This is sucha fun event. Where else can you see hundreds of little kids dressed up like ducklings reinacting Robert McCloskey's Make Way for Ducklings?
Friday, March 31, 2006
The Duckling Day Parade
If any of you are interested the Annual Duckling Day Parade at Whetstone Library is on April 15th.
This is sucha fun event. Where else can you see hundreds of little kids dressed up like ducklings reinacting Robert McCloskey's Make Way for Ducklings?
This is sucha fun event. Where else can you see hundreds of little kids dressed up like ducklings reinacting Robert McCloskey's Make Way for Ducklings?
Friday, March 03, 2006
2006 Schedule
I’m so excited about our new topics! We still have two months without hosts. I am happy to host one of them, and I will take whatever topic and month are left over. The two topics left are poetry and Peter Pan prequels. If you are interested in either one please let me know. We’re always looking for volunteers for treats too!
Here’s what we will be reading for the rest of the year:
May
Topic: Books from Different Decades
Host: Krystal
Treats: Heather & Anna
June
Topic: Multicultural
Host: Anna
Treats: Jessica
July
Topic: Graphic Novels
Host: Emily
Treats: Rachel
August
Topic: Peter Pan Prequels
Host: Stephanie
Treats:
September
Topic: New Award Winners
Host: Heather
Treats:
October
Topic: Favorites
Host: Tara
Treats: Meg
November
Topic: Short Stories
Host: Jessica
Treats: Laura
December
Topic: Poetry
Host: Amy
Treats:
Here’s what we will be reading for the rest of the year:
May
Topic: Books from Different Decades
Host: Krystal
Treats: Heather & Anna
June
Topic: Multicultural
Host: Anna
Treats: Jessica
July
Topic: Graphic Novels
Host: Emily
Treats: Rachel
August
Topic: Peter Pan Prequels
Host: Stephanie
Treats:
September
Topic: New Award Winners
Host: Heather
Treats:
October
Topic: Favorites
Host: Tara
Treats: Meg
November
Topic: Short Stories
Host: Jessica
Treats: Laura
December
Topic: Poetry
Host: Amy
Treats:
Thursday, March 02, 2006
April - New Books by Authors that We Have Enjoyed
Here are Kelly’s picks:
Second Summer of the Sisterhood by Ann Brashares (Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants)
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo (Tale of Despereaux, Because of Winn Dixie)
Enna Burning by Shannon Hale (Sequel to Goose Girl)
Pirate Girl by Cornelia Funke (The Thief Lord, Inkheart) – This one’s a picture book
The People of Sparks By Jeanne Duprau (Sequel to The City of Ember)
There are a lot of other new books by authors that we’ve already read so if you finish Kelly’s choices, you can pickup some of these:
Small Steps By Louis Sachar (Loosely related to Holes)
Double Identity by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Among the Enemy by Margaret Peterson Haddix (Shadow Children Series)
Willow Run by Patricia Reilly Giff (Loosely relates to Lily’s Crossing)
Replay by Sharon Creech
Fairydust and the Quest for the Egg by Gail Carson Levine
Wright 3 by Blue Balliett (Sequel to Chasing Vermeer)
Project Mulberry by Linda Sue Park
Also keep an eye out for Lois Lowry’s Gossamer (April 24th) and Jeanne Duprau also has a prequel to The City of Ember coming out called the Prophet or Yonwood (May 9th). I really wish these two were coming out earlier, because I can’t wait to read them.
Second Summer of the Sisterhood by Ann Brashares (Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants)
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo (Tale of Despereaux, Because of Winn Dixie)
Enna Burning by Shannon Hale (Sequel to Goose Girl)
Pirate Girl by Cornelia Funke (The Thief Lord, Inkheart) – This one’s a picture book
The People of Sparks By Jeanne Duprau (Sequel to The City of Ember)
There are a lot of other new books by authors that we’ve already read so if you finish Kelly’s choices, you can pickup some of these:
Small Steps By Louis Sachar (Loosely related to Holes)
Double Identity by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Among the Enemy by Margaret Peterson Haddix (Shadow Children Series)
Willow Run by Patricia Reilly Giff (Loosely relates to Lily’s Crossing)
Replay by Sharon Creech
Fairydust and the Quest for the Egg by Gail Carson Levine
Wright 3 by Blue Balliett (Sequel to Chasing Vermeer)
Project Mulberry by Linda Sue Park
Also keep an eye out for Lois Lowry’s Gossamer (April 24th) and Jeanne Duprau also has a prequel to The City of Ember coming out called the Prophet or Yonwood (May 9th). I really wish these two were coming out earlier, because I can’t wait to read them.
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
New Topic Ideas
Here’s what we have so far for potential topic ideas. If you come up with any new ideas please post them as a comment to this post. I would like to plan through the end of the year so you will be able to vote for more topics than you usually can. If you really like any of these ideas, please come next month ready to rally for it. You might even want to come with some examples of books that you could use for that topic to get other book club members excited about your topic idea.
- Graphic novels (novels that are written kind of like comic books)
- New award winners
- Children’s poetry (we could have our own poetry reading)
- Illustrator study of three illustrators
- Caldecott award winners
- Mysteries
- Historical Fiction
- Books from different decades
- Multicultural books
- Coretta Scott King award for African American literature
- Pura Belpre award for Latino literature
- Robert McCloskey author/illustrator study
- Mormon author study
- Science fiction
- Fantasy
- Roald Dahl author study
- Westerns
- Nonfiction
- Short stories
- Favorites (everyone brings one of their favorite books in one month and we select some to read the next month)
- Biographies
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
March - Historical Fiction
We will be meeting on THURSDAY, MARCH 2nd at Laura's for our March meeting. We're focusing on the American Revolution. Here are Laura's picks:
Katies Trunk by Ann Turner (picture book)
Katie, whose family is not sympathetic to the rebel soldiers during the American Revolution, hides under the clothes in her mother's wedding trunk when they invade her home.
Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes (256 pgs - 1944 newbery winner)
A story filled with danger and excitement, Johnny Tremain tells of the turbulent, passionate times in Boston just before the Revolutionary War.
Johnny, a young apprentice silversmith, is caught up in a dramatic involvement with Otis, Hancock, and John and Samuel Adams in the exciting currents and undercurrents that were to lead to the Boston Tea Party and the Battle of Lexington--and finally, a touching resolution of Johnny's personal life.
The Fighting Ground by Avi (152 pgs - easy read)
He may be just thirteen, but Jonathan knows he's ready to go to the war against the British. He can handle a gun. He yearns to battle for glory, just like his brother and cousin.
So when Jonathan hears the tavern bell toll, calling men to fight, he runs to join them. He doesn't realize that in just twenty-four hours, his life will be forever altered -- by the war, by his fellow soldiers, and by the terrible choices he must make.
Katies Trunk by Ann Turner (picture book)
Katie, whose family is not sympathetic to the rebel soldiers during the American Revolution, hides under the clothes in her mother's wedding trunk when they invade her home.
Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes (256 pgs - 1944 newbery winner)
A story filled with danger and excitement, Johnny Tremain tells of the turbulent, passionate times in Boston just before the Revolutionary War.
Johnny, a young apprentice silversmith, is caught up in a dramatic involvement with Otis, Hancock, and John and Samuel Adams in the exciting currents and undercurrents that were to lead to the Boston Tea Party and the Battle of Lexington--and finally, a touching resolution of Johnny's personal life.
The Fighting Ground by Avi (152 pgs - easy read)
He may be just thirteen, but Jonathan knows he's ready to go to the war against the British. He can handle a gun. He yearns to battle for glory, just like his brother and cousin.
