International Children's Book Day
Apr. 26th, 2013 08:20 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
katekintailbcApril 2 is International Children's Book Day. I already read a ton of young adult and teen literature. And I have been known to pick up picture books when I'm volunteering--some of which rock and others of which I don't end up writing reviews for because I don't love them quite as much. But a swap partner said she planned on reading some Roald Dahl on International Children's Book Day (henceforth known as ICBD because I'm tired of typing it all out). It happened to be my Kings Park Library volunteering day, so I headed to the JFIC section in search of some Dahl. Nothing really jumped out at me, though. The few I'd read and loved weren't there. The ones that were there weren't ones that really captured my interest. But I did decide that earreading The House of the Seven Gables in the car probably wasn't a good way to celebrate ICBD. So I went over to the JFIC audiobooks. Even fewer Dahl choices there.
But I did stumble upon The Game of Sunken Places by M.T. Anderson. He's a great author with good ideas, but I didn't particularly love Feed. Still, I was willing to give him another try. So I got that and started listening to it after my shift, on my way to the store and then home. This is what I thought of it: http://katekintailbc.livejournal.com/130369.html
And then I happened upon an endcap display of children's poetry books. April is also National Poetry Month year in the US (USNPM? Okay, maybe I won't be initialism-izing that one). But Once I Ate a Pie by Patricia MacLachlan, Emily MacLachlan Charest, and Katy Schneider caught my eye. I stood in the middle of the children's section and read it. Adorable! This is what I thought of it: http://katekintailbc.livejournal.com/129622.html
I usually leave the JP books to last when I do the Missing list at the library, not because I don't love juvie picture books, but because it means a lot of bending over and squatting down. The books are on shelves that are only half as high as normal shelves, so that the kids can reach them. But it's harder for adults to reach them! Actually, I've been meaning to make a series of posts about library volunteering exercises I've crafted over the years :-) But at any rate, I was in the children's section and I overheard a dad asking his son to ask me something. So I perkily asked if I could help find something. The little boy said "I'm looking for a Roald Dahl book." I replied "Let me show you exactly where they are!" Easy, as I had JUST been there an hour ago looking for something to read. I didn't see which titles the boy chose, but he did have several in hand.
There's an innocence in children's books that I find appealing and refreshing. I love the way they're able to tell stories, describe situations, and show people in simple terms, without all the baggage adult stories contain. (Don't get me wrong, I love baggage as well) There's also a magic to crafting a story that is appealing--images, sounds, words. Every little thing is so well chosen and carefully assembled to be likeable. Which is why I think reading a good--I mean, I really good--children's book is a wonderful experience for someone of any age.
But I did stumble upon The Game of Sunken Places by M.T. Anderson. He's a great author with good ideas, but I didn't particularly love Feed. Still, I was willing to give him another try. So I got that and started listening to it after my shift, on my way to the store and then home. This is what I thought of it: http://katekintailbc.livejournal.com/130369.html
And then I happened upon an endcap display of children's poetry books. April is also National Poetry Month year in the US (USNPM? Okay, maybe I won't be initialism-izing that one). But Once I Ate a Pie by Patricia MacLachlan, Emily MacLachlan Charest, and Katy Schneider caught my eye. I stood in the middle of the children's section and read it. Adorable! This is what I thought of it: http://katekintailbc.livejournal.com/129622.html
I usually leave the JP books to last when I do the Missing list at the library, not because I don't love juvie picture books, but because it means a lot of bending over and squatting down. The books are on shelves that are only half as high as normal shelves, so that the kids can reach them. But it's harder for adults to reach them! Actually, I've been meaning to make a series of posts about library volunteering exercises I've crafted over the years :-) But at any rate, I was in the children's section and I overheard a dad asking his son to ask me something. So I perkily asked if I could help find something. The little boy said "I'm looking for a Roald Dahl book." I replied "Let me show you exactly where they are!" Easy, as I had JUST been there an hour ago looking for something to read. I didn't see which titles the boy chose, but he did have several in hand.
There's an innocence in children's books that I find appealing and refreshing. I love the way they're able to tell stories, describe situations, and show people in simple terms, without all the baggage adult stories contain. (Don't get me wrong, I love baggage as well) There's also a magic to crafting a story that is appealing--images, sounds, words. Every little thing is so well chosen and carefully assembled to be likeable. Which is why I think reading a good--I mean, I really good--children's book is a wonderful experience for someone of any age.
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