Darn few, I imagine. Still, those of us with an interest in the history of children's books often love this novel for its insights into the publishing world. Plus it's fun to speculate on who the characters represent "in real life. I could not afford both books. We have a lot in common. I think we'd be friends. Has any other author ever published a Newbery and Caldecott Honor in the same year? As I pondered that subject, I thought, "It must have been a real red letter day for Dalgliesh, having two of her books cited on the same day.
Originally published in , the book went through many printings and was found in nearly every library collection back in the day.
Collecting Children's Books
Arranged in chronological order, the volume takes us through one calendar year, with a poem for each new month followed by verses for all of the special occasions within that month, from the biggies New Year's, Valentine's, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas to some that are far more obscure Robert E.
The last section of the book covers some floating holidays states' days, with a poem for each of them; Boy Scout Week; birthdays, Fire Prevention Week. From what I understand, the term "red letter day" originated with old church calendars, so it's perhaps not surprising that this volume celebrates mostly Christian holidays Epiphany, Saint's Stephen's Day while ignoring all other cultures. Granted, multiculturalism wasn't a big deal in fifties America, but even then, most children's holiday books would at least toss in a few reference to Jewish holidays such as Hanukkah or Passover It would be interesting to know how many libraries will purchase it as an example of a children's classic, or whether they'll decide to spend their money on modern books which has a more mutlicultural focus.
In recent years the name has been changed to the "Josette Frank Award" to honor the Association's former executive director. Given since , "this award for fiction honors a book or books of outstanding literary merit in which children or young people deal in a positive and realistic way with difficulties in their world and grow emotionally and morally. Looking at the list of winners is fascinating, though, since the authors range from extraordinarily popular Betsy Byars, Paula Fox, Lois Lowry to some I don't know at all.
And I'm not using "guys" in the vernacular, but actually addressing the gentlemen, dudes, and misters in this audience. There sure doesn't seem to be a place for us on this list, does there? Okay, there was a male winner in Then you have to go back to before that It's a solid list of some very good books Helen Schinske wrote in with a link to this entry from a children's book listserve in He very nicely responded that he had talked it over with Anna Lavinia and they decided that she belongs to another time and does not want to be resurrected.
I love the story and felt like there was a death in the family when I got his response, I wanted to revive her so badly. Obviously it sounds as though Anna Lavinia changed her mind about being resurrected because a few months ago, ten years after turning down Purple House Press, the author allowed his book to be reissued by the New York Review of Books. Or maybe my own bookstore. If so, I'd get my hands on advance reading copies of books, all kinds of promotional materials, publicity packets, and other related ephemera.
As it is, I have a regular daily job, blog on the side, and only get a freebie ARC or publicity packet about once a month. Of course I'm grateful for everything I get I do a happy beagle dance every time a box or large envelope arrives but just wish such things arrived on a daily basis.
Especially when I receive something as fascinating as I did this past week. I also remembered that he had written a novel called 21, which I had not read: It turns out that 21 was the "preliminary edition" of this forthcoming novel RUSH. Have you ever heard of a book's first edition being called its "preliminary" edition? Or having a newly-revised edition of the same novel released less than six years after its original publication?
Obviously I'm going to have to get my hands on a copy of 21 and compare the two books side-by-side. Sounds like my kind of assignment! This new edition is being released with quite a bit of fanfare. Accompanying the ARC was a twelve page packet of info about how the book came to be written and how it was received by critics. There's a lengthy summary of the novel and a big write up on each character. I was surprised they didn't include the author's phone number. But the most irresistable part of the packet was the description of the book's origins: Eighteen-year-old Jeremy Iversen had just gotten an assignment in his required freshman writing class at Stanford University.
The teaching assistant, a very large woman with a crew cut and a chain wallet, had recently emerged victorious in a world powerlifting competition, and now ordered her charges to keep a detailed journal of their daily lives. Jeremey raised a hand and asked if perhaps he might instead pen a short story. Eventually this hulking bearer of the academic flame confessed, "Oh, do whatever you like. I'm not going to read it anyway. The promotional packet even includes a color photo of the "Giver of the Assignment," obviously taken at a sporting event.
She's not identified by name. I'm just dying to know if she's playing along with all this or whether the writer is using this opportunity to get even with her for laughing at him and still not reading his book. If she's playing along with it: Either way, I'm fascinated by the book's backstory and now can't wait to read it. Maybe there will be time for another blog entry this week. If not and this is the last time we meet this week, I hope you and yours have a wonderful holiday! Sorry for my recent silence. Things got busy over Thanksgiving weekend, and then last weekend I had unexpected company.