So when Jonathan hears the tavern bell toll, calling men to fight, he runs to join them. He doesn't realize that in just twenty-four hours, his life will be forever altered -- by the war, by his fellow soldiers, and by the terrible choices he must make.
Friday, February 03, 2006
Recipe - Stephanie's Cheesy Bacon Pinwheels
Cheesy Bacon Pinwheels
1 (8-oz) cream cheese
⅛ teaspoon black pepper
½ cup chopped cooked bacon
2 Tablespoon finely chopped green onion
1 package Pillsbury crescent rolls
¼ cup of grated cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 350°. Combine all ingredients except crescent rolls. Separate crescent rolls into four rectangles. Spread cream cheese mixture on each. Roll up like cinnamon rolls. Cut up into 16 pieces and place on cookie sheet. Bake 15 minutes or until golden brown
1 (8-oz) cream cheese
⅛ teaspoon black pepper
½ cup chopped cooked bacon
2 Tablespoon finely chopped green onion
1 package Pillsbury crescent rolls
¼ cup of grated cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 350°. Combine all ingredients except crescent rolls. Separate crescent rolls into four rectangles. Spread cream cheese mixture on each. Roll up like cinnamon rolls. Cut up into 16 pieces and place on cookie sheet. Bake 15 minutes or until golden brown
Monday, January 23, 2006
Shannon Hale's Reaction to her Newbery Honor
I know Shannon Hale is a favorite in our book club so I thought that you might enjoy reading this. This is taken directly from Shannon Hale's blog at http://oinks.squeetus.com
A phone call at five a.m.
Holy cow. Holy holy cow. If there ever was a holy cow, I’m invoking said cow now.
So, at 5-something this morning, the phone rings. I was aware that today was the ALA (American Library Association) Mid-Winter meeting, where they announce the book awards. I knew my agent had left on Friday to go attend. So, phone call at 5 am, and I’m thinking, this is the meanest prank call in the world.
Me: Hello?
My editor: Shannon, can you believe it?
Me: Uh, uh… (finding myself in very vulnerable condition of believing something I haven’t heard yet and is likely impossible)
My editor: (her voice is full of smiling and she asks again, most likely unaware she’s the first to call) Can you believe it?!
Me: Uh, uh…(afraid to say it) did princess academy get a Newbery Honor?
My editor: Yes!
I began to shake. My hands and legs were shivering in a way they’ve never done before. I can’t recall anything else I said until my other line beeped. I hung up with my editor (bless her) and answered the other line.
Me: He…hello?
Barbara (I hope I’m getting her name right, I was shaking pretty hard by now and couldn’t hold the phone straight on my head): Is this Shannon Hale?
Me: Yes? (at this point, I was unsure myself)
Barbara: This is Barbara (last name? again, recall the shaking) and the entire Newbery Committee.
Me: (I’m not sure I said words at this point, perhaps some sort of primitive grunt)
Barbara: (I’m paraphrasing, I’m sure she was much more eloquent) We are calling to inform you that princess academy has been selected as a Newbery Honor Book.
Me: Oh! Thank you so much. Uh…grunt, grunt…
Barbara: Are you crying?
Me: Uh, ya, um, I have to admit I’m crying. (I was pretty slobbery, and still with the shaking.)
I could hear now that I was on speaker phone, and the entire Newbery committee really was all there, listening, and they laughed at me, which I was so grateful for.
Barbara: We’re all looking forward to meeting you this summer at the annual meeting.
Me: Oh, do I get to go?
Again, more laughter.
Me: Thank you, I just want to thank you so much.
Barbara: No, we want to thank you for such a wonderful book.
Then they applauded. They clapped for me on the phone, on speaker phone, as I sat in bed in my flannel pajamas at 5-something in the morning. That was perhaps one of the most magical and strange and ethereal moments of my life. Not as glorious and transcendental as when Max was born, but something akin to it. After the call ended, I lay down in bed, hugged my husband, and sobbed. For like ten minutes. And then I felt like I needed to throw up so I went to the bathroom and dry heaved for a while, then I returned to bed and lay there with Dean until I stopped shaking and could stop saying, “I can’t believe it…” Now we could talk about it at last. Now we could laugh.
Me: I just want to assure you, now that I’m famous and adored, I’m not going to leave you.
Strangely, that idea never seemed to have crossed his mind.
And, later,
Me: Honey, this is crazy.
Dean: Well, you’re crazy, so it fits.
Of course, we couldn’t go back to sleep. We tried for about 10 minutes until it became ridiculous. I got up, checked my email (none), to watch the webcast on ala.org, just to make sure. I was nervous as I watched, half-anticipating that they wouldn’t really give princess academy a Newbery Honor. Then when they actually really did announce princess academy, they cheered for me! As if they’d heard of my book before or of me or something. It’s so weird. I’m just some schmo.
Deb called, my friend and publicity director at Bloomsbury, and we laughed and shook together, and she told me people would be calling me (they haven’t yet. Who will they be? And how will they get my number?).
Deb: Purely from a design standpoint, the silver sticker will look better on the princess academy cover than the gold would have.
Me: Oh, I’m so glad it’s an honor and not the medal. I’m not ready for that kind of pressure.
I need to call my family and friends, as soon as it’s not too early. And I’ll spend the day with Max, of course, reading and eating oatmeal and applesauce and running around the stool. I’m going to go rewrite a scene from rapunzel’s revenge before he wakes up. Keeping my head in the game, that’s what I’m going to do.
A phone call at five a.m.
Holy cow. Holy holy cow. If there ever was a holy cow, I’m invoking said cow now.
So, at 5-something this morning, the phone rings. I was aware that today was the ALA (American Library Association) Mid-Winter meeting, where they announce the book awards. I knew my agent had left on Friday to go attend. So, phone call at 5 am, and I’m thinking, this is the meanest prank call in the world.
Me: Hello?
My editor: Shannon, can you believe it?
Me: Uh, uh… (finding myself in very vulnerable condition of believing something I haven’t heard yet and is likely impossible)
My editor: (her voice is full of smiling and she asks again, most likely unaware she’s the first to call) Can you believe it?!
Me: Uh, uh…(afraid to say it) did princess academy get a Newbery Honor?
My editor: Yes!
I began to shake. My hands and legs were shivering in a way they’ve never done before. I can’t recall anything else I said until my other line beeped. I hung up with my editor (bless her) and answered the other line.
Me: He…hello?
Barbara (I hope I’m getting her name right, I was shaking pretty hard by now and couldn’t hold the phone straight on my head): Is this Shannon Hale?
Me: Yes? (at this point, I was unsure myself)
Barbara: This is Barbara (last name? again, recall the shaking) and the entire Newbery Committee.
Me: (I’m not sure I said words at this point, perhaps some sort of primitive grunt)
Barbara: (I’m paraphrasing, I’m sure she was much more eloquent) We are calling to inform you that princess academy has been selected as a Newbery Honor Book.
Me: Oh! Thank you so much. Uh…grunt, grunt…
Barbara: Are you crying?
Me: Uh, ya, um, I have to admit I’m crying. (I was pretty slobbery, and still with the shaking.)
I could hear now that I was on speaker phone, and the entire Newbery committee really was all there, listening, and they laughed at me, which I was so grateful for.
Barbara: We’re all looking forward to meeting you this summer at the annual meeting.
Me: Oh, do I get to go?
Again, more laughter.
Me: Thank you, I just want to thank you so much.
Barbara: No, we want to thank you for such a wonderful book.
