Big A little a

I've moved. Again.

2012-02-24T21:45:00.000-06:00

This blog is now closed. I'll be closing comments here, at Crossover, as well as the kidslitinfo@gmail.com address. You can always reach me at kellyherold@gmail.com.

I'm taking a new approach to discussing books online. I'll be blogging books in shorter formats at Crossover Books on Tumblr and on Pinterest (). I won't be running either feed through Facebook or Twitter, so it might take me awhile to find everyone.

Finally, I'll still be blogging for the Working Group for the Study of Russian Children's Literature and Culture and with my students on a variety of course blogs.

See you all soon and thanks for reading.

I will no longer...

2011-01-26T10:47:00.005-06:00

be blogging here at Big A little a. I will keep the blog up for archival reasons, but please come visit me at my new blog, Crossover.

Crossover Review

2009-06-17T05:52:00.002-05:00

Hello, everyone, from Scotland! I have a review of Siobhan Dowd's latest (last?) novel, Solace of the Road, up over at Crossover.

2009-06-11T10:05:00.003-05:00

I have a book review of an adult mystery teens will love up over at Crossover. You can check it out here!

The Elephant in the Room

2009-05-21T10:32:00.001-05:00

Good morning! If you have a moment and some opinions on the Twilight series, I am seeking your help over at Crossover.

Interview with Mary Pope Osborne!

2008-12-15T06:33:00.004-06:00

Please welcome Mary Pope Osborne to Big A little a.

Kelly Herold: Thank you for speaking with me, Mary. It is a great honor to talk with you!

Let me start by saying that Tales from the Odyssey is one of my 7-year-old son’s favorite series, so thank you for writing it.

Now on to the interview:

KH: The Magic Tree House series has become a staple in the lives of readers just beginning to read independently. Boys and girls love them for their entertaining storylines, for their use of history and myth, and for Annie and Jack as characters. Were you surprised by the level of success The Magic Tree House has seen?

Mary Pope Osborne: My success as a children’s book author has been the opposite of “overnight.” I published more than 20 books before I started the Magic Tree House series. And the series has grown so gradually in popularity over 17 years, that I don’t think of myself as being greatly successful. But if I am, I wish someone would tell my 3 dogs. They don’t give me any respect.

KH: It is obvious from The Magic Tree House series and from your retellings and nonfiction books, that you really enjoy research. How do you begin researching a project? Do you begin with the idea first, or do you like to browse widely before deciding on an historical era or theme?

MPO: I poke around at lots of different ideas, buy books, look on the internet, talk to kids. Eventually one idea or another takes the lead, and then I really bare down on it. I gather lots of books (a ridiculous amount of books actually) on the subject and start taking notes, and then my story more or less starts telling itself to me. I often feel as if I’m trying to decipher something that already exists.

KH: Tell us, please, about your involvement in The Magic Tree House: The Musical.

MPO: Ah, my favorite subject these days. Four years ago, my husband Will and one of our best friends, composer Randy Courts, started working on a musical based on my book Christmas in Camelot. They took out Christmas so it wouldn’t just be a seasonal show, and they focused on Jack and Annie’s quest to Camelot and the mysterious realm of the Otherworld. Now, Magic Tree House: The Musical is traveling the country on a national tour; It’s a full Broadway-style show with two-story high dragon puppets, over 20 life-size human puppets, Irish dancers, beautiful songs, Knights of the Round Table, Arthur, Merlin, Morgan le Fay, and of course, Jack and Annie.

Will and Randy took my story and made it better. They expanded and deepened it and developed the adult characters, so that grownups can enjoy the show as well as kids. My main “involvement” is that I slip into theaters in different towns and watch it from the back.

KH: Back to Tales from the Odyssey: I’d like to hear your thoughts on the value of retelling classic myths and stories for young children.

MPO: Along with Tales from the Odyssey, I’ve also published Favorite Greek Myths, Favorite Norse Myths, Favorite Medieval Tales, Mermaid Tales from Around the World, and American Tall Tales. And next fall my sister Natalie and I have a book coming out titled The Random House Book of Bible Stories.

So, obviously I think it’s important to expose children to the great stories of the world. I’m amazed and distressed whenever I learn that many children are not familiar with Bible stories. Whether a family is religious or not, children should know the stories – otherwise, it would be impossible to comprehend the countless references to them in our daily lives. Not only do ancient stories link us to one another, but they enrich our imaginations as well. My deep involvement with retelling so many old stories has greatly informed my work on the Magic Tree House series.

