Thoughts: Post-ALA

Back from another ALA, one that had a nostalgic feeling for me.  There's a lot of reasons for that: there was the celebrating for the 2011 Printz, which came with moments I had been waiting for since May of 2009, when I was elected to the 2011 Printz committee.  There's also knowing that this ALA marks a transition for me.  I'm not on any committees right now, and my plans for the next year are to serve on a process committee, which are primarily virtual right now.  But after getting to serve on the Printz, I think it's time to give back to YALSA by being on a less-"glamorous" process committee.

But what was this conference like, you're wondering?

--I got a chance to attend some great programs, giving me some ideas for improving teen services at my library.  In addition, many of these ideas can be expanded to other areas, which is great.  For example, Renee McGrath at Nassau Library showed off a mobile website that looks like an app--something I've already shown to people here at my library.  And I definitely want to start using QR codes on my program publicity and to promote the library's online resources. 

--I am a bit concerned with YALSA's insistence on being all things Apple.  I can understand that Apple's products have a very high cool factor--teens want iDevices.  However, they're not the only option.  And in cases where there are legitimate alternatives, I think that we should have balance by hearing about all the options.  Given that Android is gobbling up a larger and larger market share with each month, it just seems short-sighted to focus only on today's hot product and not tomorrow's, too.

--Another matter for concern was Penguin's ARC distribution methods.  Instead of having ARCs available throughout the conference, they only gave out ARCs during very short windows--in most cases, one hour.  These were usually timed with when an author was signing.  But there's two problems with this: in many cases, I don't really want a signed ARC; I just want the ARC.  Beyond that, though, is the fact that anyone who had committments they couldn't break--committee meetings, meals, etc.--then you were out of luck.  Given that many people come to ALA to do work, not just to get ARCs, this seems like a real disservice to me.  Add in the fact that I can count on three fingers the number of times a publisher has sent me an ARC after the conference when they ran out, and I really hope that this idea is seen as the bad PR that it is.  I know it's not a right to get ARCs, but I don't understand why Penguin would make it harder for themselves in this way.  I don't think it's a coincidence that three boxes of Crossed ARCs went missing during the conference.

--In happier topics, the Printz reception was amazing.  All the speeches were just funny and touching and thoughtful, in different ways.  Lucy Christopher talked about how Stolen came from her experiences as an immigrant to Australia.  A.S. (Amy) King gave a moving speech about how her mother's illness when Amy was fifteen, inspired Please Ignore Vera Dietz.  Marcus Sedgwick made a funny, extemparaneous talk about how his research factored into Revolver.  Janne Teller gave three speeches in one to discuss how Nothing came to be published, and how writing for young adults taught her more than she ever thought.  And Paolo Bacigalupi made a call-to-arms, saying that the world he created in Ship Breaker is what we are creating now, and that it was up to us and to teenagers to prevent that from happening. 

--I couldn't help but be incredibly proud of the Printz committee for the hard work that went into these selections.  Two of our members couldn't be with us in New Orleans, which saddened us all.  Yet we had a glorious celebration of just how good young adult literature is, and I feel very honored to have been a part of this.  Being on the Printz committee is a highlight of not just my career, but of my personal life as well.

Those of you who went to ALA, I hope you had a good time as well!  And here's hoping we'll see each other again at another conference.  If you're interested to know what ARCs I managed to pick up, check in next week to see my ARC haul post.

Thoughts: The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire

The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, whose hundred year anniversary will be next month on March 25, was recently back in the news after the New York Times reported that the last six unknown victims had been identified.

It's interesting to think about this major historical event in light of the recent events in Wisconsin over public workers' rights to organize and bargain collectively.  For the Triangle Shirtwaist fire was a rallying cry for union organizers and workers, showing that there was a need for collective bargaining against the power of owners and managers.

For those of you who are interested in YA lit, the Triangle Shirtwaist fire is well-covered, with a range of perspectives.  These are just some of the titles that discuss this event:

Ashes of Roses by Mary Jane Auch
Uprising by Margaret Peterson Haddix (guest post at librarian by day)
Lost by Jacqueline Davies (my review)
Threads and Flames by Esther Friesner

The time might be ripe for a display about unions in history!  Such a display would be a reminder that history influences the present and helps to explain it.

