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My older sisters and mother read to me as a small child but I recall one of my first introductions to the literary world being the Letter People. We  had them in kindergarten, posted on the walls and chalkboard, on xerox copies (yes we called them xeroxes back then) to color and do assignments on, and we had (vinyl) albums of songs to listen to and learn from. At least it caught our attention. We also had them on television. PBS showed the 60 short 15 minute episodes of letters frolicking about, living their lives in Letter People Land. It was a sort of psychedelic place, being the early 70's, with disco, rock, and folksong-like music, happy puppies, wild hair and clothes and rhyming introductions to each letter person. Probably some of it was politically incorrect, but the fact is, those episodes and all of the letter people left a lasting effect on me.

Elayne Reiss-Weimann and Rita Friedman created The Letter People in 1972. Illustrator Elizabeth Callen was hired to design the look of the series and its characters. Each letter of the alphabet was represented by a unique character with traits derived from its letter. Mister H had Horrible Hair, and Mister Mouth liked to Munch, Munch, Munch. Miss O was Obstinate, while Miss I had Itchy Itches. In 1990, Abrams & Co. Publishers Inc.of Waterbury, Connecticut bought the rights to The Letter People from the previous owner, Norwalk, Connecticut-based New Dimensions in Education, Inc. With that came big changes the Letter People Land. The references to junk foods were changed, so that Mister C for Cotton Candy became Mr. C with a Colossal Cap. (They also changed the Mister to Mr. and the Miss to Ms.) Mister D for Delicious Doughnuts became Mr. D for Dazzling Dance.  Characteristics that weren't quite proper were changed too, such as Mister W, who was for Wonderful Winks and a bit flirtatious (he was my favorite) became Mr. W of Wonderful Words. Mister X who was for All Wrong and Mixed-Up, became Mr. X, for Different. Miss O for Obstinate? She became Mr. O for Opposite. Opposite in a few ways it seems, equalling out the male to female ratio, which is now 50/50 whereas back in the 70's it was male dominated. Funny how that was the way.

The Letter People literature was also changed to reflect more politically correct views, and now deals with conflict resolution and problem solving skills. We have come a long way from the 8-track tapes and films strips, vinyl records and xeroxes, Horrible Hair and Obstinate letter O, but I rather like the nostalgic look back to what it was for me. I often have horrible hair and obstinate days and I'm happy enough. The fact is that the Letter People are still being used in pre-schools and kindergarten classrooms today, albeit in their more modern forms.

Is it really a learning tool? Some of the shows dealt with combined letter sounds, such a C and H, O and U and Q and U. Other shows had the letters scrambled and then rushing to place themselves in correct ABC order. As an introduction to literature, it is a beginning. Here's an interesting article on literacy in young children. In my personal experience, it created an interest for me. I wanted to know what these "letter people" were all about, what they could, how I could play with them. I think interest is the first step in learning.

Want to know more? This YouTube video explains it all so well. Can't get enough? Here's a fun quiz to test your memory.

Frog and Toad were popular characters in my house as my kids were learning to read. We had a large Arnold Lobel collection. Arnold Lobel (1933-1987) was the award-winning author and illustrator of many beloved children's books, including the classic I Can Read books about Frog and Toad, and the Caldecott Medal winning Fables.

In May of 2009, a brand-new collection of rhyming stories about frogs and toads was released. Discovered by his daughter, Adrianne Lobel, The Frogs and Toads All Sang has the same warmth, compassion, and humor that is found in his best-loved work. Brimming with sweet silliness, this new book reminds us why Arnold Lobel's characters continue to be so popular years after debut. Adrianne added the color to her father's pencil sketches, giving The Frogs and Toads All Sang all the more meaning. In this article with Adrianne, she shares what it was like to have such an artistic father and how the collection came to be.

What Lobel books do you recall? Mouse Tales was my son's favorite, and Frog and Toad Are Friends was my daughters'.  

