Monica Edinger's Blog, page 121

Fine, So Maybe There are some Cool Things about the Ipad

Thanks to those who, knowing my love for this book, sent this my way (and whose names I can't remember).

The Well-Read-Aged-Female-Teacher

Sarah asks, "Which of the Top 100 Have You Read?"

Er…um…all of them.  Well, you did ask.  (Today I'm inviting my students to write blog posts about this.  Let's see what they have to say. They already wondered why none of the Wimpy Kid books were on the list. )

100. The Egypt Game – Snyder (1967)
99. The Indian in the Cupboard – Banks (1980)
98. Children of Green Knowe – Boston (1954)
97. The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane – DiCamillo (2006)
96. The Witches – Dahl (1983)
95. Pippi Longstocking...

On the Return of DEAR AMERICA

I'm very intrigued by Scholastic's relaunch of the Dear America series this fall.  I had mixed feelings about the original books — some were terrific, some were not, and all were packaged in a way that made kids think they were real diaries.  So, first of all, let me say — Bravo, Scholastic, for now putting the author names on the covers.  That will definitely help young readers better understand that the diary writers are fictional characters and did not really exist.

Because, yes, in my...

An Exquisite Corpse Adventure Who's Who

In the latest episode, Children's Literature Ambassador Katherine Paterson kindly recaps some of what has happened and takes the intrepid group on to something new and most likely discomforting.  Reading it made me think that it might be helpful to create a list of the characters populating this shaggy doggish story to date.  So here's my stab at it.

Nancy and Joe: eleven-year-old twins who thought they were orphans, but found out moments into the first episode that they were not.Alistair and...

Scholastic Fall 2010 Preview

No doubt many of you have seen Betsy Bird's publisher preview posts wishing you lived in NYC so that you could go to one yourself.  Well, Scholastic has made it possible for anyone to go to the one they did yesterday.  First of all they broadcasted it live and then, even better (at least for me), they've put it here for you to watch at your convenience.  Beautifully done, Scholastic!

The Finale of this year's Battle of the Kids' Books

(Yep, I'm half of the Battle Commander.)

It has been so much fun running this year's Battle of the Kids' Books. SLJ built a new arena, set-up a t-shirt giveaway, and got us the best writer-judges ever.  These last made thoughtful and often very unexpected decisions about our contenders and the Undead winner (the book contender that was voted back into the competition) was quite surprising to many.

I'm so glad that there are many who get this contest — that it is a way to remind people of 16...

Mothers and Fathers, Moms and Dads

Julie Just's essay in this Sunday's New York Times Book Review, "The Parent Problem in Young Adult Lit," is already provoking some discussion on facebook and twitter.   After considering various trends and books over the last few decades, Julie ends with an approving look at Miranda's 70s mother in Rebecca Stead's When You Reach Me.  And it struck me when reading this that the 60s parents in Miranda's (and my) iconic YA book A Wrinkle in Time aren't too problematic either.   Interesting...

Magpie Day

Some disturbing and exciting stuff going on around today.

This I want!  And some of you may want this.The BBC on a new theory regarding Shakespeare's origins.Youtube's rolling up something new.A Doctor Who musical?Interesting #8 on Betsy Bird's Top 100 Children's Books.  Hadn't thought of Colin's sleeping attire as being striped, but suppose it is possible.Remember how I got the last one early?  I'm counting on that again (and will be checking today's mail) so won't be entering Peter's a

Speculating

For some life became a bit brighter a few days ago with the release of Megan Whalen Turner's A Conspiracy of Kings.  I was one of the fortunate ones to read this book early, but now that it is out it is great fun to read the commentary about it, especially at the fan site, sounis.  And I just noticed a spoilerish post asking for theories about what would happen next.  You mean it won't all end on a train station twenty years later with a bunch of kids?  Let me phrase that again, "It won't...

The Exquisite Corpse Adventure's Got a Mystery and a Contest

What fun!

The NCBLA Has Added a New Author to Team Corpse!

Can your class guess who he or she is?

Play Twenty Questions with other Exquisite Corpse Adventure readers around the country to help identify The Mystery Author!

Every class that solves the mystery and emails in the correct guess will be entered into a drawing to win a collection of books valued at over $500 for their classroom or library, plus a phone conversation with The Mystery Author! One classroom winner will be chosen at...