November 2010: Buying

During November I didn't do much bookstore-hopping so I made up for it by ordering online. Most of these selections are for work. Since I'm going to teach Children's Literature next semester, I'm looking for a suitable text. Also slated is a children's camp at my university that will run for three weeks in January. I'll be teaching Newspaper. Upon hearing this news, I scrambled for some books about kid journalism. Here's the entire haul:

1. Harriet the Spy - Louise Fitzhugh. I needed this one for book group. It's really great that the movie tie-in cover has almost disappeared and the "classic" cover is back to stay. Also, I'm pleased to have Harriet M. Welsch on my shelves again. Makes me hungry for a tomato sandwich.

2. Anna LMNO - Sarah Glasscock. I have a copy of this novel about a small-town Texas hairdresser in my U.S. collection -- I bought it at Larry McMurtry's bookstore in Archer City -- but I feel rather sentimental about the book, so I bought a copy for my collection here. Back when this 1988 novel was brand-new, I read a library copy and liked it a lot. When the trade paperback appeared in stores, I wanted it really bad, but it was close to Christmas. I didn't have much money and had to buy presents, so I bought it for one of my friends who lived in another state. A couple of weeks later, she sent me a thank-you note that included her lengthy and scathing review. She tore Anna LMNO apart. I shredded her note but at the time, I believed that her opinion was infinitely more valuable than mine, so I felt uneasy about loving the book. Most of that uneasiness has worn off though, but there's still a residual feeling of defiance and protectiveness.

3. Kids in Print: Publishing a School Newspaper - Mark Levin. Some of the technological information is outdated, but I've got to be ready for anything, especially if the supplies committee tells me we won't have any computers at our disposal. Where's my chisel?

4. Children's Literature, Briefly - Michael O. Tunnell, James S. Jacobs. Upon hearing about getting the children's literature class, my first wild impulse was to totally steep the English majors in everything. Fortunately for them, I dialed it back a bit and decided on this 320 page text which promises to hit the high points. I can't wait to see it. If it's not enough, I'll supplement with some material that Faulkner Guy used last year and offered to share with me. I also had a brainwave about featuring Linda Sue Park's books in the class, but that's another shopping trip, isn't it?

5. Create Your Own Class Newspaper: A Complete Guide to Planning, Writing and Publishing a Newspaper - Diane Crosby. You can probably tell that I feel a little nervous about teaching newspaper to kids. Especially in an EFL situation. I want to have an abundance of materials in case something tanks. Two hours is a long time and if things aren't going well in the classroom, it can be an eternity.

6. School Newspaper Adviser's Survival Guide - Patricia Osborn. Yes, I'm over preparing for camp, but I can also use this book in the future. The English department is thinking about offering journalism classes and starting their own newspaper. Plus, there's something so cozy and comforting about building a resource library.

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7. Into the Woods - Tana French. BOOKLEAVES is reading this for the December 12 meeting. Ordinarily, I don't like mysteries, but I've been pleasantly surprised. I'm enjoying the suspense and the psychological aspects of this story.

I haven't yet counted up exactly how many books I've bought. I'm a little scared to look, but next month, I'll see the evidence of my book gluttony. It's been an interesting experiment.