Then they applauded. They clapped for me on the phone, on speaker phone, as I sat in bed in my flannel pajamas at 5-something in the morning. That was perhaps one of the most magical and strange and ethereal moments of my life. Not as glorious and transcendental as when Max was born, but something akin to it. After the call ended, I lay down in bed, hugged my husband, and sobbed. For like ten minutes. And then I felt like I needed to throw up so I went to the bathroom and dry heaved for a while, then I returned to bed and lay there with Dean until I stopped shaking and could stop saying, “I can’t believe it…” Now we could talk about it at last. Now we could laugh.
Me: I just want to assure you, now that I’m famous and adored, I’m not going to leave you.
Strangely, that idea never seemed to have crossed his mind.
And, later,
Me: Honey, this is crazy.
Dean: Well, you’re crazy, so it fits.
Of course, we couldn’t go back to sleep. We tried for about 10 minutes until it became ridiculous. I got up, checked my email (none), to watch the webcast on ala.org, just to make sure. I was nervous as I watched, half-anticipating that they wouldn’t really give princess academy a Newbery Honor. Then when they actually really did announce princess academy, they cheered for me! As if they’d heard of my book before or of me or something. It’s so weird. I’m just some schmo.
Deb called, my friend and publicity director at Bloomsbury, and we laughed and shook together, and she told me people would be calling me (they haven’t yet. Who will they be? And how will they get my number?).
Deb: Purely from a design standpoint, the silver sticker will look better on the princess academy cover than the gold would have.
Me: Oh, I’m so glad it’s an honor and not the medal. I’m not ready for that kind of pressure.
I need to call my family and friends, as soon as it’s not too early. And I’ll spend the day with Max, of course, reading and eating oatmeal and applesauce and running around the stool. I’m going to go rewrite a scene from rapunzel’s revenge before he wakes up. Keeping my head in the game, that’s what I’m going to do.
This Year's Awards
American Library Association announces literary award winners
(SAN ANTONIO) The American Library Association (ALA) today announced the top books and video for children and young adults – including the Caldecott, King, Newbery and Printz awards – at its Midwinter Meeting in San Antonio.
A list of all the 2006 literary award winners follows:
John Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children's literature
“Criss Cross,” written by Lynne Rae Perkins, is the 2006 Newbery Medal winner. The book is published by Greenwillow Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
Four Newbery Honor Books also were named: “Whittington” by Alan Armstrong, illustrated by S.D. Schindler and published by Random House; “Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler’s Shadow” by Susan Campbell Bartoletti and published by Scholastic Nonfiction, an imprint of Scholastic; “Princess Academy” by Shannon Hale, published by Bloomsbury Children’s Books; and “Show Way” by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by Hudson Talbott and published by G.P. Putnam’s Sons.
Randolph Caldecott Medal for the most distinguished American picture book for children
“The Hello, Goodbye Window,” illustrated by Chris Raschka, is the 2006 Caldecott Medal winner. The book was written by Norton Juster and published by Michael di Capua Books, an imprint of Hyperion Books for Children.
Four Caldecott Honor Books also were named: “Rosa,” illustrated by Bryan Collier, written by Nikki Giovanni and published by Henry Holt and Company; “Zen Shorts,” written and illustrated by Jon J. Muth and published by Scholastic Press; “Hot Air: The (Mostly) True Story of the First Hot-Air Balloon Ride,” written and illustrated by Marjorie Priceman, An Anne Schwartz Book from Atheneum Books for Young Readers, Simon & Schuster; “Song of the Water Boatman and Other Pond Poems,” illustrated by Beckie Prange, written by Joyce Sidman and published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Michael L. Printz Award for excellence in literature written for young adults
“Looking for Alaska,” written by John Green, is the 2006 Printz Award winner. The book is published by Dutton Books, a member of Penguin Group (USA), Inc.
Four Printz Honor Books also were named: “Black Juice” by Margo Lanagan, published by EOS, an imprint of HarperCollins; “I Am the Messenger” by Markus Zusak, published by Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books; “John Lennon: All I Want Is the Truth, a Photographic Biography” by Elizabeth Partridge, published by Viking, a member of Penguin Group (USA), Inc.; and “A Wreath for Emmett Till,” written by Marilyn Nelson, illustrated by Philippe Lardy and published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Coretta Scott King (Author) Book Award recognizing an African American author and illustrator of outstanding books for children and young adults
“Day of Tears: A Novel in Dialogue,” written by Julius Lester, is the King Author Book winner. The book is published by Jump at the Sun, an imprint of Hyperion Books for Children.
Three King Author Honor Books were selected: “Maritcha: A Nineteenth-Century American Girl” by Tonya Bolden, published by Harry N. Abrams, Inc., Publishers; “Dark Sons” by Nikki Grimes, published by Jump at the Sun, an imprint of Hyperion Books for Children; and “A Wreath for Emmett Till,” written by Marilyn Nelson, illustrated by Philippe Lardy and published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Coretta Scott King (Illustrator) Book Award
“Rosa,” illustrated by Bryan Collier, is the King Illustrator Book winner. The book was written by Nikki Giovanni and published by Henry Holt and Company.
One King Illustrator Honor Book was selected: “Brothers in Hope: The Story of the Lost Boys of Sudan” by R. Gregory Christie, published by Lee and Low Books.
Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Author Award
“Jimi & Me,” written by Jaime Adoff, is the Steptoe winner. The book is published by Jump at the Sun, an imprint of Hyperion Books for Children.
Pura Belpré (Illustrator) Award honoring a Latino writer and illustrator whose children's books best portray, affirm and celebrate the Latino cultural experience
“Doña Flor: A Tall Tale About a Giant Woman with a Great Big Heart,” illustrated by Raul Colón, is the Belpré Illustrator Award winner. The book was written by Pat Mora and published by Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Random House.
Three Belpré Illustrator Honor Books for illustration were selected: “Arrorró, Mi Niño: Latino Lullabies and Gentle Games,” selected and illustrated by Lulu Delacre and published by Lee & Low Books, Inc.; “César: ¡Sí, Se Puede!Yes, We Can!” illustrated by David Diaz, written by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand and published by Marshall Cavendish; and “My Name Is Celia/Me Llamo Celia: The Life of Celia Cruz/La Vida de Celia Cruz,” illustrated by Rafael López, written by Monica Brown and published by Luna Rising, a bilingual imprint of Rising Moon.
Pura Belpré (Author) Award
“The Tequila Worm,” written by Viola Canales, is the Belpré Author Award winner. The book is published by Wendy Lamb Books, a division of Random House.
Three Belpré Author Honor Books were named: “César:¡Sí, Se Puede! Yes, We Can!,” by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand, “Doña Flor: A Tall Tale About a Giant Woman with a Great Big Heart” by Pat Mora, and “Becoming Naomi León” by Pam Muñoz Ryan and published by Scholastic Press.
Schneider Family Book Award for books that embody an artistic expression of the disability experience
“Dad, Jackie, and Me” written by Myron Uhlberg, illustrated by Colin Bootman and published by Peachtree Press, wins the award for children ages 0 to 10.
Kimberly Newton Fusco is the winner of the middle-school (ages 11-13) award for “Tending to Grace,” published by Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books.
The teen (ages 13-18) award winner is “Under the Wolf, Under the Dog,” written by Adam Rapp and published by Candlewick Press.
Theodor Seuss Geisel Award for the most distinguished beginning reader book
“Henry and Mudge and the Great Grandpas,” written by Cynthia Rylant and illustrated by Suçie Stevenson is the Seuss Award winner. The book is published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.
Four Geisel Honor Books were named: “Hi! Fly Guy” by Tedd Arnold and published by Cartwheel Books, an imprint of Scholastic Inc.; “A Splendid Friend, Indeed” by Suzanne Bloom and published by Boyds Mills Press; “Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa” by Erica Silverman, illustrated by Betsy Lewin and published by Harcourt, Inc.; and “Amanda Pig and the Really Hot Day” by Jean Van Leeuwen, illustrated by Ann Schweninger and published by Dial Books for Young Readers, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group.
Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement in writing for young adults
Jacqueline Woodson is the 2006 Edwards Award winner. Her books include: “I Hadn’t Meant to Tell You This,” and its sequel, “Lena;” “From the Notebooks of Melanin Sun,” “If You Come Softly” and “Miracle’s Boys.”
Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award for most distinguished informational book for children
“Secrets of a Civil War Submarine: Solving the Mysteries of the H.L. Hunley,” written by Sally M. Walker, is the Sibert Award winner. The book is published by Carolrhoda Books, Inc., a division of Lerner Publishing Group.
One Sibert Honor Book was named: “Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler’s Shadow,” written by Susan Campbell Bartoletti and published by Scholastic Nonfiction, an imprint of Scholastic.
Andrew Carnegie Medal for excellence in children's video
Michael Sporn, of Michael Sporn Animation, Inc., and Paul Gagne and Melissa Reilly, of Weston Woods Studios, producers of “The Man Who Walked Between the Towers,” are the Carnegie Medal winners. The video is based on the book by Mordicai Gerstein and is narrated by Jake Gyllenhaal, with music by Michael Bacon.
Mildred L. Batchelder Award for an outstanding children's book translated from a foreign language and subsequently published in the United States
Arthur A. Levine Books, an imprint of Scholastic Inc., is the Batchelder Award winner for “An Innocent Soldier.” Originally published in German in 2002 as “Der Russländer,” the book was written by Josef Holub and translated by Michael Hofmann.
Two Batchelder Honor Books also were selected: “Nicholas,” published by Phaidon Press Limited and “When I Was a Soldier,” published by Bloomsbury Children’s Books.
Alex Awards for the 10 best adult books that appeal to teen audiences
“Midnight at the Dragon Café,” written by Judy Fong Bates and published by Counterpoint.
“Upstate,” written by Kalisha Buckhanon and published by St Martins
“Anansi Boys,” written by Neil Gaiman and published by William Morrow & Company
“As Simple as Snow,” written by Gregory Gallaway and published by Putnam
“Never Let Me Go,” written by Kazuo Ishiguro and published by Alfred A. Knopf
“Gil’s All Fright Diner,” written by A. Lee Martinez, published by Tor
“The Necessary Beggar,” written by Susan Palwick and published by Tor
“My Jim,” written by Nancy Rawles and published by Crown
“Jesus Land: A Memoir,” written by Julia Scheeres, and published by Counterpoint
“The Glass Castle: A Memoir,” written by Jeannette Walls and published by Scribner
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
Kevin Henkes will deliver the 2007 lecture. Henkes has published seven novels and more than 20 picture books, as well as a number of board books for young children.
Recognized worldwide for the high quality they represent, ALA awards guide parents, educators, librarians and others in selecting the best materials for youth. Selected by judging committees of librarians and other children’s experts, the awards encourage original and creative work. For more information on the ALA youth media awards and notables, please visit the ALA Web site at www.ala.org.
(SAN ANTONIO) The American Library Association (ALA) today announced the top books and video for children and young adults – including the Caldecott, King, Newbery and Printz awards – at its Midwinter Meeting in San Antonio.
A list of all the 2006 literary award winners follows:
John Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children's literature
“Criss Cross,” written by Lynne Rae Perkins, is the 2006 Newbery Medal winner. The book is published by Greenwillow Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
Four Newbery Honor Books also were named: “Whittington” by Alan Armstrong, illustrated by S.D. Schindler and published by Random House; “Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler’s Shadow” by Susan Campbell Bartoletti and published by Scholastic Nonfiction, an imprint of Scholastic; “Princess Academy” by Shannon Hale, published by Bloomsbury Children’s Books; and “Show Way” by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by Hudson Talbott and published by G.P. Putnam’s Sons.
Randolph Caldecott Medal for the most distinguished American picture book for children
“The Hello, Goodbye Window,” illustrated by Chris Raschka, is the 2006 Caldecott Medal winner. The book was written by Norton Juster and published by Michael di Capua Books, an imprint of Hyperion Books for Children.
Four Caldecott Honor Books also were named: “Rosa,” illustrated by Bryan Collier, written by Nikki Giovanni and published by Henry Holt and Company; “Zen Shorts,” written and illustrated by Jon J. Muth and published by Scholastic Press; “Hot Air: The (Mostly) True Story of the First Hot-Air Balloon Ride,” written and illustrated by Marjorie Priceman, An Anne Schwartz Book from Atheneum Books for Young Readers, Simon & Schuster; “Song of the Water Boatman and Other Pond Poems,” illustrated by Beckie Prange, written by Joyce Sidman and published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Michael L. Printz Award for excellence in literature written for young adults
“Looking for Alaska,” written by John Green, is the 2006 Printz Award winner. The book is published by Dutton Books, a member of Penguin Group (USA), Inc.
Four Printz Honor Books also were named: “Black Juice” by Margo Lanagan, published by EOS, an imprint of HarperCollins; “I Am the Messenger” by Markus Zusak, published by Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books; “John Lennon: All I Want Is the Truth, a Photographic Biography” by Elizabeth Partridge, published by Viking, a member of Penguin Group (USA), Inc.; and “A Wreath for Emmett Till,” written by Marilyn Nelson, illustrated by Philippe Lardy and published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Coretta Scott King (Author) Book Award recognizing an African American author and illustrator of outstanding books for children and young adults
“Day of Tears: A Novel in Dialogue,” written by Julius Lester, is the King Author Book winner. The book is published by Jump at the Sun, an imprint of Hyperion Books for Children.
Three King Author Honor Books were selected: “Maritcha: A Nineteenth-Century American Girl” by Tonya Bolden, published by Harry N. Abrams, Inc., Publishers; “Dark Sons” by Nikki Grimes, published by Jump at the Sun, an imprint of Hyperion Books for Children; and “A Wreath for Emmett Till,” written by Marilyn Nelson, illustrated by Philippe Lardy and published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Coretta Scott King (Illustrator) Book Award
“Rosa,” illustrated by Bryan Collier, is the King Illustrator Book winner. The book was written by Nikki Giovanni and published by Henry Holt and Company.
One King Illustrator Honor Book was selected: “Brothers in Hope: The Story of the Lost Boys of Sudan” by R. Gregory Christie, published by Lee and Low Books.
Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Author Award
“Jimi & Me,” written by Jaime Adoff, is the Steptoe winner. The book is published by Jump at the Sun, an imprint of Hyperion Books for Children.
Pura Belpré (Illustrator) Award honoring a Latino writer and illustrator whose children's books best portray, affirm and celebrate the Latino cultural experience
“Doña Flor: A Tall Tale About a Giant Woman with a Great Big Heart,” illustrated by Raul Colón, is the Belpré Illustrator Award winner. The book was written by Pat Mora and published by Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Random House.
Three Belpré Illustrator Honor Books for illustration were selected: “Arrorró, Mi Niño: Latino Lullabies and Gentle Games,” selected and illustrated by Lulu Delacre and published by Lee & Low Books, Inc.; “César: ¡Sí, Se Puede!Yes, We Can!” illustrated by David Diaz, written by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand and published by Marshall Cavendish; and “My Name Is Celia/Me Llamo Celia: The Life of Celia Cruz/La Vida de Celia Cruz,” illustrated by Rafael López, written by Monica Brown and published by Luna Rising, a bilingual imprint of Rising Moon.
