Why Does the World Need Librarians?

Dead to You by Lisa McMann

New York:  Simon Pulse, 2012

It's been nine long years since it happened, but he came back.  Ethan remembers the bits and pieces about the abduction, but what he's most concerned about is that his "mother" abandoned him.  Not that it matters anymore...he found his way back to his real home, with Mama, Dad, Blake and the newbie, little Gracie. 

It's been a tough road though.  Ethan is still caught up with his other world and with Ellen, who abducted him when he was seven years old.  Why did she do it?  Why did she abandon him later?  It didn't matter how he was raised, where he lived.  He knew his belonged.  He's not so sure with his now family.  The new parents, his true parents, are taking their time to let him sort it all out, but Ethan still wants to protect Ellen.  Protect the bad, distrust the good...he doesn't understand it himself.

Slowly and with time, he begins to breathe easier.  He doesn't remember much, but he feels the love his parents and little sister show him.  And the one person who helps him through it the most?  His old childhood friend, Cami.  It certainly isn't Blake, his brother.  Blake truly believes Ethan isn't his real brother. Their relationship isn't peanut butter and jelly.  It's more like pushes, shoves, and avoidance. 

But then the revelation of Ethan's past comes back full force...

This is one of those kinds of books that someone will pick up and want to read all in one sitting.  The short chapters help with the fluidity of the plot itself, but McMann continues to tease the reader about Ethan's past, just enough so that the pages continue to turn.  The reader sees Ethan's character develop from the shy, unsure kid who isn't used to normality slowly blossom into the realization that he's now part of that culture, but it's his dark side that continues to plague him in his relationships, his anxiety, and his present and future.  If you're a savvy reader, look for the placement of the denouement....a hint to what happens with this book.  My parting words after finishing this book?  "Oh, man!!  That did NOT just happen!"  Recommended. 

Beneath a Meth Moon by Jacqueline Woodson

Laurel remembers the past...the day the hurricane came in and took her mom and grandmother.  After two years of deciding what to do with their lives, Laurel's father has moved them far away.  Now she's land-bound by green fields instead of the green of the water, and Laurel doesn't think she'll ever by happy. That quickly changes.

In fact, she makes friends right off the bat (easy to do in a small town)and becomes involved in cheerleading in her new hometown.  It's small, but life seems to be taking a turn for the better.  Laurel still sees water waves and her mother in her dreams, but her days are getting better.  In fact, one night they get infinitely better when she meets T-Boom, captain of the basketball team.

He told her he had dreams for their future.  He told her he'd be wealthy and independent.  He told her she was the most beautiful girl in the world.  He told her she should try chasing the moon.  And she believed everything he told her.

Now, she's sitting on a cold street in pain.  Her bones hurt, her teeth hurt, her skin itches.  She needs another hit.  Nothing else matters.  Her life took another turn....is it too late?

Woodson takes a tale of emotional pain, misplaced trust, and methanphetamines and weaves a tale of hope, loss, love, and survival with near poetic quality.  The reader watches Laurel's descent and can only hope she sees the salvation the other characters see within her reach.  There is a distinct undertone of faith and religion, woven throughout the novel but without overpowering the storyline itself.  In fact, it adds to the unique culture of small towns and they way the people in small towns react to adversity when it comes to their children and safety.  It was refreshing to read about the subject of drug abuse and the worlds teens live in without the underlying grittiness seen in other novels with the same plot.  This is one that can be placed at junior high or high school and is a fast read.  Very Recommended.

Creative Signage

First of all, I have to say that librarians are creative, forward-thinking, and imaginative.  This is the case for Sofia D'Arcy, a middle school librarian from  Houston ISD.  She created signage from old weeded books...so for those of us wanting signage but not wanting to spend a lot of cash, there is a solution thanks to brilliant minds in the library world!

And she also provided instructions as well:
• I traced the letters on the back of the book (hint: be sure to keep at least part of the binding intact as in the “o” and the “c”)


• I cut them out using a jigsaw, but I’ve since added a scroll saw to the mix. I used a drill to get to the middle sections. I sanded the rough edges. If you decide to use a Dremel or other rotary device be aware that since it spins really fast you can burn the edges if you aren’t careful. I used a Black and Decker Mouse.

• After I made the shelf from two pieces of pine, I placed the letters and marked where I wanted the braces to go. I screwed those in and glued the letters to the braces. I screwed three picture hanger things to it to hang. If you are interested in seeing the back, just let me know and I’ll take a picture to send to you.

• Two things to consider: thinner books are easier to cut and take a look at the book without the cover.

I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga

And here's my latest book trailer for an AMAZING read!!!!

You can also watch it on Schooltube:  http://www.schooltube.com/video/4718ba7004194427be5a/I%20Hunt%20Killers%20by%20Barry%20Lyga

Download it from the NHS Library website:  http://www.nisdtx.org/Page/3587 

Click on the "Digital Book Trailer" link under the Mighty Red N!  

The Pledge by Kimberly Derting

Charlaina lives in a world ruled by royalty.  She's part of the working class, far removed from the court.  In her world, societies are broken down by languages, with Englaise being the common language.  For her part, she and her parents, who own a restaurant, speak Parshon.  As long as she's been alive, it's always been accepted that you don't make any type of contact with those that speak another language on a higher social order, but that's hard for Charlie.  She has a special gift - she can understand all languages....

Sabara, the queen knows she's losing her grip on her world.  She has to fight the Resistance, who wants to overthrow her, but more than that, her body is giving out on her.  She needs a replacement, a royal whom she can transfer into.  There's rumor of one, and she's put her grandson, Max, in charge of finding this rumor.  He can't let her down...she needs this one. 

Soon the city Charlaina lives in and Sabara rules become chaotic, with the underground Resistance bombing buildings and destroying lives.  Charlie, along with her best friend Brooklynn and Aron, watch as their lives are ripped apart.  But is this being done for the right reasons?  When Charlie is in the crosshairs of both factions, which will she trust? 

Derting's first dystopia novel blends in fantasy in a society struggling to stay alive.  Charlie is a strong female character whose responsibilities far surpass those of a typical teenager but her emotional struggles are all too real.  Seen from different viewpoints, with most of those being Charlie, helps the reader understand the full spectrum of the world Charlie lives in without being lost in the plot.  This mixed genre will please readers of both fantasy and dystopia and is pitched well on both sides.  Derting makes an excellent transistion from her mystery novels into dystopia.  Fans familiar with her Body Finder series will find her newest novel equally enthralling! 

