Sandy's Picks 2013 - Teen Reads

Now that the year is drawing to a close, it's time for me to look back on the books that I have read this year and pick my favorites.  According to my Goodreads account, I read a total of 74 books in 2013.  This number is down quite a bit from years past, but does not truly reflect every books that I read this year.  These 74 books do no include very many picture books (which I do not always remember to take the time to review), several volumes of a manga series or two (where I generally review the series as a whole, not each individual volume), or some self-help or reference non-fiction (which I feel a tad self-conscious about reviewing).

This is the second in a series of three posts, each covering a different type of children's book.  Today we will be looking at books written for Teens.  Because this is the collection that I order for at the library, I have read more of this type of book than anything else this year, and there have been lots of great books to choose from!

The Last Dragonslayer by Jasper Fforde
The Song of the Quarkbeast by Jasper Fforde
Jasper Fforde has made a name for himself writing fantasy novels for adults, and he branched out to writing for teens late last year.  Set in a world much like ours but where wizards are contracted to use their magical abilities for mundane tasks, the story follows a girl named Jennifer Strange, who has no magical ability herself but is the acting manager of Kazam, an employment agency of wizards.  Unfortunately, magic is drying up and there is concern that it will disappear altogether.  In The Last Dragonslayer Jennifer Strange finds herself helping Big Magic return after a series of visions predict that a dragon will be slain.  In the sequel, Song of the Quarkbeast, Kazam's rival company challenges the wizards to a contest that will determine who will take on the role of Court Mystician, but first Jennifer must put a stop to the rival manager's shady dealings.  Both books are plenty quirky and will appeal to fans of authors like Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman.

Kiki Strike:  The Darkness Dwellers
Kiki Strike and her companions have finally returned in this third installment to the series, and her latest adventure does not disappoint.  Kiki travels to Paris to confront her parents' killers and finds herself caught up with the titular underground organization who tries to protect the city's underground catacombs.  Meanwhile in New York, Ananka and the other girls find themselves tangled up in their own messes, most notably with an upscale girls' finishing school.  When they realize that the two mysteries might not be so unrelated and that Kiki might be in some real trouble, it's up to master of disguise Betty Bent to travel to Paris and save the day.  Strong girls and much better-than-average writing make this latest book in the series well worth the wait.

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
In 1986, Eleanor and Park find themselves sitting together on the bus.  They become friends as they share a love of comic books, and then they become something more.  The two teens know that high school romance never lasts, but are they brave enough to try anyway?  But as their relationship grows, we are reminded that Eleanor's life isn't anything close to sunshine and roses, and her complicated home life provides just the right amount of tragedy to keep this book interesting.  This novel will be appealing to a wide range of readers, and it's my top pick for this year's Printz Award.

The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider
Ezra was once his school's golden boy - captain of the tennis team, pretty girlfriend, likely to be elected Homecoming King.  But when a car accident messes up his knee and Ezra finds himself unable to play tennis during his senior year, his world is suddenly turned upside down.  He finds himself reconnecting with his less-popular childhood friend, joining the debate team, and drawn to Cassidy, a girl with a mysterious past who just transferred to their school.  I love the smart characters in this debut novel and the clever way in which they all deal with their own tragedies.

Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys
Josie is the daughter of a prostitute in New Orleans, but she wants more for herself than this underworld life.  She wants to go to college and really make something of herself.  Unfortunately, a mysterious death leaves Josie wrapped up in an investigation that she wants no part of but cannot seem to escape.  This piece of historical fiction is great for older teens.  It packs in lots of atmospheric details, plenty of mystery, and characters that really draw readers in.

Poison by Bridget Zinn
Kyra is a sixteen-year-old potions master, and unfortunately she is also the only one who knows that the kingdom is in some serious trouble.  Her solution?  Poison the princess, who is unfortunately also her former best friend.  When that doesn't work out, Kyra finds herself on the run from the palace guards with a tiny piglet and a very handsome boy for company.  The novel is light, fluffy, and funny.  In a genre that sometimes seems to be filled with nothing but depressing reads, a books like this is a welcome change of pace.

