congratulations, Sherry!
Microwave Reviews: "Nation" & "Tender Morsels"
Sometimes you read a book and don't have enough thoughts for a huge review. Or, you read a book and a book and a book and don't have enough time to cover every single title. Thus ...
.
MICROWAVE REVIEWS
.
Done your share of home-cooking this week? It's time for a microwave meal!
.
Not that this ever happens at our house. I mean, you can't really feed nine people on something that came out of the microwave. But we do have our share of frozen pizza nights.
.
.
NATION, by Terry Pratchett
.
Due to seriously wacky holes in the library's collection, this novel was my first Pratchett. Nation sat on several Best of '08 lists, guaranteed to pose deep questions and give satisfaction.
.
It posed them, I guess: why do bad things happen? are the gods real? are the old beliefs adequate today? But Pratchett's vague conclusions are flimsy at best. Bad things happen because they do. The gods are real if you believe they're real. Trust the old beliefs if you must, forge new beliefs if you must.
.
Philosophizing often usurps Story in this novel--there were many conversations and internal narratives where action would have been appreciated. I did laugh out loud once, but it was one of the few alive moments I felt while reading. "Her getting married still seemed to be the big topic of discussion in the Place. It was like being in a Jane Austen novel, but one with far less clothing."
.
Haha.
.
TENDER MORSELS, by Margo Lanagan
.
This novel received lots of buzz. From reviews, and from the cover, I felt sure Tender Morsels would blow me away--perhaps even revolutionize the fairy tale-based novel I'm planning. Instead, I found a novel with some of THE best dialogue I have ever read, and not much else to recommend it.
.
Setting was vivid, the blending of magic with reality was beautifully drawn, but I did not love the novel. I strongly disagree with its YA label. There is mucho "bad sex," as the author puts it. Gang rape, incest, abortion--the way these elements were woven into the story felt much more Adult than YA.
.
I don't know many high school patrons who would finish Tender Morsels. It seemed to dally along the road to resolution. The story's noble undercurrent (Wake up to reality, because it must be lived) felt pessimistic by the end.
I'm Up at Novel Journey Today
Check out my interview with Alan Gratz, author of the wickedly clever Something Rotten.
(FYI, it's a copy of the interview he kindly did for this blog in October.)
(FYI, it's a copy of the interview he kindly did for this blog in October.)
"If you can look into the seeds of time..."
When I was going through old photos to find yesterday's picture, I came across this one of my best friend and me with another of my primary school friends (the girl on the right). We were neighbors down the street. Her sister is now my dentist, but I heard a while back that Anna'd gone into modeling.Guess what Google pulled up?
Would any of us have imagined that 2008 would find us a married mother of two, a children's librarian / writer, and a model for the likes of Forever 21 and A&F?
The Stolen Coin: A Play in Three Parts
The Stolen Coin is proof that I've always had writing talent :)It was written by my best friend and me when we were ten years old (that's us, age six. I'm the blonde.). Written, performed, and canonized, all in an hour--child prodigies, indeed.
Note original spelling. Also note that the “idenical" twins were of course played by us: a Scandinavian blonde and a Hawaiian brunette.
CAST
Idenical twins
Sarah & Anna Mcartny-
14 yrs. Old
Blonde hair, blue eye’s
Carrie Mcartny-
1 yr. Old
Blonde hair, blue eye’s
Meagan Cleds-
15 yrs. Old
Brown hair, green eye’s
Miss Gillson-
38 yrs. old
Gray hair, brown eye’s
Note: Miss Gillson can be a pretend person if there is not unough people. Sarah, Anna, Carrie and Meagan have to be real.
SCRIPT
Sarah – What did you do Carrie?
Anna – She made a hugemungas mess!! Mom is going to kill us!
Sarah – All we did was walk over to the phone, dail the #, and order a pizza!! Great.
Anna – How can such a small girl make such a big mess?!
Sarah – I guess we’ll learn, Anna.
Anna – You said detectives know everything, Sarah!
Sarah – Well, (inaruted with the phone)
Anna – I’ll get it!Hello?
Friend – Yes, Anna? I am calling because my dance teatcher, Mrs. Gillson, was just robbed!
Anna – Pss, Sarah! Get the note book! O.K, what was she robed of?
Friend – A coin.
Anna – A coin?!!
Friend – Yea, a coin. You ever herd of a penny?
Anna – Come on, I have better things to do then joke.
Friend – I’m not joking! Pennys are werth 1 cent, right? Well this coin was werth a million dollors!!!
