Teens in the 'Brary

Where'd you go?

2010-12-20T14:25:00.000-05:00

I haven't seen you for almost three weeks! Where have you been? Oh, wait. I'm the one who's supposed to be here. You just visit to see if I have anything brilliant to say. I haven't been feeling particularly brilliant lately. Getting ready for Christmas always seems to take it out of me, even when I don't feel particularly pressured or stressed.

I hope you all have a fabulous Christmas (pardon me, Winter) break and I will see you next week. Hopefully with something witty and pertinent to say. Me, not you. Well, it would be nice to hear from you, too. Witty or witless, I don't mind either one.

What a great excuse!

2010-11-30T12:02:00.000-05:00

Beginning in January, I will be taking a class titled "Young Adult Materials" in Library School. Yes! I will be formally studying past and present YA books! I love reading them, and now I can do so without feeling guilty about all the time I'm not doing something more productive. They're for school, after all. I'm so excited!

If you're lucky, I might find time to review them all for you!

p.s. Aren't exclamation points great!?!

Book Review, ahoy!

2010-11-23T16:35:00.000-05:00

Cloaked in Red, by Vivian Vande Velde--From the introduction, "Everyone knows the story of Little Red Riding Hood, the girl with the unfortunate name and the inability to tell the difference between her grandmother and a member of a different species." And, "However you look at it, 'Little Red Riding Hood' is a strange and disturbing story that should probably not be shared with children. That is why I've gone ahead and written eight new versions of it."

Ms. Vande Velde's eight new versions of LRRH are smart, funny, and ultimately satisfying. Unlike the original, which has plot holes big enough to accommodate a Mack truck, her short stories are tightly plotted and the characters are vivid and grand.

Since the stories are so short ( the entire book is only 127 small pages) there is only so much I can say about them. "The Red Cloak" is courtesy of an interfering mother who doesn't pay attention; "The Red Riding Hood Doll" gives a woman a bit of happiness in her otherwise drab life; "Little Red Riding Hood's Family" has one of the best openings... "Once upon a time, long after people had found out that their families could sometimes be an embarrassment, but before there were advice columnists you could complain to, there was a girl named Roselle."; "Granny and the Wolf" tells of a young granny who has to deal with a different kind of wolf; "Deems the Wood Gatherer" is an unfortunately near-sighted man with an unfortunate penchant for doing good deeds; the title characters in "Why Willy and His Brother Won't Ever Amount to Anything" are either dim-witted or overly-imaginative; "The Little Red Headache" is told from the wolf's point of view; and "Little Red Riding Hood's Little Red Riding Hood" is one of the most intelligent articles of clothing you will ever meet.

This little book doesn't take long to read, but it is well worth every minute!

Book Trailers?

2010-11-16T16:42:00.000-05:00

How many of you have heard of book trailers? They're like movie trailers, only they're about books. Of course. And, instead of using movie actors, they use unknown people to portray characters in the books. Sometimes there are voiceovers (similar to The Voice used in movie trailers), sometimes title cards are used. Sometimes the whole thing is nothing so much as a PowerPoint presentation.

Sadly, I am unable to show any to you right now, as I am at work and YouTube (and other sharing sites) is blocked. I will try to remember to link some from home later in the week.

Ha ha ha ha ha!

(Erm. Sorry. For those of you who do not know me personally, you have no idea how ludicrus is the idea of me remembering to do something work-related while I'm home.)

Anyway...

It is my hope to win a grant for us to acquire a video camera and editing software so we can make book trailers of our own to showcase our favorite books. And by us/we, I mean you and me! If any of you teens out there has a fabulous idea for a book trailer, let me know, and we will see what we can do!

We'll need scripts, actors, technical people, and more. Put your brains to work, people!

I'm baaaaack!

2010-11-10T16:40:00.000-05:00

I had so much fun visiting Tracy. I am really glad to be home, though. I missed my family, my co-workers, my patrons. Yes, I missed you, too!

We were weepy and giggly in turn. We stayed up too late talking, watching movies, and eating cheesecake. We talked about boys we knew way back when. We talked about our kids. We talked about our hopes and dreams for the future. No topic went undiscussed. How exhausting! How great.

No Teen Time in November

2010-11-02T10:08:00.000-04:00

I'm goin' to TEXAS! I'm goin' to TEXAS! I'm goin' to TEXAS!

San Antonio, to be specific. My best friend (since High School, mind you) lives there and we are going to have a girls' week! My family is staying behind to hold the fort, and I am going to spend time with Tracy, whom I haven't seen in SIX YEARS!!

Think about that my friends. Where were you six years ago? Some of you were in first grade, maybe Kindergarten. I hadn't even started working at the library yet! Now, Tracy and I have been friends since the summer of 1984, which if you do the math was twenty-six (26) years ago. During those twenty-six years, we (both of us Army brats, then she married Air Force) have lived in the same town for only 11 months, the same state for only 25 months (that's including the 11 months in the same town). The rest of the time? Never less than 1,100 miles. At its peak, the distance between us was over 2,000 miles. That was when she and her family left South Carolina for an Air Force posting in MONTANA.

Before the days of unlimited long-distance calling, we used to get into so much trouble over phone bills! Some things were just too urgent to wait for the mail, and e-mail was just not even in the picture in the early days of our friendship. And we're both talkers. I mean... TALKERS.

All of this by way of saying: Don't let time and distance separate you from your real friends. You know what I mean. The friends to whom you can say absolutely anything. The friends with whom you can sit in silence and not be worried about why nobody's saying anything. The friends you argue with, but always come back to because you help each other in ways you can't articulate.

Your BEST friends.

Ouch.

2010-10-28T16:15:00.000-04:00

I had a tooth pulled on Monday. I don't think I have anything else to say. Just, "Ouch."

I hope to be more erudite next Tuesday.

One Hundred Seventy! From TEN Countries!

