Callooh, Callay!
It's time to tip our caps to Liz Garton Scanlon and Arthur Howard! Their brand new picture book, Noodle & Lou (Beach Lane Books, 2011), is officially out today!
What's that? You don't have a cap?
No probs. Help yourself:
(Please leave your caps on for the duration of this post so you can really strut your stuff. Oh, and if you wanna be extra cool and channel Noodle, wear it backwards or sideways-sassy. Lookin' good!)
So what's up with these two? Noodle the earthworm wakes up one morning with a "rain-cloudy" heart. It happens to all of us sometimes -- just feelin' blue and down on ourselves. It's a good thing Noodle has his good friend Lou to lean on. A finer, kinder, more supportive blue jay was never to be found. For every negative feeling Noodle has, Lou puts a positive spin on it:
"My head has no eyes,"
Noodle said, feeling glum.
"So, life's a surprise!"
Lou said to his chum.
"And I don't have a beak,"
said Noodle, quite blue.
"But you're long, and so sleek, which is perfect for you!"
Ah, that Lou. Right there when Noodle needs him, and every bit sincere:
"I'm dirty and mucky!"
"You're wiggly and plucky."
"I'm skinny and bare."
"With your own special flair."
After going back and forth like this for awhile, Noodle eventually feels better. He realizes that despite "All those high-flyin' types . . . Lou-Bird likes me!"
It's easy to love this wholly satisfying story of an unlikely friendship. Who are we without our friends? Lucky for us, they're there when we need them, have the uncanny ability to alter our perceptions and lift us right up. Liz's pitch perfect rhyming text, chock full of chewy, crunchy words like "plucky," "slither," and "jaunty," hums right along and packs some extra punch -- we gain new appreciation for the lowly earthworm, and realize that sometimes seemingly natural enemies can indeed be friends. Good to know that anything is possible if we keep our minds and hearts open.
(click to enlarge)
Arthur Howard, best known for the Mister Putter & Tabby series, has successfully created an earthworm oozing with personality. Not an easy task, to be sure, but with a few strokes and a strategically placed, oversized baseball cap, Arthur's Noodle arouses empathy and engages the reader right away. Noodle's emotional transformation is underscored by an ever-changing skyscape, warming colors and varying perspectives. Fun to see a worm's eye view of the world, and indeed, this story
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By: Jama Rattigan,
on 3/1/2011
Blog: jama rattigan's alphabet soup (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: liz garton scanlon, arthur howard, soup of the day, book reviews, Add a tag
By: Jama Rattigan,
on 1/25/2011
Blog: jama rattigan's alphabet soup (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: soup of the day, tammi sauer, comfort and joy 2011, book reviews, Add a tag
QUACKITY QUACK Q - U- A - C - K!!
Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
Even though we'd love to stir up a virtual earthquack to celebrate the official release of a cool new picture book called Mr. Duck Means Business by Tammi Sauer and Jeff Mack, we MUST REMAIN QUIET.
Yes, quiet -- because that's exactly how Mr. Duck would want it.
(In order to help you in this endeavor, please put these on for the duration of this post. You may waddle at will):
smurf_au/flickr
*tiptoes*
Our friend Mr. Duck, who's been called "dour," "disciplined," and a "fuddy-duddy" (gasp!) by literary critics, loves his strict daily routine, which is marked by blissful solitude and heavenly peace and quiet. "From 6:00 in the morning until 7:00, he would stretch his wings. From 7:00 until 8:00, he would fluff his feathers. At precisely 8:01, he would glide across the perfectly still water."
This went on day after day, week after week, year after year, and Mr. Duck was perfectly happy -- until one hot summer day, when a careening, cannonballing, presupposing PIG splashed right into his pond by mistake! Holy porkchops! No amount of Mr. Duck's sputtering and muttering seemed to faze that pond-happy pig. In fact, the acrobatic oinker even invited Cow to jump in and join him. 
(click to enlarge)
Gah! The nerve of those two -- gleefully splishing and splashing no matter how much Mr. Duck "grumbled," "mumbled," and "flip-flop-fumbled."
They even did synchronized swimming, for CRYING OUT LOUD!!
Shhhh! (Oops, sorry.)
To make matters worse, it was just a matter of time before the entire farmyard stampeded down the dock, each furry and feathered creature diving in for a little water ballet and a raucous game of Marco Polo! It was WILD! LOUD! QUAZY and QUOWDED! Anything but PEACE AND QUIET!
(click to enlarge)
Mr. Duck SNAPPED! Finally, finally, somebody got the message, and they all apologized profusely, leaving Mr. Duck to resume his peaceful life. But was complete solit
By: Jama Rattigan,
on 1/11/2011
Blog: jama rattigan's alphabet soup (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: comfort and joy 2011, wendy shang, book reviews, soup of the day, Add a tag
"When we sat down to dinner, even I had to admit that Yi Po's dumplings were something special. Better than the dumplings Mom bought at the store, better than the ones at Panda Café. There were lots of different flavors in the filling -- a little ginger, a little garlic, some sesame oil -- and they all stood out and blended together in turns. Every bite left me wanting more." ~ Wendy Wan-Long Shang, The Great Wall of Lucy Wu
Dribble, dribble, pass, shoot . . . SCORE!!
*the crowd roars and chants*
"Wen-dy, Wen-dy, Wen-dy, Wen-dy!"
It's our very first Soup of the Day celebration this year, and we can't stop cheering for Virginia author Wendy Wan-Long Shang! Her debut middle grade novel, The Great Wall of Lucy Wu (Arthur A. Levine Books, 2011) has officially hit the streets!!
You know how excited I get about first books. Well, my normal level of enthusiasm is ramped up to the nines for this tender, funny, poignant and indescribably delicious story. Love love love it! *smacks lips*
Eleven-year-old Lucy Wu is looking forward to having a perfect year: she and her fellow six graders will rule the school, she's going to try out for captain of the basketball team, and her "Miss Perfect" sister Regina is going off to college, so she'll have their room all to herself. Lucy can't wait to start decorating! But her all great plans begin to crumble when she learns her long-lost great-aunt Yi Po will be visiting from Shanghai and staying in her room -- not for a week or two, but for several months!
Besides having to endure this unwelcome roommate (a noisy early riser who listens to crackly Chinese radio and smells of Vicks VapoRub), Lucy is being forced to attend Chinese School (goodbye, basketball practice), her much anticipated birthday plans are in the lurch, and she's being bullied by the haughty Sloane Connors. Is it possible, like the ancient Chinese story said, for seemingly bad events to turn out good after all?
Bo Jangles insists on dunking the ball.
I was immediately taken with Lucy, a "short Chinese girl" obsessed with basketball, who'd rather eat pizza and pasta than a slew of fancy dishes in a famous Chinese restaurant. Her voice is engaging and distinctive, and her typical tween concerns, thought processes, and emotional reactions are convincingly portrayed. Young readers will easily identify with the frustration of having familial expectations and obligations clash with personal priorities, and they'll enthusiastically root for Lucy, who is by turns self-centered, self-conscious, earnest, fearful, sarcastic and unfailingly hilarious. Coming into your own while wrestling with a dual identity has never been so challenging or enlightening.
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By: Jama Rattigan,
on 12/7/2010
Blog: jama rattigan's alphabet soup (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: book reviews, kate messner, soup of the day, f is for fall 2010, Add a tag
"The pace of the music picked up as she gathered speed, and everything left her except the feel of the cold air on her face, her blades on the ice, her movements in time to the music." ~ Kate Messner, Sugar and Ice
It's time to put on our sparkly skirts, lace up our skates, and do a triple toe loop and a couple of flying spins to celebrate the official release today of Kate Messner's brand new middle grade novel, Sugar and Ice (Walker, 2010)!!
Last year, Kate gave us The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z (Walker, 2009), which won the E.B. White Read Aloud Award, definitely enhanced my appreciation for autumn leaves, and got me hooked on introduced me to a delicious distraction called Nonna's Funeral Cookies (nom nom).
And now, with Sugar and Ice, we have a small town maple farm, the fascinating world of competitive figure skating, a bit of beekeeping, a Thai restaurant, a Fibonacci school project, a cast of interesting, fully-realized, believable characters, and a highly palatable menu of enticing edibles: hot chocolate, corn chowder, egg salad and turkey sandwiches, pad thai, pizza, PopTarts, and *wait for it* -- blueberry pancakes!
PANCAKES PANCAKES PANCAKES!
Ricotta Hotcakes (recipe here) from michelle une-deux senses/flickr.
Mmmmmmmmmmm. Tall stack dripping with melted butter and maple syrup. Want. (You will soon want, too. Trust me.)
Seventh grader Claire Boucher leads a busy life helping out on her family's maple farm and coaching kids at a nearby community rink. She loves skating on the frozen cow pond and looks forward each year to performing in the local Maple Show, never dreaming that one day a Russian skating coach would be impressed enough with her skills and natural talent to offer her a summer scholarship at the Lake Placid Olympic Center. 
Old sugarhouse, Parker Family Maple Farm.
The Parker Family Maple Farm, which offers pancake breakfasts and horse-drawn carriage rides during sugaring season, provided much of the inspiration for the setting of Claire's story.
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By: Jama Rattigan,
on 11/18/2010
Blog: jama rattigan's alphabet soup (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: book reviews, cynthia leitich smith, soup of the day, Add a tag
*Warning: The following post may be too loud for readers with sensitive ears. Please wear adequate protection such as noise reduction headphones, earmuffs or earplugs. However, the consumption of loud foods (chips, crackers, raw carrots, crisp apples) is highly encouraged. ☺
alphabet soup bears enjoying the loudest book in the world.
"five . . four . . . three . . . two, one . . ."
Wahoo! Yahoo! Two Big Hoots and a Holler!
While we're at it, Yippee Ti Yi Yo yerselves to the nearest hitching post so I can yell tell ya about a brand new picture book just released a week ago: Holler Loudly by Cynthia Leitich Smith and Barry Gott!
