Final project

The time has come again for the semester to be almost over. I can't believe our last class is tonight! It is so bittersweet. On one hand, I am graduating (yay!) and on the other, I will truly miss this group of people. We have insightful discussions and have really become friends over the semester. Special thanks to Jack and Jen for your leadership. You have the ability to teach classes that are fun and informative. Yes. I will also miss the structured reading... I somehow feel guilty about kicking back with a good book. Unless of course it's for school or work. I guess I will have to practice getting over that as I am not planning on going back to school any time soon. Thanks!

Rita Williams-Garcia

ROCKS! She was so inspiring! It is amazingly refreshing to hear from someone who is so unafraid to confront tough issues. It can be so easy to say, "Not my problem." Or to think that kids aren't mature enough to handle certain subjects. But when it comes down to it, these are real issues that will most likely have to be faced by the kids eventually. To have a thoughtful and even gentle introduction, through the lens of a healthy friendship seems pretty ideal. She was so enthusiastic and intelligent. I can't wait to read the rest of her books.

The Remarkable & Very True Stroy of Lucy and Snowcap

Hmmm.... I am not quite sure where to begin. I was really looking forward to reading this book. In my mind it had it all: magic, adventure, history... But somehow, somewhere, it just fell flat. The characters were trite and the magic was forced and unbelievable. (And yes, I have found magic to be very believable in other books). It was a physically long book, but ultimately felt short, like nothing significant actually happened.

I was also surprised to find out that Lucy was supposed to be unattractive and large. She certainly doesn't appear that way on the cover of the book. That sort of superficiality is a big turn-off for me, especially in books promoted to children. It is basically telling the readers that the author will go as far as to WRITE about a character who isn't physically attractive, but not actually present any visual evidence. I guess it does have to come down to publicity at some point after all.

Ted and Emma

What is about these characters? After thinking on it for some time, it seems as though the comforting aspect of these spectrum(ish) characters is their extremely literal and mostly practical outlooks on life. For tweens, who are suffering through the most confusing and challenging times they've ever faced, Ted and Emma offer solace. Ted and Emma don't really have friends, and that's ok. Ted and Emma don't really care what people think about them. Can you imagine, being in middle school and NOT CARING WHAT PEOPLE THINK??? Ted and Emma rarely second guess themselves. Sometimes the way that they interpret the world gets them in trouble, but mostly it helps them get by.

KNUCKLEHEAD

I was very surprised to find that some people did not like Knucklehead and even more surprised to find that some people thought that kids wouldn't like it! I found it hilarious and that kids, especially boys, would agree. It is well-written without being pretentious OR speaking down to younger readers. It is thoughtful without being sickly sweet and it seems to paint an accurate picture of the era, doing so without being nostalgic or overly sentimental. As a teaching tool there is also a lot one could do with the book. It is an accessible introduction to the memoir style, the photos and the fact that it is "mostly true" makes it a good source for understanding the time period and it would make a fabulous read-aloud. Loved it!

Big Splash makes a big....well.... splash!

I wanted to blog this week about the book The Big Splash. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, but, like many of my classmates was left unsure about whether actual kids would enjoy the subtleties and the noir-esque vibe. Well, my uncertainties were soon thwarted! My fiancee, a fifth grade teacher, shared part of the book with his students. This week he had a bunch of their stories home for grading and I poked through them, always curious to see what sort of creative stuff these kids are coming up with. I was happy to see that many of them seemed to be inspired by The Big Splash. The stories were full of all-powerful bullies, mature and descriptive vocabularies and the noir-esque vibe. So cool! These kids not only enjoyed the book, but we able to recreate the tone and mood. What a useful teaching tool. And it's fun!

Marketing to tweens

I always (mostly) feel so relieved after I hear from people who work for publishing houses. There seems to be, especially for people new to the library world, a fear of the publishing world. It's as if librarians are the good guys, so what does that make publishers? Well, in my opinion, they are good guys too. It seems that their mission is very similar to ours: get good books in the hands of people. It's really exciting. It's actually really inspiring and makes you realize how important every step of the book process is to the final goal. Librarians need the publishers and they need us too!

