The Book Broads

Don’t panic! [Angela wrote in large, friendly letters.*]

The Book Broads’ are not suggesting that you READ thirty books in 30 days but I have proposed a task for the Broads and we invite you to play along at home. We’re each going to recommend 30 books based on a series of questions so by the end of the challenge, you’ll have 90 new Book Broads’ recommendations for your reading list.  We’re taking a break May 8  because we’re all Moms who will be pampered on Mother’s Day so the challenge will take place from May 1 to 31.

This plan was inspired by a couple of other women – Rebecca Coleman and Leslye Brown. Rebecca is a Marketing and Media Relations specialist in Vancouver. Her clients are often theatre companies and she teaches social media, just as I do. We cross paths a lot and always enjoy one another’s company. In May, Rebecca’s making 30 training videos in 30 days – an inspiring goal! For her part, Leslye is an avid reader and a friend of mine going back to university days. She recently started a 30 day music challenge on Facebook and asked “And for all you creative types, something like this for books & movies would be awesome!” Well, Leslye, get out your Kobo – this book challenge is for you.

So, as we share our picks, pans and pleasures we invite you to do the same in the comments on our blog or Facebook page or by reply on Twitter.  We’d also love to know if you’re inspired by this idea to do something similar on you own blog. After all, you can never have too many books on your “things to read” list. Look for the question list on Monday here!

 * That’s a reference to one of Angela’s favourite books – Douglas Adams’ The Complete Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.

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Here’s a fast podcast that captures a conversation we had this morning about literacy and kids, and the right and wrong way to encourage it.

 The Book Broads on Literacy for Kids: Download (125)

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 Youth Literacy: A Discussion with The Book Broads [28:18m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (370)

Kim and I sat down in Starbucks this afternoon to talk about youth literacy. As usual, we cover a variety of topics related to this huge issue.

Some books that we talk about in this recording are:

- Halo, by Alexadra Adornetto
-  The Guardian, by C.J. Gosling (to be released in 2011)

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Here The Book Broads weigh in on the use of self-publishing companies that we refer to as “puppy mills”, that is, self-publishing companies that really don’t care as much about your book as your wallet.
To hear the podcast, just click the arrow on the player below. The player will expand to play the entire podcast here in this window.

 

 Beware: Puppy Mill Publishers [10:46m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (182)

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The three Book Broads weigh in on a variety of mobile eBook reading devices, including criticisms, and some factors driving the market.
To hear the podcast, just click the arrow on the player below. The player will expand to play the entire podcast here in this window.

 

 The Book Broads on Mobile eBook Readers [11:39m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (144)

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Random House Canada sent The Book Broads an advance copy of Paris In The Spring With Picasso written by Joan Yolleck and illustrated by Marjorie Priceman. The Broads love children’s books… and so do our kids. My daughter, Ella Rose, aged 5, currently takes art classes, is learning to read and dreams of Paris (she is the Fancy Nancy of B.C.), so we thought she would be the perfect wee one to give us some thoughts on this new book.

Paris In The Spring With Picasso is based in Joan’s imagining of what Gertrude Stein’s friends did during the day, before they went to her house for a soiree. In this colourful book we get to meet some great characters from the beginning of the twentieth century – people like Guillaume Apollinaire, Marie Laurencin, Alice B. Toklas, Pablo Picasso and more. We learn about art, poems, some french and more about some interesting people from our past – the ones who certainly have influenced us today.

Here are some things Ella Rose says about the book – please note she goes to a fantastic art class and has learned a lot about artists, hence she has an art knowledge that astounds me:

“It looks like Jackson Pollock when I open the book”. (Indeed it does).

“The Eiffel Tower is the same as Mark Chagill’s” (She did a Mark Chagill painting  at her art class last month – I know I am her mom, but, holy doodle, she is good).

“Can we have a soiree like Gertrude Stein?” (I think we will, but an earlier one that is appropriate for her age group).

“Mommy what colour is Zinzolin?” (Max Jacobs favourite colour – and it is stunning and now we want dresses of that colour).

Paris In The Spring With Picasso is available now at your favourite bookstore. It is a juvenile fiction hardcover from Schwartz & Wade (Random House of Canada Ltd). 978-0-375-83756-2.

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Last weekend Peggy, Angela and moi, Kim, had a work retreat on Gabriola Island. We talked books, drank booze, ate great food and met with children’s book illustrator and author, Dianna Bonder. We had the great pleasure to hang out at her abode, peruse her studio and check out some of her new art work – we LOVED the pirate theme. Arrrrr!

Check out Dianna’s website at www.diannabonder.com. She does do some book store visits and she is a popular author for schools around Canada – she is heading to the Kelowna area soon… lucky kids who get to hear her talk about her work.  She is also a featured author/illustrator at Nanaimo’s Bookfest this Spring. More info to come on that.

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Alastair’s Sweeny’s book – Blackberry Planet - is the first corporate history of the smartphone giant as well as an exploration of the cultural phenomenon created by this PDA.  Angela Crocker talked with Alastair on October 14 in Vancouver BC, where they were joined by an unexpected guest!

You can read more about the book here and even contribute to the web page.

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After a full day of media appearances in Vancouver BC, Angela Crocker had a bit of time to chat with author Peter H. Thomas about his book Be Great.  Read more about Peter’s LifePilot programs for positive personal change.

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Angela and Kim got to hang out with Bob McKenzie, author of Hockey Dad and hockey dude from TSN. A delightful day touring in Vancouver, BC and here is an interview we were able to do at the very end of that day. Angela’s interviewing Bob.

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