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Tony Award winner Patina Miller has been hired for the role of rebel leader Commander Paylor. Game of Thrones actress Natalie Dormer will step into the shoes of a filmmaker named Cressida.
We’ve embedded the video above–what do you think? The trailer has already drawn more than 1.5 million views on YouTube.
The trailer offers the fans glimpses of several major events in the story and a first look at Oscar-winning actorPhilip Seymour Hoffmanas Head GamemakerPlutarch Heavensbee. This adaptation of Suzanne Collins‘ young-adult novel won’t be released until November 22, 2013.
To kick off TCBR’s new column “On the Shelf,” which shines a spotlight on brilliant children’s librarians, April Hayley, MLIS, graciously talked to us about becoming a librarian— among other great topics. Do you think you can guess which is the most checked out children’s book at San Anslemo Public Library in California? Read on!
Bianca Schulze: Why did you choose to become a librarian?
April Hayley: I was fortunate enough to discover the magic of reading at a young age, probably before I was out of the cradle. My mother, a librarian, read me stories and sang to me every night before bed and my father made up fairy tales for me. I didn’t discover my calling as a librarian until college one summer, working for the Chicago Public Library (my hometown). My job was to provide library services to children in some of the city’s most neglected and poverty-stricken neighborhoods. Instead of working inside the library, I brought books and literacy activities directly to the young people who needed it most. I visited three playgrounds a day, equipped only with a trunk full of picture books and a quilt to sit on. Once the kids figured out why I was coming around, they always ran over to join me, so eager to read stories, sing songs, and learn something new.Reading opened up new worlds for the kids I met. I could see it as they linked their eyes with mine, and for me that was a powerful, life-changing experience.
Most of the precious children I met that summer had never been exposed to the pleasures of reading, and none of them had ever visited a public library. When I witnessed the joy and curiosity that reading sparked in them, I understood the transformative effect of reading on young minds and I knew I wanted to be a Children’s Librarian. Once I entered graduate school to earn my Masters in Library Science, I had the opportunity to intern in the Children’s Room of the beautiful Mill Valley Library, and I knew I was on the right path; delivering traditional library services within the walls of a suburban public library could be just as fun and rewarding as literacy outreach in the inner city.
BS: Librarians are the ultimate evangelists for reading. How do you encourage students and children to read?
AH: Now that I work at the San Anselmo Library, I am lucky that many of the kids I meet already love to read. There is a culture of reading in San Anselmo that simply does not exist in places whose inhabitants must spend their time dealing with the dispiriting effects of poverty. Of course, I do a lot of work to promote reading for the children, babies, caregivers, and teenagers of our community. I lead several weekly storytimes for toddlers and preschoolers, which are designed to nourish a love of reading that will last a lifetime. It’s important to reach out to new parents and their babies as early as possible to show them how fun reading, sharing nursery rhymes, learning fingerplays, and singing can be. I also lead a book discussion group for elementary school students called the Bookworms, and a poetry club for yo
Hunger Games actress Jennifer Lawrence will earn $10 million for starring in the sequel, Catching Fire. Lawrence only earned $500,000 (plus bonuses) for her performance in the first Hunger Games movie.
Here’s more from The Hollywood Reporter: “[Lawrence's] original deal with studio Lionsgate locked her into four planned films based on the best-selling Suzanne Collins trilogy, but producers — recognizing the success of the franchise — moved to renegotiate her contract as the film became an international sensation.”
Co-stars Liam Hemsworth and Josh Hutcherson are also rumored to be seeking pay bumps.
Rumors have been swirling that The Hunger Games director Gary Ross was lured away from Catching Fire‘s director’s seat by another kidlit project; a film adaptation of Peter & the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson.
MTV reported that Ross (pictured with actress Jennifer Lawrence, via) is currently talking with Disney about helming a movie version of the first book in the Peter Pan prequel series. The movie studio has already signed up The Prince screenwriter Jesse Wigutow to pen the script. Who would you cast as the Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up?
Here’s more from The Hollywood Reporter: “The Peter Pan fantasy, a prequel of sorts, follows a young Peter who befriends Molly, a shipmate he meets on the Never Land ship headed toward King Zarboff. Molly tells Peter of a mysterious trunk filled with magical starstuff that must remain out of the hands of the pirate Black Stache (who will lose his hand and become Captain Hook). Peter and Molly lead an effort to recover the trunk, which takes them on a treacherous journey.”
