Archive for March, 2010

I’ve been a bad, bad blogger this week! Here’s the thing, for me, it’s the end of the “semester” for all of my classes. They aren’t full semester classes, and then end in about 2 weeks, so I’m overloaded with papers and reading and my Pokemon addiction. Plus, I’ve found myself involved in a few new endeavors, including literacy tutoring, volunteering at awesome teen library events, and well, just having a good old time in my life. It’s the weather!

I have to mention that I saw an amazing movie at the Cleveland International Film Festival last night called If I Knew What You Said. It’s a great movie starring teens in the Philippines–a girl that doesn’t get along with her parents (what teen does?) and a boy that was abandoned by his parents because he was born deaf. The story takes the girl, Nina, to a summer camp for deaf and hearing teens, and gradually she forms a friendship with Kiko, the boy, and his friends. This movie was emotional and very moving–the deaf kids were beautiful and fantastic in their acting, and I really enjoyed the simple message of the movie: kids with hearing disabilities can do anything that hearing kids can do if given the opportunity.

See this movie if you can–google it if you can’t!

That’s my soapbox for this week. Catch up with you soon, my dear readers. I’ll be getting back here with some great reviews and other features soon!

Hello everyone–I apologize for such a delay! I have been a busy little bee this week, and will be for the next few weeks. I’ll do my best to have some great posts though. Without further delay, the winners of the Hourglass contest are…

Aik and Morgan!

Aik, you have won the Hourglass ARC and Morgan the Evernight paperback. I’ve contacted both the winners via e-mail, and check out their blogs!

Thanks everyone for entering! Keep checking back here for more contests!

Recently I’ve been getting some slack from my friends because I play Pokemon. The latest rendition of the Pokemon video game series, for Nintendo DS/DSi was released on Sunday, and I’ve been in full Pokemon mode ever since! (Notice a lack of posts this week–that’s why!) This time around, you can choose from HeartGold or SoulSilver, which I understand to be remakes of a couple older games. I’m into playing Pokemon, but I haven’t been playing for long. I recently started when Diamond and Pearl came out, and then I moved to Platinum. So, you wouldn’t call me a hard core Pokemon fan, but I’m definitely getting up there. (For example, I look up how-to guides online, and I’ve recently been obsessed with breeding–yay for getting my first Ditto!–sorry non-Pokemon fans…)

So here I am, in my mid-20s, playing Pokemon. And I’m not ashamed! I don’t even give the excuse–ooh, I’m going to be a teen librarian, I need to know what they’re playing, um, exactly–no! I’m a proud Pokemon player. Is there any age that’s too old? This type of thinking can be carried across many things, including books, games, activities, etc. How old is too old to read YA? How old is too old to watch Saturday morning cartoons? How old is too old to watch Hannah Montana?

I want everyone that does something they are “too old” for to stand up proud, wave their old-person flag, and say loudly, I LOVE ____! I love Pokemon. I love reading YA. I imagine I’ll be doing both until I’m very old. Old will never be too old for me!

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This Wednesday I am waiting on The Sending and The Red Queen by Isobelle Carmody, the last 2 books in The Obernewtyn Chronicles. These books keep getting pushed back and back and I’m dying to know how this series ends! This is a great series for any lover of epic fantasy. Carmody’s world is breathtakingly unique and the characters are real and true.

The Sending
Release date: October 26, 2010

Summary (from Amazon.com):

Once shunned as a Misfit, Elspeth Gordie has found happiness and love in a world where such things are rare. But in the midst of planning a trip to the mysterious Red Land, Elspeth receives the long-awaited summons to leave all she loves. Now she must cross a range of toxic Blacklands to seek the help of a pack of dangerous human-hating wolves—for only these mutant beasts can lead her across the poisonous landscape, to the black road and the Beforetime city that haunt her dreams. Accepting the mission will cost her dearly. But to refuse—or to fail—is to condemn the world to a second apocalypse.

