I love Discovery Channel…

A minor diversion… so, you’ve all seen the Discovery Channel trailer with the boom-de-ah-da song, right? The World is Just Awesome?

If you haven’t, you should watch it now. No, that’s okay, I’ll just wait here…

See, isn’t that awesome? I bet you want to watch the new one now, right?

Now, Discovery Channel is looking for fan versions in response… things that are awesome include claymation, grade four class, and XKCD webcomics (also available in a live-action version!)

Clearly, Discovery Channel is just awesome!

 

Another link-ish, creative-type, contest-y round-up

I have resigned myself to my sporadic blogging habits lately, though as always, I have good intentions to catch up on some of what I’ve read lately. (You can check out what I’m reading over at Good Reads.) I have come across some neat bookish contesty sort of links lately. So enjoy the creativity and intertextuality herein:

Of all the Where the Wild Things Are related goings-on, I think my favourite at the moment is this fort-building contest. The winners inspired a definite urge in me to pull the cushions off the couch and create my own little hidey-hole.

On a slightly belated seasonal sort of note, I wish I could have gone to one of these Graveyard Book indy bookstore parties! And the Graveyard Book Dessert Challenge definitely produced some eyecatching results.

Meanwhile, over in libraryland, all the entries in Unshelved’s Pimp Your Book Cart contest are up online! Some of my personal favourites are the Zombie Survival Cart, the Info Stat cart, Sail Into Reading pirate ship, the working book cart barbeque, the recycled-material Shep Herding Books, and of course, the neko-bus book cart from my all-time favourite My Neighbour Totoro.

 

Award news: GG shortlist!

I have not been particularly productive at blogging for the past few months! I blame the fact that this summer, we bought a house. A gorgeous, creaky old ninety eight year old house. And lo, there was much paperwork and appointments and packing and moving and unpacking. One of these days I will make that post about kids’ books and interesting houses, the sort that had you inspecting the dishearteningly modern corners of your own house for secret passageways and attics.

But not today–because the nominees for the Governor General’s awards have been announced! For those of you not in the know, the GG’s are one of THE major Canadian literary awards. (For the record, the GG herself has a pretty spiffy looking website.) And the children’s lit nominees (as annotated by the Canada Council) are…

Children’s Literature — Text (English language)

Shelley Hrdlitschka, North Vancouver, Sister Wife.
(Orca Book Publishers; distributed by the publisher)
(ISBN 978-1-55143-927-3)

Shelley Hrdlitschka’s Sister Wife paints a realistic picture of life inside a polygamist community where women are exploited and power is absolute. The strong cast of characters and close attention to detail make this novel absorbing and riveting right down to its explosive conclusion.

Sharon Jennings, Toronto, Home Free.
(Second Story Press; distributed by University of Toronto Press)
(ISBN 978-1-897187-55-5)

Eleven-year-old Lee Mets goes about the complicated business of living with such verve and die-hard enthusiasm that one has no choice but to yell, “Bravo!” A cleverly-crafted story told from the heart,
Sharon Jennings’s Home Free entertains and lifts the human spirit.

Caroline Pignat, Ottawa, Greener Grass: The Famine Years.
(Red Deer Press, a division of Fitzhenry & Whiteside; distributed by the publisher)
(ISBN 978-0-88995-402-1)

In Caroline Pignat’s heart-rending story of the Irish potato famine of 1847, a young girl must compromise the values of her Catholic upbringing in order for her family to survive. Told with devastating realism, Greener Grass will touch the hearts and minds of all ages.

Robin Stevenson, Victoria, A Thousand Shades of Blue.
(Orca Book Publishers; distributed by the publisher)
(ISBN 978-1-55143-921-1)

When Rachel is forced to go on a year-long trip to the Bahamas with her dysfunctional family, she finds out the true meaning of Sartre’s “Hell is other people.” Robin Stevenson’s A Thousand Shades of Blue is a humorous and heartfelt story of a family headed toward disaster.

Tim Wynne-Jones, Perth (Ontario), The Uninvited.
(Candlewick Press; distributed by Random House of Canada)
(ISBN 978-0-7636-3984-6)

Three strangers find themselves at the same abandoned house in the Ontario countryside and soon discover each is the inheritor of a decades-old secret. Together, they must come to terms with the tragic consequences in Tim Wynne-Jones’s complex and beautifully crafted novel, at once mystery and family drama.

