Fusenews: Snip Snip

• Okay. Right off the bat I’m starting with a Tea Cozy piece that should be required reading for some.  One of the joys of blogging is that you can provide reviews in a format that allows your average joe the chance to read an opinion without having to pay a cent.  And that’s nice and all, but even a super dooper review-a-day blogger type can’t look at everything.  That’s one of the reasons why we have review journals.  NOW!  A lot of new parents and folks just getting into the children’s literary field get a touch confused about what journal reviews what, who’s the most important, what six periodicals provide the difficult-to-attain starred status, etc.  So Liz, for YOU, has written what she’s calling, the "if you’re reading children’s books and want more reviews" list.  Consider your questions clarified.  Thank you, Liz.

• I guess many an editor would feel that the sentence "Eric Carle, the most successful children’s book author of our time, sucks," would make for a good article.  And that’s certainly what one finds in The Very Grouchy Daddy. Not surprisingly, the author places himself in the Sendak rather than the Carle camp.  Can’t wait until he tries out We Are All in the Dumps With Jack and Guy on his kid.  Honestly, this piece reminded me of a similar article that came out a couple years ago called My Nemesis: Maisy Mouse.  Apparently every time a male writer daddy discovers he doesn’t like a classic character or author it’s noteworthy. Thanks to Elissa Nelson for the link.

• In other grumpy news, this woman at the LA Times isn’t happy with a new Pooh sequel.  And as I am stationed at a reference desk next to a glass case holding the new character, I’m just waiting to face down folks with similar notions.

• Aw, heck.  Let’s go for three.  Over at The Washington Times a Julia Duin proclaims that in the wake of a perceived SCBWI-snubbing Children’s books lack moral lessons.  Can’t say as I agree in the least.  Lady, I’ve read a LOT of children’s books this year.  Tons of the things.  And I could fill full your basket with happy uplifting books chock full of "moral lessons" (which is such a loaded term).  And, by the way, if by "moral lessons" you are instead saying, "God is in the books in some way" then you are even more off base!  This year I’ve seen more church-going in children’s literature than . . . well, ever!  Books like Heart of a Shepherd (for an obvious example) or Bull Rider, even.  Books like The Year the Swallows Came Early.  Characters are in church a lot these days.  Even The Kind of Friends We Used to Be went there.  So heavens above, stop painting the state of children’s literature with a broad brush if you haven’t read what’s being published.  As far as I can tell, there are parts of the genre that are sorely lacking (lower income families, more minorities, gay-friendly families, etc.) but "moral lessons" are doing quite well, howsoever you prefer to define it.  Thanks to Oz and Ends, who has his own great take on the piece, for the link.

Sounds like an Onion article, but apparently it’s legit.  Outcry occurs over $95 homeless American Girl doll.  I’ll be curious to see what kinds of outfits they’d create for her.  I’ll also be curious to see the book that accompanies her. Truth be told, we don’t really have a lot of titles that talk about homeless kids these days.  Thanks to PW Children’s Bookshelf for the link.

• I like me that Elizabeth Law.  She’s a pip!  A real gung-ho woman.  As Vice President and Publisher of Egmont Books she recently was interviewed over at the lovely Shrinking Violet Promotions (the blog for authors and illustrators who are introverts rather than extroverts).  Law lays it on the line, explaining why editors and illustrators should all watch Project Runway (amongst other topics, naturally).  Thanks to @scbwiwwa for the link.

• Very sad news from the world of Just One More Book.  We had heard that JOMB was no longer creating podcast reviews of children’s literature.  Unfortunately Andrea was recently diagnosed with breast cancer.  Please send her your support and she, Mark, and their kids make it through this trying time.

• In the wake of Wild Things, Meatballs, Alice, and Mr. Fox, The Boston Globe’s Ty Burr takes a wonderful look at children’s book to film adaptations.  I like how it takes down the Ella Enchanted movie particularly.  Burr also gives a name to some of the movies coming out right now.  They’re riding "new hipster kiddie wave".  True.  Thanks to Educating Alice for the link.

• As my mom put it so succinctly, let’s dissect what’s wrong with this idea.

• Label this Not Workplace Appropriate if you consider laugh-out-loud blog posts inappropriate in the workplace.  Peter at Collecting Children’s Books has just confessed a secret shame.  I’m with you buddy, but at least I’m a girl.

• Daily Image:

A week or two ago bookshelves of doom showed some delightful German stamps of the Little Red Riding Hood tale.  This one, without question, was my favorite.

Somehow the fact that he cuts the wolf open with scissors makes it worse.  See the rest of the stamps here.

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