NEIBA book award winner announced!

NEIBA (New England Independent Booksellers' Association) has announced the winners of its annual book awards. To no one's real surprise, the children's book winner is City Dog, Country Frog, written by Mo Willems and illustrated by Jon Muth.

Both Willems (The Pigeon series, Knuffle Bunny, Piggie and Elephant series) and Muth (Zen Shorts, Zen Ties, The Three Questions) are wicked geniusy... so, of course, this collaboration by the two is incredible. Muth's warm watercolor illustrations complement Willems's endearing friendship tale perfectly. (Fun trivia fact: Muth also illustrated part of Neil Gaiman's epic comic series Sandman. I'm going to start a "Six Degrees of Neil Gaiman" game one of these days -- and I'll be the world champion.)

Congratulations to these two fabulous gentlemen!

You're invited to a garden party!

I am so pleased to announce that our dear friend Julia Denos, illustrator extraordinaire and George alum, is coming to visit!

Her brand-new picture book, Grandma's Gloves, comes out on August 10. We're lucky enough to have both Julia AND author Cecil Castellucci as story time guests that Saturday, August 14 at 12pm! Ms. Castellucci and Julia will read and sign Grandma's Gloves; then we'll have a craft activity and refreshments. Stay tuned for more details.

If you're not yet familiar with Julia's work, I've gushed about it here several times before, so be sure to take a look at those posts (and her own amazing blog, The Cinnamon Rabbit) and prepare to be enchanted.

I'm also a huge fan of Cecil Castellucci's (and you should be, too!). She's the brilliant author of YA novels Boy Proof, Beige, The Queen of Cool, and the Plain Janes graphic novel series, as well as co-editor (with Holly Black) of the short story collection Geektastic: Tales from the Nerd Herd. Her characters range from "geektastic" in the best possible way to punk rock, but all of them feel like people you'd like to sit down for a coffee and a good chat -- or maybe some ice cream and a Star Wars marathon. Cecil herself seems like that kind of person from her writing and her blog, so I'm really excited to meet her! Natasha recently participated in a live video chat with her on Goodreads (and while you're viewing that, hop over to our store page and see what we're reading!).

Make sure to mark your calendar now, because this event is not to be missed.

I guess you win some and you lose some.

OH, NO. I am trying to be mature about this, but Miley Cyrus as protagonist Janie in the Wake trilogy adaptation? I may cry. (Or, as I just told Miruna as I whined about this casting possibility, throw up.) Here's my staff pick for the trilogy:

Janie’s ability to dreamwalk is a dark secret; her new friendship with Cabel provides much-needed comfort. When the police recruit the two for undercover missions, though, the stakes quickly become high. Unexpected dangers threaten Janie’s health, their blossoming romance, and even their lives.

It's an awesome supernatural romance YA series. They're also dark, serious books, dealing with difficult subjects like abuse, alcoholism, and the process of learning to trust and love another person when you've only been able to rely on yourself. Am I wrong to question whether Miley Cyrus, aka "Hannah Montana", singer of "Can't Be Tamed," has the necessary depth to play tortured Janie? Maybe I just don't have an eye for young talent.

On the other hand, oh, yes, we are already crazy fans of It's a Book, the new Lane Smith pubbing at the end of August. Really, who doesn't love Lane Smith? And he's more brilliant than ever in this subversive picture book, which hilariously lauds the power of books in our hyper-technological era. Here's the book trailer:


The trailer, as good trailers are supposed to do, actually leaves out the best stuff, but as we received an ARC I can tell you to expect great things!

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.)

Reminder: R.L. LaFevers and Kelly Murphy signing TOMORROW!

Tomorrow (that's Wednesday, May 19th), author R.L. LaFevers will be here to discuss and sign her Theodosia Throckmorton and Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist books! A brand-new installment of each of these middle-grade fantasy series just came out (Theodosia and the Eyes of Horus and The Basilisk's Lair), so there's a new adventure for Egyptologists and Beastologists alike.

As if that weren't awesome enough, Kelly Murphy -- illustrator of the Nate Fludd books, Masterpiece, and many picture books -- will be here as well to draw and sign.

I'm so excited I might have to put my Eye of Horus tattoo on early!

You already know my heart belongs to Neil Gaiman.

But throw in Charles Vess illustrations and fairy tale allusions, and I'm a goner.

