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February 27, 2009 by Betsy Bird

Fusenews: Well, There’s ONE Childhood Nightmare Explained Away

February 27, 2009 by Betsy Bird   5 comments

  • Vintage Kids’ Book My Kid Loves does a lovely tribute to a wonderful William Steig book The Amazing Bone.  TBA is remarkable for a variety of reasons, but if you hear it mentioned today it’s usually because someone’s trying to ban it.  You see the robbers in the book (the creeeepy creeeepy nightmare-inducing robbers) are carrying guns.  It’s the same reason they tried banning Pinkerton, Behave until its publishing company went and changed the cover on subsequent reprints.  Guns make folks goofy.  Kids couldn’t care less, of course, and I think I turned out all right, but Steig certainly didn’t have it in mind when he wrote his own book.  So there you go.


  • 2009 Books I Want: Alison Morris is talking up one Magic Box by Kate Cleminson, and I can’t help but want want want it.


  • 100 Scope Notes takes an inventive stab at ye olde blog interview.  This one is with author/illustrator Laurie Keller, and it really is an excellent example of how to make an interview visually stimulating as well as informative.  Top drawer.


  • In spite of the fact that it categorized it under its YA Wednesday heading, Omnivoracious highlights four 2009 middle grade novels that take place in the west.  I’ve read three out of the four and in the case of Lifting the Sky, Bull Rider, and Heart of a Shepherd all three books had one definite thing in common: Opinions on branding.  It basically boils down to Bull Rider: Pro.  Heart of a Shepherd: Pro but conflicted.  Lifting the Sky: CON CON CON!  Branding.  It’s the hot issue of the day.  That and God (but I’ll talk more about that later).


  • Speaking of godlike matters, after I mentioned on my blog that Laurel Snyder had written a piece that brought up my own questions about the dearth of contemporary Jewish kids in children’s literature, Liz B. picked up the ball and asked What About the Catholics? She’s come up with a list of books that she could think of, but there’s always room for more suggestions of you have any. 


  • Two Words: Bacon Fest.  One additional word:  Gimme.


  • To bloggers, comments are our sustenance.  They prove to us that in this wide-eyed crazy world where so much is left to chance, at least someone out there cares about what we say.  All the more reason my come-again-go-again comment feature drives me so crazy.  Bloggers have recently come up with different methods of garnering comments.  There was MotherReaders’ comment challenge, which went quite well as I recall.  And now the marketing/authorial site Market My Words has come up with the "Comment Your Butt off" Contest! with a free website as one of the prizes.


  • And in a new feature I offer Happy Birthday Greetings to: Arthur A. Levine, Sean Qualls, and Lisa McMann.  Many happy returns, you creative folks!


  • Daily Image:


Yeah. That’s pretty much how I imagined the inside of Mo Willems’ house would look.

Though, to be honest, that’s how I envision the inside of ALL artists’ houses to look.  A simple pleasure for my simple mind.  Check out his blog for details on the interior.

Filed under: Fusenews

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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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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.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Chrisin NY says

    February 27, 2009 at 8:07 am

    To go on a riff on the title of this entry re childhood nightmares- wow, I read Tsunami, which you had recommended I think? I realized, after reading it, that right before bed was not the optimal time in light of my long term fear/caution regarding big waves coming on the beach to sweep people away. (Stemming from living near the beach and going to the beach after dark in the fog when you could not see the waves coming. Nervous making for life!) So good book, but proceed with caution with some impressionable kids! (Which I am sure you said in your review but I was so sure it did not apply to me- Gulp.)

  2. jesse joshua watson says

    February 27, 2009 at 12:36 pm

    Hah! Such great timing. I was working on a sketch yesterday in my studio, listening to my wife read our boys the strangest book. Her comments like, ”

  3. Woody says

    February 27, 2009 at 3:57 pm

    You and your blog are awesome. Just thought I would leave a comment!

  4. Arthur says

    March 3, 2009 at 11:48 am

    Thanks for the Birthday Wishes, Betsy!!

  5. Sean Qualls says

    March 10, 2009 at 11:22 am

    Thanks Betsy!

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