How can you log about ooks without the letter B? My key arrived yesterday and I am B ack in B usiness! The Horn Book has also published its Fanfare list. Hey, the Newbery did it before, they can do it again. The five finalists for the William C. I guess I slept in on Thanksgiving morning last year, as I did not get a chance to see it.
In the interview, Mr. Ormondroyd revealed that, during his writing career, he never spoke at schools. I wonder if any publishing company would find it profitable to release an opera-related title for kids today. Published through the YMCA in , this page book is filled with overwritten descriptions of boy-girl activities, including parties, games, dances, hobbies including cooking, with a selection of recipes including recent teen favorite…pizza , putting on plays, listening to music, and volunteerism.
Those who discover the objects in the cake will learn their fate for their new year. The section on music describes some of the jargon associated with this hobby: Finally, I came across this book: Although the message is supportive and sympathetic: Sometimes my Mom said bad things about my Dad. And my Dad said bad things about my Mom.
My mom said my Dad was a liar.
My Dad said my Mom was stupid. I couldn't stand listening to either one. I didn't want to hear them say bad things about each other. I loved them both. I just wonder how many kids were handed this book when they heard their parents were divorcing. And if you were one of them, did the book make you feel a little better, or does it just take you back to a sad, bad time in your life?
Though the book is dated, our library copy had been checked out several times in this new millennium. Is there anyone out there who feels this book was ultimately necessary? To my surprise, I found this unique and powerful book to be quite amazing. Less a plot-driven narrative than a character study, this luminous book may not appeal to every reader, but special readers will be amazed at how brilliantly the author captures the essence of the imaginative, misunderstood, almost mystical title character in a book that can truly take its place on the same shelf as SKELLIG.
But then I began to look at the board book version…and found myself really liking it. In fact, I liked it much better in that format than I did the original version! My bookstore buddy agreed. Have you seen this particular board book? Do you agree with us or do you find the board book version inferior to the original? Obviously this is a book destined for big things. No money was spared on the dustjacket design either. It's not really wasted space so much as extremely pricey.
Is it worth all the care they put into the novel? Set in , the story is told in alternating chapters by teenagers Josh and Emma. Or can change that, fifteen years in advance, by just altering the college she plans to attend? One of the most intriguing concepts in the story is realizing that a minor incident in can change, for instance, the number of children Josh and his wife will have fifteen years later. And the ending feels a little rushed. Five years from now Facebook may no longer be the phenomenon it is today.
Will kids be interested in reading the novel then? So this is a book that may date very quickly. People often ask which contemporary books are mostly likely to be collectable in the future. It may be one of your best choices if you want a title that clearly defines YA publishing in —- the fancy dustjacket I doubt later editions will contain illustrated versos , the two-author team, the very contemporary subject matter.
I will try to post more frequently in the coming weeks, so stop back often! Running a little late today, but will be posting a new blog late tonight Sunday or early tomorrow morning. Thanks for you patience. Christmas tree and house decorated? In other words, with Christmas a week away, I am WAAAY behind and probably shouldn't be blogging, but I did have a few items to share today, so thought I'd write a quick blog now and wrap gifts later.
Do you have any old books that you read every year on December 24? Or do you save up a special new book to read that evening? Or maybe you find yourself drawn to Christmas tales as well?
Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer: Holiday Gift Guide
I know several non-Christians who love to read Dickens' Christmas stories at this time of year. In my case, I sometimes save up a new book to read, but often find myself drawn to specific "holiday chapters" of favorite old books -- for example, the Christmas chapters in Beverly Cleary's books about Henry Huggins and Ramona Quimby.
I just ordered a book which, if it arrives by next weekend, might be the perfect Christmas story. But you couldn't tell it from the illustrations: Even the title sounds more like Halloween story than a Christmas tale: Actualy, there does seem to be a tradition of scary ghost and witch tales associated with the holiday.
I've read that it's a modern-day companion to the Henry James' novella. Maybe I'll read them both this coming holiday season. I was recalling an incident that happened to me as a kid: Back when I was in first grade, I volunteered to bring cookies to the class Christmas party. My mother was happy to make them, but felt bad that we didn't have any Christmas cookie cutters. Strangely, we did have a set of Thanksgiving cookie cutters. The morning of the party, my mother handed me a box of the most beautiful Santa Claus cookies you've ever seen.
