Weeklies, briefly

My picture book of the week is The Secret Circus, written and illustrated by Johanna Wright. This depicts a circus in Paris, about which only the mice know.

My novel of the week is Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien. I have spent so much time this week thinking about this epic story and reading passages from it, that I haven't finished my intended novel of the week and its review. Lord of the Rings fascinates me continually. I can't get enough of the history of the rings, the peoples and creatures of Middle-Earth, and comparing differences between the Peter Jackson-directed movie trilogy versus the books.

"To Seek Out Strange New Words"

Novel of the Week is The Willoughbys by Lois Lowry. "A novel nefariously written and ignominiously illustrated by the author." Rather than a regular review, these are random notes from my reading experience.

Lowry makes ample use of fancy words in The Willoughbys. She also supplies rather subjective and tangential definitions for these fancy words in a glossary at the end of the book. The subjectivity is a good spin. Although lexicographers usually write in such a way as to remove themselves from the scope of the writing, they are in truth individual persons interpreting the meaning of the words. Lowry retains her identity as the narrator in the glossary, acknowledging that she is an individual relating these words, rather than an invisible authority.

I have a suggestion which would help readers use the glossary all along in the reading experience rather than just finding it after "The End". I suggest placing a footnote at the first word in the text which has a glossary entry. The footnote would direct readers to the glossary, bringing it to their attention early in the reading, and allowing them to use it repeatedly as they encounter new words.

Speaking of authors who supply idiosyncratic definitions of fancy words, I am reminded of Lemony Snicket. Was he the first to do it?

Alpenhorn, a word which I had never seen before, was not in the glossary, so I had to look it up myself. I'm used to pausing in my reading to do that, ever since I read Jane Eyre. When I read Jane Eyre, I found myself consulting the dictionary so often, that I eventually went back through the book and made a log of all the words I had looked up. I specifically remember physiognomy, Resurgam, and cadeaux.

I encountered the word squalor, followed by a faulty(?) declension into squalorous (I believe the adjective wanted is squalid).

I did not know that fondue was of Swiss origin. Now I do!

I love the many allusions to themes and characters of classic children's literature. Lowry supplied a bibliography to refer readers to the works mentioned along the way. Very nice. As librarian Nancy Pearl has said, "I never know where a particular book will take me, toward what other books I will be led." The bibliography allows The Willoughbys to lead to other books outright.

Great paintings--this is why I love picture books!

My picture book of the week is Henry's Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad by Ellen Levine, illustrated by Kadir Nelson, which relates the story of Henry "Box" Brown's escape from slavery, by having himself mailed in a crate from Richmond, Virginia to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The trip took 27 hours.

The book jacket says that Kadir Nelson's paintings for this book were inspired by an antique lithograph of Henry Box Brown, made in 1850. To give the feel of the lithograph, Nelson crosshatched pencil lines, then applied layers of watercolor and oil paint. These illustrations are outstanding, and a great example of why I love picture books. They reproduce fine art, making it available to many people at one time, inexpensive, easily transportable, can be enjoyed an unlimited number of times, and most importantly, easily shared with children.

The crosshatched texture and rich color in Nelson's paintings really make them exceptional, so it's no surprise that this book was awarded a Caldecott Honor. I've been behind on my reading of award winners, and I couldn't remember what was the medal winner that year, so I assumed I must not have read it. I undertook to look it up and compare, wondering, "How is it that Henry's Freedom Box didn't merit the medal--what book published the same year could possibly have been better?" When I looked up the award list, I was reminded that the winner was The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick. My mind had drawn a blank on 2008's medal winner because I was trying to remember something in the 32-page format, which Cabret was not. I don't need to quibble over who got the #1 spot--both books deserved recognition. How wonderful it is that there are so many marvelous and beautiful books, and new ones every year, to enjoy. Long live picture books.

Plug of the Week: Joseph Beth Kids

Joseph Beth bookstore in Cincinnati has a wonderful kids section. This week I perused a great spring/gardening themed display, which brought to my attention many worthy books I would otherwise have missed.

Their website is www.josephbeth.com

How to Be Green, for Wee Ones

Picture book of the week: Big Earth, Little Me written by Thom Wiley, illustrated by Kate Endle. Short and sweet. The day I ran across this book I read 18 picture books, and Big Earth, Little Me was the best one of the day! I picked it up because I have a thing for cut paper collage illustrations. Seeing the wonderfully simple and succinct message of ways you can help the earth won me over. The 16 pages are made from sturdy cardstock and include flaps to further the action. Printed with soy ink. Published by Scholastic, 2009.

Novel of the week: The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams

The Chosen One is a fictional story of a thirteen year-old girl named Kyra, who is a member of a polygamous community, like the real-life ones in southern Utah and northern Arizona. The community’s “prophet” assigns Kyra to become the seventh wife of her sixty year-old uncle. By custom and by doctrine, Kyra is not free to refuse this marriage. Horrible as that sounds, it’s not far off from real-life situations in these communities. Kyra’s escape is highly dramatic, but is only a slight escalation of the real experiences of defectors from polygamy. Two recent bestsellers, Escape by Carolyn Jessop, and Stolen Innocence by Elissa Wall, give firsthand accounts of the great difficulties these women faced in leaving their closed communities.

