August 2004

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

Upcoming Events for Children's Librarians

NEWS AND NOTES

Alice series tops the list of most challenged books: Phyllis Reynolds Naylor's Alice series tops the list of most challenged books of 2003, ending the four-year reign of J.K.Rowling's Harry Potter series, according to the American Library Association's (ALA) Office for Intellectual Freedom. The Alice series drew complaints from parents and others concerned about the books' sexual content.

The "Ten Most Challenged Books of 2003" reflect a wide variety of themes. The books, in order of most frequently challenged are:

Alice series, by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, for sexual content, using offensive language, and being unsuited to age group.

Harry Potter series, by J.K. Rowling, for its focus on wizardry and magic.
" Of Mice and Men" by John Steinbeck, for using offensive language.
" Arming America: The Origins of a National Gun Culture" by Michael A. Bellesiles, for inaccuracy.
" Fallen Angels" by Walter Dean Myers, for racism, sexual content, offensive language, drugs and violence.
" Go Ask Alice" by Anonymous, for drugs.
" It's Perfectly Normal" by Robie Harris, for homosexuality, nudity, sexual content and sex education.
" We All Fall Down" by Robert Cormier, for offensive language and sexual content.
" King and King" by Linda De Haan, for homosexuality.
" Bridge to Terebithia" by Katherine Paterson, for offensive language and occult/satanism.

Picture Book Author Bill Martin dies: Bill Martin died on August 11, 2004, at his home in Commerce, Texas. His many picture books include Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? and Chicka Chicka Boom Boom.

Lilian Moore dies: Lilian Moore, poet extraordinare died at the age of 95, peacefully, in her sleep last Tuesday. In l957, she became the first editor of the Arrow Book Club at Scholastic, Inc., pioneering the development of the club for middle-grade readers. In Lee Bennett Hopkins’ book PASS THE POETRY, PLEASE! she states: "This was one of the most satisfying things I ever did, helping to launch the FIRST quality paperback book program for elementary-school children throughout the United States."

She was also one of the pioneers in the l960's in forming the International Council of Interracial Books for Children.

Greek Mythology Program Ideas

Recently on the PUBYAC Listserv there was a great list of programming ideas related to Greek Mythology, submitted by Julie Dietzel-Glair, Frederick County Public Libraries, Maryland.

With the interest in Greece due to this month’s Olympics, held in Athens, it is a great time to conduct a program like this for school-age children. Here are some of the programming ideas that were successful:

1) We wrote our names in Greek letters. We put both our Greek name and English name on a nametag to wear throughout the program.

2) We talked about the story of Atalanta and the Golden Apples.

3) We had a relay race carrying apples on spoons.

4) We did a Greek Myth Mad Libs (see below).

5) We talked about the fact that many constellations are based on mythology. We have a book titled “Glow in the Dark Constellations: a field guide for young stargazers” by C.E. Thompson. This book was very helpful for the discussion.

6) We created our own constellation based on our Mad Libs story, or based on a real constellation. I spray painted empty toilet paper rolls black. Then I taped black construction paper on one end of the roll. The kids carefully punched holes through the paper with a sharp pencil. When you look through the other end, it looks like stars.

7) We talked about the story of Theseus and the Minotaur.

8) I passed out mazes and we had a competition to see who could finish the maze first.

9) Read “Mt. Olympus Basketball” by Kevin O’Malley.

Mad Lib Greek Myth

1. _______________ number (ten, 100, a million)

2. _______________ adjective (heavy, purple, floppy)

3. _______________ adjective (plastic, slimy, goofy)

4. _______________ adjective (happy, magnetic, noisy)

5. _______________ adjective (sloppy, creative, nasty)

6. _______________ verb (sleep, skydive, spit)

7. _______________ noun (sheep, tractor, crayon)

8. _______________ noun (feather, cow, school)

9. _______________ name (Sylvester, Batman, Joey)

10. ______________ verb (throw, bounce, eat)

11. ______________ plural noun (songs, hot dogs, senators)

12. ______________ verb (kiss, dance, smear)

