Category Archives: Miscellaneous

This originally appeared on the Times Union Books Blog

A letter from a school librarian to her graduates,

Reflection happens periodically: beginning a new adventure, closing the book on a past one, moving on from relationships, at the beginning of a new calendar year, the close of an old one, when a tragedy strikes too close to home. So forgive me for waxing poetic at the close of this school year for five soon-to-be high school graduates (and by soon I mean at the end of this week). This is as much for and about them as it is about how fortunate I am to work as a school librarian.

For DC– having made small talk at the desk or in carrying stacks of books to you at the table over the last few years, I cannot be more happy for someone to move to the next chapter in their life, even if it means I will no longer get to see you. We absolutely have an affinity for the same kind of book, the dark and disturbing ones that really make you think. I have equally enjoyed reading your selections for me as I have had in giving them to you, notably when it’s given us plenty to discuss afterward– what really did happen to Wink at the end of the story? I couldn’t wait for you to finish to see what you thought and you always gave it to me straight. There were misses, but plenty of hits and when you needed a recommendation, my favorite response when I asked you what you were in the mood for was “you know what I like”. Because one of my favorite parts of librarianship is knowing readers and finding those perfect books. The ones that have to be yours and that seem to have been written just for you.    

For CC– you might have gotten busy this last year or two with classwork and sports, but however infrequently you did stop down after marathon sessions as an underclassmen, I still thought CC would love this book while reading the dystopian, science fiction or action stories that you loved so much. Once finished, I’d bring the book in, put a post-it on the front with your name to remind me to hand it to you when I saw you next. Then there were the surprises– when nothing I was pitching sounded good and you decided to just take the next closest thing on the counter because the cover looked good and I shrugged and said okay! You are a voracious reader and even though I knew you weren’t getting all of your books from our library, I was never actually worried that you’d be without. Perhaps one of the biggest impressions you’ve made is to remind me that as much as we read statistics on who stops reading by what age and how we can combat it is that there’s no substitute for the students that are standing right in front of us. Help them now and work on reaching everyone else after.

Speaking of boys, for DC– no one can hold a candle to you, my friend. As author Jack Gantos replied in an email to me when I sent him a link to your film debut, “Of course I remember him, no one who meets him will ever forget him.” You’re a thinker and a creator. It wasn’t about books as much as copyright and music and drawing and creating when we talked to you. You wanted to learn from the authors we hosted and ask them pointed questions about “the business” and their own creativity. You were a frequent user of our library and your public one that only solidified your continual quest for knowledge. So knowing the plans you have for yourself, indeed you’ll succeed because you know where to start.

For SJ– your mother works around books, so it was only natural that you’d find your home in the library too. Your intelligence and open-mindedness always sought out the best-written and most diverse titles because you always wanted to be learning something, which no doubt will be your life’s theme. You attended library events and activities like they were your job and we could always rest assured that if there was an event and you were there, all was well. You were a cheerleader for the library both to feed the mind but also to gather with friends and promote peace. Plus, I finally thumbed through the yearbook and saw your message… the pleasure is all mine!

And for JM– perhaps the most prolific library user, you will forever be remembered in the library. Sometimes it was the computer and making sure you had headphones to go with it, but most often it was the countless hours you had spent volunteering, if only to be the first one to see the new books. You quite possibly could be my number match at answering the most frequently asked question: “Miss, have you read all the books in this library?” Though you’ve got me beat on remembering the stories. You love your dystopian and apocalyptic novels principally when there’s an environmental crisis. I could spent over an hour meandering through the stacks with you for you to literally put down every book I tried to put in your hands, only to walk away with nothing and be okay that we’d try again tomorrow. I’d shake my head and feel like a failure, but for you, it was okay, because nothing sounded good today, yet you’d be back tomorrow and we’d find something then. Tenacity and curiosity are your weapons and what makes you the person you are. There’s a reason I always had gum in my desk drawer and I’ll give you a piece any time you ask for one.  

Recently at a conference the presenter quoted Doug Johnson who said “the goal of the library is not to get back the books but to get back the readers.” Pause. All the librarians’ hearts just skipped a beat because that is the best line ever. It’s our life’s work. Because if we can capture the reader, it doesn’t matter about what the book is. For us school librarians, we sort of have a due date as students move buildings and obviously when they graduate. It’s bittersweet for sure. Though I always hope that they find a way back, even if it means signing in at the main office and sticking on a visitors pass. But I know too that the same work was accomplished the minute they cross the threshold of their college or public library too, whether I’m there to see if or not.  

