Kidlit for Grown-Ups, Part 2

Men of Iron, Howard Pyle Historic Fantasy / Jr High & Highschool /Pub 1919 Recommended by Janice Linnea in Monet's Garden, Cristina Bjork & Lena Anderson (illus) Picture Book / Elementary / Pub 1987 Recommended by Janice A Ring of Endless Light, Madeleine L'Engle Realistic Fantasy / Jr High & Highschool / Pub 1980 Recommended by Leta When You Reach Me, Rebecca Stead Realistic SciFi / Jr High & Highschool / Pub 2009 Recommended by Lissy Emily of New Moon, L. M. Montgomery Historic Fiction / Jr High & Highschool / Pub 1923 Recommended by Liz Stories Jesus Told, Nick Butterworth and Mick Inkpen (illus) Picture Book / Preschool & Elementary / Pub 2005 Recommended by Sherry Max's New Suit, Rosemary Wells Picture Book / Preschool & Elementary / Pub 1979 Recommended by Sherry Waiting for Normal, Leslie Connor Realistic Fiction / Jr High & Highschool / Pub 2008 Recommended by Beth

Proof

Proving the existence of God is fairly easy. Any idiot can take a stab at that. As one might say in Chicagoese: What, you think all of this made itself up? Yeah. Sure.

-Carlos Eire, Learning to Die in Miami, 302.

Irenaeus, the World to Come, and Bowling

Irenaeus of Lyons, a second-century Christian bishop, once said that in the world to come, the fruits and vegetables will all beg to be picked and eaten, and actually try to outshout one another, all crying in unison, "Pick me, eat me, eat me." The first time I ever read that passage in Irenaeus, years later, I thought of the sound made by bowling pins when they're struck by a fast-rolling ball.

"Knock us down, hit us as hard as possible. Kill us, reduce us to splinters."

And could there be any sight sweeter than those pins scattering in all directions?

-Carlos Eire, Learning to Die in Miami, 86.

Fictional People

If you see someone unable to boil a kettle, open a sash window or understand he has an appalling haircut, it probably means he's fictional. -Jasper Fforde, One of Our Thursdays is Missing

Vocation

As an Odd-Fish, it is not my job to be right, said Sir Oort. "It is my job to be wrong in new and exciting ways."

-James Kennedy, The Order of Odd-Fish, 175.

Kidlit for Grown-Ups

This summer I'm hosting a children's lit club for grown-ups. Here's the list of book recommendations from our first meeting: My Father's Dragon, Ruth Stiles Gannett Elementary / Fantasy / Published 1948 Recommended by Emily Reckless, Cornelia Funke Jr High & Highschool / Fantasy / Published 2010 Recommended by Emily Pictures of Hollis Woods, Patricia Reilly Giff Late Elementary & Jr High / Realistic Fiction / Published 2003 Recommended by Elissa Tuck Everlasting, Natalie Babbitt Late Elementary & Jr High / Realistic Fantasy / Published 1975 Recommended by Leta Otto of the Silver Hand, Howard Pyle Jr High & Highschool / Historic Fantasy / Published 1888 Recommended by Kathryn Operation Bonnet, Kimberly Stuart Highschool & Young Adult / Comedy of Errors / Published 2011 Recommended by Kathryn The Jesus Storybook Bible, Sally Lloyd-Jones and Jago Preschool & Elementary / Picture Book / Published 2007 Recommended by Sherry Phoenix Rising, Karen Hesse Jr High & Highschool / Realistic Fiction / Published 1994 Recommended by Liz Ice, Arthur Geisert Preschool & Elementary / Picture Book (no text) / Published 2011 Recommended by Beth Cosmic, Frank Cottrell Boyce Jr High & Highschool / Realistic Fantasy / Published 2008 Recommended by Beth The Perilous Gard, Elizabeth Marie Pope Jr High & Highschool / Historic Fantasy / Published 1971 Recommended by Lydia (email entry!)