We had our first JBW quiz on Monday night in the lovely Lockside Lounge in Camden, hosted by Lana Citron and Cosmo Landesman. It was certainly a lot of fun to organise. We called in a couple of friends to help us design the questions. Some were probably too easy and others much too difficult but I think everybody had fun. To all of you who missed it, why not try a few sample questions and see how you would have fared. We’ll give you the answers next time.

Literary families: What is the relationship between Assaf and Jeremy Gavron? (both appearing at JBW).

Guess the lonely biblical heart: Recently bereaved Orthodox man, with a good heart, a skin condition and fear of strong wind WLTM understanding n/s woman with GSOH. Must keep a kosher kitchen.

Who lived at 23 Campden Hill Square?

Can you find the two authors appearing at JBW whose names have been mixed up in this anagram: Infernal evil senior hen.

Who was Evelyn Waugh describing as: ‘Very poor stuff…I think he was mentally defective…the chap was plain barmy.”?

Who is the odd one out among Yiftach, Cain, Abraham and Oedipus

Which novel was originally to be called A Jewish Patient Begins his Analysis?

On a more serious topic, I had a meeting at the Royal National Hotel with Marcus Gipps, from Blackwell, in charge of our book fair and Ofer from Steimatsky, who has certainly seen it evolve over the years. The book industry is going through very turbulent times. We’ve recently seen the demise of Borders and Books etc… The Apple tablet is eagerly awaited but there is no doubt that the Kindle and other electronic devices are going to revolutionise our experience of reading. More and more people buy their books on line, drawn in by the discounts offered by such websites as Amazon or the point system on Blackwell’s. (I do hope many of you are buying books through the latter from our website as this is another way of showing your support to JBW).

There was no way the JBW book fair would stay the same in the middle of all this turmoil and I know that many of you will not like it. It is not Blackwell’s fault or ours but just taking into account the recent changes. It is far from uncommon to see people browse in the book fair, note down titles and leave to go and presumably order them from Amazon. All to often the supposedly essential titles missing in our selection turned out to be out of print. And we know what sells or doesn’t and cannot ask our bookseller to create a huge bookshop for just a week and then spend months returning books to publishers.

 So like most festivals, our bookshop will offer primarily our speakers books which, as we know from past sales figures, represents 65% of sales. We will still have a range of books by non speakers, mainly Jewish interest books published in the last year or so. We have invited publishers to take their displays out of the main book fair, on both Sunday afternoons, and to sell their books themselves at -hopefully-  much discounted prices (not having to go through our bookseller anymore) which should benefit everyone, them as well as the book buying public. Steimatsky will still be there with books in Hebrew and we will also have an antiquarian bookseller. Blackwell will be able to take in orders and most excitingly to print books on demand (in the store, not at JBW) on their Espresso machine which has been called a “retro Kindle”. Then on the second Sunday, when we have our kids events – the Little Bookniks interactive lounge and authors Anne Fine, Inbali Iserles, Judy Jackson, Meg Rosoff,  Justin Somper and Jonathan Wittenberg- specialist bookstore Bookworm will be selling children books.

I don’t believe the future of reading is threatened. The book as we know it and the ways to obtain it have changed. We are living through exciting times and, as “the people of the book”, we cannot but eagerly follow these new developments. You are more than welcome to share your thoughts and get the conversation going.

Clare at Random snuck this Anne Fine book in with some others I had asked for. She thought it was worth a try. It was. It took a while, but I always intended to read Eating Things on Sticks. It travelled to Edinburgh with me, and Anne very kindly signed it for me after the debate with Melvin Burgess, which had been about rather more daring subjects than destroying houses on remote islands. By mistake.

Glerhus dill sotblug. Still don’t know what it means, but I can tell you it’s bad. It’s how the people on this island speak, and it affects the leaveability of the island. You can’t. And some people want to, but are stuck. (Philip Ardagh would love it there.)

