Side-step for next fall

Moving in to the second week of our first summer session, the juvenile "new book" shelf is empty and awaits titles ordered via my final spending spree. Though a temporary sad sight, it is also fraught with hope since new books are coming soon. I liberated a few picture books that caught my attention to use for next fall's Mock Caldecott session. I suffered a momentary pang of guilt checking these out through September, but it's better than hoarding them in my office while patrons search the stacks in vane.

Two caught my attention immediately; Chalk is an eye-catching wordless picture book and Palazzo Inverso is an extremely clever offering that reads beginning to end and back again. Here are the five titles I pulled:

• Chalk, Bill Thomson
• Animal Crackers Fly the Coop, Kevin O'Malley
• LMNO Peas, Keith Baker
• Little Cloud and Lady Wind, Sean Qualls (illustrator)
• Palazzo Inverso, D.B. Johnson

A Penguin Story

A Penguin Story, is the latest book by Antoinette Portis author/creator of Not a Box. Edna the penguin's life is snow white, dark nights, and blue water and sky. Craving color and something different, she ventures out into the world and finds ... orange! Eager to share her discovery, Edna rushes home and leads the others to a camp of scientists living in vivid orange tents with matching coats and gloves. The two communities become friends and when the scientists depart, Edna is given an orange glove as a reminder of their adventure. Portis cleverly uses a limited color palette of white, black, blue, and orange juxtaposed against the penguins for maximum effect; even the text is presented in black and white. Readers are left wondering what color Edna will find next on her next adventure, "What else could there be?"

Eagle-eyed readers will spot the low flying orange air plane foreshadowing color to come and might enjoy guessing what Edna will find during her journey through the frozen tundra. Children who have seen some of the recent penguin movies, such as Happy Feet, may have added questions concerning the scientists. However, this adventure will please anyone who has ever craved something different.

Pete & Pickles

Pete & Pickles, by Berkeley Breathed is a delightful story of unlikely friendship, acceptance and love between a "perfectly, predictable, pig" named Pete and a wonderfully exuberant circus elephant named Pickles. The pair meet during a stormy night when Pickles, an escapee from the circus, attempts to hide under Pete's couch. Found and returned to the circus by a tired clown, Pickles leaves behind a gift of bright, yellow dandelions. Pete's walk the next day takes him to the circus where he helps Pickles escape; soon the two friends are sharing Pete's home and wonderful adventures directed by the free-spirited elephant. Friendship hits a snag when Pickles begins "getting into things she shouldn't have been in" and Pete asks her to leave. The resulting fiasco causes mayhem and puts the pair in danger. Told with vibrant and lush digitally mastered artwork, Pete & Pickles is an appealing tale perfect for sharing.

LaRue for Mayor

In LaRue for Mayor: Letters from the Campaign Trail, by author and illustrator Mark Teague, the lovable, crafty, misunderstood pup Ike LaRue returns for another letter writing crusade; and this time takes his "campaign" to the office of mayor. An afternoon in the park with a few friends and his owner results in an unfortunate accident sending Mrs. LaRue to the hospital ("Who knew that hot-dog carts were so unstable?"). Left to his own devices Ike forms a social club, befriending his rambunctious new mates, that soon runs amok. When former police chief Bugwort announces his candidacy for mayor and declares dogs in the city must be kept under control or banned from the city, Ike decides he has had enough and is soon running his own campaign for mayor.

Teague's trademark LaRue illustrations, bold, eye-catching color for reality juxtaposed with black and white renditions of LaRue's interpretation of the same and accompanying typed letters, fill each double page spread. Ike's typed letters overflow with snappy repartee, reporting to Mrs. LaRue what is happening during her period of recuperation and assuring her "Nothing will distract me from this important cause." Readers may guess where this installment will end, but following the campaign trail is definitely worth their time.

Tags: LaRue for Mayor, Mark Teague, Juvenile fiction, Picture books

Procrastinating with purpose

I have a deadline of December 10th for editing my journal article. However, my problem remains having sufficient brainpower to make sure said edits are better than the original submitted work; something I have serious doubts about during this time of year.

Quality time is at a premium during the next two days. As of this morning, 57 of 150 students (38%)were finished with their portfolio projects, leaving a significant number to troupe their way through the resource center before six o'clock Friday afternoon. I estimate checking multiple assignments for twenty plus students today and know at least ten finished (45%). I have faith we will have close to a 90% completion rate and the remainder will take the course during another term. But during this time the pace is frantic and my brain is mush. I am less than brilliant, bordering on embarrassing myself. With that in mind, I am currently procrastinating with purpose. Enter the books added to the new book shelf yesterday afternoon.

