NYPL Blogs: Children's Literature @ NYPL

Children's Literary Salon in Retrospect: International Books on May 5, 2012

Miranda J. McDermott, Grand Concourse — Thu, 24 May 2012 03:49:16 -0400

Introduction of Speakers

Elizabeth Bird started the Children's Literary Salon, as usual, with an introduction of the speakers: Constance Vidor, Sharon Elswit, Pnina Moed Kass, and Rebecca Linde. Linde is the director of sponsorship and marketing for the New York International Children's Film Festival. She explained that the program would be started by a presentation on the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) from Constance Vidor, who is the director of library services at the Friends Seminary.

Then, Bird would have a panel discussion with Kass, author of Real Time, which has been translated into German and French, and Elswit, author of The Jewish Story Finder and The East Asian Story Finder. Then, Rebecca Linde would do a presentation on the New York International Children's Film Festival. Bird included information on upcoming Children's Literary Salons, which will occur on June 2, September 15, October 20, October 27, November 3, and December 1, 2012.

International Board on Books for Young People

Vidor then gave a presentation. She stated that one of her earliest recollections was of attempting to read Babar in French at age 5. She could not read, and French confounded her, but she very much wanted to decode the strange symbols and understand the story. On the projected screen was the home page of the IBBY, which she talked about. She stated that the book Ferdinand was banned in Germany in 1946, as were all books that were not Nazi propaganda. Consequently, kids in Germany did not have many books. So, a lady associated with the IBBY ran thousands of copies of Ferdinand for kids in Berlin. The mission of IBBY is to "share literature across borders." IBBY encourages the translation of children's literature into different languages, and also wants to make books available to kids about other cultures. It has been expanding foreign books beyond folktales and fairy tales. There are 76 national sections of IBBY, including Azerbajan and, of course, the United States of America.

The US, like other developed nations, likes to bring authors and illustrators from other countries to us. There is an element of social consciousness in the children's literature that IBBY makes available. For example, there was a book about children who were made to work in coal mines. IBBY also brings books to children in crisis (eg, Haiti). Vidor mentioned that the IBBY has an international conference every year, and the United States Board on Books for Young People also holds a conference every other year.

Bird mentioned that Anne Carroll Moore, the New York Public Library's first head of children's services, created a wonderful world languages children's literature section that we still have today at the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building.

Panel Discussion with Elswit and Kass

Bird began the panel discussion with Elswit and Kass by mentioning that the two come from completely different perspectives, and that she planned to leap between the two by alternately addressing questions to them. She wanted to demonstrate the wide range of discussions that are possible about children's literature that is written in different countries, and how translations and editing choices can affect how the messages in literature are communicated to the audience.

Merging of Cultures

Bird directed the first question to Elswit. She mentioned that there had been a merging of cultures of different groups. For example, folktales from the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s comprised African myths from tribes that were mushed together. Stories were created from tribal myths, and people were at a loss as to which tribe the stories came from. She asked Elswit if this crossover and cross-polination still occurs today.

Elswit responded that yes, there is an author who took a Jewish story and presented it as an Arab one. However, the mashing of tribes together into one amorphous entity occurs less today. If it says that a story is from Africa on the cover, one will discover which country (eg, Ghana) the story is from upon examining the inner pages of the book. In fact, she works on multicultural Little Red Riding Hood story with her classes. She is with the Manhattan Preparatory School.

Cultural Differences in Editors

Bird directed the next question to Kass. She stated that Kass had some books that were published simultaneously in Israel and the United States. Bird asked her if she had had different editing experiences in the two countries.

Kass said that she had some books that had been published in Israel but not in the US. She stated that she had a young adult novel in which a suicide bomb exploded in Jerusalem, and people wanted to know who had been injured. An editor suggested alphabetizing the list, but Israel is a small country and citizens would not bother alphabetizing such a list; they just wanted names. This is a cultural element to the story that the editor did not understand. Kass has also had books translated into French and German.

Elswit stated that she had a story that contained fairies, but there were none in Japan. The work was geared to speak to English and American audiences. Now, she lets other people decide about translation and editing options for her work.

Bird stated that NYPL has some old Native American stories with fairies. She mentioned that Hans Christian Anderson stories have had many translators and/or editors, many of whom provide completely different interpretations of his stories.

Decline of Folktale Publication?

Bird mentioned that there is a perception that folktales are not published as much nowadays. She asked Elswit if there seemed to be less interest in that type of literature today, or not.

Elswit responded that there has been a resurgence in oral storytelling. However, she heard that in 1998, there were 44 titles of folktales, and only 12 in 2011.

Kass added that the economic recession could be affecting the book industry, and that the budgets of libraries have been slashed. She also mentioned that ebooks exist now, and that could also be contributing to the decline of print folktales.

Elswit mentioned that we still have gems in our library collections. It is the job of librarians to give people access to the stories. It seems that librarians go to the same stories from certain cultures over and over. One interesting thing that she would love to do would be to go to the hills of Tennessee and listen to storytellers in October at the National Storytelling Festival. It is the responsibility of librarians and teachers to provide access to the materials that authors wrote so that people could enjoy and learn from them. At her school, there is composting, and some students persisted in dropping liquid into waste bins. So a staff member asked her for a book about cheating to teach the students proper behavior. Elswit also added that you can now find many books with Google and on the Internet.

Ebooks in multicultural children's literature

Bird inquired as to whether Kass was becoming involved with ebooks.

Kass stated that she just signed a contract with her Israeli publisher. The book involves a male character who is slow, shy, and involved with special education. Pnina encourages reading stories in any form. If a child reads a story on the back of a cereal box, that suits her. She has worked on two audiobooks for kids who are at the age of listening to stories. She is for stories in "any shape and form that ignites the imagination of a child."

Bird asked if the panelists believe that the future of children's literature is in ebooks.

Kass mentioned that Israel is a very isolated nation, partially because of its politics. They have many ebooks in other languages in Israel, as well as children's books in other languages. She is beginning work on an app with a snail character. Sometimes, it's time to "put your pen aside, put a mouse near your hand, and go with it." Don't fight it, she says.

Myths versus folktales

Elswit mentioned that many books are coming in as 398.2 (folktale Dewey Decimal call number) rather that 292 (mythology Dewey Decimal call number). She has always wondered about the folktale/mythology distinction. She asked librarians if they were recataloging materials when they arrived, and she learned that librarians like to keep the books distinctly in the two categories.

Bird stated that she has seen many mythology books arrive incorrectly cataloged as 398.2 (folktale call number).

What's on the horizon

She asked the panelists what is new that they are currently working on.

Kass responded that she has three projects that are currently circulating on the desks of various editors. One is a graphic novel for junior high school students. One is a teen novel that borders on adult that includes a confrontation between religion and science.

Elswit responded that she is working on a book about Latin America, which can get very political. She stated that she needed to include Tibetan stories under stories about China, because otherwise citizens of China would never see the stories. On the advice of a teacher, she included the Tibetan stories under the heading China so that they would be circulated and read in that country. She is currently seeing more folklore that are published in Spanish/English bilingual books coming into libraries.

New York International Children's Film Festival

Linde then gave a presentation about the New York International Children's Film Festival. In 1997, the festival started. It has grown to accomodate 25,000 audience members in 2011, and the festival is now one month in length. Out of 3,000 submissions, the best 100 are chosen for the festival. She gave a presentation of clips from a variety of films with music that was projected onto the wall of the Margaret Berger Forum. Then, we saw a more detailed story of a boy and his Grandpa who were cooking fish for dinner. The boy begs his grandfather to tell him the story about the boy and fish. His Grandpa at first declines, then starts telling a version which the boy corrects.

Bird thanked the participants and panelists for attending. Thanks to Betsy Bird for coordinating and moderating another enlightening Children's Literary Salon at NYPL.

Future Children's Literary Salons

Children's Literary Salons are held nearly every month on a Saturday from 2 p.m. - 3p.m. at the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building of the New York Public Library.

June 2, 2012 - Formed in 1987 by a group of Brooklyn illustrators to share publishing information and industry experiences, the Children's Book Illustrators Group brings together artists with an interest in producing exceptional artwork and books for children. Join Donna Miskend, President (Exhibition Curator), Vicky Rubin (Webmaster, Listserve Manager), Maria Madonna Davidoff (Postcard Designer) and others in a discussion of the group's accomplishments and future goals.
Time: 2 p.m. - 3 p.m.
Location: Margaret Berger Forum, Room 227
September 15, 2012 - Patti Lee Gauch: The picture book has long been a favorite of both children and adults. But why do some picture books stand transcend? Do they begin, as an Act of Mischief - with design and color as well as idea? And what about the creators themselves? Did the mischief begin with them? Using examples from some of the most best loved picture books, Patricia Lee Gauch, editor of three Caldecott medal winning books, will bring new understanding to this popular genre.
October 20, 2012 - Bullying in children's literature with Frieda Wishinsky.
October 27, 2012 - Crockett Johnson and Ruth Krauss: How an Unlikely Couple Found Love, Dodged the FBI, and Transformed Children's Literature. An illustrated talk, focusing on Johnson and Krauss in the 1950s, the period in which they reinvent the modern picture book, and the FBI places them under surveillance. Working with legendary Harper editor Ursula Nordstrom, Johnson publishes Harold and the Purple Crayon (1955), and Krauss begins her decade-long collaboration with Maurice Sendak, creating the groundbreaking A Hole Is to Dig (1952), A Very Special House (1953) and six others. And FBI builds a file on Johnson, opening his mail, monitoring his bank account, and noting the names of people who visited or phoned. Drawing from the biography (forthcoming September 2012) that shares its title with this talk, Nel offers a story of art, publishing, politics, and the power of the imagination.
November 3, 2012 - Independent Publishing in an Age of Mass Marketing - While huge companies like Scholastic, Macmillan, Harper Collins, etc. may have seemingly unlimited funds to promote their materials, smaller independent publishers have found niche areas missed by some of their bigger competitors. Join Cheryl Hudson (Just Us Kids), Claudia Zoe Bedrick (Enchanted Lion Press), and others for a conversation about the advantages and disadvantages of being a David in an era of Goliaths.
December 1, 2012 - Jonathan Yamakami, the designer behind Tara's I Saw a Peacock with a Fiery Tale, and other designers in New York.