Tell me about your favorite teen reads of 2013 in the comments.

Also, it should be noted that this is my little blog's 300th post.  Wow!  Big thanks to my small following of regular readers, and also to the thousands of people who have stumbled upon it while looking for images, program ideas, etc.  I'd probably still enjoy keeping a record of all of the cool stuff that I get to do at my job even if I didn't have any readers, but knowing that there are a few of you out there really means a lot to me.  Sometimes it's the only thing forcing me to use the spellcheck, so thank you.

Sandy's Picks 2013 - Chapter Books

Now that the year is drawing to a close, it's time for me to look back on the books that I have read this year and pick my favorites.  According to my Goodreads account, I read a total of 74 books in 2013.  This number is down quite a bit from years past, but does not truly reflect every books that I read this year.  These 74 books do no include very many picture books (which I do not always remember to take the time to review), several volumes of a manga series or two (where I generally review the series as a whole, not each individual volume), or some self-help or reference non-fiction (which I feel a tad self-conscious about reviewing).

This is the second in a series of three posts, each covering a different type of children's book.  Today we will be looking at Chapter Books, generally written for school-age independent readers.

Doll Bones by Holly Black
Zach's two best friends are girls, and together the three of them create fantastic adventures for their dolls and action figures.  But is Zach getting too old for this kind of play?  His dad seems to think so, anyway.  Embarrassed, Zach decides to stop playing and stop being friends with Poppy and Alice.  But when Poppy insists that she is being haunted by a china doll supposedly made of the bones of a murdered girl, the three friends team up one last time to set the girl's spirit to rest.  Their adventure involves midnight bus rides, sailing down the Ohio River, and sneaking into a library after hours.  Part creep-tastic and part coming-of-age, this book really stands out from the crowd.  It's my top pick for this year's Newbery Medal.

Fortunately, the Milk by Neil Gaiman
Two kids are left at home with their father, but unfortunately there is no milk in the house to put on their breakfast cereal.  Dad obligingly runs to the store to pick up some milk, but it takes him awhile to return home.  When he finally comes back, he tells his children a fantastic story involving aliens, dinosaurs, pirates, vampires, and - of course - the ever-present bottle of milk.  This book is kind of like a ramped-up version of Dr. Seuss' book And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street.  It's tons of fun, and a quick read that will make you laugh out loud.

The Year of Billy Miller by Kevin Henkes
Billy worries a bit about starting the second grade.  Will he be smart enough?  Will he get along with his teacher?  Told in four parts, this story recounts a few events from Billy's eventful second-grade year, with each section focusing on Billy's relationship with a specific person.  The book is quite long in terms of its page count, but would still make a charming read-aloud story for younger kids.

Bo at Ballard Creek by Kirkpatrick Hill
Bo is five years old.  Her family is a bit unusual:  She has two fathers who work in an Alaskan mining camp, and she is friends with everyone in the town.  This episodic story tells of Bo's everyday adventures, giving lots of fresh details that really transport readers into this particular time and place.  If you like Laura Ingalls Wilder's "Little House" books, then you'll love this story too.

The Center of Everything by Linda Urban
Ruby is supposed to give a speech at her town's annual Bunning Day parade.  As she waits for her cue she thinks about all of the things that have gone wrong in her life recently.  Things aren't going well with her friends, and she especially regrets what happened with her grandmother, Gigi.  Ruby's hope is that if she does well with her speech she can fix everything.  Linda Urban does a fantastic job of writing introspective characters, and I especially loved this book.  The pacing is unique in that everything takes place over the course of only a couple of hours, using flashbacks to fill in the details that a reader needs.  Fantastic writing is the only way that a structure like this can work, and Urban really nails this one.

What were your favorite kids' reads of 2013?  Tell me about them in the comments.

