105 Ways to Give a Book

Odds and Ends and Yarn Bugs

Many days I feel like I’m trudging along, doing what everyone else is doing. I’m making coffee, taking the kids to school, folding laundry, and so on. But at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, it occurred to me that nobody in America, maybe even in the world, was systematically pulling the googly eyes off yarn bugs and re-gluing them. Apparently, “tacky glue” isn’t the same as Elmer’s glue — which the girl who came up with the Girl Scout swap had told me — but pshaw, it had to work because I didn’t feel like going home and getting the “right” kind of glue. Lesson learned.

I’ve been so busy with all this GS stuff and school stuff and stuff stuff, that I’ve missed the boat on a few things. I totally spaced out on submitting for The September Carnival of Children’s Literature over at Charlotte’s Library, but at least I can read the great posts there — as can you.

In the category of Other Great Things I Didn’t Contribute To This Month, the September issue of The Edge of the Forest is up with exciting features, as well as interviews, reviews, and much, much more. Take the time to check it out.

I haven’t made time to talk about the upcoming Cybils, but the nominating and judging panels are now up, and I’ll be serving on the picture book nominating committee. I’m looking forward to the opportunity to find the best five books out of all the 2007 picture books nominated. Come to think of it, that’s sounding like a lot of work. Anyway, nominations for the best books of 2007 will open on October 1.

If you’ve been in a KidLit-free cave, then you may have missed the wonderful brainstorm of 7-Imp, where bloggers will help promote the snowflakes made for auction for Robert’s Snow for Cancer’s Cure. I’ve got Mo Willems (naturally) on Halloween (if you’ve seen his snowflake, then it makes sense), but that’s all I’ll say about that — for now.

I have some breaking news. Jenni Holm is profiled in today’s Washington Post’s KidsPost section. It’s a nice article about her mentioning her Babymouse books, and one of my 2007 favorites, Middle School is Worse Than Meatloaf. She’ll be at the National Book Festival this Saturday with tons of other great authors.

I will not be there. I will be camping with my Girl Scout troop and handing out yarn bug swaps, now with non-detaching eyes. Sigh.

3 comments:

Jennie said...

Boo. I was hoping to party with you this weekend.

ElsKushner said...

I'll see your boat-missing and raise you one: I neglected to submit to the September Children's Literature Carnival *and* didn't apply to be on the Cybils panel. Actually, I'll raise you two, since I didn't sign up to promote a snowflake illustrator, either. In fact, I have missed so many boats that a raft made out of plastic googly-eyes might come in handy. Though I'm more likely to be found huddled on top of my storytime-for-babies programming book, paddling madly upstream.

Anyway. This post was meant to convey commiseration and sympathy, and to congratulate you on the Cybils and the Mo Willems-featuring, and to thank you for your kind comment on my blog, but got carried away with its own extended metaphor. Please to blame it on the insomnia con please consider yourself commiserated-with, congratulated, and thanked!

Charlotte said...

Oh gosh, I hate things that involve glue and yarn. It never works for me. I hope it is worthwhile in the end.

Thanks for linking to the Carnival!