Comfort Reading

Science Boy and I are watching a heartbreaking documentary on Hurricane Katrina. Even among all the tragedy, my favorite Camus passage (from The Plague)comes to mind. pehaps I have blogged it before, but I feel a need to repeat it again, like a mantra:

Dr. Rieux resolved to compile this chronicle, so that he should not be one of those who hold their peace but should bear witness in favor of those plague-stricken people. . . and to state quite simply what we learn in a time of pestilence: that there are more things to admire in men than to despise.

for cryin' out loud

I don't even have words...

Congratulations, Kate!

Kate DiCamillo has won the 2006 Chicago Tribune Prize for Young Adult Fiction. There's a press release here. I *love* Desperaux.

(There's an article in the Chicago Tribune, too, but it focuses on Joyce Cariol Oates, winner of this year's Chicago Tribune Literary Prize.)

I do love Body Shop, *but*...

They apparently have a new line of makeup, so the website asks, What's your fabulous new look? Time to revamp. Find a collection of gorgeous day and night looks: For a Hot Date, For 9 to 5, and For a Party. Experiment, be bold, and best of all, feel fabulous. Then they give suggestions for how to achieve each of these looks.

Problem is, I think all their suggestions look hideous. Like a little girl playing in her mother's make-up. Or Baby Jane.

Ugh.

Or maybe it's just me...

Worth checking out...

Seems my neighborhood has yet another new library! From the Reader: Last year Logan Square got a new neighborhood library. Last month it unexpectedly got another one, on the sidewalk around the corner from Lula Cafe. It’s small, unfunded, and self-maintaining--in fact, it doesn’t have any employees at all. It’s easy to miss it altogether, but if you look again at what appears to be an old newspaper honor box, you’ll see the words on its side, painted in bright green over white puffy clouds: FREE BOOKS! Below, in smaller letters, is written: COMMUNITY BOOK EXCHANGE. LOGAN SQUARE BRANCH.

This sounds rockin' cool -- and gives me a good place to ditch some books. (I can't bear to throw them out, but I have decided I can't keep EVERYthing and my shelves are full again!) Definitely gonna be checking that out soon.

Read all about it.

Don't forget to vote!

Now's the time to vote for the 2006 Quill Awards. The website says "The Quill Awards pair a populist sensibility with Hollywood-style glitz and have become the first literary prizes to reflect the tastes of the group that matters most in publishing-readers."

Whatever.

Actually, I quite like the idea of the Awards -- a Rebecca Caudill Award for grown-ups. Maybe it just needs time to catch on. I did watch the ceremony last year and thought it was kinda lame. The focus seemed to be more on the commentators and celebrity authors instead of the "real" authors. (Don't they realize that those of us who would tune in to an awards show for BOOKS in the first place would rather see authors than anyone else?")

Well, however it all plays out this year, I did vote and encourage everyone out there who loves books to vote as well. Maybe the Quills just needs to have some time to become what it can be. I mean, it's only been one year. I guess some slack should be cut.

Right?

Anyway, go vote.

One Book, One Chicago

The Chicago Public Library has announced the latest book in the One Book, One Chicago series: Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri. This is one of the few One Book selections I actually read before it was chosen, but I started rereading it this morning. Absolutely lovely! I recommend that, whether you're in Chicago or not, you go to your local library and check out this collection of short stories.

Naguib Mahfouz has died

From Yahoo!: Naguib Mahfouz, who became the first Arab writer to win the Nobel Prize in Literature for his novels depicting modern Egyptian life in his beloved, millennium-old corner of Islamic Cairo, died Wednesday, his doctor said. He was 94.

Read the rest of the story.

Deep Breathing: Why should obscene phone callers have all the fun?

Okay, so we got our acts together, thought of a team name, and registered for the October 1st "Blow the Whistle on Asthma" Walk. (Well, *I* registered anyway. Anita and Erin were right there when I did and said they were gonna sign up, too... Hmm...) This is a cause that means a lot to me. As some of you know, Science Boy lives with asthma and we've had a few sleepless nights -- him struggling to breathe, me lying awake in terror that he's not gonna make that next breath. His asthma is under control 99.9% of the time, but that 0.1% is scary.

PLEASE take a look at our team page and pledge a few bucks. We're trying to raise $500 as a team, so anything you can do will help and be appreciated. (It's worth a click just to see what dorky name we finally decided on!)

Peace and love to all,
Katharine

No Cookies in the Library!

Classic Sesame Street.

Nicole Kidman is Mrs. Coulter

According to Yahoo!, Nicole Kidman is set to play Mrs. Coulter in the film adaptation of Philip Pullman's book, The Golden Compass. Read the whole story here. I think she'll do pretty well.

Congratulations, Studs!

This isn't exactly *new* news, but I've been meaning to blog it, so here goes... From the Chicago Tribune: Chicago-based writer and oral historian Studs Terkel has been awarded the first Dayton Literary Peace Prize, an outgrowth of the Dayton Peace Prize that commemorates the 1995 agreement that ended the war in Bosnia. Congratulations to one of Chicago's brightest literary lights!

VOTE FOR JEFF (O-TYPE STAR)!!

One of our friends has an opportunity to play at Lollapalooza. He's a very talented hip-hop artist who has already made it through several rounds of competition. This next round of voting is happening on-line and, so far, he's not doing so well. He really needs votes.

Consider taking a minute to cast a vote his way. If you want to hear what you're voting for, there are samples of his music at his webpage.

Then, please go to Q101's site and cast a vote for Jeff Baraka (O-Type Star). The link to the voting is at http://www.q101.com/lastbandstanding/vote.aspx.

You'll have to register with Q101 (sponsoring the contest). It's like registering for a message board (but at least they have prizes & giveaways, etc.). The purpose is to discourage cheating & of course promote the station. If you don't wanna continue w/Q101, you can always unsubscribe after voting.

Voting ends at 12 noon on Monday (7/31).

PLEASE vote! How cool would it be to have a young Chicago artist playing one of the biggest concerts of the year?

Thanks!

UPDATE: Sadly, Jeff did not win the on-line voting. :-( I think that, in general, a rock band (which his three competitors were) probably had a slightly better chance with Q101's target audience than a hip-hop act, no matter how brilliant. Thanks for voting and, seriously, consider checking out some of Jeff's music at his website.

Bad Blogger!

Okay, first of all, I just spent a while typing in a long explanation about why I have neglected this blog and when I tried to publish, it was *lost*! UGH.

ANYway, the short short story is that I broke my right pinkie finger the Friday before Memorial Day. I finally took a vacation day and Science Boy took me to Hyde Park to see where he grew up. We went to breakfast at Valois and then walked around for a bit. As we were returning to the car, we noticed a police car parked in front of Santiago. I was worried that maybe our meter was expired and we'd get a ticket, so I ran to check.

And tripped over my own sandals.

And fell.

Sigh.

