Wonder Bear

From the moment I saw this cover, I was mesmerized.

Two children trudge up a hill and plant some seeds. The girl plants watermelon, and the boy seemingly plants top hats.

As they sleep beside the garden, something magical happens. The top hat seeds thrust up a twisted vine that is topped with gorgeous orange flowers. Out from an orange flower climbs a polar bear wearing a top hat.

From that top hat wondrous things emerge for the children with which to play. Monkeys with fuzzy arms and legs. Lion shaped bubbles. Breezes filled with sea creatures.

After the adventure, the children are put back to bed, the wonders go back into the hat, and though the vine stays, the bear and his hat do not.

Was it a dream?

Wordless, wonderful an absolutely beautiful, Wonder Bear was apparently inspired by a gummi bear. Tao Nyeu is certainly a gifted artist with a real sense of story. Under the dust jacket are pre-printed covers featuring our monkey friends and wonder bear himself (herself?). I am not a student of design, but I do know when folks get it right. Wonder Bear begs readers to go back time and time again to discover new wonders.

Delightful.

Just Grace Walks the Dog

Grace is back, and she is on a mission. She is newly crazy about dogs, and she is trying to convince her parents that she is responsible enough to have one. The problem is that her parents say that they are not animal people. But Grace is unconvinced. Both of her parents had pets growing up, so deep down inside, they must be animal people.

How can Grace convince her folks that she can handle a dog?

She comes up with a great solution with the help of friends Mimi, Max and Sammy. Grace and Mimi build a cardboard dog, and start taking care of it like they would take care of a live dog. But trouble can even find a dog made out of cardboard.

Charise Mericle Harper continues the Grace series effortlessly. The familiar characters are there, but they each grow from book to book. The backdrop of school and family, and the quest for a pet will be familiar to many a reader. The vignette style and drawings will keep even reluctant readers moving along, and Grace is just as lovable as ever!

Bliss

It's 1969 Atlanta, and Bliss Inthemorningdew (yes that is her name) has just been dropped off by her hippie parents at her grandmother's place. Her folks have just left the commune and are heading to Canada, and Bliss' world is about to change.

Her grandmother is a true Southern lady, and quickly enrolls Bliss in the tony Crestview private school. Bliss is excited about actually going to a real school, but she is keeping her friend from the commune Flying V's warning about mean girls in the back of her mind. (Flying V has a gift of sight, and Bliss has a bit of it herself).

Bliss is thrown for a loop when her peer mentor Sarah Lynn ditches her. Luckily Thelma has decided to take Bliss under her wing and she and friends Jolene and Deedee school Bliss in the ways of not only Crestview, but life in Atlanta off the commune.

Unfortunately, when Flying V's warning seems to come into play, and Bliss witnesses some cruelty between classmates, Bliss ends up befriending Sandy. Sandy who the other kids make fun of because she's clumsy, she smells, and well, she's Sandy.

But Bliss feels good about being friends with Sandy. At first. They talk about conformity, power and the Manson Family murder trial. But Sandy is really needy, and it's draining spending time with her. Bliss would rather be with Thelma, Deedee and Jolene, not to mention super cute Mitchell.

What will happen when Sandy gets mixed up in a quest for power that involves the supernatural? Can Bliss disentangle herself from this girl who is set on revenge?

Lauren Myracle has written a thrilling page turner reminiscent of Nixon and Duncan. It's perfectly paced and will keep readers wanting more. Chapters are interspersed with journal pages which are border line terrifying when one thinks about the implications of animal torture and the dark arts.

Bliss is not only a scary thriller. The setting of late 1960s Atlanta allows for some frank discussions of race and the nature of racism. From the token black student at Crestview, to the Klan daddies, to teachers feeling free to use the "N" word in their classrooms, Bliss will have readers chewing on some big ideas as well.

Tours, meetings and chicken korma

*Whew!* I'm back from my whirlwind trip to Anaheim for ALA's Annual Conference. I left almost before it started since my main thrust was my presentation at the Diversity Leadership Institute, which you can read about over at the ALSC blog! A truly inspiring and informative event!

