Nosen A. Book's Blog

Book Review #2- Dreadful Sorry

nosenabook — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 20:26:00 +0000

Dreadful Sorry

Kathryn Reiss

Toronto: Scholastic, Inc, 1993.

340 pp., pbk, $9.50 Cdn.

ISBN: 0-590-48406-0

Oh my darlin’, oh my darlin’, oh my darlin’ Clementine, you are lost and gone forever, dreadful sorry Clementine.

Seventeen-year-old Molly has had a recurring nightmare her entire life— she is walking down a long hallway to the end room, where she knows something horrible is happening. She also has an incurable fear of water, and continues to hear that old Clementine song in her head. After a near-drowning experience at a pool party, she leaves to spend the summer with her father in his new house in Maine. But the carefree summer she was hoping for disappears when she goes upstairs in the house she sees the same hallway that has been plaguing her dreams for years. Then Jared, the boy who threw her into the pool, comes to Maine demanding Molly talk to him. Now Molly is experiencing visions of a girl named Clementine who lived in her father’s house a century earlier. As the summer continues Molly stumbles across a series of connections between her and Clementine that begin to form an eerie pattern. Molly’s “visions” begin to feel more like memories— memories that appear to be reliving themselves in her life and Jared’s. Can Molly prevent the past from repeating itself?

This book moves slowly at times, so those who need a very fast-paced novel would have a difficult time getting through the slow parts. There are many predictable aspects about the book, however, overall it is a great read and would appeal to many teenagers and adults alike. It introduces the possibility of both ghosts and reincarnation as an answer to Molly’s nightmares and visions. Many relationships are examined: Molly deals with her father and his young, pregnant wife; her relationship with Jared turns from one-sided hatred to friendship to something more; and Molly attempts to mend the broken relationships from Clementine’s life. Those with an interest in reincarnation would especially enjoy this book. This supernatural mystery mixed with romantic intrigue demonstrates the power of second chances.

Recommended, 4P.

YALSA Blog Report

nosenabook — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 17:42:21 +0000

I decided to look at YALSA’s blog, found at http://yalsa.ala.org/blog/. The mission of this blog is “to provide a fast, focused, and flexible format for publishing information about time sensitive issues such as news in the YA field, programs, conferences, initiatives, resources, and activities of use to YALSA members and the YA librarianship community” (from the “About” page, http://yalsa.ala.org/blog/about/, 2008). Therefore, this blog does not only look at library-related aspects, but anything that might be of interest to the teen demographic. To demonstrate this, the most recent post (March 19, 2009) was about the recent incident between Rihanna and boyfriend Chris Brown. These celebrities have nothing to do with libraries, but as this story is of interest to teens, particularly to those that are fans of Rihanna, it has been included. So in terms of topics for discussion the sky is the limit, which I think is a great way to get teens involved. The focus is not on libraries, it is on teens.

The blog itself is attractive. There is a good use of colours and some images, and the site is relatively easy to navigate. There is a search option and a search categories drop-down menu to help you find exactly the types of blog posts you are searching for. As well, there are “Recent Posts”, “Recent Comments” and “Archives” headings under which fall links to further aid an individual in locating a certain post. On the “About” page where the mission statement was found, there is also list of policies and procedures to be followed. A separate page outlines the guidelines for bloggers, and there is also a calendar of events page that provides teens with all of the information about upcoming library- and teen-related events. Lists of links to other YALSA-related links (like YALSA on facebook), and authors within the YALSA blog are also available.

Overall I found this to be an interesting site where YA librarians and teens could come together to discuss what is important to teens. Although the blog does not force the idea of libraries, nor focus on libraries alone, providing this blog is a way to introduce teens to libraries and to update YA librarians on what is going on in the teen world.