Oscar-winning actor Philip Seymour Hoffman has been cast as Plutarch Heavensbee in the Catching Fire movie adaptation.
In The Hunger Games film sequel, Hoffman’s character serves as Head Gamemaker; the leader who oversees the design and management of Panem’s yearly battle to the death.
Here’s more from the release: “The actor and filmmaker just wrapped a Broadway run as Willy Loman in the revival of Death of a Salesman for which he was nominated for a Tony Award. He will next be seen in Paul Thomas Anderson’s The Master and the indie film A Late Quartet alongside Catherine Keener and Christopher Walken.”
So I finally read The Hunger Games. It only took several (several) months of friends telling me, “You have to read this book!” for me to decide I didn’t want to read the damn book. Plus, there was the movie tie-in. I wasn’t interested in seeing the movie. Why would I be interested in reading the book?
I admit it was my pride. I don’t like reading books that are all the rage. My friend, Sam (who, by the way, is certifiably insane for The Hunger Games trilogy) refuses to read Fifty Shades of Gray for this very reason. Well, I read Fifty Shades of Gray, long before I realized it was “hip” to do so. Now that it’s so insanely popular, I’m kind of embarrassed to say I read it on our honeymoon. Regardless of my admitted affiliation with Christian Gray, I still didn’t want to read The stinkin’ Hunger Games.
Here’s how it happened: I was in the library the other day, because I love being in libraries. I was browsing through the young adult section, because Jake’s brother, Zach, got me on this gay vampire series and I wanted to see if I could find the third book. Instead of my gay vampire book, I found three copies of The Hunger Games. My fingers twitched when I saw the dog-eared paperback cover. I glanced to my right and left. I felt guilty—guilty to even consider going back on all I’d said about not wanting to read this Suzanne Collins trilogy. No one was looking, so I grabbed the stupid book and ran out the door (after checking out, obviously).
What happened next? I read the book in three days. Now, I know this is nothing to some of you who read the book in eight hours (Sam). But hey, let’s agree this isn’t Harry Potter. I could read a Harry Potter book in eight hours. I am certifiably obsessed with HP, which is why I’ve dedicated countless hours of my life to reading and rereading Rowling’s magnum opus in its entirety. I do not carry the same affinity for Collins and her games, but I did already pick up the second book, and I am avidly following Katniss and Peeta back through the woods.
I’ve had nightmares the past couple days—bloody ones, where people get killed in horrible ways. I had one where I had to say goodbye to Jake because I was one of the chosen tributes, and I knew I was going to die in the forest. I haven’t slept well at all; I blame The Hunger Games. It is an all-encompassing story. It has guts, gore, love, and revolution. I enjoy all these things.
Even more enjoyable, the writing is better than expected for the young adult genre, but as I’ve noticed, YA is no longer written for teens. I believe many YA authors are now targeting adults, and for that, I love them, because young adult literature is so honest—so black and white. There are good guys; there are bad guys; pick your side. If only life were so simple. In YA books, life is that simple. Hoozah!
Will I complete this trilogy I once dreaded? Of course. Like I said, I’m already almost finished with book two, Catching Fire. I blame my friend Sam. She’s the one who talked this book up, and she’s the one who went absolutely bonkers when she heard I was reading The Hunger Games. We had a deep, at-length discussion over dinner this past Saturday night about Collins and her characters. It had been a long time since I really delved into a work of literature with a good f
5 Comments on I Finally Read The Hunger Games, last added: 7/1/2012
I am in your boat, resisting the “popular.” I did the same thing with HP. So thanks for convincing me. Truly anything that will encourage reading is worth the effort. Reading is the key.
angryyoungthing said, on 6/28/2012 1:25:00 PM
I did the same thing, until my younger brother convinced me that it wasn’t that bad. So I read it. I avoided reading Harry Potter until all the books came out, so that I could read them without stressing until the next one came out. I read the first two Hunger Games. I’m just being cheap and waiting until someone can loan me the third.
saradobie said, on 6/28/2012 1:35:00 PM
I’ve borrowed every copy, the first one from the library and the second and third from a dog park friend. I love dog park friends I’ll let you know how number three turns out …
angryyoungthing said, on 6/28/2012 1:37:00 PM
thanks. I was shocked that I actually finished the first one without vomiting, knowing that my friends who liked the book have the worst book taste.
