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So here's a quote from a Newsweek article about Anne of Green Gables that's been on quite few blogs recently: "The literary smart girl is still showing up in literature, but she's often the sidekick," says Trinna Frever, an "Anne of Green Gables" scholar. "It is a reflection of a culture that's placing less value on intelligence, and also treating intelligence as a stigmatized quality."

I started thinking since last December about heirs to Anne, after reading Undercover, by Beth Kephart (Harper Teen,2007). This book, which was nominated for the YA Cybils awards, is about Elisa, a very engaging "literary smart girl" who writes poetry, falls in love, gets depressed about her family situation, ice skates alone on a frozen pond at night, has a great English teacher, and keeps a notebook of words. It's a lovely book--I just re-read it more peacefully than I had a chance to last fall (what with the other 120-ish ya books to read for the Cybils*), and I highly recommend it to anyone who likes metaphors, words qua words, and books about teenage girls.

I have been meaning to write about Undercover for Poetry Friday since reading it seven months ago, but I wanted to try to find other books about girls writing poetry, to provide context. It is easy to find lots of smart, sassy girls, but harder to find the girls who love words and writing, the same way that Anne, and her literary sister, Emily (the girl featured in LM Montgomery's other series) do. The only slightly modern one I can think of is Julia, in A Room Made of Windows, by Elinor Cameron (1971)(a fine book that, if you've never read it). But are there no other examples of fictional girls writing poetry from the mid 20th century on? I'll be the first to admit that I'm probably missing other obvious ones, but it is a hard thing to google.

Elisa's own poetry, examples of which are given in Undercover, are very good for a young writer. But the poem I like best in the book is one the English teacher makes her students read:

One Art, by Elizabeth Bishop (from Geography III, 1977)

The art of losing isn't hard to master;
so many things seem filled with the intent
to be lost that their loss is no disaster.

Lose something every day. Accept the fluster
of lost door keys, the hour badly spent.
The art of losing isn't hard to master.

Then practice losing farther, losing faster:
places, and names, and where it was you meant
to travel. None of these will bring disaster.

I lost my mother's watch. And look! my last, or
next-to-last, of three loved houses went.
The art of losing isn't hard to master.

I lost two cities, lovely ones. And, vaster,
some realms I owned, two rivers, a continent.
I miss them, but it wasn't a disaster.

---Even losing you (the joking voice, a gesture
I love) I shan't have lied. It's evident
the art of losing's not too hard to master
though it may look like (Write it!) like disaster.

I remember my English teacher in high school giving us Geography III to read (pretty avant garde of him to do so in 1983), and how my adolescent self found deep dark resonance in her words...I want to go back, and re-visit her again. And viz Undercover-isn't that a nice thing, when a book you like leads you to a poem you like, and inspires you to go read more?

And if anyone can think of other books about girls writing poetry, let me know!

* just wanted to say thank to Harper Teen, and all the other publishers who sent books for us Cybils committee people to read. Out of all the books I was sent, Undercover was one of just a handful I kept for myself, knowing that I'd want to re-read it...the rest found a good home at the library.

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Wired
by Anastasia Suen
Illustrated by
Paul Carrick
Charlesbridge, 2007
Category: Nonfiction Picture Book

Another gem I discovered while serving on the CYBILS Nonfiction Picture Book Nominating Panel.

I confess. . . when I pulled this book out of the mailing envelope, I did so with some trepidation. You see, Anastasia is an online acquaintance, and Wired is not only published by my publisher, but was edited by my editor! What if it wasn't any good? What if I didn't like it? As long as I hadn't read it, I could remain honestly opinionless, but once those covers were cracked, there'd be no goin' back. I'd have to say something if writer or editor cornered me with a "So, what did you think?"

I held the book in my hand for a few minutes,

. . . turned it over and read the author and illustrator bios,

. . . noted the pleasant texture of the matt cover.

I wanted to open it, but lining up the nerve was taking some time.

Hmm... I thought, Great cover. Original. Warm, inviting colours. Nifty close-up image (I'm a sucker for those). Nice perspective. And that groovy bent metal title font cleverly reflects the subject matter. Before I knew it, the cover had sucked me in. The book was open.

Well---big relief---it turns out I had fretted for nothing. This book is great. Another fabulous Charlesbridge addition to the collection.

Wired is the story of electricity---how it's created, where it comes from, where it goes, and how it gets there. Electricity isn't a simple concept. I'd be willing to bet that when most adults flip a light switch or plug in the kettle, the source of the electricity and how it travels remains a mystery. In Wired, Anastasia Suen untangles that mystery, laying it all out one step at a time, in clear, simple terms. From the power plant generators right through to the flick of the switch on the table lamp, Suen explains it all and then tops everything off with a catchy poem that threads through the book like an electrical wire. More points for cleverness.

"humming, thrumming,
power's coming
in the wires
in the wires. . ."

