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I've been reading Tara Altebrando's books since 2006, when The Pursuit of Happiness was first published. I've truly enjoyed every one of her novels to date, especially What Happens Here, which struck such a deep chord within me that I'm fairly sure you'll hear that somber note if you tapped one of my ribs. (Please be advised that if you do that, it will hurt me.) The point is, Tara's books have burrowed into my heart, and I hand them to anyone who asks me for a Sarah Dessen readalike.

Tara recently re-released her first two YA novels, The Pursuit of Happiness and What Happens Here, as e-books, with all proceeds going to Sandy relief. In her own words:

Because I grew up on Staten Island and spent summers on the New Jersey shore, I am donating all proceeds from the sale of these newly repackaged eBook versions of my first two young adult novels, through the month of November, to Hurricane Sandy disaster relief efforts via Tunnel Towers (for the shore) and a fund set up by my high school on Staten Island for 30 specific displaced families in the St. Joseph Hill Academy community.

The Pursuit of Happiness, my first young adult novel, is actually set on a slightly fictionalized Jersey Shore. I vacationed at my grandparents' Lavallette bungalow for 42 summers, and some of my favorite scenes in Pursuit take place in Lavallette and Seaside Heights, both of which were ravaged by the storm.

My hometown of Staten Island was also hit particularly hard so proceeds from my second young adult novel, What Happens Here, will be focused on the so-called "forgotten borough." While the book is set in Las Vegas and Europe, it is very much about the struggle to come to terms with the randomness of tragic events.

While discussing the relief efforts, we also chatted about her family, her works-in-progress, and the delight of reading a good book at the beach. From the start, you'll catch us mid-conversation:

Was it daunting or exciting to e-pub your books?

Well, the books had basically gone out of print and I was interested in trying to get them in front of readers who are newer to me and my work. (These novels pubbed in 2006 and 2008.) So I got the rights back from my original publisher and set out to learn about the world of DIY e-publishing. I think it's incredibly exciting that books pretty much never have to go "out of print" anymore.

 Who designed the new covers?

My dear friend Peter Lutjen, a book designer by profession conveniently enough, gave the books their new look. He is one of a handful of friends of mine that I know for sure has read all of my novels (Yay! He once told me that The Pursuit of Happiness was just as devastating, if not more so, than Cormac McCarthy's The Road....LOVE that!) and I knew he'd bring just the right aesthetic to the job. I told him I wanted the books to look like vintage classics that were also adorable and he totally delivered.

Did you re-read the books when prepping the new editions?

I did! Several times, in fact. The books had to be scanned from the original paperbacks and then copy-edited and cleared of errors that scanning introduced. I was pleasantly, genuinely surprised by, well, how good the books are, which took some of the edge off of the tediousness of the copy-editing. Are there things I would have done different had I written these books today? Of course. But I resisted editing and generally found I enjoyed them immensely as reads. I hope that doesn't sound obnoxious! I found some funny similarities between the two books that I hadn't been aware of. Little things like references to the board game SORRY! and boys delivering mysterious packages to girls' door.

What do you like most about reading bound books? What do you feel are the benefits of e-books?

Well, I've never read an e-book at the beach. I like to feel the wind and sand in the pages so I like bound books for real pleasure reading. But e-books take up less room and my shelves are already full to bursting so I find that it just makes more sense to go electronic sometimes.

What books have you recently added to your (wooden or digital) bookshelves?

I just read and loved David Levithan's Every Day (paper, on a plane) and I picked up The Monsters of Templeton the last time I was in a bookstore. Most recent ebook purchase: Eliot Shrefer's Endangered. Because I wanted it instantly!

Did you keep any of your favorite books from your childhood and pass them along to your daughters?

There are definitely some, er, relics of my youth hanging around out house. Foremost among them is this totally bizarre set of "Tiny Golden Books" with titles like Uncle Quack (in which a duck's uncle gives him a pack of cigarettes as a present...but it turns out they're CANDY cigarettes, so it's okay) and The Baby Camel and His Naughty Father (in which a father came eats the camel driver's rug so the driver puts a muzzle on him but the father camel only tells his baby, "I'm glad I ate it! It was yummy!"). I also have copies of a few books I loved like Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, A Swiftly Tilting Planet, and The Haunted Pool. My oldest daughter is in kindergarten and is only now just learning to read so it'll be a while before she reads those, but wow is it exciting. We've recently started reading Charlotte's Web to her at bedtime. I'm overjoyed. The world is about to open up to her in amazing ways.

