19 Schuyler Place

Short version: the best book we've read so far!

First-rate characterization.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

[edited to add longer version]

You know, I fell in love with Margaret Rose. I think I'm inclined to admire-adore down-to-earth intellectuals, the sort of people with odd bits of trivia in their heads. These are the sort of people I like best in real life. This is the kind of person I want to be.

***NOTE: I would have thrown a BIG fit over the bedwetting issue, getting all excited (enraged) and yelling and (maybe) even (okay, probably) throwing things. I would have shown the inept counselor my dry pajamas and screamed the cabin down.

*****ANOTHER NOTE: Yes, I know this book wasn't all about me. I'm just reflecting, pensively.

The uncles are lovingly crafted.

Pg. 112: I spit on digital clocks/watches, too, Morris.

Love the wordplay: areasonable, anobedient, etc.

Verdict: Well-told, moving, concise, intriguing on many levels. I really enjoyed it! Didn't realize until end that the cover is the painting on Margaret's ceiling, with one corner left undone. Are those the shadows of the towers criss-crossing the rose?

Voting Booth Closed

You may vote for more than one. We'll take the top two or so and make those our June and July books - unless someone says NAY!

+ + + + Looks like Fortune's Bones for June and Bound for July. Alrighty?

Feedback

Well, here's my 2 cents:

Bound: looks v. interesting; fairy tale w/o the fairy, seems to remind me of Jane Yolen's Briar Rose with the combo of fairy tale and real life.

The Mount: futuristic sci-fi suggestion for the month of June.

The Race to Save the Lord God Bird: biological non-fiction, for some reason this doesn't really pique my interest (perhaps b/c I've been using the Rumpus as an escape from science, thesis, etc.)

The Voice that Challenged a Nation: tidbit of trivia--James DePreist (Director of the Oregon Symphony among others) is Marian Anderson's nephew.

Our choices have somewhat centered around activism...wellm Hoot and Outcasts anyway. Perhaps the non-fictionophiles would like a break from all these imaginary stories.

By the by

Some CSCL news (not that we EVOR call the Center for the Study of Children's Literature CSCL):

This Wednesday there's a retirement party for The Illustrious Susan P. Bloom at Simmons. Meera and I plan to go, and I promise to do my part to report back on the type of cheese served as well as whether the napkins are store-bought or hand-printed. As this is a party in honor of Susan, those unfamiliar with the small world of Simmons will perhaps assume that Bloomers will relax, revel in the glory of a career well-managed.

I'm counting on the excited-dog action, myself.

Your friendly guide to the Sinstitute/Imposium

I don't know how to put a link into a comment, so I'm making a new post.

So lookee lookee lookee.

There are a few nonfiction things to look at, as well as Marilyn Nelson's poetry masterpiece. We don't necessarily have to choose a recent book of any of these authors, either. Just thought we could draw on the guest speakers as inspiration.

Any thoughts?

GET YOUR SUGGESTIONS IN FOR JUNE!

What do you want to read for June?

Is anyone up for some nonfiction? I read v. little of the stuff, but would like exposure to more. Russell Freedman's Marian Anderson book, The Voice that Challenged a Nation, was well-received. And there's been lots of hoopla over The Race to Save the Lord God Bird because an ivory-billed woodpecker was just discovered in Arkansas; they've been thought extinct for sixty years.

On the fiction side, Carol Emshwiller's The Mount (first two chapters online and/or the Amazon link) was recently released as a YA book; it's supposed to be great stuff. I've read her Carmen Dog and give it multiple thumbs up.

Ideas?

+ Bound by Donna Jo Napoli

Get your poll on!

Vote vote vote! You can choose multiple answers if necessary!

Should we be Chasing Vermeer?
	A masterpiece, much like The Lady! I give it 12 out of 10!
	Delightful! I even bought my own set of pentominoes off eBay!
	I'd recommend it to people who would like it and then appreciate the coincidence when they did.
	Meh.
	Please! This book was, like, a total Monet! Gag me with a pentomino!
	So horribly incohesive, it made ME want to undergo shock therapy.
Free polls from Pollhost.com

Claudia'd kick your ass!

