I am here in Anaheim, currently the land of orange tote bags and over 20,000 librarians. When I am at ALA, one of my favorite things to do is canvass the children's book exhibits. There are always author signings aplenty, and lots of chances for me to indulge my latent children's librarian self.
You've been out of children's librarianship for too long when you no longer have name recognition for most of the authors signing at the conference. Which is why I was so excited to find Fine Lines--a Friday feature on Jezebel dedicated to reviewing hale and somewhat forgotten young adult novels of the past. And they include images of the original paperback covers for many of these books! It really does not take much to make me happy.
This week, Lizzie Skurnick reviewed The Pigman by Paul Zindel, one of my very favorite books and authors. A while back they covered My Darling, My Hamburger, another Zindel gem. I am waiting for them to discuss the all-time best Zindel book, Pardon Me, You're Stepping On My Eyeball (another blogger described this book as "One flew over the cuckoo's nest for the adolescent set." Yes. They have also reviewed the Long Secret (sequel to Harriet the Spy) and Jezebel itself discussed iconoclastic Harriet. (NPR did too!)
If you're looking for some great, retro YA reads, I recommend Fine Lines. If you want to talk with someone about these or other old children's books, you know where to find me. Until then, I'm here, in strip mall-laden Anaheim, buying NYRB children's titles, and wishing I could have been a librarian about twenty years ago, when so many of the authors I love would have been here.
You've been out of children's librarianship for too long when you no longer have name recognition for most of the authors signing at the conference. Which is why I was so excited to find Fine Lines--a Friday feature on Jezebel dedicated to reviewing hale and somewhat forgotten young adult novels of the past. And they include images of the original paperback covers for many of these books! It really does not take much to make me happy.
This week, Lizzie Skurnick reviewed The Pigman by Paul Zindel, one of my very favorite books and authors. A while back they covered My Darling, My Hamburger, another Zindel gem. I am waiting for them to discuss the all-time best Zindel book, Pardon Me, You're Stepping On My Eyeball (another blogger described this book as "One flew over the cuckoo's nest for the adolescent set." Yes. They have also reviewed the Long Secret (sequel to Harriet the Spy) and Jezebel itself discussed iconoclastic Harriet. (NPR did too!)
If you're looking for some great, retro YA reads, I recommend Fine Lines. If you want to talk with someone about these or other old children's books, you know where to find me. Until then, I'm here, in strip mall-laden Anaheim, buying NYRB children's titles, and wishing I could have been a librarian about twenty years ago, when so many of the authors I love would have been here.
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