Sandy's Picks 2013 - Picture Books

Now that the year is drawing to a close, it's time for me to look back on the books that I have read this year and pick my favorites.  According to my Goodreads account, I read a total of 74 books in 2013.  This number is down quite a bit from years past, but does not truly reflect every books that I read this year.  These 74 books do no include very many picture books (which I do not always remember to take the time to review), several volumes of a manga series or two (where I generally review the series as a whole, not each individual volume), or some self-help or reference non-fiction (which I feel a tad self-conscious about reviewing).

This is the first of a series of three posts, each covering a different type of children's book.  Today we will be looking at books that are generally written for our youngest readers:  Picture Books.

Journey by Aaron Becker

A girl draws a door on her bedrooms wall and travels to a fantastical world.  With her red marker she is able to travel by balloon, boat, and flying carpet until she is captured and imprisoned.  It will take a little daring and some help from a friend to escape.  The book reminds me a bit of Harold and the Purple Crayon in its theme, though the style is much more vibrant and complex.  I've had a hard time pinning down my top pick for this year's Caldecott Medal, but I think that I'll place my bets with this book.

Locomotive by Brian Floca

This train story takes readers back to the time of great steam engines, roaring down the track through the West.  I love this story for its beautiful sepia-toned illustrations.

Unicorn Thinks He's Pretty Great by Bob Shea

Goat was doing just fine until Unicorn showed up.  Unicorn can fly, turn things into gold, and make it rain cupcakes.  Ugh.  But what if the two teamed up?  I don't want to spoil what happens, but the phrase, "Taste my cloven justice" is part of the equation.  This book cracks me up.

The Dark by Lemony Snicket, illustrated by Jon Klassen

Laszlo is afraid of the dark.  The dark lives (naturally) in Laszlo's basement, but is not afriad of Laszlo.  One evening the dark comes upstairs to visit Laszlo, and poor Laszlo has to learn to not be afraid anymore.  It was only a matter of time before this author and illustrator teamed up, and the result is subversively brilliant.  Snicket's wordy, stylized text matches perfectly with Klassen's simple, moody, stylized artwork.  Perfect.

Dinosaur Kisses by David Ezra Stein

A baby T-Rex is good at lots of things.  She can stomp and chomp with the best of them.  But one day the dinosaur observes two other animals doing something different - kissing!  She decides to try that next, but unfortunately our baby T-Rex is too good at stomping and chomping and kissing does not come easily.  The illustrations really make this story work, rendering the poor dino's failed kissing attempts hilarious.  Great toddler story.

Mr. Wuffles by David Wiesner

Mr. Wuffles is a cat.  His owner brings him a toy, but (in the way that cats are) Mr. Wuffles shows no interest.  Why should he care when there is a spaceship full of tiny aliens in his house?  The aliens are in some real trouble.  Can they escape to safety in the walls of the house?  And are the insects who live there friendly?  This wordless picture book is done in Wiesner's signature style, showing a side of our fantastic world that we humans might never think to look for.

What were your favorite picture books of 2013?  Tell me about them in the comments.

Cookies, Cocoa, and Karaoke

I mentioned in my last post that we had a bit of a Christmas party for teens at the library this week.  The event was called "Cookies, Cocoa, and Karaoke."  Needless to say, the program involved all three of those elements.

I'd had teens asking for a karaoke program for quite some time, and the Christmas season seemed like a good time for this sort of event.  There are many options out there for hosting a karaoke event.  You can rent or purchase a karaoke machine.  There are several video games that have karaoke elements, including "Karaoke Revolution" and "Karaoke Joysound."  Several elements prevented me from using either of these options, however.  Price was an issue was getting a karaoke machine since I just didn't have much money left in my programming budget.  A Wii game, such as the ones listed above, would certainly have been cheaper to purchase and easy to use since we already have a Wii here at the library.  However, I didn't think that any of these games would give us a wide enough selection of songs to choose from.  I also wanted to have Christmas songs available as options for the teens to sing and I could not find a single karaoke game that included Christmas music.

