I took my 6th grade Book Bloggers Club to see this last week and really liked it (as they did, I believe).  The look was absolutely splendid. I was really taking right at the beginning when the Fox family is at breakfast and Mrs. Fox pours Mr. Fox coffee out of one of those cool Italian coffee makers. How the hell did they make such a tiny one?  I liked the Brechtian titles, the acting, the action, and so forth.  But I did wonder (as I did with WTWTA) about kid appeal.  So far two of my club members have posted their reviews and hopefully more will do so soon. (12/9: three more are up.)

C16uw concludes her review, “I really loved this movie and I strongly advise you to go see it. Hey, tell me about it, if you liked it or not. If you didn’t I am totally okay with that, tell me why you didn’t. I don’t like a lot of books, you can too.”  (So go let her know what you think!.)

C16bf opines, “Fantastic Mr. Fox is a mature but child-friendly movie and I think you should go see it now!”

In C16km’s review she notes, “And another really cool aspect of the movie was the way that it was made; it was like claymation, except the characters were fuzzy.”

C16rc thinks, “I thought it was really good and all, but it was SO VIOLENT.”

C16dn also is of this opinion, writing ” The plot was great but the movie itself was not. There was too much movement and violence. The book is a children’s book and the movie was for older kids.”

You can always tell it’ll be a long winter from the way the muskrats build their houses. And from their tiny hats and scarves.

That’s a recent tweet from the adorable  @halfpintingalls.  And happy day, Wendy over at Six Boxes of Books has snagged an interview with her!  (If you don’t know who she is, I suggest checking out her tweets and the interview. Great, great stuff.)

Remember that amazing collection of children’s book illustration up for auction this coming Wednesday? Even if you can’t bid, tomorrow there is a chance to see the art and listen to Michael Patrick Hearn talk about it. Here are the details for this event which is free and open to the public:

Special Lecture by Michael Patrick Hearn
Illustrators of Our Time
Tuesday, 8 December, 6pm, Bloomsbury Auctions
For reservations call +1 212 719 1000

In the early years of the web, Roxanne Feldman (aka fairrosa), a smart and knowledgeable children’s literature specialist and one of my closest friends, created Fairrosa’s Cyber Library of Children’s Literature.  A thoughtful and provocative reader of children’s literature, fairrosa is one to pay attention to. Right now she’s got an interesting post on the series Pretty Little Liars. Do check it and her blog out.

A dystopian novel from the author of the delightful Thursday Next and Nursery Crimes books, Shades of Grey will be out here in the US in a few weeks.  I enjoyed it tremendously, partly because Fforde’s brave new world is as witty and fully realized as his other alternative worlds,  partly because I found his new hero very endearing, and partly because the plot became more and more intriguing as I read on.

Jasper Fforde loves words, loves silly bits, loves envisioning other worlds filled with literary bric-a-brac*, and clearly loves to tell his readers, in ample detail, about these other worlds. I suspect you have to be the sort of reader that adores this to truly enjoy this book. That is, the plot for this one is a bit slow to kick in and for a while you just need to go with the flow, soaking up the many details of this strange future.

It consists of a world hobbled by a Colortocracy ruling a class structure built on the color spectrum.  And as is always the case with Fforde the results are incredibly clever. Something That Happened way back, it seems, we don’t know what, has caused a progressive intentional dumbing-down of society. Why they keep Leaping Back, getting rid of technology of one sort or another, we aren’t yet sure. We do know it is a society of irrational rules (they reminded me of the ones developed by Terry Pratchet for his Bromeliad Trilogy) which some do question, but more do not.

I eagerly await the next two in the series (Painting by Numbers and The Gordini Protocols) in which I hope we learn more about Something That Happened, whether a Red and a Yellow can meld despite societal taboos, and if sporks are the answer.

*At one point (and I can’t find the page anymore, sorry) there is a reference to one of the many, many rules those in this society live under — that there can be no “fainting in coils.” Someone (our, hero, I believe) asks what that means, but no one (of course) knows. But I do! Straight from the Mock Turtle’s Story in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

is here!  Here’s a wee taste of Patricia C. and Fredrick L. McKissack’s contribution:

Einstein took off the baby’s tiny roller skates and put on little hiking boots. “You’re going to need these,” said Einstein.