I will accomplish things needed at the beginning of spring term. This is critical since I will be in Philadelphia at the midwinter meetings during the first two days of classes for spring 2008. Today I started pulling books and compiling a list of juvenile picture book titles for the spring semester Mock Caldecott panel. My current list/handout features thirteen books and I am hoping to add three or four additional titles from recently ordered picture books due to arrive in the next couple of weeks.

Here are the thirteen books I selected, list even includes non-fiction titles:

• Mars Needs Moms!, by Berkeley Breathed
• When Dinosaurs Came with Everything, illustrated by David Small
• The Boy Who Painted Dragons, by Demi
• Jazz on a Saturday Night, illustrated by Leo & Diane Dillon
• Henry, the Dog with No Tail, illustrated by Jules Feiffer
• How to Catch a Fish, illustrated by Peter Sylvada
• Scribble, by Deborah Freedman
• Four Legs Bad, Two Legs Good!, by D.B. Johnson
• At Gleason's Gym, by Ted Lewin
• The Crow: A Not So Scary Story, by Alison Paul
• The Lemonade Club, by Patricia Polacco
• Velma Gratch & The Way Cool Butterfly, illustrated by Kevin Hawkes
• Cowboy and Octopus, illustrated by Lane Smith

Recent winners of the Caldecott award have been an eclectic group showcasing different artists and styles:

• Flotsam (part of last years spring mock Caldecott)
• The Hello Goodbye Window
• Kitten's First Full Moon
• The Man Who Walked Between the Towers
• My Friend Rabbit
• The Three Pigs (my personal favorite)

With this in mind, I selected a mix of new and well-known illustrators including previous award winners (Dillon's, Small, Demi, Lewin, Polacco, Hawkes), artists known for work in different media's (Breathed, Feiffer), a personal favorite (Smith), and an illustrator new to the children's book market (Paul). The next step was to find books featuring different mediums used to present the illustrations. The following information was garnered from individual books (some did not specify):

• Demi - "Paint and ink with Chinese silk brocade"
• Feiffer - "Charcoal pencil and watercolor"
• Freedman - "Pencil with watercolors, magic markers, and digital coloring"
• Johnson - "Hand lettered text and mixed media illustrations"
• Breathed - "Virtual acrylics and watercolor on 100% rag archival virtual illustration board"
• Small - "Watercolor and ink"
• Paul - "Collages of hand-dyed cut out and torn paper"
• Polacco - "Pencils and markers"

Lastly, even though this post is rife with lists I would be remiss not to include links to Caldecott medal information:

• 2008 Caldecott Committee
• Association for Library Services to Children - ALSC
• The Caldecott Medal
• About the Caldecott Medal
• Caldecott terms and criteria
• Caldecott winners 1938-present
• Caldecott medal and honor winners 1938 - present

Time will tell if I have made any pertinent selections; regardless, it is a class session the students enjoy and it gets them into the library again. Tomorrow is another busy day. In addition to the continuing mayhem in the resource center, it is the library open house.

On another note, I did get a chance to start reading Spanking Shakespeare today at lunch.


Tags: Mock Caldecott, Juvenile collection, Picture books, Picture book illustrators

Artist to Artist

Artist to Artist: 23 Major Illustrators Talk to Children about Their Art is a beautiful, readable, and browseable anthology of picture book artists compiled and produced to benefit The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art. Twenty three artists are represented; each artist wrote a personal letter to children about their art, included samples of works and photographs of their art studios.

Written to and for children by the artists, the text is simple, eloquent, easy to read (in size and vocabulary) and includes a picture of the artist as a child. Sections open to reveal old, new, and in one instance pop-up art, providing readers opportunity to view an interesting variety of the work produced by each artist. The best part of this book is hands-down the self portrait created by each artist. In need of a smile? Be sure to check out Mordicai Gerstein's self portrait on page 41, it is simply joyous. Maurice Sendaks portrait on p. 77 depicts him sitting down with a few "wild things" and Paul O. Zelinsky's self portrait is done in what he terms "old master's style." Enjoyable to read and view, this one is a keeper.