Your most recent novel, The Best Night of Your (Pathetic) Life, features a scavenger hunt. Have you ever participated in a wacky scavenger hunt?

Yes! In my senior year of high school. That's where the idea for the book came from.

What's the craziest thing you had to do or find?

Two things on the list in the book were on the list for the hunt I did: a lawn ornament (we found a classic pink flamingo) and the largest thing you can take from Mr. Gatti's house. He was the theater director at the local boy's school; my team chickened out on that one.

What are you currently working on?

Well, I JUST finished the final edits on Roomies, the novel I coauthored with Sara Zarr. Really excited about that. And now, I am playing around with a new solo YA idea while waiting for final revision notes on my upcoming middle-grade debut, The Battle of Darcy Lane.

Get Tara Altebrando's eBooks for Sandy Relief.

Visit Tara Altebrando's website.

Related Posts at Bildungsroman
Review: The Pursuit of Happiness by Tara Altebrando
Review: Love Will Tear Us Apart by Tara Altebrando (as Tara McCarthy)
Review: What Happens Here by Tara Altebrando
Review: Dreamland Social Club by Tara Altebrando
Review: The Best Night of Your (Pathetic) Life by Tara Altebrando
Interview: Tara Altebrando (March 2006)
Interview: Tara Altebrando (August 2006)

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I changed my Twitter username today from @bonnyglen to @melissawiley. When I joined Twitter five years ago, people seemed to be using handles, and it made sense to use my blog name. But lately it gets more and more confusing; I keep encountering people who wonder who “Bonny” is. If you were following me at @bonnyglen before today, you’re still following me now, same account, new username. Make sense?

(And if you forget and ping me @bonnyglen, no worries—I transferred that name to a placeholder account. I won’t be posting from it, but I can check it for mentions.)

***

I’ve updated my old “Things to Buy Instead of Curriculum” post to correct broken links, remove items no longer available, etc. Of course there are lots of things I could add to that list now, several years later. One of these days I’ll get around to a sequel.

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I’m looking forward to the next few days. It’s a workshop where old meets new. I’ve been leading beginning writing workshops for nearly a decade. I’m looking forward to making some shifts to… Read More →

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Here's a piece that I have made for an upcoming exhibition organised by Cardboard Shelter (a charity that raises money and awareness about homelessness). They can explain, what they do, better than I can, so, if you are interested, check out their website HERE. Plus, there's some lovely artwork to look at.

But, the gist of it is that a bunch of artists contribute a piece of work, to be sold at the exhibition. No themes and just one rule; the artwork must be on cardboard. 'The idea of the cardboard canvas is a nod towards the material which provides shelter to many homeless'. I pinched that quote from their site. See, I told you they could explain it better.

For this piece, I reworked one of the sketches I'd made at a Dr. Sketchy event, of the lovely Hell's Belle, on a piece of cardboard from an old, used, sketchbook (what else?). I knew that I kept those old pieces of cardboard for a reason.

Making this got me thinking; I hardly ever draw on coloured paper. I don't know why. I must do it more often. I like the effect and the tones I got from blending the graphite pencil into the grey board. But, don't hold your breath, I was saying something similar when I contributed to this good cause some time ago. Check THIS out.

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Overcast, muggy but breezy.

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Like everyone who was unaffected by Superstorm Sandy, my heart has broken for the folks who have lost so much. Donating to the Red Cross is incredibly easy. I just donated $10 to Red Cross Disaster Relief by texting "redcross" to number 9099.

I want to encourage everyone to do so. For those that do, tweet, Facebook, Instagram or email me a screen shot of your donation and I will enter you into a drawing for a free virtual author visit with me. Let others know just how easy it is to give a little bit. Together, we can make an incredible difference!

I'll take entries through Friday at 5 pm EST and announce a winner that evening.

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Cute covers, right?  And I think they pretty well advertise what you're going to get in the books - a light-hearted look at the life of a non-traditional Southern belle.  Ace, our main character, doesn't play by the typical Southern belle rules, but I think all Southern women can recognize themselves in her.  She's got spunk coming out her ears and that spunk seems to get her into some very precarious situations - especially when her friends get involved.  Both books follow Ace through some seriously hilarious situations and showcase her true Southern assets - a smart mouth and a fierce loyalty to the people she loves.

