Fusenews: The One Flaw with Summer? Mushy Apple Season.
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ooo! Most loathed books from the critics at The Times! Makes me think of my own beloved/despised list. I mean, there’s the Triumvirate of Mediocrity , of course. They’ll always have the sweetest place in my heart (particularly after I read Laura Lutz’s Reason #2 the other day). Thanks to bookshelves of doom for the link.
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I never read as many adult books as I should. Usually this reading is confined to bedtime or audio books. For example, right now I’m enjoying a spirited Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole (who, as an aside, went to Tulane with my mother-in-law and father-in-law) all thanks to Audible. Now Kelly Herold and Monica Edinger have discovered that children’s books released in Britain will appear at Audible before they are published. As a result they have both already heard Cosmic by Frank Cottrell Boyce (he of " YA ghetto " fame). I want this book. No no. You do not understand. I waaaaant this book. But I’m loathe to stop listening to Toole, so if the publisher who is bringing this book to America could be so good as to speed up the whole publishing process I’d be mighty obliged (you can’t blame a gal for trying, right?).
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No! No no no no no! No, Elizabeth Ward, no you are not allowed to leave The Washington Post . I understand that you have your reasons. Perhaps they are very good reasons. I do not care. Elizabeth Ward you are hereby commanded to turn around and come back THIS INSTANT! Please? Sad thanks to Big A little a for the link.
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I am a bad person. I never announce when the latest issue of the Children’s Literature online monthly Edge of the Forest is up. Well, the June issue is up right now. Go! Read! Enjoy! And thus my karma goes up a half a point.
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Walter the Giant (actual name may vary) sent this along to me as a potential post. Walter is my Goodreads friend. We have not met, though I recall his excellent performance during the last ALA Media Awards announcements in Philadelphia. Good committee members whoop it up, they do. And thus, I pass along this info on an upcoming conference:
The annual Ypulse National Mashup conference ( www.mashup.ypulse.com ) is the event for those who are immersed in the youth space and interested in successfully using technology to connect with today’s youth. It’s an event where attendees learn how to harness social media and technology in ways that are ethical, authentic and add value for tweens, teens and early twentysomethings.
More than one in four readers of ypulse.com and the Ypulse Daily Update newsletter are teachers, librarians, counselors and ministers who recommend books to their students, clients and the public. These professionals are the largest single group that read Ypulse and attend Ypulse Mashup conference events. That’s the reason we’ve created a special preconference session to focus on books this year:
The Ypulse Books Publishing Mashup.
• Presentations and panel discussions include “Meeting Young Readers Where They Live – Online,” “Writing for a Youth Audience” and “Visual Storytelling,” covering everything from how successful YA authors connect with reluctant readers, to trends in YA publishing and why teens are mad for manga.
• Speakers and panelists are from companies including Scholastic, Readergirlz, Star Farm Productions, Hachette Book Group USA, Zest Books/Orange Avenue Publishing, Penguin Group (USA), JacketFlap, Kamikaze POP and VIZ Media.
• Participating YA authors include Lisa McMann, Melissa Walker, Jeff Savage and Debbie Huey.
We’d love to invite your readers to join us for this event. And, even if they can’t attend the entire Mashup conference (starting that afternoon), they will also be invited to join our attendees at 8:00pm for a special screening of the documentary film “American Teen,” followed by a Q&A with the teens from the film.
For a special discounted flat rate of $100 for the Ypulse Books Publishing Mashup preconference only, enter the code SFBOOKS when registering at www.mashup.ypulse.com . For all with an interest in attending the entire National Mashup, we extend an offer of a 10% discount on the registration fee; simply email us at Carolyn@ypulse.com for a special code to use.
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Daily Image:
Once again, it’s from Crooked House today. As she says, this is Yeondoo Jung who takes photographs based on children’s drawings. Very cool.
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 Forest mention, Betsy.
But, seriously: Elizabeth Ward is second to none in the States. I am so sad about her leaving.
Oh, and “Cosmic”? It’s cosmic. Tons o’ fun, a few laughs, and a great many thoughtful moments. A five-star book.
Why oh why is Ms. Ward leaving?? She doesn’t say why.
And I didn’t know she thought Hugo Cabret “fell short.” Interesting.
She was the first person I read who was not entirely enchanted by “Tulane” too. I sure hope whoever replaces her has such distinct opinions.
I’m pretty sure I know why she left — for the same reason that many other good Washington Post people left at the same time: a sweet buyout package. Let’s just hope she finds some other forum for her opinions.