Top Ten Tuesdays: Kimberly’s Reading Wishlist

Top Ten Tuesday is the weekly meme hosted by the excellent blog The Broke and the Bookish. This week, we’re supposed to be creating a list of things we would love authors to write about, whether places, time periods, issues or types of characters.

1. The perfect read alike for Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins. I am convinced this book doesn’t exist. I have read many a contemporary romance about an American girl finding love in a foreign country, and every single one has fallen short of the high bar Perkins set.

2. The Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs is one of my very favorite series out there, paranormal or otherwise. Although I love the series as it is being written, I would happily read a full-length novel about Warren. The short story Briggs did write, just wasn’t enough!

3. I would dearly love to see more novels, realistic or otherwise, that focus on a developing relationship. I’m tired of instalove and I hate love triangles. Give me plots where one couple slowly builds a relationship that starts with a solid foundation!  (Rebecca would like to second that request!)

4. Along that same vein, I would also love for authors to stop writing obsessive relationships as if they are romantic and charming. There is nothing remotely acceptable about a guy who is so oppressive, overbearing or manipulative that he completely overshadows or controls the supposed love of his life. If we won’t stand for that in real life, why do we stand for it in fiction?

5. Similarly, why is it that in fiction (YA, especially), female characters are either tough as nails, or overtly feminine. Why can’t we have a blending of the two? Why can’t that beautiful girl who loves floaty skirts, sparkly eye makeup and baking, also be the kind of girl who can fend for herself when the going gets tough? Give me more YA fiction with feminine heroines who take care of their own problems.

6. More standalone novels! I love a good series as much as the next person, but does every single book need to be part of one? This is one big reason why I read so much realistic fiction - it is very rarely part of a series. I know it’s not as lucrative to write a standalone, but would some authors pretty please try?

7. I would be blissfully happy if authors would return to the traditional, top ten, baby names for their characters. I understand why authors use weird names, I really do. No one would name their kid that in real life, but a character is fine, right? WRONG. I just can’t read another book where the character’s name is Ever or Cricket or Caymen or something equally dumb. What’s wrong with Emily or Anne or Jack?

8. It seems like more and more, the trend in YA fiction is absent parents. One of my favorite things about Lindsey Leavitt’s Going Vintage was the happy family aspect. I know not all families are like that, and not all teenagers have supportive, loving parents. But that doesn’t mean that parents have to be absent or bad in every novel, does it?

9. Look, I’m verbose. I know this. That does not mean I want every book I read to be a 600 page tome. Sometimes 600 pages aren’t necessary to the plot. Sometimes more than half of those 600 pages are filled with useless details that do nothing to further the story. (A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness is a prime example of this.) Better editing and more restraint would be lovely to see.

10. Be unique! It seems half the books written now are meant to be a copy of a previous popular title. I don’t want the next Hunger Games or Harry Potter or Percy Jackson. I want the next original story. Don’t be afraid to write something truly spectacular, because I want to read that book.

*fingers crossed*

Readers' Advisory When You're NOT Around

My library only staffs one YA Librarian & YA Lit Specialist - Me.  When I'm not there, the Adult &

Choose Your Experience Display

Children's Services staff are left to answer teen Readers' Advisory questions whether or not they have any knowledge of Teen Lit.. If your library is anything like mine, there are quite a few hours during the week that the branch is open but there is no YA Lit Specialist in the building.

To that end, I tend to create Reader's Advisory Displays to help both my teens and my co-workers when I'm not around!

What's a Reader's Advisory Display?

My displays vary depending on season, phase of the moon and my whims, but they do tend to fall into one of two categories: single theme & general YA Lit.  For example: In October I usually put together a display featuring creepy/monstrous reads, or I might focus on specifically "undead" titles.

What's the Difference Between a Regular Display & a Readers' Advisory Display?

Art-A-Love-It

Everyone is familiar with regular displays - you select books, maybe throw up a sign and let teens grab the books as they like.  The problem with these displays is that they often get picked over and can be hard to keep stocked.  The answer? Readers' Advisory posters! Several times a year I create/update Book Posters which I use to highlight books for a specific display. (This is also a good trick if your library does not have adequate table-top display space.)

My Book Posters are themed and generally feature at least 20 titles for teens, parents & staff to explore.  I make an effort to feature both older and newer titles as newer titles often have wait lists and I hate for teens to walk away empty-handed.  With a Readers' Advisory Display, even staff who are not YA Lit Specialists can help teens find a book they would enjoy.  So even when you are not in-branch, your teens are getting the suggestions they need to keep them reading!