When I raised my head, i noticed that my right knee was all ripped up and that my right pinkie finger was at a very bad angle. Without thinking, I yanked it straight. Science Boy helped me up and suggested we go to the hospital. i did NOT want to, but he never listens to me, so instead of spending the afternoon at MSI, we spent it at the hospital.

I got a cast and, later, a brace. Typing (and many other things) were a serious pain in the ass with my hand wrapped up, which is the my official excuse for not keeping up here. Now it is 8 weeks later and it still isn't quite right, but I can type easier again, so I will try to be better about keeping up.

(Actually, my day off was still lovely. Despite the afternoon in the hospital, we had fun. I have a friend who works there and came to hang out with us. And after we left the hospital, Science Boy took me to the gorgeous Japanese gardens, and then for a walk around the Point.)

Thanks to my friends and readers who have written to ask if I was okay and ask about the blog. I will try not to leave for so long again. At least not without explanation.

Be well, all.

Stay indoors!

Daniel Handler has a message from Lemony Snicket:

"Mr. Snicket believes that summertime is such a dangerous season, what with sunburn and melted ice cream and the possibility of summer camp, that it's best to stay indoors and read."

Read the whole story.

Mo's dream...

From USA Today:

When Mo Willems, an author and illustrator of children's books, was 6, he loved the comic strip Peanuts "more than anything," so he wrote to its creator:

"Dear Mr. Schulz: Can I have yur job when you die? Yur fan, Maurice Charels Willems."

Read the whole article.

On my mind...

Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed, to me:
I lift my lamp beside the golden door.

-- words at the base of the Statue of Liberty, written by Emma Lazarus

How Kaavya Viswanathan Got a Book Deal, Got Good Reviews, and Got in Trouble

First off, let me say that I loved How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got a Life by Kaavya Viswanathan. I didn't view it as Great Literature, but found it entertaining and worth my time. Our library system bought it as an adult title, but we talked about how it might be a great book for teen groups.

Then the Harvard Crimson reported that Viswamanathan had apparently plagarized parts of her novel from two Megan McCafferty novels, Sloppy Firsts and Second Helpings. The media pounced on the story. Many outlets, including the Boston Globe, ran passages from the works of both authors next to one another, showing that there are, indeed, striking similarities between the two works and the question of plagarism is valid.

Kaavya Viswanathan responded to the accusations with apologies. She said she had read McCafferty's books and had internalized them, that any plagarism was "unintentional and unconscious.".

The New York Times ran a story on book packaging, whereby editors "craft proposals for publishers and create plotlines and characters before handing them over to a writer (or a string of writers)." In fact, in this particular case, "the same editor, Claudia Gabel, is thanked on the acknowledgments pages of both Ms. McCafferty's books and Ms. Viswanathan's How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got a Life. Ms. Gabel had been an editorial assistant at Crown Publishing Group, then moved to Alloy, where she helped develop the idea for Ms. Viswanathan's book."

So, the same woman who helped along on McCafferty's books also worked on Viswanathan's book? And didn't notice any similarities?

I am not defending intentional plagarism, but I am also not shocked that a 17-year-old girl (which is what Viswanathan was when she got her publishing deal) might use words from other books she had loved, without really realizing it. As an adult writer, I have caught myself once or twice thinking, "Wow, that sounds great! Hey... Isn't that awfully close to something I read a few weeks ago...?" Then I try to ascertain if it *is* similar to something else I read or if I'm just being paranoid. So far, I've kept myself out of trouble.

My point is... Where the hell were Viswanathan's editors during all of this? Doesn't it make sense that an editor -- especially one who seems to have worked on the book Viswanathan is accused of copying from -- would, um, I don't know, maybe notice the similarities? Doesn't some of the responsibility lie with them?

Malcolm Gladwell, author of Tipping Point and Blink, has an good post on the whole affair on his blog. His stance is that in teen fiction, certain themes and plots are staples. He says, "It is worth reading, I think, the actual passages that Viswanathan is supposed to have taken from McCafferty. Let's just say this isn't the first twenty lines of Paradise Lost. My question is whether it is possible to write a teen-lit novel without these sentences... Calling this plagiarism is the equivalent of crying 'copy' in a crowded Kinkos."

There's another defense, from a more legal standpoint, at Language Log.

I don't know. Maybe I am wrong. But, for the record, I really think Viswanathan is the better writer... I hope this doesn't destroy her writing career, because I was really looking forward to what happened to Opal Mehta next...

Congratulations, Ref Grunt!

Ref Grunt has co-authored a new book, Reference Librarianship: Notes from the Trenches. If it's even a teensy bit as funny and fascinating as his blog, it'll be well worth the cover price!

BeBoBa!

First of all, it is the funnest store name. EVAH. I *love* to say it. go ahead, try it yourself. First slowly: "Be-Bo-Ba." Now quickly, all one word: "BeBoBa."

Okay, now that that's out of the way. let me tell you why you should go to BeBoBa if you are anywhere near Chicago.

First off, what is BeBoBa? It's an independent Bubble Tea house on Western, just south of Addison. Okay, so what the heck is bubble tea? It's a sweet tea drink, which originated in Taiwan in 1983. It gets its name from the soft tapioca pearls -- or bubbles -- in it.

Bubble tea is YUMMY and BeBoBa is the place to go. The owners are friendly and wonderful. The prices are reasonable -- no more than your daily Starbucks fix. They have a gazillion flavors to choose from, so you can have a different tasty treat each time you go.

Science Boy is really good at picking delicious combinations of flavors. I've found a few I love -- and I *always* love whatever they recommend when I ask for help! Some of our favorite combinations have been: Pineapple Cranberry, Matcha Lavender Orange, and Avocado Honeydew.

Science Boy and I have gotten into the habit of timing our visits to the video store around BeBoBa's hours.

Go to BeBoBa! Heck, if any of my readers are in the Chicago area and want to try it, I'll even treat. (Okay, I will treat the first person who responds to this.)

And if -- no when -- you go, tell 'em Miss Katharine sent ya.

In Memoriam

From Yahoo: "Dame Muriel Spark, whose spare and humorous novels made her one of the most admired British writers of the post World War II years, has died in Tuscany, Italian officials said Saturday. She was 88." Read the whole story here.

Fighting the Good Fight

Mary Schmich's column in todays' Chicago Tribune talks about moms who are working to keep small children out of R-rated movies. Two such moms have banded together to raise awareness of this issue, even creating a website, Box Office Offenders.

In my mind, this is *so* not an issue of censorship, but rather of appropriateness. It seems so common sense. As one of the moms writes, "Doesn’t forcing a 4 year old to be subjected to images of molestation, brains being blown onto walls, and cannibalism of the dead constitute as SOME form of child abuse? "

Um... YEAH.

And, if you want to look at it from a different, more self-centered point of view, should adults have the right to enjoy an evening out at a film made for adults without worrying about the 4-year-old screaming in terror next to them. Science Boy and I went to the Symphony last night and even the CSO has a policy that prohibits children under 8 years of age from attending concerts, unless it is a show planned and appropriate for children.

