Day: March 21, 2011

We Survived … The NYC Teen Author Festival

Food For Thought, Random
In case you didn’t know, this past week was the NYC Teen author festival, something I personally have been looking forward to for … a year. Last year was awesome, don’t get me wrong, but this year was EPIC!
 
All the author’s were so incredibly nice, and I really want to say Thank You to them for taking time out of what I’m sure is a busy schedule to hang out and sign books for all us fans! Also, Books of Wonder thanks for hosting such an awesome event. If you’re in or around NYC Books of Wonder is a must see – it’s probably the most charming bookstore’s I’ve been to in a long time – and if that wasn’t enough of a reason try the cupcakes! And of course, a big THANK YOU to all who planned/organized these awesome events!
 
My NYC Teen Author festivities kicked off Tuesday night when my partner in all book related crime (no worries, there’s no actual crimes being committed!) Miss Print went to the Readers Theater event featuring Holly Black, Judy Blundell, Gayle Forman, Eliot Schrefer, and David Levithan. Each author didn’t just read a piece a their work, oh no! they dramatically read their pieces, and if this wasn’t great as it, they assigned different roles to the other authors in attendance. What does this make for? A really funny and entertaining night, for not just the authors, but for those of us in attendance.

Holly Black read a portion from The Good Neighbors, Judy Blundell read a portion from her latest Strings Attached, Gayle Forman read a piece from her forthcoming Where She Went, and Eliot Schrefer read a portion from Geek Fantasy Novel (written under E. Archer), and David Levithan didn’t only read, but he also moderated.

I have to say that my favorite moment is when David Levithan provided the sound effects for what a fire burping rabbit would sound like. It still echoes in my head, and honestly I find it just as funny now as I did five days ago. It was a job well done all around.

Wednesday, again Miss Print and I were in attendance for the performance of Tiger Beat – a band composed of authors: Libba Bray, Natalie Standiford, Daniel Ehrenhaft, and Barnabas Miller. This is my second time seeing Tiger Beat and I have to say – they are AWESOME! (I kid you not!) They played everything from Velvet Underground’s “Sweet Jane” to their own original YA Song which proudly claims “Holden Caufield is NOT an A**hole.” (See Tiger Beat link above) In between songs several authors were on hand to do some rockin’ readings: Philana Marie Boles, Libba Bray, Barnabas Miller, Jon Skovron, Jeri Smith-Ready, and Rita Williams Garcia.

All the readings were great! But I just have to point out Jon Skovron – I absolutely loved his reading from his book Frets & Struts, to the point where I had to run out and buy it (review coming soon! Look for it!). As he read, and gave different voices to his characters, I couldn’t help but think how he really did capture the voice of guys in bands! As a music lover myself, I really appreciated that!

And finally the even of all events – the massive teen author signing featuring forty-eight prominent teen authors (for a full listing click here). Held at Books of Wonder from one to four, the event was insane, but insanely awesome. Armed with more books that I ever toted for Grad school I had the chance to meet some of my favorite authors, have them sign my books, and even had a few seconds or so to chat with them.

So who did I get to sign my books? The list: Maryrose Wood, Maggie Stiefvater, Natalie Standiford, Leila Sales, Sarah Mlynowski, Terra Elan McVoy, Lisa McMann, Melina Marchetta, Barry Lyga, David Levithan, Gwendolyn Heasley, Kim Harrington, Elizabeth Eulberg, Sarah Beth Durst, Matt De La Pena, and last (but certainly not least) Judy Blundell. I know – that’s a lot of author’s and a lot of signed swag!

In a few short hours I found out the Elizabeth Eulberg (The Lonely Hearts Club and Prom & Prejudice) really does love The Beatles, that all the Princeton NJ factoids in Sarah Beth Durst’s book (Enchanted Ivy and Ice) are true to the actual Princeton NJ (being from NJ this makes me very happy), that Terra Elan McVoy majored in poetry in college (which I find fascinating and awesome!), and We Were Here is Matt de la Pena’s favorite! So, it was a fun AND educational day!

Book of the Week: Edith & Little Bear Lend a Hand

Book of the Week, Children's

Edith and Little Bear Lend a Hand by Dare Wright

Published:  1972 by Random House

Reasons why I liked this book, and chose it as Book of the Week:

I love how Edith, even though she’s a doll, is chic. She’s a trend setter, especially at the height of the books popularity.

I love how creepy  is is that Edith, Little Bear, and Mr. Bear are all staged/posed in such lifelike/realistic poses – waiting for the bus, hanging on the monkey bars. I feel this shows just how talented Wright was a photographer…not to mention patient.

I like how the black and white photographs only add to the books creepiness.

When Mr. Bear announces that he is moving Edith and Little Bear to the country because of the city’s dirty atmosphere, Edith and Little Bear do not like the idea, I love how they decide to take matters  into their own hands and change Mr. Bear’s mind. They are proactive, and I think it shows that children too to able to be part of a greater change.

I love how Edith and Little Bear decide that in order to change Mr. Bear’s mind they need to protest and picket. And even more amusing that they decide they have to dress up like a hippie – beads and everything – to get noticed.

I like how this book is more detailed than “The Lonely Doll” I feel it shows Wright’s growth as a writer.

Even though they think their efforts of making things change went overlooked they really weren’t. This shows that hard work pays off in the end, and that’s what really matters.

I feel the same love for New York City as Edith and Little Bear does.

I love how the photographs depict the New York City landscape. It gives more character to the book.

It’s a book, that even though it’s older it’s still relevant – especially since Edith and Little Bear are doing everything they could to help clean the environment in which they live. We’re still struggling to find better solutions to clean up our environment.

Shows the importance of recycling.

Mr. Bear is a real grump. It’s kind of funny, especially how he represents the parental figure in the book.

The book shows that there really is no place like one’s home.