Dark Inside by Jeyn Roberts

2012, Simon & Schuster

It was just the beginning of an ordinary day for four teens in different cities, in different states and provinces.  But it wouldn't take long for their lives, and the lives of everyone they know, to change.  What started as violent earthquakes that began to shake their lives turned into a living nightmare they escaped from.

Aries, Mason, Clementine, and Michael don't know each other.  There's no communication, no electricity, so they have no way of knowing how extensive the catastrophe is.  All they know are the horrors that are lurking out there, waiting for them.  They know it's a killer's spree that dominates the real world now.  Something happened when the earthquakes started, and people who were good and decent are now psychotic killers, participating and enjoying the thrill of the hunt and kill.  They're called Baggers, and their prey are other humans.  You can tell a Bagger because of their eyes...the veins are black and what's hiding behind them is even darker. Baggers aren't monsters physically, but they are psychologically, creating, without prejudice, acts of violence against anyone from lynching to stabbing to shooting...the list goes on.

Now all four are on the run trying to save their lives.  They hide from the Baggers and try to find others who haven't been "touched" by this virus (or is it?) and continue to fight another day.  All around these teens is chaos - fires burning, bodies laying wasted on the ground, scavengers looking for a place to stay, terror.  It will take fortitude to propel them further, if they can make it.  What they don't know is that this dark nothing, this evil that has invaded humanity, may be lurking within the circle of trust they've relied on in order to survive.  Can someone repel this evil Nothing, or will it eventually take over and create a Judas in Aries, Mason's, Michael's and Clementine's groups?  Is it safer to work together or be alone?

Reading this novel is like watching it become a movie.  Roberts writes with gritty realism and leaves very little to the imagination of the horror these teens are battling against.  All four main characters each have unique personalities that make them strong but may also make the reader wonder if that character can be trusted.  The whole theme of good vs. evil permeates throughout the book with a strong overlay of trust vs. distrust.  Dystopia readers take heart, this is one teens will enjoy.  It's quite different from other dystopias I've read currently simply because there are no monsters, zombies, or futuristic details.  This story could take place now or in ten years, so it has no time stamp.  Readers will gasp in horror as well as surprise while quickly reading through this novel told in four different viewpoints and hurriedly read through one teen's experience only to see what's happening to the other three.  A very thrilling read!  Recommended for high school.  Excellent trailer on this one:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLMh_xIhiDc

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Penguin, 2012.

This isn't going to be the typical book review like I've written.  This one is different, because this book is different.  I told myself I wouldn't cry but damn it, when I hit page 246 it was all over for me....

Hazel and Augustus have cancer, which is sad enough in and of itself, but not when they are together.  Separately, these characters live in their oblivion and inevitable death, but together, they sparkle.  Try as they might, cancer beat them in the footrace of their lives...

Green's writing is STELLAR (and this is not a pun on his book title either) and truly flows.  It's not only his style of writing, but the words he chooses, the characters he introduces as satellites around Hazel and Augustus, and the glimpses he gives to the readers about the life of these particular teens living with cancer.  Green writes with wit and humor hand-in-hand with all seriousness.  It's an oxymoron he creates with balance.  I don't think I ever laughed out loud, but I did find an plethora of emotion...love, hate, anger, happiness, pain,bliss, to name a few...

Green even created a book-within-a-book so well, you'd have to do a Google search on the book referred to in The Fault in Our Stars to realize how many times people (including myself, I admit) did a search for it.

This is one truly talented author.  One of the best books I've read bar none.  Recommended for...well for anyone who wants to take on the "I dare you not to cry before finishing this book" dare.  I can't WAIT to give it someone else RIGHT NOW!!!

Book trailer: In Too Deep by Amanda Grace

I've always enjoyed realistic fiction....I could definitely see this as a big draw for YA girls.  Enjoy!

U.S. Map of YA Books (including trailers, but not the 18 wheeler kind)

So, I've been digging around, looking here and there and made a cool map of the newest (at least 3 years or younger) YA novels I believe are phenomenal.  I ordered them by state (some states I couldn't find any for!) and added some "stuff."  So, as the Edgar Winter Group sang back in the day:

The mountain is high, the valley is low

And you're confused 'bout which way to go
So I flew here to give you a hand
And lead you into the promised land

So, come on and take a free ride (free ride)
Come on and take it by my side
Come on and take a free ride
                (Free Ride, 1973.  Written by Dan Harman)

here's the link!  http://www.tripline.net/trip/No_Boundaries_-_A_YA_Novel_Roadtrip_-66465743657210048DC2DF678D2D50F6






 

Dark Eden by Patrick Carman

HarperCollins, 2011
Will Besting has a secret terror.  He's been in therapy for a few years, but he has yet to tell his therapist what it is.  He doesn't quite trust her.  Will has even gone so far as to "steal" audio sessions not only of his, but of other patients as well.  He doesn't think he has a problem with his fear, but his parents nor Dr. Stevens, his counselor agree.
So when Dr. Stevens offers Will the chance to completely eradicate his fear at a compound called Fort Eden, Will still isn't on board.  The only person he slightly trusts is his younger brother, Keith.  They're as different as brothers could be - Keith, the athlete; Will the techno-geek. It's when Keith announces, "you're going," that Will knows Dark Eden can't be avoided. 
Along with six other teens, Will starts his journey toward recovery with one exception.  While the others tentatively step into Fort Eden, Will dodges the group and decides he won't be a part of it.  He finds himself on the inside, hiding the basement, and more surprisingly, he finds the monitors.  It's from there that he watches and see what happens to the other six, including the procedure for the cure they endure.  Will knows it's only a matter of time until he goes through the procedure as well...but can he endure it or not?

Patrick Carman has yet again reached a wide audience with this thrilling book about teens and technology.  What makes this book so intriguing is the not so obvious plot that is thinly drawn in and displayed in full at the end of the book.  Part realistic fiction, part fantasy, Carman weaves a quick read that will be hard to put down.  And what Carman is best known for, his book has a technological side - an app readers can download onto their iPads or iPhones.  Appropriate for junior high and high school, this thriller adventure is the perfect book for guy readers but equally placed for girl readers as well.  The publisher produced book trailer only heightens the drama that unfolds (Youtube:  Dark Eden trailer).  Highly recommended. 