Video Booktalk- “Violet Eyes”

nosenabook — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 19:20:58 +0000

“Violet Eyes” by Nicole Luiken

http://s677.photobucket.com/albums/vv133/nosenabook/?action=view¤t=videobooktalk.flv

Critical Blueprint for Week 7- The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things

nosenabook — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 00:19:49 +0000

1. As I read this book, I felt myself being drawn into the world of Virginia Shreves. As the book is written in first-person narrative, you get the feeling that Virginia is talking only to you, that she is spilling her inner thoughts and feelings to you alone. This immediately made me feel as though I was Virginia’s confidante, the only person she felt safe talking to about everything that was going on in her life, because, let’s face it, her family and friends were M.I.A. I found myself relating to Virginia, as I too felt like the “black sheep” of my family when I was a teenager. I was sympathetic when she discovered her idolized big brother had committed date rape and cheered her on as she began to realize that he hadn’t been the best brother she had once thought him to be and no longer needed. I applauded her bravery for drastically changing her appearance—something I had always fantasized doing as a teenager but never had the guts. And throughout the novel I was anxious and hopeful to find out if Virginia and Froggy Welsh the Fourth ended up together. You can’t help but root for her throughout her struggles.

2a. Book as object:

The book itself is quite appealing, though I had originally chosen this book to read because of the author. The title alone draws in the reader, as it’s not too often you hear of someone comparing their own butt to the earth. The back and front covers are a shiny silver colour, the title is written in pink, and pink lip prints and a “VS + FW4” encased in a pink heart adorn the covers. The plot blurb on the back gives enough detail without giving anything away, just enough to hook the reader and make them want to find out what is happening. A simple, but overall appealing object.

2b. Responses caused by personal history:

As a fellow “black sheep” of the family, I was able to relate to the feelings that Virginia was experiencing by believing she just didn’t belong in her family. I, too, felt like a stranger within my family, and had the same thoughts as Virginia: that somehow I was switched at birth or secretly adopted. I also, like Virginia, wasn’t the most popular individual and had the “popular” girls say such horrible things about me. Both of these similarities pulled such emotions from me and I connected with Virginia so strongly that I had a very intense personal response to this novel.

2c. Response caused by the reader’s history as a reader:

I have found over the years that I enjoy reading books that have a female for the main character. I have nothing against male main characters, but I find that, as a female, I am able to relate to other females on more levels than I am with male characters. Usually, this female has been a strong, independent and sassy individual. Virginia Shreves, at the beginning of the book, is none of these things. She’s extremely insecure, which works against her in many ways. However, to the end of the book she has found herself and is much more independent, much stronger, and much sassier.

2d. Response caused by the text alone:

The way this book was written was very appealing. It is written in first-person narrative, as already mentioned, with some journal entries and e-mail conversations inserted here and there. It is a light read and there are many occurrences of “teen speak”. The author adds humour where appropriate, to balance out the more serious aspects such as date rape.

3. Readers, if they are to enjoy what this book offers, need to be able to relate to Virginia in some way. Whether it’s from not fitting in, being overweight, not being popular, even being separated from a best friend for months, being able to relate with her will bring so much more enjoyment to the book. In this way, you will be able to feel what she is feeling; you’ll be able to understand the humour, the angst, etc. of her situation. And likely, if you are able to relate on some level with Virginia, you’ll also be able to grow with her as well.

4. This book contains many aspects that make it worth the time to read, both for myself and for young adults. The novel examines the relationships between a girl and: her parents; her siblings; her peers; her teachers; and the opposite sex. It also explores issues such as date rape, eating disorders, dysfunctional families and issues of perception and self-confidence. It is a book about an insecure girl having to come to terms with her brother’s date rape, finding her place in the family, discovering who she is and what she wants, and in the end the fat loser becomes a self-confident, butt-kicking and sassy individual.

5. The best way to introduce this book to teens would be to emphasize both the misfit card and the humour. Stressing the part about how Virginia just does not feel as though she fits in anywhere will really appeal to young adults, as most young adults feel this way at one point or another during their adolescence. Also, I think it would interest these young adult readers if they are hinted to that Virginia is able to overcome the obstacles she faces and come out a better person in the end. As well, humour is an aspect in books for YA readers, and this book definitely has its humourous moments.

6. The book is set in Manhattan, which may appeal to anyone who lives in New York City, or for those who have always wondered what it would be like to live in a city like this one. In 2004 this book won the Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature, as well it was named a YALSA Best Book for Young Adults, which may or may not make it more desirable for young adults.