This is what I took home with me this weekend:


Aaaaaannnd.... This is my reading before bed (and on the train, and in the bathtub, and on my lunch break -- you get the idea):

Coincidence? I think not. ♥

Too many books, too little time.

We just got a slew of awesome new books in the chapter book room, some of which I've read already and some of which I can't wait to read. My ever-growing to-read list must be reshuffled (again) to prioritize new arrivals!

On the new hardcovers shelf:
- Catherine Fisher's Incarceron (a kind soul at Penguin sent me a comp copy and I am so looking forward to dystopian goodness)
- Rachel Cohn's Very LeFreak
- John Barnes's Printz Honor book Tales from the Madman Underground: An Historical Romance 1973

I also just wrote a staff pick for Anna Jarzab's taut mystery All Unquiet Things:

A year after Carly’s murder, her first love Neily and her cousin Audrey team up to exonerate Audrey’s dad and find the real killer. During their investigation they learn unsettling truths about their community and Carly’s last months. Suspenseful and sad, this is a great novel for a stormy night.

New paperbacks I can highly recommend:
- Margot Lanagan's Tender Morsels -- check out Michelle's staff pick for this Printz Honor book
- Carrie Ryan's The Forest of Hands and Teeth (next installment, The Dead-Tossed Waves, is coming next month)
- Norma Fox Mazer's The Missing Girl

Here's my staff pick for Lisa McMann's Fade and its predecessor Wake; I'm waiting impatiently for Gone, due out tomorrow.

Janie’s ability to dreamwalk is a dark secret; her new friendship with Cabel provides much-needed comfort. When the police recruit the two for undercover missions, though, the stakes quickly become high. Unexpected dangers threaten Janie’s health, their blossoming romance, and even their lives.

None of these are exactly fun-filled, light-hearted romps, but if you can brave difficult topics for the sake of an amazing story, come in and ask me about these books. I'll talk your ear off about their wicked geniusiness.

Whew! I hope that's enough reading to get you through these yucky winter days when curling up with a good book and hot chocolate sounds like the best idea ever. Now I just need to pick one to curl up with myself!

Fall in love...

...with our new staff favorite picture book, Henry in Love. Written and illustrated by the amazing Peter McCarty, Henry is a puppy -- or should I say "kitty"? -- love story about a young cat with a crush on his bunny classmate Chloe. Chloe's perfect cartwheels win Henry's heart, but what will it take to win hers? We can't get enough of the interplay between simple text and hilarious images. As always, McCarty's pencil and watercolor illustrations radiate light and warmth.

Lots of news: New Year's resolutions, new titles, a new Ch Lit ambassador, and a new Horn Book!

If the first week of January is any indication, we're in for a year of excitement -- and awesome reads!

To get 2010 started off right, pick up Eileen and Jerry Spinelli's Today I Will: A Year of Quotes, Notes, and Promises to Myself. Unlike any other daily calendar or "year of blah blah" book I've seen, Today I Will draws lessons from children's literature to help make the new year happy. Each day's features a quotation from a well-loved book, a meditation on the meaning of the quotation, and a promise to act -- in a large way or a subtle one -- on the lesson it illustrates. Some quotations correlate to the date, i.e. Anne Frank's "In spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart" on her birthday, June 12. All the entries are opportunities to take a moment from our hectic lives and really think about living. Today's is "Marty, don't you ever run away from a problem" from Phyllis Reynolds Naylor's Shiloh. I have a copy myself, and while I'm (already) behind, I think Today I Will is a unique way to experience the year.

Our new titles shelves brimmeth over with great new arrivals. Staffer Hannah adores Henry in Love, a sweet new picture book about Henry's crush on a classmate who does exquisite cartwheels. Waiting for Winter, with illustrations in a warm orange and brown palette, tells the story of several furry friends eagerly anticipating the first snow. Be sure to pick up my latest favorite, All the World, written by Liz Scanlon and illustrated by Marla Frazee. I want it to win the Caldecott this year, but it's an underdog to the critics' pick, Jerry Pinkney's The Lion and the Mouse. Luckily, with the ALA Midwinter Conference (in Boston!) happening in just over a week, we won't have to wait long to find out the winner! You can attend the ceremony at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center at 7:30 am on Monday, the 18th. If you're not a Boston resident, or not a morning person, never fear: you'll be able to watch it streaming online.

