The Thirteen Days of Doctor Who: Growing Up with the Doctor

Banner by Studio D.

Today, we're doing things a little differently here at Libri Dilectio. In honor of the holiday and the best television show EVER (inarguable), I'm participating in the 13 Days of Doctor Who Blog Hop! This is the final day, so for those of you who've been following the hop since the beginning, you're in the home stretch! Soon you'll find out who won that highly coveted series 6 box set! Thank you to Erica O'Rourke for hosting and inviting me to play too!

I also have a guest hanging out at at LD with me today, my Dad, Mark! I thought no post about me growing up with Doctor Who would be complete without the man who started it all. You may remember my dad from his previous guest appearance, reviewing I Shall Wear Midnight by Terry Pratchett. Today he will be wearing TARDIS blue and I'll be in traditional black. Here we go!

Matt (2) and Becky (4) - Doctor Who babies 1989

The Doctor has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. At the age of 4, I rocked a homemade (thanks mom) mini Doctor Who scarf. My brother, 2 years old at the time, had a matching one. We drank out of Doctor Who mugs when we wanted hot chocolate after playing in the snow, and we both referred to the show as “Doctor Wubbedy” since we sang the theme song, “wubbedy wub wubbedy wub…” Yes, we were cool children.

My dad, who was always available on Saturday mornings to watch The Smurfs or Mighty Mouse, has always been a HUGE Doctor Who fan.  Dad here, actually my first exposure to the Doctor was in 1972 at the house of a friend.  His parents were watching an episode with Jon Pertwee as the Doctor.  To explain the show to me they said, the Doctor was like James Bond from outer space who had a spaceship that was bigger on the inside than on the outside (honestly, it was one of the worst explanations I have ever heard of the show).  My response was, “Let’s go hang out somewhere else and talk about girls.”

 

Six years later, I found myself in graduate school in Ann Arbor, in an apartment all by myself, and trying to get through the MBA program at the University of Michigan.  At that time, WTVS, the Detroit PBS station, ran Doctor Who on Saturday nights.  I started watching the show in reruns and found Tom Baker to be a wonderful Time Lord.  He made you believe that he was more than human.

Okay, so you haven’t always been a fan, but for a long time, as long as I’ve been alive. I remember watching old episodes of Doctor Who on PBS with you and not understanding what was going on. I liked Sarah JaneSmith best of all the assistants (as they used to be called) and Tom Baker was my Doctor. Obviously, I was a preschooler who wore his scarf! I’ve never hidden behind a couch to avoid the Daleks, but I knew that you didn’t want to mess with those trash bin aliens!

In 1983, I found myself managing the construction of a suburban Chicago cable TV system for Westinghouse Electric.  My plant manager was a big Whovian and every Monday morning, he would come into the office and want to talk about the episode shown on WTTW Chicago late on Sunday night.  It was him who really opened up the world of Doctor Who for me.  Peter Davison was the current Doctor Who or “Tristan” as we called him having been earlier fans of “All Creatures Great and Small.” 

When you were born, Colin Baker had become the Doctor and the show was starting to unravel. Not that that was my fault or anything. I was just born under a bad BBC star or something. Something like that. Anyway, John Nathan Turner was producing the show and the stories were weak, disjointed and sometimes just plain bad, but that didn’t stop me.  I was still looking forward to bringing my children along for a ride in the TARDIS one day.  When you were two, Sylvester McCoy became the Doctor and the shows got worse, although McCoy was a very convincing Doctor.  Then, just as it looked like Becky was ready to join the team, the end came.  Abruptly.  No final episode, no tying up loose ends.  Nothing.  It was 1989 and it was over before it had begun.

Becky and Dad, Whovian Love!

And from then on, we waited. Well you waited. I had pretty much forgotten about the show. In 1994 I found one way to fill the gap: I discovered the Doctor Who series novels and started reading them.  Those novels were what the show should have always been.  The Doctor became a more dark and lonely person, feeling the pressure of keeping the universe together and often losing patience with it.  One of my favorite lines from one of the books was, “I’m what monsters have nightmares about,” which was later used for David Tennant in “The Girl in the Fireplace” episode.  The made-for-tv movie came out in 1996 and the less said about that, the better, although I still think Paul McGann was superb and would have been a great continuing Doctor. You had high hopes for the TV movie, but sadly it just didn’t grab an audience like the BBC wanted and the Doctor went back into hibernation for another 10 years. 

