Picture Book Review: Sneaky Weasel by Hannah Shaw

Weasel is a shifty-eyed cad who enjoys practical jokes, laughing at the expense of others, and generally causing mischief with whomever he encounters.  So, when the wealthy weasel decides to throw a party in order to boast about his “incredible castle, fast car and huge swimming pool” (with a postscript warning his guests to beware of hungry crocodiles in his moat), he can’t understand why none of his friends show up.

As Weasel accosts each of his “friends” to demand an explanation, he is reminded about all the terrible pranks and mean gags he has perpetrated on poor Rabbit, Rat, Hedgehog, and Shrew.

Using a combination of pen, ink, printmaking techniques and Photoshopping, Shaw’s illustrations grab the reader from the endpapers (featuring newspaper ads that account for Weasel’s great wealth: mail order practical jokes, self-help books, and disreputable businesses) through Weasel’s victorian-inspired home, to the more organic environments of Hedgehog and Shrew. Shaw uses several sepia-like colors and frames to indicate flashbacks alongside the present action.  This visual back-and-forth, combined with an almost fish-eye lens perspective and a busy composition give the visual narrative a sense of constant movement.  Children will want to go back to study each page after the first reading.

Without seeming didactic, Shaw brings Sneaky Weasel to a satisfying ending.  He learns a good lesson, struggles but eventually manages a heartfelt apology, and throws a better party.  In a twist that keeps the ending from being predictable, Sneaky Weasel shows that his old joke-playing ways are just too hard to give up completely.  I suspect a sequel.

Pair it with Grumpy Bird and I’m the Biggest Thing in the Ocean for a fun storytime about characters with major ‘tude.

Coraline in 3D (a very brief movie review)

This past Friday the 13th I opted not to see Friday the 13th (and I think, wisely) and instead went to see Coraline (in 3D).

Being big fans of both Neil Gaiman and Tim Burton, I was prepared to be gobsmacked.  My first surprise came when, over opening credits, I realized that Tim Burton did not, in fact, direct Coraline.  Huh.  (Check out this interview in Ain’t It Cool News with the director, Henry Selick.)

The stop-motion/digital animation is beautiful, eye-popping, and throughly engaging.  Even a foggy gray day is made eye-candy- rendered with the multiple layers and textures for which Selick and his animation team have become famous.  While departing slightly from the original text, the Alice-in-Wonderland-spirit and the darkness of Gaiman’s characters and settings remain.

What I didn’t find necessary were the 3D-effects.  There is one scene at the very beginning showing a needle and thread being worked through a doll.  Other than this, the remaining 3D-effects I found to be distracting to the visual narrative.

I’d say definitely see Coraline- just don’t waste your extra three bucks on the 3D version.

Check out Neil Gaiman’s response….

Insert amazed and delighted swearing here

And the Newbery Goes to……

Neil Gaiman for The Graveyard Book!!!!

And possibly even cooler:  a Newbery Honor for After Tupac and D Foster.  Happiness is me…..

Live Blogging at the Youth Media Awards

It’s about 7:24am and I’m waiting on a very long line to get into the Four Seasons Ballroom for the Youth Media Awards.  So far this week I’ve heard lots of buzz about Savvy, The Underneath, We Are the Ship, and Trouble Begins at 8.  Personally, I’m rooting for Alvin Ho (what can I say, it’s awesome and funny and although a longshot for the medal, I’d love to see it get an honor).

7:30am  the people in line behind and in front are me are both talking up The Graveyard Book.   Is it eligible for Newbery consideration?  I’m gonna g0 check.

7:34  the answer is yes.  Neil Gaiman lives in the U.S.  The only hangup could be whether or not one of the stories has been previously published.  Hmmmmm

7:43  Taking some blurry pictures of the crowds.  Trying to send from iPhone to computer.

7:46:  It’s starting.  A video about the new Virgina Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement from the Coretta Scott King Award Committee.  Best work produced by African American writers and illustrators.  God I love Virginia Hamilton.  I’m getting a little teary…… 

7:49- The ALEX Awards (adult books for YA’s):

City of Thieves

Dragons of Babel

Finding Neuf

The Good Thief

Just After Sunset

Mudbound

Over and Under

the Oxford Project

Sharp Teeth (lots of woo hoos on that one)

Three Girls and their Brother

7:52 Jim Rettig speaks  “libraries have the power to transform lives….. libraries continue to serve as a beacon in the night.”

7:54 Schneider Family Book Award!!!:  (can you tell I’m excited about this one?)

Piano Starts Here: The Young Art Tatum (best young children’s book)  awesome awesome awesome.