YA authors seem especially busy lately. For the Twilight fan, we've got Captivate, featuring tricksy pixies, along with Hush, Hush and Fallen, both starring fallen angels. (I predict fallen angels will be this year's vampires. Bloodsuckers are so 2009.) Mike Lupica's football drama, Million Year Throw, includes a cameo by the Patriots -- what more could you ask for? Michelle's excited about Carolyn Mackler's new novel Tangled, in which a tropical summer vacation irrevocably changes four friends.

In national children's lit news, Katherine Paterson has just been named the National Ambassador for Young People's Literature by the Library of Congress. Paterson is the author of chapter books Jacob Have I Loved and Bridge to Terabithia (among many others). She'll serve a two-year term, during which she'll promote world-wide literacy for young people. Paterson is only the second National Ambassador; the first person ever to hold the position was one of our favorite funny guys, Jon Scieszka.

Last but certainly not least, The Horn Book, the children's lit magazine I hold so dear, has just launched with a new format! I'm looking forward to poring over lots of first-time columns and full color pages.

Can you believe all the good stuff happening in 2010? And it's just begun! To quote Neil Gaiman, literary love of my life (as I am wont to do, probably too often):

I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you're wonderful, and don't forget to make some art -- write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself.

Cynthia von Buhler is the cat's meow.

To add to all the holiday cheer/shopping happening this weekend, we're delighted to have a signing with author, illustrator, and all-around artiste extraordinaire CYNTHIA VON BUHLER!

Cynthia will be at Curious George at 1 pm SUNDAY, DECEMBER 13, to sign her purrfect picture books But Who Will Bell the Cats? and The Cat Who Wouldn't Come Inside. These gorgeous books feature miniature sets meticulously sculpted, painted, collaged, and photographed by Cynthia.

Her three intertwined websites are themselves works of art; besides having beautiful illustrations from the books, they're jam-packed with interactive extras. Go explore to learn how to sew a belled collar for your kitty, perform an amazing card trick, and build a Sculpey cat, watch animations or listen to music, and become hypnotized by Cynthia's huge body of multimedia art!

Back to the future with author Michael Sussman!

Today we're thrilled to have a guest post by Michael Sussman, author of the new picture book Otto Grows Down. Michael's very kindly stopped by (virtually, anyway) to chat about two slippery subjects -- time and human nature -- which feature prominently in this "time-twisting tale of sibling rivalry."

What sparked the creation of Otto Grows Down?

I live in Cambridge with my son Oliver. I worked for many years as a clinical psychologist and published two books for mental health professionals. I started writing fiction as an at-home dad, completing a comic mystery novel that I still hope to publish. Ollie inspired me to start writing for children, which really freed up my imagination.

Otto Grows Down is the story of a boy who becomes trapped in backwards time after making a birthday wish that his baby sister was never born. The book challenges children to think in new ways as they imagine life in reverse, and can help kids cope with the difficult feelings entailed in sharing the spotlight with a new sibling. I’m thrilled to see my first picture book in print, and more are on their way.

What was it like to collaborate with Scott Magoon [also the illustrator of Spoon and Ugly Fish]?
Fantastic. I got to see the illustrations at every stage, from initial sketches to finished product, and Scott was very open to my feedback. He did a phenomenal job.
[Psst... come pick up a copy of Otto signed by both Michael and Scott!]

As an older sibling myself, I think Otto Grows Down portrays the jealousy older siblings may feel towards a new baby both accurately and compassionately. Do you have brothers or sisters (or just a really good imagination)?
Yes, I’ve got an older and a younger brother. I was extremely jealous when my younger brother was born, and took on the role of “mother’s little helper” as a way of maintaining maternal attention. My older brother was also far from pleased when I came along, so I can identify with both Otto and Anna!

How do your background in psychology and your knowledge of children's psychological development inform your writing for children?
As a psychotherapist, I’ve had the chance to work with children of all ages. Coping with a new sibling is one of the most difficult adjustments for young kids, and how they deal with this challenge can shape personality development in powerful ways. I tried to write a story that addressed these issues without becoming moralistic or heavy-handed.

