Smart lights and my soapbox for short teen books

Garden Eels and what exactly is North?

I watched Jeopardy, the trivia tv show, only once during April. During that one episode there was a clue about eels and I was so excited, but dear reader, I did not solve the clue. The question was like, “Blah blah blah, eels swim to this North Sea…” and I was like North Sea… the North Sea? The North Sea is a sea in the North.

But here’s the deal with me and trivia clues in general, if there’s a first answer that feels like a true possibility, I will not come up with the correct answer because my mind will be laser-focused on the first word association answer that sounds sort-of right. The North Sea is a sea, and it is in the North. Boom. Wrong according to Jeopardy.

The correct answer was the Sargasso Sea, and I was like duh, of course. This is like the mysterious oceanic home base for so many eels. It’s like that moment in How to Train Your Dragon where all the dragons are bewitched and return to dragon island with their fish tributes. That is what I imagine eels are like when they swim to the Sargasso Sea. It’s very unscientific. This is your periodic reminder that I am just a lady with an internet connection and not an eel expert— can’t even answer Jeopardy clues on eels correctly.

Anyway, back to Jeopardy and eel clues. I was like, wait a minute, the Sargasso Sea is considered North??

Like what would you consider a North sea? Like what seas would make you think, ah yes, this is a northern sea? Because I was thinking a northern sea would be sharing water with the Arctic Circle… like the Baltic Sea and North Sea type of North, and the Sargasso Sea is definitely sharing water with the Bahamas. 

But this feels like we all could use a geography or oceanography refresher since I apparently need one: 

The Atlantic Ocean is split into the North Atlantic Ocean and the South Atlantic Ocean. The Sargasso Sea is in the North Atlantic Ocean (But ahem, not what I would consider North). But maybe because I live in a more northern state? (Is this a very self-centered way to think about directions?) Or is it because the Sargasso Sea is also near a lot of southern states? (Is this a very US-centric way to think about directions?) Is the equator all that matters here, or is there a moment when something is generally considered North? Or is this all relative? 

I feel like this is close to spiraling into a SHE WORE A CROWN AND CAME DOWN IN A BUBBLE, DOUG. Like, THE SARGASSO SEA IS NORTH OF THE EQUATOR. IT’S A NORTHERN SEA, EIJA.

Forget directional rules and the ocean and please enjoy this photo of a garden eel. I love him. My daughter sent it to me. Isn’t he cute?

Real Mermaids and Smart Lights

I had a very mermaid storytime at Auntie’s Bookstore in Spokane, Washington with a couple of amazing mermaids. Auntie’s is a downtown Spokane staple, and one of my favorite book stops in the Lilac City! It was so fun to watch the kids listen to the mermaids and talk with them after the show— a once in a lifetime moment to share a reading with mermaids.

The Good Little Mermaid’s Guide to Bedtime is one of five books included in Penguin Random House Canada’s new interactive Living Stories program. Basically, it’s a newly developed app that connects the physical reading experience to your smart light and smart speakers. Watch Rethink’s advertisement for Living Stories on YouTube.

When I first found out about my book being included in this interactive initiative, I was really excited but I didn’t really know that smart lights existed. Did you know about smart light bulbs? Or smart color changing light bulbs? Penguin Living Stories works with Philips Hue Bridge smart lighting thingamabob system, and then you’d need a color changing light bulb that works with the Hue Bridge.

I do not have any of these things, but I’m so curious what sounds and lighting effects happen with The Good Little Mermaid’s Guide to Bedtime when you read it aloud with these devices. I really want to know what happens when you read, I AM A PREDATOR!

I’ll be joining my friend, Tara Karr Roberts and new writer pal, Christian Perry, and many more at Pop-Up Prose in Moscow, Idaho on May 18th at the best local place to get lunch (or warm pita bread if you just need a lil snack). I love Mikey’s and am excited to participate! I have no idea what I’ll read, something shelved and weird.

Stay up-to-date on all book news and events and hit that subscribe button for monthly updates and random eel info from yours truly.

Reading New Books and Lurlene McDaniel

There are just so many good books. Steve Sheinkin is an instant read for me, I love all of his non-fiction books which are so well-written and well-researched. Once More with Feeling is for any and all musical theatre nerds out there, and I’m really enjoying Andrea Beatriz Arango’s emotional middle-grade novel in verse, Something Like Home.

March Madness was wild, I loved watching the college women’s games, and am forever grateful for Hanif Abdurraqib’s writing and perspective on life and basketball, and how a book about basketball is really about life. But honestly, as a lifelong bball fan, I will always believe that basketball is also about life.

I also picked up a Lurlene McDaniel book, Too Young to Die, from a local little free library. It was emotional, cleanly plotted, there was a high school crush and a college-age boyfriend, some hot air balloons, a PSAT test, and even a death all in 166 pages. Incredible.

I know there are always side conversations happening in kidlit-land about teen books needing to be for actual teenagers, and the need for shorter books, straight to paperback options, or more affordable books. I am fully aware that Lurlene churned these books out, but wouldn’t it be nice to have 200 page paperback stories for teenagers?

I would also join a bookclub that only reads books from your youth. Where can I join an Animorphs bookclub or Sweet Valley High (which I’ve never actually read) reading group. A bookclub where you revisit some pop-culture titles from your tween era, everyone could read the same book or pick like one author and see what happens. Could be fun. Please let me know if you do this, bonus points for an accompanying PowerPoint presentation.

Thanks for reading. See you next month.