Texas Pages

My copy-editing cohorts Tatia and Laura and I had a discussion tonight about whether Prince Caspian is, as Nancy Churnin writes in her review of the film adaptation, actually the second book in C.S. Lewis' The Chronicles of Narnia. Some research revealed the answer: It is and it isn't.

The Chronicles were first published in this order:
1) The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, 2) Prince Caspian, 3) The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, 4) The Silver Chair, 5) The Horse and His Boy, 6) The Magician's Nephew and 7) The Last Battle.

But if you go to the bookstore or Amazon and buy a boxed set, you'll find they've been rearranged, and are now published in chronological order according to the timeline set forth in the books. That order is:
1) The Magician's Nephew, 2) The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, 3) The Horse and His Boy, 4) Prince Caspian, 5) The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, 6) The Silver Chair and 7) The Last Battle.

So which is right? Purists insist on published order -- that if you read The Magician's Nephew first, you'll find out all sorts of things you're just not supposed to know yet. Others say that if you're looking for the biblical themes and allusions in the books, those become much clearer in a chronological reading. Lewis himself, in a letter published in 1957, said either one was fine with him, although he expresssed just a smidgen of a preference for published order.

What do you think? Discuss.

The Washington Post is reporting that the largest survey ever of youthful reading in the U.S. will reveal Monday that none of J.K. Rowling's popular Harry Potter books has been able to dislodge the works of longtime favorites Dr. Seuss, E.B. White, Judy Blume, S.E. Hinton and Harper Lee as the most read.

Books by the five well-known U.S. authors, plus lesser-known Laura Numeroff, Katherine Paterson and Gary Paulsen, drew the most readers at every grade level in a study of 78.5 million books read by more than 3 million children who logged on to the Renaissance Learning Web site to take quizzes on books they read last year. Many works from Rowling's Potter series turned up in the top 20, but other authors also ranked high and are likely to get more attention as a result.

I've always been a fan of young adult books and hope this study draws more attention to the genre.

How did your favorite books fare?

If there was any doubt that Texas author Rick Riordan was hitting it big with kids with his Percy Jackson series (which started with The Lightning Thief), the author has just signed a multi-book deal with Disney Publishing Worldwide which includes a new, original fantasy series. In the meantime, a 1 million copy first printing has been announced for the fourth in the projected five book series about a boy who discovers his father is Poseidon (yes, the Greek god of the sea). Percy Jackson & The Olympians, Book 4: The Battle of the Labyrinth comes out Tuesday, May 6. I've got an advance copy in hand and Greek god fan that I am, I'm thoroughly getting into it...And while Mr. Riordan won't be in town for the big release, his cousin Minette Riordan, will be at the Barnes & Noble at 7700 West Northwest Highway Tuesday, May 6 from 4 to 5 p.m. to read from the book and host lots of myth-themed activities. Call 214-739-1124 for information.

So, I was asked to be a Reading Ambassador for the fifth graders at Barksdale Elementary in Plano and I brought along my copy of Lois Lowry's latest, The Willoughbys. Now most of the kids were well aware of the two-time Newbery Medal winner through the books of hers that are most frequently assigned: Number the Stars, a story about a Danish family that helps Jews escape during the Holocaust, and The Giver, a futuristic look at a highly programmed society in which memories, music, colors and strong emotions are forbidden (the book is now getting a terrific stage production at the Dallas Children's Theater through Sunday). But with these two books being so serious, they were surprised to be laughing along with me at The Willoughbys, a parody of all those good little orphan kid stories. The bell rang with the kids clamoring for more after I got through the chapter where the not so nice Willoughby kids abandon a baby named Ruth (rendering them 'ruthless'). So what could I do but donate my copy to their school library? I'm always amazed by Lois Lowry's versatility. After three decades of writing for young adults, she still manages to surprise and delight.

Dallas Children's Theater is preparing a stage version of The Giver, Lois Lowry's Newberry-winning work.

Nancy Churnin, with some help from students in the DCT, spoke with the author.

OK, I know that most of you probably have not kept up with the Sweet Valley High series, very popular in the 1980s if you were a pre-high school girl. (I swear, I know that only because I was a clerk who sold them, not because I read them.)

But here's an observation from Entertainment Weekly that says something less-than-sweet about our culture:

"When the first Sweet Valley High book was published in 1983, Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield, identical twin heroines ... were described as blonde, beautiful, and a "perfect size 6." ... Random House is reissuing 12 books from the original series with a few small editorial tweaks, one of which involves the slightly awkward issue of the Wakefield waistline. The twins' 'perfect size 6' has been reduced to a 'perfect size 4.' "

EW points to a Gawker link where Random House actually boasts about this in a press release.

I'm thinking, maybe I should have my daughters look into Nancy Drew instead. Or turn on the Wii.

(Thanks, Holly Warren, for the spot.)

My friend Joyce loaned me The Tapestry Book 1 and I'm thoroughly enjoying it. It's a first book by Henry H. Neff and it tells the story of Max McDaniels who is still in the process of figuring out his special powers (on page 262). Like Harry, he's born with powers he doesn't understand, he's sent to a special school for kids with powers like him, he is starting to learn about an evil that he must help fight. Yes, I know we've been there and done that before, but I still enjoy the ride! And there are a few nice fresh bits such as the hungry hag in the kitchen who must sniff the new charges so she knows not to eat them...

"In deference to Children's Book Week, I present you with an amazingly long and diverse list of picture books about Texas. There used to not be many, but times have changed, and so has Texas."

Will Howard, compiler of the electronic journal Will's Texana Monthly, is not making an idle boast when he describes the scope of his list. It's a terrific resource, 150 titles, 19 pages, broken down into 18 categories, with links to authors and publishers.

And it's free.

Request a copy from Will at willstexana@yahoo.com.