Writing
We're not necessarily talking a believable world, or even truly believable characters, but I don't think that's what the author is going for.  If the reader can relax and suspend a little disbelief about the number of hairy situations one person can find herself in, you're in for an immensely pleasurable ride.  The books may not be the most believable, but they ARE straight up hilarious.

Entertainment Value
Again, if you can relax and enjoy the books for what they is - ridiculously funny - you're going to be entertained.  It may be less appealing to those who don't typically enjoy Southern fiction and it will also appeal less to those who are put off by language and sex.  Otherwise, I say definitely pick it up.  Entertainment is the book's main appeal, as opposed to the writing. 

McAfee is hilarious and has totally captured a side of the South that frequently goes unwritten - at least as far as heroines are concerned.  Rather than giving us a cultured Southern belle with a peaches and cream personality, we get a personality who is often relegated to side-kick or even villain: the loud-mouth, outspoken, fierce firecracker.  And I liked that - a lot.

Thanks to Jessica and the Penguin Group for giving me the opportunity to read and review both of these.  

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...have been released.

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The historical novel Johnny Tremain has certainly stood the test of time. The author, Esther Forbes, won the 1944 John Newbery Medal for the book. I read and enjoyed it as a kid and librarian Jennifer Kendall recommends it for ages 10 and older. The story set in the Revolutionary War era is full of adventure as Johnny Tremain, 14 year old orphan, finds his life turned upside down by a tragic accident, becomes a rebel spy and is involved in such events as the Boston Tea Party. Readers of this novel about an exciting time in American history, will find it particularly intriguing because the story is told from a 14 year old's point of view.

A Question for You: Before I add Johnny Tremain to my annotated reading list of Award-Winning Historical Fiction For Middle Grade Readers, I have a question. At present, the books are listed in no particular order. Would you prefer the list in alphabetical order by title or to have the books listed in order of time period? Please click on "Comments" below and share your preference.

(Cover art courtesy of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)

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Johnny Tremain - Classic Historical Fiction originally appeared on About.com Children's Books on Tuesday, November 6th, 2012 at 00:01:36.

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Need to jumpstart your National Novel Writing Month efforts? Try some Twitter Fiction Prompts to warm up your brain.

Inspired by AllTwitter’s 25 writing prompts for daily writing, we’ve created a long list of Twitter Fiction Prompts below–brief ideas to inspire 140-character stories.

If you have any Twitter Fiction prompts, add them to our new #TwitterFictionPrompt hashtag.

continued…

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

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Like all self-employed people, writers don't know on Jan.1 how much money they'll have earned by Dec. 31. There are reasons to be self-employed, but financial security isn't among them.

Unlike many other self-employed people, writers (at least book writers) earn money from work they did long before. Twice a year, we get royalties, money based on continuing sales of our titles. The more successful the book, the more royalties you're likely to earn.

Royalty checks come twice a year. The way they work for me (and for most other writers, probably) is the publishing house sends a check to my agent, where 15% of it vanishes, and then 85% makes its merry way to me. Royalty season is the same for every publisher, approximately April and October.

Approximately is the key word here, since some publishers are prompt in their payments, and others (like the publisher of my moon books) are a tad slow. Okay, more than a tad. And it's a good faith system, since writers have no real way of knowing how many books have been sold.

What's also peculiar about this system is writers generally don't know how big the check is going to be until the envelope shows up in the mail. My experience is no one wants to tell you either.

Personally, I hate surprises, and I used to try to weasel the information out of my publisher or my agent. If you need the money to pay for rent and food, it's really helpful to know how much will be coming in.

Two excellent things happened to me in recent years. The moon books have sold lots of copies, so I've made a healthy amount of money from them. And I moved into an apartment. It used to be when I earned healthy amounts of money, I'd build a new room or remodel the kitchen. You can't do that with an apartment rental,which has forced me to put money in the bank and keep it there. The lack of temptation can be a good thing.

This year in particular, it's a very good thing. Last year my October royalty check came on Nov. 17. And last year, my publishing house and my agency were open during royalty season.

This year, both of them were closed for last week, since there was no electricity below 34th St. So I can only imagine how long it's going to take for the check to be sent out.

I'm fine. But with Chanukah coming very early this year...hold on, I think Scooter just broke a bowl.

Forget Chanukah. That royalty check, whenever it arrives, is going to be needed for bowl replacement!

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I am constantly adding new art to my Etsy store so keep checking back. Here is a recent piece I added. Oh and btw, most of my art is customizable! If you see a piece you love but it has the wrong hair color for your personal preference...PLEASE convo me and most likely I can accommodate you. Or maybe you would like to add a name or text? Just ask...

