From: caroll webster <carollwebster>
Date: Tue, 22 Mar 2005 12:05:38 -0800

In preparation for a presentation at the Reading the World VII Conference in San Francisco, I read many of the Batchelder award winners as well as the honor books including the current winners. The majority of the titles I would never have picked up if I hadn't been preparing for my talk. As I read, I was reminded time and time again of Mildred Batchelder's words.
    "Children who come to know the . . . stories of many countries have made a beginning toward national understanding." I am part-way between Kathy Isaacs and Ginny Kruse on Shadows of Ghadames. I was truly reading about a different world, a different culture - but the prose was so "spicy" and sensual (to use Shawn's words), the characters so well-drawn, I was completely drawn in. I was especially taken by the rich and complete society in which the women moved. In the discussion following my presentation, the participants questioned why the majority of translations were from Germany, so few from Asian countries and none from Spanish-speaking countries. I appreciate the discussion on this subject and look forward to more ideas.

Caroll Webster Children's Librarian Redwood City CA
Received on Tue 22 Mar 2005 02:05:38 PM CST