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fuseno8 @ 7:41am: Fusenews: Tis Was

http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/blog/1790000379/post/1980030398.html?nid=3713

I get a lot of books. A lot. Of books. And simple mathematics tells me that unfortunately I cannot physically re...

aphiorogue @ 12:16am: might actually fall asleep before 1am today. *sigh* insomnia stinks.

dlgarfinkle @ 7:23pm: No laughing matter
I have a lot more respect for comedians after going to my second stand-up comedy class. We had to go onstage and tell the class jokes into the microphone from topics we'd prepared beforehand. I had to go first. Topics I thought I could get a lot of jokes from ended up not funny at all. Some were downright depressing. I totally bombed. But so did most of the people in the class. The teacher said that usually only half the class remains at the end of the eight-week session.

Our teacher also said that most good comics get a laugh every ten to fifteen seconds. I didn't believe him, so I went home and timed a couple of comedians. Our teacher was right. Yikes.

I try to get at least seven jokes into my 400-500-word humor column. So that would be a joke about every 65 words. I wonder how many seconds it takes to read 65 words. Probably a lot more than ten to fifteen seconds.

Note that I was the only female in the class Monday night. Single women looking for a guy with a sense of humor: Enroll in a stand-up comedy class. But don't be surprised if it's incredibly difficult.

And by the way, I love it.

slayground @ 5:41pm: Blogged.com

melissawyatt @ 5:24pm: The Writer in Public
Okay, so I've given up on the idea of writing in public. That doesn't mean that being a writer in public isn't still fraught with problems.

Writers are observers by nature. We watch. We see things. We take note. We eavesdrop, often without even being aware we are doing it. We simply take things in. We mean no harm.

But try to explain that to the fascinating elderly couple sitting next to you in the optometrist's waiting room.

I was sitting there waiting for Ned and reading Possession (it is deliberately taking me forever to read this book because I am doling it out to myself in little tidbits because I love it so much) when they came in.

I glanced up quickly because you're allowed to do that when people come into a waiting room. Enough to get an impression of a large-boned snowy-haired woman in a tropical capri set and a neat gray haired man in short sleeves. The woman seemed to be in mild distress, uttering a hoarse, unwilling sigh with each step. The man encouraged her across the room and into a chair.

They discussed the plan for making it through the appointment and the rest of the day, how she would rest when she could. He was on top of things. She was reluctant, trying not to be unhappy.

She said "My body feels like it's flinging itself repeatedly against the fence."

He said "Look out the window."

"Oh, it's raining."

"Think about how happy everything seems when it stops. It will stop."

I wanted so much to stare at them, to see what they really looked like, to see their expressions when they talked to each other. Their words were personal, poignant and intense. I had no right to hear them, let alone want more. But I did. I do. It doesn't feel like rudeness or nosiness. And yet, it crosses a firm boundary.

But I sometimes think that being a writer demands a kind of callousness, like a student surgeon who has to not feel for the cadaver he is dissecting.

thebadgirl2007 @ 2:41pm: You can help!
Do you have an old cell phone tucked away somewhere? Most of us do. Well, if you have one and you don't need, you can help a victim of abuse by sending it to these folks.





They are at www.911cellphonebank.org and they provide phones to abused people so they can get help fast if they need it.

It's a worthy cause. Send them an old phone and be a cool guy!

jillsbooks @ 2:07pm: Whispering Woods
After fully utilizing my final chance at tweaking STANZA, I'm spending the rest of this week preparing for my Whispering Woods Picture Book Workshop/Retreat. Making LOTS of copies (handouts), reviewing my talks, packing dozens of picture books, gathering writing instruction books to share, letting the nuns know how many of us will be there for meals, etc. BOY, is my office a mess. This is one of those times I would reeeeally appreciate more space in my little writing cubby (approx 6' x 9'). As long as everything's in its place, I'm good. But yowser, that is definitely not how I'd describe it now.

Note to possible drop-ins: Please don't.