Tags: Artist to Artist, Juvenile, Picture book art

Diary of a Fly

Doreen Cronin and Harry Bliss, the team that gave readers Diary of a Worm and Diary of a Spider, add another entry their successful series with Diary of a Fly. Told in traditional diary format, beginning with June 7th, Fly begins his entries with the first day of school. Fly facts and fun are uproariously intermixed; "I asked my mom why I can't have my own room like Worm." "Because you have 327 brothers and sisters, that's why." From lunch to school pictures, Fly's day-to-day life mirrors that of any inquisitive first grader, no matter how disgusting the day or activity in question may be. Illustrations provide a keen sense of perspective, highlighted by rich color and detail, and possessing a sense of absurdity guaranteed to attract reader's attention. Fans will be delighted to see Spider and Worm make cameo appearances helping Fly realize his dreams of being a super-hero. Fly will definitely benefit from a second read through so as not to miss the subtle humor within the text of each page. I wonder who's diary is next?

Tags: Doreen Cronin, Harry Bliss, Diary of a Fly, Juvenile fiction, Picture book

Scribble

In Deborah Freedman's new picture book Scribble, artistic license and criticism take on new meaning for Emma and her younger sister Lucie. An afternoon of drawing culminates with Emma calling Lucie's drawing of a kitty, 'scribbles.' Sisterly mayhem ensues as Lucie retaliates by scribbling on Emma's beautiful princess. Soon the scribbles take on a life of their own as the cat leaps off the page in search of a beautiful princess. Lucie's scribble kitty, illustrated with broad black strokes on bright yellow paper, literally leaps off the page to meet the princess, lovely in her pink castle. Lucie and her cat chase scribble kitty and the princess, equally determined not to remove her scribbles or help the unlikely happy couple. Freedman's water color illustrations of Lucie and Emma are a cleverly juxtapositioned with the magic marker drawings depicting a preschooler's bold scribbles rushing from page to page as Lucie chases everyone, all the while trying to undo her bad-tempered scribbles from Emma's princess. After a frantic chase Lucie is able to remove the scribbles; the girls make their peace and the kitty and princess live happily ever after.

Dynamics between Lucie and Emma are perfectly written and illustrated. It is easy to follow Lucie's own imaginative story as she works, feverishly and resentlfully, to get rid of her scribbles. Emma's older sibling reluctance and grudging admitance that Lucie's drawing did indeed look like a cat was priceless. Adults and children alike who have siblings will find something to enjoy with this book.

Tags: Deborah Freedman, Scribble, Picture book

When Dinosaurs Came with Everything

In Elise Broach's book, When Dinosaurs Came with Everything, it's Friday afternoon, the perfect time for mom and her young son to run errands. Only this time things are a bit different. This Friday, dinosaurs come with everything; a dozen doughnuts? Need a shot at the doctor's office? Don't forget the dinosaur! From the young boy's glee, to his mother's increasing exasperation, David Small's watercolor and ink illustrations are a perfect compliment to this larger-than-life tale. Dinosaurs running amok in the city are highlighted bold strokes and add both subtle and outright humor to the landscape; readers will be excited to find their favorite dinosaur drawn into the pages. There is much offered to capture attention in this lively selection and the mother's solution to her home over-run with creatures shows family does indeed come in all shapes and sizes, even their pets.

I have a lengthy list of juvenile books ready for purchase that will be added to a cart later this evening. It has been a good beginning of the term for juvenile books, all but a dozen of the books ordered since July have arrived and are either on the shelf or cataloged and awaiting processing (well, with the exception of a couple that arrived Friday afternoon). It is not often the billing and receiving end of ordering is "caught up" with the ordering, even with the excellent job done by the technical services department at the library. There is often a book or three back ordered, out of stock, or not available for purchase. Even better, the new book shelves are not overflowing due to student, and professor, interest in checking out new titles. Ordering for the juvenile collection is a definite plus on the job satisfaction meter.

Tags: Elise Broach, David Small, When Dinosaurs Came With Everything, Children's literature, Picture books

Picture book ARC's

I have three picture book ARC's from the ALA conference; one has already been published, one will be published soon, and the third, according to Amazon, is not due for publication until April 2008. Where juvenile fiction novels and young adult novels in ARC format are completely ready for publication, editing and such not withstanding, the picture books are not bound. The books in question, The Lonely Moose, Nothing, and Grump Growl Groan all have loose pages within the proposed book cover.


It is intriguing to look at how the book is actually put together. When listening to illustrators speak, there is often discussion about double and/or full page spreads (apologies if the terminology is incorrect), gutter, and binding for their artwork. I have to admit, I have never given much thought as to how the pages would be assembled within the publication. I buy the book, the printer has everyting in the correct order, and I enjoy the illustrations. Looking at the loose pages in these three books has given me a different perspective regarding book layout ... especially if I had dropped any one of the books in question, losing the pages.

