A Kid’ll Eat Ivy Too, Wouldn’t You?

Oh, mares it oats and does eat oats and little lambs eat ivy. Or so they say. I’ve never really seen a lamb eat ivy. Sounds bitter.  On to the news!

• There’s a serious objection against self-chosen anonymous bloggers over at Reading, writing, and chocolate. Initially I thought it was about anonymous commenters, but this is about bloggers that refuse to put their names on their sites. And since some of my favorite bloggers are anonymous (Editorial Anonymous being the best known) I’m not sure as I agree. Technically Miss Snark was anonymous too. When your job conflicts with your blogging, why not go the subtle route?

• A great piece up at Oz and Ends considering gay characters in children’s fantasy. Bell takes his cue from the recent Dumbledore outing, and considers really only two other possible gay couples. The fellows in the So You Want to Be a Wizard series by Diane Duane and a Baum character or two. Heck, for that matter take into account his Damned If She Does, Damned If She Doesn’t piece too. This week a YA author sat down with me and told me that she was reading the Harry Potter books for the very first time, just after hearing the announcement about Dumbledore. Her point? "He’s really flamboyant in the first book, isn’t he?" It’s all about interpreting "the text" within the context of pre-existing knowledge, baby.

• He said, she said? Sometimes reviewing children’s books is an exhausting business. Poor, Wild Girls. Chasing Ray has the round-up on an odd little blip in the MG/YA world. The point I think that she makes best? "You can’t phone in a review on the internet." Damn straight. Thanks to Shaken and Stirred for the heads-up.

• Sheesh. I report on a whole great big Harper Collins preview (in full, no less) and do they even mention to me that they’re collaborating with MySpace to make a book? No they do not. So much for feeding me the good stuff. Thanks to Finding Wonderland for the link.

• There’s a book signing at Books of Wonder this week-end. Why go? Well, I don’t mean to raise your hopes or anything but Jon Stewart apparently was there last week-end with his son. You can read Peter Brown’s recap of the moment. And just look at this line-up of authors:

October 27th – Great Middle Grade Authors!
Saturday GARY SCHMIDT – The Wednesday War
GORDON KORMAN – Schooled
JON BULLER – The Travels of Thelonius
– Faradawn
ERIC BERLIN – The Puzzling World of Winston Breen
12 – 2 pm

October 27th Fantasy Authors From Down Under!
Saturday GARTH NIX – One Beastly Beast
– Lady Friday
JUSTINE LARBALESTIER – Magic or Madness Trilogy
SCOTT WESTERFELD – Extras
MARGO LANAGAN – Red Spikes
JONATHAN STRAHAN
3 – 5 pm

October 28th Halloween Treats!
Sunday ARTHUR YORINKS – The Witch’s Child
– Mommy!
JOS A SMITH – The Witch’s Child
SCOTT BECK – Happy Birthday, Monster!
DAVID EZRA STEIN – Monster Hug!
ELISE PRIMAVERA – Fred & Anthony Meet the Heinie Goblins
JOSHUA GEE – Encyclopedia Horrifica
MICHAEL TEITELBAUM – The Scary States of America
1 – 3 pm

• Mock Newberys are fun all over, but it’s rare that I hear of one where kids actually get a vote. Credit Zee Says for posting a recent summary of her Newbery Club. As library programs go, that’s not a bad idea. Particularly if you run a bookgroup of one kind or another for kids. In fact it is SUCH a good idea, that maybe next year I’ll try doing one of my own with MY homeschooler booksgroup. 

• And for your off-topic posting of the day, you know the whisk. You need the whisk. You know you need a unique new whisk.

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