Fit for Foodies
Nic is here today to share some of her favorite recently-published books about food and health. We hope you enjoy this rare peek at some of the adult reads we enjoy when we’re not busy reading children’s books.
Cooked by Michael Pollan – I was lucky enough to see Michael Pollan speak when he was touring for his earlier book, In Defense of Food, and I have been reading everything he writes and recommends every since. In Cooked he discussed the four classical elements – fire, earth, water and air – in relation to food and cooking. With four distinct sections on baking bread, grilling, fermenting and cooking in/with water you get a full grasp of the roots of cooking, and a glimpse into the possible future. Part III, Air, was of the most interest to me; I’ve recently begun attempts at baking bread from scratch, and I cannot claim anything even close to success, but as Mr. Pollan states “One reason to bake bread is to fill your kitchen with that aroma. Even if the bread turns out badly, the smell of it baking never fails to improve a house or a mood.” I haven’t yet attempted the recipe for Whole Wheat Country Loaf included in the appendix, but it is on my ever growing list of recipes to try.
Meatless by Martha Stewart Living – It took at least five recommendations from different people before I was convinced to pick up this cookbook from Martha Stewart. I know Martha has many devotees, but I am not one of them. I have, however, been a bit swayed by this particular book. One of my “must haves” in a good cookbook are photos, beautiful, simple, stunning photos. Meatless does not disappoint. One of the first recipes I made, Brown Rice, Edamame, and Cilantro Salad, was made just because the photo looked so fresh and simple (plus I had some cilantro begging to be used). Fresh and simple it was, just like the photo, and it will be added to the steady rotation of grain salads we eat over the summer months.
The Heavy by Dara-Lynn Weiss– If I could have my dream job it would be teaching children (teens in particular) how to eat and cook seasonal healthy foods. Because of this I was immediately drawn to the memoir The Heavy, which chronicles a mothers attempt to “cure” her seven year olds obesity. As a woman and mother struggling with her own food and body issues this was no easy task, and the media frenzy that was caused after a Vogue article went viral made very decision that much harder. This is a great read for anyone attempting to change food habits, examine personal body issues, or begin to understand the feelings a loved one has towards dieting/food in general.
Salt Sugar Fat by Michael Ross – Almost two years ago I began attempting to eat as sugar free as possible, which is no easy task. I began by avoiding sweets, skipping dessert and talking about being sugar free to anyone that would listen. But then I realized just how much sugar is added to the everyday foods that you don’t think about – crackers, protein bars, juice and many others – have so much added sugar you don’t even realize is there. (The average American eats about 22 teaspoons a day!!!) After that shocking realization I began to question quite a few of the other things I’d eaten for years…..and Salt Sugar Fat has made me even more sensitive to the foods I purchase, prepare and share with others. If you are concerned about your health, your children’s health, or just want to learn more about the tricks the processed food companies are playing on your taste buds, Salt Sugar Fat is the book for you.
What cookbooks or health books have you loved recently? We’d love to hear your recommendations!
Talk about perfect timing, Summer vacation is in sight and we have a boatload of books available in paperback for the first time, even some paperback originals, for your relaxing reading pleasure!
For Younger Readers to Middle Grade
Icky Ricky #1 Toilet Paper Mummy by Michael Rex
Icky Ricky #2 The End of the World by Michael Rex
Is there a kid in your life who loves dirt, slime and other assorted yucky stuff? Then this new series from Michael Rex is just what you need! Join Icky Ricky for his first two truly icky adventures, the perfect books for kids who like Captain Underpants, graphic novels, and a very funny story! There isn’t a mess he doesn’t love, and believe it or not, parents won’t be able to resist these cleverly written paperback original books from the author of Goodnight Goon and The Runaway Mummy either.
Bean Dog and Nugget: The Cookie by Charise Mericle Harper
Meet Bean Dog and Nugget in their graphic novel debut! They are creative and silly and think like kids think, making these two new adventures the perfect books for reading again and again. In The Ball, they lose their ball in the bushes and dream up clever ways to rescue it, finally becoming super heroes “Superdog” and “Ninja Nugget”. In The Cookie, our new friends argue over a cookie but in the end realize that their friendship is more important.
