This post is kinda like a bouillabaisse!

All kinds of fun, newsy tidbits are floating around. I'm home from work taking care of a sick kiddo today so I've been able to browse the web while she lies comatose on the couch. And I'm feeling chatty.

• Finished Eclipse yesterday, just in time because today is sunny and 85 degrees. I'm so very happy I waited until I was in the right mood because I just enjoyed every minute of the book. Stephenie Meyer could really be underestimated, as a lot of people could dismiss her books as frothy teen romance. But I would beg to differ. The reason why Stephenie Meyer rocks at what she does is because she captures the teenage voice as only a select few authors can. Think back to your first love in high school with all its angst, desperation, drama, and passion. Remember how deeply you felt every moment? How every single word was ripe with meaning and portent? Well, Meyer will take you right back there. It actually creeps me out a bit when I read her stuff because I'm reliving my own first love all over again. No wonder teenage girls love her books so much - she has put into a story exactly how they feel, given their loves and passions a voice. No small feat, my friends. Don't ever write off Stephenie Meyer's near-genius talent. If only half the YA authors out there could be so lucky as to have her skill.
  
  Note on the epilogue in Eclipse: Ms. Rowling, that is how an epilogue is done. My only wish is that Ms. Meyer would end the entire series right there. It would be such an intriguing, courageous way to end it. Never mind that teenage girls everywhere would FREAK OUT and RIOT if that were the case. In my world, though, that ending would be perfection.
  
  And those magnificent covers that Little, Brown designed? Genius. Nothing short of genius. Twilight was picked up by teens based on the cover alone...luckily, the story inside ended up being pretty darn good.
  
  
  
  

• 27% of Americans didn’t read a single book in the past year. So says CNN.
  
  I wasn’t surprised to read this. What surprised me was that I wasn’t that bothered by it. Isn’t that weird? Shouldn’t I be more bothered? So here’s my theory: I am just so far removed from that section of the population – it’s a whole other world. The world I exist in doesn’t reflect that statistic at all. Everyone I know reads – Isabell’s own library, Adam’s audiobooks, Andrea’s medical journals, the librarians I work with, all the people I see reading on the subway. I’m surrounded by readers. It’s difficult to muster up indignation and shock when, all around me, I see enormous evidence to the contrary. Which is perhaps the point. I’m guessing the 27% of the country not reading are concentrated in specific areas. Because chances are good that where one non-reader exists, lots of them exist. I exist in a vaccuum, apparently.
  
  
• The Guardian reports that being a writer is the one job Brits want more than any other job. Again, I’m not surprised by this. First, there’s the need to be creative – or to wish you were more creative. Second, there’s the romanticized view of what a writer is and what a writer does. Sure, I’ve absolutely envisioned myself as a writer. Do you remember those Corona beer commercials? With the person lying on the tropical beach doing idle things? That’s my life as a writer! I’m sitting on that white sand beach on a lounge chair, wine in hand, and a laptop open with my latest and greatest novel on it. And I’m sure all you aspiring writers out there can confirm that this dream of mine is completely bogus. Third – and I think J.K. Rowling has something to do with this – there’s a little bit of a Lottery Ticket Syndrome that’s involved with writing. Out of all the people in all the world writing, your book is going to be the multi-million copy book. Reference ShelfTalker’s post on this topic. As The Guardian points out, “don’t give up your day job.”
  
  
• And I was inspired by Fuse 8’s comment about being an American-based publisher of international children’s books. Yeah, that job would be pretty damn great. My recent favorites are listed below – wouldn’t it be marvelous to find treasures like these as your job? And at the very least, I’ve heard the Bologna book fair is a complete hoot. I would love to go to that as my job, too.
  
  Cute
  Short and Happy Life of Riley
  Cherry Tree
  Mini Mia and her Darling Uncle
  Bridget and the Gray Wolves
  The Zoo
  J.A. Teddy
  My Cat Copies Me
  
  
• I read a really wonderful article on bouillabaisse in Saveur. I swooned. It was one of those articles that shook up my worldview - it made me realize that all the bouillabaisse I've had in this country is just a pale imitation of the real thing, completely lacking in authenticity. But I say that with affection - as a statement of fact rather than a criticism - because America's food culture is so diverse and young. We're never going to get all those Mediterranean fish because...well...we don't live there. Even if I could get all those ingredients, I wouldn't - I'd still be cooking it in my crappy apartment kitchen with fish completely lacking in freshness. I'd still be creating an imitation. So in the meantime, I'll continue to enjoy what I can get here, live vicariously through Saveur magazine, and hope that one day I can get to the Mediterranean and taste the real thing for myself.
  
