This blog has spoiled me beyond all hope or recognition. Over the years I’ve used it to find nannies, to get books re-published, and now it has solved a mystery that lay dormant for years. Back in November of 2009 I decided I wanted to track down a book from my childhood. Writing stumpers into the internet ether is usually rather pointless and the post Thanksgiving: The Ernestine Mystery was no exception. So imagine my surprise when reader Desiree Preston wrote me the following note this week:
“Speaking of happy childhood memories, I was able to track down what is for sure the book I was looking for when I read you article at http://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/2009/11/26/thanksgiving-the-ernestine-mystery/#comment-4765. I don’t know if it is really the one you were looking for, but I thought I’d let you know. It is called Good Old Ernie by Jerry Mallett. Shout out to my second grade teacher, Judy Gomoluch, who is still good friends with my fourth grade teacher Mary Kain, and saw and answered my Facebook post.”
Could this be true? Jerry Mallett? So I tracked down the cover and lo and behold . . .
That’s it, people. I can’t believe it. After seven years the mystery is solved. Let that be a lesson to you, kids. DON’T STOP BELIEVING! HOLD ONTO THAT FEEEEEEEELING . . . .
So what else is going on in the wild and wonderful world of children’s literature? Well, since I’m already talking about Thanksgiving, it’s not much of a stretch to mention Christmas as well. Now has anyone else noticed that there are a LOT of Nutcracker books out in 2016? I honestly think I’ve seen five different picture book versions of the story, all from different publishers. Now I’ve heard something that may interest my Chicago readers. Brian Selznick has recently been working on some fun new projects, including a Chicago related ballet. According to him . . .
“I’m writing the story for the new version of The Nutcracker (to be set during the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair) at the Joffrey choreographed by Christopher Wheeldon. It premieres this December! I think it’s going to be good…http://joffrey.org/nutcrackerbios.”
One glimpse at the folks behind it (Basil Twist! Christopher Wheeldon!) and I don’t merely “think” it’s going to be good. I know it’s going to be good. Sendak (the only other children’s book illustrator I know who had a hand in a reinterpretation of The Nutcracker) would be proud. Hat tip to Brian for the tip.
Now let’s double back to NYC, since I’m sure there are folks in that neck of the woods that would like a little children’s literature-related fun. Interested in a book festival that’ll get you out of the city? Why not try The Warwick Children’s Book Festival? As it was sold to me . . .
“Apple- and pumpkin-picking, farm markets, lovely shops, galleries and restaurants downtown…lots to enjoy for families looking for a fun afternoon on a holiday weekend. And among other illustrious authors and illustrators such as Wendell Minor, Jane Yolen, Ame Dyckman, Brian Karas, Roxane Orgill, one of your Boston Globe/Horn Book 2016 award winners, will be there with Jazz Day! And…the Festival is presented by Albert Wisner Public Library, winner of the Best Small Library in America 2016 award conferred by Library Journal! We’re excited to invite everyone from the NY Metro Area to discover our festival, our library and our town.”
Go in my stead, gentle readers. Go in my stead.
I’ll linger just a tad longer in the NYC area since to my infinite delight I found that the irascible, entirely delightful Brooklyn librarian Rita Meade has just been named a “Celebrity Librarian” and one of The Brooklyn 100. Go, Rita, Go!
Now I’ll hike back over to the Midwest again. Maybe I’ll stop in Detroit on the way. Why? Because in a bit of absolutely fascinating news we’ve learned the the newest American Girl is Melody Ellison, a child of early ’60s Detroit. Mental Floss also had this to say about the gal:
A six-member advisory board worked to craft her portrayal and included prominent members of the NAACP, history professors, and the President and CEO of the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit. Along with author Denise Lewis Patrick, they worked together to ensure Melody’s story was as true to life as possible—including her hair. The texture of the doll’s locks was changed multiple times to reflect the era.
“In the late ’60s, the majority of African-Americans did have straight hair,” Juanita Moore, President and CEO of the Wright Museum, said to the Detroit Free Press. “It may not have been bone straight, but it was straightened.”
Thanks to PW Children’s Bookshelf for the news.
No doubt you’ve heard it elsewhere by now, but the saddest information of the week was that Llama Llama’s mama, Anna Dewdney, died recently. I don’t think my family owns any full runs of picture book series . . . with the exception of the Llama Llama books. There’s a lovely obit for her in PW worth looking on. She will be missed.
Turn now to happy news. They’ve announced the speakers for the upcoming ALSC Mini Institute, which will occur before the ALA Midwinter Conference in January. Behold the speakers for yourself, then sign up.