Descriptions provided by Betsy Bird, Youth Materials Specialist

A Fuse #8 Production
Google ebooks about multicultural children's literature
TumbleBooks (ebooks that are offered in languages other than English)
Databases for kids
Multicultural books for kids
Folklore ejournals
Children's Literature Association

Booktalking "Black Storm Comin'" by Diane Lee Wilson

Miranda J. McDermott, Grand Concourse — Wed, 16 May 2012 13:05:59 -0400

Black Storm Comin' by Diane Lee Wilson, 2005

12-year-old Colton first becomes entranced by the Pony Express when travelling in the 1860 westward expansion on a wagon train. A horse and clinging boy sped past him and did not look back. Got him to wonderin' what kind of excitement it would be to taste that speed and urgency. So, he tries his luck and gets hired (even tho' the manager would have preferred if he were 14 years old). And to prove his meddle, he tames a black demon. But that demon ends up waking Colton up when he was 'bout to die of hypothermia. Horse wasn't much to look at, but Colton says the following about him:

"We were still blood and bone and heart and muscle, and it didn't matter what the world saw when it looked at us. Long as we knew who we were and what we could do."

Racism, freedom papers, Lincoln becoming president, and 12-year-old boy Colton (25% Colored), "passes" as white. His ma is half colored and his pa is white, and Colton strives to deliver an important message to his mother's sister, who is tantalizingly close to the Pony Express route, but not attainable. Here's how Colton conceptualizes the races that mix together in his arteries.

"I hated any talk of how one of my folks was white and one was mixed blood, like they were some kinda dogs, purebred and mongrel. They were just folks, is all."

Black Storm Comin' by Diane Lee Wilson

Inspiration in the Picture Collection: Louis Slobodkin

Billy Parrott, Mid-Manhattan Library, Art and Picture Collections — Mon, 14 May 2012 11:55:30 -0400

For the famous or for those aspring to be, for those who have a job to do, an assignment to finish, or for those just doing what they love, the Picture Collection has long been a valuable resource and source of inspiration.

On May 20, 1944 the Picture Collection received a thank-you letter from Louis Slobodkin.

Slobodkin was a sculptor, author, and illustrator and a regular user of the Picture Collection.

In 1939 he was runner-up in a sculpture contest associated with the New York World's Fair. He was awarded $10,000 (the equivalent of receiving $165,030.22 today!) for his statue of a young rail-splitting Abraham Lincoln. In 1941 he headed up the sculpture division of the Works Progress Administration.

It was during this time that he started the work he is most known for. He illustrated numerous books for Eleanor Estes, including The Moffats (1941), The Middle Moffat (1942), Rufus M (1943), and The Hundred Dresses (1944). In 1943 he illustrated Many Moons, by James Thurber, which went on to win the Caldecott Medal for 1944.

The Caldecott Medal was first awarded in 1938 and is awarded annually to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children. It was upon winning this prestigious award that Louis Slobodkin wrote a letter of thanks Romana Javitz, then head of the Picture Collection, stating "I am particularly grateful to you and your grand staff of the picture collection for the gracious and efficient service you render all artists and help some of us get a break like this Caldecott Award."

Louis Slobodkin lived in the Bronx but his studio was at 333 Fourth Avenue, just a few blocks southeast from the Picture Collection. I like to imagine Slobodkin leaving his studio for a nice ten minute walk to the Library to look for inspiration.

For almost one hundred years the Picture Collection has inspired New Yorkers to create. Has the Collection inspired you? We would love to hear your story!

Lunch Hour NYC: Middle School is Worse Than Meatloaf

Elizabeth Bird, Children's Center at 42nd Street — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 06:41:50 -0400

With the upcoming NYPL exhibit Lunch Hour NYC on the horizon, we can look forward to an in-depth look at the world of cafeterias, Automats, workers' lunches, lunch at home (including tenements), school and charity lunches, and power lunches too. Kids will get a glimpse of lunch in all its myriad forms, and we've whipped together a booklist of lunch-related titles they'll really enjoy. Today, let's examine one of those books and we may as well begin with that most horrorific of all lunch-related themes: school cafeteria food! [insert dramatic music here]

I remember being 13 or so and talking with a much older cousin of mine. When he asked me what grade I was in I told him seventh and he chuckled to himself. "Man, that was the worst." Was it? At the time I couldn't quite figure out what he meant. Sure middle school was awful but sometimes it's hard to separate yourself from what you perceive as "normal". Looking back on it now, I can see clearly just how awful that age is for a whole bulk of humanity, but who has the guts to go on out and say it? That would be two-time Newbery Honor winner Jennifer Holm, of course. Yet when you're dealing with a universal experience you really need to be able to make your book unique in some fashion. Enter artist Elicia Castaldi. Middle School is Worse Than Meatloaf is a tale told via "stuff." Notes, detention slips, photos, CDs, invitations, shopping lists, you name it. A perfect blending of chaotic piles and orderly prose, this book gets to the heart of the best and the worst (more often the worst) of this most awkward and necessary of ages.

She had such plans for the year, Ginny did. Oh, it was going to be great. She had this whole To Do List with things like "Get a dad" and "Try to be friends with Mary Catherine Kelly." Seventh grade was going to be awesome. Okay, sure Ginny's bank account seems to stay at the unaccountably small ending balance of $5.00 at all times. And sure the aforementioned Mary Catherine Kelly has decided that Ginny just isn't worth being friends with anymore. But really, things didn't start to get really bad until Ginny's older brother Henry started getting in more and more trouble. Or when she didn't get her dream role in The Nutcracker and the aforementioned Ms. Kelly did. Or when that brat Brian Bukvic kept bugging her and, and, and... well, things are never easy in seventh grade. Fortunately, Middle School is Worse Than Meatloaf makes it clear that no matter how lousy things are, there's always a chance that things will eventually get better.

I can't think of many books for kids where points can be made with the eloquent use of tater tots. This is clearly one of the few. Consider the book a mix of catharsis and eye-popping visual stimulation. Food related titles are rarely so funny. Available in branches system-wide.

Children's Literary Salon in Retrospect: Book Reviewing on April 7, 2012

Miranda J. McDermott, Grand Concourse — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 09:31:27 -0400

At a Day of Dialog a couple of years ago, an employee of School Library Journal asked me if I wanted to review books for the journal. I did not quite get into it until I started blogging last year. One post about a book Firehorse turned into a booktalk/review about the book because the writing was so superb. I have also read numerous book reviews on A Fuse #8 Production, Betsy Bird's blog. I was very curious to see what goes into writing book reviews.

At the salon, we were greeted with free issues from Kirkus Reviews, along with the usual arc (advance reader copies) cart with free pre-published books for audience members to take. It was very interesting for me to look at Kirkus Reviews, since I had never seen a print copy. (I think I may have taken a look at the online version once or twice.)

We were lucky to have Trev Jones from School Library Journal (SLJ) and Vicky Smith from Kirkus Reviews on the panel, which was hosted by Elizabeth Bird, Youth Materials Specialist at The New York Public Library. The event was held in the Margaret Berger Forum of the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building. The event was a panel discussion followed by audience questions.

Bird started off by explaining that, as a Youth Materials Specialist, she relies heavily on reviews of books. She asked how difficult it is to time the review of the book to its publication date.

Smith stated that she handles book reviews for children and teens. Kirkus Reviews started in 1933. At that time, it marketed itself mostly to libraries. It was one of the first journals to publish reviews, and the journal strives to publish reviews as far in advance of publication as possible. As soon as publishers get the materials to her, she assigns the work as needed (more pressing reviews go to faster reviewers, etc.)

Jones stated that SLJ mostly markets itself to libraries. She stated that mainstream publishers tended to get materials to them later. They review 400 books per issue. It is really important to get the materials as soon as she can, so that all of the books get reviewed and that things are not lost due to missed publication dates.

Bird mentioned that Kirkus pays reviewers while SLJ does not. She asked the panelists how they find reviewers.

Jones said that people like Bird give her names of people that they recommend to be reviewers. She also goes to library school professors and asks for the names of really good students.

Smith would like to culturally diversify her roster of reviewers. She needs the following skills in a reviewer: the ability to read, judge, and write excellent copy. She would like the staff to reflect the authorship of some of the books that are reviewed. She stated that someone who understands a culture intimately would be more likely to catch something about a book that is from a certain culture than someone who doesn't have a wide familiarity with the literature.

Jones said it's great to have reviewers to say that this book would give a collection depth. It's good to say that a book is fine, review it, and say how it would fit into a collection.

Smith stated that Kirkus has a direct consumer audience and libraries.

Bird stated that sometimes there is a large amount of work on a single topic (eg. 100 angel books). She asked the editors if they edit the reviewers' reviews.

Jones stated that SLJ edits, but they never change a reviewer's opinion. If they disagree or need clarification, they get back to the reviewer right away. However, SLJ does cut a lot. There is a lot of back-and-forth communication, especially if something is not clear. For example, they need to talk if it is not clear if a recommendation is being made, if the reviewer is saying that the book was god-awful but not explaining why, etc.

Smith stated that while it is important to honor the intent of the review, she also attempts to ensure that the meaning is clear. If a reviewer made a hazy comment and seemed hesitant, she will ask the reviewer to clarify and make explicit exactly what causes him or her to have reservations about the particular book. She shortens sentences, changes syntax, and makes an attempt at having a unified voice. Kirkus likes to standardize their reviews.