Pura Belpré (Author) Award
“The Tequila Worm,” written by Viola Canales, is the Belpré Author Award winner. The book is published by Wendy Lamb Books, a division of Random House.
Three Belpré Author Honor Books were named: “César:¡Sí, Se Puede! Yes, We Can!,” by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand, “Doña Flor: A Tall Tale About a Giant Woman with a Great Big Heart” by Pat Mora, and “Becoming Naomi León” by Pam Muñoz Ryan and published by Scholastic Press.
Schneider Family Book Award for books that embody an artistic expression of the disability experience
“Dad, Jackie, and Me” written by Myron Uhlberg, illustrated by Colin Bootman and published by Peachtree Press, wins the award for children ages 0 to 10.
Kimberly Newton Fusco is the winner of the middle-school (ages 11-13) award for “Tending to Grace,” published by Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books.
The teen (ages 13-18) award winner is “Under the Wolf, Under the Dog,” written by Adam Rapp and published by Candlewick Press.
Theodor Seuss Geisel Award for the most distinguished beginning reader book
“Henry and Mudge and the Great Grandpas,” written by Cynthia Rylant and illustrated by Suçie Stevenson is the Seuss Award winner. The book is published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.
Four Geisel Honor Books were named: “Hi! Fly Guy” by Tedd Arnold and published by Cartwheel Books, an imprint of Scholastic Inc.; “A Splendid Friend, Indeed” by Suzanne Bloom and published by Boyds Mills Press; “Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa” by Erica Silverman, illustrated by Betsy Lewin and published by Harcourt, Inc.; and “Amanda Pig and the Really Hot Day” by Jean Van Leeuwen, illustrated by Ann Schweninger and published by Dial Books for Young Readers, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group.
Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement in writing for young adults
Jacqueline Woodson is the 2006 Edwards Award winner. Her books include: “I Hadn’t Meant to Tell You This,” and its sequel, “Lena;” “From the Notebooks of Melanin Sun,” “If You Come Softly” and “Miracle’s Boys.”
Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award for most distinguished informational book for children
“Secrets of a Civil War Submarine: Solving the Mysteries of the H.L. Hunley,” written by Sally M. Walker, is the Sibert Award winner. The book is published by Carolrhoda Books, Inc., a division of Lerner Publishing Group.
One Sibert Honor Book was named: “Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler’s Shadow,” written by Susan Campbell Bartoletti and published by Scholastic Nonfiction, an imprint of Scholastic.
Andrew Carnegie Medal for excellence in children's video
Michael Sporn, of Michael Sporn Animation, Inc., and Paul Gagne and Melissa Reilly, of Weston Woods Studios, producers of “The Man Who Walked Between the Towers,” are the Carnegie Medal winners. The video is based on the book by Mordicai Gerstein and is narrated by Jake Gyllenhaal, with music by Michael Bacon.
Mildred L. Batchelder Award for an outstanding children's book translated from a foreign language and subsequently published in the United States
Arthur A. Levine Books, an imprint of Scholastic Inc., is the Batchelder Award winner for “An Innocent Soldier.” Originally published in German in 2002 as “Der Russländer,” the book was written by Josef Holub and translated by Michael Hofmann.
Two Batchelder Honor Books also were selected: “Nicholas,” published by Phaidon Press Limited and “When I Was a Soldier,” published by Bloomsbury Children’s Books.
Alex Awards for the 10 best adult books that appeal to teen audiences
“Midnight at the Dragon Café,” written by Judy Fong Bates and published by Counterpoint.
“Upstate,” written by Kalisha Buckhanon and published by St Martins
“Anansi Boys,” written by Neil Gaiman and published by William Morrow & Company
“As Simple as Snow,” written by Gregory Gallaway and published by Putnam
“Never Let Me Go,” written by Kazuo Ishiguro and published by Alfred A. Knopf
“Gil’s All Fright Diner,” written by A. Lee Martinez, published by Tor
“The Necessary Beggar,” written by Susan Palwick and published by Tor
“My Jim,” written by Nancy Rawles and published by Crown
“Jesus Land: A Memoir,” written by Julia Scheeres, and published by Counterpoint
“The Glass Castle: A Memoir,” written by Jeannette Walls and published by Scribner
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
Kevin Henkes will deliver the 2007 lecture. Henkes has published seven novels and more than 20 picture books, as well as a number of board books for young children.
Recognized worldwide for the high quality they represent, ALA awards guide parents, educators, librarians and others in selecting the best materials for youth. Selected by judging committees of librarians and other children’s experts, the awards encourage original and creative work. For more information on the ALA youth media awards and notables, please visit the ALA Web site at www.ala.org.
Monday, January 16, 2006
science fiction for girls
I thought that some of you might be interested in this article after our discussion at our last meeting.
Teen Angels A bestselling novelist on why boys aren’t the only ones who like sci-fi
WEB EXCLUSIVE
By Nicole Joseph
Newsweek
Updated: 6:28 p.m. ET Jan. 12, 2006
Jan. 13, 2006 - Author Libba Bray has many mysteries in her life (“Why doesn’t George Clooney call me? Why do I always get mistaken for Catherine Zeta Jones?”). But there are no questions about the fact that her newest novel, “Rebel Angels” (Delacorte, 2005) is a hit in the world of young-adult fiction. Angels is the much-anticipated sequel to Bray’s 2003 bestseller, “A Great and Terrible Beauty.” The books, set in 19th century England, are an unusual mix of sci-fi, fantasy and unalloyed romance. They have a large and devoted following of teen girls who identify with the heroine Gemma Doyle—a sardonic, redheaded boarding school student. Gemma and her posse of friends battle otherworldly villains and adolescent angst in a mystical world called “The Realms.” Think “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” but in corsets and with a heady infusion of historical detail.
Texas-raised Bray spent the fall on a book tour of girls’ schools, where she ran writing workshops for aspiring teen writers. Now there’s talk of turning her series into a movie, but Bray says she’s doesn’t have time to indulge in success just yet. She is back on deadline and already at work on the third and final novel in the trilogy, which will be released in the fall of 2007.
Before she settled too deeply into her own magical writing realm, NEWSWEEK’s Nicole Joseph spoke with the (terribly funny) author about learning to write and why teen girls like sci-fi lit too. Excerpts:
NEWSWEEK: It seems like people sometimes associate sci-fi and fantasy with boys more than girls. Do you think that’s true? Libba Bray: I do think that there has been a perception of that being the domain of boys, but I think that a lot of writers are starting to challenge that now. I didn’t necessarily set out to challenge it—I simply wrote about the things that I wanted to write about and that I love. When I was an adolescent, the girls that I hung with were somewhat feral and unsupervised… and probably behaved a lot like boys did. We wanted to start a band. You’re always writing with you own perspective, I suppose, and I was interested in sci-fi and fantasy and Victorian England. [So while] I do think [sci-fi] has been more the playground of boys, I think that it’s great that it’s being challenged and we’re saying: “Hey, you know, girls like this stuff, too.”
Teen Angels A bestselling novelist on why boys aren’t the only ones who like sci-fi
WEB EXCLUSIVE
By Nicole Joseph
Newsweek
Updated: 6:28 p.m. ET Jan. 12, 2006
Jan. 13, 2006 - Author Libba Bray has many mysteries in her life (“Why doesn’t George Clooney call me? Why do I always get mistaken for Catherine Zeta Jones?”). But there are no questions about the fact that her newest novel, “Rebel Angels” (Delacorte, 2005) is a hit in the world of young-adult fiction. Angels is the much-anticipated sequel to Bray’s 2003 bestseller, “A Great and Terrible Beauty.” The books, set in 19th century England, are an unusual mix of sci-fi, fantasy and unalloyed romance. They have a large and devoted following of teen girls who identify with the heroine Gemma Doyle—a sardonic, redheaded boarding school student. Gemma and her posse of friends battle otherworldly villains and adolescent angst in a mystical world called “The Realms.” Think “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” but in corsets and with a heady infusion of historical detail.
