Pope Joan by Donna Woolfolk Cross

This is a fascinating view into the life of Pope Joan, who may or may not have really existed. It is a sometimes disturbing glimpse into an age filled with violence and oppression in the name of God.

Pope Joan is a strong woman character who fights against everything conventional, risking her life every day. Her love interest is also quite loveable.

I enjoyed the book. I had a little trouble getting into it at first. At times, the background info hindered the progress of the story. However, the author is a talented story-teller. Of course, I'm used to quick-paced YA.

The only other thing that bothered me, was that I felt the violence was a bit much at times.

My book group had a chance to speak to the author, Donna Woolfolk Cross, about the book. She has a form to fill out on her website. If you give her a few possible times, she'll schedule a conference call with your group. Believe me...it's worth it. She's hilarious, eccentric, passionate, and extremely knowledgeable.

Does anyone know of other writers that do this? My group loved it. We'd love to read another book in the future and talk to the author...and, speaking as a writer, if I ever finish a novel, I'd love to offer this to reading groups. What do you think?

When I grow up, I want to be Shannon Hale. All right. I've been a fan of Shannon Hale's a while now. I love Squeetus, her blog. I love her sense of humor when she speaks (See notes here and here). And I LOVE her books. Believe me, if you had been at book club where I was recommending every single one of her books, you'd know.

...and now she has outdone even herself with...

Wow. Wow. Wow. A review is forthcoming. Man, do I wish I could write like that.

As seen at d_michiko_f's LJ

1. First book I remember loving: The Sneetches by Dr. Seuss

2. First book I had my dad read to me repeatedly: The Cat in the Hat and The Sneetches. He had them memorized. I loved that.

3. First book that hooked me on an author: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

4. First book I hid while I read it: Hmmm. I don't think I had one of those. But now I'll admit I hide some of the teen books I read from certain people who don't GET teen books.

5. First book given to me as a gift: Wow. I have a terrible memory. I can't think of any I received as gifts as a child. As a teenager, I mostly read Christian romance novels.

6. First book I got signed by an author (after I decided on a children's writing career): Princess Academy by Shannon Hale. I'm a huge Shannon Hale fan. Not only does she write amazing books, but she is hilarious and sweet.

7. First book son had me read over and over as a toddler: anything he could reach. We liked YOU ARE MY I LOVE YOU

8. First book I read this year: Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. I wrote about my obsessive experience HERE. And, by the way, I just dreamt about Edward again night before last, so the obsession is lasting longer than I originally expected. Hubby definitely doesn't GET my love for this book.

Do you remember your firsts? Do you know that some children never have the opportunity for these kind of firsts? First Book is my special pet charity. Please donate HERE for a fabulous cause that gives children in need a chance to own their first book. Even $10 can make a difference!

Spread the work by listing YOUR Firsts on your blog and sharing my donation link. Thank you so much!

P.S.- Do you want to start collecting for a charity you believe in? Go to Kevin Bacon's site: Six Degrees to set it up!

I was as excited as the next kidlitosphere blogger when it came time to hear the new ALA winners. Not realizing I was one of the lucky few to actually see the live webcast, I casually watched and took notes of the highlights. Awards were announced boom-boom-boom-boom with little time for contemplation.

Most of the awards were new to me. And almost sounded comical...just try to say these three times fast, I dare ya': arbuthnot-batchelder-carnegie-geisel.

Despite not knowing what-the-heck the awards were or how-in-the-world to spell them, I did recognize many of the titles and authors. I was particularly thrilled for Rules by Cynthia Lord, The Giver by Lois Lowry, and Not a Box by Antoinette Portis.

Finally, the long-awaited Caldecott and Newbery were up (actually I was surprised how quickly the show went.) Winners were revealed. Then, justlikethat, it was over.

I posted some of the big winners, but I couldn't comment.

Now, I'm ready.

Of all the kids' books I have become acquainted with this year, a choice few were selected, leaving hundreds of great books in the dust.

