The Horn Book » Texas

While Texas pageant queens weep (carefully)

Roger Sutton — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 14:55:54 +0000

I feel like we should send this guy a copy of this book.

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One of these things is not like the others

Roger Sutton — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 20:28:49 +0000

It was funny to see this bookshelf in a bookstore at the Houston airport, even funnier after our recent discussions here about the canon, and after my TLA panel circling around the same topic. On Wednesday afternoon, Betty Carter, Sally Miculek, Lauren Wohl, and I entertained all kinds of questions about The Classics: what are they, which are they, who reads them, and should kids have to care? Go Ask Alice provides an excellent example of one quandary: can a classic be crap? (In debating this question vis a vis Nancy Drew, Lauren Wohl said yes while I said no.) And Marc Aronson in the audience had a good one for all of us: what are the nonfiction classics of young people’s books? He said Freedman’s Lincoln, I said Not Yet. We all laughed at the buzzphrase “new classic,” but, really, just how old does a book need to be in order to join the immortals?

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>Back from TLA,

Roger Sutton — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 15:30:00 +0000

>and man, I do love those Texas librarians (notable exceptions aside). Forthright and friendly in nature, enthusiastic and smart about books. Although our booth was down by the clothing and jewelry department (which I’ll never understand: “What, this? Just a little thing I picked up at the librarians’ convention.”) I was kept plenty busy, but had nothing like the success of our sales rep Katrina Elmer, completely fabulous at getting people to stop at our booth and then roping them in for a subscription or two. We weren’t even giving away candy. Also had a lively dinner with Randy and Andrew (aka my bosses) from Media Source along with Viki Ash, Betty Carter, Katie Turner and Dick Abrahamson, great Texas book people all. Next week takes me to Ohio for a board meeting, soon followed by a trip to Chicago for the Sutherland Lecture, again there for ALA (thank goodness it remains my favorite city) and there’s a grandchild arriving in California soon, too. Phew.

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>Houston, you have a problem.

Roger Sutton — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 19:49:00 +0000

>I will be in Houston for the Texas Library Association meeting this week. Unless you are a demonic rabbit or a cranky illustrator, come find me at the Horn Book booth all day Wednesday and on Thursday morning.

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