Books on Children's Books

I am pleased to announce that last night was my very last first grad school class (of this degree program. Who knows what the future may bring - PhD perhaps?). "The History of Publishing" taught by the venerable Anita Silvey will be my final M.F.A. course (other than my mentorship, of course, but more on that in another post). This is the course where I get to explore what makes the children's book industry tick - where it came from and how that impacts where it's going today.

To this end, we're using Leonard Marcus's Minders of Make Believe as a course book. It is a delightfully chatty book all about the delicious gossip of how children's publishing came to be. I've just finished reading about the 1920s, when children's publishing first began in America. It's fascinating! I want to be those pioneering women!

Minders of Make Believe made me think about all the "books on children's books" that I've seen in my time, and made we want to discover more. Here is an abbreviated list of some books that are not only interesting to me personally, but could serve as resources to anyone in the children's book industry. Or hey, maybe, like me, you just want to know more about children's books!

Books on the field of children's literature:
Children's Literature: A Reader's History from Aesop to Harry Potter
by Seth Lerer
Paperback: 9780226473017, University of Chicago, $19

Minders of Make Believe:Idealists, Entrepreneurs, and the Shaping of American Children's Literature
by Leonard Marcus
Hardcover: 9780395674079, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $28

Golden Legacy: How Golden Books Won Children's Hearts, Changed Publishing Forever, and Became an American Icon Along the Way
by Leonard Marcus, foreward by Eric Carle
Hardcover: 9780375829963, Golden Books (Random House), $40


Books on children's book art and its creators:
Artist to Artist: 23 Major Illustrators Talk to Children about Their Art
edited by Patricia Lee Gauch, David Briggs, Courtenay Palmer, Kiffin Steurer, designed by Semadr Megged
Hardcover: 9780399246005, Philomel (Penguin), $30

Pass It Down: Five Picture Book Families Make Their Mark
by Leonard Marcus
Hardcover: 9780802796004, Walker & Co., $19.95

Play Pen: New Children's Book Illustration
by Martin Salisbury
Paperback: 9781856695244, National Book Network, $40

Show & Tell: Exploring the Fine Art of Children's Book Illustration
by Dilys Evans
Hardcover: 9780811849715, Chronicle Books, $24.99

Side by Side: Five Favorite Picture-Book Teams Go to Work
by Leonard Marcus
Paperback: 9780802796165, Walker & Co., $11.95


Books on children's book people:
The Essential Guide to Children's Books and Their Creators
edited by Anita Silvey
Paperback: 9780618190829, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $17.95

Funny Business: Conversations with Writers of Comedy
by Leonard Marcus
Hardcover: 9780763632540, Candlewick Press, $21.99

Making Mischief: A Maurice Sendak Appreciation
by Gregory Maguire
Hardcover: 9780061689161, William Morrow & Co., $27.50

The Seuss, the Whole Seuss and Nothing But the Seuss: A Visual Biography of Theodor Seuss Geisel
by Charles Cohen
Hardcover: 9780375822483, Random House, $35

The Wand in the Word: Conversations with Writers of Fantasy compiled
by Leonard Marcus
Paperback: 9780763645564, Candlewick Press, $14.99


Books on children's books awards (and the people who won them):

Winning Authors: Profiles of the Newbery Medalists
by Kathleen Long Bostrom
Hardcover: 9781563088773, Greenwood Publishing Group, $60

A Caldecott Celebration: Seven Artists and Their Paths to the Caldecott Medal
by Leonard Marcus
Hardcover: 9780802797032, Walker & Co., $19.95


Children's book treasuries with supplemental material:

Corduroy and Company: A Don Freeman Treasury
by Don Freeman, introduction by Leonard Marcus
Hardcover: 9780670035106, Viking (Penguin), $25

George and Martha: The Complete Stories of Two Best Friends by James Marshall, foreward by Maurice Sendak, afterward by Anita Silvey
Hardcover:, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $25

Keats's Neighborhood: An Ezra Jack Keats Treasury by Ezra Jack Keats, introduction by Anita Silvey
Hardcover: 9780670035861, Viking (Penguin), $27


Books of children's book lists:
100 Best Books for Children: A Parent's Guide to Making the Right Choices for Your Young Reader, Toddler to Preteen
by Anita Silvey
Paperback: 9780618618774, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $9.95

500 Great Books for Teens
by Anita Silvey
Hardcover: 9780618612963, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $26