IT'S JUST GOOD SENSE. Just because something is appropriate for an adult does not make it appropriate for a child. I understand that adults want to see grown-up movies and I guess that's what leads to taking the kids along. But DON'T. Drop the kids off with your mom or a neighbor. Arrange a playdate with a friend (you can watch the friend's kid when he/she wants to go to an adult-appropriate film/concery). Hire the teen down the street to babysit for a few hours.

As if the world isn't hard enough... Please don't force your children to watch films that are inappropriate for them.

A letter in the Trib; that's kinda cool...

The Chicago Tribune graciously printed a letter I sent them about Beverly Cleary in yesterday's paper. I don't know how long it will remain on-line, but it's there now. Some of it I cribbed from my blog entry on her birthday... I'm kinda proud that I got this paper to print an appreciation of one of the brightest stars in the Children's Lit sky.

SPAM I am

Okay. So I am caving in. I want an iPod. I have so many books on cd. I just want an efficient way to carry them around with me so I can listen on the daily commute.

But, no extra money for an iPod.

So.

(Geez. Why is this embarrassing?)

Okay. So by looking at internet ads, signing up for an offer from an advertiser, and then begging my friends to do the same thing, I can win a free iPod.

And the thing is, I have seen these offers before and have always TOTALLY assumed they were a scam.

BUT.

But NPR ran a story about this. Not a tabloid or some anonymous person on-line, but NPR, Man! AND The Boston Globe, in an article written by someone who begins believing it's all a scam, too, is convinced. Actually, this company freepay.com, has received such good press that they provide a handy index for you.

It's not only iPods, either. Freepay.com offers members choices: flatscreen tvs, laptops, designer handbags, and more.

SO.

I am caving in to Wall Street for however long it takes me to earn the iPod. Please consider clicking this link -- http://premiumipods.freepay.com/?r=29357159 -- and at least considering the offers. Some are completely free, some cost a few bucks. I chose a free offer and hope to figure out a way to get enough others to look so I will soon be listening to Thoreau on the subway.

Thanks!

Drop Everything and READ!

Today is National D.E.A.R. day -- Drop Everything and Read. D.E.A.R. time was first enjoyed by Ramona in Ramona Quimby, Age 8.

It is also, not coincidentally, the 90th birthday of the amazing Beverly Cleary. Newsweek recently ran a profile of Ms. Cleary and today's Arizona Republic also features an article.

It's so nice, in an age of tabloids and starlets behaving badly, to see such a wonderful author still so beloved. And who HASN'T read the Ramona books? Even Science Boy confesses to having read them as a child.

So many images come to mind as I write this -- Ramona wearing pajamas to portray a sheep at the Nativity; Ramona cracking a raw egg on her head; writing her Qs as little cats; trying to write her name for a library card; envying Willa Jean's ability to pull all the Kleenex out of a box and still be thought of as cute; Beezus and Ramona being horrified when their parents cook tongue...

I LOVE Ramona. And Ellen Tebbits. And Henry Huggins. And Mitch and Amy. And Ralph. And EVERYONE who inhabits the pages of Beverly Cleary's books.

Thank you, Ms. Cleary, for writing so many books for children -- and their adults to read and cherish and read again. Happiest of birthdays to you. I love you.

NOTE: There are more tributes to Cleary at The Yakima-Herald (where she once worked), Oregon Public Broadcasting, The Washington Post, NPR, The Oregonian, and The Boston Globe. I'm sure there are more that I have missed, but I think I am gonna go read Beezus and Ramona instead of surfing the 'net anymore.

VOTE!

If you live in a place where there is an election today, please take a minute to go to your polling place and vote.

Science Boy and I went this morning. We walked in the freezing cold to the local grade school, cast our votes and trudged back home.

I am a woman. Science Boy is African-American. Even 100 years ago, we would have been denied any voice in an election. Women in this country didn't get the vote until 1920. African-Americans technically got the vote in 1870, but everyone knows that's not really what happened. It took the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to make the right of African-Americans to cast votes (in a country they helped build) a reality.

So, it's been only 86 years that women in the US have been allowed to vote. African-Americans have been allowed to cast a vote only in the past 41 years. Knowing how hard our forebears fought for this right, knowing that people spoke out and rallied and sometimes died for our right to vote... How can we dishonor their sacrifices by not voting? And how can this country claim to fight for democracy overseas when we do not honor the rights we have here?

Please, if you have an election in your city today, VOTE!

Jealous much?

According to his blog, Scott Adams is not happy that Aaron McGruder is taking vacation.

According to one news story I read: Aaron McGruder, the cartoonist behind the strip syndicated in about 350 American newspapers, said Tuesday he would take about six months off beginning in March.

"‘Every well needs occasional refreshing," he wrote in a letter to be sent to editors of newspapers carrying the strip. "I hope that this fall you will agree that the time away from the demands of deadlines has served the strip, your readers and me."

Apparently Adams thinks that taking a vacation after doing the Boondocks strip for 6-7 years is not warranted. On his blog, he writes:

The creator, Aaron McGruder apparently doesn’t have enough time because he’s working on his animated TV show.

The interesting part is that he hasn’t drawn the strip himself for years. According to an interview I read, he considers himself more of a writer than an artist anyway.

I imagine Stephen King rolling over in his grave when he hears that McGruder doesn’t have time to write his four sentences per day for the strip. I realize Stephen King is still alive, but I assume he sleeps in a grave anyway.

Now, I don't know how y'all feel, but that just seems a little bitchy. From what i have read, McGruder didn't say he didn't have time to do both, but that he needs a vacation. That doesn't seem unreasonable to me. McGruder says he hopes the strip will be stronger when he comes back from vacation. Why doesn't he deserve a break if he wants one?

Why Scott Adams even cares whether or not Aaron McGruder takes vacation is another question entirely.

Look. I know Scott Adams has had a strip *and* a tv show at the same time in the past, but... I dunno. Yay for him. Hooray for Scott Adam's intricate, painstaking, finely nuanced drawings each day. He's a harder worker than Aaron McGruder. He is superior because being snarky about his fellow comic strip creator makes him so.

Whatever.

I have never heard Aaron McGruder being anything but honest about having an artist draw the strips. If he has gotten to the point in his career where he can afford to hire someone to do the drawing while he outlines storylines (because many of his strips are part of a larger arch, not just one-offs) and writes for the show, good for him. Nothing wrong with considering yourself a writer when what you actually do is, um, WRITE.

For a writer, four sentences could take *way* longer than four pages might because you must distill the language and have every word just so. Unless, of course, you are so amazingly, unrelentingly talented that you scribble your strip in seconds each morning, effortlessly, as Mr. Adams would appear to.

I actually feel kinda sad now because I used to like Scott Adams. I still like his work and find his blog entertaining from time to time. But somehow, seeing that he needs to be nasty about his fellow comic strip creators just because they take vacation in order to feel better about himself has made me lose any respect I had for the man.