Jones stated that SLJ, by contrast wants the individual reviewers to retain their voices and style, and that they try to avoid standardization in their reviews.

Bird commented that when she wrote a gushing review and did not recommend a star, she received an email asking why.

Smith stated that she sometimes sees a book whose review she doesn't agree with. It is usually written by a new reviewer who is not comfortable criticizing a book. Oftentimes, a conversation with the reviewer will reveal that the reviewer also did not like the book.

Jones stated that she tells reviewers in that case that they need to be honest about what they think about the book or SLJ cannot use them.

Bird stated that she oftentimes gets requests from independent publishers to include their books in the NYPL collection. Her response is that they need to get the book reviewed. Bird asked if the panelists review books that were independently published.

Jones stated that she was more likely to publish books that look professional. It is their policy that they do not review independently published work, but they will make exceptions. For example, if the publisher has published 3 or 4 of their own books, books by other people, and they have an artist on staff, she is more likely to agree to review the book.

Smith stated that the business model of Kirkus was to not review independently published work. Kirkus used to rely on subscriptions for its revenue. However, circulation of the journal started decreasing. In 2005, at the time when self-publishing was becoming more accessible, Kirkus created a separate fee-for-service review section for self-published work, "Indie." However, they subject these works to the same rigor as the other books, and they do not guarantee a positive review of the book.

Bird asked how much time she spent figuring these things out.

Smith responded that she spent way more time than she would like.

Jones mentioned that she once reviewed a book written by a 13-year-old girl, and the review was negative. The mother called up complaining that she reviewed a book that was written by a child. Jones responded that they generally don't, but the mother had been calling up every week begging her to review the book. The mother kept calling and saying that she had spent her life savings on this book. Jones compromised and removed the negative review on Amazon so that the girl would not have the negative review following her around for life. The next day, she got a huge bunch of roses from the mother.

Bird stated that everyone wants stars on their books. Everyone hopes for six-starred reviews, which happened twice last year. That is very unusual. She asked the panelists how they handle stars.

Jones stated that they mark books that they will consider for stars, then a committee discusses which books should get stars. They also talk about how a book fits into a collection. Sometimes books will get starred so that they don't get forgotten. They don't want books to get lost. For example, The Wicked and the Just is a story about 13th Century Wales, which she didn't think would be highly read. Likewise, My Family for War is another Holocaust story, but it is extraordinary. Nonfiction titles can be easily ignored, but they could be fantastic work. For example, Temple Grandin, by Sy Montgomery is the story of a woman who was diagnosed with autism, who is a pioneer for the humane treatment of animals, in particular farm animals. There are no set rules for which books get starred and which don't.

Smith stated that she relies on her reviewers' recommendations. She spends extra time looking at those books to ensure that she agrees that they need to be starred. Sometimes her reviewers will include a note to her explaining why they think a book does not deserve to be starred. She stated that books that make her laugh out loud are rare; therefore, if they accomplish that, they get starred.

Jones agreed and pointed out a book that made her laugh out loud. (She had physical copies of many books to show the audience.) She stated that reviewers have individual voices. Therefore, a book with a glowing review may not have a star if the editors did not like it. Likewise, a review written by a reviewer who did not express her or himself well, may get starred if the editors liked it.

Bird spoke about the challenges of reviewing apps. She asked how the panelists handle reviewing them.

Jones stated that she handles books and doesn't know much about apps, but she read from notes from someone who did app reviews. She stated that it is important to consider what an app offers that a book doesn't, and it is important to check to see if updates have been made subsequent to a review's criticism of it.

Smith stated that Kirkus has been reviewing apps for 18 months. It can be time-consuming and tedious to have the update installed, then check to see if the problem that the review pointed out has been corrected. She stated that she hopes the Kirkus website will become more malleable, so that published reviews can include a note addressing any improvements that have been made in an app since the publication of the review. It is the reality of the digital age that sometimes content is changed. She mentioned a book that had illustrations of gorillas. In the app, the animals had long tails that made them look like monkeys. Then the app removed the tails, which made the creatures look like chimps.

Jones stated that in order to properly review apps, it is necessary to have a full-time person reviewing apps. At present, they have one person reviewing three apps a week, which is as many as she can do, but it is only the tip of the iceberg.

Bird mentioned that publishers are creating more electronic galleys nowadays. She asked the panelists to describe the difficulties of dealing with electronic versus print galleys (advance reader copies).

Smith stated that the physical book serves as a reminder to review the work. Digital galleys (eg, NetGalley) require users to browse electronically, which is harder to remember to do. The interfaces of some digital gallery repositories are not easy to use. However, from the publishers' point of view, print galleys are expensive to produce, and she thinks that publishers will become more and more inclined in the future to publish digital-only galleys in order to save costs. However, this could be detrimental in the case of picture books, which do not fit easily into a digital format due to the size of the books and their illustrations. In some cases, the physical format does not translate well into e-format.

Jones said that she has not even attempted to utilize e-galleys in reviewing, since they are too hard to keep track of.

Bird asked the panelists what direction they see book reviewing moving in the future.

Jones stated that she predicts that there will be more and more pressure for publishers to move into digital-only format for reviews. However, she stated that some people still prefer the print format.

Smith stated that we will probably keep the print, since some people do not like the digital. She used to be a public library director. When interviewing employment candidates, they used to ask them which section of the newspaper that they read first. One candidate stated that he or she did not read the newspaper, and the candidate listed all of the places that they could find news information. Smith stated that she wanted to hire the candidate since he or she had a wide knowledge of nontraditional information sources.

Bird stated that kids are versatile and move easily between the electronic and print format of books.

Bird then opened the floor to questions from the audience.

One audience member asked how the reviewers could stay relevant to the consumer audience if they were reviewing books for libraries that were out-of-print.

Smith stated that the electronic version of Kirkus also points to similar books to cater to people who do not want out-of-print books. She pointed out that one could go to the library and check the book out. She stated that she works with reviewers to make the reviews more explicit and honest. For example, she encourages reviewers to use direct quotes in books with foul language, in context, to authentically describe what the book is about.

Jones stated that it is difficult to serve the entire world in its diversity. SLJ strives to meet the needs of customers, which include parents, students, libraries, etc.

Another audience member asked how many books do the reviewers not review.

Jones stated that when she started at SLJ, 95% of books would get reviewed, or about 2,600. Now, they review 6,500, out of the 15,000 or so titles that are published each year. Most of the reviewed books are from mainstream publishers. Oftentimes, not all of the books in a series get reviewed due to the sheer overwhelming amount of material that is published.

Smith stated that reviewing decisions are sometimes made on the timeliness of the publication. For example, she stated that Kirkus reviewed the 6th Diary of a Wimpy Kid book, which she did not think was necessary. Kirkus used to not review paperbacks, but now they do. They would rather do reviews of a title that might be missed than the 16th Froggy book, for example.

Bird stated that more books are being published, yet publishers say that they have decreased funds to produce picture books.

Jones stated that the publication of picture books is decreasing, and the production of teen novels is increasing.

Smith stated that the publication of picture books is decreasing, but the quality is increasing. It is almost as if the mediocre picture books are on the decline. There are a lot of angels and zombies in teen novels.

One audience member asked why Jones didn't think people would want to read a book on 13th Century Wales.

Jones responded that readers want books that are relevant to their lives, the here and now, and that many kids may not even know where Wales is.

Jones stated that if there were no more questions, she would like some feedback from the audience about how they felt about the publishing world going digital-only.

One audience member stated that she was offered a digital-only catalog, and she didn't like it.

A teacher from Brooklyn in the audience stated that the kids liked going from the front cover to the back cover — that was an integral part of the process.

Another audience member stated that ebooks need to focus on making the interface reflect the physical book. For example, she would like an easier, more intuitive interface that has options to circle and mark pages.

Bird stated that perhaps if the electronics change and morph into more user-friendly features, perhaps that would change the ereader landscape.

The audience member stated that it would be useful to have a user login and be able to change user capabilities and preferences.

Another audience member asked if librarians review books for their own collections. Bird said that we have committees create lists for The New York Public Library, such as the annual 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing. NYPL has a wiki that is a venue for sharing information and debating the merits and demerits of particular works. They used to type up reviews, but now use the wiki. In the past, the ability to be on the committee was more limited, but now any information professional can join. Bird can recommend people that she meets from these committees who are good writers to Jones from SLJ.

Future Children's Literary Salons

May 5, 2012 - Hear a panel of international authors discuss the worldwide state of children's literature and publishing. Panelists will include Sharon Elswit, the anthologist of The Jewish Story Finder and the East Asian Story Finder, Pnina Mode Kass, the author of REAL TIME, translated into German and French, winner of the National Jewish Book Award and the Sydney Taylor, and others.
Location: Margaret Berger Forum Room 227
Time: 2 p.m. - 3 p.m.

June 2, 2012 - Formed in 1987 by a group of Brooklyn illustrators to share publishing information and industry experiences, The Children's Book Illustrators Group brings together artists with an interest in producing exceptional artwork and books for children. Join Donna Miskend, President (Exhibition Curator) Vicky Rubin (Webmaster, List serve Manager), Maria Madonna David off (Postcard Designer) and others in a discussion of the group's accomplishments and future goals.

September 15, 2012 - Patty Lee Gouch - author and editor

October 20, 2012 - Bullying in Children's Literature

October 27, 2012 - Philip Nel - American Scholar of children's literature

Books on book reviews

Book review journals

Family Science: Tornado in a Bottle

Sue Yee, Children's Center at 42nd Street — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 12:49:45 -0400

We kicked off our Family Science series at the Children’s Center at 42nd Street by building our very own “tornado” in a bottle. It was a sell-out show with 30 children and their accompanying adults in attendance. But, if you were unable to join us, you can still make your own “tornado” at home.

