Comments | sallytuppence: Norton Nods: Wabi and Flora Segunda

sallytuppence

Norton Nods: Wabi and Flora Segunda

Nov 24, 2006 18:32

This year, along with a bunch of other SFWA folks, I've been serving as a member of the Norton Award jury. ccfinlay, who is also on the jury, suggested that we post blog entries in order to raise awareness about the award and to urge SFWA members to recommend some good books ( Read more... )

Comments 21

ccfinlay November 25 2006, 03:42:08 UTC

Sarah, go ahead and rec the Wilce -- you can certainly do that! What we cannot do is add it to this year's ballot, as a jury, but as individuals, if you love it, rec it, and trust that it will get on the ballot in the traditional manner.

sallytuppence November 25 2006, 03:46:31 UTC

Will do, Charlie--thanks!

pnew8 November 25 2006, 10:54:12 UTC

How about Kate Dicamillo's The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. It is a Young Reader book, if that makes a difference, beautifully illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline. Quoting from my journal entry upon its reading: This is a story about a toy, a china rabbit, and its separation from its owner, from its owners. But it is more of a story about the emotional connections of an individual. It is about love, but also about new beginnings. It demonstrates individualistic distance and emotional loss. The pace is gentle, deliberate, simplistic without slacking upon vocabulary.

Also, there is the YA book Cathy's Book: If Found Call 650-266-8233 by Sean Stewart and Jordan Weisman. From my comments on the book: Written as a journal/diary/notebook of sorts, this is a story about a teenaged girl whose boyfriend has broken up with her. Actually, it's about the why of the breakup. It includes a packet of found clues with phone numbers that can be punched in and websites that can be accessed. Fun! It was worth reading to the end, where ( ... )

sallytuppence November 25 2006, 22:42:20 UTC

Thanks, Pam! Do you think the Decamillo book reads like fantasy? The china rabbit character makes me wonder if it's allegory? Also, I wonder if it might read a bit young? The Norton is for a YA book...

Even so, I have heard good things about this book.

I've loved Sean Stewart's work in the past. Is this co-written book a fantasy? (going to click on link now!)

pnew8 November 25 2006, 23:13:27 UTC

The Decamillo book would be too young. It is definitely a Young Reader book as opposed to a Young Adult book. Alas.

sallytuppence November 25 2006, 23:24:46 UTC

Ah, well. Thanks, though.

Thread 6

anonymous November 25 2006, 21:51:18 UTC

hi! came here via gwenda bond's blog. i'm sure you've heard of this since it was nominated for a national book award, but gene luen yang's "american born chinese" is a terrific ya fantasy graphic novel which weaves together three stories: a young chinese american boy in the suburbs, an over-the-top sitcom centering around a semi-popular blonde kid named danny and his horrifyingly embarrassing coolie cousin chin-kee, and a part of the myth of the monkey king.

also, nnedimma okorafo-mbachu's "zarah the windseeker", which may have come out last year, not sure. it's about a young girl in an alternate world who has to travel through the deep, dark jungle to save her best friend.

sallytuppence November 25 2006, 22:39:42 UTC

I have heard of Yang's book (via a National Book Award blog by one of the finalist authors), and it sounds very cool. I'll look for it.

Okorafo-Mbachu's book was on the list of nominated works last year, but its eligibility has expired, unfortunately.

Thanks for the tips!

cassiphone November 25 2006, 22:06:35 UTC

There's been some really great YA coming out of Australia this year, that I've come across while reading for the (adult) Fantasy panel of the Aurealis Awards.

Particularly, Blaze of Glory by Michael Pryor (an alternate history with more than a hint of Jonathan Strange and Temeraire, and a splendid Boy's Own type magic adventure) and Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier (her best book since Daughter of the Forest, a fascinating interpretation of two classic fairytales, the Frog Prince and the Dancing Princess, told through layers of Transylvanian myth and folklore.

Do Norton nominees have to be published in the US?

sallytuppence November 25 2006, 22:38:17 UTC

Thanks for the heads up about the Aussies! They're eligible--Norton rules require publication in English in 2006 (last year's rules stipulated publication in the U.S. in 2005, however).

YA SFF anonymous November 26 2006, 02:13:53 UTC

I came here also via Gwenda's blog and recently did a SFF theme a couple of times for my YA column at Bookslut. Here are some books in this genre I have loved (and Flora Segunda is on my list for a column next year ( ... )

Re: YA SFF sallytuppence November 26 2006, 03:27:29 UTC

Thanks so much, Colleen! Several of these haven't yet come across my radar--and I'm keen to look them up!

My daughter loved the Laura Ruby book, but somehow I didn't manage to have a look at it before she returned it to the library. And the first Amanda Hemingway book didn't do much for me, but I'll try revisiting the series (I didn't realize there was a second, eligible book).