A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy

Shelf Discovery

2009-07-13T06:27:00.000-04:00

Shelf Discovery: The Teen Classics We Never Stopped Reading by Lizzie Skurnick. Avon, an imprint of HarperCollins. 2009. Copy supplied by publisher.

I feel like I should put a disclosure in this review -- Lizzie Skurnick is my best friend.

The problem with such a disclosure is, of course, that Skurnick and I have never met. (I hope Skurnick isn't now on the phone to her lawyers, reporting me as a potential delusional stalker). But having read Skurnick's essays on teen books, Shelf Discovery, I am convinced that somehow we are friends. How else to explain how she wrote about my favorite books? She has snuck into my house and looked at my bookshelves; she has remembered the titles I have forgotten; she has eavesdropped on my fifth, seventh, ninth grade self as I sat and talked books with my friends.

One big difference exists between the child/teen reader I was and the one I am; at age ten, eleven, thirteen I said I loved a book; that someone had to read a book; I knew I was getting something important from a book. But to put it into words? No. Skurnick takes those best loved books, treats them (and the young reader) with respect, and, as an adult, explains why, exactly, that book worked so well for the reader. At times I nodded along with agreement (yes, that's exactly why!); and at others, I was hit with the sudden realization of just WHY a book meant so much to me.

Skurnick on V.C. Andrews: "Andrews writes like a non-native speaker who has done time in a jail where they only show 1960s sitcoms and One Life to Live, and my small heart aches and blood runs from many small paper cuts as I read her, beating my small fists on the pages." Not only does Skurnick explain Andrews' style, she also imitates it. Honors it. And here is the thing -- upon occasion, as here, Skurnick brings the snark but done the right way. With love.

Because Skurnick is writing about the books she loved, these are books that were published in the 60s, 70s, and 80s (with a handful of titles, like Understood Betsy that are even earlier). Books that were out, and read, before the current golden age of YA. They are the books that we, the readers in the 70s and 80s and 90s, chose to read. Wanted to read. Found, ourselves, on library shelves, in classrooms, passed on from a friend, picked up at a garage sale, found in a bookcase at home. And while there is a so-called classic or two among these pages (because even classics can be loved), most are not. They are classics in our hearts; because we remember and love them; not because of committees and teachers and assigned summer reading and classroom book discussions.

Reading this is like a discussion with a friend; Skurnick throws out a reference to Canby Hall totally assuming we will know exactly what she is talking about; and we do. And smile a little. And wonder if somewhere we have one of the Canby Hall books, to revisit. The jacket covers shown for the books are not the current ones but the ones that we had; and no matter how much we may think they are "bad" now and know that they wouldn't be picked up by any reader today, they are ours, our firsts, so we love them best and want that. exact. copy from eBay to replace the one lost or stolen or thrown out or sold at a garage sale.

A handful of the books reviewed were also reviewed at Skurnick's Fine Lines column for Jezebel; but even those essays have been revised. While some adults will (like myself) remember reading these books (even if we forgot the title of Beat the Turtle Drum we totally have memorized "if we were all on a boat and the boat capsized, and we had only one life jacket, they would put it on Joss"), others (I know from talking to the parents in libraries) have blanked out the books of their childhood and teen years. They forget that yes, teen books did have s.e.x. (please reprint Norma Klein); and gay characters; and bad things happened liked YOUR PARENTS SENT YOU TO CAMP TO KILL YOU. Good lord, the current parents who are so sensitive on behalf of their children (but really are sensitive as to how they are being portrayed in fiction to children, it's not really about their kids but about them) need this reminder of just how godawful the parents were in the books we read.

Having finished Shelf Discovery, I want to reread old favorites with the new insights from Skurnick. I want to track down the books I had never heard of. But I also want to pick up the phone, call Skurnick (tho if we're friends I guess I can call her Lizzie) and say, what, no A Summer to Die? No The Last of Eden? And she'll say, Liz, I included To Take a Dare, what more do you want from me? No one else on the planet knows that book, so be quiet already. And I'll pull out my copy of To Take a Dare and say, remember how Chrysta's dad wouldn't give her the pills, and we'll just continue talking about the books.

Twitter Review

© Elizabeth Burns of A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy

Buh-bye, BBYA

2009-07-09T08:00:00.006-04:00

Sorry this will be quick & short & not finely edited.

YALSA's Board is meeting at Annual; do I usually read the Board documents, unless they are highlighted somewhere thru a message to YALSA BK or the YALSA Blog? No. So when Jen Hubert began reading them yesterday, as I was packing, and shared the information that YALSA Board was entertaining a proposal to eliminate BBYA, I thought she was kidding.

Right after this proposal (so apparently linked to it) is a proposal to instead have a "Readers Choice" when anyone can vote on a short list and then all members can use that short list to vote on a top 5 per category, and that is the New BBYA: Reader's Choice.

I had heard & supported the idea that BBYA needed tinkering -- say, remove GNs from BBYA because there is now a GN list. Or open BBYA up to allow virtual attendance by committee members for Midwinter. I had no idea it was to: "implement a phase out of the Best Books for Young Adult Committee and list"

Source: (you need to be a YALSA member to access): Modernizing Selected List Portfolio (and cheers to Jen, who found this despite the title not saying BBYA and BBYA being the only list being "modernized")

Instead, we get a Reader's Choice award, which is not about opening up committee slots for virtual members but about organizing a popular vote with anyone voting to create a short list, then YALSA members voting for a top 5. (I'll let the math/statistics among you realize that smaller, quieter books and small publishers won't have a chance in this type of arrangement).

I say "instead of" because Readers Choice List, while not mentioned in Modernizing, follows that proposal immediately on the agenda.

I plan to rearrange my schedule and other commitments to attend these meetings. Please comment here to let YALSA know what you think, or blog about it, or Tweet it.

Oh, reasons for getting rid of BBYA:

-- there is overlap with other lists, like adult, nonfiction and GN. (my reply: then narrow BBYA to fiction).

-- number of books published for YA has increased (query: how many books does ALSC's Notables read?)

--membership wants greater participation in list selection. (my reply: then open up the list selection to virtual members! don't remove a list, therefore limiting members' options, and replace it with a participation that will mean little is "I voted for Readers Choice" going on a resume?).

