Kids' Book Explorer

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane

2012-02-11T20:34:00.000-08:00

"The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane" is an unquestionable classic. I haven't felt this level of satisfaction from a children's book in so long. This is definitely an essential book to read to my students and maybe my own children, if I ever have any. The main character, Edward, is a toy rabbit with a privileged life. He belongs to a girl named Abilene, who loves him very much. She never fails to remind him that she loves him, but Edward does not love her in return. He only thinks of himself. His pride is easily damaged by any little upset. Abilene's grandmother, who gave Edward to Abilene as a gift, tells her a bedtime story one night about a princess who was turned into a warthog as punishment for being a cold-hearted person. Edward listens but does not understand the message of the story.

Edward has to go on a journey into the depths of despair in order to understand the story. On this journey Edward suffers greatly. He learns a lot about the joys and cruelty of the real world, but he also brings comfort to others and makes a difference in many people's lives. Each time he is torn from someone who loves him he learns to love a little bit more. At the end of his journey, he is humbled after numerous heartbreaks and years of loneliness. Finally, he has a chance to make up for his selfishness and love someone from his past who, after years and years, never forgot about him and never stopped loving him.

Pearl the shark

2012-02-08T19:26:00.000-08:00

Pearl will persevere

2012-01-28T23:04:00.000-08:00

Here is a sample from a short graphic novel I'm writing and illustrating called "Pearl." I started this book after dreaming I was a great white shark. It was after a night of cocktails with friends, defending sharks in one conversation and listening to someone gawk over how pale my skin is.

My instincts are telling me this an important book that will bring amusement to many people, especially shark lovers. But the other day I received a lot of negative criticism for my drawings. Two shark haters told me Pearl is too scary and that this book won't be good for children. One girl told me not to worry, that she would still read my book to her future children, as if my book were a pair of ugly orange sweaters I had knitted, which she would force her children to wear whenever I visited. These critics suggested I give Pearl a bow to make her less scary. I felt terrible afterward. I was so discouraged, but I kept drawing and soon my optimism was restored.

I thought of an interview I saw with the actor James Franco on the Charlie Rose show. He was talking about negative criticism he'd received and how that would never stop him from doing what he loves. He said, "The worst that can happen is that I'll fail." I thought that was a great line, but really, the worst that can happen is letting the fear of failure destroy your potential.

Ollie the Purple Elephant

2012-01-11T17:48:00.000-08:00

“Ollie the Purple Elephant” by Jarrett J. Krosoczka is a sweet book. As an elephant enthusiast, I enjoyed it. In my opinion, having an elephant as the main character in a picture book is like having Meryl Streep as the lead in a movie. Even if it’s a mediocre movie and the other actors are only halfway decent, the main performance makes it all worthwhile.

Although I love the vibrant illustrations, I wasn’t sure about the writing in this book. Words like “chagrin” and “devious” and “conspirators” are sure to create a gap between the young audience and the book's designated reader. I am always asked to define words at my job as a high school English teacher, but I can’t imagine trying to explain the word “conspirators” to a five-year-old.

The book tells the story of Ollie’s quest to fit in and be loved by his new human family, the McLaughlins. (Okay, imagine a five-year-old trying to pronounce that.) When the evil cat, Ginger, teams up with the curmudgeonly old neighbor, Mr. Puddlebottom, and convinces Ollie he is a burden to the McLaughlins, Ollie leaves his loving home and joins the circus.

This book has kind of a implausible Scooby Doo-type ending, with the bad guys getting their comeuppance a little too conveniently. I would have preferred the cat getting some kind of punishment, instead of just the disappointment of his evil scheme not working.

Rapunzel's Revenge

2011-12-18T19:49:00.000-08:00

"Rapunzel’s Revenge" is an old western and comic book mishmash, which, unlike the traditional fairy tale, empowers the damsel in distress and gives her a mind of her own. In order to save her mother from the evil witch, Rapunzel teams up with Jack who has his own complicated past. The world has become cold and desolate and people have lost the ability to trust one another, but even so, Rapunzel and Jack create an unbreakable bond. This book is filled with eccentric characters, like Witchy Jasper, my personal favorite. Next I will check out “Calamity Jack” by the same authors and illustrators. This is an entertaining and unpredictable take on the classic fairy tale. I think you'd have to be the antagonist of this book to not enjoy it.

Zoozical

2011-12-18T19:39:00.000-08:00

I had originally written a positive review of this book, but now that I think about it, I don't really like it. My sleep last night was broken up by intervals of alertness, and for some reason, "Zoozical" came into my head. I remembered the illustrations being very colorful and varied, and I remembered the rhyming language being lively and sophisticated, but it is long for a picture book, does not have any real characters or conflict and seems a little schizophrenic as far as style and color goes. I would say this book has multiple personality disorder, but I don't think this book focuses long enough on any characters to produce even one personality and that's the problem. It's just an eclectic, confusing buffet-style children's book.The illustrations by Marc Brown, creator of the Arthur books, are colorful and original, but I wonder if perhaps he was so tired of drawing the same anteater over and over again for years that he just wanted to go wild and draw every animal in the whole animal kingdom, except for anteaters.

I ordered "Zoozical" because the description sounded like a rhyming children's book I wrote a while back called "Jazz Dogs." Many editors shy away from rhyming children's books, which is why I'm curious to read the ones that are being published. I think this bias against rhyming children's books is what propelled me to write a positive review. I really wanted to dismiss those editors' opinions and just focus on the positive aspects of the book. Good writing is not always enough to make a book work. It's the most important ingredient, just like love in a relationship, but it takes more than that to make the cake rise.

In some books that deliver a message to children, the author's personal problems are transparent. The worst children's book I ever read, whose name I have forgotten, was about a rat with low self-esteem. For the right age group, that idea could have worked, but this rat's tale of woe was made into a board book for babies. The message of "Zoozical" seems to be "Don't be depressed." That's a good message, but children are more resilient than adults. I don't think they need rhyming self-help books as an antidote to depression.

Reading Rainbow theme song.

2011-11-17T16:11:00.000-08:00

Niagra Falls or Does it?

2011-11-16T23:34:00.000-08:00

Lin Oliver and Henry Winkler have teamed up to create this series of funny chapter books for young readers. Lin is an author and co-founder of The Society of Children's Books Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), a resource for writers and artists all over the world. Henry Winkler, also known as the Fonz, has topped his cool guy persona from the show "Happy Days" by co-writing this wonderful series. The main character is Hank Zipzer, a 4th grade goofball and underachiever, who tries to wow everyone around him with his creative genius. Unfortunately, not everyone understands Hank and he gets in trouble a lot.

With a brilliant title like "Niagra Falls, or Does it?" the first book in the series begged me to read it. As a childless young woman who writes and recommends children's books just for fun, I don't know if I'll race to finish the other books in the series, but I just might. The first book has great humor, wonderful characters, and a valuable lesson about different learning styles and turning flaws into assets.

I think this book will resonate with boys. With so few male elementary school teachers, boys need more advocates, more characters they can relate to. Recently I was talking to a woman who found out she was pregnant and she told me "I hope it's not a boy." When I asked her why, she said, "Because, I don't understand boys." She apparently is in the majority, which is precisely why books about misunderstood but ultimately lovable characters like Hank Zipzer are so important.

Hey, Rabbit!

2011-11-03T20:58:00.000-07:00

What I love about "Hey, Rabbit!" is Sergio Ruzzier's unusual, unique drawing style and attention to detail. This book is perfect for young children because it teaches the importance of friendship, generosity and imagination. The illustrations tell the story and the simple text gives fun repetitive questions that kids will be able to memorize and help ease them into reading on their own.

“Hey, Rabbit!” is a fun, confidence-boosting carousel ride of a book. I am going to give my copy to the kindergarteners I work with at an orphanage. I know they will absolutely love it.

Now for a closer look at the illustrations. The anthropomorphic animals in this book all look related, even though they are a rabbit, a dog, a bird, a bear, a cat, a mouse and a crab. They all have softness about them, even the crab. Ruzzier’s signature style can be recognized in his other picture books. That style, I’m sure, has built loyalty among fans, both young and old.

As an aspiring illustrator, I paid attention to what I first noticed when I turned each page. The bear is highlighted by a green blanket with bees on it, the cat’s calico pattern stands out against a geometrical carpet, and a missing wedge in a cheese wheel serves as an arrow pointing at the mouse. Ruzzier’s skilled use of color, patterns and shapes is something I will continue to study.

Here is a great video I found of Sergio Ruzzier reading "Hey, Rabbit!" to children. It’s the cutest thing ever. Enjoy.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

2011-10-16T20:23:00.000-07:00

There is a wimpy kid in all of us. Greg Heffley is the smug, cowardly, comical hero in Jeff Kinney’s series. He is learning how to be a good friend to his best friend Rowley and a good older brother, but Greg lets his self-interests guide him more than his conscience. Rowley is an angel compared to Greg, but Rowley is best suited as the loveable sidekick. Nobody wants to read about a character that is cute and polite all the time. Greg is a lousy friend and doesn’t even understand what he does to wrong Rowley. But luckily for Greg, there is an opportunity for redemption at the end of the book and a chance to win back Rowley’s trust.

I loved the “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” movies (I watched the first one about five times) and I’m just getting started on the books. The humor will appeal to anyone who has a sense of humor. This book is great for reluctant and avid readers. After all, everyone loves a good story and everyone loves to laugh. You can’t go wrong with this book.

In a coffee shop back in Oregon, I struck up a conversation with a kid wearing a “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” hat and he told me to check out “Dork Diaries” because I’m a girl. I haven’t checked those out yet, but I think “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” is great for boys and girls. I can see why publishers would try to profit off the success of Diary of a Wimpy Kid with imitations, but great humor has the power to cross gender lines and age gaps. I just wish those “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” hats came in my size.

Lipstick Smiles and Lacey Dresses

2011-09-20T22:45:00.000-07:00

I’m wearing lipstick and a lacey dress today and my high school students are bowing to me automatically and saying, “Beautiful” and, “We love you, Meri.” When I was a kid, I remember being prejudiced against women who dressed casually. Maybe it was just my interest in art and wanting something interesting to look at that made me snub women in jeans and gravitate toward women in pretty dresses. It’s interesting how kids pick up on these cultural pressures and form judgments at such a young age. When I worked as a mentor for middle-school kids in Portland, my mentoring sessions always went a lot more smoothly if I had put some thought into my outfit. It’s taken me a while, but I think I finally get it. I must adhere to societal demands and try to look nice.

But there is one place in Korea where kids have not been affected by these beauty standards. At the orphanage where I volunteer, kids are glad to see me, and if I'm wearing jeans and a T-shirt, that's just fine with them. They're happy just to be shown kindness and when my high school students made an alphabet book for them, they were over the moon.

I had given my high school students adjectives for every letter of the alphabet and had them think of a corresponding noun and draw a picture. The book might be a little advanced for kindergarteners, but they had fun looking at the pictures and learning some new words.

Next I'll show them a kids' book written and illustrated by me. :)

Brian Selznick

2011-09-15T20:55:00.000-07:00

"Masterpiece" is a word rarely applied to even the most talented person's work. But with Brian Selznick, every piece of paper this man touches turns into a masterpiece. I was blown away by his picture book "Amelia and Eleanor Go for a Ride." Don't let the weak title fool you. It's actually a thought-provoking, original view of history, based on the true story of a plane ride Amelia Earhart and Eleanor Roosevelt took over Washington DC at a time when few women were allowed to drive cars. "The Houdini Box" is another great read. These books show kids that history is infinitely fascinating.

