What should teens read or not read? (Some tempting articles and lists)

Like many fans of Suzanne Collins popular dystopian series The Hunger Games, I've been following the casting choices of the 2012 movie adaptation, often with that troubled, peeking-through-hands-over-the-eyes attitude. If you haven't heard the announcements, Jennifer Lawrence from Winter's Bone has been chosen for Katniss Everdeen, with Peeta Mellark played by Josh Hutcherson (remember Bridge to Terabitha in 2007?) and Gale Hawthorne played by Liam Hemsworth. While there is something to be said for the strength of fans' attachment to these characters, I'm even more intrigued by director Gary Ross's decision to make this film PG-13. The New York Times has a solid article interviewing the typically media-shy Suzanne Collins, with a focus on the portrayal of war and violence in young adult literature. Definitely worth a close read, though if you haven't finished the series, be wary of a few spoilers.

Not just the folks at NYT and Hollywood are concerned about what is and is not appropriate for teens - the British, too, are thinking on it these days. Patrick Ness, author of the Chaos Walking series, selected his Top Ten Unsuitable Books for Teens for the Guardian. I quite enjoy his point about the appeal of banned or off-limits books for (supposedly) too young readers: "What a great way to establish reading as exciting and maybe even dangerous, eh?". The list includes Beloved, The Virgin Suicides, and Catcher In the Rye, among others, with a summary and commentary for each by Ness.

I knew April was National Poetry Month, but I have just learned that April is also LGBT Awareness Month. Persephone Magazine has a feature on LGBT Teen Fiction that go beyond "tolerant" stories to those with whole acceptance of the normality of non-heteronormative relationships and gender viewpoints. The article's author, Anna Carey, says it best: "The irony of this review, of course, is that I’m raving about an aspect of the book that is really present in the story in the same way the sky is blue." The books featured are Ash and Huntress by Malinda Lo and Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan.

For the competitor in all of us...

I love this month, honestly, I do. Kids in rain boots, the occasional sunny day to eat lunch in the Brattle square park, and all kinds of entertaining brackets! I know I already blogged about Persephone Magazine's Middlemarch Madness, with readers voting on their favorite female characters from Shakespeare to Hunger Games. That "madness" is down to the Sweet Sixteen - I just voted between Hermione Granger and Lyra Belacqua. (Whew!).

School Library Journal's annual Battle of the Kids Books has also begun, with some quite notable authors as judges (Karen Hesse! R.L. Stine! Mitali Perkins!). There are no specific rules for the decision, each judge chooses which requirements are crucial: child appeal, plot and character complexity, level of fun or potential for being enduring classic, or whichever other factors they favor. Regardless of your favorites, there are always great reviews and comments for each book.

New York Teen Author Festival

I can't believe I missed this - granted, I live in Cambridge not New York City - but it would have been worth the trek!

The New York Teen Author Festival gathered together multitudes of young adult writers across the boroughs for readings and symposiums. Authors from Barry Lyga, Maggie Stiefvater, and John Green to Melina Marchetta, Matt de la Pena, and Gayle Forman read, performed (I never knew Libba Bray was in a band called Tiger Beat!), and led talks on writing. If you went, I am incredibly jealous and I hope you'll come by and tell me stories. If you also missed it, there are some great articles up about it - I like the videos (and E Lockhart's tights!) on Random House's Random Buzzers website.

The best March bracket: Middlemarch madness

I love Rajon Rondo as much as the next person (although maybe not as much as our book buyer!), but I don't follow the March Madness basketball brackets. I'm much more of a fan of the pop culture and children's lit brackets like School Library Journal's Battle of the Books, which is why I'm exorbitantly excited that the witty women of Persephone Magazine have started a Middlemarch Madness. Their bracket pits female characters from stories across the genres and decades. I've been watching with bated breath for a few days - Lyra Belacqua of The Golden Compass versus Tiffany Aching of The Wee Free Men?! How could one ever decide? Other great pairings include Harriet the Spy versus Nancy Drew and Offred from A Handmaid's Tale versus Jordan Baker of The Great Gatsby. Ah, the world of book lovers, it never ceases to amuse.

The catch all news update, including: release dates, pop up dogs, Fibonacci rabbits, nerds...and McNuggets?

The subject line almost says it all, doesn't it? In my usual weekly news catch up, I've found a few highly entertaining, and even informative, news and videos! Enjoy.

A release date for Martin Scorcese's 3 D adaptation of Brian Selznick's The Invention of Hugo Cabret has been set for November 23rd, the day before Thanksgiving. If anyone can do justice to this spectacularly cinematic novel, Scorcese can.

I can not get over how mind-meltingly awesome this video is. When these two power M's combine...cleverly engineered, wittily written pop-up dog cards are made! Watch Matthew Van Fleet on the Martha Stewart Show, and be amazed. I'm going to mix authors here, but Martha, did you know there's a bird on your head?!

The UK's Guardian has an Emily Gravett slideshow up, showcasing close-ups of spreads from her many rich, humorously dark picture books and a few comments on their process and creation. Very satisfying insight into an artist/author's world, I only wish there was a page for The Odd Egg.

Maybe you've already heard, but the publishing house founded by Dave Eggers, McSweeney's, is starting a children's imprint, to be called McMullens! Despite my strange subconscious impulse to visualize McNuggets alongside a stack of snarky children's books, this can only bring good things to the universe!

For ongoing increase-of-awesome, I always refer to John and Hank Green's vlog brothers (video blog) website, Nerdfighters. John Green, yes, of Looking for Alaska and Paper Towns fame, with his equally talented, hilarious musician/Ecogeek blogger brother, Hank, banter back and forth every few days, talking about telescopes, giraffes, politics, small town cemeteries, among other things. You can start with the most recent blogs, or How To Be a Nerdfighter, which is a vlog-manifesto-of-sorts, or how I got addicted to the brothers, which still remains one of the funniest videos I've ever encountered, How To Make Boys Like You.