Paul Carrick's acrylic mixed media illustrations are a perfect match.

Okay, so Anastasia and Emily, if you're reading this, you don't need to ask, "So, what did you think?" because the answer is: Well done!

The Nonfiction Roundup of blogposts is hosted here today.
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Rough, Tough Charley
by Verla Kay
Illustrated by
Adam Gustavson
Tricycle Press, 2007
Category: Picture Book Biography

Here's another gem I discovered while serving on the Cybils Nonfiction Picture Book Nominating Panel.

Rough, Tough Charley tells the story of Charley Parkhurst 1812-1879---indeed, a rough, tough character---who drove stagecoach in the Old West. Verla Kay, in her signature "cryptic verse" writing style, skillfully plucks events and detail from Charley's life in a way that captures the historical attitudes and gritty feel of the time. Gustavson's wheaty, earthy palette adds even more Old West feel. The stagecoach dust all but poofs out of the book.

Picture book biography is one of the most challenging genres to do well. So many pieces to get right. The author must first choose a suitable subject, high in kid-appeal and relatively free of scandal. . . someone who has accomplished something significant that kids would care about. Bonus if the accomplishment is a logical result of the subject's childhood characteristics or choices, and another bonus if the subject hasn't already been written about to death. Then, the author must decide on an appropriate scope---what goes in, what doesn't. . . the whole life or just a slice, and if a slice, which one and how big---and select representative events that will accurately portray the subject and his/her emotions and accomplishments. Pacing is critical, the writing must be engaging, and the whole thing has to be captured in a few hundred words and fit in 32 pages, while still leaving room for illustration to tell part of the story. Whew! That's a tall order.

Verla Kay delivers on all counts in this book. Her subject is fresh with a great kid-friendly story full of action and topped off with a satisfying surprise ending (which I won't reveal here). The scope is perfect, showing how Charley's accomplishements grew from childhood and adult passions and experiences. The sparse cryptic verse gallops along in pace with the stagecoach---a delicious match. All around...picture book biography well done.

Anastasia is once again hosting the roundup of Nonfiction Monday posts today.
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I promised you the rest of the Cybils books and then never delivered, didn't I? Well, have no fear, my opinion is here!

Also, my Top 9 for March is up at the Biblio File store. Check it out!

But first, I showed a bunch of kids the Glister books. They have pronounced them "Awesome" and "Totally cool."

Marie Curie: Giants of Science #4 Kathleen Krull

A very well done biography of the chemist Marie Curie. I learned a lot I didn't know and Curie's life is always easy to book talk to kids who need a biography. She's not well known and she's, you know AWESOME. Krull makes this fascinating story accessible and engaging. The only problem is kid appeal-- kids will LOVE it if they ever read it, but I don't seem them ever reading it unless they have to. Curie's not famous enough and the book itself isn't eye-candy enough for them to pull it off the shelf. Also, some photos would have been nice.

The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain

When I was in the 4th grade, one day we were lining up in the cafeteria to go outside for lunch-time recess. Miss Anderson (who I would have for 6th grade, but now her name is Mrs. Gosz and she teaches kindergarten) came in to tell us that the Berlin Wall was being torn down. It was the first time I had ever heard of the Berlin Wall. She was extremely frustrated that this room full of kids had no idea the history that was taking place at the moment.

Peter Sis understood. He grew up in Prague, during the Cold War. This autobiography straddles the line between graphic novel, biography, and picture book. He tells the story of a little boy who wanted to draw, of having to draw approved things, of getting in trouble for drawing the wrong thing. He tells of the story of trying to escape, of Western music, of crackdowns, of neighbors spying on neighbors.

The book is scant on background information though, so, like the 4th grader I used to be, it might confuse some children. It's beautiful and well done, but the older audience it's aimed at might need some selling, as it looks like a picture book on the surface.

Smart-opedia: The Amazing Book About Everything

This is more of a browsing book then a sit-down and read book. Think DK Eyewitness style to a bunch of different topics. It's a fun read, but I had 2 main complaints:

1. It's heavily illustrated with cartoon-y pictures, and real photographs would have worked just as well and would have been better.

2. Because it covers everything, it doesn't cover anything in depth. Because of this, some things are glossed over to the point of no longer being entirely correct. They're not wrong, but they're not right either, you know? You lose the subtleties of a situation.

And there's the nonfiction report!

Picture Book of the Day has the round up!

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It's very hard, rescuing yourself.

Life is not a fairy tale, but it can be an amazing journey. Letters from Rapunzel by Sara Lewis Holmes confirms this.

In this extraordinary epistolary juvenile novel, a young girl drafts letter after letter to P.O. Box #5667. She addresses her concerns there after seeing the post office box on an unfinished letter from her father. Now that he has been hospitalized for clinical depression (or, as she calls it, the "Evil Spell"), she feels as if this unknown recipient is her only touchstone to her displaced parent. Feeling as though she's trapped in a tower, she signs the letters "Rapunzel" and sends them out as signs of life, slivers of hope, perhaps even small calls for help.