How did she do it? She'd used the cornucopia cutter and then turned the cookies at a 90 degree angle. The "horn" of the cornucopoia was now Santa's hat, frosted with red icing. The round "opening" was Santa's face, decorated with chocolate chip eyes and a white frosting beard. Over the years some people have praised my brother and me for our "creativity, " but it's really a trait we inherited from our parents, who have been quietly creative all of their lives -- often out of necessity.
I found a few: Incidentally, here are my favorite cookies, which my mother has made for me every Christmas since I was very young: Chinese Noodle Cookies 1. Melt in saucepan or double boiler over low heat one package of chocolate chips and one package of butterscotch chips. Stir in one can Chinese noodles and one can of either peanuts or cashews. We use the following, available in the "ethnic foods" aisle of almost every grocery store: Mix all together well and drop by teaspoon onto cookie sheet. I don't know why we associate these cookies with Christmas, but I do remember once going to someone's house in the summer and being very shocked when they served this cookie at lunch.
Being offered a Chinese Noodle Cookie in the summer felt as strange as if they'd invited me to help decorate their Christmas tree in the middle of July! Which Christmas cookie is your favorite? Today, though, I had to give her a virtual noogie when I read this comment she posted on Facebook: Read a few articles that said more sales of ereaders means opportunities for selfpub authors. Sorry, reading ebooks won't change what I read. Liz, I think you should print this off, hang it over your desk, and see if you're still as adamant on the topic a year from now Because even though I have completely resisted getting an e-reader thus far -- and plan to hold the Kindle at bay for as long as I can -- I assume it's probably going to be inevitable at some point and I can't help but believe that ebooks WILL change what we read.
Bloor's website describes the book like this: You will soon forget about the present and start living in the past. But is that a good idea? Alice hopes Memory Lane will provide a week of personal healing and of family bonding. Instead, Alice and her cousins Patrick and TJ find themselves struggling with a pair of psychotic bullies, and with the pain of young love, and with a shocking family secret that was, perhaps, better left buried in the past. Of course I'm curious why this novel is available only as an e-book. Does it mean that his usual publishers turned it down? Or is this an experiment on the author's part.
Ultimately, it may not matter -- at least for me. Edward Bloor is one of my favorites and I want to read what he writes. And I suspect this is a sign of the future. So I know that for me and I suspect for anyone else who loves literature So they will change the way we read.
After all, they may be the types of books that end up winning the Newber e-award. While it seems as though more mainstream authors may be self-publishing e-books in the future, it appears that self-published authors -- even wealthy ones -- would still prefer to be published in PAPER. Most of us have heard the story of Amanda Hocking, the young writer who, after being rejected by all the mainstream publishers, opted to self-publish her novels as e-books. Within a year, she had reportedly earned over a million dollars for her efforts.
Of course that's when the mainstream publishers started to take an interest in her work Did she send them on their way? Starting on January 24, St. Already optioned for the movies, the book will be advertised on TV, on the internet, and in major magazines. In the author's note, Ms. Hocking states, "People often ask me if I feel bitterness or resentment toward all the agents who passed on my work before, and to that I say a resounding no. It wasn't the right time or the right place, and I needed all those no's to get to the right agent and the right publisher.
If that were me, I'd say in the spirit of this holiday season: In fact, I've been making a list of their names and I'm checking it twice. Exactly a month ago, I read Roger Sutton's blog about nondisclosure forms and embargoed books. At the time, it never dawned on me that I might somehow lay my hands on an embargoed book. But the very next day, one landed right in my lap.
Well, not literally, but you know what I mean Suddenly I was holding a tape-bound manuscript copy unjustified right margin! Just under the title information, in big black letters, were the words: Any breach of this contract will result in your forfeiting delivery of this title at on-sale. Unfortunately, I don't know what to do with this knowledge now. I certainly didn't sign any affidavit, so I'm not legally bound by any sanctions placed on this manuscript. On the other hand, I don't want to get the person who gave me this book in trouble.
So for now -- at least until the book is published on January 10, -- I'll only say a couple things: For those who have complained that John Green keeps writing the same novel, this one is quite different and stretches his talent in new and unexpected ways.
Is it going to be a big hit? It's probably the first "gotta read it" YA novel of I hope the Literature Police don't come pounding on my door for revealing this much. Yes, the protagonist is a girl. But what really intrigues me is that the name "Hazel," which I always associated with elderly woman and TV maids seems to be making a comeback in kids' books this year. I've been seeing it everywhere, not only in titles the eponymous novel Julie Hearn but also spotting here and there in other books.