Brian Selznick travels around the world to do research for his books and to capture scenes for his illustrations. He takes his own interests in silent films, historical figures and French cinema and applies these topics to children's books so passionately that kids can't help but catch his enthusiasm for his interests. His books are never condescending, and from what I've read, truly deserving of the word masterpiece.

His new book "Wonderstruck" is an illustrated novel. It is about two children, living at different times, who follow their destinies to the Natural History Museum where their stories collide. I'm not sure how that's going to play out, but I can't wait to read it.

Brian Selznick was interviewed on Morning Edition. You can listen to the story and read an excerpt of his new book.

My sheep dream came true

2011-09-05T07:47:00.000-07:00

Today I brought joy to a class of 16-year-olds and a group of 5-year-olds. And I just brought joy to myself by listening to awesome Mongolian music, eating cookies and drinking milk. Yup, I know how to have a good time.

With my high school students, I played a game I call "Musical Jenga." For this game, I play music and the students pass around a bag of candy. Then I stop the music and whoever is holding the bag has to remove a block from the Jenga tower at the front of the class and answer a question written on the block. If they can answer the question in a complete sentence, they get a piece of candy. The game resumes until the tower falls or we run out of candy. The song I played today was Taylor Swift’s "You Belong with Me.” Taylor Swift mania ensued. Even the boys looked thrilled, bouncing in their seats and clapping when Taylor Swift kissed the boy at the end. At the students' request, I played the song three times and the euphoria stayed fixed on their faces. I guess I can't take credit for this outbreak of unbridled joy. It was all Taylor Swift and I have to admit, it's a catchy song.

The 5-year-olds were bouncing off the walls this evening when I went to volunteer at an orphanage. All I had to do to win them over was draw animals on the whiteboard. The kids went wild with each new animal I drew. The other teacher and I accomplished a lot in an hour. We taught the kids animal names and body parts and played Bingo and Simon Says. My co-volunteer, who speaks Korean, told me kids were asking about me, "Why aren’t her eyes brown?" and saying, "Meri's hair looks different." Many of these kids came straight from the baby orphanage a couple weeks ago to this new orphanage, so I might be the first non-Korean person they've ever seen. It’s only my first day and I absolutely love these kids already.

About a year ago, I had this awesome dream. Every dream I have about being another animal is awesome. In the dream, I was a sheep whose mission was to travel the world, bringing joy to children. The way these 5-year-olds gathered around me to stare into my eyes and gape at my odd appearance today, I might as well have been a sheep. So I kind of feel like this dream came true.

Evolution of an Illustrator

2011-08-26T18:13:00.000-07:00

Helen Craig, illustrator of "Angelina Ballerina," talks about her rise to children's book stardom. This is inspiring. I too am sometimes daunted by all the talent around me. This video offers a good lesson in doing what you love, despite feelings of inadequacy. "If there's no pleasure in your drawings, that transmits itself into the book," says Helen Craig. So do what you love!

Reading Reduces Teasing

2011-07-12T22:01:00.000-07:00

"The Hundred Dresses" by Eleanor Estes is a wonderful book that can be used to teach kids about teasing. This slim chapter book tells the story of Wanda Petronski, a Polish girl with no friends who wears the same blue dress every day. Wanda tells the girls at school she has one hundred dresses and the girls tease her. Eventually, Wanda and her father move away and one of the girls, Maddie, takes time to reflect on her part in the teasing. She regrets not doing anything to help Wanda. Maddie visits the rundown house where Wanda lived and sees pictures drawn on the walls. The pictures are of the hundred dresses Wanda claimed to own.

This book would elicit some good discussions in class, or at home with a parent. Parents and teachers could compare Wanda Petronski to Pippi Longstocking. They both wear the same dress every day and have unusual names. Why does Pippi have friends and Wanda doesn't? What would you do if you saw those girls teasing Wanda? What could Maddie have done to make Wanda feel more welcome? I believe raising a reader will greatly decrease the chances of your child growing up to be a bully. Reading improves empathy and understanding. I can't think of any video games and TV shows that activate compassion in the same way reading does.
It is crucial that we encourage children to read when they are young, so that as they grow older they can make the world a safer, kinder place. Right now there is a huge controversy over young adult literature, and whether some YA books glorify bad behavior. I wouldn't be surprised if bullying was glorified in many young adult novels, considering that being catty and mean and judgmental is rampant in other parts of youth culture. It is harder to filter influences in teenagers' lives, but I think introducing "The Hundred Dresses" to kids when they are young will help cultivate empathy and give them ideas to ponder for a long time.

Christoph Niemann

2011-06-27T07:18:00.000-07:00

I just heard an interview with author/illustrator, Christoph Niemann, on Fresh Air and now I am going to read all his books. Two of them, "Subway" and "That's How," have elephants on the covers, so I'm sold. Children's book authors and illustrators are the most glamourous celebrities in my world, so I hung on Niemann's every word. His creative process sounds like an act of worship. He is so respectful of his subject matter and mindful of his audience. I thought I had never read one of his books, until he mentioned "The Police Cloud" and the memory of that book made me smile. I read it several years ago, and it was the sweetest book. Niemann has also illustrated covers for The New Yorker, The Antlantic Monthly and The New York Times Magazine. He writes and illustrates the blog "Abstract Sunday," which is inspiring in that he's able to pack humor and grace into each pencil drawing.

P.S.-I just looked more closely at the cover of "Subway" and realized there is no elephant, just a subway that looks like an elephant. Maybe it's a subway that swallowed an elephant. (Little Prince reference.)

Marty McGuire

2011-06-05T08:12:00.000-07:00

"Marty McGuire" is an excellent addition to the popular trend of gutsy girl adventure books, like "Ivy and Bean" and "Pippi Longstocking." Readers will be able to relate to the issues, ones I remember from elementary school. I was an athletic kid and liked to physically challenge myself by doing backward somersaults up the stairs. For career day in the 3rd grade, I wore my baseball uniform to school and felt infuriated when other kids told me girls couldn't be professional baseball players. I remember pounding my fist in my glove and telling them to watch "A League of Their Own." Sometimes I would act prissy for no reason other than to fit in with other girls. Many girls have to confront that confusing gender divide, but this book relates the message that girls don't have to choose between playing dodgeball and Barbies. They can be whoever they want and play whatever they want.

The only nitpicky complaint I have is that there were too many adults in this book. Marty McGuire was dishonest, and her parents gave her a gentle talking to that reminded me of something out of Full House. I'm fine with kids misbehaving in children's books. Who wants to read about some little angel? Nobody. I would rather skip the blantent moral message and have all the powerless adults be aghast by the mischievious children around them.

Dodsworth in Rome!

2011-05-29T16:41:00.000-07:00

I ordered "Dodsworth in Rome" from "What the Book," an English bookstore in Seoul, because I couldn't be deprived any longer. I laughed out loud at the previous Dodsworth books set in New York, Paris, and London. Ever since reading "Dodsworth in London," I had been eagerly anticipating the arrival of "Dodsworth in Rome." I couldn't wait to see what kind of mischief Dodsworth and his friend, the duck, would get into this time. The duck, as usual, comes close to ruining their vacation, but then, by some stroke of luck, everything turns out all right.

I seriously love everything about these books. The humor is adorable. The characters are endearing. The watercolor illustrations are done with subdued colors, like bluish greys, rusty reds, and muted greens, giving the book a warm appeal. The duck is glaringly white, which I think was a wise choice by author/illustratior Tim Egan, because it stands out on every page. Similar to loud and embarrassing tourists, the duck never fails to draw attention to himself.
"Dodsworth in Rome" ends with a subtle moral message about being honest and respectful. Combine moral and educational values with attractive illustrations and an entertaining story, and you've got "Dodsworth in Rome." Loved it!

Gender Bias in Children's Books

2011-05-06T19:30:00.000-07:00

This is a fascinating article about the underrepresentation of central girl characters in children's books. In my experience with children, I've noticed girls are more willing to read about male or female characters, whereas boys usually just want to read about other boys. In an interview with Oprah, JK Rowling said she used her initials to hide her gender, because publishers said she might lose male readers if they knew she was a woman.
Like many people, I have mistaken gender-neutral animal characters as male. I always assumed Piggy in Mo Willems' Elephant and Piggy books was a boy.
According to this article, the number of female characters dropped the lowest in the 50's and 60's. I've never read a Nancy Drew book, but I've heard that these books, which have been around since 1930, were the most insulting to women in the 50s and 60s. I like to think sometimes that history progresses upward, but it doesn't. I want to build a clubhouse devoted to gender equality in children's books and hang a sign that reads "No gender bias allowed!"

Here are some great books with central female characters. Please let me know if I should add any others.

1.) Bread and Jam for Frances
2.) Pippi Longstocking
3.)Rapunzel's Revenge
4.) Girl, You're Amazing
5.) Franny K Stein
6.) Little Rat Makes Music
7.) Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters
8.) Matilda
9.) Alia's Mission
10.) Lily's Purple Plastic Purse
11.) Chrysanthemum
12.) Amelia and Eleanor Go For a Ride
13.) Together
14.) Mary Cassatt: Family Pictures
15.) Josephine's Dream
16.) Miss Rumphius
17.) Brownie Groundhog and the February Fox
18.) Our Only May Amelia
19.) Lunch Lady and the League of Librarians
20.) Maya Running
21.) Bink and Gollie

Mary Lou Retton

2011-05-04T23:26:00.000-07:00

On my wall is my Mary Lou Retton poster I've had since I was a baby. I remember lying in bed when I was about three, looking at my poster and gliding my hand through the air, up and down, around in circles, pretending it was me at the Olympics. I could make anything into a toy when I was little: a sponge, a popcorn kernel, a toilet paper tube, anything. The poster still hangs over my bed, but not facing me anymore. It's a little ripped and crinkled, but still, I find my Wheaties poster inspirational. I can still vividly see the picture of me at the Olympics in my young imagination. I would start on my feet, wearing the same patriotic leotard Mary Lou Retton wore, and then shoot up in the air. I would soar over the audience in circles and then come back down for a perfect landing. The audience would cheer wildy. I don't know how many times I imagined this scenerio, but I remember thinking it was a tangible goal in life. My dream was to fly around and be famous. And I would fall asleep smiling, a practice I wish I could continue more as an adult.

I brought my Mary Lou Retton poster with me to South Korea, where I am teaching English for one year, as a reminder to keep imagining new scenerios that make me happy.

Animated Dodsworth!

2011-04-03T19:20:00.000-07:00

Children's book author and illustrator, Tim Egan, has made an animated short based on his hilarious, wonderful Dodsworth series. I look forward to seeing more of these videos, and I can't wait for Dodsworth in Rome to come out! Until I can travel the world, I will live vicariously through Dodsworth and his friend, the duck.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWx_n22QOR8

Two great early readers and one terrible one.