Rush for the Gold: Mystery at the Olympics by John Feinstein
In his fifth sports-themed mystery for young readers John Feinstein hits a home run. Our favorite junior sportswriters are at the Olympic Games in London! Stevie and Susan Carol have always been good at solving the mysteries they somehow always find while they are reporting on sporting events, but this time Susan Carol is not just a reporter, she’s also an Olympic competitor. Susan Carol is a star swimmer, and the media, agents and sponsors are all swarming around her. Stevie is fascinated and worried and a bit jealous of her athletic ability and all the attention Susan Carol is getting, but he also sees the dark side of high stakes competition, specifically how far some will go to win. Another terrific behind the scenes sports novel from Feinstein.
Young Adult
The Unbearable Book Club for Unsinkable Girls by Julie Schumacher
A natural for Summer reading, four unlikely friends forced by their mothers to be in a mother-daughter book group during their precious Summer vacation! At first they all think they’ll have nothing in common but through the power of the books and the pressure of their moms they find they really do need each other. You can read Bobbie’s review of this book here, and a fun post from the author here.
The Revenant by Sonia Gensler
A real ghost story, magnificently woven with a story of “borrowed” identity and secrets, history and romance. Its 1896, times are hard and 17-year-old Willie is being forced to leave school to help out at home, a home where she doesn’t want to be right now. Impulsively Willie assumes the identity of a classmate and accepts the other girl’s teaching position at the Cherokee Female Seminary. Willie encounters cultural and societal differences at the school, but the biggest surprise is the “revenant” the ghost of a student who drowned following a secret and ill-fated romance the year before. Willie does her best to navigate this new territory, but the ghost continues to call out to her and wreak havoc on the school, she must be heard so that she can rest. And to add to Willie’s potential troubles there’s a possible love interest. So many secrets.
Intentions by Deborah Heiligman
Here’s what our colleague Bobbie had to say about Intentions:
Rachel thought she was grown up enough to accept that no one is perfect. Her parents argue, her grandmother has been acting strangely, and her best friend doesn’t want to talk to her. But none of that could have prepared her for what she overheard in her synagogue’s sanctuary. Now Rachel’s trust in the people she loves is shattered, and her newfound cynicism leads to reckless rebellion. Her friends and family hardly recognize her, and worse, she can hardly recognize herself. But how can the adults in her life lecture her about acting with kavanah, intention, when they are constantly making such horribly wrong decisions themselves? This is a witty, honest account of navigating the daunting line between losing innocence and entering adulthood–all while figuring out who you really want to be. I found the book to be incredibly original, often humorous, and most important, insightful!
Timepiece: An Hourglass Novel by Myra McEntire
I’ll admit that I was totally enchanted by Myra McEntire’s Hourglass, one of the most clever time travel books I’d read in a long time. It’s got romance, mystery and one of the most exciting and never-say-die narrators you could ever hope for. Well, the same cast of characters is back in Timepiece, and they’re still searching for the key to their various powers, but there’s danger at every turn. Hurry and get caught up with these novels because Book Three Infinity Glass goes on sale August 6th!
The Kissing Booth by Beth Reekles
Now available as a paperback original here in the United States, The Kissing Booth was first published on the Wattpad platform in England, where it is the most-viewed, most-commented-on teen fiction title on the site, with with 19 million reads. In this fast-paced teen novel our heroine Elle is running the Kissing Booth at the Spring Carnival, nothing can go wrong, right? Well, then she kisses Noah, and the best laid plans go sideways. Should she follow her head or her heart? Will there be a happy ending or broken hearts all around?
Jersey Angel by Beth Ann Bauman
It’s the Summer before her senior year and Angel plans to just have fun, but things don’t go as planned when she finds herself growing away from her best friend Inggy and possibly growing closer to Inggy’s boyfriend. A sexy Summer read from the author of Rosie and Skate and the adult short story collection Beautiful Girls, Jersey Angel is perfect for older teens.
Thanks for joining us today at RAoR, we hope your list of books for summer reading just got a little bit longer.
Please share your thoughts in our comments section.
Queen Anne Book Company: Rename it Phoenix Books?
Today we have a special spotlight on a new(ish) indie bookstore, Queen Anne Book Company in Seattle, Washington. Check out our behind-the-scenes look at this newly reopened community bookstore, and if you’d like to read more of our Spotlight on Indie Bookstore posts, you can find them here.