2010-10-19T12:02:00.000-04:00

That's how many times (and from how many countries) this blog has been viewed in the last six months. I'm so excited I can't stand it! From the standpoint of other bloggers, I suppose that's not an awful lot. There is one blog I frequent which has traffic in the thousands on a DAILY basis.

Looking at the information provided by the nice people here at Blogger.com, I realize that most viewers found me by accident, and probably did not stick around long enough to read even one post. But still. 170 from 10 countries! I would say I'm speechless, but obviously I'm not. Sputtering and repetitive, yes. Speechless, not quite.

So. Why bring this up? Because I had no idea ANYONE had looked at this blog. When you stop by, would you say, "Hi" in the comments? You don't need to say anything regarding the post, unless you just want to, but let me know you were here. I need the encouragement. And if more of you let me know you've visited, maybe I'll get more time to post, instead of just once a week!

And, hey, I love to hear from you anyway. I'm a people-person.

School is kicking my... er... behind.

2010-10-12T11:19:00.001-04:00

Graduate school, that is. Yes, I have voluntarily gone back to school. I am pursuing my Masters of Library and Information Science (MLIS) degree. This means that I have no time to read and review books for all of you. Or for me. Booooo. You think you have homework? In the course of any given week, I have to read multiple chapters from two graduate-level text books, watch three lectures, participate in discussion boards on line, work on two group projects, and write a three page paper. And I usually can't start any of this until after 9:00pm. That's right. Nine o'clock at night. I work until I fall asleep, usually after midnight or 1:00, then the alarm goes off between 5:30 and 6:00, depending on how dedicated I'm feeling.

Go ahead. Whine at me about homework. I have more whine than you do, and I'm happy to share.

Speed Dating? With Books?

2010-10-05T10:11:00.001-04:00

Come to the library on Thursday, October 7 at 6:00 p.m. for Book Speed Dating!

What is speed dating? A large group of men and women gather in a specified place. And then, as Wikipedia tells us, "Men and women are rotated to meet each other over a series of short 'dates', usually lasting from 3 to 8 minutes depending on the organization running the event. At the end of each interval, the organizer rings a bell or clinks a glass to signal the participants to move on to the next date. At the end of the event participants submit to the organizers a list of who they would like to provide their contact information to. If there is a match, contact information is forwarded to both parties. Contact information cannot be traded during the initial meeting, in order to reduce pressure to accept or reject a suitor to his or her face."

How does this work with books? A group of people sit down with a group of unfamiliar books. Each person has a form for evaluating the books. A timer is started for five minutes, during which time each person reads from the book in front of them. When the timer goes off, the evaluation is filled out and the book is passed to the next person. This continues until each person has looked at each book, or until the overall meeting time has run out.

At our event, you will have the opportunity to check out the books which have captured your interest.

Banned Books/Challenged Books

2010-09-28T16:28:00.001-04:00

This week is "Banned Books Week." What is that all about? You may well ask, and I will certainly tell you. This is the week when libraries around the country celebrate ALL of literature--good, bad, and awful. You see, in these United States of America, we have certain Constitutional rights, among which is "Freedom of Expression." This means that anybody can say what they want, and any one who wants to has the right to listen or read or watch.

There are those in this country, however, who would like to limit the right of certain groups (especially students) in enjoying this freedom. As I have expressed before in this blog, I firmly believe that families have a say in the reading choices of the children under their care. This privilege does NOT extend to other people's children. No one has the right to interfere in the reading choices of another family.

Those who want to ban certain books from school libraries or curriculae have no business doing so. If they don't want their children to read those books, fine. They are welcome to ask the teacher/principal/media specialist for an alternative. I believe they are passing up a prime opportunity to discuss with their children how those books may contradict what their family believes or values and why it is important to them.

I'll step off my soapbox, now.

Go read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn or The Diary of Anne Frank or, in a twist of irony, Farenheit 451.

Banned Books Week September 25 - October 1, 2010

2010-09-21T11:29:00.000-04:00

There are many books that I will never read because I know I vigorously disagree with their message. On the other hand, I have no right to stop you or anyone else from reading those books. Not even for your own good. There are books I have told my own children they might not want to read because of the content, but there has been only one book I ever actually removed from the hands of one of them. It was a book from the adult fiction collection of the library, and it was very adult, while my child was only fourteen. A young fourteen at that. Now that he's grown, he's welcome to it.

Would I try to stop someone else's child from reading that book? Not directly, no. I would prefer to speak to the parent and let them know what was in the book that was so objectionable to a fairly libertarian (live and let live) kind of person like me and then step back and let them make the choice for their own family. Would I ever suggest or demand the book be removed from the public library shelves because I personally find it so disturbing? NO NO NO NO NO. And NO again.

I don't have the right to decide that any other adult in the world is too infantile to make that decision for themselves. And that's what the book banners and censors and suppressors believe. That other people are too weak-minded to make their own decisions about what to read.

Inviting myself...

2010-09-15T09:58:00.001-04:00

The middle school had a visit from me last Thursday, September 9. I had found a picture-book about 9/11/2001 which I had to share with someone. My usual crowd of pre-schoolers was out of the question. I invited myself to an eighth grade English class, and was rewarded with a group of attentive, respectful students. What a great experience!

What was the book? 14 Cows for America, by Carmen Agra Deedy. On September 11, 2001, Wilson Kimeli Naiyomah was far from his home in Kenya. He was in New York City. The events of that day impacted him in an enormous way. When he returned to Kenya in the spring, he shared his story with the people of his remote Maasai village, who had not yet heard about the terrorist attacks.

In order to truly appreciate the message of the book, you must understand that, in the words of Kimeli, "To the Maasai, the cow is life."

Kimeli owned one cow. Just one, in a culture where the wealth of a person is determined by how many cows he owns.