-- BBYA is not useful. (my reply: It's useful to me!!! For collection development, creating booktalks, booklists, etc.)

-- workload issues amongst Committee members. (my reply: see above, for narrowing the scope).

As for Readers Choice; I'm packing. Could I support this in addition to BBYA? Yes. But instead of? I don't have enough time to discuss it. Just: NO.

Edited to add: Alex Flinn does a great job of both explaining the importance of BBYA & the flaws in using Readers Choice as a substitute.

Cindy Dobrez & Lynn Rutan at Bookends share their opinion.

I WILL HAVE LIMITED ABILITY TO EDIT THIS DURING ANNUAL. So PLEASE if you post something about this, include your link in the comments because I will not be able to edit this post for much longer.

© Elizabeth Burns of A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy

The Sweet Life of Stella Madison

2009-07-07T05:13:00.004-04:00

The Sweet Life of Stella Madison by Lara M. Zeises. Delacorte Books/Random House. 2009. Copy supplied by publisher for review.

The Plot: Stella Madison is the 17 year old daughter of foodies; and not just any foodies. Her father is a world famous French chef; her mother owns and runs the "Open Kitchen" restaurant. Stella's idea of fab food? Burger King. Kraft Mac'n'cheese. Yet somehow, she's gotten herself a gig at the local paper, reviewing restaurants. Luckily, Jeremy, the new (and cute!) intern at her mom's restaurant is there to help her out. (Did I mention cute? And older? And flirtatious?) But what about world's best boyfriend, Max? Oh, yeah. Maybe life isn't so sweet.

The Good: Romance, self-discovery, humor, good food, what's not to love?

You could hear the pain in her parents' voices from Stella not inheriting their tastes. But at the same time, they have a good enough sense of humor -- or at least her Mom does -- to laugh at the idea of Stella writing about restaurants. It's nice how Zeises has her cake and eats it, too. The young foodies who read this will swoon (as I did) over the menus from the guest chefs at Open Kitchen; the fast food crowd will grimace with Stella and look forward to the hot dogs. Parents like Laura will say "please God, not my child. My child will love blue cheese."

Of course, there is more to food than meets the eye. Turns out, Mom and Dad, while not divorced, have been separated for six years. And that Dad, as the dedicated chef and wine lover, leaves every year for four months of traveling, tasting, and drinking in France and not once has brought Stella. Suddenly, Stella's rejection of what her parents center their lives around makes a whole lot more sense.

Now, onto Stella, Max (the boyfriend) and Jeremy (the intern). This is a great triangle for a couple of reasons. First, don't you hate triangles where one guy is so obviously wrong that the girl looks stupid? That doesn't happen here. Second, don't you hate how complex emotions are looked at in a simplistic way? Again, not happening here. Stella may call herself "boy obsessed" but quite simply she is attracted to two very different guys at the same time. There is no simple "Team Max" or "Team Jeremy" (That said, I'll let you know in the comments what Team I'm on). In the real world, attractions can be complicated and messy. And also fun and flirty.

Stella works through her issues -- with parents, food, and boys -- in a tightly plotted book that (not counting epilogue) covers just a few weeks. Several things are going on in Stella's life and the three story lines intertwine and balance each other. This book is a tidy 228 pages; it is so refreshing, after several-hundred-page megabooks, to have a return to a book whose length won't scare readers away.

You know, I have to take something back. Stella doesn't have issues with food -- she has issues with not liking the same food her parents do. No food issues here -- which brings us to another great about both Stella, and Zeises for writing Stella. She's not size two. She's described as normal and healthy; cute ("criminally cute", actually); both boys like her; and at one point, Stella mentions the size of a shirt she wants as being either an 8 and 10. She talks about cute clothes and two piece bathing suits. Thank you, thank you, thank you for a book about a girl who really is a normal size, and eats normally, and her size and eating and diet is never an issue. Because that size? Despite what magazines and tv shows tell us? THAT is normal and healthy and cute.

For the grown ups: guess what? Open Kitchen is real! Or kind of. Due to my mad Google skillz (and Zeises's author's note) I found Celebrity Kitchens in Wilmington, Delaware. Which is basically the Open Kitchen model: famous guest chefs cook in front of the audience, sharing their specialties. It's only two hours from my house; maybe it's doable on a Saturday...

I'd also like to point out something about Zeises. You know how it's all about the online tie-ins for book? Zeises did that years ago. No, really; in 2004, she had a blog for the character of Lucy Doyle from Contents Under Pressure. Five years ago, Zeises realized and used the power of the Internets to promote her books.

And, also? Sometimes I'm slow. It took my to page 194 to realize that Zeises was pulling a L'Engle/Dessen by referring to characters from other books. I KNOW. Isn't that awesome?

More awesome; Zeises is fairly blunt about the business aspect of YA at her blog. If you believe authors write to express creativity and don't, you know, pay bills or have vet bills for sick dogs, don't read it. She also shares recipes (because, like Stella's parents, she's a foody).

Links:

Bookends, A Booklist Blog review
Bedtime Booktalks review
Twitter review

© Elizabeth Burns of A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy

Hana's Suitcase

2009-07-06T05:41:00.000-04:00

Hana's Suitcase by Karen Levine. Audiobook from Brilliance Audio. 2009. Copy supplied by Brilliance.

The Plot: Fumiko Ishioka, curator of the Tokyo Holocaust Education Center, receives a child's suitcase from Auschwitz to display at the center. A name: Hana Brady. A birthdate: May 16, 1931. Who was Hana? What happened to her? The horror of the Holocaust is told in the dual stories of Hana and Fumiko's efforts to find out who she was. Non-fiction.

The Good: Hana's Suitcase is a child's nonfiction book that is full of pictures, illustrations, drawings; things that bring the story alive. How could a book that is so dependent on seeing what Hana looks like translate to audio?

It does; two stories unwind, skipping back and forth between Hana's story and Fumiko's efforts to uncover the story of one child. An ordinary child, an ordinary life. Until War World II. Yes, this is good history; but it's also the story of being a history detective. We follow Fumiko step by step as she tries to uncover Hana's story, researching, looking into archives, sending letters. Hana's story is revealed to us so that we know a little more than Fumiko -- but so slowly that we don't know the answer to what happened to Hana until Fumiko finds out.

