Journal Journal on the Wall – Who’s the Fairest of them all- A conversation with book review editors from Publisher’s Weekly and Library Journal

A discussion on how book review journals find reviewers and choose books to review

Speakers:
Librarians: Barbara Hoffert and Kathy Mikas
Reviews Editor from Publisher’s Weekly: Jonathan Segura,
Senior Editor Library Journal: Nancy Aberman

The session was introduced using a wonderful visual, a review journal with multiple post-it notes sticking out of every page. This was a great example of working journal that librarians use to decide how to spend our meager budgets.

The editors see up to 100 books a week. They receive galleys from publishers and are expected to have the book read and reviewed within a week or two. They must quickly move the books from their offices into a reviewers hands and then into print (either electronic or paper)

The audience for these review journals is primarily libraries. The journals review across the spectrum of genres: from nonfiction to chick-lit. An editor must assign the “right” book with the “right” reviewer. Most reviewers at Library Journal are librarians.
The audience used to be the book trade and book stores. This has changed. Now it is mostly libraries and librarians. However, their reviews make it to all of the online bookstores: Amazon, Barnes and Noble etc. so the audience can be virtually anyone. This makes the writing of the reviews more difficult. Speaking to librarians entails in-depth descriptions of the story. For the general public, the reviewers cannot give up plot and story.

How they choose reviewers:
Recommendation from present reviewers
Publish a call for reviewers on their website
Some people actually contact the review journals
These are paid position – but it doesn't pay too well- so don't quit your library job!
If the person has a specialty- such as a nonfiction subject - this makes it easier for the editors
Fiction must be broken down in to sub-genres and reviewers are sought for their abilities in that area.
The editors did stress that they are always looking for reviewers!!!

Some shocking numbers:
Publishers Weekly - 1600 reviews last year between 8 reviewers
Approximately 300,000 books are published a year

A review is an educated opinion. The reviewer must answer: What is this book trying to accomplish? Why is the author important? Whether the book is recommended or not? All in 200 words or less!

Faithfully adapting children's literature for the screen

(Some thoughts about movies book, lifelong readers—and what it means to be safe)

An Exploration

By: Randy-Michael Testa Ed.D. Rtesta@walden.com

The major focus of this session was (not surprisingly) the importance of staying faithful to the books that are being adapted. Some of the movies adapted by Walden Media include, Holes, Charlotte's Web, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, and Bridge to Terabethia. One manner in which this company stays faithful to the literature is to involve the author when possible. Actually, Katherine Paterson was extremely involved in the entire process. She even added lines for the movie because sometimes words need to be different when spoken aloud to be more powerful.

So, why should we as librarian encourage or even care about adaptation of books to movies? While we all love books and believe in the power of text, we also have to agree that not everyone is a textual learner. The medium of film can involves the visual and auditory senses. Thus many people who have difficulty with reading or concentration can still benefit from moving stories. There is also well documented proof that the release of a movie will increase a demand for the book. Ultimately, this means more and not less readers.

There are also many people (teachers, parents and students) that strictly adhere to reading levels of books. This limits some stories from possible choices for children. However, when a movie comes out, we see that the story is indeed appropriate for any one who finds interest. Mr. Testa called our own reading habits to mind. He asked us to think about what we read when we are sitting on plane. Yes, we bring our library journals or some type of pleasure reading, but we also pick up that silly catalog and do some mindless browsing. I haven’t met a librarian yet that doesn’t enjoy reading children’s and YA books. The main point here is that the story can effect anybody but only if you are introduced to it.

Lastly, Mr. Testa developed the idea of why children either read books or watch movies; to find a place of safety. Sometimes that can only be found deep in our minds through fantasy. With the safety being threatened in our schools, children now needs this escapism more than ever.

I am very glad that I attended this session and learned how this company that started very small with such a big plan is growing and creating works of art. By staying faithful to the literature they are creating movies that will be viewed by and influence many generations.