So, Harry burns down his family’s kitchen, and then engineers a holiday with his Uncle Tristram, who quite frankly shouldn’t be allowed near cats or nephews. He’s in love with Morning Glory, who is very flaky indeed. She lives on the island with the sotblug lot.

This is a funny book. Read it.

I think I have read one other Anne Fine book, but am not sure. About time, wasn’t it? I was a wee bit scared of her, but I believe that even Melvin may be back on Anne’s Christmas card list. Or close. And I don’t aspire that high.

if you haven’t already had enough. In fact, here are more photos even if you have.

And that’s it. So called ‘normal’ service will resume here really soon.

The Daily Mail recycles old content today, in another story about how fiction for children is corrupting the poor things. The paper reports what were probably some thoughtful words spoken by Anne Fine at the Edinburgh Book festival, then characteristically spins them out into an unwarranted attack on violent and sexualised kidlit, Patrick Ness yet again included. The sight of such a very fine newspaper simply reprinting old sidebars is a very sad one – who would have thought the quality of journalism at that organ had sunk so low?

So what did Anne Fine say, really? I’m of the opinion that she spoke exactly those words that were quoted in the Times yesterday, but I didn’t feel then that she meant it quite as people are interpreting it.

My theory is that Daughter and I weren’t the only ones who thought that an event with Anne Fine and Melvin Burgess discussing the more troubled end of YA literature would be quite interesting and potentially exciting. Someone was obviously taking more careful notes than I was, but I do recognise the quote just about word for word.

It made perfect sense to me at the time (And I’m not saying this because I’m a little scared of Anne. I am, but that’s not why I’m saying it.) and it didn’t seem contentious in the least. It’s a fact. Books were different before, from what they are now.

Someone is doing that molehill thing, because there was nothing juicier to get from the discussion on Sunday evening. Anne Fine is a former Children’s Laureate, and the kind of person the press take an interest in. I simply don’t understand why there is a debate. I would also like to know whether those who have thrown themselves into this were actually there? If they weren’t, this debate risks the same fate as when Anne reviewed Doing It in a slightly one-sided manner. That time I believed her, until someone else made me look at it from both sides.

Or maybe I’m just stupid, and didn’t notice the undercurrents the other evening.

Well, he did. Last week he received the Medal of Freedom from President Obama, accompanied by his daughter whose ‘charm is no substitute for hard work.’ I’ll get back to this father-daughter team later.

I will never ever get teenagers. Ever. Given the choice between seeing Jacqueline Wilson or Steve Cole on Sunday morning, Daughter went for Steve’s talk about his Astrosaurs. She enjoyed it a lot, although she felt she was the oldest child there. Wrong thinking I said; she was the youngest adult. Steve was so noisy I heard him through the walls. The press people apparently wondered what was going on next door to their yoghurt pod.

Meanwhile, the witch went to see Jacqueline, along with a vast number of girls and mums, and a sprinkling of dads. Jacqueline wore black jeans and a black and turquoise top, and the famous rings shone along with the bangles on her arms. She talked mainly about her teens, because the subject for the day was My Secret Diary which was out in the spring. And she did say that she might write a third autobiographical book about her time in Dundee, writing fake horoscopes and readers’ letters, as long as she can censor her diary notes a little. Sounds good to me.

As I raced along to the talk by the ‘lazy’ girl from paragraph one, Daughter was anything but lazy. Her task was to shoot Per Wästberg, part of the Meeting Sweden programme (How did they know I was going to be there this year?), when he emerged for his photo call. Except he didn’t, so when she saw a likely Swede she inquired, in Swedish, if he was Per. The poor man said he wasn’t, but took her all the way into the authors’ yurt ( a real no-no) and put her in front of this famous Swedish writer, who was even more confused with the idea of the Bookwitch blog, but posed anyway.

When the witch goes back to school, she wants to have Lucy Hawking for her science teacher. I can’t think of anyone who can talk so well and so sensibly on physics and space and anything else related. Lucy kept the attention of her roomful of children, while explaining dad Stephen’s ideas, which they have turned into two books for children. George’s Cosmic Treasure Hunt is new this year, and there will eventually be a third book about George. Lucy and Stephen are, of course, the people mentioned above. I think they turned out OK in the end.

We got to see how (not) to gargle in space. Asparagus will be a suitable crop on Mars, when the time comes. Comet’s go ‘very fast’. Robots don’t get homesick in space. The questions from the children were really very good, but not many people can say what went before the Big Bang or why it happened. Not even Lucy. And look out for the toothbrush in orbit round earth, if you happen to be up there. I asked Lucy if she wants to travel in space, and she does. Preferably to the moon. I was too shy to ask for the phone number for her co-writer for book one.

Lunch was gulped down fast, in order to catch Henning Mankell’s little publicised signing in the childrens’ bookshop. In fact, there was hardly a soul there, but I don’t think that was why he was pleased to see me. (Anyone would be pleased to see me, wouldn’t they?) He looked so morose that I addressed him in his own language, though his English is very good. The ‘mini interview’ went something like this:

‘Hello, we’ve met a few times in Gothenburg.’ ‘ Yes, I remember you.’ ‘Uh-oh, that sounds ominous’, said Daughter. ‘What do you mean?’ asked Henning. ‘Only that you may remember me for all the wrong reasons. I could be one of those bl***y old women you get everywhere.’ ‘I don’t think so. I’d have remembered. But there are a few of them around.’ ‘Yes, and I’m often one of them.’ He looked remarkably happy after this exchange. But you would, wouldn’t you, when ‘one of those’ leaves him in peace.

Next victim for a photo shoot was Klas Östergren, except he didn’t show, initially. Just as we were leaving for our next rendez vous he turned up in the rain, and as we departed he had someone’s lens half an inch from his nose. The man’s quite good looking, but that’s ridiculous.

The two witches had been invited to afternoon tea at the Roxburghe Hotel by the very, very kind Theresa Breslin, so the road was crossed, and the comfortable lounge was found. Daughter has clearly been deprived, and was very excited by the posh surroundings. Thank you Theresa, it was wonderful. The perfect respite to a busy day. And I’m not averse to similar offers, if anyone is feeling generous. Not all at once, though.

Back across the road to see Adèle Geras, and photograph her. We enticed her round the back, where all the big names get shot. As she left again, Theresa turned up, so we all trotted back to the ’studio’, whereupon the paparazzi fell out of their little pod and descended on Theresa big time.

Resting in the yurt, Klas Östergren appeared, looking for a place to be interviewed, so we offered our seats. He was also quite grateful to be encountering Swedes in a Mongolian tent in the middle of Edinburgh. He’s been brought up properly, so we shook hands.

In case nobody has noticed, my social calendar for Day 5 was quite full, really. We met up with Clare from Random (a really Randomy weekend), and apart from the fact I thought she’d have blond hair, it was as good to meet her as I’d thought. Clare brought out Bali Rai for a short chat. And more photos round the back. Predictably the paparazzi emerged again, just needing reassurance that Bali was indeed a real writer and a little famous. Even my copy of his book, City of Ghosts, was photographed. Don’t think Bali knew what hit him.

We breathed for a few minutes before trotting off to the talk by Adèle Geras and Jonathan Stroud. Really liked the way the two of them had planned it, with short introductions, followed by a reading, and ending with them asking each other questions, before letting the audience loose. Good way of doing it.

Our final port of call for the day was back in the same tent again, for the much awaited discussion with Rachel Ward, Melvin Burgess and Anne Fine. Daughter said she didn’t want to miss the Anne-Melvin encounter for anything. I wanted to see if they’d both survive it, and I think Melvin had wondered the same thing. There were one or two references made to the blasting Anne did of Melvin’s Doing It some years ago.

They were all alive and well when we left for the day. And the discussion was good.