There is nothing in the text that doesn't make sense; no reliance on photos or illustrations unseen. The Hana's Suitcase website has many photographs for the reader who wants to see what Hana, George, and their parents looked like.

Oh. In looking to find out more about Hana and her family (especially the aunt and uncle) I found this CBC report on Life After Auschwitz. Which led me to discover that the suitcase is a replica. As Lara Hana Brady says, it's about the people, not the items.

© Elizabeth Burns of A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy

What Does "Best" Mean?

2009-07-05T09:29:00.003-04:00

Over at the New York Times, Nicholas Kristof writes about The Best Kids' Books Ever.

There's a bit of a logical fallacy with a twist of semi-research involved is wanting to write about kids books: I was aghast to learn that American children drop in I.Q. each summer vacation — because they aren’t in school or exercising their brains.

Considering all of us who have been blogging and writing about the assigned summer reading, Kristof's "we need summer reading lists" makes some of us sigh. He may not state it explicitly, but he's really talking about how kids who don't read on their own over the summer can be encouraged to read. Which, frankly, involves more than a "best kids' books" list.

Kristof then makes the leap to "these are the books I/my kids loved, so they are great for everyone!" Conversation at his blog then turns to "my favorite books."

And you know what?

That's cool. I don't agree that the books Kristof and his kids think are "the best" are going to be "the best" for everyone; and reluctant readers need more than an assigned reading list to discover the joys of reading. But this is his personal favorite list -- and you know what? That's cool.

Everyone has their own favorites; and Kristof isn't the first to think his personal favorites are universal. Parents do it all the time -- and so do librarians, teachers, and other readers. Actually, everytime a librarian tells me they only booktalk books they love, I back away a bit, because they are doing what Kristof is doing -- only recommending personal favorites. At this blog I do review books that may not be my personal favorites but that I know, upon reading, will be favorites for others.

On a side note, he recommends On to Oregon! (aka Seven Alone). Tea Cozy readers know how that really ended; I wonder if Kristof does?

© Elizabeth Burns of A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy

ALA

2009-07-05T08:59:00.003-04:00

I am attending the ALA Annual Conference in Chicago.

I will be signing my book, Pop Goes the Library.

I will be at the Printz Reception on July 13th.

Hope to see you!

© Elizabeth Burns of A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy

ALA: Sophie & I will be signing our book

2009-07-03T09:14:00.000-04:00

The following authors will be signing at the Information Today, Inc. booth [#4525] on

Saturday July 11 from 1:00 — 2:00 p.m.

Tasha Squires, author of Library Partnerships: Making Connections Between School and Public Libraries

Pop culture mavens Sophie Brookover and Elizabeth Burns, authors of Pop Goes the Library: Using Pop Culture to Connect With Your Whole Community

© Elizabeth Burns of A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy

Get It Now: July 2009

2009-07-03T07:35:00.001-04:00

The following books were reviewed from ARCs; the official publication dates are here so you can find them in stores and libraries.

The Treasure Map of Boys be E. Lockhart

Crash Into Me by Albert Borris

© Elizabeth Burns of A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy

Teaser: Leviathan

2009-07-02T07:18:00.000-04:00

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld. Illustrated by Keith Thompson. Simon Pulse, Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing. Publication Date October 2009. Reviewed from ARC from BEA.

Steampunk adventure: What if the two sides of World War I were separated by philosophy and machines, with one side being "clankers" who build steam powered machines and the other being "Darwinists" who manipulate DNA to create new animals who exist just to be beasts of burden?

And let's change history a bit, so that Franz Ferdinand leaves behind a fifteen year old son who just may have a chance at the throne -- and to change history. And let's say a fifteen year old girl has bluffed her way into the British Air Service, posing as a boy.

Put that all together, add Scott Westerfeld as the writer and Keith Thompson as the illustrator, and you get one high-flying adventure.

© Elizabeth Burns of A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy

Crash Into Me

2009-07-01T06:30:00.004-04:00

Crash into Me by Albert Borris. Simon & Schuster. Publication date July 2009. Copy supplied by Classof2K9.

The Plot: Owen's on a road trip with Frank, Audrey and Jin-Ae. It's not your typical group of friends. Their shared interest: suicide. They four teens are on a road trip to visit the graves of famous suicides. The trip will end in a suicide pact.

The Good: Crash Into Me starts with a gripping first line: "The third time I tried to kill myself I used a rope." From that moment on, you're pulled into Owen's life, wondering, will their be a next time?

These four teens aren't friends; well, not real life friends. The four met online, sharing their fascination with suicide and their own past attempts. Frank's was years ago; Jin-Ae, more recent; Owen has the most repeats (six, maybe seven if you count walking down a highway, tempting fate, waiting for a truck to come by to jump in front of); Audrey, the youngest, jumped off a roof and broke her legs, has scar on her head from hitting herself with a frying pan.

As the road trip moves from Boston (Anne Sexton) to Idaho (Ernest Hemingway), these four bond and find out more about each other. Jin-Ae is a lesbian who cannot tell her family; Frank loves sports but isn't good enough to compete so drinks; Audrey's father is in jail; and Owen's brother is dead and his father left the family.

These four are serious enough about suicide to make a pact; to talk over details; but it also quickly becomes clear that all are depressed. Suicide is an escape. An answer. For Jin-Ae, death is better than telling her parents the truth. Frank says, "there's no, like, way out of my family." Audrey tells him, "Just live your own life." "I can't," he answers.

This is more than just a morbid road trip. For each teen, it's the first time away from the family and friends that have failed them. Perhaps they can learn that they can live their own life. Early on, Owen thinks "I don't know if I want to die. I just want to be happy. I want to feel better."

Readers will root for Owen, the narrator, silent, lonely, and with his multiple attempts, the one who seems most serious; but as he comes out of his shell, as he begins to care for his fellow "suicide dog" pack, will he change his opinion of himself? His past? His life? Will he be happy? Can he feel better?

Borris has a great ear for dialogue; each teen is fully fleshed out and their banter is true to life. The parents are absent, seen from the view of their children, and their failings are all too human. A mother who cannot recover from the death of a child, a woman who married the wrong man, parents who see their daughter as they want her to be, a father who wants a star athlete son.

There is also humor! Top ten lists (Top Ten Weird Celebrity Death Sites) plus, well, teens being teens and goofing off and having fun.

Borris also takes a close look at society's obsession with not just dead celebrities, but suicides. Audrey is fascinated by Kurt Cobain; Jin-Ae is a Sylvia Plath girl (but they visit Anne Sexton because Plath is buried in England). While Audrey listens to Nirvana, and Jin-Ae reads Plath's poetry, there are other suicides about whom the teens know more about their deaths than their lives.

Links:
My 48 Hour Review
Press Release
Guest Post From Senior Editor at Simon Pulse on Crash Into Me (at Class of 2K9)
Director of Publicity at Simon Pulse on Crash Into Me (at Class of 2k9)
The Compulsive Reader review

© Elizabeth Burns of A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy

Emma-Jean Lazarus Fell In Love

2009-06-30T05:47:00.000-04:00

Emma Jean Lazarus Fell in Love by Lauren Tarshis. Random House Audiobook, 2009. Reviewed from audiobook from publisher. Hardcover published by Dial, a Division of Penguin. Reviewed from ARC from publisher.

The Plot: Emma-Jean Lazarus, an astute observer of her fellow seventh graders at William Gladstone Middle School, watches as her friends fuzz over the upcoming dance and worry about what boy they'll ask. She decides their behavior is a result of spring fever - and then realizes that she, too, has fallen prey to spring fever.

The Good: I adore Emma-Jean. Mamie Gummer narrates the audiobook version, and she captures Emma-Jean's view of the world perfectly. A clip can be heard at Random House Audio's website. Then, when the third person POV switches to that of Emma-Jean's friend, Colleen, Mamie's voice does an equally wonderful job at capturing the personality of this girl who is very different from Emma-Jean.

Emma-Jean fell in love is equal parts mystery (which boy left a note in Colleen's locker?) and middle school politics and friendship. Emma-Jean has a unique look at the world; from the first, I imagined her as mini Temperance Brennan from the TV show Bones. Smart, logical, observant, removed; and like Brennan, with loving friends and family. Emma-Jean on seventh grade boys: "She had been observing her fellow seventh graders for many years, trying to understand them better and she had long ago concluded that it was simply the boys' nature to be rambunctious on occasion."

Colleen is the emotional opposite of Emma-Jean. On thinking about the upcoming dance, she "kept thinking of Noah's Ark -- about all the pigs and pandas and gorillas and ladybugs and how they'd all marched two by two, two by two, two by two onto the ark. Except for the unicorn, who couldn't find a boy who liked her, so she was left behind. To drown in the flood. Colleen was the unicorn."

Is Colleen boy-obsessed? Yes and no; she is a seventh grader, who wants a boy to like her and to feel special because one person likes her best. She and Emma-Jean balance each other; Emma-Jean is confident without a boy liking her back. She marches to her own drummer; yet Emma-Jean is not without emotion. She, too, gets swept into love. She just handles it differently than Colleen.

Readers don't have to have read Emma-Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree to enjoy this second story about Emma-Jean and Colleen; but Emma-Jean is so delightful, why not read both?

Emma-Jean is unique; the switch between Emma-Jean and Colleen helps the reader to see both how Emma-Jean sees her world and how others see her. To elementary and middle school kids, where "other" and "different" and "odd" are often "wrong," this is a great peak into how another person views the world and how "different" is just that -- different. Not better or worse; and equally able to be a great friend as the person who is just like you and does what everyone expects. The Emma-Jeans of the world are usually alone, and even though they may be happy enough being alone, how much nicer when they -- like Emma-Jean -- have friends. I'm not surprised to see that the author, Lauren Tarshis, has an anti-bullying guide at her website.

© Elizabeth Burns of A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy

Columbine

2009-06-29T06:34:00.001-04:00

Columbine by Dave Cullen. Twelve Publishing. 2009. Copy from library.

On April 20, 1999, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, high school seniors, entered Columbine High School. They killed twelve students and one teacher, and then committed suicide.

Dave Cullen has covered the story since day one. Columbine is about what happened on April 20th; what led up to it; and what followed.

In particular, it firmly ends many of the myths surrounding Columbine. Interestingly, the truth has been out there; Cullen wrote The Depressive and the Psychopath, published in Slate, in April 2004. Yet ask most people, and they won't say this was the case of a psychopath but rather the result of bullying and jocks and revenge and disappointments.

Why? Because it's easier to think that what happened was fixable -- "Let's not bully!" "We can stop bad things from ever happening by just being nice!" rather than admitting that at sixteen -- the age Harris, then a sophomore, first began planning his attack -- a teenager was a psychopath. Rather than addressing how we recognize and treat depression in teenagers. Rather than trying to know when a dark twisted story for creative writing is a sign of a future Stephen King or the warning (or boasting) of future killer.

It's easier to think Harris and Klebold snapped because of one incident, one loss, one act than to consider that as early as April 1998, police were aware of death threats, pipe bombs, and hate-filled websites to the point where a warrant was drafted for Eric Harris's house.

"Outcast" is a comforting label to use, because we can see those outcasts and tell ourselves, "not OUR kids." When the truth is, the two teenagers had jobs, friends, dated -- Klebold went to his prom the weekend before the attack -- and were intellectually gifted. Klebold was part of the "Challenging High Intellectual Potential Students" program in elementary school. Harris's teachers were consistently impressed with his knowledge and intelligence.

Columbine is not an easy read; and it's a book that cannot be put down. Cullen starts with weekend of the school shooting, then both backtracks to bring us fully into the heads of Harris and Klebold and goes forward, relating what happens during the attack and the years afterward. We uncover, slowly, what happened and why the teenagers planned what they did as well as see what actually happened and the aftermath, including how the media, investigators, parents and survivors reacted.

Both Harris and Klebold left a stunning amount of information about what they were thinking and planning, in journals, websites, diaries, diagrams, and school assignments. Cullen is especially effective when contrasting the face Harris presents to adults (counselors, lawyers, teachers) as having "learned his lesson" and saying all they want to hear with his private journals that spill over with hatred and contempt and amusement in having fooled yet another person. These teenagers had plenty of people who listened to them. Who wanted to help. Yet not many were in touch with one another to compare information to realize the full picture of what was happening; and Harris was a gifted liar.

