Happy Birthday, Mr. Schu!

A friend recently said to me, "It's all about the connections we make with other people." I couldn't agree more. Whether it's connecting through activities we do with our children, hobbies we do together, or sports teams we cheer for - it's the connections that bring us happiness and fulfillment.

So today I'd like to honor a very special guy, Mr. Schu - otherwise known as John Schumacher, school librarian extraordinaire. We met through Twitter, yes Twitter, and soon discovered a shared passion for children's books and school libraries. This summer, we were both at ALA for the first time and had as much of a connection in real life as we had online. So when I realized his birthday was coming up, I knew it was time to celebrate. Kirby Larson, Jenni Holm and Erica Perl all helped think of a very special way to honor Mr. Schu: a twitter party #happybdaymrschu, and donations either to local school libraries or to First Book in his honor.

Jenni Holm reached out to friends to make this great video:


Head over to First Book's blog to read about how to honor Mr. Schu with a donation to this amazing organization.

Mr. Schu is always encouraging others to pass it on, to share books they love with kids, to bring books everywhere (yes, absolutely everywhere!). His enthusiasm is absolutely infectious. His willingness to share unending. So, here's a toast to him! In his honor, I'm donating the Frankie Pickle series to Emerson School Library. Because, of course, books make the best birthday presents ever!

Happy Birthday, Mr. Schu!

The Fantastic New World of Book Apps for Children

I've been fascinated watching the development of ebooks, but I've been especially fascinated watching how publishers and app developers are creating a completely new interactive experience for children with children's book apps. Developers have combined elements of picture books, computer games, audiobooks and more to engage children in reading stories of all sorts.

The Kidlitosphere community has been watching, evaluating and sharing about these apps in many ways. Two developments are particularly exciting to me:

• the Cybils Awards will be launching a new category specifically looking at children's book apps for the iPad/iPhone iOS, and
• the Kidlitosphere conference in September will feature a session all about book apps for children.

The Cybils Awards annually recognize children's authors, illustrators and app developers "whose books combine the highest literary merit and 'kid appeal.'" They provide recognition in a variety of categories, ranging from YA literature to early reader short chapter books. These awards also develop a sense of community within the Kidlit blogging world, taking nominations from all comers and drawing on a wide array of bloggers for their judging panels.

This year, the Cybils Awards will include a new category for children's book apps. The details have yet to be ironed out, but a very exciting aspect is that I am going to be the category organizer. I am thrilled to be involved in helping create this new category, talk with other passionate bloggers about what makes a great app, and help review the best of the best apps.

In September, I'm going to be presenting a session at the KidLit conference along with Betsy Bird of Fuse #8 (via Skype) and Paula Wiley of PinkMe all about children's book apps.  Here's the session description:

Interactive book apps combine traditional book content with a variety of multimedia features, presenting opportunities for children to engage with stories and information in new ways. But do they motivate kids to read? Do they stand up to repeat viewing? Are these apps really just Angry Birds without the guilt - something to hand a cranky kid when the checkout line is too long? We will talk about how our expertise in reviewing children’s literature applies to evaluating book apps. Learn about what makes an outstanding app, which features are becoming standard, which ones assist the reader, and which features are merely silly.

I hope you consider coming to KidLitCon. It's a wonderful, intimate conference where you can make lasting connections with other folks passionate about children's books. For registration information, head to the Kidlitosphere Central site.

©2011 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books.

Sea Monster's First Day by Kate Messner (ages 3 - 6)

Across the U.S., kids are heading back to school. Some are excited to see their friends, others are nervous about a new school or new teachers. We have a great time sharing "back to school" books with our students and bonding over shared experiences. Here's a great new book to share with your little ones heading off to school: Sea Monster's First Day, by Kate Messner.

Sea Monster's First Day
by Kate Messner
illustrated by Andy Rash
CA: Chronicle Books, 2011
ages 3 - 6
available from your local library and my favorite bookstore

Even big guys can have a rough time starting school, as Ernest the sea monster shows us. Starting school and learning how everything works is a tough job: there’s so much to learn and do, and something always seems to go wrong. “It felt like everybody was already part of a group.”

But Ernest has a positive attitude and keeps trying to make friends. “Finally, at lunch, I spotted some fish that looked a little like me. I decided it was worth a try. We hit it off right away.” This has such a happy ending, just the way you'd hope - but in a very earnest way (yes, the pun is intended!).

Kids will love the bright, goofy illustrations of Ernest and the other fish, with their big goggly eyes and funny expressions. Messner achieves a balance between acknowledging that the first day of school isn’t easy, and sharing the message that a positive attitude goes a long way. She accomplishes this through gentle humor in this upbeat story about making friends.

