Sunday, July 23, 2006

The Fifth Carnival of Children's Literature

Welcome to the Fifth Carnival of Children's Literature!

The witches are circling (apologies to William Shakespeare) and ready to begin their work.

"Three times the brinded cat has mewed," said the first witch.
"Thrice plus one the hedgehog whined," said the second.
"Harpier cries: it's time, it's time!" the third said.

The first witch moved closer to the boiling cauldron.


The witches prime their cauldrons with some fresh reviews:

Round about the cauldron go:
In the poisoned entrails throw.
Toad that under cold stone
Days and nights, thirty-one
Vicious venom its sleeping got,
Boil it first in this charmed pot!

Writers and Illustrators work a magic all their own:

Then in unison the witches chanted into the cauldron:

"Double, double, toil and trouble,
Fire burn and cauldron bubble."

Children's books cast their own spells, turning children into powerful beings--readers:

The second witch came to the cauldron for her contribution to the spell.

Fillet of a marsh snake,
In the cauldron boil and bake:
Eye of newt and toes of frog,
Wool of bat and tongue of dog,
Adder's fork and blindworm's sting,
Lizard's leg and owlet's wing,
For a charm of powerful trouble,
Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.

Kidlit bloggers are a vocal bunch. They chat frequently with other writers and bloggers. Great reports and interviews result:

The witches then chanted together.
"Double, double, toil and trouble,
fire burn and cauldron bubble!"

One of the most wonderful things about blogging (and reading blogs) about children's literature is the freedom to write about anything interesting or amusing that strikes your fancy. The result is, often, better "articles" than you'd find in the major media. These posts don't disappoint:

Witch's Choice: Liz B. (A Chair, a Fireplace, and a Teacozy) asks what children's/young adult book has the main character die? I don't know the answer, but will add the following:

Toes of frog and eye of newt,
J.K., this message you must heed,
If it's Harry, Ron, Hermione,
Beware, beware the blast-end skrewt.

Thank you for visiting the Fifth Carnival of Children's Literature. Witches 1 and 2 bid you farewell (the third was sent home long ago for discriminatory speech). Until we meet again:

Oh, well done!
I commend your pains
And everyone shall share in the gains.
And now about the cauldron sing,
Like elves and fairies in a ring,
Enchanting all that you put in.

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The Sixth Carnival of Children's Literature will be held at the Castle of the Immaculate. Check in with Melissa Wiley at Here in the Bonny Glen if you'd like to host a carnival in the future.

Previous carnivals held here: