Author: WildlyLived

Creating | Photographing | Reading | Traveling | Writing

Reimagined Fairy Tales – YA article

Hi all,Here's an article I received today from the Macmillan Kids e-newsletter. Thought you all might find it interesting. It's about reimagining/retelling fairy tales for the YA audience.Enjoy! - Rebecca Author Heather Tomlinson DiscussesFairy Tales for a New GenerationSpoiler alert: Cinderella goes to the ball! Beauty saves the Beast! Old news, right? And yet, like … Continue reading Reimagined Fairy Tales – YA article

Three Short Book Reviews

Here are three short book reviews I've been meaning to get to.All three books are teen reads. Two are sci-fi/fantasy, one is action-adventure. All three books have strong male and female characters. Though I hate to "gender" books, I will say that the third book, The Devil's Breath, is great for teenage guys, in particular. … Continue reading Three Short Book Reviews

Book Review: Worldshaker by Richard Harland

Worldshaker by Richard Harland Hardcover: 9781416995524, Simon & Schuster, $16.99, Pub. Date: May 2010 Tween read: Ages 10-14 More steam-punk to add to your list!Worldshaker is a constantly traveling machine known as a juggernaut, the size of a small city. Classes exist within a rigid hierarchy complete with regal figureheads Queen Victoria and her consort … Continue reading Book Review: Worldshaker by Richard Harland

Ode to Gyo Fujikawa

Gyo Fujikawa (1908-1998) was a Japanese-American illustrator of children's books, working from 1953 to 1990. Though she never married or had children of her own, her illustrations show children of all shapes, sizes, and ethnicities, featuring expressive faces and adorable vitality in the lines of their bodies. Her art is a mix of eye-popping colors … Continue reading Ode to Gyo Fujikawa

Jerry Pinkney & Rebecca Stead Interviews in Shelf Awareness

I know, I know, I'm probably the last person to post about the 2010 Newbery & Caldecott Medal winners, but I figured you would have heard about them already. What I don't know if you've read are these two interviews in last week's Shelf Awareness. Shelf Awareness is a publication primarily for booksellers. It comes … Continue reading Jerry Pinkney & Rebecca Stead Interviews in Shelf Awareness

Picturebook Review: The Sandwich Swap by Her Majesty Queen Rania AlAbdullah & Kelly DiPucchio, illustrated by Tricia Tusa

Picturebook Review:The Sandwich Swapby Her Majesty Queen Rania AlAbdullah & Kelly DiPucchioillustrated by Tricia Tusa9781423124849, Harper, $16.99, Pub. Date: April 2010This delightful picturebook stole my heart, and I hope it will yours, as well.Normally, I'm not a huge supporter of celebrity books; sorry, I know that sounds judgmental, but it's the truth. This picturebook stands … Continue reading Picturebook Review: The Sandwich Swap by Her Majesty Queen Rania AlAbdullah & Kelly DiPucchio, illustrated by Tricia Tusa

The Montague Bookmill Finds

My academic class in my grad school program last semester examined the picturebook as an art form. We looked at how illustrations are created, the parts of the book as a whole, how it might be designed, page breaks, pacing, end papers - you name it, we considered it.Because of this class, I look at … Continue reading The Montague Bookmill Finds

Pioneer Valley Weekend Fun

I warn you this post has very little to do with books and everything to do with spreading the word about some amazing local highlights. My sister was visiting this weekend. We managed to cram our personal favorites of the Pioneer Valley into the 48 hours that she was here. It proved to be one … Continue reading Pioneer Valley Weekend Fun

Ode to Little Golden Books, Addendum

I completely forgot to mention the whole reason behind my Ode to Little Golden Books post!The Eric Carle Museum of Picturebook Art in Amherst, MA is having an exhibit:Golden Legacy: Original Art from 65 Years of Golden BooksFeaturing Artwork from Iconic Children’s BooksGo check it out!

Ode to Little Golden Books

I've recently rediscovered the joys of Little Golden Books, published by Random House.Have you had the same problem I had? They've been around for so long, lurking in the back of my childhood memories, that sometimes I forget there continues to be waves of children through my shop that are meeting them for the first … Continue reading Ode to Little Golden Books