Fast forward to 2005 – another job, but back home in the Chicago area.  I was traveling to Europe every now and then for business.  It was September 13th (a Tuesday – yes, I keep track of these things as any real Time Lord would).  I was lying in my bed in the hotel in London watching the BBC when a promotional spot came on.  It was a shot panning across a wall.  The voice over said, “He’s back.  And it’s about time.” And the shot pans over to the TARDIS.  WHAT??  I had not read that they had started shooting the show again!!  

The next day, I ran over to Tower Records on Piccadilly and bought the first two DVDs of the new series without any way to play them.  I figured out how to watch them on my company laptop, but that only works five times and then the DVD drive gets hosed.  When I got home, I bought a multi-region DVD player so I could watch the shows on my HDTV.  The show was just what it should have been years ago.  It had picked up the darker and more serious elements of the books, but kept the old Tom Baker humor (“Nine hundred years of time and space and I’ve never been slapped by someone’s mother.”).  I honestly could not wait to reintroduce the kids to the show.  But that would have to wait until they got home for Thanksgiving.

In 2005, during my sophomore year of college, I brought my boyfriend (who is now my husband) home to meet my family. He was still at the point that he did pretty much anything my family asked of him, including watching Rose, the first episode of the new season of Doctor Who. I was skeptical of the new reboot, but, after one episode, we were both hooked. Maybe that was the first sign that we were meant to get married.

My dad and I (and my brother, mother, husband, friends) are devoted Whovians. We remember the lines, the episodes, the characters, and the music. Doctor Who is a part of my family, and one of the only shows we really enjoy as an entire family. We’re all loving Matt Smith’s Doctor and will miss the Ponds when they bow out at the end of this upcoming season. We'll all be watching tomorrow for The Doctor the Widow and the Wardrobe, and you should too!

To enter the grand prize giveaway, please leave a comment with your name and email address. You may enter once at every stop on the blog tour, for a total of thirteen chances. The Grand Prize giveaway is limited to the US and Canada, due to regional restrictions on the DVD. Individual contests will close at the discretion of the author, but the Grand Prize contest will accept entries on any site until midnight CST on December 24th. The winner will be posted HERE on December 25th, and be notified via email.



The Adventures of a Booktalking Librarian - Part III

My favorite outreach program at the library is a booktalk we do twice a year (winter and summer) for 3rd-5th grade advanced readers at a local elementary school. The kids really appreciate the visit, and I have a great time getting ready for it. I don't always get to go, gotta share the joy with some of the co-workers sometimes, but I did get to go yesterday! Another librarian and I each shared 10 titles with the class and then left them for the kids to read over winter break. I know we brought good books because I worked last night and 4 different kids came in looking for books from our booktalk!

Here are the books I shared this time:

 
How They Croaked: The Awful Ends of the Awfully Famous, Georgia Bragg and Kevin O'Malley

The awful ends of 19 awfully famous people including; Beethoven, Henry VIII, Napoleon, Pocahontas, and Queen Elizabeth I. Perfect for readers who love all things disgusting, but best avoided by those with a weak stomach.


Hidden, Helen Frost

When Wren and Darra were eight years old, Darra’s father stole a minivan, with Wren inside. What happened next changed both their lives forever.

Years later, Wren and Darra end up at the same summer camp and must face each other for the first time. Both girls have questions and neither one trusts the other.

True...Sort Of, Katherine Hannigan

This is the story of three kids all living in a small town. Delly Pattison is one of many siblings and always in trouble. She doesn't mean to be trouble, everything she does seems like a good or helpful thing to her, but it's always big trouble. Brud Kinney is a shy boy who speaks with a stutter. Brud loves basketball more than anything. He wants to be the best basketball player in the world. Ferris Boyd is new in town and she plays basketball better than anyone Brud's ever seen, but Ferris is a very different kind of person. She never speaks and she doesn't want to be touched...at all. Ferris ends up in the same class at school as Delly, which, of course, leads to big trouble, and big fun.

