On Bookshelves of Doom, I saw a link for Body Image Week on the blog My Favorite Author. The blog says, "We have invited bloggers from The Story Siren, Presenting Lenore, and In Bed With Books to participate and share their perspective and experience. And we are excited to also have authors Deborah Lytton, Sarah Darer Littman, Sara Zarr, Megan Frazer, Laurie Halse Anderson, Sydney Salter and Erin Dionne share their perspective, experience and advice. At the end of the week, we'll have a great giveaway for you to enter (by accepting & reporting on the Body Image Challenge) to win some of the books that we blog about this week!" Maybe it will inspire some discussion for us.
On a related topic, I will be reading Wintergirls, the new Laurie Halse Anderson, sometime next week and will blog about it then. I know others (Dawn? Kristin?) have it on their list, so maybe we'll all get around to it at the same time.
Also, I on Monday I finished reading Perfect Fifths, the new Megan McCafferty. Has anyone read it yet? (Julie? Jess?) We could talk about that, too.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
How cool are these girls?
I saw this video linked on Bookshelves of Doom today and think it's about the coolest thing I've seen/heard in a long time. Follow the SLJ's Battle of the Books to see who wins!
Friday, March 6, 2009
YA Road Trip?
So, I just found out from E. Lockhart's blog, that David Levithan has organized a YA Book Festival in NY, in the third week of March. The events look utterly incredible-- a YA author rock show (Thursday night), authors reading things they wrote in their teens (Monday), and an EPICALLY HUGE signing festival on Sunday (the 22nd). You can find the whole list of awesomeness right here.
I'm pretty sure we don't have any Misfits in the NY area, but I for one am definitely grabbing a Chinatown bus down from Boston and attending the book signing. I can't get off work to go to the other events. I know there are a ton of Misfits here in the Boston area, and while I'm sure most of you can't get off work for something this silly, I thought it would be well worth letting everyone know. And I also wanted to offer to bring down books to get signed for anyone interested.
I'm pretty sure we don't have any Misfits in the NY area, but I for one am definitely grabbing a Chinatown bus down from Boston and attending the book signing. I can't get off work to go to the other events. I know there are a ton of Misfits here in the Boston area, and while I'm sure most of you can't get off work for something this silly, I thought it would be well worth letting everyone know. And I also wanted to offer to bring down books to get signed for anyone interested.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Testing your knowledge
Put your brains to work!
Matthew was recently talking about a book he remembers reading as a child, but can't actually remember much about it, other than he liked it (the fact that he could come up with any details about it was shocking to me, as he doesn't recall much from his childhood and he can't even remember that his third grade teacher was MY GRANDMA!). Here's what he remembers: The story was a mystery about a boy whose family goes to spend the summer somewhere. At the house they are staying in, there is the ghost of a young boy who lived 100 years or something prior to the time the story is set in. Matthew says the setting is in the country and felt like it was set in the 40s or 50s (and he would have read this in the early 80s). It is entirely possible he is misremembering all of this, but he's got me determined to track it down. I initially thought it sounded maybe John Bellairs-ish, but am not finding anything that seems to match that. Any ideas?
Matthew was recently talking about a book he remembers reading as a child, but can't actually remember much about it, other than he liked it (the fact that he could come up with any details about it was shocking to me, as he doesn't recall much from his childhood and he can't even remember that his third grade teacher was MY GRANDMA!). Here's what he remembers: The story was a mystery about a boy whose family goes to spend the summer somewhere. At the house they are staying in, there is the ghost of a young boy who lived 100 years or something prior to the time the story is set in. Matthew says the setting is in the country and felt like it was set in the 40s or 50s (and he would have read this in the early 80s). It is entirely possible he is misremembering all of this, but he's got me determined to track it down. I initially thought it sounded maybe John Bellairs-ish, but am not finding anything that seems to match that. Any ideas?
Thursday, February 26, 2009
march's pick
Any suggestions for a book to discuss? How about Laurie Halse Anderson's Wintergirls, out mid-March? Here's the synopsis (taken from B&N's website):
"Dead girl walking," the boys say in the halls.
"Tell us your secret," the girls whisper, one toilet to another.
I am that girl.
I am the space between my thighs, daylight shining through.
I am the bones they want, wired on a porcelain frame.
Lia and Cassie are best friends, wintergirls frozen in matchstick bodies, competitors in a deadly contest to see who can be the skinniest. But what comes after size zero and size double-zero? When Cassie succumbs to the demons within, Lia feels she is being haunted by her friend's restless spirit.
