BayNews February 2004

NEWS AND NOTES

Mail returned?: If you sent any mail to the Association of Children’s Librarians, and it was returned, please resend. We had a problem with our Post Office Box, but it has been resolved.

Humphrey Carpenter Dies at 58
Humphrey Carpenter, the English writer, editor, radio broadcaster and musician who wrote intimate biographies of Auden, Pound, J. R. R. Tolkien, Dennis Potter and Spike Milligan, among others, died on Jan. 4 in Oxford, England.
He was 58. Mr. Carpenter also wrote a series of children's books featuring a character named Mr. Majeika, published by Puffin Books.

Hopkins Award Winners: Penn State University announced the 2005 Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award Winners. The award is given to a volume of distinguished poetry.

The winner is HERE IN HARLEM by Walter Dean Myers, (Holiday House).

Two Honor Books were chosen: CREATURE CARNIVAL by Marilyn Singer, (Hyperion Books), and IS THIS FOREVER OR WHAT? TEXAS POEMS, edited by Naomi Shihab Nye, (Greenwillow Books).

2004 SYDNEY TAYLOR BOOK AWARDS

Pnina Moed Kass, author of Real Time, is the 2004 winner of the prestigious Sydney Taylor Book Award. Eric A. Kimmel is the winner of the 2004 Sydney Taylor Body-of-Work Award for his overall contribution to the genre of Jewish children's literature.

Kass and Kimmel were among the winners announced on January 10 at the Midwinter Meeting of the Association of Jewish Libraries in Manhattan. AJL's Sydney Taylor Book Awards honor new books for children and teens that exemplify the highest literary standards while authentically portraying the Jewish experience. The award memorializes Sydney Taylor, author of the classic All-of-a-Kind Family series. The winners will receive their awards at the Association of Jewish Libraries convention in Oakland, CA this June.

Kass, who lives in Israel, won the 2004 Sydney Taylor Book Award for Real Time published by Clarion. Hour by hour, the novel chronicles the events surrounding a bus bombing outside of Jerusalem. The story is told by a diverse cast of characters, including kibbutzniks, tourists, soldiers, and the Palestinian teenager who bombs the bus. Remarkably insightful and even-handed, this thoughtful book is a riveting read that, as the publisher says, "could be the backstory behind yesterday's - or tomorrow's - news." The book is recommended for grades 8-12.

"Real Time is a stunning portrait of modern Israeli life," said Heidi Estrin, chair of the Sydney Taylor Book Award Committee. "It is both frightening and hopeful, drawing readers into the complexity of life in the Middle East without offering easy answers. As one characters says, everyone is part of the story, and 'like a tangled string when you pull it, it gets tighter.' The book will fascinate teen readers, and help them connect to the human side of what they see on the news."

Kimmel, of Portland, Oregon, won the 2004 Sydney Taylor Body-of-Work Award, which is presented every few years to an author who has made a substantial contribution to the genre of Jewish children's literature. Past winners include Barbara Diamond Goldin, Miriam Chaikin, and Isaac Bashevis Singer. Kimmel, the author of over fifty children's books, has written more than twenty books of Jewish interest during his illustrious career, including the recent book Wonders and Miracles: A Passover Companion, winner of the National Jewish Book Award and a 2004 Sydney Taylor Honor Book. He won the Sydney Taylor Book Award in 2000 for Gershon's Monster and in 1990 for The Chanukah Guest.

"Eric Kimmel's books are loved by children, not just by teachers or librarians," explained Estrin. "He brings a sense of joy to his storytelling. His humor, sense of adventure, inclusion of scary monsters, and pride in his Jewish heritage are all features that help him forge a strong bond with readers."

Six Sydney Taylor Honor Books were named for 2004: five in the Older Readers' Category and one in the Younger Readers' Category. For Older Readers, the Honor Books are: Daniel Half-Human and the Good Nazi by David Chotjewitz, published by Simon & Schuster; Bobbie Rosenfeld: The Olympian Who Could Do Everything by Anne Dublin, published by Second Story Press; The Cats in Krasinski Square by Karen Hesse and illustrated by Wendy Watson, published by Scholastic; Wonders and Miracles: A Passover Companion by Eric A. Kimmel, published by Scholastic; and My Guardian Angel by Sylvie Weil, published by Arthur A. Levine/Scholastic. For Younger Readers, the Honor Book is Daniel in the Lions' Den by Jean Marzollo and illustrated by the author, published by Little Brown.

In addition to the medal-winners, the Sydney Taylor Book Award Committee designated thirty-one Notable Children's Books of Jewish Content for 2004: twenty in the Older Readers' Category and eleven in the Younger Readers' Category. Notable titles, and more information about the Sydney Taylor Book Award, may be found online at www.jewishlibraries.org.