Snowy day playtime

Yes, dear friends, cotton ball snowflakes and slushy roads can't keep us from selling you books! We are absolutely open today, even if it's the perfect kind of day for building blanket forts and watching marathons of movies (Harry Potter 1 through 6, anyone?). I've found all sorts of fun news to entertain you, whether you are in that blanket fort or your office...or the blanket fort in your office.

The most exciting tidbit of today: the 90 Second Newbery Film Festival! Word of this contest has spread like...Sweet cupcake frosting on a sweet cake...in kidlit blogland, and I am so extremely excited about it that I might have to 1) enlist my aspiring independent filmmaker friend to make one with me (we're sort of kids, right? At least, I do know kid actors), and 2) brave traveling to the Big City for the actual festival showing. The festival is being orchestrated by James Kennedy, author of The Order of Odd-Fish, in collaboration with the New York Public Library and blog Fuse #8. The rules seem a bit flexible, but the aim is for kids or teens to submit a 90 second film condensing the plot of a Newbery winner or honor book, or possibly a smashup of two books or pop culture references. I definitely would like to see Kennedy's suggestion of a Lego stop motion Good Masters, Sweet Ladies!

My roommates have been gleefully comparing notes on Baz Luhrmann's latest project, an adaptation of Fitzgerald's Great Gatsby: possibly shot in 3 D. The cast I've heard of so far include
Carey Mulligan as Daisy, Leonardo DiCaprio as Gatsby, Tobey Maguire as the narrator, Nick. Did anyone else watch Luhrmann's Romeo and Juliet for English class, maybe right after Dead Poets Society? Mr. Hickey, wherever you are, you are an incredible teacher and have great taste in films. I don't see any talk of a release date yet, but you can bet I'll be seeing that in the theaters. Maybe our store's book club will consider rereading it and seeing it together?

That Gatsby article from the UK's Guardian mentions another exciting film on the (possibly 3 dimensional) horizon: Martin Scorcese adapting Brian Selznick's Caldecott winning Invention of Hugo Cabret. Over at /Film: First Look you can see actors Chloe Moretz and Asa Butterfield in costume as Isabelle and Hugo! Again, there is no set release date, but we'll be watching out for it.

If you have not yet declared your thoughts on the Hunger Games movie casting, there are various websites to make yourself heard. I am most amused by Reelz Channel's Cast-o-Rama, but some of the voter's lists make me feel out of the loop - I don't recognize a single possible Peeta actor. When I did get to be a grown-up? I was also intrigued by an article about director Gary Ross's decision to make the Hunger Games PG-13, rather than R rated. Certainly this would make it more accessible to or easier for younger teens to see it, but how exactly can one avoid the violence without losing the urgency and meaning of the Games? Excessive violence in movies, books, and games already stands the risk of desensitizing viewers to its injustice; predetermining the appropriate level of viewer age/violence sounds to me more like looking for a wider consumer range than an effort to be true to the art. Then again, it's not as if we put "parental advisory" stickers on books for teenagers (yet. But you can ask us what exactly happens in books). We'll just have to see how it pans out in theaters!

Speaking of appropriateness for teenagers, stills from the first part of Stephenie Meyer's Breaking Dawn have been released, including a honeymoon bedroom scene! Risque. For a good laugh, watch this clip of MTV interviewing Robert Pattinson at the Golden Globes, in which he says posing for kissing scenes is a bit like "playing Twister." I can't decide if I'm more amused at the actual words Pattinson manages to get out, or his inability to stop giggling about it. (Note: This was my first time on TwilightGuide.com, I swear!). Breaking Dawn part one will be released this November, with the second part scheduled for November 2012.

How can I talk about children's books turned movies without mentioning Harry Potter?! I saw the first installment of the Deathly Hallows for the second time this weekend, and I must say it is even better after another viewing. The cinematography and soundtrack are beautiful, the pacing and mood are remarkably well done, considering that this part of the book is mostly setting up for the final battle at Hogwarts. This time, I managed to refrain from rereading the book to know what happens next, but I am already itching to see the conclusion this July. In the meantime, I will have to settle for entertaining myself with the motorbike escape game...

Blog buds

This week, the kid blog world got even friendlier! Our dear friend Katie, a former blogger, events coordinator and all round amazing lady, has made her own blog debut through the Horn Book: Out of the Box. This blog will feature various H'Book celebrities reviewing miscellaneous books and goodies that come through their offices, especially those that may not make it into the magazine or guide.

Katie is a talented writer and reviewer, and while we miss her in the hut, we're certainly glad that even more folks can read her!

You can also pick up the latest issue of the Horn Book here - not only is there a feature on Moomins ("MOOMINS!!!" Natasha shouted), but Katie also debuted on the masthead.

So you've already finished Mockingjay?

I haven't yet, but as I'm meeting Suzanne Collins tomorrow (neener neener!), I'm going to read it tonight. From what I hear from fellow Georgians and the kidslitosphere at large, I won't have any trouble reading it in one fell swoop. :)

Scholastic has posted a run-down of Mockingjay's media coverage here -- if you're already done you needn't avoid spoilers, right? Bookshelves of Doom has a fabulous suggested reading list for those of you who have finished. On it you'll find George staff favorites Incarceron, Graceling, The Knife of Never Letting Go, and The Forest of Hands and Teeth, along with lots of other great fantasy, dystopian, and adventure books to explore. Check our thematic reading round-ups for even more recommendations... or just come in and chat with a friendly Chapter Book Room staffer!

Read your book and eat it, too!

The recent arrival of Tonya Hurley's Ghostgirl in paperback reminded me of my new favorite TV show: Ace of Cakes. If you're not familiar with the wicked geniusy bakery Charm City Cakes, prepare to be astounded (and hungry!).

They often build -- I don't think "decorate" is really the right word -- children's lit-themed cakes for parties and book events, including a life-size Ghostgirl:


and a ginormous (although not quite life-size) Hogwarts!