For something a little different:
Everything I Need to Know I Learned from a Children's Book: Life Lessons from Notable People from All Walks of Life
edited by Anita Silvey
Hardcover: 9781596433953, Roaring Book Press

Tales for Little Rebels: A Collection of Radical Children's Literature
edited by Julia Mickenberg, Philip Nel, foreward by Jack Zipes
Hardcover: 9780814757208, New York University Press, $32.95


Out-of-Print books on children's books and their creators:
Ways of Telling: Conversations on the Art of the Picture Book
by Leonard Marcus
Hardcover: 9780525464907, Dutton (Penguin)

The Newbery and Caldecott Books in the Classroom
by Claudette Comfort, designed by Sherri Lewis
Paperback: 9780865301788, Incentive Publications

Pulp Romance by Maria Dahvana Headley

The University Bookstore in Seattle, WA, has asked 110 authors to write a composition of 110 words to celebrate the bookstore's 110th birthday. Every customer who purchases a copy of a book by one of the 110 authors for the rest of the year will receive a copy of the 110/110 book compiled by The University Bookstore. Learn more about this from Shelf Awareness.

This is, so far, my favorite entry:

Image is "Romance in Red II"
by Alfred Gockel

Pulp Romance by Maria Dahvana Headley

He saw her across a crowded shelf.

Her deckle-edge was seductively deep, her endpapers velvety. She was a first edition, probably autographed. Any man would want to write his name in a book like her.

She noticed him perusing her pages, and blushed. He had a hard spine, and a crisp dust jacket. His eyes were capitalized, and in an obscure font designed in Amsterdam in 1786. She caught herself glancing at his flyleaf, and looked away, mortified.

They were in the YA section, and she was acting like a common galley.

"Can I have your ISBN?" he whispered. He could nearly see her addendum.

"Yes," she cooed, helpless. "Yes."

Book Review: Hearts at Stake & Blood Feud by Alyxandra Harvey, The Drake Chronicles, Books 1 & 2

Hearts at Stake & Blood Feud, The Drake Chronicles Books 1 & 2 by Alyxandra Harvey

These are the first two novels in a new vampire series. I know, I know, how many more do we need? But this one is worth it, and I'll tell you why. To begin with, they are the perfect mix of character-driven and plot-driven narratives. By this I mean you care about the characters and get to hear their stories, but instead of pages and pages written from inside their heads, Alyxandra Harvey has remembered to add the plot, too! Lots of action in both these novels - mostly the fighting kind. Both novels have romance in them, but that aspect is tame enough that the 10-to-12-year-old crowd who shouldn't have read Twilight in the first place, but did, and now want more, well, this is perfectly appropriate for them, too, as well as the older teens it's meant for.

The series centers around the Drake family - mother, father, 7 sons, 1 daughter, and the daughter's best friend, Lucy.

Hearts at Stake, Drake Chronicles #1
Paperback: 9780802720740,Walker & Company, $9.99

This first novel is about Solange (kudos to Alyxandra Harvey for starting off with the girl!). Solange is the only female vampire to be born - the rest have been made, or "turned" - and this means she is destined to become a vampire queen. In the Drake family, when you reach the age of 16, that is when you "change," or officially become a vampire. As the clock counts down to Solange's 16th birthday, the vampire world begins to explode politically: Leander Montemartre, an evil vampire, pits factions against each other in an effort to kidnap Solange to gain political power. Add to this a human best friend who may or may not be falling in love with Solange's vampire brother Nicholas, a member of the anti-vampire league named Kieran Black who Solange may or may not be falling for herself, and the tiny, insignificant fact that Solange may not even survive the "change". This is the deadliest sweet sixteen you'll ever read about!

Blood Feud, The Drake Chronicles #2
Paperback: 9780802720962, Walker & Co., $9.99, Pub. Date: August 2010

The second novel in the Drake Chronicles features Solange's brother, Logan. Without giving too much away, the vampire clans are gathering for the royal coronation of the next vampire queen (you think you know who it is, but it's not!). The Hounds are a vampire clan who practice magic and have a deep connection to wolves and dogs (though they're not werewolves). Isabeau St. Croix has been sent to lead the delegation from the Hounds. Turned by Greyhaven in the early 1800s, Isabeau is still hunting for this evil vampire who bit her and left her locked in a coffin for 200 years. As the Drakes and the Hounds try to work together toward fighting a common enemy - Leander Montmartre - Greyhaven has a plot of his own in the works. There may come a time when Isabeau is forced to choose between revenge and Logan Drake.