If you've got clean ears, chances are good they're already ringing with the good news of this rollicking Southwestern tall tale about a boy named Holler who was born with a BIG voice. So big, and so LOUD was his cry that "every hound dog in the county rolled up his ears and tossed back his head to bay . . . So LOUD the armadillos woke from their naps and the turkey vultures dropped their feathers."
Everywhere he went, every time he tried to just be himself and express his excitement, people would tell him to HUSH, HUSH, HUSH!
(Click to enlarge all spreads in this post.)
Perfectly understandable, really, since Holler's LOUD voice blows off rooftops, upends desks in math class and sends everyone a-flyin', gets him thrown out of the movie theatre, ruins a fishing trip with Gramps, and closes down the State Fair because his
S - O - O - E- Y causes a livestock stampede. Look out! PIGS and CATTLE coming through! 
Poor Holler -- so tired of being scolded, misunderstood, ostracized and HUSHED at every turn. 
Aft
By: Jama Rattigan,
on 9/14/2010
Blog: jama rattigan's alphabet soup (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: book reviews, grace lin, soup of the day, summer soup 2010, Add a tag
photos: Akuppa/flickr and Alexandre Ferron.
Hi there! So glad you're here.
I've just poured some tea, and am anxious to tell you all about Newbery Honor winner Grace Lin's brand new picture book, Thanking the Moon: Celebrating the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival (Knopf, 2010), which is officially out today!
If, like me, you're a big fan of Grace's previous picture books featuring the Lin family (Dim Sum for Everyone!, Kite Flying, Fortune Cookie Fortunes, Bringing in the New Year), then you're in for a real treat. This time, the three winsome sisters and their parents are observing this important holiday with a special evening picnic!
As you may know, the Moon Festival is a time for families to come together and give thanks for a good year. It's traditionally celebrated by the Chinese and other Asian peoples on the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month (September 22nd this year). In this lovely, contemplative story, simply told and illustrated in deep gouache jewel tones, we observe each member of the family helping with picnic preparations. 
(click on all spreads to enlarge)
In homage to the full harvest moon (symbol of wholeness and harmony), they place mooncakes and other round foods (pomelos, grapes, smiling steamed cakes, Asian pears) on the honor table. There's also a rabbit statue, since a white rabbit supposedly lives on the moon. After warm tea is poured in round cups, they all sit down and feast on those "soft, sweet mooncakes." Yum! Then, they thank the moon and send it their secret wishes. Carrying glowing paper lanterns, they join all the other picnickers on the lush green hillside, happy just to be together.
I love how the story begins on the title page, as the family drives up in their little red car. As you turn the pages, the moon gets closer and larger, and the sky gradually turns a darker shade of blue. Of course, the sky is decorated with Grace's signature swirls, taking on added meaning as they echo the shape of the moon. And I love the adorable endpapers and varying perspectives, especially the big facial close-ups when Mei-Mei plays with a pomelo. An Author's Note providing more details about the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival nicely rounds out this luminous and delicious offering, guaranteed to make everyone want to try a mooncake if they haven't already, and have a nighttime picnic of their own.
Now, ple
By: Jama Rattigan,
on 9/1/2010
Blog: jama rattigan's alphabet soup (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: anne marie pace, summer soup 2010, book reviews, soup of the day, Add a tag
Oh boy! Today we get to do one of my very favorite things -- celebrate the publication of a first book! Woo-Hoo!
I'm happy to be able to congratulate fellow Virginia author, Anne Marie Pace, on the official release of Never Ever Talk to Strangers (Scholastic, 2010)! You can see by the cover why the ursine kitchen helpers are especially tickled by this charming picture book. Yes, they love that the main character is a bear, but they also like what Jamie's story teaches them about stranger danger.
Jamie is all excited about the Super Safety Expert badge he receives after hearing Officer Crane's talk at the school assembly. Over a tasty snack of grapes and milk, he tells his mom, "Strangers are people you don't know. If a stranger talks to you, you should yell and run away."
Later, while practicing soccer kicks, Jamie's ball accidentally lands in the neighbor's yard. When he goes to retrieve it, he is surprised to find a stranger offering to return his ball. Will he remember to do what Officer Crane taught him?
Geared for the preschool crowd, Never Ever Talk to Strangers! is a great way of illustrating this important lesson by presenting a realistic situation children can vicariously experience from a safe distance. It's quite tricky teaching them about strangers without frightening them, and this story is a great introduction, the perfect springboard for further discussion and questions.
In an interview in the August 4:00 Book Hook Newsletter, Anne Marie says, "One of the hardest things for young children to understand is the difference between who is and isn't a stranger. The truth is, we all talk to strangers every day. Grownups speak with people passing on the street, the cashier at the supermarket, someone we're waiting in a movie line with -- all people we don't know are technically strangers. So knowing who is and who isn't the kind of stranger you can talk to is a very confusing concept for children."
The book contains full color illustrations by Guy Francis, who gets a thumbs up for pictures that will pull little munchkins right into the story and hold their interest. Spot-on facial expressions effectively convey Jamie's happiness, pride, concern, fear, and relief at the reassuring outcome. Extra points for the cherry wallpaper and Mom's polka dot dress!
So, if your child is entering school for the first time, and you're wondering how to broach this serious subject, be sure to share Never Ever Talk to Strangers! with him/her. It is available through Scholastic Book Clubs only, and is included on the "Welcome to School" page of the September Firefly Club flyer. At only $3 each, you'll want to order extra copies for friends, neighbors, and relatives.
Now, please join me in congratulating Anne Marie. The resident bears have prepared a back-to-school lunchbox soup especially for this momentous occasion. You'll want to wipe your paws before slurping. This soup is guaranteed to help you kick the ball farther and score -- whether your goal is a first draft, a published book, or to be teacher's pet. Let's hear it for first books! Hooray for Anne Marie!
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By: Jama Rattigan,
on 8/31/2010
Blog: jama rattigan's alphabet soup (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: tammi sauer, summer soup 2010, book reviews, scott magoon, soup of the day, Add a tag
Hey hey!
Are you in the mood for a little Monster Mayhem?
You've come to the right place. Today, we're celebrating the official release of Mostly Monsterly (Simon & Schuster, 2010) by Tammi Sauer and Scott Magoon! You know what that means, don't you?
We can growl, and lurch, and create major league havoc to our heart's content, a.k.a, be ourselves! For those of you who happen to look a little too sweet and respectable on the outside, feel free to don any one of these monster-friendly masks for the duration of the party:
In this, the third of Tammi's picture books (following the hugely successful Cowboy Camp and Chicken Dance), we have a bug-eyed, pointy-earred, furry fanged little monster called Bernadette. 
(click to enlarge)
She certainly looks monsterly, but inside, she's harboring a deep, dark secret: a sweet streak.
Sometimes, she likes to pick flowers (gasp!), or pet kittens (oh, the horror), or even bake (nothing wrong with that).
So when she goes to Monster Academy, she has a little trouble fitting in. 
(click to enlarge)
While everyone else is growling, lurching, and focusing on destruction, Bernadette sings and calls for a group hug. Of course, the other monsters are appalled, so Bernadette must pull out her Secret Weapon: *treats* -- more specifically, cupcakes with sprinkles!!
(click to enlarge)
Eeeeee! Yes, yes yes! Brilliant Bernadette!
But no, it doesn't work. The other monsters think cupcakes are gross (sacrilege)! Can Bernadette come up with another plan to win her classmates over, and still remain true to herself?
This simply told, perfectly paced, quirky social acceptance tale with a beastly twist will delight young readers who march to the tune of their own drummers, suggesting that with a little ingenuity, they can make their differences work to their advantage. Bernadette doesn't have to compromise her "niceness" or quash her giving spirit. She just tweaks her final gesture a little to conform to expected behavior. 
By: Jama Rattigan,
on 8/25/2010
Blog: jama rattigan's alphabet soup (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: ned gannon, book reviews, soup of the day, maha addasi, Add a tag
Today, I'm absolutely thrilled to be able to congratulate dear friend Maha Addasi on the release of her second picture book, Time to Pray (Boyds Mills Press, 2010)!
Although its official pub date is not until September 1st, I wanted to let you know about this beautiful book now, since we are in the midst of the Holy Month of Ramadan, which is being observed this year between August 11th and September 9th. 
Prayer Room, King Hussein Ben Talal Mosque, Amman, Jordan (frankenschulz/flickr).
You may remember my review of Maha's first book, The White Nights of Ramadan (Boyds Mills Press, 2008). Time to Pray is the perfect companion book to White Nights. It has been illustrated with more of Ned Gannon's stunning oil paintings, and this time, there is a wonderful addition: an Arabic translation of the story by Maha's mother, Nuha Albitar!
In Time to Pray, young Yasmin visits her grandmother in an un-specified Middle Eastern city, where, for the very first time, she hears the voice of the muezzin calling everyone to prayer. As their precious days together unfold, Yasmin learns more and more about the proper way to pray, five times throughout the day. She sees her grandmother perform the washing ritual (wudu) and carefully observes as Teta bends and kneels on her prayer rug. They spend the morning shopping, and Yasmin gets to select fabric for prayer clothes and choose a prayer rug of her own. Best of all, Teta helps Yasmin practice praying, both at home and at the mosque.
(Click to enlarge.)
It's a sad day when Yasmin must fly back home to America, but upon her arrival, she discovers a special gift from Teta -- a prayer clock with a timer that doesn't ring, but makes the sound of the muezzin's voice! Now, every time Yasmin is reminded of the five prayer times, she also remembers her special time with Teta, living far away, but ever present in her heart.
(Click to enlarge.)
I love how Time to Pray de-mystifies this aspect of Muslim culture. The "educational" elements are skillfully integrated into what is ultimately a heartwarming intergenerational story with strong universal resonance. We see what an Arab American girl might find fascinating in the country of her ancestors as her spirituality gently blossoms.
The bond between Yasmin and Teta is touching, and young readers will be happy to discover that Yasmin isn't perfect, that prayer can be both solemn and joyful, and that she is still practicing to get it right with the best of intentions. I al
By: Jama Rattigan,
on 7/1/2010
Blog: jama rattigan's alphabet soup (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: book reviews, grace lin, soup of the day, summer soup 2010, Add a tag
photo credit: Alexandre Ferron.