With the blessing of the elders of his tribe, Kimeli set aside his only cow as a living offering to comfort the pain of a nation. That cow was joined by thirteen more from other members of Kimeli's village who also felt the need to do something for the American people. They invited the United States Ambassador to Kenya to come to a special dedication ceremony, because, as Carmen Agra Deedy writes, "There is no nation so powerful it cannot be wounded, nor a people so small they cannot offer mighty comfort."

Those fourteen cows are considered sacred and, as such, will never be used for food or any other purpose. They remain under the care of the tribe, who have tended them so well, the herd now numbers over 30.

And then there were sequels.

2010-09-07T15:46:00.000-04:00

I am currently reading Still Sucks To Be Me, by Kimberly Pauley. This is a sequel to Sucks To Be Me, which I read a few months ago. Why I didn't review it for you then, I'll never know. How about I review it now? Sound good?

First of all: How can you not want to read a book called Sucks To Be Me? The title alone is worth the price of admission. Second: This is a vampire story unlike any you have read before. Mina Hamilton is in eleventh grade, crushing on the cutest boy in her school, when the local Vampire Council discovers that Mina's vampire parents have neglected to inform the Council that they have a child. Technically, vampires aren't allowed to tell any humans of their existence, so having a human child (who knows her parents are vampires!) is a violation of vampire law. The Council is not happy. Mina is required to attend vampire orientation classes and then is forced to choose whether to turn and stay with her parents as they relocate, or to remain human and go into foster care with all memory of her parents erased.

Mina is sassy, sarcastic, witty, and loveable even in her angst. The chapter headings are little handwritten myth-debunking cards such as: "Myth: A stake through the heart will kill a vampire. Truth: Well, duh. It would kill anyone." Another is "Myth: Vampires have huge stockpiles of gold and treasure. Truth: If that were true, I'd be able to get my dad to actually buy me a car." And, one of my very favorites, "Myth: Vampires sleep in coffins. Truth: That's totally gross. It would take a total freak to want to sleep in a coffin." These are accompanied by little stick-figure drawings and cartoon vampire faces.

Ms. Pauley's has created an absolutely wonderful character in Mina, and her twists on the vampire tradition are great.

School visits, revisited

2010-08-31T15:02:00.001-04:00

I have had occasion to whine about students' behavior during classroom visits, but my trip to the High School today to speak to two of Ms. Harmon's ninth-grade English classes was wonderful! Thanks, guys (and girls!) for you attention, your interaction, and your lack of rudeness. You are one of the reasons I look forward to my job every day.

The other reasons I look forward to my job are your younger siblings, cousins, neighbors, friends. I love kids of all ages and types and I want to help each of you just the right book to fire up an appreciation (if not outright passion) for reading.

When people talk about a love of reading, they so often mean a love of fiction. But there are so many other things to read! In the world of non-fiction, there is biography, how-to, did-you-know-that, look-how-pretty, look-how-scary... See? Many things. And don't forget magazines and newspapers!

So, come to the library. Let me help you find the right book.

Ready for a brain break?

2010-08-24T10:09:00.001-04:00

Now that school is well started, your brain may be in need of a mini-vacation. I have the perfect place for it to go. If you ask nicely, your brain may let you come along!

On Thursday, September 2 at 6:00 p.m., I will be hosting Teen Time at the library. When you bring your brain for its mini-vacation, stop in yourself for an opportunity to make a brainless craft (bottle-cap magnets), have a snack, maybe win a door prize. If you're really lucky, we'll talk about some books, too!

Censorship and suppression are alive and well

2010-08-18T10:48:00.002-04:00

I subscribe to a listserv which connects me with other Young Adult library staffers around the United States (and even in Canada!). This listserv has provided much food for thought for me over the last few months and yesterday, a link was posted to a blog entry which made me want to bang my head on my desk. I did sit here for several minutes with my mouth hanging open.

In short, author Ellen Hopkins was UNINVITED from attending the Teen Lit Fest in Humble, TX. Why? Because (and I'm ashamed to say this) a middle-school librarian told some influential parents that Hopkins' work was "edgy and dark" and inappropriate. These parents raised a fuss with the school board and superintendent, who uninvited Hopkins.

My friends, I may not always agree with your reading choices, and I may try to steer younger ones away from material that I think is too mature, but I will never tell you "NO." If you encounter this kind of thing from anyone (other than your own parents telling you what they believe is best for YOU, as an individual), you have my permission to laugh in their face. Then go out and lobby as hard as you can to have the author or books reinstated.

Over, but not yet finished...

2010-08-10T00:01:00.003-04:00

Summer Reading is officially over. Behind the scenes, however, there’s a lot of work to do! I have to report statistics, compile evaluations, undecorated, and try to regain my sanity.

I have to start planning programs for the Fall months! I have Storytimes, Books & Beyond, Bedtimes, Family Movies, and something else. What is it? I know I’m forgetting something. Oh, yeah! TEENS!!

There will be official Teen Times with actual programs at 6 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month. I would also like to encourage you to come by any time to talk books or play games. The more I talk to you, the better I get to know you. The better I know you, the better able I am to find books and movies you’ll like.

So don’t be a stranger.

So Long, Summer!

2010-08-04T16:46:00.001-04:00

The last hurrah of Summer is upon us! Join me for a Celebration Cook-Out (or, more likely, Cook-In/Eat-Out) tomorrow night at 6:00 p.m. We'll have hot dogs, chili, nachos, and whatever YOU bring!

Sharpie Art!!

2010-07-28T15:41:00.001-04:00

This Thursday (that is, tomorrow) we will be using over thirty different colors of Sharpies, stencils, and our own feverish imaginations to decorate shoes, hats. tote bags, or whatever else you bring to color on! This is a provide-your-own-canvas deal, so be prepared. I have the colors; you bring the surface to decorate.

I will be posting pictures next week.

Double Wii!!

2010-07-20T11:51:00.001-04:00

For those of you who did not come to the Night of No Talent, you missed out on playing an extra night of Wii games. The system arrived from the State Library a week early, so we took advantage of it!

