Month: December 2013

This Week’s Tweets, Pins and Tumbls

| Tasha

Here are the links I shared on my Twitter, Pinterest, and Tumblr accounts this week that I hope you find interesting:

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

11 Rare Children’s Books from the Library of Congress | Mental Floss http://buff.ly/18mAKeH #kidlit

The 13 Best Children’s, Illustrated, and Picture Books of 2013 | Brain Pickings http://buff.ly/1gT32xv #kidlit

Latinas for Latino Literature: Latino Children’s Literature Celebrating the Holidays http://buff.ly/18wIJDH #kidlit

P.L. Travers’ Mary Poppins books are full of dark delight | Movies | The Seattle Times http://buff.ly/1gT9ULi #kidlit #classics

SLJ’s Top 10 Latino-themed Books of 2013 | School Library Journal http://buff.ly/JanWw7 #kidlit

Sesame Street’s ‘Lord Of The Rings’ Parody Is All About The Cookies http://buff.ly/1dlF6k7

What books are great to read aloud? | Children’s books http://buff.ly/19cNHWS #kidlit

You’ve Seen the Movies, Now Read These 80+ Children’s Classics http://buff.ly/1gXnAVN #kidlit

EBOOKS

Norway To Digitize All Norwegian Books, Allowing Domestic IP Addresses To Read All Of Them | Techdirt http://buff.ly/19hiMsA

mockeytalk: (100+) Tumblr on We Heart Ithttp://weheartit.com/entry/90008842/via/cafeporfavor

LIBRARIES

The Meaning of Libraries | Michael Benson http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-benson/the-meaning-of-libraries_b_4408468.html?utm_hp_ref=books&ir=Books … #libraries

Video game champions in the public library | Joystiq http://buff.ly/19hOI03 #libraries #gaming

What Are the Most Important Libraries in the World? | Mental Floss http://buff.ly/1f4hrWw #libraries

3-Japan-Book-Towers

READING

Of the 124 Authors Who Made the ‘Times’ Top 10 Bestseller Lists in 2012, Only 3 Were People of Color | The Hairpin http://buff.ly/18mAJY1

Top Ten Ways to Encourage Children to Read Over Winter Break by Katherine Sokolowski | Nerdy Book Club http://buff.ly/IYkchl #reading

SOCIAL MEDIA

10 Surprising Twitter Statistics To Help You Reach More Followers | Fast Company – http://buff.ly/1gT9tRi

Pinterest Is Gaining Ground on Facebook and Twitter for News http://buff.ly/1gT7lci

Teens Dig Digital Privacy, If Snapchat Is Any Indication : All Tech Considered : NPR http://buff.ly/1dlCMcI #privacy

TEEN READS

At Book Riot today, I made an infographic for those of you seeking "gentle" or "green light" YA reads for all ages: http://bookriot.com/2013/12/09/green-light-ya-reads-a-flowchart/ …

Maurene Goo on How a Doctor and Lawyer Ended up Writing Young Adult Novels | Hyphen magazine http://buff.ly/Jb4Gi0 #yalit

Not just for kids: Young adult books are big sellers – CBS News http://buff.ly/18wKNvE #yalit

Why Everyone Should Read More Science Fiction | Amie Kaufman http://buff.ly/1dlFdMz #yalit

Review: Big Snow by Jonathan Bean

| Tasha

big snow

Big Snow by Jonathan Bean

It is very hard to wait for the snow to come, as David discovers in this picture book perfect for the snowy season.  David is waiting for the snow to start, so he helps his mother bake cookies.  But then the flour reminds him of the snow so he heads out to check on it.  It’s fine and dusty in the air.  He heads back inside and helps clean the bathroom, but then is reminded of snow from the bubbles.  When he checks, there is more snow but it’s still light.  He helps his mother change sheets and is reminded of snow blanketing the ground, when he checks outside that’s exactly what the snow is doing!  Then it’s naptime, and David dreams of snow, lots and lots of snow.  Will his dream come true?

Bean creates a book not only about waiting for a big snow, but also about the different types of snow that arrive in the course of a storm.  It is a wonderful tribute to loving snow and wintry weather and hoping for the white to cover the barren landscape.  Bean cleverly ties in David’s reminders of snow with the level of snow outdoors.  Children will immediately get the connection and will enjoy watching the storm outside progress.

Bean varies the illustrations from close ups of David helping his mother and their cozy home interiors to distance images of their home and neighborhood as it transforms under the snow.  One can see the magic of snow happening firsthand.  I also love the humor of David disappearing to check on the snow, only the end of his scarf still in the room.  And bravo for Bean creating a family of color in a book that doesn’t have anything to do with race.

Even with the icy temperatures outside, this is a book that will get everyone looking forward to the next big snow.  Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from copy received from Farrar Straus Giroux.

