June 2002
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Upcoming Events for Children's Librarians
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Upcoming Events for Children's Librarians
NEWS AND NOTES
ZENA SUTHERLAND DIES:
Zena Sutherland, author of the noted textbook for children's literature classes, Children & Books, died on June 13th. She was Professor Emerita of the University of Chicago. Sutherland was 86. The tenth edition of Children & Books is due out this Fall.
Sutherland was also the editor and major reviewer for the Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books from 1958-1985, reviewing approx. 100 books a month. She also was active in ALA/ALSC serving on many committees including both the Newbery and Caldecott.
CLA ANNOUNCES BEATTY AWARD:
The 2002 John and Patricia Beatty Award was announced on May 31st, chosen from books published in 2001. The winner is Tony Johnston's Any Small Goodness, Blue Sky/Scholastic, $15.95, ISBN 0439189365. This is the first novel from Johnston, a popular picture book author.
Any Small Goodness concerns eleven-year-old Arturo and his family and friends in their East Los Angeles barrio. Johnston wrote the novel because "I just got really tired of negative stories set in Los Angeles: no good, too dirty, dangerous."
The Beatty Award is given by the California Library Association for the children's book that "most enhances our understanding of California."
BOSTON GLOBE - HORN BOOK WINNERS NAMED:
The winners of the Boston Globe - Horn Book Awards were announced in late May:
FICTION AND POETRY:
Graham Salisbury for Lord of the Deep, Delacorte.
Honor Books:
Hilary McKay for Saffy's Angel, McElderry, and Vera B. Williams for Amber
Was Brave, Essie Was Smart, Greenwillow.
NONFICTION:
Elizabeth Partridge for This Land Was Made for You and Me: The Life and Songs
of Woody Guthrie, Viking.
Honor Books:
M.T. Anderson for Handel, Who Knew What He Liked, Candlewick, illustrated
by Kevin Hawkes, and Bonnie Christiansen for Woody Guthrie:Poet of the People,
Knopf.
PICTURE BOOK:
Bob Graham for Let's Get a Pup! Said Kate, Candlewick.
Honor Books:
Kate and Jim McMullan for I Stink! HarperCollins, and Monika Bang-Campbell
and Molly Bang for Little Rat Sets Sail, Harcourt.
Mildred Benson - "Nancy Drew" Author Dies at 96
Mildred Wirt Benson, who wrote the first "Nancy Drew" mystery and
more than 20 further adventures of the teen detective, died last month at age
96 at her home in Toledo, Ohio.
From just the title and an outline, Benson wrote the first "Nancy Drew"
mystery at the request of Edward Stratemeyer, a book packager who organized
ghost writers for series books. His company produced "Nancy Drew"
as well as "The Bobbsey Twins," "Tom Swift," and "The
Hardy Boys." The first "Nancy Drew" was The Secret of the Old
Clock, published in 1930.
Benson set out to make Nancy Drew a more believable, spunkier character than
the usual helpless heroines too often found in children's books of the 1930's.
She wrote almost half of the original 56 "Nancy Drew" books, which
were published under the name Carolyn Keene. She earned approx. $125 to write
each book, and did not receive any royalties.
Books of Interest to Children's Librarians
Michael Cart, editor. In the Stacks: Short Stories About Libraries and Librarians.
Overlook Press, 2002. $26.95. ISBN 1-58547-259-9.
Looking for something fun and different to read over summer vacation? Even a
"gasp" - book not intended for children? Then pick up Michael Cart's
collection of short stories featuring libraries and librarians. He has chosen
stories written over the past 100 years, by several well known and some lesser
known authors.
My personal favorite was written by Walter R. Brooks, author of the "Freddy
the Pig" series of junior mysteries, and source for the television series,
"Mister Ed," about a talking horse. His story included here stars
Ed, who ventures out to the library where the librarian is a little taken aback
by a talking horse, but finds books for him to check out each week. At first,
she chooses children's books for Ed because he is 7 years of age, until he explains
that he is a lot older in "people years." Ed and Miss Sigsbee the
librarian work together on a sure-fire fundraiser for the library.
Another favorite is by Ray Bradbury, where a weary librarian meets a young serviceman
who has returned to the library to thank her for all she did for him when he
was a kid.
Other stories represent a variety of genres, from humor to mystery to fantasy,
by the likes of Anthony Boucher, Jorge Luis Borges, Italo Calvino, John Cheever,
Ursula LeGuin, Saki, and Alice Munro. There really is something for everyone
here. Cart includes a one-paragraph biographical sketch on each contributor,
and the source notes tell of the original source and the copyright date.
New Versions of Old Favorites
Ericson, Helen. HARRIET SPIES AGAIN. Delacorte, 2002. $15.95. ISBN 0-385-32786-2.
When the original Harriet the Spy was first released in 1964, I received my
copy as a member of the Junior Book Club. I devoured the book and loved every
page - the New York City setting, Ole Golly, and especially the main character
Harriet, who was not the least bit "sweet."
So when I read that the heirs to Louise Fitzhugh's estate had allowed for a
new author to continue the series, I was very hesitant. The new book, however,
is not a total disaster. It is not a total success, either, but it may appeal
to younger readers.
The new Harriet Spies Again doesn't have that distinctive Manhattan flavor (the
city, not the cocktail), which was so important in the first book. The city
is almost another character in the first book. Here, it is clearly a large city,
just not clearly THE large city of New York.