And then, just as I was pondering what else I could post about cakes and books, a friend sent me this awesome post from the Cakewrecks blog. (There's another one here!) I can't decide if favorite is the Wild Things cake by Coco Cake Cupcakes:


or the Peter Rabbit cake by Heavenly Confections:


Possibly the most astonishing cake I've come across is this Discworld cake by Jane of Jane's Cakes:


Those among you who attended our Deathly Hallows party might remember the Sorting Hat cake I made a la this one by Margie Williams:

Maybe someday (with a lot of practice and research!) I'll open a kids' bookstore/bibliophile's bakery. Talk about la dolce vita, eh?

(P.S. Remember these awesome Peeps dioramas? I love me some Wild Thing-themed desserts.)

Lookalikes (Finally, I can play too!)

I've long loved blogs where savvy readers pointed out cover similarities - especially where the cover twins were of different genres. For some examples, try Pop Culture Junkie or less searchable, but always entertaining (and smart!) Bookshelves of Doom. There's tons more, but you get the idea.

Now, finally, we Georgers get to play Lookalikes! Fellow blogger Katie has been asking people how Philip Reeve's Fever Crumb looks familiar - is it her Katsa-style intense eyes? Her androgynous looks? The hood? Do we know someone like this (obviously with awesome fashion sense)?
And we have come up with two answers:Sally Lockhart, of Ruby in the Smoke - Classic!

Elsha, of Winter of Fire - Sadly out of print, though I loved it so in middle school.

And as we were debating the meaning and interpretations of intense glares and hooded characters, a few more books came in...
Top: Deb Caletti's new paperback, The Secret Life of Prince Charming, and bottom, For Keeps by Natasha Friend.

Obviously they're not identical, but these photos must be from the same photo shoot. Not just any model can carry that adorable orange sweater. (Disclaimer: I would totally read these books because I love boys in orange, and I'm not ashamed that fact can influence me).

It just makes me wonder. Publishers have talented artists, photographers and designers on board, as well as sales people that decide what style cover is best suited for selling a book - and I'm not criticizing their abilities or purposes in any way. But it does make me think that more often than not covers are being used to sell by association (Look, Ma, this black and red book looks just like Twilight...), rather than content (Look, Ma, this book is about a free spirit kind of girl who climbs trees and doesn't wear shoes). Of course, we are a bookstore in the business of selling books, but I don't like to think that it should be all about Business - there should be more magic in finding books than liking the hairstyle or cardigan of the girl on the front. If cover familiarity helps a reader find a great book, that's great, and if an original, totally weird cover helps a reader find a great book, that's great, too. The point, obviously, is readers finding those great books that they're going to want to read while they're brushing their teeth.

Booksellers and bloggers with a sense of humor...(Come sit by me!)

As Curious George is a member of New England Independent Booksellers Association ("NEIBA", and its children's division, NECBA), I am privy to daily e-mails that share reviews, customer queries, and the like from the always informative, frequently hilarious children's booksellers of the region. (Hello friends!)

My current favorite find from NEIBA-friends is the Most Overused Children's Book Plots from Parent Dish. For anyone who has ever spent even a single evening with a preschooler, this humorous list is certainly refreshing...and on target. I'm sure we could all come up a few more story lines we could live without reading again at bedtime. (This goes for grown up books as well as picture books!). But I will admit, I wouldn't mind taking a look at I Love You Like Snuggleblossoms, Baby Poison Dart Frog...


Just look at him! Now, just imagine that title illustrated by Jarrett Krosoczka or Christopher Wormell... (tee hee hee)

Where the boys (and girls) are

I was catching up on my magazines this week and noticed that two of my favorites featured pieces on tween reading, boys reading and boy characters, in particular. My immediate reaction was joyous: in my mind, nothing is more truly feminist than caring about the well-being and equality of both boys and girls. In case you don't have these periodicals on your night-stand or at your local newsstand (for shame!), here's a little recap and my own take...

Bitch magazine's most recent issue, "Art/See" winter 2009, features an article "Paper Boys" on "news" of boys' reading abilities and author/former teacher Jon Scieszka's literacy program, Guys Read. U.S. Department of Education statistics report boys are behind girls in reading development (or maybe girls are improving at reading, and boys are the same?). Scieszka founded Guys Read to help boys discover reading as an enjoyable activity by showcasing books that they might want to read: categories listed on the website include "classics that actually hold up," "people being transformed into animals" and "repairing shoes, but are only written in Spanish." (That last is Como Reparar Salzado). The article's author, Jonathan Frochtwajg, commends the program, and other books and institutions focused on literacy, but notes that "recommending books to boys as books for boys risks reinforcing the notion that boys naturally like certain sorts of reading material, when, of course, socialization largely shapes their preference." He describes reading as a vessel to learn about others' perspective, gender in particular here, and while I agree with that, I think that's only one part of reading. Why can't we (educators, families, booksellers, whatever), help boys (and girls!) learn to read for reading's own sake? Maybe what really needs to change is how reading education is approached in schools and at home, with lessons adapted to each child's individual intellectual development, and good books written that kids are excited to read. Of course, this is my own opinion as a wee bookseller, and even just now I got into a not-quite-heated-but-almost discussion with our book and merchandise buyers about "boy books" and "girl books."

If you're interested in Guys Read, check out their website, blog, and their book, Guys Write for Guys Read, a collection of favorite authors writing about being boys.


The other article I read was in the fall 2009 issue of Ms. magazine: "The Kid Wimps Out" written by Allison Kimmich. The Diary of a Wimpy Kid series is an acknowledged giant in the tween reading world, an admittedly entertaining, funny (hmm), graphic novel style chapter book that Kimmich says her own "emerging feminist" daughter reads. While I do agree that Greg (the eponymous wimpy kid) isn't exactly the best role model for boys or girls, nor do I find him even remotely likable as a character, I found Kimmich's caution on Greg's attitude and behavior a tiny bit reactionary. Yes, he is selfish, treats his friends and girl classmates rudely, and there are no girl characters beyond goodie-goodie stereotypes. Yes, readers (boys and girls) should be critical when reading (or viewing any media they encounter, for that matter). But I think she underestimates or misunderstands kids and why they read what they do; when she says there are few girls who may be "savvy enough" to see Wimpy Kid as not worth reading, it reminds me of women, admitted feminist women, reading the Twilight saga. The Washington Post ran an article, Twilight: the love that dare not speak its shame, about all the reasons women shouldn't/won't/don't want to read the vampire romances, but do anyway, and become inexplicably hooked. To arguments against Bella and Edward, the feminist woman who reads Twilight simply says, "I know." Not every book feminist women read is purely feminist or woman-friendly literature, nor should we chastise women for not constantly rereading Simone De Beauvoir. Neither should we censure kids too harshly for reading books that don't always hold up ideal relationships or attitudes. My opinion, as a bookseller, reader, and book-buyer for my nephews, is that if a reader (of any age!), is happy reading, and reading a variety of things they like, then I'm happy, too. Right now I could be reading some adult non-fiction, or perusing the picture books for my book club's mock Caldecott discussion, but instead I'm rereading Pullman's His Dark Materials, for about the third time. Since I'm a grown-up (ish), no one is telling me I should be expanding my reading horizons...well, except for our book buyer, who just likes to tease me regardless.