Kelly Hashway said, on 7/1/2012 5:21:00 AM
I still haven’t read this series. I can’t bring myself to do it. The concept kills me as a mom. Maybe when my daughter is older. (Having said that, good for Suzanne Collins. She deserves the success she’s found.)
In an interview with USA Today, Pattinson quashed those rumors: “I woke up this morning and saw all these things about me being cast in The Hunger Games. I was kind of curious for a second. So I called my agent… [my agent] was like no one’s going to offer you that part.”
To be fair, Catching Fire directorFrancis Lawrence had worked with Pattinson on the film adaptation of Sara Gruen‘s Water for Elephants.
The New York Times reports that filmmaker Francis Lawrence has come on board as the director for the next installment of The Hunger Games movie series, Catching Fire. Lawrence started off his Hollywood career directing music videos. He has since progressed on to movies including literary adaptations such as Constantine (2005) and Water for Elephants (2011).
Here’s more from the article: “Mr. Lawrence said in a statement that he ‘fell in love with the characters’ of Ms. Collins’s novels, as well as ‘the themes and the world she created,’ adding that ‘this chapter opens all of these elements up in such a thrilling, emotional and surprising way.’” MTV reports that star actors Liam Hemsworth and Josh Hutcherson feel sad that Gary Ross did not sign up to direct the sequel film. However, they both look forward to working with Lawrence.
Lawrence is not the only new addition to The Hunger Games movie crew. Simon Beaufoy, the Oscar-winning screenwriter who adapted Slumdog Millionaire (2008), penned the first draft of the script for Catching Fire. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Lionsgate is negotiating with Michael Arndt, the Oscar-winning screenwriter behind Little Miss Sunshine (2006), to polish Beaufoy’s draft.
The New York Times reports that filmmaker Francis Lawrence has come on board as the director for the next installment of The Hunger Games movie series, Catching Fire. Lawrence started off his Hollywood career directing music videos. He has since progressed on to movies including literary adaptations such as Constantine (2005) and Water for Elephants (2011).
Here’s more from the article: “Mr. Lawrence said in a statement that he ‘fell in love with the characters’ of Ms. Collins’s novels, as well as ‘the themes and the world she created,’ adding that ‘this chapter opens all of these elements up in such a thrilling, emotional and surprising way.’” MTV reports that star actors Liam Hemsworth and Josh Hutcherson feel sad that Gary Ross did not sign up to direct the sequel film. However, they both look forward to working with Lawrence.
Lawrence is not the only new addition to The Hunger Games movie crew. Simon Beaufoy, the Oscar-winning screenwriter who adapted Slumdog Millionaire (2008), penned the first draft of the script for Catching Fire. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Lionsgate is negotiating with Michael Arndt, the Oscar-winning screenwriter behind Little Miss Sunshine (2006), to polish Beaufoy’s draft.
This year the arena is packed to the rafters With fans cheering loudly for favorite word crafters. We all have our heroes. We call out their names. We root and we hoot at the Poetry Games.
Our friends tell us stories of tourneys gone by When last second sonnets would make the crowds cry. When two well-versed poets both wrote clerihew… When strong double dactyls defeated haiku.
Now, this year we listen and hear poets score With assonance, consonance, slant rhyme and more. We sigh for a stanza that sends our souls soaring. We hide as the similes fall like rain pouring.
Crowd favorites emerge from the tales that they tell In free verse, in ballad, and in villanelle. A triolet sends one opponent to doom. Another one drops to a perfect pantoum.
Soon only two stand. We all watch them fight on. Nobody leaves as they write until dawn. Then they lay down their pens in this battle of brains… And a winner is named! Pandemonium reigns!
These Games are a fiction, though here’s what is real: The power of poems to make us all feel. Poetry speaks of the world as we know it, So celebrate words, and go cheer for a poet.
I wrote this poem for Ed DeCaria's March Madness when I had to use the word "pandemonium" (under time pressure, no less). I have to say, it seems like a great poem to run right after National Poetry Month....