KH: You mention on your website that you enjoy school visits. What do you like most about talking to children about your books?

MPO: Sadly I’m so busy these days, producing Magic Tree House: The Musical and trying to make my book deadlines, that I’m not able to make many school visits anymore. But early on, in the first years of writing the series, I visited schools all over the country, well over a hundred of them, and I learned so much. I learned about kids are interested in, and I learned about all the good work that teachers and librarians do. Today, we have a Magic Tree House Teachers’ Club at Random House with over 29,000 members – and every year we give a Magic Tree House Teacher of the Year Award. I credit teachers with doing all the hard work of teaching kids how to read…so that authors like me can do the fun work of writing books for them.

KH: I think my readers would like to know about your writing process, given that you are so prolific. When and where do you write? What is your daily schedule like?

MPO: Since the adventure of laptop computers, I’ve been able to write any place and any time. I love working on Magic Tree House books so much that it’s hard to keep me away from my work. But I take lots of breaks. Whenever I’m working, if I get frustrated or stymied, I get up from my chair, walk a dog or make a cup of tea or look in the fridge or chat with Will…and when I come back to my writing, the problem is usually solved. My unconscious often takes care of problems when “I” get out of the way.

KH: Finally, Mary, I’d like to know a little bit about what you are writing now.

MPO: My next book coming out in March ’09 is called Moonlight on the Magic Flute. Jack and Annie go to Vienna in 1762, and help a six-year-old Mozart give a concert at the palace of the Empress of the Austrian empire. I’ve also completed a book coming out next summer called A Good Night for Ghosts, in which Jack and Annie visit Louis Armstrong in 1915 in New Orleans and help him get on the path to becoming the “King of Jazz.”

Now I’m collecting research to work on a book tentatively called, “Leap Year With Leprechauns” in which Jack and Annie visit the west coast of Ireland in the 1860’s, and make friends with a girl named Augusta, who later became the Irish writer, Lady Gregory, who collected folk stories throughout Ireland and was one of the founders of the Abbey Theater in Dublin. As you might imagine, I’m having a great time collecting information about life on the west coast of Ireland in the late 1800’s, as well as reading folklore about fairies and leprechauns.

You can catch the rest of Mary Pope Osborne's blog tour at the following fantastic sites:

Tuesday 12/16: The Reading Zone,
Wednesday 12/17: Fields of Gold
Thursday 12/18: The Page Flipper
Friday 12/19: The Well- Read Child

Sarah Haskins' Twilight video

2008-12-05T13:01:00.003-06:00

Are you just a little tired of Twilight craziness? Then don't miss Sarah Haskins' newest Project Women video on Vampires.

Poetry Friday

2008-12-05T04:30:00.001-06:00

This week's Poetry Friday roundup will be held at Mommy's Favorite Children's Books. Enjoy!

Interview with Judy Blume

2008-12-01T00:00:00.001-06:00

We all have role models. We all have heroes. But, it's not often we get the chance to talk with one of our heroes, is it?

I was on the road when I received an e-mail about Judy Blume's blog tour. And, you'd better believe that I found the nearest internet cafe, in the middle of the night, to send in my questions.

I've admired Judy Blume since I was in the third grade and checked out Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret from the school library. After Margaret, I read everything available to me as a child growing up in the 70s: Blubber, Deenie, Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing. And, let's not forget Forever, an honest book about teen love and sex that was restricted in (at least) my school library.

I love and respect Judy Blume's work for its truth, and its soul-shaking honesty, for its clarity and its pitch-perfect dialogue. And, now as an adult, I see that her work for younger children is equally as strong.

Judy Blume is on tour because her latest The Pain & the Great One title has just been released--Going, Going, Gone! with the Pain & the Great One. Most of my questions concern this fantastic series for newly-emergent readers. (Here are my reviews of Soupy Saturdays with the Pain & the Great One and Cool Zone with the Pain & the Great One.)

Here we go...

Kelly: Where do you get your ideas? No, just kidding! My first question really concerns writing for different age groups. I suspect the story you want to tell leads you to your audience. But…is writing for one particular audience more difficult than writing for another? I've always imaged that writing for the newly-emergent reader as you do with The Pain & the Great One series is more difficult than writing for the Superfudge audience. What do you think?