There are three more events for you guys this summer. Water Games this Thursday, Sharpie Art next week, and the Celebration Cookout on August 5. I hope to see you all at these events!

No talent

2010-06-28T14:58:00.001-04:00

Due to technical difficulties, we will not be having a Talent Show this Thursday. So what are we going to do? I guess you'll just have to come at 6:00 p.m. and see what I've come up with!

Don't forget, next week (July 8) is Wii night!

Family Feud, I hope.

2010-06-15T16:13:00.001-04:00

This Thursday, June 17, I am planning to host a Family Feud game at the library. I am experiencing some technical difficulties, however. We may have to fall back and punt, but that can be kind of fun, too!

As a special bonus, just today we installed a work of art by a rising senior at Pelion High School. She will be coming to our program to discuss the work and its meaning.

Hope to see you there!

Teen Night this Thursday!!!

2010-06-08T09:42:00.001-04:00

At 6:00 p.m.!! I am so looking forward to seeing all of you! We are going to be shooting off Bubble Rockets, which I have never done before. That should be entertaining all by itself.

Just so you know... I am really excited by the fact that 84 (yes! 84!) teens signed up in the first week of Summer Reading. If even half of you finish the program, I will be over the moon! Don't let me down!

Okay. I need to back away from the exclamation points now. I don't want to scare you all off. See you Thursday!

I mean... See you Thursday.

Summer is almost upon us!

2010-05-28T14:23:00.001-04:00

Now that you've all frittered away another school year, it's time to start thinking about that summer reading you have to do! Middle School classes have to read from the South Carolina Book Award Nominees list, High School Honors English classes have to read a wide variety of the classics, and ALL High School students have to read twenty-five books before the end of May 2011. You have twelve months to read twenty-five books. That is just a little over two books per month. Use the summer to get a jump start since you'll have other homework to do once school is back in session.

What constitutes a book?
Because the average book (novel) length is approximately 200 pages, in addition to novels, reading may include short stories, editorials, opinion pieces, newspaper or magazine feature articles, and technical manuals; 200 pages of this type reading = 1 book. However, 100 pages of densely printed material (ex. Professional journals, scientific and technical articles) = 1 book.

You should be receiving a log from the school, but in the event you don't get one or you lose the one you had, just come to the library. We will be able to print one for you.

Now, with all that reading you have to do, you might as well get something for it, right? Come to the Pelion Branch Library (or any other branch of the Lexington County Public Library System, for that matter) to register for the Summer Reading Program. Upon registering, you will receive a reading log to track the time you spend reading. After reading for four hours, bring the log back to the library to receive an incentive (prize). If you complete all four levels of the Summer Reading Program, you will have read for sixteen hours and will be entered into our Grand Prize Drawing. Have fun!

Courage and confusion

2010-05-04T11:38:00.002-04:00

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie--The first thing you have to know when you read this book is that the author, Sherman Alexie, really is a Spokane/Coeur d'Alene Indian from the Spokane Indian Reservation in Washington State. If you don't know that, the novel might seem absolutely incredible instead of absolutely true. As a matter of fact, many of the afflictions Sherman Alexie suffered as a child are used as the basis for Junior, the novel's main character. Born hydrocephalic (having "water on the brain") he undergoes surgery, which it is not certain he will survive. If he does survive, he is expected to be little more than a vegetable, given the potential brain damage.

Instead, Sherman not only survived, he thrived, as does Junior. I don't know if Sherman suffered the torments of his fellow Indians the way Junior does, but the same incident (in fact and fiction) catapults them off the reservation. In the novel, Junior goes to the first day of geometry class at the reservation school and is issued a textbook. When he opens the book, he sees his mother's maiden name as one of the students who has used that book. The realization that he and his fellow students are in a situation so poor that they are using thirty-year-old textbooks first crushes, then galvanizes Junior.

He transfers to the school in Reardan, the town outside the reservation. Until then, the only Indian at the school has been the mascot. Junior is received with about as much enthusiasm as he expects...none plus animosity. Events lead him to acceptance and even triumph as a student and basketball player.

Let me state for the record that there is more than a little rude and crude language, and that some subjects introduced are probably not appropriate for middle school. High schoolers, though, especially boys, will really appreciate The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.

High School visits and other mis-adventures

2010-04-14T15:12:00.002-04:00

Yesterday I was at the high school to talk to the students in three different English classes. I talked about the new Summer Reading Program theme (Make Waves @ your library), the services the library has to offer, all the different kinds of materials you can check out of the library, and about various books I have read over the last few months.

The books were: The Graveyard Book, by Neil Gaiman; The Juvie Three, by Gordon Korman; The Tree Shepherd's Daughter, by Gillian Summers; 42 Miles, by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer; Scat, by Carl Hiassen; and Chains, by Laurie Halse Anderson. I was going to discuss Scott Westerfeld's Uglies series and also Soul Surfer, by Bethany Hamilton, but I was unable to obtain copies on time.

Sadly, not too many of the kids were attentive. Some chatted with each other, some stared vacantly into space, some unabashedly closed their eyes and went to sleep. I was quite discouraged, let me tell you. Is this how y'all treat your teachers? If so, I'm sad for them. How disheartening.

The title of this post includes "other mis-adventures," and I have plenty to relate, but I'm beginning to sound whiny. I think that means it's time to stop.

Teenagers and me

2010-03-19T11:44:00.001-04:00

I spent last weekend in North Carolina with a bunch of teens from my church. I drove a van full of them for three hours each way and had an absolute blast! (Don't get me started on hopping hippos...)

I learned a lot about that group of kids and a lot about myself. I realized that I'm really a fourteen-year-old in a forty-one-year-old body. I spun on the kitchen floor in my socks, wiggled my toes in my monkey slippers, drank way too much Pepsi, and took lots of pictures with other people's cameras. I giggled a lot, ate s'mores by a bonfire, and stayed up until 3:00 in the morning the first night. I only made it 'til 2:00 the second night.