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We were at the Time To Play toy showcase yesterday to keep an eye on the trends coming this spring and summer — and to have a little fun letting our inner child come out to play.
As usual, toy makers are putting out toys that are travel-friendly... Read the rest of this post
A lot of people feel that The Hunger Games is too brutal. They say the book is nothing more than glorified violence, that real people would never let something that horrific happen.
I respectfully agree. And disagree. Here’s why.
In the early 1960s, the United States increased their support of a war that was already in progress halfway across the globe. We didn’t have nearly enough soldiers to make a difference in that war, so in 1969a televised lottery was held. The draft. (Reaping, anyone?) Many of the young men sent to fight in Vietnam were poor; they had no means to avoid the draft. And according to a popular song from the 80s, the average age of those soldiers was 19.
The Vietnam War was the first televised war. Unlike the newsreels sent home from previous wars, the government didn’t get to edit the footage that was released to the American public. Technology had advanced too far and a growing mistrust of our elected leaders made news services all too eager to exercise their freedom of speech.
But here’s where we differ from the people of Panem. Those nightly images served up with a thawed out tray of mystery meat got to be more than Americans could tolerate. Rather than accept that this was our fate, that we had to send more of our children to die, people started protesting the war and demanding that our soldiers come home. It didn’t take twenty-four years for people to start a Rue Riot. Thank goodness.
I know the parallels aren’t exactly the same. But when people say the Hunger Games is too violent, I wonder if they’ve watched the nightly news. Because those smiling hosts are always happy to dish from the scene of the crime and replay the carnage until we’re numb. When people say that we would never let that happen, I say we already did.
And we still do.
Only these days, no one’s forcing us to watch. And I’m not sure if that’s a good thing, or not.
11 Comments on Living with a Peeta-file, Part II, last added: 4/27/2012
One of the points Jennifer made during an interview was that the story reflects how we now view the news and reality shows. We've become numb to what's going on since it's nothing new, so both have to sensationalize it more to get our attention. I thought that was well put.
Very well said. I have no problem with fiction portraying real life or an exaggerated life. My issues with the series had less to do with the violence but in set up expectations and the author veering from them. Or that's what it seemed like to me. But I've let go of my feelings toward the last book and moved on. :)
I personally think that kids under 13 probably shouldn't watch the evening news OR read the Hunger Games. Each parent has to decide this on their own, but my 8yo asked yesterday when he would be old enough to read the HG and I said 13, just like his big brother. I figure they have their whole teen years to learn about the carnage the world is capable of.
I third the BRILLIANT and add bloody brilliant. Sherrie, your analogy is accurate and breath-taking. And we've all heard more recently about very young child soldiers in other countries. Human beings can be brutal, can avert their eyes and pretend they don't see, but history shows again and again what we're capable of. The real danger of televised violence is the numbing effect.
One thing that annoys me about all the uproar about The Hunger Games is that people often make a judgement about the book/movie before reading it or seeing it themselves.
The story isn't about the glorification of violence. It's about taking stand against tyranny.
I think the concept of these books (for if they are not high-concept, I have no idea what is) sometimes overshadows the message, but mostly by those who have not yet read the book or seen the movie. It's pretty obvious once you do that that the violence is not being glorified, at least, not by the character through whose pov we experience the story.
I agree with you completely, and thank you for making the point. (I had no idea the Vietnam War draft was televised, actually.)
However, I will say that one minor problem I had with the concept in HG was that SEVENTY-FOUR years (not 24, btw) would have gone by before anyone disrupted the games like Katniss did. I find that hard to believe. As you said, it didn't take long for Americans to protest Vietnam.
My 7th grader just read Hunger Games and my 4th grade daughter is so sad she has to wait three years to read it. But I do think a child needs to be mature enough to read it due to the violence. I did love the series. I still need to see the movie!
Also, if you think about it, much worst things have been done to humans in the past. Like the MK-Ultra mid programming experiment. Some say it's still going on. But as you said, most people decide not to dig in to things like these.
Excellent point! I think that's why the books are so popular; they really resonate with aspects of our lives right now. Suzanne Collins has said herself that part of the inspiration for the concept of the book was from watching reality TV and the news.
