By: John Mark Boling,
on 3/25/2008
Writer and critic Alexandra Mullen pays tribute to the genius of P.G. Wodehouse in a wonderful essay on the two new Overlook reissues, Sam the Sudden and Big Money: "Take heart that Overlook Press has already released about 58 handsomely produced and reasonably priced hardcover Wodehouses; only about another 50 or so to go. Now there's one of the best blessings of a reader's existence -- dive in anywhere."
By: Becky Laney,
on 11/7/2007
Today's edition is an unusual one I admit. The country is England. The subject matter is nonfiction. The format is pop-up book. I hereby present: Chewy, Gooey, Rumble, Plop! by Steve Alton. Illustrated by Nick Sharratt. It was published in October by Dial/Penguin.
Alton, Steve. 2007. Chewy, Gooey, Rumble, Plop: A Deliciously Disgusting plop-up guide to the digestive system.
This book won't be for everyone. Take it as a sign that no one was willing to step up in my Librarians Choices meeting to take this one home to review it. Whether from embarrassment at "claiming" it or disgust of the subject matter could be debated. But I grabbed this one up? Why? Because as 'disgusting' as it may be. It has real KID appeal. I mean there is a whole segment of the population that never tires of making much of burps and farts and everything else along the way. (They're called BOYS).
From the cover, you can see the appeal. Notice the "touch and feel" tongue. I dare you NOT to touch it. And if you're honest, you might admit to even playing with the tongue. Whoever thought of this cover was a genius. That's all I've got to say about that.
In addition to all the great pop-ups. This book is jammed with information. Whether the information turns your stomach or not, you've got to admit that some of it is 'cool' and falls under the category of I-didn't-know-that. Such as "You make about half a gallon of spit each day and swallow most of it. That's over 13,000 gallons in a lifetime." Or how about this: "In the average lifetime, the esophagus squeezes between 30 and 50 tons of mashed-up food. That's the weight of 10 fully grown elephants."
As I said, this book may not be for everyone. And not everyone would admit to liking it. But I think it will be a winner with kids none the less.
By: Julie Fortenberry,
on 8/24/2007
...the first World Wide Web exhibition created and maintained by the Rutgers University Libraries, of Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey. The books depicted here have all been drawn from the collection of Ann Montanaro...
http://www.libraries.rutgers.edu/rul/libs/scua/montanar/p-ex.htm#start
By: Julie Fortenberry,
on 8/24/2007
