Fusenews: When the Other Bloggers Do Do That Voodoo That They Do So Well
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Monica alerted me to a new blog that fills a need. Has anyone else found the absence of British children’s literary blogs a bit odd? A bit out of the ordinary? There’s good old Achockablog, which I’ve always enjoyed. And I bet that there are a bunch of YA lit Brits out there, but in the realm of the child it’s mostly children’s author or illustrators who blog about. So I was very happy to be told about Bookwitch. Her fans include such notable names as Adele Geras and Meg Rosoff and her reviews are a pip. When reviewing Gennifer Choldenko’s If a Tree Falls at Lunch Period (called If a Tree Falls at Lunch Break in the U.K.) she writes, "I wouldn’t mind trying some of Gennifer’s other books, because the titles are temptingly amusing. Maybe Bloomsbury could provide a glossary and explanations of the US school system for us born on the wrong side of the Atlantic." Definitely one to watch.
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There’s a new 7-imp feature with a delicious taste and zesty afterburn. It’s a series called Alice’s Seven Picture Book Tips for Impossibly Busy Parents. Here’s how Jules describes it,
"The idea is that I will list seven new picture books for busy parents as often as I can pull it off. … And here’s my challenge: I’ll have to be brief. ¡Aye Carumba! Can I do that? Yes, I’m up for the challenge. In my typical picture book round-ups (which I vow to continue as well), I do one paragraphs, but these will have to be even shorter, methinks, for those terrifically busy parents. And they will have to be picture books that are currently available for purchase or already in libraries. None of that ‘this advance copy of this picture book I got is filthy cool. But you’ll have to wait three more months for it to come out.’ But I still want them to be new. And I’ll have to try to reign in the children’s-lit-geek talk and remember that these are busy parents who perhaps don’t live, breathe, and die children’s lit like we do and like our typical reader does."
That’s a pretty good idea. For my part, I get so excited about things coming out in, oh say, June that I have a hard time being practical. Let 7-Imp become your practical source for parental needs, then.
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There is other fabulous blogger/parental news out there. Looks like Jen Robinson of Jen Robinson’s Book Page is getting a pretty fabulous gig. Can you say, hello national syndication? She has a guest position on the PBS Parents website. Go on over to her new space and give her kudos, kisses, and love. Doesn’t she look so natural there? Perhaps they shall consider making it a little more permanent if she gets swamped with undying attention, non?
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And while I’m on Jen’s page, I’ll just direct your attention to her posting on the recently announced Sydney Taylor Book Awards. In brief, "Sarah Gershman and Kristina Swarner, author and illustrator of The Bedtime Sh’ma: A Good Night Book, Sid Fleischman, author of The Entertainer and the Dybbuk, and Sonia Levitin, author of Strange Relations, are the 2008 winners of the prestigious Sydney Taylor Book Award." For my own part, I’ve only read The Entertainer and the Dybbuk. It was very nice, but I’ve been wondering about some choices made regarding the cover of the ARC. I’ll say no more for now. But if you have an ARC in hand, give it a nice loooong look. Notice something kinda funny about it?
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You know JacketFlap. You need JacketFlap. You know you need unique JacketFlap. In case you haven’t run into this site it is basically, "the world’s most comprehensive children’s book resource and social networking web site for people in the children’s book industry." And now it’s got a cartoon mouse! Honest.CatDog creator (and sometimes children’s book illustrator) Peter Hannan is going to write a one panel comic series on the site called "Joe Hemingmouse". This brings the total number of regular children’s book related comics to 3. You’ve already got your Tales from the Slush Pile and that regular feature of Toon Thursday on Finding Wonderland. Now we’re three for three. You can see Joe here.
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Movie news time! Check out this item from Cynopsis Kids: "The feature film rights to Australian author John Flanagan’s young adult action/fantasy book series Ranger’s Apprentice has been optioned by United Artists according to the LA Times . Published in the US by Philomel , a unit of Penguin Young Readers Group, the Ranger’s Apprentice series (seven books so far, with an eighth in the works and a ninth promised) follows the adventures of 15-year-old Will, an orphan living in medieval times, who joins a group called the Ranger Corps, where he trains to be the King’s eyes and ears. Negotiations are underway for writer/director Paul Haggis (Million Dollar Baby, Crash, he adapted Flags of Our Fathers) to helm the first movie, which will be based on book one of Ranger’s Apprentice, The Ruins of Gorian . In related news, if United Artists is able to craft together an intervening agreement with the Writers Guild of America then perhaps work on the first Ranger’s Apprentice movie can get under way sooner rather than later. Other studios and productions companies are considering such a move as well." I know at least one fourteen-year-old boy who is going to be thrilled when he hears this.
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Want a free Swedish book? Translated, naturally. I know that sometimes it’s hard to get your hands on overseas titles, so maybe this will help. I’ve recently come into contact with a small company called Winged Chariot Press and they sent me this info recently. Feel free to participate. "All the way from Sweden the dreamiest and most inventive worker you may ever come across. Have you ever dreamed of being somebody else and doing something completely different ? Send in your answers (you can ask children for entries if you like) to info@wingedchariot.com and we will send the best 5 a free copy of the book [Dudley the Daydreamer] when it comes out later this year."
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And finally, as badass children’s illustrator photos go, Yuyi Morales has officially won the title. This picture is from her blog.
My children’s illustrator could totally take down your children’s illustrator.
Filed under: Fusenews
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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Thanks for the link. I also can’t help myself sometimes with those books-that-will-be-out-in-four-months, so I’ll cover those, too, occasionally in separate posts.
And I’ve seen that pic of Yuyi before and was duly impressed. Bad-ass, indeed. Is she some kind of superwoman?
I never saw this before!
Ah, if I had known on time about the badass children’s illustrator photo, I would have worn my cape and boots.
Thank you, Fuse#8, for the distinction (and for making true another one of my wishes)
Actually, along the same lines, could you please please please do a picture book about Mexican wrestlers? I can this class of, I kid you not 45 second graders, and every single boy in the class wanted a Mexican wrestler book. Of which we had? Zippo. So it sounds odd, but if you could make one I’d be mighty obliged. Mighty.