Phyllis A. Whitney, Author, Dies at 104

Phyllis A. Whitney, Author, Dies at 104 – New York Times

Recently Roger Sutton wrote a post about a particular sort of teen gothic novel prompted by having just listened to Daphne Du Maurier’s Jamaica Inn. Roger commented that, “When I told friends I was reading it, to a woman they started talking about their adolescent (around 10 up, I think) mania for Du Maurier.” Totally for me. Along with Mary Stewart, Victoria Holt, and Phyllis Whitney.

Roger wondered if teens still read Du Maurier. I actually wonder who is currently writing for teens who provides what these grand dames did for me and others of my generation?

Thanks to bookmoot for reminding me of this.

Beyond the Books: Bringing Fantasy Literature Alive in Your Library and Classroom

I’m speaking next weekend at The Donnell Library Center – Central Children’s Room on fantasy books and movies. Here’s the official announcement:

Calling all librarians, teachers and children’s/young adult literature fans!

Please join us next Saturday afternoon for the latest Children’s and Young Adult Literature Cafe event!

Beyond the Books: Bringing Fantasy Literature Alive in Your Library and Classroom
Saturday, February 16 at 2:00 pm
The Donnell Library Center – Central Children’s Room (2nd Floor)
20 West 53rd Street
New York, NY 10019
212-621-0633
212-621-0636

Monica Edinger, children’s literature expert and 4th grade teacher at the Dalton School, will be presenting her ideas and experiences in sharing fantasy literature with children. In recent years, classics such as The Wizard of Oz , The Golden Compass and Alice In Wonderland have been given new life in other media. Monica will show how to introduce these titles to children by sharing different text formats and incorporating online and cinematic elements.

Reading Aloud Howie

Dear Howie,

Even though you do tend to overuse a certain simile (finely tuned concert piano, anyone?) and overdo the adjectives about one character (that clever dachsund puppy) my class and I love you anyway. You write and worry about your writing, after all, just as they do in your clever series, Tales from the House of Bunnicula of which my personal favorite for reading aloud is It Came from Beneath the Bed. Your creator, James Howe, captures the trials and tribulations of young writers perfectly. Moving back and forth between Howie’s story and his writing journal is brilliant.

I read this story to my class every year as they grapple themselves with the complex issues of writing a good story. Cliff hangers, overusing certain words (…concert piano…), getting bored, and so forth, just what my students are dealing with too. One year we even created a list of “Howie’s Rules for Writing.”

Thanks for being a realistic, charming, and entertaining role model for my young writers.

All the best,

Monica Edinger