Though the letters seem to be one-sided, the story is full and its protagonist three-dimensional. She acts her age and responds to her situation with equal parts optimism, realism, and cynicism. While waiting for her hardworking mother to pick her up from the dreaded afterschool Homework Club and waiting for her father to come home from the hospital, she channels her anxiety and emotions into her writing. Her short stories and letters reveal more about her own identity, even as she yearns to learn that of her would-be pen pal. Just as the heroine feels compelled to keep writing to the mysterious #5667, kids will feel compelled to keep reading her letters to the very end.

In response to the line I quoted at the top of this review, I say:

Each of us has the potential to be a hero, even as we're looking for someone else to save us.

I have included Letters from Rapunzel in booktalks and in booklists, including Tough Issues for Teens and the Best Books of 2007.

With the author's permission, I quoted my favorite poem from the book one Poetry Friday.

Read an excerpt from the book.

Read my interview with Sara Lewis Holmes.

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I head up postergirlz, the book advisory council for readergirlz. We were all very taken with Just Listen, this month's book pick, so we set up a virtual roundtable to discuss it further. We hope this post will encourage you to read the book and post your thoughts at the readergirlz forum. Miss Erin was unable to attend, but the other council members - Jackie, Alexia, HipWriterMama, and me, Little Willow - were present and very chatty. Feel free to Just Listen in!

HipWriterMama: I can't believe I read Just Listen in one sitting.

Little Willow: Go HipWriter Mama! I'm proud.

HWM: I put off reading the book, because the cover art didn't appeal to me. I figured I'd read a couple chapters and by then, I couldn't put the book down. It was really good.

Alexia: I read it in one sitting too! I completely ignored all of my homework, that was a problem the next day, but it was totally worth it!

LW: (said knowingly, not scolding) Do your homework, young lady.

Jac: I actually started Just Listen on audio book during a long trip. I was down to the last two CDs when I got home, and I just couldn't wait for the next time I got in the car, so I had to dig up the book and read it to the end right after I got home!

HWM: Are there really teenage boys like Owen out there?

LW: I certainly didn't know any when I was in high school. Did any of you?

Jac: I don't think I would have been brave enough to find out. But I think that boys are far more sensitive then anyone likes to admit.

Alexia: If there are, they are not in my school. At least, they don't admit to being like that. I think I would drop dead of shock if I ran into someone like Owen at my school.

HWM: I don't think I ever knew teenage boy that was that into honesty and communication. It would have plain freaked me out back in my commitment phobic years. But now, if I could go back as a teen, Owen would be a wow in my book.

(Alexia agrees.)

LW: Would you dare to live in a glass house?

HWM: Nope. Though all the sunlight would be amazing.

Jac: Dude. I don't like people looking at me in the best of circumstances. There's no way I'd be cool with them looking at me when I'm not aware. That's just creepy.

LW: I wouldn't be worried about what others thought of me, but I would be concerned for my personal safety.

Alexia: I don't know if I would necessarily, but I wouldn't mind maybe a glass kitchen? Maybe. That seems like an okay place to be visible. Maybe I just don't spend enough time in the kitchen, warming mac & cheese doesn't really tell people a lot about you - except that you can't cook.

LW: Macaroni plus cheese equals yum. Speaking of food, I love the scene when Owen invites Annabel out for bacon, and she learns about Owen and Rolly's tradition at the Morning Cafe. This is also the scene in which The Truth About Forever characters Wes and Macy cameo, though their names are never stated. I love that so much.

Alexia: I totally noticed Wes and Macy! I miss those guys.

LW: Me too. I think Wes and Owen would get along. I loved how Owen was so attuned to music, even if it wasn't necessarily my kind of music.

Alexia: Not only was he attuned to music, he had no problems sharing his unique views on different types of music. That's what really struck me about him.

LW: Music is a big part of my life, but I'd rather listen to my own mixes than the mainstream radio. I enjoy a wide variety of music. I love musical soundtracks, classical music, and film score music, but I also love the music and lyrics of Duncan Sheik, Jonatha Brooke, and Jimmy Eat World.

Alexia: My favorite musicians change often. At the moment, my favorite is probably Elton John, but that may be a phase. I think that any music that puts me into a good mood is good music. But I'm not excluding sad songs, because they can be beautiful too, like Dancing by Elisa.

LW: Which characters did you relate to or enjoy the most?

Jac: I totally love Annabel's sister Whitney. The scenes where she's tending her window garden were great. Maybe it's obvious symbolism, that Whitney could heal and grow through caring for plants, but there was a poignancy and even some humor that I really appreciated.

Alexia: Strange as it may seem I think I'm a mixture of Annabel and her oldest sister Kirsten. Some things I keep really private and I am great at keeping my emotions in check, but the first thing people seem to notice about me is a loud personality. The personality, however, rarely reflects important things.

