Cool things in the Blogosphere

It sneaks up on you sometimes, a sudden anxiety. In such a large place, you can at times feel like a microbe journeying across the universe. Where to go? What to see? Who to read?
Well, that's how I feel about the world wide web in all its enigmatic, amorphous beauty. There is too much to imbibe and learn, so where to start? Children's literature is exceedingly beloved by so many, and as a result I have stumbled on numerous not-so-noteworthy blogs. By that I simply mean I am looking for something new, but, just like the mass of pop music and blockbuster movies, I only find more of the same.
But here are some worthy reads, from the newly formed to the established:

1. Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast (7-imp): One of the very best children's literature blogs focused on illustrations. I know you all know about this one already, but it just had to be shared. Her interviews and reflections on the artistry of children's books are impossibly fun to read.

2. Swampish: University of Florida's new blog for the Center for Children's Literature and Culture.
 From their site: "The blog features reviews of children’s materials as well as examinations of children’s culture on a global, national, and local scale.  Speaking of local, Swampish is very fond of our home here in Gainesville, Florida, and will be sure to highlight the many people, places, and things that make our community so rich in children’s culture."

3. Medicine and Health in Children's and YA Lit: A rather self-explanatory title, but this doctor-turned-writer offers some useful and insightful examinations and thoughts into the role, influence, presence, or lack thereof, of health and medical issues in children's lit. 

4. Asia in the Heart, World on the Mind: Okay, so I just found this one, but I'm all about discovering literatures from across the globe (specifically non-Western ones) so this looks very promising. I particularly love the inclusion of all of Asia, South to East, and just clicking through the tags I've already learned about some beautiful books from the Philippines and a deliciously rich picture book from Malaysia.

5. First Second Books (Publishers blog): Graphic Novels for all readers!  After reading American Born Chinese, I came across this blog from the folks that published it. A graphic novel novice myself, it's fun to see what goes on in that genre. I have since found a bunch of resources, but I like the appeal of this blog (touted to all!).

6.  I.N.K.--Interesting Nonfiction for Kids: Because Non-Fic matters too! And it does. These guys have been around for a while, and have compiled a list of some very extraordinary books. Plus, they take on the Common Core Standards head-on, offering a lot of really helpful guidance.

Thoughts for Your Weekend

Hopefully this weekend you are able to savor your coffee (or tea) slowly while sitting in one place instead of while you're driving to work or booking it across campus. Perhaps you'll even indulge in a stronger drink. Whatever beverage you choose to relax with, take the time to consider the following events, publications, and links.

• There will be a symposium titled "California Indian Oral Tradition and the Land" taking place at SDSU Tuesday, November 5th. If you've enjoyed hearing about the intersections of children's lit and Indigenous lit (Columbus Day blog, memory in Rabbit-Proof Fence blog), or if you've been interested in the interactions between narrative and place, you should consider attending. The symposium will take place in the Parma Payne Goodall Alumni Center from 10am-5pm and is free. 
• Neil Gaiman fans: Back in August Waterstones Oxford along with Oxford Playhouse hosted an evening with Neil Gaiman and Phillip Pullman. Thankfully they recorded it! You can download a podcast of the discussion. Gaiman also gave a talk earlier this month for The Reading Agency in London. You can read and watch the full speech here. 
• Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are was published in fall, 1963 making the book 50 years old! To celebrate the occasion a number of our favorite children's lit scholars have blogged about the book. Read posts by Phil Nel, Betsy Bird, Julie Walker Danielson, and Travis Jonker. I was tickled by the visual homages to Where the Wild Things Are in Bird's post. 
• Clementine Beauvais wrote an indignant blog post titled "The Argument from Parenthood." She addresses the troublesome phenomenon of parents defending problematic texts at academic conferences for the sole reason that their children enjoyed the text under discussion. Hmm, I didn't know this happened... 
• I also chuckled quite a bit while reading Beauvais's post "The Post-Doc Complex" in which she discusses the absurdity she's stumbled into upon finishing her PhD. Claiming she can now identify with Britany Spears' liminal state in 2001 of "not a girl, not yet a woman," Beauvais laments, "All I need is grants/ For conferences in France/ While I’m in-between… All I need is more/ Free access to JSTOR."

PaperTigers' Tenth Anniversary, with Multicultural Top Tens and More

Paper Tigers, a blog about multicultural books for young readers and world literacy, is celebrating its tenth anniversary of readership in a marvelous fashion. Their multitude of engaging reflective pieces, Top Ten lists, and special giveaways demonstrate the goal of mutual awareness and understanding that PaperTigers has striven to build.

Take a look at this reflection by the founding Producer/Editor Elisa Oreglia to get a sense of their roots and purpose for the last ten years. It started with the idea that

books foster mutual understanding; that the web could help bring books that don't have the budget and marketing force of Harry Potter behind them to a bigger audience; and that a website that spotlighted books (and authors, illustrators, publishers, booksellers, librarians, and the whole wonderful tribe) about and from Asia and the Pacific Rim, written in English, to an international audience might be filling an important niche.  

More works can be found in the Personal Views Section.

The highlights for me are the Top Ten lists they have posted on different subjects. The wide selection they present in each of their subjects (and more to come, I presume) offers an invaluable resource for those largely unfamiliar with the range of ethnically diverse children's books. The lists include Multicultural Kids' Books about Food! (Featuring not one but two top ten lists), Multicultural Ghost Stories, and YA/Crossover Books with a Religious Theme.

And as a special treat, they are hosting a great giveaway of tons of books and other goodies.