If I was a bettin' sort of woman - oh, who am I kidding, I totally am - I'd make a bet that the rest of the Drake Chronicles will simultaneously solve the vampire political problems while pairing off the rest of the Drake clan (by my calculations there are 5 brothers left after Logan). The only downside is we have to wait until January 2011 for Drake Chronicles #3.

Top 10 Middle Grade Books of All Time - My Contribution

At the beginning of the year, Betsy Bird, in her column for School Library Journal, announced the contest for Top 100 Children's Fictional Chapter Books.
Those who would like to participate should figure out their top 10 choices and submit them as part of this round-up (here is the information). My top 10 are listed below.

This was extremely difficult. How are you to make this determination? What criteria should you consider, and what points have more weight? Are they best sellers in the store? Are they best sellers nation- & world-wide? Are they my own childhood favorites? Did I read them in school or on my own? How many times I have reread them? How have children now reacted to books from my childhood? What books have I loved more recently? Which books am I forgetting because of pressure? What amazing books out there deserve to be on this list but which I have not read (yet)? Almost all my books have female protagonists - how would this list change if I was male or gearing it toward male readers?

After weeks of contemplation (alright, I did it this morning), here are my top 10 - in a particular order (10 is the top, 1 is the bottom).

10. Eight Cousins by Louisa May Alcott
Desert island top pick (I actually have 2 top picks, but the other one is an adult novel). Rose has been recently orphaned, and after 13 years of being an only child, has been sent to live on Aunt Hill where she finds six aunts and seven boy cousins. They rough her up, she calms them down. One of Alcott's best, I think.

9. The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy by Jeanne Birdsall
A classic for a new generation of readers. Winner of the National Book Award, this story takes place in Arundel, Maine, where the Penderwicks go on their summer vacation. Their normal vacation spot is booked, so they end up renting a small cottage on the property of a large house. Before you know it, the four sisters are up to their noses in adventures, involving, at times, yes, two rabbits, the boy next door (friend or foe?), their dog, Hound, a bull, the gardener, the cook, and much much more. It's an unforgettable summer for the entire family.

8. Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne
This is a perfect collection for the entire family. Quietly funny, heartwarming adventures, and silly old bears. Timeless. Classic.

7. Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers
As delightful as the Julie Andrews movie adaptation is, there are four Mary Poppins novels that just scream to be read! One of the original "everyday magic" sort of books. Delightful!

6. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J. K. Rowling
One of the newest "everyday magic" sort of books, this book is this generation's Chronicles of Narnia.

5. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
I can't imagine anything more tantalizing than a big old house with secret passages, a hidden garden, a mysterious boy, and exploring the courage to make friends and your own happiness.

4. Ottoline and the Yellow Cat by Chris Riddell
A brilliant combination of text and illustrations, Christ Riddell has introduced an energetic new heroine. I call this series "tame mysteries" because they're filled with excitement but are not scary. Half the text of the story can be found in the detailed illustrations. The color palette of black, white, and one other color make the illustrations charming and easy to examine for the little tidbits Riddell hides in them.

3. Clementine by Sara Pennypacker
Rambunctious and precocious, Clementine is also incredibly generous. What I love best about this series is that though she gets into scrapes, a) they come from a place of good intentions, and b) her parents understand her - they love her and care about her and so when she gets into trouble, they are there to help her figure it out.

2. Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Not only great historical reads, but this series is a fabulous jumping-off point for discussing all sorts of topics - from the Pioneers to Native Americans to crafts to animal care to sibling and family relationships - this series has it all!

1. A Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton Porter
Little known outside of the Mid-West, Gene Stratton Porter was a great writer of strong-willed, intelligent (often female) characters, and a tremendous naturalist. I learned more about being outdoors, and about trials and tribulations of human nature, from her books than anywhere else.