Children’s Literature — Illustration (English language)

Rachel Berman, Victoria, Bradley McGogg, the Very Fine Frog,
text by Tim Beiser.
(Tundra Books; distributed by Random House of Canada)
(ISBN 978-0-88776-864-4)

Beautifully drawn and painted, this is a tale in which a frog’s quest for a meal leads him to discover that not everyone finds bugs and slugs the ideal feast. Rachel Berman brings to life Bradley McGogg, an expressive character children will fall in love with.

Irene Luxbacher, Toronto, The Imaginary Garden,
text by Andrew Larsen.
(Kids Can Press; distributed by University of Toronto Press)
(ISBN 978-1-55453-279-7)

In The Imaginary Garden, Irene Luxbacher combines pen and ink line, paint and collage to tell the story of a young girl and her grandfather who, together, discover the power of art and imagination. Bright, bold and whimsical, these illustrations powerfully convey an important message.

Jirina Marton, Colborne (Ontario), Bella’s Tree, text by Janet Russell.
(Groundwood Books / House of Anansi Press; distributed by HarperCollins Canada)
(ISBN 978-0-88899-870-5)

As with text, illustrations should compel the reader to turn the page to see what happens next. Jirina Marton’s illustrations flow; they bring the reader along and add a warm mood to a cold winter’s day. A spirit captured within the pages of this book is set free by the reading.

Luc Melanson, Laval (Quebec), My Great Big Mamma,
text by Olivier Ka, translation by Helen Mixter.
(Groundwood Books / House of Anansi Press; distributed by HarperCollins Canada)
(ISBN 978-0-88899-942-9)

Luc Melanson’s larger-than-life illustrations fill each page with gusto, warmth and love, and convey the story’s heartwarming message of self-acceptance, as told from the view of a young boy. Whimsical, simple and clear, the illustrations create a mood of safety and depict a mother’s love for her son.

Ningeokuluk Teevee, Cape Dorset (Nunavut), Alego,
text by Ningeokuluk Teevee, translation by Nina Manning-Toonoo.
(Groundwood Books / House of Anansi Press; distributed by HarperCollins Canada)
(ISBN 978-0-88899-943-6)

Ningeokuluk Teevee’s pencil drawings express beautifully a manner of dress, food, land, air, cold, warmth, surprise and age. The storytelling is a heart speaking to a heart, capturing the spiritual relationship that a child has with the world she lives in. This gentle book will warm hearts.

Children’s Literature – Text (French language)

Jocelyn Boisvert, Hâvre-aux-Maisons (Quebec), Mort et déterré.
(Soulières éditeur; distributed by Diffusion du livre Mirabel)
(ISBN 978-2-89607-084-8)

Jocelyn Boisvert takes us inside the head of a zombie whose many captivating escapades give a whole new meaning to the expression “love you to death.” The author skilfully intertwines comedy and tragedy, leading us on an adventure in the afterlife filled with amusing and surprising situations.

Hervé Bouchard, Saguenay (Quebec), Harvey.
(Les Éditions de la Pastèque; distributed by Socadis)
(ISBN 978-2-922585-67-4)

In this extremely moving story, Hervé Bouchard creates a universe of innocence, poetry and depth. The nuanced settings, the characters and the delicately woven tale conjure a disquieting and fascinating atmosphere. The author takes the risk of surprising us, buoyed by beautifully-written and highly-personal language.

Pierre Chartray and Sylvie Rancourt, Longueuil (Quebec),
Simon et le chasseur de dragons.
(Éditions du CHU Sainte-Justine; distributed by Diffusion Prologue)
(ISBN 978-2-89619-135-2)

Pierre Chartray and Sylvie Rancourt have penned a moving allegory in this sensitive approach to a very difficult subject: the death of a loved one. This simple, tender story draws us into the terrible battle against a fatal disease via the metaphor of a brave knight who must ward off evil dragons.

Michèle Laframboise, Toronto,
La quête de Chaaas, tome 2 – Les vents de Tammerlan.
(Éditions Médiaspaul; distributed by Diffusion Prologue)
(ISBN 978-2-89420-772-7)

This captivating novel by Michèle Laframboise strays from the well-worn paths of science fiction. While conserving the essential elements of the genre, the author’s subtle, at times poetic, prose creates moving and colourful images and gives life to complex, lovable characters.