2011-03-15T19:25:00.000-07:00

It's probably obvious if you've been following my blog that I enjoy early readers, those simple books aimed at kids learning how to read. But to a few of my friends, I've had to explain why I enjoy early readers. First of all, I enjoy the challenge of keeping my writing simple and the story engaging. I also find the work very rewarding. The thought that my stories might help kids learn to read and enjoy reading is motivation for me to keep writing. And, contrary to snobby belief, writing early readers is an art that takes skill. Mo Willems has a knack for it. As does Jane Yolen. There's plenty of work out there to learn from and admire. Just think of ancient Greek poetry. It was incredibly simple and the Greeks influenced modern civilization so much. As Nathaniel Hawthorne said, "Easy reading is damn hard writing." There are great early readers and there are bad ones. There are ones that make me laugh and ones that make me wonder how they ever got published in the first place.

I remember when I was in the first grade, my horrible first grade teacher, Ms. Michelle, told kids they were stupid. She divided the class into two groups: slow readers and fast readers, as if reading quickly were more important than enjoyment or comprehension. I still get mad when I think about Ms. Michelle. I feel I need to make up for some terrible teachers' destructive "teaching" methods by writing early readers.

I recently sat down to coffee with children's book author Susan Blackaby. She gave me feedback on a couple of my manuscripts and said editors and writers sometimes don't understand the guidelines of early readers. She gave one example of a terrible early reader, written at a 5th grade reading level but marketed as preschool-grade 1. That book is "Bookstore Cat," by Cindy Wheeler. The author uses words like "pigeon" and named her main character Mulligan. Finding a preschooler who can read the word "pigeon" is like finding a pigeon who can read the word "preschooler." These are ridiculous expectations.

But since I like to keep things positive, I'll end this blog entry by telling you about two fabulous early readers.

"Shampoodle," by Joan Holub. The text rhymes and the illustrations show dogs with funny hairdos. What more do I need to say?

"Yeti Spaghetti," by Samantha Hay. This book is for kids who are ready to move beyond the basics. Pete, the main character, enters a cooking competition, but his only problem is the yetis who sneak up and eat his culinary creations before they can be judged. The illustrations are similar to those of Quentin Blake, who illustrated Roald Dahl's books. It's a hilarious story that will capture kids' interest till the end. I loved it. Love love loved it!

The Demise of the 5 lb Gummy Bear

2011-03-05T18:53:00.000-08:00

I've been slowly devouring a 5 lb green gummy bear I got for Christmas. Both his ears and part of his forehead are gone. If he had been a red gummy bear I probably would have finished him off by now, but his less appealing lime flavor has guaranteed him a slow demise. Tonight he will go untouched because I'm making peanut butter cookies. At the rate I'm going, I will probably have to leave his headless body to someone in my will.

Science is the greatest of adventure stories.

2011-02-27T15:41:00.001-08:00

Books and Cookies

2011-02-25T17:21:00.000-08:00

Chudney Ross, daughter of Diana Ross of The Supremes, has opened a bookstore/bakery in Santa Monica, California called "Books and Cookies."

I hope someday I'll have a chance to visit/volunteer there, and maybe read one of my own books. According to her website, Chudney Ross is also the author of an upcoming children's series called "Bean's Books."

Whenever the song "I Hear a Symphony" comes on my iPod, I think of an illustration class I took with Elsa Warnick. She said that after she completes a set of quality thumbnails for a children's book, she hears a symphony.

I joined Twitter

2011-02-24T11:20:00.000-08:00

I joined Twitter the other day because a successful, New York City PR lady I met at an Irish cocktail party talked about joining Twitter as if it were a matter of life and death, sink or swim, publish or perish and so on. I go by Livre_Diva. Please follow me and I'll try to provide interesting tweets.

So far, I have found agents and editors on Twitter, as well as other kids' book enthusiasts. I also found a girl whose children's book blog is similar to mine. Her name is Emma and her blog is Short, Easy Words Like "What About Lunch?"

Some books I read last night

2011-02-23T15:10:00.000-08:00

"Little Rat Makes Music" is an early reader about the rewards of perseverance. The illustrations by Molly Bang are exquisite, exuding color and evoking various moods. Her style has risen to new heights since her earlier books, such as, "When Sophie Gets Angry--Really, Really Angry," another wonderful book, but less detailed and visually stunning than this one. I think kids will be able to relate to Little Rat's frustration at learning to play the violin and taking lessons from a crusty-tempered rabbit.

Some more great books for beginning readers are the books by Crosby Bonsall. I had never heard of this author until last night when I read, "The Case of The Scaredy Cats," "And I Mean it Stanley," and "Who's Afraid of The Dark?" These books are from the early 70's and they should not be missed. Bonsall addresses emotions such as pride, fear and loneliness and includes an element of surprise in each one.

And to cap off this treasure trove of book recommendations, I give you "For Just One Day." This is an absolute classic. The author's biography on the jacket flap feels a bit self-important, but she deserves to boast. The illustrator's biography is just a standard who-what-where, but a little boasting from him would be justified.

Marc Boutavant's style is retro like a disco club. It's totally groovy and far out if you catch my drift. The book switches back and forth between imagination and reality, and in imagination mode, the colors burst off the page. Go buy this book for a child you know and spread the joy.

A little girl interviews Tim Egan about writing.

2011-02-23T12:34:00.000-08:00

I love Tim Egan. He's one of my all time favorite authors. And I can't wait for Dodsworth in Rome to come out. :)

Agents

2011-02-21T20:47:00.000-08:00

A person who paces as much as I do has little patience. I usually can't sit through a movie. I try to maneuver my way around slow walkers. I go stir crazy while waiting for buses and people, and I knock myself out with sleeping pills on long flights. I also have little patience for other impatient people.

I work in customer service and "Where's my cappuccino?" has begun to sound as monotonous as barking seals . Several weeks ago, a customer at my work pointed to her plate, empty except for the crumbs, and complained, "It would have been nice to have my latte with my almond croissant, but you took too long, and now the latte is an afterthought." I wonder if that woman is impatient about everything, and if she were in my situation if she'd say to an agent, "Gee, it would have been nice to have an agent as soon as I finished my book. But you took too long and now the book is an afterthought."

I am trying to find an agent for my early chapter book, "Wormsworth, World Traveler." So far, I have sent it to Caryn Wiseman of Andrea Brown Literary, a reputable agency with a website that feels like a welcome mat and Chris Richman of Upstart Crow, an agency whose website feels like an intriguing, musty old attic. I guess I have a long wait ahead of me. Where is my fairy godmother when I need her to make an agent fall in love with me quickly?

Maybe my fairy godmother is a blogger. I found a wonderful blog which lists agents who represent authors of children's and young adult fiction. Some of these agents handle only young adult lit, so I had to research each one. I also checked out the Children's Writer's and Illustrator's Market, which is a useful tool. At first, while doing research, I found it discouraging how many of these agents specialize in children's books AND smutty romance novels. Then, the more reaearch I did, I realized how many good agencies there are and how many options I have.

Rather than going through a door to exciting new places, this stage feels more like being stuck in an elevator on my way to exciting places. Here are some agencies I researched that look really good to me:

Upstart Crow Literary

Adams Literary

Greenhouse Literary

Andrea Brown Literary

Erin Murphy Literary

Herman Agency

Nancy Galt Literary Agency

Pippin Properties, INC.

Bink and Gollie

2011-02-19T19:58:00.000-08:00

Golly gee! Bink and Gollie is a great book! The writing style is smart and sparse and the illustrations are magnificent. The illustrator, Tony Fucile, uses a great technique of highlighting the most interesting aspects of each drawing. In one drawing, everyone in a movie theater is shown in black and white, except for Bink and Gollie. The facial expressions are classic and add humor and depth to the story. This would be a great book to read aloud to children and discuss different emotions showcased on the characters' faces.

This book won me over because it is an original and humorous work about friendship. Bink and Gollie live in different tree houses in the same tree. Without parents or guardians, they enjoy a fancy-free existence. The independence of these heroines reminded me of Pippi Longstocking, while their differences and affinity for each other reminded me of Frog and Toad.

This book is bound to boost kids' confidence in reading and provide a rollicking, roller skating joyride.

Pixar Studios

2011-02-10T14:01:00.000-08:00

This looks like the most exciting place to work. I wouldn't just work there, I would live there if I could.

Stuart Little

2011-01-31T19:42:00.000-08:00

I enjoyed Stuart Little, but in the world of children's literature I feel like I'm committing blasphemy by saying I did not love it. My main complaint, ridiculous as it sounds, is that this book lacks credibility. The story is about a talking mouse, whose family accepts him for who he is. I knew that much when I started reading, but when E.B. White conveniently created a situation which would allow Stuart to drive a miniature car, I grew sceptical.

Stuart lives his day-to-day life, so there is no goal that drives the story. When halfway through it, Stuart finds himself smitten with a bird named Margalo, the story changes direction. Without saying good-bye, Stuart leaves his family in search of the bird. He tells his friend, who happens to be a dentist, who just so happens to own a miniature car, that he has run away from home. This decision to run away is very rash since the only family member Stuart dislikes is Snowball the cat. An inquisitive reader, like myself, might wonder why Stuart did not write his loving family a letter so they wouldn't worry about him.

Then, the final layer on this unbelievable cake of a story is when Stuart decides to woo Harriet, a miniature woman he meets on his journey searching for Margalo the bird. Yes, Margalo the bird. Remember her? I found the confetti style of this book very frustrating. I was not surprised when I read on Wikipedia that Stuart Little received a "lukewarm welcome" when it first came out in 1945.

E.B. White is well known for his book "Charlotte's Web," which he wrote seven years later, when he knew how to organize a book a little bit better. In that one, Wilbur the pig's goal is not to be eaten, a worthy goal that deserves the support of all readers. This sign of improvement goes to show that writers should keep writing because great books follow lesser ones.

Ivy and Bean!

2011-01-30T23:25:00.000-08:00

I wish I could summon with the powers of my brain box sets of the Ivy and Bean books to hand out to little girls I pass by on the street. I know that Dolly Parton's literacy program gives enrolled children a free book a month from birth until they start kindergarten. I think this program is FABULOUS, but I wish something like this was available for older children. That way, more kids could read the Ivy and Bean books.

I have only read 3 of the 7 books in the series and I can't wait to read the rest. These books are funny and clever and full of adventure! We've come a long way since enduring the contrived cuteness and stupidity of children on The Brady Bunch and Full House. Cindy Brady and Michelle were my on-screen role models growing up. I imagined that I might have a manufactured audience fawning over me. It is really nice to see smart, curious, and adventurous female characters who shy away from nothing. These books will inspire girls to have larger aspirations than just being cute and receiving fleeting heartbeats of attention.

The author Annie Barrows is a gift to this 4-8 age group. She can make a dish-washing scene suspenseful and a ghost-evicting scene hilarious. It is no wonder why these books are so popular.

Flat Stanley flashed before my eyes

2011-01-25T23:04:00.000-08:00

Tonight I helped a man and three women move a 2 ton safe from my mom's garage. As the people tilted the safe so that it nearly fell on top of me, I thought of those wonderful books by Jeff Brown. Yes, I almost died and Flat Stanley flashed before my eyes. I thought I would be able to mail myself to Philadelphia to visit my brother. Fortunately, no one was flattened. I survived and I am thankful.

And Flat Stanley rules!

Wintry rhyming books

2011-01-24T09:15:00.000-08:00

"Snowbots" and "Snow Bugs" are essentially the same book. Both books rhyme and are suitable for kids aged 3-7. Although it's been a while since I've read "Snow Bugs," I read it so many times to a little boy several years ago that the rhymes are now branded on my brain.