After the Institute was over, I headed out with my colleague Lana for dinner and we ended up in Downtown Disney. It was quite a sight! We ended up having some pretty delicious tapas before calling it a night.

Next up was the ISS sponsored Independent School Libraries tour. We were fortunate enough to visit two incredibly different and amazing libraries. The first was at the Chadwick School in Palos Verdes. A beautiful facility with a reading room featuring beanbag chairs that our middle school kids would die for! Librarian Sarah Knetzer-Davis gave us a fabulous tour, and went above and beyond by delivering some of our ISS members back to conference so that they could make their sessions! Thank you Sarah!

Next up was the Crossroads School in Santa Monica. This felt a bit like home to me as Crossroads is a progressive school, and I have the feeling that many of the students there are quite similar to the ones I have! We visited the Middle and High School library, and it is an amazing site. Most of (if not all of) Crossroads is made up of buildings that used to be used for industrial purposes. The librarians there were great and it sounds like the library is a super active place during the school year, with the students really feeling at home there!

The afternoon was taken up with an ALSC 101 session. Even though I have been a librarian for YEARS (about 12 now), I have been active more with YALSA. Now I am looking to dive into ALSC, so I figured that I would head on over and meet some folks! We had a rousing get to know you fest, and I came away with a better sense of the organization (as well as an author contact for next year! Woot!)

Finding dinner on Friday night was a bit more difficult. Many places had an hour wait. Wandering home I happened upon Gandhi Palace, where I had some really, REALLY good Indian food. So if you are still at Conference and like Indian food, you really should head on over for some dinner!

Then a 4:10 a.m. wake up call this morning, and here I am back in NYC. I'm a bit sad that I didn't get a chance to head onto the exhibit floor, but I am happy to be home!

California Here I Come...

Well, like so many of you, I am off to sunny California! I am very excited about this conference because not only am I attending, but I will also be presenting and blogging.

I will be representing my school at the Pre-conference on Diversity. I will be exploring the ways that the library can support school wide diversity efforts, and even spear head some of those efforts!

I will be blogging this for ALSC as well. So if you do not have a chance to come to the pre-conference, head on over to the ALSC blog to read all about it.

I am looking forward to going on some school tours while in Anaheim as well. I love seeing how other folks set things up!

Happy travels!

How To Ditch Your Fairy

Have you ever imagined having a fairy of your very own? Imagine the magic, or luck, if you will. But what if your fairy only had one specialty and you had no say over what that specialty was? You could end up like Ro with a very doos fairy that helps her shop and find the perfect outfit on sale every time. You could be like Fiorenze with a fairy that makes boys like you! Or you could be like Charlie, who has a parking fairy. The perfect stop, right out front every time.

The thing is, Charlie doesn't like her fairy. She doesn't think it's doos at all to have a parking fairy. People always want her to ride with them in their cars. The school bully will even go as far as kidnapping Charlie for a spot (and his fairy makes the job quite easy!).

So Charlie has decided to get rid of her fairy. There are several theories making the rounds about how to do so, but Charlie has decided that she will starve her fairy. No more riding in cars equals no more parking equals no more fairy. But walking everywhere is complicating Charlie's life. She is constantly late and getting demerits at her uber strict sports school, and frankly, she's a bit tired of getting into trouble.

After months of walking, Charlie is surprised to find herself talking to Fiorenze. After all, Fiorenze is kind of the envy of many of the girls. Even Charlie's beloved Steffi is not immune to Fio's fairy. But, Fio's parents are fairy experts, and Fio tells Charlie that her mom knows secrets about getting rid of fairies. Can Charlie possibly get rid of her own poxy parking fairy, with the help of someone who has been a sworn enemy?

Justine Larbalestier has written the world of New Avalon where having a fairy is as normal as anything. Swimming in the text is an interesting narrative about pop culture, celebrity worship and the very idea of luck itself. Charlie is hilarious, and her friends are just as dear. This is a sure hit with fans of Larbalestier's work, and will have readers everywhere pondering just what kind of fairy they could actually live with. (Personally, as someone living in NYC, the parking fairy would suit me just fine!)

