Catching up on a stack of New York Times book reviews, I open DH's review of a batch of new kid at school books under the heading of Settling In. (August 21).
His opening lines make me remember why I think he is just the hoot of all time - "Will you be my friend? With the possible exception of "Does this look infected?," there is no more off-putting question."
Plus he uses the word "alas" all the time, a word I am quite fond of...I think it would be lovely if he dedicated himself to rewriting all the tedious manuals in the world so learning how to operate my new camera or how to assemble an Ikea bookshelf that seems to be missing screws had a certain lightness of wit to the work. Alas, I fear he will not be doing this any time soon.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Friday, August 26, 2011
Books that should be movies
Why The True Meaning of Smekday isn't a movie by now is beyond me. Great adventure and characters and imagination and wit. The main character is the kind of girl that girls need to see more of in movies - brave and strong (even when terrified) smart and true. A novel by Adam Rex I have been recommending to kids ever since it came out.
And Shirley Jackson's We Have Always Lived in the Castle - years ago the then young Winona Ryder would have been perfect for it. Everyone who reads this becomes another fan of this underground cult classic. Made into a play, it still deserves major Hollywood or Indie treatment.
And then of course, Fledgling by Octavia Butler. You want action? We got action? You want kick ass? We got kick ass. And pathos, drama, humanity.
Moviemakers - where are you?
Monday, July 25, 2011
Brief round-up and a monkey and friends
The library summer windows have been up since mid-June and I still haven't gotten around to uploading them; summer does come in swinging. Well, here is at least one of our animal themed windows (now merrily covered with paper animals, one per each book read, from our eager summer readers. Here's an oldish but nice interview with a librarian and writer, Barbara Ann Porte (yes, I know, I am just fileboxing here for my own selfish pleasures),
a good blog to know for rockin' music for the young set...argh, dog chewing his biscuit on the bed, OFF! and Off to sleep as well. (terrible round-up and have scads more to share...another time when it is not past the midnight hour).
Sunday, June 26, 2011
a whiff of old books, a hush, a pensive air...
Sometimes it seems that the aim of modernity is to flush the romance out of life. the library, with its Daedalian labyrinth, mysteroius hush, and faintly ominous aroma of knowledge, has been replaced by the computer's cheap glow, pesky chirp, and data spillage.
- P.J. O'Rourke
Monday, June 20, 2011
Sea poems on a Monday Morning
The Mermaid and Other Sea Poems by Sophie WindhamMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
A very nice collection of sea-themed poetry. Old favorites like Kipling's Seal Lullaby and Ogden Nash's the Eel (a childhood favorite) sit side by side with ones less familiar - My Other Granny by Ted Hughes, and Grim and Gloomy by James Reeves. The art by Sophie Windham (who compiled this collection) has a charming, somewhat British-y (as she is), storybook appeal.
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Sea dreams
A House by the Sea by Joanne RyderObviously this library mermaid loves the sea - and as a person who has written quite a lot of odes to dream houses by the sea - I can firmly state that this one is just terrific. With great imagination (an Octopus nanny, a playdate with seals)and rollicking rhymes and somewhere in there seems to be a poetic nod to the great beach poem by e e cummings - this is a perfect summer treat to offer up to sandy-toed (or dreaming of) little ones. The art is by one of my favorites, Melissa Sweet, who has a way with seaside dreams.
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