Some Anthropomorphic cartoons/comics I enjoy

anthropomorphism [ˌænθrəpəˈmɔːfɪzəm]
n
the attribution of human form or behaviour to a deity, animal, etc.
anthropomorphist n

I grew up watching Warner Bros cartoons – the original Looney tunes and Merrie Melodies, those cartoons today that are looked upon as being bit morally questionable (there are also the downright racist ones but this is not the post for those).



My favourite anthro character is Daffy Duck, I was (and still am) a fan of Bugs Bunny, but it is Daffy, the forever thwarted and frustrated runner up, that holds my loyalty!

There are also the Gummi Bears


and Ducktales

(never a Donald Duck fan – Uncle Scrooge is my second favourite Duck).

I can still sing the theme songs for the Gummi Bears and DuckTales! No I am not ashamed, if I ever have children I will watch the ‘toons with them – and I will still enjoy them!

Maus by Art Spiegelman portrays Jews as mice, Germans are cats, Americans are dogs and the Polish are pigs.

















Blacksad, a French graphic novel series written by Spanish authors Juan Díaz Canales (writer) and Juanjo Guarnido (artist) has a black cat (John Blacksad) as protagonist. The second story in the Blacksad series Arctic Nation deals explicitly with racism and inter-racial violence. The antagonists are an organisation called the Arctic Nation made up of white animals – polar bear, white fox etc.












Usagi Yojimbo is a comic series about a Rabbit samurai set in Edo period Japan – very cool! Based loosely on the exploits of Miyamoto Musashi (look him up he is hardcore!)

















Grandville, by Bryan Talbot, tells the story of badger Detective Inspector Archie LeBrock in a post-independent Socialist Republic of Britain. Humans exist in this world – “a hairless breed of Chimpanzee that evolved in the town of Angouleme“ but do not have equal rights and are known as dough-faces by the French.

Of Rastamice and racism (a personal view)

'I'd never portray a Rasta as a pig or a mouse as I don't think the values of being a Rasta are served by that. If it was a lion that would be very different, a lion is strong symbol in Rastafarianism.
Levi Roots

I have been giving the charges against Rastamouse some serious thought, as a librarian I had heard of Rastamouse (through the excellent books) and when the TV series started on CBeebies I figured that I would get round to watching it eventually.

Then the whispers of racism started, being the inquisitive sort I had a look online to see what was being said (click here, here and here for more) and that was the tipping point, I had to watch the show!

My view is that if Rastafarians were being portrayed as mice it could be found offensive, but after reading the books and watching the show I have noticed that it is portraying Mice as Rastafarians. Now if the Mice were Rastafarians and other cultures & ethnicities were portrayed as being human (or other 'superior' animals) then I think a charge of racism could be sustained but otherwise... no.

World Book Night

Posters, posters, posters

Buying books was fun!

I am on a train back to London after a day at Peter's Booksellers in Birmingham. It was my first trip to Peter's , had lunch and coffee laid on.

I spent £815 on books, not the most I have spent in a day but it was worthwhile nonetheless!

Tonight I am going to write some reviews and finish up the latest edition of Teen Librarian (almost) Monthly.

The Chronicles of Dekaydence: The Lost Journal

In Black Light, the first in the series, Planet Earth is dying – and a royal prince, a rock musician and a feisty journalist are trying to save it. But they're up against a global corporation, Dekaydence, which has other plans, including The Sticky Rock Café, a chain of environmental meeting places for teenagers with an enticing blend of great music and fashion. But are the cafes as well meaning as they appear?

There are other dark secrets about and within Dekaydence – and not only Tartan Guards, Eye-Spies and wild metal haggoids.

I first met Susie Cornfield - the author of the Dekaydence series at my first Youth Libraries Group Conference in 2008, we had previously corresponded via e-mail as she had written a brilliant Teen environmental awareness, sci-fi adventure novel called Black Light (the first book in the Chronicles of Dekaydence). This was followed up with the sequel Green Fire.

Now, keeping up with technological advancements she has released a prequel on the iOS platform, and until some kind philanthropist donates an iPad to my cause (blatant hint) it is something I will not be able to play with, which is a pity because it looks damn good.

Don't just take my word for it have a look at the promo video below!

Today I was the Bookstart Bear

Embassy of Japan

So the live blogging form the Manga Jiman event at the Embassy of Japan did not happen. I tried but there was so much going on I did not want to miss anything, the artwork of the finalists was phenomenal! I will link to the winning entries once they go up on the embassy website, I was shocked, aed and made exceedingly jealous by the range of talent on display!

It was also a great networking opportunity, I finally met the great John Aggs and caught up with Chie Kutsuwada who I do not see nearly often enough, we have worked together several times running manga workshops and she is one of the loveliest artists writing & drawing manga in the UK. Karen Rubins was also in attendance, she placed seventh in the Manga Jiman competition with a brilliant piece of work.

