So I really don’t want to say to much about the book because I didn’t know a single thing about it when I read it, so the little twist at the end was a really nice surprise.  It’s also the type of book that as soon as you close the very last page, you want to open the first one again and start all over again.  I borrowed this one from the library but it’s a keeper that I’d like to add to my library and I think would also make a great read-a-loud as a family.

A perfect compain book to When You Reach Me is A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle (which by the way I hated! Previous link is my review).  Our main charater in When You Reach Me, Miranda, has this FAVORITE book which she reads over and over again.  When she first mentions the plot but without mentioning the title (not given till much later – so the comparison between the two books may go over some people’s heads), I thought to myself – ugh, that sounds like it’s SO not my type of book.  At the next book reference I realized that her favorite book was A Wrinkle in Time and yep – so not my type of book!

But When You Reach Me IS my type of book.  One that I would wholeheartedly recommend even if I didn’t tell you anything about it.

Links of interest: Rebecca Stead website and blog, more book blogger reviews.
Genre:  Middle Grade Fiction, approx ages 9-12.
Publisher: Wendy Lamb Books.  July 14, 2009.
Hardcover, 208 pages. ISBN 0385737424
When You Reach Me is available from your favorite independent bookstore, Powell’s, and Amazon.

Let me tell you, I am having a blast reading all the nominated titles in the fiction picture book category.  And even more important, my little boys are having a blast!  I’m almost halfway there and have read about 80 of the 176 books.   Right now I’ve reviewed only about ten of the books but I have so many that I want to review.  I have no idea how in the world we are going to create a shortlist.  I already have like 25 books in my working shortlist!

My piles!  The left hand stack is the review copies I’ve received so far and the right hand side are the library books I currently have checked out from two different library systems.

You can always see how I’m progressing as I have this list on my sidebar but I thought it would be fun to let you in on how I’m doing.

1. 1000 Times No by Tom Warburton
2. Abigail Spells by Anna Alter
3. All Kinds of Families! by Mary Ann Hoberman
4. All in a Day by Cynthia Rylant [MY REVIEW]
   
5. All the World by Liz Garton Scanlon [MY REVIEW]
   
6. Alleycat by Marilee Crow
7. Almost by Richard Torrey
8. Always My Brother by Jean Reagan [MY REVIEW & AUTHOR INTERVIEW]
   
9. Archie and the Pirates by Marc Rosenthal
10. Bee-Wigged by Cece Bell
11. Before You Were Here, Mi Amor by Samantha Vamos
12. Bella & Bean by Rebecca Kai Dotlich
13. Billy Twitters and His Blue Whale Problem by Mac Barnett
14. Blueberry Girl by Neil Gaiman
15. Boo Hoo Bird by Jeremy Tankard
16. Book That Eats People, The by John Perry [MY REVIEW]
    
17. Book, A by Mordicai Gerstein
18. Brown Bear, White Bear by Svetlana Petrovic
19. Bubble Trouble by Margaret Mahy
20. Busiest Street in Town, The by Mara Rockliff
21. But Who Will Bell the Cats? by Cynthia Von Buhler
22. Can You Make a Scary Face? by Jan Thomas
23. Carousel Tale, A by Elisa Kleven
24. Chaucer’s First Winter by Stephen Krensky
25. Chicken Dance by Tammi Sauer
26. Circus Ship, The by Chris Van Dusen
27. Clever Stick, The by John Lechner
28. Cora Cooks Pancit by Dorina K. Lazo Gilmore
29. Crazy Hair by Neil Gaiman
30. Crocodaddy by Kim Norman [MY REVIEW & AUTHOR INTERVIEW]
    
31. Crow Call by Lois Lowry
32. Curious Garden, The by  Peter Brown [MY REVIEW]
    
33. Davy Brown Discovers His Roots by Keely Alexander
34. Dewey: There’s a Cat in the Library! by Vicki Myron
35. Dinosaur Woods: Can Seven Clever Critters Save Their Forest Home? by George McClements
36. Dog and Bear: Three to Get Readyby Laura Vaccaro Seeger
37. Duck and Cover by Jackie Urbanovic
38. Duck! Rabbit! by Amy Krouse Rosenthal [MY REVIEW]
    
39. Dunderheads, The by Paul Fleischman
40. Egg Drop by Mini Grey
41. Elevator Man, The by Stanley Trachtenberg
42. Enemy, The by Davide Cali
43. Erika-San by Allen Say
44. Family Huddle by Peyton Manning
45. Finding Lincoln by Ann Malaspina
46. Finn Throws a Fit by David Elliot
47. Firefighter Ted by Andrea Beaty
48. First Come the Zebra by Lynne Barasch
49. Fool Moon Rising by Kristi Fluharty
50. Friend, A by Anette Bley
51. Gingerbread Man Superhero! by Dotti Enderle
52. Goblin and the Empty Chair, Themby Mem Fox
53. Goldilicious by Victoria Kann
54. Great Dog Wash, The by Shellie Braeuner
55. Guess Again! by Mac Barnett
56. Hair of Zoe Fleefenbacher Goes to School, The by Laurie Halse Anderson
57. Harry and Horsie by Katie Van Camp
58. Hello Baby! by Mem Fox
59. Henry & the Crazed Chicken Pirates by Carolyn Crimi
60. Hermit Crab, The by Carter Goodrich
61. Higher! Higher! by Leslie Patricelli
62. Hook by Ed Young
63. Horse Of Course, A by Shari Lyle-Soffe
64. Hot on the Range by R.D. Jentsch
65. How Do You Wokka-Wokka? by Elizabeth Bluemle
66. How Robin Saved Spring by Debbie Ouellet
67. Hugging Hour! by Aileen Leijten
68. Hush, Baby Ghostling by Andrea Beaty
69. I Always, ALWAYS Get My Way by Thad Krasnesky
70. I Call My Grandpa Papa by Ashley Wolff
71. I Love Christmas by Anna Walker
72. I Need My Monster by Amanda Noll
73. I’m Your Peanut Butter Big Brother by Selina Alko
74. In Our Mothers’ House by Patricia Polacco
75. In the Garden by Peggy Collins
76. In the Snow by Peggy Collins
77. Jack the Bear by Christina Leist
78. Jeremy Draws a Monster by Peter McCarty [MY REVIEW]
    