I will give good credit to Ms. for their list of book suggestions alongside the article, that included the Penderwicks and The View from Saturday - some of my favorite chapter books. Once we start thinking of good books for both boys and girls, plenty of titles jump speedily to mind: Clementine; The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm; Holes; My Most Excellent Year; Julie and the Wolves...I could go on for hours. I can see where Ms. and Bitch are coming from: we've come a long way from Dick and Jane and TinTin in the Congo, but there's still a ways go.

And in the end, I'm happy that two great feminist magazines, dealing with pop culture and politics - "grown-up" turf - both found children's literature as important to write about, and take as seriously, as Sonya Sotomayor and Yoko Ono.

Gracious Grace Lin Part Deux (plus bonus Gracious Julia Denos!)

Over the summer, in honor of Grace Lin's novel Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, we asked her both to visit the store for a signing and to do a guest post for Notes from the Hut. Grace is a fabulous guest in person and in print, and it's been so fun to work with her!

Recently she turned the tables, though, and asked to interview us for several blogs she writes for! Eek! After some initial shyness, Rachel, Michelle, new blogger Natasha (yay!) and I got pretty excited to talk (er... write) about our bookselling lives. I'll cut-and-paste the interview for your reading convenience, but be sure to check out The Enchanted Inkpot and Blue Rose Girls blogs for their general awesomeness (and their readers' wicked nice comments about us!). And THEN, our beloved Julia Denos linked and gave us love as well! Compliments from these talented and generous ladies definitely brightens these gloomy days. ♥

Indie Interview: Curious George Books and Toys, posted by Grace Lin

Many a long years ago (okay, maybe not that long) I worked at the Curious George Goes to Wordsworth Bookstore in Cambridge, MA and it changed my life. So when the store recently interviewed me, I thought the least I could do is return the favor.

So, as a part of the Enchanted Inkpot's Indie Interview Series, I bring you Curious George Bookseller Extraordinaries: Katie, Michelle, Natasha and Rachel!


1) Can you tell us a little bit about how you got into bookselling, and about your bookstore?

Michelle: I’ve always loved books – as we all say! I’ve wanted to be a writer, or somehow involved in the book world, since I was in middle school. I had a wonderful opportunity to intern at Houghton in college, and it was fascinating (and a bit overwhelming!) to see how many steps there are in the process of getting books from a writer’s typewriter to a bookstore. But my favorite part about reading books was missing from this kind of office experience: the talking about books, the passing along of a much-loved, dog-eared copy, and that amazing feeling when you’ve connected the right book with the right person. This store is constantly supplying me with that opportunity, from my colleagues to parents and kids themselves sharing their recommendations and their reactions to my own recommendations.

Since we are a small, local, independent operation, we really strive for that personal approach: we really know our books, and we want every kid, student, grown-up, whoever, who comes in here to find that book that they cannot put down even for dinner. I can’t describe that feeling when someone comes back to us and says, “That was just what I wanted! What’s next?” The same goes for our toy selection; our buyers have children themselves and we wouldn’t carry something that they wouldn’t give to their own kids. We want people to come here for toys they remember from their own childhood, to pass on that joy they remember from say, a classic Fisher Price telephone, or a giant shark stunt kite on a perfect March day. We love our books, our games, definitely -- there's not a day goes by that one of us isn’t buying something for ourselves -- but we love those kids running down our stairs yelling, “THIS IS SO COOL!” just as much.

2) How do you view your role as an independent bookseller? What do you find most rewarding about your job? What is most challenging?

Rachel: I think indie bookselling is all about personality and personalization. I talk to a lot of customers who really value our recommendations, whether they live in the area or just stop in once a year when they’re visiting relatives in Boston. My job as an indie staffer is to keep a library in my head of what’s new, what’s classic, what’s good, and what’s on the shelf, so that when someone comes in asking what my favorite new picture book is or what to give to a sporty 13-year-old girl, I can find them something they’ll be really happy with. That’s my favorite part -- when someone comes in knowing who they want to buy for but not really knowing what to get, and I can find just what they’re looking for. On the flip side, sometimes it’s hard to make just the right suggestion to customers who don’t know who they’re buying for. Gender and approximate age are good starting points, but I always feel like I could find the perfect thing if I just knew more. I even practiced my handselling skills on my family last Christmas, and even the most book-phobic of them really enjoyed what I picked out.


3) How can readers and authors work with and support independent booksellers?

Natasha: Readers can always stop by or read our blog to see what’s going on in the store. New events like book clubs, signings, readings, and parties (especially with the holidays coming up) are always going on. If you have read a great book, tell the bookseller! It’s always nice to hear from customers what they love, so we can recommend favorites to similar readers. We just set up a “Kid Pick” review board for kids to let us know what they think of books they’ve been reading. Authors can always drop a line on their blogs or websites to grab their books at a favorite local, independent place. They can keep in contact with stores when they have the time to participate in signings, events, or even just to ensure that booksellers have their books. We love it when authors stop by and sign whatever we have on the shelves!

Readers and authors alike can always help independent bookstores the same way: word of mouth. If you love us, tell your friends! If you think of a book you love, tell your friends to pick it up here! If someone you know needs to find an awesome gift, send them here!

