Fastest Rising Spellings Of Girls' Names USA 2012

To contact us Click HERE
Based on my sister and I's collection of data as to the names given by 2000+ parents in the USA between January 1st 2012 and early April 2012. I hope that you enjoy reading them. Check back later in the year for an update.

1.) Izabella instead of Isabella
2.) Allyson instead of Allison
3.) Kamille instead of Camille (a significant riser as a middle name)
4.) Ryleigh instead of Rylee
5.) Adalyn instead of Adelyn (theres a big trend for this name in all forms)
6.) Abbigail instead of Abigail
7.) Avary instead of Avery
8.) Madilyn instead of Madelyn
9.) Ellise instead of Elise (as a middle name)
10.) Laila instead of Leila

Good names for "Irish" cats to be adopted on St. Patrick's Day?

To contact us Click HERE
Hi,





Our local animal shelter is having a St. Patrick's Day adoption celebration for cats. Do you have any good Irish names for cats? I know for people they say "Patty O'Furniture, etc. Thank you.|||Erin, Shannon, Siobhan, Fergus, Aislinn





O'Shea, Shaunessy, Killian, McDonough, and for any cat with whte feet: McMittens|||It you want the names to be really Irish, it's Paddy (not Patty) and Seamus (not Shamis)





Most Irish first names are crazy weird. Irish surnames are better. Here a list: http://www.namenerds.com/irish/last.html





I like Guinness.|||http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_Drink鈥?/a>





http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_Cat_Bo鈥?/a>





http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_Laughs|||Claude O'Furniture might be more fitting lol. Some Irish names are: Murray, Seamus, Sean, Erin, Colleen and Tara.|||Lucky, Clover, Patrick|||Shamis|||a great name for an irish cat is paddy or shammy...............

iTunes U: Genres in Children's Literature, LaTrobe University, Lecture 3

To contact us Click HERE
Recently, I discovered that there are several children’s literature courses from LaTrobe University in Australia available for download via iTunes U. I would like to listen to them all eventually, but I’ve begun with the one that interests me most - Genres in Children’s Literature. Over the next couple of months, as I listen to the lectures, I will be sharing my insights about the different genres covered, and hopefully, what I learn from the course will inform my future book reviews as well.

I began this series last week with my thoughts on Lectures 1 and 2. Today’s post is about the third lecture in the series, Picture Books for Older Readers, which was originally posted to iTunes U on March 4, 2012.

This lecture was of special interest to me because it talked about the developmental differences between small kids and teenagers, and how this has translated over the years in the world of children’s literature. The questions I am asked most often at the reference desk all revolve around these developmental differences. “Is my child old enough for...?” “Is this appropriate for a child reading at this grade level?” “Don’t you think a fifth grader should outgrow reading...” Often what I struggle with is this idea many parents have that they should always be reaching for more and more mature material, so their child can read above grade level or exceed the expectations of his or her teachers. I hear parents telling their kids every day that this or that book is babyish, or that this or that book has too many pictures to be considered “real.” What Beagley said in this lecture, though, is that there are picture books for older readers that are perfectly sophisticated and not just appropriate for older kids, but also actually inappropriate for the younger ones.

I think what I liked best in this lecture was Beagley’s statement that reading is an intellectual activity where the reader interprets what happens, and that reading is very much about cracking the author or illustrator’s “code” for understanding a given story. I have a tendency to share picture books in just one way, no matter the age of the kids. Hearing Beagley say that books for older kids have different story structures that actually demand more from their readers makes me reconsider how I present books to kids at different levels. Older kids might engage more with certain books if I give them the opportunity to deconstruct what the author has created and actually understand how it works. In general, I also look forward to writing some more picture book reviews over at Story Time Secrets, where I really consider not just words and pictures, but also color, layout, size, and all the other choices authors make in shaping their stories.

Want to listen along? Click here for Lecture 3. Read about David Beagley here.

Review: Nerd Girls: A Catastrophe of Nerdish Proportions by Alan Lawrence Sitomer (ARC)

To contact us Click HERE
Nerd Girls: A Catastrophe of Nerdish Proportions. by Alan Lawrence Sitomer. July 31, 2012. Disney-Hyperion. 272 pages. ISBN: 9781423139973

In this sequel to Nerd Girls: Rise of the Dorkasaurus, Maureen, Beanpole, and Q, collectively known as the Nerd Girls, are still fighting pretty constantly with the Threepees, Kiki, Brittany-Brattany, and Sofes. The two groups’ pranks on each other escalate so severely, the principal finally steps in to put an end to their bitter rivalry. His solution? The two groups must join as one team and compete in the Academic Septathlon.

As in the first book, Maureen’s voice is very strong in this second novel, but she is much more likable this time around. Though she still occasionally puts herself down over her weight, she is more confident in herself and more willing to take on the cruel popular girls instead of just backing down and letting them win. I also thought her affection for Q and Beanpole was much more evident this time around, especially when Q nearly lets her medical issues get the best of her. Interestingly, Beanpole became a favorite for me in this novel as well, especially when it begins to look like she and Sofes will become friends during their preparations for the septathlon. In fact, Sofes, Brittany, and Kiki all seem to become more human in this book. They’ll never be angels, but Sitomer does a nice job of letting the reader see at list a hint of who the girls are beneath their nasty attitudes.

Another thing that struck me about this book is how funny it is. I don’t remember laughing as much during the first book, but there are a lot of great one-liners and comic moments in the sequel. I especially like the predictably klutzy moves Beanpole makes at various points throughout the book. They provide nice comic relief as well as a great model for kids to learn how to laugh at themselves. The entire story is actually a great lesson in self-acceptance and confidence, but it doesn’t present itself in a preach way, so kids will be drawn to it, not repelled.

All in all, this is a great follow-up to Rise of the Dorkasaurus and fans of the first book will eagerly devour it. Both Nerd Girls books are great for kids who like Dork Diaries, Popularity Papers, Dear Dumb Diary, and The Snob Squad. Look for A Catastrophe of Nerdish Proportions in bookstores on July 31, 2012.

I received a digital ARC of A Catastrophe of Nerdish Proportions from Disney-Hyperion via NetGalley.

For more about this book, visit Goodreads and Worldcat.

Review: Katie and the Cupcake Cure by Coco Simon

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Katie and the Cupcake Cure. by Coco Simon. May 3, 2011. Simon and Schuster. 160 pages. ISBN: 9781442422766

Katie never spent any of her summer vacation worrying about the start of middle school, so she is more surprised than anyone when her best friend, Callie, ditches her on the first day to join The Popular Girls Club (PGC). Katie is really upset, but she channels her sadness into baking cupcakes, a pastime she and her mom have shared over the years. Eventually, her cupcakes lead her to a group of new friends - Mia, Alexis, and Emma - who join with her to form a cupcake club and business.