13. ______________ adjective (smelly, gigantic, hairy)

14. ______________ verb (climb, cry, sneak)

15. ______________ noun (football, computer, book)

16. ______________ noun (father, city, CD)

17. ______________ verb (blink, slide, type)

18. ______________ adjective (scaly, lazy, brave)

19. ______________ place (Disney World, Cloud 9, Frederick)

Mad Lib Greek Myth

(1)_______________ years ago, in (2)_______________ Greece, lived a (3)_______________ god named Zeus. Zeus was (4)_______________ and (5)_______________ and had the power to (6)_______________. Zeus was struck by a/an (7)_______________, and fell in love with a (8) _______________ named (9)_______________ who could (10)_______________ better than 11)_______________. But she did not (12)_______________ like Zeus did, and Zeus became (13)_______________ and tried to (14)_______________ a (15)_______________ at his beloved. She was turned into a (16)_______________ and had to (17)_______________ in (18)_______________ (19)_______________ for the rest of her life.

Many of the kids said they had a great time at the program. One child mentioned that she would have liked to hear more myths. The apple race was difficult for them. They had a lot of trouble transferring the apple from one spoon to another. The Mad Libs was a lot of fun and our story was quite funny. The kids made wonderful constellations. I would suggest having a lot of constellation books for them to look at as examples.

Professional Reading

Davis, Jill, editor. Open Your Eyes: Extraordinary Experiences In Faraway Places. Viking, 2003. $16.99, ISBN 0-670-03616-1.

Ten popular children’s/young adult authors describe living far from home and how it changed their outlooks on the world and themselves. These entertaining short stories vary greatly; some are humorous, some heroic, some subtle, some amazing. Many have themes in common or connections.

Piper Dellums, daughter of Bay Area congressman Ron Dellums, describes the summer a South African exchange student came to live with the family in Washington, D.C. Expecting a Black South African, the family was shocked when a white girl arrived and treated them like servants until they both decided to learn from one another. Elizabeth Partridge tells of the trip to the Deep South her family took one summer in the 1960’s, where “Whites Only” signs still hung above drinking fountains.

Harry Mazer’s story sounds like something out of “Band of Brothers:” he is shot down over Czechoslovakia as an 18-year-old waist gunner in the last days of World War II. Fifty years later he returns for a memorial. Lois Lowry talks about how kind everyone was to her in Japan, after her family moves there for the post-WWII occupation.

Katherine Patterson describes her first trip to Europe as a college girl, working in England as a church volunteer. Jean Fritz describes moving to Shanghai for boarding school when the small town in China, where her parents are missionaries, is no longer safe. M.T. Anderson finds that moving from America, to go to boarding school and later college in England, is where he really finds himself.

Both Graham Salisbury, Susie Morgenstern, and Kathleen Krull talk about how “American” they feel in Europe even when they tried to speak the native languages or tried to “fit in.” All the stories sound hopeful, with just enough skepticism to be realistic to the young adult or adult reader. And all of the stories are a “quick” read – interesting for us to read on vacation, when we can hear about vacations taken by our favorite authors.

New Pop-Up Books

Jane, Pamela. Spring is Here: A Barnyard Counting Book. Illus. by Melissa Sweet. S&S, 2004. $7.99, ISBN 0-689-85388-2.
This sturdy pop-up board book works well as a counting book, because both the numeral and the things to be counted are clearly depicted on each page. The rhyming text celebrates the animals on the farm, including pets and insects. This will be a great buy for a Families for Literacy giveaway book!

Diaz, James, et. al. My First Jumbo Book of Dinosaurs. Scholastic, 2004. $9.95, ISBN 0-439-57675-X.
Dinosaurs are pictured, along with their names, and the phonetic spelling of their names for pronunciation purposes. Both the well known and some lesser known dinosaurs are pictured, from triceratops to prenocephale. The pop-up T-Rex on the last page is sure to be a favorite, as are the pictures of fossils, that lift up to show the dinosaur underneath. Probably best as a book you would buy at a museum, this may not hold up to library circulation.