Bookmark

Make a Poster, Make a Bookmark

If you decide to make Book Posters, I highly recommend creating a corresponding bookmark for your teens.  Many of my teens want multiple titles from one poster, but they don't remember titles well and that can become a problem as you rotate your Readers' Advisory Display.  With a Readers' Advisory Bookmark teens can easily find the titles that were of interest on the poster.  Another advantage of bookmarks is that you can often fit more titles on a bookmark than a poster, which means more Readers' Advisory!

If you are interested in using my Book Posters & Bookmarks, they are for non-commercial, library or school use only and can be found here.

8 Oldies But Goodies: Graphic Novels & Manga for Modern Teens

There are few things in this world as frustrating as waiting for the next volume of a current comic or manga to release.  It's like being cut off from finishing a book in the middle of a chapter and often requires a wait of a month or more.  Teens love graphic novels (for obvious reasons) but often have a hard time waiting patiently for the next volume to make it onto library shelves.

Since there's not much more annoying than a whiny teenager, I've created a list of older ("classic") graphic novels that are completely finished (or have at least 10 volumes) to keep your teens happy while they wait.  Enjoy!

Title

	Title: The Arrival Series: n/a Author: Shaun Tan Volumes: 1 Status: Completed Where to Get It: Available at many book and comic retailers Recommended Ages: All Synopsis:  This graphic novel reads like a silent film following the experiences of a traveler who arrives and makes his way in a new, unfamiliar place.  *One of the most poignant and beautiful graphic novels I've read.
	Title: The Grand Quest a.k.a. Fire & Flight Series: ElfQuest Authors: Wendy & Richard Pini Volumes: 18+ Status: Completed (The Final Quest is ongoing as a web comic) Where to Get It: Out of print, but can view series  for free here. Recommended Ages: 16+ for sensuality, adult situations & some nudity Synopsis: After betrayal leaves the Wolfriders stranded in a foreign land, Cutter must ensure the survival of his tribe while they search for a new home.  But this journey leads to an adventure the elves could never have imagined.
	Title: Legends in Exile Series: Fables Author: Bill Willingham Volumes: 18+ Status: Ongoing Where to Get It: Published through Vertigo (an imprint of DC Comics). Available at many book and comic retailers. Recommended Ages: 16+ for sensuality, adult situations & some nudity Synopsis: Characters from folklore have been driven from their homeland and are settled in the community of Fabletown in the busy metropolis of New York City.  Willingham has re-imagined familiar characters and created a multi-layered, dynamic series with a truly epic scope.
	Title: Hikaru no Go, Volume 1 Series: Hikaru no Go Author: Yumi Hotta Volumes: 23 Status: Completed Where to Get It: Can be found in many book and comic retailers. Recommended Ages: 10+ mild language Synopsis: Middle school student Hikaru discovers an ancient Go board in his grandfather's attic, only to find that it is haunted by the spirit of a long-dead Go Master. Now the ghost won't leave Hikaru alone until he learns to play Go!
	Title: Hana Kimi, Volume 1 (a.k.a Hanazakari no Kimitachi e) Series: Hana Kimi Author: Hisaya Nakajo Volumes: 23 Status: Completed Where to Get It: Published in the US by Viz Media. New 3-in-1 editions available. Recommended Ages: 15+ gender-bending, romance, mild sensuality Synopsis: Mizuki Ashiya has such a crush on Japanese track star Izumi Sano that she decides to move to Japan, disguise herself as a boy, and enroll in Sano's all-boys boarding school.  Much gender confusion and hilarity ensues.
	Title: Mars, Volume 1 Series: Mars Author: Fuyumi Soryo Volumes: 15 Status: Completed Where to Get It: Out of Print. Can be found online at sites such as MangaReader or individual sellers on Amazon. Recommended Ages: 16+ sexual abuse, rape, romance, adult situations Synopsis: Bad boy Rey and gentle, artistic Kira are worlds apart in personalities, but may just be perfect for each other. When Rey rescues Kira from the hands of her sleazy art teacher, Kira finds the courage to ask Rey to model for her. However, as their relationship blooms, the jealousy of an upperclassman and dark secrets from Kira's past come back to haunt them.
	Title: Mr. Stuffins Series: n/a Authors: Andrew Cosby & Johanna Stokes Volumes: 1 Status: Completed Where to Get It: Multiple book and comic retailers Recommended Ages: 12+ mild language, spy action, violence Synopsis: An A.I. spy personality ends up loaded into a Teddy-Ruxpin-like stuffed animal who, when powered up, believes he has a mission to complete that is critical to national security. *Make sure to read the tweets at the end!
	Title: Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Volume 1 Series: Sailor Moon Authors: Naoko Takeuchi Volumes: 12 (as of this post 8 volumes available) Status: Ongoing Where to Get It: Kodansha Comics is re-releasing the Sailor Moon manga as a 12-volume set in celebration of Sailor Moon's 20th anniversary. Recommended Ages: 12+ Synopsis: Usagi Tsugino and her friends may seem like your average high school students, but they each have a secret identity as supernatural protectors of Earth!

