Meme of Five

Now, unlike ShelfElf, I love the meme. I realize that I probably shouldn't broadcast this, but here it is.

And away we go.

1. The rules of the game get posted at the beginning.
2. Each player answers the questions about themselves.
3. At the end of the post, the player then tags five people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read the player’s blog.
4. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer.

What were you doing five years ago?

I had just had my first daughter and was deer eyed in the headlights about it all. In my first month of taking 5 months away from the library and busily learning how to be a mom.

What are five things on your to-do list for today (not in any particular order)?

1. Watch a demo lesson.
2. Prepare tomorrow's curriculum.
3. Spinning class.
4. Dewey Decimal Bingo.
5. Lunch duty.

What are five snacks you enjoy?

1. Chocolate from Vosges
2. Cashews
3. Cheese
4. Strawberry smoothies
5. Oatmeal cookies (no raisins)

What five things would you do if you were a billionaire?
(not in order of action folks!)

1. Pay all the bills (mortages and all).
2. Buy lots of glass and equipment for lampwork bead making.
3. Give money away to family, friends and causes I believe in.
4. Buy that new car that I like.
5. Travel, travel, travel.

What are five of your bad habits?

1. I have a book habit.
2. I have a shoe habit.
3. Not using those left-overs.
4. Overthinking the obvious.
5. Sliding into a Brooklyn accent every now and again.

What are five places where you have lived?

1. Niagara Falls, Ontario
2. Kingston, Ontario
3. Toronto, Ontario
4. Montreal, Quebec
5. NYC


What are five jobs you’ve had?

1. Short order cook
2. Perfume sniper
3. Waitress
4. Clothing retail
5. Children’s Librarian

Now… for my victims. I shall tag:

Accordion Guy
Propernoun
Wizard's Wireless

(Do with it what you will!)

Zibby Payne and the Party Problem

Zibby used to love parties...back when they were fun. Before special coupons and secret sleepovers. Things seem to be changing now that sixth grade started. Amber (of the Grapilicious lip gloss and boy band love) tells Zibby that she is having a party for all of her "peeps". Zibby and her best-friend Sarah gather around Amber to open their invitations. For some reason, Amber wants all of the girls to open their invites at the same time. Some of the girls get special coupons, and some of the girls don't. Apparently, the coupons are for special prizes at the party. Zibby thinks this reeks of unfairness.

Pile on the fact that the next week, Savannah has a party. It's a super fun roller skating party without special coupons. And Zibby can't wait for the sleepover portion. But when she tells Sarah about it, she figures out that not everybody who invited to rollerskate, is invited to the sleepover. Unfair again.

This is when Zibby decides to have her own party. One where everyone is invited to everything, and nobody is left out. She even invites dorky Franny and Vanessa just to make a point. But when Franny insists on having her party planner mom help out with Elmo and princess paraphenalia, Zibby isn't feeling so generous. She just may end up uninviting them.

Author Alison Bell has written a spot on story of negotiating one's way through the sixth grade. Zibby is ultimately likable and is experiencing those middle school changes that make the ride so rocky. A perfect series for the fans of Amelia's Notebook, and for the girl reluctant readers that are out there. Fast and fun, Zibby Payne is a series sure to please.

Fablehaven - Grip of the Shadow Plague

Seth is at it again. After ignoring his grandfather's wishes not to deal with the satyrs, Seth is heading out for a secret meeting with Doren and Newel. Batteries are to be exchanged for gold, and all that Seth has to do is accompany the satyrs and pillage one of the nipsie's Seven Kingdoms. It's not supposed to be too hard seeing as the nipsies are only about an inch tall and have no real defenses. Everything is going according to plan when it is apparent that the ever peaceful nipsies aren't so peaceful anymore. Something has befallen two of the Kingdoms. The nipsies themselves are claiming allegiance to a new master, and have changed in appearance. The dark nipsies have grey skin, blood red eyes and fangs. What can this all mean?

Meanwhile, Warren and Tanu are returning to Fablehaven after trying to find out if Vanessa's accusation of the Sphinx is true. It turns out that all over the world at different preserves, dark creatures are overturning the light. The Knights of the Dawn are supposed to be having a united gathering in an effort to overthrow the Society of the Evening Star, and the big news is that the Captain wants to induct Kendra. Her grandparents are upset, because knighthood pretty much guarantees even more danger than Kendra faces at Fablehaven.

Seth is so jealous he can hardly stand it. Now Kendra gets to go off on more adventures and he is stuck under orders not to go into the woods at Fablehaven. However, it doesn't take long for there to be quite a bit of action on the preserve. The nipsies aren't the only ones choosing the dark. Soon there are dark fairies who are not fallen like the imps, and while humans who are infected do not necessarily turn dark, they certainly disappear.

