S.A.D. is a pain in the bum.

Apologies for the long unscheduled break, but Seasonal Affected Disorder (SAD: what a cutesy appropriate acronym) is a giant pain in the patootie, and it really beats me up every fall. For me, I always have a really nasty adjustment period in the early fall, but as of now, I'm fairly settled into my "new normal" for the winter.  Imagine if you took a hibernating bear and forced her to stay awake and go to work every day in the winter. Lots of grumping, lots of eating really unhealthy foods, and LOTS of sleep. That's me, just a lot less hairy.

I'm back up and running, and I want to stay caught up with the current crop of reviews and storytimes for y'all, but I also don't want to ignore all the work I did (by the skin of my teeth, some days, but I did it) over the fall while I wasn't able to blog about it.

So I'll be catching past reads up roughly chronologically.  Christmas break is coming up, but I'll set up a series of auto-posts and use that time away from work to help catch up.  If everything goes according to plan, I'll be caught back up by New Years!





 

The subtweet, and reviewing polarizing books

I'm on twitter (totally unrelated and unaffiliated to this site) and as I first settled in, I learned a new phrase: the "subtweet."  In general terms, it's related to "vaguebooking" and "angst-blogging" in that it's employed to keep specific details to a minimum.  I find that on twitter however, the subtweet doesn't get used as an attention-spammer as often as the other two iterations.  Vaguebooking particularly seems rife with "WOE IS ME!!  (psst, ask me about my woe already!)" sort of updates and posts and comments.  Even blogging is susceptible - something about the similarity to journaling makes people all too willing to spill copious amounts of generalized or carefully un-specified angst over their blog pages.

I really generally try not to do that.  First, because no one actually cares.  Second, because it's frankly a little childish; if you want attention, there are more mature (and more effective) methods of getting it.  Thirdly, if I can repeat myself, no one cares.

Subtweeting is different.  Unlike a blog, it isn't acres of text.  Unlike a comment or a status update, it isn't loaded with import - it's just a tweet, that happens to be about a redacted or unclear subject.  And thus, my point.  

I do sometimes find myself in the position of wanting to blather on this blog at length about a book that I have encountered, where I fear I will have an unpopularly critical opinion.  Now, I am often critical.  I have eviscerated books before for various reasons, and I'm not ashamed of that.  If a book is flawed in my opinion, then I'm prepared to defend my opinions.  I also know that other people may have other opinions, and I'm quite happy with that also.

In contrast, some books have become (or were created to be) rallying points for various audiences.  Critical opinions about these particular books is not seen as criticism of the book, but of the audience.  To be blunt, it gets personal.  I don't wish for my opinions on a book to be extrapolated out to the general audience.  I also do not wish for my opinions to be demonized and hunted down by certain zealous groups, because again, it gets personal.  To be quite clear: I do not wish to be hunted down, nor demonized, nor really paid much attention to (why am I blogging again?) but I do want to have the chance to set down (and therefore help organize) my thoughts and opinions.

I also am trying to create a record of what I read, and it's not honest to leave certain books unremarked because I am afraid of the attention they might garner.

So, all of this is to say, I think I'm going to co-opt the concept of the subtweet, and attempt to use this space to set down my thoughts about a book, mainly for my own interest, without setting out the names and associations of the book in question.  I can think of several things I have read that would be perfect for this approach, but honestly I don't have the time nor the necessary interest to re-visit them.  

Storytelling Development

Way back when, in the misty years of high school mumblty-peg years ago, I worked as a volunteer for a public library summer reading program, and as part of that program, the staff encouraged the young volunteers to become involved in community cultural activities.

During those summers working with the library in my teens, I was an artists' model (that was fun, and I got a few portraits out of the experience) developed my interest in backstage theatre through a variety of productions, got hands-on with puppetry, and participated in community storytelling events.

Well, now that library school is over and done with, and I'm finally settling into the routine of my new exalted position as a librarian (with all the various hats that accompany the title) I'm feeling an urge to get back into some of those interests.  

Theatre isn't on the table right now (but might be in the future) and puppetry is a little too involved for my available storage space at home and work.

Storytelling?  I remember that I enjoyed it more than acting, and that it was less involved than puppetry (at least, comparing the way I did puppetry and the way I did storytelling).  There is an active storytelling community meeting just a few miles away from my workplace.   At least one of my co-workers in the children's department is an active storyteller with that group.

So, with a trepidatious heart, I am thinking about getting back into performing for audiences who aren't toddlers (or are distracted by their toddlers).  As part of that, I'll be researching (naturally) and looking at picture books (also obvious) to find legends and fairy tales and myths and folk tales to develop into a repertoire.

The posts for these will be noted as "Storytelling."  We'll see how it goes!

Violet Mackerel, Anna Bradford & Elanna Allen

Violet Mackerel's Natural Habitat, Anna Branford (illus by Elanna Allen)
ISBN: 9781442435940.

Read Sept 20, 2013

This was a delightful book - I'll have to check out the others.  Violet is the youngest in her family, so she sympathizes with the little ladybug in the garden.  It probably suffers all sorts of hardships being the youngest, just like she does.  Her attempt to help backfires dramatically, and the rest of the book is a sweet (but not treacly) and deft handling of animal (ok, insect) death, mourning, intentions vs actions, and sibling interactions. 

I especially like how the B-plot dealt with her older sister's despair at the upcoming science fair - it's nice to see a girl character who doesn't immediately jump to crafts, and isn't shown as a font of endless spectacular ideas.

UPDATE: These books are so cute and amazing.  I just adore them.

First one is Violet Mackerel's Brilliant Plot.  ISBN: 9781442435858

Second is Violet Mackerel's Remarkable Recovery.  ISBN: 9781442435889

Third (the one I found first) is the ladybug one.

New (that I haven't read yet) is Violet Mackerel's Personal Space.  ISBN: 9781442435926

That one's plot summary has Mom and Vincent getting hitched and they all have to move to a new house.  This one has Dylan with the difficulties, instead of Nicola from the ladybug incident.  

I really like that not only does Violet have a difficulty herself in the A plot, but she is aware of and helps her siblings with their difficulties in the B plots of the various stories.  

Perfect for bedtime reading to a beginning reader (4-8ish) or for solo-reading for accomplished independent readers.  Violet herself is around 7 for this series.

Also, Brilliant Plot has poffertjes!  (Dutch dessert pancakes.)