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The trailer for book 2 is done. Be warned however, if you're currently still working your way through book 1, there are some minor spoilers here.

Otherwise, enjoy (Double Click to see in full size on youtube)



On another note, I'll be appearing on a segment of The Annie and Burl show this coming Saturday night! The show starts at 10:00 EST, and I should be popping up around 10:15. I'll be discussing the book and whatever else the cool table wants to toss my way. If you're bored, listen in!

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN LIVE!

Steve

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The scene: Book Expo America in the sprawling Los Angeles Convention Center

ME: Hi, I'm Heidi Estrin from the Sydney Taylor Book Award Committee and The Book of Life podcast. Do you have any new Judaic titles I should know about?

FRIENDLY PUBLISHING PERSON: Oh yes, let me show you this exciting book on our fall list...

ME: Do you mind if I record you for my podcast while you tell me about the book?

FRIENDLY PUBLISHING PERSON: Record ME???? NOW??? Wait, maybe I can get my colleague over here to do it....

It's remarkable how much fear can be inspired by a tiny little handheld microphone, especially one with cute Mickey Mouse ears. But seriously, I really want to thank the many brave souls who spoke to me about their wonderful new books at BEA, and to reassure them that I will be editing the audio before I post it. Everyone sounded great in the first place, and I'll polish it up so we'll all sound even better, not to worry.

I collected enough audio that I will probably post a multi-part episode. I'm thinking of dividing it into categories: picture books, books for older kids and teens, adult books, and Holocaust books. I'll try to get the first part posted within a week, and more as June progresses.

As thorough as I tried to be, I'm sure I can't have found every Jewish book at BEA. I'd love it if people could post comments to tell me about the books I missed. Just click where it says "comments" at the end of the post. Thanks!

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I will be attending Book Expo America 2008 in Los Angeles, CA to record material for The Book of Life podcast and to promote the Sydney Taylor Book Award for Jewish children's literature. If YOU will be at Book Expo too, drop me a line at [email protected]! (If we meet up, I'll even give you a shiny gold Sydney Taylor Book Award lapel pin!)

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Click the play button on this flash player to listen to the podcast now:

Or click MP3 File to start your computer's media player.

SHOW NOTES:

The Book of Life hosted a live, call-in show on February 7, 2008 with special guest Pamela Ehrenberg, author of Ethan, Suspended. Our discussion topic was "what makes a book Jewish?" This recording of the call-in show has been edited for clarity and sound quality, but is essentially the same show heard by those who listened live on the big day.

Many of those who called in are well-known as authors or bloggers. Follow these links to learn more about the voices you hear on this episode (listed alphabetically):

> Maggie Anton, author of the series Rashi's Daughters

> Barbara Bietz, author of Like a Maccabee, and blogger at Barbara's Book Blog

> Marie Cloutier, blogger at The Boston Bibliophile

> June Cummins, Associate Professor of English & Comparative Literature at San Diego State University

> Andi Davidson, past member of the Sydney Taylor Book Award Committee

> Pamela Ehrenberg, author of Ethan, Suspended

> Brenda Ferber, author of Julia's Kitchen

> Rita Frischer, past Chair of the Sydney Taylor Book Award Committee

> Janet Gingold, author of children's novels and nonfiction

> Mary Claire Mahaney, author of Osaka Heat

> Elizabeth McBride, blogger at Mommytown, who tried to submit questions by chat; we ran out of time, but I want to acknowledge her participation

> Kathe Pinchuck, current Chair of the Sydney Taylor Book Award Committee

> Hazel Rochman, author, and editor/reviewer for ALA's Booklist

> Linda Silver, author/editor of The Jewish Values Finder (book and database), and another past chair of the Sydney Taylor Book Award Committee

Thanks to everyone who participated!


Background music is provided by The Freilachmakers Klezmer String Band.

Books and CD's mentioned on the show may be borrowed from the Feldman Children's Library at Congregation B'nai Israel. Browse our online catalog to reserve books, post a review, or just to look around!

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The Book of Life's experimental live call-in show was held yesterday, and it was a success! A number of people called to share opinions about our featured book, Ethan, Suspended, and about what defines a Jewish book.

The show was recorded, and I'm editing it now; soon it will be added to the regular podcast line-up. I apologize in advance for the sound quality. My own voice sounds kind of broken up, while other callers came through loud and clear. I may, in fact, try re-recording my own comments if I can get it to integrate with the rest of the conversation.

Many of our callers were well-known figures within the Judaic literary community, so I will provide links in the show notes to lead you back to some of their special projects (blogs, books, and so on).

Thanks so much to everyone who called and to everyone who listened live, and thanks again to featured guest author Pamela Ehrenberg!

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Click the play button on this flash player to listen to the podcast now:

Or click MP3 File to start your computer's media player.

In this special "Bells & Whistles" edition of The Book of Life, host Heidi Estrin gives instructions for accessing the live Book of Life call-in show being held on Thursday, February 7, 2008, 3-4pm EST.

The theme of the February 7 program is "Funny, That Book Doesn't Look Jewish" and our guest will be Pamela Ehrenberg, author of the middle-grade novel Ethan, Suspended. We'll take calls about Ethan, Suspended, and about what makes a book Jewish in general.