Though this book is set in middle school, it’s actually written to appeal to a younger audience. Girls in grades 3 to 5 who enjoy the Baby-sitters Club, How I Survived Middle School and similar series are the most likely candidates to read this one, and their parents will be pleased to have them do it. Not only does the story portray involved moms who are strongly attuned to their daughters’ social lives, but the girls themselves have wholesome interests, positive attitudes, and strong work ethics. They’re not caught up in fashion, cliqueishness or (at least in this volume) boys. They maintain a sense of innocence and focus on the good they can do instead of how to exact revenge on their popular enemies.

The writing in this book is similar to that in other paperback series - mostly generic, with no real frills - but that isn’t necessarily a problem. Everybody needs a little fluff now and then, and younger tweens looking to ease into their summer reading will - excuse the pun - eat these up. Only two things might cause confusion. One is that the series is not written in diary format, even thought it’s called Cupcake Diaries. The other is that there is another series available now that is called The Cupcake Club, but which is not related to this series. It seems that no matter which one I’m searching for on Barnes and Noble’s website, I get the other one, so it’s a good idea to keep track of the authors if you’re looking for these in the bookstore or library.

Katie and the Cupcake Cure was originally published in 2011, followed by Mia in the Mix, Emma on Thin Icing, Alexis and the Perfect Recipe, and Katie, Batter Up. The most recent additions to the series are Mia’s Baker Dozen, published in February 2012, and Emma All Stirred Up, published in April 2012. New books will continue to be published through the end of this year, as follows: Alexis Cool as a Cupcake (June 26), Katie and the Cupcake War (August 21), Mia’s Boiling Point (October 16), and Emma, Smile and Say “Cupcake!” (December 4.)

Visit Simon Spotlight’s Cupcake Diaries page to learn more about the books and view the adorable trailer.

I purchased Katie and the Cupcake Cure from Barnes and Noble for my Nook. 

For more about this book, visit Goodreads and Worldcat.

Old School Sunday: Review: Katie's Baby-sitting Job by Martha Tolles

To contact us Click HERE
Katie's Baby-sitting Job. by Martha Tolles.1985. Scholastic. 124 pages. ISBN: 9780590325233
When the Stellans move onto Apple Street, Katie is determined to become their little girl’s babysitter. Finally, they call to hire Katie, but on her very first night of babysitting, Mrs. Stellan’s expensive heirloom jewelry goes missing. Feeling terrible, Katie decides she absolutely must find the thief and bring him or her to justice- whether it turns out to be one of the boys from school, the yardman, or the mean new girl.

This well-plotted middle grade mystery was first published in 1985, a year before the Baby-sitters Club series came into existence. It is the last of three books about Katie Hart, the first of which, entitled Too Many Boys, was published in 1965. Too Many Boys was renamed Katie and Those Boys when it was reprinted in 1974, and it was followed in 1976 by Katie for President. Katie’s Baby-sitting Job makes no real reference to the prior books, nor does it have a definite conclusion to signify the end of a series. For all intents and purposes, it really stands on its own.

As in many of these older Apple paperbacks I have read, I noticed that this one has much more formal-sounding dialogue than a lot of tween series paperbacks being published today. The way the kids talk to each other - and to adults - sounds much more sophisticated and scripted than anything normal kids might say, and there is very little slang. Though the book isn’t particularly deep or layered, the language adheres to a certain sense of propriety and politeness that, though inauthentic, was kind of enjoyable. The tone definitely dates the book - perhaps even further back than the actual copyright - but it also gives the book a retro charm that adult readers of kids book get a kick out of.

Other quirks also date the book. There is a lot of talk of the mothers of the kids in the story hiding their various valuables when they go out of the house. These days, I think they’d be more likely to keep their valuables in a safe, or to have security systems installed to prevent theft. I also find it hard to believe that names like Dick or Sarah Lou would have been very popular in the 80s; it’s likely these names were chosen for the first book in 1965, when those names were more common.

Still, though, it amazes me how much of this book is still relevant today, as is. Kids still desire money to buy things - maybe not Christmas presents for friends, as Katie does, but certainly other items like cell phones and video games - so Katie’s motive for becoming a babysitter in the first place is something kids can definitely still relate to. The mystery, too, remains plausible, and I think Katie’s approach to solving it is much more believable than in some other middle grade mysteries. I also like that the mystery isn’t too terribly scary; I would have read this as a kid and had no trouble sleeping afterward, which means it is really very tame.

Finally, I think it’s nice that the book actually resolves Katie’s issues with the new mean girl in the neighborhood in a positive way. So many tween books seem to glorify and even promote this kind of enmity between “geeks” and “popular girls,” but this story really sees both girls as people and allows them to make up for their flaws and assumptions about one another. Sometimes I suppose it can be enjoyable to love to hate a fictional character, but I think kids also appreciate fully-developed characters in whom they can see aspects of themselves, good and bad.

Katie’s Baby-sitting Job is definitely out of print, but there are a good number of used copies out there in cyberspace. I’d recommend it to girls who enjoy the Baby-sitters Club, and to anyone looking for a nice escapist trip down memory lane.

I purchased Katie’s Baby-sitting Job from my local used book store. 

For more about this book, visit Goodreads and Worldcat.

iTunes U: Genres in Children's Literature, LaTrobe University, Lecture 3

To contact us Click HERE
Recently, I discovered that there are several children’s literature courses from LaTrobe University in Australia available for download via iTunes U. I would like to listen to them all eventually, but I’ve begun with the one that interests me most - Genres in Children’s Literature. Over the next couple of months, as I listen to the lectures, I will be sharing my insights about the different genres covered, and hopefully, what I learn from the course will inform my future book reviews as well.

I began this series last week with my thoughts on Lectures 1 and 2. Today’s post is about the third lecture in the series, Picture Books for Older Readers, which was originally posted to iTunes U on March 4, 2012.

This lecture was of special interest to me because it talked about the developmental differences between small kids and teenagers, and how this has translated over the years in the world of children’s literature. The questions I am asked most often at the reference desk all revolve around these developmental differences. “Is my child old enough for...?” “Is this appropriate for a child reading at this grade level?” “Don’t you think a fifth grader should outgrow reading...” Often what I struggle with is this idea many parents have that they should always be reaching for more and more mature material, so their child can read above grade level or exceed the expectations of his or her teachers. I hear parents telling their kids every day that this or that book is babyish, or that this or that book has too many pictures to be considered “real.” What Beagley said in this lecture, though, is that there are picture books for older readers that are perfectly sophisticated and not just appropriate for older kids, but also actually inappropriate for the younger ones.