It was solidified after the most recent read of The Steep and Thorny Way that came out last month. A story based on Shakespeare’s Hamlet, our female protagonist is struggling with the purported ghost of her late father and the return of the convicted killer , a young man who hit him with his car. There is also a very real struggle of race in their town– Hanalee is biracial– her father was a black man and her mother is white and their marriage was controversial. And since Hanalee’s father’s death, her mother had married a new man, a white man, that seemed to settle the town a bit. It’s historical, it’s mysterious. As are the other two that I’ve read, including my first experience with Cat Winters’ beautiful writing in In the Shadow of Blackbirds.

Winters’ ability to create a moody, atmospheric setting is just as powerful as her characters and plots. Add to that her insistence on incorporating history and she creates magic. And she can do that in a condensed version as well when I read April Genevieve Tucholke’s curated collection Slasher Girls & Monster Boys where Winters’ short story “Emmeline” stole the show.

There is no denying Winters is unique but without playing to a specific readership. Her books are accessible and fascinating to a variety of readers. We can only hope she continues to write as eloquently as she already has. I can’t wait to discover the others that I haven’t read to fall more in love!

Originally posted to YALSA’s The Hub where I contribute

The best kind of science books are the one that share information without getting too technical, are not monotonous, and have a unique angle: that it factor that makes it special. Humor is a draw, especially in nonfiction and, double-points if the book reads like fiction too. So set aside the baking soda volcanoes and egg drop tests to read some of these humorous science books.

Guinea Pig Scientists : Bold Self-Experimenters in Science and Medicine by Mel Boring, Leslie Dendy, and C.B. Mordan (Illustrator)

This book showcases a handful of scientists who advanced medicine by first starting with themselves, then others, then animals, until their theories were proved. Tenacity was the key for all of these innovators of such things as laughing gas or what caused yellow fever. Now we know!  

How to Fake a Moon Landing: Exposing the Myths of Science Denial by Darryl Cunningham

Useful for any STEM curriculum this graphic novel is for conspiracy theorists, science buffs, and graphic novel fans. It discusses topics like autism and vaccines to fracking. For many teens, some of the topics will build new knowledge.

Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife, Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers and Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal by Mary Roach

Roach has a talent for incorporating solid research, witty observations, and her own brand of intrigue on life, death, and the gastrointestinal system. Written for adults, her books are the kind that are entertaining to any reader not wanting to break out Grey’s Anatomy of the Human Body.  

Primates: The Fearless Science of Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey, and Birute Galdikas by Jim Ottaviani and Maris Wicks

Genius, fun, and empowering, Ottiaviani and Wicks teach readers to follow their passions by sharing the stories of Goodall, Fossey, and Galdikas without glorifying their adventures. It’s arduous and difficult working tirelessly in the jungles. Coupled with the vivid colors of the graphic novel, no one would think their work was easy. It’s fighting against politics and civil war and their own critics and bosses that made their work so rewarding and renown.

The Killer Book Of… by Tom Philbin

• Serial Killers: Incredible Stories, Facts, and Trivia from the World of Serial Killers

• True Crime: Incredible Stories, Facts and Trivia from the World of Murder and Mayhem

• Cold Cases: Incredible Stories, Facts, and Trivia from the Most Baffling True Crime Cases of All Time

• Infamous Murders: Incredible Stories, Facts, and Trivia from the World’s Most Notorious Murders

Each of the books written by Philbin, and sometimes his co-written with his brother Michael, seem like odd titles to be in a post about humorous science books but the dose of light-heartedness through which they share the worst about humanity is necessary. Reading it myself, I sometimes stopped to ponder the downfall of humanity and question everyone from my co-worker to my own husband and the possibility that they were serial killers, murderers, or arsonists. Yet, presenting the facts as Q&As, guessing “who is this?”, and providing definitions and examples of all types of crimes showcase the literary versions of some of the best crime show dramas on television like Dexter and Bones, and reality shows like Dr. G.: Medical Examiner and Cold Case Files.