HWM: I want to have a ring with Or Not engraved on the inside.

Alexia: Yes, yes, yes! A ring, the key necklace from Lock and Key, and the sculptures from The Truth About Forever. I can open a whole shop. Little Willow and I are going to make key necklaces.

LW: We really are. She just got the keys. Back to Annabel: Did you see the big reveal of past events coming? Was it a surprise? or a letdown? or an "I knew it!" reaction?

Jac: One of the things that I like about Just Listen is that she wasn't raped, and how traumatic the assault is - it doesn't have to go that far to still have a life-changing impact. It was a interesting choice for Dessen to make, as YA is often about the extremes, so it's much more expected for there to have been a full blown rape.

LW: The scene with the assault was shocking. It wasn't graphic nor was it dirty. It happened quickly, as quickly as the assault happened. He violated her body with his, and he did so without her consent, so I definitely think it was a form of rape.

Alexia: I think what Jackie pointed out was that this form of violation isn't usually found in YA novels which focus more on the emotional outcomes due to being sexually abused. I think that while both forms are abhorrent, Anabelle's is much less discussed and often
overlooked. The actual rape was prevented, but the consequences remained.

Jac: Wasn't Just Listen challenged?

LW: It was challenged at a high school in Florida, but fortunately, it has stayed on their shelves! I wrote an entire post about it, and I'll post some relevant links at the end of our roundtable for our online readers. I support all of Sarah's novels. I started with years ago with Dreamland, then went back to That Summer, her first published novel, and read all of her books which were available at that time in the order they were published. I've been following her new releases ever since.

Jac: The first book I finally picked up of Dessen's was Dreamland. I was subbing one hot summer at a tiny little library. It wasn't terribly busy and I was going through and weeding (the process where librarians get rid of books that are gross or falling apart or just not leaving the library) the teen section. I wasn't really into the book I was reading, so on my break I grabbed Dreamland. I remember sitting in the break room, absolutely absorbed from the first page. Caitlin was so clearly grieving over her sister. Her pain was palpable, and I wanted to see what happened to that relationship, what happened to Cass, and how Caitlin finds herself outside of her idolatry of her sister.

HWM: I just started reading Dreamland this afternoon.

Alexia: I started with Lock and Key and I loved it. Now I've read Just Listen and The Truth About Forever too. Both were absolutely amazing!

Jac: I have such high expectations from Dessen - so high that I haven't gone out and immediately read all of her books. I want to save them and savor them when I need the sort of emotional fulfillment that she always provides. I'm also afraid that, since there's a very similar tone to her books, if I read them right in a row, I won't appreciate them as much as I would if I spread them out a bit.

Alexia: Hmm. I read three in a short time and I had no trouble appreciating her, but I do see what you mean about the tone being similar.

LW: That's not necessarily a bad thing. Each story still stands on its own, I think. My favorite Sarah Dessen book is The Truth About Forever. Does anyone else have a favorite?

Alexia: Just Listen is my favorite, hands down. I absolutely loved everything about it! Owen rocks, Anabelle is great, and the story is wonderfully plotted. The Truth About Forever comes in at a close second though. I didn't get as into Wes and Macy's relationship as I did with Owen and Annabel.

Jac: I've been saving The Truth About Forever and This Lullaby to read when I really need a comfort read, as those are the ones most people I know claim as their favorites.

Alexia: I haven't read This Lullaby, but I know a few people who say that's their favorite as well. Maybe I'm subconsciously saving it?

HWM: Prior to reading Just Listen, I hadn't read any other Sarah Dessen books, but I will definitely read them now.

LW: That sounds just like what Alexia said to me after she read Lock and Key.

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More about the Just Listen challenge:

Challenges to Just Listen by Sarah Dessen in Tampa, FL
They Tried to Ban This Book Today, or, There's a Sticker on the Cover of This Book
School Says Book Can Stay

Some of Sarah's posts regarding the matter:
December 12th, 2007
December 13th, 2007
December 14th, 2007
January 11th, 2008

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Want to discuss this and other books with readers from all over the world? Visit the readergirlz forum, where we'll be discussing Just Listen all month long.

Sarah Dessen herself will also be dropping by the readergirlz forum throughout the month. We'll host an hour-long chat with her on Thursday, March 27th at 12:00 PM PST / 3:00 PM EST.

Related Posts: Check out other roundtable book discussions at Bildungsroman as well as my reviews of Sarah Dessen's novels.

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I am a readergirl! Are you?
Read the new issue of readergirlz. (We hope you enjoy both the content and the brand-new layout!)

This month, readergirlz are discussing Just Listen by Sarah Dessen.