I think what I liked best in this lecture was Beagley’s statement that reading is an intellectual activity where the reader interprets what happens, and that reading is very much about cracking the author or illustrator’s “code” for understanding a given story. I have a tendency to share picture books in just one way, no matter the age of the kids. Hearing Beagley say that books for older kids have different story structures that actually demand more from their readers makes me reconsider how I present books to kids at different levels. Older kids might engage more with certain books if I give them the opportunity to deconstruct what the author has created and actually understand how it works. In general, I also look forward to writing some more picture book reviews over at Story Time Secrets, where I really consider not just words and pictures, but also color, layout, size, and all the other choices authors make in shaping their stories.

Want to listen along? Click here for Lecture 3. Read about David Beagley here.

Fastest Rising Spellings Of Girls' Names USA 2012

To contact us Click HERE
Based on my sister and I's collection of data as to the names given by 2000+ parents in the USA between January 1st 2012 and early April 2012. I hope that you enjoy reading them. Check back later in the year for an update.

1.) Izabella instead of Isabella
2.) Allyson instead of Allison
3.) Kamille instead of Camille (a significant riser as a middle name)
4.) Ryleigh instead of Rylee
5.) Adalyn instead of Adelyn (theres a big trend for this name in all forms)
6.) Abbigail instead of Abigail
7.) Avary instead of Avery
8.) Madilyn instead of Madelyn
9.) Ellise instead of Elise (as a middle name)
10.) Laila instead of Leila

Top 20 Gender Neutral Baby Names USA 2012

To contact us Click HERE
I have now collectd the name details of nearly 3,500 baby girls and 3,500 baby boys since the first day of January 2012. Based on that I can give you a top 30 list of gender neutral baby names. To be included on the list a name has to be in a reasonable amount of use for, or growing for both genders, rather than just technically a gender neutral baby name. All possible variant spellings for all names have been taken into account when calculating a names popularity. This is the only way to tell you how common a name will actually sound. For ease of reading one example spelling is used for each name on the list.
 Check back later in the year for an update of this list. And don't forget my other blog Unusual Names for several long  posts on all the gender neutrla names that my sister and I have ever recorded in the English-speaking world.

1.) Riley-on the up for boys
2.) Avery- mostly female but growth for boys this year is marked
3.) Dylan-mostly male but rising for girls
4.) Peyton- on the up for boys
5.) Hayden
6.) Sawyer- growing for both genders
7.) Taylor
8.) Skyler- much on the up for boys
9.) Rylan
10.) Reece
11.) Emmerson
12.) Rowan
13.) Presley-much on up for both genders
14.) Phoenix
15.) Kyler
16.) Quinn
17.) Morgan
18.) Jordan
19.) Andi
20.) Kai

Fastest Rising Spellings Of Girls' Names USA 2012

To contact us Click HERE
Based on my sister and I's collection of data as to the names given by 2000+ parents in the USA between January 1st 2012 and early April 2012. I hope that you enjoy reading them. Check back later in the year for an update.

1.) Izabella instead of Isabella
2.) Allyson instead of Allison
3.) Kamille instead of Camille (a significant riser as a middle name)
4.) Ryleigh instead of Rylee
5.) Adalyn instead of Adelyn (theres a big trend for this name in all forms)
6.) Abbigail instead of Abigail
7.) Avary instead of Avery
8.) Madilyn instead of Madelyn
9.) Ellise instead of Elise (as a middle name)
10.) Laila instead of Leila

Good names for "Irish" cats to be adopted on St. Patrick's Day?

To contact us Click HERE
Hi,





Our local animal shelter is having a St. Patrick's Day adoption celebration for cats. Do you have any good Irish names for cats? I know for people they say "Patty O'Furniture, etc. Thank you.|||Erin, Shannon, Siobhan, Fergus, Aislinn





O'Shea, Shaunessy, Killian, McDonough, and for any cat with whte feet: McMittens|||It you want the names to be really Irish, it's Paddy (not Patty) and Seamus (not Shamis)





Most Irish first names are crazy weird. Irish surnames are better. Here a list: http://www.namenerds.com/irish/last.html





I like Guinness.|||http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_Drink鈥?/a>





http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_Cat_Bo鈥?/a>





http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_Laughs|||Claude O'Furniture might be more fitting lol. Some Irish names are: Murray, Seamus, Sean, Erin, Colleen and Tara.|||Lucky, Clover, Patrick|||Shamis|||a great name for an irish cat is paddy or shammy...............

Old School Sunday: Review: Katie's Baby-sitting Job by Martha Tolles

To contact us Click HERE
Katie's Baby-sitting Job. by Martha Tolles.1985. Scholastic. 124 pages. ISBN: 9780590325233
When the Stellans move onto Apple Street, Katie is determined to become their little girl’s babysitter. Finally, they call to hire Katie, but on her very first night of babysitting, Mrs. Stellan’s expensive heirloom jewelry goes missing. Feeling terrible, Katie decides she absolutely must find the thief and bring him or her to justice- whether it turns out to be one of the boys from school, the yardman, or the mean new girl.

This well-plotted middle grade mystery was first published in 1985, a year before the Baby-sitters Club series came into existence. It is the last of three books about Katie Hart, the first of which, entitled Too Many Boys, was published in 1965. Too Many Boys was renamed Katie and Those Boys when it was reprinted in 1974, and it was followed in 1976 by Katie for President. Katie’s Baby-sitting Job makes no real reference to the prior books, nor does it have a definite conclusion to signify the end of a series. For all intents and purposes, it really stands on its own.

As in many of these older Apple paperbacks I have read, I noticed that this one has much more formal-sounding dialogue than a lot of tween series paperbacks being published today. The way the kids talk to each other - and to adults - sounds much more sophisticated and scripted than anything normal kids might say, and there is very little slang. Though the book isn’t particularly deep or layered, the language adheres to a certain sense of propriety and politeness that, though inauthentic, was kind of enjoyable. The tone definitely dates the book - perhaps even further back than the actual copyright - but it also gives the book a retro charm that adult readers of kids book get a kick out of.

Other quirks also date the book. There is a lot of talk of the mothers of the kids in the story hiding their various valuables when they go out of the house. These days, I think they’d be more likely to keep their valuables in a safe, or to have security systems installed to prevent theft. I also find it hard to believe that names like Dick or Sarah Lou would have been very popular in the 80s; it’s likely these names were chosen for the first book in 1965, when those names were more common.