Thoughts: Living in a Post-Project World

Over the last three years, I've been involved in two major, non-day job projects: writing my book and serving on the 2011 Printz committee.  They were both great experiences, ones that helped me understand both myself and the profession to which I belong.  By the end of Midwinter 2011, the book had been published and the Printz winner selected.  So the big question is, now what?

Well, for one thing, I've been enjoying reading whatever I want.  Even adult books!  If you look at the GoodReads widget I have on my blog, you can see that I've finally had a chance to read Maisie Dobbs.  I'm catching up on a lot of happenings in comic book land.  The YA lit I'm reading is more tuned to what I like to read, rather than what I should read for my various projects.

This all means that the output at this blog is slowing down a bit.  It's changing in other ways, too.  I don't know if I'll ever go back to the style of posts I wrote when I first started this blog--they were in-depth reviews of books, highlighting important aspects of the books.  Now I prefer the short-and-sweet review that gives a hint of the book.

Bloggerland is a very big pond, with a lot of fish in it.  I'm certainly not a big fish, but I like being able to share my thoughts about books.  It probably will just be a bit more irregular in the future.  Yet on the other hand, I hope to have more time to reflect, to contemplate.  My blog has always been reviews first, and everything else a distant second.  I'm hoping that I can narrow this gap in the coming months. 

I still love finding new books and talking about them.  So if you've got a suggestion for what I should read, hit up the comments section!  (That's another goal for the blog: encourage more discussion from all of you reading my blog).

Thanks for reading!

Thoughts on Training: This Ain't Your Mama's Library

When you're doing your normal day-to-day activities, it's easy to lose sight of theories and ideals. So even if you're an experienced teen librarian, attending a training that focuses on the basics can provide benefits. Here are two things that I realized after attending a day-long training with Michele Gorman, the teen coordinator of ImaginOn at the Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenberg County.

#1: Remember the guiding principles.

This workshop was designed to present the fundamentals of working with teens. Ranging from adolescent brain growth and the developmental needs of teens to programming and collection development, it was teen librarianship in a nutshell. Yet it was a nutshell that reacquaints you with the basics. By taking some time to think about something like the Search Institute's 40 Developmental Assets, you can find new insights, sending your mind off in different directions. Plus, it's always possible that you'll learn about a theory that you weren't exposed to in library school or be brought up-to-date on the latest research.

#2: Sharing ideas leads to growth.

As part of the programming discussion, the participants were split into small groups to develop a program idea. For me, it's so easy to get into a rut when it comes to programming; just considering a different kind of program creates sparks. In addition, while it's about coming up with different programs, it's also invaluable to hear about new takes on standard programs. Learning doesn't just come from listening to an expert--it also comes from working with people who have a variety of backgrounds and approaches.

I recommend attending a training with Michele Gorman if you get the chance. But even more, if you work with teens, you should attempt to attend occasional training on teen services. Get back in touch with the basics or learn something new, either from your instructor or the person sitting next to you. You might be surprised by all you gain out of training on what you already know.

Thoughts: Why Training is Important

I plan a more in-depth post next week, but I just wanted to say really quickly why I think training is so important for any professional, especially for those librarians who serve teens.

We all go through periods where we feel uninspired or unsure. As I was preparing my goals for next year, I knew I wanted to shake things up, try some new things while taking what I've learned in the last two years in my position. Yet I wasn't quite sure what I wanted to do, or whether I was on the right track.

Yesterday, I was lucky enough to attend a training with Michele Gorman, teen librarian extraordinaire and a colleague from past YALSA committees. And it was just what I needed: the opportunity to reconnect with theory, yet also get many practical ideas. It really jazzed me up for not only my goal-setting, but for program planning and working on the collection at my library.

In short, training has helped me figure out what I wasn't sure of, and gave me a dose of positive energy. And we can all use some of that, I think! So if you have the chance to attend a training or a conference, please do so. You might be surprised by what you get out of it, even if you've been in the field for years and have seen it all. And if you're new to teen librarianship, you will come away amazed by everything you didn't realize was possible.