While this is going on, Kendra (under the supervision of Warren) has travelled to Lost Mesa with the charge of locating a magical artifact and giving it to the captain of the knights. The problem is, of course, the fact that no one really knows who the captain is. Could the Captain be working for the Society of the Evening Star?

In true Brandon Mull fashion, this third installment is fast paced and action packed. By taking some of the action from Fablehaven and bringing it to Lost Mesa, the reader sees the different cultures of the different preserves, and is allowed access to even more magical creatures. I do have to say that I am feeling a bit of Jackie Faber syndrome here. I expected a wrap up with Shadow Plague, and while it continued the journey, the story is not over. We have ended with another cliff hanger, and I am a bit sad about this. That said, I am left happy about the introduction of Gavin, the deeper story surrounding Patton, and a bad taste in my mouth regarding our friend Warren. Maybe next go round, I will see if my suspicions are true!

Brooklyn Bridge

Last week I was lucky enough to attend a preview at Feiwel and Friends in the lovely Flat Iron Building. Many interesting titles were discussed, but the one I simply couldn't wait to read was Brooklyn Bridge, by Karen Hesse.

It's the summer of 1903 and Joseph is sick of bears. Ever since his mom created two toy bears in response to President Roosevelt's refusal to shoot a young bear on a hunting expedition, Joseph has been living and breathing bears. The family candy shop has turned into a bear making shop, and bear parts are all over the apartment. His parents are so busy trying to keep up with demand that Joseph's dream of getting to Coney Island seems like it will never happen.

Joseph's family are immigrants from Russia. First came his Aunt Golda (or the Queen as Joseph and his sister liked to call her) who saved all of her money to bring her siblings over, including Joseph's Papa, and his two other aunts (Aunt Beast and Aunt Mouse accordingly). His aunts stayed in Manhattan's Lower East Side, while the only home Joseph can remember is Brooklyn. Joseph knows that he is lucky...he really does. He knows other kids who don't want to go home because their parents yell, and hit, they don't have enough to eat, or they are falling over the many people crammed into their apartments. Joseph doesn't have to worry about any of these things. Still, he misses how life used to be with the candy shop, and how he used to be just one of the guys.

At least he is not one of the bridge kids. The ones that congregate there every night to try to get some sleep and stay out of harm's way. Some have nowhere else to go, others have run away from horrific situations. These kids watch out for each other, share whatever they have, and simply try to survive another day.

Hesse has penned an intriguing piece of historical fiction with a dash of magical realism as well. Who is the ghost that haunts the children under the bridge, and how can he possibly be related to Joseph's family?

The chapters about Joseph's family are interspersed with chapters telling the tales of the children living under the bridge. I am curious about the degree of fiction of these children's tales. Some are so horrific that I think they must have been recorded in a work house diary. It is amazing to think about NYC back at the turn of the century. The class divide is explored in subtle and not-so-subtle ways. The children who are cast aside are struggling every day to survive, and Joseph's family is making it, but suffering the consequence of not quite fitting in with the folks on the block like they used to.

I also love the amount of historical detail that Hesse managed to put into the book so seemingly effortlessly, that readers simply absorb them without feeling like it's work. The comments from newspapers of the day describing Coney Island are so interesting, and left me wanting to read more about the amusement parks (especially with the condo-ization of the area set to begin very soon).

Lyrical and haunting, Brooklyn Bridge is one of those books that stays with the reader. You will find yourself revisiting the characters and the situations time and time again.

Comic Con and Amelia Rules!

Okay. So every year I make fun of it, yet every year I go. I think that going un-costumed says something for a person. And going on professional day makes it totally worth it! No crowds, some interesting panels, and only a few Princess Leias to contend with.

First off I went to a panel conducted by Lana Adlawan and Alison Hendon from the Brooklyn Public Library, who presented a very nice core collection covering kids of all ages and young adults. The panel was well attended, and offered up some great advice to libraries collecting gns and a couple gentle nudges to the comic makers about things that would be great to see content wise (like how 'bout some diversity?).

Then off to the floor, I went. As I said, professional day made life so much easier. Compared to BookExpo and ALA it was as close to heaven as a body could get in the Javits Center.

One of my first stops was :01 (First Second), where a lovely special of $10 books and a buy 2 get 1 free special was on. So I got a personal copy of Life Sucks, some Little Vampire, and some Sardine.

Then off touring all kinds of indie stuff, which I love. And I finally ended up right in front of Jimmy Gownley. He is always so lovely. He signed my new Amelia Rules When the Past is A Present, gave me some posters for my Amelia lovin' kids at school, and had a little bit of a chat. Now I'm kicking myself for not buying an Amelia t-shirt! But back to the books...