Still, though, it amazes me how much of this book is still relevant today, as is. Kids still desire money to buy things - maybe not Christmas presents for friends, as Katie does, but certainly other items like cell phones and video games - so Katie’s motive for becoming a babysitter in the first place is something kids can definitely still relate to. The mystery, too, remains plausible, and I think Katie’s approach to solving it is much more believable than in some other middle grade mysteries. I also like that the mystery isn’t too terribly scary; I would have read this as a kid and had no trouble sleeping afterward, which means it is really very tame.

Finally, I think it’s nice that the book actually resolves Katie’s issues with the new mean girl in the neighborhood in a positive way. So many tween books seem to glorify and even promote this kind of enmity between “geeks” and “popular girls,” but this story really sees both girls as people and allows them to make up for their flaws and assumptions about one another. Sometimes I suppose it can be enjoyable to love to hate a fictional character, but I think kids also appreciate fully-developed characters in whom they can see aspects of themselves, good and bad.

Katie’s Baby-sitting Job is definitely out of print, but there are a good number of used copies out there in cyberspace. I’d recommend it to girls who enjoy the Baby-sitters Club, and to anyone looking for a nice escapist trip down memory lane.

I purchased Katie’s Baby-sitting Job from my local used book store. 

For more about this book, visit Goodreads and Worldcat.

Review: Missing on Superstition Mountain by Elise Broach

To contact us Click HERE
Missing on Superstition Mountain. by Elise Broach. 2011. Henry Holt & Co. 272 pages. ISBN: 9780805090475 

Missing on Superstition Mountain is a fast-paced adventure novel by Elise Broach, who is the author of Masterpiece and Shakespeare’s Secret. Three brothers - Simon, Henry, and Jack Barker - move with their parents to Arizona. Their parents warn them to steer clear of Superstition Mountain, but since they are vague about why, the boys take it upon themselves to go exploring. What they find - a creepy atmosphere and three human skulls - sparks their interest and sends them, along with a neighbor girl named Delilah, on a hunt around their new town for clues that will lead them to the truth about the mountain’s dangerous secrets.

What I did not realize when I started this book is that it’s part of a trilogy. It’s important to know this ahead of time, because otherwise, the reader will most definitely be disappointed by the lack of resolution at the end of the story. Only one thread of the plot comes to its conclusion in this book, and that conclusion raises as many questions as it answers. The key to enjoying this book is to view it as the first installment of a larger story, rather than a self-contained novel.

That said, this book is very well-executed. Broach’s effortless writing leads the reader seamlessly from plot point to plot point, charting a course that readers will eagerly follow. She builds suspense very effectively and keeps her language simple and straightforward, so that readers graduating from basic chapter books to novels can easily appreciate and engage with the story. Each of the boys has an appealing personality, and their interactions with Delilah - both before they become friends and during the friendship - ring very true.

My favorite of all the kids was Henry, whose budding anthropologist mind provides two of my favorite lines. Twice in the story Henry’s curiosity about other families and their houses is piqued. On page 83, he muses:

Another kid’s family was like a whole other civilization, Henry often thought - different rules and habits, different snacks that were allowed or forbidden, different bedtimes and acceptable television shows.

And on page 194, he goes on to consider:

Other people’s houses were so interesting, Henry thought - like a giant version of the inside of someone’s backpack. There were so many different ways that their owners’ personalities could shine through - in furniture, knickknacks, how messy or neat a place was.

These two descriptions perfectly encapsulate the way kids view their friends’ families and homes, but they also get at the heart of the novel’s fascination with culture and history. Elise Broach herself holds two history degrees from Yale, and she does a wonderful job of sharing her expertise at a developmentally and educationally appropriate level for her readers.

I really enjoyed Missing on Superstition Mountain, and the ending definitely left me hungry for the next installment. Readers - both the reluctant and the enthusiastic - in grades 3 to 5 are likely to react the same way. The second book in this trilogy, Treasure on Superstition Mountain, will be out this October.

I borrowed Missing on Superstition Mountain from my local public library. 

For more about this book, visit Goodreads and Worldcat.

Fastest Rising Spellings Of Girls' Names USA 2012

To contact us Click HERE
Based on my sister and I's collection of data as to the names given by 2000+ parents in the USA between January 1st 2012 and early April 2012. I hope that you enjoy reading them. Check back later in the year for an update.

1.) Izabella instead of Isabella
2.) Allyson instead of Allison
3.) Kamille instead of Camille (a significant riser as a middle name)
4.) Ryleigh instead of Rylee
5.) Adalyn instead of Adelyn (theres a big trend for this name in all forms)
6.) Abbigail instead of Abigail
7.) Avary instead of Avery
8.) Madilyn instead of Madelyn
9.) Ellise instead of Elise (as a middle name)
10.) Laila instead of Leila

Good names for "Irish" cats to be adopted on St. Patrick's Day?

To contact us Click HERE
Hi,





Our local animal shelter is having a St. Patrick's Day adoption celebration for cats. Do you have any good Irish names for cats? I know for people they say "Patty O'Furniture, etc. Thank you.|||Erin, Shannon, Siobhan, Fergus, Aislinn





O'Shea, Shaunessy, Killian, McDonough, and for any cat with whte feet: McMittens|||It you want the names to be really Irish, it's Paddy (not Patty) and Seamus (not Shamis)





Most Irish first names are crazy weird. Irish surnames are better. Here a list: http://www.namenerds.com/irish/last.html





I like Guinness.|||http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_Drink鈥?/a>





http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_Cat_Bo鈥?/a>





http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_Laughs|||Claude O'Furniture might be more fitting lol. Some Irish names are: Murray, Seamus, Sean, Erin, Colleen and Tara.|||Lucky, Clover, Patrick|||Shamis|||a great name for an irish cat is paddy or shammy...............

Good names for "Irish" cats to be adopted on St. Patrick's Day?

To contact us Click HERE
Hi,





Our local animal shelter is having a St. Patrick's Day adoption celebration for cats. Do you have any good Irish names for cats? I know for people they say "Patty O'Furniture, etc. Thank you.|||Erin, Shannon, Siobhan, Fergus, Aislinn





O'Shea, Shaunessy, Killian, McDonough, and for any cat with whte feet: McMittens|||It you want the names to be really Irish, it's Paddy (not Patty) and Seamus (not Shamis)





Most Irish first names are crazy weird. Irish surnames are better. Here a list: http://www.namenerds.com/irish/last.html





I like Guinness.|||http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_Drink鈥?/a>





http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_Cat_Bo鈥?/a>





http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_Laughs|||Claude O'Furniture might be more fitting lol. Some Irish names are: Murray, Seamus, Sean, Erin, Colleen and Tara.|||Lucky, Clover, Patrick|||Shamis|||a great name for an irish cat is paddy or shammy...............