So, what is a tornado? A tornado is a spinning column of air between a storm cloud and the ground. Tornadoes form inside a very strong thunderstorm cloud. When two drafts of warm air coming from opposite directions meet the cold air in a storm cloud, they are pushed upward into the cloud and start to spin around each other. A funnel shaped column of air then reaches down toward the ground. When it touches the ground, a tornado is born. The funnel, or vortex, acts like a vacuum cleaner sucking up dirt, trees, cars, and whatever else is in its path.

Now let’s make our very own “Tornado in a Bottle.” Instructions are adapted from severe-weather-fan.com and sciencekids.co.nz.

You will need:

Two smooth-sided plastic bottles (cleaned and with their labels removed)
1/2 teaspoon glitter (for the debris that a tornado picks up)
duct tape

Instructions:

Fill one bottle 2/3 full with water. The water level should come up no higher than where the bottle starts to narrow.
Carefully pour the glitter into the bottle of water.
Flip the empty bottle over. Position the mouth of this bottle over the mouth of the water-filled bottle.
Tape the two bottles together by TIGHTLY winding a piece of duct tape around the neck of the two bottles. To minimize leaks, make sure that there are no gaps between the mouths of the two bottles and that the joint between them is completely covered. You will want to repeat this step two to three times.
Flip the bottles over so the water-filled bottle is on top.
Holding the bottles securely by the taped necks, swirl them in a circular motion. Be careful — the water filled bottles are heavy.
When you stop swirling, the water in the top bottle should form a tornado-shaped vortex as it falls into the bottom bottle.
Congratulations! You have captured a “tornado” in a bottle.

Special Note:

You can experiment with your tornado by putting different sizes of washers between the two bottles before taping them together. How much longer does it take for your tornado to spin into the other bottle? How much more tape do you need to keep it from leaking?

With kids walking out saying “So cool!!” and parents mentioning “You can do this for your science fair experiment,” we are delighted to have our Family Science series off to a fantastic start. We hope you can join us on Saturday, April 28, 2012 for our next program — The Science of Sleuthing. We will learn about fingerprints, fingerprinting, and do some sleuthing of our own. Registration will begin Saturday, April 21.

If you liked this activity and want to learn more about tornadoes and extreme weather or if you’d like to read some stories that have tornadoes in them, take a look at this reading list. There are books for all ages.

Lost & Found at the Children's Center at 42nd Street

Louise Lareau, Children's Center at 42nd Street — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 10:53:26 -0400

Have you ever lost something? I have. At some point in our childhoods, we have lost a cherished possession. Sadly, the staff of the Children's Center regularly discover an array of toys and clothing that have been left behind by mistake. We display some of the toys at our circulation desk in hopes that the small owners will return to claim them. Happy reunions are our mission.

Last summer, we mailed a small stuffed hedgehog to Virginia after getting an email from a mother determined to track down her daughter's favorite toy. Humphry the Hedgehog was packed into a tiny box and sent off lickety-split. We received a big thank you from the family and they kindly sent us a video of Humphry's adventures at the New York Public Library.

One of our more interesting acquistions is a small, blue rhinoceros. Mr. Rhinoceros was very lonely until we accessorized him with a pink purse; now he gets lots of attention from our customers. Numerous people have asked if our rhinoceros is the "star" of his own book.

Although Mr. Rhinoceros and his pink purse do not have a book contract yet, here is a list of books about lost items.

Adele & Simon by Barbara McClintock
Adele & Simon in America by Barbara McClintock
Binky by Leslie Patricelli
Biscuit and the Lost Teddy Bear by Alyassa Satin Capucilli
Bun Bun Button by Patricia Polacco
The Cow Who Clucked by Denise Fleming
Hat by Paul Hoppe
Hooray for Harry by Kim Lewis
I Must Have Bobo! by Eileen Rosenthal
I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen
Knuffle Bunny: a Cautionary Tale by Mo Willems
Knuffle Bunny: an Unexpected Diversion by Mo Willems
La La Rose by Satomi Ichikawa
Olivia...and the Missing Toy by Ian Falconer
Red Ted and the Lost Things by Michael Rosen
Sam's Winter Hat by Albert Lamb
Where's My T-R-U-C-K? by Karen Beaumont

Children's Literary Salon in Retrospect: Apps for Kids on March 24, 2012

Miranda J. McDermott, Grand Concourse — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 07:06:21 -0400

I love a lot of the topics for the Children's Literary Salons at The New York Public Library. They always seem to include discussions about cutting-edge topics in technology or children's literature. I was very excited to hear what the children's author/illustrator and employee of One Hundred Robots, an online apps for kids store, had to say about this topic. I don't have an iPad or an iPhone, but I am a little bit familiar with application software and its function. Luckily for me, the presentations, panel discussion, and audience questions elucidated this matter for me to a high degree. I went from having a fuzzy understanding of apps (I have discussed them a little bit with people) to understanding more about how people use them, the incredible amount of work that is behind producing them, and the panoply of professions involved with application production.

Picture Books Turned into Apps

Elizabeth Bird informed the packed Margaret Berger forum audience members that the program would begin with a slide show presentation from Roxie Munro (author/illustrator), Matt Bassett would present a slide show, a panel discussion would take place, and then the panel members would accept questions from the audience members.

Munro's slide show presentation

Munro has done two apps, Roxie's a-MAZE-ing Vacation, an interactive adventure, and Roxie's Doors, which is a book turned app. She stated that apps are designed for specific devices (KindleFire, nook, iPad, etc) and specific platforms.

Roxie's a-MAZE-ing Vacation

Munro showed us slides of the process of creating 16 screens for the application. She actually drew the map on a huge piece of paper. She then inked the map and added colors. It was a landscape with many waterways, roads, trees, and vehicles. The drawing took three months to produce. She worked with OCG Studios, a developer in the Netherlands, who worked on each app for four to six months. Munro visited them in the Netherlands for three days so that they could do the music and testing. She took the finished drawing to a sophisticated scanning company in New York City. The scans were then emailed to the Netherlands. The size of the big drawing was 800 megabites. The producers in the Netherlands added sounds and music. They tested the device on elementary school kids. In the Netherlands, 60% of these students had iPads at home. I do not believe that that is the case in the United States.

One of the most difficult aspects of producing an app is marketing and getting reviews of the application in the professional literature. The maze app is wordless, and it sells in 67 countries. Munro showed us a trailer of the app, which showed a balloon flying over the city and a red car trucking along. The most spectacular feature of the trailer was the colorful objects from the maze streaming out of the black-and-white pages of an open book towards the user.

Roxie's Doors

This is a book turned app: Doors by Roxie Munro. Munro pointed out that additional drawings need to be made to produce an app, since animation requires white space that was previously behind static objects to be drawn in. The app is narrated by Dirk Kennedy. It was produced by a developer. Munro showed a trailer of the app. It included a dalmatian barking and moving his head. It also included the sounds of the red fire engine siren wailing.

Bassett's Slide Show Presentation

Hildegard Sings

Bassett stated that 100 Robots builds apps for kids, so far, 2 from existing print books and 1 from original content. He wanted to present an app that was created from the children's book, Hildegard Sings, which was published in 1991 by author/illustrator Thomas Wharton. The music and sounds can be left on or turned off. He stated that apps are where creativity meets technology. Publisher's Weekly has a review of the app. It is the story of a hippo who dreams of becoming an opera singer. Bassett reiterated the importance of working with high-quality content and art. The developers of the app worked closely with the author/illustrator, who created new work, and tweens (in between frames). 100 Robots wants to avoid too much interactivity, which can detract from the work and be distracting to the user. They want to enhance the work and make it fun. This app was built for a iPad with a touch screen. Not only does 100 Robots want to focus on quality, but they also want to retain and enhance the storytelling process.

Book to app transformation: Unique challenges are presented for the process of turning a picture book into application software. The format of an iPad is not changeable in terms of screen size. There are two options: landscape and portrait. Certain types of artwork (eg spreads) will not translate easily to an iPad format. Large books may not have the same look with a much diminished size for the iPad. Some picture books are too long (36 pages) for effective translation into an app. 24 pages is a better length for the attention span that the typical app user has. People seem to have a diminished attention span for apps. The experience of using applications is very different from reading a print book. You have to ensure that the pages will turn in a seamless, intuitive, easy way for kids to operate. Apps are a cool format in which to bring a story and artwork to life with animation, sound, and interactivity. When creating an app, it is important to contemplate how kids would want the pages to turn and what things kids would want to touch and tap.

In apps, vigilant attention must be paid to proper flow and pacing of the story. Restraint and control of the animations, interactivity and sound must be practiced. Audio, graphics, and animations must be fun, funny, and unexpected. 100 Robots had a brainstorming session to determine how the kids would want pages to turn, what kids would want to touch, and what would be funny, to an extent. They used a platform and gaming engine to create the application. Bassett stated that there is much talk nowadays about "gamification" (in that people expect books to play like games). They do have matching and throwing games (tomatoes at poor Hildegard as she is performing in a dream) at the end of the book.

Developer and author/illustrator working closely together: Luckily, the author/illustrator and the developer of the app had a great relationship. Wharton gave 100 Robots complete creative freedom on the animation. He also educated the developers on opera and music and how it could be used to effectively enhance the story with sounds and animation. He had the original watercolor art that was used to produce the story. It was scanned, retouched with color correction (to make the illustrations appear much more "punchy" on the iPad screen), and sometimes redrawn on the computer. Wharton created the animations and "tweens" (in between frames).

There were voice-overs, voice narration, and voice actors involved with the production of the app. 100 Robots worked on coding to produce the animation and interaction, while retaining a focus on the story. The app for Hildegard Sings took four months to produce from start to finish, not including marketing. Involved professionals included a creative director, animators, sound designers, a marketing director, and voice actors.