79. Just Like a Baby by Juanita Havill
80. Kick the Cowboy by Joe Gribnau
81. Kisses on the Wind by Lisa Moser
82. Land of the Left Sock by B. P. James
83. Legend of Ninja Cowboy Bear, The by David Bruins
84. Leon and the Place Between by Angela McAllister
85. Let’s Do Nothing! by Tony Fucile
86. Lion & the Mouse, The by Jerry Pinkney
87. Listeners, The by Gloria Whelan
88. Little Oink by Amy Krouse Rosentha
89. Little Pot, The by Dawn Stephens
90. Llama Llama Misses Mama by Anna Dewdney
91. Long Shot: Never Too Small to Dream Big by Chris Paul
92. Longest Night, The by Marion Dane Bauer
93. Lousy Rotten Stinkin’ Grapes by Margie Palatini
94. Maggie’s Monkeys by Linda Sanders-Wells
95. Magic Box by Katie Cleminson
96. Martha Doesn’t Say Sorry by Samantha Berger
97. Me With You by Kristy Dempsey
98. Mighty Fine Time Machine, A by Suzanne Bloom
99. Mom, I Fired The Babysitter by Colleen H. Robley Blake
100. Monkey with a Tool Belt and the Noisy Problem by Chris Monroe
101. Monsters Don’t Eat Broccoli by Barbara Jean Hicks
102. Moon Theater by Etienne Delessert
103. Moose and Magpie by Bettina Restrepo
104. Mouse Was Mad by Linda Urban
105. Mrs. Mcgee’s Coconut by Allia Zobel-Nolan
106. Muriel’s Red Sweater by Dara Dokas
107. My Abuelita by Tony Johnston
108. My Goldfish by Barroux
109. My Little Round House
110. My Mom Is Trying to Ruin My Life by Kate Feiffer
111. My Name Is Sangoel by Karen Williams
112. My Name is Buttonz by B. Lee Schmidt
113. My People by Langston Hughes
114. Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed by Mo Willems
115. Naomi’s Tree by Joy Kogawa
116. Ned’s New Home by Kevin Tseng
117. Negro Speaks of Rivers, The by Langston Hughes
118. New Job for Dilly, A by Rena Jones
119. No Snow for Christmas by Jill Kalz
120. No! by David McPhail
121. Not all Animals Are Blue by Beatrice Boutignon
122. Olu’s Dream by Shane W. Evans
123. Once Upon a Twice by Denise Doyen
124. One Wolf Howls by Scotti Cohn
125. Otis by Loren Long
126. Otto Grows Down by Michael Sussman
127. Peep!: A Little Book About Taking a Leap by Maria van Lieshout
128. Penguin Story, A by Antoinette Portis [MY REVIEW]
     
129. Pennies for Elephants by Lita Judge
130. Persephone by Sally Pomme Clayton
131. Please Pick Me Up, Mama!by Robin Luebs
132. Posy by Linda Newbery
133. Princess Hyacinth (The Surprising Tale of a Girl Who Floated) by Florence Parry Heide
134. Put It On the List by Kristen Darbyshire
135. Queen Vernita Visits the Blue Ice Mountains by Dawn Menge
136. Rhyming Dust Bunnies by Jan Thomas
137. Rita and Whatsit by Jean-Philippe Arrou-Vignod
138. Ron’s Big Mission by Rose Blue
139. Saying Grace: A Prayer of Thanksgiving (Traditions of Faith)by Virginia Kroll
140. Scaredy Squirrel at Night by Melanie Watt
141. Seven Spirals: A Chakra Sutra for Kids by Deena Haiber
142. Silly Tilly by Eileen Spinelli
143. Sleepy Little Alphabet: A Bedtime Story from Alphabet Town, The by Judy Sierra
144. Sneezy Louise by Irene Breznak
145. Snickeyfritz by Andrea Skyberg
146. Soap, Soap, Soap / Jabon, Jabon, Jabon by Elizabeth O. Dulemba
147. Spells by Emily Gravett
148. Spoon by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
149. Stanza by Jill Esbaum
150. Star of the Show by Della Ross Ferreri
151. Talent For Quiet, A by Kim Chatel
152. Tess’s Tree by Jess M. Brallier
153. The Scarecrow’s Dance by Jane Yolen
154. There Are Cats in This Book by Viviane Schwarz
155. There’s a Bear in my bathing suit by Uncle Tee
156. Thumbelina: The POP Wonderland Series by Michiyo Hayano
157. Thunder-Boomer! by Shutta Crum
158. Tiptoe Guide to Tracking Fairies, The by Ammi-Joan Paquette
159. Tree for Emmy, A by Mary Ann Rodman
160. Trouble Gum by Matthew Cordell
161. Tsunami! by Kimiko Kajikawa
162. Tushy Book, The by Fran Manushkin
163. Two at the Zoo by Danna Smit
164. Two of a Kind by Jacqui Robbins
165. Waiting for Winter by Sebastian Meschenmoser
166. What REALLY Happened to Humpty? (from the files of a hard-boiled detective) by Jeanie Franz Ransom
167. When I Wore My Sailor Suit by Uri Shulevitz
168. When It’s Six O’Clock in San Francisco: A Trip Through Time Zones by Cynthia Jaynes Omololu
169. Where Teddy Bears Come From by Mark Burges
170. Who Wants to Be a Poodle I Don’t by Lauren Child
171. Who Will I Be, Lord? by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson Wig
172. gens Learns His Manners at the Four Seasons Restaurant by Leslie McGuirk
173. Wink! The Ninja Who Wanted to be Noticed by J.C. Phillipps
174. Yankee at the Seder, The by Elka Weber
175. Yes Day! by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
176. You’re Mean, Lily Jean by Frieda Wishinsky