Look for a longer post next week, highlighting the ideas that Michele talked about and providing some of my reactions.

Thoughts: My TBR Pile

Every librarian has one. Most people, in fact, do, in some way, shape or form. I'm talking about the TBR pile: the stack--or stacks--of books that are waiting to be read. When life intervenes on your reading, like it's doing for me this week, I look over my TBR stack and almost long to read. Instead, I'll just have to content myself with waiting until I can pick up a book again.

If you're curious, this is what's on my pile at the moment.

Betsy and the Great World and Betsy's Wedding--the last two books in the Betsy-Tacy series. I had never read this series, and I started after I read Meg Cabot's comments about these books set in a small Minnesota town in the early twentieth century. As so many people have discovered, these are delightful, charming books. I'm both looking forward and dreading reading these last two, because that means I'll be all done, and I won't have any new Betsy-Tacy books to read.

Distant Waves: A Novel of the Titanic--this is partly for me and partly for my book. I've been working away on a reader's advisory guide to YA historical fiction. The deadline for the manuscript is December 31, and I really have to make that deadline. Otherwise, I'll be working on the book at the same time as the Printz, and I don't see that ending with me retaining my sanity. And this book looks particularly good: a mashup of spiritualism and family relationships, set amidst the drama of the Titanic's sinking.

The A-List: Sunset Boulevard--out of all the readalike series that came after Gossip Girl, this series has remained my favorite. I honestly think it's better-written than most, and I've enjoyed the character relationships. Now that the series has been rebooted, it's taking me a little time to get interested in the new characters, but I think this second book will do the trick. I had the same experience with the Gossip Girl: The Carlyles series, and now I really enjoy that series. So here's hoping for more lifestyles of the rich and famous!

Libyrinth: A Fabulous Adventure on a Strange World of the Future--I heard about this book somewhere, and put it on hold. When I received it and read the jacket copy, I practically cheered at the thought of a science-fiction novel concerning books and libraries. On a world far from Earth, thousands of years from now, Haly lives in the Libyrinth, a library so vast people sometimes get lost in it and never come out again. A clerk to the Libyrarian Selene, she and all the Libyrinth's residents are dedicated to protecting the books, for within them rests the sum of all human knowledge brought from Earth in the distant past.

I think you can understand why I'm so eager to get back to reading. Hope everyone's been able to keep up with their TBR pile better than me!

Thoughts: I'm Seeing Double, Maybe

Is it just me, or do these covers seem to feature the same stock photo, only flipped?

Thoughts: 100 YA Books

There's been a YA book meme (what's a meme?) going around on Facebook and on other blogs like Libarilly Blonde, and I thought I might do it here, both to see how I stack up and also to ask the question of what you think should be on this list--or shouldn't.

It's totally unscientific, but still a fun exercise!

The following list of books teens love, books teens should read, and
books adults who serve teens should know about was compiled IN
ABSOLUTELY NO SCIENTIFIC MANNER and should be taken with a very large
grain of salt.

Instructions:
Put an "X" next to the books you've read
Put a "+" next to the books you LOVE
Put a "#" next to the books you plan on reading
Tally your "X"s at the bottom
Share with your friends!

1. Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy / Douglas Adams X
2. Kit's Wilderness / David Almond
3. Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian / Sherman Alexie
4. Speak / Laurie Halse Anderson X+
5. Feed / M.T. Anderson X
6. Flowers in the Attic / V.C. Andrews
7. 13 Reasons Why / Jay Asher #
8. Am I Blue? / Marion Dane Bauer (editor)
9. Audrey Wait! / Robin Benway X
10. Weetzie Bat / Francesca Lia Block X
11. Tangerine / Edward Bloor X
12. Forever / Judy Blume #
13. What I Saw and How I Lied / Judy Blundell #
14. Tyrell / Coe Booth X
15. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants / Ann Brashares X
16. A Great and Terrible Beauty / Libba Bray X
17. The Princess Diaries / Meg Cabot X
18. The Stranger / Albert Camus
19. Ender's Game / Orson Scott Card X
20. Postcards from No Man's Land / Aidan Chambers
21. Perks of Being a Wallflower / Stephen Chbosky
22. And Then There Were None / Agatha Christie
23. Gingerbread / Rachel Cohn
24. Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist / Rachel Cohn and David Levithan X
25. Artemis Fowl (series) / Eoin Colfer X
26. The Hunger Games / Suzanne Collins X
27. The Midwife's Apprentice / Karen Cushman X
28. The Truth About Forever / Sarah Dessen X
29. Little Brother / Cory Doctorow X
30. A Northern Light / Jennifer Donnelly X
31. Tears of a Tiger / Sharon Draper X
32. The House of the Scorpion / Nancy Farmer #
33. Breathing Underwater / Alex Flinn X
34. Stardust / Neil Gaiman
35. Annie on My Mind / Nancy Garden #
36. What Happened to Cass McBride / Gail Giles
37. Fat Kid Rules the World / K.L. Going X
38. Lord of the Flies / William Golding
39. Looking for Alaska / John Green X
40. Bronx Masquerade / Nikki Grimes X
41. Out of the Dust / Karen Hesse X
42. Hoot / Carl Hiaasen X
43. The Outsiders / S.E. Hinton #
44. Crank / Ellen Hopkins X
45 The First Part Last / Angela Johnson X
46. Blood and Chocolate / Annette Curtis Klause
47. Arrow's Flight / Mercedes Lackey
48. Hattie Big Sky / Kirby Larson X
49. To Kill a Mockingbird / Harper Lee X
50. Boy Meets Boy / David Levithan X
51. The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks / E. Lockhart X+
52. The Giver / Lois Lowry X
53. Number the Stars / Lois Lowry X
54. Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie / David Lubar X
55. Inexcusable / Chris Lynch X
56. The Earth, My Butt and Other Big, Round Things / Carolyn Mackler X
57. Dragonsong / Anne McCaffrey
58. White Darkness / Geraldine McCaughrean
59. Sold / Patricia McCormick
60. Jellicoe Road / Melina Marchetta #
61. Wicked Lovely / Melissa Marr
62. Twilight / Stephenie Meyer
63. Dairy Queen / Catherine Murdock X
64. Fallen Angels / Walter Dean Myers
65. Monster / Walter Dean Myers
66. Step From Heaven / An Na X
67. Mama Day / Gloria Naylor
68. The Keys to the Kingdom (series) / Garth Nix
69. Sabriel / Garth Nix
70. Airborn / Kenneth Oppel X
71. Eragon / Christopher Paolini X
72. Hatchet / Gary Paulsen X
73. Life As We Knew It / Susan Beth Pfeffer X+
74. The Golden Compass / Phillip Pullman X
75. Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging / Louise Rennison X
76. The Lightning Thief / Rick Riordan X+
77. Always Running: La Vida Loca / Luis Rodriguez
78. how i live now / Meg Rosoff X
79. Harry Potter (series) / J.K. Rowling X+
80. Holes / Louis Sachar X
81. Catcher in the Rye / J. D. Salinger X
82. Push / Sapphire
83. Persepolis / Marjane Satrapi X
84. Unwind / Neil Shusterman X
85. Coldest Winter Ever / Sister Souljah
86. Stargirl / Jerry Spinelli X
87. Chanda's Secrets / Allan Stratton
88. Tale of One Bad Rat / Brian Talbot X
89. Rats Saw God / Rob Thomas X
90. Lord of the Rings / J.R.R. Tolkien X
91. Stuck in Neutral / Terry Trueman X
92. Gossip Girl / Cecily Von Ziegesar X
93. Uglies / Scott Westerfeld X+
94. Every Time a Rainbow Dies / Rita Williams-Garcia
95. Pedro and Me / Judd Winick X
96. Hard Love / Ellen Wittlinger X
97. American Born Chinese / Gene Luen Yang
98. Elsewhere / Gabrielle Zevin X+
99. I am the Messenger / Markus Zusak X+
100. The Book Thief / Markus Zusak X+

Total: 63, which isn't bad. There's a few books that I'm a bit embarrassed I haven't read, but that I'm reading now (The Outsiders). How about you? Anything you're embarrassed to admit that you haven't read?