Katie: We have a lot of scheduled author events, with a signing and usually an activity, where kids get to interact with their favorite author or illustrator. Readings, drawing activities, discussions, writing workshops – really, any way that an author or illustrator can reach out to their audience, at the venue of a local independent bookstore, benefits everybody! As Natasha mentioned, we also love to have authors and illustrators just drop in to say hi and sign stock. We’re all book lovers as well as booksellers, so the staff tends to get flustered and fangirly about these visits! But it’s also a great opportunity for me as event coordinator to broach the idea of an event or guest blog spot with that person.

If authors sell their books from their websites, they can put a link on their site to IndieBound rather than a chain online bookseller. Independent stores register with IndieBound, so customers can order online directly from their local indie bookstore with the same convenience of other online shopping.

4) Can you tell us about a few of your recent favorite YA or MG fantasy books?

Rachel: There are so many! Ash by Malinda Lo is excellent, as is The Good Neighbors graphic novel series by Holly Black (the second installment just came out). There’s also the Chaos Walking series by Patrick Ness (The Knife of Never Letting Go is in paperback now and The Ask and the Answer just arrived in hardcover), which are more sci-fi than fantasy, but exceptionally good reading. For the middle grade set, I really love The Night Tourist by Katherine Marsh and Savvy by Ingrid Law.

Katie: I tend to read a lot of supernatural romance and “creature feature” YA fantasy! Shiver by Maggie Steifvater has an unusual take on werewolves. Not only is the romance in that one compelling (I have such a crush on Sam!), but the plot is nail-bitingly suspenseful. Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instruments trilogy is a great series about demons and angels. Right now I’m in the middle of The Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead, and I’m hooked. Blood Promise, the fourth in the series, came out earlier this month. I’m probably the world’s biggest Neil Gaiman fan, so I’m constantly recommending his books for middle grade through adult. Odd and the Frost Giants will be here soon!

Some other titles on my looooong to-read list are Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld, The Swan Kingdom by Zoe Marriott (a MG “Wild Swans” retelling), and the third in Nancy Farmer’s Sea of Trolls trilogy, The Islands of the Blessed.

5) What's the most memorable experience you've had bookselling?

Katie: Other than some "kids say the darndest things!" moments and authors/illustrators dropping in to chat, a lot of bookselling is pretty episodic. A customer asks a question, you pull together your resources -- the store's inventory, your coworkers' brilliant brains, quick online research, and most importantly, your own internal database of awesome books -- to try to answer that question to the best of your ability and give the customer as many good options as you can, and hope that they will find something that is just what they're hoping for. Then there's another question! But when you can find someone "just what they're hoping for," the feeling is memorable even if the actual incident doesn't stay with you that long. We have many loyal customers who have been on the other side of that experience, and who keep coming back to us for that reason. And we enjoy the challenge of the unusual question. Often the booksellers are learning from each other and discovering new favorites, right along with our customers!

Just as we have learned from you! Thank you, ladies!

And there we are, in all our goofy glory. Thanks to Grace for the Q&A, and both Grace and Julia for their support! We miss you around the Hut!

Just when you thought the Graveyard Book hubub was over...

... a ghoulish amount of glorious media arises (from the dead?) about Neil Himself, The Graveyard Book, and even little ol' Curious George Books and Toys! Just in the TA-DA! nick of time, too -- now we can distract ourselves while we wait anxiously for the contest results.

GM Michelle was quoted in "Bookselling This Week", which featured a round-up of Graveyard-themed parties around the country:

Curious George Books & Toys held its Graveyard Book Halloween Party on Friday, October 30, at its store in Harvard Square. The store had a variety of craft activities, including making beastly bookmarks, monstrous masks, and decorating cupcakes donated from Sweet Cupcakes boutique, reported Michelle Corliss, the store's general manager. The store was decorated like Bod's cemetery and the staff dressed as characters from the novel: from Mrs. Owens and Scarlet Perkins to Liza Hempstock, Miss Lupescu, and the Sleer. There were also ghost stories read in Curious George Books' "crypt."

"The event was awesome," Corliss said. "We had a huge crowd, mainly preschoolers and elementary school age kids and their parents. An unforgettable part of the party was the costume parade, where children in costume boogied down the street to songs like the Ghostbusters theme and the Monster Mash, accompanied by the Sleer and Mrs. Owens."

The cupcake decorating station was another big hit, said Corliss, with the "Lady on the Grey helping kids to add cookie tombstones and candy ghosts to cupcakes they frosted themselves."

As a locally owned bookstore, Corliss explained that this "kind of community celebration is a great opportunity to reach out to other independent organizations." The store partnered with Sweet Cupcakes and with Cambridge Green Streets Initiative for a raffle.

The event helped draw traffic to the store, too. "We had an influx of people coming in specifically for the event, and others drawn in from the Square-wide 'Harvard Scare' celebration who were curious about the fun happening in Curious George," Corliss reported. "Amidst the activity, customers had the opportunity to browse and to ask questions of our helpful booksellers. Also, The Graveyard Book has been a consistent seller in the year since its publication, but ads for the party upped its sales at our store in the last few weeks."

Two of our "danse macabre" parade participants -- who weren't afraid to strut their stuff -- were pictured in the Cambridge Chronicle on Thursday. The snow princess and self-proclaimed "twisted witch" not only had great costumes, but enviable dance moves as well!


On a topic close to my heart (and notorious sweet tooth): announcing the winners of The Graveyard Book Dessert Contest sponsored by needcoffee.com. Prizes included a copy of The Graveyard Book, Graveyard-inspired scents by Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab, and memberships to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. Looking at the winners, I'd say they deserve them -- fondant Silases and towering cake chapels and chocolate trees certainly require creativity, talent, and steady hands. (One entry modified a recipe from my most excellent baking book, Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. Yum.)