Because this was so difficult to do, and because I want to share the other great books that popped into my head, I thought I'd add two other lists here, titles only:

Favorites from Childhood:

Her Father's Daughter by Gene Stratton Porter
Daddy Long Legs by Jean Webster
Pollyanna by Eleanor H. Porter
An Old Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott
Little Men/Jo's Boys by Louisa May Alcott
Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Eight Cousins/A Rose in Bloom by Louisa May Alcott
A Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton Porter
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
The Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Favorites from the last 15 (or so) years:

Clementine by Sara Pennypacker
Cornelia and the Audacious Escapades of the Somerset Sisters by Lesley M. M. Blume
Ottoline & the Yellow Cat/Ottoline Goes to School by Chris Riddell
The Borrowers by Mary Norton
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall
Kiss the Dust by Elizabeth Laird
Letters from Rifka by Karen Hesse
King of the Wind by Marguerite Henry

I'm quite sure that as soon as I get home, or as soon as I get to work, I'll see thousands of titles that need to be added to these lists, so stay tuned, but in the meantime -

What are some of your favorites?

Book Review: Delcroix Academy, Book 1: The Candidates by Inara Scott

Delcroix Academy, Book One: The Candidates by Inara Scott
Hardcover: 9781423116363, $16.99, Harper, Pub. Date: August 2010

Another perpetual search: teen reads suitable for non-teen readers (and teen readers as well). Here's a new one to add to that list, and you know what I like best about it? The paranormal powers discussed in this book have nothing to do with vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters, necromancers, ghosts, angels, or fallen angels. Don't get me wrong, I like me a good vampire/werewolf novel just like almost everyone else. But it's nice to break away from that every now and again, with your good, old-fashioned, unexplainable paranormal ability.

Danica Lewis tries her best to be the most mediocre person around. She dresses in neutral colors so she can literally blend into the background. Her desire to go unnoticed doesn't stem from a place of hostility – rather, she's afraid to care about people too much. When she does care, and she sees someone she likes being threatened in some way, bad things happen to those doing the threatening. Bullies have tree branches suddenly dropped on their heads. A man threatening her grandmother "slips" and ends up in a coma.

As inconspicuous as Danny wishes to be, certain people are watching. Two recruiters for Delcroix Academy, the prestigious private academy on the other side of town, show up on Danica's grandmother's doorstep, offering Danica a full scholarship for all four years of high school. Danica knows she would be crazy not to accept, but why would Delcroix – the school that collects the best of the best – want ordinary her (well, ordinary minus that special power she's not thinking about)?

Danica's freshman year begins, and against her better judgment, she begins to make friends. Maybe this is a place where anything's possible. But just as she's beginning to let down her guard, her new friend Jack reveals Danica's not the only one with a power, and they both may have been specially chosen to attend this school. Delcroix's students excel at gymnastics and are computer whizzes, but what if some of them have special powers too? Danica doesn't want to believe it but what other explanation could there be for receiving a full scholarship and for Cam, the hottest guy in school, to hang around her a lot? He must be part of the group of Watchers, evaluating her on the power she struggles to keep hidden. It can't possibly be that he likes her. Could it?

Now I have to be honest. I know most girls out there will probably be drawn to Cam, the perfect, charming, handsome older man, but I can't help but hope that Danica's friend Jack, the pierced, tattooed, misunderstood classmate of hers, gets the girl in the end. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for Book 2.

Book Review: Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Greene & David Levithan

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green & David Levithan
Hardcover: 9780525421580, $17.99, Penguin, Pub Date: April 2010

In my continued search for YA (and other) books that deal with sexuality issues in a positive light, I'm pleased as punch to now share with you my GBLTQQA pick for 2010.

For a teen audience, 14-18 year-olds, Will Grayson, Will Grayson embodies some prime characteristics for earning this title from me: notably, it's funny, full of teen snarky brilliance, with accessible gay characters who aren't necessarily depressed about that fact. Not everything is (excuse me) rainbows, but the drama comes not through struggles with depression, eating disorders, dysfunctional families, death, suicide, hate crimes, etc. etc., but from the rest of everyday teen interaction.

Told in alternating storylines, this novel is about the lives of two teenage guys, both named Will Grayson. One gay, one straight, both are struggling with their own issues in their own little universes. Little do they know, about halfway through this book, their worlds will collide, intersect, and bounce away again, having been irrevocably, permanently, and ultimately
positively altered. Both voices are unique and full of teenage snarky wisdom, with running commentaries on everything from male enhancement internet ads, parents, obscure bands, and the benefits (and detriments) of shutting up and speaking out. A perfect follow-up for audiences clamoring for books similar to My Most Excellent Year by Steve Kluger; while a very different story, the best similarity between the two books is the brilliant portrayal of the normalized
intersection of gay and straight teenage lifestyles, friendships, and relationships.