Just Listen is a year in the life of a family coming to terms with the imperfections beneath its perfect facade. Last year, Annabel was "the girl who has everything." This year, she's the girl who has nothing: no best friend, no peace at home, and no one to sit with at lunch. Until she meets Owen Armstrong, a music-obsessed boy. With his help, maybe Annabel can face what happened the night she and Sophie stopped being friends.

Talk About It

Want to discuss Just Listen with other readers? Drop by the readergirlz forum, which is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We can't wait to hear your thoughts on this fabulous book!

Want to chat with Sarah Dessen herself? Want to get your hands on her next book, Lock and Key? Join our Sneak Peek Lock and Key Party Thursday, March 27th at 12:00 PM PST / 3:00 PM EST at the readergirlz forum. Look forward to awesome Lock and Key swag and ARC (advance reader copies) giveaways!

Listen in as the postergirlz have a roundtable discussion of Just Listen.

Recommended Reads

Our March theme is Truth. With this month's book and theme in mind, the readergirlz divas and the postergirlz advisory council recommend the following books:

A Little Friendly Advice by Siobhan Vivian (review + roundtable)
Stay With Me by Garrett Freymann-Weyr
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
Kissing the Bee by Kathe Koja
Lessons from a Dead Girl by Jo Knowles
Red: The Next Generation of American Writers

New Downloads and Shareables

Celebrate Women's History Month and our one year anniversary with us!

The readergirlz Make History cards offer powerful quotes from books we featured during our first year. Save the cards in PDF or JPG form, print them, stick them on your locker or bulletin board, and send them to your best friends. Be encouraged to make your own history!

Read, reflect, and reach out with girlz around the world during our second year. Download and print the readergirlz vow.

Commemorate our first year with this limited edition readergirlz pendant, created and crafted by readergirlz member and jeweler Gypsy Wings.

Visit the readergirlz archive.

Last month's featured book and author: Bronx Masquerade by Nikki Grimes
Next month's featured book and author: Shark Girl by Kelly Bingham

Related Posts:
Meet the readergirlz divas and the postergirlz advisory council
Read the original readergirlz press release
View all of the readergirlz-tagged posts at Bildungsroman
Read my review of Just Listen and all of Sarah Dessen's novels in Author Spotlight: Sarah Dessen
The postergirlz had a roundtable discussion of Just Listen

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So, while I was buried under that mountain called "real life," I missed a totally important announcement:

The Cybil winners were announced. I had the most awesomest extreme pleasure to serve as one of the judges for Middle Grade/Young Adult nonfiction.

So, in today's super-long post, I'm giving the run-down of all of our nominees-- they were all fantastic!!!

But, it's Friday, so first, a poem:








A Song for Alef

Alef the letter
Is a refugee.
From paper
To paper
He knows
No home...

To read the rest, you'll have to read this year's winner, Tasting the Sky: A Palestinian Childhood Ibtisam Barakat

Ibtisam was 3 1/2 when the Six Day war forced her family to fell from their home in the West Bank. After the harrowing experience of being seperated from her family in the confused mob, she finds them and they manage to escape to Jordan.

The Barakat family live as refugees in shelters, in a classroom, and on a new friend's kitchen floor for nearly 5 months before being allowed back home. But, once home, there is still shooting, still fighting. It's not safe, so it's to an orphanage. There, here brothers are sent away for brawling.

Eventually, they move. Through it all, Barakat's solace is language and her love of the letter alef--the first letter of the alphabet in Arabic and Hebrew.

But, underneath it all, Tasting the Sky is a story of growing up, of losing a pet and sibling rivalry, of making friends and worrying about school, of moving and saying goodbye. While there is sadness in Barakat's tale, there is no anger or hatred, just a hope for peace. And that's a hope we call all share.

Who Was First?: Discovering the Americas Russell Freedman

Dude, it's Russel Freedman, you know it rocks.

This time, the master of children's non-fic takes on the discovery of America. He starts with Christopher Columbus and then works backwards through time, discussing who discovered America before Columbus, who discovered him before that and on and on. He also devotes a fair chunk to current theory and theories we've discarded over the years.

It had a great design--good use of white space and lots of pictures and maps. However, some of the illustration captions were a bit confusing.

He spends a whopping 10 pages discussing Gavin Menzies's theory that the Chinese discovered the US in 1421. Although Freedman gives both sides of the debate, it seems like a lot of page space to devote to a theory that not a lot of historians credit.

I was most impressed by Freedman's sources and his amazing ability to take very complex, academic arguments and make them accessible to a children's audience without dumbing them down.

The Periodic Table: Elements with Style Adrian Dingle

This is a fun look at the elements. Going through the periodic table, it presents basic information about selected elements including atomic weight, color, date of discovery as well as what it is used for and random fun facts. All of this information is accompanied by a fun drawing of the element, looking awesome and anthropomorphized. Where it might not be the best reference book, it's a really fun book for browsing through and learning about the elements. It also has an awesome pull out poster of the periodic table with all the cool cartoon guys in their little squares. 2 complaints-- not all of the elements are covered in the book. Also, when discussing radium, there was no mention of radiation (which seems like a pretty big oversight!) and when discussing bismuth, there was no mention of Pepto (a lesser oversight, but one that would have been fun to include!)