Summer: A User's Guide

Have you ever looked longingly at those Daring and Dangerous books for girls and boys and wished to be a kid again? Well, wish no longer, because Suzanne Brown's Summer: A Users Guide is right up that alley and aimed at the grown-up set.

Suzanne is a self confessed summer junkie. From her parents renting a bungalow at the Jersey shore, to weekends on the Vineyard with friends, summer held magical moments. Brown uses this book to help those who may not be summer converts to fill their days, no matter the city or country location.

Filled with stunning photographs, readers need not study cover to cover. The format allows for and encourages jumping around. From the initial list of "50 fun things to do this summer" (which includes 8. send a message in a bottle, and 50. spike a watermelon with vodka p. 17) to the instructions on cleaning fish, this is a book that should accompany folks to the beach-house, cottage, cabin, lake house, and kitchen table.

Recipes, instructions for games, hosting, arts and crafts, tire swings, picnics, identifying clouds, car games, skipping stones....the list goes on and on. Yes, this is a family friendly book, but with recipes for cocktails, and instructions for repairing screens, there is a decidedly adult bent.

I really love this book. From the way that it looks to the eclectic content within, it's sure to make a match for plenty of readers. I know that it will be a hostess gift of mine this summer!

Favorite Author Meme

So, I've been tagged twice! Once at Booktopia by Mindy, and once at Tweendom by Juxtabook.
I decided to answer over here.

Here are the rules:
Link to the person that tagged you, post the rules somewhere in your blog, answer the questions, and tag people in your post. Don’t forget to let the tagees know they were tagged, so leave a comment on their blog! And remember to let your tagger know that your entry is posted.

1. Who’s your favorite all-time author, and why?
I would have to say Robertson Davies. The Deptford Trilogy had a hand in shaping my adult tastes, when I read the books in High School. A big thanks to the English Department at A.N. Myer for putting it on the list!

2.Who was your first favorite author, and why?
I was obsessed with poetry when I was young, so I think it would be a tie between Shel Silverstein and Dennis Lee. I actually still have "The Puddle" by Lee committed to memory.

3. Who’s the most recent edition to your list of favorite authors, and why?
Scott Westerfeld. I started with So Yesterday, whipped through the Uglies quartet, and dove into Peeps, and The Last Days. His books are smart, perfectly paced, and oddly important.

4. If someone asked you who your favorite authors were right now, what would pop out of your mouth?
M.T. Anderson, Scott Westerfeld, Hemingway, Merilyn Simonds, Adam Rex, Oliver Jeffers, Jeanne Birdsall, and Jimmy Gownley. Ecclectic, non?

Onto the tagging!

3 Evil Cousins
breenibooks
BookJoy

Some Helpful Tips for a Better World and a Happier Life

I fully admit that I am very picky when it comes to picture books. I have certain favorites that I revisit over and over, and I am very happy when a new book tickles my fancy.

Some Helpful Tips for a Better World and a Happier Life has indeed tickled my fancy. From the wonky illustrations, to the suggestions themselves, this book will have readers smiling. Some of the suggestions are "Begin each day by making funny faces in the mirror" and "Splash in puddles whenever possible". My little ones are already trying to decide on some special occasions to invent.

Short, sweet and simply lovely.

The Luxe - Rumors

New York City Society (with the capital "S") is still reeling with shock over the disappearance and presumed death of Elizabeth Holland. On the cusp of being married to Henry Schoonmaker, she plunged into the river and was not seen again. Only Elizabeth's sister Diana, and Penelope Hayes know the truth, and neither one is talking.

Penelope is busy working her way into the sights of Henry's stepmother Isabelle in the hopes of finally making a match with Henry. Diana, on the other side of things, is desperately trying to avoid all of the matches her mother is trying to make for her in order to mend the family fortune. Diana is still a bit of a wild one and she cannot forget her night with Henry in the greenhouse, and though she suspects what Penelope is up to , she is certain that Henry's feelings for her mirror her own.