Need I mention that with the dynamic-duo co-authors of this book, it's no surprise this novel has made the top of my list? Both Greene & Levithan have the superior ability to write about teens in a way that respects them, and the beautiful, crazy, inside-their-own-heads world they often live in, and enjoys discussing big and little life issues that pays equal homage to both. Longest run-on sentence of my life, but hopefully you get the point: these guys are good. Read 'em. And read Will Grayson, Will Grayson.

Summer 2010 Picturebook Highlights - Random House

Next up in the series of "Summer 2010 Picturebook Highlights" is....Random House!

Moonhorse
by Mary Pope Osborne, illustrated by S.M. Saelig
9780679867098, $7.99, Pub. Date: April 2010

Though I haven't read the full text yet, this lullaby bedtime story written by the author of The Magic Treehouse series sounds lyrical and dreamy, with soft delicate illustrations to match. I'm a sucker for bedtime books, apparently. Here is the publisher's website description:
Out of the night the shimmering Moonhorse appears, and a young girl leaves her father napping on the front porch to join the silver-winged horse on a wondrous adventure among the constellations. They gallop past stars and comets, past the Dipper and the Ram, then lasso the crescent moon and pull it across the clear night sky. At last the sleepy rider returns home safely and the Moonhorse disappears into the dark.

Busing Brewster by Richard Michelson, illustrated by R.G. Roth 9780375833342, $16.99, Pub. Date: May 2010

Local author, Rich Michelson, of R.Michelson Galleries in Northampton, has succeeded, again, in writing an engaging picturebook about tough race relations with great sympathy and interest. R.G. Roth's illustrations complement the tone of the story perfectly. He is also the illustrator of 2006's This Jazz Man by Karen Ehrhardt, read to the tune of "This Old Man, He Played One", another personal favorite.

Drum City
by Thea Guidone, illustrated by Vanessa Newton 9781582463087, $15.99, Pub. Date: June 2010 - from Tricycle Press, distributed by Random House

From first-time author Thea Guidone, this book is going to be a new storytime favorite. So much to do! Pretend to be a drum, have a drum parade. The story is catchy, but the illustrations bring the story to the next level. I first fell in love with Newton's illustrations when I saw the recently released Let Freedom Sing. I hope you'll enjoy them too.

Summer 2010 Picturebook Highlights - HarperCollins

This week marks the beginning of the summer buying season.

"Summer?" you might be asking yourself. "But it's January!"

That's how it works, folks. We buy months in advance, and sometimes we forget how excited we were by the time a book actually comes out. To that end, here is a list of some things to look for this summer, published by HarperCollins:

Willoughby & the Moon
by Greg Foley
9780061547539, $18.99, Pub. Date: May 2010

Willoughby isn't afraid of the dark. He just wants to know where the moon goes each night it gets smaller and smaller and smaller. As he steps through the door of his closet, Willoughby gets his wish during an overnight adventure on the moon. This is a follow-up to 2009's Willoughby & the Lion. I enjoy all of Greg Foley's picturebooks, though I think the art he's doing with the Willoughby series is particularly innovative. Whereas the first Willoughby book was black and white with gold accents, Foley picks up the shimmer irridescent quality of the moon in this new black, white, and silver picturebook.

Princess Says Goodnight
by Naomi Howland, illustrated by David Small
9780061455254, $16.99, Pub. Date: May 2010

Not too syrupy sweet, this picturebook is a delight for the girly child. The illustrations are done by the same David Small whose book Stitches was just a finalist for the National Book Award. He has won a Caldecott Honor for his illustrations for his wife, Sarah Stewart's, book, The Gardner. He also illustrated 2008's That Book Woman, a personal favorite of mine, about a traveling librarian who brings books to people in remote places of the country.

City Dog, Country Frog
words by Mo Willems, pictures by Jon J. Muth
9781423103004, $17.99, Pub. Date: June 2010

A dynamic duo, this is one of those picture books that manages to capture sweet without being saccharine. City Dog becomes friends with Country Frog. Jon Muth's dreamy watercolors show them playing during Spring, Summer, and Fall. When Winter begins, City Dog runs to find Country Frog, but Country Frog isn't there. Spring comes again: City Dog is sitting near Country Frog's rock, when Country Chipmunk finds him, and the reader knows the friendship cycle, like the seasons, will begin all over again.