How did you become interested in backwards time?
As a child, I used to amuse myself by imagining what a day would be like if time ran in reverse. I’m still fascinated by time, which seems to me to be one of the strangest aspects of our universe. In Otto Grows Down, I play around with some of the bizarre features of life in reverse: Otto takes baths when he’s clean and they make him dirty! Tuesday is trash day and Otto helps bring in the garbage! In art class, Otto wipes the paint off a perfectly good painting, leaving a blank sheet of paper!

What's your favorite daily activity done backwards in Otto? Were there any that didn't make it into the book?
My favorite is when Otto must rewrap his birthday presents and give them back to his friends. My son, Ollie, thought that Otto should walk and talk backwards, but that would have been tough to pull off.

What other projects for children do you have in the works?
I’ve completed several other picture book manuscripts. One of them features a girl who is born with “hurricane breath” and must find a way to use her enormous power constructively. Another one, titled Fergus Falls Up, explores the absurdities that arise when a boy finds himself standing on the ceiling!

When would you go if you could fast-forward in time?
One hundred years in the future, to see whether or not we make the changes necessary to save our beautiful planet. I’d also travel to my deathbed, to see how much longer I have to live!

Thank you to Michael for the Q&A -- and be sure to visit www.ottogrowsdown.com to keep up with Michael and his time-traveling, gravity-defying writing adventures!

Author visits galore!

In addition to our recent scheduled guests Jarrett Krosoczka, 1st. Lieutenant David Falvey, and Alex Beard, we've had droves of distinguished drop-in visitors lately.

First came the double whammy of Uglies and Leviathan author Scott Westerfeld and his tourmate Robin Wasserman, author of Hacking Harvard and the new sci-fi series Skinned. Then there was Michelle's current literary love, Robin Benway -- whose visit I'll let Michelle elaborate on herself -- but we have both a guest post and a staff pick of Audrey, Wait! for your Robin appreciation! Apparently Malinda Lo, author of the queer Cinderella retelling Ash, snuck in under the radar, because no one seems to have seen her but there's a signed copy on the shelf. On Monday, eagle-eyed staffer Taylor spotted a shopper who "looked a lot like Cory Doctorow" and when she mentioned this to him, he confirmed it! Cory was on his way to nearby Harvard Bookstore to launch his new adult novel Makers, but we'll try to get him to CG in the spring when his YA novel For the Win is published. Until then, read my staff pick for Little Brother and pick up a signed copy. All of these authors are addictive reads in blog medium as well as in fiction, so be sure to stop by their sites (and/or Twitters!).

So many visitors equals a fresh round of signed copies for your enjoyment. Here's the most recent census...

Nonfiction
- Our White House by the National Children's Book and Literacy Alliance, signed by founder Mary Brigid Barrett
- Letters to a Soldier by First Lieutenant David Falvey
- The Mischief Maker's Manual by Sir John Hargrave
- It’s Perfectly Normal and It’s NOT the Stork! By Robie Harris

Picture Books
- Mail Harry to the Moon! by Robie Harris
- And to Think That We Thought That We'd Never Be Friends by Mary Ann Hoberman
- Punk Farm and Punk Farm on Tour by Jarrett Krosozcka
- Ocean Wide, Ocean Deep by Susan Lendroth
- Dim Sum for Everyone and Fortune Cookie Fortunes by Grace Lin
- Monsoon Afternoon by Kashmira Sheth
- Otto Grows Down by Michael Sussman, signed by Michael Sussman and illustrator Scott Magoon
- Oliver’s Game by Matt Tavares

Chapter Books
- Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
- Lessons from a Dead Girl and Jumping Off Swings by Jo Knowles
- Last Days of Summer and My Most Excellent Year by Steve Kluger
- Newsgirl by Lisa Ketchum
- Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute and Lunch Lady and the League of Librarians by Jarrett Krosozcka
- Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin
- Ash by Malinda Lo
- What My Girlfriend Doesn’t Know by Sonya Sones
- Samantha Hansen Has Rocks in Her Head by Nancy Viau
- Bogus to Bubbly: An Insider’s Guide to the World of Uglies and Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld
- Stop Me If You’ve Heard This One Before by David Yoo

Gracious Grace Lin

One of our favorite author/illustrators (and CG alum!), Grace Lin, recently visited the store to do a signing for her new novel Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. Not only is she a fantastic artist and storyteller, she's a great guest as well! Grace brought cookies she had made herself and drew a cute bunny in each book she signed. We'd love to have her back for her next book (an early reader about twins called Ling and Ting, out in March), but until then we have a guest post with lots of goodies from Grace!
(photo credit: Alexandre Ferron)