Daniel Handler reviewed Sea Monster's First Day for the New York Times this past weekend, saying that Messner and Rash waste an opportunity by "giving us a cartoon we’ve all seen before." I actually think this works in favor of the story, reassuring little kids that school is actually something they've seen before. This story will work perfectly for preschoolers and kindergarteners heading to a new school for the first time. I'm sure it will bring some laughs and reassurances along the way.

A great resource for Back to School books is the list put together by John Schumacher (@MrSchuReads) and Alyson Beecher (@alybee930) on their wiki. It includes some of my favorite books, including Sea Monster's First Day. Definitely check it out.

The review copy was kindly sent by the publishers, Chronicle Books. The links above are to Mrs. Dalloway's Bookstore, my local bookstore that has just launched an online website (hooray!).

Review ©2011 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books.

Cats vs. Dogs: who's on top?

Send me your cats! Send me your dogs! OK, not literally - please... But I'd love to know who your favorite cats and dogs are in children's books.

My children love pets, and will tell you exactly which of their friends are cat lovers and which are dog lovers. Where do your kids stand on this front? Can you hook them into reading with great cat and dog stories?

I'll run a poll between now and September 10th. Throughout the month, I'll add suggestions that I gather from Twitter, friends and voting. Use the Google Form below to vote for your favorite. Please enter a book or series title, not just characters. And yes, you can vote for more than one book. But each entry will count for one vote. Votes are only counted if they are entered on the form below. No ranking. We'll include all genres for children, ages 0 - 14.  All links in the books below are to WorldCat, so you can find these in a library near you.




For cat lovers:

Chester, by Melanie Watts
This hilarious cat takes over Melanie Watt's books and insists on writing his own story. Very funny series! Definitely a cat with attitude!

Jenny and the Cat Club series, by Esther Averill
The Fire Cat, by Esther Averill
Bad Kitty series, by Nick Bruel
Splat, the Cat, by Rob Scotton
One-Eyed Cat, by Paula Fox
Binky the Space Cat, by Ashley Spires
Cat Secrets, by Jeff Czekaj
Pete the Cat series, by Eric Litwin
Goodnight Moon kittens, by Margaret Wise Brown
Hate That Cat, by Sharon Creech
Curious Collection of Cats, by Betsy Franco
Six-Dinner Sid, by Igna Moore
My Father's Dragon, by Ruth Stiles Gannet
Skippyjon Jones series, by Judith Byron Schachner
The Stink Files series, by Brad Weinman
Prudence Wants a Pet, by Cathleen Daly
The Whisperer, by Nick Butterworth
Warduff and the Corncob Caper, by Mat Head

For dog lovers:

Bark, George, by Jules Pfeiffer
This is one sweet little dog, who will make your little ones laugh again and again. For some strange reason, this puppy can't figure out how to bark right - all sorts of animal sounds keep coming out when he tries. So his momma takes him to the vet, and he discovers why.

Love That Dog, by Sharon Creech
Shiloh, by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Harry the Dirty Dog, by Gene Zion
Down Girl and Sit series, by Lucy Nolan
Bunnicula, by Deborah & James Howe
Dazzling Display of Dogs, by Betsy Franco
The Hallo-weiner, by Dav Pilkey
A Dog's Way Home, by Bobbie Pyron
A Ball for Daisy, by Chris Raschka
When Life Gives You O.J., by Erica Perl
Meet the Austins and others in the series, by Madeline L'Engle
How Rocket Learned to Read, by Tad Hills
Officer Buckle and Gloria, by Peggy Rathmann
Martha Speaks, by Susan Meddaugh
Henry and Ribsy, by Beverly Cleary
Because of Winn-Dixie, by Kate DiCamillo
The Adventures of Taxi Dog, by Debra Barracca
The Complete Adventures of Big Dog and Little Dog, by Dav Pilkey


Please remember, votes only count if they are entered in the form above!  Thanks for participating - this should be fun!

Review ©2011 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books.

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making, by Catherynne M. Valente (ages 10 - 13)

This summer I struggled reading a book I was expecting to like very much: The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making, by Catherynne M. Valente. Online friends whose taste I admire had recommended it highly, with comparisons to The Phantom Tollbooth, Alice in Wonderland and the Oz books. I was intrigued by the fact that it was originally published in serialized form, becoming the first e-book to win the Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy. And yet, it was not a book I enjoyed. It isn't often that I write about a book I haven't enjoyed, and I want to do so carefully. I admire Ms. Valente's writing in many ways, and know that this is a book that many enjoy. But I'd like to explore my thoughts more fully.

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making
by Catherynne M. Valente
NY: Feiwel and Friends, 2011
ages 10 - 13
available at your local library, my favorite bookstore, and online at Google Books

Twelve-year-old September is a courageous girl, one willing to fly off on an adventure when the Green Wind (taking the form of a little man in a green jacket) invites her to come with him. They fly to Fairyland, where times are hard under the rule of the new Marquess. At first, September thinks she'll be on a magical lark, exploring Fairyland. But she soon discovers that her help is needed to retrieve a witch's wooden spoon, and she volunteers to set off on a quest. Along the way, September makes new friends, including a book-loving Wyvern and a mysterious boy named Saturday.