While the books were violent, I never felt it was being glorified. It was there to make a point. It's there to be brutal, so that readers can really see how wrong that society has gone.
I don't think HG is glorified violence. I think that actually Collins is making a lot of statements, and violence is used in an effective way to show the brutality of her deeper message. Luckily, it's fiction. What's on TV is not.
Who does the reading to your child at night? Mommy or Daddy? And what books do they choose to read? In our household, it’s mainly me who does the night time reading ritual with my daughter, but on occasion my husband has done the bedtime reading. Of course, he picks different books than me and for today’s post, I’m featuring a book he’s been working on steadily with my daughter titled To Kill a Queen: An Elizabethan Girl’s Diary 1583-1586 by Valerie Wilding (Scholastic Canada, 2005) This book is one in a series of Scholastic titles — the My Story collection — of girls living through historical events like the Great Plague, the Blitz, and the Irish Famine.
To Kill a Queen features an Elizabethan girl named Catherine Anne Lumsden, the 12 year old daughter of a former lady-in-waiting on Queen Elizabeth the I, Lady Matilda Lumsden and Sir Nicholas Lumsden, a secret agent in the service of the Queen. With such a family so close to the Queen, it’s not surprising that they become embroiled in the intrigues of the court of the day, including a plot to kill the Queen. So what happens to our dear diarist, Catherine? Well, I don’t know since I’m not the one reading the book to her! Since my husband is an English professor, specializing in the literature close to the period covering this book, I could see why he selected this title for his choice of a bedtime read. How does my daughter like the book? I assume she likes it well enough, but by now, she is quite used to her parents, particularly her mother, foisting interesting and unusual reads on her! This doesn’t prevent her from voicing her opinions on the matter. She came home one day wanting us to read the popular The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins to her and so when Daddy went shopping recently, he picked up a copy for her to read to her at night.
Who does the bedtime reading in your household? And what books do you or your spouse choose to read?
0 Comments on Books at Bedtime: What Daddy Reads as of 1/1/1900
I took my son to the midnight showing of The Hunger Games the day it opened. So many people were wrapped around the building that they had to show it on two screens. In my small community, that’s pretty amazing. But I guess we’re just a reflection of what was going on in the big cities.
A group of smiling girls dragged my son into their part of the line. And while he still claims to hold to the belief that girls are strange, he didn’t fight them too hard.
I was ambivalent going into the movie. Most adaptations fail, in my opinion, to capture the essence of a book. And this book was so very good that the thought of seeing it ruined before my eyes, larger than life, left me with butterflies in my stomach.
When the lights finally went down, people cheered. The spectacle we’d waited so long to see was finally here. As the opening frames lit up the screen, their screams got louder, then died away. And the further we got into the story, the more I felt embarrassed by our exuberance. This wasn’t a rom-com, lighthearted flick. Children die on the screen. It’s not the sort of film you can walk away from without being moved.
Over spring break, Drew tore through the next two books. I warned him that I was depressed for a week after reading Mockingjay. But of course that didn’t stop him. Some things you just have to discover for yourself.
I don’t know if I’ll watch the sequels. I LOVE The Hunger Games. And I think they did an incredible job making it into a movie. I highly recommend it. I enjoyed Catching Fire, though I still have a major hang-up with them returning to the games. But Mockingjay? I don’t know if I could ever read it again, let alone watch it unfold in all its horror onscreen. Though maybe a watered-down theatrical version would leave me less disturbed.
My son and I have had some pretty in-depth conversations because of these stories, about right and wrong, choice and sacrifice. That, I think, is what sets this trilogy apart. All those layers to chew on.
And once we’re done discussing the “heavy” stuff, there’s always the endless debate: Team Gale or Team Peeta? I loved Gale from the opening pages, had my heart torn out by him in the final chapters. My son thinks Peeta is a much better character, (though that might have more to do with projecting himself into Peeta’s role since, y’ know, he winds up with the kick-ass heroine).
13 Comments on Living with a Peeta-file, Part I, last added: 4/20/2012
Yes, the idea of watching a movie about kids who fight to the death for entertainment is very meta, and I'm glad that the significance of that wasn't lost on all the viewers.
I loved Catching Fire, but like you, I found Mockingjay very difficult -- important but not exactly enjoyable. I haven't been able to reread it, though I don't think I'll be able to resist seeing the film/s.