Anna – Whoa! O.K, now I need the facts. When, where, time, that stuff.
Friend – Um, yesterday, u, ballat class, u, 3:00 pm.
Anna – O.K, let me write this down. Sarah can talk, K?
Sarah – Hi! Whats up, Liz?
Liz - a mystery.
Sarah – Cool. Look, Carrie’s getting things everywhere, gotta go! Bye, Liz.
Liz - Bye. (hang up)
Anna – Looks like we got a mystery, Sarah!
Sarah – Let’s call mom.
Anna – O.K, you can.
Sarah – Hi. Mom? Are you busy?
Mom - No. Why?
Sarah – I was wondering if you could watch Carrie for a while. We have another mystery.
Mom - O.K. That’s fine with me, I miss my baby.
Sarah – 5 min.?
Mom - Sure. Love ya, bye.
Anna – Sarah! Before mom gets home we gotta pick up Carrie’s mess!
Sarah – Oh yeah! Hurry!
(whail picking up)
Anna – U Sarah?
Sarah – Yes?
Anna – Where’s Carrie?
Sarah – Oh no! lets go check the slide!
Anna – Good idea! You know how shes addictade to slides.
Sarah – there she is! That goober head!!
Anna – (get’s up and gets her) Ma’ma’s coming home!
Sarah – I hear moms car. I’ll take Carrie to her. Be right back, Anna.
INTORMISSION
Anna – O.K. lets look over the clues.
Sarah – What do we have so far?
Anna – The robrey tuke place at Chigo’s Ballat Jr. Theater. June 26th. 3:00 p.m. Female.
Sarah – How do you know it was a female?
Anna – We used to take from Miss Gillson. She only teaches girls!
Sarah – Oh yeah. I forgot.
(at this point there is a part crossed out:
Sarah – I’m hungry.
Anna – so am I.
Sarah – lets get a cookie.
Anna – K. I’ll get them. Be right back, Sarah.)
Anna – Let’s take a trip to the Jr. Ballat on our bikes.
Sarah – O.K. lets go! (ride over to pateo)
Anna – Look – there is someone practicing. It’s Meagen Cleds! The famous Jr. Ballat dancer!!
Sarah – Yo you. Megan. Megan. MEGAN.
Meagan – Oh sorry. (crossed out: I have to practice so I can go to the finals)
Anna – Did you hear about the robbery Meagen?
Meagan – U, um, u, no?
Sarah – You dident?!? I thought everyone would know by now.
Meagan – U, not me.
Anna – Well, we’re going to find the person no matter what!
Meagan – No matter what?
Sarah – Yup. And no one is going to stop us. And I mean NO ONE!
Anna – Well, see ya later Meagan. Bye.
Sarah – I wonder if she did it. She seemed really uptight.
Anna – Maybe.
Sarah – Lets check her locker room just to be sure.
Anna – Hey! Look! (hold up the coin)
Meagan – DROP IT!!!
Sarah – No way!! (Megan pulls gun out) Ahhhhh-. Run for it and don’t forget the coin!
Anna – I’ll drop it in the bushes!
Sarah – O.K. Hurry
(tommorow)
Sarah – heres your coin Mrs Gillson.
Thank you very much. heres 10 dollars each.Both – Thanks!
Tuesday Trivia
How well do you know your childrens books? Leave a comment with your answers!What type of critters star in the Kevin Henkes books Chester’s Way, Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse and Sheila Rae, the Great?
Who followed up his illustrated architectural plans for a Castle and Cathedral with Mosque in 2003?
What ever-cheerful Eleanor Porter title character inspired “Glad Clubs” across the U.S. in the 1910s?
Answers to last Tuesday's weekly trivia:
Francis
Hank the Cowdog
Noel Streatfeild
Congratulations Erin, Sherry and Bellezza! But I can't believe you guys haven't read Hank the Cowdog. If your library has the first book on audio, do yourself a favor and listen in. It's hilarious!
Book-to-film: The Little White Horse becomes The Secret of Moonacre
Some of you may be familiar with Elizabeth Goudge's odd little fantasy, The Little White Horse.I'd heard some time back that it was being made into a movie with Colin Firth, but I forgot all about it until I came across this trailer.
No Colin, though--heck, no "Little White Horse"--the film is set to open sometime next summer as The Secret of Moonacre.
Dakota Blue Richards is starring. The sets and costumes look lovely. But scrappy. Elements of other films patched together--Narnia, Golden Compass, Nanny McPhee ...