Last summer I wrote about Seattle’s Queen Anne Books, which just a few months prior had been purchased from its longtime owner, Patti McCall. Our book community was shocked in the fall when the new owner announced the sudden closing of the store just before the holidays. There were a few hopeful moments when we thought someone might swoop in to save the day, but ultimately the store closed its doors.
Cue sadness, dismay, and a neighborhood that mourned its loss. Then, just a few months ago, three intrepid souls came through to revive the dead! Former buyer for Eagle Harbor Book Co., Janis Segress and couple Judy and Krijn de Jonge have created a neighborhood coalition to bring the store back to life.
(Janis and Judy)
The first weekend of March was their grand opening and the outpouring of support was heartening and overwhelming. Here’s a table just for beautiful bouquets received for the opening (one was from Random House!).
Local authors such as Sherman Alexie, Maria Semple, Jonathan Evison and so many more (including RH’s Jim Lynch and Daniel Marks) volunteered in droves in order to keep a constant flow of events over three days as customers came in to check out the new space.
Although it’s the same location and a slightly different name, they have new racks (in another display of Northwest bookselling solidarity, University Books donated several warehoused racks to the store), new lighting and a slightly different feel. But experienced buyer Janis and longtime kid’s buyer Tegan Tigani (also a member of our book blogger panel) will help keep the same neighborhood, highly-curated feel that inspires such a dedicated fan base.
I took a lot of pictures when I stopped in: most of their publisher shipments had not arrived yet so it kind of looked like the Random House store. 
My daughter, Ruby, had trouble finding a book I would allow her to buy (in other words, one that wasn’t Random House) but she did love the glasses Tegan gave her that made everything look like rainbows.
In an economy filled with bad portents for the fate of the brick-and-mortar retailer, it’s inspiring to see a community come together to support such a precious resource. When I had lunch with Tegan on Queen Anne hill while the store was closed and had no prospects, I could not believe the number of people who waved to her or stopped to talk and ask about the store. This is a major city, not the Main Street of a small town! Or is it?
Do you have a special indie bookstore in your neighborhood? We’d love to hear more about your favorites!
17 Questions with Author Page Morgan
Today we welcome Page Morgan, author of The Beautiful and the Cursed, the first book in a new trilogy that includes scandal, a missing sibling, mysterious folks in an mysterious old Parisian setting, and gargoyles! Read on to find out about the inspiration for this trilogy and so much more!
What inspired you to write THE BEAUTIFUL AND THE CURSED?
A photograph of a Notre Dame gargoyle caught my attention in a random web search a handful of years ago. It was unexpected and it’s still difficult to explain, but that gargoyle intrigued me enough to want to tell its story.
How did you choose to set your story in Paris?
I think the decision was made for me when I saw that first photograph. It was almost a gut instinct that Paris would be the setting. When I write, “place” often comes first. It’s almost as if I can’t know my characters if I don’t know where they are going to be.
Any inside info about the inspiration for the other creatures?
I had a lot of fun creating the main demon threats in The Beautiful and the Cursed: hellhounds. Out of all the demons I went on to create, these are the closest to actual legend, specifically the Welsh mythology of Cwn Annwn—that hellhounds have an otherworldly master who sent them out on hunts. The massive size, red flaming eyes, foul odor, and wicked teeth are also taken from legend.
What is one thing about you that would surprise your readers?
I’m not sure it would surprise them, but I eschew the “Write what you know” advice. It never made any sense to me. Reading is about exploring, stepping out of what you know into something you don’t know a thing about. Writing should be that way too, at least for me.
Do you use social media? If yes, how do you feel about the role social media plays in your writing/artistic life?
I have a love/hate relationship with social media. I love connecting with other writers, readers, and bloggers online, but I have to constantly tear myself away from the Internet in order to focus on writing. Reading reviews—both good and bad—messes with my head, too. I’m glad I’ve stopped doing that already!
What book made the strongest impression on you as a child?
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson. It was the first book I’d read that dealt with the death of someone my own age. It was equal parts terrifying and poignant.
What was your favorite genre to read as a teenager?
I loved mystery and horror. Stephen King and Christopher Pike were my favorites.
Did you always want to be a writer? And how did you enter the children’s book world?
I can’t remember a time when I didn’t want to be a published author, but I do remember the moment I realized I wanted to be a part of children’s publishing. It was after listening to Natalie Babbitt’s presentation at the Keene State College Children’s Literature Festival and reading her novel, The Eyes of the Amaryllis. Something inside of me just woke up and discovered that this was what I wanted to write.