Oh No! (Or How My Science Project Destroyed the World)
written by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Dan Santat
9781423123125, $16.99, Pub. Date: June 2010

This one is just a silly hot mess. A girl creates a robot for a science project. She wins, of course, but then it starts destroying the world! So, she scientifically enhances a Toad to take it out. Really, a toad? He's better at being a hero than you might think. But just when the world's safe again, it's the toad's turn to run amok. This book is very funny, and the illustrator is doing some interesting shout-outs to a Godzilla-like Japanese influence. Different, fun, & graphically interesting.

Always Listen to Your Mother
by Florence Parry Heide & Roxanne Heide Pierce, illustrated by Kyle M. Stone
9781423113959, $15.99, Pub. Date: August 2010

Ernest is a good boy and always listens to his mother. When she encourages him to play with the new boy next door, little does she know that listening to the other mother allows Ernest to do all the things his own mother would never let him do. Florence Parry Heide wrote the recent hit Princess Hyacinth, the Surprising Tale of a Girl Who Floated, illustrated by Lane Smith. This new picturebook should be another storytime favorite.

Interview

Back in September of '09 (I know, so long ago), I was interviewed for Jeff Rivera's Reluctant Reader blog. I really enjoyed answering the questions - as you might have guessed, talking about books, and children's books in particular, are subjects on which I can pontificate for hours. I didn't remember to post it then, so I'll post it now. Click here to read my interview.
Don't worry, it won't take you hours.

I was also quoted at the end of this article for Publisher's Weekly last January.

It's so much fun to see my name in print. I know, that's completely immodest, but it's the truth.

All I Want for the Holidays is...

Faces have been stuffed, candles lit, carols sung, and all other manner of holiday traditions, whatever your winter holiday of choice, have been perpetrated. It is now time to take stock and think of those things you actually wanted for the holidays.

Here are the big ticket items on my wishlist for this year:

First and foremost (drum roll please):

The Spice Kitchen: Everyday Cooking with Organic Spices
by Sara Engra & Katie Luber, with Kimberly Toge
Andrews McMeel Publishing (Simon & Schuster), 9780740779725, $29.99

New Year's Resolution: Learn how to cook more varied foods with more varied spices. I'm not bad with most of the Italian-persuasion spices (basil, oregano, etc.) but I'm not at all aware of when turmeric and coriander and cinnamon (oh my!) can be used. Despite my love of Indian food, and years of international family cooking, I'm still a novice spice user. Luckily, I received loads of lovely spices from my mother, and I live in an area where fresh, organic spices abound. This book is perfect to help me on my way to spice-using heaven. Sorry, in advance, to my housemates, as I test my recipes out on you!

Here is a link to purchase it from the Odyssey.
Here is a link to McMeel's website review.
Here is an in-depth review of the book on a cooking blog.
Here is a link to a great spice company on my way to work, for all of you who live in the area.

That's for my tummy, now for my creative side:

French General: Home Sewn: 30 Projects for Every Room in the House
by Kaari Meng, photographs by Jon Zabala
Chronicle Books, 9780811864039, $24.95

What's wonderful about this book - in addition to the stunning photographs of vintage French fabrics - is that almost all the projects are things you might actually need or use. There's no rule that because something has a utilitarian function, it can't also be beautifully designed. I'm not a fabric collector - not enough time, space, or money - but I certainly enjoy a good-lookin' fabric when I see one. The next time I do, I'll grab a swatch and sew myself one of these projects.

Here is a link to purchase it from the Odyssey.
Here is a link to Chronicle's website review.
Here is a wonderful review of this book on a great sewing blog.
Here is a link to Kaari Meng's French General store's website.

One Yard Wonders
by Rebecca Yaker & Patricia Hoskins, photographs by John Gruen & Raina Kattelson
Storey Publishing (Workman), 9781603424493, $20.95

I know, here I said I don't collect fabric, and yet I have two books about sewing projects. I couldn't pass them up! Plus, if I do find fabric somewhere it's usually only about a yard anyway because it's from a salvage bin, vintage store, garage sale, my Babci and/or mum's attic, etc., so this book is really perfect for my needs. With 101 projects in here, patterns, instructions, and bright photographs detailing everything, it's the perfect thing to keep me busy over the summer when I'll finally have a moment after grad school's over.

Here is a link to purchase it from the Odyssey.
Here is a link to Storey's website review.
Here is a great review on a blog I'm going to have to check out again.
Sadly, Valley Fabrics in Northampton closed, so the nearest local fabric store is Calico Fabrics on Main Street in Florence or Glorious Fabrics, also in Florence.

