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I guess that there’s a mild irony to the fact that while I’ll write up anyone’s literary event if I’m able to attend, if I help to throw the darn things myself then suddenly I clam up. For example, with the possible exception of the blogger panel I had two years ago, I don’t think I’ve ever written up one of my Children’s Literary Salons. Why is this? Because I am lazy, I don’t have access to photographs of the event much of the time, and because I feel like it’s tooting my own horn. That said, I seem to be more than happy to link to other folks when they choose to write up my Salons. Case in point, this great little recap of what when down when I invited Sam Ita and Kyle Olmon to be a part of my Children’s Lit Salon on pop-up books. Wow, thanks, Kyle! Now who wants to recap last Saturday’s Peter Pan Salon? Anyone? Anyone?

• I really enjoyed Exit Through the Gift Shop when I saw it on DVD not too long ago (and grateful that it clarified the image on this cover). I guess it makes sense to show the film to kids too. It’s a lot of fun, slightly subversive, and can lead to ideas like the one author/illustrator Aaron Zenz had. Want to get your child’s creative juices flowing without defacing other peoples’ property? Check out one of the more creative rock and paint related ideas I’ve seen. You know what I think? I think a library could have a Street Art craft program (for kids or teens) doing this and encourage them to also hide them around the city. Nice photographs too.

• Wow! Kirkus doesn’t mess around. When they decided to get into this whole online world thing they didn’t tippy toe into it, but rather leapt headfirst in one fell swoop! Getting bought will do that to you, I guess. Now on top of reviewing Apps, offering readalikes for each book they cover, and making all their reviews free online, they’ve just revealed the second round of book bloggers on the site. I already knew about the YA ones on there (Bookshelves of Doom, YA or STFU, and The YaYaYas) but what’s this I see? Could it be Jules Danielson of Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast who is currently writing a book with Peter Sieruta and myself? Tis! A good roster, but what’s up with three YA folks and only one for kids’ stuff? More! I want more fantastic bloggers paid for their work! More, I say!

• Speaking of Peter, I hope y’all got a chance to check out his most recent post concerning (amongst many things) his thoughts on last night’s Celebrity Apprentice where they had to make a children’s book (oop, ack) and an idea for a children’s book-related reality series. I don’t watch any reality TV myself but I’d change my ways in a heartbeat if Rowling for Dollars ever appeared on my DVR schedule.

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Nice movie poster, right?  Wouldn’t look too shabby in your local cineplex.  Well, don’t get too excited quite yet.  It seems that Sean Astin (a.k.a. Sam from the Lord of the Rings trilogy) is raising money to start production on this film, to be shot in Denmark.  Lowry reports on the process, though she is understandably leery since she saw what happened with The Giver film.  Which is to say, not much.  Thanks to Marjorie Ingall for the link.

There’s nothing like going viral to sell a book or two.  Though The Order of Odd-Fish by James Kennedy came out a good three years ago, thanks to the 90-Second Newbery film of A Wrinkle in Time it caught the attention of Cory Doctorow over at BoingBoing.  And I like to write reviews, but I feel true green-eyed review envy when I read someone write a descriptive sentence like, “An epic novel of exotic pie, Götterdämmerung, mutants, evil, crime, and musical theater, Odd-Fish is a truly odd fish, as mannered and crazy as an eel in a tuxedo dropped down your trousers during a performance of The Ring Cycle.”  Geez, Cory.  Make it hard for the rest of us, why doncha?  In any case, you Chicago folks might want to attend Mr. Kennedy’s Odd-Fish Art Show to be held in a creepy old mansion.  He says of one room, “full of antique printing presses, priceless art, unclassifiable knickknacks, and so much garbage it’s like the trash compactor scene from Star Wars.”  He ain’t wrong either.

• For some reason I feel inclined to keep a close eye on children’s book apps these days.  I don’t know exactly why this is.  I just have a feeling they’re going to be more important than we initially expect later on down the road.  It’s hard to figure out what’s actually important and what’s just self-promoting dribble, though.  I mean, I’m pretty sure the new Kirkus App Discovery Engine is important, but it’s hard to say.  Monica Edinger, therefore, did me a bit of a favor when she presented her recent round-up of app news on her Huffington Post blog.  Makes for good reading.

• Recently Mr. Mo Willems had his picture taken.  It was not the first time.  It was not even the first time he’d been to that particular photographer.  But it was the first time I’d been made aware of the photographer Marty Umans.  Mr. Umans happens to have photographed quite a few children’s literary folks, including Mr. Mo, Harry Bliss, Raul Colon, Randall de Seve, and more.  You can see a whole host of them here.  Thanks to Mr. Mo for the link.

• In case you missed it, Travis Jonker does 7 Comments on Fusenews: Time to class the joint up, last added: 3/1/2011