Must be something in the air. The other day at work I happened to glance up at our collection of Caldecott winners, all shelved in chronological order, and something popped out at me. That is, with very few exceptions, all the winning books seem to be -- within reasonable parameters -- "standard picture book" size. A few are even bigger. That book is 31 centimeters tall. I'm using centimeters rather than inches because that's how we measure books in cataloging -- and it's somewhat more exact than inches. After that book, there are seven winners that are Though the remaining winners are smaller, they are -- as previously stated -- all within standard size for picture books.
Only two small books have ever won the Caldecott. This all leads me to a theory about the Caldecott: This is probably even more true today than at any other time in industry, when, it seems, fewer picture books are being published with small trim sizes. Such books seem to be lost in the shuffle at libraries and bookstores they always seem to slide to the back of the picture book shelves and they seem to be forgotten when it comes to choosing Caldecott winners Will you be participating in World Book Night?
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According to the organization's website, World Book Night is an annual celebration designed to spread a love of reading and books. To be held in the U. It will see tens of thousands of people go out into their communities to spread the joy and love of reading by giving out free World Book Night paperbacks. Thirty titles have been selected for giving in the United States. Bissinger Kindred by Octavia E. But then I read that one of the goals of this project is to give books to those who aren't frequent readers It sounds like an interesting and fun night!
You see the very high prices for original publications of "Snip, Snap and Snurr" or the "Betsy-Tacy" books; things that were well-regarded, but not necessarily considered 'award-worthy,' but evidently very fondly remembered. In fifty years, will a first printing of "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" in excellent condition fetch big bucks? This is question I have also pondered a lot over the years. Can we ever truly know which of today's books will become highly collectable in the years ahead?
Of course it goes without saying that award winners will always be collectable. But do books that are popular today always become collector's items tomorrow? I could be wrong, but my guess is "probably not. At least not yet. And I wonder if there ever can be much "collectability" associated with books that were mass-produced in such huge quantities. I believe there are, for example, something like thirty million "Wimpy Kid" books currently in print.
I tend to think that collectability hinges on having a strong sentimental fondness for titles with an almost "cult following" -- and which ere not published in huge quantities to begin with. Of course I mean no disrespect by the words "cult following. The kinds of books that makes their fans feel as if they are members of a special club. As I said, it's very hard to predict what titles will achieve this status.
The answer only comes with time. And sometimes they are among the last books you'd predict! And thanks to everyone who reads Collecting Children's Books. Hope you stop back soon. This past weekend, I asked readers to share what books they planned to read on Christmas Eve. Most of the authors aren't anyone people have heard of anymore unless you're me; the most famous is probably Lenora Mattingly Weber, who wrote the cult-favorite Beany Malone books. And our library's copy is missing! Well, that got me excited. Now it's going on my "find and read" list, along with the other books Linda suggested!
Brer is a fantasy fan: It is a wonderful collection of recipes, holiday craft projects, stories, and traditions. I love it too! Grath said, "I'm happily all set with reading, as a friend has sent me two children's stories she's written. She's written others but is starting me with these two. Now I feel like a kid with a big, mysterious, exciting wrapped box under the tree! She wasn't able to post in the comments section, but she wrote me to say, "I will be reading two books of short stories by Katherine Paterson, one story each day, throughout the month of December.
Do they sell enough copies in November and December to justify remaining in print all year long? I guess they must, as Ms. Paterson's two collections have been in print continuously since they were published in and In some ways, these volumes are quite different from the author's usual books. Instead of concerning children, the stories frequently focus on old men, married women, fathers and mothers.
Though Christianity has quietly informed much of Paterson's work, it is most evident in these Christmas collections. Though enjoyable to read and read aloud the tales sometimes seem a bit purposeful and lack the nuance of the author's very best work. It all began in , years before Katherine Paterson had ever published a word of fiction.
In fact, she'd only written two short stories in her life. Neither had been published. But that year, the author's minister husband decided that, rather than deliver a sermon at his church's Christmas Eve service, he wanted to read a short story.
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Katherine went to the library in search of yuletide stories, found none that pleased her "I can do better than this! That Christmas Eve her story was read at the Takoma Park Presbyterian Church, beginning an annual tradition of original Katherine Paterson stories being shared every December twenty-fourth -- first in Maryland, and later in Virginia and Vermont, as the family moved to different church assignments. The author said, "In those early years, propelled perhaps by my loving congregations' responses to my Christmas stories, I began to write fiction seriously.
