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I just found this fab new extension for Firefox called Book Burro. Once installed, the burro senses when you are viewing a book online and pops up a little sidebar that, when clicked, will tell you the current prices for the book at a number of online shops, and also tell you what public libraries own it. You have to configure the WorldCat portion of the burro with your zip code to get the libraries to display, but once that’s done…away we go!

Thanks to Liz Lawley at RIT for blogging about this one!

Can I just say, this book R-O-C-K-S?!?! Jarrett Krosockzka has created a book for all the Riot Grrls out there who are now dressing their toddlers in leather and Baby Doc Martens. Jarrett K has taken the familiar standard “Old MacDonald Had a Farm” and turned it upside down and inside out with the addition of a band of punkified barnyard animals duded up in leather, sunglasses and headbands. The band takes the stage after the farmer goes to sleep, and they spend the night rockin’ the barn full of fourlegged critters. The text is spare but perfect, but it is the illustrations that make this book memorable. I especially liked the horses acting as bouncers/security. I’d certainly never mess with ’em! Cindy is going to do this one at storytime in a couple weeks and have Dave come in with all his instruments. And can I just say, was I surprised that Parma owned this book? Nope. Cathy, you ROCK, too!

There are a number of book bloggers out there who regularly post poetry on Friday, so I thought I’d join them this week.

Earlier this week, one of our patrons, Ward Worden, presented me with his new, and first, book of poetry. I’ve known Ward for a few years now, and knew that he was a sophisticated reader. He’s a gentle soul, quiet, polite, and pleasant. I had no idea he was a poet. He lost his wife a couple years ago, and I suspect that some of the poems are about her illness and death. So, for Poetry Friday readers, I present selections from Winter Robins by Ward Sheldon Worden.

Fanfare for Devon Maschke

Blow, you great pipes, shake the houses,
And the little timbrels, let them squeal with pure delight.
Your lovliest melodies, oboe, violin, I entreat you
And every tuned string, sing yourself out of sound itself,
While the double-bass beats time on the floor.

Listen now,
While ten pianos carol together.
Their silver flying chords keep on resounding
To the last faint overtone —
And then a woman’s voice — O pure contralto,
She sings of gratitude for life, for love, for both unending.

Hush now, for he must sleep,
Eyes shut in peace, with tiny fingers curled across the blanket,
Little Devon, darling of the families, in two countries.

Curled Up

Her time suspended, she’s in another time
Where space is curved– charmed beginnings, gentle endings,
Through a parade of chapters, each
With its peculiar fragrance. And everything
Is slightly out of focus except the one place. Significance reigns,
And the Moral Law, devious and disguised,
Always gets his man. She recognizes the people there,
So friendly and marvelously full of their lives.
They mostly have servants, ignore work,
And never go to the bathrooms. See how they fall in love,
Slay dragons, sacrifice themselves — all without
Leaving the plot they themselves have made.
And there’s that Other: He never leaves her side,
Liek Vergil, knowledgeable, condescending, pointing the way,
At times he’s annoying; she is never quite sure what e is up to.
She wakes,
Her finger still in the cleft where worlds collide.

The day is shot,
And there is nothing in the house to eat,
And that stain in the carpet looks different, larger now.

I have long thought that the reason I am so good at games like Trivial Pursuit and Jeopardy is because I picked up so many tidbits of information from reading Nancy Drew and other series books when I was a kid. Those books were packed with esoteric information. Every now and again, I pick up a Nancy Drew or Trixie Belden or Dana Girls book and spend a couple of hours reading and reliving those lazy afternoons of reading of my youth. I did just that a couple days ago, when I curled up with The Mystery of Lilac Inn. As I read, I came to a paragraph about lilacs, in which Nancy finds a note saying something like “Meet me at midnight by the blue pipes.” Turns out “blue pipes” is another name for lilacs. Who knew?

I first discovered Lane Smith way back when I worked in the MCLS Children’s Consultants Office and had the enviable job of unpacking and checking in all the review copies that came in from publishing houses. The day I pulled out a copy of Eve Merriam’s Halloween ABC was the day I fell hard for Lane Smith. And then The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs came out, and Stinky Cheese Man and I was unconditionally hooked.