The irony that a book about violence as entertainment is turned into a movie, and here we are cheering it on...Capitol, anyone?
I saw it and found it very well done. I loved the series because it is provoking and disturbing and don't want to lose sight of this. Entertaining, yes, at the price of a commentary on our own weird ways.
I haven't seen it yet but will eventually. I won't reread the books but I liked Hunger Games the best. And I was disappointed in Mockingjay for a lot of reasons. I forced myself to finish it. I'm glad to hear the movie was good!
Isn't it interesting how the movie sparked so many fires of debate? I think a lot of uninformed people had the idea that it was some sort of Running Man for kids. I adore the book, and not really because it was "entertaining," but because it is an amazing story. I agree that they did a good job with the movie.
I have to disagree with you about Mockingjay. I loved it, and think the ending is perfect.
I totally agree with you about the layers in this trilogy. The movie actually got me thinking about many of those themes with a lot more depth because I was comparing and contrasting the two mediums - book and movie. I liked the movie and think they did an admirable job, but it also, in many ways, fell just short for me. I'm not going to get into that in your comments because it'd be longer than your post, and I already wrote 2 Walls of Text on the subject on my blog, haha.
But yeah, I'm grateful to the movie for adding another layer to the discussion. I also loved much of Catching Fire, but I didn't like Mockingjay. It was difficult, and I appreciated many of the themes and commentary in it, but in the end, it left me feeling both incredibly drained and kind of disappointed. But I'll probably see whatever movie-version they make out of curiosity, and like you said, a watered-down commercialized version of MJ might make it okay. :P
Oh and I have to add, yeah, totally Team Gale (BOOK version, MOVIE version wasn't as interesting). I love Peeta too and think he's wonderfully nuanced in the books, but there's just something about Gale that gets me.
Kristan: I'm sure I'll see the other movies, if only because my son will "gently encourage" me :)
Caroline: We are very like the Capitol in so many ways. But more about that in Part II...
Shannon: I liked seeing what was happening with Seneca and in the game room. But I love knowing more about Katniss' motivations in the book.
Laura: I've read Hunger Games four times. I think it's brilliant. I'm honestly scared to go near Mockingjay again, but I think I need to, if only to have a better conversation with my son about it.
Rebecca: It's definitely the type of book that sparks debate. The subject matter kind of warrants it.
Krispy: Now I need to go read what you wrote on your blog! And yes for Gale! They shared so much before she left, in their care for their families, surviving their fathers. They really knew and respected each other. It broke my heart to see that blown to shreds.
I reread the trilogy before the movie came out, then was worried that was a mistake. It wasn't. I loved the movie and felt they did an amazing job dealing with some of the issues that arose with the book being from Katniss's pov and that we were often in her inner thoughts. I loved the behind the scenes stuff in the control room. That and the Games commentary solved a lot of the potential problems.
I'm curious how old your son is? My ten-year-old grandson is reading Hunger Games and wants to see the movie. I never would have given him the book, but a friend of his did. He's a very solid, thoughtful kid. But I really wonder about the movie. What do you think?
Stina: I reread The Hunger Games after I saw the movie and it thrilled my geeky heart to see that entire passages had been used in the movie, almost word for word. :-) They did a really amazing job bringing this book to life and staying as true to the story as they could.
Rosi: My son is 12. I read the book out loud to him when he was 11 because a lot of kids in his class were reading it and he was curious. I wanted us to be able to discuss it and not have him just tear through it and forget to ask questions as they came to him. He read the other two on his own. I think the book and movie are fine for a mature kid. My daughter is 9-and-a-half but she isn't nearly as mature as my son was at that age. It varies with each child.
Durn. This is what I get for not doing a Fusenews in a while. A whole plethora of good stuff! Let’s see what we can use up in a single day, eh?
For the record, if you haven’t read these Hunger Games comics (in the style of Kate Beaton, no?) then now’s the time. They’re surprisingly good.
Good old poetry month. From spine poems to 30 Poets / 30 Days the celebrations are magnificent. Go ye, seek out and find.
I won’t normally link to podcasts but this recent Scriptnotes that covers how a screenwriter options a novel he wants to adapt includes a discussion of older children’s books that were considered for screen adaptation. FYI!