Katherine's husband, John, is now retired from the ministry. I don't know if Ms. And speaking of apprentice writers, wouldn't it be fun to sit around P. Grath's Christmas tree this weekend, hearing those two brand-new Christmas stories written by her friend? Who knows -- Perhaps that friend will go on to have the kind of success Katherine Paterson has had. Whether you're reading aloud a tale from one of Paterson's Christmas books Obviously we're running a bit late, since it's now January 8. Unfortunately, the year got off to a bad start for my family That is, if starts badly, it's bound to end well.
Let's hope that's true -- for everyone! Books about the Tucker Family were one of my childhood guilty pleasures. They sold for a dollar in the toy section of my local Woolworth's and, though I only bought two, I read them over and over as a kid. It just arrived in the mail this week, and though my copy is a bit grubby and there are a couple torn pages, it's perfectly readable and now sitting beside my own desk, just waiting to be read! I'm not waiting till next Christmas to read it either. I'll probably get to it in the next couple weeks -- which is fitting because, considering how unproductive I can, the Christmas tree and wall decorations will probably still be up for two more weeks!
Incidentally, the back of every Tucker book was, I believe, always pretty much the same. The background color varied from book to book but the illusrations of the Tuckers remained the same, as did the boxed "It's Tucker Time! It's a masterpiece of marketing "Time for fun! All those exclamation points! Of course nowadays it would never be presented in cursive writing, as so many kids can't read cursive anymore If Helen Frost is that devoted to this book, I need to read it! This also got me thinking of Louise Moeri and her books.
I've only read a couple, but maybe I'll try to read them all this coming year. Just looking at the titles and subject matter proves what a broad range she has as a writer. There is not much info available on the author, but I did find this quote about her writing career in Contemporary Authors: I see myself as a very old lady in a rest home with a blanket over my knees with a choice of two statements to make: Though 87 years old and apparently ailing on her Facebook page she lists her main activity as "chemotherapy" , she has published two adult novels in recent years -- one in paper, and one only in a digital edition!
Do you know any good ones? And can you think of any titles geared to specific years? My first thought was perhaps Tomie de Paola's "26 Fairmount Avenue" books, but I'm not sure that each volume represents a different year. One intriguing title comes to mind -- a title that also shows the downside of highlighting a specific year in fiction.
Published in the fall of to commemorate the new millenium, the book was released in a rather inexpensive format small trim size, no dustjacket, glossy illustration printed on its cardboardy cover, low price which made it clear that this was probably an ephemeral offering not destined for years of success. The following year it was released in paperback, with the title captioned "Looking Back Thinking back, though, this might be a nice book to add to an historical children's book collection -- the only?
It certainly is here, as "the plucky protagonist" makes the best of life in the shantytown, then embarks on a daring solo trip to Detroit, hoping to bring together her now-broken family. Christopher Paul Curtis has written another big-hearted historical novel full of memorable characters and events. Though it contains a few flaws Jimmie's lack of height is presented as a major issue in the first half of the book, but disappears in the second; Deza's repeated misuse of the word "geologically" seems patronizing to this otherwise intelligent narrator , THE MIGHTY MISS MALONE deserves its place on the shelf with the author's previous books -- all classics in the making.
So often when I read an ARC, I'm saddened by the fact that it contains fascinating background information that will not appear in the hardcover edition of the book. I always wish this info was available to every reader. Curtis came to write the book. I thought I'd share a bit of it here, for those who are interested: The foundation for this book was the question that kept popping up during many "author visits" I made to schools and communities. This question was always asked by a girl, and she would preface it by saying, "Mr. Curtis, I like your books, but It ran along the lines of, "There are so many wonderful women authors doing books about girls, and if you really want a story about a girl, who is more qualified to do it, me or you?
I felt like I wasn't being completely honest. But when I thought about the question later, I couldn't come up with a better reply. However, mulling over question set in place the foundation for this book. Spratling invited me to speak at an African American mother-daughter book club in Detroit. I said I'd be happy to. Before I was introduced, several of the moms pulled me aside and said in rather threatening tones, "We really like your stories, but I discovered there's a third response: I replied, "Oh, you're just getting his side of the story, she has a completely different take on what happened.
Some readers may be disappointed that the Deza and Bud story trumpeted with the dustjacket tagline: The succinct, two page scene presented here strikes me as particularly well-played.