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Winner winner chicken dinner! My children and husband all chimed in and picked their two favorites. The first was no surprise:

I know the marvelous manipulator of the Batman image and she has been justly rewarded. I wanted to honor a second winner so I gave my family three votes on another one. They all chose different pictures (so many great ones!), overlapping on one:

Awesome! Marvelous-photo-taker, please email me your address and who you'd like the books personalized to at squeetus (at) gmail (dot) com. Thanks, guys, for caring about this! I love that so many of you care too. Hopefully by spreading awareness we'll give our boys a chance to grow up reading lots of great stories and embracing female characters as well as male.

To continue the ongoing posts featuring bits from the Palace of Stone area on my website, I list dozens of titles we tried on for size. Here are a few that I thought would be the final title at one time:

Lady Miri

The Queen's Castle

Lady of the Princess

The Robber Princess

Crown Breaker

Miri of Mount Eskel

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Somewhere in the summer my boyfriend saw that there was going to be a concert in Edinburgh that he wanted to visit. But it was on my birthday. So we decided to enjoy life, seize the day and just go there. And because it was a really nice weekend I decided to write a blog post about it!

The weekend started a bit stressful as we arrived a lot later then expected in Edinburgh, but the flight was really fast. Somehow I'm always surprised by how close the UK actually is. When you don't take into account the waiting time (always a good time for using your sketchbook) at the airport it's almost as close as visiting my parents in the North of the Netherlands.

Our hotel, the Residence Inn of Marriot, was a nice spacious and modern place except for the fact that we didn't get WiFi in our room (but not having internet also has its benefits..). After some refreshing we went to a pub at Grassmarket, where Nick decided to order a drink for me that I 'had to taste' (though I already knew it). We then decided to eat at a really big Irish pub (well, relative to Dutch places) close to the hotel. Funny enough in the UK (and thus Scotland too) food is pretty cheap compared to drinks.
Why? I don't know, because actually it's good and fresh food, though not really that refined but it doesn't always matter. At the pub we could watch a rugby match, which was actually really funny (I'm not into sports at all) and after our stomachs were filled we decided to go back to the hotel and get some rest.

 On saturday we visited a museum and had a big walk through the city while seeing some nice places. I read something about an exhibition at the Scottish Storytelling Centre with beautiful illustrations from a book with stories about Scottish folk tales, drawn by Kate Leiper. It was actually the exhibitions last day so we were lucky. The illustrations were nice, though we expected a little bit more of a museum. Too bad we couldn't visited this place more often, seeing as that they hold a lot of nice festival and events, but we enjoyed a nice cup of tea there.
We then proceeded to princess street, princess street garden, visited a lot of shops and walked on a lot of streets. Edinburgh has really nice architecture and it is worth mentioning that because in some parts of the city new buildings were build on (very) old ones you sometimes get differences in heights. While one street might seem 'low' , the next one could be 20 metres higher. Gives a lot of depth and dynamic atmosphere, which is really cool.

When it was almost evening we decided to go to Camera Obscura, which was a lot of fun though we didn't actually see the camera obscura itself until the next day (nice that you can just visit the next day too and see the actual thing). After wandering around some more we had dinner at a really nice italian restaurant called Gennaro. The food was absolutely delicious and somehow magical because Nick and I both couldn't figure out how they cooked it in only ten minutes, and because of that also had to finish that bottle of wine really fast ;).

Sunday begin with a walk on the Greyfriars' Kirkyard, which is known because of the Greyfriars Bobby story but is also somehow worth visiting because it has these kinds of private rooms with graves, almost like a crypt. But next to that some graves look like they were built into the wall of the yard and it all looks ancient.
Of course we couldn't skip visiting Edinburgh Castle, which is an impressive place but all the museums and facts about wars and prisoners isn't really my thing though. So we treated ourselves, at my actual birthday, on some tea in the tea rooms. The rest of the afternoon wasn't really eventful.

The whole point of the weekend was to go to the Distant Worlds concert so we had to eat early and had some really nice fried brie at 'Dirty Dick's' at the end of Rose Street (which is also worth visiting just to see the bar itself) and then walked to the Playhouse which was actually already very crowded even when we were early. The playhouse is an impressive place and we had some excellent seats at the front of the circle.