Hildegard Sings trailer: Bassett showed the trailer for the app, which began with Hildegard singing with a dark backdrop of thunder and lightning. Hildegard liked singing more than anything. Well, almost. She might have preferred eating. You see animation where you can feed Hildegard a feast, including turkey and cupcakes. You can jump to any page. You see the throwing game at the end of the app, where you can throw tomatoes at Hildegard while she is performing in a dream. At the end, a mouse jumps out of a box, and Hildegard's voice box overflows with a long resonant opera tone, and this is the climax and end of the story, as shown in the trailer.

The app is getting great reviews. Kids go for both books and apps. Both things can work with each other.

At the conclusion of the two presentations, Bird invited the presenters to join a panel discussion.

Panel discussion

Bird said that she loved how the presenters had illustrated exactly how much work goes into producing applications. She stated that she sometimes is under the impression that people believe that apps are magically whipped together at the blink of an eye, without much effort, and that some people think that apps are ephemeral. She asked which Bassett and Munro thought was easier: turning books into apps or creating an app from scratch.

Bassett said that neither is easier, that they each present unique challenges. Munro agreed.

Bird stated that she thought it was a good idea to put the games at the end of an app. She stated that she has seen picture books apps that have a big game in the middle. She stated that it somewhat disrupts the story and that one does not want to continue the story after the game. She asked if the panelists could discuss the role of games in picture book apps for kids.

Munro stated that the Roxie's a-MAZE-ing vacation app is a game. She stated that the Roxie's Doors app is not a game, but it is a very interactive book. She stated that she agreed with Bassett that it is important to control the animation. There have been research studies that conclude that with too many bells and whistles, kids stop reading and do not retain the information that they read.

Bassett stated that having games at the end help users focus on the story. However, iPads are blurring the lines; you now see games that tell stories, etc. It depends on what you are trying to accomplish and what the kids and parents like. It is important to have a good balance of elements in an application.

Bird stated that she noticed that 100 Robots worked well with Wharton, the author/illustrator of Hildegard Sings. She asked if there are occasions when developers would choose to not work with the author of a book to be turned into an app.

Bassett stated that 100 Robots was lucky to have such a good working relationship with the author/illustrator Wharton. He said that there are definitely occasions where it is preferable not to work with the author. It depends on the personalities involved and the intent of the work.

Bird asked what makes a successful app.

Munro stated that a good concept and story makes books interactive. For example she stated that the sound in the Hildegard Sings app makes the story beautiful. Not all books make good apps.

Bassett stated that there are different types of successful apps. (Apps are different than books.) It also depends on how success is defined. Some people are interested in awards and recognition. Others are more interested in achieving blockbuster sales levels. 100 Robots is very concerned with producing high-quality work. The customers (parents and kids) also decide what they like. With picture apps for kids, it is preferable to keep functionality simple.

Bird then opened the floor to questions from audience members.

Audience discussion

One audience member asked how much apps sell for.

Bassett stated that they can be free to $6.00 or $7.00. 100 Robots changes its prices periodically.

Munro commented that it costs much more to develop apps than ebooks. However, ebooks sell for much more than apps.

Another audience member asked what the budget is to produce an app and what the general revenue share is.

Bassett stated that revenue share can be anything. Apple takes 30% of the profits from an app.

Munro commented that there are programs that help you make your own computer applications easily, but the quality produced by these programs will not match the quality of apps produced by professional developers. Marketing for apps is exceptionally difficult. Unlike amazon that exists to sell books and is easily search-able, no comparable company exists for computer applications. It is difficult to get the information to consumers who would be interested in buying the product. Apps are also made for specific devices, but they do not have to be shipped all over the world. They can simply be downloaded.

Bird made a point about professional reviews for apps. She stated that reviews for apps are not as important, since app producers can change their apps to address concerns raised in reviews, only to make the reviews out-of-date almost as soon as they are written.

An audience member asked how application developers get compensated for apps that they produce for free.

Bassett stated that 100 Robots has a very popular free app that was based on a Cinderella story. It has 16,000 downloads per day. The exposure and discover-ability of producing free apps is priceless because marketing is so difficult. Free apps "gets your customer hooked." When people like an app that a company has produced, they are curious about what else the company has created.

An audience member asked how many apps the developers produce in a year.

Bassett and Munro concurred that it was about 3, since producing them is very time consuming. Bassett commented that it also depends on the size of the company producing the apps.

Bird also mentioned that public libraries are buying apps, and reviews are helpful if they mention which apps are best.

I found this Salon particularly enlightening, since I always strive to improve my understanding of emerging technological trends in the field of information science. It was always extremely helpful to hear about apps from the people who develop them. I hope that you can join us at one of the future Children's Literary Salons to hear first-hand about emerging topics in children's literature. Thanks to Betsy Bird for hosting and organizing this Children's Literary Salon at the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building ("the library with the lions") of The New York Public Library.

Future Children's Literary Salons

Click here for a calendar of events.

April 7, 2012 - Join book review editors Trev Jones (School Library Journal), Diane Roback (Publishers' Weekly), and Vicky Smith (Kirkus Reviews) for a conversation about the highs and lows of reviewing materials for youth in an era of digital changes.

Location: Margaret Berger Forum Room 227

Time: 2 p.m. - 3 p.m.

May 5, 2012 - Hear a panel of international authors discuss the worldwide state of children's literature and publishing. Panelists will include Sharon Elswit, the anthologist of The Jewish Story Finder and the East Asian Story Finder, Israeli Pnina Mode Kass, the author of REAL TIME, translated into German and French, winner of the National Jewish Book Award and the Sydney Taylor, and others.

Children's Literary Salon in Retrospect: Bookworm Occupations on February 4, 2012

Miranda J. McDermott, Grand Concourse — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 08:22:54 -0400

On February 4, 2012, supervising librarian Elizabeth Bird hosted a meeting of the minds, bringing a school librarian, public librarian, bookseller, parental blogger, and an author/illustrator together in the Margaret Berger Forum of the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building. The Children's Literary Salon is a monthly meeting in The New York Public Library for anyone interested in children's literature. It usually occurs on the first Saturday of the month from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Check here for information about upcoming salons, and please feel free to join us. There is great conversation amongst the panelists, and audience members have a chance to ask questions.

We were privileged to have a panoply of representatives from bookworm professions come together in a conversation about books. They are working together across different professions to help kids to enhance their learning, literacy, and appreciation of the world. The panel was introduced by Bird.

Public Librarian: Marilyn Ackerman is a public librarian working for the Brooklyn Public Library. I love public libraries, and I have worked in and visited countless branches in different cities. The freedom of access to information is terrific. Even those who can't afford to buy books or computers can access the information for free with a local library card. Not only can you access great books, DVDs, CDs, and more — public libraries also have great programs for kids, teens, and adults.

School Librarian: Barbara Auerbach is a school librarian. As a librarian for The New York Public Library, one of my favorite things to do is work with school librarians to set up class trips, visits to the schools, and promote libraries and reading.

Parental Blogger: Erica Kylander-Clark is a parental blogger. Parents are invaluable in developing a love of reading in their children. It takes devoted parents to visit the library and encourage reading in their children.

Clark's parent blog: What Do We Do All Day?
Clark's book blog: Storied Cities

Bookstore Manager: Rebecca Fitting (Greenlight Bookstore) runs an independent bookstore.

Bookfinder database

Author/Illustrator: Melanie Hope Greenberg is an author and illustrator. We would not have anything to read without authors. For that, librarians are greatly indebted to them.

Author/Illustrator Presentation: Greenberg started the program with a short 10 to 15 minute presentation about the work of authors. She talked about the need for self-marketing and what is expected of authors and illustrators. She provided a list of what it takes to sell books. She has been in the industry for 25 years and has been involved in the production of 16 books. She discussed author/illustrator visits to schools as a way to spread the love of literature to kids, but as a way to make money too. She talked about etiquette — for example, she stated that thank yous for opportunities are very important, and replying to comments on social networking sites (such as Facebook) are also important, since the communication needs to be going in multiple directions.

Then Bird invited the panel to come to the front of the room. She asked the members how they find the best books for kids and where.

Where to Find Kid Book Gems: The school librarian stated that she finds them anywhere books are sold, including bookstores and museum shops. She stated that her customers are teachers and students: she finds the books teachers need and the books students want. In addition, book reviews, School Library Journal magazine, and blogs are good sources for books. The public librarian stated that e-mails from other librarians, parents, and kids; publisher previews; galleys; newsletters; and conferences help her find books. She likes to go to conferences hosted by Book Expo America, the American Library Association, School Library Journal's Day of Dialog, and the New York Library Association. The bookseller stated that sales representatives help put her in touch with new books. The parental blogger reads blogs, lists, and goes to libraries, and likes to look at library displays to find out what librarians find interesting. She reads parental blogs. She likes to go to book fairs for parents, which are sometimes held at museums, in conjunction with other children's events. There was some consensus that the book professionals are more likely to go to conferences in New York City due to money and time constraints.

Bird stated that all of the members of the panel were the gatekeepers to books. She was interested in hearing a discussion between the public and the school librarian about the relationship between public and school libraries, and how they have changed. She is under the impression that historically, the two professions did not intersect, but due to budget constraints, the two are working together more these days.

Partnerships Between Schools and Public Libraries: The school librarian mentioned that she had worked with a public librarian from a panel held in the 1990s under Connecting Libraries and Schools Programs (CLASP). This helped get authors and programs in schools, and the kids were so happy to meet famous authors. The author/illustrator added that she has provided presentations at schools that were paid for by libraries. The public librarian mentioned that some public libraries, including NYPL, offer an educator card, which provides extended borrowing periods in order to encourage teachers to use the public libraries more. She also mentioned that summer reading lists come out each year (www.summerreading.org) for kids, teens, and adults. The public librarian mentioned that there is room for growth in the partnerships between schools and public libraries. She sometimes wonders why one particular Junie B. Jones book is needed when she feels that any one title from the series might do. Also, sometimes parents wait until the last minute for school assignments, and the books needed are already checked out. Sometimes an entire class is assigned the same topic, which makes access to the books difficult.