Polka dot polka dot. Hip hip hooray!!
Guess who's got a brand new book officially out today?
Two clues:
Yes, Newbery Honor winner Grace Lin has done it again! Her new early reader, Ling & Ting: Not Exactly the Same! (Little, Brown, 2010), packs a double wallop because it's all about twins. If it's possible to love a book twice as much as I should, I'm guilty times two.
How could I possibly resist these adorable imps? Everyone tells Ling and Ting they are exactly the same, but in six interconnected vignettes, they show us just how different they are -- in personality and abilities.
In the first story, the girls get a haircut. Ling sits still and gets a nice clip, but Ting's a bit of a wriggle worm, sneezing when hair falls on her nose. "Oh no!" She ends up sporting a cutting edge (giggle) set of bangs for the rest of the book. An ingenious way to set the stage, making us want to read more of their amusing antics.
Now, as much as I love Ling's magic card trick and Ting's trip to the library, I must point out that there are two whole stories about
food -- one, preparing it, the second, eating it. And what did they eat? DUMPLINGS!
*kill me, kill me now, i'm so happy*
How cute are these two in their chef hats, rolling out dough, mixing the filling, and shaping the dumplings into half moons -- nice and smooth for Ling's, fat and lumpy for Ting's (aptly named dump-Tings). Each story is simply told and contains just the right measure of fun, verve, and believability.
The final story, "Mixed Up," features the girls in their red polka dot dresses, picnicking with chocolate cupcakes! *swoon* They're reading Grace Lin books, natch, and Ting makes up a funny story using (and cleverly mixing) elements from the previous five
stories -- the perfect way to stir up a warm serving of friendship and togetherness.
Grace says this book inspired her dotted dresses!
Easy readers are notoriously difficult to write, and with Ling & Ting: Not Exactly the Same!, Grace has proved her mettle yet again. She's one of those rare authors who can successfully write across genres -- picture books, chapter books, novels, and now, early readers. The everyday scenarios will engage and amuse the targeted ag
By: Jama Rattigan,
on 5/3/2010
Blog: jama rattigan's alphabet soup (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: nonfiction monday, loree griffin burns, soup of the day, Add a tag
Are you ready for some Sweeter-than-Sweet Buzz?
It's official release day for The Hive Detectives: Chronicle of a Honey Bee Disaster by Loree Griffin Burns (Houghton Mifflin, 2010)!! Yay!
Move over Michael Bond and A.A. Milne -- the resident bears here at alphabet soup are hopelessly in love with Dr. Loree for writing this honey of a book! And who can blame them? After her amazing, Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Award winning debut, Tracking Trash (Houghton Mifflin, 2007), Loree has written another compelling book about a critical issue that affects us all -- why are honey bees mysteriously disappearing?
photo by wolfpix.
photo by rusto.
You may have heard about this phenomenon in the news -- back in 2006, commercial beekeeper Dave Hackenberg discovered twenty million of his bees had vanished without a trace.
This was not an isolated incident due to mismanagement; other beekeepers in the country (and around the world) reported similar losses without any logical explanation.
photo by ~ cloudy ~
Can you imagine a world without honey bees? It would mean no honey for consumption or beeswax for candles and creams, but well beyond that -- barely any fruits, vegetables or nuts! Because honey bees are the most efficient pollinators of many plant crops, our food supply depends on them. In The Hive Detectives, Loree profiles four of the scientists who are investigating the possible causes of Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), a potential ecological and agricultural disaster. Could it be viruses, mites, pesticides, or malnutrition?
Through Loree's clear, engaging prose and Ellen Harasimowicz's beautiful, fascinating photographs, we see how live bees are collected and tested, how results are recorded and interpreted. Chapters featuring hobbyist beekeeper Mary Duane anchor the book, giving us a first-hand look at the care and maintenance of hives and the collection of honey, as well as providing answers to common questions: What kinds of tools are used? How is a modern hive constructed? What is stored in the cells besides honey? What would draw someone to beekeeping and what are its unique pleasures and rewards?
By: Jama Rattigan,
on 3/16/2010
Blog: jama rattigan's alphabet soup (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: soup of the day, jeannine atkins, book reviews, Add a tag
"Can the past press closer than the present? Who is a daughter without a mother?" ~ from "Handful of Dirt," Borrowed Names by Jeannine Atkins.
Alice Vanderbear reads to her daughter, Fluffy.
I'm absolutely thrilled to be wishing dear friend, Jeannine Atkins, a very Happy Book Birthday! Borrowed Names: Poems about Laura Ingalls Wilder, Madam C.J. Walker, Marie Curie, and Their Daughters (Henry Holt, 2010), is officially out today!
Though this is Jeannine's first book of poetry, Borrowed Names is by no means her first book. She's published a number of collective biographies and picture books about other notable women, including, Anne Hutchinson's Way (FSG, 2007), Wings and Rockets: The Story of Women in Air and Space (FSG, 2003), How High Can We Climb?: The Story of Women Explorers (FSG, 2005), and Girls Who Looked Under Rocks: The Lives of Six Pioneering Naturalists (Dawn, 2000).
Borrowed Names is unlike anything I've ever read before. The poems are absolutely exquisite, far-reaching, quietly powerful, and undeniably moving -- they reveal a poet with a rare, discerning sensibility and wickedly keen insight who, with just a few deft strokes, is able to paint riveting, multi-layered emotional landscapes.
Laura Ingalls Wilder and Rose Wilder Lane.
Focusing on the mother-daughter relationships of three extraordinary women born in the same year (1867) is both highly original and endlessly fascinating. Though Wilder, Walker, and Curie came from vastly different backgrounds and made their mark in distinctly different ways, they were all fiercely independent women who shared an unwavering devotion to work and family. Despite numerous personal, social, and economic challenges, they all raised remarkable daughters in a rapidly changing world.
What kind of home did these mothers provide for their daughters? What values and lessons were passed on? What unforeseen factors figured in the give and take of their relationships to directly or indirectly affect their choices? And, in the circle of their intimate, albeit fragile relationships, how did mothers and daughters navigate rough waters?
Madam C.J. Walker and A'Lelia Walker.
Each poem is a stunning snapshot -- a shining moment in time, a revelation, a turning point, a step towards fulfillment or achievement, an encounter with frustration or anguish. I love the compelling emotional dimension these poems provide. All are beautifully crafted and will impact the reader in surprising ways. How much joy or heartache can a moment hold?
In her introduction, Jeannine says, "Details gathered meaning as I lingered over them, and I came to love what was small and tangible as much as the grand or public moments." So we read of a lap-s
By: Jama Rattigan,
on 3/9/2010
Blog: jama rattigan's alphabet soup (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: book reviews, lisa schroeder, soup of the day, cupcakes and bake shop treats, Add a tag
Weather Forecast for alphabet soup and vicinity: Mostly sunny with periods of heavy cupcake rain. Sugar highs astronomical with cheers blowing in from all directions. Frosting and sprinkles overnight north and west of town.
Available as a 5"x7" print here.
Grab your umbrellas, everyone -- it's cupcake weather!
I am sooooooo excited that It's Raining Cupcakes by Lisa Schroeder (S&S/Aladdin, 2010) is officially out today! Truly, this middle grade novel has my name written all over it, and I'm here to shout its praises from the highest rooftops.
Will you just look at that cover? *lick lick* Scrumptious and then some. If it's got you anticipating a deliciously fun, uplifting story that will leave you comforted, inspired, and totally satisfied, you will not be disappointed. Just wait till you begin reading -- each chapter is named after a different cupcake flavor: Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes, Banana Cream Pie Cupcakes, Coconut Mango Cupcakes, and my personal favorite, Hawaiian Sky Cupcakes! ☺
You probably know Lisa from her teen verse novels (I Heart You, You Haunt Me; Far from You, and Chasing Brooklyn, all published by Simon Pulse), and may be wondering (as I did) how she would fare with a story targeted for a younger audience, ages 8-12. Fear not: this made-from-scratch treat will tempt even reluctant readers to gobble it up in one joyous bite. 
"The whole cupcake thing started a couple of years ago, on my tenth birthday. My mom tried a recipe for red velvet cupcakes with buttercream frosting." ~ from IRC.
(photo by fruitcakey)
After all, Lisa used only the finest ingredients: a likeable, true-to-life main character, an appetizing premise, a cozy small town setting, and interesting secondary characters, all flavored with equal parts charm, humor, and suspense. Add to the mix a well-paced narrative that flows like butter from beginning to end, and you have a book that's lovingly baked to perfection.
Twelve-year-old Isabel desperately wants to get out of Oregon. She's never left the state, and dreams of going on a real vacation to any one of the many faraway places she's read about in books. But it looks like she'll be stuck at home again this summer, since her parents will be busy setting up a new cupcake shop. To make matters worse, her best friend Sophie&nbs
By: Jama Rattigan,
on 1/28/2010
Blog: jama rattigan's alphabet soup (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: book reviews, soup of the day, jackie urbanovic, Add a tag
Calling all quackers!
Clickety click, clickety clack, Max the soup-cooking duck is back back back!
This week, Sitting Duck (HarperCollins, 2010), the fourth book in Jackie Urbanovic's wildy popular New York Times Bestselling picture book series, officially hits the shelves!
(Click to enlarge all spreads.)
Everyone here at alphabet soup couldn't be happier, cause we're all quazy about Max, Brody, Dakota, Bebe and the whole raucous menagerie living at Irene's. Seems like just yesterday we first heard Max knocking on Irene's door (Duck at the Door, 2007), seeking shelter one winter's day after the rest of his flock migrated South. Once he learned to use the remote control, discovered his flair for cooking, and made himself happily, quackily at home, he endeared himself not only to Irene and her resident dogs, cats, birds and rabbits, but to readers all over the world.
Since then, Max and the gang have kept us in stitches by concocting a masterpiece soup recipe (Duck Soup, 2008), and bravely taking in a desperate alligator (Duck and Cover, 2009). Yikes! What madness and mayhem could possibly top those escapades?
