Writers and Illustrators and Dinosaurs: Meredith Davis

Meredith Davis writes picture books, chapter books, and middle grade novels.  A former bookseller at Toad Hall, she is the founder of the Austin Chapter of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators and served for three years as its Regional Adviser.  She recently completed a Master of Fine Arts degree in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts.

She blogs at Stories in the Street.

  The lad with the gimlet eye is her son, Benji. 

Some thoughts on TERRA NOVA

Just before Christmas, TERRA NOVA finished its first season of 13 episodes (most TV shows get around 22 episodes, but apparently TERRA NOVA is really expensive). 

As I blogged in October, the premise is that in a dystopian twenty-second century, a time portal has been discovered which allows travel to an indeterminate location some 85 million years in the past. Humanity has established an outpost there and is sending colonists back in "waves."  The show follows the adventures and tribulations of the Shannon family, consisting of Jim Shannon, Dr. Elisabeth Shannon, and their three children Josh, Maddie, and Zoe.

No decision has yet been made on whether there will be a second season.  It is apparently noteworthy, however, that the options of two of the stars have been picked up.

In situations like this, fan input is reported to be important in influencing network executives.  If you want to see a second season of TERRA NOVA, here are two ways you can make your voice heard:  You can sign the twitter petition here.  And, per the suggestion of Jason O'Mara, who plays Jim Shannon, you can send plastic dinosaurs to the head of Fox, Kevin Reilly.  Here's the link with the address: Send plastic dinosaurs.

Now, I'll be the first to admit that there are issues with the show.  The premise is a little dicey and there are some glaring examples of fridge logic plot holes.  The dinosaurs are okay, although a little too mix and match for my taste (and there aren't enough of them!).  My biggest global issue, though, is that there seems to be very little sense of wonder and very little interest in exploring.  I mean, here you are in an awe-inspiring pristine earth populated by dinosaurs, and nobody wants to go and check them out? 

One of the problems, I think, is that the show has only had 13 episodes, and a large cast, which makes it hard to "get into" and care about the characters.  Toward the end of the season they were getting more interesting.  (FWIW, I think I was only able to start liking STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION and STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE after two full seasons.  (Actually, TERRA NOVA sort of reminds me a bit of DEEP SPACE NINE meets MY SO-CALLED LIFE)). 

Anyway, I think the show has promise and would be sorry to see it go down after only one season.

Upcoming Book People Events!

Friday, February 10:  My Vicious Valentine: Spine-tingling YA Author Panel, featuring Jordan Dane, P.J. "Tricia" Hoover, Mari Mancusi, Rosemary Clement-Moore, Cynthia Leitich Smith, and L.A. Weatherly---moderated by Sean Petrie--will take place at 7 p.m. Feb. 10 at BookPeople in Austin. Join us when six top YA authors dish on the devilish, gab about ghosts, and soar with the angels in this panel celebrating spine-tingling stories, supernatural creatures, and perhaps scariest of all, true love.

March 4 (3 PM at the Carver Museum):  Launch Party for We've Got a Job: The 1963 Birmingham Children's March, by Cynthia Levinson.  Join Cynthia Levinson as she discussed the background and research process for We've Got a Job!

March 24 (2 PM at BookPeople). Launch Party for Chronal Engine! Greg Leitich Smith will present on his middle grade/tween prehistoric time travel adventure! 

Be sure to download the activity guide here!

CHRONAL ENGINE Activity Kit

I'm delighted to announce that the activity kit for CHRONAL ENGINE is now available.

It's filled with games and art and reading/discussion activities!

Go here to check it out!

RANDY RILEY'S REALLY BIG HIT, by Chris Van Dusen

RANDY RILEY'S REALLY BIG HIT, by Chris Van Dusen (Candlewick 2012)(ages 4+).  Randy Riley knows and loves outer space, robots, and baseball.  But he stinks at the latter.  Until one day, he spots a giant meteor barreling toward Earth!  Can he bring together all his knowledge and skills (and lack thereof) to save the planet?

RANDY RILEY offer whimsical illustrations and a larger-than-life concept, coupled with a text that evokes "Casey at the Bat."   Altogether, a fine baseball yarn that hilariously combines America's pastime with big, giant robots.

BILLIONS OF YEARS, AMAZING CHANGES

BILLIONS OF YEARS, AMAZING CHANGES, by Laurence Pringle, ill. by Steve Jenkins (Boyds Mills 2011)(ages 8+), offers a fine overview of the science of the theory of evolution, covering fossils, Charles Darwin, "missing links," "survival of the fittest," "natural selection," and more.  The text is eminently readable and the drawings are an engaging complement.