I’m not sure whether it’s the resemblance of his illustrations to the Fractured Fairy Tales of my Sunday Morning Cartoon Watching youth — way back around 1969 or 1970, the only cartoons on TV on Sunday morning were Fractured Fairy Tales and Bullwinkle, which I really despised — or the sublimely snarky prose that captivate me. I don’t really care, just so long as Smith keeps turning out books like John, Paul, George & Ben.

Now, I wasn’t sure about this one, mainly because I was just coming off Wise Guy, a picture book about Greek philosophy which really left me cold. I thought, what could Lane Smith have to say about the “wise guys” who founded our country that hasn’t been said before, and say it in a funny way? Weh-eh-ellll. My worry was needless. Smith blends historical fact — did you know Paul Revere was a bell ringer? — with some really funny fiction. The piece about Revere selling extra-large underwear is hiliarious and will undoubtedly have storytime kids in stitches.

All the big players in the Sons of Liberty are here — John Hancock, Paul Revere, George Washington, Ben Franklin, and Tom Jefferson. I especially like Jefferson’s profile, with it’s Roman nose and strong chin…sooooo much like Hercules in FFT.

The writing and illustrations blend beautifully, making this one another Lane Smith must-have for the library, and for my own collection.

When it’s about Socrates. I saw Wise Guy: the Life and Philosophy of Socrates by Mark David Usher somewhere online recently and thought

H’mmmmm. A picture book about Socrates? How odd. I should check this out.

It helped that the cover shows this cherubic little guy with a laurel crown (or very kinky hair…I can’t decide which) on his head, lounging atop a Greek temple looking very sweet. Now, if anything says “Socrates” it’s sweet and cherubic, right? H’mmmmm. H’mmmmmm. H’mmmmm.

Anyway, I put it on hold borrowed it from Fairport. I opened it, admired the illustrations, then began to read. And knew immediately that the author knew nothing about writing for children. (If you know Socrates or have attempted to read this book, you’ll get the pun in the last sentence.)

Now maybe I’m too far removed from reading picture books to my kids, but really. The reviews recommend this book for “budding philosophers” ages 8 and up. Maybe my kids are a little further down on the philosophy scale than some, but my recollection of the extent of their attempts at philosophy at age 8 involved questions like “Why do I always get stuck on the soccer team that never wins?” and “How come peas taste like dirt?”

There are just some subjects that should remain in the realm of adulthood, and Greek philosophy is one of them.

I plowed through a whole bunch of books in the last two weeks and throughly enjoyed every minute — or at least thoroughly enjoyed the act of reading if not the book itself. Here’s my latest…

The Whispering Road by Livi Michael – I freely admit that I am a book -judger-by-its-cover kind of reader. Sometimes I get a dud, but most often I get what I got from this book — a true little gem of a story.We first meet Joe and Annie as they struggle to escape the tortuous servitude they suffer under Old Bert and The Mistress. The children manage to get away and literally bump into Travis, a man of the Road, who saves them from certain death. Travis introduces our two young heroes to life on the Road, teaching them to hear through their feet, find food, and stay safe on the dangerous byways of England in the grip of the Industrial Revolution. Eventually, the pair find their way to a traveling show where Annie’s ability to commune with the dead lands her in the spotlight. Joe, jealous of Annie’s “talent” and of the attention she gets from the show crowd, hoofs it into Manchester, the blackest of the black industrial towns. There he hooks up with a gang called the Little Angels and begins a life right out of Oliver Twist. After much drama, Joe finds his way back to Annie, who desperately needs him. The two find each other and find a home. Happily. Ever. After.

Despite the tremendous number of plot twists and turns, I completely enjoyed this story. It presents an unusual look at the life of children during the Industrial Revolution, a point in history before the concept of “childhood” was known. The heart-rending choices made by parents who could no longer care for their children are presented in a way that will make any parent cringe. Although there are a few instances where I think the editing could be better — for instance, I somehow doubt that a 19th century English child would have “freaked out” — I had a fine time reading this one and would recommend it for ages 10 and up.