This book does not glorify Harris and Klebold. Cullen shares minute by minute, second by second, their actions at the beginning of the book, with the first two students killed and the mayhem starting. But he does not continue the intimate timeline of what went on in the school until the end of the book -- when we have a better realization of what Harris and Klebold intended (blowing up the school to kill all inside, regardless of jock, friend, preppy, Goth) versus what happened (the bombs did not work). Then, the end -- and while some moments in the library are shared, including what happened to some individuals as well as refuting the Cassie Bernall myth, Cullen thankfully does not share a second-by-second account of the slaughter in the library.

Cullen keeps this book factual, without ever being voyeuristic. It is not a "true crime" book. There are no photographs of Harris or Klebold or their victims; no crime scenes; no diagrams of the school. We do not see photos of the guns they used or illustrations showing where the bodies fell.

Columbine does something else; it reminds us why we need good professional investigative reporters. This book reflects a tremendous amount of time, effort, work, dedication, talent, professionalism and caring. Newspapers, magazines and journals must find some way to survive their current crisis so that people like Cullen can continue doing their job.

What does the reality versus the myth mean? Especially for readers and reviewers of books where the myth of the bullied shooter crops up again and again? As I said above, I personally think bullying gives us the answer we want. We can use it to stop bullying (if you're mean, you could turn that kid into a killer); we give ourselves the illusion of control (I'll be nice to that loner and that will change his life); and it allows us to be "anti" the popular kid (we always knew those popular jock cheerleader preppies weren't as nice as they pretended). All which play out in books and novels and film.

I read Hate List by Jennifer Brown before reading Columbine; but I had read Cullen's articles on the shooting and reviews of the book. As I say in a review planned for later this summer, Brown does not go the "blame the bullying" route (though bullying takes place). Instead, she backs away from labelling that shooter at all; and the main character in Hate List reminded me of the numerous friends of Harris and Klebold who, while aware of their fondness for guns or a hobby of making pipe bombs, had no idea they were planning a massacre.

Links: Reading Rants review
A look at the Oprah taping with Cullen (ultimately Oprah decided not to broadcast it)

© Elizabeth Burns of A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy

Save Ohio Libraries

2009-06-28T11:15:00.005-04:00

I just posted this at Pop Goes the Library:

As reported many places, including Library Journal, the Governor of Ohio, Ted Strickland, has proposed a budget that slashes library funding in half.

The blog The Library is Now Closed has updates of the situation and actions being taken.

Save Ohio Libraries is also a great source for information.

A lot of library and librarian blogs and twitter accounts are involved with doing what they can; and for those of us outside Ohio, that involves letting people in Ohio know we care and are supporting them.

For those outside Ohio: of course, it can happen in your state, your county, your town. If Ohio is successful, other government entities will see this as a way to save money. "Penny wise, pound foolish" as the saying goes. So what can you do now? Let Ohio libraries and librarians know you support them; and start, now, getting your data, information, and stories together to be able to show the value of libraries and librarians to your community. New Jersey's Snapshot Day (Snapshot: one day in the life of New Jersey libraries) is an excellent example of such a resource (and no, I'm not just saying it because I am a Jersey librarian).

Note that I say libraries AND librarians. Because a building with books is just a warehouse; a collection of books that is based on someone else's donations is just a book swap; and volunteers cannot do what a librarian can.

****************************************************************************

Let me now add the book blog spin.

Not everyone can afford books, especially in today's economic climate. I hope that all Ohio book bloggers are involved in saving their libraries; and I hope that all non-Ohio book bloggers realize that this could happen to their local libraries and offer their support to their local library budgets and funding.

Edited to add (and will continue to add)

Book bloggers supporting Ohio libraries by blogging about the situation: Bookworm 4 Life; Vasilly at 1330v; John Green

© Elizabeth Burns of A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy

I And I Bob Marley

2009-06-26T06:30:00.001-04:00

I and I Bob Marley by Tony Medina. Illustrated by Jesse Joshua Watson. Lee & Low. 2009. Copy Supplied by Publisher.

The Plot: The life of Bob Marley, told in verse.

The Good: Verse is the perfect way to tell the life story of a musician. "I am the boy/ From Nine Miles/ The sing/ Like three little birds/ In a reggae style."

Do you have to "know" Bob Marley to appreciate this book? No. Someone familiar with his life and music will recognize phrases and the chronology; but those not as familiar will follow along, as Bob is a small child living on a farm, a boy abandoned by his father, a teenager raised in a slum, all along music shaping him and his life.

Picture book biographies about adults are always tricky because the question is raised, how much do you tell? What is a necessary part of a story? So yes, we are told about Bob's white father who is missing from his childhood and then disappears from Bob's life. But we aren't told about Bob's children out of wedlock; actually, we aren't told about any of his children. And why should we? For those who want more than the sparse, world-creating poetry, there are notes that explain those details that adults care about.

The pictures -- wow. Look at that cover? Who wouldn't want to pick that up? The colors within the book are vibrant and alive; often playing off the colors of the flag associated with the Rastafarians (based on the old Ethiopian flag).

Video:

And how can I not link to a Bob Marley song?

© Elizabeth Burns of A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy

Confessions of a Shopaholic

2009-06-25T05:57:00.001-04:00

Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella. Dell, a Division of Random House. 2001. Borrowed copy.

The Plot: Twenty-five year old Rebecca Bloomwood has a love affair with shopping. There's nothing like the rush of finding -- and buying -- that perfect sweater. Pair of boots. Mascara. Coffee. Dress. Notecards. But for some reason the credit cards won't leave her alone; they actually want to get paid. And, funny enough, Becky's job? A journalist. For a finance magazine.

The Good: OK, so yes, I am officially the last person in the entire world to read this series. A shout-out to my cousin Julie who handed all four to me and said (rightly so) I would love them.

I laughed at loud while reading this; kept on wanting to poke someone and say "listen to this line!" But, being by myself, couldn't do that. I love how perfectly Kinsella captures the joy of shopping: "For a moment we are both silent. It's as though we're communicating with a higher being. The god of shopping."

