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All right. Me stuff off the bat. I was recently asked to moderate a panel of authors for the Children’s Media Association. The panel consisted of Ame Dyckman, Joanne Levy, Katherine Longshore, Elisa Ludwig, Lynda Mullaly Hunt, and Sarvenaz Tash. During the course of the evening it was suggested that we perform a Giant Dance party. Joanne was kind enough to edit the footage and the results . . . well, here you go. I’m the one in the middle, for the record.
Goof-tastic!
In other news, NYPL recently turned my Children’s Literary Salon that featured Leonard Marcus talking about the current NYPL exhibit The ABC of It: Why Children’s Books Matter as interviewed by Jenny Brown into a Google+ Hangout. Here is the gist of it. You’ll probably want to start watching after the 5 minute mark. Unless you like watching empty chairs. In which case, go crazy.
It’s worth it for the info on the ivory umbrella handle info alone.
And since I’m on a roll with the NYPL events, any interest in hearing Leonard Marcus interview Judy Blume and Eric Carle at the same time? Hit the 9:50 mark on this l’il ole video and it’s all yours.
Okay. Now it’s time to acknowledge that Halloween is nigh. Scaredy Squirrel created a PSA / book trailer. Pretty good, though I’m amused that Scaredy is still drilling home the fear of apples. In the history of man I’m pretty darn sure no one ever actually put a razorblade in a fruit. That was a myth. Ah well. Scaredy wouldn’t care. It’s still a potential threat.
In other book trailer news, this one’s pretty cute. Let’s hear it for effective Flash animation paired with music that bloody gets caught in your brain.
And for our off-topic video of the day, technically this is a GIF and not a video but I figure if it moves and slows down my computer’s operating system, that’s close enough for me. Et voila:
3 Comments on Video Sunday: Robot, heck. You should see my krumping., last added: 10/22/2013
#58 Scaredy Squirrel by Melanie Watt (2006)
31 points
This one helped my daughter understand her anxious feelings in a fun, no pressure way. – Joanne Rousseau
The last time we conducted this poll I considered Scaredy Squirrel to be the only true 21st century picture book on this list. Let me explain. Certainly we’ve a fair amount of author/illustrators out there that have appeared post-2000 to worm their ways into the hearts and minds of children. But Scaredy Squirrel is, to my mind, here today because it became an internet phenomenon.
Should I credit The Cybils? Partly. But word of electronic mouth may really be the reason. I’ve seen Scaredy mentioned on blog after blog after blog. I’ve seen people discuss it via webchats, online reviews, Amazon discussions, and more. Scaredy Squirrel, you may be afraid of everyone and everything out there, but the one thing you are not afraid of is sure-footed viral marketing. Well done, sir.
From my review: “Scaredy Squirrel’s world is straightforward and easy to navigate. His tree is safe and comforting whereas everything else on the planet is ‘the unknown’ and therefore worthy of fear. I mean, consider how dangerous everything is. There’s poison ivy and martians and sharks and germs and all kinds of stuff to watch out for. Scaredy Squirrel, therefore, sees no good reason why he should do anything other than eat, sleep, and look at the view from his tree’s verdant branches all day. He even has an emergency kit near at hand. Then… one day… the unthinkable occurs. Out of nowhere a ‘killer’ bee startles our hero and causes him to drop his kit. Down plunges Scaredy (before remembering the whole don’t-leave-the-tree plan) but rather than crash to the ground he finds that he is capable of something entirely new: gliding. Turns out that Scaredy has been a flying squirrel all along and never knew it. Now Scaredy makes exactly one leap into the unknown every day before playing dead for two hours and going home. And for this little squirrel, that’s a mighty big step to take.”
Jen Robinson’s Book Page said of Scaredy, “I already consider him a friend of mine, with his timid, toothy smile, but I’ll be happy to see him make more.”
And in 2006 it won the Cybil for Best Picture Book. He even has his own website. Awww. How can you not love this little guy? Considering the vast hoards of over-protected children out there, Scaredy really is a hero for our times.
Note how the professional reviewers were unable to keep from comparing Scaredy to other books:
Booklist said of it, “Despite the simply drawn cartoons and brief text, this is more sophisticated in tone than Martin Waddell’s Tiny’s Big Adventure (2004), though the message is similar.”