(Photos by H Giles)

Chocolate Week 2009
12 – 18 October

Seven days of chocolate heaven

Divine Chocolate has hooked up with top chefs, hip hotels and leading restaurants, to make this the best Chocolate Week yet.

Chocolate Week (12-18 October) is going from strength to strength, and Divine Chocolate, the company co-owned by cocoa farmers, is once again delighted to be co-sponsoring this nationwide celebration of fine chocolate. Top chocolatiers and chocolate companies are creating a programme of total chocolate indulgence, and Divine, along with a host of lovely partners, has some really special experiences lined up and exclusive new recipes to share. For news of Divine’s new products out this autumn, and a continually updated list of Chocolate Week events and promotions visit www.divinechocolate.com.

Divine Chocolate has sponsored national Chocolate Week since it began six years ago when it was launched in collaboration with the Academy of Chocolate. For the full Chocolate Week programme visit www.chocolate-week.co.uk.

This year Divine has asked celebrities, top chefs and restaurateurs to come up with their perfect Divine chocolate pudding recipe exclusively for Chocolate Week. The list so far includes two-Michelin star chef Michael Caines; TV chef Alan Coxon who recently presented the BBC2 series Ever Wondered About Food; Ireland’s best known chef and food writer Clodagh McKenna; renowned baking & chocolate expert Linda Collister; young chef Sam Stern who’s fifth cookery book for students is due out early next year; Michelin-starred chef Rob Rees MBE; and bestselling children’s author Anne Fine.

With cupcakes being the hippest treat this year, we’re planning a bit of a chocolate cupcake fest. Couture cake-maker to the stars (everyone from Madonna to David Beckham to the Queen) Mich Turner, of Little Venice Cake Company, will be among the experts creating their tribute to this little baked chocolate icon.

Divine is joining forces with longstanding partner The Pudding Club in the Cotswolds. Made famous through Rick Stein’s BBC series Food Heroes, The Pudding Club at Three Ways House Hotel was set up to celebrate traditional British puddings like Spotted Dick and Jam Roly Poly!

• Divine’s resident chocolatier will be heading down to Gloucestershire to host Divine chocolate masterclasses for the Pudding Club’s Chocoholics Weekend on 17-18th October.
• An exclusive Divine Chocolate à la carte and set menu will be on offer to guests staying at the hotel throughout Chocolate Week, with chocolate featuring in every course. With lasts years menu featuring Pan seared scallops with white chocolate risotto; Partridge with bok choi, roasted walnuts & dark chocolate sauce; and White chocolate & vanilla cheesecake, guests are in store for some seriously decadent spoiling.
• Guests and non-guests alike can also visit the hotel each day during Chocolate Week for a Divine Guilty Pleasure Afternoon Tea featuring delights such as Chocolate & banana cake and Luxurious hot chocolate with cream & chocolate flakes.
• Free Divine chocolate bars will also be supplied in the hotel’s 48 rooms and guests will receive a free jute bag with chocolate shortbread, a bar of Divine chocolate and a chocolate pudding made on site making their stay a trip to remember.
• Please visit www.thepuddingclub.com or contact Jill at The Pudding Club on 01386 438429 for further information.

Restaurants across the country are teaming up with Divine to offer Divine-themed Chocolate Week menus – these include winner of the Observer Food Award’s Best Vegetarian Restaurant 2008 Terre à Terre in Brighton, Urban Angel in Edinburgh, and Fusion Brasserie in Worcester. Divine tasting sessions will be taking place at cafés, bookshops and stores across the country, including London’s most prestigious department store Liberty; the Eden Project in Cornwall, and at the launch of the John Lewis Foodhall at Bluewater in Kent with opportunities to sample
Divine’s two brand new flavours: Dark Chocolate with Raspberries and Butterscotch Milk Chocolate. Divine will be hosting a tasting workshop for families at Eco Age, the chic ethical shop owned by Colin Firth’s wife in London, on Saturday 17th October. The exclusive Divniitini cocktail inspired by and using Divine will be on offer at the chic Sanderson Hotel in London’s West End.

