Mixed Emotions
*ahem*
HEY, YOU GUYS! Name that quote.
You may already know about this, but it kinda struck me as interesting and out of the blue. In New York City I only know of two bookstores that cater solely to kidlit: Bank Street Bookstore (motto: "New York's best bookstore for and about children") and Books of Wonder (humbler motto: "We know just what your kids will love"). If anyone knows of a third I'd be happy to hear it.
In any case, Bank Street Bookstore may have less floor space but what they lack in square footage they make up for in sheer exuberance. Case in point, their recent pairing with Symphony Space entitled Girls Read! and Guys Read! It's a book club series in theory, but a star studded walk of kidlit celeb after kidlit celeb in practice. Check out the line up:
Girls Read:
January 21 - Gail Carson Levine discusses Fairest and Writing Magic: Creating Stories that Fly
February 11 - Linda Sue Park talks about Project Mulberry
March 11 - Blue Balliett discusses The Wright 3
Guys Read:
February 4 - A Conversation with illustrator Brett Helquist
March 4 - Rick Riordan discusses Percy Jackson the Olympians
April 1 - Dan Gutman talks about Honus and Me: A Baseball Card Adventure
Cool, right? I'm just hoping that they don't segregate the discussions by gender. I know plenty of boys who enjoyed The Wright 3 and would like to hear Blue Balliett speak. Likewise I just spoke to a young lady the other day for whom nothing but Percy Jackson #3 would do. I watch this all with guarded interest.
Psst! Linda! If you're in town the day before, stop by my library. I might be working.
Labels: Bank Street Bookstore, Books of Wonder, Genderificness
posted by fusenumber8 @ 10:21 AM
10 Comments
10 Comments:
To name your quote:
Sloth from Goonies...only one of the best movies ever!
- Jay
What a lineup! Wish I lived in NYC:-)
I can see why you have mixed emotions. What an amazing line up! The gender thing is interesting right now. Boys and reading/writing are getting lots of press in the teacher world. I think we do need to pay attention to it but like you do, I worry about the messages we give kids. Have you read Boy Writers by Ralph Fletcher? It is a pretty interesting look at some of this.
Franki
www.readingyear.blogspot.com
Actually, Jay, I think yours counts as well. Can you believe that I never saw "Goonies"? Not once? And now it's far far too late. Try reading the line as you draw out each word at the top of your lungs. That'll give a hint.
I haven't read Fletcher's book myself but it's an issue. Obviously this whole "Guys Read" thing is essential. Boys need as much help as they can get in terms of discovering great literature. On the other hand, the book club looks like they're drawing a very distinct line between what boys read and what girls read. And we know this is not the case.
Thanks for bringing this up. As a writer and a NYC parent, I was immediately bummed by the gender distinction. My son loved the Wright 3, but he will not willingly show up at any event called "Girls Read." Luckily, he also loved the Riordan books -- but am I a hypocrite if I bring him?
Of course, on another level, I'm thrilled to see so many book events happening in my neighborhood.
Rebecca Stead
Well, exactly. I wish I could convince the people at Bank Street Bookstore to converse about this. The website is insufficiently useful. Who came up with this idea? It's so big with such great names that I wonder if it took a lot of effort and, if so, why they chose to go in this direction.
"Electric Company," of course!
"We're gonna turn it on!
We're gonna bring you the POW-ER...!"
You win! Well done. Well done indeed.
Funny, I thought it was Goonies, too, and it made me want to watch it again. One of the best movies ever. I don't know why it would be too late for you to watch it, Betsy. I think it holds up quite well.
Jinkies! I would so be there if I still was in NYC. sigh. Most days I like it this way, but every once in a while something like this comes along!
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