The other day at Powell's Books, I took "Snowbots" with me to the coffee shop so that I would be properly entertained while I waited for my friend to arrive. It sounded so familiar. I almost shouted, "This is 'Snow Bugs,' only with robots!" for everyone in the coffee shop to hear. Good thing I have some self-control.

An editor once advised me against rhyming in my own work because very few writers can pull it off. I was rhyming words like "jelly" with "Botticelli" and "success" with "acquiesce." Since I would still like to write rhyming books and get them published, I am always interested in reading other rhyming books and trying to see how those writers pulled it off. With both of these books, I think the key factor is simplicity.

Both of these books are awesome. They are sure to help robot and bug enthusiasts learn to read and provide snowdrifts of fun that will never melt.

Kevin Henkes

2011-01-22T15:53:00.000-08:00

The Jellybeans and the Big Dance

2011-01-21T16:38:00.000-08:00

This is a great book about making friends and celebrating differences. Emily, the main character, is the most skilled dancer in her class, and is disappointed by the other dancers' lack of enthusiasm and grace. While eating an assortment of jellybeans, Emily realizes that being different is a delight. To boost morale, she gives the other dancers bags of jellybeans before the big performance. This book should bolster kids' problem solving skills and help them build friendships.

Co-written by Nate Evans and Laura Numeroff (author of If You Give a Mouse a Cookie), and illustrated by Lynn Munsinger, "The Jellybeans and the Big Dance" is a sweet book. I highly recommend it.

The Year of Goodbyes

2011-01-21T16:28:00.000-08:00

I'm the kind of person who likes to try and make sense of the senseless and bring clarity out of chaos. Still, some brutal acts are impossible to comprehend.

In a speech last night about the Arizona shooting, President Obama said that trying to find answers to why a tragedy happened will only lead to more finger-pointing and divisive debates. "The Year of Goodbyes" is not a finger-pointing book. It is a book about the ill treatment and elimination of European Jews, as observed by a 12-year-old German Jewish girl, Jutta, who writes with surprising composure and maturity. But most of all, it is a book which emphasizes the importance of friendship and celebrates one Jewish family's triumphant escape from Nazi Germany.

The book was organized by Jutta's granddaughter, Debbie Levy,with Jutta's help. Jutta kept a poetry book as a girl, which her friends helped fill with their drawings and poems. Despite the sad title, "The Year of Goodbyes" is not a sad book. I actually laughed when one of Jutta's friends tried to pass off a Goethe poem as her own in Jutta's poetry book. When I was younger, I read a book called "We are Witnesses," which is similar to "The Year of Goodbyes" in that it is a collection of children's diary entries, but "The Year of Goodbyes" is a much rosier book, suitable for elementary school children.

Hopefully, children who read this book will feel inspired to keep diaries and poetry books as well, so their families might have wonderful keepsakes passed down.

The Shrinking of Treehorn

2011-01-05T20:58:00.000-08:00

Edward Gorey illustrated this bizarre and delightful book, The Shrinking of Treehorn, which was published in 1971.The patterns on people's clothes and the household decor aroused in me admiration and envy of his artistic talent. Gorey's inability to capture motion (or emotion for that matter) results in a distinctly static style. Sometimes his characters look as if they are glued to the wall, or as if they are statues about to tip over.

This book is very text-heavy, but I think children will still enjoy it, as I did. Kids don't need to have aristocratic, neglectful, and flamboyantly-dressed parents to relate to Treehorn and his shrinking dilemma. Anybody whose ever felt ignored or misunderstood will find amusement and sympathy in this character. I just learned from Amazon that there is a Treehorn trilogy, so I can't wait to read the other two books.

The Amazing Trail of Symour Snail

2011-01-04T18:49:00.000-08:00

Yay! The Amazing Trail of Seymour Snail is a cute and funny book about a snail who loves to create slimy masterpieces. His artistic grandeur catches up with him when he's trying to find his true path. This is a perfect book for the 5-8 age group, since kids learning to read may need a boost of confidence, just like Seymour Snail.

I remember when I was a kid, staying with some crabby people in San Francisco (I was like a surrogate kid for a wealthy childless couple for one week out of the year) and I remember sitting in the woman's office overlooking a huge garden and hearing her tell me that William Faulkner was the greatest writer of all time. I was only half-listening to her, because I was far more interested in the sparkly trail of slug slime that wound around her office. This memory came back to me while reading this book. It seems obvious now that a slug in a children's book would be a brilliant artist.

Lynn E. Hazen also wrote an easy reader called Cinder Rabbit. That one was also good, but in my opinion, it was no Seymour Snail. The character Wicked Winifred in Cinder Rabbit is a lot like the dreaded Mr. Stink Bug in The Amazing Trail of Seymour Snail. Both are 100% mean characters with no redemptive qualities, who pick on perfectly sweet protagonists. Now I want to psycho-analyze the author and find out what kind of stink bugs and wicked winifreds have influenced her writing. :)

Pet Shop Lullaby

2010-12-30T12:59:00.000-08:00

Pet Shop Lullaby, by Mary Ann Fraser, is a sweet book about a nocturnal hamster who keeps the other pet shop animals awake. The animals try to come up with ways to get the hamster to go to bed, but nothing works. The illustrations are done in mostly blue and yellow, showing the contrast of day and night. This is a wonderful book!

Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing

2010-12-30T12:09:00.000-08:00

This bold statement for a title compelled me to read the book, just to see if I came to the same conclusion. Judi Barrett and Ron Barrett pose a convincing and funny argument that animals should definitely not wear clothing. The illustrations show different animals experiencing wardrobe malfunctions. My favorite picture shows a kangaroo wearing a coat with unnecessary pockets. This fashion show of a book will make kids laugh. It was published in 1970, but this picture book will never go out of style.

Happy Holidays!

2010-12-25T18:18:00.001-08:00

Rembrandt's Hat.

2010-12-23T10:04:00.000-08:00

Rembrandt's Hat, by Susan Blackaby, is the best picture book I've come across in a long time. Blackaby has a wonderful command of language, summoning brilliant and descriptive words that stand out like plumes and frills on a fancy hat. The text is rich and ripe with new vocabulary. Snag, launch, fidget, elegant, swirly, and glide are some of the words that activated the story for me.

Since I have been studying picture books and trying to figure out how to write them, I've been told numerous times to cut the text so that the story accommodates children's short attention spans. I've also been told to let the illustrations dominate the story so that the words are basically mortar that holds a brick wall together.

In Rembrandt's Hat, the text and illustrations shine equally bright and complement each other like skilled dance partners. The illustrator, Mary Newell DePalma, has a fun and refined style that reminds me of Arnold Lobel's. She uses different textures and media, such as maps, newspapers, feathers and scraps of fabric to illuminate the illustrations. My favorite picture, which is also the cover illustration, shows Rembrandt in a hat shop, looking for a replacment for his lost hat. This picture pops off the page with an array of colors and textures.

Children will enjoy discovering little details, such as Boo the cat sneaking around a tree, an egg splattered on a juggling caterpillar's head and a little frog that appears in almost every illustration.
I love this book and I hope one day I can contribute something just as marvelous to the compendium of children's classics.

Of Thee I Sing, Barack Obama's children's book

2010-11-20T18:52:00.000-08:00

Barack Obama has written a picture book. It is titled "Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters." I am hoping this book will help revive the picture book industry. After reading the NYT article about the dying world of picture books, I felt pretty discouraged. But, maybe his book will snap people back to their senses and make picture books popular again. Maybe. Cross your fingers.

The illustrations reminded me of Norman Rockwell's art, only more cartoonish. Sasha and Malia are shown, as well as hordes of other children, each holding tools,like paintbrushes and baseball bats, that will help them develop their potential.

Obama pays tribute to great Americans like Billie Holiday, Helen Keller and Abraham Lincoln. His choice of praising Sitting Bull has garnered some criticism, because Sitting Bull resisted the genocide of his people and helped win the Battle of Little Bighorn. I think that's a ridiculous complaint. With Thanksgiving approaching, I can't help but think how little I know about Native American history. I think this book will change how children are educated in this country, bringing light to subjects often ignored.

Babies

2010-11-19T23:00:00.000-08:00

I went on a date with my boyfriend to see "Babies" at the Laurelhurst Theater a while ago. He made some joke about how the bar would be full of men, and that all the women would be inside the theater, so entranced by the babies they wouldn't notice their boyfriends missing. He explained the difference between guy action movies and girl action movies. In a guy action movie, someone might yell, "There's a bomb under the Vatican!" In a girl action movie someone might yell, "That baby looks hungry!" The pitcher of beer within his reach kept him complacent, but I still worried he would make a run for it. I wondered how I'd gotten him to say yes to this movie in the first place. Did he think I said "Rabies" and think I was taking him to some kind of horror film about rabid dogs? I snaked my arm around his so he couldn't get away.

We both loved it and I was so pleased. We even had the same favorite baby, the Mongolian one. I would like to see more baby movies. It could be like the 7-up series, but instead of interviewing the same people every seven years, the baby movies could focus on more babies from other countries. If everybody saw "Babies," I think the world would be a happier place.

And, I'm sorry, but I have to brag. Last night my boyfriend and I watched "Before Sunrise." I feel victorious, as if my romantic movies and his gangster movies had a battle, and my movies won.

Spinning gold into picture books

2010-11-09T19:42:00.000-08:00

Two picture books, "Willoughby and the Lion" and "Willoughby and the Moon" will bring out the kid in you, even if you happen to be a hideous old grouch who works in a cubicle and has no sense of adventure whatsoever. These books by Greg Foley are riveting! The colors are bold and distinct, just like Foley's writing style. The text and illustrations complement each other very nicely. In addition to being visually appealling, these books offer subtle lessons about friendship and loss and the necessity of escaping from reality. I cannot recommend these books more highly.

The Picture Book Apocalypse is coming

2010-10-13T16:58:00.000-07:00

If anybody can think of a way to make picture books as addictive as coffee drinks, then get to work. The picture book business is deteriorating and it's very sad. According to this NYT article, parents are pressuring their children to read chapter books too early. Forcing 5-year-olds to read Tom Sawyer seems like a surefire way to get children to hate books. But some parents think by skipping picture books, they're ensuring their children's path to superior intellect.

I can understand why many parents choose to check out books from the library instead of buying them. After all, picture books are expensive and kids just color in them and rip the pages out anyway. But parents pooh poohing picture books because they deem them unsophisticated is just silliness.

Please go buy a picture book today. :)

Some thoughts on the Katy Perry and Elmo scandal

2010-10-12T11:30:00.000-07:00

The duet with Katy Perry and Elmo on Sesame Street is WRONG, not because we need to protect our children from Katy Perry, but because we need to protect EVERYONE from Katy Perry. Her music is terrible and she is setting the women's movement back. In the Sesame Street video, she is shown running around with Elmo, but judging by her lack of substance, I wouldn't be surprised if she became Sarah Palin's running mate in 2012.

Kids have to overcome all sorts of problems, I highly doubt Katy Perry's dress will scar them for life. I can't help but wonder why parents are getting so upset over Katy Perry's outfit, but are impassive when it comes to Disney's portrayal of women or Barbie's unrealistic figure and revealing clothes. Is it because Katy Perry is not a cartoon or a plastic doll and thus seems more threatening?