Nobody counts on Lina, the Holland's former maid, making her way into Society. But Lina has information, and in turn of the century New York, gossip is currency. Especially if it is about moneyed families taking a fall.

Lush descriptions, fascinating characters, and gossip to rival today's mongers all make for a compulsively readable and enjoyable ride. I am already waiting for the next book from Anna Godbersen, and I am sure those who read Rumors (especially the second last paragraph) will feel the same way!

Little Brother

Marcus, aka w1n5t0n, is your run of the mill techno head who is just trying to get around school security to go and meet his friends for a Harajuku Fun Madness when the world changes. He gets out of school with his buddy Daryl, fooling the school's gait recognition system, and goes to meet up with Van and Jolu. They are just in the area they need to be to find a clue, when the ground starts to move. It's California...they are used to earthquakes, but this seems a bit different. And then the clouds appear. And the sirens and announcements. Marcus and his friends head to the closest BART station with the rest of the pack. People are pushing and shoving and Marcus even steps on someone who he meant to help. The friends quickly realize that they need to get back above ground. Upon surfacing, they realize that Daryl is hurt. He is bleeding from his side like someone stabbed him!

Marcus does the only thing that he can think of. He jumps into traffic and tries to flag down a firetruck or cop to help his friend. He is not prepared for the vehicle that does stop. The unmarked armored truck that holds people in black with guns. Guns that are now pointed at Marcus. Before he knows it, there is a sack over his head, and his wrists are tied, and he is in that black truck. Next comes a bigger truck, and an interrogation.

Marcus knows his rights. He asks repeatedly for a lawyer and he balks at the idea of being suspected of terrorism. The woman asking the questions wants him to unlock his phone, and explain all of the techno-gadgets he has on his person. Marcus refuses. The sack goes back on his head, and he is traveling once more.

What happens when your own government takes you prisoner? When nobody knows where you are? How much does it take before you break from the humiliation?

Marcus does get back on the streets, with a warning that he will be watched. And when he does get home and realizes that his laptop is bugged, he believes it. But Marcus cannot give up the idea that the US is supposed to be a free country, and he cannot believe how much security takes over his city, his classroom, and his life in general. People are tracked wherever they go. Even worse, most folks think that the security is a good thing...that it's keeping them safe. Marcus vows revenge, and the only way he can get it, is by using technology in a way that the Department of Homeland Security can't track.

Wow. This is a thriller if I have ever read one! The action is non-stop, and even the explanations of technology were interesting enough to keep the pace. Cory Doctorow has developed Marcus into such a likable character that readers do not feel talked down to while the technological angles are explained. Marcus knows that most folks aren't ARG-ing and don't know how to disable caller-id, and could care less about sophisticated math. But somehow, while reading Little Brother, I cared.

Fast paced, fun and frightening, Little Brother is perfect for the reader who needs a strong start. Blurbed by Neil Gaiman, and Scott Westerfeld, and Brian K. Vaughan, Doctorow has some heavy hitting fans. Shopped out to readers, this title was loved equally by 17 and 37 year olds!

Lady Liberty A Biography

So, I look at the Statue of Liberty quite a bit. Twice daily, in fact. But I don't really think about it often. Doreen Rappaport's Lady Liberty A Biography opened my eyes not only to the building of the Statue of Liberty itself, but also gave me insight into what New York City and the United States were like during this time period.

Told in verse, Rappaport chronicles the building of the Statue of Liberty from idea to completion from a number of points of view. From the salons of Glatigny France in 1865, to the workrooms in Paris in 1876, to the foundation pit of the statue in 1884. From the newsrooms of New York City in 1885, to Bedloe's Island and the big reveal in 1886, Rappaport brings readers in. Professors, sculptors, assistants, engineers, poets, construction workers, journalists, and children all played their part.

The illustrations by Matt Tavares are simply breathtaking and seem to hearken back to the time period in question. Rappaport makes her own connection by setting the first poem in New York City today from her point of view, and then goes on at the end to add quotes from people who saw the statue for the first time. Also provided are a list of Statue of Liberty dimensions, and a timeline of important events, as well as a list of selected sources for further reading.