Whew.   If you haven’t checked out the nominated titles in all of the categories, definitely do so:

• Easy Readers/Short Chapter Books
• Fantasy & Science Fiction
• Fiction Picture Books
• Graphic Novels
• Middle Grade Fiction
• Non-Fiction Picture Books
• Non-Fiction: Middle Grade & Young Adult
• Poetry
• Young Adult Fiction

As a way of highlighting a few books, these are the books that I’ve previously reviewed in the above categories:

• The Magician’s Elephant by Kate DiCamillo
• Skeleton Creek by Patrick Carmen
• Fade by Lisa McMann
• Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
• Girl in the Arena by Lisa Haines
• Frankie Pickle and the Closet of Doom by Eric Wight
• Dork Diaries: Tales from a Not-So-Fabulous Life by Rachel Renee Russell
• Alvin Ho: Allergic to Camping, Hiking, and Other Natural Disasters by Lenore Look
• Anything But Typical by Nora Raleigh Baskin
• Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson
• Peace, Locomotion by Jacqueline Woodson
• The Year the Swallows Came Early by Kathryn Fitzmaurice
• Unite or Die: How Thirteen States Became a Nation by Jacqueline Jules
• 14 Cows for America by Carmen Agra Deedy
• Because I am Furniture by Thalia Chaltas
• The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams
• Once Was Lost by Sara Zarr
• Purple Heart by Patricia McCormick
• Something, Maybe by Elizabeth Scott
• The Way He Lived by Emily Wing Smith
• Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

And man.  I have a few books in the “read but not yet reviewed pile” (which is huge right now) which includes When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead, The Maze Runner by James Dashner, Dessert First by Hallie Durand, Love You Hate You Miss You by Elizabeth Scott (I swear I reviewed this one!), Jumping Off Swings by Jo Knowles and Nothing but Ghosts by Beth Kephart.  This week I’ll also have a review of Birthday for Bear as well as a guest post from Bonny Becker.  I’m sure that my few reviews of Cybils nominations isn’t as many as other kidlit bloggers out there, but it’s really fun to look at the lists.

Shortlists will be announced on January 1st.  Any picture books that are your favorites?

Hardcover Fiction

1. FORD COUNTY, by John Grisham. Stories set in rural Mississippi.
2. THE LOST SYMBOL, by Dan Brown. Robert Langdon among the Masons.
3. KINDRED IN DEATH, by J. D. Robb.  Lt. Eve Dallas investigates the brutal murder of a colleague’s daughter; by Nora Roberts, writing pseudonymously.
4. THE GATHERING STORM, by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson.  Book 12 of the Wheel of Time fantasy series.
5. THE LACUNA, by Barbara Kingsolver. A young American growing up in Mexico becomes friends with Diego Rivera, Frieda Kahlo and Leon Trotsky; later, in the United States, he is menaced by ­McCarthyism.

Hardcover Nonfiction

1. HAVE A LITTLE FAITH, by Mitch Albom.  A suburban rabbi and a Detroit pastor teach lessons about the comfort of belief.
2. SUPERFREAKONOMICS, by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner.  A scholar and a journalist apply economic thinking to everything: the sequel.
3. WHAT THE DOG SAW, by Malcolm Gladwell. A decade of New Yorker essays.
4. ARGUING WITH IDIOTS, written and edited by Glenn Beck, Kevin Balfe and others.  The case against big government.
5. THE BOOK OF BASKETBALL, by Bill Simmons.  ESPN.com’s Sports Guy crunches big questions in N.B.A. history.

Paperback Trade Fiction

1. PUSH, by Sapphire.  An abused, illiterate 16-year-old in Harlem meets a teacher who helps change her life; the basis for the film “Precious.”
2. BED OF ROSES, by Nora Roberts.  A wedding florist has her eye on her business partner’s brother’s best friend; Book 2 in the Bride Quartet.
3. SAY YOU’RE ONE OF THEM, by Uwem Akpan.  Stories set in Africa, told from the point of view of wise and resilient children.
4. THE SHACK, by William P. Young.  A man whose daughter was abducted is invited to an isolated shack, apparently by God.
5. THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, by Stieg Larsson.  A hacker and a journalist investigate the disappearance of a Swedish heiress.

Paperback Mass-Market Fiction

1. BORN OF FIRE, by Sherrilyn Kenyon. The bounty hunter Shahara Dagan must decide whether to bring Syn, an assassin and family friend, to justice; a League novel.
2. THE ASSOCIATE, by John Grisham. An idealistic law-school graduate is forced to take a job at a large, brutalizing law firm.
3. CROSS COUNTRY, by James Patterson.  Alex Cross chases the leader of a teenage gang.
4. YOUR HEART BELONGS TO ME, by Dean Koontz. A man is stalked by a woman who resembles the donor of the heart he received in a transplant operation.
5. ANGELS AT CHRISTMAS, by Debbie Macomber.  A reissue of two stories: “Those Christmas Angels” (2003) and “Where Angels Go” (2007).

Paperback Non-Fiction

1. THE BLIND SIDE, by Michael Lewis.  The evolving business of football, viewed through the rise of the left tackle Michael Oher.
2. OUR CHOICE, by Al Gore.  The former vice president offers a plan for solving the climate crisis with the tools we have now.
3. THREE CUPS OF TEA, by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin. A former climber builds schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
4. FREAKONOMICS, by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner.  A scholar and a journalist apply economic theory to nearly everything.
5. THE GLASS CASTLE, by Jeannette Walls. The author recalls a bizarre childhood during which she and her siblings moved constantly.