Audition by Stacia Ward Kehoe

Sara was a small town girl, going to dance classes since she was small.  But at sixteen her life is dramatically changing.  After auditioning for a New Jersey ballet company, Sara receives news of a scholarship and her excitement builds.  It doesn't matter that she lives three states away in Vermont or that her parents won't accompany her.  It's about her dreams coming to life.  And she's ready.....

Until her new life takes over.  Sara has lost her cocoon of normality.  In her ballet company, she's not like the other big city girls, her training has been different, and her host family and their home isn't what she expected.  Pile on schoolwork from an elite private school, and Sara begins to feel the pressure of living a completely different life without her parents, her friends, her small town.

But with time, things slowly begin to change, especially when she catches the attention of another dancer/choreographer, Remington, who is much older than she is.  She becomes his muse, making his dance come to life as well as Sara's heart, but is Sara truly loved or being used?  Sara tries to balance it all, but it just may be too much.  And where exactly does she fall in Remington's life?

Newcomer Stacia Kehoe writes a novel-in-verse about the trials of a sixteen-year-old in the midst of her triumphs and tragedies.  Kehoe creates that on-the-edge of adulthood situation teens find themselves in control of while outsider's see innocence being played out.  Paired together with the tough and arduous part of a newcomer to the ballet world, this book rings true about the hard work and ethics dancers put upon themselves.  It also does an excellent job of depicting a small town teen and the responsibilities and slip-ups that come along with wanting to deal with life on her own.  Teens who love reading about interpersonal relationships will grativate toward this book.  Recommended for high school.

February booklist - the month of emotions

You either love Valentine's Day or don't like it - depends on your current relationship status.  So here's a link to a booklist I entitled, "He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not."  http://www.22books.com/lists/show/1241/He+Loves+Me%2C+He+Loves+Me+Not+-+YA+Romance

But I haven't added to it since I created it, so here's an addendum to the list:

Stay by Deb Caletti

So Much Closer by Susane Colasanti

Audition by Stasia Kehoe

So, that would make nearly 50 books and a great display!

Interesting stats on my booktalk last week...

Okay, so I went with some information gathering technology during this booktalk to see what I could gather about the readers here on my campus.  This was done in a day (booktalked two days with a colleague) and they were mostly freshmen and sophomores. 
12 classes
391 students
189 girls
202 boys


Books on the list:
20
Book trailers on the list:
5

The top five picks for girls:
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs (book trailer)
Shelter by Harlan Coben (book trailer)
You Have Seven Messages by Stewart Lewis
Compromised by Heidi Ayarbe
The Poisoned House by Michael Ford ( book trailer)






The bottom five picks for girls:
The Watch That Ends the Night by Allan Wolfe
Freak Magnet by Andrew Auseon
Dust and Decay by Jonathan Maberry
Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris
Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

Ahhhh, the girlies.  They will read guy books, girl books, non-fiction.  You can tell from the top five that they run the gamut of genres.  Most of the titles in the bottom five were interesting as well.  Three of them were pitched for guys and girls but had a more grisly vibe to them.  Girls don't seem to want to read about man-eating horses or zombie pit fights.  Interestingly enough, not all of the book trailer books made it into the top ten for the girls.  Most of them did, but Variant by Robison Wells wasn't in their top ten.  As for Bad Taste in Boys?  See the comment I made in the guys section below.  Applies here as well.

The top five picks for guys:
Divergent by Veronica Roth (book trailers)
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs (book trailer)
Shelter by Harlan Coban (book trailer)
Trapped by Marc Aronson
How They Croaked by Georgia Bragg







The bottom five picks for guys:
You Have Seven Messages by Stewart Lewis
Bunheads by Sophie Flack
How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr
Freak Magnet by Andrew Auseon
Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris

It seems that boys never lose faith in non-fiction.  The only two non-fiction titles were in the guys top five.  My personal opinion is that when they get older, it becomes more difficult for guys to really find enjoyable non-fiction titles, which is why I always include 2-3 titles in the booktalk.  Of the top ten titles for guys, all five  booktrailers made it, which may show they boys tend to connect visuals to the choice of books.  And the bottom picks?  All girls books, with the exception of Freak Magnet, which is told in alternating guy and girl voices, where the main character is considered a "freak."  The only caveat I would have is Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris, which was the very last book talked, and if we ran out of time, I had to give it a hasty talk and hope they kids could hear me as they exited en masse out of the lecture hall.


TOP 10 BOOKS FOR ALL STUDENTS (in order of popularity):
1. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children  by Ransom Riggs (book trailer)
2. Shelter by Harlan Coben (book trailer)
3. The Poisoned House by Michael Ford (book trailer)
4. Divergent by Veronica Roth (book trailer)
5. Trapped by Marc Aronson
6. How they Croaked by Georgia Bragg
7. Kick by Walter Dean Myers
8. You Have Seven Messages by Stewart Lewis
9. Compromised by Heidi Ayarba
10. Wither by Lauren de Stefano (book trailer)

Would you look at that?  The top four picks had book trailers.  Another point of interest was the top 10 was divided right down the middle for traditional booktalking and the use of book trailers.  That's why I usually  incorporate a 3:1 ratio of traditional to trailers. 

So there's my little experiment using Google Forms and the cooperation of 391 students.  I really liked this and could go on about different genres, how the books were talked (summary vs. audience participation), length of time for each book, order of book in the presentation et all, but this is just the general gist.  Hope you enjoyed my rant : )

Another Digital Platform for Booktalking

I enjoy using technology, and I've always used Prezi for booktalks. But I ran into some trouble where Prezi wasn't allowing me to upload images...don't know why. So after teaching several classes about Weebly, I decided to try that platform instead and found I really liked the layout! So here's the link to my booktalk website, including links to all authors, a list in genre form, and books with links to trailers.
http://www.nhsspring2012booktalk.weebly.com/

Genre Displays....again

Finishing up the ones I hadn't already done. Here they are : )

Genre Displays

Got this idea from a very dear friend....it sure looks a LOT better than just plain signage! I'll post another lot tomorrow

Shelter by Harlan Coben

Penguin, 2011

Mickey Bolitar has lost everything. His father is dead, is mother in rehab. The only person left to care for him is his uncle Myron, which he isn't too thrilled about.

What is good, though, is the fact that finally Mickey is enrolled in a regular high school. When he was younger, he traveled the world with his parents, but not anymore. His first day of orientation, he meets Ashley, and they begin a slow, tentative relationship.