And, in the minor annoyances department, I have to ask: Oh, Sally Hanson, why for the love of Pete won't you manufacture a brush that reaches the bottom of the bottle? Urgh. I don't want to throw this much away. Green up, Sal.

yahtzee63 @ 1:42pm: State of the Yahtzee
Saturday: Arose early to spend the day with my friend cobyco, who was hawking his book at the Harlem Book Fair. I love him very dearly, which is the only reason I would ever spend 6 1/2 hours sitting outside in 95-degree heat (no shade, no clouds) with anyone. I was mostly in charge of buying cold water; he handled book sales. (In the morning, he was wowing the crowds with a fabulous sales pitch that moved a lot of books. By the end, he was saying, "If you're interested, read the back of the book. I'm going to be right here.") We kept looking at each other hopefully and saying, with our best efforts at real cheer, "Only 4 1/2 more hours!" But we got through it. Afterward, we had hoped to eat out, but we quickly realized that we no longer smelled fit for public establishments. Instead he came to my place, where we devoured pizza before he went to catch his train. I showered, then Febreezed everything we'd sat on. A fine day.

Yesterday: Sort of had a moody, crappity day at work, which was capped off by the dark skullduggery of Laura Hale (if there is some chance you have not heard of this brouhaha yet, I think cofax_7's posts sum it up nicely) and my falling flat on my ass in the middle of the road on my way home. The shoes I was wearing, while adorable, do not have great traction; I normally simply avoid wearing them on rainy days, and that does it. But yesterday I walked over a bit of especially smooth asphalt and WHAMMO. I am uninjured, thanks to my amply padded butt; this is a case of short-term benefit, long-term loss, I think, but I was grateful for the padding at the time.

Today: Finished up a couple of lingering projects at work and was immediately surprised at how much more relaxed I feel -- I hadn't realized how much I was stressed. Very mellow now, and pleased by the break in the heat.

Generally: Still outlining the YA maybe-book, still feel like it's going well. Have realized that, for the thriller, I need to talk to a political law expert and am considering whether/how best to approach a friendly partner at GG&K. Am deep in fannish re-love with "Alias" and greatly anticipating the return of "Mad Men." Drinking orange juice. Condition: good.

ETA: Happy birthday, miss_pryss and esorlehcar!

crystalgee, posting in library_grrls @ 11:22am: A question from someone who's been out of the library pool awhile
Gee, what a long subject-sorry about that!

My name is Crystal and I moved to Florida (St Petersburg area) from Louisiana nearly three years ago. I was employed in the library system for a number of years back in Louisiana and figured I was a shoo in for a library job-I wasn't. So, I took a call center job cause they hired me off the bat and I have been there since early 2006. Since then I haven't kept up with library items so I am woefully out of practice.

Well, now there is a job opening at a library near me (no more 20-40min commute!) in reference but I'm afraid that I am ready rusty in things. I am planning on visiting my local library and checking out the reference sections-what else do you suggest to get myself back into speed.

Also, will my working in a call center for three years be a mark against me? No it wasn't telemarketing but I am curious.

Thanks

professornana @ 10:01am: WFMAD 23
Chapter four is nearing the end. Chapter five is maybe going away or becoming something other than what it is now. Who knows what will be next? I spent some time this morning writing (250 words)on the book and also putting together some materials for a session Rosemary Chance and I are doing on booktalking at IASL in a few weeks.

Since Dolly is sitting right off the South Texas coast, it is a tad cooler here but just as humid. We had some rain this morning and should see some more for a couple of days. Hurricane supplies have, fortunately, not been used since we stocked up for Rita a few years ago.

Laurie Halse Anderson's writing prompt this morning was to make some free associations with the word "spam" (the food). Did anyone else eat this as a child? How about scrapple? Shudder.

Before I fell asleep last night I had some inspiration about a piece of writing I need to begin to tackle soon. It's clever, but I will need much more than that.

Here is a photo from the IRA conference in San Antonio a few years ago. Tim Ditlow took a group of us to dinner with Jack Gantos and Pam Munoz Ryan. Pam sang with the mariachi band. Fun time had by all.

cedarlibrarian @ 10:46am: Today, Consumerist has an entry on why public libraries are great things in these recessive times, but can I just say to this person, "You need to learn some library laws?"