Urban Legends: 666 Absolutely True Stories That Happened to a Friend…of A Friend…Of A Friend – I can’t help it. I love urban legends and tales of the weird and macabre. The 001’s and 398’s are my favorite sections of non-fiction. And this collection of UL’s didn’t disappoint. Sure, there was the ubiquitous “spiders in the beehive” but also plenty that I’d never heard before, like “The Slasher Under the Car” which involves frat boys with a shoe fetish making pledges hide underneath cars. When a woman wearing a tasty pair of shoes stands next to the car, the pledge slashes her ankles, causing her to fall to the ground in fear and pain, while he slides out from under the car and makes off with the shoes. Lots of light, amusing reading here folks.

Triangle by Katharine Weber – I picked this one up because it appeared on all the “best of” or “must read” lists for the summer. It tells the story of one girl who escaped the notorious Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire and how her escape was not all it appeared. Truthfully, I don’t know why this is stirring so much interest. Well, that’s only partly true. It’s stirring up interest because of the topic — the Triangle Shirtwaist disaster — but it is such a strange book that I wonder how many people who pick it up put it down after the first few chapters. I had a heck of a time getting through Chapter 2 which was all about George Botkin’s musical genius. Maybe it’s because I’m not a musician, but I really didn’t get the whole thing about composing and the connection to the fire. Overall, this was a big disappointment.

The Judas Pair by Jonathan Gash – It occurred to me a few weeks ago that I had never read any of the Lovejoy mystery books by Gash, so I put a hold on his first — The Judas Pair. As soon as I started it, memory flooded back. I had read Lovejoy before, and I immediately remembered why I hated him. It could have been this passage on page 9:

• “I gave her a backhander to calm the issue somewhat, at which she settled weeping while I found a coat. I’m all for sex equality.”

And the domestic abuse continued throughout the chapter. Maybe when this was written in 1977, it was acceptable to beat a woman with whom you’ve just had sex. But sorry…not my cup of tea, thank you very much.

This book meme was posted on Watat.com recently, and even though I was tagged and answered a version of this one awhile ago, Adrienne and Big A little a have twisted it to apply only to children’s books. So, yes. I am answering it again. Skip it if you’re not interested…

1. One book that changed your life.

   Strange as it may sound, I have to say it was The Phantom of Pine Hill by Carolyn Keene. Reading this Nancy Drew book was the first time I ever experienced the all-consuming rush of not being able to put a book down. Although now I find myself somewhat appalled at Ned’s costume on the cover.

2. One book you have read more than once.

   Witch of the Cumberlands by Mary Jo Stephens. I actually bought this book from the Gates Public Library several years ago when the children’s librarian weeded it out of the collection. I read it maybe once a year. I think this year I may read it aloud to Liz.

3. One book you would want on a desert island.

   Oh, there are just too many, but if I really had to pick, it would have to be a set of Harry Potter books.

4. One book that made you laugh.

   Easy peasy lemon squeezy – The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson. Pretty much a perfect book.

5. One book that made you cry.

   Any one of a hundred…I cry easily. So let’s say Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor and Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo.

6. One book you wish had been written.

   Can’t think of one.

7. One book you wish had never been written.

   Pretty much any book by a celebrity, with the possible exception of the books by Jamie Lee Curtis. At the top of this list — The English Roses by Madonna and Amy the Dancing Bear by Carly Simon. The words pretentious and delusional come to mind…

8. One book you are currently reading.

   Kiki Strike by Kirsten Miller. I *so* want to see this as a movie! And a fabulous picture book, Blackbeard and the Birthday Suit by Matthew McElligott. Thanks to Pat Connor for sending me this hilarious book with the amazing illustrations.

9. One book you have been meaning to read.

   Chicken Boy by Frances O’Roark Dowell. Anne highly recommends this one.

10. Now tag five people.

    I’m tagging everyone who reads this!