Librarians Defeat Nuns!

Who would have thought that people as far away as Toronto would be interested in a spelling bee in Northern Kentucky?

That's what happens when three undefeated nuns takes on a trio of unbeaten librarians.

So begins the story in the Cincinnati Post last Friday.

A tough match-up, but the librarians prevailed:

The sisters bowed out when they couldn't spell "chimopelagic," a word that describes organisms that live deep in the sea and come up once in a while for light.

The Boone County librarians spelled that word correctly, then spelled one more word correctly for the win - "trinitrotoluene" - otherwise known as TNT.

Read the whole story.

Springsteen does Seeger

Bruce Springsteen will release an album of cover songs for the first time in his career. The artist he is covering? PETE SEEGER.

Yup, you read that right> The Boss will cover songs by Pete Seeger, who I believe is one of our great national treasures. I hope the album does well, and maybe brings more people to Pete's music.

Thanks, Amy, for the heads-up! ;-)

Librarians are so fair

The headline in the Baltimore Sun reads,

Library patron 'borrows' way into prison
Record of 402 overdue items leads to Randallstown man's theft conviction, 3-year term

The article begins, If you're two weeks late in returning a book to the Baltimore County library, you're likely to get a phone call. If your book is four weeks overdue, you'll receive a notice in the mail.

And if you're Philip Akbar Shabazz, you're sent a letter that begins: "You currently have 402 items overdue from the Baltimore County Public Library. Fees and charges for these items amount to over $8,400."

Despite this guy using multiple (stolen?) cards to get hundreds of books (which it is believed he sold), the article ends in the best way possible:

Still, library officials said that if Shabazz were to square his account, he would no longer be barred from library branches.

"He would be welcomed back," Wheeler said.

I *love* librarians!

Read the whole article here.

Libraries ROCK!

"Imagine a collection of music, movies, and books you can access for free with the help of the Internet. What if you could share it all with your friends and neighbors? No, I’m not referring to BitTorrent or Napster; I’m talking about your local library."

Thus begins a fabulous new article on Lifehacker. It mentions many of my favorite things about libraries including, "Chances are that your library doesn’t stock every book you might ever want to read. Just because they don’t own it, doesn’t mean they can’t get it." Yeah! I *love* that part!

Be sure to read the whole article here.

Gak

The headline in the Miami Herald reads:

Collaborator on 'Curious George' books, films found dead, covered with garbage bags, in Boynton driveway

From the article, it seems this man co-edited, rather than wrote, some of the George books. However he was involved with the naughty little monkey, this is a ghastly story...

Read the whole story here.

A good little monkey

Curious George opens next weekend and reuters has an article about the corporate adventures of this mischievous little monkey. Read it here.

Not to ruin it for anyone, but I love the last line: "Having escaped corporate duties, Curious George is once again free to play with the kids."

Thank goodness!

In Memoriam

According to Publisher's Weekly, two of Children's Lit's mainstays have died.

Tana Hoban
Photographer, designer and author Tana Hoban died on January 27 in Paris, at the age of 88. Hoban began her artistic career as a photographer of children, with exhibitions at the Museum of Modern Art as well as shows in Philadelphia, Paris and Berlin. She turned her eye to making photography for children in 1970 with the publication of the concept book Shapes and Things (Macmillan). Hoban published more than 50 books for children and won numerous awards, including a Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Honor and the George C. Stone Recognition of Merit Award for her entire body of work.

Martha Alexander
Author and illustrator Martha Alexander died on January 31 from complications from a stroke. She was 85. Alexander illustrated her first book, Come and See Me by Mary Kennedy (Harper & Row) in 1966 and went on to publish nearly 50 children's books, many of which she was both the author and illustrator. Charlesbridge is reissuing three of Alexander's picture books this year, When the New Baby Comes, I'm Moving Out and Nobody Asked ME if I Wanted a Baby Sister, in February, and I'll Protect You from the Jungle Beasts, in July.

Hey. You. GUYS!!!

Woo-hoo! I cannot wait for next Tuesday!

Why, you ask?

Because -- FINALLY -- The Electric Company will be available on dvd.

I don't know whether to be at the store when it opens or to pre-order now...

huh?!

From Yahoo:

Shock-rocker Marilyn Manson will play Alice in Wonderland author Lewis Carroll in a movie that also marks his writing and directing debut.

This frightens me. I mean, I will absolutely rent it on dvd, but it frightens me all the same.

Read the whole story here.

The Newbery Medal

Winner
Criss Cross by Lynn Rae Perkins

Honors
Whittington by Alan Armstrong
Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
Princess Academy by Shannon Hale
Show Way by Jacqueline Woodson

Caldecott Medal

Winner
The Hello Goodbye Window illustrated by Chris Raschka and written by Norton Juster
(I *knew* it! I *love* this book and have had an argument or two with colleagues about it's gloriousness. I feel happy and somewhat vindicated! If I had a webcam, you'd all get to see me doing a somewhat mortifying Happy Dance. Woo-hoo!)

Honors
Rosa illustrated by Bryan Collier and written by Nikki Giovanni
Zen Shorts written and illistrated by Jon J. Muth
Hot Air: The (Mostly) True Story of the First Hot-Air Balloon Ride written and illustrated by Marjorie Priceman
Song of the Water Boatman and Other Pond Poems illustrated by Beckie Prange and written by Joyce Sidman

Theodor Seuss Geisel Award

Winner
Henry and Mudge and the Great Grandpas by Cynthia Rylant

Honors
Hi! Fly Guy by Tedd Arnold
A Splendid Friend, Indeed by Suzanne Bloom
Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa by Erica Silverman
Amanda Pig and the Really Hot Day by Jean Van Leeuwen

Andrew Carnegie Medal

Winner
The Man Who Walked Between the Towers (Weston Wood Studios)

Pura Belpre Author Awards

Winner
The Tequila Worm by Viola Canales

Honors
Cesar: Si, Se Puede! Yes, We Can! illustrated by David Diaz, written by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand
Dona Flor: A Tall Tale about a Giant Woman with a Great Big Heart illustrated by Raul Colon, written by Pat Mora
Becoming Naomi Leon by Pat Munoz Ryan

Pura Belpre Illustrator Award

Winner
Dona Flor: A Tall Tale about a Giant Woman with a Great Big Heart illustrated by Raul Colon, written by Pat Mora

Honors
Arrorro, Mi Nino: Latino Lullabies and Gentle Games selected and illustrated by Lulu Delacre
Cesar: Si, Se Puede! Yes, We Can! illustrated by David Diaz, written by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand
My Name Is Celia: The Life of Celia Cruz/ Me llamo Celia: La vida de Celia Cruz illustrated by Rafael Lopez, written by Monica Brown

Siebert Informational Book Medal

Winner
Secrets of a Civil War Submarine: Solving the Secrets of the H.L. Hunley by Sally M. Walker

Honor
Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

Batchelder Award

Winner
An Innocent Soldier by Josef Holub

Honor books
Nicholas by Rene Goscinnyand Jean-Jacques Sempe
When I Was a Soldier by Valerie Zenatti

May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture

The 2007 lecture will be delivered by...
Kevin Henkes

Coretta Scott King Author Award

Winner
Day of Tears by Julius Lester (YAY!!! Hopefully this is the first of several awards for this powerful book!)