It is not, is NOT illegal to look at porn in a public library, assuming that said porn would still be legal if you were looking at it in your own home.  Patrons may not like it.  Librarians may not like it.  But it's not illegal. 

Okay, back to the review pile.

crimsonquills, posting in r_morrow_daily @ 7:20am: End Game 21/?
Hey folks! You get today's pics early (by about 12 hours *g*) because I'm catching a plane to Comic Con this afternoon! I'll still be able to post while I'm there, so I've got the rest of my turn covered. cpwatcher and munchkinofdoom, are you still willing and able to do the two weeks starting this Saturday? I feel like you ought to be listed as mods, you've been helping out for so long! I'm sure webbgirl will be back eventually, but no idea when, alas.

( Read more... )

spookycyn @ 8:15am: Goal Setting, Time Management, Tongue Tattoos, and ALAN Chat

http://spookycyn.blogspot.com/2008/07/goal-setting-time-management-tongue.html

Miriam Hees, publisher of Blooming Tree Press, debut author P. J. Hoover, and her editor Madeline Smoot show off the cover to P. J.'s upcoming novel The Emerald Tablet (Blooming Tree, October 2008).

P. J. spoke last Saturday to a full house at Austin SCBWI's monthly meeting. Her topic was "Create Your Own Future with Goals and Time Management."

P. J. emphasized identifying goals, focusing on goals, implementing steps to achieve them, and making the most out of your time.

What I appreciated most about her presentation was the personal-responsibility theme. She emphasized owning what you can do to facilitate your success, both professionally and more broadly as a well-rounded person. Of course we have important partners--critique groups, agents, publishers, booksellers, teachers, and librarians--but as youth literature creators, ultimately we are accountable to our art and our readers.

She also cheered the power of positive thinking. That got me thinking...

Over the years, I've met a lot of folks in the youth writing community, and hands-down, those who were forward-thinking, upbeat, and had the strongest, most cheerful work ethic have been the most successful by any measure.

I also must mention P. J.'s innovative book giveaway, a Fruit Roll up that creates a tongue-tattoo. What will authors think of next? Note: the tattoos were both effective and tasty.


Don't miss: P. J.'s report, I'm Ready to Set My Goals; Carmen Oliver's report, Goal Setting and Time Management; and Alison Dellenbaugh's report Time management, tongue tattoos, and video. Check out Roots in Myth, P. J.'s blog. Read a Cynsations interview with Miriam.

In other news, author Lila Guzman is celebrating the release of George Lopez: Latino King of Comedy (Enslow, 2008)! Read a Cynsations interview with Lila.

As usual, it was a great turn out for the meeting. Local luminaries included authors Brian Anderson, Anne Bustard, Jane Ann Peddicord, and author-illustrator Mark G. Mitchell.

I'd like to send out a special welcome to first-timer LaShun Gaines! (I hope to see you again soon!).


More Personally

"The ALAN Book Chat is pleased to feature Cynthia Leitich Smith and her novel Tantalize (Candlewick, 2007)[now available in paperback, 2008] in the July book chat.

"The live chat to discuss Tantalize will be held at 9 p.m. Eastern, 8 p.m. Central on July 23. The live chat with Cynthia Leitich Smith will be held one week later, July 30th at 9 p.m. Eastern, 8 p.m. Central.

"You do not have to be a member of ALAN to participate in the Book Chat. To join the conversation, click on this link. " Check out the readers' guide to Tantalize.

thejamiedavis, posting in library_grrls @ 6:24pm: Listmaker, Listmaker make me a list
Hello, lovely library grrrls. A renegade bunch of us. Well, I haven't been initiated yet, but am working towards that MLS.

I'm sure this question has been asked, but I would like a fresh answer.

Where can I find an awesome reference (a book maybe) that lists the practical and techie-related skills that a librarian can learn.

ie...Access, xhtml, sql, cataloging, etc..... other up and coming software, languages, hardware. Anything you can think of.

