Tidbits

A few newsy items for your critical eyes, fair readers:

1. I dare you not to at least internally squeal at this heinously adorable video of a tiny penguin being tickled. I want one!
2. Curiouser and curiouser:  Neil Gaiman's American Gods adapted for an HBO series?  Not sure how I feel about this.  On the one hand, I loved how various world mythologies were the backbone of this book; it was truly a cool book.  On the other, I felt it kind of dragged a little and almost felt forced, perhaps because I didn't always like the protagonist.  On the other (yes, I have three hands), this is the exact kind of thing HBO would do a fantasticly magical job of adapting.  See why I am torn?
3. Remember the flash mob happening in support of National Library Week happening at the Holyoke, MA mall that I mentioned in my last Tidbits post?  It happened and it looked like fun in a sculpture garden o'booklovers!  Well done, Team Library.  I'm impressed by those that held their arms up to hold up books and banners for five minutes straight.   But then again, books weigh a lot.  No doubt, librarians have tickets to the gun show!
4. Are you in Boston or nearby?  Are you interested in YA lit?  Then save the date for this really cool event, punks:  (via the MASSYAC listserv)
   

   The Cambridge Public Library is proud to be Boston's only stop on the "Diversity in YA Fiction" national author tour!

   
   

   Don't miss this amazing opportunity to meet these best-selling, award-winning teen authors:

   
   

   Holly Black (Modern Faerie series; Good Neighbors series; White Cat; Red Glove)

   Sarah Rees Brennan (The Demon's Lexicon; The Demon's Covenant; The Demon's Surrender)

   Deva Fagan (Fortune's Folly; The Magical Misadventures of Prunella Bogthistle)

   Malinda Lo (Ash; Huntress),

   Cindy Pon (Silver Phoenix; Fury of the Phoenix)

   Francisco X. Stork (Marcelo in the Real World; The Last Summer of the Death Warriors).

   
   

   Come early to be sure to get a seat!  Porter Square Books will have books available for purchase and autographing.

   
   

   Thursday, May 12, 7:00 p.m.

   Cambridge Public Library

   Lecture Hall

   449 Broadway

   Cambridge, MA 02138

   For more information, call 617-349-4027.

   
   

   Created by Malinda Lo and Cindy Pon, Diversity in YA Fiction is a website (www.diversityinya.com) and book tour which celebrate diverse stories in YA.  DIYA is a positive, friendly gathering of readers and writers who want to see diversity in their fiction, encourage an attitude of openness and curiosity, and welcome questions and discussion.

Election day in Egypt

It was election day in Egypt the last time I posted.  It was also my "I probably shouldn't have eaten that" date with destiny, we took it pretty easy and basically spent the day strolling through the fruit market and stalking the polling stations in Dokki, near Becky's apartment.  It was really very exciting!  Although the results (now published) don't seem like what the more liberal and/or educated Egyptians were hoping would happen, I still found it heartening to see so many people out and about, waving their fuscia dyed fingers in our general direction. 

This picture totally warmed the cockles of my heart.  Is that girl not the cutest thing ever, waving her little Egyptian flag, clutching her father and her pink stuffed bunny?  I love the expression on the soldiers face.  He's all, "Oh snap, what do I do with this cuteness? It is overwhelming me, play it cool.  Don't smile.  Seriously.  Stop it lips."  It was so much more adorable in person. 

Finally, you food porn enthusiasts, this one is for you:  Enjoy my bounty from the fruit market (ie. fruit stalls and the bakery I obviously visited.  I got some pretzel wheel thing with dates inside, a honey croissant, and some Fig Newton-esque other snacks.  Yum!

A Classic Case of the Terribles: Tiny Redcoats

It is rare that things are both unbearably cute and totally messed up.  I like to call this mishappenstance (it's a word now, punks) a case of the terribles.  

I think the following qualifies:  Boston tots are reinacting the Boston Massacre, complete with fake foam snowballs, pistol-whippings via musket, and you know, the inevitable massacre from whence the name came. Nothing says field trip like a good massacre reinactment!

 

How can you resist tiniest little redcoat drummer ever?  I bet if our colonial masters had looked like this, we would not have thrown our tea party in the nursery, not the harbor. 

Tsk, tsk, England.  Classic rookie miscalculation while you were powdering your wigs and marmalading your toast.  Next time, colonize with kindergarteners.