When the first week of school starts, Ashley has completely disappeared. Even stranger, the old Bat Lady in town (yes, the one who lives in the dilapidated house and everyone tells stories about her) tell Mickey his father is alive. But how could he be? Mickey saw him die....
The further Mickey gets entrenched in these circumstances, the more dangerous a game he's playing. And the people he meets may not be who they say they are.

Coben is best known for his adult mystery fiction, of which I'm a fan of. This is his first venture into young adult fiction, and he does an excellent job in transferring his writing to a completely different audience. YA readers of mystery will swallow this book in one sitting. The characters and their lives in high school isn't a shallow brushover, but conveys exactly how teens live in today's society. Readers will enjoy the relationship between Mickey and his peers with all of their quirks. When I read this, all I could think of was Law & Order: SVU - it has that kind of quality about it. Fast-paced, I'm looking forward to more from this author. These would be great segues into adult fiction for those teens ready to make that transition.

There's also a great book trailer for this one:
Shelter book trailer

E-books and Digital Books in the library - a prezi presentation

Just a little information I came up with for a presentation for a district library meeting.  Worked on it with a fellow librarian, Lindsey Mendrop. 

E-books Digital books on Prezi

Book trailer: Variant by Robison Wells

I can't get to Youtube, so it's posted on Schooltube and the NHS library webpage:

http://www.nisdtx.org/site/Default.aspx?PageID=3590

http://www.schooltube.com/user/naomibates

Poetry Slamming technology

This is a MUST see... this guy is talented and spot on!

The Watch That Ends the Night: Voices from the Titanic by Allan Wolf

Candlewick, 2011

Question:  What sank the Titanic?  How many died?  Would it be hard or easy to imagine this disaster? 
Well, thanks to James Cameron and the phrase, "I'm King of the World!"  I'm sure you can.  But then again, there are many sides to the story, and this novel takes on these many sides in a remarkable way. 

Meet the first voice in this novel-in-verse.  His name is John Snow.  And he's the one that had to pick up the dead left after the Titanic sunk.  His tale told will make you think about the aftermath....

How about Charles Joughin, the baker?  All he thought about was the bread, the passengers, and the food on board.  It's his tale from the time he stepped on board till the time he was in the dark cold water....

Then there's Frankie Goldsmith, only nine years old when he sailed.  He got to meet the captain and others, but he was on the lookout for dragons.  He just didn't know dragons could live in ice...

And there are other voices as well, from the iceberg itself, calmly waiting for its destined meeting with Titanic to the rat who got a ride.  And there are familiar voices, such as John Jacob Astor, Captain Smith and Margaret Brown.  Whomever it is, the characters are all entangled with each other, sometimes bumping shoulders.  Their lives are separate at first, but become more intertwined the further the novel takes the reader. 

What's unique about this book is that each and every character (well, maybe not the rat - they really can't talk) was very much alive and a part of the disaster called the Titanic.  Wolfe found his characters from true historical evidence, then weaved this into a unique and compelling novel-in-verse. He details all of this in the author's note, along with a brief biography of each person included in the novel.  This was just as much of an intriguing read as the story itself because Wolfe also tells where his imagination for some of these characters became part of the story. 

There are twenty-five voices in this novel, but don't let that intimidate or overwork the mind.  Instead, each voice that comes to life will tell the story of the Titanic in twenty-five different ways but ultimately will only have two endings.  All told in novel-in-verse, this is the story of the very beginning of the Titanic from its first rivet to its last collapse.  And while the prose is beautiful, the poetry is amazing.  This year marks the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, and this book is the perfect fit for this milestone.

This isn't necessarily a novel for teens, but is a fantastic historical fiction for any collection.  The way the author approaches this subject through NIV will make it more interesting to those teens like enjoy this genre and readily read YA authors like Ellen Hopkins, Lisa Schroeder, et al.  Highly recommended

Ebooks and Libraries: A Stream of Concerns

Ebooks and Libraries: A Stream of Concerns

I've really tried to justify the using of Kindles and Nooks in the library, and I've really been researching this topic. I just don't think that I'm ready to jump into this whole concept. Right now we have 1:1 netbook to student ratio, and I quite like the free e-books available to them..... I really like this blog. More to come

Trapped by Marc Aronson

How the world recused 33 miners from 2,000 feet below the Chilean desert.  Atheneum Books, 2011

Now, you may think, "Not another book about a sensational current event tragedy turned triumph again!"  and if you are, then you don't know Marc Aronson.  This is much more than the Chilean miners.  It's about mining, history, technology, current events, psychology, aeronautics, and politics, all of which Aronson delivers in a short but powerful book about hope. 

Aronson writes in tandem about the Chilean miners while giving back history on mining itself, from early Green and Roman mythology to current books about miners and their god Hephaistos.  What grabs the readers attention is the background details Aronson writes about, including the importance of mining and how the entire world rests with what miners bring to the top for consumers around the world.  Since the San Jose' mine was a copper mine, Aronson also goes into detail not only about the history of copper and its uses, but also incorporates a pictures of the small town of Copiapo, where the miners and their families lived. 
Aronson also gives the reader information on the psychology of the miners, and how they were able to stay months underground without any mental or physical damage to themselves or others, which is the true miracle in and of itself. 

Images are always a great part of the storytelling, and Aronson incorporates some powerful images, including an aerial view of a diamond mine in Alberta Canada, to the very first note that was pulled up from the miners when the first hole was punched through over 13 days later.  Diagrams of the drilling, pictures of the Chilean desert...they are all there to show how bleak this disaster could have become but thankfully didn't.  The world and its humanity pulled it out to make these men come back to life. 


Finally, the afterword is a must read for all librarians and/or teacher teaching research.  Aronson takes the reader through the process of researching and having to use the internet, which could definitely be something to share with students as they begin the reading process.  This author is always insightful, interesting, and intelligent.  This is an easy book to read, with only 111 pages to the story and afterward, but I agree with Aronson.  It'll make readers run to the computer searching for more.  I know I did.  Highly recommended for JH/HS

Variant by Robison Wells

HarperTeen, 2011
Benson has lived in over thirty foster homes in the Pittsburgh area.  He's tired of it all, and wants out, wants some normalcy.  That's why he was so surprised when Ms. Vaughn came.  Filling out a scholarship to Maxfield Academy on his own, Benson was happy to learn he had been accepted and now he and Ms. Vaughn were on their way there.

As they pull up to this prestigious school, Benson is filled with anticipation.  Within the first hour there, he knows something is not right.  The door that closed behind him was locked.  Becky, the first person he met for initiation, is acting strangely.  And the kids beating on the windows?  What was that all about?