A full list of partners and programme of events will be available soon on www.divinechocolate.com.

Divine will also be hosting a chocolate debate on 15th October which will see some of the industry’s leading experts discuss the history, sociology and politics of the chocolate trade.

In association with Chocolate Week, Divine and other chocolate companies will again also be exhibiting at the Spirit of Christmas Fair at Kensington Olympia in London. Running from 4-8 November, the show is held in association with House & Garden Magazine and attracts in excess of 33,000 visitors.

British children's authors Anthony Horowitz, Philip Pullman and Michael Morpurgo.

From the Independent(UK) by Chris Green

Authors boycott schools over sex-offence register

A group of respected British children’s authors and illustrators will stop visiting schools from the start of the next academic year, in protest at a new government scheme that requires them to register on a database in case they pose a danger to children.

Philip Pullman, Anne Fine, Anthony Horowitz, Michael Morpurgo and Quentin Blake all told The Independent that they object to having their names on the database – which is intended to protect children from paedophiles – and would not be visiting any schools as a consequence.

Pullman, author of the fantasy trilogy His Dark Materials, described the Home Office policy as “corrosive and poisonous to every kind of healthy social interaction”. He said: “I’ve been going into schools as an author for 20 years, and on no occasion have I ever been alone with a child. The idea that I have become more of a threat and I need to be vetted is both ludicrous and insulting. Children have never been in any danger from visiting authors or illustrators, and the idea that they should be is preposterous.

Bump, Bump, Bumpit Up On Your Way To Big, Beautiful Hair!

Bumpit. Posted by: Cali on: April 26, 2009. In: bad ads · Comment! In this time of economic crisis, are you really going to spend your money on bigger hair? I don&t ever want to “bump a pony” thank you very much. …

Listen up Southern Belles, there&s finally a hair accessory that will allow you to set your dozen cans of hairspray aside, and once again allow you to run your fingers through your big, big hair. Get ready; it&s time to bump, bump, …

How I put in my Bumpit. Honestly it took 20 times longer to write about it than it takes. Start to finish it MAYBE takes me two minutes to put in, in the morning. I spend most the time on flat ironing my hair. …

Bumpit. Posted by: Cali on: April 26, 2009. In: bad ads · Comment! In this time of economic crisis, are you really going to spend your money on bigger hair? I don&t ever want to “bump a pony” thank you very much. …

Bumpit. Posted by: Cali on: April 26, 2009. In: bad ads · Comment! In this time of economic crisis, are you really going to spend your money on bigger hair? I don&t ever want to “bump a pony” thank you very much. …

For a Waterstones “Laureates table” promotion, all of our Children’s Laureates to date have chosen seven of their favourite children’s books. A really interesting read, it has resulted in a list comprising of mostly classics and some absolutely excellent books are on there.

I’ve been trying to work out whose list feels most like my own if I were to have to do this and it is impossible. So, I have chosen my favourite seven out of all of the laureates’ choice. Here they are:

1. Five Children and It by E. Nesbit (1902) – chosen by Quentin Blake
2. Just William by Richmal Crompton (1922) – chosen by Anne Fine
3. Five Go to Smuggler’s Top by Enid Blyton (1945) – chosen by Michael Morpurgo
4. The Family From One End Street by Eve Garnett (1937) – chosen by Jacqueline Wilson
5. Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers (1934) – chosen by Jacqueline Wilson
6. The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank (1947) – chosen by Michael Rosen
7. Not Now, Bernard by David McKee (1980) – chosen by Michael Rosen

Now, if I were asked to choose my own list of seven, I would need to add Lauren Child’s I Will Not Ever Never Eat a Tomato (because I won’t), and a Moomin book – I can’t decide which one. And of course a Lemony Snicket title as I wrote my MA thesis on A Series of Unfortunate Events, and a Robert Cormier title, but which one… probably We All Fall Down. Or should it be The Chocolate War just because it is brilliant?