Texas-raised Bray spent the fall on a book tour of girls’ schools, where she ran writing workshops for aspiring teen writers. Now there’s talk of turning her series into a movie, but Bray says she’s doesn’t have time to indulge in success just yet. She is back on deadline and already at work on the third and final novel in the trilogy, which will be released in the fall of 2007.
Before she settled too deeply into her own magical writing realm, NEWSWEEK’s Nicole Joseph spoke with the (terribly funny) author about learning to write and why teen girls like sci-fi lit too. Excerpts:
NEWSWEEK: It seems like people sometimes associate sci-fi and fantasy with boys more than girls. Do you think that’s true? Libba Bray: I do think that there has been a perception of that being the domain of boys, but I think that a lot of writers are starting to challenge that now. I didn’t necessarily set out to challenge it—I simply wrote about the things that I wanted to write about and that I love. When I was an adolescent, the girls that I hung with were somewhat feral and unsupervised… and probably behaved a lot like boys did. We wanted to start a band. You’re always writing with you own perspective, I suppose, and I was interested in sci-fi and fantasy and Victorian England. [So while] I do think [sci-fi] has been more the playground of boys, I think that it’s great that it’s being challenged and we’re saying: “Hey, you know, girls like this stuff, too.”
Tuesday, January 03, 2006
February - Children's Classics
Emily is hosting February and here are her picks!
This month I have chosen to only read two books because of the length. I want everyone to come prepared with what they think makes a classic book. There are several different opinions.
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott: “Triumph and tragedy, romance and comedy are artfully blended in an enduring domestic drama.”
Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe: “Lone survivor of a shipwreck succeeds in creating a personal kingdom on a deserted island with help from the owner of a mysterious footprint.”
Other Classical Books to consider:
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson
Peter Pan by James M. Barrie
Twelve Tales: Hans Christian Anderson
The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
Island of the Blue Dolphins
Chronicles of Narnia
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
The Call of the Wild
Red Badge of Courage
Websites with more classic
Kidsreads.com
Americanliterature.com
This month I have chosen to only read two books because of the length. I want everyone to come prepared with what they think makes a classic book. There are several different opinions.
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott: “Triumph and tragedy, romance and comedy are artfully blended in an enduring domestic drama.”
Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe: “Lone survivor of a shipwreck succeeds in creating a personal kingdom on a deserted island with help from the owner of a mysterious footprint.”
Other Classical Books to consider:
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson
Peter Pan by James M. Barrie
Twelve Tales: Hans Christian Anderson
The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
Island of the Blue Dolphins
Chronicles of Narnia
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
The Call of the Wild
Red Badge of Courage
Websites with more classic
Kidsreads.com
Americanliterature.com
Thursday, December 08, 2005
January - Science Fiction
Krystal is hosting January's meeting and here's what she picked:
Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card is the book we will spend the majority of the time discussing. Because it is a little longer than some of the books we have read in the past, it is also the only book I encourage everyone to read.
Some questions/ideas to guide your reading.
1. Why does Ender hate himself?
2. How are the characters in the novel like real people? How are they unique? What does this say about the way people should be?
3. What is Orson Scott Card’s view of violence?
4. In the ongoing fight of good vs. evil, how do we ensure that we are good?
5. What kinds of games are prevalent in the novel and what does the term “Game” come to mean?
6. The computer game Ender plays throughout the novel, and the connection the buggers have with the game
7. Ender’s struggle with isolation and friendship
8. What does it mean to be Speaker for the Dead?
Also, come prepared to discuss Science Fiction as a genre, and choose any (or all) of the following books, or any others you are interested in.
Ender’s Shadow by Orson Scott Card. A companion book to Ender’s Game, written from the perspective of Bean. This book will also be included in the upcoming movie of Ender’s Game.
The Time Hackers by Gary Paulsen, author of Hatchet, Brian’s Winter, The Winter Room and Dogsong. When someone uses futuristic technology to play pranks on twelve-year-old Dorso Clayman, he and his best friend set off on a supposedly impossible journey through space and time trying to stop the gamesters who are endangering the universe. (87 pages)
The Supernaturalist by Eoin Colfer, author of the New York Times best-selling Artemis Fowl series. In the future, in a place called Satellite City, the Supernaturalists patrol the city at night, hunting the Parasites in hopes of saving what is left of humanity. But soon they find themselves caught in a web far more complicated than they’d imagined. (267 pages)
Taylor Five by Ann Halam. Fourteen-year-old Taylor is still dealing with the fact that she is a clone produced by the same company that funds the Orangutan Reserve which is her home on the island of Borneo, when the Reserve is attacked and she flees with her younger brother and Uncle, the Reserve’s mascot. (197 pages)
Mr. Was by Paul Hautman. When John Lunt travels to Memory, Minnesota to visit his sick grandfather, what he finds is a door that leads to the past, where his foreknowledge of the atom bomb does not keep him from fighting in WWII. Disclaimer-This book has an intense scene of domestic violence, so beware if you choose to read it. (255 pages)
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. Originally published in 1953, this novel is set in the future when “firemen” burn books forbidden by a totalitarian “brave new world” regime. The hero, according to Mr. Bradbury, is “a book burner who suddenly discovers that books are flesh-and-blood ideas and cry out silently when put to the torch.” (190 pages)
Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card is the book we will spend the majority of the time discussing. Because it is a little longer than some of the books we have read in the past, it is also the only book I encourage everyone to read.
Some questions/ideas to guide your reading.
1. Why does Ender hate himself?
2. How are the characters in the novel like real people? How are they unique? What does this say about the way people should be?
3. What is Orson Scott Card’s view of violence?
4. In the ongoing fight of good vs. evil, how do we ensure that we are good?
5. What kinds of games are prevalent in the novel and what does the term “Game” come to mean?
6. The computer game Ender plays throughout the novel, and the connection the buggers have with the game
7. Ender’s struggle with isolation and friendship
8. What does it mean to be Speaker for the Dead?
Also, come prepared to discuss Science Fiction as a genre, and choose any (or all) of the following books, or any others you are interested in.
Ender’s Shadow by Orson Scott Card. A companion book to Ender’s Game, written from the perspective of Bean. This book will also be included in the upcoming movie of Ender’s Game.
The Time Hackers by Gary Paulsen, author of Hatchet, Brian’s Winter, The Winter Room and Dogsong. When someone uses futuristic technology to play pranks on twelve-year-old Dorso Clayman, he and his best friend set off on a supposedly impossible journey through space and time trying to stop the gamesters who are endangering the universe. (87 pages)
The Supernaturalist by Eoin Colfer, author of the New York Times best-selling Artemis Fowl series. In the future, in a place called Satellite City, the Supernaturalists patrol the city at night, hunting the Parasites in hopes of saving what is left of humanity. But soon they find themselves caught in a web far more complicated than they’d imagined. (267 pages)
Taylor Five by Ann Halam. Fourteen-year-old Taylor is still dealing with the fact that she is a clone produced by the same company that funds the Orangutan Reserve which is her home on the island of Borneo, when the Reserve is attacked and she flees with her younger brother and Uncle, the Reserve’s mascot. (197 pages)
Mr. Was by Paul Hautman. When John Lunt travels to Memory, Minnesota to visit his sick grandfather, what he finds is a door that leads to the past, where his foreknowledge of the atom bomb does not keep him from fighting in WWII. Disclaimer-This book has an intense scene of domestic violence, so beware if you choose to read it. (255 pages)
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. Originally published in 1953, this novel is set in the future when “firemen” burn books forbidden by a totalitarian “brave new world” regime. The hero, according to Mr. Bradbury, is “a book burner who suddenly discovers that books are flesh-and-blood ideas and cry out silently when put to the torch.” (190 pages)
Tuesday, November 08, 2005
Recipe - Jeaneane's Pumpkin Cake
Here is the recipe...