I'm such a wimp.

Long ago...

2010-03-04T16:52:00.003-05:00

I intended to make this a weekly appointment. I intended to have something important (or at least witty) to say every seven days. I have failed.

That being said, I would like to take this opportunity to invite any of my Teen readers to come to the library on Thursday, March 11 at 6:00 p.m. for an hour of pizza and games.

Any takers?

The Lightning Thief

2010-02-01T22:49:00.001-05:00

I finally read The Lightning Thief, by Rick Riordan. Wow! What a wild ride! Mr. Riordan manages to honestly portray the historic mythos of the Greeks without the white-wash we saw in the movie Disney's Hercules. He doesn't shy away from the less savory aspects (unfaithful spouses, drunken gods, petty jealousy), but he doesn't dwell on them for too long. The focus is on Percy Jackson and his quest to solve the mystery surrounding a lightning bolt missing from Zeus's armory. The fact that he is developing lasting friendships for the first time in his life adds unexpected depth to the story. This is not your typical buddy caper, my friends!

Percy Jackson has been an outsider his whole life. Kicked out of school every year since kindergarten, he has had few opportunities to form friendships with the kids who first consider him the "new guy" then move on to considering him the "weird guy." His latest school is shaping up to be the same, with a twist. He has made a friend in Grover, a nervous boy who seems to understand Percy. Grover's support wavers, however when Percy claims that their pre-Algebra teacher turned into a monster and attacked him. Grover, the other students, and all the other teachers deny the very existence of the woman.

A boy diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia, his life has been full of disappointment and disillusionment. Grover's apparent step back hurts Percy deeply, and when Grover accompanies him on the bus ride home after school is over, Percy takes an opportunity to ditch him, even though Grover specifically told him to wait for him. Another monster comes after Percy when he goes to the shore with him mother for a vacation. Grover manages to find them, and revelations are made which change Percy's worldview forever.

I'm not going to say any more than that. Except this. I can't wait to read The Sea of Monsters!!!

PAY ATTENTION!!

2010-01-21T15:16:00.002-05:00

The South Carolina Book Award Nominee list has been posted here. For those of you in middle school, especially, this is important! Your summer reading will be centered on this list. You will need to choose from the JBA or the YABA columns.

I am making it my goal to read every book in every category before the beginning of the summer so that I can better advise you about what you may like. I'm crossing my fingers I can get it done, 'cause that's a LOT of books! You can follow my adventures here.

All that on top of promising to read the Percy Jackson series...

Change of Plans

2010-01-20T19:49:00.002-05:00

Well, we didn't play "Pictureka!" We played with origami instead. Three brave souls came out to learn a little bit of Japananese paper-folding skills. There were several cranes, pigs, and jumping frogs made. I will post pictures later.

2010-01-12T11:10:00.001-05:00

This Thursday night (January 14) at 6:00 p.m., I will be hosting a game of "Pictureka!" for any of you brave enough to come and be silly with me. I will have pretzels and Gatorade. If you want a different snack, please bring enough to share with about ten people.

I don't have a whole lot to talk about this morning, I'm afraid. I have yet to start The Lightning Thief, by Rick Riordan. I am getting ready to read Ballad, by Maggie Stiefvater. If you are not familiar with her, check out her video on YouTube. If you search for "Kraken, the new vampire," you'll probably find it. This will familiarize you with her sense of humor, if nothing else.

Ballad is the sequel to Lament, and both are stories about the fae interacting with people in our time. The main characters in each story are very gifted musically, and musical talent is something the fae prize. Much spell-casting and temptation ensue.

Ms. Stifvater also has a new trilogy in progress. This time she's writing about werewolves. Shiver is out now (and available in the Lexington County Library System) and will be followed by Linger in July 2010, and by Forever at an unmentioned date. Here's Maggie's website . Enjoy!

Adventures in serial reading, part 1

2010-01-05T14:17:00.000-05:00

I have decided to begin reading Rick Riordan's "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" series, which begins with The Lightning Thief. I have it in my To Be Read (TBR) pile, where it will remain for at least a week as I plow through some other books I need to return to the library!

Given that I have such a stack, why am I adding another five books? Because my kids told me to. T and K have both read the series, and their enthusiasm is so high, I want in.

Haven't heard of Percy Jackson? The short version (from Rick Riordan's website) is this:

"What if the gods of Olympus were alive in the 21^st Century? What if they still fell in love with mortals and had children who might become great heroes -- like Theseus, Jason and Hercules?

What if you were one of those children?

Such is the discovery that launches twelve-year-old Percy Jackson on the most dangerous quest of his life. With the help of a satyr and a daughter of Athena, Percy must journey across the United States to catch a thief who has stolen the original weapon of mass destruction – Zeus’ master bolt. Along the way, he must face a host of mythological enemies determined to stop him. Most of all, he must come to terms with a father he has never known, and an Oracle that has warned him of betrayal by a friend."

Besides, the movie version of The Lightning Thief comes out on T's birthday, and I want to be able to draw a comparison. Typically, I prefer books to their movie versions, so I will admit to being a bit biased when I say I want to compare.

Watch this page for updates!

New Year, New Resolve

2009-12-30T10:13:00.000-05:00

Want to really accomplish something this year? I’m not talking about the same old “lose weight”, “get better grades”, or “get a better job”. I’m talking about important stuff. The stuff you can’t touch.

Be a better friend by: calling more often, listening more actively, getting together instead of only seeing each other on Facebook or MySpace.

Be a better kid by: giving your parents or grandparents or other adults in your life more hugs, more respect, less eye-rolling, less impatience, more voluntary help around the house (they’ll wonder what you’re up to).

Be a better sibling by: playing with your younger siblings, reading to them, offering to help with homework, respecting all your siblings’ boundaries (both personal and physical).