Since picture books are my thing, I'll talk about the Caldecott for a moment. None of these books made my Picks of 2006 list, but they are all awardable, nonetheless. I have read Flotsam by David Weisner(or-looked at it-would be more accurate). I see its merit. I admit that the book is gorgeous and clever, but personally I don't love it. Why not? Well, to be honest, I've never seen a wordless book that I truly loved and adored. You might think that if anyone would enjoy such a thing, it would be a picture-book writer...that I should be able to make up my own story to fit the illustrations. Sorry. I like words.

The two honor books, Gone Wild by David McLimans and Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom by Kadir Nelson and Carole Boston Weatherford leave me....intrigued. I have seen both of these books on shelves. I thought Gone Wild was unique. I never felt the desire to pick up the Moses book. It's not my style.

I like fun, simple picture books. That said, I now want to take a fresh look at these winners, and try to see what the committee saw.

All right. Here is a list of my favorite picture books from 2006. In alphabetical order.









ADELE & SIMON by Barbara McClintock
...because kids love searching illustrations for hidden items.


CHEEP! CHEEP! By Julie Stiegemeyer, illustrated by Carol Baicker-McKee
...because for the youngest of littlies, this one can't be beat. So cute!


DUCK AND GOOSE by Tad Hills
...because it is full of bright colors and giggles!


EDWINA, THE DINOSAUR WHO DIDN'T KNOW SHE WAS EXTINCT by Mo Willems
...MO WILLEMS. Need I say more?


EMILY'S BALLOON by Komako Sakai
...because this tender book perfectly captures the love and concern of a toddler.


FANCY NANCY by Jane O'Connor, illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser
...because I'm a serious girly-girl, and I like pink glitter.


FLETCHER AND THE FALLING LEAVES by Julia Rawlinson, pictures by Tiphanie Beeke
...because it is a heartfelt change-of-season book.


HALF OF AN ELEPHANT
by gusti
...This one makes the list for having an interesting story, while being very unique.


LEARNING TO FLY by Sebastian Meschenmoser
...for being inspirational and simple.


LIBRARY LION by Michelle Knudsen, illustrated by Kevin Hawkes
...because the text and illustrations are gorgeous.


LOOKING FOR A MOOSE by Phyllis Root, illustrated by Randy Cecil
...for rollicking sounds and an adventure-filled moose hunt.


MAX'S WORDS by Kate Banks
...because of its cleverness. (All right, and because I'm a word-lover.)


SCAREDY SQUIRREL by Melanie Watt
...because, despite being a happy-go-lucky kinda person, books don't make me laugh-out-loud very often, but this one definitely did.


THE PRINCESS AND THE PEA by Lauren Child, capture by Polly Borland
...for a unique twist on a beautiful tale.


THE PRINCE'S BEDTIME by Joanne Oppenheim, illustrated by Miriam Latimer
...for bright paintings, smooth rhyme, and a fun story.


TUDLEY DIDN'T KNOW by John Himmelman
...for its heart.


WAITING FOR GREGORY by Kimberly Willis Holt, illustrated by Gabi Swiatowska
...for its beauty and daVinci-like uniqueness.


WALK ON! A GUIDE FOR BABIES OF ALL AGES by Marla Frazee
...because it is clever, whether you're one or eighty-one.


WINTER IS THE WARMEST SEASON by Lauren Stringer
...because you can't beat it for a snuggly-by-the-fire with loved ones book.



AND A FEW RANDOM-GENRE NOVELS I LOVED...


FINDING NOEL by Richard Paul Evans
...mainly because I am a Christmas fanatic and, of all the Christmas novels I've read over the years, I think this one takes the mistletoe.


LETTERS FOR EMILY by Camron Wright
...because it is an adult book that I actually really, truly enjoyed.


RIVER SECRETS by Shannon Hale
...because I wish I could live in Bayern, the magical location of The Goose Girl, Enna Burning, and River Secrets, which I happen to like best of all.


SHUG by Jenny Han
...because it is sincere and realistic.


UGLIES by Scott Westerfeld, and the sequels: Pretties and Specials
...because the characters are so bubbly-making, and the plot is unbelievably fascinating to me.