In her most emotionally wrenching, lyrically written book since the multiple-award-winning Speak, Laurie Halse Anderson explores Lia's descent into the powerful vortex of anorexia, and her painful path toward recovery.
------
I know I'll be reading that one. Or I'd be up for something by someone more obscure, or another YA classic (like when we read Dance on my Grave). Maybe for May we can read the new Sherman Alexie, Radioactive Love Song. But I'm getting ahead of myself. Any ideas for a March book?
"Dead girl walking," the boys say in the halls.
"Tell us your secret," the girls whisper, one toilet to another.
I am that girl.
I am the space between my thighs, daylight shining through.
I am the bones they want, wired on a porcelain frame.
Lia and Cassie are best friends, wintergirls frozen in matchstick bodies, competitors in a deadly contest to see who can be the skinniest. But what comes after size zero and size double-zero? When Cassie succumbs to the demons within, Lia feels she is being haunted by her friend's restless spirit.
In her most emotionally wrenching, lyrically written book since the multiple-award-winning Speak, Laurie Halse Anderson explores Lia's descent into the powerful vortex of anorexia, and her painful path toward recovery.
------
I know I'll be reading that one. Or I'd be up for something by someone more obscure, or another YA classic (like when we read Dance on my Grave). Maybe for May we can read the new Sherman Alexie, Radioactive Love Song. But I'm getting ahead of myself. Any ideas for a March book?
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Hey, Y'all!
This is my first ever Misfit post! I've been running into fellow Misfit Margaret most Sunday evenings when we engage in the same trivia face-off (M, I have been noticing and appreciating your 30 Rock-inspired team names) and it reminds me how much I love being part of this club.
I'm wondering what everyone's reading these days? Personally I've been on a drug memoir tear, but I think I need to put that to rest for awhile - all that destruction is not good for one's soul. I also devoured Jellicoe Road, which I adored and was very happy that it won the Printz. I'm awaiting a few things on my queue at the library, but right now I'm looking for the next thing to sweep me off my feet.
Anybody got some great recommendations? Anything interesting going on in general? Hope you are all well and making the best of this long, cruel winter.
Nerd up! Dawn
I'm wondering what everyone's reading these days? Personally I've been on a drug memoir tear, but I think I need to put that to rest for awhile - all that destruction is not good for one's soul. I also devoured Jellicoe Road, which I adored and was very happy that it won the Printz. I'm awaiting a few things on my queue at the library, but right now I'm looking for the next thing to sweep me off my feet.
Anybody got some great recommendations? Anything interesting going on in general? Hope you are all well and making the best of this long, cruel winter.
Nerd up! Dawn
Monday, January 26, 2009
Some Non-Results
Twitter has stopped working... and I can't get onto the webcast... and I think it would be slightly unethical to ask my editor to send me emails of every winner from her seat at the press conference... and I have to leave in a few minutes, anyway... so, that's all the updating I'll be able to do this morning. Hope everyone else is having more luck!
Some Results
A Curse as Dark as Gold won the Morris -- and I must say, if I had to lose, well, I couldn't have lost to a more beautiful book!
And just saw that Melina Marchetta won the Printz for Jellicoe Road -- FANTASTIC! Octavian Nothing #2 by Anderson, Nation by Terry Pratchett, Disreputable History of Frankie L-B by Lockhart, and Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan are Honor Books.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
the upcoming ALA awards
if anyone has time on monday, can you post the results of the ALA awards on here? i'm hoping to be able to watch them online, but we have an early morning playdate and i might not have time to type them up on here. i'm excited to see what wins and have some discussions afterwards about the awards. also, if anyone happens to be at ALA, you could give us the inside report on reactions etc. (and my fingers are crossed for kristin and the morris award!)
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Picture books on adoption
Hoping people are still checking the blog every once in a while....
My friend Kelly is looking for a picture book about adoption. She would like a story that closely resembles their situation--white parents adopting white children through open adoption--to read to her son and daughter. However, most of the books she has found (and most I can think of) either depict white parents adopting an Asian child or tell the story with animals as the subjects. Does anyone have any good suggestions I'm overlooking? Of the ones she has found, I recommended The Day We Met You by Phoebe Koehler and Tell Me Again About the Night I was Born by Jamie Lee Curtis and Laura Cornell. Any other thoughts?
