Monday, March 12, 2007

Presenting: The Newbery Jewels


Peacemakers that we are, the Disco Mermaids have come up with a solution to the controversy surrounding the 2007 Newbery Awards. Librarians who feel nervous about children finding scrotums in unexpected places can now freely express their opinions using this sticker...without needing to remove any books from their shelves.

_____________________
from The Higher Power of Lucky
by Susan Patron

Sammy told of the day when he had drunk half a gallon of rum listening to Johnny Cash all morning in his parked ’62 Cadillac, then fallen out of the car when he saw a rattlesnake on the passenger seat biting his dog, Roy, on the scrotum.

27 comments:

Karen Lee said...

Perfect! - and the placement of the s striking snake and the dangling medals couldn't make this more plain!

Jordan Sonnenblick said...

I love this!

Thanks for a much-needed laugh.

Jordan Sonnenblick
Spokesman, AS IF
(Authors Support Intellectual Freedom, www.asifnews.blogspot.com)

SilberBook-Blog said...

First site I checked this morning with the anticipation of a rattlesnake!

When's the t-shirt come out?

alan

Anonymous said...

Excellent! I'm still grinning...

A.C.E.

Anonymous said...

Well done! Clever, clever mermaids!

Anonymous said...

Ha! EXCELLENT!!!!

Greg Pincus said...

That is great, Mermaids! The white-out's an inspired touch....

Anonymous said...

Too funny! Your creativity knows no bounds, Mermaids!

Anonymous said...

This is too good! Really, when does the t-shirt come out?

~Jessica

LindaBudz said...

Clever! Thanks for the laugh, ye mermaids of the discoteque!

Anonymous said...

Brilliant! I just can't believe it got by the censors of the DiscoMermaids blog!

A little late to the game, as always, and as a non-children's book writer, I just read your link to the "Controversy," and I cannot believe the book is being banned over the word "scrotum." Would "testicles" have been more acceptable? What about books aimed at kids to learn about sex - what terms do they use? Give me a break.

Lamy

Laini Taylor said...

Way to go, guys! Very creative -- I love it!

Sarah Stevenson said...

Yup! Hilarious!! Agree with Karen Lee's comment. Nice one.

Anonymous said...

This is frightningly good. I join the call for T-shirts, and I don't usually wear yellow.

fusenumber8 said...

God help us all if the dog stars in the second book (called "Lincoln's Knot", I believe). He lives, though. That's the point of the story, in the end. Short Sammy's too drunk to take his dying dog to the vet so his wife does, then leaves Short Sammy and takes the dog. No word on the pup's progress as of yet. Fan fic, anyone?

Anonymous said...

*standing ovation*

Disco Mermaids said...

Yes, t-shirts are in the works.

We'll let ya know when they're available...

- Jay

gail said...

You guys are too much. What a kick! OK, I want to know who gets credit for the art direction? And a word of advice, run right over to the copyright office before you print up those t-shirts. You're on to something here! Run, run!

gail

Disco Mermaids said...

Credit? No, in DiscoLand, we follow the motto of the Three Musketeers: All for one, one for all!

But the truth is, it was my idea...

Alex S said...

That is just perfect! I just finished the book. I just try to imagine having to live in the body of the small mind that is offended by the word "scrotum" and shiver just a little. Thanks for bringing some humor to a truly ridiculous controversy!

Anonymous said...

I think you should send the first T-shirt to Susan Patron!

Unknown said...

That's just great! I laughed so hard that tears were running down my face.

gail said...

"Credit? No, in DiscoLand, we follow the motto of the Three Musketeers: All for one, one for all!

But the truth is, it was my idea..."

...and which mermaids is talking here?

:)
gail

Disco Mermaids said...

All for one, one for all!!??

Whatever. It was me and you know it.


----

Anonymous said...

I heartily approve!
--member 2007 Newbery Committee
;-)

Disco Mermaids said...

Wow! The Newbery Committee's here. Disco Mermaids, look sharp!

Just so y'all know, so far, this post has received more hits than any other post we've done. Followed by the sale of Jay's first book, then The dePaola Code.

And all because of a li'l cut-n-paste. (Seriously...we used scissors and Elmer's glue.)

Anonymous said...

Man, that is so great.

Hi!!