Judy Blume: I find writing for any audience hard! Really hard, especially during the first draft. I dread first drafts. Second and third drafts are easier. After that it's usually fun. Doesn't matter what age group I'm writing for – it's equally difficult for me. I'm not a natural short story writer (though I enjoy writing episodic fiction) and I had to come up with 28 stories for the Pain & the Great One books over a couple of years. This was a real challenge. But publishing is like giving birth – once the baby is born you forget the pain and struggle. Okay, so that's not always true – I vowed after Summer Sisters I was never writing another book. The pain! The struggle! But looking back, I'm so glad I wrote it, and probably I will do it again.

KH: While you've written for audiences of all ages, you've always remained in real life writing realistic fiction. Do you read fantasy or science fiction?

JB: Good question. Actually I think we tend to write what we like to read and I like realistic fiction. I've never been drawn to fantasy or science fiction (though I did read all the Oz books when I was 8 or 9).

KH: The Pain or the Great One--who is your favorite? Really, I do want to know, because I can't tell when reading The Pain and the Great One stories!

JB: Well, that's good! I mean, I'm glad you can’t tell which character I prefer. I don't think I prefer one over the other. I'm like a mother – I try to see both sides.

[Editorial note: I was so The Great One as a child. And my sister was the Pain. We even called each other by these names. Thanks, Free to Be...You and Me and Judy.]

KH: One of my favorite stories in Soupy Saturdays with the Pain & the Great One concerns Abigail (The Great One) and her inability to ride a bike. I love the chapter "The Great Pretender" (told from the Pain's point of view) when the Pain learns he has something over his sister. Not only can he ride a bike and he's 2 years younger than the Great One, but she's been lying to her friends about her bike and why she can't ride it! Then when the Great One tells her tale of finally learning to ride on her own in "Weirdo on Wheels," we're all on her side, cheering her on. Even the Pain (Jake) shows his admiration or, at least, Abigail thinks he does. Hmmm...where's my question? Okay, here it is: What's interesting about Abigail's learning to ride a bike is that it takes a new member of the family--a new Uncle--to teach her. Mom couldn't teach her, Dad couldn't teach her--only Uncle Mitchell could. I found this scenario to be so true. Why do you think children find it easier to learn from near strangers?

JB: Sure, I think it's easier to learn from someone you're not trying to please, or from someone who won't be judgmental. That's why we have Driver's Ed, isn't it? There's so much else going on in the parent/child relationship. Kids don't want to disappoint. Parents' expectations can get in the way. That's why so many kids write to me about their problems. I'm safe. They don't have to get up the next morning and face me at the breakfast table. Parents shouldn't feel threatened by this. It's good for kids to have other adults in their lives – parents of friends, teachers, and yes, uncles like Mitch, who can teach a reluctant learner how to ride a bike.

KH: In Cool Zone with the Pain and the Great One, the Pain is victim to a bully and the Great One leaps to his defense, tackling the bully after he steals the Pain's brand new Science Center magnifying glass from grandma. Then the kids learn from Mom and Dad that it isn't always best to confront a bully on your own. The next time the bully attacks--worms on the Great One's head--Jacob tells his teacher and his sister's teacher about the incident. The teachers are remarkably respectful and responsive to this situation. What would you say to children who aren't so lucky with adult authority figures?

JB: This is a tough question, one I asked my best friend, Mary, who's a first grade teacher. She says the child should always tell his/her teacher, and parents. If that doesn't work, the parent can go to the principal or the school counselor (if there is one) to discuss the situation. There are some non-fiction books on bullying written for parents. And Pat Scales, educator extraordinaire did a guide for adults and older kids, available free from Random House. In it, she and I do a Q&A about bullying based on my book Blubber which takes place in 5^th grade.

Other sites recommended on Pat's guide: NoBully.org, Bullying: What to do about it?

KH: Thank you, Judy, for speaking with me today. You can catch the rest of Judy Blume's tour at the following fantastic blogs over the next two weeks:

2/2 : Bildungsroman
12/4: Jen Robinson’s Book Page
12/9 : The Well-Read Child
12/10 : Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast
12/12 : A Patchwork of Books

Happy Thanksgiving + Poetry Friday

2008-11-27T10:43:00.001-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving to all you who celebrate. I've taken the non-traditional route of a road trip with the kids and my sister this year and, so far, so good.

