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Fusenews: Oh, Warriors Come Out and Play-eee

November 10, 2008

Ooo!  The 2008 New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Books list has just come out.  I always find this list more than mildly fascinating because it will often highlight books that have gotten very little attention elsewhere.  This year the pleasant surprises included Ghosts in the House! by Kazuno Kohara and Skim by Mariko Tamaki.  I would have thought Kohara's book would have been thought to be too much of a Halloween title for consideration for such an honor, but clearly the committee saw past its holiday underpinnings.  And I actually just finished reading Skim, a graphic novel, as part of my Cybil committee duties, and it did not disappoint.  It's a rich, amazing look at teenagerhood.  A more realistic version of Ghost World, if you will.  I may have to look at past NYT Best Illustrated lists to determine this, but is this the first comic book to ever appear on the list?  As for the rest, I was happy to see Wabi Sabi and A River of Words make it (review to come), and the others have gotten such positive responses elsewhere that it's a thrill to see them get their first official credit.  Except for Wave and We Are the Ship, of course.  Those already won Society of Illustrators Awards last week.  Shoot.  Gotta get me hands on that Wave.

• In other news, Amazon.com has chosen it own Best Children's Picture Books of 2008.  They have wisely placed A Visitor for Bear right at the top where it belongs.  I was pleased to see Wonder Bear included (and baffled that it wasn't on the NYT list), and confounded by the presence of the book Icarus at the Edge of Time of which I have heard zippo until now.  Huh!

• Suddenly Hollywood is taking my calls... sorta.  First I tell them I want a movie version of The Ear, the Eye and the Arm and rumors start.  Then I say I want a REAL version of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.  I was thinking of a movie along the lines of live action with cool CGI effects, but it looks like I'm getting something a little different.  From Cynopsis Kids:

Director/writer/producer John Boorman is set to direct a CG-animated adaptation of L. Frank Baum 's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz , per Variety .  This is Boorman's first animated movie, and it is not a musical.  Set for release in summer 2010, this movie features a screenplay by Boorman, Ron Mita and Him McClain (Robots).  Produced the move are Laurent Rodon and Claude Gorvsky of France's Films Actions and Boorman's longtime producing partner Kieran Corrigan.

Hmmm.  What else should I ask for?  How about a Well Witched movie?  It could be a kid horror flick (and tell me that isn't the next cinematic trend to walk down the street).

• Here's a new challenge for the masses.  MotherReader and Lee Wind have begun the Kidlitosphere Comment Challenge for the dates of November 6 - 26, 2008.  It's easy to play along.  You merely post a minimum of 5 blog comments per day for three weeks and check in with Lee or Pam on Wednesdays. The final report date is November 26th, with a prize is given to the winner of a drawing of those people who made 100 comments.  Comments are like candy to bloggers.  They prove that in the big black inky darkness of the web somebody give a rip about what we say.  This may also explain why my comments have increased over the last few days.  Hm... For more details, go here.

Over at Oz and Ends J.L. Bell has found a very interesting interview with Gregory Maguire about his new Oz book A Lion Among Men.  Bell highlights some of the more pertinent details in his post, particularly Maguire's thoughts on writing for children.

Someone asks Editorial Anonymous how they would go about finding an editor for a 15-page book.  So basically someone just got themselves a face full of basic book construction, baby.  Jeez, I love that blog.

Neil Gaiman's a busy man.  One minute he's knocking of a potential Newbery winner.  The next minute he's doing research for a non-fiction book on China.  Hunhuna?  See for yourself.  Thanks to Educating Alice for the link.

• I think the title on this one says it all: America's Most Dangerous Librarians: Meet the radical bookworms who fought the Patriot Act—and won.  Good to get a little Mother Jones in your blood.  Thanks to Children's Illustration for the link.

• I don't suppose there's any reason to relate this news here, except that it sounded neat.  I'm loving the title Hyde's Children too.  From PW's Children's Bookshelf:

Wendy Lamb, of Wendy Lamb Books at Random House Children’s Books, has bought U.S. rights to the first four books in the Hunchback Assignments , a steampunk series set in Victorian London, written by Arthur Slade. The series stars 14-year-old Modo, a shape-changing hunchback and agent for the Permanent Association, which strives to protect the world from the evil machinations of the Clockwork Guild. The first title, Hyde’s Children , will be published in fall 2009.

• Ever wanted to clarify just exactly who Erin Hunter really is?  If you've got kids in your library or your life that can't get enough of the Warriors series, Hunter (four people become one... kinda like Voltron) is guest-blogging over at Omnivoracious. Her/Their first post should clear up any confusion.

• Author Sue Stauffacher with her cute short haircut gets some loving.  Some YWCA Tribute Award loving, that is.  For those of you who love Donuthead (and you know who you are) then this should be particularly thrilling for you.  Plus I like the part where she says, "I threaten my agent with a memoir entitled, 'I Bore Myself'."

• Daily Image:

Well I liked it. 

Thanks to Shaken and Stirred for the link.

Posted by Elizabeth Bird on November 10, 2008 | Comments (8)