Friday, October 9: Bandersnatches
OCTOBER BITES
by Steve Steinbock
Two weeks ago I wrote to you about the dearth of good Juvenile and YA mysteries, and the utter glut of supernatural novels for kids. At the time I was irritated. I had a deadline to review new kids mysteries for a holiday publication, and I was having serious trouble finding any. I even went to my local middle-school library, and the librarian went to the shelves, scratched her head, and said, “You’re right. There’s nothing here.” She suggested Jennifer Allison’s “Gilda Joyce” series, but all copies were checked out.
Moving right along. . .
Last weekend I was in Baltimore, at the very site of last year’s Bouchercon, to attend NAIBA, the New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association annual meeting. I was there in my capacity as the new president of The International Association of Crime Writers (IACW) – North American Chapter, to be on hand for the announcement of the Dashiell Hammett Prize. (The Hammett was awarded this year to George Pelecanos for his novel, The Turnaround).
While there, I did a little detective work myself to seek out new and interesting mysteries for kids. There were about twenty-five publisher reps on hand with booths set up in the exhibit hall. I pulled out my magnifying glass and snooped around for clues.
At the Scholastic Books booth I asked Susan, the sales rep, why there weren’t more mysteries or kids. She guffawed at my audacity and said there they had tons of them. I said, “Show me one, published in the last year, that doesn’t have vampires, werewolves, or collectors cards.” Her response, after examining her tables, was the same as that of the middle school librarian. “You’re right.”
I come neither to bury Dracula nor to praise him. But just to point out a lack in current publishing. There are plenty of older mysteries for kids. Perhaps this is a time to hand them copies of Poe, Chesterton, Doyle, or Futrelle.
The other thing is that supernatural mysteries are not, in and of themselves, a bad thing. I know that there are a few out there. It’s just unfortunate that the success of the “Harry Potter” and “Twilight” series have caused publishers to load the market with similar products to the neglect of everything else.
There’s hope. Susan, the Scholastic rep, gave me a cute little self-help spoof book, The Vampire is Just Not That Into You by Vlad Mezrich. It is 176 pages of advice, dating-tips, charts, checklists, and anecdotes to help girls find the Vampire of their dreams. The book is published by Scholastic, and deserves to be in a lot of stockings this summer.
Although not a writer for kids or a writer of mysteries, Christopher Moore has busted my spleen numerous times with his incredibly funny novels about grim reapers, demons, apostles, angels and whales. He has a new book coming out in 2010, Bite Me, a follow-up to his popular vampire love stories Bloodsucking Fiends (1995 – TEN YEARS before Twilight!) and You Suck (2007). I eagerly await.
While doing some late night drinking at NAIBA, I met romance writer Kathy Love, who was beating Reed Farrel Coleman senseless in a game of Name-That-Tune with ’80s music on the bar’s sound-system. And trust me, Reed is no slouch when it comes to musical acumen. Although I’ve never read any of Kathy’s books, it turns out she writes a lot of supernatural romance. Based on the sense of humor I observed in Kathy and the titles of her books, I’m guessing they’re pretty entertaining.
And remember the author that the middle school librarian recommended? It turns out that at one of the sessions I attended, Jennifer Allison was sitting directly across from me. Her books feature a flamboyantly retro fourteen-year-old Michigander who idolizes Harriett the Spy and sees herself as a “psychic detective.” I’m fifty pages into the newest book, and so far nothing supernatural has occurred. But the lively style and unique voice of the author gives me some hope.
Happy Pumpkin-Picking and Leaf-Watching. Don’t let the vampires bite. And save some of the candy for the trick-or-treaters.
That’s it for this rant.
The supernatural trend in mysteries is also afflicting the adult market, though not quite as markedly, with all the psychic detectives, ghost detectives, and vampaires on the scene. I don’t review many juveniles, but two I thought were pretty good were Rachel Wright’s YOU’VE GOT BLACKMAIL (Putnam) and Brent Hartinger’s PROJECT SWEET LIFE (HarperTeen).
Thanks Jon. In addition, two weeks back, Bill Crider recommended Nancy Werlin, and Jeff Baker recommended John Feinstein.
Jon, you might like to know that Feinstein writes about baseball (a subject you know quite well). His YA series involves the Final Four. (My own knowledge of baseball doesn’t even go far enough to know what the “Final Four” are).
The Feinstein series moves from basketball through tennis and into football. There’s a fourth one out even as I speak. And Steve, I always wondered why they call it “the final four” when they do it again the next year!
And, Steve, while there are many sports which involve semifinals with four teams or individuals (baseball, football, tennis, pro basketball), the expression final four generally connotes college basketball. I haven’t seen any of Feinstein’s juveniles but suspect I would enjoy them. Thanks for the tip.
My own knowledge of baseball doesn’t even go far enough to know what the “Final Four” are …
Of course, I realize that it is possible to be an American without being a baseball fan, just as it is possible to be British and not understand cricket, or to be a Texan without spending your Friday nights at high school football games. It is nevertheless tragic.
But for your edification, as far as baseball is concerned (there being another annual sports team quartet referred to as the “Final Four” in March of every year, being of particular interest to alumni of the University of North Caroline and UCLA) —
There are two major leagues of professional baseball teams in North America, called the American League and the National League. The American League is evil and the National League is good. Every October, the best teams in the two leagues compete in a best-of-seven series inaccurately but inspirationally titled “the World Series”.
Prior to the World Series, however, the best two teams in each league compete to determine who will hold aloft the banner — which we baseball fans refer to as “the Pennant” — of their own league against the champion of the other league. Since there are two leagues, and each league comes down to a contest between its two best teams, there are four teams trying to make it into the World Series. These are the “Final Four”.
Crime fiction is concerned with morality and justice. Therefore, the only lesson you need to take from this is:
American League = Evil.
National League = Good.
This is because (1) the American League indulges in a pernicious practice known as the “designated hitter”, which is the baseball equivalent of putting horseshoes inside boxing gloves, and also because (2) the New York Yankees, otherwise known as the Spawn of Satan, are in the AL.
I think that covers it.
Amen, James!
No, the National League is good, and the American League is better.
Jon only says that because he lives in Orange County, home of the American League Los Angeles (?) Angels of Anaheim, who are also in a pennant race, right now against a team almost as evil as the Yankees, the Boston Red Sox.
I’ll take this opportunity to plug Jon’s excellent collection of baseball-related mysteries “Kill The Umpire” (Crippen & Landru, 2003).
Thanks for the plug, Jeff. As I write, the Angels have just completed a three-game sweep of the evil Red Sox and advanced closer to the freeway series JLW and I are looking forward to from different sides of the Orange Curtain.