There's no getting around that Becky's problem isn't shopping; it's buying more than she can afford. I began reading this with an "uh oh, I hope the current financial circumstances don't make this a painful read." Far from it; it's a credit to Kinsella's talent that the book is funny and Becky is likable, despite the "sadder but wiser" reader vibe.

I'll be honest: while I'm not the shopaholic Becky is, I totally understand the "high" she gets, the way she imagines herself better, smarter, more liked with that new dress, makeup, sweater, scarf. Actually, upon finishing this book I really, really wanted to buy a new gray cardigan for the summer. Part of the attraction (for me) is to be able to think "well at least I'm not as bad as Becky is!" So far, I'm resisting the temptation to get that cardigan. (But I do have a 15% off coupon for the store it's at, so it would be like saving money, right?)

It's supposed to be funny that Becky, so bad at personal budgeting, is a journalist on a financial magazine. As she says, "I'm paid to tell other people how to organize their money." But about half way through the book, she gets angry (really angry) at someone for not taking her seriously; for seeing her as joke. And here's the thing; Becky is the one who is not taking herself seriously. As becomes apparent to the reader (and eventually Becky), Becky does know what she is talking about and reporting about. It just takes her a while to realize, because it's not the job she wanted, it's the job she ended up in. And Edmund Andrews has proven that managing one's own money is not the same as reporting on money matters. And, frankly -- while it may be made up and exaggerated for the story -- Becky's version of what happens at finance magazines (regurgitating press releases and attending press events where champagne is served) makes one more concerned about the overall finance industry rather than one twenty-somethings debt problems.

© Elizabeth Burns of A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy

Wintergirls

2009-06-24T05:34:00.000-04:00

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson. Brilliance Audio, 2009. Copy provided by publisher.

The Plot: Lia's best friend, Cassie, is dead. Before she died, Cassie called Lia thirty-three times. Lia didn't answer; the two had stopped talking, stopped being friends. But they had never stopped being partners -- partners in the race to see who could be skinniest.

The Good: Anderson captures the tortured thoughts and worldview of Lia, who, to put it mildly, has serious problems. She starves herself; cuts herself; berates herself (stupid/ ugly/ stupid/ bitch/ stupid/ fat/ stupid/ baby/ stupid/ liar/ stupid/ lost); sees herself as fat; and sees ghosts. Sees Cassie. Everywhere. Haunting her; taunting her; encouraging her. In audio, especially, Cassie's words twist into your heart and your head.

Lia and Cassie, now seniors, have been friends since they were little. Anderson doesn't point to any one point where the two went from "normal" girls to girls who didn't eat or -- in Cassie's case -- eats and throws up. There are a couple of flashbacks (Cassie learning to throw up at drama camp, the girls vowing to be the "thinnest" in school because it was an obtainable goal) to individual moments that reflect when they start being sick, but no answers as to why. This is an immersion into Cassie's life and struggle, including her sickness, with the constant question being -- is this it? Is this the moment she dies? Or is this the moment she decides to live?

The narrator and production team does a great job of signalling not just other people's voices but also Cassie's own voice -- both the things she says and the things she doesn't say.

Lia meets a boy, Elijah. And guess what? Elijah is not a love interest. Thank you, thank you, thank you. He does provide a perspective outside of a family dynamic that is all twisted around Lia and her problems; it's a great balance when he, who has been beaten by his father, asks Lia, why she doesn't want to live with her mother. What has she done, he asks, imagining the worst. You can tell that her answers don't satisfy him. But the thing is, Lia's problems have no real answer.

There has been talk about whether Wintergirls could be not only a "handbook" for girls with eating problems, but also a trigger. I'm not going to pretend to be an expert on eating disorders; reading this, I did begin thinking about the calories I was eating. But I was also repulsed by the damage described to Cassie's and Lia's bodies; reading of Lia's starvation made me hungry. Wintergirls obviously describes a girl who is mentally ill, living an unhealthy life that is not to be envied. And it's a mental illness -- not a choice. Someone suffering from it will find their guidebooks and handbooks, either in books, TV shows, magazines, or from their friends. They will find their encouragement in articles like this one, where the author almost boasts about anorexia. Wintergirls provides a realistic, sympathetic, and frightening look at a very real illness. As a YPulse contributor said, "Laurie Halse Anderson’s exquisite novel provides a better understanding of the disease and is sure to spark further, much needed discussions the true causes, societal pressures, consequences, and ways to help and prevent."

© Elizabeth Burns of A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy

Crash Into Me Press Release

2009-06-23T07:44:00.000-04:00

Crash into Me by Albert Borris. Simon & Schuster. Publication date July 2009. Reviewed from ARC supplied by Classof2K9.

I read Crash Into Me as part of MotherReader's 48 Hour Challenge; a full review is coming in July.

The Class of 2k9 sent me the ARC, along with the following Press Release. (Disclaimer: I edited this so that the URLs weren't being shown but were embedded in the text.)

PRESS RELEASE – ALBERT BORRIS, CRASH INTO ME

Debut YA novelist Albert Borris has a way with words.

Or rather, had a way with words.

This past December, just months before the release of CRASH INTO ME (Simon Pulse), Albert suffered a stroke so powerful, his doctors told him he was lucky to be alive.

And alive he is, having made a full physical recovery, enough to roughhouse with his two young sons and work out at the gym. However, Albert is still working on recovering something else: his words.

To be sure, they are all up there in his brilliant mind. He just can’t get them out – verbally or on paper – in the correct order, yet. But he’s working on it.

Prior to his stroke, Albert was a full time teen counselor, husband and father. He also served as Co-President of The Class of 2k9, a group of 22 debut middle grade and young adult novelists banding together to promote their books. Words were his thing. Communicating with others, in person and on the page, was his specialty.

As his friends and fellow debut novelists, we, the Class of 2k9, are making it our business to get the word out about Albert and his novel, CRASH INTO ME. Here's a bit about it:

When Owen, Frank, Audrey, and Jin-Ae meet online after each attempts suicide and fails, the four teens mak e a deadly pact: they will escape together on a summer road trip to visit the sites of celebrity suicides...and at their final destination, they will all end their lives. As they drive cross-country, bonding over their dark impulses, sharing their deepest secrets and desires, living it up, hooking up, and becoming true friends, each must decide whether life is worth living--or if there's no turning back.

