Tiny Treasury

It has been such a blast writing Tiny Treasury (the name notwithstanding) over these past months.

Books are such an important part of my life and the lives of those in my family - and I have really enjoyed sharing our favorites with you. I can’t think of any better gift that you can give your children than a love of reading.

I have the opportunity to be a Channel Editor for the Business Channel over at b5media and that necessarily means saying goodbye here. I am really excited about this new chapter in my life. I am also extremely grateful to the management here at 451 Press for having given me the chance to write for such a great community. I wish everyone at 451 Press the best - including Jackie, who will be taking over for me here at Tiny Treasury.

So, thanks so much for reading. And don’t forget to stop back by and say hello to Jackie!

I’ve been plowing through my books for review lately and I’ve noticed a trend: a number of them are place-specific, something that I got the feeling that the publishing companies generally avoided. But no, more and more, I’m noticing books about places - well, not necessarily “about” places but those that unabashedly reference a city, state or country by title or content. As a mom who travels, and who wants my children to understand more about the world around us, I love this idea.

So, this week, the focus is going to be on places. Stick around because I’ve got content on cities, countries - and oh yeah, stuff that’s out of this world!

And if you have a suggestion for a book that fits the bill, let me know in the comments below…

It’s Independence Day here in the USA. Enjoy the break if you have one!

This week, I’ve been exploring summer reading lists. My summer reading list (so far) can be found here.
You can bookmark this page to see what we’re reading at the house or what’s in the queue for review!

I have never intended for this site to be a “rah rah” site for all children’s books. I want to give honest, thoughtful reviews and advice about what I like and what my kids seem to enjoy. Sometimes, that means I’ll have great things to say about a book. And sometimes, it means that I won’t.

All of that said, I will mention that when I go through the books in my own house, it’s more likely than not that I’ll like the books because I’ve chosen a book based on a recommendation from another parent or because my child has expressed an interest in the book (in the case of the latter, sometimes that means that my child will like the book and I won’t). However, I’ve been getting more and more books to review as of late which I love because it has exposed me to a lot of different genres, age levels and authors that I might have otherwise passed by. That’s good for the site and it’s good for you, as my audience, because you’ll have the benefit of a broader range of books than I might otherwise review.

When it comes to reviews, I did want to point out that I don’t follow my mother’s ideology of “If you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say it.” Instead, paraphrasing a baseball phrase: I call ‘em the way that I see ‘em.

Books are subjective. I might love something that you hate and vice versa. If you don’t believe me, check out my review of The Rainbow Fish, possibly the most controversial picture book that I’ve ever read in terms of feedback and parent reviews. Likewise, many parents panned No, David as being too negative, while I really liked it.

And I don’t always enjoy the same genres as you might. I have confessed (over and over) to not reading Harry Potter (if you’re into all things Harry Potter, I would suggest you check out Hogwarts Herald). But I try to keep an open mind about new books and hope that you do the same.

Oh, and to keep things as balanced as possible, I have enlisted the help of some guest bloggers. My guest bloggers are, um, a little younger than me and will offer a unique perspective. Keep watching for the debut of my first guest blogger (other than my own kids, of course), coming soon!

reviews, children’s books

My youngest daughter had an appointment at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia on Tuesday. She was a trooper. It was followed up by an appointment at Chestnut Hill Hospital for X-rays. The verdict? Likely surgery (I am on hold with Children’s as I blog this). She is not yet 3 years old.

So what’s a mother to do? Go shopping, of course!

You have to understand that I am not a clothes horse. I love books. And my girls love books. So when I shop, I shop for, well, books. With that in mind, on Tuesday, the University of Pennsylvania bookstore and the Borders on Germantown Avenue were both glad, I’m sure, to have not only me but my husband exercise our respective book addictions.

I have a slew of new kids’ books - in addition to those forwarded to me for review - to get through. Expect a number of reviews over the next few days!

451 Press has a new Harry Potter blogger!

I know what you’re thinking, “Thank goodness!” It’s true. As a children’s book blogger, I really should be mentioning Harry Potter. And I will. Book launches and stuff? I got that covered. But really important Harry Potter details? I can’t be relied upon to do that. Remember, I’ve never read a Harry Potter book before and I still haven’t figured out the difference between fantasy and science fiction (though that may change since I just received two fantasy books to review).

The new blogger, Maddy, has read them. All of them. So she will have lots to say, I’m sure, about the upcoming final edition and what it all means. Don’t forget to check out Hogwarts Herald for all of the latest!

Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling, blog, 451 Press

Who knew that there would be such strong feelings about my post about “The Marvelous World” series? Ironically, while the dialogue about race that followed on such sites as digg was a bit dispiriting, it was more my classification of the book that set most people off. In fairness, I was warned by a fellow blogger shortly after posting. I had no idea that people felt that strongly about it.