Try babysitting a puppy -- Brody the St. Bernard's rambunctious, can't-help-but-get-into-trouble niece, Anabel, to be exact. Confident as ever, Max assumes the job will be easy: "How much trouble could a puppy get into, anyway?"
Not until Anabel arrives, shouting "Let's Play!", does Max discover:
she is quite a bit larger than he is,
playing ball indoors can destroy a few things, and
taking Anabel outdoors, which seems like a good idea at the time, can have almost disastrous consequences.
But it's all such good fun, and Urbanovic's lively narrative, supported by her riotous, exuberant, flying-off-the-page illos, captivate the reader from beginning to end. The high-voltage energy is punctuated by a raft of great sound words: WHOOMP! CLICK! SMACK! YIPEEEEE!!, a sure-fire formula for an exciting, suspenseful, giggle-inducing read aloud.
I love the physical comedy, the
By: Jama Rattigan,
on 1/15/2010
Blog: jama rattigan's alphabet soup (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: soup of the day, becky levine, Add a tag
"My new favorite is Lindt's Excellence Intense Pear Bar. One square of that and I'm writing (or critiquing!) productively for the next hour." ~ Becky Levine
It's here! It's here! It's finally here!
Official pub day for The Writing & Critique Group Survival Guide: How to Give and Receive Feedback, Self-Edit, and Make Revisions (Writer's Digest Books, 2010), by the one and only Becky Levine!
Whew! That's some title, and friends, it lives up to every word, every paragraph, every page. As soon as I got my copy, I dove right into it, and ever since, one thought keeps running through my mind: how I wish I had this book 20 years ago. It would have made my writer's journey so much easier, with all its great advice and guidelines about how to take one's writing to the next level.
Yes, it's that good.
Writer's essentials by Cunning Stunt.
One always hears how crucial it is to find a critique partner or join a group, whether in-person or online. But it's not always that straightforward or easy. So much depends on the dynamics of the group -- identifying goals, becoming an "expert" in your fellow writers' genres, and making sure there is a sound level of commitment across the board. We've all heard horror stories (maybe even experienced them firsthand), of insensitive critiquers, writers who don't/won't listen to feedback with an open mind, personality clashes that impede progress and productivity, and so on. 
Throngs all over the world (or kitchen) celebrate the book's release.
We've also read other books about writer's groups that offer only general guidelines, or address genres different from the ones we're interested in. And how many emphasize the importance of getting feedback on your work, but don't tell you exactly how to proceed with revisions once you've received those comments?
Becky's book is easily the most comprehensive book I've ever seen on this subject. It's thorough, highly detailed, well organized, and most important, accessible. Whether you write for adults or children, and you're interested in fiction, nonfiction, memoir, self-help books, magazine articles, or travel writing; whether you're new to critique groups or are already well established in one, you'll find the help you need or ways to improve. I especially like Section II: Telling the Story: How to Critique Fiction. There are separate chapters devoted to explaining how to critique for plot, character, point of view and voice, dialogue, description, and scene structure.
alphabet soup critique group session.
I also like that Becky has addressed some of the more sensitive issues surrounding critique groups. How do you assess the compatibility of the members? What if you're not getting the kind of help you need? What if someone gets overly defensive about the comments he/she receives? How do you leave
By: Jama Rattigan,
on 1/7/2010
Blog: jama rattigan's alphabet soup (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: jennifer r. hubbard, soup of the day, Add a tag
Ah, love, sweet love!
The perfect reason to serve up the first bowl of celebration soup for 2010!
It's especially fitting for a first bowl to honor a first book, and even better, it was written by a Live Journal friend I had the pleasure of meeting last fall: the one and only Jennifer R. Hubbard! Today, her debut young adult novel, The Secret Year, officially hits the shelves!!
*wild cheering, swooning, licking of lips in anticipation*
By now you know how I feel about first books: only happens once in a writer's lifetime -- no matter how many books follow, there will always and only be just one first book -- a sparkling, awe-inspiring, shiny bright moment in time that deserves to be honored, celebrated, shouted from the rooftops, and embraced by all who love to read, write, edit, publish, promote, and share books.
I can hardly wait to read The Secret Year because of its intriguing premise: two teenagers, Colt Morrissey and Julia Vernon, have been meeting secretly for an entire year. Why secret? Because Julia already has a boyfriend, and is from the rich Black Mountain crowd, while Colt lives in the poor Flats. When Julia dies in a car accident, Colt cannot grieve openly, feels guilty that he might have indirectly contributed to her death, and only discovers the true extent of Julia's feelings when her brother gives Colt her private journal, full of poems and unsent letters. 
photo by kaitikins.
The publisher has described the novel as having shades of Romeo and Juliet mixed with The Outsiders. So, added to the themes of obsessive love, guilt, and grief is the issue of class distinctions and societal pressures (one of the subplots involves Colt's gay brother coming out). While working through his grief, Colt even finds himself falling in love again. Publisher's Weekly notes that the smooth pacing and well-developed characters are what really elevate the book, and Booklist calls The Secret Year, "a fine addition to the pantheon of YA literature."
photo by JacobLower.net.
I like that the book is told from Colt's point of view; it's always interesting to me to see how well writers capture voices of the opposite sex. Several teen reviewers who were initially skeptical about male-point-of-view stories were pleasantly surprised at much they enjoyed getting into Colt's deepest thoughts and feelings. They liked how emotionally true the characters were, and how deftly Jennifer wove together numerous plot threads in the space of a relatively short novel. Because I also enjoy epistolary elements when they are seemlessly integrated into the narrative, I'm really looking forward to reading devouring this book.
Those of you who know Jenn personally, who read her blog, or who interact with her online, probably know that she likes
By: Jama Rattigan,
on 11/17/2009
Blog: jama rattigan's alphabet soup (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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"It takes a long time to grow young." ~ Pablo Picasso
Yes, the number on the cake is correct! Today, my dad, James, is celebrating his 95th birthday!!
Some of you may remember that I interviewed him exactly one year ago today. He's still my most faithful blog reader and a denizen on the internet. We were so happy to see him last month in Hawai'i. We spent lots of time chowing down, both at home and in restaurants. He accompanied us to the Bishop Museum, walking around with his cane, looking at exhibits for hours.
Because we get to see each other only once a year (if we're lucky), the internet has been a huge blessing. Not only because of emails, but because it's allowed him to compensate, in some ways, for his hearing loss. He's often left out of in-person conversations. But online, the world is just a click away and he doesn't miss a beat. 
James hand selects all his own papayas. He cut and seeded one for me every morning I was in Hawai'i.
Needless to say, we are all amazed and awed by him, and are rooting for him to reach 100. Just five more years to go! I asked him three more questions and think we should keep this tradition going every year. 
My mom just turned 85 this year.
Jama: What are your favorite things to do online these days? Have you discovered any especially interesting websites/blogs in the past year?
James: My favorite things? Here are just a few of them:
1) check my email
2) visit your blog and read all the comments from your blog friends
3) read news online -- both domestic and foreign
4) play free games
5) listen to my favorite music that I have compiled in my music folder, both instrumental and vocals.
I have recently discovered that Korean dramas I enjoy watching on TV are available online . . . for free, too! These are dramas and movies with subtitles. There are also other Asian dramas and movies included. One site that I visit most frequently is mysoju.com.
Jama: Do you think the internet has helped prolong your life. How?
James: The internet has increased my knowledge about health and fitness. Therefore, I try to keep myself in top shape by doing chores around the house (vacuuming, laundry and dishes, etc.). The internet also helps a great deal to keep my mind sharp and always in focus.
Jama: What are your current aspirations? What keeps you going from day to day?
James: Being retired and already blessed with longevity by My Good Lord, I couldn't ask for more. I must be around when our grandson, Jared, graduates from high school. This is my most
By: Jama Rattigan,
on 10/27/2009
Blog: jama rattigan's alphabet soup (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: soup of the day, fall for restaurants 2009, kristina springer, Add a tag
photo by Zerberus.
Good morning!
Time to wake up and smell the coffee! I've poured a steamy cup just for you. Mmmmmm. Breathe in that rich, divine aroma of freshly brewed Arabica beans. Would you like it black, or with a little sugar and milk?
photo by lepiaf.geo.
Sip, sip, sip and join me in a jazzy java jive, because today, Kristina Springer's very first YA novel, The Espressologist (FSG, 2009), is officially out! Yay!!
Whether or not you worship at the altar of caffeine, The Espressologist is sure to tickle your fancy and lift your spirits. I've always believed the old adage, "you are what you eat." In this fun, breezy story, which School Library Journal has called "compulsively readable," the main character, Jane Turner (a 17-year-old barista), believes people are what they drink -- at least when it comes to a cup of Joe.
Jane works with her friend, Em, at a local Chicago coffeehouse, where she enjoys correlating customers' personalities with the type of drinks they order. A medium iced vanilla latte? Sweet, smart and gentle. Pumpkin spice latte? Lots of fun and a bit sassy. What about a toffee nut latte? Watch out -- very hot and sexy!
Latte Art mosaic from Eat-My-Heart-Out's photostream.
Jane records all her observations in a notebook, and soon decides to indulge in a little matchmaking. She succeeds at hooking up several happy couples, but when her competitive boss, Derek, decides to turn Jane's espressology into a holiday in-store promotion (a free match-up with every drink order), it creates havoc in her personal life. Seems there's one thing Jane hadn't counted on -- feeling a little jealous (?) when Em (medium hot chocolate) and Cam (toffee nut latte) start dating. She's the one who set them up, so why can't she be happy for them?
photo by cieya.
Kristina, who shares Jane's favorite drink (Iced Venti Skinny Mocha/No Whip) is eminently qualified to write this sweet, romantic tale -- after all, when she and her future husband first met, they walked into a coffee shop and he ordered a triple espresso. In an interview at Making Stuff Up for a Living, Kristina said, "I remember thinking, 'wow that's hot . . . ' I decided then and there he was perfect for me." Kristina routinely spends a lot of time in coffee shops observing people. A busy mother of four, she does all her writing in a local Starbucks. Frankly, I can't wait to read the book to find out what it says about medium hot chocolate lovers like Em, because coffee or tea aside, I gotta have my chocolate!