Hardcover Advice

1. IT’S YOUR TIME, by Joel Osteen. Prayers, stories and tools for moving forward in Christian faith.
2. THE PIONEER WOMAN COOKS, by Ree Drummond.  Cowboy-tested recipes from the proprietor of ThePioneerWoman.com.
3. GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS 2010, edited by Craig Glenday. Tallest, fastest, youngest, most.
4. KNOCKOUT, by Suzanne Somers.  Advice and interviews with doctors offering innovative cancer treatments.
5. REINVENTING THE BODY, RESURRECTING THE SOUL, by Deepak Chopra.  Ten steps for self-transformation.

Paperback Advice

1. WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU’RE EXPECTING, by Heidi Murkoff and Sharon Mazel.  Advice for parents-to-be.
2. NEW MOON, by Mark Cotta Vaz.  The illustrated companion to the movie based on the second book in Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight vampire romance series.
3. MORE DINERS, DRIVE-INS AND DIVES, by Guy Fieri with Ann Volkwein. Another culinary road trip, with recipes.
4. THE FIVE LOVE LANGUAGES, by Gary Chapman.  How to communicate love in a way a spouse will understand.
5. BUY KETCHUP IN MAY AND FLY AT NOON, by Mark Di Vincenzo.  Lots of answers to the question “What’’s the best time to … ?”

Children’s Picture Books

1. SPLENDIFEROUS CHRISTMAS, by Jane O’Connor. Illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser.  There’s no such thing as too much tinsel for Fancy Nancy. (Ages 4 to
2. THE CHRISTMAS SWEATER, adapted by Chris Schoebinger from the story by Glenn Beck. Illustrated by Brandon Dorman..  Seeking the meaning of Christmas. (Ages 4 to 7)
3. LEGO STAR WARS, by Simon Beecroft.  An annotated visual dictionary. (Ages 7 and up)
4. NUBS, by Brian Dennis, Mary Nethery and Kirby Larson.  A wild dog in Iraq makes a friend for life. (Ages 4 to
5. WADDLE!, written and illustrated by Rufus Butler Seder. Animals in motion, with color. (Ages 4 to

Children’s Chapter Books

1. CATCHING FIRE, by Suzanne Collins.The protagonist of “The Hunger Games” returns. (Ages 12 and up)
2. THE HUNGER GAMES, by Suzanne Collins. In a dystopian future, a girl fights for survival on live TV. (Ages 12 and up).
3. THE MAGICIAN’S ELEPHANT, by Kate DiCamillo and Yoko Tanaka.  An orphan in search of his sister follows a fortuneteller’s mysterious instructions. (Ages 7 and up)
4. MILLION-DOLLAR THROW, by Mike Lupica.  In tough economic times, the pressure is on for a young quarterback with an unusual opportunity. (Ages 9 to 12)
5. TRICKS, by Ellen Hopkins. (McElderry/Simon & Schuster,  A novel in verse about five teenagers who become prostitutes. (Ages 14 and up)

Children’s Paperback Books

1. THE BOOK THIEF, by Markus Zusak. A girl saves books from Nazi burning and shares them with a Jewish man in hiding. (Ages 14 and up)
2. BLUE MOON, by Alyson Noël.  An immortal girl. (Ages 12 and up)
3. EVERMORE, by Alyson Noël.  Immortals in school. (Ages 12 and up)
4. THE ABSOLUTELY TRUE DIARY OF A PART-TIME INDIAN, by Sherman Alexie. Illustrated by Ellen Forney.  A young boy leaves his reservation for an all-white school. (Ages 12 and up)
5. THREE CUPS OF TEA: YOUNG READERS EDITION, by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin. A former climber builds schools in Pakistani and Afghan villages. (Ages 9 to 12)

Children’s Series Books

1. DIARY OF A WIMPY KID, written and illustrated by Jeff Kinney.  A boy records the hazards of adolescent life. (Ages 9 to 12)
2. THE TWILIGHT SERIES, by Stephenie Meyer. Vampires and werewolves in high school. (Ages 12 and up)
3. HOUSE OF NIGHT, by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast. Vampires in school. (Ages 14 and up)
4. THE 39 CLUES, by various authors. A brother and sister travel the world in search of the key to their family’s power. (Ages 9 to 12)
5. PERCY JACKSON & THE OLYMPIANS, by Rick Riordan.  Battling mythological monsters. (Ages 9 to 12)

Hardcover Graphic Books

1. THE BOOK OF GENESIS: ILLUSTRATED, by R. Crumb. The legendary artist tackles the first book of the Bible.
2. FINAL CRISIS: LEGION OF THREE WORLDS, by Geoff Johns and George Perez.  When facing a seemingly unstoppable assemblage of their enemies, the Legion recruits other-dimensional versions of themselves for help.
3. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, by Nancy Butler and Hugo Petrus. Jane Austen’s classic tale gets the graphic novel treatment.
4. THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ, by Eric Shanower and Skottie Young. Dorothy travels to the land of OZ, graphic novel style.
5. ULTIMATUM, by Jeph Loeb and David Finch. The end, and rebirth, of Marvel’s “Ultimate” universe, in which its classic heroes were re-imagined for modern times, happens here.

Paperback Graphic Books

1. LOGICOMIX – AN EPIC SEARCH FOR TRUTH, by Apostolos Doxiadis, Christos H. Papadimitriou, Alecos Papadatos and Annie Di Donna.  The life of the philosopher and logician Bertrand Russell, and his passion for mathematics, is recounted in this graphic novel.
2. THE ZOMBIE SURVIVAL GUIDE: RECORDED ATTACKS, by Max Brooks. If you want to survive a zombie attack, there may be no better way than to see how past cultures have done it.
3. WATCHMEN, by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. This epic tale from 1986 signaled a new maturity in comic books.
4. V FOR VENDETTA, by Alan Moore, K. C. Carlson and David Lloyd.  In a dystopian future, an anarchist sets out to topple the oppressive and totalitarian government of the United Kingdom.
5. BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER: SEASON 8, VOL. 5, by various. Will things ever get better for Buffy? Now she has to deal with “Harmony Bites,” a reality show starring a former-classmate-and-current-vampire. Plus: more from the mysterious Twilight.