Here's a list of some others:
Ming Lo Moves the Mountain
Giant John
Small Pig
Days with Frog and Toad
Grasshopper on the Road
Owl at Home
Uncle Elephant
Fables
The Rose in my Garden

Associated Press
NEW YORK — A publicist for Frank McCourt confirms the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of “Angela’s Ashes” has cancer.

Scribner spokesman Brian Belfiglio says the 78-year-old writer is being treated for melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer.

McCourt’s brother Malachy says reports that his brother is gravely ill are “exaggerated” and the cancer is in remission. He says his brother is “a hearty fellow and he’s survived worse than this.”

McCourt’s agent, Molly Friedrich, says the New York-born author was in the hospital about a month ago but is back home. She says he is “doing pretty well” and undergoing chemotherapy.

McCourt’s other books include “’Tis” and “Teacher Man.”

The children have spoken and it's no surprise to me that they have chosen Stephenie Meyer as the author of the year. Last night, The Children’s Choice Book Awards were announced live at the awards gala in New York City as part of Children’s Book Week (May 11-17, 2009), the oldest national literacy event in the United States.

Award winners were determined this year by over 220,000 online votes by kids across the country. They picked the finalists too. Voting was open from March 16 through May 3 on the Children’s Book Week website at www.BookWeekOnline.com.  

And the winners are:

Kindergarten to Second Grade Book of the Year

"The Pigeon Wants a Puppy!" written and illustrated by Mo Willems (Hyperion Books for Children/Disney Book Group)

Third Grade to Fourth Grade Book of the Year

"Spooky Cemeteries" by Dinah Williams (Bearport Publishing)

Fifth Grade to Sixth Grade Book of the Year

"Thirteen" by Lauren Myracle (Dutton/Penguin Young Readers Group)

 Teen Choice Book of the Year

"Breaking Dawn" by Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown and Company)

 Author of the Year

Stephenie Meyer, for "Breaking Dawn" (Little, Brown and Company)

Illustrator of the Year

Jon J Muth, for "Zen Ties" (Scholastic Press)

The Children’s Choice Book Awards program was launched last year with the announcement of 25 finalists in 5 categories. The Teen Choice Book Award was added this year. The Children’s Choice Book Awards program was created to provide young readers with an opportunity to voice their opinions about the books being written for them and to help develop a reading list that will motivate children to read more and cultivate a love of reading.

About the Children’s Book Council

The Children’s Book Council, established in 1945, is the nonprofit trade association of publishers of trade books for children and young adults in the United States. The CBC promotes the use and enjoyment of trade books for young people. For more information about the CBC, visit us at www.cbcbooks.org.

I have a new favorite author. Not because I've read her books...yet...but because she has spoken out on a topic that is currently my utmost favorite. Jennifer Weiner has voiced her concerns for better book coverage in newspapers. I absolutely LOVE her letter to CEO Brian Tierney, posted on her blog on Feb. 3., who, by the way, took a 38% increase in pay as The Philadelphia Inquirer headed toward bankruptcy.

Sadly, coverage of literary topics in newspapers has been declining of late (except here at The Roanoke Times, where we've expanded our Books coverage to include 1 1/2 pages every Sunday, and our Back Cover blog.). While giving readers book reviews and literary news may not have been the original goal of most newspapers, surely it is in their best interest to promote literacy. Anyone who stands up for that basic thing is a friend of mine. Coincidentally, Jennifer Weiner's would-be goal, if she were a newspaper books section editor, is the same as mine: "Bottom line: I'd try to turn the section into a vibrant, fast-moving, smart, engaging, vital, must-read that would bring readers back to the paper. It would be completely unconventional, but it could also be a lot of fun." Only the higher goal for me is to encourage reading in whomever picks up the paper and their friends and family too. I want to spread the literary news, from amazon.com to The Yankee Years by Joe Torre and everything in between. Why? Because I like to. It's my "beat." So, Go Jennifer! And thank you for being a friend.