On the one hand they’re 9 Barbies Based on Books. On the other hand, if that Edward doesn’t sparkle and glow in the dark then I hope the people who purchased him got their money back. Thanks to bookshelves of doom for the link.
When I worked the reference desk I got a lot of Stumpers. Folks would ask me to come up with a beloved book from their childhood and I would try to figure it out. If I couldn’t find it I’d take down all their information and ask PUBYAC on their behalf. If that didn’t work I’d suggest Loganberry Books, even though they charge money. Would that I had known about Whatsthatbook.com. A free site where folks post their stumpers and other folks answer them, it’s pretty cool. Sometimes I just like hearing the wacky descriptions. Current favorite: “Young girl reading to an older lady, girl almost gets caught in quicksand”. I hate it when that happens.
Hello, under-a-rock denizens. J.K. Rowling’s newest book is going to be released. Hope you like community politics!!!
Do Childish People Write Better Children’s Books? Dude, if you want to walk up to Maurice Sendak and inform him that he is childish, be my guest. I’m just gonna go hide behind this sturdy concrete pillar over here until the spatter of your remains stops with the spattering.
Stealing books from publishers is nothing new, but there’s something particularly slimy about doing it during the Bologna Book Fair
One more site for lost books is abebooks.com…..they have a “booksleuth” section that works pretty much like whatsthatbook…it’s free too!
Aaron said, on 4/17/2012 10:29:00 PM
A little story about that Santorum book…
The year: 2002. My good friend (and old college roommate) Sam was doing all the design, layout, and illustrations for Karen Santorum’s book “Everyday Graces.” The book is intended to be similar to The Book of Virtues, but organized around manners. So it’s a collection of stories… a chapter from The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe leads into a short commentary about table manners. A chapter from Winnie the Pooh leads into a little discussion about the art of invitation writing. It’s all selections from classic stories like Frog and Toad, Little Women, and The Secret Garden.
At the time, I am simply a graphic designer, but my friend Sam knows I’d love to write children’s books. So he tells me that since he’s putting the book together, he can slip in one of my stories. I send him a little nonsense story I’d written, and he even works up an illustration for it. So in the end, “Everyday Graces” contains 180 previously published works by folks like Robert Louis Stevenson, LM Montgomery, Lewis Carroll, Beatrix Potter… and a single, solitary original work by Aaron Zenz – snuck in at the last minute by his old college roommate.
My first published writing.
Kate Milford said, on 4/18/2012 12:52:00 PM
My mom has a Holly Golightly Barbie. Does it count if the Barbie is obviously based on movie-Holly rather than book-Holly?
I know I am a little behind in reading your posting but there was the long flight from London to SF and that awful thing called jet lag but I wanted to tell you I have a Curious George Barbie complete with George himself, though he is quite small. My first (and only) Barbie. And I met the real Barbie gal about 38 yrs ago when I worked for Mattel toy co. Didn’t get a Barbie then (or want one) until about 25 years later when I found C. G. Barbie. I might be a little old for dolls, but for George I made an exception.
Sam Hawksmoor and his debut children's novel. Photo: Petersfield Post
Sam Hawksmoor is a debut YA writer with a backlist in adult novels. A Canadian, he ran the Portsmouth University writing courses at BA and MA level until relatively recently. Sam also ran an award-winning hackwriters website 'The Repossession' came out in March. A Dream of Books blog described it as a difficult book to
3 Comments on From Writing for Adults to Writing for Children - Sam Hawksmoor, last added: 4/12/2012
Great post Candy, Sam, thought provoking stuff. I loved The Repossession, one of my favourite books this year. Looking forward to The Hunted with bated breath.
What a fascinating journey you've had, Sam! Congratulations on the publication of The Repossession - it looks like a great read! And thanks for sharing your journey on the Slushpile!
Gary Ross, whose adaptation of "The Hunger Games" is the year's highest-grossing movie, said: "As a writer and a director, I simply don't have the time I need to write and prep the movie I would have wanted to make."