Schools and public libraries working together benefit children's literacy and enjoyment. Teachers can contact neighborhood libraries in the Bronx, Manhattan, or Staten Island if they would like to arrange a visit to the Library to get library cards, go on Library tours, do research for classes, or participate in story times. Teachers can also request visits from NYPL representatives. NYPL staff can talk about Library services and summer reading programs, and sign students up for library cards. Kids are in school during the day, and then they go to their public libraries for after-school programs, such as gaming. They also populate the Library during the summers and school holidays, so we need to work together to keep them reading the books they love!

Bird then posed a question to the bookseller. She asked which events the bookstore participates in, and how does she decides which events to attend.

Independent Bookstore Events: Fitting stated that she runs an independent bookstore, and it is still in its infancy (it's only two and a half years old). She has participated in a conference for two years now. She has limited resources, and she needs to find the right fit for the independent bookstore. She has been involved with events with schools and libraries. She heard a lecture at a conference regarding how to partner with public libraries effectively. The school librarian pointed out that Greenlight Bookstore has teacher nights with refreshments. She states that the teachers have tremendous power in kids' lives regarding what they read. She stated that if a teacher reads a book during class or recommendeds a book, the kids really wanted to read it. The bookseller stated that she loves it when sales representatives talk to booksellers. It builds an "intangible buzz" or synergy that makes us all work together better to provide the best product for kids and engage them with literacy.

Bird asked the parental blogger how often she had been approached by authors and/or illustrators.

Blogger's Contact with Authors and Illustrators: The parental blogger responded that authors or illustrators had only contacted her twice. She likes to write about all books — not just the ones promoted by publishers, but she thinks more contact would be a helpful way for her to become aware of upcoming books to be published, since she doesn't know if parents have a good awareness of what books are on the horizon next.

Bird then opened up the floor for questions from audience members.

The first audience member talked about authors starting blogs about nonfiction children's books, which are talked about less than fiction children's books.

Bird asked the panel how they let people know about good nonfiction children's books.

Good Children's Nonfiction Books: One of the members of the panel said that that's what we're here to figure out. The bookseller stated that there is not as much information available about children's nonfiction books. She stated that this is a small section of her bookstore and it is one of the hardest sections to develop. There are many books on dinosaurs and history, but it is difficult to determine which aspects of history will be of interest to customers. She often eavesdrops on parents to find out what books they would like to buy for their kids. The school librarian stated that the Board of Education is presently making a big push now for children's nonfiction books. However, she stated that nonfiction in schools is sometimes narrowly defined. For example, nonfiction titles must sometimes include a table of contents, index, be large and oversized, and have many pictures. And any book with animal characters, even with true content, would sometimes not be classified as children's nonfiction.

It was another great Children's Literary Salon. It was nice to see how the professions intersect in the service of connecting kids with books in order to provide enjoyment, information, and enrich lives. It was scintillating conversation, and we definitely hope that you will join us next time.

Upcoming Children's Literary Salon programs:

*Descriptions provided by Elizabeth Bird, Youth Materials Collection Specialist

March 24, 2012 — What is the current state of picture book apps for kids today? How are they made? How do you balance technical concerns with kid-appeal and educational benefits? Author/illustrator Roxie Monro and Matt Bassett of One Hundred Robots tackle these and other issues in the brave new world of apps.

Location: Stephen A. Schwarzman building (the "library with the lions" at Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street)

Margaret Berger Forum, Room 227

Time: 2 to 3 p.m.

Click here to see NYPL's online calendar for the next Children's Literary Salon!

April 7, 2012 — Join book review editors Trev Jones (School Library Journal), Diane Roback (Publishers' Weekly), and Vicky Smith (Kirkus Reviews) for a conversation about the highs and lows of reviewing materials for youth in an era of digital changes.

May 5, 2012 — Hear a panel of international authors discuss the worldwide state of children's literature and publishing. Panelists will include Sharon Elswit, the anthologist of The Jewish Story Finder and the East Asian Story Finder; and Israeli Pnina Mode Kass, the author of Real Time, which was translated into German and French and won the National Jewish Book Award, the Sydney Taylor, and others.

June 2, 2012 — Formed in 1987 by a group of Brooklyn illustrators to share publishing information and industry experiences, the Children's Book Illustrators Group brings together artists with an interest in producing exceptional artwork and books for children. Join Donna Miskend, president and exhibition curator; Vicky Rubin, webmaster and listserve manager; Maria Madonna Davidoff, postcard designer; and others in a discussion of the group's accomplishments and future goals.

Pic Pick: "Hugs from Pearl"

Ruth Rodriguez, Grand Concourse Library — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 06:59:31 -0500

After a short hiatus, I hope to bring another joyous book recommendation!

The Pic Pick of the day is Hugs from Pearl By Paul Schmid.

Have you ever wanted to do something that makes others feel better, but don't know how to do it?

Sometimes things that are easy for some people can be very difficult for others. Hugs from Pearl tells the story of a lovely porcupine named Pearl who loves giving people hugs.

But in case you didn't remember — porcupines can be quite spiky! Can Pearl still do what she wants, even if nature makes it a bit difficult?

To request that a copy be sent to your local library, simply click the links above and place a hold.

To view other children's book recommendations, visit blog posts written by NYPL's Jeanne Lamb and Elizabeth Bird, as well as this list of 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing: Children's Books 2011.

Paul Schmid is the author and illustrator of several children's books. He also illustrated The Wonder Book by Amy Krouse Rosenthal. You can read more about him at his website, paulschmidbooks.com.

"The Snowy Day" Connection: Ezra Jack Keats and Webster Library

Kristy Raffensberger, Webster Library — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 04:23:01 -0500

Hanging on the wall next to the clock at Webster Library is a painted figure of a girl, pointing toward the ceiling. She's unassuming; wearing muted colors. People see her, but no one ever asks why she is there or (even more intriguing) what she is pointing at. When I started working at Webster Library, that was the first thing I noticed because I knew instantly who had painted her...

... Ezra Jack Keats.

How was the man who famously created The Snowy Day and so many other classic picture books connected to Webster Library?

The Friends of Webster Library who (amazingly) run the used bookshop in our basement told me bits and pieces, but no one knew the full story. For that, I was told I had to talk to Dean Engel. She was one of the first volunteers who started The Book Cellar, and a friend of Ezra Jack Keats.

During the city budget crisis in the mid-70s, Webster Library was threatened with closure (after all, our neighbor, Yorkville Library, is only a few blocks away). Dean and a few other incredible volunteers decided to find a way to increase Webster Library's visibility — and circulation. They came up with a program called "Mondays in May." Every Monday while the budget was being negotiated, Webster Library featured a local children's book author or illustrator for story time. Keats lived on East 82nd Street and eagerly agreed to participate. Dean was in charge of hosting Keats's program, and in the process, met a lifelong friend.

Before its renovation in 2003, Webster Library's children's room used to be on the second floor. Keats painted the little wooden girl so she would point the way up the steps, directing kids to the many books upstairs. The square in her hands originally held the children's room hours.

Webster Library also owns a portrait of Keats, painted by his neighbor in 1983, the year Keats passed away. The Friends of Webster Library framed the painting and included a plaque that reads: A man who touched so many, so deeply. With love and gratitude for his contributions to art, literature and children all over the world.

To celebrate our connection with Keats, I put up a Snowy Day bulletin board every winter. It's fun to tell class visits our history and show them the girl he painted just for us. Ezra Jack Keats's books have always made me smile, but now, they do even more.

To tie in with this year's 50th anniversary of The Snowy Day, the Jewish Museum currently has an exhibition of Keats's work called The Snowy Day and the Art of Ezra Jack Keats, on display until January 29, 2012. It not only features original art, but letters, sketches, and other artifacts as well. Some NYPL libraries may still have bookmarks offering $3 off one admission. Call and find out! After New York, the exhibition will travel to the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, MA; the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco, CA; and the Akron Art Museum in Ohio.

In addition to Keats's stories, here are some other excellent Keats resources in the library's collection:

Ezra Jack Keats: A Biography with Illustrations by Dean Engel and Florence B. Freedman (with a very sweet dedication that reads: "To Ezra whose final request of me was to tell him a story")
Ezra Jack Keats: Artist and Picture-book Maker by Brian Alderson
The Snowy Day and the Art of Ezra Jack Keats by Claudia Nahson (published in conjunction with the exhibit at the Jewish Museum)
Teaching with Favorite Ezra Jack Keats Books by Pamela Chanko
Keats's Neighborhood: An Ezra Jack Keats Treasury with an introduction by Anita Silvey (a compilation of 10 stories, including other author and illustrator's memories of Keats)
The Snowy Day 50th Anniversary Edition by Ezra Jack Keats (includes extra information on the making of The Snowy Day)

Announcing the 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing: Children's Books 2011!

Elizabeth Bird, Children's Center at 42nd Street — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 11:35:04 -0500

How quickly 100 years pass. Seems like only yesterday the children's librarians of The New York Public Library (newly formed as of 1911) were putting together a list of the best children's books of the year. At that time they were guided by the steady hand of that most powerful of librarians, Anne Carroll Moore.

Fast forward a century and what do we find? Librarians that work with children producing that same list yet again. Amazing, no? This year Jenny Berggren, Elizabeth Bird (that's me), Clarissa Cooke, Katie Crook, Ryan Donovan, Ricca Gaus, Rebecca Gueorguiev, Tiffany James, Louise Lareau, Sarah McDonald, Robyn Mutnick, Danita Nichols, Theresa Panza, Kristy Raffensberger, Jill Rothstein, Amy Schaub, Stephanie Whelan, Sue Yeek, and chairs Dina Brasseur and Jeanne Lamb all joined together to cull through books both good and extraordinarily terrible to find the best of the best of the best. Now the results are in. Download a full PDF of the final list, or take a look at them by subject on our library catalog.

