Tidbits: Feminists like nail polish, Legos, voting, art crime, AND sparkles

I've been hoarding these up for quite a while, team.  I feel pretty terrific about getting them out before the end of the year, so there's a strong chance someone will be treating herself to a cappuccino later today.  Happy 2012!

• Nominate your favorite YA book of 2011 on TeenReads! I'm more than a bit torn between Piper's Son and Scorpio Races.  Luckily, you get to nominate six titles.  PHEW. 

• Attention sparkleprincesses out there: the crack team behind the Hunger Games movie marketing has come out with a gimic you've probably seen on a thousand other blogs - Panem themed nail polish! As they note on this blog, the dozen colors seem to match up pretty well to each of the districts.  Except for 13, which is suspiciously missing from the map.  I smell a conspiracy!  Personally, I am hungry for foie gras.  Served in Peeta bread.

• This magazine cover made me groan when the mail came in at work a few weeks ago.  Boooooo.  I'm pretty sure little girls like Legos.  And they don't need them to be sparkly or pink for the fantasy dream houses and giant towers we build, only to be knocked down by our little siblings. You know, kind of the same way boys play.  How do I know this?  Because I am a girl.  And I loved Legos.  

• Let's keep going on this feminist bender! Here are thirteen fantastic female comic creators of 2011.  From this list, I've only read Anya's Ghost, but have been wanting to read Marzi for a while.  And now I want to read Ivy and Finder. 

• Ahem.  This lady totally has my dreamfantasy job (or rather, the positive version of my Thomas Crown/Uncommon Criminals fantasty).  Let's be best friends. 

Case of the terribles: A Titantic cover hack job

A Thursday twofer to make up for totally slacking since oh...early December.  Tidbits, a recipe, and a review coming soon! 

• I don't deny being a cover judger.  BUT.  Can someone please explain to me why Tim Burton may have been responsible for this whack gothic Nook Book Pride and Prejudice cover? Did they think it was Mansfield Park?

• Additionally, this Titantic 100th anniversary historic recreation cruise (for the low, low cost of $10,000) is ridiculous.  And yet...I did see Titanic three times in the movie theatre, so there is no denying that if I were a Russian oligarch, I'd totally go, wear fabulous Downton inspired dresses, and pretend like I was the unsinkable Molly Brown.  (via Jezebel)

Tidbits: A Tidbits turned 2011 pseudo-Holiday Gift Guide

•  YAMatters: This kind of cuts to the heart of the debate about the YA publishing boom (minus the whole e-Side of things).  He's right, what matters is not that it's here, it's that it's pervasive enough that we can't help but think and talk about it.  Keep being disruptive, YA! 
•  Map of the Jellicoe Road:  It's been a while since I fawned over Melina Marchetta.  It's like she missed me.  She missed me so much that she put this gorgeous map of the Jellicoe Road boundaries up on her website.  I missed you too!  Good thing Froi of the Exiles arrived today from the fantastic Candlewick Press!
• Library Bar, London:  AKA where I'm gettin' a gimlet and washing it down with a scone with Mrs. Gav's Book Reviews next time I'm in London. 

And then it turned into a mini-gift guide:

•  For Chimney Corners girls:  While she might put our morning activity efforts to shame (seriously, she's totally the cabin overachiever), someone should tell this lady that they are actually called Gnome Homes.  Get it right!  This is also a great Christmas gift for my mom, who I'm 99% certain does not read this blog; she'll act surprised and delighted even if I'm 1% wrong.
• For NZ Kids (real and at heart):  I crazy want Poo Bum.  Not actually, because gross.  But seriously, I dare you to whisper it three times quickly and not snicker.  Now you want it too!  American publishers, get on this already.  
• A holiday gift idea for your favorite crabby librarian:  Or me, on draggy Tuesday afternoons.  Seriously.   I want this so I don't even have to speak.  I can just POINT.  Go bother someone else, kids!
• Or for your other favorite crabby librarian:  Still me.  It is possible I need a snack.
• Or for your other, other favorite crabby librarian (or really cool small child):  Anything at Out of Print.  I'm still crossing my fingers that one magical day their kids book kids t-shirts come in adult sizes...DO IT.  
• Or for your other, other, other favorite crabby librarian:  It's a gift for the eyeballs!  You're welcome, library nerds who have been away from the internet for days and thusly missed this one!  There's a Ryan Gosling stocking stuffer joke in there, but I'm much of a lady to make it.  
• Tis the season to be giving! Literarily, of course.  If you want to donate to a charitable but literary cause here are two great charities that would love your support this season:
• San Juan del Sur Biblioteca: Awesome, amazing, wonderful grassroots library system in Nicaragua.  Te lo prometo.  Remember when I posted about it? Last week?
• More Than Words:  Donate!  Or shop!  This fantastic organization will not only take away your old books, but is staffed and run by at-risk youth.  They just opened a second location in South Boston! 

Case of the Terribles: On the 5th day before winter break my students gave to me...

One do it yourself defibrillator, instructions included!

The real question: how in the blazes am I going to get it off without following the questionable directions of my deviants?

The Wikkeling, by Steven Arntson: Things not to put on your coffee table

The Wikkeling
by Steven Arntson, illustrated by Daniela J. Terrazzini
Philadelphia: Running Press, 2011
ISBN 978-0-7624-3903-4

This…is not a normal book.  Which  means I feel okay about not doing a review of my normal format.  It also means I feel okay about admitting that I’m not sure how I feel about this book.  Honestly, I think it may be a book that tried to be too many things for too many audiences.   If you remember way back, I was lured in by the cover – it gives me the shivers yet is marketed to kids?  So I borrowed it from the library, where it is now heinously overdue, which has finally prompted me to write the following review.