My friend Kelly is looking for a picture book about adoption. She would like a story that closely resembles their situation--white parents adopting white children through open adoption--to read to her son and daughter. However, most of the books she has found (and most I can think of) either depict white parents adopting an Asian child or tell the story with animals as the subjects. Does anyone have any good suggestions I'm overlooking? Of the ones she has found, I recommended The Day We Met You by Phoebe Koehler and Tell Me Again About the Night I was Born by Jamie Lee Curtis and Laura Cornell. Any other thoughts?
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
space cadet margaret...
Okay, I just had to make a front page post about this:
I only JUST NOW realized that the lovely Kristin, with whom I have been e-exchanging opinions about books for almost a year now, is freaking KRISTIN CASHORE author of GRACELING which I read ( or, really, devoured) just about two months ago. AH! I have been forcing that book on everyone I know! And they all love it! It's so SMART AND AWESOME AND OH JEEZ I CAN'T BELIEVE I HAVE BEEN BLOGGING WITH YOU FOR A YEAR WITHOUT KNOWING IT! I recommended this book so strongly that my friend who's teaching in Japan for the year bought it off of Amazon despite the presumably exorbitant shipping cost of buying a hardcover book. AND I ALMOST KNOW THE AUTHOR AND DIDN"T EVEN KNOW IT!
Okay. Fangirlish response done. I don't know how I didn't figure this out before, it's not like it's been in the least secret. It's RIGHT THERE in the very first post, under "Introductions." God, now I just want to go home and read Graceling again. Right now.
Did I mention I really, really, REALLY liked it?
I only JUST NOW realized that the lovely Kristin, with whom I have been e-exchanging opinions about books for almost a year now, is freaking KRISTIN CASHORE author of GRACELING which I read ( or, really, devoured) just about two months ago. AH! I have been forcing that book on everyone I know! And they all love it! It's so SMART AND AWESOME AND OH JEEZ I CAN'T BELIEVE I HAVE BEEN BLOGGING WITH YOU FOR A YEAR WITHOUT KNOWING IT! I recommended this book so strongly that my friend who's teaching in Japan for the year bought it off of Amazon despite the presumably exorbitant shipping cost of buying a hardcover book. AND I ALMOST KNOW THE AUTHOR AND DIDN"T EVEN KNOW IT!
Okay. Fangirlish response done. I don't know how I didn't figure this out before, it's not like it's been in the least secret. It's RIGHT THERE in the very first post, under "Introductions." God, now I just want to go home and read Graceling again. Right now.
Did I mention I really, really, REALLY liked it?
Monday, December 15, 2008
links
On Read Roger, he links to an interview, on Cynthia Leitich Smith's blog, with Cathie Mercier, who many of us had as a teacher at Simmons. Check it out!
the first book of 2009
oh, quiet little blog, what are all of the misfits up to?
all comments about the john green book seemed to have died out, so maybe it's time to pick a new book to read in january. once the ALA awards are announced in late january, we should have some good ideas for what to read in february. anyone have any ideas? i recently read (and LOVED) jellicoe road, by melina marchetta, and would love to talk about that with more people. my currently library line up is chains, by laurie halse anderson and bog child, by siobhan dowd. are there any books coming out soon that anyone is particularly excited about?
(and seriously, what are all of the misfits up to? what are you writing/working on/thinking about/etc?)
all comments about the john green book seemed to have died out, so maybe it's time to pick a new book to read in january. once the ALA awards are announced in late january, we should have some good ideas for what to read in february. anyone have any ideas? i recently read (and LOVED) jellicoe road, by melina marchetta, and would love to talk about that with more people. my currently library line up is chains, by laurie halse anderson and bog child, by siobhan dowd. are there any books coming out soon that anyone is particularly excited about?
(and seriously, what are all of the misfits up to? what are you writing/working on/thinking about/etc?)
recapping 2008
2008 is almost over, so it seems like a good time to reflect on what we read. What did you like? What did you not like? Or, just what did you read, in general (whether published in 2008 or not)? Picture books, middle grade, nonfiction, YA, share it all with us! Next month we'll have to be making our lists for our best guesses for the ALA awards, so maybe these lists will be a good jumping off point.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Misfit news
Yay for Kristin, whose book Graceling is nominated for ALA's inaugural William C. Morris Award, which honors a book written by a first-time author for young adults. Graceling is nominated along with: A Curse Dark as Gold by Elizabeth C. Bunce; Absolute Brightness by James Lecesne; Madapple by Christina Meldrum; and Me, the Missing, and the Dead by Jenny Valentine.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)