Desperate for a simple solution, I asked around on Facebook and a friend told me that she had once hosted a karaoke event using a program she had found online.  She told me that she had simply hooked her laptop up to a set of speakers and paid a small subscription fee, which gave her access to lots of songs to sing along with.  I looked into several online options like this and eventually selected a program called KaraFun to use for our event.  There is a lot to like about KaraFun and I highly recommend the program to anyone else who is planning their own karaoke event.  The software that KaraFun provides was free to download and very easy to use.  KaraFun also boasts a very large music library of over 17,000 songs, which meant that just about anything that we could think of would be available to sing - including lots of Christmas music.  There was a small subscription fee that had to be paid to allow us to access KaraFun's music library.  I paid $5.99 for a two-day pass, giving me access to the music library for more than enough time for the event.  There is also an option to pay for an ongoing monthly subscription, which would certainly be worthwhile for serious karaoke enthusiasts but was more than we needed for a one-time event.  KaraFun also has an app which can be downloaded onto Apple or Android devices.  In the end I ended up putting the app onto the library's iPad, which gave the teens the freedom to hold the iPad right in front of them to see the lyrics they needed to sing and eliminated the need to set up a more cumbersome table with the laptop.

The KaraFun program worked perfectly for our event.  The teens were pleased with the song selection, and they sang a good mix of contemporary tunes and Christmas classics.  The free software was actually very easy to use and provides users with a surprisingly large range of editing options that allows you to customize the music to your liking.  The feature that I actually enjoyed the most was the ability to adjust the volume in three different areas.  Of course the music's volume could be adjusted.  The impressive part was being able to adjust the volume of the back-up vocals (or turn them off entirely) or turn on and adjust the volume of a lead vocalist.  We ended up turning on the lead vocals but adjusting the volume to make this element fairly quiet.  This gave less-confident singers a little bit of extra guidance as they could follow the lead voice, but keeping the lead vocals quiet made the singer's voice the focal point of the performance.

In the end the equipment that I needed was fairly minimal.  I put the KaraFun app onto the iPad and hooked the iPad up to a large set of speakers.  We also had a wireless microphone hooked up to a different set of speakers, which was perhaps not an ideal sound scenario but was the best system that we could come up with given the equipment at our disposal.  At any rate, none of the teens noticed that the sound was coming from two different places so no harm done.  I had a small book cart available to be used as a stand for the iPad and where the microphone could be set between singers.  Finally, I also set up a laptop to the side of the main stage.  This allowed teen who were waiting for their turn to sing to easily browse the music library and make sure that their songs were available before stepping up to stage to sing.

Of course, there was more to this event than deciding which karaoke program we were going to use!

As the title of this program indicates, there were also cookies and cocoa to be had.  I heated up lots of water in our coffee pot and put out a tub of cocoa mix.  It was really as easy as that.  For the cookies, I actually asked my very enthusiastic Teen Advisory Group if they would be willing to help provide the cookies for this program.  I asked everyone to bring 1-2 dozen cookies to the program.  The three teens from my TAG group who were able to attend complied and there were more than enough cookies to go around.  Asking the teens to bring food is allowed by my library's policies but might not be acceptable at other libraries - be sure to check your policies before trying this.  But the fact that we were able to do this not only meant that I could save some money on snacks, but also that we got to eat some yummy homemade goodies instead of bland store-bought cookies.

The teens also spent quite a bit of time creating Christmas decorations for the party.  We hung up tons of snowflakes and made festive paper chains.  And of course, there was the awesome book tree.   Unfortunately, I neglected to take any pictures of the other decor.  Oops.