For the "crust"
1 yellow cake mix (minus 1 cup--for later)
1 egg
1 stick (1/2 cup) melted margarine/butter
Mix and place in 9x13
Then mix together--
2 cups pumpkin (I usually just use one small can which is 15oz.--close enough!!)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 teas. pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teas salt
2 eggs
3/4 cup evap milk
1 teas. vanilla
Pour this over the "crust"
Then "cut" and crumble over top--
1 cup cake mix
1 teas. cinnamon
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cold margarine/butter
Bake 45-50 minutes in 350 degree oven.
For the "crust"
1 yellow cake mix (minus 1 cup--for later)
1 egg
1 stick (1/2 cup) melted margarine/butter
Mix and place in 9x13
Then mix together--
2 cups pumpkin (I usually just use one small can which is 15oz.--close enough!!)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 teas. pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teas salt
2 eggs
3/4 cup evap milk
1 teas. vanilla
Pour this over the "crust"
Then "cut" and crumble over top--
1 cup cake mix
1 teas. cinnamon
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cold margarine/butter
Bake 45-50 minutes in 350 degree oven.
Monday, November 07, 2005
Jack Gantos
I love this quote from a talk by Jack Gantos about people who don't read, and I thought some of you might enjoy it too.
“Some people simply refuse to dance with a book—won’t allow themselves to become ‘transformed’ by the literature, made to become the ‘other partner’ of the literature. They resist being the characters, seeing the setting, discovering the themes, anguishing over the actions. In a small way they don’t even feel a bit of joy when little Corduroy gets his button (or pocket), or when Sylvester comes back alive from being a pebble, or when Harry the Dirty Dog takes a bath and is discovered to be his old self, or when The Little Engine That Could, can, or when Eloise runs though the halls of the Plaza scraping a stick along the walls and doors and making a great ruckus. No, some people resist the happy feel of a book, the charm of a book. They fight it. Not Reading is a statement that hollers out to the world: ‘I will remain the same. Don’t give me the stick with rock; I just want the rock!’ Or maybe they want even less, they just want to beat their head against a great big rock . . .People who refuse to read conquer a book by not reading it. As we all know, being ignored is the worst snub. A book is sucked dry of its rhythm and blues, its hokey-pokey, its two-handed waltz when the owner shoves it onto the shelf.
“Some people simply refuse to dance with a book—won’t allow themselves to become ‘transformed’ by the literature, made to become the ‘other partner’ of the literature. They resist being the characters, seeing the setting, discovering the themes, anguishing over the actions. In a small way they don’t even feel a bit of joy when little Corduroy gets his button (or pocket), or when Sylvester comes back alive from being a pebble, or when Harry the Dirty Dog takes a bath and is discovered to be his old self, or when The Little Engine That Could, can, or when Eloise runs though the halls of the Plaza scraping a stick along the walls and doors and making a great ruckus. No, some people resist the happy feel of a book, the charm of a book. They fight it. Not Reading is a statement that hollers out to the world: ‘I will remain the same. Don’t give me the stick with rock; I just want the rock!’ Or maybe they want even less, they just want to beat their head against a great big rock . . .People who refuse to read conquer a book by not reading it. As we all know, being ignored is the worst snub. A book is sucked dry of its rhythm and blues, its hokey-pokey, its two-handed waltz when the owner shoves it onto the shelf.
Wednesday, November 02, 2005
December - Mormon Authors
I am hosting December's book club meeting. We had to change the date because the University Ward's enrichment will be on Tuesday, December 6th so we will be meeting on Wednesday, December 7th at the normal time. At our December meeting we will be having a book exchange so if you would like to participate, please bring a wrapped children's or young adult book.
These are the books I picked for December:
Goose Girl - by Shannon Hale
Wishing Moon - by Michael Tunnell
Mississippi Trial, 1955 - by Chris Crowe (This is based on the Emmett Till case so be warned that it does have some disturbing images)
The Shakeress - by Kimberly Heuston
Enjoy reading!
These are the books I picked for December:
Goose Girl - by Shannon Hale
Wishing Moon - by Michael Tunnell
Mississippi Trial, 1955 - by Chris Crowe (This is based on the Emmett Till case so be warned that it does have some disturbing images)
The Shakeress - by Kimberly Heuston
Enjoy reading!
Monday, October 31, 2005
Fall Book Review
Cover to Cover always has a great fall book review. The people there really know what they are talking about, and I never miss this event. Here's what they said in their mailer:
Our annual book review evenings will be held Tuesday, Novemebr 15th and Thursday, November 17th from 6:00 until 8:00. Cover to Cover staff will share the best of the Fall, 2005 publications for pre-school age youngsters through young adults. Parents are teachers are welcomed, and gift bags of book related items will be given to all in attendance. Light refreshments will be available.
Cover to Cover is also celebrating their 25th birthday with a 20% discount from November 7th - November 12th (And they usually offer this discount after the book talk for any new books you heard about and want to buy)
Our annual book review evenings will be held Tuesday, Novemebr 15th and Thursday, November 17th from 6:00 until 8:00. Cover to Cover staff will share the best of the Fall, 2005 publications for pre-school age youngsters through young adults. Parents are teachers are welcomed, and gift bags of book related items will be given to all in attendance. Light refreshments will be available.
Cover to Cover is also celebrating their 25th birthday with a 20% discount from November 7th - November 12th (And they usually offer this discount after the book talk for any new books you heard about and want to buy)
Recipe - Krystal's Reese's Peanut Butter Pie
We've had some great treats at our meetings, and we'd love to have your recipes. If you send them to me (Steph), I will post them on our web site. Here's one from Krystal:
Reese’s Peanut Butter Pie (makes 2 pies)
Crust:
1 bag oreos with cream scooped out, blended (generic work fine)
Put crumbs in bottom of two pie pans (approximately 1 cup each)
Melt 5-6 TB butter and pour over crumbs (just moist enough to mush)
Filling:
8 oz pkg cream cheese
½ cup sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
Stir together, and then add 12 oz Cool Whip
Divide in two, pour into two crusts. Let set up for a little while in fridge so fudge spreads easier.
Layer hot fudge on top (1 can sweetened condensed milk and ½ pkg chocolate chips makes a good hot fudge) of each pie. Top off with 12 oz Cool Whip.
Reese’s Peanut Butter Pie (makes 2 pies)
Crust:
1 bag oreos with cream scooped out, blended (generic work fine)
Put crumbs in bottom of two pie pans (approximately 1 cup each)
Melt 5-6 TB butter and pour over crumbs (just moist enough to mush)
Filling:
8 oz pkg cream cheese
½ cup sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
Stir together, and then add 12 oz Cool Whip
Divide in two, pour into two crusts. Let set up for a little while in fridge so fudge spreads easier.
Layer hot fudge on top (1 can sweetened condensed milk and ½ pkg chocolate chips makes a good hot fudge) of each pie. Top off with 12 oz Cool Whip.
Tuesday, October 04, 2005
November - Mysteries
We'll be meeting at Katherine Richardson's to talk about mysteries.