7. This book is not in a series, but there are three other Carolyn Mackler books that teens may enjoy reading as well. These are Love and Other Four-Letter Words, Vegan Virgin Valentine, and Guyaholic: a story of finding, flirting, forgetting… and the boy who changes everything. Each of these books deal with self-discovery in a teenaged girl and are all set in New York City. NoveList also provides a list of recommended reads about girls coming of age, a list of books about absurd situations with snappy humour, and a list of books about those that don’t fit in, whether by choice or not. The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things was found on each of these three lists, so if a teen enjoyed this book they may also enjoy some of the other books found on the lists.

Works Cited:

Mackler, Carolyn. (2000). Love and Other Four-Letter Words. New York: Delacorte Press.

Mackler, Carolyn. (2003). The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press.

Mackler, Carolyn. (2004). Vegan Virgin Valentine. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press.

Mackler, Carolyn. (2007). Guyaholic: a story of finding, flirting, forgetting… and the boy who changes everything. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press.

NoveList. (2009). The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things. Accessed March 4, 2009 from: http://web.ebscohost.com.proxy2.lib.uwo.ca:2048/novelist/detail?vid=5&hid=14&sid=7114b378-12b0-4edb-9737-0941e9d23bbb%40sessionmgr9&bdata=JnNpdGU9bm92ZWxpc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d

Book Review #1: The Raging Quiet

nosenabook — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 01:13:09 +0000

The Raging Quiet
Sherryl Jordan
Toronto: Simon Pulse, 1999.
362 pp., pbk, $8.99.
ISBN: 0-689-87004-3.

Marnie, 16 years old, finds herself an outsider in the seaside village of Torcurra when her husband, a man twice her age, dies two days after their marriage. The villagers reject Marnie as they suspect her of being involved in her husband’s death. She has but two friends: the local priest and the “madboy” Raver, 17, who is even more of an outsider than she is. Marnie discovers something amazing about Raver, whom she soon renames Raven—he’s not possessed by devils, he’s deaf! As she begins to attempt to communicate with Raven, the two outcasts quickly form a strong bond and are able to help each other cope with their sadness. However, the townspeople, suspicious of Raven’s remarkable change, accuse Marnie of witchcraft and she finds herself thrown into a life-threatening situation.

The book is set in an unknown time, most likely in the medieval ages. Not knowing the specific period the book was set in is my only reservation. The plights of Marnie and Raven are at once heart-wrenching and uplifting. These two, whose only crimes are being different, prove that the power of love and friendship can overcome any obstacle. Teenagers and adults alike will enjoy this work of historical fiction, with its fairy-tale-with-a-dash-of-spice structure. Those with a particular interest in books about hearing-impaired individuals should give The Raging Quiet a try.

Recommended. 5Q. 4P.

Seventeen Magazine- or a Giant Book of Ads

nosenabook — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 04:12:01 +0000

On my way home from school it crossed my mind to stop in at the Shoppers Drug Mart down the road from where I live to see what magazines they had in store for teens. MANY, as it turns out. I instantly turned to look at the “girly” teen magazines that I remember from when I was a teenager. Specifically Seventeen Magazine and Teen Magazine. I also came across Girl’s Life, which I can’t remember as being in print when I was a teenager. However, splashed across the cover of many of these “girly” magazines was one word: PROM. I saw titles such as Teen Prom, Seventeen Prom, Your Prom and Cosmo Girl Prom. Of course, prom is only a few short months away, so undoubtedly the magazines would devote entire issues to all things prom: hair, make-up, shoes, accessories, how-to-make-your-prom-night-rock tips, your-prom-style quizzes, and, of course, the all-important DRESS. Sure enough, when I flipped through these magazines I saw page after page of the same thing: dresses, dresses, make-up, dresses, dresses, shoes, dresses, hair, make-up, dresses… and so on.

Somehow, in all this prom-mania, I was able to find the NON-prom March 2009 issue of Seventeen. I had thought I remembered a time when, at 15 years old, I would steal my sister’s copy of Seventeen to read it. Either I’m terribly mistaken or the magazine has changed dramatically. There is nothing to read in this entire magazine. Well, close to it, anyway. At least some things haven’t changed. You still have to flip through 15 pages before even coming to the table of contents, those first pages clearly plastered by ads. Following the table of contents, more ads. And more ads. And more ads. With the occasional insert of a “Flirting Tricks That Work Anywhere!” or “Flat Abs & a Great Butt by Spring Break!” piece. You can barely turn the page without seeing an ad for some make-up or clothing article, and dollar signs indicating how much something costs and where you can find it litter nearly every page. Looking at all of the “must have” items displayed here, there and everywhere, it made me wonder if I have a horrible sense of style—nearly every article in the magazine looked hideous to me! Do we want teen magazines to send the message that unless you wear this top by this designer you won’t be “cool”? Unfortunately this is still the trend from back when I was a teenager, and is unlikely to change. Oh, and there is, of course, the ever-present Horoscopes page at the very back. Apparently I’m coming into a little money by mid-March. Ooooh!

