theme day - toys

have you noticed how many books these days have toy tie-ins? I confess I have fallen victim to purchasing more than a few stuffed toys over the years that represent a character from a favorite children's book. all of the time these toys are purchased to give to kids as gifts. however, at least once, one of these stuffed characters has decided to remain living amongst the books and toys at my house.

I refer to the stuffed wild thing puppet from sendak's where the wild things are. once he came into my home, he didn't want to leave! I'm sure it's because he likes hanging out discussing the state of the world and books with kermit.

I love the mouse guard books and I'm quite proud of my self-restraint in terms of purchasing the adorable action figures which accompany the series. I know myself all too well and Iknow if I did buy them to give as gifts, they probably may never make it out of the house.

I do have a weakness for brave mice.

if you aren't familiar with david petersen's mouse guard books, do yourself a favor and check out his website.

the mouse guard books join a rich literary tradition of brave, interesting mice. of course everyone knows of e.b. white's 1945 classic stuart little. the love of stuart little has triggered all sorts of cultural phenomena - including a hit movie, with michael j. fox as the voice of stuart. I'm sure some of you are familiar with brian jacques wonderful redwall series. I don't know if there are any toy tie-in's to the redwall books, but given the fact that there is an animated canadian television series based on the books I expect there must be action figures or stuffed characters from the books.

perhaps my favorite group mice from children's literature are graham oakley's church mice. I wrote about my love of these books here. by the way, I'm still looking for the last book in the series, the church mice take a break. if any one knows how I can get a copy, please contact me! I would expect there might be a reward! I have never heard of any church mice toy tie-ins, and if anyone would know, I expect I would.

theme day: library

The other day I started thinking what books have I read that feature libraries or libraries. I'm sure there have been a good deal but I could only remember adult reads where the centrality of the library has stuck with me over the years. One is Umberto Eco's fantastic historical mystery The Name of the Rose, it's been a really long time since I read this book, but I remember being swept away by it's labyrinthine plot which centers primarily on events in a labyrinthine medieval library. The book was later adapted to film - I recall liking the film but like most adaptions of books to film it was not nearly as compelling as the book. The film could have actually sucked, but I would have liked it anyway as it starred Sean Connery, and I've always had a soft spot for Sir Sean. I'm sure this has to do with having watched this as a wee lass.

Another adult book that has stuck with me over the course of many, many years is Gillian Bradshaw's The Beacon of Alexandria. Ironically (or coincidentally) I read this book around the same time I read The Name of the Rose - obviously in the mid to late 1980s I was into historical fiction concerning libraries. I'm sure I've read other (adult) books that have highlighted libraries and librarians, but at the moment only these two come to mind.

There is a relatively new book that is out about a cat that lived in an Iowa library for many years. Apparently the cat transforms and saves the town and the library. The book is Dewey: The Small Town Library Cat it was written by Vicky Myron. I remember hearing an interview on NPR with Myron, who is the librarian who discovered Dewey in the book drop one cold winter day. The story is fascinating and sounds really heart-warming, one of these days I will have to see if there's a copy at the library available.

Does anyone know other (adult) books set in libraries or that feature librarians?

There are quite a few books for children that feature libraries and librarians. On Tuesday I ran across The Boy Who Was Raised by Librarians written by Carla Morris and illustrated by Brad Sneed (is Brad any relation to Merle??).

This book is a charming story about a curious boy named Melvin who spends a great deal of time at his public library and Melvin's relationship with Marge, Betty, and Leeola, who are three of the coolest, most helpful librarians one would ever hope to run across. The book is a beautiful tribute to librarians.



Another delightful children's book which takes place in a library is Library Mouse by Daniel Kirk. The hero of this book is Sam, very intelligent and gifted mouse who happens to live in hole behind a wall in the children's department of a public library. Sam is the epitome of a bookmouse and spends all his waking hours reading the books in the library. One day Sam gets the idea that perhaps along with reading books he should try and write and illustrate a book about about his life. And one night does just that and writes his memoir Squeak! Although Sam doesn't intend to write for anyone but himself, one day a child discovers Sam's book - and after this happens.... well, you'll have to find a copy of the Library Mouse yourself and see how it ends.

theme thursday: statue

today the blogosphere is celebrating statues on theme thursday. unfortunately, I've been neglecting the cleveland bookmouse and perhaps I should try and remedy that.

I have a few photos of statues of famous authors in my photo archive, unfortunately I didn't think of this until late this afternoon. this is the only one I could quickly find!

this statue of oscar wilde was snapped in a park in dublin. I few years ago I read a very entertaining mystery by walter satterthwait called wilde west. here's a blurb from publishers weekly:

In this perfect blend of mystery, satire and travelogue, Satterthwait ( At Ease with the Dead ) follows Oscar Wilde in his 1882 lecture tour through the American West. Wilde greatly amuses his audiences and Elizabeth McCourt Doe in particular, initiating a torrid (and to the reader, surprising) affair with her. Meanwhile U.S. marshal Bob Grigsby connects a series of murders and eviscerations of prostitutes to the cities where Wilde has delivered his disquisitions and accuses the writer of the crimes. Wilde steers the hard-drinking marshal to the other members of his tour, including an alcoholic reporter, a slick-talking business manager, a sophisticated countess, a frail valet, a retired Prussian officer and even gunslinger John "Doc" Holliday, who has been following the tour. Wilde and Elizabeth narowly escape being killed by cowboys to whom Wilde's wit is no laughing matter, but the identity of the serial killer is not revealed until the harrowing resolution. One more surprise waits in the wings, and its delivery is just as smooth as those that the playwright himself once put to paper.

after I read this book I checked out of the library another book by satterthwait and read it - that book was called escapade - the book was another historical mystery, this time featuring harry houdini and sir arthur conan doyle. it was a stitch. I don't know if satterthwait has written anything else - well I guess he has since the blurb above mentions a book I'm unfamiliar with...I'll have to do a search, I hadn't thought of him in a while - my memory was jogged by thinking of oscar. speaking of oscar wilde, if you are ever in paris, make sure you check out his grave.....like wilde, it is a wild experience - I written about it a couple times on the mouse - you can go here and here.