The Red Queen
Release date: October 26, 2010

Summary (from Amazon.com):

After years spent struggling to balance her desires with her responsibilities, Elspeth Gordie has fully embraced her role as the Seeker. Battle-scarred and lovelorn, haunted by memories of her beloved Rushton, Elspeth is not prepared for what she finds at the end of the black road she travels: the Compound, a lost community with a startling secret. As Elspeth strives against her captors, she learns that Rushton and her friends have fallen into the hands of the deadly slavemasters that rule the Red Land. And worst of all, as Elspeth stumbles, the Destroyer creeps ever closer to his goal: awakening the cataclysmically destructive weaponmachines that Elspeth has been charged with stopping. Has all her sacrifice been in vain?

Tonight you can find me guest blogging over at Steph Bowe’s Hey! Teenager of the Year blog. If you don’t follow Steph–do! Her blog is fantastic, current, edgy, and hilarious. She has a book coming out next year and I’ll be one of the first in line. Check out my post at her blog on YA Lit and Teens!

Plus don’t forget to enter to win an ARC of Hourglass by Claudia Gray, contest ends March 19th!

This World We Live In by Susan Beth Pfeffer
Available now!

A year has passed since the events of Life As We Knew It, Pfeffer’s first novel detailing the catastrophic aftermath of a meteorite hitting the moon. Miranda’s family has struggled to survive during this year, fighting off hunger, disease, and intense, dangerous weather. This World We Live In is again told in a diary format, from Miranda’s point of view.

Miranda, Matt, Jon, and her mother fight to maintain their sanity and health in their home, scavenging empty houses and wondering anxiously what happened to their father and his wife. Somehow, miraculously, Hal and Lisa survived and return home, with their new baby, plus 3 strangers, including Alex and Julie Morales (from companion novel, The Dead and the Gone). These newcomers disrupt, yet also enrich, the lives of Miranda’s family, as life on this shattered earth begins to move toward a brighter future, until one horrible event causes all of their plans to come shattering down in front of them.

Utterly depressing, morbid, and ever so sad, This World We Live In is haunting, with a melancholy beauty shaking with the last remains of hope for a broken world. This is yet again a title you won’t be able to put down, as every turn of the page creates another shocking event. Reading this, you want to believe that somehow, life on this world will become better for Miranda’s family. Where is the government? Where are the people to fix these problems? In reality, they don’t exist. The world has become a “everyone for themselves” existence, filled with dangers and secrets. With the arrival of Miranda’s father and company, life begins to change for her family. Till this point, they had been isolated, reaching and pulling back from their breaking point, so many times. New faces are a pleasure, yet also a nightmare in this environment where food and resources are scarce. Yet, the families band together to make the situation work, as once they are reunited, they can’t bear to separate again.

You’ll want to cry while reading this, as fate and fortune finds this family extremely unlucky. Despite a year having passed, disaster is unfortunately still too close to home, and you’ll finish this still wondering–what happens next? Is there any hope for this world?

Pfeffer’s work again exceeds all my expectations. This is a true dystopian novel and will appeal to many fans of that genre. This is a book that makes the reader think, and think again, and even rethink many things that we hold true in our privileged lives.

I recommend this for fans of The Hunger Games, Jeanne DuPrau’s City of Ember books, and Lois Lowry’s Giver books.

Digital copy received via NetGalley–thank you!

For More: Visit Susan Beth Pfeffer’s blog and also visit Amazon or Indiebound to purchase this book!

This week in my YA library services class we are discussing and reading literature and articles on teen spaces in libraries. I’m of the opinion that every library should have a separate space, ideally a separate room, for teens. If the need is there (which, honestly, it probably is, except maybe in the Florida Keys…). I don’t think this should just apply for teens–children should also have their own space (and most libraries do have a children’s room/area), as well as adults. However, many areas of a library are open for usage by anyone, and are primarily used by adults for their information, recreational, and educational needs. Adults aren’t loud, rambunctious, or at the library to socialize (for the most part). Teens use the library to hang with friends, play games on the computer, update their social networks, and maybe even some homework or learning! Teens like to talk, and don’t want to be “shh-ed” all the time. (Who would?)

Solution: get the teens their own space where they can be open, away from adults, and won’t distract other users. Of course, a teen space should have rules to guide it, just like any area of the library. As I was volunteering this week at a local library, I worked in the teen room shelving CDs. The librarian on duty there had to discuss with a few teens regarding their language–they were cursing, rather frequently. She gave them a warning and asked them to refrain from cursing. Rules are a necessary part of a library, especially in a teen space that allows a variety of ages (usually 12-18). While parents may not care if their 18-year-old teen is cursing (although I’m sure most do!), the parent of a 12-year-old will probably have concerns. However, rules should be appropriate, and fair, and ideally made in consultation with teens that frequent the library, or perhaps a teen advisory council, if the library has one.