Manga

1. VAMPIRE KNIGHT, VOL. 8, by Matsuri Hino. Cross Academy has day and evening students, but the latter have a secret: they are vampires.
2. NARUTO 46, by Masashi Kishimoto.  Naruto’s friends are threatened, the mysteries of Pain deepen and Naruto must fight to protect his village.
3. NEGIMA! MAGISTER NEGI MAGI, VOL. 24, by Ken Akamatsu.  Negi, the boy wizard, takes part in the Festival of Ostia, which includes a martial arts tournament. Will a team of bounty hunters ruin the plans for the day?
4. OURAN HIGH SCHOOL HOST CLUB, VOL. 13, by Bisco Hatori. Haruhi, a poor girl at a rich school, is forced to work – as a boy – for the school’s all-male club.
5. BLACK BIRD, VOL. 2, by Kanoko Sakurakoji.  Misao Harada can see into a magical realm where she is the bride demon of prophecy. How will she survive the pursuit of demons who want the power in her blood?

Source: The New York Times Best Seller List

Duck! Rabbit! is the perfect read-a-loud book with its two narrators.  In fact, it was read very energetically by two librarians and it was well received by the kids.  When I got my hands on my own library copy, my husband and I both read it out loud together to the kids.  A fun book to read either on its own or in a group.

In Duck! Rabbit! the off page narrators debate whether or not the animal in question is a duck or a rabbit.  Where one sees ears, another sees a bill.  Where one hears rabbit sounds another hears duck sounds.  The illustrations vary little which I think is fantastic.

But really, no need for me to ramble on about it.   The video says it all:

A great book for kids to think about shapes in new ways.

Links of interest:  Amy Krouse Rosenthal website, Tom Lichtenheld website, more book blogger reviews.  Duck! Rabbit! is a  fiction picture book Cybil’s nominee for which I’m a panelist.
Genre: Fiction Picture Book, approx age 4-8.
Publisher:  Chronicle Books.  March 11, 2009.
Hardcover, 40 pages. ISBN 0811868656
Duck! Rabbit! is available from your favorite independent bookstore, Powell’s, and Amazon.

In fact, I’ve just handed the book to my husband who’s looking at it for the first time.  He’s giggling.  He’s making comments.  He’s engrossed.  He’s just told me, “I like this one.”  Fun for kids, fun for adults.   The design is awesome.  Fantastic text.   Can’t really get much better than this.

I’m thinking that this book is worth adding into our collection.  But is it safe?  The book does eat people.  If it even catches a whiff of peanut butter and jelly on your fingers then you are in BIG trouble.  You don’t have a chance.  And do not let your little ones read this book – especially when it’s hungry.  (You should always assume that it’s hungry.)  You would be very  lucky indeed if you come away from the reading of this book unscathed.

So if I disappear it’s pretty much safe to assume that I have become a victim and will never be heard from again.  Here’s wishing me luck . . . .

Links of interest:  Mark Fearing website, The Book That Eats People is a fiction picture book Cybils nomination for which I’m a panelist.
Genre: Fiction Picture Book, approx ages 4-8.
Publisher: Tricycle Press. August 11, 2009
Hardcover, 38 pages. ISBN 1582462682
The Book That Eats People is available from your favorite independent bookstore, Powell’s, and Amazon.

That is all.  Short and sweet.   Because this picture book is awesome and Betsy’s more awesome than I.

Links of interest:  Antoinette Portis website, more book blogger reviews.  A Penguin Story is a fiction picture book Cybils nomination for which I’m a panelist.
Genre:  Fiction Picture Book, approx ages 4-8.
Publisher: HarperCollins. December 23, 2008
Hardcover, 40 pages. ISBN 0061456888
A Penguin Story is available from your favorite independent bookstore, Powell’s, and Amazon.

Maw Books:  Hi Jean!  Always My Brother is a very personal book for you which was inspired after the death of your nineteen year old son. Can you tell us more about that?   Why this story?  Why now?  Did it help your family through the grieving process to write about it?

Jean Reagan: Following a challenging year four years ago, we lost our son John to a drug overdose.  Initially it was very difficult to re-form our family as a threesome; the absence of John dominated every aspect of life.  By now I think we have successfully recreated ourselves as a family of three, even though we still miss John, of course.  As I portrayed a healing family in my book, I felt hope for us, as well.

I write picture books and I knew there was a need for one about sibling loss.  This project helped pull me out of my initial paralysis following John’s death.  My husband has not and will not read the book, because he knows for him it would be too painful.  I’m okay with that.  Following John’s death, HE wrote the obituary and HE gave talks about drug addiction.  There was no way I could have done either.  We all do what we can, and don’t do what we can’t.  Being gentle with ourselves and each other is so important.

Maw Books:  Always My Brother is about the often unrecognized grief of siblings.  Did you receive feedback from your daughter while you were writing it?

Jean Reagan: My daughter Jane wanted to see the story only after it was a completed book, when as she said, “I know I can’t change anything.”  Squeezing a true story into a fiction picture book requires decisions and choices that she recognized might be painful for her.  Jane did name the characters in the book.  (Having a sister and brother named “John” and “Jane” would just seem too unbelievable!)  She kept her brother’s name and for the sister chose “Becky” who is a dear, dear friend to Jane and our whole family.

Maw Books:  What type of research, if any, went into Always My Brother? Was it written solely on your personal experience or did you reach out to others to make sure that you got the “it” factor just right?

Jean Reagan: I interviewed therapists, grief counselors, teachers, librarians, parents who had lost children, people who had lost siblings as children, and a director of a children’s grief center (The Sharing Place).  Many of them also critiqued the manuscript.  Three adult grief books were helpful:  The Empty Room, A Broken Heart Still Beats, and Comfort: A Journey Through Grief. I even interviewed a woman who has a three-legged dog to make sure my depiction was accurate and respectful.

Tilbury House Publishers create Teachers Take Note guides to expand the content of all their children’s books.  They extensively research the topic and post these guides on their website.

