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Hello, all! My name is Katherine and I’m the Marketing intern at Mackids for the summer. A bit about me: I’m entering my senior year at college. I like writing and singing and comedy, and I major in the wonderfully dense discipline of Comparative Literature. Sometimes when I talk about what I study, I see people’s eyes glaze over and I know all they’re hearing is, “Blah, blah, blah.” Other times, I meet someone who is excited to discuss literary theory with me in an intelligent manner. Unfortunately, when that happens, my eyes tend to glaze over and all I hear is “Blah, blah, blah.” Theory is funny like that.

So enough about that…. Let’s talk about books!

I was delighted the other day to read the super-talented Lane Smith’s It’s A Book, which shows a conversation between a bibliophile monkey and a techie jackass. The monkey explains again and again that what he’s reading is a book while the jackass bombards him with questions: does it have Wi-Fi? Can it text? Tweet?

Sadly, I found myself identifying with the jackass. As a Comp Lit student, you’d think I’d spend more time with books than I do — but I often use websites and printouts, photocopies and sometimes even audiobooks (set to 3x speed so I feel like I’m being serenaded by chipmunks).

When you do use a book in college, you get the least expensive version you can find. (If you’re lucky, you pick up a used copy from a slacker. Those are always in perfect condition.) Then you spend the money you saved on pizza and deodorant. The truth is, schoolbooks are often a means to an end. You get the information in whatever form is cheapest and easiest, because you cover it up in your own highlights and annotations anyway. (My annotations are usually along the lines of “?????”)

So one of the things I’ve loved most about this internship is getting back to real, honest-to-goodness books. And if there’s one type of book that is lovely and cannot be photocopied or texted or tweeted or annotated, it’s a children’s book. Here’s a secret I learned this summer that they don’t teach you in school: books without pictures are overrated. Here, I’m surrounded by children’s books with gorgeous artwork. There are some for an older crowd over at the graphic novel imprint, First Second, too. They’re the kind of books that make you want to read and keep and display them, and then find a kid so you can show them what’s up. If you ever forget why you love books, see if you can get your hands on a really beautiful one. (Don’t get me wrong, though—books without pictures are also great. And we have those, too!)

So that’s something of me and what I’m interested in! (You know, the objectified book as it fits into modern materialist theory and the complications which Derrida brings up regarding blah, blah, blah, blah, blah…) See you next week!

On Monday, February 13, 2012, Seth Godin published a piece entitled “The End of Paper Changes Everything“ for The Domino Project. The premise of the piece was that “[n]ot just a few things, but everything about the book and the book business is transformed by the end of paper.” In fact, Godin boldly declared “the book itself is changed.” He’s absolutely right.

My definition of a book has always revolved around its tangible form. To me, a book is made up of a cover, title, paper, weight. But that’s not going to be the case for much longer. The birth of the e-book forces us to answer Godin’s contentious question: “What makes something a book?”

If we take away a book’s physicality, then what we’re left with is its foundation. The parts that make up a book’s substance. A book will now be defined by its characters, plot, themes, setting, message. Perhaps, a book will become what it was always meant to be: A story.

However, this leads us to yet another conundrum: If a book isn’t bound by the restrictions of its physical form, does that mean its storytelling potential is limitless. You tell me.

We should be celebrating the printed word more loudly and more often nowadays.  As educators we are all painfully aware of how the electronic word has infringed upon the territory of books, and some of us still hold out hope that the book will endure.  Now that I'm a librarian, I see that plenty of kids still want to hold that bound volume in their hands and take in the fully sensual experience of reading in that form.  

About a week or so ago, MacKids got together for a celebration, of sorts.  A few of our titles made the bestseller list, after months of planning and preparation (and a little bit of prayer thrown into the mix).

The proof is in the pudding. Or, in our case, the cake!

What am I reading now? Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Stork

As the print versus digital debate continues to rage on, Lane Smith sums up the issue with It’s a Book. All readers, regardless of their personal stance, are sure to enjoy Smith’s delightfully humourous take. It’s a Book is absolutely brilliant! Take a look:

In celebration of the final half-day Friday of the summer, I should be doing – and posting – all sorts of sunny, outdoorsy activities/videos.  But the impending hurricane vibe that’s taking over New York today has got me cancelling plans and just wanting to curl up with a good book instead.

So today, if you haven’t already heard all about Lane Smith’s newest masterpiece, watch the trailer for “It’s A Book!” (and check out an interview here).  I’ve been crazy excited about this title a lot longer than is appropriate for a new picture book, and it only increases my awe that Smith remains relevant, innovative and, as always, wacky over two decades of best-selling books.

Plus, as someone who has been spending more time on social media than at the painting desk, this book resonates – but in a light-hearted way.  I find it especially ironic that “It’s A Book!” is being promoted virally . . . wouldn’t it be hilarious if there was an app for that?

On a further digital note: I’ve been redesigning my web content this week . . . stay tuned for the launching of AnnieBethEricsson.com awesome-ness!

Judging by the lovely book trailer below, It’s a Book by author and illustrator Lane Smith (to be released tomorrow by Roaring Brook Press), will sure be a hit! A book “for the technorati and literati alike”, it features a book-loving ape and a tech-savvy donkey talking digital vs. print. Just priceless!