Diaz, James, et. al. My First Jumbo Book of Shapes. Scholastic, 2004. $9.95, ISBN 0-439-62377-4.
A solid entry in the “shapes” book category, this has more flaps than pop-ups, so it may work okay for public library circulation.

Faulkner, Keith. Big Bugs! Illus. by Stephen Holmes. Scholastic, 2003. $10.95, ISBN 0-439-49905-4.
Rhyming clues describe the insect under the flap in this guessing game story. Next to the insect is a factoid to give a little more information about the bug. The children pictured holding the insects reflect our multicultural communities. The pop-up insects are somewhat elaborate; beautiful but delicate.

Eliasen, Lorena. The Chameleon and the Dragonfly. Orchard, 2004. $16.95, ISBN 0-439-52320-6.
If Chameleon promises not to eat Dragonfly, he will grant the wish that Chameleon can change colors so he can hide from Snake. The elaborate pop-ups are well-done but better for home use, and the book concludes with a few facts on each critter.

Price, Mathew. Peekaboo! A First Pop-up Book. Illus. by Jean Claverie. Knopf, 1985. $12.95, ISBN 0-394-87142-1.
Alternating pages ask “Where is...” and the next page shows mommy, daddy, and others poping up. Not a replacement for the real game of “Peekaboo!”

Ewe, Olive. Bee Mine: A Pop-up Book of Valentines. Illus. by Daniel Moreton. S&S, 2004. $12.95, ISBN 0-689-84814-5.
Animal puns (like the author’s name, makes me wonder if it is a pseudonym), depict different pop-up Valentine cards. Good as a gift but not for libraries.

Pelham, Sophie and David. Counting Creatures: Pop-up Animals from 1 to 100. S&S, 2004. $16.95, ISBN 0-689-85387-4.
In this disappointing follow up to the Pelham’s A Is For Animals, each numeral is outside a flap that opens to show the same number of animals; i.e., 1 Wolf, 2 Tigers, etc. The format worked when it was a letter of the alphabet, and then the opening showed an animal whose name begins with that letter. But for the numbers, too often we see one or two of that animal, with just some very sketchy shadows of the other animals, making it difficult to really count.

Carter, David and Diaz, James. Let’s Make It Pop-up. S&S, 2004. $12.95, ISBN 0-689-86508-2.
I’m not sure that this “how to” book will even work as a gift item, and it definitely is not suited to library use. Brightly colored paper pieces of butterflies, teddy bears, etc. are in an envelope at the back. The reader follows the instructions to try to make a pop-up like the ones in the book. This really limits creativity; there are many other “how to” pop-up books that really teach how to do it while still allowing the readers to come up with the artwork on their own.

Board Book Roundup

New Individual Titles

Grace, Will. Five Little Dinosaurs. Illus. by Ed Vere. Scholastic, 2004. $6.99., ISBN 0-439-58393-4.
This cartoon-like variation on “Five Monkeys Jumping On the Bed” will be a big hit. Each of the five dinosaurs are called by their proper name – Triceratops, Stegosaurus, etc. There is an original twist to the ending for a nice surprise.

Mackall, Dandi D. Love & Kisses, Bunny. Illus. by Hala Wittwer. Scholastic, 2004. $4.99., ISBN 0-689-85803-5.
Baby bunny wonders if Mama loves her for her ears, or her fluffy tail, etc. The soft pastel illustrations feature “fuzz” on each bunny giving the book a tactile feel, but it also makes it resemble a greeting card.

Yoon, Salina. The Crayola Rainbow Colors Book. S&S, 2004. $6.99, ISBN 0-689-86586-4.
Although this is related to a commercial product, Crayola is a perfect brand name to teach colors. Diecuts in each page reveal the various oversized pictures of crayons. A good teaching tool.

Dodd, Emma. Dog’s Birthday. Dutton, 2004. $10.99, ISBN 0-525-47244-4.
Technically not a board book, this small cardboard bound book will appeal to the same audience. Each of the five openings reveals gifts given to Dog for his birthday, with cloth or other tactile objects embedded in the pages. A nice touch and feel type of book.