Valente has created a magical, imaginative land with inventive creatures. But I never felt completely wrapped up in the story. I admired September, but found it difficult to care deeply about her or her quest. She accepted her mission in an almost off-hand way, but got drawn in as she realized how capricious the Marquess was. Along the way she met many characters that I'll remember - a golem made of soap, stampeding herd of flying Victorian high-wheel bicycles, and a brave paper lantern. The chapters had a bit of a disconnected feel, almost as if I could sense the way that it was written and published in a serialized form. But this reminds me of The Phantom Tollbooth in many ways, as Milo explored the different worlds he encountered.

Unfortunately, September's story never resonated with me; I never emotionally connected with her the way I did with Milo. I admired her pluck and courage, the way she encountered these fantastical creatures with a completely open mind, and especially her choices at the end of the novel. And yet, she seemed distant throughout, somehow.

I enjoyed Valente's language and kept marking sentences that felt meaningful. But I do think the language got in the way of the story and the characters. I spent more time noticing Valente's writing than I did getting emotionally involved. While I appreciate unique, thoughtful writing, I know that most children need a compelling story to bring them through a book.

As Betsy Bird of Fuse #8 has clearly said, this is a book that will generate a lot of controversy this year. Some folks clearly love it. And yet, it is definitely not a book for everyone. I look forward to sharing it with students this fall and getting some children's reactions.

Thank you to the publishers, Feiwel & Friends and MacMillan, and  for sending the review copy.

Review ©2011 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books.

The Friendship Doll, by Kirby Larson (ages 9 - 12)

I have always adored historical fiction for the way it brings me right into a time period and helps me connect to characters living through times so different from my own. As I child, I was absorbed by The Little House on the Prairie series, reading them again and again. But I also loved Escape from Warsaw, about two young children escaping the Warsaw Ghetto in World War II. Kirby Larson, who won a Newbery honor for her wonderful Hattie Big Sky in 2006, is a wonderful writer of historical fiction for children. She has an amazing ability to weave together compelling stories infused with rich historical detail and interesting conflicts. Her newest book, The Friendship Doll, gripped me from beginning to end.

The Friendship Doll
by Kirby Larson
NY: Delacourte / Random House, 2011
ages 9 - 12
available at my favorite bookstore and online through Google Books
preview available through Google Books

In 1927, Japanese schoolchildren sent 58 dolls to the children of the United States as a gesture of goodwill and friendship. NewberyKirby Larson shapes a touching story, following the travels of one of these dolls, Miss Kanagawa. At first, Miss Kanagawa is haughty and dismissive of the children who come to see her on display.

“I am above all an ambassador, a dignitary. I simply happen to be a doll.” 

But through the course of the story, Miss Kanagawa's heart is awakened by four different children she meets during her travels throughout the United States during the Depression years and those leading up to World War II. The narrative focus shifts from Miss Kanagawa to the four girls who bond with this special doll.

First Bunny, an upper-class girl from Manhattan, is furious that she was not chosen to speak at the welcoming ceremony for the dolls. The font changes to mark the shifting narrative voice, as Miss Kanagawa sees that Bunny’s anger comes as much from loneliness as snobbery.

With each child she meets, Miss Kanagawa is able to see that good intertwines with bad, and that she can help coax more thoughtful actions from her wisdom. The narrative thread follows Miss Kanagawa as she changes hands over the next eleven years and bonds with these four girls, from New York to Illinois, Kentucky to Oregon.

I was amazed how quickly I connected with each character, really feeling the dilemmas they faced. It is not easy to write short stories for middle grade readers. Larson did a remarkable job developing full characters with emotional resonance and unique perspectives, shedding light on how the Depression affected a range of children. The historical details are rich and interesting, woven throughout each story. The final chapter effectively brings the story to the present day, providing a sense of closure and possibilities.

I was fascinated to read Larson's note at the end of the book, where she explains which parts of the stories were drawn directly from history and which she invented to create her story. She also explains more of the background about the Friendship Dolls.

I am looking forward to sharing The Friendship Doll with 4th and 5th graders this fall. I am predicting that several of our students who enjoy realistic fiction with strong characters will enjoy this either as a family read-aloud or a book for independent reading. Can you tell I'm glowing about it?

If you enjoy historical fiction, definitely check out Kirby Larson's Hattie Big Sky and Jennifer Holm's Our Only May Amelia and The Trouble With May Amelia.

The review copy was kindly sent by Random House / Delacourte Press, and this will be donated to the Emerson School Library. We also purchased a copy for our own home library.