The song "Hot N' Cold" sounds like it was written for Sesame Street. With her clueless expression and catchy, inane lyrics, Katy Perry appeals to a mass market of adults with low IQs. In her video "California Girls," with Snoop Dog, she is snooping around Candy Land, lying naked on a cloud, and commiting obscene acts with whipped cream. Meanwhile Snoop Dog sits on a throne like some kind of candy king god, showing the superiority of the male and relaying the message to women that their job is to be eye candy for men and nothing more.

Let's hope that young girls get the stronger female role models they deserve, not ones who encourage them to act stupid and exploit their bodies to attract men. And let's try harder to recognize sexism, whether is appears in cartoon format or flesh and blood. If adults are stupid enough to listen to Katy Perry's music, it is a given that our poor taste is going to trickle down to children.

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie

2010-09-28T18:32:00.000-07:00

The beloved children's book, "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie," by Laura Numeroff, came out when I was two years old. I remember thinking it was a practical guide book for a very tangible situation. A mouse in overalls might show up at my house and extend his stay with every idea that pops into his head. . . . It could happen. Some kids leave out cookies for a mythical bearded man in a red suit on Christmas Eve. Why not for a mouse in overalls? Actually, I have seen mice in my house, but they were not wearing overalls and they were being batted around by my fluffy fiendish cat, Simone. I rescued one of them and released it outside, so my mouse karma is good.

It must be good, because today I went to hear Laura Numeroff give a reading at Annie Blooms Books in Multnomah Village. I was the only adult there without a child, but I wouldn't miss this reading for anything, not even a really big molasses cookie. When Numeroff told the audience, "I grew up in New York and now I live in Los Angeles," one kid announced, "I live in the United States of America." Then Numeroff responded with, "Everyone here lives in the United States of America. Isn't that amazing?" Then another kid yelled, "Everyone except me." Kids are so cute. I suppose learning what country you live in is a big concept for kids who are mainly familiar with their houses and their friends' houses, maybe their dogs' houses.

I found it endearing that Laura Numeroff could barely complete one sentence without kids in the audience offering random bits of information about their lives. She read everyone her new book, "Otis and Sydney and the Best Birthday Ever," which was very sweet. When she read, "If You Give A Mouse a Cookie," she purposefully made mistakes and kids corrected her. They had heard the story so many times they memorized it. I think that is really wonderful and the mark of a real children's classic.

Now I have a signed hardback edition of one of my favorite books. Laura Numeroff and I chatted briefly and I discovered that we both love the actor/writer, Stephen Fry. Something else in common, besides the fact that we both enjoy writing for children. :)

Allen Say

2010-09-27T15:24:00.000-07:00

Two children's books by Allen Say, "Erika-San" and "Kamishibai Man," have detailed and dimensional cover illustrations accentuated by silver and golden borders. The covers are what grabbed my attention and compelled me to read these books.

Allen Say lovingly depicts ordinary yet interesting characters. Erika-San is a woman who teaches English in rural Japan and the Kamishibai man is an artist who travels around on bicycle and entertains children with stories. The books are so realistic, I think readers will be able to recognize and better appreciate their own lives in these stories.

I took a class in children's book publishing at Portland State and the instructor, Michelle McCann, told everyone that adult characters in children's books should never act like adults. I found examples of these childish adults in classics like "Millions and Millions of Cats," "Enemy Pie," and "Bea and Mr. Jones." But the adult characters in "Erika-San" and "Kamishibai Man" are very mature. Both books take place in Japan and are about adapting to changes and following your dreams. Those are themes I believe kids can relate to, so it is not necessary to inject the adult characters with rejuvenating drugs.

I was excited to learn that Allen Say lives in Portland, Oregon. Maybe I'll get a chance to meet him. I have a feeling he would be just as amiable and interesting as one of his characters.

Fun fact: I learned from the afterword in "Kamishibai Man" that in the 1950's, movies in Japan were called denki (electric) kamishibai, after the popular tradition of story telling.

George's Secret Key to the Universe

2010-09-10T22:03:00.000-07:00

I wish "George's Secret Key to the Universe" was available when I was a kid. But unfortunately, it was published in 2007, so little Meriwether, who was so wary of science growing up, never learned that science can be fun and interesting . My science teachers were all a lot like Mr. Reeper, the antogonist in this book. It's sad, but my first science class was in the 5th grade. (Just like foreign languages, kids in this country get a late start with science.) I began to notice an insanity pattern in all my science teachers that just pushed me deeper into my world of art and books: a world that fiercly rejected anything science-related.

George, the young hero, combats his evil science teacher to save his friendly neighbor from a black hole. His parents are anti-technology hippies, who, just like our protagonist, completely change their stance on science. George goes from being an average kid to a science superstar, offering a positive message to kids who have low self-esteem in certain subjects.

The writing style is very scene-driven and fantasy-based, a lot like the Harry Potter books. But unlike the Harry Potter books, George actually has to earn his heroic reputation. He doesn't just have a lighning bolt on his forehead that makes him special. He surprises even himself with his capabilities and delivers a diplomatic speech at the end, combining his parents' environmental beliefs with his own scientific beliefs.

Lucy Hawking wrote this book with her father, Stephen Hawking, who wrote "A Brief History of Time." This book explains Stephen Hawking's theories to a younger audience. Fun facts about the planets and blackholes and lovely photographs are interspersed with the story. Most adults will gain knowledge from this book, so no one should consider it beneath their intelligence level to delve into this book.

One giant flaw which I couldn't ignore, even if I tried, concerns George's pet pig. The book begins with the pig disappearing. Then the pig initiates the encounter between George and his scientist neighbor. But when the pig is no longer needed, he is forgotten, just like a female character in an Alfred Hitchcock movie. I always thought writers should try to blend in as much as possible characters who only exist for one purpose. I would have enjoyed the book more if the pig went into outerspace or helped George fight his evil science teacher. But maybe the pig will have a bigger part in the sequel, "George's Cosmic Treasure Hunt." I liked this book enough to read the sequel. I recommend "George's Secret Key to The Universe," despite the pig negligence and George's almost plagarized resemblance (in my opinion) to the Little Prince.

Dodsworth

2010-09-09T14:29:00.000-07:00

I am in love with Dodsworth and his crazy friend, the duck. The duck doesn't have a name. He is simply "the duck" but still, I love him. If I were to write a missed connection for the duck, it might sound like, "I saw you on top of the Eiffel Tower. You were wearing an acorn on your head. You were making paper airplanes out of Euros and throwing them off. I thought you were so adorable, but you being a fictional character, I couldn't talk to you."

I read all the Dodsworth books by Tim Egan and they are all absolutely brilliant. My favorite so far is "Dodsworth in London." This book will be great to read aloud to children, especially if you can do funny voices and accents. I was thrilled to discover that a fourth book, "Dodsworth in Rome," is coming out in the spring. I can't wait to see what kind of crazy adventures Dodsworth and the duck will have in the Colosseum, or riding around on vespas.

Something to look forward to! Tim Egan is a genius.

The coolest website

2010-09-08T21:12:00.000-07:00

Everyone must check out http://www.sharyn.org/. Teachers, writers, illustrators, parents, librarians, EVERYONE!

Sharyn November is an editor of YA fiction. I have nothing to send her right now, but when I do, I will keep her in mind. She seems very tough, a little intimidating as an editor, but her website is a great resource.

I am so excited. She even has a link to a library hotel in New York City. In Newport, Oregon, we have the Sylvia Beach Hotel, where each room is dedicated to and named after a famous writer. It's great to learn about more hotels for book lovers. There's nothing like a bunch of books to make someone feel at home while traveling.

The Hunt For Early Chapter Books

2010-09-05T21:29:00.000-07:00

Today, I visited the Lake Oswego Library and discovered the children's section takes up the whole basement. This was exciting and reminiscent of the old Hillsdale Library of my youth, but even more exciting was listening to a hyper little girl rave about how much she loves to read. I was surprised to hear her carry on about the Dick and Jane books. She told the children's librarian in a very pseudo-adult voice "Sometimes Dick and Jane do very boring things, but I just love them!"

I've been looking for interesting early chapter books, books that are easy enough for early readers to tackle on their own, but enthralling at the same time. I would not have put Dick and Jane in that catergory. It's been a hit-and-miss search. I often pick up early chapter books and want to hurl them across the room because the story and word choices are so boring.

Today, I started thinking, "What ever happened to books like 'Frog and Toad Are Friends,' 'Mouse Soup,' 'Owl At Home'" You know! The classics! Just as I was about to give up, I found one called, "Look Out, Jeremy Bean!" by Alice Schertle. This book is so cute. My recommendation is as high as a giraffe on top of the Empire State Building. It was published by Chronicle Books, which explains the strange design of the book. It is really three books in one, and I know kids will love it.

I'm all about goals

2010-09-05T20:34:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I had coffee with my good friend Jill at the St Honore. We sat outside and marveled at how quickly time flies. We hadn't seen each other for 6 months. I had to fill her in on my awesome boyfriend, my trip to Korea, my many frustrating rejections from agents and publishing houses . . . Well, that last one actually is a continuing saga. C'est le vie d'ecrivain, n'est pas? Anyway, it was refreshing to learn that Jill and I are more alike than I had thought. We both are extremely motivated people, but we have so many projects going on at once that we find it hard to finish them.

I proposed that we meet for coffee once a week and give ourselves a project to focus on each time. This is quite a transition from meeting every 6 months, and I think it will be an interesting experiment. Jill and I both expressed an interest in reading Ulysses by James Joyce, so I think that might be a formidable project in the future. I'm afraid to tackle that one alone. Obviously, that will take us longer than one week, but I'm sure with my trusty goal buddy, we can come out feeling triumphant and scholarly.

For this week, I am going to turn my picture book "Wormsworth" into a short chapter book. An editor at Disney, Tamson Weston, told me that's what I should do, and I've been putting it off. I met Weston at a Society of Children's Books Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) conference in New York two years ago. Now I have a plan to expand this book, and I'm finally going to do it. So, here's to setting goals and accomplishing them. Cheers!

Teaching in South Korea

2010-08-23T17:35:00.000-07:00

I just returned from a 5-week teaching stint in South Korea. I taught English to elementary and middle school kids at a summer camp in the Jeollanam-do province. My days were long, with little free time, but I was so far out in the sticks there wouldn't have been much to do, even if I had been given free time.

The program was organized through Portland State University and the University of Missouri. I made one excellent friend from Missouri named Alex who has an interest in children's books as well. During our free time, we explored the cities of Mokpo and Gwangju. Both were big enough cities that I could have stayed there longer and not lost my mind.

Alex and I found a bookstore in Gwanju and browsed the Korean children's books. I found that a lot of them were bathroom oriented, and I couldn't quite tell if they were for humorous or educational purposes. See for yourself.

In Seoul, I went with some seventy Americans to an amusement park and had a meltdown on a roller coaster. Some people from my group goaded me into stepping under the rope and joining them in line. When I sat down in the roller coaster car, a man aggressively clamped a bar down so I couldn't move, and I suddenly had a panic attack. I started crying and was so distraught, that the operators actually stopped the ride after it started going uphill. I quickly unbuckled my seat belt and hopped down. I am, as my friend Alex jokingly put it, "weak sauce." I don't like being scared and I think I am completely aware of that now.