For artistic inspiration:

Charley Harper: An Illustrated Life
by Todd Oldham, illustrated by Charley Harper
Ammo Books (IPS), 9781934429372, $49.95

This book fuels my obsession with Charley Harper to the point that it reaches almost a fever-pitch of adoration. His illustrations are so clean yet delicately detailed. The animals, bugs, and backdrops simultaneously pay homage to geometric considerations while producing child-friendly images. His attention to overall design is masterful, and this book shows you how and why.

Here is a link to purchase it from the Odyssey.
Here is a link to Ammo's website review.
Here are one, two, three links to different websites with lots of Charley Harper information, as well as prints for sale.
Here is a link to an earlier post where I mention other Charley Harper books.

Last but not least, I can't help but look ahead to the summer when I will be able to make use of my gorgeous backyard! I love my new apartment; the backyard is only one of its many perks. I couldn't help but pick up this last book as I dream of scavenging through yard sales, flea markets, and thrift stores for backyard decor.

Junk Beautiful: Outdoor Edition
by Sue Whitney, with Kimberly Melamed, photographs by Douglas E. Smith
Taunton Press (IPS), 9781600850578, $21.95

Not only are the photographs a great inspiration for how I can use all my freecycle and other "junk", but there are even DIY projects with step-by-step descriptions, if anyone wants to get particularly crafty.

Here is a link to purchase it from the Odyssey.
Here is Taunton's website review.
Here is the JunkMarket Style website.

Luckily for me, one of my Christmakah (yes, I said it, multi-faith family here) requests was a gift card to my own store, so a big Thank You to Uncle Paul for making my wish come true! Now, after spending weeks shopping for everyone else, I can settle down and enjoy a couple of books just for me. I highly recommend all of you do the same. Happy New Year!

The Only Thing That Could Make Me Want an iPhone

In my post a few weeks ago, Now I Know My ABCs..., I neglected to mention that the first two books discussed focused on a certain construction known as a Calligram.

A very basic definition of a calligram is "a poem, phrase, or word in which the typeface, calligraphy, or handwriting is arranged in a way that creates a visual image. The image created by the words expresses visually what the word, or words, say" (according to Wikipedia, which I don't hold as the gospel truth, but in this case, I think it's safe enough).

This delightful confection of characters was introduced to me by a friend with the words, "Google it. You'll thank me." So here I am, thanking her for bringing this to my attention. In Googling it, I stumbled upon all sorts of delicious websites to spend hours drooling over.

• PantheonDesign has a heartwarming story to tell about artist Laura Ruggeri's calligram work.
• There is an iPhone app where you can create your own calligram (oh, how this makes me long for an iPhone or iTouch, something no other app has done before!).
• Here is a blog of Calligram Designers. Don't miss The Royalty Series in older posts on the blog - A calligramed Prince? Yes, please!

What's wonderful about the calligram, in addition to its very existence, is its ability to be used by many languages. For instance, Arabic calligrams make use of serene Arabic script, while this website showcases Assyrian Calligraphy, and this website shows off Georgian calligrams. You can even make a calligram out of musical notes!

It's a lot of fun, and hard work, to make one yourself. I may post an attempt or two if I ever finish one of my own. In the meantime, I'll just admire everyone else's.

Ode to Miroslav Sasek

One of the perks of my job is that I'm often introduced to new authors, illustrators, and their books through customer requests and recommendations. This holiday season in particular has been one scavenger hunt after another for new treasures. Today was no exception.

A customer came in requesting a book she thought was entitled This is London. A quick search revealed an entire series of This is... books, written and illustrated by Mr. Miroslav Sasek.

"M. Sasek was born in Prague in 1916 and died in Switzerzerland in 1980. He worked as a painter and illustrator for most of his life. Starting with This is Paris published in 1958, the books he wrote painted a delightful and evocative picture of some of the world's great cities (and countries!). Having delighted children and adults for more than 50 years they are now being reissued." - according to his website, which has lots of other cool information you should check out.

Lucky for us who did not live through the 50's, almost all of his books in the This is... series are now back in print (other books of his can be found doing a rare and out-of-print book search - this is a good website for that). In addition to ordering 3 titles for the customer, I also ordered a complete set for the store - and am really hoping I have enough self-control to not buy them all myself!