Betsy Bird's Blog, page 258
August 25, 2015
Review of the Day: The Nest by Kenneth Oppel
The Nest
By Kenneth Oppel
Illustrated by Jon Klassen
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
$16.99
ISBN: 978-1-4814-3232-0
On shelves October 6th
Oh, how I love middle grade horror. It’s a very specific breed of book, you know. Most people on the street might think of the Goosebumps books or similar ilk when they think of horror stories for the 10-year-old set, but that’s just a small portion of what turns out to be a much greater, grander set of stories. Children’s book horror takes...
August 24, 2015
Press Release Fun: Warwick Children’s Book Festival
Because life is too short not to know about cool children’s book festivals. Heads up, Orange County!
Behold:
Warwick Children’s Book Festival
September 26, 2015
11am-4pm, rain or shine
Free Admission; open to the general public
Railroad Avenue, Warwick (Orange County)
www.warwickchildrensbookfestival.org
Children, readers and book lovers of all ages are cordially invited to the Warwick Children’s Book Festival on Railroad Avenue in Warwick on Saturday, September 26, 11am-4pm. Fifty prominen...
August 23, 2015
Review of the Day: Moletown by Torben Kuhlmann
Moletown
By Torben Kuhlmann
North/South Books, Inc.
$17.95
ISBN: 978-0-7358-4208-3
Ages 4-6
On shelves October 1st
Cautionary tales for kids who can’t do a darn thing about the original problem. It’s sort of a subgenre of its very own. As I hold this lovely little book, Moletown, in my hands I am transported back in time to the moment I first encountered The Lorax by Dr. Seuss. A child of the 80s, my youth was a time when scaring kids straight was an accepted educational technique utili...
August 19, 2015
Fuse #8 TV: Kevin Sherry
After a brief hiatus I’m back with my regular interview series, Fuse #8 TV. By complete coincidence (fortune favors the busy) I didn’t have an interview slated when I was in the thick of my move to Evanston. Now that I’m safely ensconced in Illinois (albeit with oddly empty bookshelves) I’m fully ready and prepared for this month’s interview. And what an interview it is! Here is a bit of what you’ll find in this one:
STRIPPING!
TATTOOS!
YETIS!
Not necessarily in that order. Or, odder still, a...
August 17, 2015
Book Trailer Premier: Big Bear, Little Chair by Lizi Boyd
Once in a while an artist comes along who does work so beautifully that you cannot help but gawp. Particularly gawpable (a word? Tis now) is Lizi Boyd. And today, I’m pleased as punch to premiere the book trailer for her latest. It’s a simple concept book . . . at first. Probe a little deeper, however, and you’ll find it’s so much more.
Enjoy!
August 16, 2015
Unexpected Jolts of Children’s Literature in Rather Adult Places
Reading through the most recent issue of The New Yorker, you may encounter the short story “Little Man” by Michael Cunningham. It’s a rather cunning retelling of Rumplestiltskin that veers oddly close to the original tale. Granted Cunningham has no idea how spinning wheels work (see: Paul. O. Zelinsky who actually put in the research with his version) but otherwise I loved what he did with it.
Reading the piece got me to thinking about my current job. These days I’m not really purchasing all...
August 15, 2015
Video Sunday: One Video Short
Been a while, hasn’t it? Well, better late than never. And you probably get a better level of quality videos if there’s a month’s gap, eh?
Today we begin with the video of the week. The Wall Street Journal released this article about Brian Selznick’s puppeteering work on his own book trailer. For me, it’s the waves that are the most impressive.
When I was sent a copy of Diva and Flea, written by Mo Willems and illustrated by Tony DiTerlizzi, I almost immediately found myself reading it to my...
August 12, 2015
Press Release Fun: The Grolier Club Celebrates Alice
Because you didn’t truly think The Grolier Club would let the 150th anniversary of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland pass without a word, did you?
Alice in a World of Wonderlands: The Translations of Lewis Carroll’s Masterpiece
A Celebration of the 150th Anniversary of the Publication of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland at the Grolier Club
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is a world-wide phenomenon! Published in 1865, it is one of the most quoted works of fiction in the world, one of the most...
August 11, 2015
Fusenews: And the tree was moderately amused
Here’s your SAT question for the day: “Making fun of The Giving Tree in a parody is to shooting fish in a barrel as . . .” You may put your response in the comments below. I’ve lived long enough to feel that I’ve seen every possible Giving Tree parody man or woman could imagine. The Taking Tree, the video with Sassy Gay Friend, that other video where it shows the boy growing up. Been there, done that. That’s why I really kind of respected The Toast’s take. At first it sounds like it’s going...
August 9, 2015
The Quintessential Edition: If You Could Choose Only One Version of Your Favorite Classic Books . . .
I think I’m getting the hang of this whole living-in-Evanston thing. All moves take adjustment, but you know the one thing that makes a transition smoother? Finding a great new bookstore. I was wondering the streets of downtown Evanston when I saw this sign advertising a bookstore down an alley. And while alley walking isn’t my usual way to go, having living in NYC for eleven years (a land, admittedly, without much in the way of ANY alleys) I was curious. The sign advertised a bookstore calle...