Besides being nothing like the book. But then, I guess that's why they call it The Secret of Moonacre.
Scoop of the e-e-evening: Masterpiece
I've been meaning to write this review for a month now--I read Masterpiece in one sitting, and absolutely loved it. It's definitely a top book of 2008, and a main contender for a Cybils' award. Who knows--maybe even the Newbery!Marvin lives with his family under the kitchen sink in the Pompadays’ apartment. He is very much a beetle. James Pompaday lives with his family in New York City. He is very much an eleven-year-old boy. After James gets a pen-and-ink set for his birthday, Marvin surprises him by creating an elaborate miniature drawing. James gets all the credit for the picture and before these unlikely friends know it they are caught up in a staged art heist at the Metropolitan Museum of Art that could help recover a famous drawing by Albrecht Dürer. But James can’t go through with the plan without Marvin’s help. And that’s where things get really complicated (and interesting!).
I loved the way Elise wrote Shakespeare's Secret, and with Masterpiece, she made good on every bit of faith I'd placed in her. It's the perfect middle grade novel: not too long, full of smiles, unfaltering action, and most important of all, intelligence.
There is no resisting an author who handles tough issues this way:
Marvin thought back to the conversation in James's bedroom. "Why don't beetles ever get divorced?"
His mother considered that for a moment. "Well, our lives are short, darling. What would be the point? We have so little time, we must spend it as happily as possible."
She tucked the cotton fluff more securely around Marvin. "And we expect a lot less than people do. If we get through the day without being stepped on, with a little food to fill our bellies, a safe place to bed down for a few hours, and our family and friends close by--well, that's a good day, isn't it? In fact, a perfect day. Who could ask for more?"
Marvin snuggled into the soft bedding and nodded sleepily. "I guess," he said.
"Also, we have no lawyers," his mother added, leaving the room.
So, so perfect.
Masterpiece reminded me that a book doesn't have to be The Great American Novel to be a great American novel (an easy fact to forget when you're in the middle of writing a novel yourself). The story is simple, but meaningful and satisfying. What more can a reader ask?
Kidz Book Buzz Blog Tour: The Raucous Royals (Vampire Edition)
Carlyn Beccia's Raucous Royals opens with that famous rumor concerning Count Dracula: was he or was he not a real vampire?Answer: Unconfirmed.
Perhaps we'll never know. But for all those bona fide vampires in your life (including whatshisname to my left), Carlyn recommends these methods of disposal:
1. A wooden stake through the heart
2. A copper bullet
3. Stones up his nose
4. A cross in his grave
5. A garlic pizza
If you're feeling especially brave today, mention this post to a random female teenager. We recommend having said wooden stake handy (or wearing running shoes).
For more information about vampires, visit Carlyn's blog.
Kidz Book Buzz Blog Tour: The Raucous Royals (Elizabethan Insults)
As mentioned yesterday, Carlyn Beccia’s Raucous Royals includes several quizzes, one of which revolves around Queen Elizabeth’s Favorite Things.
Did she enjoy cursing?
Apparently, yes.
“
Don’t you wish you could be as eloquent as the Elizabethans?
Well, now you can! Generate random Shakespearean insults at this site.
Just be careful how you use them.
Tuesday Trivia
How well do you know your childrens' books? Leave a comment with your answers!What name did Russell and Lillian Hoban bestow upon their heroic badger?
What smelly John Erickson creation is Head of Security at M-Cross Ranch?
What children’s author tapped out Circus Shoes, Movie Shoes, Theater Shoes, Dancing Shoes and Ballet Shoes?
Answers to last Tuesday's weekly trivia:
Are you my mother?
Tacy
The MET
Congratulations Marie and Erin!
Kidz Book Buzz Blog Tour: The Raucous Royals (Review)
Here to talk about Carlyn Beccia's Raucous Royals with me is my sister, Bree, age 18, and our cousin, Marie, of Fireside Musings. We'll start right off with this question:How would you describe The Raucous Royals in one sentence or less?
Marie: It is a book full of good artwork and interesting facts.
Bree: It's a book that tests your royal wits. A myth buster, very entertaining and informative.
Noel: I like the official description of history book meets tabloid. Okay, the book is all about rumors. What rumors had you heard before? any of them?
Marie: Actually, I don't think that I had... I did know some of the people, but the rumors were all new to me.