Won’t you join us in spreading the word?

Pass this on to every librarian, teacher, and teen reader you know.

Send him an encouraging note on our website.

Blog about Albert.

Pre order his book.

Anything you can think of to show your support would be deeply appreciated.

Thank you.

The Class of 2k9

© Elizabeth Burns of A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy

Summer Reading, & the Reading is Easy

2009-06-22T19:11:00.003-04:00

Or not.

Summer reading is the buzz worthy topic now, what with it being summer and all. Some schools and public libraries have reading lists. Just the other day someone asked me (interesting enough, not a parent or teacher or child) where was my summer reading lists? Don't I have a list of books that summer reading participants have to read?

No. No, I don't. Why, I wonder, do you need the list?

What's wrong with a kid picking their own books? Don't get me wrong; I love doing readers advisory with kids. I love talking with them about books that they love - or hate. I love doing booklists and displays. It is simply my most favorite part of my job.

What I don't love so much? Parents not letting kids pick out their own books. Oh, the reasons may vary. Too busy to come into the library is always a good reason; wanting to make sure the kids read the "good" books; not wanting their child to waste time with a book they find boring or to miss out on a really good book.

But you know what? Just as there is value in learning who you can turn to for getting a good recommendation for a book, there is value in learning how to pick out books for yourself.

To slowly browse the shelves, discovering on your own that your favorite author wrote another book.

To not find anything and have your Mom saying "pick something already" and to grab a book and then be really really bored six days later and find out OMG despite the awful cover it's a great book.

To think you're going to like something, to find out you didn't and realize that you don't have to finish it.

To start forming your own tastes and ways to pick books, rather than always having a parent, teacher or librarian telling you what your tastes should be.

If summer is about freedom --at least, for students if not for the rest of us! -- why not the freedom to pick your own books, including the freedom to fail at picking the right one?

My summer reading post from two years ago is still timely: Play A Half Hour of Baseball Every Day

© Elizabeth Burns of A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy

My Japan

2009-06-22T06:24:00.000-04:00

My Japan by Etsuko Watanabe. Kane/Miller. 2009. Copy supplied by publisher.

The Plot: Yumi, seven years old, lives outside of Tokyo. She shares her life with the reader, from going to school to holidays.

The Good: Yumi presents her life in a matter of fact way, full of the details that readers love. Even the back cover gives information (Japan has over 3,000 islands).

Yumi's Japan is modern; when she shares the meals she eats, there is sushi, ramen, tonkatsu...and hamburger. And spaghetti. It is also traditional; during summer vacation at her grandparents, she wears a yukata.

The illustrations are bright and full of things to be discovered, some of which are explained (the process of taking a bath, where one washes before going into the tub) and some aren't explained (the kitchen shows storage in the floor, something I learned about from reading Apartment blogs.) Other details, such as those about the school days, are ones I've read in Here and There Blog, a snapshot look at Japan written for kids.

Kane/Miller publishes children's books from around the world. Guess where My Japan was first published? Wrong! France.

© Elizabeth Burns of A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy

Don't Blame Kate

2009-06-20T15:22:00.005-04:00

I'm sure it doesn't surprise readers that one of my TV shows is Jon and Kate Plus 8. J&K is what I call "easy watching" TV; I don't have to think too hard, I can do other stuff, and gosh darn it the kids are cute! And I love shows about large families.

Yes, Kate could be nasty, but I'm sure if cameras were following me around all the time my TWOP name would be Elizabitch. And yes, Jon can be too laid back, but man, with that many kids you don't want to be too hyper. And now this season, as anyone who reads People headlines knows, the usual marriage tensions escalated to rumors of divorce. No comment from me, except that it's heartbreaking, and it's no one person's fault.

Remember the Louds? In what some call the beginning of reality TV, PBS did a documentary called An American Family about the Louds. They (and America) got more than the bargained for when Pat asked Bill for a divorce; and son Lance's being gay? This was 1973. Groundbreaking.

Also groundbreaking has been the The Up Series (Seven Up / 7 Plus Seven / 21 Up / 28 Up / 35 Up / 42 Up / 49 Up) series; following Neil's mental health issues has been devastating and illuminating.

The question of children acting -- or being used -- has always been with the industry. Until actual actors aren't needed in order to make films and TV shows, children will be needed on stage, film, TV. Go back to pre-film days, and most of the great stage families had the younger members acting since (and before) they could walk. But some shows take the illusion one step further by having the viewer think they are "really" watching a "real" child's life, not too unlike the Gosselins.

Ozzie & Harriet Nelson used their own names, their own sons, and their sons' names for their TV show. It was a TV show, clearly, but it gave many people the illusion that they were watching a "real" family. Many people still believe that Desi Arnaz, Jr, played Little Ricky on I Love Lucy, in part because of Lucy/Lucy and in part because in Here's Lucy Lucie and Desi, Jr. played her children (but with different names.)

So, what other early documentaries have given too-uncomfortable (and not planned) looks into the darkness of life?

EDITED TO ADD: Gail Gauthier at Original Content has a very interesting take on J&K; I especially like how she sees the story/myth that is involved.

One final note; I remember watching the Sonny & Cher show as a kid, and then how it split into two shows when they separated, and then one again because of ratings. Does anyone remember if the domestic problems between Sonny & Cher were as in your face as with Jon & Kate?

© Elizabeth Burns of A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy

The Tushy Book

2009-06-19T05:57:00.003-04:00

The Tushy Book by Fran Manushkin. Illustrated by Tracy Dockray. Feiwel and Friends. 2009. Copy supplied by publisher.

The Plot: Oh, let's be real. There is no plot! It's just a love-fest to the tushy!

The Good: I saw the cover of this book and began giggling. The Tushy Book? Really?

Really. Because "when you're born, your tushy's there/ready to go anywhere."

And there's more: "Every tushy's in the back/ Every tushy has a crack!/ Where would you put underwear/ if your tushy wasn't there?"

And for those reading along, there's a part where we are all encouraged to say "TUSHY TUSHY TUSHY."