Honor Books
Maritcha: A Nineteenth Century American Girl by Tonya Bolden
Dark Sons by Nikki Grimes
A Wreath for Emmett Till by Marilyn Nelson

Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award

Winner
Rosa illustrated by Bryan Collier and written by Nikki Giovanni

Honor
Brothers in Hope: the Story of the Lost Boys of Sudan illustrated by R. Gregory Christie and written by Mary Williams

Coretta Scott King New Talent Award

Winner
Jimi and Me by Jaime Adoff

Michael L. Printz Award

Winner
Looking for Alaska by John Green

Honor books
Black Juice by Margo Lanagan
I am the Messenger by Markus Zusak
John Lennon: All I Want is the Truth by Elizabeth Partridge
A Wreath for Emmett Till by Marilyn Nelson

Margaret A. Edwards award

The winner is...
Jacqueline Woodson

(woo-hoo! I *love* her books!)

Schneider Award

Best Children's Book
Dad, Jackie, and Me written by Myron Uhlberg and illustrated by Colin Bootman

Best Middle School Book
Tending to Grace by Kimberly Newton Fusco

Best Teen Book
Under the Wolf, Under the Dog by Adam Rapp

I'll announce as they do. The first award was the Alex Awards

And the winners are...

• Midnight at Dragon Cafe by Judy Fong Bates
• Upstate by Kalisha Buckhanon
• Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman
• As Simple as Snow by Gregory Galloway
• Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
• Gil's All-Fright Diner by A. Lee Martinez
• The Necessary Beggar by Susan Palwick
• My Jim by Nancy Rawles
• Jesus Land: a Memoir by Julia Scheeres
• The Glass Castle: a Memoir by Jeanette Walls

I'm in!

Woo-hoo! *Just* got into the webcast. I'll post winners as soon as I can, adding links later...

Just to refresh the memory...

Awards to be announced January 23 are:

• Alex Awards for the best adult books that appeal to teen audience
• Andrew Carnegie Medal for excellence in children's video
• Caldecott Medal for the most distinguished American picture book for children
• Coretta Scott King Award recognizing an African American author and illustrator of outstanding books for children and young adults that demonstrate sensitivity to "the true worth and value of all beings"
• Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement in writing for young adults
• May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture Award recognizing an author, critic, librarian, historian, or teacher of children's literature, who then presents a lecture at a winning host site
• Michael L. Printz Award for excellence in literature written for young adults
• Mildred L. Batchelder Award for an outstanding children's book translated from a foreign language and subsequently published in the United States
• Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children's literature
• Pura Belpré Award honoring a Latino writer and illustrator whose children's books best portray, affirm and celebrate the Latino cultural experience
• Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award for most distinguished informational book for children
• Schneider Family Book Award for books that embody an artistic expression of the disability experience
• Theodor Seuss Geisel Award for the outstanding book for beginning reader

arrgh!

As y'all know, I get really geeked out over the announcement of the winners of the children's book awards from ALA each year. This year, ALA promised a webcast of the press conference. I got up extra early, on the train almost an hour earlier than usual and now... can't get into the site! ARRRGH!

Deep breath.

Maybe it just isn't ready quite yet? After all, there are 15 minutes to go...

Grr.

I'll say it again: Librarians ROCK!

U.S. News & World Report has named "librarian" as one of the best jobs to have in 2006, according to Yahoo. The magazine says:

This is an underrated career. Most librarians enjoy helping patrons dig up information. They learn in the process and keep up to date on the latest books and online resources. The need for librarians, unfortunately, may decline because search engines make it easy for patrons to find information without a librarian's help. The job growth for librarians will be in nontraditional settings: corporations, nonprofit organizations, and consulting firms.

I completely disagree that the need for librarians will decline, although I do see the profession embracing more "nontraditional" settings and resources. It's interesting that the article (or the portion reprinted here, anyway) doesn't talk about salary or working conditions, since many public librarians are not paid as much as other professionals with Masters degrees. Still, good to have our profession recognized as a worthy one in a national publication!

See the whole list here.

Update on audible.com's "Don't Read" campaign

According to Library Journal, ALA doesn't love Audible.com's new ad campaign, either:

Last week, ALA executive director Keith Fiels announced on the mailing list, "We are in the process of sending them a polite but firm cease and desist letter. This use clearly violates our trademark and is not consistent with our message as an Association, which is to promote reading."

Read the whole article.

Lots of new Alien Bunnies!

Well, I don't know if the bunnies are alien, but I realized today that it's been a while since I visited Angry Alien Productions, home of the brilliant 30-Second Bunnies Theatre. Sure enough, there are lots of new films there. You can even get some cool bunny swag. Definitely worth a look.

In Memoriam

Lou Rawls, singer extraordinaire, has died at the age of 72. (Or 70. There seems to be some confusion about this.)

You can read the Yahoo! story here.

Their Eyes Were Reading Smut

Nick Chiles has an interesting op-ed piece (with a great title) in today's New York Times:

"LAST month I happened to go into the Borders Books store at the Stonecrest mall in Lithonia, Ga., about a half-hour from my house here. To my surprise, it had one of the largest collections of books by black authors that I've ever seen outside an independent black bookstore, rows and rows of bookcases. This is the sort of discovery that makes the pulse quicken, evidence of a population I've spent most of my professional life seeking: African-American readers. What a thrill to have so much space in a major chain store devoted to this country's black writers.

"With an extra spring in my step, I walked into the 'African-American Literature' section - and what I saw there thoroughly embarrassed and disgusted me..."

Read the whole column here.

I've never really been able to warm up to Elmo...

... and now I know why.

In a new book, he asks toddlers, "Who wants to die?"

Of course, it is a potty-training book. Elmo probably got just sick of asking the kid over and over if she needed to potty, so he decided to mix it up a little.

But still...

Read the whole story here.

Whitbread Category Winners Announced

The 2005 Whitbread Award Category Winners have been announced.

Kate Thompson received the Whitbread Children’s Book Award for her book The New Policeman.

The Whitbread Novel Award went to Ali Smith for The Accidental.

Matisse the Master by Hilary Spurling won the Whitbread Biography Award.

The Whitbread First Novel Award went to Tash Aw for The Harmony Silk Factory.

The Whitbread Poetry Award was won by Cold Calls by Christopher Logue.

These five winning books are the finalists for the 2005 Whitbread Book of the Year Award, which wil be announced 24 January 2006.

More info on the Whitbread Book Awards site.