  
• I tried to find heirloom tomatoes to make that tartlet thing in my previous post but all they had at the little market by my house were red tomatoes on the vine, cherry tomatoes, and some spiffy plum tomatoes (Naturally, I bought the plum tomatoes to have with some buffalo mozzarella and basil tonight. It won't be much longer that I can enjoy the fruits of summer!). Hopefully I'll make the tartlets soon - stay tuned!

Happy weekend to all!

REVIEW: Pija Lindenbaum books

I must be the only one left, but I have only just discovered Pija Lindenbaum’s wonderful books. In particular, I love Mini Mia and her Darling Uncle (R&S, 2007), as well as Bridget and the Gray Wolves (R&S, 2001). Are parents repeatedly asking you for “behavior” or “emotion” books? Look no further than these imported Swedish picture book titles.

Bridget and the Gray Wolves is about Bridget, a “very careful child.” She doesn’t have many experiences or adventures: she won’t pet a dog – it could bite her; she won’t jump a ditch – she could fall and scrape her knee. When she wanders too far from her day care group, she becomes lost in the woods. She befriends a pack of wolves, and plays games with them. The only trouble is that the wolves don’t want to play games that are dangerous. But they soon get over their fear as Bridget leads them in all kinds of rollicking activities. In the end, she leaves the wolves with the promise of more adventures to come.

There are two things that are so brilliant about this book. The first thing is the abundance of cleverness – my appreciation of European humor makes me suspect, once again, that I may be living in the wrong country. I love that Bridget’s sweatshirt is not-so-subtly red. I love that Bridget tells the wolves they have to go to the bathroom before bed and “they obediently go to their pee trees” (with an illustration of 6 wolves peeing on different trees). Kids love all that peeing – can’t you hear their squeals? I love Bridget’s line when she first sees the wolves hiding behind the trees: “Come on out! Bridget shouts. “I am a child who has lost her day care.” Every moment seems perfectly crafted and not a moment feels wasted. The other thing that is so brilliant is its total un-American-ness. Of course kids are jumping off the roof of their playhouse. Of course they’re jumping through a ditch with muddy water. Of course they’re picking up gross trash from the ground. I don’t think you’d see all that dangerous stuff happening at our playgrounds and day cares – it’s all about the kids being “safe”, after all. Lastly, you aren’t thwonked over the head with the idea that Bridget learned a lesson. The change is implied. The author trusts the reader’s intelligence. It leaves it open-ended so you can have that discussion with a child about how (or if) Bridget became more brave, more adventurous. Granted, the very last page has a small illustration of Bridget standing on top of the playhouse. But again, it’s not a THWONK…it’s more like, “Aaaaah, see? All’s right with the world.” American children’s literature isn’t subtle, as a general rule.

Lindenbaum’s latest is Mini Mia and Her Darling Uncle. Ella’s cool Uncle Tommy calls her “Mini Mia” because her favorite soccer player is Mia Hamm. As opposed to Ella’s other uncles, Tommy does fun things with Ella: dying her hair a different color everyday, listening to music, people-watching, jumping on both feet wherever they go. One day, though, “someone is sitting in Tommy’s kitchen.” It’s Tommy’s significant other, Fergus. Suddenly Mia is thrown into a fit of jealousy (she doesn’t identify it as such, of course) and she turns sulky and grouchy. It isn’t until Tommy gets sick that Mia discovers Fergus is really good at soccer and she warms to him.

Again, the things that made Bridget so brilliant are also prevalent here. The humor is fantastic. Ella’s other uncles? “I’m pretty sure my other uncles work in offices. Tommy doesn’t.” Ella’s sullen expression is spot-on…and hilarious. But the best part is a full-page spread with Ella laying like a zombie on the bed. Here’s the text:

Now no one is allowed to talk to me,
And I don’t want any dinner – just a little bit of jam.
I’m never going to hang out with Tommy again.
I’m just going to lie here. Bored stiff.
Forever.

How hilarious is that?!

My only issue is my sense of dread over the fact that there will be librarians and library users who throw a fit over the Tommy/Fergus relationship. And to top it all off, there’s a locker room scene with a nearly naked Ella and the naked bum of another woman changing. Siiiiigh. I really don’t want to get going on a rant about this. I’m sure you can guess my thoughts.

Again, can I move to Stockholm? Or at the very least talk to Ms. Lindenbaum about how much I love her books?