Here are some highlights from the list:

NYPL's Children's Books 2011: Picture Books

NYPL's Children's Books 2011: Folk & Fairy Tales

NYPL's Children's Books 2011: Early Chapter Books

NYPL's Children's Books 2011: Chapter Books

NYPL's Children's Books 2011: Poetry

NYPL's Children's Books 2011: Graphic Novels

NYPL's Children's Books 2011: Nonfiction

Big time thanks to those librarians that dedicated countless hours and sacrificed reading fare for anyone over the age of 12 to bring together this list.

Children's Literary Salon in Retrospect: Storytelling on September 10, 2011

Miranda J. McDermott, Grand Concourse — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 07:59:01 -0500

I was very happy that the Children's Literary Salon returned to the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building after about a 4-month hiatus. The salon feels like a conference on children's literature, and it is always informative and fun. On Saturday, September 10, 2011 at 2pm, we had the following program. The Children's Literary Salon is organized by the Children's Center at 42nd Street.

Children's Literary Salon - Storytelling! Its Past, Its Present, Its Future

The panel was moderated by Betsy Bird, Supervising Librarian at the Schwarzman Building.

I am a big fan of LuAnn Adams. She performed stories at the Edenwald Library for the summer reading celebration in August of 2008. She was awesome and dynamic, and she told her stories from memory. I saw her at a couple of other libraries since, and I actually helped her find a book that was at the Mid-Manhattan Library when she came into another library looking for it. She's a very bubbly person, and that definitely comes across in her storytelling. At one of the New York Public Library's smaller branches, she did an interactive storytelling session with a Dr. Seuss theme and many interesting props. I was very excited to hear what she had to say about her own profession.

I have never heard of Regina Ress before I heard she was coming to the Children's Literary Salon, but I found a webpage about her.

Again, I have never heard of Bill Gordh before this event, but there's a webpage about the banjo-playing storyteller.

First, each of the storytellers told a story. Then Betsy Bird asked a series of questions.

Regina Ress has participated in post-disaster relief storytelling. She said that it was very important to get people engaged with helping after a disaster so that they did not feel helpless. She has also done storytelling in prisons. She told a Haitain folktale, and she started off in the Haitain style. In one story, she said "Crick," as a storyteller in Haiti would say. It basically means, "Hi, I have a story to tell. Are you ready to hear it?" She instructed us to respond, "Crack," meaning "Yes, I definitely want to hear the story." As she told the folktale, she walked back and forth and used hand gestures to illustrate the story. She used an escalating and de-escalating voice tone to communicate a sense of urgency to supplement the words of a story. In this way, storytellers help the story come alive in the moment, which creates a much different experience than simply reading text on paper.

LuAnn Adams has told stories at libraries and wildlife centers. She told the story of Little Red Riding Hood, which she used once when a school asked her to give a talk about stranger danger prior to storytelling. She sang a very rhythmic song for the story, and used a doll from her mother for Little Red Riding Hood, then transformed from a little girl in a red dress to a Big Bad Wolf to Granny. In her storytelling, she likes to use props.

Bill Gordh first told a hand story from West Africa in which he moved his fingers separately and used different voices for each finger. Then he told a story about a little pumpkin, and he played his banjo during the story. He is very committed to telling stories in schools, and he told us that the kids call him "Mr. Banjo."

Betsy Bird's questions

How did you become a storyteller?
How do you find your stories?
Can you talk about unexpected groups that you've told your stories to?
What advice would you give up-and-coming storytellers?

The program was fantastic. I really did not expect the storytellers to perform at the Children's Literary Salon, and I found it fascinating to see them practice their craft, then give their insights and thoughts about their profession. They appreciate how the stories touch people, change their lives, and the interaction between themselves, as they perform, and their audiences. They stressed that the interaction was not one-sided, and that they cater their stories to particular audiences. A fascinating profession, good conversation, and some unexpected stories! As always, Betsy Bird asked thought-provoking questions, and obtained some great panellists!

Please join us for the following Children's Literary Salon sessions at the Stephen A. Schwarzman building.

The sessions are usually held on the 1st or 2nd Saturday of the month from 2-3pm.

Upcoming Children's Literary Salons
Children's Literary Salon - Funny Ha Ha: Humorous Books for Kids
Saturday, December 3, 2011, 2 p.m.
Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, Margaret Liebman Berger Forum
Continuing our series where we explore amusing books for children, we look at funny books in a myriad of forms: funny picture books, funny graphic novels, and funny early chapter books. Join David Roman (Astronaut Academy), Nick Bruel (Bad Kitty), Laurie Keller (Arnie the Donut) and Jules Feiffer (Bark, George) as we look at finding the funny for different ages of kids.

"Wildwood": A Review

Lindsy Serrano, Mulberry Street Branch Library — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 06:25:45 -0500

I was drawn to Colin Meloy's Wildwood for two very superficial yet important reasons.

First, the cover is spectacular!

Carson Ellis has done illustrations for Lemony Snicket's The Composer is Dead and Trenton Lee Stewart's The Mysterious Benedict Society. In Wildwood, Ellis gives the readers a beautifully illustrated novel complete with colored bookplates — something I haven't seen in quite some time.

The second reason I picked up the book is because I've been a fan of the author's day job as frontman for the band The Decemberists, and while I'm often skeptical of books written by celebrities (I'm looking at you Snooki!), I was still curious enough to check it out.

Wildwood starts in Portland, Oregon, where seventh grader Prue McKeel witnesses her baby brother being kidnapped by crows while she is babysitting. She watches him float towards the "Impassible Wilderness," a dense forest outside of Portland that no one dares to enter. Prue sneaks out early the next day with her neighbor Curtis in search of her brother, but is almost immediately faced with a pack of vicious coyote soldiers and is separated from her friend. What starts as a desperate rescue mission becomes much bigger when the friends find themselves thrown into the turmoil of a magical land called Wildwood.

I really enjoyed this book, all 541 pages of it! Winter is on its way, so if you are looking for a great adventure story to sink your teeth into as the days get shorter, look no further. Meloy's story can get a little lengthy at times for my taste, but experiencing the world that he creates is worth it. Ellis' illustrations are just perfect and such a treat.

Children's Literary Salons @ the Children's Center at 42nd Street

Miranda J. McDermott, Grand Concourse — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 10:37:30 -0500

The Children's Literary Salon, previously known as the Children's Literary Cafe, began in 2007. In November 2008, the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building ("the library with the lions") celebrated the opening of the Children's Center at 42nd Street. You can view "Women in Comics: Female Graphic Novelists Writing with Kids and Teens in Mind," a Children's Literary Salon program held at the Children's Center on April 3, 2010, by visiting the Library's website.

How I met Betsy Bird and started going to the Salon: I met Bird on November 1, 2008 at the Book Fest 2008 conference, where she was running a book discussion on graphic novels for children. She was very witty and had a perspective on children’s literature that I found thought-provoking. When I later heard about a similar event being presented by the Children’s Literature Café, I thought Bird might be running that program as well, and if she was, I definitely wanted to attend.

Where and when to go to the Salon: As previously mentioned, the program was eventually renamed the Children's Literary Salon. It was formerly called the Children’s Literature Cafe, but since no food was involved, it got a new name. The format of the program varies, but in general, either Bird moderates a panel discussion, a guest presenter runs the show, or the panelists present on their own. The program is held in the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building at Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street, sometimes in the Margaret Berger Forum on the second floor (Room 227), sometimes in the Children’s Center on the ground floor (Room 84), and sometimes in South Court Auditorium (if you use the Fifth Avenue entrance between the two watchful lions guarding the Library — affectionately known as Patience and Fortitude — walk through the Astor Hall lobby and go down the stairs). You might want to check the Library's online calendar or check in at the Children’s Center to see where the program will be held. It usually takes place on the first or second Saturday of the month from 2 to 3 p.m.

A gem of children’s literature discussions: The Children's Literary Salon is as valuable as some of the staff trainings and conferences I’ve gone to. It includes materials on children’s and teen books and current trends in the field. In fact, I’ve seen some of the same people from past panel discussions at conferences (eg, School Library Journal’s “Day of Dialog” 2011 at the Lincoln Center Campus of Fordham University). The programs also pertain to teen literature — young adult publishers, etc., often sit on the panel. There are many varied topics, including some obscure topics that I haven't seen much written about or heard much about before attending these programs, such as children’s computer applications (apps), women in the military, etc. I’ve learned so much from these gatherings. I have learned a lot from staff trainings for children’s and teen services, but the amount of new things that I've been exposed to through these programs is unparalleled. I also have the opportunity to be exposed to professionals in the field that do not work at NYPL. Program attendees have had the benefit of hearing the thoughts of publishers that work with books written in other languages, professionals that work overseas, etc. Bird always has thought-provoking questions and insightful comments on the world of children’s literature. I have worked with all age groups (children, teen, and adult services) in several neighborhood libraries during my time at NYPL and in my professional life as a librarian. It’s great to have the perspective of someone who works exclusively with children and has done so for a longer period of time that I. Her knowledge of trends in literature and the field of children’s publishing far exceed what I have developed (I am currently working with teens in one of NYPL’s neighborhood libraries.)

Betsy Bird’s work: I very much enjoyed reading Bird's book Children’s Literature Gems: Choosing and Using Them in Your Library Career during a library-appointed snow day a year or so ago. She writes in an engaging, friendly, and very entertaining style. Bird is the author of Fabulous Fictionalized Biographies: Trend or Genre? on NYPL Blogs, as well as A Fuse #8 Production, a blog series on the School Library Journal website. (One of my favorite photos from this series features a photograph of a librarian holding a sign stating, "When Librarians Start Marching, You Know There's a Problem." In her blog series, Bird's sophisticated vocabulary and fun, engaging writing style explore the rhyme and reason (if either exist) behind current literary publications. The blog series is cool because it features unusual trends and things in children's literature that I would otherwise be unaware of. For example, her blog posts feature videos of books that change colors and sneakers based on books (eg, A Scarlet Letter). She has also published several articles in School Library Journal, Children & Libraries, and Horn Book. I have known about her School Library Journal blog series for some time, but I am now reading it regularly in an effort to improve my own blogging skills as I begin writing for NYPL Blogs. Bird currently works at The New York Public Library's Stephen A. Schwarzman Building.