Apparently Neil was on CBS Sunday Morning this very morning, a fact which annoys me since I have no television and thus missed it. Natasha assures me it will be on CBS's site or on YouTube in a matter of moments, so not to worry. I am comforting myself with the amusing description of Neil as "the tender-hearted master of the macabre." Neil was less amused, saying it "left me wanting to go 'I am NOT a tender-hearted master of the macabre, I am in fact VERY SCARY INDEED,' but I suspect I would convince nobody." We'll see for ourselves when the interview appears online someplace or other.

Thanks to everybody who came out to the party -- and our partners, Sweet Cupcakes and the Cambridge Green Streets Initiative -- to make it a success. Keep your fingers (finger bones?) crossed for us in the contest!

Herbivores, omnivores, and carnivores alike will gobble up these veg-approved goodies.

The 14th annual Boston Vegetarian Food Festival took place this weekend, and I hope you were able to get out in the beautiful weather and eat some yummy animal-friendly food! Many of us CG staffers (myself included) are vegetarian or vegan, so we were there in spirit even if we were here at the store, eating yummy animal-friendly food we brought from home instead.

As a long-time herbivore, I subscribe to the magazine Vegetarian Times. Imagine my delight at seeing George-approved items for veggie and green kids as I browsed the latest issue for vegan holiday recipes. It was like "what Vegetarian Times wants to buy this week"! First up is a Q&A with author Michael Pollan, who's just adapted his best-selling adult nonfiction book The Omnivore's Dilemma into a young reader's edition. (You can find it upstairs on the features table!) Several of us read the "grown-up" Omnivore's Dilemma for our book club, and while it was enlightening, I definitely would have preferred to read this more accessible version: all the same info, but made more digestible (har-har).

VT also featured a few of our green faves in their "Kid Stuff" holiday recommendations. Crocodile Creek's Moo Cow 7-inch ball -- like all their playground balls -- is already a hot seller around here! Trend-spotter Rachel long ago called the coolness of their other pick, the Green Toys Recycling Truck. Rach says, "Not only is this awesome green truck an excellent, sturdy toy, but it's also made entirely of recycled plastic! It has different compartments for bottles, cans and paper, catering to all the recycling needs of your toy room (or driveway, or sandbox). It's always a bonus when buying a really fun toy truck actually benefits the environment!" (Pssst... I think the Recycled News Colored Pencils are an awesome choice for the older kid in your life. I sense an impending "green gift" round-up!)

A dear friend who's a fellow children's bookseller, vegetarian, and book club member (hi Ari!) recently sent me a signed copy of Jonathan Safran Foer's new nonfiction book Eating Animals. We don't carry it at Curious George (....yet...), and I haven't even read it all the way through yet, but I am recommending it to vegetarian parents ANYWAY. Foer struggles with two of the herbivore's biggest dilemmas: eating local vs. eating veggie, and whether to raise kids vegetarian. This promises to be a compelling nonfiction read with the emotional complexity of his novels Everything is Illuminated and Extremely Close and Incredibly Loud.

Those parents who do have vegetarian kiddos should check out That's Why We Don't Eat Animals: A Book About Vegans, Vegetarians, and All Living Things by Ruby Roth. While upholding every family's right to make their own choices, this gently illustrated and compassionately written picture book explains the many ethical, environmental, and health reasons some families don't eat meat. That's Why We Don't Eat Animals not only inspires readers to consider living in a more animal-conscious way, but also empowers them with concrete examples of how to do so.

It's almost time to put up our "Happy Thanksgiving -- Save a Turkey!" poster. If you are also of the "No Turkey" or "Tofurkey" Day persuasion, make sure to pick up one of our vegetarian kids' cookbooks! Judi Gillies and Jennifer Glossop's Jumbo Vegetarian Cookbook is a no-fuss multicultural veggie cookbook for the middle grade set. This book offers oodles of vegetarian and vegan dishes from around the world, appropriate for any occasion from breakfast to midnight snack. A handy key indicates each recipe's difficulty and time investment -- always a consideration! -- and whether it is suitable for vegans. They've also provided lots of information on nutritional needs for vegetarian kids, and give all measurements in metric as well as the more familiar (to us Americans) cup-and-teaspoon system.

Salad People, Pretend Salad, and Honest Pretzels by Mollie Katzen are three great vegetarian cookbooks for "preschoolers and up." You may recognize Katzen's name from the beloved Moosewood Restaurant, her adult vegetarian cookbooks, and Moosewood's frozen vegetarian foods (yum!). These adorable books are also ingenious: kid-friendly language and sequential panels clearly illustrate the steps for young chefs. Each recipe is a carefully planned balance of nutrition, education, creativity, and fun. Every "cartoon" diagram ends with the directive "EAT!" or "DRINK!" -- which really is the point of the whole cooking exercise, and one adults often seem to miss. Honest Pretzels just came out in paperback, which makes it even more kid-accessible and kitchen-sensible.

Once you've discovered your new favorite vegetarian recipe, let us know... We need goodies to keep us in prime condition for the upcoming holiday season! (P.S. I will personally taste-test any vegan fudge recipes you may be worried are not up to snuff for Christmas cookie platters.)

Banning not just books, but their authors too.

According to the School Library Journal, two well-known YA authors have come under fire recently for the controversial topics of their novels -- right on the brink of Banned Books Week.

A few months ago, Laurie Halse Anderson won the ALA's Margaret Edwards Award, which "honors an author, as well as a specific body of his or her work, for significant and lasting contribution to young adult literature." (The three specific books honored were Catalyst, Fever 1793, and Speak.) When included in school curricula, though, some of these same books and Anderson's other YA works -- Twisted, Chains, Prom, and Wintergirls -- have upset parents with their content, which includes date rape, child abuse, suicidal ideation, and eating disorders.

Ellen Hopkins, author of Burned, Crank, Impulse, Identical, Glass, and Tricks, has herself been challenged; one of her upcoming middle school visits was cancelled when a parent objected to the drug addiction narratives Crank and Glass. (Technically, the books were still being reviewed by a school committee when Hopkins was asked not to come.)

If you haven't already read Jo Knowles's blog entries in response to a challenge to her novel Lessons From a Dead Girl, now would be a good time to do so... and it's also a great time to read Ellen Hopkins's poem "Manifesto."