Dyslexia Isn't the End of the World: An Insider's Perspective Part 1

Several weeks ago I had a mother come to the reference desk inquiring about literature for learning strategies for children with dyslexia. When I took her back into the stacks to show her what resources we had she started telling me about her young son who had recently been diagnosed as dyslexic. This mother was almost in tears over the revelation that her child had a learning disability, so I started talking to her about my own experiences as a dyslexic and a professional.

The Early Years

I have vivid memories of hating to read. I loved stories, but the process of reading was so hard and so frustrating that I often refused. Now, my parents are both voracious readers and they made a point of instilling a love of literature in me from the womb. Every night of my childhood (barring the occasional business trip) my father would read me to sleep. I grew up with images of Aslan and Mr. Tumnus, Frodo and Gandalph and Snugglepot and Cuddlepie running rampant through my imagination. And even though I hated reading I did love books and the stories contained within their pages. At my request, my father read the novelization of 'Return to Oz' to me so many times that I memorized it and could recite it back while turning pages at the appropriate time. (This technique later became a trick used at school to fool my teachers.)

But I would NOT read voluntarily.

At her wits end, my mother talked to my first grade teacher, a lovely woman named Mrs. John. Mrs. John told my mother to make sure I did my homework, but not to force reading upon me and not to use reading as a punishment. Mrs. John was a very wise lady. So my parents would set a timer for the fifteen minutes I was to read each night as part of my homework. My response? Wait until my parents left the room and alter the timer slightly. Looking back I have to wonder if my parents knew about this minor deception, but they never called me on the issue.

As I've grown older my mom has recounted countless stories of my intractability regarding reading in my early educational years. In second grade, the private school I was attending decided to give all second graders a test to evaluate the students' abilities and achievement. Since the class was made up of "advanced" students (myself included even though I hated reading) the administration decided to give us the third grade level test. Testing day arrived and my class was all set to begin testing, pencils sharp and erasers ready. Until I spoke up. About fifteen minutes into the test I decided that the test had more reading on it than a second grader should have to complete and announced that I would NOT be taking this test. My fellow classmates didn't think it was fair for them to have to take the test if I didn't, so they joined me in protest. Needless to say, my mother was called to the principal’s office and the test results for the entire class were scrapped.

My resistance to reading continued, though I did enjoy comics with their bright pictures and limited words. Garfield was, and still is, a favorite of mine. Comics, what have come to be known as graphic novels, were probably my first step to truly becoming a reader.

My journey to reading is not over - stay tuned.

The "Positively-Negative Parenting" Phenomenon: Part 1

I've been a Young Adult Librarian for more than five years now and have noticed a concerning trend that I'm calling the "Positively-Negative Parenting" Phenomenon.

Every parent wants their children to read.  Reading goes hand in hand with education and all parents want their children to succeed in school, get educated and acquire the tools they need to do well in life. To that end, parents encourage children to read.  Which is a wonderful goal.  But what happens when parents sabotage their childrens' literary efforts without realizing the damage being committed.  What happens when the parent is "positively-negative"?

The Wake-Up Call

(Names in this story have been changed to protect customer identities.)

Last week, I had a mother, Rose, and her teenage daughter, Sasha, come to the reference desk.  The first words out of the mother's mouth was about how her daughter didn't like to read.  The mother had tried giving her daughter all kinds of books to read and she didn't like any of them.  Therefore Sasha didn't like to read.  She was a smart girl, her mother assured me, Sasha just didn't like to read.

I started talking to Sasha, asking the normal librarian questions to try and narrow down a genre or title that might appeal to her. (i.e. "What kind of TV shows/movies do you like?  What kind of video games? etc.)  After discovering that Sasha enjoyed the new Teen Wolf show on MTV as well as Vampire Diaries on CW, I took her into our YA Area to see what titles were actually on the shelf that might have appeal.  While I was talking to Sasha, Rose often interjected - she had given Sasha Twilight by Stephenie Meyer, but Sasha didn't read it.

Now, my style of "lets find book suggestions" goes something like this: I walk around my YA Area with the teen pulling books off the shelf for the teen to look over.  By the time we finish walking the area I will have pulled between five and ten possible titles.  I then leave the teen to peruse the selections to see if any have appeal (there is usually at least one title in the stack that the teen picks up).  As we walked around the section I executed my usual process, talking to Sasha, pulling titles off the shelf, giving a brief description and letting her make a split-second decision to take another look at the title or move on to the next.  As we did this, Rose continued to make comments about how she had given her daughter this title or that title that Sasha wouldn't read.