Maw Books:  What was the hardest part about writing a book that draws so deeply into your personal experience and grief?  Was there a greatest joy about it as well?

Jean Reagan: By far, the hardest part was the after-the-party scene where Becky feels bad that she “forgot to miss John.”  How should the mom respond?  Whoa!  That went through many, many revisions.  I had to dig deeper and deeper emotionally as a writer and as a mother.  The second hardest part was the ending.  I wanted the family to show some healing, but I didn’t want to erroneously convey that they were “all better now.”  Some children’s books about loss so desperately want a happy ending that I feel they error on the side of “we-planted-a-tree or we-got-a-replacement-puppy, so we’re all better now.”  I wanted Always My Brother to offer hope, but only realistic hope.  I still grapple with whether I found the ideal balance.

When I first saw the sketches for the book, I had to catch my breath because they forced me to revisit my own painful weeks following John’s death.  That’s how accurately the illustrator, Phyllis Pollema-Cahill, “got it.”

One unexpected joy I experienced writing this story was that I could rewind John’s life to a younger, happy and healthy period before he was tortured by drug addiction.  This experience was, of course, tinged with a bittersweet sadness, too.   I find comfort, too, knowing that perhaps my book can help lessen the pain experienced by bereaved families.  This thought makes me smile.

Maw Books:  Your unexpected joy makes me smile.  I noticed that in the book there is no indication as to the cause of John’s death nor was there any scenes of a funeral or burial.  Can you go into the thought process on why you chose to write it that way?

Jean Reagan: Because there are very, very few picture books about sibling loss, I wanted my book to be accessible to as many children as possible, for the story to be universal.  The picture book format allows for only a limited number of scenes, so each one had to be absolutely core to the story and my overall goal of portraying a family’s healing process.  Often books and media focus on the details of a death and ignore the grieving and healing that follows it.  Therapists and bereaved people will tell you, “It doesn’t matter how/why someone died.  What matters is the loss.”  In fact, at my son’s memorial service my daughter said, “I don’t want John to be known just for how he died, but for who he was.”  I wanted to honor her, because I think she’s right.  For all these reasons I chose to leave out the cause of death.

Originally I did have a funeral scene, but I took that out for two reasons. One, what accurately reflects the dramatic shift in life for a surviving sibling is not the funeral, but how the home fills with people.  Then the home scene returns to “normal” which of course is no longer normal at all.  Two, a funeral scene would inadvertently exclude some religious traditions.  I wanted this story to leave open the possibility of all religious traditions.  (Just last week my book was read amongst adult students at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York when they suffered an unexpected loss.)

Despite the limited number of pages in a picture book, my editor, Audrey Maynard, wanted the final scene to be wordless.  An illustration-only page gives readers a pause before they transition out of the story.  Wonderful!

Maw Books:  Obviously, children who have lost a sibling to death will react differently to your book than those who have not. Can you talk a little bit about your target audience and what you hope children will take away from the book?

Jean Reagan: My primary target audience is children who have lost a sibling.  I wanted to honor their loss by portraying and affirming their often confusing, contradictory emotions.  And, I wanted to offer realistic hope that with the passage of time the gripping, paralyzing pain would ease, as they continue to honor and cherish their loved one. I also wanted to create opportunities for shared conversation because grieving can often be an isolated, lonely experience.

My second target audience is people surrounding the bereaved family—friends, classmates, teachers, neighbors, etc.  I wanted to provide a window for them to understand the internal grief of the family.  Hopefully, this would foster courage in them to reach out to the bereaved child and family.

But I hope my book is helpful broadly.  People of all ages can find comfort in it for all kinds of losses, I think.

Maw Books:  What are some books that you would recommend to those who are grieving?

Jean Reagan: Besides the adult books I mentioned earlier, for young children I would recommend Saying Goodbye to Lulu, Freddy the Leaf, Goodbye, Mousie, and Grandad Bill’s Song.

Maw Books:  If I’m not mistaken, Always My Brother is your debut picture book. Has writing always been an interest of yours or did you find that it was an new outlet for you after the death of your son?  Why start writing books now?

Jean Reagan: I have been writing children’s books for about six years.  All my other manuscripts are very lighthearted by comparison!  When I told my daughter about my acceptance phone call for a manuscript she immediately asked, “Which one?”  When I told her it was this one, she hugged me hard and said, “That’s the one I wanted.”  I couldn’t agree with her more!

I just signed a contract with Knopf for my next picture book, How to Babysit a Grandpa.  (May, 2011).  It’s wonderful to send a purely happy, silly book into the world, as well.

Maw Books:  I love that title.  How to Babysit a Grandpa! Describe yourself as a reader. What books influenced and inspired you as a child?  What book are you currently reading now and another that you just finished and would recommend.

Jean Reagan: As a child, reading was difficult for me.  It wasn’t until third grade, that Smiling Hill Farm unlocked the magic for me.  I can still feel that excitement.  Another book that captured me as a child, I read in Japanese.  It wasn’t until a high school English class that I realized the story was King Lear!

I just finished a delightful mid-grade novel, Jungle Crossing, by Sydney Salter.  Her characters’ honesty and humor remind me of the early books in Phyllis Reynolds Naylor’s Alice series.  I’m in the middle of Bobbie Pyron’s compelling YA novel, The Ring.  (Full disclosure:  I critiqued an early version of the manuscript three years ago.) I’m wowed by how Bobbie and her editor transformed this powerful story about a troubled teenage girl who takes up boxing.

It’s a good thing I’m in an adult book group, because otherwise I’d never read an adult book.  Speaking of book groups, my daughter and I were in a mother/daughter book group for nine years.  I SO recommend parents organize similar opportunities with their children.  And remember it’s a chance to act silly, be honest, and have a blast, NOT to analyze literature!

Maw Books:  Your personal background is fascinating. You grew up in Japan, have now lived in Salt Lake City for 25 years and spend every summer as backcountry volunteers in the Grand Teton National Park without water or electricity.  Can you tell us some more about your background, your interests, and what  you do when you’re not writing?