Be a better citizen by: obeying traffic laws, holding doors for others, keeping up with current events.

Not all of these things are easy. Not all of them will get you recognition from anyone else. But they will all contribute to your sense of self-worth and make your personal world more livable.

Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-22T12:19:00.000-05:00

As the New Year approaches, I would like to create something different at the library. We need a Teen Advisory Board—also known as a TAB. Up until now, our monthly get-togethers have been more about being sociable than accomplishing anything. On those occasions when I have planned a craft or other activity, my regulars have been less than enthusiastic. When asked for their suggestions, however, they either stay mum or put forth wildly impractical ideas.

I need kids who have good organizational skills, some initiative, and a complete disregard for the fear of failure. I need them to be willing to meet formally once a month, and on their own more often in order to plan and execute events. There’s only so much work I can do!

The approval of the library system will need to be received before doing any fundraising. Indeed, that approval will be necessary for any number of activities we may wish to engage in. This is where I also need kids who are willing to stand up (at least figuratively) in front of a bunch of adults they don’t know in order to plead their cases for fundraising efforts or other activities.

As an added incentive, the time you spend planning, organizing, and executing meetings, events, and activities can be counted as volunteer hours for high school, college applications, and job resumés.

Sooooo ready!

2009-12-15T10:58:00.000-05:00

I know you guys are ready for school to be out! I am looking forward to a mini-break from some of my programs. I am, however, NOT ready for Christmas! I have so many presents to buy, so many things to accomplish, and not very much time to do any of it. I know you all probably feel the same way. Just remember, the season is not about how much you get done. It is about “peace on earth, goodwill to all.” No matter your religious beliefs, those two phrases mean the same thing.

Some would say you have to feel the peace before you feel the goodwill. Others would argue that having and showing goodwill to all will bring you peace. I suppose it’s all about balance.

Twilight Saga--the end at last

2009-12-09T10:02:00.000-05:00

I finished reading "Breaking Dawn" last night at about 1:00 AM. Yes, that means I only got about 5 hours of sleep. Was it worth it? Only for the sake of saying, "I did it!"

Don't get me wrong. I can appreciate the fact that so many of you find the Twilight saga so much fun to read. I can appreciate the fantasy of having a boyfriend as perfect-seeming as Edward. I can totally appreciate the fantasy of having a second guy as hot (so to speak!) as Jacob competing for one's affections. I mean, honestly. What human being doesn't want to be so irresistible that people will fight over you?

I must admit, however, that I don't see how Bella Swan is that kind of person. Although, after reading "Breaking Dawn," I wonder if maybe the premise of "imprinting" was behind it the whole time. How else to explain it?

What I DID like about "Breaking Dawn" was seeing Bella come into her own with the vampires. She finally found her place in the world. I think I would have liked the whole saga better if it had been just one or two books. Having Bella be such a whinger for three whole books before she was finally made happy in the fourth was too much for me.

And that, friends, is my final word on the matter. (At least until Ginny drags me out to see "Eclipse" at the movie theater this summer.)

Thanksgiving and New Moon

2009-12-01T14:49:00.000-05:00

I hope you all had a fabulous Thanksgiving. I did! My parents and my sister and my Granddaddy came down from NC, as did my sisters-in-law. We all got together at my mother-in-law’s house. There were fifteen of us at table on Thursday! And that’s not counting all the dogs…

On Friday, I got to see “New Moon” with Ginny (my sis-in-law) and Bobby. We should have left Bobby at home—all you girls know what I mean, I’m sure! Anyway… shirtless men aside, the movie was as irritating to me as the book. Bella just bothers me. I can imagine being that insecure and as a teenager I know I was to a certain extent. But I have never been able to tolerate that kind of person as the central character of a book or movie unless I get to see her grow and change. Don’t come to the end of your story as the exact same person you were when you started.

2009-11-24T13:31:00.001-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, we were supposed to talk about “Who Controls Your Reputation Online.” Technical glitches prevented us doing so. Hopefully….we’ll be able to do it on December 10. Hopefully.

Speaking of hope. I hope you guys will come out to the Porkchop Productions show on December 17 at 6:00p.m. If you are unfamiliar with Porkchop, let me fill you in. The team is comprised of two women who write, direct, and perform all their own shows, which are usually fractured fairy-tales. They play multiple characters during each show, with quick-change costuming. There are jokes aplenty for the kids and many sly contemporary culture references which are for the adults and teens in the audience. Our own Hailey O. provided a line for their show in the summer of ’08 (“I have to keep licking my shirt!”).

I have finally started reading the “Twilight” series by Stephenie Meyer. I know, I know. I’m waaaaayyy behind. I have read Twilight and New Moon and have Eclipse on my nightstand, waiting for me. Why did I drag my feet so? Because vampires just aren’t really my thing. Given the popularity of the series with teens, that is not a very good excuse for me. I need to be able to discuss your favorite books with you, right?

So. Let’s discuss. Or rather, let me put forth my opinion so far. Twilight bored the heck out of me. All that angst. And Bella NEVER STOPS WHINING!! Okay. Mini-rant over. That aside, I liked individual bits and some of the secondary characters. The baseball game? Cool. The fight with James? Scary and exciting. I think poor Mike gets short shrift. Jasper’s my favorite, simply because he has to try so much harder than anybody else. He is so kind to Bella, even though she’s a whiner. (Sorry.)

New Moon was even worse in the beginning. The angst was even MORE self-centered, which I hadn’t imagined possible! Things got a little better near the end, but…still. Sheesh.

I’ll let you know how I feel about Eclipse when I’m finished with it.

What the heck is "NaNoWriMo"?

2009-11-18T16:21:00.002-05:00

You may well ask. "NaNoWriMo" is short for National Novel Writing Month. The month of November is set for this annual event, the goal of which is for individual writers to crank out 50,000 words on a NEW work in 30 days. I have tried twice, and bombed both times. A few years ago, unforeseen circumstances derailed my attempt. This year, I started a couple of days late, but have absolutely no excuse for my failure other than apathy and distraction.