Touch Blue, Cynthia Lord

Tess loves living on an island off the coast of Maine, but now that so many families have moved away, the state is planning to shut down her island’s school. With no school, Tess and her family would have to move to the mainland. The islanders have a plan to keep their island school open and the families in their homes, they just need more students. Several families, including Tess’, take in foster children. Tess is convinced her new foster sibling will be just like Anne in Anne of Green Gables. She can’t wait to show her all around the island and make friends, but then it turns out that she’s getting a foster brother. Aaron is a thirteen year old trumpet player who is not happy to be on the island and has no interest in getting close to Tess’ family.


The Unwanteds, Lisa McMann

In Quill, thirteen is a very important age. Who you are at thirteen determines who you will be for the rest of your life, and how long the rest of your life will be. Thirteen year olds are sorted into two categories, the smart, strong Wanteds who go on to the University and a lifetime in Quill, and the artistic Unwanteds who are sent to die.

Alex and Aaron are twin brothers and also thirteen. Aaron is Wanted, Alex is Unwanted.

Alex is prepared to die; he has expected to be an Unwanted, knowing that he is too creative. When he arrives at the place where all Unwanteds go to die, he is surprised to discover that not only will he live, but he will be taught to use his creativity as magic. He now lives in the hidden land of Artime. A place filled with magic and mystery, and well hidden from the government officials who believe the Unwanteds living there are all long dead.

Even in this magical place, Alex can’t forget his twin brother, Aaron. Their bond is so strong that each can sense the other, leading to danger for Artime and a magical war that will pit brother against brother.

Wisdom's Kiss, Catherine Gilbert Murdock

This is the story of three people whose lives become completely entangled. Princess Wisdom, known to all as Dizzy, just wants to be free to live a life filled with adventure. Tips is a soldier, trying hard to keep his true identity a secret from his family and the girl he left behind. Fortitude, called Trudy, has visions of the future, but only cares that Tips return home to her.

These three very different people must find a way to work together to save the country of Montagne, protect it’s future queen, and find out who they really are. Too bad they have so much trouble getting along. Told in diaries, encyclopedia entries, newspaper articles, and plays, this hilarious story will turn happily ever after on its ear and redefine what it means to be a hero.

Liesl and Po, Lauren Oliver

Liesl has a wicked step-mother, who has locked her away in an attic room. Liesl's step-mother is so wicked that she didn't even let Liesl out to say goodbye to her father before he died. In the attic Liesl is all alone, except for the mice, until the night she meets Po - who just happens to be a ghost.

On the same night Liesl meets Po, Will, an alchemyst's apprentice, is supposed to make a delivery. He's meant to deliver a box containing the most powerful magic in the entire world, but he gets it wrong. Now the magic is lost and Will, along with Liesl and Po, sets off on an epic adventure.

Wonderstruck, Brian Selznick

This is the story of two young people, living 50 years apart. Rose's story is told entirely in pictures because Rose is deaf. This way, readers experience the world much as Rose herself does, through sight.

Ben's mother has just passed away and he's living with his Aunt, Uncle, and cousins on a lake in Minnesota. One night, he sneaks away and finds a clue to the identity of the father he's never met. Ben wants nothing more than to find his father, so he runs away to New York City where he meets some interesting people and ends up living in a museum.

Breadcrumbs, Anne Ursu

Hazel's parents have just gotten divorced, and to make matters worse, now her mother can't afford the tuition for the private school Hazel's always gone to. Hazel starts to attend public school, but she just doesn't understand the rules or her classmates. Hazel is a daydreamer, a reader, and completely lost in her own imagination. She doesn't have any friends at her new school, except Jack.

Jack is Hazel's neighbor and he's been her best friend their whole lives. Jack's family life isn't the best so he spends a lot of time in his imagination, just like Hazel. They are two peas in a pod until the day Jack gets something in his eye that turns his heart cold. He stops talking to Hazel or being her friend at all and one day he disappears completely.