The children have spoken! The finalists in this year's Children's Choice Book Awards have been announced and the voting will continue for a nail biting finish until May. Top favorites, no surprise here, are Stephenie Meyer and Christopher Paolini. Determined by close to 15, 000 teens and children The Children’s Book Council (CBC) in association with Every Child a Reader, Inc. (the CBC Foundation), announced the finalists:

Kindergarten to Second Grade Book of the Year:

The Donut Chef written and illustrated by Bob Staake (Golden Books/Random House Children’s Books)

Katie Loves the Kittens written and illustrated by John Himmelman (Henry Holt Books for Young Readers/Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group)

The Pigeon Wants a Puppy! written and illustrated by Mo Willems (Hyperion Books for Children/Disney Book Group)

Sort It Out! written by Barbara Mariconda, illustrated by Sherry Rogers (Sylvan Dell Publishing)

Those Darn Squirrels written by Adam Rubin, illustrated by Daniel Salmieri (Clarion)
Third Grade to Fourth Grade Book of the Year:

Babymouse: Puppy Love by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm (Random House Children’s Books)

One Million Things by Peter Chrisp (DK Publishing)

Spooky Cemeteries by Dinah Williams (Bearport Publishing)

Underwear: What We Wear Under There by Ruth Freeman Swain (Holiday House)

Willow written by Denise Brennan-Nelson and Rosemarie Brennan, illustrated by Cyd Moore (Sleeping Bear Press)

Fifth Grade to Sixth Grade Book of the Year

100 Most Dangerous Things On the Planet by Anna Claybourne (Scholastic Reference)

Amulet, Book One: The Stonekeeper by Kazu Kibuishi (Graphix/Scholastic)

The Big Field by Mike Lupica (Philomel/Penguin Young Readers Group)

Swords: An Artist's Devotion by Ben Boos (Candlewick Press)

Thirteen by Lauren Myracle (Dutton/Penguin Young Readers Group)

Teen Choice Book Award

Airhead by Meg Cabot (Point/Scholastic)

Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown and Company)

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (Scholastic Press)

Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen (Viking/Penguin Young Readers Group)

Paper Towns by John Green (Dutton/Penguin Young Readers Group)

Author of the Year

Jeff Kinney, Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules (Amulet Books/Abrams)

Stephenie Meyer, Breaking Dawn (Little, Brown and Company)

Christopher Paolini, Brisingr (Knopf Books for Young Readers/Random House Children’s Books)

James Patterson, Maximum Ride: The Final Warning (Little, Brown and Company)

Rick Riordan, Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Battle of the Labyrinth (Disney- Hyperion Books)

Illustrator of the Year

Laura Cornell, Big Words for Little People (Joanna Cotler Books/HarperCollins Children’s Books)

Robin Preiss Glasser, Fancy Nancy: Bonjour Butterfly! (HarperCollins Children’s Books)

Mo Willems, The Pigeon Wants a Puppy! (Hyperion Books for Children/Disney Book Group)

David Shannon, Loren Long and David Gordon, Smash! Crash! (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers/Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing)

John J Muth, Zen Ties (Scholastic Press)

The finalists for Book of the Year in the Kindergarten to Second Grade, Third Grade to Fourth Grade, and Fifth Grade to Sixth Grade categories were the books that received the highest number of votes in the IRA-CBC Children’s Choices program. This joint project of the International Reading Association (IRA) and the CBC began in 1975. Publishers submit hundreds of titles, all published in 2008, to be evaluated and voted on by 12,500 children.

For the Teen Choice Book Award, the CBC and the CBC Foundation enlisted the help of TeenReads.com to select the finalists. More than 2,200 teens voted for their favorite book of 2008 on the TeenReads website, part of the Book Reporter network. The five books that received the highest number of votes are finalists for the Teen Choice Book Award.

The Author and Illustrator of the Year finalists were selected by the CBC and CBC Foundation from a review of bestseller lists. Only authors and illustrators associated with books published in 2008 were considered.

The Children’s Choice Book Awards program was launched last year with the announcement of 25 finalists in five categories. The Teen Choice Book Award was added this year. The Children’s Choice Book Awards program was created to provide young readers with an opportunity to voice their opinions about the books being written for them and to help develop a reading list that will motivate children to read more and cultivate a love of reading.