Rats.

I guess I'll try again next year...

I'm writing...

2009-11-10T10:05:00.000-05:00

I may not be writing much, but I'm doing it!

You never call, you never write...

2009-11-10T09:50:00.001-05:00

I guess I'm the one who is never writing. Once again, I've let a month go by between posts. Bad me.

Anyhoooo... I am hosting a special event at the library this Thursday evening! "Who Controls Your Reputation Online?" We will be looking at FaceBook (and maybe MySpace) and finding out how to control who can see your information. I'll also be addressing the potential long-term effects of your online life. And of course, there will be food of some kind.

Hope to see you Thursday (the 12th) at 6:00 PM!

I'm done whining now.

2009-10-08T19:30:00.002-04:00

No. Really. I am.

I want to tell you about two books I just read. One is "The Only Alien On the Planet" by Kristen D. Randle, and the other is "Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie" by Jordan Sonnenblick.

Here's the back-cover blurb for "Alien": It was difficult for Ginny at first, but her senior year is finally starting to feel kind of normal. That is, until she sees him--the beautiful mystery boy in her English class. He has never spoken a word to anyone. He moves through each day at school without making eye contact. His name is Smitty Tibbs, but everyone calls him The Alien...

Ginny has moved to a new school in a new state just in time to start her senior year of high school. She meets Hally first, then Caulder. Caulder introduces her to his ever-silent, ever-withdrawn friend, Smitty. As the year progresses, Ginny and Caulder (along with Hally) begin to drag Smitty out of his personal isolation. Doing so rocks their perception of what friendship is supposed to be.

I cannot begin to tell you how this book moved me. The writing is superb, the story stunning. Find it and read it.

Now, here's the blurb for "Dangerous Pie": Thirteen-year-old Steven has a totally normal life (well, almost): He plays drums in the All-Star Jazz Band, has a crush on the hottest girl in school (who doesn't know he's alive), frequently finds himself sitting across from his school counselor (who bribes him with candy), and is constantly annoyed by his five-year-old brother, Jeffrey (who is cuter than cute). Oh, Steven has parents, too (the kind that embarrass him). But when Jeffrey gets sick, Steven's world is turned upside down as he is forced to deal with his brother's illness, his parents' attempts to keep the family in one piece, the band, overdue homework, girls, and of course, Dangerous Pie (yes, you have to read the book to find out what that is).

In a debut that has won raves, Jordan Sonnenblick digs deep into the heart of a family in crisis with humor, hope, and impressive sensitivity.

Steven is terribly jealous of his brother, Jeffrey, and wishes all manner of ill-will his way. That is, until Jeffrey actually falls prey to a serious illness, when Steven would do anything at all to make him well. Even eat Dangerous Pie, if that would make it so Jeffery had never gotten sick in the first place. Any teen with much younger siblings will identify with Steven's mixed emotions regarding his brother prior to and following his diagnosis.

It made me cry, but in a good way, I promise.

So sad...

2009-10-08T19:24:00.001-04:00

I am bummed out. A teen event was scheduled at the library tonight and nobody showed. You guys are gonna make me cry. Just watch. Maybe I should be a little more proactive in encouraging attendance. Hmmm. I need to find someone who will help me out. I wonder if a "Godfather" approach would work? "Hey, kid. Got an offer you can't refuse."

Somehow I don't think that would be appreciated.

We'll try again next month. Watch this space for details!

Newbery Medal

2009-09-18T20:46:00.002-04:00

Quick! What is the Newbery Medal? You don't know? Tsk, tsk. All right, I'll tell you.

The Newbery Medal "... is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children."

Why am I bringing this up now? Because I had the pleasure of reading the opening pages of this year's Newbery winner to the 6th graders at Pelion Middle School. I was disappointed to discover that so few of the students even knew what the Newbery Medal is.

This year's winner is The Graveyard Book, by Neil Gaiman. When it was announced, I thought, "That's kind of a creepy title for a book labeled the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children." So, of course, I checked it out. Literally. I checked it out from the library. I know, I know. Big shock.

After I read it, I pondered for about 10 seconds before running out to the living room and grabbing Tim by the collar. "You HAVE to read this book!" When he was finished, he said, "Kayleigh HAS to read this book!" So we grabbed her and made her read it. She told me yesterday she wants a copy for Christmas...

Here's the opening line: "There was a hand in the darkness, and it held a knife."

Browse Inside this book

Get this for your site

What do we call this thing?

2009-08-31T22:20:00.003-04:00

I am wracking my brain, trying to come up with a name for a social/discussion group for middle schoolers. I have a feeling you wouldn't like the appellation "Tweens". Would you? My target here is all 6th, 7th, and 8th graders.

Help me out! Post a comment or call the library.

Long lost book

2009-08-25T08:07:00.002-04:00

For years, I have looked for "Greensleeves" by Eloise Jarvis McGraw, which I believed I had read when I was in 7th or 8th grade. I finally resorted to InterLibrary Loan (which I should have done long ago). The State Library came through for me in a matter of days. When the book arrived, I read the front flap and was startled to realize this book was not the book I remembered. The one I have been thinking of for so long was a sort of ghost story / time travel book. Now, I doubt if it was even by EJM.

So. I read the book anyway, and was soooooo glad I did. It is the story of a young woman who spent her childhood as a reluctant traveler through Europe. Her father and step-mother were always on the move due to his job, so she went with them. She longed for stability. Just before her senior year of high school, she decided to go back to the United States to live with her aunt and uncle. Her life there was not quite what she expected.

After graduation, she is at loose ends, and her father's best friend offers her a job. She is to go "undercover" to try to find out whether an old lady was unduly influenced to alter her will. Her adventures teach her more about herself than she could possibly have imagined.

I highly recommend this book to all of you.