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is very folk and fairy tale inspired. What were some of your favorite tales growing up?
I loved folktales and fairy tales as a child. I loved the classics, “East of the Sun, West of the Moon,” “The Light Princess,” and "The Wizard of Oz" -- all with gorgeous illustrations, which I devoured and gazed at in awe! They were my inspiration to become a children's book illustrator as well as this book. My mother gave my first book of Chinese folktales as a child and I was, at first, disappointed. Used to lush illustrations and descriptions of my favorites, the Asian books were plainly translated with simple black and white line drawings. They seemed an inadequate comparison. However, slowly I discovered the stories had their own magic and I learned to love them as well.

And many years later, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon came into existence. It’s an homage to the folktales and fairy tales I read in my youth, it is a mixture of Asian fairy tales and North American classics. Not a traditional retelling of stories from either cultures, it is a mix -- like me, Asian-American. Hopefully, it is full of the magic from both that will satisfy readers everywhere!


You've now written and illustrated three novels and fourteen picture books. Which comes easier to you, the words or the pictures -- or are they intertwined?
For Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, the character of Minli came to me from a painting. But the actual narrative, plot, and setting of the book began as words. Even when I work on picture books, the writing or the stories come first. I think that is because in art school we were trained that way, we were given a story or words first and then had to illustrate them -- never the reverse, creating an image and then writing a story around that. Perhaps, that is why after all this time I am starting to view myself as an author first, instead of an illustrator.

You have also illustrated several picture books with text by other authors. How is the process of creating images for these stories different from illustrating your own? Is there a story or circumstance where you would consider having someone else illustrate your work?
Illustrating other authors' writing is challenging. In some ways it's great because usually it forces me to stretch artistically. But in other ways it is stressful because it's forcing someone else's vision into my own. These days I only like to illustrate someone else's story if it is something different from what I already write. It's possible that someone else could illustrate my writing, I know that for textbook editions of "The Ugly Vegetables" they hired another illustrator instead of using mine. But, in general, I prefer to do both.

Do you have any artistic role models or mentors? What about protegees?
I don't have any specific role models or mentors, but I've always relied on my Blue Rose Girls friends for support and encouragement. As for protegees--if you know anyone who wants to be mine, I'm taking applications! Ha ha.

What was the inspiration for "small graces," your monthly art auction for the Foundation of Children's Books?
Guilt!

Many people don't realize that authors and illustrators of children's books support themselves by doing paid school visits. I am one of those authors. I do a lot of school visits and I am so grateful and honored that schools invite me. But, as I said, a great portion of my income depends on the fees I receive from these visits. AND, my most natural state is introverted--there are only so many visits I can do in a year without stammering incoherently. I'm kind of like a jar of marbles--every visit I do I am less one marble until I am empty. So, I can't give away my marbles for free. So if a school asks me to visit for free, I usually must decline. And I feel bad.

Because it isn't fair that the only schools that get authors to visit are the ones that can afford to. Every visit I do, I can see the excitement in the students. But it also isn't fair to ask the author (the usually financially-strapped author) to do it for free either.

So I decided to start "small graces," where I auction off one original painting a month to benefit the Foundation of Children's Books. The Foundation funds school visit programs for low-income schools. So, schools that usually can't afford an author to visit get one, and the author doesn't have to suffer financially either.


Supporting the Foundation is win-win for everyone. Students of all incomes get wonderful programs and fellow authors are able to make a living to keep creating books, and I alleviate my guilt! Isn't that great? Please bid on a painting and support the project.

And finally -- what was your favorite part of working at Curious George? (Read Grace's post, "The Bookstore that Changed My Life"!)
I miss seeing all the new books. I've always thought that working there was a better education in children's books than art school. When you see all the new books every season and what sells, you really get a feel for what connects with readers. When I worked there, it was constantly inspiring and humbling. But I admit I was a horrible bookseller, I constantly got in trouble for reading the books instead of helping customers!

Grace is a very active and entertaining blogger, so make sure to visit the Where the Mountain Meets the Moon book site or her blog, Grace Notes, for news, exclusive art, contests, fortune cookie wisdom, and even recipes! Right now you can enter a photo of yourself with Where the Mountain Meets the Moon into Grace's photo contest for a chance to win a gift certificate to her online store! (I'm going to enter in hopes of winning a way-too-adorable dim sum dumpling onesie for a friend's baby... There's a ton of gorgeous WtMMtM items, too!)