The highlight of the experience definitely was working with kids. It always feels good to make an impact in someone's life and help build up their confidence. I think I was a terrific teacher and the kids seemed to think so too. I would recommend teaching English in Korea to anyone who enjoys spicy food and good hospitality.

Wicked History

2010-07-17T08:58:00.000-07:00

At my library job, if someone is checking out a huge stack of interesting books, I'll usually strike up a conversation with the patron while I'm scanning the barcodes and demagnetizing the spines. It's almost impossible for me to check out books to someone without reading the titles. One day I was fortunate enough to help two women checking out a stack of kids' history books. Surprisingly, a lot of them were about Genghis Khan. I had read one of them, a picture book titled Genghis Khan, to a 5-year-old and a 9-year-old, and I told the women I didn't think that book gave very clear explanations. The women agreed that the book, although beautifully illustrated, is deeply flawed. They recommended I check out the Wicked History series. I immediately got online and started putting holds on them left and right. These books are fantastic! So far, I have read the biographies of Mary Tudor, Genghis Khan and Tomas de Torquemada. To be honest, the Mary Tudor biography was a little dry, but the other two were terrific. They were both written by the historian Norman Itzkowitz. He has written a couple others in the series about Vlad the Impaler and Rasputin. I will definitely read those when I have more time.

The women at the library also told me to check out this cool website for kids: http://www.historyforkids.org/ It was started by Karen Carr, a history professor at Portland State. Check it out.

Due to the graphic descriptions and pictures in the books, they are probably not suitable for kids younger than 8. I believe the historical information to be gained from these books is well worth all the gory subject matter.

Showing off

2010-06-15T11:49:00.000-07:00

Look what I got in the mail! My very own gentleman bug drawing by Julian Hector!

Three new books that made me happy

2010-05-30T17:40:00.000-07:00

Here are some fabulous picture books I read at Powell's today.

One was "Mr. Peek and the Misunderstanding at the Zoo" by Kevin Waldron. Mr. Peek is having an off day. His jacket feels snug and he's worried that he's put on a lot of weight. He goes around his job at the zoo, putting himself down, fretting over nothing. The animals hear him talking to himself and think that he is insulting them. I love this book, because of the message that we need to be nicer to ourselves. I'm getting so fed up with people hating on themselves for being overweight. They don't realize that they are not only wasting time and energy watching "The Biggest Loser" and counting their calories, but they are hurting others, especially when subjecting others to their blather or when making the assumption that other people share the same obsession. Let's love ourselves, everybody! It's not that hard. The first step toward loving yourself and having a brighter outlook is taking five minutes to read Mr. Peek and the Misunderstanding at the Zoo.

The next book I fell in love with was "Please Take Me For a Walk" by Susan Gal. This book is well written and suitable for very young children. The collage illustrations are incredible. I especially liked how Susan Gal cut up old maps to make bushes. This book is rich in colorful details, sort of like a condensed Richard Scarry book, but without labels naming every single thing. Kids will probably want to spend more time looking at each illustration than it takes the adult to read the text out loud. That is the mark of a successful picture book.

The final book that really impressed me was "The Little Matador" by Julian Hector. This book is a lot like "The Story of Ferdinand," but instead of giving the bull's perspective, Hector gives the perspective of little matador, who would rather draw than fight with bulls. If I were a mother or a teacher, I would read The Little Matador and Ferdinand back to back. Then maybe I would read "The Three Little Pigs" followed by "The True Story of the Three Little Pigs" and encourage the kids to write their own story from another character's perspective. Especially for reluctant writers who are not confident in their creativity, that might be an excellent and valuable writing exercise.

The Enigma of Waldo

2010-05-20T14:54:00.000-07:00

Kaline Klatta blah blah whatever.

2010-05-20T14:46:00.000-07:00

I am eating spanakopita now, and unlike the book "Kaline Klattermaster's Treehouse," my food actually lives up to its cool name. I hated this book. I cannot tell a lie. I offered it to my 6th grade mentee because, who knows, she might like it, but I made it sound so terrible she wasn't the least bit interested. So I sold it to Powell's.

This book is about a kid coping with his parents' divorce. Instead of being upfront and honest, his dad just goes away and doesn't tell Kaline anything. So Kaline plays in an imaginary treehouse with 100 puppies and two older brothers who protect our feeble protagonist from bullies. I would have hated this book less if it had been written from Kaline's POV. The omniscient narrator sounds like some condescending adult who purposefully mispronounces words and talks baby talk to kids who are probably thinking, "What is wrong with this person?"

I can't understand why the author inserted so many mistakes in this book. I don't even want to repeat the awful George Bushisms I came across, but believe me, they were bad. These weren't just fun made up Dr. Seuss-type words. These were assaults on the English language.

One of my all-time favorite fictional characters, Pippi Longstocking, pronounced "multiplication" like "plutification," but it was cool because she was being rebellious and she was so admirable, it didn't matter how she pronounced words.

I still love the illustrations in this book, which were done by Peter Brown, author and illustrator of the fabulous picture book, "Flight of the Dodo." It is the writing of "Kaline Klattermaster's Treehouse" that cannot be tolerated.

The Gentleman Bug

2010-05-14T08:17:00.000-07:00

This picture book is so sweet. If I had kids, this would be a must-have in our library. I'm actually thinking about making it a must-have in my own library because the watercolor illustrations are so lovely. The story is beautiful and even though it's a fairy tale, a genre that attracts more female readers, The Gentleman Bug is like a Cinderella for boys. The main character's literary lifestyle is flipped upside down when a lady bug arrives and he tries unsuccessfully to get her to notice him. Eventually their mutual love of books brings them together and they live happily ever after.

I don't know anything about Julian Hector's personal life, but nevertheless, I have a theory that some adults just anthropomorphize themselves, simplify, or sometimes exaggerate their problems, and stick on a happy ending to help them cope with their lives. I know I do that! It's like handing your problems to someone else. "Okay, dog, you've got a swelled head and you're selfish. Not my problem anymore! Let's see what you do to solve this problem." Hehehehe. Perhaps Julian Hector was trying to get a bookish girl to like him at the time he worked on this book.

I just found Julian Hector's blog and I am amazed that he is the same age as me and shares the same astrological sign. I hope to be as talented as him when I'm in my fifties!

I loved The Gentleman Bug. I think this is one of those magical children's books that kids will remember fondly, even when they're not kids anymore. Reading it is like eating a fancy cupcake on your birthday.

Whale book? More like Fail book.

2010-03-19T20:12:00.000-07:00

So, I was just about to write a scathing review of the book, "Billy Twitters and the Blue Whale Problem," when I read that the author, Mac Barnett, opened a time travel store in L.A. http://www.826la.org/store/

Anyone with the good sense to open a time travel store can't be that bad. But still, why couldn't he have written a kids' book about time travel?

The reason I hated this book is because I have too much respect for whales to let them be problematic masses of blubber in some dumb book. I am an ultra sensitive person and I love whales. They are peaceful and they make beautiful music, which is lovely to listen to when getting a massage.

Billy Twitters is punished for not cleaning his room with the responsibility of caring for a blue whale. This book is not even logical, because wouldn't a whale just make everything messier? Billy does not make friends with the whale. The whale doesn't even have a personality. Then instead of returning the whale to the ocean, Billy moves his bedroom into the whale's stomach. Lame.

The parents' faces were obscured by voice bubbles and I thought that was the only interesting feature of this book. I know I don't want to see the faces of strict parents. But then again, I don't want to see bratty kids who mistreat whales either. I am sorry the whale didn't roll over and flatten him.

Here Comes the Garbage Barge=Awesome

2010-03-19T19:22:00.000-07:00

Okay, so it's been a few months since I updated my blog. I have been busy with school. My greatest achievement recently is that I finished my English degree. The feeling is equivalent to finishing a half marathon. I still have grad school to look forward to, and if you consider how much time I spent in school and how many languages I studied, toward the end I felt like I was being dragged across the finish line.

But now I'm done, and I can fulfill my lifelong dream of driving a garbage barge, like my hero, Captain Duffy. Actually, I just found out about Captain Duffy last night . . . . . and I don't really want to drive a garbage barge. Also, Captain Duffy isn't my hero. But he is an excellent kids' book character!

This hilarious book tells the true story of Long Island's garbage problem in the 1980's. It teaches readers not to dump their trash on other people, both literally and figuratively. The artwork was appropriately made using recycled materials. I think kids and adults will love this book and want to read it again and again and again and again.

When you go look for this book, you should also check out Jonah Winter's book, Dizzy. I've only read two books by this guy and I'm about to crown him the king of kids' books.

Celebrity Lullaby

2009-12-28T16:26:00.000-08:00

The Very Persistent Gappers of Frip

2009-12-11T17:08:00.000-08:00

In case anyone in the Portland area felt the ground shaking this morning, it wasn't an earthquake. It was me laughing at George Saunder's book "The Very Persistent Gappers of Frip." This book is insanely funny and wonderfully weird. It's about a girl named Capable who has to stop gappers from smothering her goats, so she takes up fishing, and the gappers go after her neighbors' goats instead. I'm sure after reading that description, you are rushing out to buy copies for you and all your friends and all the kids you know.

I've read some adult fiction by George Saunders and I'm a big fan. I want him as my teacher, like Mr. Miyagi was to the Karate Kid. We'll have our own theme song. Instead of "Everybody was kung fu fighting," ours will be "Everybody was kids' book writing." I think this is a good plan.

And thank you, Colin, for recommending this book. Colin's blog is http://www.thebookpirate.com/

The joys of being a mentor

2009-12-04T22:12:00.000-08:00

Today I met up with my 6th grade mentee, as I do every Friday afternoon, and we made our own artist trading cards. My mentee did not grant me permission to show the cards she made, but you can take my word that they look fabulous. They will be of tremendous value in the artist trading card world, which actually exists.

About a year ago, my friend Anne told me about these shindigs at a local restaurant where people meet and trade cards every month. I was interested, but I never found the time to go. Now that I'm buddies with a 6th grader and have to think of fun things to do, I'm thinking one of those parties might make a good field trip.

I've volunteered with the David Douglas Mentoring Project since May 2009. It's has been a wonderful experience. I wanted to become a mentor because I was inspired by Barack Obama, and I wanted kids to inspire me in my writing.

Over the summer, I went with my mentee to Powell's Books. It was her first time in Powell's. We filled a basket with books and went upstairs to the art room so she could make her selections. I still remember the books she picked: Mrs. Piggle Wiggle's Magic, Gilda Joyce: Psychic Investigator, Half Magic, and Pippi in the South Seas. It is not required that mentors buy gifts, but I figured going to Powell's and not buying anything is like going to a restaurant and staring at the food.

Later that day, I read the book "Richard Wright and the Library Card," which I highly recommend. In this book, a man named Jim Falk lets Richard Wright use his library card so he can check out books from the whites-only library. I wondered if being a Falk meant having a proclivity for providing people with books. Then I wondered if my mentee might grow up to be a famous novelist like Richard Wright. With books like Pippi Longstocking and Mrs. Piggle Wiggle's Magic, she is definitely on the right track.

The Muppets rock.

2009-11-26T18:48:00.000-08:00

What a fantastic movie.