Start writing letters...

...so you can use the gorgeous new "Favorite Children's Book Animals" stamps! Characters from The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Charlotte's Web, Fox in Socks, Maisy, Where the Wild Things Are, Curious George, Olivia, and Frederick will all adorn postage stamps beginning January 9.

You can pre-order them here.

(Thanks, Amy, for the scoop!)

Top Ten of 2005

LISnews.org has posted their "Ten Stories that Shaped 2005," covering "Google, a good looking librarian, a curmudgeonly president, Wikis, Rootkits and more."

Read the whole article here.

Goodbye, audible.com

I'm not sure what to make of audible.com's new "Don't Read" ad campaign.

No, I kinda *do* know what I think of it. I guess I'm just afraid of sounding like I have no sense of humor whatsoever.

So, what do I think?

Blech.

In my experience -- as a librarian, a voracious reader, and a fan of audio books -- people who listen to audio books are people who love books. Sometimes we want audio to avoid accidents that could be caused by reading while driving, sometimes we realize that we simply cannot knit and read at the same time, sometimes we just love to hear the author (or reader) speaking the story to us. I came to Frank McCourt through hearing him read portions of Angela's Ashes on "A Prairie Home Companion". I read the book and loved it, but I wanted the audio, too. Now, whenever I read him, I can hear his gorgeous voice reading along with me and it definitely enhances the experience for me.

Also, no matter how hard I tried, I could NOT read Moby Dick (and I did try, Readers). However, during a solo drive to Massachusetts (to see literary Concord, natch), I listened to an unabridged reading of the book and *loved* it. When I got home, I decided to try, once more, to read the book.

No go. I couldn't do it. This tale, which read aloud captivated me was tortuous on the page.

So, yes. I love audio books. And when I listen to a book, I consider that I have "read" it. I have found that many audio book admirers are book people, people who also read.

So why would audible.com crap on us this way?

I *get* that it's a spoof. I get that it is meant to be a parody of the ALA READ posters. I understand that the questions on the FAQ are meant to be tongue-in-cheek. For example, the first question reads: "Should I burn my books? No. A stack of burning books pollutes the air, and worse - it kinda thumbs its nose at the First Amendment. So Don't burn books. Without them, libraries would be just big empty rooms."

Actually, No. We wouldn't. There would still be computers, copiers, programs, storytimes, crafts, microfilm, newspapers, tutoring help, literacy programs, and more.

I just don't find it very funny.

It seems like poor marketing strategy on their part, too. I am so glad I did not purchased the gift subscription to audible.com I had been planning. And although I had planned to renew my own subscription in the new year, that's done, too.

I know my measly few consumer dollars won't matter much to their company, but forget it. I work hard for my money. I don't need to give it to people who advocate an anti-reading stance to the world...

We shall all be poorer...

Just after midnight, convicted murderer, gangster, and children's book author, Stanley Tookie Williams, will be executed by the state of California.

There is no question in my mind that the crimes he committed were heinous. There is also no question in my mind that his work in turning children away from the gang life he once embraced makes him more valuable alive than dead. I don't think he should neccessarily walk free, but if he lives, he can continue his pwerful message of being able to transcend our wrongdoings to become useful members of society. When he is murdered, I think it may send a message that there is little point to trying to change, since it may not do any good anyway.

I don't even know if I am making sense. I am pretty opposed to the death penalty in general. In this case, though, seeing how powerfully his books have affected children I have worked with, children on the brink of making bad decisions who reconsidered after hearing Tookie's story, this seems like a horrible, preventable loss.

The words of John Donne seem appropriate to me now:

"No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friend's or of thine own were. Any man's death diminishes me because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee."

Rosa

You can hear Nikki Giovanni talk about her beautiful new picture book, Rosa, on the NPR site.

Well, at least we're moving up...

Chicago has ranked number 46 in a list of the most literate cities in America.

Last year, we were number 58, so at least there's some improvement.

Still, I would have thought that, with all our commitment to public libraries, and the wonderful literary programs the libraries provide (including author visits), we'd be higher on the list.

Sigh.

The entire study is available for your perusal here.

"Snow, snow, I want to play in the snow...!"

Make a snowflake to share with the world!

Thanks to Amy for the link.

Early Christmas gift for poetry lovers

Wow! Check out the rockin' cool Poetry Archive!

Honestly, it gave me shivers to hear Langston Hughes reading his poem, "I, Too." What a great gift that we can hear this amazing man read one of his (in my mind, anyway) greatest poems.

(Maybe too many "greats" in that sentence, but every one is true!)

"It was the shower hose that clinched it"

"A passage describing a male character's genitalia as 'leaping around like a shower dropped in an empty bath' helped British food critic Giles Coren win the 13th annual Bad Sex in Fiction award Thursday for his debut novel, Winkler.

Read the rest of the article.

You can read excerpts of the work of the candidates for this award here. Looks like he (cough, cough) beat out some pretty (ahem) stiff competition.

(And, yes, shame on me.)

Library of Congress Evacuated

That's about all of the story that's out there. In it's entirety, the item reads: "The main building of the Library of Congress was evacuated Wednesday morning while a hazardous materials team investigated what people in the building said was a suspicious odor.

Capitol Police officer Dan Kurtz said two people in the Jefferson Building, located across the street from the Capitol, complained of feeling faint. One was treated at the scene and another was taken to a local hospital."

I hope all is well...

Stan Berenstain has died

He was 82. Read the obit.

(Sorry this isn't the lengthier entry he deserves, but this is making me very sad. I will try to come back and write something better later.)

Happy Birthday, ICDL!

Today marks the 3rd Anniversay of the International Children's Digital Library! This amazing site was "designed to provide children ages 3 to 13 with an unparalleled opportunity to experience different cultures through literature and an unequaled ease in accessing online books."

The ICDL now features 829 free children's books in 32 different languages. Definitely worth a minute (or 10) of your time, to see what kinds of stories children all over the world are sharing and cherishing.

Does the NBA predict the Newbery winners?

Okay, I did some digging (well, not digging so much as compiling easily found data) to see if the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature is a good predictor of which title will win the Newbery Medal.

It looks like the first National Book Award for Young People’s Literature was presented in 1996. [A note about the appearance of date discrepancies in the comparison: Because the National Book Award is presented at the end of the year (November) and the Newbery Medal is presented at the beginning of the year (January), the 1996 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature is drawn from the same pool of books as the 1997 Newbery Medal winner. A bit confusing, but true, nonetheless.]

So, is the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature a portend of things to come in January?

Nope.

Only once have the two committees agreed, and that was on Holes by Louis Sachar. (And really -- who *did* argue with that selection?) This isn’t a bad thing, I think, since it brings more quality books for young people to the attention of the book-buying public.

So, what does this mean for The Penderwicks? Probably nothing. Just something I was wondering about and thought I might as well share since I spent time figuring it out…

(I will add links later, when I have more time.)