Thanks so much to Grace for her post -- and for all the lovely art and videos! (It's out most interactive guest post yet!) We can't wait to have her back to visit again.

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.

This is why I really want to be a reviewer.

How has the world not yet imploded from sheer awesome?

My favorite thing about this moment -- aside from the fact that it actually happened -- is that both Roger Sutton and Neil Gaiman blogged about it and ALA from their unique perspectives. I may joke about playing Six Degrees of Neil Gaiman, but really, he knows a ridiculous number of ridiculously cool people -- i.e., Roger Sutton. I'm almost as much in love with his social circle as much as his brilliant brain. Can you imagine at dinner party at Chez Gaiman? "Amanda [Palmer], could you pass the salt? Dave [McKean], I think you dropped your napkin." Oh, to be able to say you just had coffee with Poppy Z. Brite or Jill Thompson or Tori Amos. I'm not sure who is the more appropriate target for my envy: Neil for having an amazing entourage or his entourage for having an amazing Neil.

At any rate, I am viridian with envy of somebody, and ants-in-the-pants level impatient with waiting for the new issue of The Horn Book, containing many things Gaiman, to arrive at the George. When it finally gets here, I'll be sure to let you know!

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!

Reading about reading: The Best of the Reference Section

Our reference section is home to a plethora of dictionaries, thesauri, encyclopedias, and the ever-popular DK Eyewitness series. But it seems to me that it doesn't get much love -- especially considering that it also includes a wide range of reference books on reading and children's literature. Whether your children (or yourself) are read-aloud age or reading-literary-classics age, we have a reference chock-full of great book recommendations, strategies and exercises to increase comprehension, and "stories behind the stories" to enrich the reading experience. Moment of truth: because I'm a bookseller, blogger/reviewer, and all-around children's lit lover, I have several of these in my personal library!

The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease
Trelease shares his research (and others') on the positive effects of reading aloud with children. He asserts that the more and the longer parents read to and with their children, the more beneficial the effects will be: higher IQ, better test scores, more active imaginations, more effective communication skills. Trelease suggests strategies for making time to read with children of all ages and integrating reading aloud with silent reading. Best of all, he includes an index of read-aloud greats accompanied by bibliographic information, reading or age level, subject, genre, and synopsis. (For more on reading aloud, revist my editorial from December.)

The New York Times Parent's Guide to the Best Books for Children by Eden Ross Lipton
This ginormous reference book is surprisingly accessible by virtue of its practical organization. Wordless books, picture books, story books, early chapter books, middle reading books, and young adult books each have their own sections illustrated with spot artwork. These sections are easily searchable by using the indices, which order the books by title, author, illustrator, age level, read-aloud appropriateness, or subject. The individual entries offer a summary and prizes won in addition to bibliographic information.

100 Best Books for Children by our friend Anita Silvey
If you've been on the blog at all in the last week or two, you know that Anita Silvey is a children's lit superstar, whom we place on a pedestal with The Rog and our patron saint of kids' books, editorial legend Ursula Nordstrom. Here's another opportunity to see Ms. Silvey's genius in action. This pocket-sized reference would be great to have on hand on a trip to the library or (ahem!) your favorite local independent bookseller, whereas her The Essential Guide to Children's Books and Their Creators or Lipton's Parent's Guide, both weighty tomes, would be better perused at home. However, rest assured that this slim volume recommends the one hundred very best books for toddlers to preteens through in-depth, extensive reviews by one of the very best brains in the field. For books beyond the preteen age, try Silvey's 500 Best Books for Teens.

Book Crush by Nancy Pearl
The librarian/author of Book Lust: Recommended Reading for Every Mood, Moment, and Reason turns her talents to children's books in this readable compendium of recommendations, divided by three age groups (youngest readers, middle grade readers, and teen readers) and quirky alphabetical subject headings (from "Ahh, Those Adorable Anthropomorphic Animals" to "What'd I Do to Deserve This Biography?"). The entries covering multiple books are -- pro -- personable and narrative, but -- con -- offer little information on individual titles beyond their subject grouping. Still, this is a great resource for those times when you or the loved one you're shopping for seem to have "read everything," or for when only another teen vampire romance/dragon fantasy/sassy-girl-protagonist picture book will do.

The Ultimate Teen Book Guide by Daniel Hahn and Leonie Flynn
The last of the "recommended reading" compilations I want to highlight here, this one is special because many of the reviewers are also bestselling authors. Meg Cabot, John Green, E. Lockhart, Eoin Colfer, Nancy Werlin, Christopher Paolini, and Anthony Horowitz are just a few of the contributors included in this guide. In addition to reviews you'll find lists of top tens, award winners, best of genre books, bestsellers, and more, and articles on everything from race in YA lit to romance novels for young adults.

The Rights of the Reader by Daniel Pennac, illustrated by Quentin Blake
When Rachel posted back in November about the rights of every reader and the rights of reluctant readers in particular, Daniel Pennac was the inspiration. This is a child-centered, thoughtful, and witty exploration of why bookworms love to read, and how adults can encourage the children in their lives to read without squashing that love. You can download and print a poster of the "10 Inalienable Rights of the Reader" for your very own!

Minders of Make-Believe: Idealists, Entrepreneurs, and the Shaping of American Children's Literature by Leonard Marcus
Leonard Marcus is another wicked geniusy figure in the children's lit universe; his particular focus is on the historical and cultural background of children's books and their creators. In his books Golden Legacy, A Caldecott Celebration, and Dear Genius: The Letters of Ursula Nordstrom, Marcus uncovers the little-known or entirely forgotten stories behind classic kids' books. Minders of Make-Believe is an examination of how the grown-ups who write, publish, market, and purchase children's books have definined not only children's literature but childhood itself. It's an academic, historical work which spans many eras and disciplines -- not exactly a beach read -- but as Daniel Handler/"Lemony Snicket" says in an awesome back-of-book blurb, "In the busy barnyard of children's literature, Leonard Marcus is Charlotte -- a calm, wise soul who weaves every strand into something meaningful and useful. (He does not, as far as I know, have eight legs.)" If you're interested in the historical or social aspects of children's literature, take a peek at Seth Lerer's Children's Literature: A Reader's History from Aesop to Harry Potter or Herbert Kohl's Should We Burn Babar?

L is for Lollygag: Quirky Words for a Clever Tongue by Chronicle Books
This unconventional dictionary produced by one of my favorite publishers offers tongue-twisting, mind-tickling vocabulary that will surprise even the most well-read. The design is brilliant, with the visual appearance of wacky words and their definitions often corresponding to their meanings. Illustrations and sidebars called "WordPlay" add to the whimsy. I ♥ the entry for shenanigans: devious tricks or mischevious behaviour. Although it is possible to engage in more than one shenanigan, there's more of an impact if you work up a bunch of them -- something the staffers here have learned well from our curious mascot. We should add the verb "shenanigate" to the dictionary!

Whoa. Lots of love in the CG blog!

It's been a crazy week here at the blog, in the best kind of way!

First, Peter H. Reynolds, author/illustrator of the inspiring books The Dot and Ish (among lots of other great titles!) left us a truly lovely comment. Peter's website and many blogs are just as inspirational for artists and artists-to-be of all kinds as his books. Head over and spend some time looking at the beautiful artwork and learning about Peter's campaign to help people of all ages "make their mark."

Then, Susan Marie Swanson, whose poetic Caldecott-winning picture book The House in the Night just came back in stock after a too-long absence, sent us a hug via Twitter... which THEN prompted her Twitter friends to leave us nice comments as well! (A recent Twitter by my all-time favorite author was rather less-well received by many, in case you missed the uproar.) Hugs to you, too, Susan (and friends!) -- we adore the book and are so excited it's back at Curious George.

Finally, we're ready to unveil a project we've been scheming about for a while: a series of guest posts by our favorite children's book authors, illustrators, and critics!

Our first guest blogger is Anita Silvey, who has in her distinguished career worn the many (fabulous) hats of children's literature publisher, The Horn Book Magazine editor-in-chief, Simmons College publishing professor, critic, author, and all-around kids' book expert. Curious George general manager Bindy was lucky enough to speak to Ms. Silvey about her fascinating new book, I’ll Pass for Your Comrade, in which she reveals the involvement of women soldiers during the Civil War, their motivations, and efforts to maintain their right to fight.