2009-11-26T16:46:00.000-08:00

To mark this Thanksgiving, my mom and I went and saw "Fantastic Mr. Fox," the new Wes Anderson movie. I had my doubts because I am not a huge Wes Anderson fan. Sullen Bill Murray amuses me, especially in Groundhog Day (although that wasn't a Wes Anderson movie). I feel the same about "The Royal Tenenbaums" and "Rushmore" as I do about Morrissey's music. It's depressing and funny and awful all at the same time and I don't like it.

But "Fantastic Mr. Fox" is wonderful. I liked it much better than the book by Roald Dahl, which is patriarchal, with a too perfect Mr. Fox and a frail Mrs. Fox. In the movie, Mrs. Fox is Mr. Fox's partner in digging. I especially like that Mrs. Fox confronted a menacing rat with a chain. I noticed that Mrs. Fox's style of dress is similar to Michelle Obama's, which made me like her even more. And Mrs. Fox delivered one of the best lines when she said "Am I being flirted with by a psychotic rat?" I may have to use that someday.

Mr. Fox is flawed in the movie and comes to learn how his actions affect everyone. He is tormented by the possibility that he is not a good enough provider for his family, so he resorts to stealing chickens and cider from his neighbors. He has a column in the newspaper, which he doesn't think anybody reads (sort of how I feel about this blog sometimes.) When the neighbors shoot off his tail, his manhood is threatened even more. But in the end, his tail and manhood are restored. So, even though Mrs. Fox is more empowered in the movie than in the book, this is still a guy's movie about guy issues, hence Mr. Fox.

The humor in this movie is really offbeat and random. The scenes often end with flat dialogue, like with someone muttering something, but in an odd way, it kind of works. I think the part I laughed at the hardest was when Mr. Badger and Mr. Fox were quarreling and snarling back and forth. I can't even describe why that scene is funny. It just is.

Mr. Fox's son has a dream of being an athlete and in the end, finally wows his dad and everyone else with his impressive flips, bullet dodging, and karate chops. This reminded me of my dream when I was little, to be like the Olympic Gold Medalist, Mary Lou Retton. I would imagine myself soaring through the air, doing a zillion flips and landing gracefully on my feet. This dream was so tangible when I was five, even though it required that I be some kind of super hero.

I think a lot of kids can relate to that dream of suddenly acquiring impossible skills and saving the day. The part where a flood of apple cider washes all the animals away reminded me of a childhood idea of what it would be like to swim in something other than water, something delicious. Getting locked in a candy store after closing and going on an eating spree was another situation I fantasized about. By watching "Fantastic Mr. Fox," I could live vicariously through the characters, even though as an adult, I'd prefer to be locked in a bookstore or a library.

Dinner is almost ready and I feel I should raise my glass and end this blog entry with a Mr. Fox-like toast. So, here's to being fantastic. Happy Thanksgiving.

Funny books you will love

2009-11-26T12:43:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I visited one of my favorite bookstores Annie Blooms, and read some new children's books. My three favorites made me laugh out loud. They were "You?" by Vladimir Radunsky, "The Secret Plan" by Julia Sarcone-Roach, and "I, Trixie who is Dog" by Dean Koontz.

"You?" is about a lonely girl and a lonely dog who meet in the park. They don't realize they are meant to be together until the end and spend most of the book longing for what they don't yet have, she for the perfect dog, and he for the perfect human. The illustrations get more bizarre as you turn the pages. Radunsky's style is primitive, but fresh. Looking at his website, I discovered lots of interesting books by him that I will have to check out.

"I, Trixie who is Dog" is a hilarious, unpredictable book. Koontz breaks the rules of writing for kids in that there's really no conflict, or climax or resolution. Reading this book feels like being dragged by an energetic dog at the end of a leah and not knowing where the dog will take you. There is rhyme, but no reason. I love the reappearing skunk and Trixie's friend dachshund.

And lastly, "The Secret Plan" by Julia Sarcone-Roach is about an elephant named Milo who is friends with three cats. Together, they come up with a plan to keep bedtime at bay and continue playing. Most of the humor is in the illustrations, which are beautiful. I love how the cat and elephant families are neighbors. They make such unlikely and adorable friends and their clever, but unsuccessful attempts to stop bedtime from happening will make kids and adults laugh.

Curious George, created out of courage.

2009-11-25T15:15:00.000-08:00

While thinking about human stupidity in a historical context, it's easy for me to wonder why we humans, the most violent species, are still living. But books like "The Journey that Saved Curious George" by Louise Borden, remind me that people do amazing and commendable things. This book tells the true story of the couple that created the Curious George books and how they bicycled from Paris to Portugal in 1940 to escape the Nazis.

Their escape required so much of them. Hans had to build their bicycles himself and they had to rely on the kindness of strangers for shelter and extra food. Louise Borden begins one chapter with, "Margret and Hans were not afraid," but I find that hard to believe. She also plays up the French resistance, which wasn't much of a resistance. Constantly referring to Hans' and Margret's escape as a "journey" and an "adventure," in my opinion, downplays how dangerous their quest for survival was and how lucky they were to have survived.

This book is 70 pages long, so it would be challenging for younger kids to sit through, but it is beautifully illustrated and includes plenty of photos, many of which were taken by Margret. "The Journey that Saved Curious George" is fascinating enough to intrigue even the most reluctant readers. I also don't think kids will need much knowledge of history to appreciate this book.

Margret and Hans Rey are presented as such likable people. I wish I had known them personally. They loved animals and had pet monkeys, which Margret knitted sweaters for. They also had pet turtles, which Margret did not knit sweaters for. That would have been weird.

I loved the part about French police searching Margret's and Hans' home for evidence that they were German spies, but only finding pictures of monkeys, turtles, and penguins. After all their close calls, Margret and Hans made their way to New York, where Curious George was published a year later, in 1941.

I believe anyone who reads this book will be inspired. Hopefully, I will never be in such desperate circumstances where I have to pedal for my life, especially if I have to build my own bicycle. Then I would be out of luck. But I'm grateful that Margret and Hans, and Curious George survived.

In awe of Amelia Earhart

2009-11-15T18:04:00.000-08:00

When I laid eyes on Amelia Earhart's first plane, The Canary, at the Air and Space Museum in Washington DC, I was maybe 8 years old. Ever since then I've been a huge Amelia Earhart fan. She has been a fascination of mine and an inspiration, helping me aspire to independence and accomplishment of my goals.

Earlier today my mom and I stopped by the Flight Museum in Seattle to check out an Amelia Earhart exhibit and I got chills all over again. I saw Amelia Earhart's flight suits, her silk scarf, even a compact she would take with her so she could gusssy up for reporters.

Same Sized Hands!!!

The exhibit featured an impressive gallery of photos, videos, artifacts, even fashion photos from the women's clothing line Amelia started.

When I was a kid I recognized Amelia as the epitome of independence and I wanted be like just like her. I vowed never to get married as vehemently as Peter Pan vowed never to grow up. This was because Amelia Earhart believed that marriage could compromise a woman's independence. She still got married to George Putnam, but that was okay because contrary to most men at the time, George let Amelia keep her career. Not only that, he helped her launch her career, publishing three books she wrote and organizing public appearances for her.
In the Flight Museum's gift shop I purchased an Amelia Earhart poster. Now I can have the pleasure of seeing her beautiful face and feeling inspired by her bravery every time I glance at it.

As far as kids' books are concerned, I highly recommend "Amelia and Eleanor Go For A Ride," which is about Amelia Earhart's friendship with Eleanor Roosevelt. It is a beautifully illustrated picture book with charisma on every page.

Also, I highly recommend "Sky Pioneer: A Photobiography of Amelia Earhart." This book is well written, intriguing and respectful to its readers, as I have found all National Geographic kids books to be.

I haven't seen the new movie "Amelia," starring Hilary Swank yet, but I will soon enough. I know Amelia Earhart will continue to inspire people to break the molds society casts for them and to overcome fears of inadequacy and failure.

Amazing talent in Eugene

2009-11-08T18:26:00.000-08:00

Wow! I just watched a fabulous episode of Oregon Art Beat that featured an interview with children's book author/illustrator Johanna Wright.

Her artwork is charming, brilliant and evocative. I would proudly hang any of her paintings on my wall or wear a shirt with one of her illustrations on the front. I would even consider getting a tattoo of something she's drawn. Her art work is that beautiful.

Johanna said she studied puppetry and children's books at Evergreen before moving to New York, and then to Eugene, where she currently resides. On this episode of Art Beat, I had the joy of watching her read her book "The Secret Circus" in front of a preschool class. She read in a very funny, French-accented mouse voice, and I noticed a mouse finger puppet peeking over the top of the book, as if he were telling the story.

Watching her work, I was surprised to see how fast her hand moves across the page, like a pianist playing "Flight of the Bumblebee." Once the drawings are done, she transfers the images to canvas and paints them.

Johanna said she wanted to write and illustrate children's books after getting hooked on Reading Rainbow as a kid. It's heart warming to think she and I were probably watching the same shows and planning our careers at the same time.

Here is her website, so you can go admire her work. If you click on her blog, you can watch the episode of Art Beat.

http://johannawright.com/home/

Where the Wild Things Are

2009-10-23T21:57:00.000-07:00

I just saw "Where the Wild Things Are" and I absolutely loved it. This movie brought out the wild, destructive child in me I didn't even know existed. After leaving the theater, I wanted to cause all kinds of mayhem in the mall and run around screaming, but the security guards standing around made me think twice.

This movie deals with very strong emotions, such as loneliness, love, homesickness, anger, fear, and frustration about being misunderstood. Considering how many people grew up on this book, many of the movie goers are bound to be my age and beyond. These people will not be disappointed, if you ask me, because this is not just some kids' movie that will only appeal to kids.

I laughed so many times during this movie, but I also cried at the very end when Max sailed away and the monsters let out subdued, mournful howls. I'm an emotional person. What can I say?

Speaking of being super emotional, I found something else today besides my inner child. I found an old CD I'd thought I'd lost. I once again had the treat of hearing Sarah Vaughan singing "If I had you." This song has deep significance in my life. As in "Where the Wild Things Are," there is an underlying sadness from start to finish. The lyrics go:

I could show the world how to smile
I could be glad - all of the while
I could change the gray skies to blue
If I had you

I could leave the old days behind
Leave all my pals - I'd never mind
I could start my life anew
If I had you

I could climb a snow-capped mountain
Sail the mighty ocean wide
I could cross the burning desert
If I had you by my side

Such a beautiful song. And now whenever I hear it, I'm going to imagine Max sailing the ocean and crossing the burning dessert with his monster friend, Carol, and showing all those sad, lonely monsters how to smile.

Butterfly in the sky, I can go twice as high . . .

2009-10-18T17:09:00.000-07:00

I heard the news today, oh boy, that Reading Rainbow was canceled.
Although the news was rather sad, I just had to laugh.
Actually, I had to reminisce about sitting around the TV in my elementary school library, singing along to the theme song with my classmates. I still have it memorized.
Reading Rainbow aired for 26 years. It provided me with some of my happiest childhood memories and inspired in me a love of reading. I can't believe it's gone. I thought it was one of those shows like Sesame Street that would be around forever.
At least there is still Word Girl, a show about a superhero with a lethal vocabulary. Other than that, I can't think of any kids' shows today that even compare.
Thank you, Reading Rainbow, for the wonderful memories. And thank you, LeVar. You are awesome.

Silver Falls Retreat

2009-10-11T22:39:00.000-07:00

As I sit here typing and taking sips of Moroccan hot chocolate, I’m thinking it’s good to be home. My contentment was not induced by chocolate (although that definitely helps) but by contemplation of my enjoyable weekend in Silver Falls.

