Children's Author Dies

Author/Illustrator Bernard Waber, Lyle the Crocodile Creator, Dies at 91

Author/illustrator Bernard Waber, creator of the iconic character Lyle the crocodile and more than two dozen picture books for children, died on May 16 after a long illness. He was 91. Waber introduced the debonair Lyle in the classic The House on East 88th Street (1962), which marked its 50th anniversary last year. Lyle, Lyle Crocodile (1965) and several sequels followed, along with numerous other acclaimed titles, such as the well-reviewed Courage (2002), a touching celebration of acts of bravery large and small.

Waber was born in Philadelphia in 1921. He briefly studied finance at the University of Pennsylvania before leaving to serve in the Army during WWII. Later, he enrolled at the Philadelphia College of Art. “It was a decision I never regretted,” Waber once said in an autobiographical essay.

After graduation, he moved with his wife Ethel to New York City, where he landed a job in the promotion department of Condé Nast. On the suggestion of several art directors, he began to submit stories and ideas for children’s books to publishers, and landed a contract with the Houghton Mifflin for Lorenzo (1961), a picture book tale of a very curious fish. He continued in the magazine field for decades while pursuing his love for writing and illustrating children’s books.
Waber collaborated on his final book, Lyle Walks the Dog (2010), with his daughter Paulis.
“In one way or another, I seem to find myself thinking of children’s books most of the time,” Waber once said. “I even enjoy the period when I am between books, for it is then that I am (I hope) susceptible to all manner of adventurous thought….I seem to write best when in motion. Trains, subways, even elevators seem to shake ideas loose from my head. Although I write and illustrate, I believe if forced to choose between the two, I would choose writing. There is a freedom about writing that appeals to me. You can do it almost anywhere—and I have.”

Meet the Author: James Rollins

Try some of these books by James Rollins:

The Doomsday Key By Rollins, James 2009-07 - William Morrow & Company 9780061231407 CHECK CATALOG A New York Times,-bestselling author continues to dazzle as he sends Sigma Force to solve a centuries-old secret coded in prophecies of doom. Rollins combines real-world science with high-octane action.--Chicago Sun-Times. …More

The Last Oracle By Rollins, James 2009-06 - Harper 9780061230950 CHECK CATALOG New York Times-bestselling author Rollins brings back SIGMA Force to battle a group of rogue scientists who've unleashed a diabolical project that could mean the extinction of mankind. …More

Black Order By Rollins, James 2007-06 - HarperTorch 9780060765378 CHECK CATALOG From the frozen peaks of the Himalayas to the diamond fields of the Congo, the SIGMA Force races to unlock a riddle locked amid cryptic runes and expose a century-old plot that threatens to destroy the current world order and alter the destiny of humankind forever. Smart and wildly entertaining.--"Chicago Sun-Times." …More

The Judas Strain By Rollins, James 2007-07 - William Morrow & Company 9780060763893 CHECK CATALOG The crack, ultrasecret Sigma Force team, made up of former Special Forces officers, returns in another "New York Times" bestseller, which finds them scouring the world for technologies that could help or threaten the U.S. …More

Map of Bones By Rollins, James 2006-05 - Avon Books 9780060765248 CHECK CATALOG When parishioners are burned to death in a German cathedral, the U.S. sends in the SIGMA force. The team discovers someone has stolen the priceless treasure stored in the cathedral's golden reliquary: the bones of the biblical Magi. …More

Sandstorm By Rollins, James 2007-03 - Avon Books 9780060580674 CHECK CATALOG In this limited edition (featuring 3D cover art) of the latest blockbuster from the bestselling master of suspense, a deadly explosion in a London museum sparks a scientific exploration to an ancient lost city in the Arabian desert, where a terrifying secret threatens the world. …More

Ice Hunt By Rollins, James 2007-03 - Avon Books 9780060521608 CHECK CATALOG The "USA Today" bestselling author plunges readers into a frozen terror buried deep in the earth's frozen ice caps. "Some astonishing threat or daring feat explodes into print on nearly every page."--"Publishers Weekly." …More

Amazonia By Rollins, James 2007-03 - Harper 9780060002497 CHECK CATALOG Years after a scientific expedition to the Amazon vanished, one of its members, who went in with one arm missing comes out with both arms intact. The CIA sends in a team of scientists and U.S. Rangers, where they encounter a power beyond human imagination. …More

Excavation By Rollins, James 2007-03 - HarperTorch 9780380810932 CHECK CATALOG Following the success of his debut, "Subterranean", Rollins takes readers to an ancient hidden city of the dead in a South American jungle. A team of researchers discovers the remains of a 500-year-old Dominican monk with a cryptic message on his cross. They have stumbled across something wondrous--and terrifying. …More

Subterranean By Rollins, James 1999-06 - Avon Books 9780380792641 CHECK CATALOG Far beneath the Antarctic ice, a hand-picked team of specialists makes its way toward the center of the world. And they are not alone. Over the rocks, across yawning caverns and raging underground rivers, they venture further into the darkness--where breathtaking wonders await them, and terrors beyond imagining--as they draw ever nearer to a miracle that cannot be and a mystery older than time. …More

Notifying the Winners!