Me stuff. The very kind Suzanne Slade interviewed me about my picture book Giant Dance Party at the blog Picture Book Builders. Woohoo! Still in print, baby!
Pop Goes the Page at Princeton is still up to their usual tricks. Today they’re wowing us with their tribute to Alice in Wonderland. Try not to keen too mournfully when you realize you missed a chance to hear Leonard Marcus talk about the book’s relationship to surrealism.
Daily Image:
Not much on the roster today, so why don’t I just send you off with a picture of me reading the latest John Patrick Green graphic novel Hippotomister to my kids? They adore it, by the way. So two thumbs up from 2-year-olds and 5-year-olds equally over here.
Here’s an illustration I meant to get done before Christmas, but, you know, life.
It’s finished now, and was great fun!
Here’s a detail.
I love drawing so much <3
In unrelated news, I realized yesterday that I made the coloring contest deadline on Sunday, April 13th. There is no Sunday April 13th this year. This is yet further proof I shouldn’t be allowed near numbers.
Anyway, the coloring page deadline is now Wednesday, April 13th. Wear those crayons to the bone, my friends.
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The post Nutcracker Illo appeared first on Story Monster.
It's only September, but ballet schools across the country are already holding auditions for the holiday favorite
The Nutcracker. I finally convinced my 8-year-old and 10-year-old daughters to try out for a local production this year. Luckily, as with many recreational ballet schools, this one tries to cast everyone who auditions. The girls auditioned last Saturday, and we have just a few days left before we find out their parts!
While we're waiting, I thought I would do a little research to see what Nutcracker-themed picture books have just been published or will be coming out soon. As I expected, I found quite a few! Here are the four I'm most looking forward to reading...
Written in verse by Kristyn Crow with illustrations by Molly Idle,
Zombelina Dances The Nutcracker is a follow-up to
Zombelina, which introduced readers to a young Zombie who loves to dance. In the new book, Zombelina and her friend Lizzie need to figure out how to save
The Nutcracker production they're supposed to dance in at the local opera house.
Rachel Isadora's
Bea in The Nutcracker is another sequel -- to
Bea at Ballet. The first book was a concept book, introducing young children to the components of a ballet class.
Bea in The Nutcracker breaks down the components of a classical ballet, using
The Nutcracker as an example.
I don't know too much about this version of
The Nutcracker by Stephanie Spinner and Peter Malone, except that it comes with a CD of the Tchaikovsky score. But the cover really draws me in, and I'd love to see more of the illustrations!
The Nutcracker Comes to America: How Three Ballet-loving Brothers Created a Holiday Tradition also piqued by interested. Written by Chris Barton with illustrations by Cathy Gendron, this book tells the story of how
The Nutcracker, which is a Russian ballet, became such a special tradition in the United States.
A few years ago I wrote a post on the blog
Dance Advantage about some of my favorite Nutcracker books at that time. You can read the post
here, in case you are looking for more dance books this holiday season.
Do you have a favorite Nutcracker picture book? Or do any of the new ones look interesting to you? I'd love to hear!
My two girls and I have tickets to see the
Maryland Youth Ballet's version of
The Nutcracker this weekend. It's become a bit of a family tradition, and this will be our third year going. We're all very excited!
In anticipation of the weekend, we started reading Nutcracker picture books last night.
Duke Ellington's Nutcracker Suite by Anna Harwell Celenza and Don Tate was the first on our list, and we have three more lined up for the rest of the week. I'm guest posting about all four books today on
Dance Advantage (a wonderful online dance resource for dance students, parents, and educators). I hope you'll check it out!
Have you ever been to a performance of
The Nutcracker? Do you have a favorite Nutcracker picture book you'd like to share?
 |
| Tiny Tot -Waiting to perform in the Nutcracker |
We've been living and breathing Nutcracker these past few weeks and months. My daughter performs the part of a Party Girl and a Mirliton in our local Nutcracker production this December. My son plays a smaller role, but he's super cute nonetheless as a Tiny Tot in the party scene. They've both spent a lot of time both back stage, below stage and on stage during rehearsals. Now that the performances have started, we've been spending even more quality time at the theater.
Participating in the Nutcracker production has provided both of my kids with a valuable opportunity to witness first hand all that goes on behind the scenes during a live performance. Most audience members remain blissfully unaware of hustle and bustle of activity back stage. Make-up and hair, costumes, props and set, lighting, warm-up - the magic begins long before the curtain opens.
As I was researching Nutcracker themed children's books, I came across a wonderful picture book title by Rachel Isadora that provides a unique look at the Nutcracker ballet from a performer's point of view.