39 Clues

Unfortunately I am posting this late. I meant to do it while my reaction was still fresh. I was really excited about David Levithan's presentation on 39 Clues. I liked one thing he said in particular which was something along the lines of: "A book isn't confined to the paper pages, it's anything that enhances the story." This was his argument as to why 39 Clues works and why (I think more importantly) the series is legit and not just a marketing scheme. I came home really excited to tell Alex (my fifth grade teaching friend) that I had his curriculum all figured out! He just had to use 39 Clues! Well, that buzz has since, well, cooled off. I think that perhaps, Mr. Levithan is very good at his job.

Schooled

Though we we didn't talk about Schooled in today's class, I thought I would mention it as it has been on my mind. Of all the books we have read so far it reminded me most of Every Soul a Star. Both have do-gooder protagonists who have spent important developmental years living in a hyper-sheltered environment. They have grown up without TV, computers or even friends their own age. And both have extremely admirable outlooks on life and are patient, kind and thoughtful. My question is: what does this say about the authors' perceptions of tween society? The least judgmental characters we have yet encountered have been the two who have, if not never, RARELY, interacted with anyone their own age. I'm not sure about the answer, but it's something I can't stop thinking about. Maybe next week I can get some clarity from my classmates and teachers. :)

Kids read!

I thoroughly enjoyed the students from Little Red Schoolhouse. They were engaging, intelligent, thoughtful, mature and had just enough spunk and self-consciousness that I never even forgot they were 12. It was helpful to have them in a semi-formal setting. This allowed for more organized dialogue with an emphasis on turn-taking. We really had a chance to hear all of them and they seemed to take the opportunity seriously. It made me think hard about the differences and similarities between the students from LRS and those from PS 503 where I visited for my paper. These fifth-graders, also intellegent and thoughtful were crowded 25 deep into a windowless classroom with no school library. However, these kids also talked to me about their love of reading and interest in learning about new books. I guess it just goes to show that deep down, despite socioeconomic and cultural differences, all kids are created equal, and with the right encouragement, they also all love to read.

Antsy and Ally

As I made clear in class, I loved The Schwa was Here and felt "ehhhhh" about Every Soul a Star. I think it mostly came down to the personalities of each main character. I related to Antsy. I found him to be very funny, slightly self-conscious, selfish yet generous, non-judgmental, and, ultimately likable yet flawed. Ally was just so..... perfect. She reminded me of a girl from high school who used to smile to herself as she took tests in class. It made me feel like being violent! And also made me wonder, who is she?? I found Ally's personality to be unrealistic. That being said....

I hate to admit it but in middle school I think I would have loved this book. I used to be completely anxious about conflict and would make my mom stop reading Little House on the Prairie when I thought Pa might be mad at Laura. I used to fantasize about a book being written where there wouldn't be any overt drama. No one was at risk of getting in trouble, or hurt. So Every Soul a Star may not have appealed to my 25 year old sensibilities, but I just may have liked it when I was 12.

Graphic novels

I LOVED our guest speaker's presentation on graphic novels. For someone (me) who didn't exactly enjoy this week's readings (Rapunzel's Revenge and Into the Volcano) it was enormously helpful to have a passionate expert illuminate the subject matter for me.

I am not sure what it is about the genre that I have a hard time relating to, but I can certainly appreciate the value for children, tweens, teens and adults. Ascertaining developmental vocabulary was also beneficial as I plan to continue to promote graphic novels in my library as both viable works of literature and of art.

And perhaps the most important "thing" that graphic novels represent to readers of all ages is FUN. Showing parents and students that reading is fun can permanently change entire attitudes toward the subject, which, in the end, can change one's personal and academic experiences.

These kids are cool and I THINK they set a good example

My title refers to the books Blue Lipstick and Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Both books are funny and honest. (I personally think Blue Lipstick might have been more of a success if it had been marketed as fiction rather than poetry). Both books have a believable tone. Both protagonists are intelligent and self-conscious. In this last way I believe they are especially realistic and in the same way they set good examples. I think part of the challenge of being a tween (and teen and adult for that matter) is feeling like it isn't OK to be unsure about things. Feeling like the whole world has "it" figured out and you are the odd ball out for questioning yourself. These books and characters exemplify these challenging circumstances and bring comfort, humor and perspective to them.

Grown up books

I just started a new book that has NOTHING to do with YAs. (Except maybe that it's something I would have read as a teenager). I would be lying if I said I wasn't enjoying it! That's all.