Having a boring summer, want to make it worthwhile......

By the way, I love lists. It's a sickness.

jkrbooks @ 5:45am: The Diamond of Darkhold: Jeanne DuPrau

http://jkrbooks.typepad.com/blog/2008/07/the-diamond-of.html

Book: The Diamond of Darkhold
Author: Jeanne DuPrau
Pages: 304
Age Range: 9-12

Ahhhh. This is my sigh of utter satisfaction on finishing the fourth and final book in the City of Ember series, The Diamond of Darkhold. Jeanne DuPrau, thank you! Thank you for giving us another interesting story, and one that so pleasingly completes the series.

When The Diamond of Darkhold begins, the citizens of Sparks (a post-apocalyptic settlement) are suffering through a rough winter. People are cold, and there isn't enough food for everyone, and as a result, many people are sick. The Pioneer Hotel, where most of the citizens of Ember (the underground city of the first book of the series) are still living, is ever more decrepit.

Determined to do something to help their families, Lina and Doon (the heroes from the first two books) decide to return to the City of Ember. They take with them a mysterious clue, received from a roamer (a wandering trader) named Maggs. In addition to looking for practical things, like food and antibiotics, they also seek to solve the mystery. They hope to find something major, left behind by Ember's builders, to help their people survive. However, they fall into some trouble along the way, and learn that without its citizens, the underground City of Ember is a very dark place.

Two things strike me in particular about this book. The first is the way that kids drive ALL of the action, and are responsible for saving themselves. Even when the adults get involved, they only do so under the direction of the kids. This is true to the other books in the Ember series, but I find it refreshing when compared to some of the other books that I've read recently. I think that kids will find this book fascinating (underground city, children on a quest, a mysterious jewel), but also empowering.

The second thing that is fascinating about this book, at least for me, and that was also present in The People of Sparks, is DuPrau's envisioning of a post-apocalyptic world. What aspects of our civilization have people held on to? What have they lost (electricity, indoor plumbing, elephants and giraffes)? The idea that our civilization is so fragile that we might one day have people who don't know how to spell or pronounce the names of our major cities ... it's terrifying, but it sure does make you think. And the distorted remnants of words from our world catch your attention when they sneak through (a new character uses the word "Wallah", for instance, which he says means "there it is").

Also interesting is the difference in experience between the people of Sparks, descendants of surface survivors of the apocalypse, and the people of Ember, who led a relatively sheltered life below-ground. Living in Sparks is quite an adjustment for the Emberites, who grew up with electric lights and indoor plumbing, but had little exposure to nature. Here are a couple of examples:

"They walked as quickly as they could, but it seemed unlikely they'd avoid getting wet. A few raindrops were already drifting down. Doon felt their light, cold touch on his face. Rain had become familiar to him by now. Since he and his people had arrived here in Sparks from the City of Ember, where sun and rain alike were unknown, four rainstorms had swept over the land. The first had terrified the people of Ember, who thought something dreadful had gone wrong with the sky." (Chapter 1)

"He remembered that someone had told him about a thing called lightning -- a bolt of electricity that came sometimes in storms. He had not known how to picture a "bolt of electricity." (Chapter 1)

Meanwhile, the people of Sparks have had little education, resulting in passages like this:

"Other than Nature, school seemed confusing or boring to Kenny. He'd learned to read a long time ago, but he didn't much like doing it. There wasn't anything very interesting to read. And he'd learned his numbers well enough, up to the part where you have one number on top of another one, with a line between them. He got a little lost after that." (Chapter 14)

This isn't the kind of book where you stop to flag dozens of pages, because there are so many gorgeous turns of phrase, or witty little passages. Instead it's a book that flows along effortlessly when you're reading it, because you care about the characters, and you keep wanting to know what happens next. The plot moves along quickly, with just the right balance of action and atmosphere. Doon and Lina are actually rather ordinary kids. Their primary strengths lie in taking action and looking out for each other. But they feel real. And I think that kids will be able to identify with them.