Take a look at Chicken Spaghetti's Best of 2006 Recap for more than 20, I repeat 20! lists of the latest and greatest children's books.
Thanks go to Susan for putting it together.

The shortlists for all eight categories have now been announced. And, just in case you are too lazy to click the link, I'll post them here:

POETRY BOOKS
Butterfly Eyes and Other Secrets of the Meadow
written by Joyce Sidman; illustrated by Beth Krommes
Houghton Mifflin

Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich
written and illustrated by Adam Rex
Harcourt Children's Books

Handsprings
written and illustrated by Douglas Florian
Greenwillow Books/ HarperCollins

Jazz
written by Walter Dean Myers; illustrated by Christopher Myers
Holiday House

Tour America: A Journey Through Poems and Art
written by Diane Siebert; illustrated by Stephen T. Johnson
Chronicle Books


NON-FICTION PICTURE BOOKS
3-D ABC: A Sculptural Alphabet
written and illustrated by Bob Raczka
Milbrook Press

Aliens Are Coming!: The True Account Of The 1938 War Of The Worlds Radio Broadcast
written and illustrated by Meghan McCarthy
Knopf

An Egg Is Quiet
written by Dianna Aston; illustrated by Sylvia Long
Chronicle Books

An Island Grows
written by Lola M. Schaefer; illustrated by Cathie Felstead
Greenwillow Books/HarperCollins

Little Lost Bat
written by Sandra Markle; illustrated by Alan Marks
Charlesbridge


FICTION PICTURE BOOKS
Emily’s Balloon
Written and illustrated by Komako Sakai
Chronicle Books

Learning to Fly
Written and illustrated by Sebastian Meschenmoser
Kane/Miller

Scaredy Squirrel
Melanie Watt
Kids Can Press

Waiting for Gregory
Written by Kimberly Willis Holt; illustrated by Gabi Swiatkowska
Henry Holt and Co.

Wolves
Written and illustrated by Emily Gravett
Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing


YOUNG ADULT FICTION
Book Thief, The
written by Markus Zusak
Knopf Books for Young Readers

Brief Chapter in My Impossible Life, A
written by Dana Reinhardt
Wendy Lamb Books

Hattie Big Sky
written by Kirby Larson
Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
written by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
Knopf Books for Young Readers

Rules of Survival, The
written by Nancy Werlin
Dial


MIDDLE GRADE FICTION
Drowned Maiden's Hair, A
Laura Amy Schlitz
Candlewick

Framed
Frank Cottrell Boyce
Harper Collins

Heat
Mike Lupica
Philomel

Kiki Strike
Kirsten Miller
Bloomsbury

Weedflower
Cynthia Kadohata
Atheneum


MIDDLE GRADE/YOUNG ADULT NON-FICTION
Escape!
written by Sid Fleischman
Greenwillow

Freedom Walkers
written by Russell Freedman
Holiday House

Immersed in Verse
written by Alan Wolf
Lark Books

Isaac Newton
written by Kathleen Krull; illustrated by Boris Kulikov
Viking Juvenile

Team Moon
written by Catherine Thimmesh
Houghton Mifflin


GRAPHIC NOVELS 13 AND UP
American Born Chinese
by Gene Yang
First Second

Castle Waiting
by Linda Medley
Fantagraphics

Dramacon Vol. 2
by Svetlana Chmakova
Tokyo Pop

Flight Vol. 3
by Kazu Kibuishi & others
Ballantine

La Perdida
by Jessica Abel
Pantheon


GRAPHIC NOVELS 12 AND UNDER
Amelia Rules, vol. 3: Superheroes
by Jimmy Gownley
Renaissance Press

Babymouse: Beach Babe
by Jennifer Holm and Matt Holm
Random House

The Baby-Sitters Club: Kristy's Great Idea
by Ann Martin, Rina Telgemeier
GRAPHIX/Scholastic

Kat and Mouse
by Alex De Campi; pictures by Federica Manfredi
TokyoPop

To Dance: A Ballerina's Graphic Novel
by Siena Siegel and Mark Siegl
Aladdin / Simon & Schuster


FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION
Ptolemy’s Gate
by Jonathan Stroud
Hyperion: Miramax

Silver City
by Cliff McNish
Carolrhoda Books

Beka Cooper: Terrier
by Tamora Pierce
Random House

Last Dragon, The
by Silvana de Mari
Hyperion: Miramax

Pucker
by Melanie Gideon
Penguin: Razorbill


Visit the Cybil Site for more information.