Then I would have to have a Judy Blume title as she pretty much single handedly got me through my early teens. I imagine I would have to go for Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret (thank you to Random House Kids in NY today for the excerpt on Twitter and also for this link to Judy Blume on YouTube).

Argh – it is just too hard. How did they manage to choose only seven? Why isn’t Lord of the Flies on there or any Roald Dahl? Seriously, because of these favourite lists there is now a whole lot of re-reading I’m now desperate to do!

You can find all the books mentioned here on my amazon store here. Or better still, head out to your local children’s book shop.

Shock, horror! None of the children’s laureates chose Harry Potter for their favourite children’s books!

Well, why would they? They are old people. (No offense intended. I’m old myself.) They will pick what they liked as children, or something that stands out as excellent over decades of reading. Harry will be chosen by the children’s laureates in forty years’ time.

I just don’t get this newspaper/journalism thing. Are they stupid, or do they go out of their way to appear as stupid as they think we, the readers, are? Or do they hate Harry with a vengeance, so must rub his, or rather JKR’s, face in it as often as the opportunity arises?

Don’t worry about me. I might have got out of bed on the wrong side this morning.

But it would be nice if things weren’t always dumbed down or ‘over-scandalised’. I love Harry Potter, but even I can see that it’s possible to discuss children’s books without him.

And of the books listed in the Guardian article, the ancient witch has read very few. Nesbit. Treasure Island. Have naturally seen Mary Poppins the film. Have to hope that I have read all that was not listed. I’m not laureate material, that much is clear.

Hoje, passando rapidamente pelos portais de leitura da França, para contrabalançar as notícias da FLIP de Parati, encontrei a lista dos ítens de leitura mais vendidos na França para adolescentes.  Como na semana passada coloquei aqui a lista da Inglaterra e a do Brasil, nada mais justo do que adicionar os preferidos dos franceses. 

Astérix e Obélix, os heróis gauleses.

Os livros mais populares para a juventude na França, em 2008

1 –      Naruto, Volume  37, de Masashi Kishimoto (não está a venda em português – Panini)

2 –      Death Note, Volume 11, de Tsugumi Ohba —  No Brasil :  Death Note: Concordância - vol. 11   de Tsugumi Ohba

3 —      Hunter X Hunter, Volume  24, de Yoshihiro Togashi  – JBC

4  –     Les Chevaliers d’Emeraude, Volume 5 : L’Ile des Lézards de Anne Robillard

5 —      Le Monde de Narnia de C-S Lewis  As Crônicas de Nárnia, Martins Fontes

6  –     35 kilos d’espoir de Anna Gavalda

7 –      La Cabane Magique, Volume 1 : La vallée des dinosaures de Mary Pope Osborne

8 —      Journal d’un chat assassin de Anne Fine -  Diário de um Gato Assassino, SM

9 —      Humanitude : Comprendre la vieillesse, prendre soin des Hommes vieux

de Yves Gineste (Auteur), Jérôme Pellissier

10 –    La Sixième de Susan Morgenstern

Em azul os títulos encontrados em português.

Observe-se a popularidade dos Mangás.

Three more books for you today, which should have come in somewhere during the last crochet/moving posts. I’ve found a tube from which to make a spool for the strap(s) of my gardening bag, but haven’t had a chance to actually make it yet.

126. Only a Show by Anne Fine

Beautifully illustrated (by Strawberrie Donnelly – isn’t that a great name?), this is about one of those small difficult episodes in the life of a shy child that adults or the supremely confident could also do with reading for added sensitivity. Anna’s class teacher gives them all a week to produce a five minute performance of their choice, and terrifies poor Anna, who is one of those children who quietly rubs along at the back of the class, never showing the talents she displays so abundantly at home. Her little brother Simon wants her to give a puppet show, just as she does for him every night before he goes to bed, but she isn’t confident enough to do it, so she considers a few other options along the way. She gets her grandmother to teach her to knit as something she might show her class, and that becomes significant later on. A fun book for progressing readers and their families and friends.