Themed Thursday: At the Beach

To contact us Click HERE
As summer vacation begins, consider reading some of these titles all about THE BEACH. Click the image to learn more about each book. Linked titles will bring you to my reviews.

	Junonia by Kevin Henkes During her family's yearly winter vacation, everything has changed for Alice except her lifelong desire to find a rare junonia shell.
	Lexie by Audrey Couloumbis Lexie is horrified when her father brings his new girlfriend and her two sons on their summer beach vacation.
	Daisy Dawson at the Beach by Steve Voake Daisy, who can talk to animals, makes friends with two rabbits and a crab and saves a dolphin on her trip to the beach.
	A Million Miles from Boston by Karen Day Lucy must share her favorite vacation spot with her dad's new girlfriend and a mean boy she knows from school.
	The Penderwicks at Point Mouette by Jeanne Birdsall The three youngest Penderwicks spend their summer in Maine with Aunt Claire, where Jane finds love, Batty discovers musical talent, and Skye finds out just how difficult it is to be in charge.
	Summerhouse Time by Eileen Spinelli This novel in verse focuses on Sophie, who struggles to find her place at the family summerhouse, where her older cousin is too cool to hang out with her, and the adults seem unhappy.

For previous Themed Thursday posts click here, or check the sidebar to browse by theme.

Fastest Rising Spellings Of Girls' Names USA 2012

To contact us Click HERE
Based on my sister and I's collection of data as to the names given by 2000+ parents in the USA between January 1st 2012 and early April 2012. I hope that you enjoy reading them. Check back later in the year for an update.

1.) Izabella instead of Isabella
2.) Allyson instead of Allison
3.) Kamille instead of Camille (a significant riser as a middle name)
4.) Ryleigh instead of Rylee
5.) Adalyn instead of Adelyn (theres a big trend for this name in all forms)
6.) Abbigail instead of Abigail
7.) Avary instead of Avery
8.) Madilyn instead of Madelyn
9.) Ellise instead of Elise (as a middle name)
10.) Laila instead of Leila

Good names for "Irish" cats to be adopted on St. Patrick's Day?

To contact us Click HERE
Hi,





Our local animal shelter is having a St. Patrick's Day adoption celebration for cats. Do you have any good Irish names for cats? I know for people they say "Patty O'Furniture, etc. Thank you.|||Erin, Shannon, Siobhan, Fergus, Aislinn





O'Shea, Shaunessy, Killian, McDonough, and for any cat with whte feet: McMittens|||It you want the names to be really Irish, it's Paddy (not Patty) and Seamus (not Shamis)





Most Irish first names are crazy weird. Irish surnames are better. Here a list: http://www.namenerds.com/irish/last.html





I like Guinness.|||http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_Drink鈥?/a>





http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_Cat_Bo鈥?/a>





http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_Laughs|||Claude O'Furniture might be more fitting lol. Some Irish names are: Murray, Seamus, Sean, Erin, Colleen and Tara.|||Lucky, Clover, Patrick|||Shamis|||a great name for an irish cat is paddy or shammy...............

iTunes U: Genres in Children's Literature, LaTrobe University, Lectures 1 and 2

To contact us Click HERE


Recently, I discovered that there are several children’s literature courses from LaTrobe University in Australia available for download via iTunes U. I would like to listen to them all eventually, but I’ve begun with the one that interests me most - Genres in Children’s Literature. Over the next couple of months, as I listen to the lectures, I will be sharing my insights about the different genres covered, and hopefully, what I learn from the course will inform my future book reviews as well.
Today, I’m focusing on the first two lectures of the course, Introduction to Lecture, which was originally made available on February 27, 2012 and Traditional/Modernist Picture Books, which became available on February 29.

In the first lecture, David Beagley, the instructor, laid the groundwork for the entire course by discussing the differences between adult literature and children’s literature, and emphasizing the importance of respecting books for children as literature worth studying critically. From this lecture, I took away a lot of food for thought.

The idea that struck me the most was Beagley’s assertion that the best children’s books give the child respect as a reader by accepting that the child can feel, and that his or her feelings are valid. He pointed out that great children’s books don’t tell the reader what to feel, but rather present the story and allow the reader to draw his or her own conclusions. As a librarian, I spend a lot of time in the stacks with parents, trying to find the books they want their kids to read, because the parents have an agenda. They want their kids’ books to be educational and edifying and to focus on only those feelings and concepts they themselves are comfortable with. As a reviewer on this blog, I have a tendency to favor those parental concerns, often pointing out bad language or grammar, or sexual content to caution sensitive parents who might object to that type of reading material. I also consider kid appeal a lot of the time, focusing on whether I think kids will enjoy a book or not. But I have never truly considered whether a book actually respects its reader. This is something I’ll have in mind when I’m reading from now on.

The second lecture went on to describe picture books, the first format the course covers. I’d heard some of it before in library school, especially when it comes to the role of illustrations in picture books, but Beagley mentioned other concepts I’d never really considered. I especially liked his comment that children will read books from their own perspectives, and that two readers may not take away the same things from the same book. It sounds pretty logical that this would be true, but I think it’s easy for people who read books critically to get caught up in the notion of a “right” or “wrong” reading. I think adults are even more likely to get caught up in that when we’re thinking about children’s books, because we, like the parents I mentioned, have an agenda in mind for kids’ reading. We want them to get the “right” things out of it. But Beagley pointed out that the reader must contribute something to the experience of a picture book, and I like thinking about the many different ways kids might interpret the various books I read to them in story time. It makes me want to start asking them more questions so they engage more with the story and rely less on my guidance.

Want to listen along? Click here for Lecture 1 and here for Lecture 2. Read about David Beagley here.

Review: Flying the Dragon by Natalie Dias Lorenzi (ARC)

To contact us Click HERE
Flying the Dragon. by Natalie Dias Lorenzi. July 1, 2012. Charlesbridge. 233 pages. ISBN: 9781580894340

Skye and Hiroshi are cousins, but they never meet until their grandfather becomes ill, forcing Hiroshi and his parents to bring him from Japan to the United States for cancer treatment. As Hiroshi learns English and attempts to navigate the American school system, American-born Skye attends Japanese school and struggles to fend off the bullies who don’t understand her cousin’s cultural differences. Though they often find themselves as odds, one thing brings these cousins together - their mutual love for their grandfather and his passion for flying handcrafted kites.