Matthieu Simard, Montreal,
Pavel, épisode 1 – Plus vivant que toutes les pornstars réunies.
(Les éditions de la courte échelle; distributed by Diffusion du livre Mirabel)
(ISBN 978-2-89651-004-7)

In his inimitable style, blending irony, dark humour, powerful images and a keen sensitivity, Matthieu Simard expresses all the loneliness, sorrow and vulnerability of his teenage hero. His work is highly contemporary, dynamic and right on target.

Children’s Literature – Illustration (French language)

Philippe Béha, Montreal, Ulysse et Pénélope, text by Louise Portal.
(Éditions Hurtubise HMH; distributed by the publisher)
(ISBN 978-2-89647-118-8)

A deliciously joyful book. The luminous pictures in orange and blue convey the sun and the sea in this story inspired by Greek mythology. The illustrator succeeds in creating stylized characters in evocative, symbolic compositions.

Gérard DuBois, Saint-Lambert (Quebec), Henri au jardin d’enfants, text by Gérard DuBois.
(Éditions du Seuil; distributed by Diffusion Dimedia)
(ISBN 978-2-02-098231-3)

This book seems to invite us into a children’s playground; in reality, it carries us much farther, through the book itself and straight into the world of the imagination. Through the images, the illustrator reveals all the astonishing things that can happen with a kiss. An exceptional book in its research and design qualities.

Janice Nadeau, Montreal, Harvey, text by Hervé Bouchard.
(Les Éditions de la Pastèque; distributed by Socadis)
(ISBN 978-2-922585-67-4)

The theme of death, narrated and illustrated in the mind of a child. The tone of the illustrations matches the text so faithfully that it is hard to believe they were not the creation of a single mind. Almost three stories in one, with three treatments that make for a harmonious whole. The characters are richly drawn, and the humour, sadness and friendship are magnificently expressed.

Pierre Pratt, Montreal, L’étoile de Sarajevo, text by Jacques Pasquet.
(Dominique et compagnie, a division of Éditions Héritage; distributed by Messageries ADP, groupe Sogides)
(ISBN 978-2-89512-572-3)

The textured treatment and contrasts of the illustrations accurately portray the mood of young Amina as she tells her story. The illustrator has done a wonderful job of rendering the atmospheres of Sarajevo. The enormous, heavy masses of the bombed city evoke sorrow, while the luminous green park at the end of the book is a sign of hope.

Rogé (Roger Girard), Montreal, La vraie histoire de Léo Pointu, text by Rogé.
(Dominique et compagnie, a division of Éditions Héritage; distributed by Messageries ADP, groupe Sogides)
(ISBN 978-2-89512-660-7 (bound) / 978-2-89512-661-4 (paper)

This visual gem, full of fantasy and rich in colour, is a delight for the eyes. In luminous tones, the illustrator tells an amusing story where tradition is confronted with modern “progress.” Droll, original characters punctuate this story filled with quirky detail and original compositions.

*

A more detailed article over at CBC has discussion with various authors, including Tim Wynne Jones.

I am embarassed to admit that I haven’t read any of the children’s lit illustration nominees! And only one of the children’s lit text nominees–Sister Wife, which I finished and promptly recommended to several other people. The Uninvited is in my to-read pile right now, and has just been bumped up to the top. (It’s due back at the library soon, and I can’t renew it because it’s on hold.) It’s shown up here earlier, on the latest updates to the big list o’ Canadian GLBT YA, as did one of Robin Stevenson’s other recent titles, Inferno.

Hmm, I think I have some more reading to do…

 

Linkalicious: Movies and other things Lovecraftian

Oh yes, I have more links for you all…

It’s a bit belated, since the Half-Blood Prince movie has been out for almost a week now, but check out Meg Cabot’s (as always) highly amusing commentary on the movie posters. And if you’re feeling in the mood for some detailed nitpicking of the movie itself, head on over to Fuse 8.

There’s still a ways to wait, however, for Tim Burton’s take on Alice in Wonderland. Check out some of the visuals here.