Le sigh, class is almost over

Tonight is our last class. (Catching up on assignments you can see!) Tomorrow I am heading up to Maine for relaxation and some (yikes!) wedding planning. Tonight my fiancee said, "Congrats, you're almost finished with the semester!" And I feel strangely.... NOT excited. This was a great class and I'm going to miss all the reading and my co-students! Luckily I'll be in Tween Media Literacy in the fall. Booyah!

It's all about Hunger Games people!

Seriously, as you may have gathered, this books has everything. A fight to the death! The need and will to do anything to survive! Action! Romance! Love triangle! Family love and family feud! Most importantly you will literally not be able to put it down until you finish it. In a review Stephanie Meyer mentioned something about taking it out to dinner with her, which I initially just wrote off as another one of her great literary achievements, but she was right. Once you start, block out your life. This is all you will be able to do. Read it! Then give it to someone else who will love it as much as you. Speaking of which, if anyone already has read it and wants the sequel, I got it. Just let me know!

"What is the point of the (dead) pigeon book?"

That's what a friend of mine asked me when I told him about my book talk. It felt good to tell him this: Well, first of all, it's great for reluctant readers. You know, it's a book, but it doesn't have too many words on each page. And it's funny! And sinister! Also, it's an art book. Each gruesome page is designed by a different artist making it an awesome supplement to a modern American art class, or just a varied and interesting way to spend a rainy afternoon. Lastly (and my favorite thing) is that it shows how far one stupid idea can take you! A la Skulls, Canceled Flight is a perfect example how a silly, though creative idea, can turn into a book! Amazing!

Where are all the lesbians at?

This question has come up several times in class and I believe there are a few explanations. 1. Being a gay man has historically been more taboo than being a gay woman and perhaps there is more of an urge to debunk those notions by writing books like Freak Show and The Vast Fields of Ordinary. 2. On the other hand, gay men are now FABULOUS and that might make the market for gay boy books more feasible. 3. (My "real" theory, or thoughts at least...) The books that we've read so far with male characters, gay or straight, have focused a lot on teenage sexuality. Think about all the boners and boobs in Little Brother and the wet dreams and straight up fucking in Boy Toy. Girls portrayed in YA lit. are much more prone to crushes and (gasp!) even falling in love with little to no mention of having a wet vagina or hard nipples. (Both indications of arousal, FYI). Looking at these aspects makes it seem reasonable that there are no books focusing on lesbian love, let alone lesbian sex. I mean, even Body Drama, the book for girls and their bodies, mentions NOTHING about being turned on, masturbating or anything that's great about being in a healthy sexual relationhip!

Disappointment in community resources

I have to say that working on our community profiles was not only frustrating, but made me actually feel sad! Perhaps it was an issue of search terms but the easiest information to find on teens in Brooklyn neighborhoods was crimes they have committed. Machetes in Williamsburg, vandalism in Brooklyn Heights. It seems like such an obvious juxtaposition. There was so little information on what they can do in their out-of-school time that it doesn't come as much surprise that they turn to crime.

On a similar note, I watched Crips and Bloods: Made in America last night. It is a very interesting documentary on gang life/violence in LA. It is chock-full of history and information, but the real take-away message is that if these teenagers had more options and more support, they wouldn't be getting involved in this lifestyle. These opinions come from current gang members, reformed gang members, professors, etc.

Waging a war of annoyance on American websites

Has everyone read Little Brother? Did anyone catch this story this morning? The similarities nearly took my breath away.

The fade out

Several books we've read so far for Young Adult Lit and Literacy (including If I Stay, Living Dead Girl, and The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks) have ended with a fade out. That is, the endings are vague, much like a song that fades out rather than concludes. (It drives me crazy in music... fade out? More like cop out!) But somehow it works in books, especially for teens. The endings are, rather than inconclusive, open-ended. They are great for discussion. Did she live? Did she win? Is she really free? Why, why and why?

First blog post EVER

I've been considering starting a blog for awhile. I like to talk about anecdotes from my day, and soon I will be working in a new library and I thought it would be fun to write about books and other literacy-related events and activities. However, when starting a blog was assigned to my class, I froze. This first post reminds me of starting a journal. It feels like I should have something profound to say. I want to be sharing my vast knowledge and clever opinions with everyone who graces this blog with their presence. But the more I thought about it, the less I could think of. So this is my ice-breaker. Consider the ice broken.