Yoon, Salina. Animal Count: Sliding Board Books. S&S, 2004. $6.99, ISBN 0-689-86185-0.
Pioneered by Donald Crews’ Inside Freight Train, this also has sliding doors framed in every other page. The sliding door moves to show a certain number of animals. Unfortunately, just the word but not the numeral that represents the number is shown. The greeting-card like illustrations work to show the farm animals being counted, and the simple rhyming text helps a toddler guess the number.

Schindel, John. Busy Kitties. Photos by Sean Franzen. 2004, Tricycle. $6.95. ISBN 1-58246-130-9.
Cat fans will enjoy these photos, because the cats’ faces seem to have so much expression. The snappy rhymes caption the pictures: “Kitty puddling, Kitties cuddling” are on photos of some yellow liquid on the floor, and the next shows two kitties side by side.

Formerly Picture Books

Thompson, Lauren. Mouse’s First Valentine. Illus. by Buket Erdogan. S&S, 2004. $7.99, ISBN 0-689-85585-0.
Little Mouse follows Minka Mouse into the house and sees her gather various items: paste, lace, red paper, etc. The story will work for toddlers but the small, mottled dark pictures may be too hard for kids to pick out what is pictured.

Rylant, Cynthia. Bless Us All: A Child’s Yearbook of Blessings. S&S, 2004. $6.99. ISBN 0-689-86450-7.
A brief rhyming prayer for each of the twelve months is paired with Rylant’s “Grandma Moses” style artwork. Many of the rhymes bless our pets, family members, and others who are likely to be part of most toddlers’ lives. A nice nondenominational book of prayers suitable for dinner table and bedtime.

Bowie, C.W. Busy Fingers. Illus. by Fred Willingham. Charlesbridge, 2004. $6.95., ISBN 1-58089-048-2.
“Fingers red, fingers green. Fingers soapy, fingers clearn.” Children of various ethnicities play in a preschool setting, including showing fingers doing the “Incy Wincy Spider.” The realistic, colorful illustrations appear to be done in pastels, and work well in this smaller size.

Ajmera, Maya and Ivanko, John D. To Be A Kid. Charlesbridge, 2004. $6.95, ISBN 1-57091-371-4.
Color photos of children around the world are the highlight of this book, done as a fundraiser for the SHAKTI for Children project. The photos don’t look posed, and show contemporary children, sometimes in casual clothing and sometimes in more formal, traditional dress, doing everyday things like playing. Next to each photo is the name of the country from which the photo came, and the straight-forward text describes the common things most kids do no matter where they live.

Yaccarino, Dan. Good Night, Mr. Night. Harcourt/Red Wagon, 2004, $6.95, ISBN 0-15-205351-4.
Deeply saturated colors with swirling paint strokes depict Mr. Night, similar to a Mr. Sandman character that helps the world sleep. Mr. Night is all black, covered in tiny stars and with a crescent moon for an eye. The text describes his nightly rounds, and the smaller size works fine for this bedtime story.

Meyers, Susan. Everywhere Babies. Illus. by Marla Frazee. Harcourt/Red Wagon, 2004. $6.95, ISBN 0-15-205315-8.
A favorite as a gift for new babies and for Lapsit storytime, this new “classic” has a little too much detail in the pictures to work as a board book; the picture book edition is preferable. The watercolor and ink illustrations with cream colored backgrounds bring a lot of humor and the small size makes that harder to see.

Based on TV

Beinstein, Phoebe. Dora Goes For a Ride. Illus. by Jason Fruchter. S&S, 2004. $4.99. ISBN 0-689-86372-1.
Different vehicles take Dora to the Animal Rescue center. The story incorporates the basic colors for a simple lesson for fans of the TV show.

Farrell, Melissa. One Little Duck. Illus. by Aviva Presby. S&S, 2004. $5.99. ISBN 0-689-85806-X.
A yellow circle of stuffed animal fuzz is embedded into the book to give the duck a tactile feel, and when you push on the circle it squeaks! Not for libraries.