Okay, I have 5 picture books here. They are all very different from each other. But they stand out from the very tall pile of picture books as the ones we want to read over and over.



Where's the Dragon? by Jason Hook, illustrated by Richard Hook (I have no idea if they are related, but I would be surprised if they aren't.)

Anyway, my son has made me read this book to him 568,345,453 times. It is definitely his favorite. Ever.

George and Grandfather go on an expedition to find a dragon. Dense (but lovable) Grandfather doesn't see the dragons, but George does. Children will have a blast feeling the pages. The dragons are actually lumpy.

What do I like about this book? It feels different (and I'm not talking about the lumpy dragons...) It feels fresh. Honestly, I don't think the author knew about the market and the rules of picture books. But it works. It works.


Child of Faerie, Child of Earth by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Jane Dyer

Wow. This book is enchanting…if you don’t mind a lyrical, truly poetic picture book now and then. Find this book. It is tagged as a Halloween book, but there is only a brief mention of Hallow’s Eve.

This book is so different from the in-your-face, loud-is-best picture books. There is a time and place for peaceful, imaginative books today. Make time for this one. It’s enchanting.


Maisy Goes Camping by Lucy Cousins

Such a fun book for the littlies. First of all, kids can count as Maisy and her friends enter the tent one by one. But what will happen when the fifth animal (an elephant) tries to enter the tent? “Oh no! Five in the…What a squash! What a squeeze! What a squeezy squish-squash!” Will they give up on camping? Of course not. They’ll sleep under the stars.


Punk Farm by Jarrett J. Krosoczka

Well, this is one of those in-your-face, loud-is-best picture books. If you don’t know what I mean by this, just look at the cover. It’s wild. But there is a place for this kind of book too. Punk Farm is a rock-and-roll twist on Old MacDonald had a Farm. Five animal band members rock out in concert in the barn while the farmer sleeps.


Mortimer’s Christmas Manger by Karma Wilson, illustrated by Jane Chapman

If you’ve read my blog before, you may know that I am a huge psycho Karma Wilson fan. But you may not know that I am also a Christmas-aholic. I know. It’s not even Halloween yet. But Christmas means wreaths, cinnamon, hot chocolate, pine trees, and family.

Okay, that was a bit of a tangent. This book is a sweet Christmas story about the importance of making room for Jesus during your holidays. The pictures are adorable. (This is the same team that did Bear Snores On and the other bear books.) I missed the rhyme, but Karma Wilson found other ways to make this book sing.


PS: I am on the Picture Book Nominating committee for the Cybils. What? You don't know what I'm talking about? Look here: http://dadtalk.typepad.com/cybils/

Here are the Picture Books I picked up on my last library trip:

Wemberly Worried by Kevin Henkes: Perfect for all the worriers out there. I should really buy a copy for my lil sis.

Grandpa and Bo by Kevin Henkes: A quiet book. Not my fav of his, but sweet.

The Knight and the Dragon by Tomie DePaola: Kinda silly, but loads of fun.

Kiss Kiss! by Margaret Wild and Bridget Strevens-Marzo: Cutesy, Adorable. Especially for the little 'uns.

Little Grunt and the Big Egg by Tomie DePaola: Unique, Funny. Kids love it, especially dinosaur lovers.

The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog! by Mo Willems: Really similar to Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, which is always a winner. These books are bound to get some laughs.


------------
PS: A while back, I said I was going to check out the latest Picture Books on the ALA notable discussion list. Well, the library did not have ANY of them. Too new, I guess. I've read a couple during recon trips to B&N, but I'll have to go re-read them before blogging about them. Sorry.

I wish they had Picture Books on here. But here are some novels for kids I've read and liked, disliked, and some I haven't read, but might one day...

What have I read?
These are the 25 most popular kids books at What Should I Read Next?