Oh, and if any of you know the book I thought I was looking for, let me know, will you?

Back to the School Grind

2009-08-20T19:37:00.002-04:00

How was it? Were the first two days of school fabulous? I hope you were able to find your old friends with ease. I hope you don't discount the advantages of making new ones! I made many new friends this summer, and I hope you don't forget about me, languishing here in the library...

Languishing, HA! More like planning, reading, planning, reading, undecorating, reading, planning, organizing, planning, reading, ad nauseum. That means "to the point of nausea." Not that I'm sick of my job! I LOVE MY JOB! I think I have the best one ever. I get to spend my days with books and people, my two favorite things in the universe.

I am considering going back to school myself. Yes, yes. Voluntarially. I am thinking about Library School. Yes, there is such a thing. I have my Bachelor's degree (in Theater, of all things), and it would be nice to get a Master's degree. A Master's of Library and Information Sciences, to be precise. In short, an MLIS.

My heart would really be with a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, but the library degree would be fun, too. Not to mention more practical.

I hope your school year is off to a good start. Let me know if you need any help with projects. I have access to resources I would love to share with you!

Teachers, teachers, teachers

2009-08-13T23:13:00.002-04:00

Well, I spent some time yesterday morning at Forts Pond Elementary, and some time today at both Pelion High and Pelion Elementary. I hit the Middle School on the 31st. In the end, I will have had contact (at a public speaking distance anyway) with every teacher in Pelion. Pretty cool!

Why is this so cool? Because that contact will get me closer to you, my dear Middle and High School friends. I hope to be able to get into your classrooms to read to you, talk to you about my library and its resources, and get to know you better too. I hope I don't sound too much like a stalker...

Silent Movies...aren't

2009-07-30T19:58:00.002-04:00

The Silent Film Festival was a bit of a bummer in that I only had ONE student-produced film to share, but I believe that we had a good time watching films from o-so-long-ago. We began in 1901 and traveled through 1914, then jumped 95 years to 2009.

One thing I noticed was the level of chatter. At first, the various groups seemed to be just idly whispering, but as the hour went on, more comments were made that related directly to the films. I myself was guilty of talking, but I was trying to address the group at large and draw attention to various aspects of the films.

In case you were wondering, most of the films came from the Irmo branch. If you are interested in seeing them, let me know, and I will get them for you.

Next week is it, guys! If you haven't come to any programs yet, shame on you. I will be happy to see you at the cookout though. Next Thursday at 6:00pm.

See you there!

An Embarrassing Gap

2009-07-24T14:05:00.003-04:00

In time, that is. I can't believe it has been over a month since I wrote a post! On the other hand, since only about two people read this (if that many), I don't have much of an audience to disappoint.

The good news is, attendance at the programs this summer has been OUTSTANDING! I cannot tell you how happy it makes me when more than 20 kids show up for a program I thought might get 10. I love having too many people! We have to scramble, and it may be that not everybody gets everything out of the program they may wish for, but we seem to have a great time anyway.

I am going to miss having that weekly connection with all of you. Please don't stop coming to the library just because we are not having a formal program every Thursday night. Although, beginning on September 10, we will be having a Teen program on the 2nd Thursday of every month @ 6:00pm. I'm still trying to figure out what to do for each one, so please feel free to give me your suggestions!

Well, that was a flop...

2009-06-12T22:04:00.002-04:00

So, the painting with coffee thing didn't go as well as it could have. Our paper was too thin and so was our coffee. For those of you wondering, use SUPER thick paper and REALLY STRONG coffee. I mean the kind of coffee you could caulk a window with. Start there and then thin it out.

Other than that, we had a blast! Nineteen teens showed up, we told a few lies, told a few truths, did some really bad art, and made a lot of noise.

Can't wait for next week! Making music... building instruments... learning skills for keeping younger kids out of your hair... What's not to like?

First Program of the Summer!

2009-06-09T16:04:00.003-04:00

Look out! Here it comes! The first of our weekly TEEN programs at the Pelion Branch Library. We will be painting with coffee. (Think of it as using watercolors.) I hope somebody with artistic talent shows up, 'cause goodness knows I don't have any! That could be entertaining in its own way, I suppose...

For a look at how REAL artists do it, go to www.justcoffeeart.com

Kick-Off Partaaaay!

2009-05-30T22:10:00.002-04:00

Wow! There were about 250 people at the library on Thursday night, celebrating the start of the summer reading program. Thank you, my teens, for being part of that great number! Over 30 teens signed up for the program that evening.

I am so excited about this summer! I feel like squealing (in terror?) when I contemplate the ambitious list of events I have planned for you guys. I know that some of them are just silly, but come on! What's life without a little silly? Boring, that's what. You can only be cool for just so long before it gets to be dull (not to mention tiring).

"Express Yourself" is the theme this year, and I hope we have plenty of opportunities to do so. I want to see your silent movies; I want to read your poems, stories, essays; I want to get to know you. Will you let me?

School Visits

2009-05-27T07:41:00.002-04:00

Last week I had the absolute privilege of speaking to every single middle school student in Pelion. Well, those who weren't out sick or something. You guys did yourselves proud. I felt welcome and had a good time. What more could a girl ask?

You listened attentively (at least, that's what it looked like), asked intelligent questions, and responded with more enthusiasm than I could have imagined! I look forward to seeing you in the coming months.

By the way, the book the short story came from is titled Destination Unexpected, and can be found in the library under this call number Y FIC DES. I hope you check it out!

Express Yourself! @ Your Library

2009-05-15T13:27:00.003-04:00

It's that time of year... Summer Reading is about to start and I find myself with a full docket of things to plan and do. My ambitions this summer are huge. I am planning to have events for teens EVERY WEEK!

I have felt in years past that the teens get short shrift in the events department during Summer Reading. Pre-schoolers have weekly story time and elementary kids have their weekly Special Events. Why not the teens?

So here we go.