Jean Reagan: I think everyone has a fascinating background!  They’re two unifying things through out my life:  I love nature and I love connecting with people.  So, my absolutely favorite thing is hiking with other people!

Maw Books:  I’m sure you have some crazy stories from spending summers up in the Tetons.  I’d love it if you’d share a really crazy but true story with us.

Jean Reagan: Once when I was alone at the cabin, I spotted a cougar nearby along the lakeshore.  Not knowing how dangerous cougars can be, I got in the canoe and paddled within fifteen feet and watched it through the bushes.  I even saw it move a kit by the scruff of its neck.  Later, feeling a little spooked, I forgo my evening dip in the lake and used a “chamber pot” instead of the outhouse fifty feet behind the cabin.
The next morning when I went to the outhouse, there were fresh paw prints four feet up on three sides of the outhouse.   I immediately hiked to a high spot where we have cellphone reception and called the chief biologist.  He said the paw prints were most likely bear, not cougar, so I felt relieved.  Be then as he signed off he said, “Oh, and with cougars, don’t play dead.  Fight them off with all you’ve got.  Have a nice day!  Bye!”  Yikes!  You can bet I did NOT have a nice day!  Fortunately, that’s the only cougar I’ve ever seen, although I know they’re around.

Maw Books:  One of my features on my blog is to ask each author I interview for a recipe which I’ll then make and blog about later. Would you mind sharing with us one of your favorite recipes?

Jean Reagan:

“Radical” Spinach Casserole

Mix together:
two 10-oz frozen spinach, thawed
three eggs
one cup shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
one fourth cup of melted margarine (or canola oil)
twenty-four ounces of cottage cheese
three tablespoons of flour
three teaspoons of nutmeg
juice from one lemon

Bake in a  9 by 14 glass pan at 350 degrees for about one hour.  Serve with lemon slices.

I bring this casserole to every writers’ retreat!  The recipe is called “radical” because it originated with potlucks organized by activists during the Great Depression.

Maw Books:  I love spinach! I can’t wait to make it.  So what’s next?  What are you currently working on and when can we see another book published from you?

Jean Reagan: Besides the Knopf book due out in May, 2011 I’m working on a picture book about a dog who’s scared to swim, one about a mom who has a disastrous day, and one about a mom who is lacking in the “fancy” department.  All, fun silly stories!

Maw Books:  Anything else that you’d like to share with the readers of the Maw Books Blog that I didn’t cover?

Jean Reagan: If you want to find out more about the true story behind Always My Brother, or my childhood in Japan, or my life as a park ranger in Grand Tetons National Park, visit my website, www.jeanreagan.com.  To access the Teachers Take Note guide for helping bereaved children, visit Tilbury House Publishers’ website.

Maw Books:  Thank you Jean!! I’m definitely going to get in touch when we make a trip up to the Tetons!

Tilbury house is giving away copies of Always My Brother.  Check out details on how to enter and read my review of Always My Brother.

After the funeral Becky and her family are expected to go back to normal.  But normal doesn’t exist anymore.  No one is happy anymore.  Becky stopped playing soccer and at school her friends don’t know what to say.  By the time winter rolls around again, Becky doesn’t feel so sad when looking at pictures of John.  One morning she laughed while watching her dog roll around in the snow.  And then one day, she had so much fun at a birthday party that she came home feeling guilty for “forgetting to miss John.”

Becky’s parents help her realize that John will always be her brother and that he’d want her to be happy.  While John’s memories would always make him a part of their family, Becky comes to know that she can still enjoy the things that they used to do together.

My only regret for the book is the cover art.  I don’t care for the orange and green background with the scrapbooking type photo holders.   It feels as though it doesn’t give justice to the story.  The illustrations are lovingly and realistically portrayed in watercolor.

I’d highly recommend Always My Brother for those who are seeking a  sensitive story that doesn’t discount the memory of a loved one after death and addresses the complex subject of loss, grieving and the recovery process.  I found myself very touched with Becky’s and John’s relationship and appreciated that the journey wasn’t an easy one by any means.

Jean Reagan is able to give an authentic voice to the book as she lost her own nineteen-year-old son a few years ago and draws upon her grieving experience and that of her daughter.   Jean is a local Utah author and it’s been my pleasure to chat with her a couple of times.  It is also my pleasure to have an interview with Jean which will be posted today.  Jean’s story is fascinating and it’s an interview that you don’t want to miss.

Blog Comment Prizes: Tilbury House will draw 7 lucky winners from all of those who leave comments on any of the participating tour posts (Nov.1-13) to win one of the following prizes:

• A copy of Always My Brother signed by author Jean Reagan (5 available)*
• A set of 10 winter notecards with art by illustrator Phyllis Pollema-Cahill (2 available)

* Winners are welcome to designate a grief center, school, or library to receive their signed copy in their place.  All winners will be announced after the tour.  US/Canada addresses only, please.

Twitter Prize: Everyone that tweets about the tour using the hashtag #AlwaysTour from November 1-13 will be entered to win a set of three children’s books from Tilbury House — your choice! Winners will be announced after the tour, US/Canada addresses only, please.

Do you have any additional titles to recommend on this subject?  Jean will be sharing her own, but I’d be curious to hear yours as well.   Any other ways that literature can help ease a child’s pain?

Links of interest:  Jean Reagan website.  Always My Brother is a fiction picture book Cybil’s nominee for which I’m a panelist.
Genre:  Picture book, ages 4-8.
Publisher:  Tilbury House.  May 21, 2009.
Hardcover, 32 pages.  ISBN  0884483134.
Always My Brother is available from your favorite independent bookstore, Powell’s, and Amazon.

For seven days Barger traveled to seven different airports, didn’t leave the premises, ate on $20 a day, and snatched bits of sleep on benches and floors – all to observe human behavior.  Step Back from the Baggage Claim is his extended metaphor that how we treat each other and how we behave at the airport is how we behave in our day-to-day lives.  If we change the way we act at the airport we can change our lives and thus change the world.