Waiting For Normal (best middle grades book)  so happy about this.  This is the push I need to now use it in my book club!

Jerk California (best teen book)  Don’t know this one.  Teen with Tourettes Syndrome looking for his dad.  Sounds like somehting I need to read asap!

ala.org/yna  (for a full list of everything)

7:58  Coretta Scott King Book Award:

John Steptoe New Talent Award:  Shadra Strickland for Bird (I just heard the discussion about this at the Notables meeting.  A picture book for older readers)

Illustrator Honor Award:

Kadir Nealson- We Are the Ship

Sean Wuialls- Before John Was a Jazz Giant

Jerry Pinkney- the Moon Over Star

Illustrator Award:  Floyd Cooper- the Blacker the Berry

Author Honor Books:

Hope Anita Smith- Keeping the Night Watch

Joyce Carol Thomas- Blacker the Berry

Carol Boston Weatherford- Becoming Billie Holiday

Author Award:  Kadir Nelson!!!!!  For We Are the Ship!!!!!!!!!!!

Odyssey Award- best Audio Book for Children (jointly by ALSC and YALSA)

Honors:

Curse of the Blue Tattoo

Elijah of Buxton

I’m Dirty!

Martina the Beautful Cockroach

Nation

Award:   The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian  (Wooooo hoooooooooo)

8:06  Margaret A Edwards Award (Significant Contribution to YA Lit)

Laurie Halse Anderson (Fever, Catalyst, Chains, Speak)  Awesomness!

William C. Morris Award (new award for a new YA lit):

Finalists:

A Curse Dark as Gold

Graceling

Absolute Brightness

Madapple

Me, the Missing,a nd the Dead

Winner:   A Curse as Dark as Gold

8:09     PRINTZ AWARD:

Honor Books:

The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing

Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks

Nation

Tender Morsels

Award:  JELICOE ROAD (????)

PURA BELPRE AWARD:

Illustration Honor Books:

Papa and Me

The Storyteller’s Candle

What Can You Do With a Rebezo?

Illustrator Award:  Yuri Morales for Just in Case

Honor Books:

Reaching Out

Just in Case

The Storyteller’s Candle

Author Award:  Margarita Engle for The Surrender Tree Poems of Cuba’s Struggle for Freedom

May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture Award:

Kathleen T. Horning  (author of From Cover to Cover)

Mildred L. Batchelder Award: (originally in another language, translated into English)

Honor Books:

Garman’s Summer

Tiger Moon

Award: Morabito: Guardian of the Spirit  (originally published in Japanese)

SIBERT MEDAL:

Honor Books:

Bodies from the Ice

What to do About Alice  (yay!)

Medal:  WE ARE THE SHIP!!!!!  (IT’S A SWEEP!!!!!!!!!)

(on a sidenote, if I hear the phrase “Kadir Nelson hit a homerun..” one more time…… ughhh)

Laura Ingalls Wilder Award:

Ashley Bryan (!!!!!)

Carnegie Medal (excellence in Children’s Video):

MARCH ON! The Day My Brother Martin Changed the World  (we got to see a clip.  very powerful.  a little teary again….)

GEISEL AWARD!!!:

Honor Books:

CHICKEN SAID, “CLUCK!”

ONE BOY (SEEGER!)

STINKY

WOLFSNAIL (lots of hoots on that one!)

AWARD:  ARE YOU READY TO PLAY OUTSIDE (yeah, Mo!!!)

THE CADECOTT MEDAL (drum roll please)

Honor books:

A COUPLE OF BOYS HAVE THE BEST WEEK EVER

HOW I LEARNED GEOGRAPHY

A RIVER OF WORDS

The MEDAL:   THE HOUSE IN THE NIGHT

NEWBERY MEDAL!!!!!!!!!!!

Honor Books:

THE UNDERNEATH

THE SURRENDER TREE

SAVVY

AFTER TUPAC AND D FOSTER

MEDAL:………………………………….

THE GRAVEYARD BOOK  NEIL GAIMAN (I’m super happy about this pick.  Nice!!!)

Fun and Freebies at ALA Midwinter

lovely book sculpture/tunnel

I’m here in Denver at my first ALA conference.  It’s pretty awesome.  I’ve heard tell that all the cool stuff really happens at Annual, and that Midwinter is just meetings and business, but I’m having a blast.