The new Harriet book is also "easier" to read, with a great deal more
dialogue, and the type of foreshadowing that makes it relatively easy to predict
a main plot point. It just doesn't seem as "deep" as the first book.
However, the new book is much better than the movie that was adapted from the
original, where too many details were altered.
That said, the new Harriet is still a close friend of Sport (although Janie
is barely here), and Ole Golly reappears and is a major aspect of the plot.
Harriet still writes in her notebook, although the passages are not as frequent
as in the first book. She also seems more caring, less self-centered than in
the first books. Here, the book begins as Harriet enters 7th grade, and finishes
at Thanksgiving dinner, covering only 3 months time. So more sequels are certainly
possible.
Another problem seems to be the time frame - this new Harriet uses a typewriter
(not a computer), but seems to live in our present. For example, Sport says
"School still pretty much sucks," on page 96. Maybe it would have
been better to let Harriet be a child of the '60's.
Will readers feel cheated? Or even know the difference? Adult fans can probably
tell the difference, and younger finds will find these new books "lighter,"
but still interesting for the most part. And the book is billed as "A companion
to HARRIET THE SPY," with flap copy explaining who wrote the original,
so at least the publishers are being honest in the fact that these are now under
a new author. Should libraries buy it? Probably larger libraries, but branch
libraries can wait for the paperback.
Children's Music Round-up
Lori and RJ. "Brotherhood & Sisterhood." Music CD. MP3.com, 2002. For ordering information and prices, see mp3.com/loriandrj or phone 510-886-4934.
Most kids in the Bay Area know Lori and RJ, the hosts of channel 20 WB television
network's afternoon block of kids' programming. Or they recognize them as the
dynamic musical duo "Cotton Candy Express," from their concerts performed
at libraries, festivals, special community events, and other venues throughout
the Bay Area.
Lori and RJ have found a unique musical niche, appealing to "Tweens,"
kids too old for Raffi and too young for Britney Spears and N'Sync. Parents
who want to keep their preteens from the sexuality of Britney, but recognize
their kids want a pop-rock sound in their music, really appreciate Lori and
RJ's positive message and originality.
Their newest CD, "Brotherhood & Sisterhood," features ten original
songs done to a rockish beat, with keyboards, drum, guitars, and bass, as well
as the duo's solid R&B vocals. RJ has a great tenor voice, that is really
unique in the overly sweet world of kids recordings; he truly has a soulful
sound. And Lori's voice is equally appealing, a pop alto sound that is more
Top 40 than anything else around for kids.
This CD's theme is positivity, from the title track on unity and brotherhood,
to songs like "Watershed Watch," a song about not polluting our waters,
to "Computer Children," about avoiding the need for instant gratification.
"Watershed Watch" is my favorite, not just for the lyrics, but he
memorable melody.
The CD has the added plus of a graphic presentation that kids will see when
they play the CD on a computer CD-Rom drive. This music will certainly get kids
up and moving! And with themes like dinosaurs and birthday parties, kids can
really relate.
If Lori and RJ and "Cotton Candy Express" are popular in your area,
you may want to pick up their previous releases, now out in remastered CD's,
that contain the multimedia interface for CD-Rom play. Their first CD is titled
"Cotton Candy Express," and contains ten songs many children will
know. These favorites include "School Yard Rap" and "Dance-a-Roni."
There are ten more songs on their CD "Funz-A-Poppin" including "Do
Your Homework" and "Each and Every Day." Their other CD, "Stories
and Songs," features four original stories done with musical accompaniment
and sound effects. If Lori and RJ are regular concert-givers in your area, you
will want these remastered CDs to meet the demand of your young patrons.
"Daffy" Dave Mampel. "Get Down With The Clown." Music CD. For ordering information and prices, see www.daffydave.com
Local comic kids' entertainer Daffy Dave Mampel has a new CD out, that will
remind you of the work of "Weird" Al Yankovic. In his second CD, Daffy
Dave offers great dance and party music for kids, which contains spoofs of classic
rock songs. Parents will really appreciate the humor just as much as the kids.
In fact, some parents will even play this CD when the kids are not around!
"That's My Bike" is a note-perfect take-off of K.C. and the Sunshine
Band's "Get Down Tonight." And "Takin' Care of Babies" has
the same sound as "Takin' Care of Business" by the Bachman Turner
Overdrive. And "You're Bored and That's Okay" spins John Mellencamp's
"R-O-C-K In The USA." These spoofs are so much fun, in part due to
the great musical accompaniment, that will remind you of the originals. The
music includes a great electric guitar, drums, bass, piano, and keyboards. The
horn section, especially the sax, is a real stand-out, as are the accordian
and ukelele.
Mampel's voice is somewhat similar to Weird Al's, with great inflection. You
can almost hear the tongue in his cheek. The spoofs are followed by some silly
original songs, with titles like "One, Two, Smelly Shoe," and some
great bedtime songs, including "Oh Where, Oh Where, Can My Underwear Be?"
which is sure to be a hit. Daffy Dave's first CD, "Get Down and Funny,"
was a Bay Area Parent magazine's Reader's Choice Award Winner in 2000. "Get
Down With The Clown" is even better, with more originality, energy, and
just an amazing back-up band. Every library will enjoy this CD.
Penny Peck,
San Leandro PL