Next week I have a class tour scheduled in the resource center for a children's literature class. I am going to email the professor and see if he has any interest in showing the ARC's to his students. They research children's authors and illustrators and may like to see books in process, especially when I will probably be purchasing all three of the titles in question. Finding any differences might be fun.

Tags: ARC, Advance Reader Copy, Picture Books

Collection development: Juvenile books

As previously posted, I have been working with a backlog of review journals preparing to select and process juvenile, education, and general title orders for the library and resource center. Even with journal selections whittled down to three basic publications, Booklist, School Library Journal, and PW Children's Bookshelf, the amount of reading time required to make quality selections is astounding. Quite simply the titles seem to blend together; both figuratively and realistically as there are a finite number of titles reviewed during any period of time and in some cases all three publications reviewed a given book. To that point, I honestly found the number of duplicate books I chose from three different resources slightly unnerving. Luckily, we use B & T Link Online for juvenile purchases and it has a duplicate check option enabling librarians verify if a title was previously ordered. After three days of scouring reviews three carts of primarily juvenile books (picture book, easy readers, graphic novels, and young adult), currently totaling 151 titles, are pending processing by the acquisitions librarian.

An editorial by Brian Kenney, editor-in-chief of School Library Journal, Sex, Drugs, and Reading Levels, discusses the significance of book reviewing and SLJ's stand on what is included in their reviews:

"What we do at SLJ is review literature for children and young adults. What we can't do is keep you safe by imagining how any number of adults, with any number of agendas, might construe a novel. Our reviewers consider the elements of good literature: pacing, plot, character development, mood, language, and style. We ask "is this a good book?" and "who is the likely reader?" (Kenney, SLJ, 6/1/07)

Kenney presents a valid point, especially with his article subtitle/talking points: "It's your collection, your community. You make the call." Minutes prior to reading this editorial I was discussing this topic with another librarian, specifically how we tend to read book reviews.

It is not possible to read every single review in a journal. There, I said it out loud. Shortcuts are taken; I read the first sentence and last two sentences in each review considered. Generally speaking that provides basic information regarding both book topic and the reviewer's final recommendation. If those elements are of interest, they contain specific topics I need for my collection (and make no mistake, right now it is my collection), I read the full review and make note of the ISBN for my list. Additionally, there are general things I look for when reading reviews. Broad topics include sport sciences and health, math, language arts, children's and young adult literature, and possibility to be used as a read-aloud. I look for topics specific to current course assignments requiring students to find picture books and children's literature for math, special education, music and art appreciation; juvenile and young adult titles featuring historical fiction; and growing genre of graphic novels. I will also be brave and admit sometimes the book just sounds fun - or has been written or illustrated by one of my personal favorites. Yes, I said that out loud as well.

Journals and their reviewers have specific readers, or audiences. Librarians have differing purposes for their selection agenda's, more appropriately termed collection development policy, when making juvenile selections for their collections. When those things successfully meld together, I get a great book for the library. And while no selection process is without an occasional poor choice, even these books serve purpose as teaching tools for the children's literature classes. Each time I fill a cart full of books I take the chance; with choices in hand I try to enhance the collection

Tags: Collection development, Juvenile collection, Book reviews, School Library Journal

Mock Caldecott ... early choices

I am currently collecting books, and by "collect" I mean check out to me for the next three months, for September's Mock Caldecott session. I endeavor to find books not only new to our collection and possibly the participating students, but also visually appealing and meeting Caldecott medal standards. Picking from new books is slim right now with one fiscal year ending and another yet to begin, although luckily there are a few titles filtering into the library that were ordered in late April and May. At this point I have seven contenders, almost half way to the fifteen plus necessary; five have been in captivity for several weeks and two I took from the new book cart this afternoon.

The first five and their illustrators (in no particular order) are:

• The Chicken Chasing Queen of Lamar County, Shelley Jackson
• Lucky Jake, Wade Zaharaes
• Wolf's Coming, Joe Kulka
• Sweet Land of Liberty, Leonard Jenkins
• Lily Brown's Paintings, E.B. Lewis

Today's jewels are:

• When I met the Wolf Girls, August Hall
• My America, Ashley Bryan and Jan Spivey Gilchrist
  

My America is a beautiful piece of artistic poetry. Bryan and Gilchrist's illustrations perfectly compliment the book's poetry and each other in a way that should not be possible given the distinctly different style of each artist; case in point, bright colored water creatures flow into two youngsters enjoying a swim in the ocean and a stunning watercolor rendering of American children is enhanced by people dressed in traditional garb on the next page. This book begs to be read and enjoyed a second and third time.