Last night, after journeying from NY to Minneapolis and then on to the Denver International Airport, I finally arrived in Colorado as it began to snow.  As I sat in rush hour traffic, my cabbie Dualli and I talked about the insane housing prices in New York.  He informed me that I could rent a beautiful two-bedroom apartment in a good area for about $700 in Denver.  Sigh.  After wiping the drool from my mouth and the tear from my eyes, I looked up to see we had arrived at my hotel, The Curtis (which is, hands down, the coolest hotel in Denver).

My first stop was to the Cap City Tavern for the YALSA Happy Hour.  Now, it is true, I am not a YALSA member.  Nor am I a Young Adult librarian.  But YALSA is super inclusive and fun and darn it, they throw a mean happy hour.

Next was the YALSA Mixer and Tech Playground at the Hyatt Regency.  The Tech Playground started at 8pm Denver time, which is 10pm New York time, so I was a tad sleepy-eyed.  I did however, hang out long enough to play around with some great Avatar-making sites, hear all about Blogfest, podcasting programs, and awesome audio books.

Today I spent most of my day visiting the exhibits and getting as many free books, galleys, and posters as I could carry.  I found out a few very important things:  1) If you do not want to hear about the latest in medical database technology (and being a children’s librarian, I really don’t) do NOT make eye contact and smile sweetly at the lady with the sequined vest.  2) Publishers have all sorts of hidden treasures not on display.  They can be persuaded to unearth said treasures if you engage them in conversation about their newest offerings and talk about how much you love to blog about and review advance reading copies. 3) Drink lots of water.  Colorado is seriously dry.

Tonight I’m off to the Random House party.  From the buzz I’ve been overhearing, it’s supposed to be quite the hot ticket.  Time to find my fancy shoes…..

A few items of note:

Somewhat cute but strange hardcover art

I got a look at the new paperback cover of Candyfloss.  I like this way better than the stripey socks from the Hardcover.  Way more reflective of the story and finally showcasing the cute illustrations!

Candyfloss in paperback

Proof!  The sequel to The Hunger Games!  Drooool…..

And, the latest Just Grace:  (Yay!)

T-minus 24 hours until the the doors open……

If you are a regular visitor to Libraryvoice, you may have noticed that my posts have been rather infrequent these past few weeks.  But, oh boy, do I have a good excuse!  In October I joined the team of the Children’s Department of the Darien Library in Connecticut.  About a month and a half after my first day we closed the doors at the Leroy Ave location to begin preparations for a move on down the ol’ Post Road.

Moving a library with over 150,000 items is certainly no small feat.  But many libraries move.  What made this move particularly special was that we undertook a massive and thoughtful reorganization of the entire collection.  From children’s picturebooks up to adult non-fiction, each department had the opportunity to rethink the physical and virtual layout and accessibility of their collections.  The goal was to create collections and spaces that are inviting, easily browsable, and intuitive.

In the Children’s Department, we have spent the last six weeks completely rethinking our collection.  In our old building, the picture books lived (like they do in almost every public library) in a large section organized by author.  For robust collections like ours, this can translate into a somewhat intimidating and confusing browsing experience.  If you are a mom searching for a good book for your 3-year-old, you may not know where to start.  If you have a specific title in mind, the huge expanse of shelves can make finding what you want difficult.  Picturebooks are a varied and diverse format.  When organized by format and author, a simple story for toddlers about barnyard animals can very well live next to a heart-wrenching tale of the Underground Railroad.  The same can be said about children’s fiction, which can range from a 500-page Harry Potter novel to a Katie Kazoo.

In our new building, the Children’s Library is divided into two distinct sections: the First Five Years and Kids.  On the First Five Years side, the collection has been organized according to subdivisions that make it easy for parents and caregivers to find materials for their young, pre-reading children.  The new sections include: Concepts, Growing Up, Nature, Rhymes & Songs, Transportation, Celebrations, Stories, and Learn to Read.  Being children’s librarians, we color-coordinated each new section to make it visually intuitive to find what you’re looking for.  Our new SOPAC reflects the changes as well.

The Kids side of the room is designed with older children in mind- kids who are now reading on their own, researching, doing homework, and creating content.  This section includes Kids Fiction and Non-Fiction, as well as an Independent Reader corner.  The books and materials here were chosen to to appeal to kids who are now comfortable reading chapter books on their own but may not be ready to take on something like Percy Jackson just yet.  The Independent Readers (or iRead section) also include picturebooks for older kids, a collection that can sometimes get lost or overlooked when not highlighted.

I could go on for pages about all the cool changes we have made, but like LeVar Burton would say, you don’t have to take my word for it!  Check out this post by local blogger, Nicole Lyons, who attended our sneak peek this week.

