Mo Willems is the coolest. Also I really want a Pigeon stuffed animal now.
Reminder, Bostonians: Mo Williems will be at Brookline Booksmith on April 1!
(HT: Wellesley Booksmith)
Category: Readings
Links Galore
More links to take you into the weekend:
- Love this list of superstitions, most of which I’d never heard of.
- Lots of great events (YA and otherwise) at the LA Times Festival of Books. West coasters, check it out and report back!
- I have a no guilt policy when it comes to the New Yorker, but I understand the pressure.
- Who exactly was behind that giant pot shipment to St. Martin’s Press? Famous literary characters, that’s who! (If only.)
- Great round-up of non-traditional families in YA/children’s lit. So glad to see Ballet Shoes included!
“The Landyard” and How You Will Never Repay Your Mother
Late by a day, but to celebrate Poet Billy Collins’ birthday, here’s a video of him reading his poem “The Lanyard.” I’ve seen Collins read a couple of times, and he works the comic tone nicely:
Maybe I should have saved this one for Mother’s Day instead.
Links Galore
Lots of fun links for the end of the week:
- Next week brings the Virginia Festival of the Book, which includes lots of wonderful readings (many free), including some for YA authors.
- Speaking of readings, Jay Asher talks about a particularly awkward one.
- Everybody loves writers.
- Dickensian London in pictures.
- There’s a lot of weird Hunger Games paraphernalia out there, guys.
- Speaking of The Hunger Games, Walt looks at the series and why your characters shouldn’t be victims.
- Are music and language natural to humans?
- Attention female screenwriters: Women in Film & Video/New England (WIFV/NE) is now accepting entries for the Tenth Annual Screenwriting Competition.
- Sometimes teens use Youtube for fantastic reasons–like helping Henryville High School students after losing their school in a tornado. So moving.
Local Library Love
As a native Rhode Islander, I was excited to see this article on the Providence Athenaeum. It’s a beautiful library:
The article is a fantastic look at the Athenaeum’s history and current place in the New England academic and cultural scene. If you’re in the area, make sure to stop by.
(image: Providence Athenaeum)
Next Time, I’m Tessering to New York
The cover version I had would have also worked on a Trapper Keeper.
If, like me, you were unable to attend the recent celebration of A Wrinkle in Time‘s fiftieth anniversary (did your invitation get lost in the mail, too?), have no fear! You can read all about the evening’s events at Publisher’s Weekly and The Horn Book. It sounds like it was a truly special and exciting event. One moment I liked, from PW:
“[Rebecca] Stead said: “My son made me lunch today.” Then she pointed to Meg as her favorite character in Wrinkle: “[Meg] gave me access to the internal life of a girl like me,” Stead said. She added that it was through Meg’s vulnerability and “self-doubting” that she was able to address her own private feelings that girls don’t always share with one another at that age. Meeting Meg was Stead’s way of “having that conversation.””
This is one of my favorite aspects of A Wrinkle in Time. Meg isn’t the perfect protagonist, ready to save the universe. She’s frustrated with herself and her surroundings; she’s quick to anger; she doesn’t always know how to express herself. But she does save the universe. It can be a huge relief for young readers to know that you don’t have to be perfect to accomplish great tasks.
At Horn Book, Lolly Robinson brings up an interesting point about the book’s lasting appeal:
“What I found most interesting about the panel discussion was the way all of them managed to praise the book’s emotional appeal to kids while hinting that it might not stand up to in-depth critical appraisal. I found this refreshing, and it’s a good lesson for all of us. Nothing will ever sway my devotion to Meg and her family, but it has taken me almost 20 years to get over the feeling of let-down I had when I re-read this book as adult and found it lacking in a literary sense.”
I haven’t reread A Wrinkle in Time in a while, but this makes me wonder if I’d find it lacking as well if I read it now. Part of me thinks I wouldn’t. I don’t remember being blown away by the style initially. What I enjoyed as a reader was the strength of characters, the inclusion of physics and math as natural part of the story, and the excitement of traveling through time and space. (And really, who doesn’t want to travel through time and space? This is part of why I now watchDoctor Who!) I don’t think I’d put it to a real, critical test, but I’d hope that I could walk away with a similar kind of satisfaction I had when I was young. Even so, I think Robinson is good to point out that no matter what, so many readers are devoted to this book. There’s a great emotional attachment there that’s transcended generation.
Might have to add this classic to my to-read list again!
Links Galore
A few more links to start your week off right:
- If you’re a member of SCBWI, you can vote in the Crystal Kite Awards.
- What makes a novel sell? Compelling story, good writing, raising the stakes.
- The story behind the animals of publishing logos, including the bear of Candlewick Press!