When I Met the Wolf Girls, illustrated by August Hall, is a fictional account of two young girls discovered by missionaries in the 1920's who had been raised by wolves. Hall's art is a perfect accompaniment to this story as it ranges from lushly drawn forest and animals (the double page jungle spread towards the end is a visual treat) to the townspeople missionaries having a more somber amber toned palette. This book has an intriguing textural feel; it reminded me in some ways of a plastic placemat that the technical services assistant did not cover so as not to inhibit student's enjoyment of holding the book as well as reading it.

Time will tell if the students enjoy any of these selections, or the other eight or ten I have yet to select. They always find something unique in each of the books we discuss when making their choices.

Tags: Mock Caldecott, Picture books, Picture book art, August Hall, Ashley Bryan, Jan Spivey Gilchrist, My America, When I Met the Wolf Girls

Read Roger ... again

Read Roger, the Horn Book editors blog, is always a great informational tool, as well as an intriguing children's literature resource. Case in point, today Roger pointed readers to the Horn Book's Summer Reading recommendations:

"Every few summers, and this promises to be one, the whole world goes wild about Harry. But no wizard has a lock on enchantment. Our editors have hand-picked some favorite new titles, all published within the last year, that are ideal for the season. There is plenty of magic here, too." (Summer Reading, Horn Book, 6/11/07)

I scanned through the list and noted a few titles I have already read (and blogged about), one I am in the process of reading, and several I would like to read. Also posted recently was an announcement about the 2007 Boston Globe Horn Book Awards. I was slightly smug to learn we had all winning titles and all but one of the honor books already in our collection. The book I missed was 365 Penguins and we'll order it when funds are released for the next fiscal year.

As to that summer reading list, here are the books I have read and/or blogged about:

• Babymouse
• The Green Glass Sea
• The Invention of Hugo Cabret
• Rex Zero and the End of the World
• Dairy Queen
• Notes from the Midnight Driver
• How it Happened on Peach Hill
• One Whole and Perfect Day

Currently Reading:

• The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing - This is not an average young adult novel. Written in what could be loosely termed a journal format, Octavian Nothing is a disturbing account of historical fiction written in the dialogue of the times, 18th century America. In it Octavian discusses slavery, his own, and the academic experiment that was the bedrock and downfall of his childhood. Readers are provided insights to the barbaric whims of slavery and slave owners during the Revolutionary War era, as opposed to the more widely known Civil War notations. I have not yet finished this book, but it is disurbing on many levels as the first person narrative intersperced throughout the novel is at times both matter-of-fact and cynical.

Would like to read:

• Street Love, Walter Dean Myers

Tags: Read Roger, Horn Book Magazine, Juvenile summer reading

Two-a-days

No, this is not going to be a post about football practice, even though the Steelers are holding mini-camps as I type. This will eventually be a post with two short picture book reviews after I bemoan my avid use of draft; blogger post draft. Recently, the blogger post draft option has become my friend. As I write this post I have two book discussions/reviews sitting in draft format waiting to be published and a third I am thinking about. The interesting thing about using draft is that no matter when I finally publish the items, the draft date is the one that posts with the information. So even though it appears I have not posted in two days, when the drafts become live I will have.

After discussing poster session options with the university print shop on Friday, I am almost ready to begin drafting poster layout ideas in Microsoft Publisher. Since the campus printer can handle print jobs ups to 38 inches in width, I will be able to do two banners (each 12 inches) and two posters (each 36 inches) and meet the 4 x 8 requirement for poster sessions. Printing the banner/title/headers on one 8 foot section and having them cut in half will save me at least $45 in printing costs. Armed with that information I was thinking about the screen shots I will be using (posters are a visual medium) and considering the quality of jpgs necessary to create from said screen shots two small, yet niggling, details pushed themselves into the forefront.

Much to my chagrin I have a seriously dated blog. My plan to review a new juvenile book each week derailed in February, as noted by the absence of reviews after February 12th. Additionally, I had yet to transfer the same book review blog over to new blogger so I could take advantage of the labeling option. Friday afternoon I migrated over to the "new" blogger and cleaned up several posts. And today I did two book reviews which served the dual purpose of adding to the blog and removing books from my reading shelf. That brings me to the two-a-day post title and the following two juvenile book reviews.