Flying the Dragon is a beautifully written story about identity, family, loss, and hope. From the very first page, the words seem to flow effortlessly, painting a picture of Skye’s family, then Hiroshi’s, in alternating chapters. Even simple, mundane things are described in very specific and poetic language, from the “tightrope of cheese” stretching from a slice of pizza, to the “bamboo bones” of the dragon kite. The plot moves easily from one event to the next, peeling back layers of family history and emotion as the characters develop their connection to each other, and to their grandfather. The story unfolds so naturally, it feels almost like a conversation between the reader and the two sympathetic protagonists. Even historical details and family anecdotes are worked into the text in such a way that the reader never drowns in too much information. Lorenzi writes only what is needed to convey the story’s truth, and the result is close to perfection.

This book speaks to so many relevant issues - immigration, English as a Second Language, cultural identity, family secrets - but at heart, it is a story, not a lesson or a lecture. Kids will learn plenty from reading this book, but it will be because the story talks to them on their level, and not down to them from the point of view of an older, wiser adult. The characters are believable and well-crafted, their experiences relatable and interesting, and the story as a whole, is entertaining, edifying, and at times, really exciting. This would be a great title for a book club discussion, or for a family to read together. It compares well to books like The Great Wall of Lucy Wu, in which a young Chinese-American girl must share a room with her Chinese aunt, or Same Sun Here, where two kids from different cultures form a strong friendship based on their differences as well as their similarities.

Flying the Dragon is one of the best books I’ve read so far this year. It will be available in bookstores and at charlesbridge.com on July 1st. For links to more reviews and status updates from the author, like the book on Facebook, or visit Natalie Dias Lorenzi’s website.

I received a finished review copy of Flying the Dragon from Charlesbridge Publishing. 

For more about this book, visit Goodreads and Worldcat.

Fastest Rising Spellings Of Girls' Names USA 2012

To contact us Click HERE
Based on my sister and I's collection of data as to the names given by 2000+ parents in the USA between January 1st 2012 and early April 2012. I hope that you enjoy reading them. Check back later in the year for an update.

1.) Izabella instead of Isabella
2.) Allyson instead of Allison
3.) Kamille instead of Camille (a significant riser as a middle name)
4.) Ryleigh instead of Rylee
5.) Adalyn instead of Adelyn (theres a big trend for this name in all forms)
6.) Abbigail instead of Abigail
7.) Avary instead of Avery
8.) Madilyn instead of Madelyn
9.) Ellise instead of Elise (as a middle name)
10.) Laila instead of Leila

Fastest Rising Spellings Of Girls' Names USA 2012

To contact us Click HERE
Based on my sister and I's collection of data as to the names given by 2000+ parents in the USA between January 1st 2012 and early April 2012. I hope that you enjoy reading them. Check back later in the year for an update.

1.) Izabella instead of Isabella
2.) Allyson instead of Allison
3.) Kamille instead of Camille (a significant riser as a middle name)
4.) Ryleigh instead of Rylee
5.) Adalyn instead of Adelyn (theres a big trend for this name in all forms)
6.) Abbigail instead of Abigail
7.) Avary instead of Avery
8.) Madilyn instead of Madelyn
9.) Ellise instead of Elise (as a middle name)
10.) Laila instead of Leila

Good names for "Irish" cats to be adopted on St. Patrick's Day?

To contact us Click HERE
Hi,





Our local animal shelter is having a St. Patrick's Day adoption celebration for cats. Do you have any good Irish names for cats? I know for people they say "Patty O'Furniture, etc. Thank you.|||Erin, Shannon, Siobhan, Fergus, Aislinn





O'Shea, Shaunessy, Killian, McDonough, and for any cat with whte feet: McMittens|||It you want the names to be really Irish, it's Paddy (not Patty) and Seamus (not Shamis)





Most Irish first names are crazy weird. Irish surnames are better. Here a list: http://www.namenerds.com/irish/last.html





I like Guinness.|||http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_Drink鈥?/a>





http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_Cat_Bo鈥?/a>





http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_Laughs|||Claude O'Furniture might be more fitting lol. Some Irish names are: Murray, Seamus, Sean, Erin, Colleen and Tara.|||Lucky, Clover, Patrick|||Shamis|||a great name for an irish cat is paddy or shammy...............

Old School Sunday: The Arm of the Starfish by Madeleine L'Engle

To contact us Click HERE
The Arm of the Starfish. by Madeleine L'Engle. 1965. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. 288 pages. ISBN: 9780440901839

Adam Eddington, a bright high school student with an interest in marine biology, plans to spend his summer working for Dr. O’Keefe on the island of Gaea. In the airport before he boards his plane, he meets Kali, a beautiful girl, who warns him that Dr. O’Keefe and his colleague, Canon Tallis, are dangerous and cannot be trusted. After this meeting, things change dramatically for Adam. Suddenly, his credentials and motives are questioned, and he can’t decide whether to place his loyalties with Dr. O’Keefe and his loving, innocent daughter Polyhymnia, or with Kali and her dad, Typhon Cutter, who asks Adam to spy on his behalf.

Of all the L’Engle books I’ve read so far, this one is the strangest. From the start, the book gives the reader an unsettled feeling which really doesn’t resolve itself until almost the end of the story. This feeling arises from the suspenseful plot as well as from the strange otherworldliness of 12-year-old Poly. Dr. O’Keefe describes his daughter in terms of her ability to love, saying, “She loves in an extraordinary way for a twelve-year-old, a simple, pure outpouring, with no looking for anything in return.” This ability makes her character seem somehow sheltered and gullible, and annoys me a little bit because she doesn’t seem to have any flaws. At every moment of the story, Poly is this shining example of perfect human love, and that perfection doesn’t jibe with real-life adolescence, or with L’Engle’s depiction of adolescence in her other books. Vicky Austin might go overboard with her self-deprecation and sense of otherness, but she is ten times more believable than Poly.

I had some trouble, also, buying into the starfish regeneration research that Dr. O’Keefe works on. The entire concept - and the potential for it to be abused by evil forces - reads more like the subject of a superhero comic than a science fiction novel. The science behind regeneration in humans seems too easy, and I never quite felt the sense of urgency the characters feel about protecting those secret scientific discoveries. I’m also starting to grow somewhat weary of these “special” kids L’Engle writes about, who are so well-versed in poetry, music, and culture. Is the Tallis canon really something tweens or teens would recognize? I found myself questioning that and wondering if she could have told the story without quite so many precocious characters.

Saying all of this makes it sound like I didn’t enjoy this novel, and that actually is not the case. I was drawn into the mystery almost immediately, and enjoyed getting to know Adam’s voice. I was pleased to see the subtle references to A Wrinkle In Time - especially Poly’s siblings’ names - that made it clear that Dr. O’Keefe is Calvin, and his wife is Meg, even though the narrative never says as much. It was an interesting read, and it left me with a lot to think about and process before moving onto the next book, The Young Unicorns.