Re-Issues & New Editions

Howe, Deborah and James. Bunnicula: 25th Anniversary Edition. Atheneum, 1979/2004, 92p. $16.95, ISBN 0-689-86775-1.

With dramatic new jacket art and a humorous introduction, this new edition is perfect for those needing replacements or additional copies of Bunnicula. The text hasn’t changed at all, so readers will still find the humorous tale of the vampire bunny, told by Harold the Dog.

A close-up of Bunnicula, with red glowing eyes, vampire fangs, and eerie shadows make for an eye-catching jacket that will lure reluctant readers and horror fans. The introduction by James Howe describes how he and his late wife wrote the book, without worrying about vocabulary or writing “down” to the audience. The new jacket and introduction are the only changes from the original edition.

The idea of telling the story from Harold the Dog’s viewpoint, with plenty of commentary from Chester the Cat, made for a very funny tale. And it started a trend: TV’s “Family Guy” has an erudite talking dog named Brian who offers a running critique of the show’s action. Readers won’t need to know the literary references given by Chester, or even need to see the film “Dracula” to understand what’s going on. This is great to offer to kids who want either a “scary” book or a “funny” book because it really is both. And since many school-age readers enjoy books in a series, this is a great jumping off point that will lead them to the five sequels as well as the easy chapter books staring Howie the Dog.

If Bunnicula has been sitting on the library shelf unread, this is a perfect opportunity to revisit the story and begin to booktalk it or offer it to a wide range of readers. Since the Lemony Snicket funny/scary books are so popular, this can be a book to recommend to those fans.

Penny Peck,
San Leandro PL

Of Special Interest

Lowry, Lois. A Summer to Die. Houghton Mifflin, 1977. $16.00. ISBN 0-395-25338-1.

When news of this year’s Newbery was announced, many reviewers compared winner Kira Kira, by Cynthia Kadohata to Lois Lowry’s A Summer to Die. Both are told from the point of view of a younger sister describing the disease and death of an older sister.

Re-reading A Summer to Die reminded me of what a compelling, well-written book it is; perfect for the middle schooler who wants “a sad book.” But it isn’t too sad, because it juxtaposes Molly’s death with the birth of neighbors Ben and Maria’s baby. I also appreciated that Meg, Molly’s younger sister who tells this first person story, can be kind of cranky, and that Molly isn’t the perfect “dying” character, especially compared to someone like Beth in Little Women.
Also refreshing were the adult characters: neighbor Will, a grandfatherly character who encourages Meg’s hobby of photography, Ben and Maria, a young married couple who befriend Molly and Meg, and the girls’ parents, who are not overly “saintly.”

A Summer to Die is a quick read, and a great summer vacation book, and it doesn’t really seem dated. Molly’s leukemia is still a disease that can kill, so I believe young readers won’t have a problem with the few outdated references, like the fact Meg’s father uses a typewriter (not a computer) to write his book. Grab a copy of A Summer to Die to offer to kids who enjoy Kira Kira.

Penny Peck,
San Leandro PL

ALA Releases List of 'Most Frequently Challenged' Books in Schools, Libraries

Robert Cormier's "The Chocolate War" tops the list of most challenged books of 2004, according to the American Library Association's (ALA) Office for Intellectual Freedom. The book drew complaints from parents and others concerned about the book's sexual content, offensive language, religious viewpoint and violence. This year marks the first in five in which the Harry Potter series does not top or appear on the ALA's annual list.

The ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom received a total of 547 challenges last year. A challenge is defined as a formal, written complaint, filed with a library or school requesting that materials be removed because of content or appropriateness. According to Judith F. Krug, director of the Office for Intellectual Freedom, the number of challenges reflects only incidents reported, and for each reported, four or five remain unreported.

"With several news reports just in the past week of books like "Bless Me, Ultima," by Rudolfo Anaya being removed from schools, we must remain vigilant," said ALA President Carol Brey-Casiano. "Not every book is right for every person, but providing a wide range of reading choices is vital for learning, exploration and imagination. The abilities to read, speak, think and express ourselves freely are core American values."

Anaya's award-winning book was banned from the curriculum in Norwood High School, Colo., for offensive language. Young adult novelist Chris Crutcher's books also have come under fire in Kansas, Alabama and Michigan this year.
Four of the 10 books on the "Ten Most Challenged Books of 2004" were cited for homosexual themes - which is the highest number in a decade. Sexual content and offensive language remain the most frequent reasons for seeking removal of books from schools and public libraries. The books, in order of most frequently challenged, are:

February 2005

NEWS AND NOTES