THE DATA:

1996
National Book Award: Parrott In the Oven: Mi Vida by Victor Martinez
1997
Newbery: The View from Saturday by E.L. Konigsburg


1997
National Book Award: Dancing on the Edge by Han Nolan
1998
Newbery: Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse

1998
National Book Award: Holes by Louis Sachar
1999
Newbery: Holes by Louis Sachar

1999
National Book Award: When Zachary Beaver Came to Town by Kimberley Willis Holt
2000
Newbery: Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis

2000
National Book Award: Homeless Bird by Gloria Whelan
2001
Newbery: A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck

2001
National Book Award: True Believer by Virginia Euwer Wolff
2002
Newbery: A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park

2002
National Book Award: The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer
2003
Newbery: Crispin: The Cross of Lead by Avi

2003
National Book Award: The Canning Season by Polly Horvath
2004
Newbery: The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread by Kate DiCamillo

2004
National Book Award: Godless by Pete Hautman
2005
Newbery: Kira-Kira by Cynthia Kadohata

2005
National Book Award: The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall
2006
Newbery: ?

To Smoke or Not to Smoke?

From the New York Times: In the great green room, there is a telephone, and a red balloon, but no ashtray. "Goodnight Moon," the children's classic by Margaret Wise Brown, has gone smoke free.

The controversey is apparently over a picture of illustrator Clement Hurd from which a cigarette has been digitally erased. Why not just find a picture in which Hurd was not smoking instead of altering the other one? *I* don't know. But it's causing a fuss.

There's a website that discusses this, too: Goodnight Moon Reality. There, you can vote for which version of the picture you prefer.

Chris Van Allsburg at MSI

There's a special exhibit of Chris Van Allsburg's artwork at the Museum of Science and Industry. Yay!

Penderwicks Prevail!

The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy by Jeanne Birdsall is the winner of the 2005 National Book Award for Young People's Literature.

The judges said, "This enormously heartwarming and satisfying novel honors and enriches the beloved tradition of the classic children's family story. The Penderwicks are worthy companions to Alcott's March sisters or Nesbit's Bastables—endearing and enduring characters whose company we can cherish."

I read the book, somewhat reluctantly, and was utterly charmed. It is a gentle tale that doesn't fall into cloying sentimentality. I am not sure I agree these sisters *quite* hold up to the March sisters (although they, too, have a writer, a gentle, shy animal lover, a mothering sister...), but they are a lovely family nonetheless.

I would be interested to know how many times the same book has won the Newbery as the National Book Award? Hmm... Mayhaps I shall take a look at that.

Meanwhile, some other people won stuff in other categories, too. Check it out.

How was this even a debate?

It seems shameful that this was even a question, but thankfully it has been resolved: "Libraries in Nobel Prize winning author John Steinbeck's hometown of Salinas, California, will remain open after voters approved an increase in the local sales tax, according to election results posted on Wednesday."

Read the rest.

I kinda hate this commercial...

... for DHL. Am I being too sensitive?

Actually, I often get a kick out of the librarian stereotypes. Just, when I saw this, I wished there was a teensy bit more balance in the way people saw us. Like, if so many people didn't believe that this was the truth of most librarians, it would be funnier.

SIGH. Guess it's good to have a library on tv, anyway.

In Memoriam: John Fowles

John Fowles, author of seven novels, including The French Lieutenant's Woman and The Collector, has died at the age of 79.

An obituary is here.

New Norton Anthology

From the Boston Globe: "Why are adult readers so drawn to children's literature? A lavish new Norton anthology suggests some answers."

Read the the review.

Another reason I love Chicago

Toward the end of the day, Science Boy calls me and tells me to meet him at "the Chagall" after work.

And I can.

It has just been filling my heart to think that our beautiful City has public art on the order of Chagall's Four Seasons, just on a corner by the El.

We are so lucky.

Woo-Hoo!

YAY! for our fabulous Chicago White Sox on their World Series Win!

Talked to Jim, my brother in Phoenix, right after the game. He was sad not to be here, but turned his ambulance siren on in solidarity. He said his son has been wearing the Sox shirts I sent him this week. I just sent both kids new t-shirts this past weekend, so we'll make sure they remain Sox fans, even from far away.

Science Boy and I watched the games from home. Last night, he made sure we put on some white socks during the sixth innning. Curiously, they scored shortly thereafter. (Actually, the night before, they were behiond when he realized he wasn't wearing white socks so he changed. The Sox surpassed the Astros soon after, so maybe he's on to something.)

We are not big Party People, but we did walk down to our neighborhood bar to share a quick beer and some celebration there. It was really cool to see so many people so happy and hugging each other. (Plus, our favorite bartended gave me back my moeny once she realized it was us and told us it was on the house.)

So, I'm not really a Cubs fan (though I guess I'd cheer them on if they ever made the series), but there is an article by a Cubs fan in the Trib this morning.

I am rambly, I think. And REALLY tired. (My brother, Wilhelm, called from Vegas around 1:45 this morning. Eek!) Nothing more to say, except:

Woo-Hoo!!

Ho, ho, ho...

"The man who gave the Jolly Green Giant a booming baritone 'Ho, Ho, Ho,' singer Len Dresslar, has died of cancer at the age of 80."

Read the whole story.

Get well soon, Studs!

I heard on WBEZ that Chicago's beloved Studs Terkel is in the hospital after undergoing heart surgery. It was said that he is doing well and expected to fully recover. I wish him all the best and send him good thoughts and lots of love.

Studs' latest book is And They All Sang: Adventures of an Eclectic Disc Jockey It is, of course, getting fabulous reviews. Booklist gave it a starred review:

"Studs Terkel--Pulitzer Prize-winning author, oral historian, radio personality, raconteur, and humanitarian--has grappled with life's tough predicaments (poverty, war, prejudice, injustice, and death) in vital conversations with both regular folks and people in the public eye. But as much as Terkel has been a clarion champion of human rights and peace, he has also been an ardent and expert celebrator of the arts... In each priceless give-and-take, Terkel captures the distinct personality of each artist and the spirit of his or her world-altering music. Terkel is like no other in his eloquence, humor, empathy, and generosity."

In checking my library's card catalog, I see we have a copy on shelf. I am on my way to get it now.

In Memoriam: Rosa Parks

"I have learned over the years that when one's mind is made up, this diminishes fear; knowing what must be done does away with fear." (Rosa Parks)

Rosa Parks, angel of the Civil Rights movement, died last night in her home in Detroit. She was 92 years old.

In my work in public libraries, I have seen Ms. parks' remarkable story bring the Civil Rights movement alive to countless children. While they learn of many heroes -- people who faced daunting odds and challenges yet fought to make the world a better place in spite of this -- somehow, children seem able to relate to this story of a woman who had worked hard and was tired and was sick of being told where to sit on the bus. Stories of her life are always in demand in the public library, hopefully inspiring the next generation who will fight for justice in an unjust world.