I have to admit that the idea does sound a bit hokey when I lay it out like that but let me share with you a few passages from the book:

I’m convinced that the lessons learned from our airport experiences can point us toward more fulfilling lives and toward a more compassionate world.  If we really want to change the world, it starts with small moments in our daily interactions.  Since so many people travel by air daily, airports are the perfect locations to begin to affect change in our mobile world.  This book uses air travel experiences as a metaphor for how each one of us can impact our world.

The title Step Back from the Baggage Claim comes from the observation that we all crowd around the conveyor belt to claim our luggage.  We jostle for the best position, crowd each other out and are anxious to catch sight of our bags first.

Just imagine what the experience at the baggage claim would be like if everyone took those three steps back so everyone could see, and if everyone actually helped those around them with their bags.  not only would the spirit and environment around the conveyor belt be more positive for all, but it also would be a more efficient way for everyone to get their bags as quickly as possible.  Imagine if stepping back at the baggage claim became the norm; imagine how that inclusive spirit could impact the underlying tone of complaining that permeates other aspects of the airport.  A place commonly filled with chaos, negativity, and frustration would be changed because of the thoughtful awareness of many. Then, imagine what that same spirit could mean for the world if we carried into other areas of our lives as well.

The analogy works.  I get it.  I totally get it.  And I’m sure that I won’t be able to fly anymore without thinking about my own airport behaviors nor observing others to see how they act.  But oddly enough, I can’t relate to the initial analogy of the baggage claim.  In my experiences of flying, claiming my bags has been nothing but calm and orderly.  My only anxiety that I’ve had is when my luggage was lost upon arrival at my home and the company ended up delivering it to the apartment across the street.  The other is when I moved cross country for college and everything had to fit in three boxes.  I wasn’t sure how I was going to get the largest box off of the conveyor belt but some nice man helped me out.  I’ve yet to experience a overcrowded, impatient baggage claim area.  Perhaps, I’m not well traveled enough?  When Barger says , “Take three big steps back” I couldn’t help but think to myself, “Hmm . . . I didn’t know there was a problem there in the first place.”  Luckily, he’s not only thinking literally but metaphorically as well.  The baggage claim message is simple.  Be aware and thoughtful of those around you.  Turn chaos and negativity into order, calm and a positive experience.

For the remainder of the slim volume, Barger furthers the airport analogy and touches upon the following points:

• Gain perspective and create space for others.
• Practice stillness in this movement.
• Share compassion with those along your journey.
• Quit the comparison game and thrive where you are.
• Celebrate an ethic of creativity.
• Put a grateful spirit into action.

Barger shares stories about his airport observations, movie analogies, stories from his life working in the nonprofit sector and his ministry in his church.  Each chapter ends with a summary, a self-evaluation questioner and place to jot down notes.

For having spent seven days in an airport I had hoped for more stories about the people he met or conversations he had.  I’m sure he has some great ones.  The book is not really about his experience living in airports for seven days but more about his general observation while doing so and combining them with his life experiences and metaphorically sharing the message:  “We can change the world because each one of us has the innate ability to expand our awareness, change our focus, and alter our daily interactions.”

There were a few problems with the design of the book (large font, small margins, unclear headings – which is something that Dawn at She is Too Fond of Books picked up as well) that has me nervous that some won’t pick it up after an initial thumb through.   While I sometimes felt that the airport analogy was a bit over the top, Barger has a sound philosophy and a great message to share:

Change the world by choosing to travel gracefully, living this message not only in the airports, but throughout the path of your life.  Take time to step back and gain a new angle of vision and consider those around you.  Slow down and commit to thriving where you are in the present moment.  Embrace the creative process of living the lift you want to live and, ultimately, build relationships and share compassion with those along your journey.  Small loving actions in every facet of our lives will change the world.  Daily commitment to this spirit in all corners of our lives can’t help but allow a movement like this to take flight!

A fun video about The Step Back from the Baggage Claim movement:

Have you had any airport or travel experiences where somebody touched you by their actions?  Vice-versa any horror stories?

Links of interest:  Jason Barger website, blog,  on Twitter, and Facebook.  More book blogger reviews.
Genre: Non-fiction, inspirational.
Publisher: One Love Publishers. September 25, 2008
Paperback , 134 pages. ISBN 0615226663
Step Back from the Baggage Claim is available from your favorite independent bookstore, Powell’s, and Amazon.

In The Curious Garden, Liam is out exploring his very gray city in which there isn’t any kind of gardens, trees or greenery.  Nobody ever went outside.  Why would they?  It’s dark and dreary.  But Liam discovers a railway that had long stopped working and on the railway was the most startling discovery.  A little patch of struggling wildflowers and plants that are in desperate need of a gardener.  Liam didn’t know anything about gardening but he figured it out and as he did so the garden began to grow.  It wasn’t content to stay in one place and so the garden began to “explore.”  Slowly the garden began to overtake all that was barren and to turn the gray city to green.  And more gardeners began to pop up as well.  The entire city had blossomed.

I loved how many of the spreads were wordless.  I loved the illustrations.  They are just perfect.  Absolutely perfect.  I just want to pour over this one.  Obviously, this book is about taking care of the earth but it’s not preachy.  If anything, it’s about being thoughtful.  About nurturing something and reaping the awards.  It’s about creating something beautiful out of something that once was dreary and ugly.

The adult in me thought that this book was wonderful.  I want it all for me.  One that I will enjoy sharing with my boys and to let them know how important greenery is to me.  And man . . . the illustrations are killing me.

Links of interest: Peter Brown website, more book blogger reviews, The Curious Garden is a Fiction Picture Book nominee for the Cybils for which I’m a panelist.
Genre: Fiction Picture Book. Approx ages 4-8.
Publisher: Little Brown. April 1, 2009.
Hardcover, 40 pages. ISBN 0316015474
The Curious Garden is available from your favorite independent bookstore, Powell’s, and Amazon.