It doesn't take long for Benson to realize that he's trapped.  There are no teachers, no adults.  Just three factions of teens - Society, whose members run security; Havoc, whose members run the cafeteria; and Variant....those that do the maintenance.  Benson is being coerced to join Society and Havoc, but he places himself in Variant's group, all the while planning on how to get out....

Stories begin to emerge about those that try to escape.  No one ever has, according to those that have been at Maxfield Academy the longest.  But why would anyone want to leave?  They have food, warmth, education, which is much better than being in foster care or homeless.  But it doesn't dissuade Benson from plotting, even if it means facing detention....which no one ever comes back from.  But how to escape?  There are cameras everwhere, and the schedules vary - sometimes going to class at 7 am, sometimes at 10 am. Big brother is watching and listening to every action and word.  The Iceman is always there, handing out punishments and rewards on-screen, knowing exactly what's happening.  Benson has no escape.  Until.....

Lord of the Flies...meet Big Brother.  Wells serves out an excellent YA novel with twists and turns that the readers won't expect in a science fiction novel.  Wells's writing will take you from the first page to the last with a big surprise right when you least expect it.  He creates a dystopian world set in the real world, call it a world within a world, and provokes the reader to either love of hate those who want to stay or go.  For those guys who want a great thriller comparable to Kevin Brooks' Being, be sure to put this one in their hands.  This is just the first in a trilogy, and I can't WAIT for the next one (I have a love/hate relationship with cliff hanger endings)!!!!  Recommended for high school.

Kill You Last by Todd Strasser

Shelby lives a privileged life.  She drives a Jeep, shops whenever and wherever, and has a father who adores her.  Her best friend Roman and she are inseparable and it seems like they always have been - through the good times, through the bad times.  And it's about to get worse for Shelby.

Shelby's father, a photographer, has been called in question for two missing models whom Shelby's dad was the last to see after a portfolio session with each one.  What makes it worse is that Shelby's father already has a rather skeezy reputation with young models, which puts him and Shelby's mother at odds with each other.  But they continue to stay married, Shelby's mother hanging onto hope that her husband will leave it all behind.

Not only has her father been called in for questioning, but weird emails begin to come in, threatening Shelby,
"I like you Shelby Sloan.  if  I have to kill you, I'll kill you last."
At first, she ignores them but they keep coming, offering tidbits of information no one else could possibly know.  She tells her parents, her best friend, and now they're afraid for Shelby's life as well.

Who could it be from?  It seems the only person Shelby can trust is Roman, but can she?  What about Gabriel, the ex-model who now works for her father?  Or could it be Whit, a reporter who tries too hard to be Shelby's friend, but only wants to scoop?

This latest mystery from Strasser will have you on the edge of your seat as you read this another excellent book in a trilogy of mysteries from this author.  A fast page-turner, the reader will connect instantly with Shelby all the while trying to fathom what is going on and who is the murderer.  For those of you who enjoy this genre, you will NOT be disappointed.  In my opinion, this is the best of the three.  It looks like Strasser hit the high note with this latest one.  Recommended.

Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris

Publisher:  Delacorte Press, 2011
Kate Grable is a good girl.  She doesn't party, she does well in school, she knows what she's going to do in the future.  She has a best friend, Rocky, who is Kate's opposite - beautiful, talented, loved by everyone.  And to help supplement her career as a physician someday, Kate works with the football team as the manager as well as assists her teacher in a lab at school.

The trouble begins when Kate finds out that Coach has been giving the players steroids.  She decides to take matters into her own hands and get rid of the steroids, but before she can it's too late.  There's something in the vials that aren't what they seem, and soon most of the players, including Mike, the caveman, handsy one, are spewing black stuff from their mouths are turning the color of stinky cheese...and they are beginning to smell like them too.  And it all happens at the first party of the year.

Kate, who usually doesn't go, ends up going with Rocky, but when things go awry, she doesn't know who to turn to.  But quarterback Aaron does, and he turns to Kate for answers, as well as a date.  But are romance and zombies a good mix, or will Kate have to make a decision about her love life because of contamination?

If you've read serious books for awhile, pick this one up for a great refreshing read of humor, romance and zombies.  Harris takes a subject that has been on the forefront for awhile, but gives it a zippiness and gallows humor that makes it stand apart from other zombie books.  Harris's character run the gamut of typical teens from the cheerleader to the quarterback to the overly hormonal littler brother Kate has to deal with.  The adults only add to the books whimsy.  Fans of zombies will enjoy it as will girls who enjoy romance.  It's got a great cover too!  Recommended for JH/HS

The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson

Publisher:  G.P, Putnam's Sons, 2011
Rory was raised in a small town in Louisiana, but that doesn't mean her aspirations are small.  Before her senior year, her parents are offered a position in England, and Rory jumps at the chance to go to school there and soak in all of the culture.  And off  she goes to Hawthorne to live out her English adventure.  It's there that she meets her roommate Jazza as well as the handsome Jerome from the boys' school.  Rory tells them stories about her crazy family and their weird habits.  In turn, Jerome fills Rory in on the latest...the new Ripper killings...

Despite all of the security cameras in the city of London, a murderer is successfully killing people and Londoners as well as visitors are very much into Ripper-mania.  But not Rory and Jazza.  Both find it creepy, but it gets worse when a murder takes place near their school.  When lockdown begins for students, Rory's curiousity gets the better of her.

What she finds out is that she has a unique ability none of her friends have.  It's a gift she never knew she had until she came to London.  People she sees aren't necessarily the people others can see.  The murderer knows Rory has this gift, and now he's after her to stop her from finding out who he is and what he wants.

Talk about a mashup!  Johnson has done a fantastic job of creating a murder mystery book full of the supernatural as well as romance.  Readers of historical fiction will enjoy the book because of its setting and the intrigue of Old Lond and Jack the Ripper.  Others will enjoy it because of the ghostly presence and the gifts that Rory and other characters hold.  Mystery fans will read through this quickly to see who or what is killing people and why.  Recommended for JH/HS. 

Tech Tool Twinkle - Just in time for the holidays!

Throughout this semester, I've been tooling around on the internet intermittently (try saying that three times in a row!) and found some wonderful new sites, some beta sites and  others your may know about already.  I thought I'd share them with you so if you get bored during the holidays, or if there's snow on the ground but your internet still works, these may be some things you'd like to incorporate into your transliteral world of co-teaching for the greater good of students, who seem to know more about social media than educational media online.