This is another title that perfectly compliments our New York City curriculum as well as our immigration curriculum. It's also simply fascinating for a casual reader.

Fablehaven - Grip of the Shadow Plague...

...is over at Tweendom.

Brooklyn Bridge...

...by Karen Hesse is over at Tweendom.

Ladybug Girl

Lulu zips into the kitchen and proudly announces, "I'm Ladybug Girl!" She's all decked out in ladybug rain boots, a red tutu and leotard, ladybug wings, and some red antennae. After her mother tells her that she has to figure out her own fun today, and her brother leaves to play baseball with his friends, Lulu is a bit upset. She stands in the center of the chaos of her room with nothing to do.

Lulu starts to wander the house. She counts some letters on the spines of the books in the living room. She measures her avocado plant. And then her hound Bingo gives her the look that lets her know it's time to go outside.

Lulu and Bingo are soon saving ants, braving shark infested puddles, building walls, and balancing along toppled trees. Lulu doesn't even let a chance run in with her big brother ruin her fun.

Ladybug Girl, by David Soman and Jacky Davis is simply magical. From the movement in the illustrations to the authenticity of Lulu's day, this book is pitch perfect. My 5 year old saw herself over and over again in the story (from the avocado measuring to the wandering in the yard), and sat silently staring at the pictures. With just enough story, readers get a glimpse into a day in the life of a girl on her own. The endpapers show Lulu in a series of different outfits, and I can imagine some stories coming along about deep sea divers and witches!

Delightful.

The Penderwicks on Gardam Street

*Sigh* How long have I been waiting for this?

The Penderwicks are back! It's a couple of months since their summer vacation upstate, and the girls and their dad are back on Gardam Street. We flash back to the time that Mrs. Penderwick was still alive, and gave her sister a blue envelope. Rosalind was the only one to hear what was in that envelope, and she conveniently forgot all about it. Everything comes flooding back after Aunt Claire presents said envelope to Mr. Penderwick on a visit. The girls knew that something was up because Aunt Claire comes with gifts...and a plan for a blind date for her brother.

Who is ready for Mr. Penderwick to start dating again, even if it is the late Mrs. Penderwick's idea? Certainly not Rosalind. And certainly not Mr. Penderwick. Enter an emergency MOPS meeting, resulting in the save Daddy plan.

Ensuing are disasterous dates, swapped homework, Aztec plays, the demise of Mick Hart, and a little Tommy love!

I am an unabashed fan of The Penderwicks, and I am delighted with the second installment. The relative innocence of the plot is refreshing, and the storytelling is such a pleasure to experience. Each girl is a personality, and the additions of the characters of Iantha and Ben are welcome. I simply cannot wait to read these books to my daughters.

Stormy's Hat

How happy am I to find a picture book that melds perfectly with a curriculum piece?! Woot, indeed.

Stormy is a hardworking railroad man. But he has one problem. He cannot find a hat to suit his needs. The derby that he has been wearing, goes flying off his head every time that he leans out the window! So Stormy decides to ask his friends for some suggestions. After all, there are hats for policemen, sailors and coat miners...why not for railroad men?

First on the list comes the suggestion from cowboy Tex. A cowboy hat is what Stormy needs! The bonnet strings will keep it from flying off. But Stetson's are tall, wide and white. These all cause problems for poor Stormy.

Next comes the suggestion from Nate the pressman. He thinks a folded newspaper hat is exactly what Stormy needs. But, a paper hat and sparks? You can imagine the results.

On to fireman Mike's suggestion of his fire hat. This seems like the perfect solution. Too heavy to blow off, easy to clean, fireproof! All of these attributes equal hot and heavy, which ends up with Stormy with a headache.

Between all of the suggestions, Stormy's wife Ida has been trying without success to get a word in edgewise. She is, after all, a seamstress who has some great ideas about how to get Stormy the hat he needs. Will Stormy finally listen.

This true story of the invention of the railroad worker hat by Stormy and Ida Kromer. With reference to American tall tales, and a little feminism thrown for good measure, Stormy's Hat is a delightful read aloud with a little something for everyone!