Kids of all ages can cast their votes for their favorite books, author, and illustrator at bookstores, schools, libraries, and at www.BookWeekOnline.com from March 16 through May 3. The winners will be announced live at the Children’s Choice Book Awards gala on May 12 in New York City as part of Children’s Book Week (May 11-17, 2009), the oldest national literacy event in the United States. The awards ceremony, hosted by National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature Jon Scieszka, will include the presentation of an Impact Award to Whoopi Goldberg, in recognition of her vast contribution to the promotion of literacy and the love of reading among young people.  

The Children’s Book Council, established in 1945, is the nonprofit trade association of publishers of trade books for children and young adults in the United States.  Every Child a Reader, the CBC Foundation, is dedicated to supporting positive programs and opportunities that help promote the enjoyment and importance of reading among America's youth.

2.5 million for her memoirs? Jackpot! Condoleeza Rice, former Secretary of State, just signed a three book deal with Crown Publishers. A division of Random House Inc.,  Crown also published then-Sen. Barack Obama's "The Audacity of Hope."

What more can I say? I am just thankful we were able to recognize this author recently on our pages.

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/28877018?GT1=43001

There have been an assortment of movies based on books in theatres in the recent past, mostly geared at the older children’s book readers and YA audience. Twilight, A Series of Unfortunate Events, Harry Potter, The Golden Compass, The Chronicles of Narnia, The Spiderwick Chronicles and more. Some have been blockbusters, while others didn’t fare so well as expected. Some were very true to their literary roots while others were disappointing to viewers. 

Tomorrow, a new release is much anticipated on my part. Inkheart is a movie based upon Cornelia Funke’s best-selling book by the same name, in which a father and daughter have the gift to bring characters from books to life when they read aloud. It is a fantasy adventure like one I have dreamed of living. However, for every character they “read” to life, someone from the real world disappears into the pages of the book. My daughter read this book, and the entire series which culminated this fall with the publishing of Inkdeath. I didn’t read any of the series but was fascinated by my daughter’s descriptions and excitement over each title. Funnily enough, she isn’t so interested in the movie, but I am. She may be wary that it will not do justice to the book, as was her reaction to another recent film. I am anxious though to finally get a taste of the fantasy of physically diving into a book or chatting live with a character direct from its pages.

Of those recent films listed above, I feel the Harry Potter movies did the best job of staying true to the books, though The Spiderwick Chronicles was also very well done. Other movies from books are coming out this year, and of them Where the Wild Things Are looks promising as well as Coraline. I adore Neil Gaiman’s work and who doesn’t like Maurice Sendak? Here’s a nice preview of what to expect in 09: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/movies/2009/01/04/2009-01-04_kids_movies_have_appeal_for_all_ages_in_.html

What movies based on books have you seen lately? Did they satisfy or leave you dreaming of the written word?

I’m certainly not only all about new, hot off the press books. I adore old tomes and always scan yard sales for a book box stuffed with leather covers, yellowed pages, and antique fonts. I would spend days in used book stores if I had the time and honestly think that in another life I was a librarian or book shop owner who lovingly dusted the shelves just gazing at almost forgotten titles. I’m also a sucker for the lost and found miracle that happens on occasion, such as when a precious family heirloom is returned to a rightful owner, or when a masterpiece work of art is discovered in an attic. So when I came across this article http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090113/stage_nm/us_books_gotham;_ylt=Ar87qB_Nbi4JO_8nb0O1SzJREhkF I found myself full of envy yet thrilled at the fact that books have been “saved.”

Imagine eight tractor trailers filled with rare books, periodicals, posters and other literary treasures from the 18th and 19th centuries. The 220,000 item collection was warehoused after the closing of Gotham Book Mart,  an 87-year-old bookstore that I would have paid to sweep the floors of. One can almost breathe deeply of the paper, ink, and gently worn covers…my favorite scent.

The $4 million collection has been donated to The University of Pennsylvania's Rare Book and Manuscript Library. I feel a field trip coming on!