Okay, whether you're an espresso, cappuccino, caffè latte, frappuccino, cafe mocha or cafe americano -- even if you're more into tea or hotsa totsa chocolat, join me now in congratulating Kristina for brewing up this fine, fun, frothy read. But I do have to warn you about today's soup. Slurp in moderation, lest you find yourself falling in love with a Caramel Macchiato, Mocha Valencia, or Espresso Con Panna. Or maybe you'd like to?
Today's Special: Matchmaker Mocha (proceed with caution).
Now that you're all juiced up, a little dessert. But before you bite into it, why not sing a few choruses of "Happy Birthday?" Yes! It's also Kristina's birthday!! Can there be a more perfect day to celebrate the publication of one's first book? Here's wishing you many happy returns, Kristina, and many more published books!!
Starbucks Mini-Cake by LoveysConfections.
Like me, I know you just can't wait a second longer to devour The Espressologist. I think it'll be a pleasant diversion from the routine, the perfect light read to share with a friend, a happy stocking stuffer for the holidays. Drift on down to your local indie or order your copy online. I plan to drink some hot chocolate while reading mine. How about you?
♥ Love and Bottoms Up,
Java Mama Jama
Aspiring Bearista
Bearista teddy from first Starbucks store in Seattle (photo by Chris_Inside).
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
♥ Visit Kristina's official website and Live Journal Blog. She also blogs weekly at Author2Author, where you'll find several cool posts about The Espressologist, including this timeline from concept to publication.
♥ Interviews at Saundra Mitchell's Making Stuff Up for a Living, AuthorsNow, the Sunshine Edition, and the Book Butterfly, where you can enter a contest to win a signed edition of The Espressologist, plus a $10 giftcard from Starbucks (deadline: November 15th)!
♥ For those of you in the Chicago area, Kristina's having a Launch Party at the Fat Bean Bistro and Coffee Bar in Naperville, Illinois, on Saturday, November 7, 2009, 2 - 4 p.m.
♥ And check out the Facebook Fan Page for The Espressologist, where you can take the What Kind of Coffee Drink Are You Quiz!
ETA: Kristina has just announced this contest: take The Espressologist out for coffee and snap a photo for a chance to win a signed copy and other goodies. Deadline: November 27th. Details here.
The Espressologist by Kristina Springer
Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2009
Young Adult Fiction, 192 pp.
On Shelves now!
Cappuccino teddy from The Adventures of Steph en Heckman.
More Soup of the Day posts can be found here.
And see all the 2009 Fall for Restaurants posts here.
Copyright © 2009 Jama Rattigan of jama rattigan's alphabet soup. All rights reserved.
By: Jama Rattigan,
on 10/19/2009
Blog: jama rattigan's alphabet soup (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: soup of the day, l.k. madigan, Add a tag
photo by Seven_Hundred.
Everybody: Smile and say, "Cheese!"
Oh yes, you do have a killer smile (you really should pose for pictures more often). Has anyone ever told you your face could launch a thousand chips ships?
*licks lips and continues to munch on extra sharp cheddar lens*
Okay, I need to focus. Today's another hugely wonderful super duper landmark day, because we're congratulating debut author L.K. Madigan on the publication of her brand spankin' new young adult novel, Flash Burnout (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2009)!! Yay!
FLASH BURNOUT by L.K. Madigan,
Young Adult Fiction published by HMH, 2009, 336 pp.
*flashbulbs explode all over the world*
Yes, do continue cheering and clapping, because as I've said often enough, there is only one first book in a writer's lifetime and the occasion should be savored, shouted from the rooftops, and celebrated in every way possible.
In Flash Burnout, Madigan (a self-admitted boyaholic), presents the funny, compassionate character of Blake, a fifteen-year-old who must negotiate the delicate balance between having a beautiful girlfriend who adores him (Shannon), and a friend who needs him (Marissa). After he takes a photo of a homeless woman for a class assignment, he learns she is actually Marissa's drug-addicted mom. Blake is inadvertently pulled into Marissa's life, and soon Shannon makes it very clear that she is not thrilled with him helping Marissa. While trying to navigate the tricky waters of love and friendship, Blake begins to see who he really is in a much clearer light.
In an interview at 2010: A Book Odyssey (an LJ community for 2010 debut authors), Lisa mentions her sources of inspiration for Flash Burnout: a previous (as yet unpublished) novel featuring Blake as a minor character, a conversation with a medical examiner, a photo of a girl with heartbroken eyes, and the idea that "some parents are toxic." The term, "flash burnout," is photo lingo for "overexposed," a cool title for what appears to be a very compelling book. Can't wait to read it!
So far, word on the street has been very positive. Enthusiastic early readers have cited the believability of Blake's voice and the dilemmas he faces, the interesting combination of the serious and the comic, and the realistic treatment of themes such as first love, teen sex, boy-girl friendship, death, family relationships, and substance abuse. The book is enriched by the inclusion of photography tips at the beginning of each chapter, a reflection of Lisa's personal interest in the field.
Kirkus found the dialogue "genuinely alive;" "the details are just intriguingly bizarre enough to hook teens of both sexes and keep them engrossed by the naively unsteady love triangle."
Booklist gave Flash Burnout a *starred review*: ". . . this rich romance explores the complexities of friendship and love, and the all-too-human limitations of both. It's a sobering, compelling, and satisfying read for teens and a promising debut for a new young adult author."
Did you know that Lisa's favorite color is robin's egg blue?
So, are you all ready to strike a pose? Gather round the soup bowl, don your bibs, and dip your shiniest spoons in honor of Lisa K. Madigan, our author of the day. No need to wait for the click!
Today's Special: Photogenic Potage (will brighten your smile and help you charm the camera).
Good job! I like the way you slurp. Now help yourself to a crab wonton, Lisa's favorite snack:
photo by mooshee85.
When you're ready for a little dessert, nosh on a cammie cupcake,
photo by Ciak Kiah.
or bite right into this Nikonic beauty:
photo by cupcakeenvy.
By now, you know the drill. Zoom on down to your nearest local indie, or order Flash Burnout online. (I'll be watching you through my telephoto lens.)
Our deepest, heartfelt congratulations, Lisa! We're thrilled for you!
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
MORE:
L.K. Madigan official website and Live Journal blog, Drenched in Words.
Interviews at 2010: A Book Odyssey, Fumbling with Fiction, Writing for Children and Teens, and The Tara Tracks.
Reviews at ten cent notes and TeensReadToo.
*For those of you in the San Francisco area, L.K. Madigan will be appearing at the Not Your Mother's Book Club Third Annual Fall Book Bash at 7 p.m. on Friday, November 13, 2009, at Books, Inc., along with Sara Zarr, Barry Lyga, Andrew Smith, and Allen Zadoff!
**This just in: Would you like to see your name in L.K. Madigan's next book, a YA fantasy called The Mermaid's Mirror (to be released Fall 2010)? Click here for details of the special auction she's running!
More Soup of the Day posts here.
**Robin's egg blue mosaic photos by confections, hine, Isaiah 12:2, and ConanTheLibrarian.
Copyright © 2009 Jama Rattigan of jama rattigan's alphabet soup. All rights reserved.
By: Jama Rattigan,
on 9/14/2009
Blog: jama rattigan's alphabet soup (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: soup of the day, barbara o'connor, Add a tag
Yoohoo!
Calling all readers who love adventure!
We have a very good reason for Yoohooing and Woohooing and twirling ourselves silly with excitement, because it's official pub day for Barbara O'Connor's brand new middle grade novel, The Small Adventure of Popeye and Elvis (FSG, 2009)!!
THE SMALL ADVENTURE OF POPEYE AND ELVIS by Barbara O'Connor
(Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2009), Ages 8-12, 160 pp.
It's always such a treat whenever Barbara publishes a new book; you know you will fall in love with the characters even before you meet them. I've been following the book's progress on Barbara's blog, from the time she announced the title, which still makes me smile every time I see it, to the arrival of her author's copies.
Since I thoroughly enjoyed her last two books, How to Steal a Dog (FSG, 2007), and Greetings from Nowhere (FSG, 2008), I simply can't wait to enter the world of her new book, which is set in Fayette, South Carolina, and was inspired in part by a funky trailer park near her home.
photos by lisby1 and vittorioveneto.
It's the beginning of summer, and Popeye is bored, bored, bored. He lives with his dog, Boo, and grandmother, Velma, who works on crossword puzzles and incessantly recites the kings and queens of England in chronological order to keep herself sane. She also likes to give Popeye vocabulary words every week for mental exercise. But beyond that, what else is there to do when you live down a quiet gravel road by the woods? Things look pretty dismal until a shiny silver motor home, carrying a pack of rowdy kids, makes a wrong turn and gets stuck in the mud near Popeye's house.
Popeye is fascinated by the entire Jewell family, who are a quirky, noisy bunch -- a mom who writes country western songs, and six
kids -- Prissy, Walter, Willis, Calvin, Shorty, and the boy Popeye especially admires, Elvis. He's taken with Elvis's ability to swear and say, "So what," like he really means it. Besides, the Jewells' nomadic lifestyle seems far more interesting and exciting than anything Popeye has ever experienced.
photo by minmay.
He is thrilled when Elvis names him Senior Vice President of the "Spit and Swear Club," and suggests they find an adventure. After looking and looking, the perfect adventure comes drifting down the creek, in the form of little boats fashioned from Yoo-hoo cartons, each containing an intriguing message. Of course Popeye and Elvis simply must find out who is sending these notes and why.
I love the premise, and can't wait to see what the boys discover. Reviewers have cited Barbara's spare, rhythmic prose, her ability to create a believable setting with just the right amount of telling detail, and, of course, her brilliantly drawn characters, which Bill at Literate Lives called "strong and original."
Bo Jangles and Cornelius have their own small adventure
(paper plates like the Jewell kids, and goldfish, Barb's favorite snack).
This simple, no frills adventure seems the perfect antidote for the pressures of a society that forces kids to grow up too fast and crave materialistic things. It really harkens back to the idea of "making your own fun" and treasuring time spent with newfound friends. The book will appeal to both boys and girls who enjoy reading about real kids in a realistic setting.
