The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge
This was simply a delight! First published in the early 1940’s, this book went out of print until Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling said it was one of her childhood favorites.
The story opens with 13-year-old Maria Merryweather traveling from London with her duenna and little dog to Moonacre Manor after the death of her father. Now an orphan, Maria must stay with closest relative, Sir Benjamin Merryweather. Moonacre is an enchanted place where friendships are forged on first sight and animals display human-like intelligence and fierce allegiance (reminiscent of The Secret Garden). The lines between good and evil, proper and improper are distinct and clear.
This is a story with some little drama. It is, however, beautifully written with a dream-like quality and all the stereotypical characters of a classic fairy tale. I grew up reading the L.M. Montgomery (the Emily of New Moon series being a favorite), and this story will appeal to those young readers who share my love of beautiful story telling. Not everyone will enjoy it (just see the Kirkus Review to see that not all appreciate crafty and elegant manipulation of language) but then again, not everyone will pass sixth grade English.
Halloween Costume Party
Twenty children arrived in costume at the Toms River Branch Wednesday night. They first enjoyed a scary story time with books that included: When a Monster is Born (Sean Taylor), Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich (Adam Rex), Monster Museum (Marilyn Singer), and Goodnight Good: A Petrifying Parody (Michael Rex). This was followed by a trick-or-treat parade through the library where the Darth Vader’s and Harry Potter’s received an OCL pencil from Circ and a candy bag of goodies from Information Services. Then it was back to the Discovery Room for some creepy crawly snacks (spiders made from an Oreo cookie mounted on a sugar cookie with Twizzler legs and M&M eyes). Two games rounded out the evening: Pin the Spider on the Web and Monster Memory Matching. Winners went home with pumpkin carving kits while two runner-ups received a handmade, embroidered pillowcase just in time for Halloween.
The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge
I read about this J book becoming a movie (to be called The Secret of Moonacre) over at Book Moot. I enjoyed The Golden Compass and actress Dakota Blue Richards and look forward to seeing her in another starring role. Antoher book to add to the list!
Random Babies
These kids belong to a friend of a friend but they are sooooo cute.
Evil Genius – Catherine Jinks
I give this book two out of four stars.
The premise is interesting: Smart kid is recruited to private institute that exists solely to educate and train the next generation of super villains (only, they consider themselves the saviors of a moronic race).
The writing is mediocre, as is the execution. I’m supposed to believe the characters are clever, yet their dialog is sloppy. The whole book tries to be smart but rarely succeeds. And the ending. What a goose chase! This book just wasn’t tight. The events unfolded haphazardly with the only clear story line being Cadel’s relationship with his adoptive parents. The teachers at the Axis institute never gain dimension, though the book is long. I could see where the author was going, she just didn’t make it an entertaining ride.
i just heard about H.I.V.E., a book with a similar premise. I’ll see how it compares.
Good Morning Stories
It’s a storytime like the one I held this morning when I wish I had a video camera and someone to record! Our drop-in good morning storytime (no registration, no limit) is for all ages, and that’s what we get – infants to second graders.
I started off with an oversized version of If you Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff, interacting with the kids as I went: “What do you like to drink with your cookies?” and “What do you think will happen next?”
Then I jumped into Good Thing You’re Not an Octopus by Julie Markes. One young girl promptly snatched it up as I finished so she could take it home. I always encourage the kids to take a story home with them if they have enjoyed it.
Then it was time for some pop-ups for the younger kids. A good pop-up book is like a magnet for infants and toddlers. As I read One Red Dot by David Carter, one baby crawled onto my lap!
If you are familiar with the Look Book by Tana Hoban, you have an idea of what I did next. I printed pictures, then covered them with black construction paper. After cutting a small hole in the construction paper to reveal a small portion of the larger picture, I allowed the kids to guess at what they were seeing a small portion of. This was a lot of fun. I picked things the kids would have a strong reaction to: popcorn, roller coaster, jet plane, pumpkins (seasonal), a pig, cupcakes, etc. Things they were familiar with and enjoyed. It invoked happy memories or excitement of things coming (Halloween!!).
Then I brought out the stuffed animals and played, “I Went to visit the Zoo one day and saw a ________!” I pulled out an animal and we all made animal sounds and gestures. The kids played with the animals before returning them to the “zoo.” The only down side to this activity is the kid who doesn’t want to relinquish his/her favorite animal and cries when it’s taken away. Ah well. You can fix this by following up with some…
MOVEMENT! My favorite part of storytime. We stood up and sang “If You’re Happy and you Know it,” “I’m a Little Teapot,” and “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.” This last song calmed everyone down and we were ready to wrap up with one last story – On Top of the World by John Prater.
Several moms came up and thanked me, commenting that I did well, which was very gratifying. I always have a good time but it can be difficult sometimes to please both the kids and the parents (I was once told I selected “odd books” after reading I Ain’t Gonna Paint No More and Leonardo, the Terrible Monster.)