It was obvious this book was penned by a teacher. It had Educational Bits. It had Puzzles and Games (with no connexion to the story - which reveals a desire to pander to reluctant readers: "It's not 'just' a book! It's FUN!"). It was Politically Correct: Petra and Calder were All-American kids of Mixed Ancestry. The book was trying to Be All It Could Be. Or, as Erica said, suffering from Personality Disorder.

But I still enjoyed it -- the characterization was excellent. I liked how Calder and Petra were weird and cerebral but not too much so. And they weren't twee. I liked how they were passionate about something other than video games or sports. I liked Petra's triangle hair. I have had triangle hair. It sucks.

The complete lack of logical explanation threw me. Lots of things "just happen" to Petra and Calder, through dreams and divination and superstition - random, convenient and completely inconsequential. How nice for them! I was left feeling like they didn't SOLVE anything; they followed wild guesses which were justified ("explained") by Balliet's including Charles Fort (of Fortean Times fame) and the gimmicky pentominoes. Because, you know, if you want something bad enough, it will happen!

Where's the LOGIC? The MEANING? I think Konigsburg's Claudia and Jamie could run circles around Petra and Calder. I'd like to see the four of them compete on Jeopardy! or something. Who can identify the real Raphael? Huh? Huh?

And what's with the Bette Davis referral on page 190? What 6th grader knows about her?

With all the hype, I expected more.

Utbay hatway appenedhay otay rogfay?

Do I have to talk in code to talk about this book?

Okay, so my main question is - because maybe it's simple and I just missed it and y'all can fill me in - What the hell happened to this Frog kid? Did we find out why he went to DC?

And can I point once again to The Crying of Lot 49 which seems, somehow, like an answer to this book's love affair with coincidences and unfounded intuitive decisions? Does anyone know what I'm talking about? You know, just like the French, they like totally would know what I'm talking about, y'know? Like? (I am the worst Puerto Rican/Catholic/Army brat ever, according to myself... hint hint.)

Is this thing on? Test... test...

Someone make me think about this book!

Quick-like! Before it leaves my head!

Misc Chasing Vermeer Sites

+ Scholastic's Chasing Vermeer site, with a pentominoes game and the solution to the puzzle in the illustrations.

+ Caillebotte's Rainy Day.

+ Vermeer's The Geographer.

+ The Lady Writing also by Vermeer.

++++ The Geographer and The Lady can also be found under the dust jacket on your books. Of course, I didn't find that out until I'd finished the book and looked the images up online.

Has anyone seen his work in person? I don't think I have.
Discussion opens Friday!

Another Golden Age?

Guardian Unlimited Books | News | The greatest stories ever told The Brits believe we are in another Golden Age in children's lit. I'm inclined to agree.

The major turning point in children's literature was the publication of Alice in Wonderland in November 1865. The crux was that Carroll made the child central to the story, rather than the adult. A rule was broken, a new law established, and a first golden age of children's literature was inaugurated, ending, critics generally agree, in the late 1920s with AA Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh.

I don't fully buy that - Alice in Wonderland being a law-breaker. Different and new, yes, but... Does anyone remember what the "first" children's lit book was?

Blue Balliett (Lyn would be proud)

There is practically no online information about the author of our April book. All I've been able to come up with is a short blurb intended for kids and that the book is on its way to becoming a movie.

Ms. Blue Balliett is a teacher turned author who wrote Chasing Vermeer for her students, wanting something further in the line of From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. I'm curious about how the two compare; Mixed-Up Files is a classic. Chasing Vermeer is her first book but she's working on others.

I also want to know about her first name - is it is a pseudonym?

If you are interested in reviews, (I avoid them for fear of spoilers) here are a few:
+ KidsReads.com
+ The Star Online
+ Amazon Editorial Reviews

Whaddaya think about that Cottage, eh?