In addition to reading some banned books this week (or when you can fit them in!), you might want to check out some books about burning or banning books and reading:
- Farenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
- Fly by Night by Frances Hardinge
- The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness
- Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi (non-fiction)
- Libyrinth by Pearl North
- The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams
- The Book Thief by Marcus Zuzak

On libraries, banned books, and a few other favorite topics.

With Banned Book Week starting next Monday, September 26th, I'm getting very excited about celebrating controversial books! I have a long-term goal of reading all 100 of the most challenged books; it's actually an elusive goal, as the list changes yearly. (I've only read 17 of this year's -- pathetic!) Take a look at the list and see how many you've read!

The practices of banning and challenging books are fascinating. While I don't believe in censorship, and usually think a child can instinctively select a book appropriate for them, it's a tricky thing that needs to be addressed on a community-by community basis.

In the area of the Pacific Northwest where I attended college, the population was split between the university students -- many of whom were from out the area and drawn by the school's very progressive politics -- and locals whose families had often depended on the logging industry for generations. The Lorax was viewed as too controversial for many classrooms in the area because its ethics questioned the livelihood of many children's parents. However, should The Lorax be pulled from the school libraries or from libraries in the community? And this is a book which is usually considered inoffensive and even positive in other communities -- what about books that really upset people, like the perennially challenged And Tango Makes Three and The Perks of Being a Wallflower? (I love both of these books.) Could the problem be solved by reshelving them in a different part of the library, or labeling the spine with some sort of age recommendation? How do children's librarians deal with these challenges? How does it feel to have a book you've written challenged by a parent and subsequently banned from a library? Our recent guest Jo Knowles shares her thoughts on being a challenged author at her blog.

Speaking of libraries and librarians, I just finished a YA fantasy novel called Libyrinth, in which a cavernous library holds the secrets of a long-dead civilization (and where the books speak to the protagonist, Haly). It's made me think about magical libraries, both real and imaginary. There's the gigantic library of the Clayr in Garth Nix's Abhorsen Trilogy, which contains secret rooms imprisoning horrific monsters and winding passages down which librarians vanish. In Kelly Link's "Magic for Beginners," a TV show within the short story stars the Free People's World-Tree Library; the stacks are maintained by pirate, fairy, and vampire librarians. In Neil Gaiman's movie masterpiece Mirrormask (say that five times fast), books flutter their pages like wings and glide around the room -- allowing main character Helena to hitch a ride across town. Speaking of Mr. G, his real-life library could give these fantasy world libraries a run for their money!

A while back we linked to an article in The Guardian (via Shelf Awareness) which asked,

"Which are the best books that never existed?" Some children's lit-related suggestions that came up in Shelf Awareness were The Princess Bride by S. Morgenstern, Inkspell by Fenoglio, and Tom Riddle's diary from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. What other books/texts do you wish were real? Arthur Spiderwick's Field Guide to the Fantastical World Around You? The Never-Ending Story? The Gossip Girl website? The Marauders' Map?

So here's a variation on that theme: what are the best libraries that never existed? (I vote for Sarah Stewart and David Small's The Library.) TV, movies, and books are all up for grabs. Alternatively, are there real-life libraries that you covet?

We could all take a page (har har) from "the brightest witch of her age," Hermione Granger: "When in doubt, go to the library." And while you're there, why not check out a banned book or two?

Authors, forgive me, for I have slacked -- or -- the blogger's burden

Maybe it's because I grew up Catholic (we're notorious for intense, deeply ingrained feelings of shame), but I've always been really good at guilt... especially when I have a really good reason to feel guilty!

I realized I never linked to the websites/blogs of our talented, gracious, and good-looking guests of honor at the Bookish Ball several weeks ago. Had I been on top of things, I would have linked to them beforehand so that you would have been even more excited for the event. Um, now you can get pumped to come in and snatch up the few remaining signed copies of their books?

Here is Jo Knowles's official bio: "Jo Knowles is the author of Lessons from a Dead Girl and Jumping Off Swings (Candlewick Press). She teaches writing for children in the MFA program at Simmons College. She was the 2002 winner of the SCBWI Contemporary Novel Grant and the 2005 winner of the PEN New England Children’s Book Discovery Award. Jo lives in Vermont with her husband and son." Jo is also an encouraging and gentle critic, a witty and prolific blogger who facilitates JoNoWriMo (an online writing challenge/support group based on NaNoWriMo), and an all-around lovely lady. I read both her novels in great big suspense-filled swallows. Stop by her FAQ, which addresses such all-important queries as "Why do I have to go to school?" and "Why can't Batman fly?"

Steve Kluger, "author, Red Sox fan, uncle," is the author of Last Days of Summer, Almost Like Being in Love, Changing Pitches, Yank: The Army Weekly, and Curious George favorite My Most Excellent Year. Many of these novels feature baseball, Boston, GLBT teens, World War II, and/or musicals. My roomie and CG alum Nicole nominated him our "author in residence," and Steve said he's okay with that. His Facebook page includes adorable pictures of Steve with various nieces and nephews, often at Red Sox events, and links to the various charitable organizations he supports, from Save Fenway Park to GLSEN.

Matt Tavares is the author and illustrator of the baseball-centric picture books Zachary's Ball, Oliver's Game, and Mudball, as well as the illustrator of Lady Liberty: A Biography, Iron Hans, Jack and the Beanstalk, 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, and the just-published Gingerbread Pirates. You can get a sneak peek at some of his work in progress (and personal paintings, like this luminous view of Monhegan Island) at his blog. Matt's illustrations should look familiar to Bostonians: being Boston born and raised (well, Winchester raised, technically), Matt bases much of his art on the locales and architectural styles of the area, and Fenway Park provides the setting of Zachary's Ball. Cambridge publisher Candlewick Press publishes his books. Rumor has it Cambridgian and fellow Candlewick author M.T. Anderson modeled for a character in 'Twas the Night Before Christmas.