What follows is a transcript of the podcast, for those of you who prefer written to auditory instructions:

On Thursday February 7, 2008 from 3 to 4 pm eastern standard time, The Book of Life will host a live call-in show using the Talkshoe service. The show is entitled "Funny, That Book Doesn't Look Jewish." Our special guest will be Pamela Ehrenberg, author of the middle grade novel Ethan, Suspended, and our discussion topic will be what makes a book Jewish. We'll do this Diane Rehm -style: first I'll chat with Pam about her book, and then we'll open the phones for questions about comments about Ethan, Suspended AND about defining Jewish literature.

If you simply want to listen to the discussion, go to our website, bookoflifepodcast.com, on February 7 at 3pm and click the PLAY button on the Talkshoe widget you'll see in the right-hand column. The show will play through your computer's speakers. If you're busy on February 7, don't worry... the show will be recorded and added to our regular podcast for later listening.

If you'd like to participate in the discussion, you can call in on February 7 between 3 and 4pm eastern time using any phone or voice over IP. Please be aware that the phone number is NOT toll free.

To call in to the show, dial 724-444-7444. It will ask for a Call ID that identifies The Book of Life as the show you want to reach, and that number is 10816.

At that point it will ask you for a 10-digit PIN number, but if you don't have a PIN you can simply press 1 and the pound key to sign in as a guest. Here's the deal with PIN numbers: If you sign up for a free account and create a PIN, the system will tell me who you are when you call. My hosting control panel will show your name instead of just showing an anonymous caller from your area code. It just makes it easier for me to keep track of what's going on and who's participating.

I encourage you to go to Talkshoe.com ahead of time and sign up for a free account so that your name will show when you call in... but if you don't want to, that's okay, I still want you to call and participate in the discussion.

Talkshoe also provides a way to do chat via text during the show, but I plan to ignore that feature. I think just hosting the discussion will keep me busy enough without that.

So that's it! Please mark February 7th on your calendar and plan to call in! In the meantime, check out pamelaehrenberg.com to learn more about Ethan, Suspended. In a starred review in Booklist, reviewer Hazel Rochman said that "Ehrenberg focuses on themes of race and class without sounding preachy" as Ethan moves in with his grandparents in DC and finds himself suddenly in the minority as the only white, Jewish kid in his school. I really enjoyed Ethan, Suspended and I think you will too. I can't wait to discuss it with you on February 7th!

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I wonder if you could request the book. I know there are a couple titles I've been meaning to work my way through. Then again, would you really want to snuggle down to Octavian Nothing? Or The Love Curse of the Rumbaughs? Thank you, but no. I think I'll pass.

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. . . I shall construct wacked-out mind-blowing children's library rooms for fun. They will be staffed by considerate staff members that are prone to lobbing books at one another via that fish market in Seattle and will wear fabulous footwear. And the furniture? You've seen some of it before, but I really think the chairs should look like this:



Because that is not a drawing. That is an honest-to-god piece of real furniture. Sure, they may collapse under the weight of a patron here and there, but against the white walls I paint on one side of the room they will be nothing but pure unadulterated Awesome Incarnate.

Thanks, yet again, to Eric Berlin for the link.

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Don't waste your artistic inclinations on poorly plotted Harry Potter slash fiction and online conspiracy theories. Let your true feelings flow. Poet it up, peoples. There's a Harry poetry contest in the works.

To enter the contest, we want you to compose a poem dedicated to Harry Potter. It can be anything from a limerick to a haiku to a love poem to an elegy to a sonnet. Be creative – the finest poem about the Boy Wizard will win and we’ll also publish the best ones on AbeBooks. There is no limitation on length. You can enter up to three times separately but each entry must contain just one poem. AbeBooks’ Jordan Gordon, an account manager, has started the ball rolling with his own poetic composition - read the poem here.

Yeah, I know. Could be lame. Then you see the prize.



Awwwwwwwwwww yeah! The artist creates furniture out of books like so:


Wouldn't mind me some o' that.

Thanks to Educating Alice for the link.

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I dunno. Maybe I should chuck this whole kidlit blog idea and go in for a nice library furniture blog instead. There's seems to be enough info out there anyway. I just hope these Scrabble pillows give you a nice balance between vowels and consonants. Nothing worse than a home full of Es, Is, Os, Xs, and Ws.

Thanks to LibrariAnne for the link.

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I give you, The Bibliochaise. Now imagine it with picture books sticking out willy-nilly.

We seem to be on a book/furniture related kick this week. Hm.

Thanks to BB-Blog for the link.

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Kids crave cubbyholes. I'm sure there's some evolutionary reason for this tucked away in the hidden recesses of our frontal lobes. Whatever the reason, though, you give a kid a basement full of abandoned furniture and watch the enormous castles they're able to create. So while this isn't the same thing exactly, it's nice to see an entrepreneurial furniture company tapping into our odder desires.

Anyone care to lend me 9,000 Euro? I'm good for it.

Thanks to Bookninja for the link.

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