Ok, so that's 3 of the 6 nominees. Stay tuned for more!

Oh! and Poetry Friday round-up is hosted by the ever-lovely Kelly over at Writing and Ruminating!

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Congratulations to Joyce Sidman who has won the Cybils award for poetry for young people, for This Is Just To Say; Poems Of Apology And Forgiveness (Hougton Mifflin). It is a collection of poems of apology and forgiveness in the voices of a classroom of children. (I wrote about it earlier since I chose it as one of the best of 2007: It’s funny, poignant, and true, with Sidman’s trademark gift for the craft of poetry in an amazing variety of poetic forms.) It is also an honor book for this year’s Lee Bennett Hopkins Award for Children’s Poetry. Sidman won the Hopkins award two years ago for Song of the Water Boatman and Other Pond Poems (Houghton Mifflin). Sidman also won last year’s first ever Cybils Bloggers’ prize for children’s poetry for Butterfly Eyes and Other Secrets of the Meadow (Houghton Mifflin) which was also one of my picks for the best of 2006. She is piling up the prizes fast!

FYI: The Cybils, a loose acronym for Children's and YA Bloggers' Literary Awards, began with nominations open to absolutely anyone. Then five nominating committee members (including yours truly) read the nominated books (with different committees in ten categories, from poetry to fiction to nonfiction to graphic novels). This is the second year of the administration of the award.

Sidman is one of my favorites, so I’ve posted about her work often—about her wonderful dog poetry [The World According to Dog: Poems and Teen Voices (Houghton Mifflin, 2003) and Meow Ruff: A Story in Concrete Poetry (Houghton Mifflin, 2006)], about her reading at the ALSC Poetry Jam in June (in DC) and the NCTE Poetry Blast in November (in New York), and about her downloadable bookmark book poem, “This Book," for National Children’s Book Week.

Here’s a brief excerpt about her from my own resource book on children’s poets, Poetry People:
“Joyce Sidman was born on born June 4, 1956, in Hartford, Connecticut. She is the middle sister of three, and spent summers at camp in Maine. From an early age, she felt motivated to write, and started writing as far back as elementary school. She discovered poetry in high school, encouraged by a sympathetic teacher. She earned her bachelor’s degree in German from Wesleyan University in Connecticut, and a teaching certificate at Macalester College in Minnesota. Joyce lives in Wayzata, Minnesota, with her husband and two sons, near the edge of a large woodland. When she isn't writing, she enjoys teaching via week-long poetry-writing residences in the schools. Her hobbies include gardening, identifying birds, insects and frogs, and reading and baking cookies."

This year’s prize winner, This is to Say, is a gem for reading aloud with multiple voices, much like this year’s Newbery winner (Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!)-- only set in a modern classroom “village.” Here is just a taste:

to Anthony
Some Reasons Why

Why must we work so hard,
and always be the best?

Parents say:
hard work builds character.
I say:
too much hard work means no laughter.

Parents say:
only the best get ahead.
I say:
everyone’s good at something.

Parents say:
daydreaming is just an excuse for laziness.
I say:
they just never learned how to write a poem.

by Tenzin
(writing for Anthony’s mother, who said he was being ridiculous)

Follow up with more poem collections about kids in classrooms like:
Cheng, Andrea. 2008. Where the Steps Were. Wordsong/Boyds Mills Press.
Frost, Helen. 2004. Spinning Through the Universe. New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux.
Paraskevas, Betty. 1995. Gracie Graves and the Kids from Room 402. San Diego, CA: Harcourt Brace.
Singer, Marilyn. 1996. All We Needed to Say: Poems about School from Tanya and Sophie. New York: Atheneum.

And for YA:
Alexander, Elizabeth and Nelson, Marilyn. 2007. Miss Crandall’s School for Young Ladies and Little Misses of Color. Wordsong.
Glenn, Mel. 1982. Class Dismissed! High School Poems. New York: Clarion Books.
___. 1997. The Taking of Room 114: A Hostage Drama in Poems. New York: Lodestar Books/Dutton.
___. 1996. Who Killed Mr. Chippendale? New York: Lodestar Books/Dutton.
Grimes, Nikki. 2002. Bronx Masquerade. New York: Dial Books.
Koertge, Ron. 2001. The Brimstone Journals. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick.

Catch the rest of the Poetry Friday round up at Big A, little a.

Picture credit: barnesandnoble.com

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One of the Cybils fiction picture book titles that made the shortlist was Four Feet, Two Sandals by Karen Lynn Williams and Khadra Mohammed. A recent article in Publisher's Weekly talks about how Khadra Mohammed took the book back to a refugee camp in Pakistan where the book is set. The children in the camp were able to read the book (it had been translated for them). Read this amazing story here.