Stay tuned for my blog series, Children's Literary Salons in Retrospect, in which I will detail some individual seminars. However, if you can, I highly recommend coming to see them in person at "the library with the lions" on Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street!

Upcoming Children’s Literary Salons

Saturday, December 3 at 2 p.m.: Funny Ha Ha — Humorous Books for Kids
Continuing our series where we explore amusing books for children, we look at funny books in a myriad of forms: funny picture books, funny graphic novels, and funny early chapter books. Join David Roman (Astronaut Academy), Nick Bruel (Bad Kitty), Laurie Keller (Arnie the Donut), and Jules Feiffer (Bark, George) as we look at finding the funny for different ages of kids.

Redheads Run Rampant in the Children's Room

Louise Lareau, Children's Center at 42nd Street — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 06:25:29 -0400

As a child, I was not always happy with my red hair. It attracted lots of attention, both good and bad. I come from a family of brown-eyed brunettes, so I was somewhat of a surprise. I would like to blame Mary MacLean, my great-great-grandmother, for my hair color, but I know that the blame should really fall on some mutated genes. Growing up in small town Quebec, redheads were few and far between. This did not matter, however, as I always had Madeline, Pippi Longstocking and Anne Shirley to keep me company. Although I was not as adventurous as Pippi or as spunky as Anne, I loved the fact that they had red hair and saw them as "kindred spirits."

You might be surprised by the number of redheads that can be found in children's literature. Some are famous, some are not. Here is a list to get you started.

Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce
Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
Anyone But Me by Nancy Krulik
Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink
Cam Jansen and the Mystery of the Stolen Diamonds by David A. Adler
Cheaper by the Dozen by Frank B. Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey
Clementine by Sarah Pennypacker
Clifford the Big Red Dog by Norman Bridwell
Cry of the Icemark by Stuart Hill
Every Cloud has a Silver Lining by Anne Mazer
Gooney Bird Greene by Lois Lowry
Fancy Nancy by Jane O'Connor
Freckleface Strawberry by Julianne Moore
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley
The Library by Sarah Stewart
Listening for Lions by Gloria Whelan
Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans
Martha Speaks by Susan Meddaugh
Marvin Redpost: Kidnapped at Birth? by Louis Sachar
My Rotten Redheaded Older Brother by Patricia Polacco
Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren
Pirate Girl by Cornelia Funke
Starting with Alice by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Stella, Star of the Sea by Marie-Louise Gay

When Trying to Explain the Unthinkable

Jeanne Lamb, Central Collection Development — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 12:30:03 -0400

Historians, politicians, and the man-on-the-street are still trying to grasp the events of September 11, 2001— but what of children who have been born since 2001, or the children who were too young on that day to recall ? As New Yorkers prepare to honor the memory of those who died, parents and caregivers may want to visit the WTC Tribute Center, which offers programs and tours at its 120 Liberty Street site, or stop by St. Paul's Chapel at 209 Broadway. In addition, the New-York Historical Society will be offering free admission through November 10 to a special exhibition, Remembering 9/11.

In her new collection of poems, Peaceful Pieces, author Anna Grossnickle Hines holds peace up to a prism as she contemplates its many facets. A few other books that might provide perspective or an opening for discussing the events of that day are:

September Roses by Jeannette Winters. Two sisters from South Africa find a use for the roses they have grown when the flower show is cancelled.

14 Cows for America by Carmen Agra Deedy in collaboration with Wilson Kimeli Naiyomah. Maasai tribal members offer 14 sacred cows as a gesture of solace.

Maira Kalman's Fireboat: The Heroic Adventures of the John J. Harvey recounts the service of an aging fireboat, launched in 1931, and its crew on September 11, 2001. This historic vessel is docked at Pier 66 between West 26 and West 27 streets.

Don Brown's America is Under Attack: September 11, 2001: The Day the Towers Fell is a recounting that is both accessible and compassionate.

The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by Mordicai Gerstein recalls Philippe Petit's tightrope walk between the towers.

Peace: A Recipe

Open minds — at least two. / Willing hearts-the same. / Rinse well with compassion. / Stir in a fair amount of trust. / Season with forgiveness. / Simmer in a sauce of respect. / A dash of humor brightens the flavor. / Best served with hope.

— Anna Grossnickle Hines

Grand Concourse Library Sneak Peak

Ruth Rodriguez, Grand Concourse Library — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 06:51:17 -0400

A different library and a new collection!

Grand Concourse Library is located at:

155 East 173rd Street (east of Grand Concourse)
Bronx, NY 10457
(718) 583-6611

Grand Concourse Library has a recently renovated Children's Room, thanks to the generosity of Marilyn and Jim Simons, CIT, and the New York Yankees Foundation.

These are some of wondrous details:

Here are some of the biographies:

Everything from Harriet Tubman to Andy Warhol.

These are some of our children's chapter books.

Come by, and enjoy!

A Tale of Two Castles: A Review

Emma Carbone, Epiphany Library — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 13:17:34 -0400

Elodie comes to the town of Two Castles with one goal: to become a mansioner. Her greatest hope, her only actual plan upon arriving in town, is to apprentice herself to a mansioner that she might become an accomplished performer in her own right.

When Elodie’s hope is dashed she is forced to look for another plan or starve in Two Castles with none of her family at home even knowing about her plight.

Help comes in the unusual form of a dragon named Meenore.

Mysteries (and cats) abound in Two Castles, which makes the town an ideal place for a dragon like Meenore to peddle ITs powers of deducing, inducing, finding missing things and missing people. Two Castles is also a fine town for a girl like Elodie to proclaim said dragon’s numerous talents and even to assist such a dragon in the solving of mysteries.

One of the castles in Two Castles belongs to the king, of course. But the other houses an ogre who might be in great danger. Or he might be preparing to devour townsfolk. One way or the other Elodie will have to help her Masteress Meenore make sense of the secrets in Two Castles. Together dragon and girl will have to induce, deduce and use common sense (and perhaps some mansioning) to separate the kind from the cruel and ultimately determine who can be trusted in A Tale of Two Castles (2011) by Gail Carson Levine.

A Tale of Two Castles is Carson Levine’s first mystery–inspired partly by the story of “The Puss in Boots.”*

With our intrepid narrator Elodie being twelve years old, the story is essentially a children’s read but Elodie is strong enough as a character and the plot is exciting enough that it can easily appeal to older readers as well.

Carson Levine creates a well-realized world in Two Castles complete with its own customs and vocabulary. (Dragons always being called IT because only a dragon knows its own gender was a particularly nice touch.) In addition to creating an exciting whodunnit of sorts, A Tale of Two Castles is a simply a funny book. Elodie is completely out of her element and watching her make her way in the strange surroundings of Two Castles makes for several good laughs and a fair bit of drama besides.

As readers of her Newbery Honor title Ella Enchanted will expect, Carson Levine includes a lot of traditional fairy tale elements here and turns them completely upside down–mysteries are everywhere and nothing it as it seems. Elodie is a delightful narrator who, though she might stumble along the way, eventually finds the truth and a place for herself in this rollicking and winsome read.

*She explained this at her event last month at Books of Wonder. She is quite a funny and charming speaker so if you ever get a chance I STRONGLY recommend going to see her in person. You won’t regret it!

Possible Pairings: Murder at Midnight by Avi, Gideon the Cutpurse (AKA The Time Travelers) by Linda Buckley-Arhcer, Rise of the Darklings by Paul Crilley, The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick, Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede

Winnie-the-Pooh: Celebrating 90 Years

Louise Lareau, Children's Center at 42nd Street — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 21:00:00 -0400

Happy Birthday Winnie!

This summer, our beloved Winnie-the-Pooh turns 90. How is that possible you may ask? Winnie, originally known as Edward Bear, was given to Christopher Milne by his parents on his first birthday — August 21, 1921. Who could have guessed that the 18-inch-high teddy bear, from Harrods, would eventually become a literary superstar? Winnie and his companions have been on display at The New York Public Library since September 11, 1987.

The toys have had thousands of visitors over the years, and just the sight of them have moved some to tears. Winnie has also witnessed several marriage proposals, but has had to decline all wedding invitations. Although he is rather elderly and fragile, Winnie still has the power to bring such happiness to all who visit him.

Winnie is hoping to get lots of birthday wishes this year, so get our your pens and paper and make him a card! Children and caregivers are invited to make birthday cards for Winnie at our August 9 craft program. Birthday cards* can be dropped off at the Children's Center at 42nd Street or mailed to the address below. You can also send Winnie a electronic message* through the comment box. Winnie will be checking his mailbox every day.

Winnie-the-Pooh
c/o Children's Center at 42nd Street
The New York Public Library
476 Fifth Avenue, Room 84
New York, NY 10018

On August 20, 2011, the Children's Center will be hosting a party to celebrate Winnie's 90th birthday. We hope that Winnie fans, both young and old, will come in to take part in the festivities and give Winnie their best wishes.

*Please note that all submissions become the property of the Library and will not be returned. By submitting your work to NYPL, you agree that NYPL shall be permitted to use your work freely online and otherwise and that you will not receive compensation for any such uses. If you are not willing to grant NYPL these rights, please do not contribute content to NYPL. Please also make sure that any content you contribute does not infringe on the rights of any third party. We encourage all participants in this activity to read the Library's Privacy Policy as well as the Library's Policy on Patron-Generated Content.