The follow-up to Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is a riff on Sense and Sensibility, and has a trailer!

It’s definitely on my to-read list along with Mall of Cthulhu:

Nothing epitomizes the fun summer geek read more than Seamus Cooper’s Mall of Cthulhu (Night Shade). A charming buddy team – lesbian FBI agent Laura and loser barista Ted – fight monsters and white supremacists in a Providence mall.

When the novel opens, Ted and Laura are still trying to get over a trauma they shared ten years ago in college. During freshman year, they discovered that a local sorority was actually a den of vampires, and nerdy folklore student Ted had to slay them all (including his roommate). While Ted had to chop up a house full of monsters, Laura had to deal with the fact that the one girl she was finally going to have sex with was actually a throat-chomping minion of evil.

Over the years they’ve dealt with this horrifying experience by sticking together as best friends, partly because this defining moment in both their lives is something nobody else would believe. Laura has become an ultra-competent FBI agent who is bored with investigating ATM fraud. And Ted has become an ultra-competent latte-maker for a Starbucks-esque chain. But when a group of Cthulhu cultists shoot up Ted’s coffee shop, they discover that there’s nothing like awakening the Old Ones and destroying the world to really wipe that boredom away.

Mmm, summer reading! Oh for a hammock and some lemonade…

 

Queer kidslit and comics!

Things I have come across lately:

Via I’m Here. I’m Queer. What the Hell do I read?, Gay Penguins in Germany raise a Baby Penguin!. Also, a great interview with Holly Black.

I think I will have to see this book before I make up my mind: Nothin’ Like a Lesbian Sock at Bedtime Children’s book author creates a gay character, stirs controversy “Dottie the Sock: How I Found My Pair is the first children’s book in a new 10-book series. Gayle’s series revolves around the main character, a lesbian sock named Dottie, encountering various modern day situations. In the first book, Dottie searches for her mate – a fellow female sock.”

And I am linking a bit late for Pride but still cool, The Library Don’t Have a Closet: 19 Graphic Novels for Gay & Lesbian Pride Month.

I am behind–I didn’t even know Terry Moore (of Strangers in Paradise fame) had a new series, let alone that it was going to be a movie: Terry Moore’s “Echo” will see the big screen.

The almost-wordless Owly comics are utterly adorable. The only thing more adorable is Owly in 3D, on the big screen!If you are willing to risk the head-exploding cuteness, take a look at the trailer!

Also on a comics-related tangent, Why I based superheroes on Islam’ “The creator of a bestselling comic designed to show the world the tolerant and peaceful face of Islam has written an open letter to his young sons explaining how the project grew out of 9/11.”

Here’s an interesting roundtable post on Girls and Fandom, the Twilight phenomena, San Diego Comic Con, and why girls’ comics (and their other enthusiasms, for that matter) don’t get any respect.

A little piece of post-modern genius–Spread Persepolis is an explanation of the current political situation in Iran using art from Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis with new captions.

And a bit late for Canada Day, but still amusing… the webcomic Hark, A Vagrant has its own particular dry sense of humour. I was particularily found with this take on Canadian historical figures.

 

Semi-regular link round up: bookish things of many flavours

My poor, overburdened laptop Alice usually has at least two or three Firefox windows open, with at least half a dozen tabs per window. The session saver add-on is my best friend. (A couple weeks ago, I realized that maybe the reason Alice was running so sluggishly was that she had eight windows and close to a hundred and twenty open tabs. Oops.) I keep thinking that oh, that looks interesting, I’ll email/bookmark/blog/tag that on delicious later.

I am happy to say that I don’t have a hundred plus tabs open today, but I do have a gradual accumulation. Here are some of the bits and pieces I’ve come across lately:

I am intrigued by this: Penguin to release last Green Gables book in its entirety “Penguin Canada says it will publish the final volume of the Anne of Green Gables series in its entirety for the first time ever. The Blythes Are Quoted was slated to be the ninth title in Lucy Maud Montgomery’s popular series about head-strong orphan Anne Shirley, but it was never published during the author’s lifetime.”