A few notes:

1. This week's Poetry Friday roundup will be held at Lisa Chellman's place. Thanks, Lisa!
2. I will finally be back with a weekend reviews post on Sunday and will
3. return to regular blogging on Monday with an interview with the one-and-only Judy Blume.

Thank you all for hanging in with me during this slow November.

Poetry Friday

2008-11-14T05:47:00.001-06:00

Hi Everyone! It may seem like I've fallen off a cliff, or something, but I'm feeling better and will be back to regular posting this weekend. In the meantime, two pieces of news:

1. Poetry Friday is held this week at Yat-Yee Chong's place. Head on over and leave your links!
2. As of this morning, I have entered a new phase of life. I am now the mom of a teenager. Wish me luck.

Weekend Reviews: Early Edition

2008-11-08T09:23:00.004-06:00

Dragging myself out of my blogging slump to let you know that the New York Times Children's Book Special is now available online. There are many great reviews and articles to explore, including "Books about Scary Things," "Introductions to Poetry," and "Books about Darkness."

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And speaking of the New York Times, Judith Warner's column on Obama's win and why it is important to people who came of age in the Reagan era is the best (or most personally-relevant) analysis I've read on the events of this week to date. (That Reagan story happened to me too, only in California and I was in 7th grade, not 10th.) And, don't miss the photo posted towards the end of the column.

Poetry Friday!

2008-11-06T21:05:00.000-06:00

Don't miss this week's Poetry Friday, hosted at Check It Out.

Poetry Friday: Halloween Edition

2008-10-31T05:21:00.001-05:00

Happy Halloween, everyone! This week's Poetry Friday roundup takes place at Poetry for Children.

Weekend Reviews on a Monday

2008-10-27T18:58:00.003-05:00

First, the apologies:

I've been a bad, bad blogger. But I'm turning a new leaf now that The Cybils review copies have been ordered.
Poetry Friday roundup will be up tomorrow. Many great entries, including some first timers this week.
Against all my better judgment, I'm joining Jennie of Biblio File (Smalltown alum!) for NaNoWriMo. Yes, I should be working on editing other things, but I have a new story to tell. Adult, or at least teen, this time.

Okay, apologies over, short and sweet. Let's just get to this weekend's reviews:

The Publishers Weekly reviews are up. David Macaulay's latest The Way We Work: Getting to Know the Amazing Human Body gets a big red star.

And speaking of Macaulay...Andrew Dansby interviews him for the Houston Chronicle.

And speaking of interviews, don't miss Nicolette Jones's with David Almond for the Telegraph. (Selected quote from Almond: "Sometimes I think the reason I write for children is to tell myself, with hindsight, that everything, however horrible it is, will work out OK in the end.")

And speaking of David Almond...his new novel, Jackdaw Summer, gets a rave review from Geraldine Brennan in the Guardian. (Brennan also reviews a few other new books in this column.)

Also in this week's Guardian:

Amanda Craig "recommends magical and macabre children's books for Hallowe'en" in the Times. 'Nuff said.

The Times Children's Book of the Week is The Boy in the Dress by David Walliams, ilustrated by Quentin Blake, reviewed by Nicolette Jones. (Quentin Blake!)

The AP brings you cooking books for kids. (Link via the Maryland Daily Record.)

Three children's book articles in this weeks San Francisco Chronicle:

Feature Alert: Libby Purves writes in the Times that "children need to be sprinkled with fairy dust" in reaction to the news that Richard Dawkins is writing a children's book. (Selected quote: "The reason I am delighted at Professor Dawkins' investigation, therefore, is that I am pretty sure his intelligence will bring him to the same conclusion as the psychologists: that a bit of magic and fantasy in childhood is useful and helps you to grapple with your fears about life, death, peril and chance.")

Dan Smith talks to Neil Gaiman about The Graveyard Book for the Toronto Star.

Susan Perren reviews six new books for the Globe & Mail.

Mary Harris Russell reviews Chains, by Laurie Halse Anderson, and Octavian Nothing: The Kingdom on the Waves, for the Chicago Tribune. ("Brilliant historical fiction.")

Janet Christie reviews children's books for the Scotsman. Also in the Scotsman, an interview with Anthony Horowitz.

Good week!

Poetry Friday HERE

2008-10-24T07:20:00.000-05:00

Leave me your links, people! I'm on the roundup.