Thoughts: Scholastic Book Clubs

I'm sure I'm not the only person who has fond memories of the Scholastic Book Club. My parents, who were saintly enough to support my book habit, would give me a set amount of money, and I would pour over that circular, printed on flimsy, thinner-than-newsprint paper, to figure out how to get the most books for the money.

It seems that things have changed with the Scholastic Book Club. As reported in the New York Times, a watchdog group says that Scholastic is misusing the book club to sell non-book products.

Certainly we can appreciate the points raised by the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood: children and teens seem to be subjected to an endless barrage of commercials and tie-in products nowadays. Yet I can't help seeing Scholastic's side of the issue, in that reluctant readers might need the hook of stickers or a game to bring them to a book. Plus, there's been plenty of discussion about how video games also encourage literacy and learning.

Perhaps Scholastic could choose products to include in the book club flier that are a bit less commercial, but if the end result means that a child or a teen learns and develop a new skill, I have a hard time finding the negative.

What are your thoughts?

Thoughts: The Spoils of Midwinter

I might have gotten my Morris prediction wrong, but I'm satisfied with the results. And while I only read one of the five Printz winners, I'm thrilled that The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks won a Printz Honor. Congrats to Liz and the whole Printz committee for their hard work.

Books I've already read: Envy by Anna Godbersen and The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han. Major props to HarperTeen for giving out hardcover copies of the third book in The Luxe series on Friday night. And even better, it was a rewarding read, full of both twists and turns and expected outcomes. It definitely leaves me wanting the fourth (and last?) book in this series. Sadly, The Summer I Turned Pretty left me a bit cold. I thought the structure was a bit confusing and all over the place. And honestly, the main character picked the boy that I found the least appealing out of her three choices. (And talk about an embarrassment of riches there!)

Books I'm currently reading: Betraying Season by Marissa Doyle and Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen. Many thanks to Holt for giving me an ARC of the sequel to Bewitching Season, a book I really enjoyed. Betraying Season is just as enjoyable, too--I'll definitely be reviewing this closer to its publication. I've only read a few chapters of Along for the Ride, but already I was struck by Sarah Dessen's ability to shape her character's voice to her personality. Full of big words and deep concepts, Auden sounds like the smart, driven girl that you're told she is.

Books I'm looking forward to: Penguin Harcourt Dial/Penguin (once I got my box o' books, I could confirm my initial statement that it was Penguin) was fantastic and offered up ARCs of Fire, the companion novel/sequel to Graceling. I really can't wait to read it, considering how much I enjoyed Graceling. As others have commented, vampire novels seem to be getting edged out by werewolf and other supernatural creature books--and I got a few of them that I'm excited about. I'm also pleased to have copies of Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson and Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles.

I have a great big box of books on its way to me, so once I get it, I'll be able to really dive in and start reading. And of course, there's also reading the Printz winners that I haven't read yet--happily, I have an ARC of Jellicoe Road that I'm hoping to get started soon. What are you looking forward to reading this spring?

Edited to Add: Liz recommends that anyone who's looking to read Jellicoe Road should get the final copy, since the ARC has some sloppy mistakes that might take you out of the book. Since that's been known to happen to me, I'm gonna follow this advice!

Thoughts: Reading Post-Gossip Girl YA Literature

As someone who tends to look back, not forward, it's always interesting to me to look back and see how trends begin, and how they go in unexpected directions. I was reminded of this when I finished reading Rumors, the second book in The Luxe series, in preparation for book three, Envy, which is being published later this month. I remember picking up the ARC for The Luxe, looking at the cover, and then turning it over to the read the blurb. As I read, I thought to myself, "It's Edith Wharton meets Gossip Girl."

I was pleasantly surprised at the end of the blurb when it said The Luxe was "The Age of Innocence meets Gossip Girl." It's not often I get things so very right.

Yet what's more interesting to me is how Gossip Girl has become more than just one series; it's touched off ripples throughout young adult literature that goes beyond similar series like The A-List or The Clique. You have The Luxe, a historical twist on Gossip Girl, which is going so strong that it seems to have inspired it's own lookalike imitator, La Petite Four. And that's just one example of how Gossip Girl changed publishing.

I've been equally intrigued by how the Gossip Girl series has changed series publishing, as well. Those of us who grew up on Sweet Valley High know that paperback series never changed for the long-term. Yet Gossip Girl drew its original storyline to a close, and then did a reset, starting over with a new group of characters. It's a risky proposition, and I felt that Gossip Girl: The Carlyles was a shaky start. Happily, You Just Can't Get Enough, book #2 in the Carlyles series, was much stronger, and I feel that the Carlyles series will turn out to be just as addictive as the original series. I'm now waiting with baited breath to see how the reboot of The A-List turns out, as The A-List was my personal favorite of all these series.

What are your thoughts on Gossip Girl? For good or for worse, it's changed YA literature, in ways we're still figuring out. Do you think Twilight will have the same impact? Or is there something waiting in the wings that will surpass anything else?

(My apologies for the radio silence last week . . . life got in the way of blogging!)

Thoughts: Falling Out of a Book

It's happened to all of us: you're reading a book. You might be galloping along, or slowly enjoying the story. And suddenly, you read something that makes you come to a screeching halt. That wrong note takes you out of the action--sometimes only for a moment, sometimes irreversibly.

What pulls you out of books? For me, it's factual errors, in particular anachronisms in historical fiction. Perhaps it's my background as a history major; perhaps it's the nitpicky aspect of my nature. But if I come across something that doesn't seem right, it tosses me out of the book right on my ear.

For example, today I was reading a work of historical fiction, set in pre-1066 Ireland. The Vikings are invading the local village, and with invasion comes the possibility of rape, as pointed out by the female protagonist to the male protagonist. And yes, when your village is invaded, and you're female, there's a high probability that you will be sexually assaulted.

However . . . in this period, "rape" wouldn't be the word you'd use for nonconsensual sex. Not in this way. As detailed in this Wikipedia article, rape was originally used in a broad sense to describe any attack on a man's property, of which a woman was included. This is why the kidnapping of the Sabine women is described as rape. Quite possibly, these women were sexually assualted, but the bigger issue was that the men's property had been stolen and trespassed upon.

So, a female of the period in this novel, describing sexual assault as rape, struck a false note to me. And now, although I had liked the story up to this point, I'm looking at the book, feeling a bit disappointed that my pleasure has been muted. I hope to keep reading to see what happens in this novel, but it's just not the same now.

What pulls you out of a book? What makes you stop and not be able to continue?

Thoughts: Separated Sisters

Separated Sisters: Kiki Strike and Frankie Landau-Banks

One is a short, skinny girl with white hair. The other is a newly-minted willowy beauty. Yet these two girls have much in common. Both offer us a look at just what girls can achieve--results that greatly exceed society's expectations. Both Kiki Strike and Frankie Landau-Banks, from the eponymous books by Kirsten Miller and E. Lockhart, are much more than meets the eye.


Kiki Strike is described as an elf or a leprechaun. Her small stature packs quite a punch, as several evil-doers find out the hard way. Yet it is Kiki's mind that is the greatest weapon. Calculating, insightful, and cunning, Kiki forms the group of girl adventurers known as the Irregulars, leading them on an exploration of a shadow city beneath Manhattan. But when an accident injures one of the Irregulars, Kiki disappears in the aftermath. Two years later, she returns, leading the Irregulars on another mission that will reveal Kiki's secret past.


Frankie Landau-Banks was unnoticeable; known as Bunny Rabbit to her family, she didn't attract attention. Then she became pretty over the course of one summer and saw how beauty can draw the eye. Either way, however, she discovered that a girl doesn't have much power. And for a smart, observant, thoughtful girl like Frankie, this was a hard realization to make. When she finds out that her boyfriend is the member of a secret male-only society at their boarding school, she decides to infiltrate it. Frankie manages to direct the actions of the group, keeping her true identity a secret. Yet when a prank backfires, Frankie finds out what it's like to have everyone know who you are.


Each of these books explore girls as they enter their teen years and start discovering the power they hold. Part of this power is due to their looks, as they begin to become women. But such power is fleeting, and is too easily confused with popularity. True power is that which comes from the strength of your intelligence. Both Kiki and Frankie have minds that let them strategize and plan, solve problems and direct others. Yet the truly amazing thing is that they choose to hide their abilities, preserving the belief in sweet quiet girls. After all, no one expects a girl to be up to any trouble. Both Frankie and Kiki realize this and exploit this fact fully.

Why do these two young women do this, when they could be capable of so much more? It's not just the dangers each character faces in the course of her story that causes her to work in secret. In fact, it's the very fact that the deck is stacked against them that makes them appear to live up to the stereotype. Society's view of young females becomes rather like the chicken-or-the-egg problem: Kiki and Frankie rebel against being consigned to silent, invisible girlhood, yet that ability to be unnoticed leads them to be even more successful. And neither of these girls are about to forgo such an advantage.

For Frankie, she begins to use her brain, knowing that she's outsmarting a group of boys who are expected to become the male elite in this country. Kiki goes even further: to achieve her goal, she finds other girls who have great but untapped strength, and teaches them how to wield this power while appearing to be ordinary young women.

As the news tells us, being taken advantage of is a common problem for females of any age. Women seem to be held to different standards, whether they're managing companies, performing research, or running for political office. It's hard for any female to figure out what is the right course for her. Yet through books, girls and women can discover different ways to use their power. And while we might not be a martial arts master like Kiki or be a brainy beauty like Frankie, these two characters offer a powerful repudiation of the expectation that girls shouldn't cause trouble, act too smart, or contradict those who know better. Because who knows better how to make your way through life than you?

Crossposted to A Chair, a Fireplace and a Tea Cozy.

Thoughts: The National Book Awards

This post also appeared at A Chair, a Fireplace, and a Tea Cozy.

I'm a bit late to the party in talking about the nominees for the National Book Award, but here's some thoughts I had in looking over the 2008 nominees for the National Book Award for Young People's Literature.

Does buzz work against a book?

There's been a lot of discussion around The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks when awards are talked about, and I think few people were surprised when it was one of the five nominees. But will that work against it? I can remember several cases where there was pre-award buzz around a book that ended up not winning the big prize. Just when it comes to the Printz Award, for example, I had heard mention of Saving Francesca, Octavian Nothing Vol. 1 The Pox Party, The Book Thief, and The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian as a winner. None of these books won the Printz; two were shut out entirely, not even meriting an honor award. Yet in the same breath, it's not that these books went completely unrecognized. Both The Book Thief and Octavian Nothing merited Printz Honor Awards; Octavian Nothing and Absolutely True Diary were the National Book Award winners in their respective years. It's perhaps too soon to tell if buzz will hurt Frankie Landau-Banks, but I think just getting recognized as a nominee is a validation of the importance of this book.

The esteemed members of the panel

I didn't realize this, but the National Book Award is determined by a panel of authors from the same field. Not just any authors, either--these are major players in the field. The 2008 panel is headed by Daniel Handler, with Holly Black, Angela Johnson, Carolyn Mackler, and Cynthia Voigt. That's some panel! In the past few years, the National Book Award panels have included such authors as Elizabeth Partridge, Pete Hautman, Scott Westerfeld, Linda Sue Park and Patricia McKissack. It's very gratifying to know that not only is this award granted by an author's peers, but that authors are giving back by serving on panels such as these.

Interesting facts

--Apparently, publishers have to submit books for consideration for the National Book Award. While my friends and I have jokingly called the ALA Youth Awards press conference "the Oscars", it could be that the National Book Award's announcement deserves that nickname more.
--In 2008, submissions for Young's People Literature just edged out Fiction as the second-most submitted work. Nonfiction is the big winner in this category.
--I'm very envious of those who live close to New York City and can attend the National Book Award Teen Press Conference. What a wonderful way to publicize and celebrate the National Book Award--not to mention the fact that this event is just for teens!

Thoughts: Book Covers

During my vacation, I of course made time to visit Waterstone's, the British bookstore chain that's pretty close to nirvana for us book lovers. I was thrilled to score a copy of Tennis Shoes by Noel Streatfeild, a book that's long been out of print here in the US. And after that, I wandered over to teenage fiction section, taking it all in.

I didn't notice that many authors I hadn't heard of, interestingly enough. Whether that means that I know more authors than I thought, or that bookstores are drawing upon a smaller, less diverse pool of authors--well, I can't say. But one thing I did notice was the big difference in book covers.

What I saw first was the different covers for Airhead by Meg Cabot. The American hardback is on the left; the British paperback (yes, paperback!) is on the right.

Quite a difference, I'd say. While I don't think either cover fully reflects the book, I think the American one certainly draws your eye moreso than the British cover.

There's also plenty of covers that are great for their respective book, both in the American and British editions. For example, Rick Riordan's Battle of the Labyrinth, the latest book in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series:

Both good, I think. It's interesting that the British edition gives so much prominence to the series title, versus the American cover.

Finally, some books have gotten a lot more prominence in Britian than the US, it would appear. There's at least two different paperback covers of The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, as well as a different hardback cover than in the US.

Perhaps the fact that Zusak is Australian has some bearing on this, or the fact that The Book Thief was originally published as an adult title in the UK. But it's interesting to see the different takes on the same book.

If you like these questions about book covers, why not visit Jacket Whys? It's a great blog for comparing and contrasting the ways books are marketed through the book jacket.

Thoughts: Juggling Work and Life

You may have wondered at the relative drop-off in posts here at Librarian by Day. I had managed to get up to a good, consistent schedule of two-three posts a week, and then, bam, two weeks where I barely managed to get one post up. What gives?

It's a combination of two factors: one is Teen Read Week and all that involves. I had a major program last Saturday night: a Twilight Prom that was held after-hours at my branch. That involved a lot of resources; then, no sooner had I finished that program, I have tonight's program, a teen coffeehouse, to prep for. Programming, as we all know, is a big part of the job for any teen librarian, and with my schedule all over the place, I found that my time for reading got cut into drastically.

The second factor? I'm going on vacation tomorrow! It's my first vacation in several years, and while I am sad that it's only for about five days, I am excited that tomorrow night, I'll be flying to England. I'll be sightseeing, enjoying some theatre productions, and meeting up with various friends. I'm hoping to cram a lot of relaxation into this trip, and try not to think about my job while I'm gone. After all, a vacation is supposed to be time away. If I don't embrace that, what a waste of the time and the money!

There was a recent thread on YALSA-BK, asking how people manage, on top of their regular jobs, to read blogs and participate in social networking and use Twitter. As many people said, it's a balancing act, but it's not one that has to stay at a consistent balance. Some weeks, I'll pay more attention to one or two things; the next week, my priorities shift and I'm focusing on other tasks. Right now, my job and my real life has taken more precedence over reading and my blog. Once I come back from my vacation, I'll be able to adjust and get back to reading and blogging.

I have a few books that I'm halfway through, like Nora Raleigh Baskin's All We Know of Love. There's a planned post where I compare and contrast the female heroines of two YA novels. And I definitely want to comment on the National Book Award nominees. I'm even hoping to take a break from talking about books and discuss the Twilight Prom that I held at my library. So I'm not out of things to say: I'm just lacking the time to say them. I hope that once I'm back to posting more regularly, you'll be reading!

Thoughts: Reading and Reviewing

As I was thinking about what I've read in the last week, I realized something. I keep reading the same book again and again.

Well, maybe saying "the same book" is an exaggeration. But if you look at my latest reviews, you'll notice a trend: contemporary fiction, featuring a female narrator facing a challenge that usually involves their families, with a sprinkling of romance. And while that probably describes a large chunk of the YA fiction that gets published every year, it does make me realize that I need to shake up my reading habits.

This isn't to say that I only read that kind of book. I've finally started reading Tyrell by Coe Booth, and I'm finding it an engaging, eye-opening read. This past weekend, I read Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games and was completely riveted. When I reached the last page, I practically shrieked in dismay to see that I'd have to wait for the next book. And it took me a little time, but about two weeks ago I finished Little Brother by Cory Doctorow. I've found myself recommending it to both my colleagues and to teens.

Yet I haven't written reviews of these books. Not only do I have to adjust my reading habits, I suspect--I need to change my perspective on reviews. It's just as important to review the books I wouldn't normally read as it is to review the books I gravitate towards.

This was an interesting discovery to make, and I just hope that I can keep this in my mind as I'm selecting books to read and review.