If I was not insanely busy packing and moving this summer, I would be signing up for the One Shot Southeast Asia blog challenge over at Chasing Ray! (Funny how moving five blocks is just aslabour-intensive as moving across town…)

Booklights has a great list of ways to keep your kids reading over the summer. It’s geared towards kids in the early reading stages. (My unsolicited non-parent-or-teacher librarianly suggestion is for the love of all that’s holy, put down the curriculum lists for the upcoming grade and let them read all the fun stuff they want to. Bring on the Garfield comics, Star Wars novelizations, Rainbow Fairies, Geronimo Stilton and Draw 50 everything books! What else is summer for?)

On a slightly related slant, this article from Parents’ Choice, What-Kids-Who-Don’t-Like-To-Read-Like-To-Read has some good insights, types of books that appeal to reluctant readers, and a booklist of suggestions. (Though it’s a pretty American-centric list, there are some good picks!)

From Fuse 8,Help! My Ten-Year-Old Wants to Read Twilight has some great suggestions for Twilight alternatives, based on what appeals about the book to the reader in the first place.

And if none of the above appeal to you, try Seven Tips for Quitting a Book.

If you want to read through some thoughtful discussion, head to Mitali Perkins’ blog:

Should publishers edit beloved children’s books like LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE or THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA to eliminate racial or ethnic stereotyping? When (if ever) is it okay?

The First Nations Communities Read project is awesome in its own right, and its existence makes me happy. This year’s book is Which Way Should I Go by Sylvia Olsen, Ron Martin, and Kasia Charko.

On the useful link side of things, this author name pronunciation guide from Teaching Books has the authors themselves pronouncing their names for you, with all the style, verve and additional commentary that you would expect. (I’m particularily fond of Jane Yolen and Mo Willems’s entires.)

Here is an interview with Neil Gaiman at Shelf Awareness, immediately post-Newbery. The best bit:

Q: So what do you think about children’s books?

A: They’re terrible; they should be banned. What kind of question is that? I think they’re wonderful. When I was a kid, I was a kid with a book. As far as I was concerned, had you asked me at the age of seven what the most important things in the world are, I’d probably say the first six Narnia books, the first three Mary Poppins books. . . . Had I discovered The Hobbit yet? Not yet. The books that took pride of place on my shelves were Stig of the Dump by Clive King, Tales of Ancient Egypt by Roger Lancelyn Green. I was the kind of kid who, during my summer holidays, would persuade my parents to drop me off at the library in the morning, and I’d spend my day there. Sometimes I’d pack a lunch. At 6:30 when they closed, I’d walk home.

Children’s fiction, for me back then, was the most important thing there is. It has a holy place and position that adult fiction doesn’t have. Adult fiction is a wonderful thing and enriching to the soul and mind, and it takes you to great places. But children’s fiction can change the world and give you a refuge from the intolerable. It can give you a place of safety and show you the world is not bounded by the world you live in–there’s more than that.

I would love to have that last bit condensed into a t-shirt-sized quote…

 

New Canadian GLBT YA books

I have been remiss in updating! I have not one, not two, but SEVEN more titles added to my list of Canadian YA GLBT books! (I know, it’s a bit of a specific niche, but one near and dear to me all the same.) I haven’t had a chance to read everything on this list yet, so the blurbs are all the back of the book publishers’ copy. But I can tell you that I’m looking forward to trying to read them all.

Evil? by Timothy Carter. “Stuart Bradley knows there are a lot of reasons people in his small, conservative hometown might not approve of him. He’s openly gay, he’s mouthy in church, and he conjures demons in his spare time—the usual. So Stuart knows something is odd when his little brother catches him ’self-pleasuring’ in the shower and, before he knows it, an angry mob is chasing down every teen who ever had an ‘impure’ thought. Stuart soon discovers that the new preacher in town is more than he seems. He’s a fallen angel-fallen because he became too obsessed with a certain harmless adolescent activity. If Stuart and his demon sidekick don’t stop him, blindness is going to be the least of anyone’s worries.”

Out by Sandra Diersch “No one in Alex’s world is who they seemed to be. Alex struggles with his faith when he witnesses a church member cheating on his wife and learns that his brother is gay. When his brother is brutally attacked, Alex is forced to decide where is loyalties lie and what he really believes in.”