Bree: I'd heard the rumor that Anne Boleyn had six fingers and moles. Also that Richard III was a humpback.
Noel: Yeah, and that Napoleon was short short short. Was there a rumor you were surprised to see the answer to?
Marie: The answer to the last one was interesting About King George III going insane.
Bree: I would go insane after losing a revolution, too.
Marie: The treatments they gave him probably didn't help either...
Noel: Although gagging is something I often consider ... anyway, I like all the little tidbits of juicy information that Beccia seamlessly weaves into the story, like the rhyme to help you remember Henry's wives (divorced, beheaded, died etc.) and little quizzes to engage the reader as he travels through the book.
Marie: She does do a very good job a it ... my favorite quiz was the one about finding if you are a witch... I have a birthmark... but that is all. No eating babies or six fingers. Or cats.
Noel: So it's safe for you to sweep the house with your broom.
Bree: I was disappointed that there is no conformation of the rumor that Mary Queen of Scotland plotted to assassinate Elizabeth the first. I always wondered about that. And I still don't know. But the grossest thing I learned was that Queen E put puppy urine on her teeth to whiten them.
[Note: Now all the ads on Noel's g-mail sidebar are about whitening your teeth. Probably through different methods, though.]
Marie: That was kind of... disturbing.
Noel: What do you think is the book's target audience?
Marie: Even though anybody else will easily enjoy it, I think that it would be middle school children.
Noel: Beccia's style is very engaging, so older children, too, would willingly sit down and laugh over a few pages.
Bree: Yeah, I did!
Marie: Very willingly.
Noel: There's a great bibliography at the end, listing all the books Beccia used in her research. It's a great list for those whose interest is peaked by her book and want to look into a certain figure further.
Bree: I liked the section she wrote on "How you can research a rumor"
Marie: That was a nice close to the book. Sort of a 'how you can do this yourself now' part.
Noel: What was your favorite rumor, whether true or false?
Bree: The (false) rumor that Catherine the Great died by being crushed by her horse, or the (unconfirmed) rumor that Anne of Cleves looked like a horse.
Marie: Mine would be (the true rumor) that King George III went insane after losing the American colonies.
Noel: I have an interest in Napoleon right now, since one of my characters is obsessed with him, so I liked the bits on him, especially the reference in the bibliography to Napoleon for Dummies. I'll definitely be checking that out. :)
Bree: I also liked the tidbits like recipes for a meal in King Henry's day and things like that.
Noel: Well, one last question: would this book make a good Christmas gift? What sort of person would like to receive it?
Bree: Yeah, I would buy it, because it's very interesting. I would buy this over a Nintendo game.
Noel: Wow, high praise, there.
Marie: I think that this would make a wonderful Christmas gift. Anyone interested in art or history, even in the least, would probably love this book.
Noel: I already purchased it for the library where I work. I think it will be popular--a fun, colorful collection of stories that you can dip into a few minutes at a time.
Bree: I love the illustrations.
Marie: The illustrations do a good job at breaking up all the information, and for making a point.
Noel: And you come away with new-found knowledge!
Marie: I liked how it didn't require a lot of time to read. You could read a rumor or two, and then take a break. This would be very helpful for people who have short attention spans. Or, you could read the whole story at once, and because of the book's format retain lots of information.
Noel: Well, Marie, we'd better let you get back to your Christmas decorating. Thanks for chatting, and have a very Merry Christmas!!
Kidz Book Buzz Blog Tour: The Raucous Royals
It's December, that time of year when every action is a "last"--my last haircut of 2008, my last paycheck of 2008, my last blog tour of 2008.It's also that time of year when we look for Christmas gifts!
If you're looking for a smart, funny, short, pretty, attention-keeping (I sound like a lonely heart) nonfiction book, look no further than Carlyn Beccia's The Raucous Royals. As the subtitle urges, Test your Royal Wits: Crack Codes, Solve Mysteries, and Deduce Which Royal Rumors are True.
Don't just take my word for it. Visits the other blogs on the tour.
01 Charger
the 160acrewoods
A Mom Speaks
All About Children’s Books
Becky’s Book Reviews
Cafe of Dreams
Dolce Bellezza
Fireside Musings
The Friendly Book Nook
The Hidden Side of a Leaf
Homeschool Buzz
Hyperbole
KidzBookBuzz.com
Looking Glass Reviews
Maw Books Blog
Never Jam Today
Our Big Earth
Quiverfull Family
Reading is My Superpower
SmallWorld Reads
SMS Book Reviews
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