New Sites for Sore Eyes:
1. Projeqt - http://www.projeqt.com/ 
     This is a site du jour, where you can create the most visually beautiful presentations I've ever seen.  They call themselves the creative storytelling platform, and most certainly can be!  Find one of two themes you like, and start creating with your words and images.  Add sounds, RSS, twitter feeds, video and more.  Recommended that you watch the video tutorial first

2. Jux - http://www.jux.com/
Beautiful presentations can be made here using a variety of settings to create a unique slideshow.  Create and mash together from six different templates from slide show, to video, to a top 10 list.  The images you place in your presentation will stretch throughout the entire slide...that's the only caveat to this site

3. Tripline - http://www.tripline.net/
This could be such a powerful tool for all curricular levels.  You map out a trip, and add details and the trip becomes interactive.  Includes nice music you won't have to download.  Think of the possibilities with this one!  This is also an app for iphone. 

4. Stixy - http://www.stxy.com/
This is an alternative to glogster - not as showy, but that's what makes this a quality site.  You can add photos, notes, documents (ie Word, Excel PDF), a to-do list and a calendar.  Website addresses become links.  Easy to use with younger students, but the simple template makes it pleasing. 

5. Popplet - http://www.popplet.com/
This bulletin-board type site is set to show off your creations from photos of a project to creating a flowchart of ideas that sync together.  You can use this alone or ask others to create with you.  The user can organize each "popple" by height, width, columnar or vertical as well as use multiple links to map each popple created.  Choose colors, add links and images....this is a great tool that can be used with ease. 

Two others I'm demo-ing:
9Slides - http://www.9slides.com/  Right now, it's in the beta stage and I'm on the list to test it, but haven't been successful is creating one yet.  In short, this is a mashup of video and powerpoint.  Looks to have potential

Masher - http://www.masher.com/  Another interesting video creation site online.  Easy to use, it mimics moviemaker. 

So, here are some virtual jingle treats for you.  Enjoy!!

CommonCraft and Plagiarism - Great combo!

It's just a link, but a great one.....
http://www.commoncraft.com/video/plagiarism

Book trailer: Wither by Lauren DeStefano

How They Croaked: The Awful Ends of the Awfully Famous by Georgia Bragg

Walker & Co., 2011
We all know how Cleopatra died, right?  Well....maybe not.  How about Albert Einstein or Henry VIII?  Twenty famous people in history are dug up for a second exam in this new book.  It's biography meets forensic science in this book, all with a dash of the gory and humor. 
Death by itself isn't pleasant, and some of the ways the people in this book died are truly sad.  Interestingly enough, this book is written in chronological order starting with King Tut and ending with Albert Einstein.  And with the chronology, comes a pretty interesting look at the ways people would try to ward off disease, infection, pus, gout, draining of the stomach and the black fingers of Marie Curie. 
Georgia Bragg does such an excellent job of weaving together history and humor.  A few excerpts from the introduction lets the reader know the style of this book that permeates throughout the pages:

"There are funny crying parts and disgusting stupid parts and hideous cool parts, but it's pretty much one train wreck after another.  And who can tear they eyes away from a train wreck?"

"Looking back from where we sit now, people a long time ago sure did some dumb stuff - and it's definitely the kind of stuff worth writing about."

And that's what hooked me not only into reading about these past lives of famous people (including Christopher Colombus, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, George Washington, and Charles Dickens) but going to the interet to learn more about these amazing people's lives. 

So, if you're awash with all the dark and suspenseful YA books out there, this is a refreshing read that'll not only make you laugh out loud, but also explore the darker side of these luminaries.  Recommended for junior high and high school

The Day Before by Lisa Schroeder

Amber sneaks out of her house this morning. She’s been thinking about it for quite awhile and she’s prepared herself. She has all the essentials to get her by: jelly beans, drumsticks, and a limo waiting to take her to the ocean. It’s the day before the thing she is dreading most, and she has only this one day to herself to figure it all out…

Cade is standing in the aquarium mesmerized by the swirling, floating jellyfish. He’s here on purpose to lose himself however he can. He thinks he’s prepared for what going to happen. It’s the day before the thing he is dreading the most, and he’s hoping to find the courage to face it, using this one day.

Amber and Cade meet accidentally, and this is where their journey begins. It starts out quite innocently, no one daring to tell their story, or what is going to happen. But slowly, the stories pour forth along with the pain of decisions needing to be met. Heads: you lose; tails: you lose. Is there even a winning side? Both Amber and Cade aren’t sure, but they do know that this is a day of oxymorons – happiness found inside the overwhelming fears both must face.

Is one day enough?

Lisa Schroeder’s novel in verse will carry the reader forward with the story of each person slowly coming to the surface without the reader losing interest. Her story is poetic, not only in the cirumstances both teens finds themselves in, but also in her concrete poetry she scatters throughout the pages. Redemption can be found even in the darkest of places and Schroeder’s novel captures these two elements with clarity and beauty. After reading this book, it did make me stop and think about both character’s situation and what tough decisions in life both have to make. That is a sign of a quality book. Recommended.

Texas Gothic by Rosemary- Clement Moore

Amy thought she was going to have a peaceful summer while her Aunt Hyacinth was in China. How hard would it be to take care of her aunt’s herb farm in the beautiful hill country of Texas? The worst thing Amy encountered so far were trying to keep the goats out of the yard.


Until she ran after them in her underwear. And met Ben McCullogh…

The McCulloghs own the ranch in Barnett that surrounds Aunt Hyacinth’s small farm. Ben (and everyone in town) has always known the Goodnights have a little bruja to them. And Amy and Ben’s first chance meeting causes even more friction. Not only do the families have a tenuous relationship, but a recent project on the McCulloughs ranch has brought on even more tension. Long dead bodies have been excavated, and the ghost of the Mad Monk now haunts Amy.

Amy and her sister Phin are now part of the anthropological dig headed up by a team of UT students and their professor. The bones seem to be from long ago, but it’s the dangerous and threatening ghost that tries to harm Amy that is the foremost concern for the sisters. Amy now realizes she’s haunted, but doesn’t know what the ghost wants. All he tells her is to be careful (Alto! Cuidado!) but is that enough?