MYSTERY - DOUG SULIPA - Sulipa`s Comic World
But I guarantee that if we got a big group of children's book fans together, we'd discover that at least a few of them are ambivalent about I was reminded of that last week when reading School Library Journal's Heavy Medal blog on "the ones that got away" -- titles that readers believe should have won the Newbery but didn't. Maybe it's a boy-thing. Or maybe it's because I'm such a huge fan of New York City, the book's setting. Or maybe it's because I'm a lot older than Ms. Werlin and remember the sixties, the book's time period, so well. But whatever the case, I really like this book.
I also don't agree about those Honor Books. But the line that really got me thinking was this: Granted, there are a lot of factors involved in any year's selections -- starting with the pool of eligible books. It's possible that some years have an abundance of riches while other years are so weak that the committee must pick the best of a bad lot.
Looking at the list myself, I don't see any single year where I think every title is amazing Otherwise, I think may be my favorite year, with the medal going to M. In this case, I love all the Honor Books and admire but am not emotionally connected to the winning title. It's even harder to pick across-the-board weak years. While there are a few middling years comes to mind , it seems that nearly every year contains at least one good, surprising, or inspired choice. It may not be in the gold medal position, but at least it received recognition. Perhaps it's silly to expect any single slate to appeal to any one person.
The honored books cross a wide range of genres and are written in many styles -- so somewhere out there, for sure, there is someone who loves every title I hate, and hates every title I love. But still, I'm curious: You've also probably heard about the backlash, if "backlash" means one inflammatory article that talks about how kids should be reading Homer and Virgil instead of contemporary YA books.
I'm still perplexed by the article's timeline the author says he taught at a Flatbush middle school some years ago, yet mentions Myers's novel LOCKDOWN as among his students' favorites. All I know is that the influence of Walter Dean Myers's books, and the importance of his work as ambassador, will be remembered long after that article in the newspaper is used to wrap fish or line a birdcage. Now I've learned that my favorite author will be publishing her next novel only in the e-book format.
What's a reader to do? Stay tuned to see what happens next! There's lots to look forward to in the coming months, including the Newbery, Caldecott, and Printz announcements in just a couple weeks. Thanks for visiting -- and Happy New Year! Today's post isn't about children's books, per se. But it is about young people and it is about books. Described as "the true tale of a diva cockatiel and her loving owner," I immediately ordered a copy. Why did I order this book? I don't usually read self-published books. And while I like birds, I'm not a huge bird lover.
The main reason I ordered the book is because of the author, Cindi R. You're probably saying, "Who is she? But she is to me. Many, many years ago, Cindi and I attended the same high school in Detroit. I remember her from journalism class, held in Room C, the "Cody Star" office. We both wrote for the school paper. Cindi was known for making all her own clothes, wearing a necklace with a "Ms. She was the kind of person who was going to do Big Things with her life From what I've read about her on the internet, she really has lived an impressive life -- hosting a cable news show, working in fashion design, and writing for various publications.
And now this book! Thanks for purchasing Divatiel. Cindi Sounds like a form letter, doesn't it? She doesn't remember me, does she? But I remember her. She sat at a table a couple rows back, just over my right shoulder. I remember most everyone from Room C -- probably because journalism was my favorite class. I thought that a lot of us would end up as famous writers. So it makes me feel good that someone from that class has now published a book. Maciolek and, yes, she included the middle initial in her name back then. It's a writer thing. When I was in college, I took a couple creative writing courses with a guy named David Sosnowski.
He was the star of the class and it was never a question of IF he'd publish a book I was so certain of his eventual success that I always made sure to check the "S" section at the bookstore, and when I later had access to the OCLC database at work, I'd frequently check his name to see if he had a forthcoming book listed. And one day he did! I am excited about what happened to my old classmates -- even if they don't remember me. Thinking back on my school years, I didn't like every class I took and I didn't like every teacher, but one thing I always loved is that school was the place where so many dreams were born and fostered.
Not just the hopes and dreams of aspiring authors in journalism and writing classes, but dreams of aspiring athletes in the gym, dreams of aspiring scientists in the lab, on and on. And dreams are never stronger or bigger than when you are young. Some dreams die, but sometimes they do come to fruition I'm assuming that most readers of this blog have met or even become friends with an author or two as adults I'd love to hear about them!