What’s your favorite snack food when you’re working?
I can’t eat and write at the same time so I stick with beverages. Coffee, tea, and wine are my go-to’s (depending on the time of day!).
Do you have a favorite writing spot?
I am horribly ergonomically incorrect! I like to draft in a big comfy chair in my writing cabin. But when it comes time to revise, I sit at a table so I can spread all my papers out.
Do you have favorite music to listen to when you work?
I can’t listen to music while writing, but I do sometimes listen to specific songs before I write, to ease me into the mood of my world and characters. Most of the time it’s instrumental or classical music, since lyrics tend to distract me.
THE BEAUTIFUL AND THE CURSED will have appeal for adult readers as well as the YA audience, did you think about this when you were writing it?
I knew it appealed to me and I am adult, so perhaps I did! But really, when I write I don’t think too much about who might read it. I write to please myself first, then when I’m done, I hope my agent loves it, then my editor, and then hopefully lots of other people as well!
What is one piece of advice you would like to give to aspiring authors?
That publishing takes time. Keep writing, keep trying, and have patience. Once I started seeing publishing as a goal and not just a dream, the patience part was much easier to deal with.
Do you ever experience writer’s block?
No, thank goodness. Sometimes I’m not sure what happens next in a story that I’m either writing or plotting, but I’ve never had a length of time when I didn’t or couldn’t write something.
Do you have favorite part of the writing process?
Revision is by far my favorite part. I love having a finished draft to pull apart and restructure and change. It’s the first draft that kills me!
Any sneak peeks at what will happen in Book Two, or Book Three?
In the second book, we find out more about Luc’s personal history and why he was cast into the Dispossessed, and we also have a new demon threat hunting Ingrid—a mimic demon. The arrival of Nolan Quinn’s demon hunter father and his disapproval of Gabby complicates her plans to join the Alliance. As for Grayson, his hellhound blood begins to change him drastically. Book three is still a work-in-progress, so no hints just yet!
Is there anything more that you would like to say to your readers and fans?
There is nothing an author loves more than seeing an enthusiastic review or comment about their book. I’ve been lucky to have so many readers excitedly anticipating The Beautiful and the Cursed, so thank you! I hope they enjoy getting to know my characters as much I did.
Click here to read Emma’s great review of The Beautiful and Cursed.
Many thanks to Page Morgan for joining us at Random Acts of Reading today, we’re already looking forward to book 2!
Please share your thoughts in our comments section.
20 Questions with Author Michael Scott
Michael Scott has been a part of our Random House Children’s Books family for many years, since we had the pleasure of reading the first volume in his SECRETS OF THE IMMORTAL NICHOLAS FLAMEL series, The Alchemyst. We’re pleased and a little bit sad to see this series come to an end with the publication of the paperback edition of Book 6: The Enchantress. Michael joins us today to talk about the series, what he’s working on and so much more!
How did it feel to have completed the final volume of your series?
Without a doubt, it was an odd feeling, and there was definitely a sense of loss. I have been writing the series for six years, a book a year. And, of course, I had spent a decade researching all the characters and plotting the books beforehand, so I have been living with Mr Flamel and friends for a very long time.
I don’t think I will ever be quite finished with the series. That world is just so huge and filled with so many great characters and stories. The Enchantress brings to a close the current six book cycle, but I have already started a series of short stories that will fill in episodes from the various characters’ history. I’ve published two of those already – The Death Of Joan Of Arc, and Billy The Kid And The Vampyres Of Vegas – and I am writing more. They will initially appear online and then later, in book form.
However, some of the characters have become hugely popular, like Scathach and Billy, Niten and Aoife, so I may end up giving them their own series. I know everyone wants a Scathach series!
Did the series turn out the way you’d envisioned it from the start, or did it change significantly along the way?
Before I set out to write the first book, I plotted the entire series. I had to do that. I knew I was beginning a six-year writing project which would be more than 600,000 words when complete. I had to know exactly how the story was going to develop and, more importantly, how it would end.
Also, before I wrote the first chapter of book one, I wrote the ultimate ending of book six, so I always knew my destination. While elements within the story have drifted and little bits of book five shifted into book four, and scenes from book four moved into book three, overall, it came out as it was planned.