There were very few written pieces throughout the magazine; however those that I did find reassured me slightly about the magazine. Although the fashion and make-up ads make it seem as though everyone expects teenaged girls to be the height of beauty and style all the time, there were a few pieces that lessened this overall feeling. One written piece was by a girl who had recovered from anorexia, and she was sharing her story with the Seventeen world so as to warn others of the dangers. There were even tips on what to do if you think a friend was suffering from an eating disorder, or if you recognize it in yourself. I’m glad that this issue of Seventeen has included this piece, as eating disorders are such a huge concern for teenaged girls. Perhaps I need to give this magazine a little more credit. But then I think about the occurrence of only two or three serious pieces in 150 pages… and I’m back to thinking it’s nothing but a large book of advertisements.

Professional Resource- What every librarian serving teens should read

nosenabook — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 21:08:49 +0000

Again at the GRC one day, I decided to see what the GRC offered in terms of professional resources related to YA materials. I came across a great number of books that seemed to fit the description of what I was looking for. I decided to focus on A Core Collection for Young Adults by Jones, Taylor and Edwards (2003). The authors state that this book is not a Hall of Fame to honour young adult books, but instead is, as the title states, a core collection for young adults. In this book you will find about 1200 books that the authors have decided make up the ultimate collection of books that should exist in school and public libraries that serve teens. The authors do not attempt to insist that the chosen books must be in the collection before all others, but instead highly recommend these titles as a starting point for developing a strong collection that will appeal to teens. The authors don’t pretend to be the Book Gods; instead they get opinions from experts in the field, as well as the insights from teenagers and the librarians that serve them, to make this book as comprehensive as possible.

Each book was considered against 7 areas: honors, attraction, approval (by teens), originality, quality, pertinence (21^st century relevant?), and availability. Not every book held up against all seven areas of the criteria, but most did, and the rest had to pass at least a couple to avoid exclusion. As libraries attempt to increase their services available to teens, they will find this book an essential guide to knowing which books are buy for the collection. In saying that, this book is obviously intended for librarians in any school or public library that serves teens. However, parents and teachers may also be interested in the contents of this book; as well, teenagers themselves may want to use this book to guide their reading selections.

The books selected for this book are 60% fiction, 30% nonfiction, and 10% graphic format. The nonfiction is listed first, by Dewey Decimal number and then alphabetically by author’s last name. The fiction comes next, followed by the graphic format section, each arranged alphabetically by author’s last name. Each book listed includes bibliographic information, an annotation of contents, the suggested grade level, and the reviewer’s initials.

Following the “Core Collection” is the “Sources and Tips” section. In this section the authors give a guide to 100+ “Best” lists, “Top 10 Tips” on how to maintain the collection, and the choices from leading YA librarians and authors as to what they thought a YA core collection would include. The book is ended with an “Author Index” and “Title Index” to make finding any book quick and easy. Also included is a CD-ROM that gives the lists of bibliographic information for all books selected. Although it didn’t separate books by genre the way that Keane’s The Big Book of Teen Reading Lists (2006) or Nilsen and Donelson’s Literature for Today’s Young Adults (2009) do, I find this book to be very useful to any librarian in charge of developing a collection of materials that would appeal to young adults.

Jones, P., Taylor, P., & Edwards, K. (2003). A Core Collection for Young Adults. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc.

Keane, N. J. (2006). The Big Book of Teen Reading Lists. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.

Nilsen, A. P., & Donelson, K. L. (2009). Literature for Today’s Young Adults. Boston: Pearson Education, Inc.