Yeah. Whether you're reading this one on one, or in story time, you're going to have a lot of fun and will need to allow extra time for giggles. As you can see from the quotes, this is told in rhyme; it's pitch perfect, giving a nice rhythm to the story, making it a great story time book. The illustrations are full of tushies -- babies, grown-ups, even animals; some in diapers, some in bathing suits, some in the bathtub. The children are all ages and sizes and ethnic backgrounds. Adults are old and young and in-between.

The Video:

And not just a video! A website with coloring sheets. And a "circle the tushies" activity sheet.

Poetry Friday Round Up

© Elizabeth Burns of A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy

The Treasure Map of Boys

2009-06-18T06:21:00.002-04:00

The Treasure Map of Boys: Noel, Jackson, Finn, Hutch--and me, Ruby Oliver by e. lockhart. Delacorte Press, an imprint of Random House. July 2009. Reviewed from ARC. Copy supplied by publisher.

Companion to The Boyfriend List and The Boy Book.

The Plot: It's the second half of Ruby Oliver's junior year. Things seem better. She now has two friends (two!), Nora and Meghan. And Noel likes her, but because Nora likes Noel, Ruby has promised herself to stay away from Noel (even tho Ruby likes him, also.) And Jackson is back in the picture! And maybe Finn. And Hutch is still there, working for her father. Kim and Cricket still don't talk to her. Things should be better. But Ruby is lonely; it's been over thirty weeks of no boyfriend! And she's still getting panic attacks. And the rumors may be starting again.

The Good: I reread my reviews of the previous two books (linked above) and saw I'd written this: I'm not sure if another book is planned; but while Ruby has grown more by the end of this book, she does has further to go and I look forward to visiting with her again and seeing how it all works out for her. Ruby did have further to go and in this book she finally, finally, gets more in touch with herself, her friends, her world.

On the surface, this book is about boys. The boys Ruby likes, the boys she likes, Ruby figuring out when flirting is just fun and when flirting is something more. And you know what? That can be enough. Many teenagers share those same concerns and worries. Why not have a smart, funny book about navigating love and lust and friendship? It's a bonus that the treasure map of boys is about more than romance; it's about figuring out what one really wants and also owning one's own actions. And it's also about heavy metal music and cupcakes.

Ruby is a junior in high school. And as she talked about boys and boys she likes and boys she (maybe) flirts with, I had two thoughts. First, Ruby needs to get to college where it's not the same small group of people. Second, it's almost incestuous, this small school, and part of Ruby's problems arise from being in such a small, close environment. Ruby cannot date Finn who she's know since grade school because he used to date Kim; flirting with Noel is a no-no because Nora said she likes him. The threads of connectiveness go on and on, muddled and confusing. No wonder Ruby is having panic attacks! Whatever you do, Ruby -- do not go to a small college! Go to a big one where you don't have to worry about this type of stuff!

Ruby remains as wonderfully funny, delightful, and wry as ever in her observations and for that reason alone, I would read another book about her. But, honestly? Ruby's journey, as it has been played out in these three books, feels done. Finished. Resolved. I love that it took Ruby this long to really, truly find the answers within herself. While this works well as a standalone (Lockhart does a terrific job of quickly recapping past episodes, events and characters), the Ruby Oliver books are best read as trilogy.

Twitter Review

© Elizabeth Burns of A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy

Bloggi-what?

2009-06-17T14:32:00.000-04:00

Natasha Maw of Maw's Book Blog is holding a Bloggiesta blogging event.

If you sign up, what are you agreeing to? "The Bloggiesta will focus on blog content, improving/cleaning up your blog or working on your social network profiles. I’m pretty open on what you can do during the bloggiesta but reading actually won’t count! I know, I know. The point is to catch up instead of adding another book to the “to be reviewed” pile. Actual blog content is what I’m really aiming for with some technical/housekeeping bloggy stuff mixed in for good measure."

Yeah, I know, sounds like a typical to do list that never gets done! So why not sign up and get some of your blogging "to dos" crossed off your list?

© Elizabeth Burns of A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy

Norman and Brenda

2009-06-17T05:04:00.001-04:00

Norman and Brenda by Colin Thomspon & Amy Lissiat. Kane/Miller. 2009. Copy supplied by publisher.

The Plot: Norman and Brenda live their own lives, waiting for life to begin, waiting for that someone. Will their paths ever cross?

The Good: I wanted to read this after reading Betsy's review: "Norman and Brenda ain't sexy, but they're hopeful."

Norman and Brenda's stories are told at the same time; Norman on the top of the page, Brenda on the bottom. Both alone; both waiting; both yearning. Norman felt as if life had started without him. "Everyone else was having theirs, but his hadn't arrived yet." Meanwhile, "Brenda felt as if life was always going on in the next room. If she went into the next room, it moved out into the garden."

Their paths always almost cross. Will these two ever find each other?

Like Betsy said, this is a book to give as a gift to grown-ups; especially grown-ups who need a little hope in their life; a reminder that happiness comes, just at different times for different people.

It was first published in Australia.

© Elizabeth Burns of A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy

Hannah Was a Junior

2009-06-16T22:56:00.003-04:00

Wall Street Journal's It Was, Like, All Dark and Stormy had some factual errors in it. The article itself was discussed on this blog.

I emailed them (thrice) about these errors; I'm sure others did, also.

Guess what? The article now has 3 of the 5 corrections made to the article! From the article:

Corrections & Amplifications
In the novel “Thirteen Reasons Why,” published in October 2007, the main character kills herself when she is a high-school junior. A previous version of this essay said the book was published in March 2007 and said the suicide happened freshman year. Also, in the novel “Hunger Games,” one teenager of each sex from each district competes in a competition to the death. Previously, the essay incorrectly said one teenager from each district competed.

What two things remain unchanged?

Saying Mary went blind in Little House On the Prairie, when the blindness occurred between two later books; and saying "1999 novel “Speak,” about a deeply miserable girl who is raped at a party." I can understand, kind of, why the didn't change the part about Speak, but leaving the LHOTP reference sustains the impression that the author is talking about the TV show, not the books.

Anyway, thanks WSJ for making these corrections!

© Elizabeth Burns of A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy