***Big News!***

With everything being finalized, I can finally share my good news with all of you. While pursuing my BS degree in English education for grades 6-12, I started working at SIUE’s library. While working there I became torn because I loved working with and interacting with teens, on the education side, but I absolutely adored working in the library. After I graduated, I decided I wanted to pursue my MLS degree, but wouldn’t do so until I had a library job since I wanted to gain additional library experience as I was getting my degree. While pursuing my MLS degree, I worked in two different positions, both being a mix of reference work and being in charge of the teen department. I was thrilled that I could combine my passion and love for the library with my passion for working with teens. Since I’ve received my MLS, I have worked as a teen librarian and have enjoyed it. So what’s the big news…?

Just when I thought I got to the “final” level of combining my two career passions, I have been given the best opportunity in the world. Starting this fall, I will be the Media Center Director (Librarian) at a local middle school!!! This opportunity will allow me to work with and serve teens (which for those that know me personally know I absolutely adore this specific age group) and be in charge of “my own” library. Working in a school library will challenge me to learn some new tasks that I do not normally do, such as processing and cataloging books, but I am ready for the challenge. I feel like I have finally found my niche in the library world after exploring different library career paths.

So, with all of that being said, I need your help. I want to re-name my blog to something that does not include “teen librarian” in the name, but that doesn’t necessarily need to reflect that I’m going to be a school librarian. I want the name to show what my blog is primarily about, such as reviewing teen books, sharing teen genre book lists, discussing teen programming in the library, ect. Any snazzy blog names you wouldn’t mind sharing would be wonderful. J

Teen Summer Reading Club Week #3

Today is June 20 and it is officially the first day of week #3 of the teen summer reading club. Here is a recap of how last week’s club turned out:

1. At this point, between two library locations, we have had 210 teens sign up for the summer reading club. What I’m most excited about is that one of our locations has 104 teens signed up just within the first two weeks, whereas the last couple of years the highest number that signed up the entire summer was 94. We are on a pretty good roll!

2. Last week we had the first meeting of our all new Teen Anime/Manga Club. We had a very enthusiastic 10 teens show up. It was really cool to see how excited they were to meet other anime/manga fans they had not previously met. They like the idea that this will be a club versus a one shot program. Our next meeting will be in a few weeks.

3. This past week we also had out first of two Studio 11 Dance Co: Break and Hip-Hop Dancing programs. We had a total of 10 teens attend and while it wasn’t as high of a number as I would have liked to have, the teens had a lot of fun. There were two 6^th grade boys that attended and initially, from just their appearance alone, I thought they wouldn’t really enjoy the program. Boy oh boy was I surprised! These two boys had no shame and were really showing off their moves! By the end of the program, they looked like they were ready to go on America’s Got Talent! J I had a smile on my face the entire program and the teens were able to pick up some new moves.

As for this week, week #3 of the summer reading club, I will be hosting the following programs at the library:

1. “Minute to Win It” Challenge – This popular television show has been a type of program a lot of other public libraries have done and/or are doing this summer. In my experience, it seems like teens enjoy a good challenge, so I thought I’d give this one a try. We will be doing a total of 10 different challenges, including, but not limited to, the following: Breakfast Scramble, Caddy Stack, Magic Carpet Ride, Stack Attack, and Cracker Song. This will be one of two “Minute to Win It” Challenges I will be hosting this summer.

2. Studio 11 Dance Co: Break and Hip-Hop Dancing – This will be the same program I hosted this past week, but it will be at our second library location.

Here’s to another great week of the teen summer reading club!

Follow Friday

Follow Me Friday is a weekly book-blogger meme hosted by Parajunkee over at Parajunkee's View. If you have a book blog, you can join in the fun too! This week’s Follow Friday question is:

GenreWars! What’s your favorite genre and which book in that genre made it your favorite?

Although I try to read a number of different genres, the one I am most likely to read from is realistic fiction. I like reading about situations and dilemmas that can really happen in any given place during any given time. Although I am no longer a teen, like the characters in the realistic fiction books I read, I still feel like I can relate to what the characters are going through, whether from when I was a teen to even as a “young” adult in my 20s. I’ve had two equally good books that have made me fall in love with this genre: Catalyst by Laurie Halse Anderson and Identical by Ellen Hopkins. I love, love, love these books!

Happy Friday everyone!

Revolver by Marcus Sedgwick

Received: At the library

Rating: 4.0/5.0 stars
 Summary: Finland, 1910: Fifteen-year-old Sig is shocked to see a hole in the frozen lake outside his family's cabin and to find his father's corpse nearby. Why did Einar steer his dog sled across the lake instead of taking the safer land route? Sig's sister and stepmother go for help, leaving Sig alone with Einar's body in the cabin. Soon after, an armed stranger barges in. 

HELL-O psychological thriller! If you are looking for a quick, intense, adventure/thriller story then this is the book for you. When Sig finds his father Einar’s corpse, the plot of the story quickly begins to unfold. Not only is Sig struggling with Einar’s death, but a creepy, mysterious man arrives at his door and Sig feels like the man has come to kill him. Einar is all alone in the cabin and doesn’t know what will happen to him. Readers don’t understand why the man has come and will not have a full understanding until the latter part of the story.

The book is told during two different times and places: 1910, Giron (during the Alaska Gold Rush) and 1899, Nome. As the book jumps back and forth between the two, bits and pieces of Sig’s family life and past are relieved. Sig was only a child when his family lived in Nome and all he really remembers is seeing his mother suffer through a severe illness, but many other serious events occured. Once Sig’s family is in Giron it is clear that Einar will do whatever it takes to support his family since they are barely able to eat and survive. He’s offered an important job figuring out how much the miner’s gold is worth and the story moves along. One day a mysterious man appears in the office, the same mysterious man who barges in on Sig at the beginning of the story, and we know this man is up to no good. Einar shows his son how to use his revolver and although his mother doesn’t agree that he should learn, it actually plays a critical role in the story (your initial assumption won’t reign true). This book shows how much greed can overrun your life and make you almost go crazy.

When I started this book I felt kind of unnerved and had this constant creepy feeling (mostly because of the mysterious stranger) but could not put it down. I felt like I just had to keep reading…I just needed to know what was going to happen. Just when I thought I knew what was going to happen in the story, a shocking point was added. The only downfall this book had is that there tended to be some somewhat preachy, religious parts but it wasn’t enough to stop me from reading it and it will not stop me from recommending it. Thrilling, creepy, and intense this is a great fast-paced read to recommend to all readers alike!

*100 Followers--Triple Book Giveaway!*

It’s true, I have reached 100 followers and to say the least I am happy/thrilled/surprised (in a good way)! I started this blog back in September 2010 and I did it as a way to be more tech savvy, but to also write about what I love: books, the library, teen programming, and being a library advocate. This blog has become sort of my “baby” and although it hasn’t always been easy keeping up with it, I really enjoy having it.

I just want to give all of you a big THANK YOU for finding my blog interesting/valuable enough to follow. I really do appreciate it! As a “thank you” I am going to be doing a TRIPLE BOOK GIVEAWAY! Here are the three books that are up for grabs:

Breath of Angel by Karyn Henley

Summary (from B&N.com): The stranger’s cloak had fallen back, and with it, a long, white, blood-stained wing. When Melaia, a young priestess, witnesses the gruesome murder of a stranger in the temple courtyard, age-old legends recited in song suddenly come to life. She discovers wings on the stranger, and the murderer takes the shape of both a hawk and a man.  Angels. Shape-shifters. Myths and stories—until now. Melaia finds herself in the middle of a blood feud between two immortal brothers who destroyed the stairway to heaven, stranding angels in the earthly realm. When Melaia becomes a target, she finds refuge with a band of angels attempting to restore the stairway. But the restoration is impossible without settling an ancient debt—the “breath of angel, blood of man,” a payment that involves Melaia’s heart, soul, and destiny.

Bloodspell by Amalie Howard

Summary (from B&N.com): The spell was simple...Cruentus Protectum (Defend the Blood) But what do you do if your blood is your enemy? Victoria Warrick has always known she was different. An outcast at school, she is no stranger to adversity. But when she receives an old journal for her seventeenth birthday, nothing prepares her for the dark secrets it holds -- much less one that reveals she's a witch with unimaginable power. What's more, when she meets the dazzling but enigmatic Christian Devereux, she has no idea how much her life is about to change. Enemies will hunt her. Friends will turn on her. The terrible curse that makes her blood run black will stop at nothing to control her. And Christian has a sinister secret of his own...Without knowing whom to trust, can Victoria survive her blood's deadly desires? Or will she lose everything, including herself?

The Girl in the Garden by Kamala Nair

Summary (from B&N.com): The redemptive journey of a young woman unsure of her engagement, who revisits in memory the events of one scorching childhood summer when her beautiful yet troubled mother spirits her away from her home to an Indian village untouched by time, where she discovers in the jungle behind her ancestral house a spellbinding garden that harbors a terrifying secret.

***GIVEAWAY RULES!***

1. This contest is open to all participants interested that reside in the U.S.

2. Give yourself +1 entry if you are a follower of my blog (you do not need to be a follower to enter)

3. Give yourself +2 entries if you post about this giveaway somewhere on your blog, Facebook, or Twitter (please leave a link if you do this and make sure I will be able to see the post publicly)

***TO ENTER: Leave a comment with your e-mail address and the appropriate number of entries below. Winners will be announced on my blog and will be notified by e-mail on Tuesday, July 12!***

Good luck and thanks for participating!

Teen Summer Reading Club Week #2

Today, June 13, kicks off week #2 of the teen summer reading club. As of last Friday, we had 58 teens sign up for the reading club at one of our library locations and 80 teens sign up for the reading club at our second library location. I was pleased that we had so many teens sign up for the club during the first week, especially since some of the public schools we serve were still in session.

Last week I also ran the “Jamming Kickoff!” program, featuring back-to-back book trailers, to kickoff the summer at the library. In total, we had 16 participants, which was an “ok” number for me, but what I was most pleased with was the amount of books checked out by those that participated. Each teen that was there took between 3-9 books total! I was thrilled that the book trailers were an effective way to get them excited about some of the books we carry at the library. What were some of the popular ones?: The Forest of Hands and Teeth, The Compound, Wish You Were Dead, Unwind, Hush, Hush, Memento Nora, The Maze Runner, and Exposed.

This week I will be hosting the following two programs:

1. Teen Anime/Manga Club—Anime and Manga are two really popular things in my library district and after many requests, I thought I would start a club, rather than just having individual Anime nights. During our first meeting we will be watching episodes from The Slayers Revolution and Ragnarok the Animation. We will also be talking about popular Manga titles being read and the format for future Anime meetings. Although this isn’t the type of program that necessarily excites me, it’s definitely an outlet the teens are looking for, which is what’s important.

2. Studio 11 Dance Co: Break and Hip-Hop Dancing—A local dance studio is coming to the library to demonstrate and teach a few moves from both Break and Hip-Hop dancing. The teens I’ve been telling this to seem to be really excited for this opportunity, plus it goes along with the summer reading club’s music/dance theme. I will be hosting this program at one of our library locations this week and then will have the same program during week #3 at our other library location.

With that being said, here’s to another exciting week of summer reading at the library!

The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

Received: At the library

Rating: 4.5/5.0 stars

Every summer since she was born, the main character, nicknamed Belly, spends her summer at a beach house with her mother, her brother Steven, her mother’s best friend Susannah, and Susannah’s two sons Jeremiah and Conrad. From the beginning of the book, it is apparent that Belly has had a crush on both Jeremiah and Conrad, but claims that this summer things are going to be different. When her family arrives at the beach house, it becomes clear that Belly has “grown up” and that, as the title states, this is the summer she’s turned pretty. It’s not as though she wasn’t pretty before, but she’s blossomed into a young woman and has embraced that.

This story is told from Belly’s point of view, including chapters from the present and then various chapters from when she was different ages. I liked that this type of format was used because it allows readers to get brief glimpses into Belly’s past, while interweaving current information into the story. The only critique I have about this style though is rather than going in numerical age order, it jumps around, which can make the story a little confusing. We learn that, as a child, Belly was very close with Susannah and the boys. Yet, she also would often feel left out from the “boys only” type of group. As she gets older though, she tries to fight for her right to be in the group.

This summer though, things are different (aside from Belly turning pretty). Conrad seems uninterested in everything going on, Steven is leaving the beach house early to check out colleges with his father, and all in all, things are different. Readers will see that Belly has feelings for both Jeremiah and Conrad, but like most teen girls, doesn’t really know what to do about it. When she meets a handsome, smart new guy, she decides to turn her attention on him. Although indirectly, there is jealousy felt between Belly and Jeremiah and Belly and Conrad. Throughout the book, readers will wonder who Belly will end up with, if anyone at all.

Initially, I thought this book would just be a light-hearted, perfect summer book. Although it was, it also was so much more. There are family issues in Belly’s life and also family issues in Jeremiah and Conrad’s lives. Belly’s experience growing up into being a young woman and her coming-of-age story is strong. Life isn’t as easy as it might seem, just because they are at a beach house. By the end of the book, readers will have a clear understanding of why each character acted the way he or she did throughout the whole book. As a side note, I really thought I knew what was going on in the story, but was surprised by the end of the story, so that was a plus. I was pleased with the ending, but it definitely made me wanting more, so I’m looking forward to reading the sequel. I couldn’t ask for a more perfect coming-of-age, intriguing story that screams SUMMER.

...The Winner Is...

And the winner of an ARC copy of Dreams of Significant Girls by Christina Garcia is:

Annette from Annette's Book Spot!

Please reply back to the e-mail I sent you with your address within 48 hours to claim your prize. Congratulations and a big thank you goes to everyone for entering!

The Defense of Thaddeus A. Ledbetter by John Gosselink

Received: At the library

Rating: 3.75/5.0 stars

Summary: Twelve-year-old Thaddeus A. Ledbetter, who considers it a duty to share his knowledge and talent with others, refutes each of the charges which have sent him to "In-School Suspension" for the remainder of seventh grade. (Summary from book)

Thaddeus is a quirky, funny, over-the-top middle school student who wants to do nothing more than re-think the ways things are done and make suggestions for improvements. These solutions include making a church service more fun (such as playing an electric guitar at the beginning of the service), the “appropriate” rules for the slug-bug game, and promoting nutrition for the elderly (including giving those who don’t have teeth oranges…yeah, not the best situation). However, Thaddeus’ suggestions are not always really the best solution and he ends up getting in quite a bit of trouble, including getting in school suspension for the rest of the school year.

This book, made up of notes, journal entries, e-mails, illustrations and more, gives Thaddeus’ defense for all of the actions he’s taken to try to make improvements. This format for the book is one that makes the book really accessible, especially for reluctant readers, and is a great readalike for the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books.

Thaddeus is presenting his case to the school principal, Mr. Cooper, who has placed him on in school suspension. At the beginning of the book, most of Thaddeus’ peers think he’s kind of strange. Yet, by the end of the book even though they might not fully understand him and his actions, they respect him more. Throughout the book, there are small points made that let readers know Thaddeus’ father has recently died, but it does not consumer the book or become overly emotional. Mr. Cooper automatically assumes Thaddeus is a problem student, but when he finds out Thaddeus’ circumstances, he gets a better understanding of him as a person. Now, Mr. Cooper doesn’t just let him off the hook, but he looks at Thaddeus in a new light.

The Defense of Thaddeus A. Ledbetter is a great book that incorporates a wide range of information, including true facts and tidbits, while containing plenty of humor and indirect action. Having the “chapters” broken up by Thaddeus’ specific incident, makes this a good book to be able to read a little, put down, and pick up again without feeling like you might have forgotten what you have read. Although female students will enjoy this, especially those looking for an alternate format book, I think this will definitely be one of my new go-to books to book talk to middle school students, especially boys.

...Ramblings from a Librarian...(#12)

You Know What Really Grinds My Gears….? (Courtesy of Peter Griffin from Family Guy)

For the past five years or so, between my library work experience and as I was pursuing my Master of Library Science, MLS, degree, I heard phrases such as the following:

In regards to being a librarian:

- “Wow, I would love to have a job where I could sit and read all day.”

- “All you do is check out books, right?”

- “Your job is so easy.”

- “Don’t you just sit at the desk and help people find books?”

- “What do you REALLY do?”

So on and so forth, you get the idea.

In regards to completing my MLS degree:

Me: “Yeah, I’m pretty busy with graduate school.”

Person: “Wow, that’s really impressive. What are you getting your degree in?”

Me: “Library Science.”

Person: “[insert snicker] You need a Master’s degree to work in a library?” OR “Oh [disregarding any importance of this type of Master’s degree]…”

So on and so forth, once again, you get the idea.

Here goes my rant and please forgive me if I sound a little harsh, but this is one of those topics that really “grinds my gears”:

I am so sick and tired of people saying librarians don’t do anything, that they don’t understand why librarians need a Master’s degree and/or don’t regard it as highly as some other types of Master ’s degrees and that slowly but surely librarians are not going to be necessary. I can handle people joking about how the typical librarian might look [insert grumpy old woman with hair in a bun] or act [“shhh-ing” everyone], but I hate feeling like I don’t do anything or that my job is worthwhile, because I do and it is. As a teen services public librarian I do the following and more:

Plan and present teen programs, connect teens with books [in various ways], encourage having a love and passion for reading, answer a wide range of questions at the reference desk [using books, electronic databases, ect.], assist patrons that are new to using computers, assist patrons with finding credible information, perform collection development to ensure teens have the best collection of books to choose from, plan the bi-annual reading clubs, perform school outreach, create attractive displays [book and other], perform collection development for adult non-fiction, write articles for the local newspapers, weed the various book collections to ensure anything not being checked out in a reasonable amount of time and/or not having current, up-to-date information is discarded, and so on.

So no, I don’t get to sit and read all day. I do not just check books in and out. I do not just help patrons find books. Yes, I do feel that having my Master’s degree, along with years of library work experience, is necessary. Sure, maybe the Master’s degree program needs to continue to evolve with the ever changing world we live in, but it is not unimportant.

Normally I don’t voice my opinion about this a whole lot, but articles such as THIS ONE , and some of the very negative comments in response to this article about how unnecessary real [school] librarians are just bothers me. Librarians are needed. I understand the industry, along with every other industry, is being impacted from the economy and everything else going on in this world. But please, don’t belittle someone about their job unless you have truly walked in their shoes. [Some public school teachers may see their school librarian not doing anything, but it doesn’t mean EVERY school librarian is like that.]

Ok, I think I’ve said enough. Thank you for listening.

Giveaway Reminder!

This is just a reminder that this giveaway, Dreams of Significant Girls, ends on June 9. Don't forget to enter if you haven't already! :-)

The End of the Line by Angela Cerrito

Received: At the library

Rating: 3.75/5.0 stars

“Ryan was dead. And I was a murderer.”

- We meet Robbie, once your average middle-school student, sitting alone at Great Oaks School, or what Robbie refers to as a prison. Right from the start of the book we know Robbie murdered Ryan, but we don’t know anything about how or why it happened.

- The story is told from Robbie’s point of view and it flip-flops from present time, Robbie at Great Oaks School, to his past, referred to as River Falls, where he lived.

- The chapters for Great Oaks School focus on Robbie being in a juvenile detention center and trying to come to terms with and accepting what he has done. The chapters for River Falls show how Ryan and Robbie’s friendship started and why it went sour.

- Ryan is a new kid at school and is just sort of socially awkward, including hiding under his desk. Even though Robbie tries to help Ryan out, getting him to play at recess, Robbie doesn’t really want to be his friend.

- Next thing he knows, Ryan is following Robbie home from school and inviting himself into his house. Robbie’s mom is so nice, and sees how well the children at her in-home daycare take to Ryan, that she invites him to dinner and their not so real friendship begins.

- Ryan begins eating all meals at Robbie’s house and helps at the daycare. Robbie quickly learns that Ryan wants to do things, such as break into the local construction site, just to get a thrill no matter what the consequences are. Robbie doesn’t want to do this.

- Little by little Ryan starts revealing who he is…such as living in a house with his grandparents who could care less about him. They live in the house everyone in school thinks is haunted. Ryan’s definition of dinner at his house is a hard piece of break, softened by putting water on it, and then spreading the powder macaroni and cheese sauce on top.

- Besides Robbie’s friendship with Ryan, he is also dealing with his uncle being sent off to fight in the war. His once best friend and running part, Robbie is really close with his uncle and devastated with this news.

- This story is told in very brief chapters just shedding enough light onto the situation to keep readers’ attention. When a devastating tragedy happens to his uncle, Ryan does something Robbie can no longer look past.

*The End of the Line is fast-paced, suspenseful, and a good choice for more reluctant readers as well as readers looking for a thriller.

Teen Summer Reading Club Week #1

This coming Monday, June 6 is the start date for my library’s teen summer reading club at the library! Abby the Librarian is putting together a week-by-week overview of how her reading club is going at the library, including various programs she’s done. So, kind of playing off this, I’m going to do a week-by-week overview but focus on the upcoming week’s teen summer reading programs to get myself mentally prepared. J

Two things that I am really excited about for this year’s program are:

* The summer reading club theme -- Read Like a Rock Star! (This allowed me to have one of the halfway completion prizes be an inflatable guitar, which the teens I’ve talked to are really excited about!)

* The summer reading club format -- Rather than having to read a specific number of books or pages, teens are reading based on hours. I think this is a great way to not only encourage a wide range of reading (such as books, online information, newspapers, ect.) but to place all teens on a level playing field when it comes to completing the program.

When I was planning my programs for this summer, I knew I wanted to do some sort of kick off for the summer reading club. I received great inspiration from one of the local high schools who, a few months ago, showed back-to-back book trailers as a way to promote books. There event was a big hit! So, why reinvent the wheel right? I thought this would be a great way to kick off this year’s reading club and give teens some ideas for books to read to complete the program. Since I work at both of our district’s branches, I will be doing this program once on Thursday, June 9 and once on Friday, June 10.

With that being said, here’s to my third year of teen summer reading madness!

A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park

Received: At the library

Rating: 4.5/5.0 stars

Summary: When the Sudanese civil war reaches his village in 1985, eleven-year-old Salva becomes separated from his family and must walk with other Dinka tribe members through southern Sudan, Ethiopia, and Kenya in search of safe haven.

Wow…! Before I go on and on about my opinion of this book, here’s a little information about the book itself. The story is a whopping 115 pages but don’t let the size make you think any less of it. This is a small book that has so much jam packed within the pages that it feels more like a large novel. The chapters are told from different points of view and during different years. One point of view is from Nya living in Southern Sudan during 2008 and on. The second point of view is from Salva, also living in Southern Sudan, but during 1985 and on. What I loved about this way of telling the story is that it tells two very different stories from two very different times of living in and around Sudan. Plus, with both points of view ending up in present day, it makes readers realize some of the struggles described are still taking place today, making it really relatable. Both points of view are brief and to the point, making the story easy to read through without being overwhelmed with details, yet still well told.

Besides the format of the book, the story itself was a journey full of hope, despair, struggle, triumph, and a number of other emotions. Nya struggles with traveling full days going back and forth to get water for her family and even though she is doing all of this hard work, the water isn’t even technically clean or safe for her family to drink. Salva struggles with conflict, war, and just trying to survive.

Once I started this book I couldn’t put it down for the simple fact that I needed to know what would happen to Nya and Salva and whether or not there would be resolutions made. A Long Walk to Water is easy to connect to, both to the plot and to the characters, and will leave the reader deeply impacted, which is one of the strongest points of the book.