I’m Back–and back to work

It has been a long time, interwebs! Despite my goal of keeping up a blogging schedule while in Australia – and a few valiant tries at it – things did not go as planned. There was little internet, or no internet, little time or no time to contend with, and a sick munchkin on top of it all. But things are slowly returning to normal in Peta-Land, and I’ll be back to blogging soon. That...

Reading Kidlit: In Defense of Animal Fiction, part I

Animal stories are everywhere. Many classic tales are animal stories, from Aesop’s Fables through Charlotte’s Web. Yet there’s an idea in kids’ publishing, out there on blogs, in classes and speeches, that animal fiction is no longer marketable, and has gone the way of the cute little bunnies in Watership Down. Despite the naysaying, though, animal stories continue to show up in...

Chocolate Legs, TED Love: 4 Talks Worth Watching

My legs are splashed with chocolate. And not in a good way, but rather an I-just-spilled-my-drink-on-the-way-home-and-am-now-chocolateless-and-sad way. In other news–*ILBNH * updates will be spotty over the next week or so, as I’m flying home (Australia) for a quick show off the kidlet visit on Monday. I am going to try to stick to my regular posting schedule (Tuesday & Thursday with a...

Reading YA: 18 Literary Novels You’ll Love

If the term “literary” frightens you, you’re not alone. It’s something of a buzz word, and a confusing one at that. Literary YA, though, is a little different to literary adult fiction–generally speaking, it’s more accessible, and a great place to get started if you’re curious about lit fic, especially if you love language. These novels run the gamut from fantasy through contemporary,...

Writing YA: If It’s Paranormal, It Needs A Villain, Right?

Over the weekend, I read Sarah Mlynowski’s Magic in Manhattan series. Although technically not on the lookout for more books–the stack by my bed is about four feet high–I’m a sucker for remainder shelves the way some people (okay, me) are suckers for lost puppies. Every book deserves a home, and books 1 & 3 looked so funky yet so lost and forlorn among old cookbooks and craft sets...