Not feeling so sick now are ya, hmmm??

Happy New Year! I always look forward to Christmas, but by mid-December, after the 98th playing of Santa Baby (second only to River as the worst Christmas song ever) on the radio, and the 99th shortbread cookie, I’m ready to kick an elf. Perhaps it’s the hyperglycemia, or maybe it’s just elves, but whatever the reason, I’m always glad to unravel the tree and make a few half-hearted resolutions for a new and improved me as the year comes to a close. One thing that won’t change: my devotion to all things illustration, and the TV show Hoarders. And now, a few interesting tidbits from the last two weeks:

A Sick Day for Amos McGee wins the Caldecott! Congrats to illustrator Erin Stead. Also announced, the Newbery honours. Surprised that City Dog, Country Frog (reviewed in this blog) didn’t make the cut, but I respect the difficulty of choosing the best of the best. Still, poor doggy (and froggy), and a big thanks to all the illustrators and authors who entertained, inspired, and drained my pockets this year.

A great video about Maurice Sendak. Thanks to Deborah Freedman for this cool piece of footage from the author of Everything I Need to Know I Learned From a Children’s Book.

From the always awesome Playing By the Book blog, meet Hannamari Ruohonen, a wonderful Finnish illustrator.

Lawrence Wright to pen Scientology tell-all with Paul Haggis. Xenu soils spacesuit in anticipation! Wright’s pulitzer prize winning book The Looming Tower is a simply one of the best non-fiction books I’ve ever read, and I can’t wait for this Hubbardathon to be published. Also, for Tom Cruise to begin his couch-jumping denouncements.

Captain Underpants and Huckleberry Finn: Susan Orlean from the The New Yorker weighs in on the controversial decision of an American publisher to remove the N-word from Huckleberry Finn. Sounds like the C-word to me.

From the The Age of Uncertainty blog~donut lizards & grommomulunts, should Flanimals author Ricky Gervais be worried? Interesting post about unintentional plagiarism. Doesn’t matter, he’s still cute.

Watch an early interview with J.K. Rowling: “I’m very happy with book two.” Several books and interviews later…”I’m very happy with my bazillion dollars.”

From the Caustic Cover Critic: Essential Penguin Essentials. I want them…ALL of them. It’s stuff like this that makes me realize I’m a bona fide bookaholic. I guess the first step is admitting it.

A lovely tribute to Sheep-Pig (Babe) children’s author Dick-King Smith, who died Tuesday, by Julia Eccleshare in the Guardian.

Bibliophilia: The Best Art Books of 2010 by Bob Daggan at Big Think. Interesting choices, but we all know the best art books of ANY year are illustrated picture books.

From the 100 Scope Notes blog~A time-lapse of the New York  blizzard in 38 seconds. This was funny two weeks ago, until it snowed 35cm in 24 hours in Edmonton last weekend. Not so funny anymore. Rather tragic in fact (but pretty.)

Next Post: A little somethin’ somethin’ in honour of, well, the snow!