In the end I had five teens in attendance for this program.  There was much interest in the program and almost all of the handouts that I had put out were taken.  But this time of year is tricky for a lot of people as schedules fill up quickly and everyone is busy getting ready for the holidays.  I was not too surprised at this fairly low turnout, and I actually wonder if we would have had more success holding this program a week later after Christmas had ended but during the kids' break from school.  The low attendance, however, did have its perks.  We could all be very relaxed about the structure of the program.  I never had to put together a formal waiting list of singers and what songs they wanted to sing, which I may have needed to do with a large crowd.  Instead we could simply use good sense to take turns singing and we could afford to take our time between singers to find the songs we wanted.  A larger audience would certainly have been nice, but there was something to be said for the relaxed nature of a smaller program too.

Fortunately, this was also a very inexpensive program to put together, and an inexpensive program does make one feel better about low attendance.  I only spent about $13 on this program, half of that cost being the rental of the KaraFun music library and the other half being the cost of the cocoa mix.  All other supplies and equipment used were already on hand.  Even if I had needed to purchase cookies to serve for this party, the overall cost would still have been very, very low.

I would certainly plan some version of this karaoke event again for the teens again in a heartbeat.  Now that I know about the features that KaraFun offers and know how to set up the equipment it would actually be a very easy program to plan.  Perhaps we'll see a karaoke event during this year's Summer Library Program...

Book Christmas Tree

Have you seen one of those pictures of a Christmas tree made out of books?  Well, I made one of my own:

We had a teen event at the library today (more on that later).  I placed my Teen Advisory Group in charge of planning decorations for the party, and they really wanted to create one of these trees.  The books that we used ended up coming from our Reference collection.  It's a set of law resources, including state statutes, court records, and who knows what else.  The collection is almost never used, so no one missed the books while they were in use for the afternoon.  We'd originally planned to use books that we had in storage to use as prizes during summer reading or books that had been donated to our Friends of the Library group for our book sale.  But this set of books worked much better since they were all fairly thick and all the same size.  Even better, the books are green and red - perfect colors for a Christmas tree.

It was the teens' idea to find a copy of Jerry Spinelli's Stargirl to place at the top of the tree.  Genius!

Here are a few tips for anyone out there who may want to construct their own book tree:

• You need lots of books to make a tall tree.  My tree used 123 books, and they all were fairly thick (2-3 inches).  You'll need more books if your books are thinner, and fewer books if you make a smaller tree on a tabletop.  I didn't measure the finished tree, but I'd estimate that mine was about 4'8" tall (including our Stargirl topper) and about 3' wide at the base.
• Paperback books are generally much thinner than their hardcover counterparts, and they're also much slicker.  This makes them more difficult to use for a project like this.
• The tree is much easier to construct if your books are all more or less the same size.  Different sized books can make for a very interesting-looking, eclectic tree and that's lots of fun too.  It just takes a little bit of extra work to fit everything together.
• Getting the height that you need is the hardest part.  Be sure to make your layers fairly tall (I recommend at least 4-6 inches per layer), and you'll probably need to have a few layers of the same width before you start to narrow the tree.  Having three or four layers all of the same width not only gives you lots of extra height, but it also makes the whole tree a little bit more stable.  If you look closely at my picture, you'll see that my tree has 16 layers of books, with each layer consisting of two books stacked together.  The layers taper in as the tree gets taller and there are five different widths.  If I would do it again, I would actually include a few extra layers of the widest widths at the bottom  to give it more height and stability, and possibly use fewer layers of the narrower widths at the top.
• The inside of my tree is totally hollow.  There's nothing in there supporting the books as the layers become more narrow.  This was achieved just by being careful with how the books are arranged and by having several layers on top of each other that were the same width.  
• I decorated my tree very simply with a single string of white lights.  You could certainly include other decorations if you wanted, but I personally like how the books themselves are highlighted with fewer decorations.  

If Einstein Said It, Then It Must Be True

I've actually been very busy in Library Land lately, but I haven't had the time or the energy to do much blogging.  Oops!  I'll try to do better next year.

In the meantime, enjoy this lovely thing that I stumbled upon on the Interwebs:

True story.