So far, The Small Adventure of Popeye and Elvis has received two bright and shiny *starred reviews*!
Although O'Connor only briefly describes the characters, each one comes instantly and distinctly to life. Fast-paced, short and easy to read, but spiced up with the challenging vocabulary words that Velma teaches and Popeye adores and abounding with quirky, likable characters, this small gem has the power to keep readers entranced. ~ Kirkus
Elvis and Popeye's journey reminds readers to look for and enjoy the small treasures in their lives. Save a spot on your shelves for this small adventure with a grand heart. ~ School Library Journal 
photo by KT of Lake Orion.
I think Barbara more than deserves our hearty congratulations for those glowing accolades. I bet she's seasoned the story with just the right amount of Southern flavor and charm! All together now, with feeling:
(Once.
Twice.
Three times.)
Hooray!
Yipee!!
You rock!!!
Okay. Time to step up to the river bank, grab a straw, and sip a cartonful of celebration soup. Thanks, Barb, for writing another story straight from your "heart's home!"
Today's Special: Spit and Swear Soup (guaranteed to spark adventure).
Adventures can make a person mighty hungry, so we're adding another treat to go with your soup today, little spinach quiches made with Popeye's signature ingredients:
photo by Pillsbury.com
According to the book's trailer, the adventure also came about because of "a girl with butterfly wings." May as well honor her important role in the story with some butterfly cookie pops for dessert:
photo by Montreal Confections.
And since we don't want Elvis to feel left out, enjoy these peanut butter and banana cupcakes:
photo by natalie. . .
Okay, since you're all spinached up, hike on down to your local indie, or order The Small Adventure of Popeye and Elvis online. Don't forget to ripple your pecs or flex your biceps for the salesperson. And, check your libraries, too. If they don't have the book listed in their catalog, ask them to order it!
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
MORE SMALL TREASURES:
Check out Barbara O'Connor's official website and blog, Greetings-from-Nowhere.
Book trailer can be found here.
Great online reviews at Literate Lives (photo mosaic) and Kirby's Lane (fair amount of cussing).
Wonderful interviews with Barbara discussing this book can be found at MotherReader and Kirby's Lane.
More Soup of the Day posts here.
Copyright © 2009 Jama Rattigan of jama rattigan's alphabet soup. All rights reserved.
By: Jama Rattigan,
on 9/7/2009
Blog: jama rattigan's alphabet soup (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: soup of the day, liz garton scanlon, book reviews, marla frazee, Add a tag
"To see a world in a grain of sand, And a heaven in a wild flower, Hold infinity in the palm of your hand, And eternity in an hour." ~ William Blake (Auguries of Innocence, 1803).
"Finding Treasure" by paigek.
It's time to grab our sand buckets and take a little stroll along the beach!
We can bask in the sun's warmth and delight in the gentle ocean breeze. Friends, breathe deeply of the salty air, and make a mental note of September 8, 2009, the official publication date for All the World by Liz Garton Scanlon and Marla Frazee -- because it's not every day we are gifted with this particular brand of picture book perfection!
ALL THE WORLD by Liz Garton Scanlon, pictures by Marla Frazee (Beach Lane Books, 2009), All ages, 40 pp.
*busting my seams, bursting with joy, drowning in my big, big love for this book*
The first time I read All the World, it totally took my breath away. Though I've read many wonderful picture books this year that got me excited and won my everlasting enthusiasm, this one brought me to my knees. I thought, "Whoa. Now here's a book that's definitely in a class of its own. It takes excellence to a whole new level." This rarely happens, but you know it when you see it -- that timeless quality, the makings of a classic. And of course, you're thinking, Caldecott.
In a mere 200 words, through lyrical rhyming couplets, Liz celebrates the big, wide world and all of humankind. She names the little and the large, the simple and profound, each carefully chosen word a luminous pearl in a pitch perfect string:
(click to enlarge)
Rock, stone, pebble, sand
Body, shoulder, arm, hand
A moat to dig, a shell to keep
All the world is wide and deep.
She holds up for our observation and contemplation nothing less than the sea and sky, sun and rain, bees humming, plants growing, birds flying, children frolicking, music playing, people simply being together and relishing every moment. It seems simple on the surface, a way to live in this world, learning to love it up close and from far away. She has distilled the essence of a personal and global vision, a theme of harmony and interconnection shimmering through the beautiful cadence of her poetry. Each time you read the text, your heart beats anew, the earth shifts a little on its axis; you are invited to join in the joyous rhythm of life.
The best way I can describe the art in this book is to say that Marla Frazee took a pure melody and caressed it with full orchestration -- warm, engaging, textural, lustrous. Her pencil and watercolor illustrations, a brilliant visual narrative, follows an interracial family of four from morning till night, as they build sandcastles and collect shells at the beach, buy flowers at a nearby farmer's market, sail a boat in a pond, dodge a sudden rainstorm, enjoy supper in a cozy café, and then join family and friends for a rousing sing-a-long before going to bed. 
(click to enlarge)
This warm, welcoming world, small enough to traverse by red pickup, is also populated by characters representative of the world at-large: we see other families, couples, singles, young, old, a few ages in between, and people of many colors -- some of whom appear in various spreads either by themselves or in interactions with the central family. Marla shifts her perspective to great effect, alternating between intimate vignettes of parent/child, person/animal, friend/friend, brother/sister, and expansive views depicting the grandeur of the planet. Spreads are ingeniously linked together; the corner of one vista becomes the focus of the next; everything and everyone is part of the circle of humanity. And if that wasn't enough, Marla hand-lettered the entire text; words tilt and sway, rise and fall, posturing themselves with a life and personality all their own.
The café in the book, where soup and muffins are consumed, was based on the Phantom Ranch Cantina, at the bottom of the Grand Canyon (photo by Irwin3637).
Marla says this was a deeply personal work; most of the objects hold special meaning, such as the mulberry tree her grandfather planted, the beach ball left out in the rain, her own orange Honda Fit with her dog, Rocket, in the front seat leaving the farmer's market.
Together, Liz and Marla have created a work that stands alone in its ability to amaze and inspire. It represents the perfect marriage of words and art. It leaves the reader feeling whole, appreciative of what is sacred in the everyday, and uplifted by the knowledge that his/her place in the world, however small, does indeed count for something. Quite simply, All the World is all you'd ever want in a picture book, more than you could have ever dreamed. As Kelly Fineman put it, "it's a work of epic beauty inside a picture book package."
photo by paigek.
The accolades have been flooding in: four *starred reviews* thus far from Publisher's Weekly, School Library Journal, Horn Book Magazine, and Kirkus. Horn Book has compared Liz's text to the work of Margaret Wise Brown, Kirkus calls the book, "At once a lullaby and an invigorating love song of nature, families, and interconnectedness," and School Library Journal deemed it "perfection." All the World is also in the Autumn 2009 Kids' Indie Next List Top Ten. A perfect read aloud, appropriate for all ages, of course I give it my highest FIVE SPOON RATING!
I hope you still have your beach gear on, because now it's time to dive into our special bowl of celebration soup. Please indulge in whatever suits your fancy -- backstroke, butterfly, breaststroke, freestyle. If the spirit moves you, dog paddle or snorkel! Just make sure you come up for air long enough to shout your congratulations to Liz and Marla! 
Today's Special: Hungry Tummy Soup (seasoned liberally with hope, peace, love and trust. Delicious hot or cold).
To go with your soup, please have a muffin (just like in the book):
photo by music pb.
Of course I haven't forgotten dessert. Help yourself to a seashell, starfish or sand dollar cookie:
photo by cookieartisan.
By now, you know the drill: hightail it to your nearest indie or order your copy online. This is one book you'll want a First Edition, First Printing of, so be quick about it! ☺
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
MORE MORE MORE
Liz Garton Scanlon official website (with a link to the best Curriculum Guide I've ever seen)! Liz's Live Journal blog, Liz in Ink, can be found here.
Marla Frazee official website.
Simon & Schuster "Behind the Book" page for All the World, featuring Liz and Marla's notes about working on this book.
Online Reviews:
Reading Rumpus
Richie Partington at Library Thing
Through the Looking Glass
My 2008 interview with Marla can be found here.
More Soup of the Day posts here.
**Liz Scanlon will be celebrating the release of All the World on September 26th at Book People, Austin, Texas, 11 a.m.
photo by carramled.
*Spreads posted by permission of publisher, Text copyright © 2009 Liz Garton Scanlon, Illustrations © 2009 Marla Frazee (Beach Lane Books/Simon & Schuster, 2009). All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2009 Jama Rattigan of jama rattigan's alphabet soup. All rights reserved.
By: Jama Rattigan,
on 9/1/2009
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"Theatre is the art of saying yes." ~ from Operation Yes by Sara Lewis Holmes.
Blue Angels in delta formation, MC Base, Hawai'i, 2007.
"Off we go into the wild blue yonder
Climbing high into the sun . . . "
Yes, yes, yes!!
At this very moment, we're flying high and soaring to new heights, because today is official pub day for Operation Yes, by the one and only Sara Lewis Holmes!
OPERATION YES by Sara Lewis Holmes
(Arthur A. Levine Books, 2009), Ages 9-12, 256 pp.
*adjusts goggles and does happy dance in flight suit*
Yes, that Sara -- whose first novel, Letters from Rapunzel, impressed me so much back in 2007, that I simply had to write and tell her, even though I'm usually much too shy to contact perfect strangers. That led to me reading her amazing blog, Read*Write*Believe, where she sometimes features her exquisite poetry. *swoon* Such talent! I was so inspired by what she was doing that I summoned up the courage to start my own blog. Since she encouraged and supported me from day one, you can see why I am especially thrilled to be able to celebrate her second middle grade novel right here on alphabet soup.
Can't. wait. to. read. it.
Operation Yes takes place at a dilapidated school adjoining an Air Force Base in Reform, North Carolina, where an unconventional, first-year teacher named Miss Loupe introduces her sixth grade class to the wonders of improvisational theatre. She has created a taped rectangle on the floor at the front of the classroom, a make-shift stage, because "art needs a frame," and, "art is arranging objects to create beauty." In this taped space, the class discovers what can happen when given the chance to say yes.