What was the inspiration for THE SECRETS OF THE IMMORTAL NICHOLAS FLAMEL?
There were two elements really. I have had a lifelong interest in myth and legend. I wanted to use some of those great stories and characters in a book, to introduce them to readers who might never otherwise have encountered them. Also, the more I researched myth, the more I discovered the extraordinary similarities between stories scattered all across the world.
And the second element of course is that I wanted to tell the remarkable story of Nicholas Flamel and his wife, Perenelle. They were real people, and the story I tell in the book – about them buying the Codex and becoming extraordinarily wealthy – is actually true. To this day, there are streets named in their honor in Paris, France.
Did you set out to write a six book series?
Yes. When I originally planned the series, I could see six very neat breaks in the story. I knew it would be six books – I was just very lucky in finding a publisher brave enough to commit to six books over six years.
Do you have any favorite characters or scenes in the series?
People always assume it is Flamel, because he is the hero (though I’m not sure he is), and because he was a bookseller, and some of my readers may know that I was a bookseller for many years. My favourite character is Dr John Dee. I’ve written about him many times before and I’ve probably not been very fair to him in the Flamel series, where he is cast as the villain. In reality he was quite the opposite. In the Elizabethan age, Dee was extraordinary; he was a scholar, mathematician, astrologer, astronomer, writer, thinker, navigator, cartographer, and spy. He had one of the largest libraries in private hands in Elizabethan England and there is some evidence that Shakespeare based Prospero in The Tempest on him.
Dee was also the original hero of the series; when I first conceived it, it was called The Secrets Of Doctor Dee, but he was never quite right for the series and, ultimately, he was replaced by Nicholas Flamel, and Dee then became the villain.
However, writing this series has allowed me to put many of my favourite characters from history into the story. Certainly Scathach and Niten, for example, deserve books to themselves and readers love the Palamedes and William Shakespeare relationship, or the Billy the Kid and Machiavelli partnership.
What is one thing about you that would surprise your readers?
I once wrote all the questions for the Irish TV, book and game versions of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.
Do you use social media? If yes, how do you feel about the role social media plays in your writing/artistic life?
Yes, I am on Twitter (@flamelauthor) and Facebook (facebook.com/flamelauthor) every day. I am also on Pinterest (pinterest.com/flamelauthor). I post a lot of my research as links on twitter and certainly as I was writing the last two books, readers were able to get clues about what would appears in the text.
I love the immediacy of social media. Writing is an incredibly lonely job – it is very nice to be able to reach out and chat with readers.
When I started writing many years ago, it would take months for me to get any reader reaction. Readers would write to the publishers and once or twice a year the publishing house would bundle up all the letters and send them off to me.
All that has changed (though I still get lots of real letters sent to Random House, and I reply to as many as I can.) When The Enchantress was published in hardback last year, I did the first reading on launch day in Washington, in a bookstore called Politics & Prose. By the time I got back to my hotel after the event there were dozens of emails from readers who had already read the book and had questions and comments! I love that immediacy.
Social Media allows readers to get in touch with me and, if the question is interesting or intriguing, I will certainly reply. Also, if I need any specific research or have a tricky question, I can post the query online, knowing I’ll have an answer sometimes within minutes. For example, I needed some information on parrots for a chapter in The Enchantress. I put out a question on Twitter and had a response from a parrot expert within the hour, which answered all my questions.
On the downside, it is true that managing the various social media pages can take up a huge amount of time. So, it’s really a matter of finding the balance.
What has your favorite book event experience been?
Touring is always fun – its hard work and exhausting, but incredibly rewarding. Every single event is different. There are events when no-one (or just one person) turns up and then there are those where scores of people arrive. However, there is one I remember very clearly. When The Alchemyst was first published I went into New York for a book event with lots of other authors. I was heading down to an area to sign books when I came across a big line of people. “Who are they waiting for?” I wondered. “They’re for you.” I was told.
What book made the strongest impression on you as a child?
The Borrowers by Mary Norton. It is still one of my favourite series. It is about the tiny people who live under the floorboards of your house and “borrow” all those things you thought you’d lost. I have no idea how old I was when I read the first book – I was very young – but I think those books are one of the reasons I became I writer. There simply weren’t enough Borrower books, so I started to make up my own stories.
What was your favorite genre to read as a teenager?
