Sahara Special by Esme Raji Codell (0-8072-1712-2)
This children’s novel by the author of Educating Esme is one that I listened to on audio. The story features Sahara, a girl who stops doing work at school when the administration starts a file on her and includes her letters to her absent father that they found in her desk. Sahara refuses to do any more work, so that they will have nothing to add to her file, and she is held back to repeat the 5th grade. Then along comes Miss Pointy, the new 5th grade teacher, who inspires all of the children to excel, including Sahara.
I enjoyed the character of Sahara very much. She rang true to me in her confusion, her anger and her intelligence. Miss Pointy, on the other hand, was too much of a perfect character. She had solutions to everything and very creative ones too. Yes, I understand that we are seeing her through Sahara’s adoring eyes, but seeing some weakness in her teaching ability would have been nice and more realistic.
All in all, the book was fun to listen to. The narration by Phylicia Rashad was very well done. Her voice was musical and evocative. I would recommend this book to kids who want to be writers or teachers. They will find a lot to think about.

PARENTING names best children’s books of 2003
This article from Austin gives a small glimpse into the books chosen as the best by Parenting Magazine for 2003. I tried going to the Parenting Magazine website, but they don’t have the list available online. I especially enjoy seeing what board books they choose, since they often find ones that aren’t mentioned anywhere in library review sources.

Classic children’s books are popping up in good form
This article from the Minneapolis Star Tribune is all about great children’s books from the past that have new editions available. A great article for ideas for gift giving this holiday season. My favorite part of the article comes at the end with a quote from Raskin, author of The Westing Game, ‘”I try to say one thing in my work: A book is a wonderful place to be. A book is a package . . . a surprise package — and within the wrappings is a whole new world and beyond.”
Her book, and the others mentioned here, are that world. Look and you’ll see.’

Robert Quackenbush
Website for this author of the Miss Mallard mysteries which are now available on video.

The Polar Express
Tom Hanks stars in a movie version of the beloved picture book. The movie, directed by Robert Zemeckis, will be released November 2004.

This Telegraph article speaks to the new phenomenon of large numbers of adults reading children’s and young adult books. They offer up two theories of why adults are doing this. First is the sad theory that it is “further proof of an intellectually degraded culture in which magical quest literature is teh new rock’n’roll.” Yikes! But the second theory hits closer to the truth, “that some adults are rejecting the arid pastures of clever-clever, look-at-me contemporary adult fiction”.
I have read books for children and teens for years. I enjoy the clean writing style, the unpretentious language, and the strong narrative line. I enjoy their subject matter more too, where I don’t have to worry about graphic murders and explicit sexual scenes dominating the book. I also find more treasures, more books that will stay with me for years, more worthwhile reading than when I read bestsellers aimed at adults.
But frankly, I don’t know any other adult who reads the books I do. They still don’t know what their missing, and I suppose they would say the same to me. As I tell patrons who complain of a specific book, that’s why the library has to have so many. So everyone can find the book that is right for them and there can be room for those that are right for others.

The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler (0-7636-1958-2)
This is a humor-filled and emotion-filled book about Virginia, a teenage girl who is plus sized in a family of people who look perfect. She worships her older brother until he commits a crime. The way that her family reacts to his actions forces Virginia to see their apparent perfection for what it is. She begins to understand that body weight does not define us.
Mackler perfectly captures the angst of large teens, the self-hatred that they feel, and the finally the joy of realizing that their size does not define who they are. Girls of all sizes will enjoy the book and understand Virginia.

Donna Jo Napoli
Official site for this author of young adult books and picture books.

Dark Horse Libraries
Dark Horse Comics has this new website specifically for librarians. The site requires sign-up to use it.
Via Library Planet.