Puffin Graphics

I have a vivid childhood memory of reading the Classics Illustrated version of The Moonstone while waiting for another torture session in the orthodontist chair. (In the old days, boys and girls, they used to HAMMER the bands on to your teeth--I was lucky to get braces, I should not complain, I digress.) I enjoyed the story and the artwork in the comic and the memory of those illustrations stayed with me when I read the "real" Moonstone, years later.

Puffin Books has launched a new series of graphic novels, Puffin Graphics, which retell works of classic literature. I like these books. The covers are colorful and very well done. The books echo manga editions in size and format. The interior artwork in these books is in b&w and gray tones.

There is a "making of the book" section at the end of each book. The artist's method of working with preliminary sketches, layouts, and inking are demonstrated. This section might work well for the "drawing book" kids. Without a doubt "how to draw" books are the most highly circulated books in any school library (more than snake books even) and they are often the refuge of non-readers. These students are usually very drawn to graphic novels.

The stories themselves are adaptations but they have maintained the sense of the original. (I have not seen their edition of Macbeth yet.)
Librarians who are skittish about the whole graphic novel thing might find these editions collection-worthy.


Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, adapted by Gary Reed has maintained the original plot. It always surprises kids to know that Frankenstein was the doctor, NOT the monster.



Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island, adapted by Tim Hamilton


L. Frank Baum's The Wizard of Oz, adapted by Michael Cavallaro
Illustations are very manga.


Stephen Crane's The Red Badge of Courage, adapted by Wayne Vansant


I am very anxious to get feedback on these books from kids.
The REAL proof will be, can you pass the AR test by reading these books?
Oh I hope so.

Book Moot Blog Cloud

Blog Cloud fun.
Thanks for the link Big A little a and SnapShirts

Book signing: Jonathan Stroud

A nice crowd of fans listened to Jonathan Stroud at Blue Willow Bookshop as he described how the idea for his Bartimaeus books came about.

He asked the kids what the "typical" wizard looks like and drew one as they added to the description. Then he had them to describe the "opposite" of that wizard. They came up with young vs old, carrying a briefcase/cell phone/Starbucks vs a wand, a suit vs robes, etc. When one of the kids added "evil" as the opposite of "good," Stroud modified it to "morally stupid." Looking at the photo, I noted the word "politician" was listed below as an occupation. I thought that was an useful modifier to "morally stupid."

He read the passage from The Amulet of Samarkand where Nathaniel summons Bartimaeus for the first time after setting up the scene with another illustration. Hearing the author's voice is always a thrill for me.

He offered to answer questions and was pleased, I think, to have real fans of the books asking questions dealing with amazing
minutiae about the stories. Inevitably one kid asked the pointless question, "Where do you get your ideas from?" OK, I admit to a small moan and wail when I heard this question. If authors had a nickel for every time they hear this question, they could retire in grand comfort and never write another word. Stroud was gracious.

Editorial comment follows:

Plea -- Yes Virginia, there are such things as STUPID questions. Thoughtful questions take time to develop and deeper thinking than the wish to hear one's own voice. Chris Crutcher has written very eloquently about "Students and Questions." This is a skill that can be acquired with preparation and thoughtful teaching. It also helps if you have actually read the book(s.)

My entling asked if Gladstone was really buried at Westminster Abbey. Stroud affirmed that he was and described a visit to Westminster Abbey where he walked around and through the statues of statesmen and notables which gave him the idea for the sequence of events in The Golem's Eye.

He was very kind and talked to each person as he signed their books. With my daughter he shared some pictures of his characters that had been drawn by kids in Japan . They were Bartimeus à la "manga."

He drew a little "demon" along with the inscription for the kids. I asked him if he ever worried about tendonitis from book signings (Brian Jacques has to wear an arm brace and cannot personalize books anymore) and he shared that book tours were not the problem but the hundreds of books he signs at the publisher's warehouse before a release were very hard work.

When I asked if he reads for fun when he is on the road and he commented that traveling afforded him rare personal time to read for pleasure. Since he does not read fantasy while he is writing and having a 2-year-old child keeps him busy on the home front, he was thoroughly enjoying reading Ursula Le Guin on this current book tour.

He was a very witty and thoughtful speaker. I enjoyed his sense of humor (which he was going to need as he had minimal time to cross Houston in rush hour traffic to get to the next signing on time.)

Oh My Giddy Aunt...

as our friend Michele puts it... I love that expression.