Publishers Weekly said, “It’s an indication of how well Watt (Leon the Chameleon) knows her helicopter-parented audience that she’s able to turn the phrase “antibacterial soap” into a bona fide punchline. . . . Youngsters will go nuts over this one.” <—- Best. Review. Quote. Ever.
And School Library Journal said,
0 Comments on Top 100 Picture Books #58: Scaredy Squirrel by Melanie Watt as of 1/1/1900
Our top news story today is the fact that NOW is the time to start nominating books for The Cybils! The Cybils, for the record, are the only book awards handed out to children’s and YA titles as chosen by book bloggers. Books that win The Cybils are meant to represent those titles that have literary merit and are also fun for kids to read. Nominations are going on from now until October 15th, so you have some time. Be sure you read the nomination rules before casting your votes though. I made the mistake of continually mentioning books with publication dates later than October 15th. Don’t make my mistakes, folks.
Out of loyalty I began today with The Cybils, but had that piece of news not been a contender then you just KNOW I would have started with Chad Beckerman’s absolutely fantastic summary of what went into creating the upcoming Diary of a Wimpy Kid Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade balloon. If you read nothing else today, read this. AH-MAZING! Big time thanks to Chad for the link.
*sniff sniff* Smell that? That’s the smell of Halloween in the air, my pretties. The air is crisp with it. And what’s that other smell? *sniff sniff* Ah. Yes. That would be the smell of fear. It’s wafting over from California where their libraries are getting privatized. There are many telling moments in this particular article, but my favorite was the moment when the company Library Systems & Services says that, “Pensions crushed General Motors, and it is crushing the governments in California.” You’ve gotta read it to believe it.
All right fellow children’s librarians. Back me up on this one. How often have you been sitting at your reference desk and been asked, “What’s the name of the fourth Boxcar Children?” Or, “I need the twentieth Katie Kazoo. Do you know which one that is?” The simple fact of the matter is that not all OPACs (Dynix, Millennium, etc.) are all that great at conjuring up long lists of series titles’ individual names. So the Brits went and did it for us. Now admittedly Children’s Book Sequels is darn UK-centric and the two series I mentioned just now don’t show up there. Still and all, if you’re looking about for all the Animorphs, Magic Tree House, or Chronicles of Ancient Darkness books, here is your key.
Speaking of Europe (and unions for that matter), if Peter Jackson takes over the filming of The Hobbit, it looks as if he might move it to Eastern Europe to avoid hiring union actors. That’s a lot of “ifs” and “mights” but you get the general gist of the thing.
New Blog Alert: I love me a blog with a hook. And a blog that
11 Comments on Fusenews: Midnight Cowboy meets Watership Down, last added: 10/5/2010
Emily Calkins Charyk said, on 10/5/2010 5:29:00 AM
The Mid-Continent Public Library has my favorite series resources, and they too have Boxcar Children and Katie Kazoo. Also you can sort by series title, book title, author or subject. I wouldn’t have made it through the SRC this summer without it!
I second MCPL. They ROCK! Part of me kinda wants to work there, just so I can play with their lovely, lovely lists…
As to privatising…why not go after a bigger institution, instead of us poor little libraries? What about schools? Oh, wait, they tried that, didn’t work. Duh!
Abby said, on 10/5/2010 7:14:00 AM
I THIRD MCPL for series and sequels.
Three Turtles said, on 10/5/2010 9:56:00 AM
Nostalgia Electronics has a cotton candy machine that uses hard candy. It is super easy to use, we got it for our teen programs and tested it extensively with the staff first. Any flavor of hard candy you can find can become cotton candy…butterscotch…caramel mocha…peppermint…hmm, time for another test day, I think!
Susan said, on 10/5/2010 12:17:00 PM
A series index would be a great resource, but I have my doubts about one that lists “The Bastable Children” under “T”. (also The Borrowers, The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, The Goose Girl, etc, etc, etc)
Jess said, on 10/5/2010 1:37:00 PM
I don’t know what I would do without MCPL’s Series & Sequels database. LOVE IT. Saves so much time, and they update it all the time so it will even list the books that aren’t out quite yet.
Carin Siegfried said, on 10/5/2010 1:46:00 PM
In Nashville, they should totally get in touch with the local chapter of the Women’s National Book Association (WNBA) which has over 80 members. Email Mary Grey James at East-West Literary – she’s the president of the national WNBA and she’s an agent for children’s books.