What drew you to this subject matter?
I’m an armchair Civil War historian, and when I read about these women for the first time, about six years ago, I wanted to tell their stories to young readers. Forgotten fragments of history fascinate me. Close to 1000 women, dressed as men, actually fought in the Civil War, and the record of their accomplishments has vanished from most of our accounts of the Civil War until recently.

What did you come across in your research that most surprised or disappointed you? Any preconceived notions that were proven false?
I kept wishing I could find out more about each of these women; sometimes all we have is one newspaper article. I began my research asking myself, “Why did they go,” but felt I got a handle on that. Then I had to ask, “Why did they stay?” They could have left at any time, and yet, with great determination, many of them fought throughout the war.

Your book came out in December 2008, on the heels of a most historic and symbolic election, leading into Lincoln’s 200^th Anniversary, and now taking us into Women’s History month. Can you talk a bit more about the timing of its publication, and the scope of relevance you may have aimed to achieve?
Although the book does fit current landmarks, I didn’t plan it that way. It took much longer to write and create than I anticipated. When I start a project, I always think I can finish writing it in five months. This took five years. But I am glad it can be used with the Lincoln 200^th. Lincoln, himself, as did many of the Presidents, knew of these women. He secured army pay for one of them.

Can we look forward to more nonfiction from you in the near future?
Absolutely. I am a nonfiction reader and writer. I’m currently writing Botanomania, a book about some of the 18^th-20^th Century botanists; their adventures rival those of Indiana Jones as they scoured the earth for plant species.

Thanks so much to Ms. Silvey for her post, and to Mr. Reynolds and Ms. Swanson for their friendly comments! Stay tuned for more great guest posts and more we-hope-they're-great posts from your regularly scheduled bloggers Michelle, Rachel, and me, Katie.

Premonitions

That brainy Michelle had the awesome idea to round up our previous reviews of this year's winning books. Turns out we've had a lot to say about quite a few of the winners and honorees...

I reviewed the Caldecott Honor book A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos WIlliams, written by Jen Bryant and illustrated by Melissa Sweet, a few days ago:

Williams's own poems blend with Jen Bryant's biographical text and Melissa Sweet's mixed media/watercolor illustrations to create a collaboration that is essentially a collage of collages. Typography features heavily in Sweet's images, giving words power on every page, even those without conventional "text." In her excellent backmatter, Bryant provides readers with plenty of historical context for Williams's life. This unusual book has something to offer aspiring poet, aspiring artist, picture book critic, literary history buff, and biography fan alike.

If you've been following the blog for a while, you know we love Neil Gaiman's Newbery-winning The Graveyard Book, illustrated by Dave McKean. But did you catch Rachel's staff pick for it?

This captivating story of a boy raised by ghosts is sure to delight readers. Nobody Owens gets into all the trouble a growing child (who has run of an old English graveyard) can -- but his guardian Silas is always there to get him out of it. A heartfelt, beautifully crafted, perfectly eerie read.

Rachel, literary trendsetter that she is, likewise recommends the Newbery Honor book Savvy by Ingrid Law, in another staff pick:

The Beaumonts are an unusual family -- on their 13th birthdays, they each discover a unique savvy, a special know-how. When Poppa is hospitalized in a distant town the day before Mibs turns 13, she is convinced that her hidden savvy can save him—if she could only get there in time.

Michelle reviews Printz Honoree Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan in her staff pick:

This beautiful, brutal novel is much more than a retelling of Grimms' "Snow White and Rose Red." After awful cruelties, Liga is given her heart's desire: a "heaven" in which to raise her daughters; yet even here reality breaks in. A folksy lyricism softens this tale about the devastating beauty of being human.

Back during baseball season, blog alumna (and resident Kadir Nelson devotee) Bethany wrote about We Are the Ship, which won both the Coretta Scott King Author Award and the Sibert Award.

Devour the gorgeous paintings in Kadir Nelson's We are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball -- the clean design and informative but friendly text make this heavily illustrated gem a must-have for baseball fans and art enthusiasts alike.

We're obviously already fans of lots of the books recognized by ALA yesterday, but we're looking forward to discovering the others with you! Check the blog for updates on which award winners have just arrived -- today's shipment included more copies of The Graveyard Book, Jacqueline Woodson's After Tupac and D Foster, and Ingrid Law's Savvy, and tomorrow's sure to bring even more goodies!