127. Keeping Pets: Dogs by Louise & Richard Spilsbury

Lots of information about how to assess the capacity of one’s family to look after a dog, and then if they can, choosing and looking after the pet, training and generally committing to it. I do like this series.

128. Tell Me About Sojourner Truth by John Malam

Sojourner Truth is one of those heroes of the Abolitionist movement in America 150 years ago whose name I have known forever. Still, that sentence about wrapped up my knowledge before yesterday. This is a short biography of a woman I think I’d like to learn more about. I hadn’t even realised she chose the name Sojourner Truth for herself when she began working for freedom for all.

This wonderful little anthology includes stories by Lois Lowry, Meg Cabot, Sue Limb, Anne Fine, Celia Rees, Rosie Rushton, Malorie Blackman, Jacqueline Wilson, Cathy Hopkins, and Meg Rosoff. Two things about that list of star authors stand out to me: One, they’re some pretty fantastic writers–some of my favorites. Two, most of them are British. According to the biographies in the back, Lois Lowry and Meg Cabot are the only ones who live in America (but I think Meg Rosoff is from the US, she just lives in England). I now have a confession to make: I love all things British, an obsession that has its root in a trip I took last summer to England. It was one of the best experiences of my life, so now I love to read English books and watch BBC America and such. It’s kind of dorky, I’ll admit, but it meant I was super psyched to read this story collection!

And it is in no way, shape, or form disappointing. There’s not a weak story in the bunch! I was completely captivated from the moment I started reading. They are all wonderfully well written (as they should be; all of these authors are masters of their craft).

Of course, I did have the problem I always have with great short stories–I wanted more! For every short story whose characters I fall in love with over the course of a few pages, I always wish that there was more to the story. For two of these, there actually is more–Lois Lowry’s is an excerpt from her novel. And Sue Limb’s story is about her character, Jess (star of Girl, 15, Charming But Insane and its equally fabulous sequels). But for the rest, sadly, as far as I know, this is all we will see of these characters.

While there are certainly no weak points in Shining On, there were a few stories that stood out to me personally as being exceptionally brilliant.

Sue Limb’s You’re A Legend is one. It’s a complete story in itself, but part of a larger body of work about this wonderful character. In this story, Jess goes to help her Granny sort through her dead husband’s belongings and makes a surprising discovery in the attic. I absolutely loved it!

Another story I loved was Malorie Blackman’s Humming Through My Fingers, an incredibly wonderful story about a blind girl who sees more than most of us who are sighted do. Simply brilliant! I mean, I adore Malorie Blackman, but I was still surprised at how completely marvelous this short story is! I’d love to read more about the characters, unsurprisingly. Hmm. Perhaps I’m too greedy to read short stories!

Anyway, another one I particularly enjoyed was Rosie Rushton’s Skin Deep, about a girl who is seriously traumatized (physically and emotionally) by an accident. I’ve never read one of Rushton’s novels, but I’ll have to after reading this story, which I thought was amazing (and I really shouldn’t even bother to say it after all this, but, yes, I wanted more! I feel so greedy).

Those are just a few of the highlights for me, but, trust me, all of the stories are breathtakingly wonderful. This collection is, of course, worth buying and reading because of its marvelousness, but even more so because a portion of the profits go to charity. So, to the bookstore! Or to your favorite online bookstore, if you want to let your fingers do all the hard work. And buy this book immediately!

Convegno dal 31 gennaio al 1 febbraio alla Biblioteca di Villa Montalvo.