Courage of the Blue Boy by Robert Neubecker has been a recent favorite. It discusses culture and race differences without preaching a message; so much so that it could easily be a read-aloud without any follow-up discussion on children being different. However, that would be a mistake. Blue Boy's world is completely blue and the other places he visits are equally saturated in monochromtic tones. These choices make the colorful world more visually appealing and interesting.

Blue boy and Polly, his calf, live in a land where everything, including them, is blue. They dream of seeing other places of colors and travel to lands of yellow, purple, orange, red, pink, and green. Blue and Polly feel oddly out of place in each as the only thing blue, but soon arrive in a wondrous multi-colored city. It fills them with joy until they notice once again they are the only blue thing. Gathering his courage, Blue decides to add his own hues to the city so it will represent all colors and but enable him to remain true to self. In doing so, “He wasn’t just blue anymore. He was every color of the world.” Vibrant illustrations, done on watercolor paper and colorized by computer, are saturated with color making Blue and Polly starkly noticeable on the landscape when visiting each land. This book is a nice introduction to multiculturalism for youngsters and would be suitable for discussions regarding courage and self worth.

Today's second title is Winston the Book Wolf, written by Marni McGee and illustrated by Ian Beck. Some of the supporting characters presented in this tale may slip by readers; the three little pigs outside the library and a food cart operator who looks suspiciously like Oliver Hardy of Laurel and Hardy fame, but it will not detract from the overall appeal of the book.

In this fractured tale Winston Wolf has somewhat of a different appetite; instead of Little Red Riding Hood or the Three Little Pigs, he favors books to eat. One day, after a particularly disruptive trip to the library, a young girl named Rosie (aptly dressed in a red jacket with a hood) tricks Winston into leaving the library and shows him a better way to feed his hunger for books. “You do not have to chew on a book to taste the wonderful words inside. Words taste even better when you eat them with your eyes!” Fluid text placement illustrates Winston devouring his new treats and soon, with Rosie’s help, a clever plan to return to the library is revealed. Book design, along with pastel toned illustrations, echoes Winston’s healthy appetite as bites are taken out of the cover, various text blocks within the book, and an assortment of page borders throughout the tale. Readers will enjoy finding other cleverly placed fairy tale characters as they follow Winston’s adventure.

Tags: Winston the Book Wolf, Courage of the Blue Boy, Robert Neubecker, Ian Beck, Marni McGee, Picture books, Juvenile fiction

Looking @ picture books

Continuing through my back log pile of journals this morning I found the March 2007 (vol. 16, no. 4) issue of Book Links. Another ALA publication, Book Links is unique in that it connects books and curriculum, as well as provides web elements for classroom use and "hands-on-learning" elements for librarians and classroom teachers. Two articles caught my interest and both detail appreciating picture books for not only their artistic value, but also for their literary content.

Illustration as Art - Color by Mary M. Erbach (p. 33) Erbach discusses seven different picture books and the use of color by the illustrators including Lois Ehlert, Marjorie Priceman, and Ed Young. The first in a new featured series of "Illustration as Art" articles, subsequent articles will "cover styles of children's book illustration and aspects of book design, and will help both children and adults gain a greater appreciation for art as they learn to look and look again, taking time to digest and explore this wonderfully varied subject" (Book Links, editor's note, p. 33).

Using Picture Books to Teach Literary Techniques by Shutta Crum (p. 57) Crum offers a "sampling of literary techniques" and corresponding picture book offerings that may be used to successfully illustrate the defined technique. Included are allusion, alliteration, imagery, personification, onomatopoeia, and suspense & foreshadowing. Many of the books Crum recommends will be easily found in most libraries including Margie Palatini's Piggie Pie, Dav Pilkey's Dogzilla, and Jon Scieszka's The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs.

Recently I have been trying to highlight children's literature articles in professional journals for education students. This issue of Book Links is going up on the resource center blog after lunch.

Tags: Book Links, ALA publications, Juvenile literature, Classroom & library resources, Picture book art

It's not the heat

It's the humidity! That phrase always makes me crazy because, trust me when summer days are in the triple digits, it is the heat. I have spent the last three hours compiling book lists to update the resource center web site's author page. The heat and humidity phrase stuck in my mind because I kept thinking now that the page design is finished it's not the web page, it's the content that is driving me crazy. I could easily just change over the old page to the new format, but without updated information that page design is just a new frame on an ugly painting.