How They Croaked: The Awful Ends of the Awfully Famous by Georgie Bragg and Kevin O’Malley (Illustrator)

This collective biography is just as scientific as it is biographical, detailing the ways in which historical figures died. Yes, death is not necessarily funny, but knowing how preventable many of their deaths were based on 21st century science and medicine makes them seems outlandish. Hence, the humor.  Bragg combines facts and quotes, but scientific discoveries, odd illustrations, and easily read chapters.

And I would be remiss if I didn’t throw a children’s book in here for good measure. Let’s all remember 1991 when Shinta Cho and Amanda Mayer Stinchecum wrote Gas We Pass: The Story of Farts. Everyone does it but rare is the person who admits it, so we all are fascinated by the story of how gas works and that many an animal deals with it. So here’s to the writers and illustrators that teach us with a side of laughter. They say it is the best medicine.

I can say that most of my e-reading comes from the galleys I receive through Netgalley, not because I prefer e-reading over traditional books or that I seem to get the most talked about books sooner that way– it’s just the way it is.

The way I’m making myself feel better about missing BEA this year is knowing that many of the books I get in book form there end up appearing in a month or two on Netgalley. Again, it’s only making me feel slightly better.

Here’s what on my reader now:

• Awakening by Catrina Burgess
• Amaranthine by Lanie Jacobs
• Welcome to Hell Damini by John Otis Biggs
• The Smell of Other People’s Houses by Bonnie-Sue Hitchock

So here’s to Netgalley for championing authors and books by getting them into the hands of those making purchase decisions and those who can spread the word about great books to come!

I’m excited to now be part of a team of bloggers for the Young Adult Library Services Association’s blog, The Hub. Check out my first post!

What I love about vacations is the amount of time I can dedicate to reading. Do a little cleaning, then read, run and errand, then read. A few of my favorites from this past week already include a few murder mysteries, wait, take that back, all of my favorites this week have somehow dealt with a murder mystery. Hmmm, should someone be concerned? No, they’re just plain good! There’s Rotters by Kraus that is old-fashioned creepy, which leads right in to the nonfiction, The Poisoner’s Handbook by Blum about real cases of murder by poison through the early 1900s. You can take it back to the 1500s in License to Quill by Quercia that offers an alternative reality in which William Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe were part of English espionage. Speaking of alternative perspectives, how about the housegirl that lived with the Borden’s before the infamous murders in Sweet Madness by Leaver and Currie? In A Madness So Discreet by McGinnis and A Curious Tale of the In-Between by DeStefano, there are two well-written authors trying to solve a mystery with special powers or a special circumstance surrounding their lives. And I’ve saved the best for last, The Life We Bury by Eskens that combines storytelling, a murder, and a war story that will make you hurt.

Oscar Wilde is quoted as saying “You can never be overdressed or over-educated,” so, I like my books to teach me something. And, Jonathan Fetter-Vorm’s graphic history of the first atomic bomb is just such a book. I walked around after finishing it, spreading the factoids that I was previously unaware of to people who weren’t asking for the information. Several other books have had the same impact: Sneaker Century: A History of Athletic Shoes by Amber Keyser that I recently posted about and A Natural History of the Senses by Diane Ackerman. I find the collection of the information put into a readable nonfiction text is brain food. The best kind.

Trinity is as much about the politics as the science and the human element. The font is easy on the eyes and there is a nice balance of narrative and dialogue, with the illustrations moving the story forward alongside the words, which cannot be said for all graphic novels.

Are there more graphic novels that do as good a job? Feed me!

Malala Yousafzai said “O​ne child, one teacher, one pen, and one book can change the world”. I could end there because its eloquence is moving, but also because it is representative of her. She is a child who read widely under the tutelage of her teachers, including her father, took up a pen to blog anonymously about life in Pakistan under the thumb of the Taliban, and is now demonstrating globally the need for girls’ education and that evil forces cannot win.

Her story is what engages the world alongside her actions and speeches. In 2012, she published her story I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban with the help of Christina Lamb and it has been followed up with a young reader’s edition written alongside young adult novelist Patricia McCormick called I Am Malala: How One Girl Stood Up For Education and Changed the World in 2014. But the latest book engages the youngest audience about who Yousafzai is: For the Right to Learn: Malala Yousafzai’s Story written by Rebecca Langston-George and illustrated by Janna Brock. So while it is not written or co-written by Yousafzai, it pulls out the essential elements of her story and makes it accessible to educate an entirely different audience than the other two. Children will grow up recognizing her accomplishments, while young adults and adults have gotten to know her since her attempted murder in 2012.