My review of Four Feet, Two Sandals

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Bugs Up Close
by Diane Swanson
Photographs by Paul Davidson
Kids Can Press, 2007

Category: Nonfiction Picture Book


Here in Canada, Diane Swanson is somewhat of an icon in children's nonfiction. We've never met, but I'm a big fan and longtime admirer. Known for her clear, engaging, conversational style, she delivers here in spades, covering everything 'buggy' from eyes and spiracles to reproduction and defense.

Each spread is illustrated in glorious oversized macro-photography. Open Bugs Up Close to any page and you will, indeed, be up close with a bug of some kind. How does a 12-inch katydid or a 9-inch grasshopper grab you? I guarantee you won't get to the end of this book without uttering a few "Wow"s sparked by Davidson's crisp images.

The design of this book is brilliant. Many children's science books are compartmentalized into bite-size blurbs in boxes, starbursts, and tiny sections. I'm so pleased the book designers didn't do that here, instead opting for a simple clean design. The images are so spectacular, you don't need to dish things out in small servings to keep the reader's attention. Text, images, design -- all in tune.

When I was a child, photo-illustration was my favourite. Real images of real things in real places tapped a truth and invoked a fascination about the world that drawings and paintings couldn't quite muster. This is a book the nine-year-old me would have lovingly dog-eared in no time. And, well, actually, those corners are already starting to look a little bendy. Old habits die hard.

Bugs Up Close was nominated in the Nonfiction Picture Book category of the Cybils Award.

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Hey, folks. Here's the second in my series of Cybils finalist reviews. Again, these are in no particular order; this just happened to be the one that was ready to go.

Book: Billie Standish Was Here
Author: Nancy Crocker
Published: 2007

William Marie "Billie" Standish was named for the boy she wasn't, and she's spent every one of her eleven years trying to make up for that first mistake. Still, she knows she's never going to satisfy her Mama, and has come to believe that it's her own fault.

One rainy summer, she finds that the whole town has decamped for fear of the levees breaking, leaving only her own family and Miss Lydia across the street, a widow who lives alone. Billie offers to bring her mail from town, and Miss Lydia offers lunch in return, and a friendship begins.

When the unthinkable happens, Miss Lydia is the only one Billie can turn to, cementing a bond that will sustain them both for years to come.

This is a book that has a rape in it. It is not a book about rape. I think that's a pretty important distinction. Crocker's novel is, in the end, about love: the love of two women from different generations but with the same experience. It's not a mother-daughter love. It's friendship, pure and simple, with no boundaries of age or experience.

It's especially fascinating to see how the friendship changes Billie. She starts the novel as a ghost-child, apologizing for taking up air. She ends it as a woman strong enough to make the tough decisions about the people she loves most.

Due to its slow pace and historical setting (1960's) this one might need some book talking, but keep it on hand for mid-to-older teens who love a good, thoughtful story about human relationships.

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Book: Boy Toy
Author: Barry Lyga
Published: 2007
Cybils Winner, YA Category

At twelve years old, Josh Mendel loves baseball, video games, and math. He goofs around with his best friends, tries to ignore it when his parents fight, and looks forward to learning all those neat mysteries of girls and sex. All that changes when he gets involved with Eve. She's an older woman. A lot older. Like, twice his age older. And she's doing things with and to him that are also twice his age. For awhile, it's the best thing that ever happened to Josh--a fantasy come to life. Then, when the secret breaks out, it swiftly becomes the worst.

At eighteen, Josh is applying to colleges and playing varsity baseball. He's still dealing with stares, whispers, and what he calls "flickers"--momentary sensory flashbacks, so real that it's like he's there again. He can't wait to get out of town and leave it all behind. But Josh is about to learn that he can't leave it behind until he goes through it one more time . . .

"Ripped from the headlines" is a term I heard applied to this book a lot. With the media attention to female-teacher/male-student relationships, it's an irresistible temptation to get into the heads of the people involved. Lucky for us, that's exactly what Lyga does. He introduces us to Josh and takes us along with him as Eve spins her web. This teacher's seduction of Josh is a masterpiece of subtle manipulation. At first, the secrets between them are small: video games he's not allowed to play at home. Then they escalate: wine, lies to his parents. None of this is wrong, she is swift to assure him. It's just that people wouldn't understand. And they really wouldn't understand what happens next.

We have such a double standard concerning older women seducing young boys. Girls molested by their teachers are the victims, no question about it. But a boy with a hot female teacher? Oh, right, poor kid. Lyga shows us how Josh's relationship with Eve is no different--no less abusive, no less manipulative--than a girl's with a man twice her age.

