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Viewing: Blog Posts Tagged with: james howe, Most Recent at Top [Help]
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1. Fusenews: I ain’t too proud to beg

Happy Tuesday to you, one and all!  Hope your weather isn’t as bitingly cold as ours has been.  Time to warm up with some fresh and festive children’s literature tidbits.  Personally, I’m trying to figure out why I wrote today’s headline a couple days ago.  I’m sure there was a reason for it.  Hmmm.

  • WorldIsRound 251x300 Fusenews: I aint too proud to begThe recent NPR piece on Gertrude Stein’s children’s book reminds me that it would be great if someone wrote a fun article for The Horn Book that consisted of a systematic accounting of cases where adult authors wrote children’s books and failed miserably in the attempt (with the occasional success stories, i.e. Sylvia Plath, along the way).  The article could take into account similarities between such books, or trends in more recent examples (today we have Salman Rushdie, Michael Crichton, etc. and back then we had Gertrude Stein, Donald Barthelme, etc.).  So somebody go do that thing.  I’d love to read it.
  • Best book lists are popping up hither and thither and yon.  We recently saw the release of the rather massive Kirkus Best Books List for Children as well as this one from Publishers Weekly.  Always interesting to see which non-starred books made the cut.  Now SLJ announces that they’ll reveal their 2013 Best Books on Twitter. The big reveal is Thursday, November 21, 8 pm EST.
  • Allie Bruce has two fantastic blog posts up on the Lee & Low site these days discussing conversations she’s had with the kids in her school about race (amongst other issues) and book jackets.  Part one is here and part two is here.  This would be your required reading of the day.  It’s fun and makes for a great conversation.  Plus, I love how these conversations help to make kids into savvier consumers.
  • Oh!  And while we’re over at ShelfTalker, they’ve updated The Stars Thus Far.  Look at Locomotive!  Doesn’t that do your heart good?  I completely missed that it was the only children’s book this year to get six out of six.  Wow!
  • Things You Might Have Missed Because I Sure As Heck Did: James Howe guest blogged over at TeachingBooks.net and his post is just the smartest thing.  From personal history to a sneak peek into his upcoming 2014 title, this is just fantastic stuff.  I tell you, man.  Guest blogging is where it’s at.
  • This next one is just so cool.  I’ve been hearing from various folks the ways in which they’ve been having Giant Dance Parties as inspired by my book.  But NONE of them quite compare to this party that took place at the Cotsen Children’s Library at Princeton University.  The accompanying craft is just brilliant!  They even made little roses.  Awwww.  Still not convinced?  Then let this adorable child be the ultimate lure:

GiantDanceFeet Fusenews: I aint too proud to beg

Resist if you can.  You can’t!  Thank you Dana Sheridan for the link!

  • If you’re anything like me you scanned through this admittedly very cool Most Popular Books of All Time piece and looked to see how the children’s materials panned out.  Very well, it seems!  And the top of the pops?  Mr. Hans Christian Andersen himself.  Now and forever, baby.  Thanks to Aunt Judy for the link.
  • My workplace is so weird.  Ask me sometime about the day Bjork came to visit Winnie-the-Pooh.
  • Stockholm’s Tio Tretto Library is so cool.  If the kitchen didn’t clinch it then the sewing area would.  Stockholm tweens are clearly the luckiest in the world.
  • Derek Jeter has his own publishing imprint now?  Hm.  Okay.  I’ll be fine with this, just so long as at least ONE of these books is set in Kalamazoo, our hometown.  C’mon, Jeter!  Hometown pride!  Thanks to PW Children’s Bookshelf for the link.
  • Daily Image:

Been sitting on this one for a while. It’s the kind of sign I could have used on bad days when working in the children’s room.

WarningSign 500x495 Fusenews: I aint too proud to beg

Thanks to Aunt Judy for the image!

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3 Comments on Fusenews: I ain’t too proud to beg, last added: 11/27/2013
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2. Halloween Costumes Based on Kid’s Books

hugo

Still looking for a Halloween costume? Bunnicula series author James Howe shared his ideas for costumes inspired by children’s books in Bookish article.

Howe encouraged kids to steer clear of conventional costume choices such as Harry Potter or Dracula. For those who want to play an orphan, Howe recommends the title character in Brian Selznick’s The Invention of Hugo Cabret.

For those who want to adopt a witch persona, there’s the star of the Miss Nelson is Missing! picture book, Miss Viola Swamp. For those who still need more ideas, check out this Bookish infographic and  Time Out New York‘s interview with Rocket series author (and custom costume couturier) Tad Hills.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

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3. Librarian Preview: Candlewick Press (Fall 2012)

You’ve got your big-time fancy pants New York publishers on the one hand, and then you have your big-time fancy pants Boston publishers on the other.  A perusal of Minders of Make-Believe by Leonard Marcus provides a pretty good explanation for why Boston is, in its way, a small children’s book enclave of its own.  Within its borders you have publishers like Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and Candlewick holding court.  The only time I have ever been to Boston was when ALA last had a convention there.  It was nice, though cold and there are duckling statues.

So it was that the good people of Candlewick came to New York to show off some of their finest Fall 2012 wares.  Now the last time they came here they were hosted by SLJ.  This time they secured space in the Bank Street College of Education.  Better location, less good food (no cookies, but then I have the nutritional demands of a five-year-old child).  We were given little signs on which to write our names.  I took an extra long time on mine for what I can only assume was an attempt to “win” the write-your-name part of the day.  After that, we were off!

