Someone Believes That I Think!

Remember that whole Thinking Blogger meme that went ah-skittering about the Internet last week? I know. So totally last week ago, right? Well, no one ever nominated Fuse #8, which was fine n' dandy as I don't actually consider myself too hot on the whole "thinking" phenomenon. I think about my reviews, but haven't much brainpower to spare for my quick little daily tidbits. Example: See today's postings on The Giving Tree (me no like), on illustrated novels (me like), and on kidlit tattoos, (me like mucho).

But damned if the blog A Patchwork of Books didn't nominate me just last Friday. Awful sweet of them. As I understand it, I am to nominate five of my own favorite thinking blogs for the honor in turn. Problem is, everyone nominated everyone else last week. Almost everyone, that is. I think it's time to turn my attention to some blogs that make me think in unconventional ways. To the best of my knowledge, none of these have been properly celebrated thus far, so here it goes!

Five blogs that make me think
(occasionally against my will).

1. Children's Music That Rocks - Yep. Nepotism gets my top slot. Co-worker Warren runs a kidnote blog of magnificence that is constantly causing me to rethink my approach to that obscure little world. Only he could get away with a post that reads, "What do you get when you cross Bob Dylan's vocals from Nashville Skyline with Ballad of Easy Rider-era Byrds music, and illustrate the whole thing with funky fresh Doug Allen drawings?" Plus he did this recent post on an obscure 1954 Don Freeman illustrated picture book that rocked my world last week. Working with this guy ups my hipness quotient a good 20%.

2.Children's Picturebook Price Guide - Honestly, I think they need to work on their name. While an honest assessment of the info they carry, CPPG isn't just a rote recounting of what picture books are going for on the open market. No way, man. They research their puppies. Were you aware of the unresolved authorship controversy surrounding The Little Engine That Could? Howzabout the too little talked about worth of first-edition paperbacks? Think, hell. Linda and Stan are capable of making me learn.

3. Tiny Little Librarian - I'm not sure why TLL isn't better known. "Thinking" is such a loose term anyway. What TLL does for me is tell stories of horrid patrons. Stories that make me feel better about my own. From the adventures of Methadone Man, to the sly lady stuffing paperbacks in her socks, to the adorable kids showing up for storytimes, TLL has a million tales and they're all worth reading. A cathartic blog, if nothing else.

4. Bookninja - Not a kidlit blog. Not even an American blog, but my love for it is vast. It contains multitudes. Half of my best posts come from Bookninja some days. Despite its inexplicable contempt for Harry Potter (a contempt shared by Bookslut as well, I believe) my love for this blog is pure and true. Besides, how else am I gonna find out about Canterbury Tales, gangsta stylin'?

5. ShelfTalker - New. Attached to a large publisher. Smart as hell. 'Nuff said.