I read a lot of fantasy, science fiction and horror. Still do, actually. I gravitated more towards fantasy than SF however and preferred mythic horror or fantasy horror rather than the out and out horror genre.
Did you always want to be a writer? And how did you enter the children’s book world?
I always wanted to be a librarian. By chance I ended up as a bookseller (which I thought was the next best thing to being a librarian. I became a writer because I was a reader. I think there comes a moment in every reader’s life when they put down the book they are reading and say, “I could do better than that.”
My very first book was an adult title, a collection of Irish folklore, but my second published book was YA, and it was also an Irish folktale. Over the years I have alternated between adult and young adult, but in the last decade, I have found myself concentrating more and more on YA. I really think this is a golden age for YA writing and the success of the genre is testament to that.
What’s your favorite snack food when you’re writing?
I have to be very careful about snacking because I have an incredible sweet tooth. I was once paid for a short story in chocolate, so I can honestly say: Will write for Chocolate. But I do have a particular fondness for jelly beans.
Where do you write?
I can write anywhere. These days I seem to spent a lot of time writing in airports and hotels, but I do have an office at home in Ireland which looks out over the sea and is a great place to work. The main difference is that I have a large desktop machine at home with two big screens to work on; when I’m travelling I am on the laptop, so I’ll do rough draft on the single screen and then do all the polishing and final edits on the desktop with the extra screen space.
Do you have favorite music to listen to when you work?
I write everything to music and I have a huge music collection. I recently digitized all my LPs and CDs. I deliberately choose the piece of music to match the scene I’m writing. I have a lot of soundtracks and ambient music – but I never listen to anything with lyrics while I’m writing because the lyrics will get into my head.
We call these books children’s books, but we know adults are reading them too, do you have this in mind when you’re writing?
I am lucky because I write for both audiences and I am conscious of the different “voices.” My series is for young adults, so there are certain themes or types of language that I will not include in the books.
The main difference between writing for the two groups is language and concepts. Adults have a body of information and knowledge that younger readers have not yet acquired. So if I say “Bay of Pigs” to adults, it instantly conjures up very different images and ideas than it does to the younger reader, who is thinking, pigs at sea…
What makes young adult novels so interesting to adults is that they are incredibly imaginative and exciting stories, populated with real characters and without a “message.”
What is one piece of advice you would like to give to aspiring authors?
I can’t give just one piece, but I can give three pieces in one long sentence: Read, read, read again and then read some more; learn how to type properly and get a really comfortable chair, because you’re going to spent a lot of time sitting in it.
Do you ever experience writer’s block?
I am touching wood as I answer this, because the answer is “no,” (so far.) Because I have plotted everything in advance, I know where the story is going, so I do not come up against the dreaded blank page. However, it is also true that some days are better writing days than others and I am notorious for writing huge chunks of text and then throwing it away.
Do you have favorite part of the book making process?
I suppose because I spent so long working as a bookseller, I know how important the cover art is to the book. I love to see the draft covers appearing. It is at that point that the book suddenly begins to become real. I have been very lucky with the Flamel covers. Michael Wagner’s art is incredible. I’ve also had the very unusual experience of being able to influence the cover art by suggesting the symbols and icons for the covers (because the covers contain clues to the contents.)
Can you share anything about what you’re working on now?
I am well into a new fantasy series called The Earthlords, which is vaguely (but only vaguely!) related to the Flamel series. It too is based upon mythology, but a much simpler and singular myth, and I can promise there are no cliffhangers!
Is there anything more that you would like to say to your readers and fans?
I really have to thank the fans for sticking with what has been a very long journey. Now that all six books are out, you can see that this is really one huge story. There are clues in the early books which pay off in the last books. And once you know the ultimate “secret” of Marethyu, you can go back and re-read the series again.
I created very little for the Flamel series. Only the twins are fictional characters. Everyone else is drawn from history and mythology and I have tried to be as true to their characters as possible. (Except poor Dr Dee!) So it is possible to read about all the characters in the book which will add an extra layer to the story.
Over the years many of the fans have become friends and I get to see them as I tour and we keep in touch by email and Facebook. Without readers, books are just dead words on a page. It is the readers which bring them alive. So thank you for bringing the books alive.
Many Thanks to Michael Scott for this wonderful look behind the scenes at The Immortal Secrets of Nicholas Flamel, and for this wonderful series of books!