This book is the very definition of kid-friendly, even as it touches on important , big picture issues. The cover is absolutely fabulous, too. I am certain that fans of the Ember books are going to be very happy with this conclusion to the series. Highly, highly recommended. Get it as soon as you can. You won't be disappointed.

Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: August 26, 2008
Source of Book: Advance review copy from the publisher
Other Blog Reviews: Bending Bookshelf
Author Interviews: Shrinking Violet Promotions

professornana @ 7:50am: final picture books


WONDER BEAR is a textless wonder. Two children plant seeds and head off to dreamland. In the night, a stalk grows. From this wondrous plant comes a bear with a blue hat who takes the children on a grand adventure before returning them safely to bed. The wonder of textless books is that they can be used with almost all students. Reading problems and language issues are not as insurmountable with wordless books. And this one is visually stunning. The illustrator is a graduate of the School of Visual Arts in NYC and this was her master's thesis.

Finally, we have FRANKENSTEIN TAKES THE CAKE, a compendium of poems about Frank's impending wedding day. Adam Rex gives us three "Edgar Allan Poem"s in the rhythm and rhyme scheme of "The Raven" plus blog entries from the Headless Horseman. As Frank's mother in law plans a wedding (and so soon after laying out tons of money for a funeral, no less), things are bound to get out of hand. A comic strip with Dracula Junior (who looks suspiciously like Charlie Brown with a widow's peak) and the raven hopping across the final double page spreads telling readers to go away just add to the hilarity.

professornana @ 7:34am: more picture books


Loreen Leedy's picture books have long been favorites of mine. I used MESSAGES IN THE MAILBOX with my middle school students years ago. With CRAZY LIKE A FOX, Leedy gives readers a story told entirely with similes. Rufus the fox is chasing Babette the sheep. The romp progresses to a happy and surprising ending. Back matter discusses similes in more detail.

And here is another one with classroom utility by Laurie Keller, a sequel to her SCRAMBLED STATES OF AMERICA. In SCRAMBLED STATES OF AMERICA TALENT SHOW, the states enthusiastically agree to perform in a talent show. There are jugglers, dancers, singers, and the like. When Georgia is struck with stage fright, she is told to picture the audience in their underwear. That leads to a priceless final double page of various states doing cheesecake poses. Endpapers include statehood dates and state abbreviations.

halseanderson @ 8:18am: Fact Checking and WFMAD 23
There is a great story in many history books in which John Adams calls the year 1777 "the year of the hangman" because all those sevens lined up together looked like gallows. The implication was that if the British defeated the Patriots in the American Revolution, the Patriot leaders (like Adams) would all hang.

It's a great quote; vivid, layered, and short.

I wanted to use it in the book I'm working on right now, so I started hunting for a primary source so I could verify the wording. Couldn't find one. I found many people saying Adams said this, but no one pointed to the evidence that actually proved it. I could not find it in a searchable database of his writing, nor several other collections of his writings.

I turned to an 18th-century expert who writes a terrific blog about the time period: J.L. Bell of Boston 1775. He did his own investigating and came up with some surprises for me. And now I have to find a different quote. Darn.


WFMAD 23

We're having a minor family emergency here, so this will be short today.

Today's goal: Write 15 minutes, no matter what else is happening around you.

Today's mindset: family comes first, but writing is a close second.

Today's prompt: this is a free association drill. I'd like you to scroll down, down, down, until you get to the magic word of the day. When you do, write about all the images this word conjures in your head. Be specific and detailed in your descriptions. If you get stuck, repeat the word over and over out loud, no matter how silly you feel, and write whatever is flashing through your mind. If you stumble across a particularly vivid image, or one that for whatever reason hits you emotionally, stay with that one and write to your heart's content.




Scroll down for the magic word...





Keep scrolling...





Almost there.....






Magic word = Spam (the kind you eat, not the kind that clogs your email inbox)


Scribblescribble...

professornana @ 7:20am: my internetz haz been down
The university server is still down. So, if anyone has sent me email, I am not ignoring you (yet). Since I could not get online at the office yesterday, I read some of the picture books that have been threatening to tumble off the stack on my desk. So, here are some of the ones I think I will use in some way with tweens and teens.




