An Undead Bird and a Form of Ice Cream Therapy
Good stuff today. Blogging is like fishing. You never know what lurks in the deep. Here’s what bit.
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From Cynopsis Kids: "Fox 2000 has inked a deal with director Elizabeth Allen to helm the movie adaptation of Beverly Cleary’s classic kid’s books series Ramona, about Ramona Quimby and her family, per Variety. Laurie Craig I penning the screenplay for the movie, which will be produced by Denise DiNovi and Alison Greenspan, from DiNovi Pictures." Denise DiNovi appears to be all over the kidlit map these days. First Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and now this. At least we know that Dakota Fanning is too old to get a brown bowl-cut wig slapped on her head.
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And from the same source, "Paddington Bear comes to life in a new live-action feature film from Warner Bros. Based on the classic Paddington Bear books by creator/author Michael Bond, with illustrations by Peggy Fortnum, the first of which was published in 1958, the Paddington Bear movie will be produced by David Heyman (producer of the Harry Potter movies), through his company Heyday Films . Hamish McColl will adapt the story for the big screen. UK-based VP/Production, Ollie Madden will oversee the project with LA-based EVP/Production, Kevin McCormick. Rosie Alison will supervise for Heyday Films. " There are many ways that this could go, but two horrific options jump immediately to mind. First, the Americanization of Paddington happens. Second, it ends up a wacky sophomoric scatological film in the vein of that horrific Alvin and the Chipmunks movie. The mind boggles.
- I don’t always think to read Critical Mass since it provides me with insight as a reviewer rather than someone who likes children’s literary news. So credit Shaken & Stirred for noticing the recent quote on the site by Truman Capote regarding whether or not criticism is of any use. I liked this in particular: "But after something is published, all I want to read or hear is praise. Anything less is a bore, and I’ll give you fifty dollars if you produced a writer who can honestly say he was ever helped by the prissycarpings and condescensions of reviewers." Hoodey-hoo!
- Check out the results of the Ironic Sans/Adam Rex contest. If I don’t miss my guess, most of the votes went to the character that would be the most difficult for Mr. Rex to draw. Coincidence?
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On the hometown front (hometown in this case = NYPL) I’m not entirely certain what to make of the article More B.P.C. library plans unveiled, money to come. As someone pointed out to me, "it’s nice to know that a two-floor library is being built in which only one floor will house books. Even B and N has books, lot of books, on every floor."
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I accept my role in this world as a one-woman Laika-promoting band. So how pleased was I when I saw this exclusive excerpt from the book on the New York blog Vulture? As punch, my friends. Fizzy, undiluted, ruby red punch. Well played, First Second. I don’t know how you did it, but well played indeed.
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Okay, this is adorable but if you haven’t finished reading the last Harry Potter book then SPOILER ALERT! (Sorry, ShelfElf) I don’t know whether or not any of you were aware of a site that came out post-Harry Potter VI and pre-Harry Potter VII called Dumbledoreisnotdead.com. Pretty much what it sounds like. In spite of Rowling pointing out multiple times that Dumbledore is, in fact, dead as a doornail, the site produced "evidence" showing that this was not the case. Last night as I left a Mets game at Shea Stadium (they lost) I overheard someone in the crowd talking about the joke website Hedwigisnotdead.com. The site is a mock-version of the Dumbledore page with all kinds of revealing reasons why Hedwig is not, in fact, a plate of avian puree. I will repeat: This site is not real but a rather delightful joke. I think they should sell t-shirts saying "Hedwig Lives!" I’d be sure to buy one. And with that in mind, talk about Halloween costumes that now will never be.
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And finally, an ice cream dispenser that gives you an amount of soft serve as determined by your perceived unhappiness. Thanks to BB-Blog for the link.
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About Betsy Bird
Betsy Bird is currently the Collection Development Manager of the Evanston Public Library system and a former Materials Specialist for New York Public Library. She has served on Newbery, written for Horn Book, and has done other lovely little things that she'd love to tell you about but that she's sure you'd find more interesting to hear of in person. Her opinions are her own and do not reflect those of EPL, SLJ, or any of the other acronyms you might be able to name. Follow her on Twitter: @fuseeight.
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Hold up there, Fuse! I reviewed Laika earlier this week, and only recently because it took so long for me to get my mitts on a copy. And if folks go to the First Second website they can view a different seven page excerpt.
True true. Looks like it’s just you and me, buddy.