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Arwen Elys Dayton, author of Traveler, selected these five family favorites.

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Children’s books illustrator Margaret Bloy Graham has died. She was 94 years old.

Graham became well-known for collaborating with Gene Zion, a writer and her husband, on the Harry the Dirty Dog picture book series. She went on to work on projects with other writers and author her own books. Altogether, she earned two Caldecott Honors for All Falling Down and The Storm Book.

Here’s more from School Library Journal: “Though Harry remains Graham’s most well-known collaboration, it was far from her only one. Her illustrations for legendary children’s book author Charlotte Zolotow’s The Storm Book (Harper, 1951), a gentle look at a child’s first thunderstorm, won her a Caldecott Honor. A versatile artist, she also provided the illustrations for renowned poet Jack Prelutsky’s humor collection Pack Rat’s Day (Macmillan, 1974), while in the 1980s, she collaborated with longtime friend and Little Bear author Else Holmelund Minarik on What If? (1987) and It’s Spring (1989, both Greenwillow).”

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Well, now we’ve gone and done it.  Greedy gus that I am, I’ve always found it hugely inconvenient when my favorite authors and illustrators live in other countries.  Shaun Tan in Australia.  Kate Beaton in Canada (we had her briefly, then lost her again, consarn it).  And then there’s that charming Frances Hardinge.  When are we going to convince her to move Stateside?  Never if the publication of her latest book is any indication.  Or, shall I say, the LACK of publication since if you are looking for her latest novel A Face Like Glass here in America you are seriously out of luck.  Not entirely without options, mind you, since you can buy a Kindle edition (the hardcover claims to come out May 1st yet has “not yet been released” and has no American publisher) which is pretty much your only option if you’re a Yank.  Harper Collins has traditionally been the publisher of all the Hardinge books in the States but is eschewing her latest novel.  Unless, of course, they’re just biding their time until the spring.  However, if they do not opt for her latest I’d be more than happy to see some other publisher pick up the slack.  Recall, if you will, the fact that the last Hardinge won the 2010 Battle of the (Kids’) Books.  Just sayin’. Thanks to Dan Levy for the info.

• Speaking of Brits, a fascinating article came out in The Guardian recently posing the question: “Which books offer the best introduction to New York?“  The answer was a fascinating mix of the usual suspects (Mixed-Up Files, Eloise, Little Red Lighthouse, etc.) and stuff that would never occur to me, the New York Public Library Youth Materials Specialist.  Grk and the Hot Dog Trail?  In the Night Kitchen?  The Arrival?!?  I pity the poor child that walks into Manhattan with The Arrival as their guide.  Think of their disappointment (particularly when you consider that Tan took as much inspiration from classic Australian photographs as American ones).  Almost more interesting than all of these is the recommendation to read Rosa Guy’s books.  When we think of New York we almost never take her into consideration.  As I say, fascinating.  Thanks to Playing By the Book for the link.

• Speaking of New York City, heads up, hipsters.  Actually, a better way of putting this would be to say heads up those of you who want to hang out with famous people for a reasonable price and an even better cause.  826NYC is having its Dueling Bingos competition, and this season you’re going to have a chance to match your Bingo chops against folks like Sarah Vowell, the guy who plays “Pete” on 30 Rock, Catherine Keener, and maybe even Jon Scieszka if you’re lucky.  Are you in town August 1st?  Then you have no excuse.  Come by, come by . . .

• Is it just me or are more people dying this
  7 Comments on Fusenews: Rectify this sin, last added: 7/19/2012
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  Monica Edinger said, on 7/19/2012 1:22:00 AM
  

  While Hardinge’s LOST CONSPIRACY made it to the 2010 BoB’s Big Kahuna round it was actually Partridge’s MARCHING FOR FREEDOM that took the gold. I will say that I really, really liked A FACE LIKE GLASS (as I also discovered that we Yanks can get the Kindle edition) and hope it does come out on this side of the pond before too long. It is excellent.

  Elizabeth Bird said, on 7/19/2012 6:02:00 AM
  

  Whoops! The “Rectify this sin” post has now been rectified itself. Well, it deserved to win in any case. Just bad timing to come out against the excellent Partridge.

  Jennifer said, on 7/19/2012 6:26:00 AM
  

  Ah, not totally unavailable! You can purchase uk books on Book Depository – and the shipping is free, even if the books are sometimes a little more expensive than a vendor. I note that Face like Glass is only 12.75 at the moment. I used Book Depository to fill in the Skulduggery Pleasant series – I got frustrated with the weird release dates and boys were begging me for the next one, so I just bought it at Book Depository and our super cataloger wrote up a special record for it and voila!

  Julie said, on 7/19/2012 6:59:00 AM
  

  That retreat (and Society) look like a hoot. Thanks for sharing.

  Marc Tyler Nobleman said, on 7/19/2012 7:02:00 AM
  

  Thanks for the nod, BB! And love that Bookmobile pic.

  Elizabeth Bird said, on 7/19/2012 9:15:00 AM
  

  Good to know, Jennifer! Alas, for big systems like my own sites like Book Depository aren’t an option. In lieu of that I will just stare mournfully up at the windows of various editors here in town and play them a sad sad tune on my little violin.

  Carter Higgins said, on 7/19/2012 10:38:00 AM
  

  Kinda speechless to be included in such a stellar roundup. Thank you!!

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On July 12, Else Holmelund Minarik, author of the Little Bear I Can Read series (so wonderfully illustrated by Mauruce Sendak), died at age 91. The Little Bear books helped this blogger learn to read and to love reading and so I owe Minarik my gratitude. In my school first graders were given Dick and Jane primers to practice on. I never got far with them, but at home there was a stack of well-thumbed Little Bear books. My mother read them to me, and I would mimic her, pretending to read the words when I had only memorized them. (I wasn't fooling anyone, myself included.) Then, one day, I picked up one of the books and--miracle of miracles--I wasn't reciting. I was reading! The letters on the page had magically shifted and suddenly made sense. So thank you, Else Holmelund Minarik, for writing words that mattered.

Read the New York Times obit here.

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