In the competitive landscape of college admissions (plenty of students get waitlisted and hold out hope that they’ll make it into an exclusive university. But in reality, not many students make it from waitlist to campus at the U.S.’s... Read the rest of this post
In a recent interview with Seventeen, Jennifer Lawrence had this to say about being healthy in mind and body:
Seventeen:You've said girls should embrace their curves. Why did you think it important to make that statement?
Jennifer Lawrence:When I was playing Mystique in X-Men, I remember thinking, If I'm going to be naked in paint in front of the entire world, I'm going to look like a woman. I'm going to have curves and have boobs and have a butt. Because girls are going to look at that, and if I look like a scarecrow, they are going to think, Oh, that's normal. It's not normal. I'm just so sick of these young girls with diets. I remember when I was 13 and it was cool to pretend to have an eating disorder because there were rumors that Lindsay Lohan and Nicole Richie were anorexic. I thought it was crazy. I went home and told my mom, "Nobody's eating bread--I just had to finish everyone's burgers." I think it's really important for girls to have people to look up to and feel good about themselves.
I agree with Jennifer: It is very important for kids and teens to have good role models, and to have healthy eating habits. Encourage your friends and family members to eat right, and lead by example. Try to eat fresh food in every color of the rainbow, every day. It's easy and fun to do. Hint: Incorporate fruits and veggies into your meals and snacks!
I'm typing this as I eat my dinner -- farfalle (bowtie) pasta and brown rice mixed with tomato sauce and green peas. Yum!
Brands have retained college students as brand ambassadors for years now, and Silicon Valley (is finally catching on to this wealth of low-cost talent, enlisting students to spread their URLs and logos around universities and turn up the volume on... Read the rest of this post
Thanks to all who entered our The Hunger Games book trilogy sweepstakes and congratulations to our 12 winners, each of whom will receive a Kindle Fire and all three Hunger Games books in hardcover and Kindle book.
1. Erin K., Raynham, MA 2. Lori G., W. Nyack, NY 3. William G., Emmaus, PA 4. Miki B., San Francisco, CA 5. Donna A., Haverhill, MA 6. Becky H., Nashville, TN 7. Victoria K., Buzzards Bay, MA 8. Trina K., San Bernadino, CA 9. Matt B., Baltimore, MD 10. Lindsey K., Albuquerque, NM 11. Mike S., Andover, MN 12. Luke P., Amboy, IL
Also, just a reminder to check out our Hunger Games Store, which includes the books, apparel, and so much more!
"Maybe I should learn archery..."
Here we are at March already. Wow. Let's take a moment for the end of the first quarter of 2012.
*moment*
Alrighty, then. March was a big reading month for me, mostly due to The Hunger Games. I read the first book last year, but I plowed through Catching Fire and Mockingjay this month before I saw the movie.
(I intended to write a blog post about the movie
0 Comments on Reader's Corner - March Update as of 1/1/1900
Several actors have joined the cast of The Hunger Games film franchise. Their characters will be introduced in the two-part Mockingjay movies.
Hunger Games actress Jennifer Lawrence will earn $10 million for starring in the sequel, Catching Fire. Lawrence only earned $500,000 (plus bonuses) for her performance in the first Hunger Games movie.
Rumors have been swirling that The Hunger Games director Gary Ross was lured away from Catching Fire‘s director’s seat by another kidlit project; a film adaptation of Peter & the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson.
Oscar-winning actor Philip Seymour Hoffman has been cast as Plutarch Heavensbee in the Catching Fire movie adaptation.
Hunger Games fans have already 
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I am in your boat, resisting the “popular.” I did the same thing with HP. So thanks for convincing me. Truly anything that will encourage reading is worth the effort. Reading is the key.
I did the same thing, until my younger brother convinced me that it wasn’t that bad. So I read it. I avoided reading Harry Potter until all the books came out, so that I could read them without stressing until the next one came out. I read the first two Hunger Games. I’m just being cheap and waiting until someone can loan me the third.
I’ve borrowed every copy, the first one from the library and the second and third from a dog park friend. I love dog park friends
I’ll let you know how number three turns out …
thanks. I was shocked that I actually finished the first one without vomiting, knowing that my friends who liked the book have the worst book taste.
I still haven’t read this series. I can’t bring myself to do it. The concept kills me as a mom. Maybe when my daughter is older. (Having said that, good for Suzanne Collins. She deserves the success she’s found.)