I liked it!

I didn't like it!

I want to read it!

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - J.K. Rowling

His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - J.K. Rowling

Charlotte's Web - E.B. White, Garth Williams

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - J.K. Rowling

The Bad Beginning - Lemony Snicket

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl

Sabriel - Garth Nix

Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll

Watership Down - Richard Adams

Eragon - Christopher Paolini

The Giver - Lois Lowry

The Once and Future King - T.H. White

Abhorsen - Garth Nix

Anne of Green Gables - L.M. Montgomery

A Wrinkle in Time - Madeleine L'Engle, Keith Scaife

The Witches - Roald Dahl, Quentin Blake

Time Quartet - Madeleine L'Engle

The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery

A Little Princess: The Story of Sara Crewe - Frances Hodgson Burnett

The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett, Robin Lawrie

The Outsiders - S.E. Hinton

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz - L.Frank Baum

Take the 'What have I read?' test now!
Eight different categories to try!
Buy your books at Amazon US or Amazon UK</

Yay! I love the ALA notables lists. Today they released their Notable Childrens Book Discussion List for this year. If you're in my area, sorry, I'll be wiping out the library of most of these books today.

Here it is, DA DA DAAAAAH:

http://www.ala.org/ala/alsc/awardsscholarships/childrensnotable/Default1888.htm

Of course, this list isn't all picture books. One NOTABLE children's book for older kids is RULES by our very own cynthialord. Hurray for Rules!

I love lists of great picture books. This list isn't brand new, but if you haven't looked it up yet, I highly recommend it. I almost always agree with the ALA notable picture book picks. The list includes books for older young readers as well, but as you've probably figured out, I'm the Picture Book Girl.

http://www.ala.org/ala/alsc/awardsscholarships/childrensnotable/notablecbooklist/currentnotable.htm

Here are the books I just bought at B&N...


COWBOY CAMP(yeehaw and woohoo for our lovely tamarak!) by Tammi Sauer.
This is an endearing story about Avery, a boy who wants to be a cowboy but just isn't. His buckle is too big, his hat is too small, and his boots are too red. But the situation takes a turn for the worst when Avery also discovers that he hates beans, is allergic to horses, and gets rope-burn when he lassos.
Find out how this not-so-cowboyish hero saves Cowboy Camp! This is a really fun boy book. You're in for a wild ride :)
NOW GO BUY IT.


FALLING FOR RAPUNZEL by Leah Wilcox.
This book is such fun. One of the few truly girly books that I have bought. (I pretend to buy the books for my son, but they're really for me.) Here's a taste: "Alas, she was too far away to quite make out what he would say: 'Rapunzel, Rapunzel, throw down your hair!' She thought he said, 'Your underwear.' 'No, Rapunzel. Your curly locks!' Rapunzel threw down dirty socks."
I'm a sucker for fun rhyming stories. And this one has a surprise ending!


HOOWAY FOR WODNEY WAT by Helen Lester.
Wodney Wat is a hilarious little story about...well, Wodney Wat, and how he goes from being the shyest little wodent to being the hero of the day. I love this story. Truly one of the LOL funniest picture books I have ever read.


PIGGIE PIE! by Margie Palatini.
I have blogged about this one before. But I did just buy it. I swear I can hear that Gritch the Witch's shrill voice as she searches for piggies to eat. But piggies aren't as dumb as they look. :) ...But the big bad wolf is...although he doesn't look all that tasty to me. This is a fav of my son's. (But, yeah, I really bought it for me.)


MIKE MULLIGAN AND HIS STEAM SHOVEL by Virginia Lee Burton.
Now here's an oldie but goodie. My brothers LOVE LOVE LOVED this book when we were growing up. This is yet another story about an unlikely hero and his rise to hero-ship (I know that doesn't make much sense...) BE WARNED: it is kind of wordy compared to a lot of newer books, but if you have one of those little construction-truck-loving-little-boys, he needs this book. It will become a favorite. I promise.


So, I was going to also blog about my latest library picks, but I need to make din-din, and this entry is already looooooooooong enough.

See ya.