New York, she is so snowy these days! I’ve lived in this pleasant burg roundabout six years, by my count, but this is the first winter where the weather decided to bring back memories of my Michiganian (Michigander? Michiganolian?) youth. Well, a good Fusenews is the perfect solution for any snowy day. On to the top stories!
- Some of us know Shaun Tan best because of his remarkable book The Arrival. Others first became aware of him through his Tales from Outer Suburbia. Now expect a whole new crew of folks to be introduced to him thanks to . . . his recent Academy Award nomination. Yup. I kid you not. Check out the nominees for Short Film (Animated) and there he is alongside one Andrew Ruhemann for an animated adaptation of The Lost Thing. It’s based on his picture book of the same name. Haven’t read it? Well, you lucky bum, you’re in for a treat. Perhaps anticipating this Arthur A. Levine is releasing a collection of three Tan picture books in one volume called Lost & Found. It’s due out on shelves this coming April. If you can wait that long, of course. In the meantime you can watch the trailer for the film here. Thanks to Marjorie Ingall for bringing the nomination to my attention!
- Say, this is fairly big news that’s making the rounds relatively slowly. Are you aware that they have hired a new New York Times Book Review editor of children’s books? Yes, they’ve been a little low-key in the announcement but thanks to this podcast from the National Book Critics Circle we have learned that Pamela Paul has garnered the choice position. PW confirmed the choice here. Ms. Paul has a blog of her own, which will give you a better sense of who she is and what she has done.
- History Question: Has a paperback edition of a work of children’s fiction ever incorporated the awards it won into the design of its new cover? If you answered, “No, and I doubt it ever will be,” think again.
- One of my favorite little ole imprints is one that dedicates its time and attention to bringing out some of the strongest graphic novels for kids you will ever lay hands upon. I hope you will all help me raise a glass and offer many congrats to First Second for celebrating their 5th Anniversary this year. I’ve read a bit of that Zita the Spacegirl GN due out February 1st and it’s a fine example of what First Second does best. Cheers to all!
- Hrm. The Scribd site is fast becoming the most dangerous one on the web. I say this because I pretty much could read
11 Comments on Fusenews: I’m lovin’ it, last added: 1/26/2011Display Comments Add a Comment
A prequel to the Wizard of Oz? I think MY head just popped off. I’m glad you are keeping on top of things for me.
Let’s see. The kids in Edward Eager books several times say nice things about E. Nesbitt books (go ahead, force me to be specific, MAKE me go reread Half Magic and The Time Garden.)
I am so happy to see Griff Carver: Hallway Patrol and The Secret Life of Ms. Finkleman are Edgar Award finalist. And I want to read The Haunting of Charles Dickens
I love Even in Australia!
I was born in Ann Arbor and my parents always told me to say I was a Michigander. No major snow yet here in D.C. but maybe this afternoon!
Book characters have given me many book recommendations–I had never read any of E. Nesbit’s books about the Bastable children before reading references to them in Missing Melinda by Jacqueline Jackson and Friendly Gables by Hilda Van Stockum. Memoirs of a Bookbat by Kathryn Lasky also has references to Judy Blume and Magic by the Book by Nina Bernstein has the characters magically transported into Robin Hood and Tolstoy.
Betsy,
I clicked on the Picture Book Marathon link on your newsy bits, and it’s not connecting. Here’s the link again. http://www.picturebookmarathon.org.
Thanks.
Jean Reagan
Thanks for the mention of LOST & FOUND, Elizabeth. We’ve actually moved the pub date UP a month, so that folks who are intrigued at the Oscars (or who just can’t WAIT) will be able to get it in their hands in just a few weeks!
I vote for Michigander. At least that’s what we say in Ann Arbor.
Edward Eager’s kids also read Masefield–Laura is reading “A Box of Delights” in the train on the way to their new home in Connecticut at the beginning of “Magic or Not.” And of course, the central plot device in”Seven-Day Magic” is a book that takes you into OTHER books.
The Melendys read a lot; in “Then There Were Five” there is an absolutely glorious description of Mark’s initiation into the pleasures of reading for pleasure.
And the Swallows and Amazons–particularly Titty & Dorothea–read, although theirs is mostly books originally aimed at adults (all the North Pole explorers in “Winter Holiday”; and at the beginning of “Pigeon Post” Dorothea is reading Rafael Sabatini on the train. . .hm, reading on the train is a definite theme.)
Thanks so much for the blog mention! There are indeed some Middletons who dream of thrones (eh-hem, Kate…), but this Middleton only dreams of great design. And everything I know about designing children’s books, I’ve learned from working with Chad Beckerman. I’d be completely remiss (and a little fearful of flying pie) if I didn’t add my thanks to him for the inspiration.
Hi Betsy,
I’ll be there to summarize
! I loved the event and I’m sad I didn’t know about the Literary Salon sooner as I am a recent NYC transplant via the Washington, DC area.
Thanks for the shout-out…See you at the next event on Feb. 5th!
Dhonielle Clayton
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