I borrowed The Arm of the Starfish from my local public library. 

For more about this book, visit Goodreads and Worldcat. 

iTunes U: Genres in Children's Literature, LaTrobe University, Lectures 1 and 2

To contact us Click HERE


Recently, I discovered that there are several children’s literature courses from LaTrobe University in Australia available for download via iTunes U. I would like to listen to them all eventually, but I’ve begun with the one that interests me most - Genres in Children’s Literature. Over the next couple of months, as I listen to the lectures, I will be sharing my insights about the different genres covered, and hopefully, what I learn from the course will inform my future book reviews as well.
Today, I’m focusing on the first two lectures of the course, Introduction to Lecture, which was originally made available on February 27, 2012 and Traditional/Modernist Picture Books, which became available on February 29.

In the first lecture, David Beagley, the instructor, laid the groundwork for the entire course by discussing the differences between adult literature and children’s literature, and emphasizing the importance of respecting books for children as literature worth studying critically. From this lecture, I took away a lot of food for thought.

The idea that struck me the most was Beagley’s assertion that the best children’s books give the child respect as a reader by accepting that the child can feel, and that his or her feelings are valid. He pointed out that great children’s books don’t tell the reader what to feel, but rather present the story and allow the reader to draw his or her own conclusions. As a librarian, I spend a lot of time in the stacks with parents, trying to find the books they want their kids to read, because the parents have an agenda. They want their kids’ books to be educational and edifying and to focus on only those feelings and concepts they themselves are comfortable with. As a reviewer on this blog, I have a tendency to favor those parental concerns, often pointing out bad language or grammar, or sexual content to caution sensitive parents who might object to that type of reading material. I also consider kid appeal a lot of the time, focusing on whether I think kids will enjoy a book or not. But I have never truly considered whether a book actually respects its reader. This is something I’ll have in mind when I’m reading from now on.

The second lecture went on to describe picture books, the first format the course covers. I’d heard some of it before in library school, especially when it comes to the role of illustrations in picture books, but Beagley mentioned other concepts I’d never really considered. I especially liked his comment that children will read books from their own perspectives, and that two readers may not take away the same things from the same book. It sounds pretty logical that this would be true, but I think it’s easy for people who read books critically to get caught up in the notion of a “right” or “wrong” reading. I think adults are even more likely to get caught up in that when we’re thinking about children’s books, because we, like the parents I mentioned, have an agenda in mind for kids’ reading. We want them to get the “right” things out of it. But Beagley pointed out that the reader must contribute something to the experience of a picture book, and I like thinking about the many different ways kids might interpret the various books I read to them in story time. It makes me want to start asking them more questions so they engage more with the story and rely less on my guidance.

Want to listen along? Click here for Lecture 1 and here for Lecture 2. Read about David Beagley here.

Review: The Classroom by Robin Mellom (ARC)

To contact us Click HERE
The Classroom: The Epic Documentary of a Not-Yet-Epic Kid. by Robin Mellom. June 19, 2012. Disney-Hyperion. 288 pages. ISBN: 9781423150633
School often poses problems for worrywart Trevor Jones, but he’s always had his best friend Libby Gardner to save him from disaster. Therefore, it’s a huge shock when Libby arrives to the bus stop on the first day of middle school and immediately tells Trevor they can’t be “friend friends” anymore because she thinks they need to branch out. It gets even worse when Libby explains that Trevor has until the end of the first day of school to find a date to the Fall Dance - without any of her usual expert guidance.

There are a lot of books out there about the first day of middle school, but The Classroom is unique for two reasons. One is that the story is told in a documentary format, with breaks between chapters for interviews with the main characters. Characters’ pictures are shown, along with transcripts of what they have told the cameraman about their day at school, giving insight into the worries and motives of kids other than Trevor. I won’t say this is a successful gimmick all the time, but it’s a welcome change from the diary format that seems to be taking over lately. The documentary format is still visually appealing but it also takes a different approach, which makes the book stand out.

The second reason this book is unique among the scores of middle school books available is that it’s a friendship story from the male point of view. We have other middle school books about boys, of course - Diary of a Wimpy Kid, James Patterson’s new series, the Big Nate books - but somehow those books don’t focus quite as strongly on the changes in friendships that occur when middle school begins. A lot of attention is paid to girls losing their friends to the popular crowd, but Trevor is the first boy I’ve seen go through that in a work of fiction, and it was so completely refreshing to see that. I’m sure boys fall victim to shifting cliques as much as girls do, and this book really validates that experience.

I think the best term I could use to describe The Classroom is “tween soap opera.” This book reads like a cleaner version of DeGrassi, and it has a lot of great characters who would lend themselves easily to an animated cartoon series. It was fun to keep track of each characters’ trajectory throughout that first day of school, and the big cast of characters captured that crowded, chaotic environment of middle school hallways so well. The story itself unravels a litle bit at he end because the resolution comes so easily after all of Trevor’s turmoil, but it was still worth the ride it took to get there.

Recommend The Classroom to true wimpy kids who are fed up with Greg Heffley, and to fans of The Fourth Stall, The Strange Case of Origami Yoda, The Secret Life of Ms. Finkleman, and the Amelia Rules graphic novels.

I received a digital ARC of The Classroom from Netgalley.

For more about this book, visit Goodreads and Worldcat.

Review: The Secret Tree by Natalie Standiford

To contact us Click HERE
The Secret Tree. by Natalie Standiford. May 1, 2012. Scholastic. 256 pages. ISBN: 9780545334792

It is summer, and Minty and her best friend Paz have big plans to practice the roller derby skills that will one day bring them fame under their roller derby nicknames, Minty Fresh and Pax. A. Punch. Unfortunately for Minty, it doesn’t take long for Paz to lose interest in roller derby and begin spending her time with a different group of girls who aren’t particularly kind to Minty. Soon, though, Minty is distracted from the strain in her friendship by a boy named Raymond, whom she catches stealing from kids in the neighborhood and taking their photos. She and Raymond discover a secret tree, in which their neighbors hide their innermost secrets. As Minty helps Raymond connect each secret with its owner, she realizes he also has a big secret of his own.

There is a lot to like about this book. Natalie Standiford writes really powerful descriptions, and there are many of those in this book. Even now, days after finishing the story, I can conjure up images of the secret tree, of the four barrettes Paz and her new friends wear in their hair, and of the model home where Raymond lives. Standiford very nicely captures the entire atmosphere of the neighborhood she writes about, so that the reader feels very familiar with it very quickly and understands the emotions and motivations of each character as his or her secret is revealed.