Please share your thoughts in our comments section.
Each month, we present a panel of book bloggers with a question relating to children’s books and we share their views here on the blog. If you missed last month’s post on our bloggers’ favorite books of poetry, you can read it here .
This month, in honor of Mother’s Day, I thought it would be fun to ask our bloggers what book they love to give to new mothers or mothers-to-be. As I’ve come to expect from this terrific panel, the answers cover a wide range from the classics to the unexpected. There were a few I had to look up that I can’t wait to check out in person. Since my own sister is expecting a baby very soon, I am taking notes from this post and will definitely add a few to my list of books to stock my future nephew’s library!
What is one book to add to a new mother’s children’s book library? This is an amazingly difficult question to answer. Do I go with the traditional picture books that feature a mother and her young child such as Mama, Do You Love Me by Barbara M. Joosse? Or maybe something a bit humorous and less traditional like Marla Frazee’s The Boss Baby? Or maybe something practical like Doreen Cronin’s M.O.M. (An Operating Manual)? Or maybe something more multicultural like Floating on Mama’s Song by Laura Lacamara or Lullaby (For a Black Mother) by Langston Hughes & Sean Quall? This can be a crazy hard decision. Since I can’t decide maybe I will just give them all.
- Alyson, Kid Lit Frenzy @alybee930
I love to give every new mom a board book the baby can start being around right away. The Mini Masters board books by Julie Merberg and Suzanne Bober, especially A Magical Day with Matisse, are great because they pair gorgeous art with fun-to-read rhymes. It may be a while before Mom gets to a museum, and new parents need art, too!
- Tegan, TSquared Blog @ttigani
Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown! I know this might not be the most original answer, but my mother read me that book all the time as a child. When I went to college she gave me a copy to take with me. And, recently, I found some Goodnight Moon stationary, which I now use for all my letters to her. There’s a reason it’s a classic.
-Rachel, Rachel Ann Hanley
Only one?? No fair! There are so many wonderful children’s books still in print, and so many beautiful new ones being published, that I could easily come up with dozens that belong in every new mother’s library.
What to choose? On the Day You Were Born? On the Night You Were Born? Peter Rabbit or Winnie the Pooh? Shel Silverstein, Dr. Seuss, Eric Carle – the list of possibilities goes on and on. Of course, one could always choose a standard classic like Pat the Bunny or Goodnight Moon (but everyone buys those!), or something different like The Story of Babar or Make Way for Ducklings. Or you could purchase a modern delight like Mama Says: A Book of Love for Mothers and Sons by Rob D. Walker, illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon, or Meet Me At the Moon by Gianna Marino.
But okay, okay, if you’re going to make me select just one, I’ll go with a childhood favorite: When We Were Very Young by A.A. Milne. I can still remember my parents reading these wonderful poems to me. And I can still recite bits and pieces of them, many decades later. In fact, I still have my much-loved copy! This is the kind of gift book that lasts a lifetime.
- Joanne, My Brain on Books @JoanneRFritz
Recently a number of my bookish friends have announced that they’re expecting. I really like to try and personalize each book I buy but my general go to books are The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein and anything by Jan Brett or Jerry Pinkney. The Silverstein book was my favorite as a child so it holds many wonderful memories. Jan Brett and Jerry Pinkney have some of the best illustrations. Also, Mo Willems for humor!
- Heidi, YA Bibliophile @hmz1505
When your little one is at his littlest, board books are a fantastic option for those pudgy fingers! Add Tana Hoban’s Black & White to your library, for sure. It unfolds accordion-style, and the stark contrast of black to white is stimulating for those curious newborn eyes. A fun read aloud that was a favorite in my family is It’s Not Easy Being a Bunny by Marilyn Sadler — and it is hysterical! Why be a bunny when you can be a bear? P.J. Funnybunny is a rascal who sets off for a new life, and it’s deeply funny with deeper heart. Fantastic for repeated lap sessions!
- Carter, Design of the Picture Book @carterhiggins
Another mention of On the Day You Were Born…
The one book I would include in a new mother’s library would be On the Day You Were Born, by Debra Frasier. It is a lovely blend of art and science and describes the earth and its creatures welcoming a new baby. Ms. Frasier’s artwork is simple and bright, and the science facts are a good balance. On the Day You Were Born is a celebration and a promise of how the world and its inhabitants are all part of each other.