Book of the Dead by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child – the latest entry in the Pendergast series and every bit as tightly plotted and exciting as the others. FBI agent A.X.L. Pendergast and his evil younger brother, Diogenes, are at it again, with A. in federal prison awaiting trial on murder charges and D. loose in the Museum of Natural History in NYC. As A. languishes in prison, D. goes forward with a diabolical plot to destroy all of his enemies and a goodly number of the general population as well. Curator Nora Kelly is assigned the monumental task of re-opening the Tomb of Senef, a museum exhibit that was mysteriously closed and bricked up in the 1930’s. Little does she know, she has become a pawn in Diogenes’ deadly pursuit of what he sees as justice for a wrong done him when he was a child. Preston & Child are masters at twisty-turny plots that pull the reader in one direction after another, but which are so finely crafted that you never lose your way. One thing I have always liked about the Preston-Child collaboration is that they keep their characters to a bare minimum, which allows the reader to keep track of the complicated plot without having to remember a million characters and what they do. Highly recommended for those readers who like action and a kick-ass mystery.

Ghost Orchid by Carol Goodman – I thoroughly enjoyed Goodman’s earlier work, Lake of Dead Languages, so picked this one up when I happened upon it in the library a few weeks ago. It seemed to have all the elements I like in a story, so I gave it a shot. Sorry I did. I knew immediately I wasn’t going to like this book because Goodman resorts to a literary convention I really, truly don’t like — alternating chapters between the present time and an earlier time. I find that incredibly disconcerting and find myself reading all the chapters about one time, then reading all the chapters about the earlier time. Weird, I know. Anyway, just in case any of you don’t mind the alternating space-time thing, here’s a brief synopsis from Publisher’s Weekly:

• An isolated Victorian mansion in upstate New York is the backdrop for Goodman’s latest literary mystery, which stars a debut novelist and her fellow residents at the artists’ retreat Bosco. Ellis Brooks has been accepted to Bosco primarily because her first novel is to be a fictional account of the mansion’s mysterious past; while there will be no deaths during her stay, there’s spookiness aplenty, as well as several 1893 murders still begging resolution. Goodman’s narrative alternates between Ellis’s first-person present and 1893. Coincidentally-or not-two of Bosco’s other guests are also working on projects related to the mansion. But they turn out to be little more than convenient accessories as Ellis, the daughter of a psychic (and possessor of certain powers of her own), unlocks clue after mystical clue to secrets long buried by the mansion’s original owners. As great a player as any is the mansion itself and its creepy (and possibly haunted) gardens. Is this an updated Victorian drawing room mystery or a romance novel/crime fiction-cum-ghost story? Never mind. Enjoy the atmosphere. And enjoy the ride; its twists and turns mesmerize, even if they don’t surprise.

The Old Willis Place: a Ghost Story by Mary Downing Hahn – It’s been awhile since I read Hahn’s earlier ghost story, Wait Till Helen Comes, but that story made such a shivery impression on me that I had to read this new one when it came across my desk the other day. And I wasn’t disappointed. Hahn has woven another brilliantly frightening story, this time revolving around Diana and Georgie, two siblings who live like wild children in the woods behind the crumbling old Willis mansion, and who are hemmed in by certain rules and boundaries around the place, all dating back to when “the bad thing” happened. We meet Diana and Georgie as they hide in the bushes, awaiting the arrival of the new caretaker and his daughter, who Diana immediatley wants as friend. As the story moves on, we learn more about Diana and Georgie and their relationship with Lilian Willis, the old lady who died in the mansion, but whose spirit is said to haunt the place. As Diana and Lissa, the caretaker’s daughter, become friends, Diana lets Lissa in on a terrible secret involving a locked storeroom in the basement of the Willis place. The secret is uncovered and bodies are removed from the house, which sets in motion a final confrontation between Diana & Georgie and Lilian.

Although I figured out pretty quickly that Diana and Georgie were ghosts, I was still compelled to continue reading until I learned the truth about “the bad thing.” One thing I’ve always liked about Hahn’s work is the theme of forgiveness that runs through them. That theme appears here again, as Miss Lilian explains her actions to the children and Diana forgives her. Plenty of shivers up the spine, but also a suitably redemptive ending. I read this one in a few hours and passed it on to Liz. She’s been reading it all day.