Please share your stories! Will you be getting up early tomorrow to watch the award announcements on your computer via the live webcast at 7: Or will you already be at work, sneaking a peek at the ALA website to watch the proceedings? She was a librarian at the Los Angeles Public Library and planned to head in early to watch the live webcast of the book awards with her colleagues.
After a few moments of disbelief, the new medalist ran up the stairs to tell her husband, then showed up at work to watch the webcast, not telling her fellow librarians that she had won the prize. One can only imagine how they reacted when the winner was announced and they learned the latest Newbery winner was sitting amongst them! And at one time the author learned of the award in midwinter, but had to keep it secret until the public announcement in the spring. Long-time readers of this blog have already heard my stories of trying to find out the winners every year as a kid.
At first it was simply a matter of asking the librarian at the local library a few days after the announcements where made. But then it reached a point where I wanted to know right away. In fact, I wanted to know first. Next I had to find the books. When I was a kid, that meant borrowing them from the library -- often waiting for the library to order and receive them.
When I got older and began collecting books, it meant visiting bookstores. Let me check our computer. As for my selections…? When I imagine this year's Newbery list, I sort of see a big hole up there at the top, with no particular book rising to the very highest level. Earlier this year I started my own Mock Printz blog but, due to time restraints and serious family issues, it never really got off the ground, reviewing no more than a dozen Printz possibilities. Only four may be chosen. I think those four will be drawn from this pool of six: If I was voting, the following books would be Printz contenders: All these predictions…prognostications…guesses…hopes…and still…you never know!
I did see the title bandied around a tiny bit, but it never seemed to have much buzz or support. And then it won! What books will be honored tomorrow? Please leave your comments! Interestingly, she would later play a small postward role in uniting former enemies Japan and the USA when she served as the private tutor to the Crown Prince of Japan. This never happened before or since. Strangely, his later work never achieved the same critical acclaim or popularity as the books he wrote during his golden decade.
Many authors win the Newbery after having written several popular or acclaimed books…or having previous Newbery Honors. During these years, three solid authors, Jean Lee Latham, Virginia Sorensen, and Harold Keith, came out of nowhere to receive the top prize. None would ever write anything this highly acclaimed or popular again. For the first time, an author winner Joseph Krumgold returned for a second Newbery.
Strangely, his second winner is not considered one of the better Newbery choices. No flash in the pan, he went on to write three more Newbery Honors in the s. Though the winner was an old-fashioned animal story MRS. This retroactive change ushered in a new era of appreciation for Honor Books. A year for ecology? It was either a bad year for books or a bad committee. But it was nice that Sid Fleischman finally got the prize after many years of excellent books. Its selection for the Newbery was expected…but now seems a bland, unexciting choice.
Expected, but still a highlight among winners. This was a new record. Like and , this was a year for previously unrecognized authors to step into the spotlight. When the award was announced, surprised collectors scrambled for the few remaining first editions. A book of medieval monologues winning the Newbery? There was a gasp when the winning title was announced. My advisor in library school…was on the Newbery Committee in and was often quite candid about what it was like. During her year, the committee was completely divided over which of two books should win the gold: It was a tie, and the argument got so heated that all other books simply fell into the background.
I say Slave Dancer wins, and Dark is Rising will be the only honor book. Needless to say, I found this fascinating!
- Living on the Happy Edge of Anarchy.
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- Marine Science Experiments (Facts on File Science Experiments).
Personally, I have often wondered at the super-secrecy of the award committees. Is it truly necessary? What if they were held secret for a specified time say five years and then made known? Would that hurt the process? And if negotitations were made so that a so-so book ended up winning over two or three brilliant but divisive titles. How do you feel about this? I also wonder how you feel about the number of Honor Books every year. In the early days of the Newbery, it was not unusual to have six Honor Books.
One year there were even eight! Do a large number of Honors dilute the distinction of the award? The Printz is limited to four, but the other actually have no limit that I know of. There have been four Newbery Honors for the past three years. There were five in , but only one in And, again, what are your guesses for the winning and Honor Books? Please leave your thoughts in the comments section. I once thought I was the only person who looked forward to the American Library Association awards as if they were Christmas.
But over the past few years, thanks to children's book blogs, listserves, Facebook, and Twitter, I've realized that I am part of very large community of people who feel the same way. I also wondered what I'd do if a "Newbery Day" ever rolled around and I was unable to participate. What if I had to attend a funeral that day? What if I was in the hospital or something? I had visions of myself sneaking out of the funeral home to read the award announcements on a laptop in my car Such extreme events did not occur this year -- thank goodness -- but it was a bit of a bad day anyway, due to some other painful, personal events going on in my life right now.
