My name is Julie Judkins and I’m a digital librarian in Ann Arbor, Michigan. I am a recent graduate of the University of Michigan School of Information, where I earned an MSI in Library & Information Services and Archives & Records Management. I started Klickitat as a space to discuss things that interest me, including, but not limited to: books, movies, television programs, creative writing, cooking, and professional library practices. With luck, the list of topics will grow as this blog does.
So what exactly is a “klickitat,” you ask? Klickitat is a name native to the Pacific Northwestern United States, where I grew up. Although the name originated with an indigenous people who called Washington and Oregon their home, Klickitat is best known in popular culture as the street where Ramona Quimby and Henry Huggins live in Beverly Cleary’s books. (It’s a real street. You can visit it when you go to Portland, Oregon.) I chose to call my blog Klickitat for several reasons. First, I am a native Oregonian, and as a kid I loved that I lived so close to a place I read about in books. It was a kind of magic. Naming this blog Klickitat connects me not only to my past but more specifically to the notion that literature is accessible, even to a young child, a belief I hold strongly. Second, I read and think and write a great deal about children’s literature. Therefore, it seemed appropriate that I name this blog after a famous landmark in a famous children’s series. Lastly, it’s a nice word and fun to say. I don’t want to discount that.
Review Policy:
- I accept ARCs and review copies from publishers. I do not review self published materials. However, please note, sending me a review copy does not guarantee that I will publish a review on this blog, for reasons related to my own personal preferences and/or other pursuits competing for my time. I appreciate your generosity and I will do my best to review as many titles as possible, in a timely manner.
- I am most interested in reviewing: picture books, middle grade and young adult fiction, short stories, and poetry.
- I do not receive compensation for the reviews published on this blog. I review titles as a hobby and as a public service. The review copy’s source (i.e. ARC from publisher, public library collection, loan from a friend) is listed at the end of my reviews.
- My reviews are primarily positive in tone but I will provide constructive criticism when I feel it is relevant for successful reader’s advisory.
- This blog is partnered with Powell’s Books, whose physical headquarters are located in Portland, Oregon. That’s why you see the Powell’s logo on my site. Any time you make a purchase in the Powell’s on-line store from a link I’ve provided, I earn a small commission. This partnership in no way affects the running of this site or the content of my reviews.
The banner picture is my own work, taken with a Holga camera.
Please direct inquiries to: thatklickitat at gmail dot com.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License.
Feel free to borrow my lists, story starters, or programming ideas for non-commercial use. I only ask that you credit me, especially if you are using them in a professional context.