Hazel knows there's more going on then just growing apart and that Jack hasn't gone to live with some relative she's never heard of. She sets off to save him and finds herself in the middle of an enchanted forest. Hazel learns that it's one thing to dream of adventures, but another thing entirely to find yourself in the middle of one.

The Chronicles of Harris Burdick, Chris Van Allsburg

The classic images and captions from The Mysteries of Harris Burdick are turned into full stories by 14 well known children's authors including: Kate DiCamillo, Lois Lowry, Louis Sachar, Jon Scieszka, and the man himself, Chris Van Allsburg.

Reader's Advisory or A Missed Opportunity

I am a librarian. I know...you're not particularly surprised. It does say so all over the place on this site. It's in my "About Me" section, my "Review Policy," my header, and look, over there on the right, it's even in my "Welcome" note. I've made it pretty clear that I am a librarian, but I've been missing an opportunity to share my librarian-ness with the internet! I said that I started my blog, "as a way to keep track of what I'm reading and to better do my FAVORITE part of my job, reader's advisory," but I haven't been readers advising! Not at all! I mean, yes, I've been reviewing and recommending good books, but I could do more!

I really do love reader's advisory and kids ask for it so often that it's also become one of the most answered reference questions for me. I'm not sure if adults ask as often as kids, never worked with grown ups before...too big. Anyway, I get to recommend good books to kids all day every day at work. I'm in charge of maintaining and updating my library's online book lists as well, so seriously, if I haven't made it clear enough already, I do A LOT of reader's advisory.

Now, here's the problem, I haven't been advising all of you. I'm sorry, but there's an easy solution, I'm going to start! You might have noticed in my last post about The Agency series (which once again is awesome!) that I added a section for reader's advisory. I'm going to start doing that from now on with every single review I write. I might even go back and add it to old posts (not sure about that yet. It'll depend on how much I hide indoors this winter). Hopefully, this will be fun for readers and useful for those who have already read the book I'm reviewing, or just want to know what to read after they finish it. OR, for those of you who are also librarians, maybe it will help you with recommending books to your kids and teens.

I'm sad it took me this long to realize my mistake, but I'm happy to start remedying it now! Yay for reader's advisory!! Now, excuse me, I have to go get ready for a school booktalk. Smile.

Series Review: The Agency

A Spy in the House, Y.S. Lee
(Gr 7+)
Candlewick, March 9, 2010. Reviewed from library book.

"Rescued from the gallows in 1850s London, young orphan (and thief) Mary Quinn is surprised to be offered a singular education, instruction in fine manners — and an unusual vocation. Miss Scrimshaw’s Academy for Girls is a cover for an all-female investigative unit called The Agency, and at seventeen, Mary is about to put her training to the test. Assuming the guise of a lady’s companion, she must infiltrate a rich merchant’s home in hopes of tracing his missing cargo ships. But the household is full of dangerous deceptions, and there is no one to trust — or is there? Packed with action and suspense, banter and romance, and evoking the gritty backstreets of Victorian London, this breezy mystery debuts a daring young detective who lives by her wits while uncovering secrets — including those of her own past."

 The Body at the Tower, Y.S. Lee
(Gr 7+)
Candlewick, Aug 10, 2010. Reviewed from library book.

"In this, the second book of the series, Mary Quinn sets out to uncover the truth behind a suspicious death at St. Stephen's Tower, better known as the clock tower of the Houses of Parliament. The accident occurred after hours in a highly public part of town and despite the presence of night watchmen. Mary, disguised as Mark Quinn, becomes a builder's assistant to find out the truth about the body at the tower."

I've been meaning to read this series for awhile, but actually, I'm kind of glad that I waited. This way I was able to read the first one and immediately dive into the second one! That is the perk of being a late comer to a series.

Mary Quinn is a great character. She's smart, brave, and nothing like other ladies of her time period. I love that she's part street child, part thief, part lady, and part secret agent! She reminded me of Sally Lockhart, although Sally leans a little more to the lady side initially, she certainly becomes more and more of a strong, independent woman. I love Phillip Pullman's Sally Lockhart mysteries and was very pleased to find a series that reminds me of them.