 

 

 

The Uninvited by Tim Wynne Jones . “Mimi Shapiro had a disturbing freshman year at NYU, thanks to a foolish affair with a professor who still haunts her caller ID. So when her artist father, Marc, offers the use of his remote Canadian cottage, she’s glad to hop in her Mini Cooper and drive up north. The house is fairy-tale quaint, and the key is hidden right where her dad said it would be, so she’s shocked to find someone already living there — Jay, a young musician, who is equally startled to meet Mimi and immediately accuses her of leaving strange and threatening tokens inside: a dead bird, a snakeskin, a cricket sound track embedded in his latest composition. But Mimi has just arrived, so who is responsible? And more alarmingly, what does the intruder want? Part gripping thriller, part family drama, this fast-paced novel plays out in alternating viewpoints, in a pastoral setting that is evocative and eerie — a mysterious character in its own right.” Secondary GLBT characters: Jay has two moms.

Will’s Garden by Lee Maracle “As Will prepares for his Becoming Man Ceremony, relatives fill the house, bringing with them memories, tradition and customs. As they work together beading, carving and cooking, Will reflects on their stories of working on railroad construction or surviving Residential Schools. The Ceremony takes on new importance for Will. After the Ceremony Will is inspired to take action to make changes in his own life. An outcast at his high school, where racism is commonplace, he befriends the ‘nerds,’ comes to terms with his new friend’s homosexuality and commits himself to a future of change. He is transformed into the man that he promised to become in his Becoming Man Ceremony. Maracle, of Salish and Cree ancestry, is an award-winning author.”

Inferno by Robin Stevenson. “Dante thinks high school is an earthly version of hell. She hates her new home in the suburbs, her best friend has moved away, her homeroom teacher mocks her and her mother is making her attend a social skills group for teenage girls. When a stranger shows up at school and hands Dante a flyer that reads: Woof, woof. You are not a dog. Why are you going to obedience school?, Dante thinks she’s found a soul mate. Someone who understands. Someone else who wants to make real changes in the world. But there are all kinds of ways of bringing about change…and some are more dangerous than others.”

Skim by Mariko Tamaki, illustrated by Jillian Tamaki. “It’s the early nineties and “Skim” is Kimberly Keiko Cameron, a not-slim, would-be Wiccan goth stuck in a private girls’ school in Toronto. When a classmate’s boyfriend kills himself because he was rumoured to be gay, the school goes into mourning overdrive, each clique trying to find something to hold on to and something to believe in. It’s a weird time to fall in love, but that’s high school, and that’s what happens to Skim when she starts to meet in secret with her neo-hippie English teacher, Ms. Archer. But when Ms. Archer abruptly leaves, Skim struggles to cope with her confusion and isolation, armed with her trusty journal and a desire to shed old friendships while cautiously approaching new ones.”

Bonus international title from a Canadian publisher:

Girl from Mars by Tamara Bach, translated by Shelley Tanaka. “Miriam is fifteen and she has lived in the same little town her whole life, going to school with the same kids who know everything about her. But now she’s in high school and wishing she lived in a big city where she could meet new people and see new things. In other words, like fifteen-year-olds everywhere, Miriam is desperately waiting for her life to start happening. Something, anything — a first love, perhaps. And then love comes, in a completely unexpected way, when Miriam meets a new classmate, Laura. Suddenly, life is very complicated and unsettling, as Miriam finds herself lying to her girlfriends, avoiding her brother’s probing questions, and second guessing every move she makes. At the same time she’s constantly on edge trying to figure out Laura’s moods and exactly how her arrogant friend Philip fits into her life. Then Philip, Miriam and Laura take a weekend trip to the big city — a trip that makes everything clear, and more confusing than ever.”

 

An anecdote about series readers and the future of our youth

You’ve all seen it–the news spot, the magazine article, the concerned newspaper column. Kids these days. Video games and the internet means that they’re not reading!

One of the best parts of my job is that I see a lot of kids who are hugely, passionately excited about books. Let me tell you a (true) story.

A few weeks ago, the staff in the kids’ department at our library couldn’t help but notice that one of our libary patrons had more than a hundred books on hold all come in at once. We don’t charge for holds, unless you don’t come and pick them up within a certain period of time, and a hundred missed holds at $2/book is a not inconsiderable amount of money. The people I work with are awesome. When we checked and found it was a kid’s library card, we called and gave them a heads-up about the Giant Pile O’ Books.