Sorry for the space below. I canna fix it.
Also, this poll allows multiple answers at the same time, so if you are torn, vote for two.

Your take on The Gravedigger's Cottage?
	Fab-u-lous! I want to live there - trees, fleas and ocean breeze.
	Morbidly good! I'd recommend it.
	Not too shabby, for a fixer-upper. I'd recommend it to some people.
	Meh.
	I'd rather be spackling; the story needs more work than the cottage.
	I wish Arnie had killed me instead of the rat and saved me the pain of reading it.
Free polls from Pollhost.com

Don't let the pigeon interrupt the blog!

I came upon Mo Willem's website and he listed a link to Wonder-Shirts where you can order your very own Pigeon Tee Shirt! (For those who ask what the hell I'm going on about, the pigeon is in reference to the very excellent book Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus which you must read.) The price is a bit steep, but it looks good. They also have other illustrator tees. I'm tempted to get the Viola Swamp one to wear when I sub.

The site also led me to Kidstamps where you can order (duh) stamps - and bookplates, etc. - by children's authors like Trina and the Dillons.

Hope you are all well and reading something right now.

Save the Animals!

Was anyone else confused as to WHY Sylvia and Walter kept getting pets when they ended up getting killed, extinguished, etc? The Sierra Club must be notified about this family!

Things I Liked:
+ The wordplay - Walter's clever, lazy radiators = claziators. Hilarious. How he refers to Sylvia as his "insister." I think I could qualify as one of those.

+ The description of the animals' behavior - Lynch did his homework. Fitzy the fox terrier's "high-pitched whine-scream-laugh sound when he tried to get at something that was out of his reach but that he had to, had to, had to get at," is spot on.

+ Walter and Sylvia's relationship. Good banter, etc.

+ Carmine.

Other Things Not So Good:
+ I finished this book thinking I missed something (which made me want to read it again, slowly) but realize it is more of a quiet, internal story focussing on character development rather than plot. What plot there was rotated around the dad, even though Sylvia was the narrator. He was the one who changed, not his kids. Did anyone else see this?

+ I wanted more interaction with the townspeople, too. When Sylvia decided to join Walter at the bonfire, I was happy - all right! Now something is going to happen! Nope, not really.

+ What about the mythos of the cottage? I wanted to explore that further as well. It just seemed like a gimmick to connect the dead pets to the present narrative.

Hmm:
+ Sylvia's narrative style irked me at first, because it has touches of stream-of-consciousness with the repetition within sentences and very short statements. The structure was odd sometimes. After I got used to it, I appreciated how well it placed me in Sylvia's head to see her view of the world.

Like Meera, I was disappointed. I expected more. Was this a therapy book for Lynch?

Premature articulations

No, I haven't finished the book yet. But it IS the 15th (I'm right this time!) and there must be some discussion. So I throw the following bone:

Ohmygod doesn't Sylvia remind you of Sarah? She totally reminds me of Sarah. Actually, the way Chris Lynch uses language for Sylvia - not her speaking but her narrating - reminds me of how Sarah uses language for writing. I'm thinking of the passages where she describes her surroundings and the cozy knowledge of her family's quirks. It's both cozy and springy language, if that makes sense.

I'd look for an example but I'm
a) lazy, and
b) not getting graded on this

I am, however, procrastinating, and will now resume my proposal-writing. Hope to have the book finished to REALLY talk about it tomorrow!

Gorey Tats

q is for quentin who sank in a mire//r is for rhoda consumed by a fire
Originally uploaded by irregulargirl.

Gorey came up on Meera's blog - I saw these tattoos on Flickr. That's pretty hardcore.

She also has one of Max as King of the Wild Things, two Wild Things, a bunch of Shel Silverstein, the Little Prince, and Babar.

Meera and Susan's Boyfriend

A bio & interview of Chris Lynch at Teenreads.com.

I started the book and although I think I like the main character, it is moving rather slow.

Exercise your right:

Pretty new poll!

** Poll deleted by Sarah. Comments still available. **