Miglis, Jenny. Peekaboo, Blue! Illus. by Jenine Pontillo. S&S, 2004. $7.99. ISBN 0-689-85257-6.
In this unique “lift the flap” board book, the flaps are made of cloth, not paper. The represent a tablecloth, bath mat, sand castle, etc. A nice idea but it won’t hold up to library circulation.

Hola! Spanish Board Books

Boynton, Sandra. Perritos: Un Libro Para Contar Y Ladrar. S&S, 2004. $5.99. ISBN 0-689-86303-9.
I wasn’t sure if this book, which is my favorite Boynton book in English, would work. The premise is the various barks dogs have, and even in Spanish, they translate. The little dog yaps, big dog says “Jau!”, some dogs just grrrr, so the joke really translates, too. A funny counting book.

Boynton, Sandra. Buenas Noches A Todos. S&S, 2004. $5.99. ISBN 0-689-86652-6.
Various animals go through the bedtime rituals of baths, exercise, brushing teeth, etc. while on a boat. A funny deadpan story.

Miglis, Jenny. Emociones. Illus. by Jenine Pontillo. S&S, 2004. $5.99. ISBN 0-689-86651-8.
Close-up color photos of the faces of babies show their emotions. Blue of Blue’s Clues explains what the babies are feeling.

Spinelli, Eileen. Esta Noche Cuando Mama Regrese a Casa. Illus. by Jane Dyer. S&S, 2004. $7.99. ISBN 0-689-86632-1.
The only Spanish version of Spinelli’s picture book, When Mama Comes Home Tonight comes in this board book edition. The soft pastel pencil sketch illustrations work in the smaller format.

Saltzberg, Barney. Besos de Animales: Un Libro Para Tocar Y Sentir. Harcourt/Red Wagon Books, 2004. $8.95. ISBN 0-15-205448-0.
Tactile pieces inserted into the pictures are the highlight of this Spanish language version of Animal Kisses, (Red Wagon, 2000, $7.95, ISBN 0152023402). For example, the cat’s scratchy lick is due to the sandpaper on his tongue, and the pig has a velveteen tongue that also “squeaks” when you squeeze it.

Haddix Says New Film Is Similar to Her Novel

The author of an award-winning novel for teenagers - set in an isolated 19th-century village where the adults keep a deep secret from the children - said yesterday that she recognized numerous similarities between her book and the recently released film "The Village'' by M. Night Shyamalan.

The author, Margaret Peterson Haddix, said she saw "The Village'' on Tuesday after receiving several telephone calls and e-mail messages from friends and from fans noting the parallels between the film and her book "Running Out of Time,'' published in 1995 by Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing.

"The spoiler ending is the thing that is the biggest similarity,'' Ms. Haddix said. But Dennis Rice, senior vice president for publicity at

Buena Vista Pictures, a unit of the Walt Disney Company, said yesterday, "Whatever claims are being made of similarities between the book and the movie have no merit.''

Neither Ms. Haddix nor Simon & Schuster has yet to contact Mr. Shyamalan or Disney. Tracy van Straaten, the executive director of publicity at Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, said the matter was under review but no decision had been made about legal or other action.

"The Village,'' which was written and directed by Mr. Shyamalan, was the top-grossing film in the United States the last weekend in July, earning $50.8 million in its first three days in theaters and becoming Disney's biggest opening of the year. His earlier films, which include "Signs,'' "Unbreakable'' and "The Sixth Sense,'' have also done well at the box office, enough to win the director above-the-title billing on his last two films.

"Running Out of Time'' was also well-received, winning several children's book awards and selling more than 500,000 copies in hardcover and paperback. The similarities between "The Village'' and "Running Out of Time,'' which were noted Wednesday in The Columbus Dispatch, of Columbus, Ohio, go beyond the 19th-century setting. In each, the main character is a tomboyish young girl and a village, in seeking help, reveals a secret that has been kept from the children.

Penny Peck,
San Leandro PL