My One Hundred Adventures by Polly Horvath
Is this what it is to get older, to have adventures you can no longer tell your family because you are moving apart from them? Is this why my mother like to Ned around, so that she has someone to whom she can always tell her adventures? Or do you grow up and have adventures you tell no one? Are some adventures only yours alone? (p. 257)
Jane muses about my things as she has adventure after adventure during the summer of her twelve year. She shares many little pearls with the reader:
I think, We affect people around us so much with our moods. A depressed person can make a room gloomy and a sweet nature can cause the lion to lie down with the lamb. (p. 27-8)
The prose are lyrical but often long and mature. Take this sentence for example:
Going through a tunnel of dark, it is as if the car is going through the birth passage, being born to morning light, bearing the gift of saltwater taffy and the soft unbloomed hearts of my brothers and sister and the worn, hopeful hearts of my mother and Mrs. Parks and my own heart, buzzing with the excitement of night, full of want. (p. 29)
The story was believable; Jane’s voice less so. Jane was intermittently insightful and alternately dopey. I believe the story would have benefited greatly from a third-person narration.
Pinto and Prose states, “As the reader, you’re both intimately involved with Jane’s adventures…yet it also seems as if you’re floating above her watching it all happen, slightly detached. How can you be both? I don’t know, but somehow Horvath does it.”
I believe the first-person narration is jarring. It only succeeding in distancing me from Jane’s experience as I was trying to reconcile the difference through the whole book.
You can read more at: Pinot and Prose.
39 Clues Release Dates and Authors
Who is writing the 39 Clues books and when will they be released?
Book 1: The Maze of Bones (released)- Rick Riordan
Book 2: One False Note (12/2/2008) – Gordon Korman
Book 3: (March 2009) Peter Lerangis
Book 4 and CARD PACK 2: (June 2009) Jude Watson
Book 5: (September 2009) Patrick Carman
Book 6: (December 2009)
Book 7 and CARD PACK 3: (February 2010)
Book 8: April 2010
Book 9 and CARD PACK 4 (to contain many rare cards): June 2010
Book 10: September 2010
North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley
North of Beautiful explores the concept of beauty. The discussion binds the story as it binds Terra, our narrator. Terra is tall, blond, and unbelievably gorgeous (working out ritualistically before school will do that for your body) but none of this really matters when her face is “flawed” with a port wine stain.
Realistic and beautifully written, this book touches on the many issues a woman faces, port wine stain or no. For some women, it’s acne, weight, a big nose, etc. Whatever the case, it’s not about finding someone to love you in spite of those things, but understanding your own beauty and worth, not as something decided by society, but discovered by oneself.
It’s also a remarkably poignant story about family. The personality of Terra’s father drives this story line. He was so brilliantly and realistically written that it was with an incredible amount of animosity for him that I finished the book.
North of Beautiful will be released in February 2009.
Update (9-07-09): Nominated for the Prinz, I could see this title with a sticker on it.
Cruel to Be Kind
October 26, 2008 at 10:33 pm (Commentary) (ala, employees, libraries, management)
"What's wrong with me today? I actually helped a patron."
I just picked up the October 2008 issue of the American Libraries magazine. Now, I’ve never held the ALA in high regard, but I find this month’s cover story timely and articulate. The argument: Libraries retain incompetent employees (from directors who implement and insist on promoting irrelevant pet projects to lowly desk Librarians that provide poor customer service).
“There are three types of organizations: Those that meet the needs of those we are supposed to serve, those that meet the needs of the director or persons in power, and those that meet the needs of a dysfunctional system or the collective neuroses of the staff.”
The last, author Miriam Pollack goes on to define; “Individuals do not or cannot perform the functions of their jobs, and no one is doing anything about it. Duties are taken over by those able to do so, thereby overworking competent staff. We allow those individuals to remain in their jobs, stressing other workers and bringing down the morale of departments or the organization as a whole.”
While I believe most organizations suffer from the grandiose pet projects of one or a few of their “Peter Principle” managers, these projects can usually be circumvented with a little creativity. When the legs of the organization decide or are unable to function, that’s when things start to crumble.
And yet, Libraries retain these employees. According to Pollack, this can be attributed to our collective non-confrontational attitudes. “We would rather be miserable and live with a difficult employee than face the problem.”
Sadly, I have to agree with this assessment, based on various personal experiences. One employee, within a library or other departmentalized organization, raises concern when he/she: is tardy, unwilling to perform work duties, or displays a generally aggravating or negative work ethic. Often, I have witnessed bickering and complaining from over-worked or morale-shot coworkers. However, the issue is compounded when no one affected by this behavior speaks up about it to management. Some feel it is not their position (they are low on the corporate hierarchy) and others simply don’t want to make matters worse or become know as trouble-makers.
This non-confrontational approach often has the opposite effect. The problem employee continues to display poor customer service and patrons/customers will notice. Competent workers become disaffected or disenfranchised.
How is such a problem to be tackled? Pollack suggests assisting staff members in getting help or with moving on. “Often, our staff members need assistance dealing with psychological and social issues. We are not psychologists or social workers, and we need to direct those individuals to appropriate professionals. If your organization is a member of an Employee Assistance Program, encourage the use of that service.”
Good advice. But what if the employer is not part of such a program, or if the problem employee is not eligible for such a program? How might the person react to such a suggestion?
Any other suggestions? Has anyone else come across a similar problem? Was it (and how was it) resolved or was there a “wait and hope X employee gets a job somewhere else” attitude?”
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