Ultimissimi giorni per le iscrizioni al convegno “La lettura, nonostante… Libri e ragazzi tra promozione e rimozione” che si terrà presso la Biblioteca di Villa Montalvo nei giorni 31 gennaio e 1 febbraio 2008.
Si parla ancora di crisi della lettura. Si parla anche di più e con insistenza di crisi della lettura giovanile e degli adolescenti in particolare. Si parla di un’editoria per ragazzi che cambia strutturalmente: nella produzione e nella distribuzione, con una concentrazione sempre maggiore dei produttori e una omologazione dell’offerta. Si fa zapping, si chatta, si scrive una nuova lingua sintetica per stare nello spazio scomodo di un sms, si infila il libro nel carrello della spesa, si cercano isole coi famosi e non il tesoro. Eppure, si legge ancora. Eppure, ancora, l’attività di promozione, educazione e formazione del lettore non demorde e la lettura si ostina a cercare lettori, nonostante un territorio accidentato in cui isole felici e profonde arretratezze debbono convivere. E ancora, a leggere di più, sono bambini e ragazzi. Per chi ancora si muove su questo territorio, per chi si ostina a proporre lettura, il convegno intende offrire spunti per approfondire, confrontarsi, dialogare.
Notevole, fin qui, l’adesione degli operatori da tutta Italia a riprova dell’interesse nutrito da chi si occupa di libri per ragazzi per le occasioni riservate all’analisi dell’offerta editoriale e alla formazione e educazione del giovane lettore.

Si segnala, in particolare:
- l’incontro imperdibile con Anne Fine, la grande scrittrice inglese, autrice fra l’altro del romanzo Un padre a ore, da cui fu tratto il film Mrs Doubtfire;
- la proiezione del cortometraggio Un giorno da leggere (regia di Anna di Francisca, soggetto e sceneggiatura di Michele Rak);
- la mostra Contare le stelle: 20 anni di letteratura per ragazzi, promossa dall’Associazione Hamelin;
- l’”estratto” dallo spettacolo teatrale E per questo resisto: voci e musiche per ricordare la Shoah con Alessia Canducci, voce recitante; Flexus (Daniele Brignone, basso; Gianluca Magnani, voce, chitarre, tastiere; Enrico Sartori, batteria, percussioni)
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I mentioned the anthology Like Mother, Like Daughter the other day. I have a couple of other story collections too, that were both published in aid of charity. Unlike Amnesty International’s Click, which was one story written by different authors in a literary relay, these are simply short stories by well known authors.

Higher Ground is all about the 2004 tsunami, and was published only months after the disaster. Sixteen children’s authors each wrote a story based on what happened to a real child, somewhere in the world during that period. It’s very sad and very uplifting. Definitely worth having a few hankies standing by for when you read it. The authors are Melvin Burgess, Gillian Cross, Tim Bowler, Bernard Ashley, Eoin Colfer and many more, with foreword by Michael Morpurgo. Highly recommended.

Last year ten authors, hand-picked by readers of Cosmo Girl, wrote a short story each for Shining On, sold in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust. We’ve got Melvin Burgess again, as the lone boy, with girl writers Jacqueline Wilson, Anne Fine, Malorie Blackman, Rosie Rushton, Sue Limb, Meg Cabot, Cathy Hopkins, Meg Rosoff and Celia Rees. The stories are as good as you’d expect from the star-studded line-up.

The witch is slowly – very slowly – collecting her signatures in these two anthologies. It’ll take me years.

This is a short read, but a funny one. I was laughing out loud so often that a few of the patrons in the children’s room were probably wondering if I was just some crazy lady who snuck in and sat behind the desk! Anyway…

If you have an outdoor cat, you will probably find yourself relating all too well with the people in this story. While the diary is written from the cat’s perspective, it’s easy to see through his twisted and excuse-ridden narratives and to feel sorry for his owners. I especially loved the scene at the vet’s office! Trust me… It’s funny! And, if you wanna experience the funny for yourself, you’re going to have to read the book — I’m not giving any more away.

Happy Reading!