Betsy Bird's Blog, page 275
November 14, 2014
Review of the Day: The Pied Piper of Hamelin by Russell Brand
Russell Brand’s Trickster Tales: The Pied Piper of Hamelin
By Russell Brand
Illustrated by Chris Riddell
Atria Books (a division of Simon & Schuster)
$19.99
ISBN: 978-1-4767-9189-0
On shelves now.
If there is a trend to be spotted amongst the celebrity children’s books being released these days then I think it boils down to a general perception on their part that books for kids aren’t subversive enough. This is a bit of a change of pace from the days when Madonna would go about claiming there weren’...
November 13, 2014
Library Lions in Books for Kids
It’s not widely known but here is a true fact about my current job – I don’t work in the big stone library with the big stone lions anymore. Surprising, right? I still have my job, it’s true. But about a year ago I was moved with the rest of my department to Long Island City where I’ve been happily ensconced ever since. I like LIC but I do occasionally miss working behind world famous felines.
Their official names are Patience and Fortitude, though they were originally named Lord and Lady Asto...
November 12, 2014
Cover Reveal: Dave Barry’s Return to Middle Grade
I’d just graduated college when a book came into my possession that was to have a surprising amount of sway over my life from that point onward. Its title? Dave Barry’s Book of Bad Songs. The year was 1997 and it may well be that I’ve never enjoyed a book quite as much since.
Fast forward to 2014 and I’m asked if I would like to officially reveal the next Dave Barry middle grade novel. Note: It does not involve Peter Pan in any way, shape, or form. Well, heck sure yes! And better still, they t...
November 10, 2014
Librarian Preview: Little, Brown & Company (Spring 2015)
As librarian previews go, Little, Brown’s remain the gold standard. The food, the guests, the layout, the everything. It is the rare preview that leaves you feeling more relaxed that when you entered. Yet such is the case whenever Victoria Stapleton don’s her latest pair of delightful shoes (shown below).
And then the editorial stars come out to show us what they’ve been cooking up in their Bunsen burners and labs. Spring 2015 is on the horizon! Can you smell it in the air? Tis there! As such,...
November 6, 2014
Fusenews: My Count Olaf’s more Vincent Price, but that’s neither here nor there
Oh, thank the high heavens. Good news, folks. The celebrities have arrived to show us how to write books with darker themes. Thank goodness they’re here! Until now the field of children’s literature was just an unending vista of sunshine and daisies. But thanks to the combined efforts of Evangeline Lilly (“I look around me and I see a lot of young people who are very entitled and who are very confused when life isn’t perfect.I think that often comes from some of the messaging we receive as ch...
November 5, 2014
Review of the Day: Once Upon an Alphabet by Oliver Jeffers
Once Upon an Alphabet: Short Stories for All the Letters
By Oliver Jeffers
Philomel (an imprint of Penguin)
$26.99
ISBN: 978-0-399-16791-1
Ages 6 and up
On shelves now
Beware ever becoming a brand, my sweet, for that way lies nothing but unhappiness and ruin. Or not. I think the only real and true problem with becoming extremely popular in your field is that you have to battle on some level the ridiculous expectations others set for you. You did “X” and “X” was popular? Make another “X”! Creat...
November 3, 2014
Translating Picture Books: Why Don’t We Care?
So I’m having lunch with author Jeff Baron (I REPRESENT SEAN ROSEN) the other day and we’re talking about his play VISITING MR. GREEN. It’s a remarkably popular work, and has had debuts all over the world. The topic naturally turned to translation and Jeff mentioned that he takes an active role in reading and critiquing the various translations of his work. This got me to thinking about translated children’s books. Not the foreign titles that are translated into English, but the American book...
November 2, 2014
Video Sunday: Because clearly Alice in Wonderland wasn’t trippy enough
The We Need Diverse Books campaign has kicked it up a notch with an Indiegogo campaign. They’re raising money to support authors, diversify classrooms, develop educational kits, promote diverse programming, you name it. As of my writing this they are $40,000 or so away from their goal. Check it out:
Diverse Campaign w Thanks Card from Undercurrent on Vimeo.
And now for something completely different. Cookie Monster has parodied Harry Potter and Hunger Games (not to mention Star Wars). Dare we h...
Video Sunday
The We Need Diverse Books campaign has kicked it up a notch with an Indiegogo campaign. They’re raising money to support authors, diversify classrooms, develop educational kits, promote diverse programming, you name it. As of my writing this they are $40,000 or so away from their goal. Check it out:
Diverse Campaign w Thanks Card from Undercurrent on Vimeo.
And now for something completely different. Cookie Monster has parodied Harry Potter and Hunger Games (not to mention Star Wars). Dare we h...
October 31, 2014
Happy Halloween Ephemera
This marks the first year my daughter (now three) actually cared what her Halloween costume was. She wanted to be a princess. I brought home The Paper Bag Princess in response. No worries. She won’t be wearing a paper bag or anything. I just wanted to combat the princess notion any which way. And now – links!
Almost exactly a year ago I attended the Society of Illustrators show where some of the best picture book art of the year was on display. At that time the show was honoring the late great...