Not nearly enough dinosaurs, though. :-).     

LITTLE DOG LOST: THE TRUE STORY OF A BRAVE DOG NAMED BALTIC

LITTLE DOG LOST: THE TRUE STORY OF A BRAVE DOG NAMED BALTIC, by Monica Carnesi (Nancy Paulsen Books/Penguin 2012)(ages 3-5).  In January 2010, a little dog was seen floating on an ice flow in the middle of the Vistula River (Poland), some sixty miles from the Baltic.  Attempts to rescue him proved fruitless.  Two days after he was first spotted, the research vessel Baltica, fifteen miles off the coast, spotted him.  Several attempts and dunkings later, he was brought aboard, and is now an honored and dry member of the crew.

LITTLE DOG LOST is charming and sweet tale, the simple text and expressive drawings richly evoking the heartwarming drama.        


Read an interview with Monica on Cynsations.

CHRONAL ENGINE jacket and news!

I received the mockup of the CHRONAL ENGINE jacket the other day.  The photo doesn't quite convey its awesomeness, but it's foil.  Yes, shiny.  If you put it in the microwave, it'll actually sparkle.  (This is a hypothesis -- I'm not going to actually test it out :-)).  The great design is by Clarion's Sharismar Rodriguez, and you might recognize the author photo from here. 

Also, CHRONAL ENGINE was featured last week in a Goddess of YA Literature blog post and in a post over at Turning the Pages.  Thanks for the kind words!

Save the dates:

CHRONAL ENGINE Launch and Signing at BookPeople, March 24, 2012, at 2 PM, otherwise known as National Dress Up as a Dinosaur Day!  (Well, not really, but it should be).

My Vicious Valentine: Spine-tingling YA Author Panel, featuring Jordan Dane, P.J. "Tricia" Hoover, Mari Mancusi, Rosemary Clement-Moore, Cynthia Leitich Smith, and L.A. Weatherly---moderated by Sean Petrie--will take place at 7 p.m. Feb. 10 at BookPeople in Austin. Join us as six top YA authors dish on the devilish, gab about ghosts, and soar with the angels in this panel celebrating spine-tingling stories, supernatural creatures, and perhaps scariest of all, true love.

I AM TAMA, LUCKY CAT: A JAPANESE LEGEND

In fact, I am Mercury.  [yawn].

I am, however, here to tell you about a book by that name (see cover below).

Long ago, in Japan [Did I mention that my Greg person's ancestors originated in Japan?] or so the story goes, there lived a poor but devout holy man who was barely keeping his temple together.  Tama appeared, raising his paw in the traditional Japanese come-to-me greeting.  [Some cats are known to do this.  I do not].

The cat adopted the holy man and stayed at the temple.  One day, during a thunderstorm, Tama greeted a rich samurai feudal lord who was taking refuge under a tree outside the temple grounds.  [I make no comment on whether it was a good idea for Tama to have been outdoors during a thunderstorm.]

The samurai approached the cat an instant before the tree was struck by lightning. [See?] In gratitude, the samurai lord bestowed lavish gifts, became a friend to the monk, and restored the temple to prosperity. 

[Is it true?  I don't know, but you can buy Maneki Neko figurines just about anywhere these days.]  In any case, I AM TAMA is a lovely story, freshly told, with very nice lush illustrations. 
   

I AM TAMA, LUCKY CAT: A JAPANESE LEGEND, by Wendy Henrichs, ill. by Yoshiko Jaeggi (Peachtree 2011)(ages 5-9).

FOR THE BIRDS: THE LIFE OF ROGER TORY PETERSON

FOR THE BIRDS: THE LIFE OF ROGER TORY PETERSON, by Peggy Thomas, ill. by Laura Jacques (Calkins Creek/Boyds Mills Press 2011)(ages 8+). As a child, Roger Tory Peterson (1908-1996) was considered a bit of an odd bird.  He'd spend all his time exploring the woods in his small town, bringing home nests and wildflowers and butterflies and moths.  Early on, though, he became enamored of birds, and studying them and drawing them became his life's work.  Ultimately, he would become one of world's foremost ornithologists, and in 1934 would publish the first of the famous Peterson Field Guides.

FOR THE BIRDS provides a thoroughly fun and evocative introduction to the life and work of one of the premier naturalists of the 20th Century.  The text is compelling and the art is realistic and richly detailed.