This Week in TV--One Week On

2008-10-22T21:31:00.007-05:00

It was sad to get home this evening and realize there was no Project Runway awaiting me. (This moment was especially poignant when I realized we have no idea when PR will return. Or where. [Please, don't let it be on Lifetime. I'll have to get over serious issues to watch it on Lifetime.]) Then I remembered we hadn't yet discussed the finale, so I could at least blog about it here.

Okay, so first and foremost...the editing? Nightmarish. It seemed as if Kenley had a chance of winning the whole thing, even though you and I watched the whole season (along with Michael, Nina, and Tim) and knew, just knew, she would be third. And, of course, she came in third. Come on, people, we're not stupid!

Leanne? Total winner. This was my favorite dress in her collection (to the right). Gorgeous, unique, and new. (Those of you who know my book tastes know that risk-taking is always rewarded.)

And, her win proved to me that Project Runway, over five seasons, has mostly gotten it right. Let's break it down:

Season One: Jay? Yes, even though Kara Saun was a close second. An awesome season overall.
Season Two: All of them failed in my opinion. Daniel's collection was awful, Chloe's was weird, and Santino's poorly crafted. I would have picked Santino for the win (I did like his California Golden Girl dresses best), but understood why the judges chose Chloe. She had a collection. It just happened to be ugly.
Season Three: Okay, this was the season that upset me most. I was 100% behind "Bad Mommy" (Laura) from day one. I liked her clothes, I liked her attitude, I liked her snark. Jeffrey's Gothic Lolita look (which won) seriously got me down. Oh, and Mychael Knight? Nice Guy, horrible final collection.
Season Four: Three great people in the top three--Rami, Christian, and Jillian. Christian totally deserved the win, however.

Season Five brings us back to Korto...the best second-placer ever.

I'm sorry, but this is one gorgeous dress. (Even though the ProjectRungay guys accuse it of titscrepancy.) Everything in Korto's collection was beautiful, the colors were brilliant, and normal women could wear her clothes. But she just didn't reach the same level of innovation as our sweet nerd girl Leanne did.

That being said, I'd buy clothes from Korto. (Especially this particular dress.)

What say you...about Project Runway Season Five? About Project Runway in general? About the end of Project Runway on Bravo? (Tim doesn't want to move to Los Angeles. I think we should support Tim, because he's the best thing about Project Runway, hands down.)

Photos

2008-10-22T21:25:00.003-05:00

I've stayed away from politics on the blog during this oh-so-very-long season. But, I just have to link to Callie Shell's photographs of Obama. They are stunning. Enjoy.

(Keep clicking on "show me more images." The best ones are behind the first page.)

(Link via Gawker.)

Weekend Reviews

2008-10-21T09:40:00.004-05:00

I do know it is Tuesday, and not the weekend, but I figured a late roundup was better than none at all. So here we go--the weekend reviews!

It's almost that time of year: Karen MacPherson reviews Halloween books for Scripps News Service, published here in The Rocky Mountain News.

And, Rebecca Young reviews Halloween titles in The Wichita Eagle.

And, Scotland is in on the game: Kathryn Ross takes a look a Halloween books in the Scotsman.

Oh, and did you know there's an election soon? Monica and Hannah Young review political books for the youngsters in the Winston-Salem Journal.

Here's a link to this week's Publishers Weekly reviews. (I really want to read My So-Called Family.)

Stephanie Dunnewind considers many new picture books for The Seattle Times.

Mary Quattlebaum is at the helm of this week's "For Young Readers" column in the Washington Post Book World. (She reviews four new books, including The 39 Clues.)

Judith Meyrick reviews Canadian children's books for The Chronicle Herald (Nova Scotia).

Sonja Bolle is back in the Los Angeles Times, this week reviewing Marion Bataille ABC3D. It's a rave review.

Um, super weird article on Harry Potter from the Telegraph.

Interview Alert: An interview with Judith Kerr in the Times. (When Hitler Stole the Pink Rabbit was one of my favorite books as a child.)

Also in the Times: Amanda Craig + dragon books = genius review column.

Kristin Kloberdanz provides "one-minute" reviews of three teen books, including John Green's Paper Town, in the Chicago Tribune.

Also in the Chicago Tribune, Mary Harris Russell reviews four new books in her "For Young Readers" column.

Have a great week, everyone!

Majorly OT: Entertain me, people!

2008-10-20T16:06:00.005-05:00

I've had blogging malaise lately. Heck, I've had life malaise. Maybe it's the change of seasons, the loss of summer. Maybe it's the LONG Cybils lists or the endless grading. End result? Slow blogging and slow reading.