I also had the opportunity to speak to Simon Wright sernior coordinator for cultural affairs at the embassy, I may have the opportunity to work with him in the future to promote the competition to teen mangaka. I chatted to Susan Meechan from the Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation and several of the finalists from the competition, it looks as if manga will feature high on my development agenda for 2011/2012 and I made the decision to enter the Manga Jiman 2011 competition instead of just supporting it.

Libraries and Linux

A thought just occurred to me - Libraries and Linux have a lot in common.

• They are both free (although there are some you can pay for)
• Sometimes it takes time to find exactly what you are looking for
• People that use them are passionate about them
• You get critics who cannot understand why they are used and say things like why not pay for (books/software etc) instead of getting them (legally) for free?
• It is actually easier to use them than it first appears (although libraries can be a tad easier all round)
• If you have problems with either you can ask for help and with both you can sometimes get stuck with a curmudgeonly expert who can't understand why you are having difficulties but who will help you (although jargon may be used)
• Both are used far more than a lot of people think

These are just some of the similarities - if anyone has other ideas please feel free to share them in the comments and I will add them at a later date.

Alan Moore on Libraries

Alan Moore is... well he is Alan Moore and he is in my (and many other peoples) opinion totally amazing. One day I will have a beard like his.

He is one of many citizens of the UK who are anti the cuts but unlike the majority of us he has a wide audience of beard lovers such as myself and others who are fans of his comics.

Fantastic Guardian Cartoon by Ros Asquith

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

I finished reading The Iron King today, it took me three days to read this book (in my defence I was also preparing for a job interview).

This book made me fall in love with fairy tales again. The story starts, as all good fairy tales do, with a loss, this is narrated in a very matter of fact way by our narrator, Meghan Chase. It is through her that the story is told, we are introduced to her brother, mother and step-father and her world. The Iron King mixes old fairy stories with modern 21st century life, and the travails of being a teen - unrequited love, cyber-bullying and some truly creepy scenes involving Meghan and Ethan (especially when he tells her what his toy bunny whispers to him).

The Iron King is not a new story, it takes the oldest tales of the fey and the dangers they represent and makes them new again. When Ethan is stolen away and replaced with a Changeling, Meghan risks everything to follow him into the Nevernever with only her oldest friend Robbie Goodfell (a puckish lad) at her side to guide and defend her, but even he is something more than he seems.

The faeries in this book are the Lords and Ladies of the old tales; ancient, proud and utterly inhuman, but possessed of the finest courtly manners. In the courts of the fey beware of what you say or promise as words have power and your word.

Meghan learns that both Seelie and Unseelie Courts are weakening but neither hold her brother. To find him she must brave the terrors of the Iron King and an new, unknown power growing hidden within Faery - the Court of the Iron Fey.

Read it! Loved it! Would recommend it to everyone who enjoys fantasy and fairytales in their YA Fiction

The battle to become a school librarian begins...

Today I had my first interview of the year - it was for the post of School Librarian at La Retraite School in Balham.

The interview and presentation went really well according to the feedback I received from the Head Teacher, unfortunately I came second to another librarian who had actual school experience. I know I am not the first librarian that has run up against this problem when trying to make the move from the public sector into schools. No matter how good our credentials or what skills and experience we bring, we generally lose out to a school librarian. It is a library version of the chicken and the egg - you don't get the job because of of a lack of experience, and you don't get experience without the job. Not unique to library circles I know, but as I move in those circles it is a refrain I hear all to often and today it came from my lips.

I am not bitter or angry, disappointed yes, but that is life. As my friends and colleagues say I will get the next one or the one after that. I have skills and talents and I will not let failure to get the first post I apply for get me down.

It would have been good though!

We Love Libraries - The Movie

I found this amazing short film today. It was made to support Somerset Libraries but can be used across the UK.



Courtesy of http://www.welovelibraries.co.uk/

Save Our Libraries Day

I took a wander down to Enfield Town Library to show solidarity with the read in movement only to find out that there was nothing going on. I chatted to my old colleague Ashley who was working the enquiry desk, he said there was nothing happening as none of Enfield's Libraries were being shut (this year) so no-one had bothered.

I took out my books and walked home feeling a bit concerned, there are events happening around the country and I wonder if there are other areas of apathy. There are, it turns out that nothing much is happening in Bexley either.

First post (in years)

It has been years since I was here. I will still be running Teen Librarian I just need a personal blog that I can go off on a tangent on and write stuff that does not specifically have to do with teen librarianship. That is not bad is it? Even if it is I am still doing it!

It was officially announced on Thursday that my job is going and I will be given notice. I knew it was coming but always held out hope that something would change and I would be reprieved, but no 11th hour for me! At least I have an interview on Monday morning.