Extreme Sadness: Brian Jacques

Source: BBCNews
I just learned that dear, wonderful, lovely Brian Jacques died this weekend.
I am crying.
Jacques was an engaging and entertaining presenter at conferences and at book signings.  He was a raconteur who threw himself into his storytelling, physically and vocally.  His roguish charm was accessorized with eyes that really did twinkle.

The Redwall books were part of the scenery, here in the entwood, for years.  entling no. 2 adored the stories. For a time her purses for daily use were selected, not for their fashion-forward style but by the criteria: would a hardcover Redwall book fit inside?  entling no.3 similarly exhausted multiple bindings of hardcover and paperback copies by reading and re-reading them.  Redwall books have covered many square feet of bedroom carpet over the years.

I contacted the entlings today with the news of his passing and they both responded, "Oh no!"  entling no. 2 recalled loving Jacques's characters, "the mice were ok but the hares were such fun. They were great fighters and had wonderful personalities." She mentioned that sometimes main characters died and it was always sad but also uplifting as there was a noble purpose. She loved the fantasy and the clever puzzles. She said her favorite books in the series were the first book, Redwall, Salamandastron and Mariel of Redwall. entling no. 3 remembers loving Martin the Warrior as well as the first book.  She loved the "awesome" characters and that [the books] "didn't try to shield kids from how terrible war was."  She added, "the beautiful puzzles were always the best part."

Jacques wrote another series based on the legend of the Flying Dutchman,  Castaways of the Flying Dutchman, but those books were never as popular as his Redwall stories.  

He seemed very moved by the devotion of his fans, especially boys. When I attended one of his signings at a local bookstore years ago, I was touched by the reverence with which two boys approached his table, their thick tomes held out towards him for his signature.  I was positively teary watching Jacques speak with them at length.  The kids glowed with the warmth of his reception. 

His fans kept reading the books even as they entered college and beyond.  T.A. Barron is another author who inspires that kind of loyalty, I think.

It occurs to me that I have not noticed kids checking out Jacques's book as often these days, maybe the Erin Hunter Warriors books are filling that niche.  I am going to put Redwall in my Read-Aloud Bag.  I think a new generation of readers needs to hear the tales of Redwall Abbey.

Brian Jacques website

The Zoo I Drew

The Zoo I Drew by Todd H. Doodler. Random House, 2009

An ABC book of animals at the zoo, (C for Camel, D for Deer, etc.) on double page spreads with vivid colors and strong graphic design.  Doodler's aka Todd Goldman animals look out at the reader with large circle eyes  (that recall Southpark characters to this reader.)
 Poetry quatrains describe each animal.

The newt is small and slimy
It's a type of salamander.
It lives on the forest floor
Where it's easier to meander. 

This is not the detailed, research based poetry of the  splendiferous Douglas Florian but  the pages are bright and eye-catching.

Little Chimp's Big Day

Little Chimp's Big Day by Lisa Schroeder, illustrated by Lisa McCue, Sterling, 2010 (review copy from publisher)

What-if  Curious George had NOT met the Man in the Yellow Hat.

A sweet faced baby chimp explores the jungle, seemingly alone for the first time, while wondering "where could Mother be?"  "She said she would be right back". The chimp rides on a hippo's back, finds bananas to eat, swings on vines to escape a jungle cat then settles down to sleep after his busy day. Mother is there and has been all along, hidden but watching over her chimp on each page. 
The action sequences are described in groups of rhyming gerunds,
"bumping, chasing, jumping, racing" and " roaring, gripping, soaring, zipping."  Even though the story is pitched towards little guys, the book would be useful for illustrating gerunds. 
McCue excels at lovable, furry-fuzzy animals. Her chimpanzee is expressive and endearing.

Lisa Schroeder's website
Lisa McCue's website

Contests: Judy Blume Journal Contest

Judy Blume Journal Contest

"Tell us your Judy Blume story or memory and enter to WIN an iPod Touch®, personalized message from Judy Blume, iTunes® gift card, and a collection of audiobooks! The five entries with the most votes will become finalists."

• Contest is open to all legal residents of U.S. and Canada (excluding Québec) who are age 13 years or older as of January 3, 2011.

• Contest will run from Jan. 3, 2011 - Feb. 18, 2011

More information

Perchance to Re-read?

I may not get to them all but this year I want to re-read:

• The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn -  I think I will see if entling no. 3 will read along with me.
  
• The Giver- something I hear or read reminds me of this book at least once a week.
  
• The Eagle of the Ninth
• The Hobbit - all the movie talk reminds me how much I have forgotten about the book.  Can I imagine Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield?  

Movie: The Eagle

I  saw this trailer at the movies and thought, "hey, I know this story." I've started a list of re-reads for the year. I'm adding this one.
The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff was first published in 1954. 

Pearls before Swine Comic

Yes, we are VERY serious.

Boots on the Ground: Breadcrumbs

Library subbing today.
The lesson plans asked me to show the students the new Destiny OPAC interface and point out the new features and accessibility of the system, while performing some sample searches.  Specifically, the librarian wanted me to point out the "breadcrumb navigation" at the top of the page and demonstrate how to use it.

Happily, this is not a lesson I have to prepare for too much as I have taught searching and OPAC usage too many times to count.  I always start by pointing out that they have to use their minds before they can use the computer. I am a sort of improv school librarian though so, today, when I arrived at the "breadcrumbs" moment, I asked the class why the navigation path might be called breadcrumbs. 

-silence-

Now, these were 5th graders, always a tough audience, post-winter break.  I asked them if they had ever heard of a story where breadcrumbs were an important part of the plot. Bless them, in each class there was ONE student who suggested Hansel and Gretel. As I did not see the light bulb click-on in their faces, I launched into a quick retelling of the story, thinking I would just highlight the point of the story where the children are lost in the forest  and had to find their way back home.  As I talked though, I noticed that every child had swiveled away from the smart board and was watching and listening to me, eyes wide.

The power of story. A simple fairytale, a story most of them knew (although, I think this may have been the first time for a few of them) but they were completely immersed in the tale.   

I am quite sure that the concept of "breadcrumbs" is solidly in place in the minds of those fourth and fifth grade classes, now. 

Kendall Haven,"story-teller and story-engineer" has researched the way our brains process information and how we are hardwired to learn through stories. I attended his workshop at TLA last spring and it was an inspiration. 

Storytelling is teaching, teaching should be storytelling.

Comment Challenge

In the beginning there were the blogs.  

They were the only way we had of looking around and saying, "Hey, there ARE other people out here who love and adore and are passionate about children's and young adult books." 

And we said, "This is cool!" and we read each others thoughts and we commented and build a community that is today the KidLitosphere.  Then came Facebook and Twitter and a listserv and the Cybils and an annual conference and we had so many other ways of communicating and sharing that the blog commenting was no longer the primary way of discussing and discoursing.

In January, MotherReader offers us the chance to revive and return to the venue that brought us together, the Comment Box.   Sign up now at MotherReader's post about the event and start commenting.  There are prizes! Lee Wind also writes about the challenge and his post will energize you for sure.

I Like Big Books

Librarian Teresa Schauer @Pettus ISD shared this. Teresa blogs at Pettus Secondary Library Blog and is also the caretaker and shepherd of Book Trailers 4 All.