The mysteries in the series are wonderful. They keep the reader guessing, but are completely solvable by the reader if they pay attention. Mary doesn't pull anything out of her hat at the last minute. Lee lays everything out for Mary and the reader. I figured out both of the mysteries and loved that I was able to. I think the best mysteries are the kind that the reader can solve with the main character. This is especially nice in mysteries written for teens.

Y.S. Lee is a great author! She writes compelling characters, interesting plots, and amazingly well researched stories. She has a PhD in Victorian Literature and Culture, and it shows reading these books. They are perfect for teens who want to learn about the time period, but don't want to read a dry text book. I've already recommended the series to several teen girls, one of which came back to tell me how much she loved it and that she wanted the second one right away. If you're looking for a great historical mystery series, check out The Agency, but try to get the first and second one, you'll want both.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If you like The Agency, you might also like:
The Ruby in the Smoke, Phillip Pullman
A Great and Terrible Beauty, Libba Bray
The Diamond of Drury Lane, Julia Golding

Top Ten Tuesday: The Sad and the Long Overlooked

This is the first time I'm participating in Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by The Broke and the Bookish (love that blog name, probably describes every book bloggers life).

This week's topic, the top ten unread books on your shelves, was of particular interest to me. Just this weekend I went through my shelves and counted all the books I own, but haven't read. There are a lot, like a lot, way more than 10. I keep acquiring books with intentions to read them right away, and then they just hang out on my shelves forever. If new books would stop being published for a few months, maybe I could catch up.

Going Bovine, Libba Bray
This has been sitting on my shelf since it first came out. I really want to read it, but I never seem to be in the right mood. To make matters worse, it's been signed by the author...twice. I accidentally brought it to a book signing without remembering that she'd already signed it, but Libba Bray is so awesome, she just drew pictures in it.

The Demon King, Cinda Williams Chima
I love fantasy, so so so much. This author seems to get great reviews and have a devoted following. I'll probably love this series...and yet, this book (and the next in the series The Exiled Queen) are just hanging out on my shelves. Sigh.

A Northern Light, Jennifer Donnelly
I loved Revolution so much that when I bought a copy of it, I also picked up a copy of A Northern Light. It's just been sitting on the shelf since then. Well, that's not entirely true. I did start it once, but put it down when a shiny new book I'd been waiting for came out. I have book ADD.

Reckless, Cornelia Funke
Another one that I bought with the best intentions, and yet it remains unopened.

One of the shelves where good books go to die. And my husband's "office."

Bright Young Things, Anna Godbersen
Oh how I loved The Luxe series. It's one of my favorites. When asked what book world I'd most like to live in, this is the one I chose. My wonderful mother in law gave this to me last Christmas. I still haven't read it, not even opened it. I'm a bad bad daughter in law.

Tender Morsels, Margo Lanagan
Okay, so this one I have opened. I've actually started it at least 3 times. Something about this story has never grabbed me. Maybe I should try it one more time...then it might be heading for the donation pile. Poor Printz Award winners. I just never seem to read them once I buy them (one notable exception being Looking for Alaska).

Rot and Ruin, Jonathan Maberry
I love zombies. I love action. Why I have I not loved this book yet? No idea.

Jellicoe Road, Melina Marchetta
Another award winner that so many people seem to love more than anything, but I haven't found the desire to try it yet. Maybe some day.

The Knife of Never Letting Go, Patrick Ness
Got this one at what my bestie referred to as a "Post-Apocalyptic Borders" during the initial closing of certain stores. No matter how much good stuff I hear about this series, or how much I LOVED A Monster Calls, I still haven't tried this one.

The Uglies Series, Scott Westerfeld
Okay, so I have read Uglies, but just not the rest of the series. I got the boxed set for my 25th birthday, and, considering I'm coming up on my 27th, it's been sitting on my shelves for awhile. I really do want to read the rest of them. No good reason why I haven't.

There you have it, just a selection of the GREAT books I haven't been reading. It seems that, for me, buying a book is a death sentence. It doesn't have a due date anymore, I own it, I'll always have it, I can read it any time I want - so I don't. Maybe they'll be another snowpocalypse this year and I can read some books I've been meaning to for so long.