- Vote for your favorite fake book summary over at the Hub.
- Love the idea of a writing shed, but I think I work better with a little more action around me.
- How to be awesome at indie bookstore readings.
- Pretend you were at the Midnight in Austenland launch party–and enter to win a copy!
- Learning from your rejection is essential.
Did We Wrinkle Fifty Years?
When I first read A Wrinkle in Time in fifth or sixth grade, I assumed that it had been published fairly recently. I found out that I was wrong, but it stills stuns me that the novel is as old as it is. A reminder: this is A Wrinkle in Time’s fiftieth anniversary. Yeah. Not fifth. 5-0.
To celebrate, Macmillan is releasing a new hardcover edition with the original cover. Also, Symphony Space is hosting an anniversary party/reading on February 11th. The details:
“Writers and actors, including award-winning novelist Rebecca Stead (When You Reach Me), R.L. Stine (Goosebumps, Fear Street), Katherine Patterson (Bridge to Terabithia) and Lois Lowry (The Giver) celebrate the Newbery Medal-winning classic. The discussion will be moderated by NYPL Children’s Librarian and Fuse #8 blogger Betsy Bird. The event will also include a special introduction by children’s book historian Leonard Marcus. Excerpts from the book with be performed by Jane Curtin (3rd Rock from the Sun) and others.”
Really, really, really wishing I could be in New York that weekend. Instead, I’ll just have to host my own reading in my apartment, in which I read aloud to my husband, myself, and possibly our neighbors (depending on how loud I can get).
(image: Macmillan)
Links Galore
A few more fun links to take you into the weekend:
- It’s been a mild winter so far in Boston. I’m getting my snow fix from this round-up of picture books about snow.
- At Kiss and Tell, Suzanne Kaufman Kalb shares cool wish traditions from around the world. Road trip, anyone?
- A guide to getting the most out of your book reading attendance.
- This post about favorite picture books brings back so many awesome reading memories.
Launching the Stars
Last night was the launch event for John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars book tour, and I was lucky enough to go. The kick-off was hosted by Wellesley Books, a fantastic local bookstore. (Thanks to them, I’ve gotten to see Shannon Hale and Suzanne Collins, too.) Since John and his brother Hank are kind of internet superstars, the event was ticketed and was held at the Wellesley Middle School due to size.
I was toward the back of the line into the event, so by the time I made it inside the auditorium was pretty full. But it was so exciting to hear the cheers of the crowd before the event even started. Usually you get this kind of reaction at concerts or sporting events. Hundreds of teens and young adults were bouncing around at the thought that soon John and Hank would take the stage. The vibe was electric.
Since these are the vlog brothers, this obvious wasn’t your average reading. The event opened with a sock puppet show, followed by a brief reading of The Fault in Our Stars, included a couple of funny question-and-answer rounds (one of which ended with punishment–sorry Hank) and a couple of song sessions. Audience members sang along, shouted out questions, and cheered whenever the Katherine appeared. I went to a Green Brothers event a few years ago–for Paper Towns, I think–and the energy was even stronger here. It’s so awesome to see so many young people who are so excited by books, by making the world a better place, by connecting with one another, and by funny songs about Harry Potter.
Since I forgot my camera and my phone refused to be functional, I borrowed my husband’s phone and took these very sad pictures. I like to think that the problem was with my lack of knowledge about his phone’s camera feature, but I don’t think that’s really the problem. In any case:
Here’s John reading from the first couple chapters of The Fault in Our Stars. He wore a suit when he first came out but changed into jeans and a t-shirt later. Does that mean John suits up for his novels? Is this a comment about the sartorial aspects of the literary life? Am I thinking too much about pants?
Never.
Here’s Hank and his guitar. One of his songs was written for The Fault in Our Stars and it was really lovely. When he played “Shake-a-Booty” everyone got up and danced. It was a-dor-a-ble.
The line for signing was insane, so I got to read about half of The Fault in Our Stars before the evening was over. As a mini-review, so far it’s great. It might be my favorite of Green’s novels so far–a nice combination of witty dialogue, depth of character, and big ideas about life and death.
A few other fun things from the event:
- Lots of people talking about Doctor Who. My heart!
- Hearing other Nerdfighters befriend each other.
- Talking to people in line for the signing.
- John liked my scarf. And he says he doesn’t notice fashion!
- I think one of the Wellesley people hosting the event went to the same summer writing camp I did when I was in high school. Enter awkward book stalking?
I didn’t get home until almost midnight, but it was well worth it. I’m sure all the subsequent book tour events will be just as fun; Nerdfighters across the country are in for a treat.
Maybe a The Fault in Our Stars 15-word review on Friday forthcoming?