First up, it’s our old friend and Caldecott Honor winner (I bet that never gets old for him) David Ezra Stein.  The fellow’s been toiling away with his paints n’ such for years, so it’s little wonder he wanted to ratchet up his style a notch with something different.  And “something different” is a pretty good explanation of what you’ll find with Because Amelia Smiled.  This is sort of a take on the old nursery rhyme that talks about “For Want of a Nail”, except with a happy pay-it-forward kind of spin.  Because a little girl smiles a woman remembers to send a care package.  Because the care package is received someone else does something good.  You get the picture.  Stein actually wrote this book as a Senior in art school but has only gotten to writing it officially now.  It’s sort of the literary opposite of Russell Hoban’s A Sorely Trying Day or Barbara Bottner’s An Annoying ABC.  As for the art itself, the author/illustrator has created a whole new form which he’s named Stein-lining.  To create it you must apply crayons to wax paper and then turn it over.  I don’t quite get the logistics but I’ll be interested in seeing the results.  Finally, the book continues the massive trend of naming girls in works of children’s fiction “Amelia”.  Between Amelia Bedelia, Amelia’s Notebook, and Amelia Rules I think the children’s literary populace is well-stocked in Amelias ah-plenty.

Next up, a title that may well earn the moniker of Most Anticipated Picture Book of the Fall 2012 Season.  This Is Not My Hat isn’t a sequel to 4 Comments on Librarian Preview: Candlewick Press (Fall 2012), last added: 4/25/2012

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4. Brontorina





A couple of months ago I drove up to Marin County (California) for the author signing of "Baby Me" which was illustrated by our own Alicia Padron. While I was waiting for the festivities to begin, I began browsing through the picture book section, which is very dangerous for my bank account, as I tend to buy too many books.....I tried to limit myself and chose just a couple. The minute I laid eyes on "Brontorina," I knew I had to have it. Written by James Howe and illustrated by Randy Cecil, this book is all about dreams and obstacles and believing it can happen....with a little help from your friends.
It's always the art that attracts me to a picture book and Bronterina just popped off the shelf with it's graphic flair and adorable character. Not only is Bronterina (who wants to be a ballerina in the worst way) too large for the dance studio, but her character can barely be contained in the pages of the book. Randy Cecil has used the contrast of the tiny children and the elegantly cropped images of the dinasour to really give the reader the feel of how incredibly large this dinasour is. The book was painted in oils and there is a fine texture to the paintings that give the pages a soft, atmospheric feel.


Randy Cecil knew as a very young boy that writing and illustrating ch

6 Comments on Brontorina, last added: 12/11/2010
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5. Rant Poetry

My afternoon session, “Writing from the Heart: Finding Your True Voice,” at the TCRWP Writing Institute was taught by James Howe (aka: Jim).  During the course of the week Jim provided us with a variety of writing exercises, which lasted from 5 – 20 minutes, to help us write from the heart. One of the [...]

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6. Writing Inspiration

A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to win a copy (hot off the presses!) of Spilling Ink by Anne Mazer and Ellen Potter. Thanks ladies! While it's a writers guide for YOUNG writers I immediately found useful and insightful advice. Quite frankly, I think I would be intimidated by an 'adult' writing book. And who doesn't love every drawing Matt Phelan does? I took this to a doctor's appointment and was REALLY disappointed that I didn't have more time in the waiting room. Once I dig deeper, I'd love to do a longer review. In the meantime, just check it out yourself!
With writing on my mind, I found the early reader above offering me another nudge toward writing. Catina (that would be the cat character) writes every night but only desires fame from her pursuits. Turns out, she's a lousy writer and after a 3 part act, it resolves with the message that you should do what you love and happiness will follow.And of course I loved their little flawed friendship as well as the soft, charismatic illustrations. I think as long as your mind is open and close to good material, you'll find the inspiration you need.

3 Comments on Writing Inspiration, last added: 4/29/2010
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7. Some easy reader favorites

The easy reader genre is not one that I get to work with a lot. They don't make great story time read alouds, just because of their length, and I don't have any children/nieces or nephews of the easy reader age group. I do, however, have some favorites that I've reviewed and plan to keep around until until I do have a little one of my own to share them with.

Those would be:

The "Houndsley and Catina" books, written by James Howe and illustrated by Marie Louise Gay. My favorite is probably Houndsley and Catina and the Quiet Time, but a new one, Plink and Plunk, just came out and is also really cute.

Houndsley is a cute hound dog and his best friend Catina is an adorable cat. Together they help to exhibit kindness, understanding, and friendship, with some great giggles thrown in. They're great starter books for new readers and younger kids will love the illustrations, making them a pretty all-around-good book series.

Of course, I just HAVE to mention the "Elephant & Piggie" books by Mo Willems. I've reviewed several on this blog and a new one came out recently, Watch Me Throw the Ball. These books are just hilarious...the best part probably being the expressions drawn on the faces of both Elephant and Piggie when something doesn't go their way.

You have to be a great storyteller to get your kids to understand the sarcastic undertones and subtle humor, but when when they do get it, it's SO worth it. Love these!

Finally, infamous Diane deGroat has great easy reader books featuring Gilbert the opposum, the latest being Gilbert, the Surfer Dude. I love deGroat's illustrations and her plots are also cute, but not "cutesy" appealing to both boys and girls.

Gilbert is another of those super-positive book characters, like Arthur or Biscuit, that kids love to see in a series and these easy readers are the perfect format to continue to exhibit Gilbert adventures.

To learn more about any of these titles, or to purchase, click on the book covers above to link to Amazon.

3 Comments on Some easy reader favorites, last added: 6/19/2009
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