I was so intent on the task at hand I worked through my traditional dinner hour. Knowing I could use dinner break time for a quick blog post, about fifteen minutes ago I took my crackers, raisins, and sprite zero over to look at a cart of books. One of the children's books is Smart Feller Fart Smeller and other Spoonerisms by Jon Agee. It was just the thing for an after dinner chuckle.

Agee begins his picture book homage to Spoonerisms with short background information on William Archibald Spooner, including the fact that he was known for flipping the beginning sounds of words, by explaining to readers "There was not explanation for Spooner's embarrassing habit, other than the simple fact that his mouth couldn't keep up with his brain." The book gleefully illustrates several Spoonerisms that will undoubtedly delight younger students. Caricature-like pen and ink drawings work well with the question and answer layout of the book. Readers are ask a simple question, turn the page, and the Spoonerism is revealed. A few of the sayings may need additional explanation for younger children, especially the "gentlemen cart your stars" instead of start your cars (which should be start your engines), but the overall effect is still laugh out loud enjoyable. This book would definitely be enhanced if used as a read-aloud:

"What did the cowboy say to the rocket scientist?"
"You sure are a fart smeller!"

The last page of the book presents a "what they said" and "what they meant to say" section to help with any potential confusion. A nice addition to our library collection of word Agee word books such as Go Hang a Salami, I'm a Lasagna Hog and other Palindromes and Elvis Lives and other Anagrams.

Tags: Jon Agee, Smart Feller Fart Smeller, Spoonerisms, Children's literature

Small cart, new books

It is a lovely new book morning complete with a small cart of arrivals for the juvenile collection. Naturally I was able to peruse and mark several for my greedy self, and have first crack at a small cart of books I missed (the horrors) when they arrived a week ago.

Here are a few new titles I tagged to read after processing:

• Time Bomb, Nigel Hinton
• The Miner's Daughter, Gretchen Moran Laskas
• Extraordinary Adventures of Ordinary Basil, Wiley Miller
• Lily Brown's Paintings, Angela Johnson
• The Dumpster Diver, Janet S. Wong
• Shout!: Little Poems that Roar, Brod Bagert
• Little Rooster's Diamond Button, Margaret Read MacDonald
• Henry's Freedom Box, Ellen Levine
  (The cover art on this picture book is wonderful!)

The two added to my overflowing book shelf are:

• Oddly Normal Volume 1, Otis Frampton
• The Invention of Hugo Cabret, Brian Selznick

Tags: Collection development, Juvenile books, Picture books, Juvenile literature

The End, Not a Box, and snow

After blithely (okay, it bordered on snarky) noting that I never get a "snow day" from work, yesterday was the first. Over a foot of snow fell in our fair metropolis and while I was prepared for a day of leisure reading, other things (like snow removal and a nap) took precedence. Today the sun is shining, the birds are singing, and we continue to dig out from under the flakes.

Because I have that "camera gene" from my father's side of the family, I naturally put a bright yellow ruler in my front yard and photographed the snow fall amount for posterity. That same gene compelled me to bring my camera to work today and take a few shots around campus. With the aforementioned sun shining, it really was quite beautiful. I found the "keep off grass" signs, surrounded by snow and already pelted with a snow ball, humorous.

A morning full of meetings put me behind, again, on my book reviews for the IRC blog. Promising myself I would do at the least one review a week has fallen by the wayside on more than one occasion. Today I picked up two of my current favorites. The End, by David LaRochelle, was first. I am not familiar with LaRochelle's work, but soon learned I had purchased several titles for the library including Absolutely Positively Not, The Best Pet of All, and Bookstore Valentine. What drew me to the book were the pictures; I am a fan of Caldecott winning illustrator Richard Egielski. To me, the art in this book is very Sendak-ish.

“Once upon a time a clever princess decided to make a big bowl of lemonade.” Or so the story ends? This charming fairy tale has a unique twist; it begins with the traditional happily ever after and ends once upon a time. Led through a series of surprising events with the princess are a brave knight, a fire breathing (yet artistic) dragon, an angry giant, and a kingdom of delightful characters who all contribute as each aspect of the story is revealed. Text on each page is hand lettered calligraphy on parchment colored banners, complimenting richly colored double page spreads. Illustrations are filled with artistically whimsical good humor, deftly highlighting each separate incident; the “enormous tomato” and laughing forest of trees will surely elicit laughter. A great addition to lessons on fairy tales or a classroom read-aloud, students will enjoy predicting what might come next, “because …”

The second book, Not a Box by Antoinette Portis, caught my attention when I picked it up; I am very tactile oriented (don't get me started on having to touch fabrics when shopping) and this book not only looks like a box, it feels like a cardboard box. Actually, it reminds me of middle school and high school when we covered our books with brown paper bags to protect them. If you remember that, you know what this books cover and end papers feel like. Luckily, the book lives up to it's textures and a visual level as well. After discussing the book with a student, remember I work with a lot of education students, she ordered it online while I was at lunch. Not a bad recommendation.