Ben doesn’t want to help Amy find solutions, nor does he believe in hauntings. Even his worst enemies, the Kellys (including the deputy) tell Amy to stay away from trouble and quit stirring up the community. Amy would love more than to stop, but her haunting won’t let her go. It’s telling her to find him…but will it lead to more danger that it’s worth? What exactly is going on at the McCullough ranch?

A great ghost story founded on Texas legend, this novel will be one where teens will find a great mixed genre of supernatural and mystery. The Goodnight girls’ personalities, as well as that of the family, will carry the reader, while the sharp romance between Ben and Amy will carry the reader even further. Adding a flair for modern forensics and ghost-hunting, this novel balances past history with today’s techniques readers may be familiar with. It’s Ghost Adventures meets CSI – all in a great YA book. For a Texas native myself, Clement-Moore’s writing captures the heart and scenery of Texas, from the families to the folklore to the personality of small town Texas.

Okay, a little shameless self-promotion

Sometimes, there are things I post on my Twitter feed that I don't put on my blog.  If you want to see links to sites, comments et al, look at:

@yabooksandmore

teacher librarian with a twist of technology

Zombie Books

With all the interest about zombies, I decided to compile this list of suggestions, add to and tweak it a little, and post it just in time for Halloween! Check out the trailers with the Youtube links : )

My Boyfriend is a Monster: I Love Him to Pieces (graphic novels)

Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0jZ24bsy3c

Can You Survive the Zombie Apocalypse? By Max Brallier

Bad Taste in Boys- Carrie Harris
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiOvsdxDAEI

Zombies Vs Unicorns- Holly Black
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gv7V1u0FBXo

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies—Seth Grahame Smith
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1JdPvyy93I

The Forest of Hands and Teeth. The Dead Tossed Waves. The Dark and Hollow Places. by Carrie Ryan.
http://www.blogger.com/goog_1960877246
http://www.blogger.com/goog_1960877246
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sK3us21XFvE

The Zombie Survival Guide: How to live like a King after the Outbreak. by Etienne Guerin DeForest

World War Z by Max Brooks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fynNJEjbPTw

Boneshaker by CheriePriest

Generation Dead series by Dan Waters

Zombie Haiku by RyanMecum
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlndPmjDHWA

The Maze Runner series by James Dashner
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2-zYcD-dDs

Rot and Ruin; Dust and Decay by Jonathan Maberry
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFPpyaGhai0

Z by Michael Thomas Ford
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eWq2aMAUx0

Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2A8aLLRos9o

Never Slow Dance with a Zombie by by Ehrich Van Lowe

The Cellar by A.J. Whitten

Dust by Joan Frances Turner
http://www.blogger.com/goog_1960877260
http://www.blogger.com/goog_1960877260
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqXkV1B79jw&feature=relmfu

The Boy Who Couldn't Die by William Sleator
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZyOicLYR6o&feature=related

The Enemy by Charlie Higson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jUXsJOlmoY

The Reapers are the Angels by Alden Bell
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqG6ODZ8ykY

The Zombie Autopsies by Steven Schlozman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAqFbkmTpsU

I Kissed a Zombie and I Liked it by Adam Selzer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7Oxx1RBEGQ

Zombie Blondes by Brian James
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjLux0IRfsA

Book trailer: The Poisoned House by Michael Ford

Divergent by Veronica Roth

2011 HarperCollins

In New Chicago, there are five factions of societies:  The Dauntless, who have no fear; the Erudite, who have knowledge; the Amity, who are kind and open; the Abnegation, who possess selflessness; and the Candor, who are honest. Then there are the factionless, who don't belong to any group, but are drifters living on the streets, reliant on handouts.  Then there are the Divergent....

Beatrice has only known Abnegation.  She sees the selfless life she leads, but when she and her brother Caleb go to school, her eyes automatically turn to the Dauntless - they intrigue her.  Now, Beatrice is to go through the ceremony which all sixteen year olds go through and make her ultimate decision, whether to stay in her faction or leave it completely behind and start a new life in a new faction.  She also carries a dark secret with her.  She is Divergent, a special set of people who possess traits of more than one faction.

Her brother chooses the Erudite, a faction known to stir trouble with the Abnegation faction, who are in charge of the government.  Beatrice chooses Dauntless, and a new name - Tris.  Her family is devastated, and Tris knows that she'll never see them again, but what waits her for during her initiation process into Dauntless gives her no chance to mourn.  She'll either be part of the faction or factionless if she fails.

It is during her initiation that Tris understands more about herself, what she is capable of doing, and the secret of her status as Divergent.  Tris also uncovers a plot created by the Erudite, threatening the existence of the factions and causing chaos and death.  But is knowing enough?  Is Tris strong enough to fight against this plot, or become a part of it?  Faction over blood is the Dauntless credo...Tris has to make the ultimate decision.

This is a excellent novel for those who enjoy reading dystopian fiction.  The author takes the reader into New Chicago and her writing creates images for the reader, a trait seen in quality writing.  It is the characters, though, that are the strong part of the novel, from those showing love to those who are reckless, to the evil a human can possess.  Adults also play a strong role in this novel and aren't use simply as backdrops to the situations Roth writes about.  A sequel will follow May 2012.  Recommended for junior high and high school.

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

Conor was awakened by the monster one night.  But when he looks at it, this thing that is a yew tree, he isn't afraid of it.  In fact, he really doesn't have any feeling for it, because it's just a dream...

Conor lives with his mother in house beside a graveyard with a yew tree.  His father remarried and now lives in America, and his bossy grandma comes by once in awhile, the way Conor likes it.  It's just him and his mum, and he's happy with that.  When her hair begins to fall out, he understands.  Her continuous trips to the bathroom to throw up after treatments have become part of their schedule. 

At school, Conor is alone.  The bully beats up on him, but he won't raise a fist or fight back.  He won't speak to his best friend Lily, because of the secret she revealed to everyone.  No one notices him.

But when the monster calls, Conor goes.  And the monster is going to tell Conor three stories.  The last one will be the one Conor tells.  And that's the scarierst one of all.  It's nearly 12:07....time for the monster to come out.