Lili on Stage follows a young girl named Lili as she gets ready to perform as a party girl in Act I of a Nutcracker production. She and her friends warm-up, put on their make-up and costumes and wait in the wings until finally they walk on stage and join the fabulous party scene, watching as Drosselmeyer gives the gift of a nutcracker. Off stage, as she heads back to the changing room, Lili sees all the dancers who will perform in Act II - Marzipan, Dew Drop, the Sugar Plum Fairy, and more - dressed and ready to dance.
Isadora beautifully captures all the preparation, awe and excitement a young dancer experiences when getting ready to perform in a ballet production. Her lovely watercolor illustrations suit the theme particularly well, realistically and expressively illustrating the dancers. Both boy and girl dancers are portrayed, and Isadora also shows racial diversity of the cast in her depiction of the performers
. Isadora herself was a
professional dancer before she began a career in children's books. Her first-hand knowledge of ballet and the dancer's life is evident in every single page of this book. Ballet instructors may want to read the story aloud to students before a performance because the book offers plenty of helpful advice for performers: no speaking on stage, hold your head high, don't eat or drink while in costume. Isadora provides readers with a short summary of the Nutcracker story in the beginning of the book.
 |
| Mirliton - Dance of the Reed Flutes |
My daughter loves this book because it shows all of the different character dancers in Act II of the Nutcracker ballet. She performs as a Mirliton (a.k.a. Marzipan or Shepardess) during the
Dance of the Reed Flutes, and surprisingly we've had a hard time finding this particular piece depicted in Nutcracker children's books. Luckily, Isadora included the divertissements, although she uses some different terms for the characters than we are used to -- the Russian (Trepak) I believe is depicted as Candycane?!Lili on Stage is part of Isadora's "Lili" series, a picture book series perfectly suited for young ballerinas. The book is currently out-of-print, but can be found at a reasonable cost used. Other books in the series include:
Lili at Ballet
and
Lili Backstage
.
Lili on Stage
by Rachel Isadora. Putnam (October 1995); ISBN 9780399226373; 32 pages
Book Source: Personal copy
Related links:Rachel Isadora - Website I am an Amazon affiliate and may receive a very small commission for products purchased through my Amazon links. (View my full disclosure statement for more information about my reviews.)
Right in time for Christmas, I am happy to present:
Stories of Queen's Day
2012
Sylvan's Wish
In between novels in my
Empyrical Tales series, I like to visit my characters and celebrate with them. It is my pleasure to share these stories with you.
Queen’s Day is the most special holiday in all of Empyrean. Once a year, Father Odin returns to celebrate the victory of the first queens over the Forgotten Evil.
Author Mark Miller brings you holiday themed stories from the land of Empyrean. You can see more of these characters in The Empyrical Tales novels. Book I: The Fourth Queen, Book II: The Lost Queen and Book III: The Secret Queen are available now. Book IV: The First Queen is coming soon from Helping Hands Press. Miller also has a great selection of family friendly and young reader stories currently available from Trestle Press.
For 2012, Sylvan’s Wish takes inspiration from the Christmas classic, The Nutcracker and the Mouse King by E.T.A. Hoffmann. Olena and her small, wooden friend Sylvan go to bed on the eve of Queen’s Day and wake up in a magical world. Before Sylvan’s wish can be granted, they must face the frightening rat-like Tylomites. The message of this take on the Nutcracker Prince shares the joy of the holiday season.
It is also available on Nook, iTunes and Kobo.
So, from all of us in Empyrean,
Happy Queen's Day!
I have been itching to get this online but the weekend got away from me.... I know that you all can relate. As soon as I read the prompt, I had a vision of some sort of water fairy all in blue with a sparkling wand. Really, I didn't spend much time in sketching, just kind of loosely began drawing on a vellum sheet and she emerged. When I finished her, it just came to me, that I had completed my own version of the Dew Drop Fairy. ;)
Now I’ll hike back over to the Midwest again. Maybe I’ll stop in Detroit on the way. Why? Because in a bit of absolutely fascinating news we’ve learned the the newest American Girl is Melody Ellison, a child of early ’60s Detroit. Mental Floss also had this to say about the gal:
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Is the author of GOOD OLD ERNIE, the same Jerry J. Mallett who founded the Mazza Museum of Children’s Illustration in Findlay, Ohio?
Sorry. Should have identified it as the Mazza Museum in Findlay, Ohio
….
I have no clue. If so that would be . . .
I need to do some investigating. Tally-ho!