I will confess, I did not read her adult biography until this past summer and subsequently kicked myself for not doing it sooner. In that narration I was drawn to her activism and thirst for life while simultaneously recognizing that she’s still a child with her ultimate comforts being family, friends, food, and a good book (can’t we all say the same?). Likewise, she reiterates her girlhood, though having received a Nobel Peace Prize and speaking in front of the United Nations, in the young reader’s version that drills down to the fundamentals. It is not about the shooting, rather who she was before and who she strives to be after, providing the ultimate heroine in any fight against evil; like Anne Frank, whose diary has provided insight into the musings of a girl in an incredibly dark situation and helped the world recognize that we can all aim higher. Lastly, the picture book, written by Langston-George again captures the essential Yousafzai narrative with Disney-like imagery that does not take away from the message, instead provides a lush backdrop for Yousafzai’s own descriptions like the breathtaking Swat Valley. But my favorite panel is one of the last pages where she is addressing the United Nations in a shawl gifted by assassinated Pakistani leader Benazir Bhutto’s children, where she seems so small in a room of big ideas and politics, with her image looming large on the screen behind her and she speaks the words “o​ne child, one teacher, one pen, and one book can change the world”.

Your aim should be to know her, read about her (starting with these three!), and feed off of her passion.

You want a friend around you and if they can’t be around you, at least you know that they’re thinking about you or you’re thinking about them. You might have a picture of them on your phone or hanging in your house to remind you of a good time and the moment you’re back together, it’s like you never left.

I don’t necessarily remember the ending or even the main character’s name of a book, rather I remember the feeling I got when I closed it. And that feeling stays with me like the feelings of being with or talking to friends. And just like that picture on the wall, I’ve got a bookshelf that’s the perfect reminder of all of our favorite pastimes together. It’s not a cluttered shelf with the new crowding out the best. It’s simply, a bookshelf of the best.

My book friends can be grouped in to a few different categories like we have friends at work, childhood friends, or college friends. I’ve got ‘beautifully written’ friends like A Northern Light by Donnelly, North of Beautiful by Chen, and Flash Burnout by Madigan. I’ve got ‘creative’ friends like The Vagina Monologues by Ensler, Crank by Hopkins, and The Virgin Suicides by Eugenides. ‘Classics’ like Emily Dickinson’s poetry and Brave New World by Huxley. Or, ‘can’t-put-down’s’ like Loving Frank by Horan.

At any time, like calling up a good friend, I can just pull one off the shelf with a cup of tea, snuggle in, and indulge, as I have indulged in sharing what makes Eliot’s quote realistic and apropos for any reader.

Rich characters that shine in stories where hardship, pain, sorrow, or pure joy are played out is the hallmark of a gifted writer, and extra points when the secondary characters are as vibrant as the main one. For the second installment related to a new favorite quote, let’s discuss how books can be accessible and wise counselors.

I’m going to skip over YA titles like Crank by Hopkins or Hole In My Life by Gantos and talk about four newer titles that certainly have their place as catalysts for conversations about the real world issues teens can encounter and how to respond—or not.

Addiction is tough, but when you’re watching an adult continually make horrible decisions that affect them and their families, like Gabi, there’s not much to help navigate through it other than some humor. In Gabi, Girl in Pieces by Quintero, it’s exactly her humor that makes it memorable. So first, you need a dose of humor. Second, like Riordan Hall’s first book, Sugar, you’ll need the help of family. For Mercy, an emotionally abusive mother and brother dependent on her for more than any teenager should have to support, its Mercy’s older brother, who has pulled himself out of the tumultuousness that is now helping her too. Second, you need a cheerleader. And speaking of a cheerleader, Arlie from Mikulencak’s Burn Girl, has a long-lost uncle and best friend along with a new boyfriend who are her biggest supporters. They need her to move on from her mother’s fatal overdose and her burns from a meth explosion years ago. So, third is not just a family member for support but friends who are rooting for you as well.

In each of these three books, our female main characters show perseverance in the face of adversity and how they do it is just a little bit different: humor, family, and friends. For Quinero, Riordan Hall, and Mikulencak, they nailed it. They made the books easily readable, with likeable characters who have just enough to help them get through- and can teach us all a lesson while we’re reading them.