Don't let the cover fool you - this isn't one to put with the scary reads.  Instead, this is a hauntingly beautiful story about the power of love and strength of hope.  Ness has captured such a perfect story that relies on allegories and double entendres that serious readers will understand.  What exactly is this monster and the crazy stories he tells?  Although Conor may not understand, the reader begins to see the whole picture.  Ness takes the reader into the mind of Conor, how he justifies his actions, and how he deals with this most difficult issue of his life. 
It's been a long time since I cried through a book, and this one packs an emotional punch.  This isn't a book just for children, but a whole range of audiences about love, loss, and letting go.  Highly recommended.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

By Ransom Riggs, Quirk Books, 2011

When he was young, Jacob loved his grandfather's stories about his life, especially the ones about the peculiar children. They all lived at Miss Peregrin's Home for Orphans on a tiny island in Wales, and each had different talents. They ranged from being able to lift huge boulders, to being invisible, to being able to float through the air. And there were also the monsters that were chasing Jacob's grandfather....

But as Jacob grew older, the less he listened to his grandfather's meandering tales. They were for children, and he knew his grandfather, in his old age, didn't make as much sense anymore. But one day, while Jacob was trying hard not to work in his family's business, he got a call from his grandfather. And this call changed Jacob's life.

Now, at sixteen, Jacob hears a cryptic message from his beloved grandfather, now deceased. He has a recurring dream about his grandfather telling him to "find the bird, find the loop, find the grave." His other dreams are about monsters, whose mouths are lined with dangerous teeth and tentacles. Now, he sits in Dr. Golan's office, telling him about these dreams, along with the stress of finding his grandfather's dead body and the monster he truly saw, which his doctor says is trigged by this stress.

The best curative for Jacob, under Dr. Golan's orders, is to find out about his grandfather's past, and now Jacob has a chance to find out what exactly his grandfather was talking about by going to this mysterious island in Wales. But are they truly tales or the truth?

Riggs writes a fantastical story about the modern world and those that reside beyond imagination. Not only is the story an amazing adventure, but how Riggs manages to incorporate old and unusual photographs into the story is what makes this book stand out from any other I've read. The photographs are part creepy, part intriguing, but the mash-up of both the narrative and images makes for an excellent read for adults and young adults alike. Riggs keeps the reader engaged with Jacob's discoveries about the truth behind his grandfather's stories and the possibility of leaping across time. Perfect for fantasy readers and highly recommended by this reveiwer.  Publisher book trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWrNyVhSJUU

New Book Trailer: Stay by Deb Caletti

And for those that can't access Youtube at school but have a smart phone:

Books about Bullying - a booklist

I had this on 22books.com, but decided to share it on my pretty pink blog and add a few more books I've read since then.  I've highlighted those books I feel are among the best when dealing with this subject.  So, if you need a book about bullying, try some of these titles:

UPDATE 10/12/2012:  Good thing I saved this list on the blog!  Seems like 22books.com isn't working anymore, which is sad...it was a good site.  I've added some more titles on the list and these appear at the top of the list.  I'll be working more with this list and providing date of publication, publisher, and book trailers. 
Quarantine:  The Loners by Lex Thomas

The List by Siobhan Vivian

No Safety in Numbers by Dayna Lorentz

Blank Confession by Pete Hautman

You by Charles Benoit

By the Time Your Read This I'll Be Dead by Julie Anne Peters

Leverage by Joshua C. Cohen

The School for Dangerous Girls by Eliot Shrefer

Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson

Black Rabbit Summer by Kevin Brooks

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

The Body of Christopher Creed by Carol Plum-Ucci

Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult

Shattering Glass by Gail Giles

The Ruling Class by Francine Pascal

Bullyville by Francine Prose

Freak Show by James St. James

Angel by Cliff McNish

Endgame by Nancy Gardener

Buddha Boy by Kathe Koja

Jumped by Rita Williams-Garcia

Inventing Elliot by Graham Gardner

Whale Talk by Chris Crutcher

Just Listen by Sarah Dessen

Breaking Point by Alex Flinn

Bruiser by Neal Schusterman

The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney

Stay by Deb Caletti

The Guardian by Joyce Sweeney

The Julian Game by Adele Griffin

Raiders Night by Robert Lipsyte

Rotters by Daniel Kraus

(NF)  Letters to a Bullied Girl:  Messages of Healing and Hope by Olivia Gardner

(NF) 101 Facts about Bullying:  What Everyone Should Know by Meline Kervorkian

A Librarian's Life Split In Two...

This morning, I had the privilege to be interviewed by a college student for a project.  After asking all of the typical questions about libraries and my field, he asked me if the role of a librarian has changed because of technology.  Of course, you know the answer to that.  It's not about books anymore....

But it was the next question that made me really think.  He then asked, "Which do you feel is more important, books or technology?"  My immediate reply was both.  I was split between both because of the integration and integral pieces of both. 
It was after he left that I really REALLY started to think about it.  Books.....or technology?  Where does my heart truly lie?  It's like asking which came first, the chicken or the hen.  Back in 1996 when I was a teacher, I got my first taste of educational technology, but it was the books that sustained me.  Three years later and a full-fledged librarian, I became intrigued with technology, even creating my first ever blog (which I thought was a place to store bookmarks) with books surrounding me, still part of my landscape.  It was like having an older child and its youngest sibling, being able to predict one, still grappling with the behavior of the other.  

But I digress.  My love has always been books, from the first one I've read to the latest one I'm reading now.  It's the foundation, information and story they have that makes them individually valuable or worthless; time well spent or time spent on.  It was around during King Solomon's reign is still exists thousands of years later.  Books fill a need for me as a librarian.  It showcases my talents, my relationships with them and an individual or groups or readers, my abilities as that traditional librarian who knows her books.

But then there's the technology.  A sweeping change across the face of our field, transforming what people see everyday into something far more grand and beautiful.  It's transformed my booktalks and is meeting the needs of today's teens, who are all bound up in video and instantaneous virtual gratification.  It makes those paper projects dull in comparison to the shiny LCD screened in project only technology is capable of.  It puts books in the hands of those technophiles.  It's not about old school, it's about trending.

So, without a list and with still a lot of thinking, I still don't know which would outway the other.  I still have a lot of thinking to do.  And the interviewer, a former student who graduated from my school 2007?  He told me he was NEVER a reader until his senior year.  It was during a booktalk I did where I captured him with the trailer for Frank Beddor's The Looking Glass Wars that he flipped and become a true reader.  I made a difference using books and technology.  I wonder.... would it have been the same without technology?

Fall 2011 Booktalk Presentation

Fall booktalk 2011 on Prezi

New Book Trailer: Cha0s by Rachel Ward

It's been a HECTIC beginning of school year.  I finished this a few weeks ago, but haven't had time to upload it yet.  I'll have the link and download on the NHS library webpage and Schooltube soon.  For now, enjoy it here and on Youtube : )