Saturday Book News Review

I have set up a bunch of Google alerts to help give me blog post ideas for my work on the Cheshire Library blog. But, since I only need to post there once or twice a week, I have much more interesting fodder for writing than I need. So begins my weekly post of new bits and like around the web that relate to book news.

For instance, The Guardian reports that Jim Carrey is self-publishing a children's book. Not just any children's book, but one about a wave's metaphysical understanding of his existence and his part of the world at large. My biggest question on this article was not about the book, by why they ran a goofy picture of Carrey rather than a normal one.

The New York Times ran an article about how authors are starting to tackle bullying in a more determined manner. While bullying and the struggle to fit in has always been a part of literature of all genres, it has gotten much more attention and become the focus of many more titles lately. One I am eager to get my hands on is an collection of essays “Dear Bully: 70 Authors Tell Their Stories,” (HarperTeen 2011). It includes true stories from writers such as R. L. Stine, about how they faced bullying and how it honestly does get better. The best part is that a portion of the proceeds go to charity.

On a similar note, the Mercury News published an article about how books are tackling a variety of very tough ideas. Crisis and struggles such as school shootings, rape, sex, war, terrorism, post-traumatic stress disorder, homelessness, discrimination, substance abuse, death, and grieving might have always been found in books, but they are becoming easier to find and can hopefully help young readers (and their support systems) deal with how this things affect them both directly and indirectly.

BuzzSugar published an article about popular young adult books that you should read now, before they hit the big screen. The picks run a wide gamut of styles, from John Green's The Fault in our Stars to The Spook's Apprentice by Joseph Delaney and the eagerly awaited The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare.

And then there is Amazon buying Goodreads, which could change a great many things, but we wont see the fall out of this decision for a while.

Have you read any interesting book news you want to share?