You see, the author of the work has classified the book as science fiction (remember, it’s not out yet so I haven’t read it). The series has been compared to Harry Potter. So, thinking logically, I made the leap that Harry Potter was science fiction. And I’ve already admitted that I am probably the only person in the world who hasn’t ever read a Harry Potter book. So, I made the statement in my digg summary that books works were science fiction. Oh, the horror! Apparently, this is a terrible mistake to make. But an honest one. I can’t find two explanations of the differences between the two genres that are consistent.

So, I offer this for debate here: exactly what is the difference between science fiction and fantasy?

This is the first explanation that I received:

Let’s see, science fiction is based on something that *could* be real, like space travel. Fantasy is based on something that probably could never be real, like unicorns, or dragons, or magic wands….

Enlighten me. Please!

Harry Potter, Marvelous World, science fiction, fantasy, genre, digg

Yep, I’m getting the feel of the place here at 451 Press. And as I go, I’ll be making some more changes as we go along.

For those of you who are new, or who haven’t stopped by in awhile, here’s what you’re missing:

Every Wednesday, I want your opinions about two different books, characters or authors in our War of Words Wednesday feature.

To keep up with the hottest names - as well as those up and coming - in children’s book authors and illustrators, check out our Friday Fifteen.

The theme for March is gardening - I’m trying to incorporate garden and nature-themed books into my reviews. Send me your suggestions! I have the theme for April already in the works but you’ll have to check back in a few weeks to see what it is.

Through the end of March, you can also voice your opinion of the “Best Children’s Books Ever” and I’ll post how closely my readers agree with the NEA list - check back for the results! And definitely stay tuned for more polls and contests coming soon.

And here’s what’s new:

You can see what we’re reading at my house on any given day. Stop by - you might find an idea for a book or two.

I’ve also added a page about me, in case you want to know more about who exactly comes up with this stuff…

And if there’s a question about children’s books or authors and illustrators that you’ve always wanted to know, send it to me and I’ll do my darnedest to find out the answer… It’s my new feature, “Tell Me True!” Check for it soon.

And of course, I always love comments from my readers. Let me know what you think by posting below or sending me a note. If you have ideas for future themes, segments, contests or reviews - or if you just want to say hello, please contact me.

To keep up with the latest, you can always subscribe to my feed!

Oh yeah, I’ve got spring fever! This weekend, I attended the Philadelphia Flower Show with my children. The displays were absolutely beautiful. The colors were bright and cheery - the daylily above is just one example of the amazing pinks on display. The pinks, while normally not my favorites, were a big hit with the girls. So, of course, on Sunday, we made the trip to the garden center to buy potting soil and seeds to get some plants started inside while the temps edge up a little.

What does any of this have to do with books? Well, nothing yet.

But it absolutely reminded me that (1) spring is on the way and (2) children love dirt. So, my plan for the next few weeks is to try and feature some children’s books about the outdoors and gardening. If you have a favorite, you can comment below or send me an email. If you’re an author, illustrator or publisher and you have news about a release that you think is a good fit, please let me know.

Enjoy the weather, and a good book!

Each week, I’ve been asking my guest author or illustrator what their favorite books were growing up - the answers appear on the Friday Fifteen.

I’m also curious as to what you, my readers, think. What are your favorite books of all time? Post your favorites (then or now) in the comments below through the end of March. I’ll add up all of the responses and post the results in April. For kicks, I’ll compare our list to the NEA list for adults and kids. And best yet, I’ll review the top 20 books throughout the spring.

So, post away. This should be fun!

And to prevent “ballot stuffing” - Harry Potter fans, you know who you are! - please limit your favorites to ten.

top children’s books

While I certainly intend to review books which are out in the mainstream, I am also looking to post about books which are not promoted as heavily. If you author or illustrate a book that you would like to add to my queue, definitely contact me. Remember that this is a children’s book site so keep your suggestions age appropriate.

children’s books, illustrators, authors

There are some big changes happening here at Tiny Treasury.

For starters, I’m the new blogger in town. From here on out, I will be adding my two cents to the world of children’s books. And I know a little something about them… Not only was I a voracious reader as a child, but I am raising three enthusiastic little readers of my own. I am also a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI).

With that, you’ll notice that I’ll bring a new voice to the blog. There are already new categories (check ‘em out in the sidebar). I hope to introduce a host of exciting contests, offer a glimpse into the lives of children’s books authors and illustrators, and keep you informed with respect to the best in children’s publishing news.

I’m always interested in your comments and suggestions, so feel free to leave me a note below or send me an email. Glad to have you along!