To hear music from the Final Fantasy games live was really amazing, I even had tears in my eyes while I'm actually not even a FF fan (but Nick is..). That is what music can do with you. Beautiful things like that always remember me of (my) dreams and to just follow them. And also that I want to share that idea with others, even when I'm not really sure how to do that, when you hear music like that it doesn't really matter anymore.

It was really nice to celebrate my birthday at some place else and have an overseas trip. Edinburgh is a wonderful city and I'm definitely coming back some day (to see the rest of Scotland too)!

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Wreck-It Ralph director Rich Moore is conducting a Reddit AMA today and he had a rather pointed answer to the question, “What concerns did you have going into production of the film? Was there anything in particular you were worried about?” Moore’s response: “Dreamworks stealing the idea, slapping it together and getting it out first.”

(h/t, Jonah)

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Feeling like your tank is on empty? Then stop on by these two generous library association sites and grab some program ideas, wouldja?

Illinois Library Association Youth Forum's blog

ALSC Kickstarter - School Age Program Ideas

And don't EVER whine to me about why you don't think joining a professional association is important. Because now you know what they - and you - do!

Image: 'Ding! Ding! - Fill 'er Up!'  http://www.flickr.com/photos/98019953@N00/5343969456 Found on flickrcc.net

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     I've been in critique groups over the years, but for various reasons, I'm not in one right now. That doesn't mean I'm not critiquing. I still teach my young adult writing classes and occasionally will critique adult writers for hire.  So I'm taking a slightly different path in this discussion, non-group critiquing.   Here are my suggestions in working with one person at a time (some of them also work in group situations, so I am not really getting off topic.

     Being critiqued can be a traumatic experience. I've had people (professionals who should know better) literally treat my work as if it were bird cage liner.  On the other hand, I've had critiques that said that my work was the best thing since Harry Potter. I suspect the critiquer gave my work a once-over-lightly if they read it at all. And, as my husband says, you don't learn anything by being told how great you are.

     This is not to say that critiques have to be all negative.  They do have to be specific.  Saying "I like your protagonist" is all well and good but really doesn't tell the author anything.  Why do you like that character? Is it their personality, the way they think or talk or their relationship with another character?. Be specific.  It's always good to know that something is good and why

     The same thing works in reverse. Saying "This scene just doesn't work for me" tells me nothing.  Often the author already knows that scene doesn't work.  They are looking to you for suggestions.  My rule of thumb is if I don't have any idea how to fix something, I don't mention it.  Or, if the author backs you in a corner and says "The scene by the old mill stream isn't working, what can I do?" I throw it back in their lap.  Why do they think it isn't working?  Talk about it a little back and forth.  You two will either come up with what is wrong with the scene (or character or whatever) or you will decide the old mill stream scene isn't moving the story along.  One of all time favorite movie scenes comes from Tootsie. Bill Murray is a playwright working on a piece called Return to Love Canal.  Throughout the movie he keeps spitballing ideas with his roommate Dustin Hoffman for one particular scene that comes to be known as "The necktie scene." (By the way, the movie audience never learns what the necktie scene is about.) At last, Bill tells Dustin, "I've solved the problem of the necktie scene.  This time I'm writing it without the necktie."  Great writing advice.  Sometimes if something is giving you that much trouble, it doesn't belong in your story (or play) to begin with.

     Asking someone their opinion of your work is a lot like asking "Does this outfit make me look fat?" I have tried to take as much fear and loathing out of the process as necessary.  At the start of a session I remind the writer that he is already a writer; working together, he will become a better writer.

   I always ask if there is something in particular the writer wants you to look for in their work.  Do they want to know if their characters are believable, the plot plausible, is it overwritten?  I learned to ask because I have a tendency to point out every little inconsistency or flaw when all the writer wants to know at that point is if the main character is likable/interesting enough that you want to read the whole story.

       If your author doesn't have any particular questions, I try to stick to the Big Picture items...inconsistencies, missing transitions, failure in logic, vague characters etc. As I said before, if you don't know how to "fix it," don't bring it up.

     Most importantly, respect your author's vision.  I read a lot of stuff that left me wondering "What were they thinking when they wrote this?" So I ask, "What made you decide to write  this particular story?  Hopefully the answer is not  "because pirates/werewolves/dystopian fantasy is hot right now."  If they really like and want to write about one of those topics, great. Just remind them that by the time their manuscript has wound it's way through the publishing labyrinth, that topic will probably not be quite so surefire.

