THE WITCH'S GUIDE TO COOKING WITH CHILDREN

THE WITCH'S GUIDE TO COOKING WITH CHILDREN, by Keith McGowan, ill. by Yoko Tanaka (Henry Holt 2009)(ages 8-12). Eleven-year-old Sol Blink and his younger sister Connie have moved with their father and new stepmother to Grand Creek. Their new neighbor, Fay Holaderry, is a little creepy and may be older than anyone thinks. And then Sol notices that the bone Fay's dog is gnawing on is a human femur...

WITCH'S GUIDE is a fun new take on "Hansel and Gretel," with 21st Century protagonists and all the Old World charm, err, creepiness, of Bavaria's Black Forest. Both sinister and enjoyable, WITCH'S GUIDE will have readers laughing, thinking, and looking for recipes.

BUG BOY

BUG BOY, by Eric Luper (FSG 2009)(12+). It's the height of the Great Depression and 15 year old Jack Walsh is senior exercise boy for his stable at Saratoga racetrack, but aspires to be a world-famous and winning jockey. It's all he can do at the moment, though, to keep his mind on his job, eke out a meager existence, and send modest sums back home.

But Jack gets his chance when his stable's premier jockey suffers an accident at the gate. Jack immediately becomes an unexpected success and celebrity. But between the mobsters who want to fix the races and the fat cats who own them, can Jack make it to the finish line in one piece?

Replete with period detail, BUG BOY exposes in compelling fashion both the glamor and dubious ethics of the 1930s horse-racing culture. Jack is likeable, engaging, and sympathetic. In short, BUG BOY is the fascinating story of a young man deciding who he is and wants to be in a world of temptation, corruption, and (sometimes) integrity.

SEA OF THE DEAD

SEA OF THE DEAD, by Julia Durango (Simon & Schuster 2009)(ages 8-12). Thirteen-year-old Kehl is the youngest son of the premier warrior prince of the Teshic Empire, an empire at war with the rebel Fallen. Training to become a warrior himself, and trying to live up to his family's expectations, Kehl is kidnapped from barracks by the minions of the Fallen King.

Taken aboard their ship, Kehl learns their ways and some uncomfortable truths about the Empire and how his mother was killed...

In SEA OF THE DEAD, Durango offers a likeable and engaging protagonist, as well as rousing adventure; and creates a unique fantasy world with satisfying amounts of both intrigue and blood and mayhem.

THE EYEBALL COLLECTOR

THE EYEBALL COLLECTOR, by F.E. Higgins (Feiwel & Friends 2009)(10-14). In the corrupt city of Urbs Umida, divided between the rich north and the southern slums by the toxic River Foedus, Hector Fitzbaudly is living the life of a scion of society and wealth.

But when his father dies after being blackmailed by the dastardly Gulliver Truepin, Hector loses everything and must make his way on the south side. And all he has left is revenge on the one-eyed man who killed his father...

A companion to THE BLACK BOOK OF SECRETS and THE BONE MAGICIAN, THE EYEBALL COLLECTOR is another winner set in the deliciously creepy world of Urbs Umida. Read them all.

THE EVOLUTION OF CALPURNIA TATE

THE EVOLUTION OF CALPURNIA TATE, by Jacqueline Kelly (Henry Holt 2009)(ages 12+). The middle child of seven (the rest are boys), eleven year old Calpurnia Tate is not your typical girl in 1899 Texas. As she becomes fascinated by the natural world, she grows closer to her fearsome grandfather, an amateur naturalist. When they discover a new plant which they send to the Smithsonian for corroboration, Calpurnia begins to struggle with what it means to be a girl in turn-of-the-century Texas and what it will mean for her dream of going to college to become a professional naturalist.

In a voice that resonates with nostalgia, Kelly evokes simpler times and richly details episodes in one summer of Calpurnia's life as she and her grandfather await the important scientific news...

Illinois SCBWI

Last weekend, Cynthia and I had the pleasure of attending the annual conference of the Illinois chapter of the Society of Children's Book Writer's and Illustrators (SCBWI), which had invited Cynthia to be a keynote speaker. It was a terrific chance to see old friends, meet new ones, and hear interesting things about the state of children's literature and publishing.

Other main-session speakers included Yolando LeRoy (Charlesbridge); Michael Stearns (Upstart Crow); Stacy Cantor (Walker & Co.); Nick Eliopulos (Random House); and Alisha Niehaus (Dial).

Altogether, it was an excellent event, characterized by great comraderie and Midwestern efficiency. :-). The night we got in, the group took us to dinner at the Weber Grill restaurant (barbecue was excellent) and the night after, to Uno's.

Some pictures:


I just like this one :-). The event was held at Harper College in Schaumburg and the theme was "Brick by Brick: The Architecture of our Stories," and this sign put me in mind of the Big Bad Wolf. For some reason. And, yes, for the record, the Men's Room was likewise a tornado shelter.

Carolyn Crimi and Michael Stearns engage in heated conversation while Yolanda LeRoy looks on.

Yolanda LeRoy discusses picture book layout.

The panelists (from left to right): Nick, Yolanda, Michael, Alisha, Stacy.

Alisha laughs at something Michael and I are discussing.

Thanks to everyone who drove and organized and escorted and attended!

CLS interview

Cyn is interviewed today by Hip Writer Mama! Go check it out!

ROLAND WRIGHT: FUTURE KNIGHT

ROLAND WRIGHT: FUTURE KNIGHT, by Tony Davis, ill. by Gregory Rogers (Delacorte 2009)(ages 6-10). All ten year old Roland Wright, the son of a famous blacksmith, wants to do is become a famous knight. But only sons of nobles can become knights. But then, he's given a chance to compete to be one of King John's pages. Can skinny, scrawny Roland win and achieve his dream?

ROLAND WRIGHT: FUTURE KNIGHT is witty and fun as it explores a young boy's quest to achieve his dreams while staying true to himself. First of a series.

BORDER CROSSING

BORDER CROSSING, by Jessica Lee Anderson (Milkweed 2009)(ages 14+). Sixteen year old Manz, half-Mexican, half-Anglo, is just trying to make it in his small Texas town. With an alcoholic mother and a long-dead father (a possible suicide), it isn't easy. But things start looking up after he and his friend Jed get a job at a local ranch, and he meets the intriguing and sexy Vanessa.

If only they weren't all out to get him...

BORDER CROSSING is a fascinating and disturbing novel of Manz's descent into hallucinatory paranoia and suspicion, a result of his emerging schizophrenia. Using a first-person narration, Anderson skillfully unwraps the contours and tragedy of Manz's life and mental illness. Highly recommended.

GOING BOVINE

GOING BOVINE, by Libba Bray (Delacorte 2009). Sixteen year old Cameron has been acting even more erratically than usual; turns out, he has mad cow disease and his brain is turning, literally, to mush. In the hospital, he encounters Gonzo, a sixteen year old hypochondriac dwarf, and Dulcie, a punk angel. Together, they undertake a cross country road trip (and more) to find Cameron a cure at a secret medical facility in Disney World.

Throw in a yard gnome who's actually a Norse god in exile, an insidiously catchy tune (you know the one), string theory, and the man of La Mancha, and you have a brilliantly funny novel of life, death, friendship, and life.

Cyn and I had the good fortune of reading an early draft during our 2005 Writefest workshop. The manuscript was massive (400+ pages) but, like the finished work, at once zany and thought-provoking.