A rabbit and his plain brown cardboard box are featured in this witty story of childhood imagination. Readers are introduced to a rabbit, starkly drawn in black and placed on an uncluttered white page, which at first glance appears to be sitting in an empty cardboard box. Turn the page and learn it is not a box, but a race car, a robot, or a pirate ship! Pages featuring drawings of rabbit’s imagination are inked in red, perfectly juxtaposed over the original box drawing, and presented on a creamy yellow background. Simple text of questions and answers allow the wonderful imagination of rabbit to be the focus of this story. Children will enjoy answering the questions in their own words as they follow rabbit on his adventure. This book definitely answers the unending adult question, “Why are you sitting in a box?” Bring in various sized boxes to class and use this book as a culminating activity.

Tags: David LaRochelle, Richard Egielski, The End, Antoinette Portis, Not a Box, Juvenile fiction, Picture books

What to read, what to read?

A morning spent posting recent library purchases on the IRC blog has me wondering a couple of things in regards to blogs and my ever expanding shelf of books waiting to be read. First, the blog issue. I decided this morning the "book list" and information blog needed spiced up a bit and chose to add a few book covers to the lists, longer posts got three covers and briefer posts one or two. It took a bit longer (ok, considerably longer) to compile the lists, tag them correctly, and find engaging book covers to include on each post, but I like the visual appeal it gives the blog. However, as I was gleefully adding interest I began to wonder how many book covers and pieces of clip art would be too much? There is a fine line between visually appealing and grossly overdone. It's fair to say if the added images increase usage of the blog from campus users I have not crossed that line.

After updating a graphic novel bulletin board, highlighting a few new juvenile collection additions, the technical services assistant brought me a present. I have several more juvenile books on my shelf for reading (see New Books, New Books) and know it would probably behoove me to stop hoarding titles for myself. Not that I will, but I know I should. Here are a few of what I've chosen, the full list is on the sidebar, and of course, there are accompanying images:

• Games, Carol Gorman
• An Unlikely Friendship, Ann Rinaldi
• Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life, Wendy Mass
• The Cartoon History of the Modern World
• Alosha, Christopher Pike

I have already briefly looked at Not a Box, by Antoinette Portis (charming and so very true), The End, by Richard Egielski (love him), and the previously mentioned Courage of the Blue Boy by Robert Neubecker (fabulous) and will be doing book reviews on these titles for the children's book review blog at work. I will be taking several books home with me this evening as the weather forecasters are predicting doom and gloom for the next several days. Though the library does not close, even when classes are cancelled, I would hate to be snowed in at home with nothing to read!

Tags: Juvenile Fiction, Picture books

New books, new books, new books

Let's face it, I am a bit of a book geek. For the last several weeks there was been a nice steady flow of carts in juvenile literature, and it makes me happy. Today's batch includes books I ordered, along with selections made by another librarian in charge of a small annual budget given to the library to purchase juvenile literature. From a collection development standpoint, it is nice to have a second librarian making a contribution to the juvenile section of the library. Every librarian thinks he/she is building a well-rounded and unbiased collection. Generally speaking, this is the case. But, no matter how hard you try, some aspects a collection will begin to take on the personal choices of the librarian in charge of the purchasing.

After working as a children's librarian in a public library and teaching first grade, I tend to gravitate towards books reviewed as good for story time and group settings. The other librarian ordering has an interest in fantasy literature. Since she purchases that particular genre, I do not buy much fantasy. Today's cart has many very interesting titles, including Young Adult choices, graphic novels, picture books, and juvenile non-fiction:

• Alosha


• The Book of One Hundred Truths


• Babymouse Heartbreaker


• Games: A Tale of Two Bullies


• The Cartoon History of the Modern World


• Rubber Houses


• An Unlikely Friendship


• Flat Stanley


• Birdsongs


• Champions on the Bench


• A Lime, a Mime, a Pool of Slime


• Max Counts his Chickens


• Not a Box


• Our 50 States


• The End

The hardest part is looking over the cart and balancing what I want to read with what I will have time to read.

Tags: Collection development, Juvenile collection, Juvenile books, New books