I’ve also recently read a few posts in the blogosphere discussing adult access to a teen space and the teen collection. Some libraries have the teen collection (mainly, YA books) in the teen space–and they won’t allow adults in there at all, or only with a librarian escort. Is this appropriate? What about people like me, in library school, that are reading YA books, or YA writers that would like to research the market? Should the collection be available to all, or only to teens?

I feel that every collection in every library should be open to all. Of course, adults shouldn’t “hang out” in the teen area–that defeats the purpose! But I don’t see a problem with allowing adults to access the YA collection of books, games, etc. The YA market has tons of adult readers these days, and I hope most libraries realize this.

What do you think about teen library spaces? What is the teen space at your library like? Here are a few sites you can check out to discover some great teen spaces, or other resources.

“The Need for Teen Spaces in Public Libraries,” by Kimberly Bolan for YALSA

Kimberly Bolan’s Flickr site, which features photographs of teen spaces across the country

Don’t forget to enter to win Hourglass or Evernight by Claudia Gray!

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This Wednesday I am waiting on Insatiable by Meg Cabot. What can I say? It’s Meg Cabot, whom I adore, and it’s a vampire book! I can’t wait to read this, as I’m sure it will be amazingly adorable and hilarious.

Insatiable
Release date: June 8, 2010

Summary (from Meg Cabot’s Website):

A modern sequel to Bram Stoker’s Dracula

Sick of hearing about vampires? So is Meena Harper.

But her boss is making her write about them anyway, even though Meena doesn’t believe in them.

Not that Meena isn’t familiar with the supernatural. See, Meena Harper knows how you’re going to die (not that you’re going to believe her. No one ever does).

But not even Meena’s precognition can prepare her for what happens when she meets — then makes the mistake of falling in love with — Lucien Antonescu, a modern-day prince with a bit of a dark side…a dark side a lot of people, like an ancient society of vampire-hunters, would prefer to see him dead for.

The problem is, Lucien’s already dead. Maybe that’s why he’s the first guy Meena’s ever met that she could see herself having a future with. See, while Meena’s always been able to see everyone else’s future, she’s never been able look into her own.

And while Lucien seems like everything Meena has ever dreamed of in a boyfriend, he might turn out to be more like a nightmare.

Now might be a good time for Meena to start learning to predict her own future…

If she even has one.

Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine
Release Date: April 15, 2010

“I guess the good news is that everybody has to put up with being special because everybody is alive.”

Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine is the tale of 10-year-old Caitlin, a talented young artist with Asperger’s syndrome. In Mockingbird, Caitlin is on the search for “Closure” after the death of her older brother, Devon. The novel is told from Caitlin’s point of view, and the reader gets a unique look into the mind of a child that sees the world very differently from the average person.

What did I love about Mockingbird? Mainly, Caitlin’s voice. Erskine crafts a character in Caitlin that will be loved by whomever reads this book. Caitlin’s mind and world-view are so exceptional, and I read with awe as she navigated the complicated business of the world around her. By the end of Mockingbird, I really felt an empathy for Caitlin, her father, and for several other characters that she encounters in the story. The book is beautifully written, moving, and packed with images that leave a lasting impression.

I think this novel hits the mark directly on its attempt to showcase a person with a difference about them that not many people in our world understand. Today, autism and Asperger’s syndrome are everywhere in the media and in what we read and watch (for example, Adam, a recent movie starring Hugh Dancy, and also Jodi Picoult’s new title, House Rules). Mockingbird doesn’t feel like just another telling of someone with Asperger’s, but a truly new, warm, and inspiring take on this syndrome.

I recommend this book for fans of Rebecca Stead, Laura Resau, Kate DiCamillo, and Melina Marchetta. Mockingbird will be released on April 15, 2010, by Philomel Books, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group.

ARC received from the publisher for review–thank you! Quote taken from ARC copy of book, subject to change in the final published version.

For More: Visit Kathryn Erksine’s website, and also visit Amazon.com or IndieBound to purchase this book!