This weekend I joined other children’s book authors and illustrators at a beautiful retreat in the woods. It was so refreshing being out in the crisp, pine-scented air. Each day was beautiful and sunny, and wonderfully chilly. My creative compadres and I all slept in cabins and shared rooms. I am lucky to have been paired with a delightful roommate named Angie. We got along great and I felt inspired by her writing projects, which she kindly shared with me.

About fifty people came to the retreat, which is one of the Society of Children’s Book Authors and Illustrators’ (SCBWI) events.

I signed up for two individual critiques, one with children’s book author Kathryn O. Galbraith, and another with Maggie Lehrman, editor at Abrams Children’s. The feedback I received was not entirely helpful, to be honest. Kathryn didn’t like that my protagonist was a worm and said I’m “brave” for choosing a species that is so hard to relate to. I felt a little discouraged afterward but I decided to plow on with that project. After all, I’m almost finished and I’ve worked hard on it. I think my main character is very relatable. He is not just any worm; he is a bookworm!

Maggie Lehrman critiqued the first chapter of my young adult novel, “Teagan’s Teacher,” and gave the prognosis that it is too depressing. I can understand that now because it does begin on a gloomy note. Even Vladimir Nabokov’s “Lolita” begins with a poetic declaration of love. “Lolita - light of my life; fire of my loins; my sin, my soul, Lolita.” That draws readers in, but I have a feeling if Nabokov had delved right into Humbert Humbert’s diseased appetite for young girls, he would have turned a lot of readers off. Perhaps it is best to lure readers in with a bit of optimism and then ease into the depressing stuff. I may decide to fluff up my novel later on but I’m not going to sprinkle the text with rose petals any time soon. I’ll save that for the editing stage.

Opportunities to join critique groups arose from me asking around, so I am looking forward to honing my skills with the help of others. It is hard to say what the highlight of the retreat was. Maggie Lehrman high-fived me after my open mic reading, so that was definitely a proud moment.

I also enjoyed meeting illustrators and watching their presentations. The illustrator Joan Gilbert Madsen showed an eclectic slide show of her outstanding work. I found her versatility with a variety of mediums reassuring because I am that way with my writing. How else would I be able to write about bookworms and suicidal teenagers at the same time? After my open mic reading, many people came up to me and encouraged me to focus my energy on young adult fiction. I’m glad I got such a positive response, but I still want to stretch my wings and try to reach a vast audience of different aged readers.

If I can attend this retreat again next year, I will bring ample supplies for making s’mores. I felt a little deprived of this camp delicacy. Then if anyone tells me to stop writing picture books and to stick to young adult fiction, I can quickly stuff a marshmallow in her mouth.

I love Pingo!

2009-09-26T19:56:00.000-07:00

During a recent trip to the library, a children’s book on display made me stop in my tracks and pick it up. That children’s book is “Pingo,” written by Brandon Mull and illustrated by Brandon Dorman. The cover illustration really caught my attention and engaged my curiosity. It shows this weird little devil monkey creature that instantly brought back memories of a childhood toy called the Chicaboo. Maybe that was Brandon Dorman’s goal, to grab people’s attention by reminding them of that creepy, but cherished little plush monkey that sucked his thumb. I don’t know what it was about that toy but there was something magically endearing about him.

I think the Chicaboo may have been the inspiration for Pingo, even if it was subconscious. Taking a toy that almost everyone has forgotten, and turning it into an adorable character in a children’s book is pure genius, if you ask me. That shows that Brandon Dorman still checks in with his inner child to create something guaranteed to please kids.

In the book, Pingo is an imaginary friend. When Pingo’s real friend, Chad, decides he is too old for pretend games, he ditches Pingo, but their adventures don’t stop. Pingo becomes a possessive imaginary enemy and torments Chad until he finally agrees to be Pingo’s friend again.

After falling in love with this book, I went on Goodreads to see if everybody else loved it too. I was really surprised when I read a review, calling this book “sad and disturbing.” I would not call this book sad and disturbing. I would call “Bastard out of Carolina” by Dorothy Allison sad and disturbing. I would call “The Gulag Archipelago” by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn sad and disturbing. But “Pingo?” Certainly not.

This touchy reviewer seemed to be offended by Chad’s character as an old man. When Pingo and Chad decide to be friends again, Chad reverts to childhood and they pick up where they left off, going on more fun adventures together. This is typical in any good kids’ book. The adults are never supposed to act like adults. They are supposed to act like fun-loving, goofy kids, even if dumb adults think their portrayals are demeaning and disrespectful.

For example, think of the book “Millions and Millions of Cats,” by Wanda Gag. The old people in that book can’t decide on one cat, so they take all of them. Total kid behavior.

A child-like adult can also be found in the brilliant Pixar movie “Up.” The old man in that movie attaches balloons to his house and flies to South America. This is something only a kid or a really imaginative adult could think of.

Pingo is a charming book. It reminds me not to lose sight of what’s important, not to take life too seriously, and to love my friends unconditionally, even if they are not real.

Chad's bedroom, in one dazzling illustration, shows Brandon Mull’s other two books, “The Candy Shop War” and “Fablehaven.” I appreciate little details like that in illustrations, even if they tempt me to buy more books.

http://www.amazon.com/Pingo-Brandon-Mull/dp/1606411098/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1254021714&sr=8-1

I am NOT your matey.

2009-09-20T17:19:00.000-07:00

Today my mom and I dressed like pirates and partook in the annual Portland pirate festival. The location was splendid, under the St John’s Bridge in Cathedral Park, but after walking around for an hour, or hobbling in my mom’s case, (her costume included a walking stick) I was bored out of my mind.

My mom parked the car a good distance from the festivities. Being first timers, we got a bit lost. I began to worry, because I didn’t see any other pirates. I wondered if this “pirate festival” was just a prank. To everyone we passed my mom shouted “Ahoy!” or “Arrr!” I was very much amused when she stopped and asked some guy in her gravelly pirate voice if he knew where the pirate festival was and he just said, “Excuse me?” I guess he doesn’t speak pirate.

Once we found it, I could relax. Hundreds of pirates were gathered around, of all shapes and sizes and ages. I was looking forward to us all beating the world record for most pirates in one place at one time.

My mom seemed more into the whole pirate thing than me and was pretty good at staying in character. Every once in a while her pirate voice took on the ring of a leprechaun impression, but the two aren’t really that far apart.

I started texting my friend once I’d seen all there was to see: lots and lots of pirates. She and her husband and two-year-old daughter were possibly going to show up to celebrate their wedding anniversary. When she told me, I thought a pirate wedding anniversary sounded much more exciting than a candlelight dinner or a romantic getaway. But after listening to people say “Arrrr!” and sing pirate songs until I wanted to make them all walk the plank, I think my friend made the right decision not to come.

My favorite part of the pirate festival was when my mom hobbled up to a guy with a real parrot on his shoulder and told him that he was covered in poop. And he sure was. I guess this guy was offended by my mom’s observation because he responded testily with, “I don’t care!” and gave my mom a dirty look. You’d think her pirate voice would have given him some impression that she was just being playful. Oh well.

My excursion to the pirate festival made me realize that pirate festivals are for a special kind of people, like pirates. I have never been a pirate enthusiast. In fact, I fell asleep in the theater while watching “Pirates of the Caribbean.” This was especially bad because I was on a date. (I hope he didn’t notice.)

Now I know that a pirate’s life is not for me. I do not want to write kids’ books about pirates, no matter how popular they are. In fact, I never want to see another pirate for as long as I live.

My mom and I bolted out of boredom right before all the pirates were herded into a closed off area for counting purposes. If you hear later that the pirate festival was two people short of making the world record, you know who to blame.

Someone loathes "Goodnight Moon"?

2009-09-14T14:52:00.000-07:00

One book review in yesterday’s Oregonian called my blogging instincts to action. The familiar cover of Margaret Wise Brown’s “Goodnight Moon” was shown with a red line through it, like it was a “No Smoking” sign. The title, “Why I Loathe ‘Goodnight Moon’,” compelled me to read the review, since I could not understand how anyone could possibly loathe this soothing staple of children’s literature.

Eric Apalategui’s reasons for loathing “Goodnight Moon” are still unclear to me. He disapproves of the green walls and the red carpet, but is this a good reason to loathe “Goodnight Moon”? His criticism reminded me of Oscar Wilde, whose last words were, "This wallpaper and I are fighting a duel to the death. One of us has to go." But the little bunny in “Goodnight Moon” is not on his deathbed. And Eric Apalategui is not trapped in this book, nor does he have to hire the illustrator of “Goodnight Moon,” the late Clement Hurd, as his interior decorator.

Eric Apalategui then went on about the money “Goodnight Moon” makes in royalties and how this book makes more in a day than he makes in a whole month. I don’t have any grievances about the money “Goodnight Moon” rakes in. It’s not like “Goodnight Moon” is some dirty rotten crook. It’s a beloved bedtime story that has remained popular for reasons I will try to explain.

I’ll start with the colors, which the book reviewer detests. Children love bright bold colors. I know I did and I remember feeling entranced while watching “The Red Balloon.” As an adult, I am not wowed quite so easily but this book is meant to appeal to children, not Feng Shui minimalists.

The repetition is another quality young children appreciate. If they can predict the lines in the story and even memorize parts of it, children will feel proud of themselves.

The last reason I’ll give for the success of “Goodnight Moon” is that children love being read to before bed and this is a classic bedtime story. Although I don’t remember “Goodnight Moon” being one of my favorites, I am grateful for its existence. This book has shaped the tradition of reading to children before bed, a routine I always looked forward to.

When it comes to writing negative reviews of children’s books, I could rail about Madonna’s convoluted sentences or the sexism of fairy tales, in which a feeble princess waits for her prince to rescue her, but “Goodnight Moon” is just a good, simple bedtime story and I see nothing wrong with that.

A bit about me

2009-09-13T13:25:00.000-07:00

When I was little I wanted to be an Arthur, not the anthropomorphic anteater (although I did feel a kinship with him, for his name was my aspiration.) I wanted to write and illustrate books. I’m grateful for the scads of support I received from my single mom. Childhood memories include my mom sitting at her computer or sewing machine, pumping out magazine articles or articles of clothing. I was brought up in a shanty of creativity. When my mom had company over, I’d jump at the opportunity to have an audience and read my stories aloud to them. I remember one of them asking me with forged cheeriness reserved for talking to children if I wanted to be a writer when I grew up. I shot back, “I am a writer,” offended by the crazed notion of waiting till adulthood to be a writer.

At 26, I am still the same feisty dreamer. I hold strong to the belief that I have been a writer my whole life and, despite my few publications, I am not just starting out. In the spirit of my youthful confidence and indignation, I recently disputed the condescending label of “Budding writer.”

As a writer, I am constantly budding, blooming and wilting. Writing is a mix of ups and downs, feasts and famines. Success comes in cycles. The reality of being raised by a writer has helped with dispelling any delusions I may have had otherwise.

In my blog I plan to swing through the jungle of writing and illustrating children’s books. Anything that relates to children’s books, be it reviews, stories about writing conferences, useful references or mapping my own progress, I will include. I hope my entries will be fun and informative for most readers and that my blogging experience will be a mostly blossoming one.