Cornelius reprises his role as Private Puck in "A Midsummer Night's Maneuvers."
One of the students is trouble maker Bo Whaley, who finds it difficult trying to live up to the standards expected of a Colonel/Base Commander's son. Surprisingly enough, under Miss Loupe's tutelage Bo is able to avoid trouble and excel at something. Add to the mix Bo's angry and troubled cousin, Gari, who grudgingly moves in with them after her mother is deployed to Iraq.
Miss Loupe herself is from a military family, and knows all too well what it's like to constantly have to move, change schools and deal with the loneliness and anxiety of being separated from loved ones. She is able to inspire her students to "embrace life's possibilities through the arts." But after her brother is reported missing in Afghanistan, even she succumbs to the strain. Working as a team, the students of Room 208 implement the transformational power of YES and devise a plan to help Miss Loupe and improve conditions at their school.
An F-15E Strike Eagle flies over the mountains and high desert of Afghanistan.
(photo source: Seymour Johnson AFB Media Gallery.)
Early readers have been loving Operation Yes. Richie Partington of Library Thing says, "Through Bo and his schoolmates, we get a real sense of what it is to have to change homes and schools every couple of years. Author Sara Lewis Holmes -- herself, the wife of an Air Force pilot -- does a great job of showing us what this sort of childhood might be like."
Shelf Elf hopes the book will receive a lot of hoopla because, "What this book says about courage, creativity, family ties, war and education is complex and thought-provoking . . . I am sure it will make people think about how it takes courage and integrity to fight for what you believe in, whether you are serving your country or serving your community or family or students."
Kirkus found the book "lively" and "funny," and likes how the focus is not on the "larger questions of war and peace," but what it might be like for kids of American military families who have to deal with the consequences every day. Books for young readers addressing this topic are few and far between -- bravo to Sara for helping to meet this need with her uplifting story. This just in: Operation Yes has been named to the Autumn 2009 Kids' Indie Next List! How cool is that?!
Classic warbirds (F-86, F-4, F-15, A-10), fly in diamond formation just for Sara!
(photo by divemasterking2000.)
Let's head to the mess hall pronto and slurp up some delicious jet fuel celebration soup (green army men securing the perimeter). If the spirit moves you, feel free to leave your cockpits and recite some Shakespeare while wing balancing, or engage in some happy aerobatics (tailslides, loops, spins) in Sara's honor. Embrace all the possibilities -- the sky's the limit! 
Today's Special: Four Star Soldiers Soup (seasoned with courage, resilience, and imagination). Especially good to offset life's daily battles.
Say yes to dessert: camo cupcakes and fighter jet cookies:
photo by lyonskatwork.
photo by whimsical.whisk.
Plan A: Fly on over to your local indie to score your copy of Operation Yes, or order online.
Plan B: Visit the special Operation Yes website, which has its own blog, videos, cool photos, and fun activities, like, How to Make a Star from a Straw Wrapper :)! Sara has planned some giveaways, contests and surprises in the next few weeks, so check back often.
Plan C: For more about Sara and her books, check out her official website and Read*Write*Believe blog.
Plan D: Read these online reviews: Shelf Elf, Library Thing, Thoughts of Joy, and this wonderful article/interview at Everyday Learning Magazine.
Plan E: All of the above.
Shakesbear and friends say YES to Sara's new book!
More Soup of the Day posts here.
Over and out!
Copyright © 2009 Jama Rattigan of jama rattigan's alphabet soup. All rights reserved.
By: Jama Rattigan,
on 8/11/2009
Blog: jama rattigan's alphabet soup (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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Jo is beautiful inside and out.
Hip hip hooray! What a glorious day!
I'm swinging high above the trees, and the view is amazing. I plan to stay up here awhile. Want to join me? It's the perfect way to celebrate the official release today of Jo Knowles's brand new young adult novel, Jumping Off Swings (Candlewick, 2009)! WooHoo!
JUMPING OFF SWINGS by Jo Knowles
(Candlewick Press, 2009), 240 pp.
Young Adult Fiction
*loving the fresh air blowing through my hair*
I'm so happy pub day is finally here, because I've been hearing so many good things about this book. Can't wait to read it! I've been a big Jo fan ever since reading her first novel, Lessons from a Dead Girl (Candlewick, 2007). I remember being totally captivated and impressed with her writing from page one. I loved her pared down, straightforward prose -- so evocative and compelling, not a word wasted. I admired her handling of a difficult, painful subject (children abusing other children), with such sensitivity and innate awareness. Jo really knows how to touch the heart and capture the anguish. 
photo by Guacamole Goalie.
In Jumping Off Swings, she writes about another sensitive and potentially volatile issue: teen pregnancy. This time, the story is told through alternating points of view, the voices of four friends -- Ellie, Josh, Caleb, and Corinne, who've known each other since childhood.
Ellie has been bouncing from one boy to the next, in a desperate and futile attempt to feel loved. Josh, who has a troubled home life, is eager to lose his virginity, and convinces Ellie to sleep with him in the back of his van. When he casts her off immediately after having sex, Ellie is devastated. Then she discovers she's pregnant, and everyone must deal with the aftershock -- Josh is heartbroken and ashamed; Caleb, who's harbored a crush on Ellie for years, is hurt and angry. What follows is a swirl of emotions, unforeseen obstacles, hard choices, and the inevitable loss of innocence as all four come to realize the rammifications of a single misguided action.
Early reviews have been unanimously favorable and enthusiastic, praising the perfect pacing and overall flow of the narrative, realistic dialogue, and the multidimensional wholeness of all four protagonists. Lisa Schroeder cited Jo's special gift for tackling "tough subjects in a way that is honest and real." Majorie Light appreciated Jo's ability to convey a vital message and strong themes without overt moralizing: "Instead, she shows us the pain it causes, the chasms it creates, and the scars it leaves. She gently takes us by the hand and leads us along the darkened path, illuminating the characters' souls, exposing their needs and wants to all. We are left to make our own decisions, but her writing is so poignant and lyrical -- and true -- that there is really only one path we can follow after the last word is read."
*get ready to swing even higher*
Hard-to-please Kirkus gave Jumping Off Swings a glowing review, calling it "heartbreakingly honest" and "finely executed." Just yesterday, TeensReadToo gave it a Gold Star Award, and Publisher's Weekly gave it a *starred review*: "absorbing from first page to last . . . eloquently expresses the pain of loss innocence." The book has also been nominated to the YALSA Quick Pick List for Reluctant Readers. Apparently this novel has been seven years in the making, the result of Jo's 2002 SCBWI Work-in-Progress Grant for Contemporary Fiction. I imagine she's extremely proud and happy that it's finally out in the world today, for all of us to enjoy!
Are you ready now to jump off your swings and dive right into our special bowl of celebration soup? Thank you, Jo, for your courage in writing about some of the tough issues teens face today, giving them, and all of us, honest portrayals, new understanding, insight, and hope. Congratulations on all the accolades -- we're thrilled for you!
Today's Special: Friendship Soup (seasoned with love, compassion, and truth).
After you're done slurping and swinging your legs from the edge of the bowl, have some of this chocolate sundae, a dessert inspired by The Chocolate Wars (turned Jo onto reading), and because her family once owned a genuine-for-real ice cream factory in New Hampshire! :9 
photo by cotarr.
Why are you still here? Go on -- race to your nearest brick and mortar bookstore, or click over to Indiebound to order your very own copy of Jumping Off Swings. It's a perfect summer read, and a great one to share with book clubs or reading groups. ☺
Swing high, dream big!
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Jo Knowles Official Website and Live Journal Blog.
Fab blog post by Jo about "Writing What's True" at TeenReads.com.
May 2009 Interview at HipWriterMama.
Online/Blog Reviews:
Lisa Schroeder
Marjorie Light
Richie Partington
Teri Lesesne
TeensReadToo
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
More Soup of the Day posts here!
"Don’t give up. Write honestly and from the heart. Be brave. Work hard. Be kind to others and to yourself. Celebrate every milestone. Read at least one book a week. Never deny yourself chocolate." ~ Jo Knowles (November 2007 interview with Debbi Michiko Florence).
*Girl on swing photo by Neil Aiston.
Copyright © 2009 Jama Rattigan of jama rattigan's alphabet soup. All rights reserved.
By: Jama Rattigan,
on 8/1/2009
Blog: jama rattigan's alphabet soup (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: soup of the day, chicken dance, tammi sauer, dan santat, book reviews, Add a tag
Curl your lips (or beaks, as the case may be), wiggle your wattles, shake your tail feathers. It's time to bawk and roll! WooHoo! About a week ago, I announced that Elvis Poultry was in the building. Today, his creators, author Tammi Sauer (Cowboy Camp), and illustrator Dan Santat (Guild of Geniuses, Secret Life of Walter Kitty), have got plenty to crow about, because CHICKEN DANCE (Sterling, 2009) has officially hatched!
Bawk-Ba-Gawk!
Eggs-tra, Eggs-tra, Feed All About It!
Rawkin' album covers featuring author and illustrator.
Picture Book for ages 4-8, 36 pages.
True, this heeeelarious, rollicking barnyard romp of a story snuck into a few hen houses a little early. But now, it's obvious that the world was mighty hungry for a good cluck with pluck, because the first print run has already sold out!
Have no fear! Marge and Lola are bent on swooping the coop with their indomitable talent. All they have to do is find it -- bowling? juggling? tightrope walking? flying? swimming? "Get some floaties, chickens!" Oh, those taunting ducks! In the end, Marge and Lola are forced to "wing it." Can they best tractor-eating goats, pyramid building pigs, udderly high jumping cows, and those snotty surfing ducks? Holy haystack, they're all shook up! But this can be a good thing, no? Especially if the Top Bird is into that sort of thing.
Cock-a-doodle-doo! Tammi really struts her storytelling stuff in this book: tight structure, snappy dialogue, droll humor, a superior spoof and spin. Dan has totally channeled his inner Elvis with energy that flies off the page. From the dance-step endpapers, to the full range of fowl emotions pulling the reader deeper into the dramatic highjinks with every page turn, to the mock-serious album cover author photos, this book rawks hard. But don't take my word for it.