- Rene, Notes from the Bedside Table
And one more vote for Margaret Wise Brown’s classic…
Since my “baby” is 25, I’m not up-to-date with the most current children’s books, but a classic that every child’s library should contain is Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown. I read this book to my son so many times, I can almost recite the whole thing to this day. My son took great comfort in the familiar objects and the bedtime routine in the book and, once he discovered where it was, had to point out the mouse in each picture. I think the real beauty of the book is the simplicity of its message. This book has stood the test of time for a reason.
- Kathy, Bermudaonion’s Weblog @bermudaonion
What books do you give to new mothers or parents? I love giving The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch or Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney if the baby is a girl, and Someday by Alison McGhee for babies of either sex. We’d love to hear more suggestions from you!
11 Questions with PAPERBOY Author Vince Vawter
Today we welcome debut author Vince Vawter to RAoReading. Vince’s book Paperboy will be available in your favorite bookstore or library on May 14th. He joins us to talk about writing, reading, and of course, Paperboy.
What inspired you to write about a child who stutters? Do you know someone who suffers from stuttering?
“Paperboy” is an autobiographical novel, almost a memoir. I have had a speech impediment all my life. As a child I suffered with it. As an adult, it’s a challenge that I welcome and find that it gives me a certain amount of inner strength.
Where you a paperboy as a child?
Yes, for a month, just like in the book.
Do you plan to continue writing young adult novels or do you think you might write for adults down the road?
The jury is still out on this one.
What book made the strongest impression on you as a child?
“The Swiss Family Robinson” by Johann David Wyss, published in 1812. I remember reading the book three times in one summer. I eventually saw the movie made from the book, and I recall being supremely disappointed. The movie could never have matched the adventure as it played out in my imagination inspired by the book.
What is one thing about you that would surprise your readers?
I’m 67 years old and consistently can still make 8 out of 10 free throws.
What was your favorite genre to read as a teenager?
Sports, fiction and non-fiction.
As an author, how do you feel about the role social media plays in your writing life?
Word of mouth is still the way that works of art become a part of a generation’s lexicon. Social media has simply amped up this phenomenon.
What is one piece of advice you would like to give to aspiring authors?
Don’t worry about inspiration. You will write when you just can’t stand it anymore.
What was your favorite chapter (or part) of Paperboy to write and why?
I enjoyed exploring the confused psyche of the 11-year-old boy as he tried to wrestle with the question of why talking was so difficult for him and so easy for everyone else. The 60-year-old memories became a flood once I opened the gates.
Is there anything that you would like to say to your readers and fans?
While “Paperboy” is suitable for the middle grades, I humbly submit that the story is “suitable” for any age. Simple does not mean simplistic. I have always maintained that the book can be read on many different levels.
Which character speaks the loudest to you? Do any of them clamor to be heard over the others?
The only character in the book without a counterpart from my actual childhood is Mr. Spiro. I wondered where he came from and then it dawned on me that the 1959 Mr. Spiro is the 2013 Vince Vawter.
Advance praise for Paperboy:
Starred Review, Publishers Weekly, March 18, 2013:
“[A] tense, memorable story.”Starred Review, Booklist, April 15, 2013:
“The well-crafted characters, the hot Southern summer, and the coming-of-age events are reminiscent of To Kill a Mockingbird… This paper boy is a fighter and his hope fortifies and satisfies in equal measure.”“An unforgettable boy and his unforgettable story. I loved it.”–Rob Buyea, author of Because of Mr. Terupt and Mr. Terupt Falls Again
“Paperboy offers a penetrating look at both the mystery and the daily frustrations of stuttering. People of all ages will appreciate this positive and universal story as I did, but it will be particularly meaningful to anyone who has ever struggled with stuttering.”–Jane Fraser, president of The Stuttering Foundation of America
Paperboy – Blog Tour – the celebration continues all week:
May 7th: Teach Mentor Texts
May 8th: Random Acts of Reading
May 9th: Teach Mentor Texts
May 10th: Ms. Yingling Reads
May 13th: The Children’s Book Review
May 14th: Nerdy Book Club
And for a bonus look at PAPERBOY, here’s the link to the book trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=K9mudUccJKk
Many thanks to Vince Vawter for joining us today at RAoR!
Please share your thoughts in our comments section.