But...I'm trying to pull myself together and write the super-huge weekend reviews post and then order the Cybils review copies. In the meantime, I turn to you to entertain me, people. Here's what I want to know: Which ill-advised pop song do you love even though you know you shouldn't? You know, this song shows your lack of taste and discernment, but you love it anyway.

I'll put my answers in the comments, though the image is a hint. Tell me the truth, and you know you'll feel better.

(I am also majorly behind in my critique groups, so I have my work cut out for me!)

A talk with illustrator Nicole Tadgell

2008-10-19T14:55:00.005-05:00

I'm always happy to receive a package from Lee & Low Books. They publish some of the most interesting and joyful children's books around. Sally Derby's No Mush Today, illustrated by Nicole Tadgell, is no exception. This story of a girl who just doesn't want to eat mush for breakfast brings light and fun to a familiar domestic battle.

The heroine of No Mush Today sets out on her own after refusing to eat the cornmeal porridge set in front of her: "Puttin' on my shiny shoes,/goin' over to Grandma's./No mushy mush at Grandma's house./No bawlin' baby there." Because, you see, it's not just the mush that's at issue in Nonie's world--there's the new baby brother, as well.

Nonie thinks a permanent move to Grandma's might be in order. But, then, there's a picnic and Grandma doesn't really want to run around, but Dad does. And, it turns out that Mom and the baby brother miss her, so Nonie thinks she just might give her family another try.

Sally Derby's text is fast-paced and childlike, while Nicole Tadgell's lovely, warm illustrations--with greens, blues, yellows, and browns at their heart--bring life to Derby's minimalistic text. Take a look at Tadgell's rendering of Nonie's homecoming. The most hardened six-year-old will be unable to resist that beautiful baby in green--even if you've given him your favorite stuffed animal.

No Mush Today is best suited for children ages three to seven. I recommend it particularly for all first children and for children who really hate breakfast.

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I had the opportunity to talk with illustrator Nicole Tadgell (who blogs here) as part of her fall book tour which concludes on November 1 when she'll sign books at the Kennedy Center for the annual Multicultural Children's Book Festival in D.C. Here's our conversation:

Kelly: Tell me, Nicole, about working with Lee & Low. (I think they're a fantastic house.) How were you hired? How did you team up with Sally Derby for No Mush Today?

Nicole: I had done work with Bebop Books, an imprint of Lee & Low for Moving Day Surprise a few years ago. Knowing Lee and Low's reputation for quality multicultural books, I had been wanting to work with them for years. My agent and I regularly sent updated portfolio pieces to them, and with luck, there was a manuscript they felt I'd be a good fit for. As with most publishing houses, the author and illustrator don't actually work together during the book process.

Kelly: As an artist, how did you know illustrating for children's books would be a good move for you?

Nicole: It's natural for me. I've always been sort of child-like in how I see the world, and I still remember what it was like to be little. I enjoy drawing things that children like to see, quite simply!

Kelly: No Mush Today centers around a sibling relationship. Do you have a sibling? Did this change the way you illustrated the book?

Nicole: Oh, yes! I have a younger sister and brother, and I recall how it was very disruptive in my world as a child. I'd say it influenced the way I illustrated the book, because I knew from experience how Nonie felt.

Kelly: What do you think about the state of multicultural picture books in the U.S. today?

Nicole: I think there are so many lovely books out there I've seen, and there must be hundreds more that I haven't seen!

[Kelly: Agreed! That's why this article from the Guardian was particularly disturbing.]

Kelly: Tell us a little bit more about you. Where do you work and live? How do you spend your days?

Nicole: I work as a graphic artist in Worcester, at Davis Advertising for 15 years. I do my illustration work in the evenings and on weekends. It's sometimes challenging to balance both, and sometimes the dust bunnies seem to take over when I get busy! I live in Central Massachusetts, and I love New England - especially this time of year when the leaves are brilliant and the air is crisp.

Kelly: Thank you so much, Nicole, for stopping by.

What's Missing? 2008 Cybils and More (Links)

2008-10-14T21:15:00.007-05:00

I've been going through the Cybils 2008 nomination lists this evening and considering what is missing. I've been holding my votes until the very last day, and here are some titles I'm considering:

Whew! Someone finally nominated April Lurie's The Latent Powers of Dylan Fontaine today. So, that means I can nominate Meg Rosoff's odd but powerful What I Was in the Young Adult category.