Amelia at 10 is at a bit of a cross roads. Not only is her mother going on a date, but Ninja Kyle has managed to invite Amelia to a sports banquet. Amelia's mom is not so sure about this, but Amelia assures her that this is not a date, since Kyle and the other Ninjas go to catholic school, and there will be a jillion nuns present! Amelia figures they have a lot to celebrate since Joan has just announced that she's not moving after all.

But when they are at the banquet, Amelia learns why Joan isn't going anywhere. Joan's dad is going instead, and since he's a military man, where he is going is no place good.

Told partly in the present, and with some flashbacks of Amelia's life in NYC with her friend Sunday, and also including a fantastic family history at the end, this latest installment of Amelia Rules is a winner. Super smart jokes (my favourite is the epi pen one!), witty banter, and spot on family circumstances make this graphic novel ring so true for readers. These are books that kids return to over and over, and for the first time in a long time, I shed a few tears over a gn. And as usual, I am hungry for more!

A Thousand Never Evers

It's the summer of 1963, and all is not well. Medgar Evans has just been shot, four little girls have been firebombed while at Sunday School, and who knows what else is going on that is not making the news.

Addie Ann Pickett lives in Kuckachoo Mississippi with her mama, her Uncle Bump (on account of his muscles), and her brother Elias. Her biggest concerns of the summer are working with her Uncle at Old Man Adams' place, trying to convince her best friend Delilah that jumping double dutch isn't baby stuff, and worrying about
7th grade next year with Mrs. Jacks over at Country Colored (West Thunder Creek Junior High School, if you please!)

Things start changing when Old Man Adams up and dies. No one is more surprised than Addie Ann when she, her Uncle and Elmira the cook, are summoned up to the house for the reading of the will. Mr. Adams left a little something for each of them. Elmira gets his dutch oven, Addie Ann gets the television (that she used to secretly watch sometimes), and Uncle Bump gets a beautiful gold pocket watch. Everyone there is most interested in what will become of the house and grounds. After all, Old Man Adams has the best garden around.

Imagine the looks on the sheriff's and mayor's faces when the lawyer announces that the garden is to be a shared community garden for whites and colored folks alike! But when most people in power are racist from their toes on up, this seems like a piece of Old Man Adams will that won't be honoured.

Then something even worse happens. One day when Addie Ann's brother brings her to the general store, two bully white boys take her cat from her. All because she raised her eyes, and doesn't know her place. One boy is about to drop kick poor Flapjack when Elias comes to the rescue, lobs a honeypot at the boy's head, knocks him out and breaks his leg. Elias takes off swimming for his life in the Bayou. Addie Ann knows the sheriff and his hounds, along with the Klan will be after Elias.

What follows is Addie Ann's struggle to get through. Her struggle to come to grips with what has happened to her family. And her realization that now is her time. The reverend always said that she would know when her time to the movement would come. When the hounds come for her Uncle, she knows it's her time, and Addie Ann rises to the occasion.

Brilliantly written, A Thousand Never Evers should have a place in every public and school library. Addie Ann and her family come alive off the page, as does the town of Kuckachoo itself. Equally heartbreaking and inspiring, Shana Burg has taken her own family's calling to the civil rights movement and made it into a work of art.

This is one of the rare times that I put a recommendation here and at Booktopia. I do think that this book really does span from tween to young adult. The issues that arise can be discussed in various manners, and the summer of 1963 is one that we all need to know and think about!

Guest Blogger Jesse Karp - Rabbi Harvey Rides Again

If you love graphic novels and you review them on top of it, you end up reading an awful lot of 'em. You wade through plenty of mediocre ones and you start to think that everyone knows about the really stand-out pieces as soon as they hit the shelves. Not so, I'm here to tell you. There are hidden gems, even in this day and age when graphic novels seem to be finally getting the attention they've long deserved. Case in point: Rabbi Harvey Rides Again, sequel to the equally wonderful The Adventures of Rabbi Harvey, both by Steve Sheinkin. The story of the humble and seldom ruffled Rabbi Harvey, who finds himself sheriff of a small Old West town filled with miners, outlaws and devious bubbes, the good rabbi can hardly employ the classic six-shooter solution and so brings to bear the wisdom of ancient Jewish folklore. Sound like it might be a hard sell for your hesitant tween? Let me assure you, the humor is so sly, the characters so engaging, the indiosynchratic art so charming, readers will find that the wisdom has somehow or other snuck by without an instant of discomfort. In point of fact, the stories are so well constructed that the solutions to the various townsfolks' problems (for instance, just how do you prosecute the wind for stealing someone's last piece of bread, anyway?) feel much more like an extremely satisfying punchline than any kind of a lesson.

For every Arrival or Hugo Cabret you know there's a Rabbi Harvey waiting to be discovered. Keep an eye out, a little Old West Rabbi humor never hurt anyone. A little wisdom never hurt anyone either, for the matter of that.