Please read the following books:
The Westing Game – By Ellen Raskin
One fateful day, sixteen people gather for the reading of Samuel W. Westing's will. To their surprise, the will turns out to be a contest, challenging the heirs to find out who among them is Westing's murderer. Forging ahead, through blizzards, burglaries, and bombings, the game is on. Only two people hold all the clues. One of them is a Westing heir. The other is you!
Bernie Magruder and the Bats in the Belfry – by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
A rare breed of bats invades Middleburg, Ind. (or have they?), that horrible hymn still rings from the belfry (but why?), and Bernie and his friends are determined to figure out why the town's gone batty in Phyllis Reynolds Naylor's Bernie Magruder & the Bats in the Belfry
Assassin: The Lady Grace Mysteries – by Patricia Finney
It's the spring of 1569 and 13-year-old Lady Grace, the youngest lady-in-waiting to the Queen, finds herself at a glittering ball choosing amongst three suitors. But the Queen's generosity turns deadly as threats, dark secrets, and even murder descend on the Tudor court. And it is up to Grace to use her intelligence, stealth, and curious nature to solve the mystery that threatens the very lifeblood of England.
Flush – By Carl Hiaasen
On Father's Day, Noah visits his dad at the local jail. Dad is a feisty environmentalist with a short fuse. Convinced that the Coral Queen was dumping raw sewage into the harbor, he decided to take matters in his own hands. He sank the floating casino (at least temporarily), but ended up in the hoosegow. Noah knows that his dad was right about the sewage, even if his corrective method was a little over the top. To clean the slate and the harbor, he drafts a motley crew of friends to get the goods on the illegal dumpers.
For the fifth book choose what you want to read! Choose another mystery to read and then share it with the group. Here are a few titles to consider, but feel free to pick whatever you want, even a grownup mystery, and bring it to share with the rest of the group! (We haven’t read all of these books, they were recommended by different librarians, so please read at your own risk)
Ruby in the Smoke – Philip Pullman
A Book Without Words – Avi
Bird – Angela Johnson
Last Shot: A Final Four Mystery – John Feinstein
Shakespeare’s Secret - Elise Broach
Crooked River - Shelley Pearsall
And Then There Were None – Agatha Christie
Ravine – Janet Hickman
Wolf Rider: A tAle of Terror – Avi
The Dark Stairs – Betsy Byars
Falcon's Malteser, The: a Diamond Brothers Mystery – Anthony Horowitz
Acceleration – Graham McNamee
Whispers from the Dead – Joan Lowery Nixon
The House of Dies Drear – Virginia Hamilton
Please read the following books:
The Westing Game – By Ellen Raskin
One fateful day, sixteen people gather for the reading of Samuel W. Westing's will. To their surprise, the will turns out to be a contest, challenging the heirs to find out who among them is Westing's murderer. Forging ahead, through blizzards, burglaries, and bombings, the game is on. Only two people hold all the clues. One of them is a Westing heir. The other is you!
Bernie Magruder and the Bats in the Belfry – by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
A rare breed of bats invades Middleburg, Ind. (or have they?), that horrible hymn still rings from the belfry (but why?), and Bernie and his friends are determined to figure out why the town's gone batty in Phyllis Reynolds Naylor's Bernie Magruder & the Bats in the Belfry
Assassin: The Lady Grace Mysteries – by Patricia Finney
It's the spring of 1569 and 13-year-old Lady Grace, the youngest lady-in-waiting to the Queen, finds herself at a glittering ball choosing amongst three suitors. But the Queen's generosity turns deadly as threats, dark secrets, and even murder descend on the Tudor court. And it is up to Grace to use her intelligence, stealth, and curious nature to solve the mystery that threatens the very lifeblood of England.
Flush – By Carl Hiaasen
On Father's Day, Noah visits his dad at the local jail. Dad is a feisty environmentalist with a short fuse. Convinced that the Coral Queen was dumping raw sewage into the harbor, he decided to take matters in his own hands. He sank the floating casino (at least temporarily), but ended up in the hoosegow. Noah knows that his dad was right about the sewage, even if his corrective method was a little over the top. To clean the slate and the harbor, he drafts a motley crew of friends to get the goods on the illegal dumpers.
For the fifth book choose what you want to read! Choose another mystery to read and then share it with the group. Here are a few titles to consider, but feel free to pick whatever you want, even a grownup mystery, and bring it to share with the rest of the group! (We haven’t read all of these books, they were recommended by different librarians, so please read at your own risk)
Ruby in the Smoke – Philip Pullman
A Book Without Words – Avi
Bird – Angela Johnson
Last Shot: A Final Four Mystery – John Feinstein
Shakespeare’s Secret - Elise Broach
Crooked River - Shelley Pearsall
And Then There Were None – Agatha Christie
Ravine – Janet Hickman
Wolf Rider: A tAle of Terror – Avi
The Dark Stairs – Betsy Byars
Falcon's Malteser, The: a Diamond Brothers Mystery – Anthony Horowitz
Acceleration – Graham McNamee
Whispers from the Dead – Joan Lowery Nixon
The House of Dies Drear – Virginia Hamilton
Wednesday, September 07, 2005
October - Banned Books
Tara MacArthur will be hosting October’s bookclub and the topic is banned books.
Here are Tara’s picks:
Julie of the Wolves – by Jean Craighead George
A Wrinkle in Time – by Madeline L’Engle
How to Eat Fried Worms – by Thomas Rockwell
Bridge to Terebithia – by Katherine Paterson
The Story of Little Black Sambo – by Helen Bannerman
If you haven’t read The Giver by Lois Lowry, please try to read that too because we’ll be including it in our discussion
Here are Tara’s picks:
Julie of the Wolves – by Jean Craighead George
A Wrinkle in Time – by Madeline L’Engle
How to Eat Fried Worms – by Thomas Rockwell
Bridge to Terebithia – by Katherine Paterson
The Story of Little Black Sambo – by Helen Bannerman
If you haven’t read The Giver by Lois Lowry, please try to read that too because we’ll be including it in our discussion
Tuesday, September 06, 2005
The Quills Award
The Quills Awards are a new national book award that honors excellence in writing and publishing, including consumers in the voting process. Designed to inspire reading while promoting literacy, the Quills will honor winners in more than 15 different categories,
including Book of the Year, Debut Author Of The Year, and Lifetime Achievement.
They have a children's picture book category, a children's chapter book catergory and a teen category. I believe that we read books from these categories this year and it is a award based on people's choice, so you can go to the website - www.quillsvote.com and vote! The awards will be on tv on October 22nd (maybe on NBC??) I thought it would be cool to watch authors win these awards like the Emmy's or something.
PS - Thanks Cassie for letting us know about this!
including Book of the Year, Debut Author Of The Year, and Lifetime Achievement.
They have a children's picture book category, a children's chapter book catergory and a teen category. I believe that we read books from these categories this year and it is a award based on people's choice, so you can go to the website - www.quillsvote.com and vote! The awards will be on tv on October 22nd (maybe on NBC??) I thought it would be cool to watch authors win these awards like the Emmy's or something.
PS - Thanks Cassie for letting us know about this!
Monday, August 08, 2005
Upcoming Months
The votes are in and here are the final results:
October - Banned books hosted by Tara McArthur
November - Mysteries hosted by Katherine
December - Books by Mormon authors hosted by Steph
January - Science fiction hosted by Krystal
February - Classics hosted by Emily
March - Historical Fiction hosted by Laura
April - Sequels hosted by Kelly
October - Banned books hosted by Tara McArthur
November - Mysteries hosted by Katherine
December - Books by Mormon authors hosted by Steph
January - Science fiction hosted by Krystal
February - Classics hosted by Emily
March - Historical Fiction hosted by Laura
April - Sequels hosted by Kelly
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