Another category I follow carefully is poetry. I was happy to see that Imaginary Menagerie was nominated (and early!). I also really liked this year (and they're still not nominated!) J. Patrick Lewis's The World's Greatest: Poems and Pam Munoz Ryan's Our California. Hmmm...what to do? Someone help me out here, okay?

In 2008 there was only one Graphic Novel for me--Joann Sfar's Little Vampire--a book I loved and one I return to frequently. My heart remains true to the little vampire. Why? Because Little Vampire is a graphic novel children as young as six can read and one adults will enjoy as well. Little Vampire is about love and loyalty--to family, to friends, to monsters. My graphic novel nomination is a no-brainer.

The last category I am following carefully is the Middle Grade fiction category. I'm a judge this year (yay! I decided working with the publishers was not enough for me...), so I'm excited by which five-to-seven books will come my way in early 2009. My favorite book of the year (besides Little Vampire) was Frank Cottrell Boyce's Cosmic, but it has been nominated. So I think I'm going to nominate Judy Blume's Going, Going, Gone! with the Pain and
the Great One. I know this isn't an original or an out-of-the-box choice, but I love the Pain and the Great One books and they should be recognized--even if Judy Blume, the Queen of Children's Fiction, wrote them.

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Two other links of notice today:

1) My writing group friend Chris Marciniak has a book deal! Go, Chris! I am so proud of you and can't wait to see your book in print. (I've read Mike & Emma so many times, I am in love.)

2) Need a calming waste of time? Then don't miss This is Sand. Man, many minutes have gone by today creating sand art for me. Notice the passive? Wonderful.

I voted. Now it's your turn!

2008-10-13T19:32:00.003-05:00

My blogging has been on the slow side lately. Work has been insane, this political season has got me down, and the Cybils are in full swing.

But here's the good news: I voted today! For President and all the rest of it. And it felt good. I've done my duty and now I can just hope for the best.

Speaking of voting...there are only two days left to nominate your favorite children's books of 2008 for the Cybils. I'm headed over there right now and will do a 'what's missing' post tomorrow.

This Week in TV: What Can You Do?

2008-10-09T22:06:00.006-05:00

Well, that was one sad Project Runway episode for me. Jerrell was a designer whose clothes I never really liked, but I enjoyed him as a person. I'll be sad to see him go. Seriously, though, his dress was fug. There it is to the right. It looks like it's smoldering. Not a good sign for a wedding, wouldn't you say?

Complicating matters from an emotional point of view for this Project Runway viewer was that my favorite remaining designer--Korto--turned in what I thought was a much worse dress than Jerrell's. They kept her, I think, because her final collection is very good and over the course of the season she's done extremely well.

But, still--take a look to your lower left. Korto made a skinny girl look heavy. On her wedding day. In taupe. TAUPE. What was she thinking? I get the whole non-traditional approach to a wedding. But go with red, then, or pink--not brown!

I know what I'm thinking: There's no way Leanne isn't going to run away with Season Five. Her dresses were great and she's the only contestant who doesn't falter with gigantic misses like these two entries. She has a unique point of view and is steady. No surprises here.

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ETA: The good in this episode? The always marvelous Tim Gunn. Talking to the designers and tearing up. All teachers know that feeling. You have a great group of students and you're sad to say goodbye, but proud of them at the same time. And Tim on a tandem bike with Leanne in Portland? A moment to cherish.

Poetry Friday Schedule

2008-10-09T21:27:00.004-05:00

Here is the Poetry Friday Schedule for the next several weeks:

October 10: Picture Book of the Day
October 17: Becky's Book Reviews
October 24: here at Big A little a
October 31: Poetry for Children
November 7: Check It Out
November 14: Yat-Yee Chong
November 21: Brimstone Soup
November 28: Lisa Chellman
December 5: Mommy's Favorite Children's Books
December 12: Wild Rose Reader
December 19: Author Amok
December 26 The Miss Rumphius Effect
January 2: A Year of Reading
January 9:
January 16:
January 23: Laura Purdie Salas

There's the Thanksgiving spot remaining. A few of you mentioned that you'd take any spot, but I wasn't sure that meant the Thanksgiving one. So, if you offered to host and don't see your name on this list, pick another one in the comments.

(Jim D and Lisa--your dates were already taken by the time you left your comments. Please choose another date!)