What's for Dinner? by Katherine Hauth, illustrations by David Clark

Crossing borders between humor and fact, science and poetry, animal food and feeders and human contemplation of them, is Katherine B. Hauth's What's For Dinner? Quirky, Squirmy Poems From the Animal World, illustrated by David Clark and new from Charlesbridge.

This week, Writing With a Broken Tusk will link to multiple stops on a blog tour featuring this funny, surprising, nicely gross and hugely informative book. We'll start with a link to Jacket Knack, where Carol Brendler considers David Clark's inviting--yes, indeed. Step right in!--image on the book's jacket. A note from David adds perspective on style, the macabre, and the potential of text to invite illustration.

A Conversation, Mid-Residency, with Rita Williams-Garcia

Rita talks about the origins of One Crazy Summer. When you set out to write fiction drawing on memory, she says, it's crucial to do so intentionally, starting on page one.

Rita, Rita! Newbery Honor and CSK Author Award to Rita Williams-Garcia

Just this morning, from the ALA Youth Media Awards announcements, comes the news that Rita Williams-Garcia has won both a 2011 Newbery Honor and the 2011 Coretta Scott King author award for her middle grade novel, One Crazy Summer.

One Crazy Summer is one charming, compelling, beguiling, arresting book. It's a funny, touching, loving journey through a time of social turmoil, with a story that rides squarely on the sensibility of a marvelously crafted young protagonist. A gift indeed, from a gifted writer. We're celebrating today at VCFA!

Welcome 2011

An old dead tree behind my house keeled over last night under the weight of snow. Just leaned down into the slope behind it, a bit like the old year coming to an end. Now we no longer have to decide, should we cut it or not? "It's a fire hazard" vs. "the woodpeckers love it." The woodpeckers have won, and the beetles and all kinds of other small things that can use a downed tree.

I'm not very good with resolutions, but visualizations I can handle. Here are a few things I'd like to visualize for this year ahead.

1. a cleaned up, sorted out set of bookshelves
2. a balance between work I have to do and work I want to do
3. good books to read
4. perspectives on story, slanted ones welcome
5. the sense to let a tree deal with time in its own way and gratitude for being there when it does