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Arlene Sardine
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From: Ginny Moore Kruse <gmkruse>
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 1998 11:32:20 -0500
Let's think about Betsy Hearne's review of the book Arlene Sardine by Chris Raschka (Orchard, 1998), one of the truly discussible books of the year. I am extremely interested to see how Arlene Sardine is being reviewed in professional journals other than the Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (cited in an earlier message two days ago from Kathleen Horning).
Going beyond who will like this book and who will read this book, let's think about what people who have not seen Arlene Sardine will make of it, based only the reading reviews in jorunals such as Booklist, The Horn Book and School Library Journal. (Notice, I said "such as," not to imply "only" these journals.)
In my opinion, Hearne's review in the Sept. issue of The Bulletin
(http://edfu.lis.uiuc.edu/puboff/bccb/0998big.html) is a masterpiece. Among other attributes, it's an outstanding example of how a reviewer can expertly use context and comparison within her/his review. (Here I am - reviewing the review! So be it. This is worthy of our attention.)
Hearne makes the textual and visual elements of Arlene Sardine clear for anyone who has not seen the book. She reminds those who have seen it about the specifics of the book. (Remember, this review and others for this and other books will be read and used in many ways in the future, so this is not a one-type of audience for which reviewers are writing.) Hearne's references to Rashka's other works as well as to other well-known books for children provide a helpful context and useful comparisons for her evaluation of Arlene Sardine.
Yes, Hearne has the luxury of length in her favor. She was able to write somewhat extensively in ways seldom available to reviewers of new books
(or to almost anyone other than scholars who chew on books such as this years later in papers and even dissertations.)
However, regardless of the word limit for reviews in other journals and for most reviews in BCCB, I expect context and comparison in a short review of a book for children. It's possible. It's just that too many reviewers have sacrificed context and comparison for a recapping of plot and - sometimes - a regurgitation of flap and other advertising copy. The latter happens in film and theater reviews all the time, even in the New York Times and The New Yorker, for example; it isn't limited to the children's book community. That seems to suffice, somewhow. Well, not for me.
Off the soapbox. Onto the discussion: how are other reviewers handling Arlene Sardine? If you've seen this book, do you agree/disagree with Hearne or another review of Arlene Sardine?
Why? .... Ginny Ginny Moore Kruse, Director (gmkruse at ccbc.soemadison.wisc.edu) Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC) A Library of the School of Education (www.soemadison.wisc.edu/ccbc/) 4290 Helen C. White Hall _at_ corner of Observatory Dr. and N. Park St. University of Wisconsin - Madison Monday-Thursday 9-7; Friday-Saturday 9-4
Received on Fri 11 Sep 1998 11:32:20 AM CDT
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 1998 11:32:20 -0500
Let's think about Betsy Hearne's review of the book Arlene Sardine by Chris Raschka (Orchard, 1998), one of the truly discussible books of the year. I am extremely interested to see how Arlene Sardine is being reviewed in professional journals other than the Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (cited in an earlier message two days ago from Kathleen Horning).
Going beyond who will like this book and who will read this book, let's think about what people who have not seen Arlene Sardine will make of it, based only the reading reviews in jorunals such as Booklist, The Horn Book and School Library Journal. (Notice, I said "such as," not to imply "only" these journals.)
In my opinion, Hearne's review in the Sept. issue of The Bulletin
(http://edfu.lis.uiuc.edu/puboff/bccb/0998big.html) is a masterpiece. Among other attributes, it's an outstanding example of how a reviewer can expertly use context and comparison within her/his review. (Here I am - reviewing the review! So be it. This is worthy of our attention.)
Hearne makes the textual and visual elements of Arlene Sardine clear for anyone who has not seen the book. She reminds those who have seen it about the specifics of the book. (Remember, this review and others for this and other books will be read and used in many ways in the future, so this is not a one-type of audience for which reviewers are writing.) Hearne's references to Rashka's other works as well as to other well-known books for children provide a helpful context and useful comparisons for her evaluation of Arlene Sardine.
Yes, Hearne has the luxury of length in her favor. She was able to write somewhat extensively in ways seldom available to reviewers of new books
(or to almost anyone other than scholars who chew on books such as this years later in papers and even dissertations.)
However, regardless of the word limit for reviews in other journals and for most reviews in BCCB, I expect context and comparison in a short review of a book for children. It's possible. It's just that too many reviewers have sacrificed context and comparison for a recapping of plot and - sometimes - a regurgitation of flap and other advertising copy. The latter happens in film and theater reviews all the time, even in the New York Times and The New Yorker, for example; it isn't limited to the children's book community. That seems to suffice, somewhow. Well, not for me.
Off the soapbox. Onto the discussion: how are other reviewers handling Arlene Sardine? If you've seen this book, do you agree/disagree with Hearne or another review of Arlene Sardine?
Why? .... Ginny Ginny Moore Kruse, Director (gmkruse at ccbc.soemadison.wisc.edu) Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC) A Library of the School of Education (www.soemadison.wisc.edu/ccbc/) 4290 Helen C. White Hall _at_ corner of Observatory Dr. and N. Park St. University of Wisconsin - Madison Monday-Thursday 9-7; Friday-Saturday 9-4
Received on Fri 11 Sep 1998 11:32:20 AM CDT