Parents Magazine Best Children’s Books

| Tasha

Thanks to Mr. Schu for pointing out that this list was released!  He is keeping a wonderful collection of the best books lists being produced this year.  Here are the ten books that made the 2013 Best Books list from Parents Magazine. 

Alphablock Animal Opposites Awesome Dawson

Alphablock by Christopher Fracenschelli and Peskimo

Animal Opposites: A Pop-Up Book by Petr Horacek

Awesome Dawson by Chris Gall

The Big Wet Balloon: Toon Books Level 2 Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library Pinwheel

The Big Wet Balloon by Liniers

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein

Pinwheel by Salina Yoon

Starring Jules: As Herself Unicorn Thinks He's Pretty Great 

Starring Jules (As Herself) by Beth Ain

Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great by Bob Shea

Who Says Women Can't Be Doctors?: The Story of Elizabeth Blackwell The Year of Billy Miller

Who Says Women Can’t Be Doctors?: The Story of Elizabeth Blackwell by Tanya Lee Stone and Marjorie Priceman

The Year of Billy Miller by Kevin Henkes

2013 Roald Dahl Funny Prize Winners

| Tasha

Roald Dahl Funny Prize 2013

The Roald Dahl Funny Prize is a British children’s book prize that “aims to promote laughter and humour as a feel-good factor when reading, to draw attention to funny books as readable and enjoyable books and to reward authors and illustrators who write and illustrate books using humour.”  There are two age categories to the award.  Here are the winners:

AGES SIX AND UNDER

Monkey Nut

Monkey Nut by Simon Rickerty

AGES SEVEN TO FOURTEEN

I Am Still Not a Loser. Barry Loser, Spellchecked [I.E. Written] by Jim Smith

I Am Still Not a Loser by Jim Smith

Review: Palace of Spies by Sarah Zettel

| Tasha

palace of spies

Palace of Spies by Sarah Zettel

Peggy is an orphan who lives with her uncle, aunt and beloved cousin, until she is thrown out of the household for refusing to marry the man her uncle has chosen for her.  Peggy has few options, so she turns to a gentleman who seemed to know her mother when she was alive but whom she only met the day before.  With no other choices, Peggy is drawn into the sparkling grandeur of being a lady in waiting at the palace of King George I.  But she does not go as herself, instead she assumes the identity of Lady Francesca Wallingham.  As Fran, she joins the circle of girls serving the queen but she also must be watchful for anyone discovering her.  As the intrigue increases, Peggy realizes that anyone around her could be a spy and starts to question what happened to the real Fran.

Zettel manages the near impossible in this novel.  She has a historical novel that stays true to the time period and yet manages to read as swiftly as a more modern teen novel.  Without ever breaking out of the setting or inserting modern sensibilities, Peggy still manages not to turn off readers with her opinions.  Readers are quickly shown what life was like for an orphaned and penniless girl in this time with a sexual assault on Peggy soon after we meet her.  This helps underline her lack of power and explain why she takes on the danger that she does for the rest of the book.

Zettle plots this book with great skill, revealing the true motivations of the characters slowly.  There are several mysteries at play here and more that emerge as others are figured out.  The pacing of the book is don’t very well too, with enough historical detail to make sure the setting is strongly presented but never too much to slow down the speed of the storytelling.

A dark and mysterious historical novel, this is much less froth and much more intrigue and betrayal with some romance too.  Appropriate for ages 14-17.

Reviewed from ARC received from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Review: The Tiny King by Taro Miura

| Tasha

tiny king

The Tiny King by Taro Miura

There once was a very tiny king who lived all alone in a big castle, guarded by an army of big soldiers.  He ate at a huge table with an enormous feast that he could never finish.  He rode a big horse that threw him off every time.  He had a big bathtub with a fountain.  But all of these things did not make him happy.  He slept alone in a big bed and could not sleep very well.  Then the tiny king married a big princess and they were very happy.  They had ten children and everyone was happy.  The soldiers were given a vacation, the castle was bright and busy, they finished the entire large feast, they all rode together on the big horse, everyone bathed together in the big fountain, and best of all, the king could now sleep soundly with all of them fitting perfectly in the big bed.

Miura is a graphic designer from Japan and he has created a book that is gorgeously designed.  His illustrations are big and bold, strong shapes popping with color against the solid backgrounds.  The backgrounds change as the tone of the book changes.  When the king is lonely, the backgrounds are solid black.  The page where he meets the big princess is white.  Then the pages where he has a family are bright colored.  Throughout, Miura incorporates pieces of paper with letters, writing, or stylized vintage objects making it even richer.

The story is a simple one, but also one that speaks volumes about how riches and power do not mean that you are living a fulfilling life.  It was not until love and people entered this tiny king’s life that he was happy.  Don’t expect a subtle storyline here.  It is too basic a book for that, one appropriate for very small children to enjoy.