Have you ever wondered who those people are that get to choose what book wins which award? What a hard job. It would be fun, but so hard to choose.

We'll they've made a video so everyone could share in the moment when authors were notified about the committee's selection. I thought it was great to watch.

Elizabeth

Redroom.com

Do you like to keep up with your favorite authors? Are you an author? Do you like to keep up with the literary community? If you said yes, to any of these questions you should checkout Redroom. On their 'About Us' page they say:

"Red Room (redroom.com) is the online home of many of the world's greatest writers. Red Room provides authors and members with free, easy-to-use, elegant online homes. It's a place for the literary community to promote their work, express themselves, and connect with their favorite authors." (http://www.redroom.com/about-red-room)

Several author names that I recognize from our library are already registered with Redroom.com. Among them were names such as Khaled Hosseini, Amy Tan, Maya Angelou, Clive Barker, James Patterson, Katie MacAlister, Norman Mailer, Shirley Tallman, Gail Tsukiyama, Barack Obama, Louise Ure, and Christopher Moore.

Redroom is relatively new (still in beta) so as it takes off, more well-known authors are likely to join. Redroom provides space for authors and members to create a page where they can introduce themselves and talk about their work, even showcase some of their work.

There are videos, such as this one in which Amy Tan is talking about creativity:



In addition to videos, there are podcasts and event notifications. You can also browse authors, books, genres, and blogs. So take a look and see what you think.

Elizabeth

BOOK TV THIS WEEKEND

Book TV this Weekend
Book TV AlertC-SPAN2's Book TV: January 12, 2008 - January 14, 2008
Weekend Highlights
Saturday at 8:00 AM, Saturday at 7:00 PM, and Sunday at 3:30 PMIn Defense of Food: An Eater's ManifestoAuthor: Michael Pollan

Saturday at 1:15 PM, and Sunday at 4:45 AMVirtual Book Signing at the Abraham Lincoln Book Shop: "A Time to Lead"Author: Wesley Clark

Saturday at 4:15 PMJason Emerson, "The Madness of Mary Lincoln"Author: Jason Emerson

Saturday at 6:00 PMJefferson Davis, AmericanAuthor: William Cooper

Saturday at 8:00 PMAmerican Creation: Triumphs and Tragedies at the Founding of the RepublicAuthors: Richard Brookhiser; Joseph Ellis

Saturday at 10:00 PM, Sunday at 3:30 AM, Sunday at 10:00 AM, and Monday at 1:00 AMLiberal Fascism: The Secret History of the American Left from Mussolini to the Politics of MeaningAuthor: Jonah Goldberg

Saturday at 11:15 PMRetained By The People: The "Silent" Ninth Amendment And The Constitutional Rights Americans Don't Know They HaveAuthor: Daniel Farber

Sunday at 12:00 AM, and Sunday at 9:00 AMBreak Through: From the Death of Environmentalism to the Politics of PossibilityAuthors: Ted Nordhaus; Michael Shellenberger

Sunday at 6:00 AM, Sunday at 2:00 PM, and Sunday at 10:00 PMBeyond the Green Zone: Dispatches from an Unembedded Journalist in Occupied IraqAuthor: Dahr Jamail

Sunday at 11:15 AM2007 Miami Book Fair International- Calls with George SorosAuthor: Sunday at 11:15 AM

Sunday at 12:00 PM, and Sunday at 8:00 PMMemo to the President Elect: How to Restore America's Reputation and LeadershipAuthor: Madeleine Albright

Saturday at 9:00 PM, Sunday at 6:00 PM, Sunday at 9:00 PM, and Monday at 12:00 AMAfter Words: Cathy Wilkerson author of "Flying Close to the Sun" interviewed by Rep. Bobby Rush (D-IL)Author: Cathy Wilkerson

Sunday at 11:00 PM2007 Miami Book Fair International - Walter Isaacson, "Einstein: His Life and Universe"Author: Walter Isaacson
You too can find out about the Book TV schedule by signing up for this Bookletter by clicking on our link to Bookletters on our homepage. This and other great bookletters are sent to your email address. Check it out at http://www.bcpl.lib.ut.us

sue

What do you think about adults reading books written for children?

What do you think about adults reading books written for children?

It seems to be a common occurrence these days for authors to try to cross over from writing for one age group into either a more adult or a more juvenile market. Ann Brashares (author of the teen novel The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants) has made news recently by writing her first adult novel. Author and scientist Steven Hawking has announced that he will be writing a children's novel. James Patterson has written an excellent young adult series: Maximum Ride.Will adults who admire Hawking pick up his children's book just because he wrote it? Will teens who like Brashares happily read her book meant for an older audience. Should age matter? As an adult, do you happily read books targeted to teens or even to children, or would you be highly embarrassed to be seen carrying around a "juvenile" title? As a teen or younger reader, do you like to read "adult" books, or are you happy with the book marketed for your age group? Please share your thoughts below.
As for myself, I will happily read just about anything. I read teen or children's books often. I particularly have enjoyed some of the fantasy books marketed to the teen audience--like Patricia's Wrede's Dealing with Dragons and Garth Nix's Abhorsen series. A good book is a good book, no matter who it's written for.

sue