We officially open our doors tomorrow, Saturday, January 10th at 10am!

Book Review: When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead (Wendy Lamb, July 2009)

In Rebecca Stead’s first novel, First Light (2008), readers were introduced to a hidden world buried deep under the ice in Greenland when the lives of two kids collide.  Like First Light, Stead’s latest work brings together classic elements of a coming-of-age friendship story with a sci-fi twist.

Sixth-grader Miranda is a bonafide city kid.  A latchkey child who lives in Manhattan with her mom in a slighty run down apartment, in a neighborhood where bullies rule the sidewalks and a crazy guy sleeps under her mailbox.  Miranda and her best friend Sal know the rules of city living- when to switch sidewalks if they see a strange person; always having their apartment keys in hand before they get to the door; which pizza place has the best lunch deals.  Things seem pretty ordinary until the day Sal gets punched by a new kid.  This sets off a chain of events that involves a series of mysterious letters, the $20,000 Pyramid, Madeline L’Engle, and the prevention of a tragic death.

Yes, it sounds complicated.  And yes, there is a lot packed into When You Reach Me.  But it works.  The characters are so realistically grounded and believable that the sci-fi aspect seems almost secondary.  Stead understands and respects what it’s like to be a sixth grader and does a brilliant job of communicating the subtle shifts that mark those paths from childhood into adulthood.

Here’s a great example:  (n.b., this excerpt is from the advance reader’s copy):

Sometimes you never feel meaner than the moment you stop being mean.  It’s like how turning on a light makes you realize how dark the room had gotten.  And the way you usually act, the things you would have normally done, are like these ghosts that everyone can see but pretends not to. (pg 144)

I read this book almost a week ago, and I still find myself thinking about it during my daily commute, or while waiting in line at the grocery store.  It kinda gets under your skin and sticks with you.  I’d definitely recommend When You Reach Me to kids who aren’t into aliens and flying cars, but are longing for a little something extra in their realistic fiction.  It would also work well in a book group- it’s ripe for good discussion.

QuickList: Best Book Gifts for Kids (2008 Edition)

Happy Hanukkah!  Merry Christmas! Kwanzaa Tidings to you and yours!  

You know what makes an awesome present?  A really awesome book.  Okay, and a Wii Fit.  But if you’re looking for something more economical to get the kids in your life, here are some good picks: 

For the itty bitty tiny ones:

Tana Hoban Board Books (White on Black, Black on White, Who Are They)   Infants love high contrast images.  Plus- they’re drool resistant.  

Margaret Miller’s Look Baby Books  Did you know babies gaze longer at faces than other images?

For the toddlers:

The Wheels on the Bus by Paul O Zelinsky   You simply can’t go wrong with a book that you can sing aloud.  

First the Egg by Laura Vaccaro Seeger   Beautiful illustrations, cool die cuts, simple text, and concepts that will grow with a toddler as she becomes a preschooler.  

For the Preschool Set:

I’m Not Cute!  and I’m Not Scared by Jonathan Allen   Baby Owl is HUGE!  And SCARY!  He is NOT cute!  No way!  Uh, uh.  

Dinosaur vs. Bedtime by Bob Shea   For the sweet love of jellybeans!  If you haven’t already read this book, go out now to your local library or bookstore and peruse a copy.  You shall not be disappointed.  And if you are, well, we simply cannot be friends.  

For the beginning reader:

ELEPHANT AND PIGGIE!   From the genius who brought us the Pigeon and Knuffle Bunny.  Need I say more?  

For the elementary school-aged:

Babymouse, Owly, Bone, Amelia Rules!, Amulet, Jellaby , Mouse Guard  (some great graphic novels to get ya’ started.  You could get them all and make a graphic novel basket!)

Just Grace by Charise Mericle Harper (super cute series for girls)

 Journal of a Cardboard Genius by Frank Asch (funny series for boys)

Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things by Lenore Look (this might be my favorite book of the year!)

 Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney (simply hilarious.  If they’ve already read all three, the journal makes a nice gift)

For tweens, teens, and advanced readers:

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie (laugh-out-loud funny, moving, and relatable) 

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (scary sci-fi distopian tale)

And now I put the question to you, fellow children’s librarians, teachers, moms, and lovers of kidlit: what are your favorite books to give as gifts?  (Either for this year or all-time?)

Big Move Update

As some of you may know, I’ve been spending the last few weeks helping my library get ready to move to a new building.  We have been adding an RFID tag to every item and reorganizing the entire collection.  Check out our voicethread for details about what we’ve been up to, pictures of the old builing, and pictures of our new library!