By the time most of you read this it will be too late to see Grace Lin live this morning on the Today Show for Al Roker’s Book Club for Kids; but no matter, surely the spot will be archived as are the previous authors’ appearances.  Last night, no doubt to distract her from any pre-Al jitters, some of us were invited to meet Grace for dinner which was quite delightful.   And coincidently, one of my 6th grade book bloggers to whom I’d give her book to read has just posted her review.  Here’s what she thinks; if you want to read the whole review (or, better yet, want to leave her a comment) please go here.

I really think that anybody that can read would enjoy this book – it is beautifully written and the illustrations are spectacular! And although it’s about 200 pages, it goes really fast; the end of each chapter draws you into the next. The short stories that the author tells to explain the history of the characters are also really interesting, they give you a little taste of Chinese history and folktale. Although it’s not the same as the classic Wizard of Oz, I believe it’s also a classic, in it’s own special kind of way.

I thought there might be some questions about the School Library Journal cover I was on last month, the one celebrating children’s book bloggers.  After all, we were five white women, so I anticipated letters wondering about the lack of gender and racial diversity.  Well, yesterday the December issue went online with a bunch of letters, but not about that.  Nope, about this:  Us.  In a bar.  Holding drinks.  Indeed. Check out Some Readers Couldn’t Stand Our November Cover: Now We Need a Drink.

I’ve got to say I’m not offended (although evidently the letter writers were) as much as amused and amazed.  I tweeted the link early yesterday and so it also went to my facebook status update where I got many comments by folks equally surprised.  Now one of my fellow cover girls, Liz Burns, has written a very smart post getting to the heart of the issue, “God Grant Me the Serenity…“  I can only add, me too.

Leviathan was my first encounter with Scott Westerfeld, but is sure not to be my last.  A longtime steampunk fan, I greatly enjoyed the characters and the story he spins in this vividly rendered alternative world. I then gave it to one of 4th grade science fiction and fantasy enthusiasts; here is his review:

This book is called Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld. It takes place in 1914 and will be in a series.  It is a mix of fantasy adventure, coming of age, science fiction, and fiction and describes what would have happened in World War I if we had different technology and weaponry.  I really loved the sense of action, betrayal and crime.

The story introduces a young prince named Aleksander, his sword master Count Volger, his machinery master Klopp and their travels to escape death. After Aleksander’s parents are poisoned, they need to escape quickly from his father’s fortress, because the Emperor wants him dead as well. No one can be trusted.   That is the least of their problems when they board the Cyclop Stormwalker (a tank-like war machine).

There are two main groups – Darwinists, makers of fabricated live beasts and monsters and Clankers, users of machines.  These two groups usually fight. Aleksander is a Clanker.

Alek never dreamed they would have to hide from a six-legged dreadnought and an eight-legged Hercules (giant enemy tanks) on their way to a neutral land, Switzerland. When they get there they most surprisingly meet up with a Darwinist air-monster used in the military called the Leviathan, a fabricated whale that can fly.  On it is a whiz kid that just happens to be a … girl.

Girls are strictly not allowed in the Air Forces in England so Deryn (the girl) decided to disguise as a boy named Dylan. Her secret is threatened to be found out every day of this journey.

I really enjoyed the characters especially mysterious Count Volger who always looks to the dark side not the good. My favorite personality though is Deryn’s — always determined, nothing can blow out her hope.

Here is an example of the writing in Leviathan:

“Load the cannon!” Master Klopp cried to the men below.  Alek found himself deposited into the commander’s chair as the machine began to move.  He struggled with the seat straps, but a terrible thought took hold of his mind, freezing his fingers.  If they’re trying to kill me… it’s all true.

I really enjoyed all of the action and adventure in Leviathan. If you loved Lord of the Rings you will really like Leviathan – there is a sense of taking over the world in both. Clankers vs. Darwinists in Leviathan and in The Lord of the Rings, Good vs. Evil. I have read it twice, and I terribly enjoyed it and hope you do too.

Since it is not very nice of those of us who have gotten the ARC to keep publicly rubbing salt in the wounds of those who have not, I’ve started a group for those who do want to talk about it.  Go here to join.  And please pass the word along to others who may be interested. (Or let me know if there already is such a group elsewhere and I’ll join it instead!)