I just checked out the Texas Library Association Conference--2006 sessions:

• Anthony Horowitz of Alex Rider fame is presenting on Tuesday!
• Paper artist and picture book author, Denise Fleming
• Caroline Cooney (Code Orange and everything else)
• Garth Nix (I swear, I WILL read Sabriel before April)
• Adventure writer, Will Hobbs
• K. M. Grant (Picked up Blood Red Horse as an ARC last year and really liked it. Have not seen the sequel, Green Jasper yet.)
• Rosemary Wells
• Brian Pinkney
• Susan Cooper (Oh my goodness!)
• Mike Thaler (...from the Black Lagoon)
• Rick Riordan
• Janet Stevens and Susan Stevens Crummel (hilarious sister team)
• Diane Mott Davidson (culinary mysteries, grown-up books)
• and lots of others...
  

Celebs appearing include:

• Rhea Perlman (new children's author)
• Julie Andrews (Dame Julie)
• Marlee Matlin

Looks like I will NOT be subbing that week in April.
See you at the conference!

From the front lines: Snakes Alive!

Big A little a has a post on snake books. Last week while subbing at elementary school, I was hit over the head by the popularity of all things reptilian with young readers.

Re-shelving library books is not a job that seems glamorous or inspiring but it is so important. If a library is lucky enough to have a great volunteer force (bless them all!) -- re-shelving happens. If there are not loads of volunteers then re-shelving occurs when there are not classes to be read to, when teachers do not need help, when the library aide is not being pulled out of the library (to cover a class, unjam the laminator, put out a "fire" in the admin wing,) or when there is not another yet form to be filled out with stats to document the importance of the library program.

Last week I began sorting books for re-shelving so I could take a stack to the shelves and re-file the books more quickly. As I sorted the 500's (Dewey Decimal system) I began to crack up as the 597.9 (Reptiles) stack grew and grew and grew. It finally got so high I had to divide it into two stacks.

It beat the other Dewey sections hands down. The runner up was the 595s, specifically 595.4 (Spiders) and 595.7 (Insects.) I wish I had taken a picture. The stacks of books were a concrete bar graph of the areas of highest (nonfiction) reading interest.

Author: Jonathan Stroud

Going to pick up Entling no. 3 today right after school and zoom over to Blue Willow Bookshop to see Jonathan Stroud who is the author of the sublime Bartimaeus Trilogy!!

Then we are zooming up to IAH to pick up Entling no. 2. I bet she is talking with a Scottish lilt.

New Groundhog Videos

Last year I laughed and laughed watching The Groundhog and His Shadow videos.

This year The Groundhog is back with Groundhog 202. The story is a pyschological thriller. It is rated GH-13, Groundhogs Strongly Cautioned. Some material may be Inappropriate for Groundhogs under 13.

The pressure of predicting the arrival of Spring is getting to the Groundhog. Is he going mad or is the Shadow really out to get him?
I love weird stuff.

The trailer is here. Check back regularly for updates.
From the folks at the Pennsylvania Tourism Office.

A Newbery winner's response

Thanks to Gail at Original Content for pointing me to Shannon Hale's Activity Log. I love Hale's post about receiving the phone calls announcing tht her book, Princess Academy, was a Newbery Honor winner.

Free Sounds

Kim Komando has a link to Freesound::Geotags. I'm listening to the sounds of Scotland because that is where Entling No. 2 is right now.

Very Cool!

Babymouse

Babymouse:Queen of the World
Babymouse: Our Hero
by Jennifer L. Holm & Matthew Holm, 2005

If you are a school librarian and you have money left in your budget, please open your Titlewave or BTSB or Mackin account and put Babymouse on your "To be Purchased" list right now.
I predict you will need more than one copy.

What Dav Pilkey has done for boys with Captain Underpants, Jennifer & Matthew Holm have given girls with a character that they will identify with. Just as Captain Underpants has great crossover appeal with boys and girls, so will Babymouse.

I am a fan of graphic novels for kids but I confess to having a difficult time reading them myself. I could not stop reading Babymouse. The artwork is full of humor, life and movement.

Babymouse lives a life any school kid will identify with. Getting up in the morning is hard. Finding your place in the social strata of school life results in angst and envy. P.E. is not for the faint of heart. Opening your locker is dangerous. Good friends are worth more than gold. Babymouse has an imagination that sweeps her away. After missing the school bus she has to walk to school. In her mind (and on the page) she is a pioneer on an arduous trail through the West. It reminded me of the flights of fantasy Calvin and Hobbes enjoyed.

I realize these books are pitched at elementary but the themes resonate through jr. high. If I was a jr. high librarian, I would have to get them for my collection.

I also love the fact that Babymouse is a reader. There are stacks of books in her room.

Big A Little a reports that The Center for Children's Books has named Babymouse a Gryphon Award Honor book for 2006.


BRAVA!

Babymouse website