A friend who knows me well said, "I cannot think of the word Newbery, at any time during the year and not think of you, and to imagine you not almost physically buzzing with excitement is very sad. All are memorable in their own way. Last night found me sitting in front of the computer till 2: Then I got up at 7: I always take Newbery Day off work, so that was not an issue.
Then began The Wait until 8: After years of getting the award info a week late As always, it was full of surprises. Which is another way of saying, I was completely wrong in nearly all my predictions! But then so was nearly everyone else and that's part of the fun of the awards. Just for the sake of keeping a record here, let's go over the winning books: Think they'll place the gold medal sticker right over one of those big orange balls on the cover? I have mixed feelings about this list. People often criticize novels in verse for being less poetry than prose stories chopped up into artistic lines.
When I first read the book, I had a few criticisms, but also realized that it was the kind of novel I would have loved when I was a kid. I think this offbeat, quirky book is going to please a lot of readers and will probably go down in history as one of the better choices. Of course only time will tell This morning, as soon as the webcast ended, I took stock of which titles I had in my collection. This year I had an ARC and first edition of: In years past, Newbery Day has seen me rushing to other bookstores trying to pick up extra copies of these books in hopes of reselling them for a profit at a later time.
This year I did not do that. Part of the reason is that I used to make a quick run to all the local Border's stores four within six miles of where I live but now they are gone. The other reason is that there was always so much competition for the books. I felt bad when someone grabbed the last remaining copy just as I was reaching for it.
And felt even worse when I grabbed the last copy when someone else was reaching for it. This year I decided to leave them all for other collectors. Good news for them. Good karma I hope for me. So that was one thing that made Newbery Day different this year. Another thing was the weather. Some years Newbery Day is bright and cold. Some years it's gray and chilly.
One year we had a blizzard. This year was warm and rainy. Normally I go to lunch at Ponderosa on Newbery afternoon, but my Ponderosa closed last summer, so this year I just went to a take-out Chinese place. This year I took a brand-new book from to read. Who knows -- maybe it will be next year's Printz winner.
Newbery Day is always a day for looking back and looking forward. Looking back at the books we read and loved the previous year, and already thinking about the books we'll be reading in the forthcoming year. Today I found myself thinking about the many children's and young adult books that have changed my life Way back in the early s, I used to shop at a mall bookstore called The Children's Bookmark. I have many fond memories of that little store. I also remember one incident I witnessed outside the store. A mother and father were heading for the mall exit, when a little girl, maybe six or seven years old, drawn by the word "children" on the sign, started begging to go in the store.
But I still think of her plea for "bookmarks" after all these years. For me, each Newbery Day is slightly different -- a happy day, a sad day; a day when I like the winning books, a day when I don't; a snowy day, a warm day; a day when I eat at Ponderosa or end up with Chinese take-out; a day when I look back at last year's books and look forward to next year's books. I celebrate every "Newbery Day" and I remember each one of them, going back years and years. They are bookmarks marking the pages of my life. We also ask what books made you cry as a kid and what books you promise to finally read in this coming year.
If you'd like to relive the moment you can watch the Newbery announcement here: And there's an interview with Norvelt's author, Jack Gantos, here: Everyone loves to hear the stories of where the medalists were and what they were doing when they received The Phone Call. Thanks to Publishers Weekly, you can read those stories right here. Did you have good luck? I'm still trying to track down first printing numbers for these books does anyone know?
The other books I'm too sure about. Jul 29, Summer Reads: In the Unlikely Event. Posted by Billy Burgess No comments: Jul 28, DVD Review: Storms Of The Century. Jul 27, Summer Reads: Directed by Thomas Vinterberg, Carey Mulligan stars as a headstrong Victorian beauty in this sweeping romantic drama, based on the literary classic by Thomas Hardy.
Mulligan plays Bathsheba Everdene, an independent woman who attracts three different suitors: Posted by Billy Burgess 11 comments: Jul 24, Book Blogger Hop: July 24th - 30th. Do you use bookmarks? If so, do you match them to the book you're reading or do you use random scraps of paper? I use a Wizard Of Oz book marker that I bought at a thrift store a few years back. Posted by Billy Burgess 2 comments: Smooth Almond Butter Review.
Jul 23, Blu-ray Review: A Bride At Last. Jul 19, Roseship Oil Review.