I'd be interested to see how Barry Lyga researched this subject; what kind of books, articles, and interviews he read to get a feel for this misunderstood relationship. While it has somewhat graphic scenes, there's a purpose to them, both for the character and the reader. Josh is amazed, overwhelmed, out of control--apt descriptions of his role in the entire relationship. For us, there is a kind of voyeurism that enhances the creepy, crawly sense of Something Very Wrong about what's happening on the page.

Older teens with a liking for psychological drama and an interest in the humanity behind sensationalism will snap this up.

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The WINNERS are up!!! Go check it out at the Cybils Blog. I am honored to say I had a part - I thoroughly enjoyed being able to choose a finalist in the non-fiction picture books!!!

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Hooray! The winners of the 2007 Cybils awards have been announced! For fantasy & science fiction, two outstanding books won:

Elementary/Middle Grade:

The True Meaning of Smekday
by Adam Rex
Hyperion
Nothing has been the same since the Boov invaded Earth and re- named it Smekland. But things get even weirder when twelve-year-old Gratuity Tucci embarks on a journey to find her missing mother--accompanied by her cat (named Pig), a fugitive Boov (named J.Lo) and a slightly illegal hovercar--and realizes that there's more at stake than just her mother's whereabouts. A terrific satire with a touching ending and spot-on illustrations by the author, the novel is heartwarming and hilarious at the same time. Gratuity's narrative voice as she struggles to define "the true meaning of Smekday" will draw readers in.
Nominated by jennifer, aka literaticat.

Young Adult:

Book of a Thousand Days
by Shannon Hale
Bloomsbury USA Children's Books
On her first day as a Lady’s Maid, Dashti finds herself locked in a tower for seven years with her Lady, who is being punished for refusing to marry the Lord of a neighboring land. Thus begins a life-and-death battle against evil and time. Lyrically written and set in ancient central Asia, this novel retells a little-known Brother’s Grimm fairy tale with desperate, heart-wrenching emotion. Readers will be drawn in by the beautiful language and fighting spirit of Dashti, whose faith, spunk and ingenuity affect not only the darkness of her tower, but also the hearts and futures of kings.
Nominated by Sarah Miller.

I loved both of these books and think that they are outstanding choices!

View the 2007 Cybils winners in all categories

Congratulations to the authors, illustrators, and publishers of the winners!

I'd like to thank the Cybils Fantasy and Science Fiction category judges for their hard work in reading the finalists and choosing the two fantasy and science fiction winners:

Gwenda Bond, a writer and critic
Libby Gruner, an English professor who specializes in Children's and YA literature
Chris Rettstatt, YA author of the Kaimira series
Janelle Bitikofer, YA/Children's writer
Michele Fry, Independent scholar and writer

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The winners of The 2007 Cybils Awards were announced on Thursday, February 14th. Congratulations to all of the nominees and winners, and many thanks to all of the organizers, panelists, judges, booksellers, librarians, teachers, bloggers, and bookish folks who have actively supported the Cybils.

Fantasy and Science Fiction: Elementary/Middle Grade: The True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex

Fantasy and Science Fiction: Young Adult: Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale

Fiction Picture Books: The Chicken-Chasing Queen of Lamar County by Janice N. Harrington, illustrated by Shelley Jackson

Graphic Novels: Elementary/Middle Grade: Artemis Fowl: The Graphic Novel written by Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin, illustrated by Giovanni Rigano and Paolo Lamanna

Graphic Novels: Young Adult: The Professor's Daughter written by Joann Sfar, illustrated by Emmanuel Guibert

Middle Grade Novels: A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban

Non-Fiction Middle Grade/Young Adult Books: Tasting the Sky: A Palestinian Childhood by Ibtisam Barakat

Non-Fiction Picture Books: Lightship by Brian Floca

Poetry: This Is Just to Say: Poems of Apology and Forgiveness by Joyce Sidman, illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski 

Young Adult Novels: Boy Toy by Barry Lyga 

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Official Press Release

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Learn more about the winning titles and the awards by visiting blog.cybils.com and www.cybils.com 

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That extremely loud shriek "YES!" you may have just heard if you are anywhere on the North American continent was me, seeing the winner of the 2007 Cybil in the Poetry category.

Congratulations to all the winners!

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Posted here for your enjoyment.

(I know, I know, the day's almost over. I've been working, okay?)

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Congratulations to Shannon Hale for winning the YA fantasy award for Book of a Thousand Days! 'Tis much deserved.

And thanks to the judges for picking a winner out of our brilliant shortlist. Congratulations to Linda Urban who won for A Crooked Kind of Perfect.

For a full list of all the winners, visit the Cybils blog.

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Hi,

The winners of the 2007 CYBILS have been announced. Click here to see the list!

http://dadtalk.typepad.com/cybils/2008/02/the-2007-cybils.html

Congrats to the winners and happy reading!

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The Cybil winners were announced today. As with so very many awards, I haven't read a single one of them. I've been interested in The Professor's Daughter for a while, though, and The True Meaning of Smekday looks right up my alley.

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