    What I've often discovered is that the story the author has written (and isn't very good) wasn't the story they meant to write.  Don't get me wrong. I'm not playing Freud here.  I try to approach the subject as gently as possible.  I once asked someone why they had written a picture book about talking organic vegetables.  After a little conversation, it turned out that what the writer wanted to write about was the sense of community after 9/11.  She wanted to write about a community garden and the sense of healing that it gave the gardeners.   I don't know if she ever went back and wrote that book.  I hope she did.

     You know the best thing about critiquing?  It is so much easier to see the flaws in your own work by recognizing them in someone else's.  You are not only helping someone else improve their work, you are helping yourself as well.

    Don't forget to enter our latest book giveaway of the latest edition of Children's writer's and Illustrator's Marketplace.

Posted by Mary Ann Rodman

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Congrats Adele! So glad the presentation was a smash success. And thrilled to hear that people around the world are interested in Aust. YA fiction. We have some of the best authors out there – nice to have a decent arena in which to show them off.
enjoy the rest of the trip.

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Every kid I know can sing ”Old MacDonald Had a Farm.”  But a farm can get kind of boring, what with the same old cows, pigs, sheep, and dogs time after time. Enter kidlit author Ken Baker who thought he’d liven things up by adding . . . a DRAGON. Old MacDonald Had a Dragon (Amazon Children’s Publishing, 2012), written by Ken Baker and illustrated by Christopher Santoro, is a zany retelling of Old MacDonald that will keep kids giggling from start to finish. Old MacDonald with a dragon?!  That’s crazy!  Well, the other animals on the farm think it’s crazy too. Not a single animal wants that dragon around.  Pretty soon, ”with a lick of its lips and a flash of fire” that dragon has swallowed just about everybody–including the farmer.  Luckily that singing farmer finds the perfect solution. Old MacDonald Had a Dragon is full of fun language: puns, word-play, great alliteration and repetition, not to mention a few inside jokes such as the hog who rides a Hog (aka a Harley).  Christopher Santoro’s illustrations also add much and are a perfect match for this silly story full of fun, fire, and a great, big dragon-size BURP.  

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Every kid I know can sing “Old MacDonald Had a Farm.”  But a farm can get kind of boring, what with the same old cows, pigs, sheep, and dogs time after time. Enter kidlit author Ken Baker who thought he’d liven things up by adding . . . a DRAGON. Old MacDonald Had a Dragon (Amazon Children’s Publishing, 2012), written by Ken Baker and illustrated by Christopher Santoro, is a zany retelling of Old MacDonald that will keep kids giggling from start to finish. Old MacDonald with a dragon?!  That’s crazy!  Well, the other animals on the farm think it’s crazy too. Not a single animal wants that dragon around.  Pretty soon, “with a lick of its lips and a flash of fire” that dragon has swallowed just about everybody–including the farmer.  Luckily that singing farmer finds the perfect solution. Old MacDonald Had a Dragon is full of fun language: puns, word-play, great alliteration and repetition, not to mention a few inside jokes such as the hog who rides a Hog (aka a Harley).  Christopher Santoro’s illustrations also add much and are a perfect match for this silly story full of fun, fire, and a great, big dragon-size BURP.  

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Every kid I know can sing ”Old MacDonald Had a Farm.”  But a farm can get kind of boring, what with the same old cows, pigs, sheep, and dogs time after time. Enter kidlit author Ken Baker who thought he’d liven things up by adding . . . a DRAGON. Old MacDonald Had a Dragon (Amazon Children’s Publishing, 2012), written by Ken Baker and illustrated by Christopher Santoro, is a zany retelling of Old MacDonald that will keep kids giggling from start to finish. Old MacDonald with a dragon?!  That’s crazy!  Well, the other animals on the farm think it’s crazy too. Not a single animal wants that dragon around.  Pretty soon, ”with a lick of its lips and a flash of fire” that dragon has swallowed just about everybody–including the farmer.  Luckily that singing farmer finds the perfect solution. Old MacDonald Had a Dragon is full of fun language: puns, word-play, great alliteration and repetition, not to mention a few inside jokes such as the hog who rides a Hog (aka a Harley).  Christopher Santoro’s illustrations also add much and are a perfect match for this silly story full of fun, fire, and a great, big dragon-size BURP.  

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I've always had trouble understanding the structures of things. Cars, houses, cakes, novels. Detailed instructions have provided little assistance. When my first son turned two, I tried to assemble a Donald Duck scooter. The job consisted of snapping axle locks and wheels to Donald's feet and wings — locks on the inside, wheels on the [...]

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