There is an interview with Rosa Parks, conducted in 1996, here and a profile by Rita Dove here. Obituaries abound on the web, including this one on CNN.

Also, for a gorgeous picture book treatment of Rosa Parks' story, check out Nikki Giovanni's newest book, Rosa.

Rosa once said, "Memories of our lives, of our works and our deeds will continue in others." I wish peace to Rosa's loved ones and hope they find comfort and inspiration in knowing how deeply she touched -- and changed -- our world.

All I needed to make my day...

FINALLY, the new Stevie Wonder cd, A Time to Love has been released. I stopped to get it on my way in to work. I have to say, definitely worth my wait!

Also eagerly anticipated, the penultimate Lemony Snicket book, fittingly titled The Penultimate Pearl. I can hardly stand it! I waited until the fabulous Sandmeyer's (my favorite local independent bookstore) opened and ran right down there to get it. Another great dedication: "To Beatrice -- No one could extinguish my love, or your house." Hopefully, we'll get more clues about the enigmatic Mr. Snicket as the story of the poor Baudelaires continues to unfold.

And, if those things weren't nice enough, the effusively friendly Greek man who runs the lot where I park my car on days I bring it to work told me, "Your face, it is sweeter than honey. I swear to God, you are so beautiful." Yeah, he's full of shit, but it's still nice to hear...

Sigh. A happy day, indeed!

eh.

The trailer for the upcoming Curious George film is now on-line.

I don't like it.

Then again, that's just one opinion...

Help a Katrina Survivor

I know there are at least 100 ways to assist Katrina victims monetarily. Here, though, is your chance to buy a cool New Orleans t-shirt while helping a New Orleanian artist rebuild his studio and his life. Jonathan Schwehm is an artist who also conducts weddings for couple who elope to New Orleans. (I came across him while doing some research on this -- for the future, not right now!) Besides the CafePress merchandise, it looks as though some prints of lovely paintings are available at zazzle.

We sent a check immediately when the news of Katrina started making the news, but this seems like a nice way to make a more personal donation to a city we love. Please consider purchasing something to help one artist re-build.

"Everyday prattle"

It's finally been announced: British playwright Harold Pinter is the recipient of the 2005 Nobel Prize in Literature. The Academy says that "in his plays [he] uncovers the precipice under everyday prattle and forces entry into oppression's closed rooms."

And a quote from the winner (from Pinter's play, "Oh Superman):
"Does reality essentially remain outside language, separate, obdurate, alien, not susceptible to description? Is an accurate and vital correspondence between what is and our perception of it impossible? Or is is that we are obliged to use language only in order to obscure and distort reality - to distort what happens-because we fear it? We are encouraged to be cowards. We can't face the dead. But we must face the dead because they die in our name. We must pay attention to what is being done in our name."

Congratulations to Harold Pinter!

Quill Award winners announced

The winners of the chosen-by-the-public Quill Awards have been announced! I honestly cannot remember who all I voted for, but I was pleased to see that Chris Moore was chosen for The Stupidest Angel: A Heartwarming Tale of Christmas Terror. I actually haven't read it, but The Boy has and assures me it is marvelous. Lamb, The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal is one of my personal favorite books. I remember that Moore came to town to promote this book and The Boy was denied permission to come with me because he hadn't cleaned his room or some such. I told Chris about this and he took the time to speak to The Boy by cell phone. What a wonderful man!

Check out a list of all the winners here.

This will be either awesome or grotesque...

I am leaning toward awesome; what do y'all think?

When Elvis Costello was asked three years ago by Denmark's Royal Theater to write an opera about Hans Christian Andersen, his first thought was, "Why didn't they choose a Danish composer?"

"Then I recalled that Andersen belongs to the world," Costello said.

On Saturday, his work "The Secret Arias" — based on Andersen's unrequited yearning for Swedish soprano Jenny Lind — will debut at Copenhagen's new waterfront opera house, with Costello himself playing two lead roles.

Read the rest.

What an inspiration!

What an amazing article about knowing the power of books to transform lives! A Brazilian man recognizes this in a way that many Americans do not:

"To Leite, though, nearly all the books are mysteries. Born into a poor family, he dropped out of school after third grade and, at 51, is practically illiterate.

But books, he knows, are the gateway to a life of greater possibility and more promise than his own. It might be too late for me, a working man, he reasoned, but not for others.

So bloomed the passion that has consumed Leite's free time over the last two years: transforming his home into a public library, free and open to all in this poverty-stricken neighborhood outside Rio de Janeiro. The streets here are unpaved and unweeded, daily life is a struggle and even a single book is an enormous luxury that can cost up to half a week's wages."

Read the whole wonderful story here.

August Wilson dies

From the New York Times: "August Wilson, who chronicled the African-American experience in the 20th century in a series of plays that will stand as a landmark in the history of black culture, of American literature and of Broadway theater, died [Sunday] at a hospital in Seattle. He was 60 and lived in Seattle." Read the rest.

Better yet, read one of his marvelous plays.

Deleted comments

Lest anyone think I have gone to the dark side and joined the censors, I just wanted to explain all the comments that have recently "been removed by the blog administrator."

Some ambitious spammers posted almost 50 comments to the blog this weekend, none of them relevant to any of the postings, all of them including links to various pay sites. If they were true responses to the blog, I may well have left them alone -- it was a pain in the ass to go to all the comments (some left in archived posts from 18 months ago!) and delete them.

But, I did, and shall continue to do so. No spam here!

Sigh.

I [Heart] Chris Crutcher

From a commentary in the Book Standard: "Our schools are filled with kids who have been treated badly all their lives. They don’t tell anyone, because there is shame in being treated badly. Many—girls and boys—have been sexually mistreated. Still others struggle in fear with sexual identity. They respond with eating disorders, cutting, suicidal thought or action. I can’t tell you how many letters I’ve received from kids who found a friend in one of my books, a character who speaks to them. And if I get those letters, think of the letters Walter Dean Myers, or Lois Lowry, or Judy Blume get, thanking us for letting them know, through literature, that they are not alone.

In light of all that, there’s really only one thing to say to the censors. Shut up."

Read the whole thing. Also, be sure to visit Crutcher's web site for many true stories of how his amazing books continue to be challenged across this allegedly free country. He also provides a nifty Banned Books Week press kit.

Beatrix Potter film

From the BBC: "Actress Renee Zellweger is to play Beatrix Potter in a film about the author's life, according to reports... Filming on Miss Potter will begin in the UK next March with Babe director Chris Noonan at the helm." Read the rest.

Children's Bookshelf

Publishers Weekly has a new (free!) weekly newsletter dedicated to "all aspects of children's and YA publishing." You can check it out (and sign up for it) here.

Sad news

From BBC News: "Award-winning author Helen Cresswell has died at the age of 71. The writer died at her home in Eakring, in Nottinghamshire, on Monday night. She had been suffering from cancer for some time."

Read the rest.