My wake-up call came when I pulled Andrea Cremer's Nightshade off the shelf for Sasha to consider.  Sasha showed intense interest as I described the plot and actually reached out to take the book, when her mother grabbed the book out of my hand and told me that there was no way her daughter would read that book.  It was too long.  Now, Nightshade is a little over 450 pages in length, so it isn't a skinny read, but Sasha had showed interest.  Inside, I was outraged; how dare Rose take away a book that her daughter actually expressed interest in!  I managed to keep an outer cool and simply took the book back from Rose and handed to Sasha saying, "If she likes it, she will read it." After pulling several more titles I left Sasha (and her mother) in the YA Area to take a look through the books we'd pulled as possible titles of interest.

Several minutes later I noticed Sasha walking out with a book tucked under her arm.  Nightshade was the book she picked.

The Realization

As I thought over my encounter with Sasha and Rose, I realized that Rose's behavior, which I have dubbed "positively-negative parenting" was something that I'd seen over and over again.  This phenomenon is when a parent, with the best intentions, tries to encourage their teen to read, but in the process constantly references failed former attempts at reading.  One minute the parent is encouraging reading then, the next minute, the parent is bringing to mind failure, humiliation and disappointment in their teen.  While I am not a psychologist, I cannot help but wonder what kind of negative impact this kind of parenting has on teen readers.  It is an issue I plan to explore.

Now, I don't know if Sasha will make it through that book.  She may decide it isn't for her.  I told her that she couldn't hurt my feelings by telling me she didn't like a book.  If I know what she doesn't like I have a better chance of finding something she does like.  All I asked of her was that she make a real effort to read the book.  (That's one of the main purposes of YA Librarianship, to foster a love of reading in teens.)  I don't care what a teen reads as long as they are reading.

Has anyone else noticed this phenomenon?  I'd love to hear how you address it. 

Passive Program: Read the Rainbow Challenge

Getting teens to read outside their chosen genre can be difficult, but not impossible.  This is an easy, eye catching display sure to catch the interest of your teens and even encourage them to read outside their genre.

What to do:
Set up the challenge on one of your library's blogs (I recommend Tumblr since it is very easy to post photos).  Each week set the "color" challenge i.e. 'This week read something RED'.  Have teens submit photos of book covers they are reading for the challenge.  Simple, easy and reading based!

When you are finished you can use the images submitted to create a color wash "Reading Quilt" just for the teens at your library.  You could even go WAY over the top and have the covers printed on cloth and make them into a physical quilt to raffle off or give away as a prize to one of the participants.

Here's an example of a digital "Reading Quilt" using book cover art from titles mentioned on this blog:

Teen Program: Reading Challenge

This is a fun, low-cost program that will have your teens talking, blogging and sharing reads!

The "challenge" aspect of this program makes it driven by an individual desire to participate, not by the desire to win a prize, so there is no monetary cost associated with this program.  When designing this challenge make sure to create gender neutral objectives that can be adapted to a variety of reading styles/levels.

Here are some ideas for a 10 Week Reading Challenge
Week 1: Read something blue
Week 2: Read something OTHER than a book
Week 3: Read outside
Week 4: Read a poem
Week 5: Read something without words
Week 6: Read something funny
Week 7: Read something solid
Week 8: Read something active
Week 9: Read a play
Week 10: Read at random

Using whichever Social Media works best for you (Twitter, Blogging, Tumblr, Facebook etc) to promote this program.  Have teens submit what they've read for each objective and watch the communication unfold.  Don't be afraid to start the discussion for each objective.

Before you start: If you want your teens more involved in the planning stages get them to submit ideas for possible challenge objectives.

Good Luck and Good Reading!

So Many Books, So Little Time

Best Book I've Read This Week!

In the past week I've read about 5 books and somehow I still don't feel like I've had enough time to really read. Strange isn't it? Seems like I should be satisfied with that amount of reading - many people would consider 5 books in a week somewhat excessive. :)

But it is odd, since a large part of my job consists of suggesting appropriate titles to a wide variety of both teen and adult readers I sometimes feel like there is consistent pressure to have a book in hand. Especially for YA materials.  In my branch I am the only person who works with teens (programming, readers advisory, etc) and I try to stay on top of new YA titles coming into the system.  Since another part of my job is materials selection and working on professional committees (Spirit of Texas High School Reading Program) I also attempt to keep up with new releases, upcoming releases and continuations of series.  Reading could easily be a full-time job for me!  [And one I'd like better some days if I could just read, suggest books and run programs.]

What is it that a YA Librarian is supposed to do with an infinite number of books and a finite amount of time?!