I also love the way that friendships and sisterly relationships are portrayed in this book. Many books discuss the tensions between best friends and between teen big sisters and tween little sisters, but this story manages to approach it in a way that feels fresh and interesting to read about. I think Minty and Paz’s shared love of roller derby definitely contributes to that feeling of newness, as I don’t think that it something I’ve ever seen in a children’s book before. It was also interesting to see the ways in which Minty and Paz’s friendship is tangled up with their older sisters’ friendship to each other. That’s another dynamic I don’t think I have seen in any other middle grade books.

Because of Raymond’s mysterious behavior and the neighborhood legends surrounding him and the woods, I think The Secret Tree makes a great read-alike for Maniac Magee. The story does resolve itself somewhat too easily in the end, which is a bit of a disappointment, but overall, this is a great summer tale about the secrets we all keep, even from our closest friends. It doesn’t pack quite the emotional punch of Standiford’s YA tearjerker, How to Say Goodbye in Robot, but it’s still absolutely worth the read.

I borrowed The Secret Tree from my local public library. 

For more about this book, visit Goodreads and Worldcat.

Old School Sunday: The Arm of the Starfish by Madeleine L'Engle

To contact us Click HERE
The Arm of the Starfish. by Madeleine L'Engle. 1965. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. 288 pages. ISBN: 9780440901839

Adam Eddington, a bright high school student with an interest in marine biology, plans to spend his summer working for Dr. O’Keefe on the island of Gaea. In the airport before he boards his plane, he meets Kali, a beautiful girl, who warns him that Dr. O’Keefe and his colleague, Canon Tallis, are dangerous and cannot be trusted. After this meeting, things change dramatically for Adam. Suddenly, his credentials and motives are questioned, and he can’t decide whether to place his loyalties with Dr. O’Keefe and his loving, innocent daughter Polyhymnia, or with Kali and her dad, Typhon Cutter, who asks Adam to spy on his behalf.

Of all the L’Engle books I’ve read so far, this one is the strangest. From the start, the book gives the reader an unsettled feeling which really doesn’t resolve itself until almost the end of the story. This feeling arises from the suspenseful plot as well as from the strange otherworldliness of 12-year-old Poly. Dr. O’Keefe describes his daughter in terms of her ability to love, saying, “She loves in an extraordinary way for a twelve-year-old, a simple, pure outpouring, with no looking for anything in return.” This ability makes her character seem somehow sheltered and gullible, and annoys me a little bit because she doesn’t seem to have any flaws. At every moment of the story, Poly is this shining example of perfect human love, and that perfection doesn’t jibe with real-life adolescence, or with L’Engle’s depiction of adolescence in her other books. Vicky Austin might go overboard with her self-deprecation and sense of otherness, but she is ten times more believable than Poly.

I had some trouble, also, buying into the starfish regeneration research that Dr. O’Keefe works on. The entire concept - and the potential for it to be abused by evil forces - reads more like the subject of a superhero comic than a science fiction novel. The science behind regeneration in humans seems too easy, and I never quite felt the sense of urgency the characters feel about protecting those secret scientific discoveries. I’m also starting to grow somewhat weary of these “special” kids L’Engle writes about, who are so well-versed in poetry, music, and culture. Is the Tallis canon really something tweens or teens would recognize? I found myself questioning that and wondering if she could have told the story without quite so many precocious characters.

Saying all of this makes it sound like I didn’t enjoy this novel, and that actually is not the case. I was drawn into the mystery almost immediately, and enjoyed getting to know Adam’s voice. I was pleased to see the subtle references to A Wrinkle In Time - especially Poly’s siblings’ names - that made it clear that Dr. O’Keefe is Calvin, and his wife is Meg, even though the narrative never says as much. It was an interesting read, and it left me with a lot to think about and process before moving onto the next book, The Young Unicorns.

I borrowed The Arm of the Starfish from my local public library. 

For more about this book, visit Goodreads and Worldcat. 

iTunes U: Genres in Children's Literature, LaTrobe University, Lectures 1 and 2

To contact us Click HERE


Recently, I discovered that there are several children’s literature courses from LaTrobe University in Australia available for download via iTunes U. I would like to listen to them all eventually, but I’ve begun with the one that interests me most - Genres in Children’s Literature. Over the next couple of months, as I listen to the lectures, I will be sharing my insights about the different genres covered, and hopefully, what I learn from the course will inform my future book reviews as well.
Today, I’m focusing on the first two lectures of the course, Introduction to Lecture, which was originally made available on February 27, 2012 and Traditional/Modernist Picture Books, which became available on February 29.

In the first lecture, David Beagley, the instructor, laid the groundwork for the entire course by discussing the differences between adult literature and children’s literature, and emphasizing the importance of respecting books for children as literature worth studying critically. From this lecture, I took away a lot of food for thought.

The idea that struck me the most was Beagley’s assertion that the best children’s books give the child respect as a reader by accepting that the child can feel, and that his or her feelings are valid. He pointed out that great children’s books don’t tell the reader what to feel, but rather present the story and allow the reader to draw his or her own conclusions. As a librarian, I spend a lot of time in the stacks with parents, trying to find the books they want their kids to read, because the parents have an agenda. They want their kids’ books to be educational and edifying and to focus on only those feelings and concepts they themselves are comfortable with. As a reviewer on this blog, I have a tendency to favor those parental concerns, often pointing out bad language or grammar, or sexual content to caution sensitive parents who might object to that type of reading material. I also consider kid appeal a lot of the time, focusing on whether I think kids will enjoy a book or not. But I have never truly considered whether a book actually respects its reader. This is something I’ll have in mind when I’m reading from now on.

The second lecture went on to describe picture books, the first format the course covers. I’d heard some of it before in library school, especially when it comes to the role of illustrations in picture books, but Beagley mentioned other concepts I’d never really considered. I especially liked his comment that children will read books from their own perspectives, and that two readers may not take away the same things from the same book. It sounds pretty logical that this would be true, but I think it’s easy for people who read books critically to get caught up in the notion of a “right” or “wrong” reading. I think adults are even more likely to get caught up in that when we’re thinking about children’s books, because we, like the parents I mentioned, have an agenda in mind for kids’ reading. We want them to get the “right” things out of it. But Beagley pointed out that the reader must contribute something to the experience of a picture book, and I like thinking about the many different ways kids might interpret the various books I read to them in story time. It makes me want to start asking them more questions so they engage more with the story and rely less on my guidance.

Want to listen along? Click here for Lecture 1 and here for Lecture 2. Read about David Beagley here.