Happy Blogoversary!

Well! Happy Blogoversary to me! I know I've hit maximum overload when I plum forget that I've been at this here blog for the past 3 years. 234 posts later, Booktopia is still going strong!

So thanks to those of you who read this. Thanks to those who comment. And big thanks to those of you recommending titles.

A Thousand Never Evers

It's the summer of 1963, and all is not well. Medgar Evans has just been shot, four little girls have been firebombed while at Sunday School, and who knows what else is going on that is not making the news.

Addie Ann Pickett lives in Kuckachoo Mississippi with her mama, her Uncle Bump (on account of his muscles), and her brother Elias. Her biggest concerns of the summer are working with her Uncle at Old Man Adams' place, trying to convince her best friend Delilah that jumping double dutch isn't baby stuff, and worrying about
7th grade next year with Mrs. Jacks over at Country Colored (West Thunder Creek Junior High School, if you please!)

Things start changing when Old Man Adams up and dies. No one is more surprised than Addie Ann when she, her Uncle and Elmira the cook, are summoned up to the house for the reading of the will. Mr. Adams left a little something for each of them. Elmira gets his dutch oven, Addie Ann gets the television (that she used to secretly watch sometimes), and Uncle Bump gets a beautiful gold pocket watch. Everyone there is most interested in what will become of the house and grounds. After all, Old Man Adams has the best garden around.

Imagine the looks on the sheriff's and mayor's faces when the lawyer announces that the garden is to be a shared community garden for whites and colored folks alike! But when most people in power are racist from their toes on up, this seems like a piece of Old Man Adams will that won't be honoured.

Then something even worse happens. One day when Addie Ann's brother brings her to the general store, two bully white boys take her cat from her. All because she raised her eyes, and doesn't know her place. One boy is about to drop kick poor Flapjack when Elias comes to the rescue, lobs a honeypot at the boy's head, knocks him out and breaks his leg. Elias takes off swimming for his life in the Bayou. Addie Ann knows the sheriff and his hounds, along with the Klan will be after Elias.

What follows is Addie Ann's struggle to get through. Her struggle to come to grips with what has happened to her family. And her realization that now is her time. The reverend always said that she would know when her time to the movement would come. When the hounds come for her Uncle, she knows it's her time, and Addie Ann rises to the occasion.

Brilliantly written, A Thousand Never Evers should have a place in every public and school library. Addie Ann and her family come alive off the page, as does the town of Kuckachoo itself. Equally heartbreaking and inspiring, Shana Burg has taken her own family's calling to the civil rights movement and made it into a work of art.

This is one of the rare times that I put a recommendation here and at Welcome to My Tweendom. I do think that this book really does span from tween to young adult. The issues that arise can be discussed in various manners, and the summer of 1963 is one that we all need to know and think about!

gossip of the starlings

Catherine has never really met anyone like Skye Butterfield. Daughter of the Senator, Skye has been on television since she was a little girl. And when she decides to befriend Catherine while attending Esther Percy School for Girls, Catherine finds herself charmed and flattered.

Catherine has maintained her friends from Waverly, of course. After getting caught in bed with her boyfriend John Paul, Catherine's father thought a school for girls would keep Catherine out of trouble, and concentrating on her studies and her horse riding. But John Paul still comes to her meets, and the first people that Skye wants to meet are Catherine's Waverly friends.

What comes with the mix of her Waverly friends with Skye Butterfield is cocaine from South America,unsupervised trips away from school, and the slow destruction of marriages, friendships and love.

Nina de Gramont has captured the insular world of privileged youth perfectly. Set against the back drop of 1984, a school year in the reckless abandon of these teens reads truthful. Catherine, Drew, Susannah and Skye all know that no matter what, their parent's means will help them out of any situation - be it bringing drugs into the country, or sleeping with a teacher. John Paul's scholarship status does leave him more vulnerable than the rest, and it's amazing to read how little thought his friends give to his circumstance.

This compelling story will be a good companion to John Green's Looking for Alaska, and E. Lockhart's The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau Banks.