Well, the young lady who had put the books on hold came in the next day with her mom. She got her books–pretty much all generic series books like Animal Ark, Puppy Place, Magic Treehouse, and Bailey School Kids. As we suspected, she had just discovered the joy of placing holds through the online catalogue. (So! Many! Books!) Her mom looked at the stack, and said dryly, “Somebody got a little click-happy. I think we’re going to have to put a household limit of ten at a time.”

But, this particular eight year old was THRILLED. She had brought a pillowcase to carry them home in, and swore up, down and sideways that she was going to read every single one. She left with all hundred-some books, and the world’s biggest grin on her face.

This was a reminder to me of two things.

First, don’t discount the power of series books. Yeah, sure, the repetition and pattern of your standard mass-market kids’ series part of building reading and comprehension skills, and the familiar characters and predictatable plots are reassuring and confidence building. But from a less technical perspective, they get kids hooked (heck, series get adults hooked) and enthusiastic and  in love with books.

Also, libraries are seriously awesome. I know, I’m pretty biased on that one, but where else can you get MORE BOOKS THAT YOU CAN CARRY for free? I think I’m going to remember that kid with her pillowcase and giant grin for a long time.

 

The Blue Helmet by William Bell

This ie one of my catch-up posts from the 48 Hour Book Challenge. I don’t know why it took me as long as it did to read this one–William Bell is pretty consistently awesome, and I do try to read most of the Canadian kids and YA award winners. Maybe because I thought it had more to do with gang life than it does, and I wasn’t in the mood for something gritty. Anyhow, I’ve unreservedly recommended it to several people since then, and I’m glad I finally did read it.

Lee’s used to being on his own. His mom died of cancer when he was seven. His dad has worked two jobs for years, trying  to pay off the trip to Italy that was the last thing he could do for his dying wife–a trip where Lee got left behind with his aunt.

Lee doesn’t need his family. He tells himself he doesn’t need anyone, but he’s still trying to get into the toughest gang in his neighbourhood. When his initiation ends with Lee in the back seat of a police car, he’s forced to face up to the fact that someone betrayed him and tipped off the cops. It just confirms what he already knows. You can never show weakness or give in. You have to stand up and fight for yourself because no-one else will.

Lee gets lucky. Instead of jail time, he finds himself facing exile, sent away from Hamilton to live with his Aunt Reena in the town of New Toronto. Lee’s hugely resentful at first, but gradually finds himself drawn into the routine, and into the lives of the regulars at Reena’s Cafe Unique. Some of them are college students, some of them are down on their luck, and others are just plain wierd. When Lee starts delivering meals for Reena by bike, he gets to know Andrea the pharmacist, Krantz, a meterology buff, and Cutter, a paranoid, possibly schizophrenic conspiracy theorist.

Lee finds Cutter fascinating. Cutter has a brilliant mind, top-notch computer equipment, and when he’s taking his medication and having a good week, he’s eccentric. And amazingly enough, he trusts Lee. But when everything changes abruptly and irrevocably, Lee starts to put together Cutter’s story and finds his own life profoundly altered as a result.

William Bell packs an awful lot into a deceptively skinny book. This is a story of choices, of redemption, and of the far-reaching consequences of violence. It’s also a well-paced, fast-moving book starting in the back of a police car. Lee could have been a totally unsympathetic character, but knowing where he’s coming from and seeing the decisions he makes is part of what makes this such a powerful story. And when I realized where exactly the title came from, it was blindingly obvious, and perfectly fitting.

 

Bloggish housekeeping and a new addiction

Well, I still have five books from last weekend waiting to be blogged (and anything else I’ve read lately that catches my interest–probable picks are The Entertainer and the Dybbuk by Sid Fleischman, Half World by Hiromi Goto, and recent additions to two great middle-school mystery series–Enola Holmes and Gilda Joyce.)

In the meantime, I’ve started updating my blogroll on this site to include a lot of the cool blogs found in the vast, sprawling folders of my RSS feed reader. (Got to the book blogs, but not the author blogs, which will have to wait for another night.)

Meanwhile, if you ever want to get anything done again, I suggest you avoid the horribly addictive Plants vs Zombies game. Okay, click if you must, but don’t say I didn’t warn you…