WHAT is the continuity issue in Goodnight Moon!? How can you give us that teaser but not tell us what it is? Please please please?
Brooke Shirts said, on 10/5/2010 1:56:00 PM
There’s a machine that turns candy into an entirely different kind of candy?!? Best tip I’ve gotten all day.
Elizabeth Bird said, on 10/5/2010 6:31:00 PM
I’d need the book in front of me to be precise. All you need to know is that that it involves the dollhouse.
Unless you yourself are afraid to leave your nut tree and explore the world, you probably know Scaredy Squirrel. I first read this several years ago and bought the book without blinking. It popped into my head as I was thinking of a blog post for this week so I looked it up. The series is now up to 4 books, there is a puppet, and there is a TV show in the works. If that's not enough, it's also #46 on School Library Journal's top 100 picture books (a good list to browse anytime!) That's the type of success I know many of us would love to achieve, but here's where it gets really interesting for me. I browsed this book she illustrated at our local garden store a few years ago. I was grabbed by the lovely cover, and surprised to see that it was illustrated by Melanie Watt. Such a different style from the flat, cartoonish Scaredy Squirrel. Gorgeous though, right? And then there's this other style I saw. I haven't read this, but the cover is beautiful and so very different than the other two styles. Perhaps I'm looking for a little comfort since I'm experimenting with style currently too. Is this the type of thing that is allowed when you have a little (or a lot, in Melanie's case!) success under your belt? Is this something that is almost irrelevant when you're pitching your own dummy? So long as the style is appealing and suited to the story, are you free to play? Just thinking out loud here as I work on a new style and think of where it might take me.
2 Comments on Speaking of styles... Melanie Watt, last added: 5/6/2010
Yes, very distinct styled indeed. Wow, not an easy thing to do. I have to get me that book. It's too cute for words. You know me.. I can't resist cute!
This week I am on a Hawaiin island, lazing on a beach with my family. Ahhh there is nothing quite like a day at the beach. Sun, waves, sand between your toes, snorkling, the smell of sunscreen, the taste of a nice cold fruity drink. There are some people, however, who hate the beach. Scaredy squirrel is one of these poor unfortunates. As far as Scaredy Squirrel is concerned, beaches are dangerous places. When I read this book I literally laughed out loud. If you have met Scaredy before you will love this new adventure. If you haven't, then you are in for a treat. Here is my review of Scaredy Squirrel at the Beach by Melanie Watt.
Scaredy Squirrel at the beach
Melanie Watt Picture Book (Series) Ages 4 to 8 Kids Can Press, 2008, 978-1-55453-225-4
Scaredy Squirrel refuses to go to the beach. Beaches are, after all, dangerous places for a flying squirrel. There are seagulls that might mob you, tribes of jellyfish that might sting you, herds of sea monsters that might eat you, packs of pirates that might kidnap you, tons of falling coconuts that might knock you out cold, and mobs of lobsters that might pinch you.
Wanting the beach experience without having to go to the beach, Scaredy begins to create a beach right there under his tree. After much preparation the beach is finally ready. Or at least it is almost ready. All that is missing is the sound of the surf. For this Scaredy is going to need a sea shell. And so Scaredy gets ready for a big expedition.
As per usual the squirrel who is afraid of almost everything makes careful preparations before he leaves his home. With his passport in hand and taking every tool that he will ever need to combat lobsters, jellyfish, pirates, coconuts, sea monsters, and seagulls, Scaredy sets off for the beach, ready to face the unknown.
In this deliciously funny book Scaredy the Squirrel once again takes a dramatic step. This time he goes to a place that scares him silly, and he makes a surprising discovery about beaches.
With wonderful tough in cheek humor that will appeal to readers of all ages, this third book in the Scaredy Squirrel series is a book that will bring forth chuckles, giggles, and guffaws from its readers. Using humor and her wonderful illustrations, the author shows her readers that going beyond ones safe zone can be fun and enormously rewarding. Readers will love the ending that offers up one last delightful surprise.
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HaHa, Giant Dance Party! Let’s go dancing!
It looks like you have all of the Elephant and Piggie Dance moves down!
You should see my “Elephant”.