Chicken Dance has already earned bales of glowing reviews. About Tammi's brilliant chicken scratch, Kirkus said, "The zippy narrative features punchy dialogue and witty interactions; creative wordplay abounds ("Let's bawk and roll!"). Droll delivery soars high, advancing the storyline to its playful conclusion." Publisher's Weekly praised Dan's riotous explosion of warm, vibrant, knock-your-feathers-off illos like this: "Totally in sync with his collaborator, Santat's (Always Lots of Heinies at the Zoo) sculptural, mixed media pictures exude an old-fashioned, theatrical drama that lifts the many jokes -- visual and textual -- into sublime silliness."
Tammi and Dan have shaken up the book world with their online promotional efforts: A Chicken Dance Facebook Fan Page, Elvis Poultry website and Twitter Feed, and a special YouTube Video Contest. They are just having too much fun (I admit being partial to illustrators who wear t-shirts that say,"Real Men Eat Cupcakes"). I mean, right?
So, are you ready to bawk and roll? Just dip your beaks into today's celebration trough (no chickens were hurt, no eggs were used during the making of this soup), and crow your loudest in honor of Tammi and Dan. Eggs-a-lent job, guys!
Today's Special: Elvis Poultry Soup de Coop (sprinkled with feed and guaranteed to make you bawk, flap and shake).
And here's the perfect sandwich to go with your soup: the Elvis Poultry Special -- fried banana, peanut butter, and chicken feed:
photo by SarahNYC.
Now, my little chickies, fancy step your way over to your nearest indie or fave online bookseller to score a copy or two of Chicken Dance. Just for fun, flap your wings at the salesclerk, and don't forget to keep an eye out for Elvis Poultry himself, who's currently on his Final Doodle Doo Tour! ☺
Some Eggs-tra Feed:
Tammi Sauer Official Website and Live Journal blog.
Dan Santat Official Website and blog.
ElvisPoultryBooks.com.
Special interview with Elvis Poultry and Tammi Sauer at Sterling Children's Books.
Dan at 7-Imp.
Your homework:
from Cheryl Huntley's photostream.
More Soup of the Day posts here!
*Spreads posted by permission, text copyright © 2009 Tammi Sauer, illustrations copyright © 2009 Dan Santat, published by Sterling Publishing. All rights reserved.
By: Jama Rattigan,
on 7/1/2009
Blog: jama rattigan's alphabet soup (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: book reviews, grace lin, soup of the day, Add a tag
Gorgeous photo of Grace by Alexandre Ferron.
Hooray hooray hooray!!
Today is official Pub Day for Grace Lin's brand new middle grade novel, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon (Little,Brown, 2009)!
WHERE THE MOUNTAIN MEETS THE MOON by Grace Lin,
(Little, Brown, 2009), Fiction for ages 8-12, 288 pp.
As far as I'm concerned, any time Grace publishes a new book, it is cause for big celebration. I'm a huge fan of both her gorgeous picture books and her heartwarming novels about Pacy Lin, Year of the Dog and Year of the Rat. When I interviewed Grace last year, she had recently returned from visiting China and Taiwan, and she talked about how she hoped to incorporate some of the sights and sounds of her fascinating experiences in a new book.
The end result demonstrates Grace's unending versatility as an author, and has all the makings of an enduring classic. Quite different from her first two novels, which were realistic, autobiographical stories with a contemporary setting, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is a fascinating hybrid blending fantasy, fairytales, epic adventure, and Chinese folktales. 
Lively, impulsive Minli, with "shining eyes always eager for adventure," lives an impoverished existence with her parents in the Valley of Fruitless Mountain. She spends her days toiling in the muddy rice fields, and her nights listening to her father's enchanting stories about the Jade Dragon and the Old Man in the Moon.
Tired of their poor, dreary existence, Minli's mother often complains about their lot and chides her husband for filling Minli's head with nonsense. But Minli believes her father's stories, and one day, sets out on an extraordinary journey to find the Old Man in the Moon, so she can ask him how to change their family's fortune.
Minli climbs the bridge to the top of Endless Mountain.
With the help of a talking goldfish, Minli travels to Never-Ending Mountain accompanied by a kind-hearted, flightless dragon. Many wondrous and sometimes dangerous adventures befall them -- they encounter a water buffalo boy quite content with his simple life, greedy peach-eating monkeys, a benevolent King who offers Minli quite a meal ("pink shrimp dumplings, savory noodles and pork, dragon's beard bean sprouts, emerald green chives, and a bowl of white jade tofu soup"), and a fierce Green Tiger who is outwitted by a pair of hawthorne berryish laughing twins (their adorableness is off the scale).
When she finally meets the Old Man in the Moon, Minli learns she is allowed only one question. Will she help the dragon, who has become her dear friend, or her family?
Magistrate Tiger paints eyes on the dragon.
There are so many things to love about this book that it's hard to name just a few:
♥ As a main character, Minli is "quick thinking" and "quick acting." Young readers will embrace her independent, generous spirit, her genuine desire to help her family, willingness to brave the unknown, and her belief in the power of stories. The Old Man in the Moon tells Minli that everyone who meets are connected by a red thread. Grace has said, "To me, those red threads, those connections are the stories we share." Each of the characters Minli meets has a story which adds to her store of wisdom.
♥ Lots of suspense and surprises keep the story moving at just the right pace. Chinese folktales are skillfully incorporated into the narrative, never stalling the action or feeling intrusive, as "stories within a story" can sometimes do. These tales provide a cultural and historical context that deepens and enriches our understanding of the characters and events, and adds a timeless flavor to the whole. The gentle, seamless interweaving of past illuminating present is simply brilliant.
Seeds rain from the sky in the Village of Moon Rain.
♥ Fans of Grace's other novels will find this book wholly accessible and a joy to read. The lyrical prose flows effortlessly and the words soon dissolve, as the reader is captivated by the magical places, creatures, and events that contribute to Minli's coming-of-age. Who would not be enchanted by a Dragon's Gate that is an entryway to the sky, or a feast of peaches ("everyone's mouths were full of soft, sweet peach flesh and groans of delight"), or the Village of Moon Rain ("the trees were heavy with bright blossoms and as the wind blew through the branches golden flowers showered down like rain"), or the unforgettable scene when Minli sees the Inner City of Bright Moonlight for the first time:
And like a lid of a jewelry box, the door opened into a landscape of radiant colors. The bamboo, pine, and plum leaves seemed to shine in the sun as if carved from emeralds and the accents of the pink and red flowers were like nestled rubies. Steps away from her feet, Minli could see a patterned pathway made of water-worn pebbles. The central jade green lake mirrored the arching tiled roofs of the pavilions and the rough beauty of large weathered rock sculptures. A winding covered walkway lifted up from the cloudy water like a lotus flower. It could only be the Palace Garden.
Simply gorgeous language!
♥ Timeless lessons abound: being thankful for the riches and wealth one already has, the sweet rewards of friendship, the evils of greed and power, and the importance of family. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, by its own example, demonstrates the significance, relevance, and immeasurable worth of stories, as they bind us together, each to each, generation to generation, cutting across time and space.
♥ The book is also physically beautiful; you must hold it in your hands to fully appreciate the thought and care that went into its design. I had read the ARC three times (loved it that much!), and just yesterday, saw the finished hardcover version for the first time. Yowza! The full color illos, rendered in gorgeous jewel tones, reminded me of pictures found in old fashioned classics like The Wizard of Oz. Definitely a rarity for middle grade novels. 
Grace has counted among her influences traditional Chinese paintings, architecture, vases and ceramics, and the art of cloisonné. Chapter headings are in gold font, with charming two color drawings like the ones above, and throughout there are spot illos of blossoms, old coins, medallions, even peaches -- little touches that will make young readers want to return to this gem again and again.
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon has already received a galaxy of starred reviews (Booklist, School Library Journal, and Kirkus). It's also included in Booklist's Top Ten SF/Fantasy Books for Youth 2009, and is a 2009 Parents' Choice Gold winner. I'm hoping it gets a Newbery nod, and I give it my highest Five Spoon rating!
To get the full effect of today's very special celebration soup served in a cloisonné bowl, imagine yourself visiting a cold mountain village somewhere in China. The winds are howling and your ears are numb with cold, but the friendly, smiling villagers greet you with open arms. They read you passages from Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, and hand you a big spoon. Savor the goodness!
Congratulations, Grace, and thank you for writing this beautiful book!
Today's Special: Peach Blossom Soup (a bowlful of gratitude).
For extra good luck, help yourself to a goldfish dumpling,
photo by akaitori.
and for dessert, some lovely cupcakes,
photo by Anita Jamal.
then, hop on your dragon and fly over to your local indie or fave online bookseller, to score your very own copy of WTMMTM!
Don't miss Grace's online Launch Party for Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, held on her Facebook Fan Page and at partygraces today. Fun, prizes, contests!
Be sure to visit Grace Lin's official website for more about the book (great activities: recipe for green tea cakes, Chinese lesson, How to Draw a Dragon!). You can find the wonderful trailer here.
Other blog reviews by Greg Leitich Smith, Terry Hong at BookDragon, Robin Smith at BookPage.
BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE:
Wednesday, June 24th: Bildungsroman
Thursday, June 25th: Shelf Elf
Friday, June 26th: Paper Tigers
Saturday, June 27th: MotherReader
Sunday, June 28th: Charlotte's Library
Monday, June 29th: Write for a Reader
Tuesday, June 30th: The Mommy Files
Wednesday, July 1st: Thrifty Minnesota Mama
Thursday, July 2nd: Creative Madness
Friday, July 3rd:Abby the Librarian
**Grace recently opened a new Cafe Press online store! Adorable t-shirts and stuff for kids and adults featuring art from WTMMTM and Dim Sum for Everyone.
"Why does Grace have to get all the peaches?"
(photo by Born Free)
*Spreads posted by permission, copyright © 2009 Grace Lin, published by Little, Brown. All rights reserved.
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