I hope that you're inspired to go leave our guests a little love on their websites or blogs, and that they'll forgive me for being so late in posting them! (Why are all their pictures in black and white -- or black and sepia, as the case may be? No idea, unless that's the way all the talented, gracious, and good-looking authors are doing it these days.)

Speaking of collisions of awesome...

One of my favorite things about this store (and I have a lot favorite things here) is that everyone who works here loves children's literature, granted, but also have many other interests and causes that they champion. For one example - the majority of us are vegetarian/vegan; a fact some shoppers may have noticed from our Thanksgiving posters declaring "Save A Turkey!" I think it's nothing short of amazing that as a team and as resources for customers we all have a variety of passions that we bring to our recommendations.

One thing I know customers frequently ask for, especially in the chapter book room, are books with strong female characters with a variety of interests - sporty girls, class president girls, princess girls who save the prince - or even forgo the prince entirely and become a dragon's princess-librarian (ah, Patricia C. Wrede, you blew my 10-year-old mind with Dealing with Dragons). Here's a sneak peek into our staff training of the chapter book room: we have a "quiz" sheet that includes these "good role model" kinds of questions, because not only do we anticipate them from our customers, but we think that those books are important to know in their own right.

Some may be reluctant to trot out that loaded word, "feminist," but I'd like to see the person who would argue that girlhood these days is an easy, breezy ride. For that matter, neither is boyhood, or any gender variation in adolescence and beyond.

Which brings me to my exciting news: the incredible, sassy, smart (sometimes smart alec) magazine Bitch, which examines pop culture and politics through a feminist lens, is kicking off a new blog. Guess what it will be about? You guessed it - books! The Page Turner says it aims to be a blog/forum about all genres of books, with features like author Q&A and the favorite books of famous artists/activists/scholars/etc, and most relevant to our discussion to here - young adult literature! I'm curious if the first post will address Twilight - although that has been discussed already in Bitch and other blogs like Crossover (covering books that appeal to adult and YA audiences). Or maybe she'll talk about Harlequin's new teen imprint?

Either way, you can help steer the conversation: she's taking suggestions for what readers want to hear about, so head over there and drop in a few thoughts! (Graceling? Dairy Queen? Sarah Dessen novels?).

No matter if or how you attach yourself to that potent F-word, I hope that this new blog becomes all that I dream it can be: a place to discover great books for girls and boys of all ages.

What Katie wants to blog about this week -- or -- bits and bobs

I remember the days when we were just a wee little blog... (Let's face it, we're still a pretty wee blog.) Every week the "three little monkeys" (who were really just Bethany and I!) would agonize over our Friday post: "Should we post about this book? How about this toy? There's that event coming up... Is that enough? Is it too much?" And then we would blog uphill, in the snow, both ways.

Now with Rachel and Michelle -- blogging fiends, the both of them -- on the team, and more features to write and resources at our fingertips than ever before... Well, it seems like there's more blogging to do than there is time to do it. I could spend my whole week at the George just blogging and still not write about all the awesome stuff I want to tell you! The best blurbs for today:

We've been nominated as Nickelodeon "Parents' Pick" Best Boston Bookstore!
Woohoo! Please vote for us online before July 15th.

Judging for our annual Art and Writing Contest is almost over...
...and as soon as it's all done, we'll be posting the winning entries on the blog, alerting the winners through the mail, and generally making a well-deserved big fuss over them and their awesomeness. Since lots of you have asked when the winners will be announced, I know everyone's impatient to just know who won already! (Believe me, I am too!) In the meantime, I wanted to link to this incredible art show happening now in San Francisco, called Beyond the Page: Re-Illustrating Our Favorite Children's Books. Our art contest participants have done essentially the same thing these artists have done by illustrating a scene from their favorite story. Maybe someday you'll see a grown-up CG contest winner's work displayed at Gallery 1988!

Nation's first Ambassador for Young People's Literature Jon Scieszka reflects on the first half of his term at ShelfAwareness
Who doesn't love Jon Scieszka? And really, who can not belly-laugh at the image of Jon Scieszka reading his essay "Crossing Swords" (about sharing a bathroom with his five brothers) to President Bush and First Lady Laura Bush, the Library of Congress, and members of the Cabinet?

Picture Book Don'ts at Blue Rose Girls
One of my favorite illustrators, Julie Vivas has, in addition to "safer" subjects like farm animals and grannies, depicted home birth, Alzheimer's disease, children in a concentration camp, and reincarnation, all in warm, fuzzy pastel watercolor. The gentle shapes and colors of her art seems to make these "off-limits" topics more approachable. You can imagine how happy I was to see a discussion of when and how to depict taboos in picture book illustrations broached by the writers and artists over at Blue Rose Girls. What do you think -- at what age do you draw the line (no pun intended) for certain topics? Are there things that are never okay to include in a picture book?

My heart was broken after finding out Neil Gaiman came to Harvard Square under cover of the night --
-- and didn't stop in to say hello! But then it was unbroken (at least a little) by the news of the Coraline musical. Now I'm imagining the Other Mother tap-dancing through a musical number on her creeptacular many-jointed bug legs. Although I doubt this fantasy is actually a part of the production, Coraline the musical must naturally be brilliant, witty, and bizarre -- just like all things Gaiman. ♥ When oh when will it come to Boston? (Alternatively, when can I get away to NYC for the weekend? Hmm...)

Speaking of ♥...
My fantabulous fellow bloggette Rachel is such the blogging fiend (see above) that she's got her own epistolary review blog, Let(t)'er Rip. It's brilliant, witty (and yes, occasionally bizarre), so you can see why I love it! Let(t)'er Rip is not entirely children's book reviews, but it's clearly skewed in that direction -- and trust me, you'll enjoy Rachel's thoughtful comments on her lunch break reading whether the intended audience is the board book set or the board room set.

Speaking of reviews...
Twenty by Jenny is a great new resource for parents, teachers, librarians, and booksellers alike! Children's book publisher and reviewer Jenny Brown has compiled a list of twenty essential books for each of four age groups: birth to 3 (board books), 4 to 7 (picture books), 8 to 12 (chapter books), and teen (YA).

That's probably enough bits and/or bobs to exhaust us both for now!