Parody is flattery, right? This parody is spot on and a hoot for those of us who spent hours reading this book to our kids every night. GOODNIGHT GOON: A PREHISTORIC PARODY has slime green endpages and a very familiar room with some gruesome inhabitants.





You always know with Patricia Polacco that you are going to get a heartfelt story, and this is no exception. Autumn is a tiny kitten who enters into the life of a young teacher and even brings her together with her true love. Nice tribute to the power of the feline to capture our hearts and lives.




Like ENCYCLOPEDIA HORRIFICA, this book chronicles information about vampires and other creatures of our nightmares. Vampires A to Z and other bits and pieces of knowledge are accompanied by dark illustrations on ancient looking "paper" to lend an air of authenticity.

More books to come in another post.

ya_speed, posting in whatwasthatbook @ 5:00am: romance novel search
I'm looking for a romance novel. I think I read it it in 2002 or 2003. The guy was a lawyer I think, and the girl grew vegetables that she sold to a chef friend of hers. Very mismatched couple finds love type. And the chef is gay and the lawyer's partner figures out that he is too or at least bi after meeting and starting to like the chef. It turns out that the lawyer's partner did experiment in college but thought everyone did and at the end of the novel those two are living together with copper bottomed pots in their apartment and the girl and guy get married and the girl winds up at the guy's office in a teddy and trench coat with nothing else on underneath I think? It was a mainstream romance, good and thick USA based. Please and thank you

aphiorogue @ 7:54am: *sigh* weather matches my mood.

laurasalas @ 6:07am: Nikki Grimes Talks About Promotion
I attended a CLN (in the picture, I've got my legs crossed and back to the camera) Nikki Grimes event a couple of weeks ago. Shoot. I'm having major computer issues this morning and am not even sure this post will be able to go live. I can't add any more links, either!

Anyway, Nikki Grimes is a fabulous poet, writer, and marketer! Hearing her speak at the L.A. SCBWI event several years ago helped me shape the poetry collection that is now coming out next year from Clarion (STAMPEDE: POEMS ABOUT THE WILD SIDE OF SCHOOL). She spoke about promotion and her attitude toward it. Here are a few of my notes. Geez, even cutting and pasting is not working properly. Trying this again. And again. And again.

To be truly successful, you have to be willing to step back and view your own work the same way that publishers do. Think about situating it in the marketplace.

For instance, she wrote 100 urban haiku and organized them by season. She kept hearing from editors, “Why are you writing haiku?” So she looked at it again. “What have I been selling? What are people responding to?” Narrative. So she redid it. She added narrative. It became A Pocketful of Poems. The rest of the poems weren’t lost, either. They’ve shown up in lots of her other works, including Praying with Daddy, and in anthologies.

Try to be flexible and objective. Ask "What has been working for me?"

“Don’t alter your vision. But let it be informed by marketplace realities.”

She thinks of promotion as theater. 

Rehearse it until it sounds natural. 

"I psych myself up for it. I was not gonna not write. So the question became, How do I make a living at it?"

"Great. I have to walk up to total strangers." [Which you'd never know if you watched her in action.] It’s not natural for her. It’s not her druther. “If it were my choice, I’d hang out in the corner with my writing friends and talk art…But that’s not gonna get books sold.”

"If you’re going to go to the trouble of writing a book for kids, you need to take it to the next level. Make it work."

"Or make it a hobby, which is fine and can be very fulfilling."

She works with an agent, most especially because of new media issues.

Every profession has that aspect—that part of it that isn’t what you love. Librarians become librarians because they love books and reading to kids, etc.…not because they love meetings and acquisition forms, etc. For most writers, that aspect is promotion, but it’s necessary in order to get to the parts you do love.

myxginxblossoms, posting in whatwasthatbook @ 5:25pm: This one shouldn't be too hard to find--I just can't find a description online that matches what I recall.

