The Places You Will Go

Picture Book of the Month: Mung Mung

Nov 2010

Mung Mung

Author: Linda Sue Park

Illustrator: Diane Bigda

Publisher: Charlesbridge Publishing, 36 pages

Year: 2004

ISBN: 978-1570914867

IT'S fascinating how people from different parts of the world make different animal sounds. Koreans say a dog goes "Mung mung", while according to the Russians, it says "Gav gav". In Malaysia, we're influenced by the English and our dogs say "Woof woof". Pretty pastel pictures illustrate eight animals and the surprising sounds they make the world over!

Susan To the Rescue

I couldn't resist buying this book today: The Riddle of Raggedrock Ridge, #4 in the Susan Sand Mystery Stories series, by Marilyn Ezzell.

I found it at that grubby secondhand bookstore in Amcorp Mall -- the very one where I once found a first edition of Antonia Forest's The Player's Boy; and where, today, I found two old Kaye Webb-era Puffins: Catweazle by Richard Carpenter, and The Rifle House Friends by Lois Lamplugh.

But back to Susan Sand. O.M.G.

I've never seen or heard of this series before. It's a Nancy Drew wannabe of course, but I think it's also  a parody of sorts.

"Look, Susan Sand!"cried Marge Halloran. "Those jagged rocks must be Raggedrock Ridge! Does this riding trail lead all the way up there?"

"I think it goes very nearly to the top," replied Susan Sand.

Susan Sand, the renowned mystery story author, and her friend, plump, red-haired Marge Halloran, were on a brief vacation, staying in the town of Foxboro where Susan was engaged in research for her next book.

"I haven't ridden a horse since last summer," said Marge, shifting in the saddle and patting the chestnut mare affectionately. ''I feel like a cowgirl."

"It's fun, isn't it!" rejoined Susan Sand, brushing a strand of raven hair from her forehead.

Susan isn't always referred to by her full name, only every other time she's mentioned! Of course, her hair is not just black, it's raven; just as Nancy Drew has titian, not just red hair. And Marge is, obviously, the ''plump but attractive" Bess Marvin equivalent.  Just five pages into the book and Susan is already proving to be a young lady of limitless talent.

It seems there are eight Susan Sand books and, according to Jennifer who writes the Series Books for Girls blog, the first four were parodies. Read about the series here.

This webpage is a guide to all the different mystery series for girls -- I didn't know there were so many. I wonder if all these fictional young ladies (Betty Gordon, Melody Lane, Arden Blake, Mary Louise Gay etc) are bursting as full of talent and beauty as Nancy Drew. What would happen if they all met and had to work together? Would there be a power struggle, or would they compete to prove how humble and sporting they all really are?

Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters by Barack Obama – review | World news | The Observer

'Have I told you that you are a healer?': the Sitting Bull spread from Barack Obama's picture book, Of Thee I Sing, illustrated by Loren Long.

When I was asked to review this book, I must admit to a slight feeling of dread. I'm a great admirer of Barack Obama, both for what he has achieved and what he's trying to achieve. But part of me was thinking: Oh, no, not another "celebrity" children's book, another example of a famous person thinking it's easy to write a kid's book – and even easier to write the text of a picture book.I needn't have worried.

Although the poetic language is perhaps trying a little too hard and the text is sometimes too heavy with message, it's a worthwhile book that stands up in its own right.

Louise Rennison has last laugh by winning Roald Dahl funny prize | Books | guardian.co.uk

Luck of the Irishy ... Louise Rennison has won the Roald Dahl funny prize for children aged seven to 14 for her book Withering Tights. Photograph: Linda Nylind

Louise Rennison's tale of a gawky teenager called Tallulah has taken this year's Roald Dahl funny prize. The Queen of Teen author beat Mr Stink by TV star David Walliams and Quentin Blake, Roald Dahl's own celebrated illustrator, to the title.

The prize was set up two years ago by the author Michael Rosen as part of his children's laureateship, and seeks to celebrate the books that make children laugh. As well as the seven-to-14 prize, it also recognises books in a six-and-under category, this year won by Louise Yates with the picturebook Dog Loves Books, about a dog who loves books so much he opens a bookshop. Yates, who said that she was inspired to become an illustrator by Quentin Blake, also beat her hero, who was in the running in the younger category with Angelica Sprocket's Pockets.

Best Illustrated Children’s Books of 2010 - The New York Times

Annually since 1952, the Book Review has asked a panel of judges to select 10 winners from among the several thousand children’s books published during the year. The judges this time around were Robert Sabuda, a co-creator of the best-selling “Encyclopedia Prehistorica” series and twice the recipient of a Times Best Illustrated award; Elizabeth Bird, a children’s librarian with the New York Public Library, whose first picture book, “Giant Dance Party,” is due out next year; and David Barringer, a novelist and designer who is the author of “There’s Nothing Funny About Design.” —The Editors

Thumbnails here.

via events.nytimes.com

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