A few more reading links for the day:
If you are online and like YA, you probably know* John Green, author and internet icon. His new book The Fault in Our Stars is coming out next week (hurray!). To promote the release**, EW has an
exclusive book trailer. Unfortunately, exclusive means that I can’t post it here–maybe after the release?–but for now just click through to see the really lovely video, plus an interview with Green. I was already excited for the book and now I’m way psyched.
Also I need to download the song in the trailer.
From the interview:
I’m sure one of the things people are going to comment on most about this book is the humor. Was it difficult infusing humor into a story about teens with cancer, or did it come naturally?
It came pretty naturally. I don’t see them as separate in my life or the lives of my friends. Humor and sadness co-exist everywhere and always. It was really important to me that the book be funny, and that it be kind of celebratory of life and these people and their lives. The last thing I wanted to write was a dreary novel about illness. The world has those. I wanted it to be, you know, fun to read. That’s your first job as a writer: Write something that people want to read.
I love the combination of humor and sadness, which I think is something John captures well in his books. This is another reason I love contemporary YA–there’s a lot of that balance, and it’s all very grounded in everyday love, loss, and hope.
*If you don’t know John Green, just google “nerdfighter” and you’ll get a sense of the community of readers surrounding him.
**John is also going on a book tour for the release of The Fault in Our Stars. I’ll be at the Boston reading, and last night I had a dream that I was there. I had a great seat and there was a lot of excitement–cupcakes! balloons! songs!–but at the last minute I realized I’d left my bag on the train and had to frantically run to the train station. Now I’m paranoid about the real event.
One reason I love children’s/YA lit is because those are books that stay in your heart forever. Even if you read a book that strikes you as an adult, it’s a very different feeling than falling in love with a book as a child. I remember feeling as if I truly owned books when I was young. I assumed that any book I read was new because I had only just stumbled across it. (To my surprise, A Wrinkle in Time didn’t get published in 1995.)
Of course I loved The Story Siren’s list of Top Ten Childhood Faves. I don’t have ten and my choices aren’t necessarily the best of children’s literature, but they’re books I devoured. In no particular order:
The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken
Two cousins, an evil governess, a boy who lives in the woods, and wolves stalking in the snow? Sign me up. I don’t remember why I picked this out of the library–I didn’t know anything about it beforehand–but I must have checked it out a dozen times after. Sometimes when I’m on a train in winter, I still think of Sylvia going to live with her cousin.
The Farthest-Away Mountain by Lynne Reid Banks
Banks is probably better known for The Indian in the Cupboard, but I fell in love with the classic fairy tale style. Dakin has three goals: to travel to the Farthest Away Mountain, to meet a gargoyle, and to marry a prince. Her solid determination struck me and I happily journeyed with her.
Witch’s Sister by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Technically, I was obsessed with the whole series, but I figured I’d just list the first book. Naylor has written dozens of amazing books, but the creepiness of the witch series got me. It’s the closest I’ve ever come to reading actual horror novels. Protagonist Lynn is convinced that her elderly neighbor, Mrs. Tuggle, is a witch. And Mrs. Tuggle keeps getting closer to members of Lynn’s family, usually to terrifying results.
A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
When I found out they were making a movie version, I was incensed. How could they make a movie without consulting me first? The movie was great, too, but I was so protective of the book. Obviously a classic, and I did dramatic reenactments in my room of Sara Crewe’s trials.
The Ocean World of Jacques Cousteau by Jacques Cousteau
Technically, I don’t remember reading these (my first memories of them are from when I was about 3), but I loved looking at all the pictures. Porpoises, octopi, sea urchins: how is the ocean so cool? We had four or five of the twenty-one volumes, and I can’t even remember which ones exactly, but I remember opening all of them and sitting in the middle of the collection and enjoying all the ocean wonder. Even though I love fiction, I think it’s great to give kids nonfiction titles as well. They’re so naturally curious about the world, and books are a fantastic way to explore.
What are some of your childhood favorites?
The Non-Glamorous Life of Writers Secret #124: Readings are awkward.
In movies, readings are packed and everyone in the audience buys a book for the author to sign afterward. The author speaks brilliantly and you only hear the last couple sentences of the excerpt. No one checks their cell phone or eyes other books on the shelves. No one accidentally wanders into the reading, looking for the Biography section, and immediately darts away. In the Q&A, no one asks stupid questions.
If only.
I think fiction writers have it hardest when it comes to readings. At least poetry has motion and, most likely, they get to read several different poems. Fiction is generally intended to be read, not heard. Plus, fiction writers usually have to choose an excerpt and explain the rest to the audience. When I’m in the audience, my mind tends to wander, even when listening to awesome authors. Suddenly I’ll realize my mind was wondering and think Wait, which character is this? Was he in the car the whole time? I’ll never catch up! It’s a lot of pressure if you’re the writer, and a lot of risk if you’re in the audience.
Apparently I’m not alone in this. According to a recent Wall Street Journal article, readings are being updated, reduced, energized. Authors aren’t required to take up a whole hour or even read from their work.
“”We started making the readings briefer to set us apart from other stores,” said Amanda Lyndon, who runs the discussions at the Tenement Museum Shop. “Everyone seemed to prefer it.””
I think it’s a smart move to cut actual reading time or play with the format. One of the best “readings” I’ve been to was by Shannon Hale. I’m pretty sure she read an excerpt from one of her books, but for the most part she talked about being an author. She balanced well between talking to the kids in the audience (who were enthralled) and the adults (also enthralled, and probably hopeful writers). One of my favorite moments was when she talked about her experiences with literary rejection. It was both shocking and heartening to learn that someone as awesome and talented as Shannon dealt with her fair share of disappointment in the writing world.
Mostly, I think the reading should be about connecting an author with his/her fans. The actual reading is secondary. I’m excited to see how publishers/authors/booksellers will shake things up.