I'm pretty much positive that it's a Betty Ren Wright book, because only so many children's horror-y books are set in Wisconsin, heh. All I can remember is that the main character ends up living with people of Cornish descent--if I recall correctly, maybe somewhere around Milwaukee, and she really doesn't want to be there. And there was some horror-y, ghost-y element to it, I think, but what I really recall was the whole this-place-has-lots-of-Cornish-heritage-people-in-it thing.

Any ideas? I was thinking maybe Ghosts Beneath Our Feet, but from the rudimentary descriptions I was able to find online, it doesn't sound right to me.

Thanks!

ETA: Found! Ghosts Beneath Our Feet by Betty Ren Wright, indeed. :D

jkrbooks @ 11:14pm: Reviews that Made Me Want the Book: July 22

http://jkrbooks.typepad.com/blog/2008/07/reviews-that--2.html

Welcome to the latest edition of my Review that Made Me Want to Read the Book feature, in which I highlight the blog reviews that catch my eye. This week I have seven new titles on my list, though I'm on the fence about the last one (it looks quite disturbing).

I read the following description of Michael Grant's Gone at Anokaberry, and it piqued my interest (of course): "In a small town on the coast of California, everyone over the age of fourteen suddenly disappears, setting up a battle between the remaining town residents and the students from a local private school, as well as those who have "The Power" and are able to perform supernatural feats and those who do not." There are several positive mini-reviews in the comments, too.

Patti at Oops ... Wrong Cookie reviewed The Brothers Torres by Coert Voorhees. She said: "Your male readers, Hispanic, African American, Caucasian, etc. - they are all going to be able to relate to this book. Voorhees has captured something essential about what it is like for males to grow up in America today... The cover will draw the boys in like flies and the story will keep them hooked." And although I don't fall into the target demographic, this struck me as a book that I'd like to be able to recommend.

The Mysterious Case of the Allbright Academy, by Diane Stanley, was recommended to Karen at Literate Lives by one of her students. She said "For one thing, I love the mystery genre, and this definitely falls into that category. I also love books where kids band together to stop something bad from continuing to happen, or happening at all. Again, this book does that! Finally, I like endings that resolve themselves happily, but realistically." That all sounded good to me!

Little Willow recently reviewed My So-Called Family by Courtney Sheinmel, due out in October. It's about a girl who was fathered by an anonymous donor. The girl uses an online match system to identify her half-siblings. Little Willow concludes: "My So-Called Family by Courtney Sheinmel gets my recommendation - and my appreciation. This is a great story about family values and valuing your family. This notable debut has earned a spot on my Best Books of 2008 list."

The Black Canary by Jane Louise Curry is the latest Timeslip Tuesday entry at Charlotte's Library. Here's the gist from Charlotte: "Woken the first night there by the sound of water running, James follows the sound down to the basement, where he discovers a shimmering lens of light--a portal back in time, to England in 1600. His journeys into the past become gradually longer, until after one trip he discovers, to his horror, that he has returned to the past of the present he left--his family hasn't gotten to London yet. So he passes through the portal again, hoping things will come out better, but this time, he can't find his way back. He is lost in Elizabethan England, where is he is pressed into the service of the Queen as one of her entertainers, the Children of the Chapel Royal." Sounds intriguing.

Leila from Bookshelves of Doom interested me in Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn when she said even though she gets a bit sick from reading in the car, she started and finished this book while on a trip. The book is a historical mystery with a main character who Leila compares to Amelia Peabody, and says has an enjoyable voice. And it sounded fun!

Becky from Becky's Book Reviews recently reviewed Elizabeth Scott's upcoming novel Living Dead Girl. I'm not sure if I really want to read this one - it looks very dark (about a 10-year-old girl who is kidnapped and kept prisoner, having unspeakable things done to her, for five years). But Becky said: "If I had just a handful of words to describe Living Dead Girl, they'd be: powerful, haunting, and unputdownable." Hmmm ... I'll have to think about this one.

fuseno8 @ 7:07am: Fusenews: The Readers and the Dead

http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/blog/1790000379/post/180030418.html?nid=3713

Over my vacation I ate poorly and often, slept a lot, and didn't exercise a jot. In short, a good time was had. However, my bloggin...