Both Carolyn Jessop and Elissa Wall were members of the FLDS Church, which entered the public eye in 2006 when the FLDS “prophet” Warren Jeffs was arrested. He was subsequently convicted on two counts of accomplice to rape. Elissa Wall, married at Jeffs’ order to her first cousin at age fourteen, was the star witness against Jeffs. The court determined that because Wall was a minor, because her marriage was not entered into by consent, and because she was not free to leave it, her reluctant sex with her husband was not consensual and constituted rape.

As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which is also known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, I am sensitive to my Church being often mistakenly lumped in with these various polygamous groups. The FLDS church fashioned its name after the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but is not affiliated with it. To the contrary, the FLDS was founded in the 20th century by people who left the LDS Church and lived contrary to its teachings. Unfortunately, it’s difficult for people unfamiliar with Mormons to know the distinction. The LDS church, with 13 million members throughout the world, doesn’t often make the news, yet the FLDS church, with a few thousand members, has popped up frequently in the news within the last five years.

I regret that the negative publicity earned and deserved by Warren Jeffs and men like him is sometimes incorrectly reflected onto the LDS Church. However, I welcome light being shed on the issue of contemporary polygamy in the United States. I am glad Jeffs was convicted, but I suspect it will take much more than that one incident to loosen the terrible grip of oppression that the polygamists exercise. I hope that the The Chosen One will help to bring polygamy further out into the light of public scrutiny, so that help for its victims will be more available when they seek it.

Plug of the Week: The Blue Marble bookstore

Having been recently released from the clutch of Borders, my freedom has opened up such that I have been able to make new friends. While I worked as a manager at Borders, I of course shopped there out of loyalty, contributing to its bottom line. Now that my loyalties are not tied there, I have discovered the delightful and super-friendly Blue Marble children's bookstore in Fort Thomas, Kentucky (within 10 minutes of downtown Cincinnati). From my first visit to the store, I found staff members ready to recommend books and invite me to upcoming signings and events. The Blue Marble is not only an "indie" bookstore, with all the good things common to them, but it is even a star within the indie class.

In early April I attended a discussion and signing with illustrator Will Hillenbrand, celebrating the publication of his 49th and 50th picture books, One Fine Trade by Bobbi Miller, and Louie, which Hillenbrand both illustrated and wrote. I not only listened rapturously during his wonderful presentation and got books signed, but I was introduced to him. This was a top-notch experience.

I have also attended a Bookaholics Night, held in the Blue Marble's Great Green Room (fashioned after the room in Goodnight Moon). It was simply a chance for Blue Marble staff, educators, librarians, and child. lit. fans to talk about what we've been reading lately. I look forward to the next meeting on Tuesday, May 12, the last one before summer hiatus.

Visit their website, www.bluemarblebooks.com, and sign up for their email newsletter. The unofficial holiday Buy Indie Day was yesterday (May 1), but I think we should all re-celebrate as often as our wallets allow.

Graphic "Novel" for the Youngest Eyes

Picture book of the week: In the Town All Year 'Round by Rotraut Susanne Berner

A nod to Richard Scarry's Busy, Busy Town. This picture book, originally published in German in four volumes, is divided into four seasons, with eight picture spreads for each season. The first spread shows characters and gives the reader hints as to what to watch for. The other spreads are wordless, except for a few street signs. Buildings are shown in cut-away, revealing the goings-on inside. The high level of detail is reminiscent of the Where's Waldo books by Martin Handford. But the recognizable characters and continuity from season to season allows the reader to observe the passage of time, and the changes in scenery move the plot forward. There is even a budding romance between two characters, culminating in a visit to the travel agent for honeymoon plans. This is a great book to read with someone else next to you, so you can point out the "aha!" moments to each other.

The Seven-Letter S Word

Novel of the week: The Higher Power of Lucky, by Susan Patron, 2007 Newbery Medal Winner

This brief and satisfying novel is about a ten year-old girl named Lucky, age 10, who lives in Hard Pan, California, population 43. Lucky has an absent father, and when Lucky's mother died two years ago, Brigitte entered Lucky's life. Brigitte came all the way from France on the spur of the moment to care for Lucky. Lucky has a part-time job cleaning up after 12-step meetings, at which she has heard attendees talk about finding one's Higher Power. Lucky is in pursuit of her own Higher Power when she observes Brigitte's moments of homesickness. Lucky fears that Brigitte will soon give up being Lucky's guardian and return home to France, leaving Lucky to fend for herself in an orphanage. The only solution is for Lucky to run away.

Now that I have read this book, I am ready to weigh in on the controversy that accompanied its publication--the use of the word scrotum, when a dog is bitten in the scrotum by a rattlesnake. I am shocked--shocked that anyone would find this scandalous, since it was handled with perfect decorum.

The opponents of the s word said it was gratuitous, reasoning that Patron could just as easily have had the dog bitten elsewhere, avoiding this private anatomy in a story for young children. My argument in favor of using it is that young boys aren't avoiding referring to this rather private anatomy themselves in everyday conversation. Children age 7 or 8, the audience of this book, hear the scrotum referred to frequently, as a place to be kicked in. This crass usage should not block the possibility of usage in polite and appropriate contexts. On the contrary, referring to it within the bounds of good manners helps counteract the rudeness associated with the other context.

I really enjoyed the insights into Lucky's thought processes, including those prompted by the s word. Thumbs up.