All A’Twitter
"Anonymous" doesn’t much like my "huffy, snooty" "whining" about SLJs coverage of the Newbery in my last post. Which makes me remember the other thing that miffs me in that article:
"Little did Gaiman know, but his tweet upon hearing the news has generated its own controversy. “F—!!!! I won the F—ING NEWBERY THIS IS SO F—ING AWESOME. I thank you” Gaiman wrote on his Twitter site, neilhimself.
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"News about the tweet traveled quickly around the Denver convention center, where the American Library Association announced its children and young adult literary awards this morning. And some librarians were already expressing disappointment, saying such language was inappropriate."
It really makes me wonder exactly who in that room of many hundreds the reporter spoke to, since the dozens I talked with were thrilled and laughing at Gaiman’s response. It’s just a good feeling that such a celebrtiy would feel as excited about getting the Newbery as we are that he got it. And he does "get" the Newbery, as Monica encapsulates at her blog.
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About Nina Lindsay
Nina Lindsay is the Children's Services Coordinator at the Oakland Public Library, CA. She chaired the 2008 Newbery Committee, and served on the 2004 and 1998 committees. You can reach her at ninalindsay@gmail.com
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Though I didn’t hear about Gaiman’s excited tweet while I was in Denver at the press conference, I have to agree with you, Nina — I think it’s hilarious, and I’m glad Gaiman was so excited about winning. I also think that the comment in the article about some librarians disapproving perpetuates a particularly depressing (and wildly inaccurate) librarian stereotype, that of the librarian with the perpetual disapproving frown.
Kudos to Gaiman — I’m so happy about all of the awards, and that one in particular!
Ditto to M. Tidman’s comment and on a different subject:
I am hoping and praying that Nina and Sharon will continue this blog through 2009 and beyond. Heavy Medal’s thoughtful discussion of Newbery contenders has made me a true-blue fan – please keep it up so that we can all be well-prepared for the 2010 Newbery Award!
I whole-heartedly agree with you and M. Tilman. What a great and genuine response! I hope that the report of some librarians disapproving are not true. Those librarians are dead, aren’t they?
Congrats to Gaiman, also.
Hi Nina and Sharon,
I just have to say that if I had known how to do the whole twitter thing, I most likely would have had the same sort of response as Mr. Gaiman. As it was, when I got the call about the honor, I could hardly breathe. I still feel “golden” as my sons would say.
I want to take this opportunity to thank you, Nina and Sharon, for this blog. Thank you for your care and passion for the books, the process and the determination that goes into the choosing of the Newbery. After writing many picture books, short fiction and poetry, The Underneath is my first novel, and while I’ve been in the industry for a long time, the world of the novel is a new place for me. Being able to follow your blog was instructive and enlightening, and I confess that when my book made your short list, I was truly delighted.
Thank you again. Cheers.
xo
K
And for the record, I also had some major problems with SLJ’s coverage. But when I went to link to the article to mock it I found they’d taken it down. Consarn it. Still, I agree with everything you said. And then some.
Fusie (as someone very important called you elsewhere),
The article is still there. Just tired Nina’s link to it and it took me right there.
I’m underwhelmed by Mr. Gaiman’s vocabulary. Sad that a writer can’t think of anything more imaginative than the overused vulgarity that seems to be the only adjective, adverb, noun, or verb that large segments of people, especially young people, know.
Feel free to sneer at me as a librarian with a perpetually disapproving frown. I’m tired of foul mouths.
Leslie–Thanks for piping up. I have no problem with different points of view on whether or not this was appropriate language. People will differ on this–and it has nothing whatsoever to do with whether they are librarians, despite the fact that SLJ took an easy shot at a grossly over-generalized stereotype.
I think, too, people need to consider the context. It wasn’t like he got up in a room full of kids and screamed it. It was on Twitter. He’s an adult, with a lot of adult readers. Should it be a surprise he uses adult language in a largely adult forum?
He was excited to have won, and uses modern technology to express himself. Is that a bad thing?
It can be debated endlessly ..
Hello from Russia)