The story of a tiny king with a big heart and huge amount of love to share is one that toddlers and young preschoolers will enjoy.  Appropriate for ages 2-4.

Reviewed from library copy.

God Got a Dog by Cynthia Rylant

| Tasha

god got a dog

God Got a Dog by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Marla Frazee

Taken from Rylant’s previous book of poetry, God Went to Beauty School, this smaller collection is completely disarming and dazzling.  Repackaged for a younger audience, this book celebrates God in a wonderfully homely and down-to-earth way that manages at the same time to make Him/Her all the more wondrous.  In a series of poems, God goes to beauty school because he loves hands so much.  She goes for a ride in a boat for the first time and gets an entirely new perspective on water.  He goes to the doctor.  She tries out a desk job for awhile.  He visits India.  She writes a book.  They are small moments, small things to do, but in the end they are all profound and beautiful.

As someone who is trying to slow down and enjoy the small things in life, this book truly speaks to me.  It is about God himself doing exactly the same thing.  Rylant injects each of the poems with a lovely quiet humor and a softness that enriches each moment.  Her poems are completely relatable, understandable by elementary children but also deep enough to be appreciated by adults.

Frazee was the ideal person to illustrate this book.  With her soft colors and natural humor, Frazee captures these moments in God’s day.  Each is beautifully set up, but also simple and honest.  They are singular but also create a lovely whole.

Smart, funny and above all kind and radiant, this book will make a great holiday gift for all ages as well as a wonderful way to start talking about spirituality.  Appropriate for all ages.

Reviewed from library copy.

Review: When the Beat Was Born by Laban Carrick Hill

| Tasha

when the beat was born

When the Beat Was Born: DJ Kool Herc and the Creation of Hip Hop by Laban Carrick Hill, illustrated by Theodore Taylor III

Clive had loved music since he was a child.  He lived in Kingston, Jamaica and loved to listen to DJs at the parties in his neighborhood.  He was too young to attend, but he watched them set up before the parties and dreamed of becoming a DJ himself.  When he was 13, Clive moved to New York City with his mother.  That was where he started to play sports and got the nickname “Hercules” due to his size.  He was soon known as Kool Herc.  When his father got a sound system, Kool Herc became a DJ at a party he threw with his sister.  Herc noticed that people loved to dance during the parts of the songs with no lyrics, so he found a new way of playing the records that extended that part of the song.  He started calling out the names of his friends in the crowd.  Soon he was creating the music that led to a new style of dance: breakdancing.  And that’s how hip hop was born.

Hill tells this story of a legendary DJ with a mix of straight forward tone and rhythmic writing.  There is nothing overt in his rhythm, just a wonderful beat that the entire book moves to.  Hill clearly ties DJ Kool Herc to the entire hip hop movement from the very beginning of his book through to the end.  He traces the connections and makes them clear and firm, just like Herc did with the connections to the giant speakers to get them to work.

The illustrations have a wonderful groove as well.  This is Taylor’s first picture book and I hope he does more.  His images have a wonderful richness of color without being dark at all.  They also merge strong graphic qualities into the images, making them really sing.

A great nonfiction picture book biography, this book will help fill in gaps in library collections and will speak to the history of the music kids are listening to right now.  Appropriate for ages 7-9.

Reviewed from library copy.

Review: Champion by Marie Lu

| Tasha

champion

Champion by Marie Lu

This is the third and final book in the Legend trilogy and it does not disappoint.  June and Day have almost entirely stopped communicating with one another now that Day has his brother Eden to care for and June is busy learning to be the next leader of the Senate.  Day also is keeping his deteriorating health secret from everyone, though he is finding it harder and harder to deal with the blindingly strong headaches.  Eden may be the key to stopping a plague that threatens an invasion of the Republic by the Colonies, so June asks Day to join her in Denver without mentioning his brother.  Reunited, the two feel their connection immediately, but both are holding secrets that they don’t want to reveal.  Yet they are also the only two people who have the ability to change the course of a war where winning could be the biggest loss of all. 

Lu has written her entire series with a grand feel of cinematography behind it.  In each of the scenes, they come to life as if shown on a mental screen.  Her writing is crisp and clear, yet it also delves into murky situations that are less than clear.  The question of loyalty to a government that has hurt your own family, killing some members, grapples with dark issues.  It is this wonderful mix of action and adventure but also thoughtful questions about larger issues that make this series compellingly readable. 

The characters of Day and June have grown throughout the entire series.  Both started at very different places than they ended up, and yet the growth has been natural, with distinct reasons for the changes.  Their romance, flawed and consistently stumbling, is gut wrenching and entirely beautiful.  They are a couple that are drawn together like moths to flames and then burned, retreat and then burn themselves again.  The romance just like their character development is honest, natural and glorious.

An action filled, taut ending to an incredible series, this book also has plenty of heart, romance and wisdom.  Appropriate for ages 14-17.

Reviewed from library copy.