YA Scholarly Journal

nosenabook — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 19:14:50 +0000

In browsing the journals at the GRC one day, I came across a couple that pertained to Young Adults. Among these were School Library Journal and The Horn Book Magazine. The School Library Journal has been discovered by others in the class and for good reason. This journal is an excellent magazine addressing YA materials. The volume and issue I looked at (vol. 55, no. 01) is the most recent issue published (January 2009) and was 144 pages long. The magazine has a wide range of reviews, including book reviews on graphic novels and adult books for higschoolers, video/DVD and audio book reviews, and reviews on digital resources. As most magazines solely look at printed materials such as books, it was nice to see the SLJ devote some attention to other media. Along with these reviews there were also articles on such issues as profanity in books, a “TechKnowledge” section, and such features as a satisfaction survey explaining how much librarians love their jobs. In the Reviews section, the reviews are listed in alphabetical order by the author’s last name, followed by the bibliographic information on the book. The beginning of the actual review gives the grade range that the specific book is intended for. As this magazine spans children and Young Adults, I found this to be extremely useful, as the “Grades 5 & Up” section could address books for “Older Children” and “Young Adults” alike. Including the age range made the magazine just that much more accessible.

The second magazine I found, The Horn Book Magazine, has not yet been discussed by other blogs (at least not that I saw). On the very bottom of the cover The Horn Book Magazine explains it is “About Books for Children and Young Adults”. It begins with the “Horn Book Fanfare”—their choices for the best books of 2008. Listed are 23 books, from picture books to fiction chapter books to nonfiction materials. Following are the Honor Books and Award Winner of the 2008 Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards for picture books, fiction books and nonfiction books. Included at the end of this section is a Special Citation for Excellence in Graphic Storytelling, which indicates the growing tendency to accept graphic novels as “real” or “good” books. Included in this magazine, of course, are many reviews on books for children and teens, again separated by picture books, fiction, and nonfiction. All of the books reviewed were published in 2008 or in January 2009. Similar to the LSJ, this magazine gives an age group for which this book is most appropriate (ie. “Preschool”, “Primary”, “Intermediate”, “Middle School”, “High School”). This magazine also includes short articles grouped under “The Confounded Critic” section written by librarians about certain books for any number of reasons, for example one was about a librarian’s struggle to find the proper shelving place for a book. Overall I found this magazine to be extremely charming and well put-together. It would be helpful to children, young adults, parents, and librarians alike who are interested in discovering what has just come out in the world of literature for children and teens.

Library Visit Report

nosenabook — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 20:22:38 +0000

To conduct my Library Visit report, I visited the Waterloo Public Library main branch. This library is much larger than my hometown library, but smaller than the London Public Library main branch. As I worked at this library during my undergrad, I knew exactly where the Young Adult Materials were located, although the signage above the area reads “/4Teens”.

The Teen area is probably the most out-of-sight section in the entire library, which means that those looking for teen materials would either have to wander around until they locate the section, or they would have to ask at the “Ask Us!” reference desk for directions. There is a sign posted on a wall indicating the general direction of the Teen area, however it is not that prominent, nor is it completely accurate as a turn is required. This area is located on the second floor (the Adult Materials floor—the Children’s Room is on the first floor) right near the Adult Fiction paperbacks.

Once you get to the “/4Teens” area, you find that the walls are painted a different colour than the rest of the floor— bright orange instead of off-white— which gives a more teen-appropriate ambience. The area is very cramped, and there are only two comfortable chairs to sit in and read, and only two nearby computer catalogue stations

The collection itself is organized into Young Adult fiction, Young Adult Non-fiction, and Graphic Novels. The YA fiction is located on 12 turnstiles, each turnstile comprised of 20 Plexiglas boxes. The turnstiles are labelled “Young Adults” and are in alphabetical order by the first letter of the last name. The YA Non-fiction is located on four shelves of a metal shelving unit, with a label indicating “Young Adult Non-fiction”. The Graphic Novels are also located on metal shelving units, stretching 12 shelves. The entire collection appears to be bursting at the seams, and it is clear that the “/4Teens” section could use a bigger space, if there was one available. In talking to a librarian on staff, she said that they would love to get more turnstiles to make more room for the books, as well as get tables and computer work stations in that area. However, due to size restraints it isn’t possible and so they will attempt to better the Teen area in the new branch being built in Waterloo.

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nosenabook — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 17:57:38 +0000

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