Annie Cardi's Blog, page 99

Black Magic in Elizabethan London

Very intrigued by this book trailer for Black Arts by Andrew Prentice and Jonathan Weil.

Elizabethan London, demons, pickpockets, and time travel? Yes please.

(Confession: In college I took a class on the history of witchcraft. And then another about the Salem witch trials. I am kind of a target audience for this.)

Dewey Decimal Goes Stop Motion

Most libraries have online databases now, but that doesn't mean you can't still have fun with card catalogs. Check out this delightful video from Sterling Memorial Library at Yale University:

A little part of me hopes this was created in an effort to procrastinate studying for finals.

(H/T Noa Wheeler)

More Info on JK Rowling's Next Novel

A little treat for Thursday: Little Brown just released the title, release date, and synopsis of JK Rowling's upcoming novel. The Casual Vacancy will be released on September 27, 2012. The plot:

When Barry Fairweather dies unexpectedly in his early forties, the little town of Pagford is left in shock.

Pagford is, seemingly, an English idyll, with a cobbled market square and an ancient abbey, but what lies behind the pretty façade is a town at war.

Rich at war with poor, teenagers at war with their parents, wives at war with their husbands, teachers at war with their pupils…Pagford is not what it first seems.

And the empty seat left by Barry on the parish council soon becomes the catalyst for the biggest war the town has yet seen. Who will triumph in an election fraught with passion, duplicity and unexpected revelations?

I'm very confident that Rowling can capture darkly comic struggles beneath English idyllic life. (Although my first thought was "I really hope it's the book version of Hot Fuzz!") Very excited to hear more about The Casual Vacancy in the months to come.

Links Galore

A few more links for the afternoon:

I don't know how I'm supposed to vote for just one blog in the Independent Book Blogger Awards. At least it's a great place to find new blogs to follow!
This letter from Keith Richards to his aunt is both adorable and filled with hip 60s Englishness.
Should academia be the "day job" path for writers? (My opinion: teaching is an entirely different skill than writing. Don't teach unless you actually enjoy it.)
A close look at the literary merits of Philip Pullman's The Golden Compass.

New Games, New Director

I thought did a good job directing The Hunger Games, but since he's backed out of Catching Fire there's a lot of speculation as to who will take over. This list rounds up some good choices, like (who directed the awesome dystopian film Children of Men as well as Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban) and (whose District 9 is amazing).

I'd also recommend , who helmed the last four Harry Potter films. He can obviously handle children's/YA adaptations well and work with young actors. , who directed zombie film 28 Days Later and the heartfelt Millions, would also be a good choice. He handles genre extremely well and always manages to focus on his characters.

Any other directorial suggestions?

Write Your Own STEM Haiku

What happens when you combine the sciences and the arts? STEM haiku at STEM Friday! The idea, in celebration of National Poetry Month:

Select a STEM (science, technology, engineering or math) topic.
Brainstorm a list of words about your topic.
Count the syllables in each word.
Use the words to share a short STEM thought using the haiku format.

What a cool way to combine poetry and science. My example:

A siren wails.

It approaches, wavelength shifts–

Wave farewell, Doppler.

Try out your own science haiku and share below or in the comments at STEM Friday.

Get on Down to Caine's Arcade

This feels like something that should be part of an awesome middle grade novel: 9-year-old Caine Monroy made his own arcade:

Caine is pretty much the coolest kid ever. He's so creative and hard-working! And I love that Nirvan inspired so much support for Caine, both through the flash mob and through this video. This totally warmed my heart.

Fund a Summer of Theater

Myths. Monsters. Secrets. Serial Killers. If any of that sounds interesting to you, you should check out Sideshow Theatre Company's Summer of Theater, in which they will produce two fantastic shows: The Gacy Play and Idomeneus. But it takes a lot to produce one show, let alone two. Enter the Sideshow Summer of Theater Kickstarter Campaign!

I can personally vouch for Sideshow's awesomeness. They've been putting on compelling shows for the last five years and helping young artists find their voice in the Chicago area. By pledging, you're helping a vibrant arts organization. Plus the literary manager is pretty cute.

And if you're in the Chicago area (or planning to be) make sure to check out these shows once they're up and running. Going to see indie theater makes you feel like one of the cool kids.

Links Galore

A few more fun links for the day:

Managed to catch up with Great Expectations last night and was very impressed by the adaptation. Check out this behind-the-scenes look at the film's design process.
Stephanie shares a nice reminder that life is too short to stress about physical "flaws."
YA goes to the movies.
I want to have a mug-up today.
Make sure you're pronouncing your made-up words correctly.

Fostering Diversity in YA

At That Hapa Chick, Julia has a great post about why diversity is important in YA. She talks about discovering Lisa Yee's books, many of which feature Asian characters:

"Everything about those books hit so close to home; the humor, the characters, the Asianness of it all. These books made me realize how much I was connected to my Asian culture and how much I really appreciated it."

I love that Julia found a deeper connection to her background through Yee's novels. Books like these don't just reflect many readers' experiences; they can help those readers form a deeper appreciation for their own history and culture.

Obviously literature in general could benefit from more diversity, and young readers in particular need to see that their backgrounds are valued. But I'd also argue that it's important to write books with diverse characters that aren't just about those cultures. Kids from various cultures participate in sports, get in fights with their friends, laugh at inside jokes, try to get their homework done five minutes before class. I think that balance of cultural background and modern teen life is something most readers can understand.