Mystère Neigeux

cold Gordian knot
intricate complexies
finite - without end

Review: Neville by Norton Juster

2011, Schwartz & Wade Books
New York, NY
Unpaged, $20.99 (hardcover)
ISBN: 9780375967658; OCLC: 649077295

Author
Neville was written by Norton Juster, author of the classic children's book The Phantom Tollbooth.

Synopsis
Melancholic over relocating and skeptical about making new friends, a young boy takes a walk through his drab, monochromatic neighborhood where he begins yelling the name, "Neville." After just a couple of shouts, he is joined by a neighbor boy who begins yelling for Neville, too. Soon a gaggle of neighborhood kids, and dogs, are yelling and howling for someone named Neville. Curiosity overtakes the group and they enthusiastically begin asking the new boy all about Neville -- the boy in which they were all calling. As the boy answered more and more questions, someone cried out, "I like Neville already!" When the kids began parting company to make their way home, the group consensus was to meet up again tomorrow to continue looking for Neville. Feeling much better about the move, the boy's walk back home is illustrated in color. At bedtime readers learn the boy's name when his mother tucks him into bed and whispers, "Good night, Neville, pleasant dreams."

Illustrations
Illustrations for Neville were done by G. Brian Karas. Technique: mixed media. (He started with SketchUp!) Rather than droning on about his methods, I found a trailer for Neville:

The illustrations were supportive of the story and transmitted feeling/mood to the reader by way of the Karas's use of color -- e.g. the monochromatic neighborhood at the beginning of the story to depict the boy's melancholy. 

Accolades
Starred Review, School Library Journal, September 2011
Starred Review, Booklist, October 15, 2011
Parents' Choice Award, 2012

My Thoughts
While the story was predictable (it's a children's book), I found it to be humorous and heart-warming -- a great book to share in a classroom or a library story hour for early elementary school-aged children regardless if they have/haven't experienced a move in their life. In addition to the story showing readers that new friends can be made wherever you might be, it sheds light -- color in this case -- on how it feels to be befriended as the new kid. 

I plan on purchasing a copy for my private collection.

Tags 
children's picture book, life transitions, moving, making friends, illustrators,

Mr. Darcy

Quote from Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen...

Other Darcy-related posts:
Austen and Alcott
Creativity and Innovation
Pride and Prejudice
Riding with Severus Snape

Lieben

I would like to let the record reflect that I absolutely adore my co-workers at CADL.

Handful of Stars

On Saturday, I replaced the Get Your Hands on a Good Book display with another generic display for the new YA books.

This time around, I opted to keep it simple yet colorful by using funky freehand letters (we can call the font: JCB) which I colored with fun glitter crayons. I used a black Sharpie to outline the words.

The little stars were created using the ready-made shapes available via Word.  They were colored with crayon and outlined using a black Sharpie.

Graphic Novels @ Your Library

For October, I swapped out the Take a Look display for one featuring YA graphic novels! While colorful and eye-catching, it was very simple and inexpensive to put together.

Method:
Using Publisher, I laid out an 8x14 panel using graphics from 5 different books with the spirit of appealing to both boys and girls. The 6th graphic was a popular internet meme which I edited to read, "I didn't Caro Library had graphic novels!

The background: Sunday comics from the Detroit Free Press.

For the border, I traced around the panel and colored in the area using a red Sharpie.

KABOOM! was created using WordArt and colored in using the same red Sharpie and a yellow crayon. POW was done freehand.

The materials on display are just a sampling of CADL's YA graphic novel collection and were selected by a young patron who enjoys coming to the library. I'll keep refreshing the materials on display over the coming weeks.

Facebook

Via Facebook, I’ve “liked” a number of institutional pages mainly for the reason to receive news about upcoming events and, of course, I enjoy the opportunity to read relevant and interesting articles in which they choose to share.

Being able to “check-in” at a given location is also quite fun and has even encouraged others to stop by and visit! Aside from the “check-in” option, Facebook serves as a secondary website, of sorts – a place where agencies can share their hours of operation which is quite convenient.

From the 'What Bothers JC' files...
When institutions get caught up with how many “likes” they have and begin either: (a) campaigning/soliciting for more or (b) posting how many “likes” they currently have and setting goals – e.g. “Help us reach 1,000 ‘likes’ by the end of the week!”

I understand that one of the main reasons institutions employ Web 2.0 technologies is to increase visibility; however, I am a firm believer of quality versus quantity

Please don’t get me wrong, seeing several posts in my news feed from an institution doesn’t bother me as long as the content is relevant and meaningful – e.g. news that Ray Bradbury passed away, several response articles to Forbes slamming the MLIS, institutional blog posts, an upcoming exhibit at another agency.

Once again: it needs to be meaningful content.

Dark Blue Wallflowers

As of late, I've been culling through recommended works of realistic fiction and compiling a list for a young yet "intelligent beyond his years" patron. While working on this project, I cannot help but think about Charlie from The Perks of Being a Wallflower.

Tonight while piecing together a mixed CD for tomorrow's road trip to ArtPrize, I was once again reminded of Perks -- Charlie's mixed tape.

Even better... I think Dark Blue by Jack's Mannequin, a song I added to my iTunes playlist, could possibly be a favorite of Charlie's, if the story was set later.

My Precious

Challenging Your Own Assumptions

Yesterday, while doing a bit of reading about Perks author Stephen Chbosky, I stumbled upon this quote from an interview:

"You can learn a lot from challenging your own assumptions and admitting you don't know everything."

Love it!

Harbor Beach Reading

Yesterday afternoon, before a board meeting, I cruised to Harbor Beach...and, of course, took my book:

Current reads: Monsters by Ilsa J. Bick, Beneath the Meth Moon by Jacqueline Woodson, and a friend's manuscript she hopes to soon publish...

Life in Pictures

Life has been pretty busy, so I think a picture post is in order...

Work Life
I've been helping out the assistant director with preparations for the upcoming story hours by pulling together some of the children's crafts:

Felt bookmarks for the kids to decorate

A bit of humor. Allegedly, the book is Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix -- my favorite Potter book:

I really do love my co-workers at CADL

I have been working on weeding my way through the 800s -- truly an honor to work with that part of the collection. (Sorry about the slightly blurred picture):

After a rather long shift at CADL, I noticed this awesome mural for the first time while waiting for the light to change:

I snapped this panoramic on my way home from work:

Displays: I have been working on two upcoming YA displays: graphic novels and CADL's version of United States of YA: Reading Your Way Across America.

Life Outside of Work
Since I never leave home without a book, I happened to have my copy of Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson with me when I toured the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park:

While out surveying the township's back roads, I snapped a couple of pictures on McPherson Road:

Doing some reading up on the Open Meetings Act and public comment practices before September's township board meeting:

And, yes, that is *my* copy of Robert's Rules of Order: leather with gold edging

I am such a nerd that I get excited over seeing binding marks -- first edition of a A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle:

My amazing niece turned 22 on Thursday. Since she is a traveler and I am a librarian, I couldn't resist:

 

Get Your Hands on a Good Book!

Voting for MLA's Thumbs Up! Award closed this past Saturday. Since CADL didn't purchase many of the books, there really was no point in keeping the display up.

With the help from a "regular", we created this fun display which features new YA books:

We even got a few staff members and patrons to trace their hands!

Learning

 "...I think you should learn, of course, and some days you must learn a great deal. But you should also have days when you allow what is already in you to swell up inside of you until it touches everything. And you can feel it inside you. If you never take time out to let that happen, then you just accumulate facts, and they begin to rattle around inside of you. You can make noise with them, but never really feel anything with them. It's hollow."
--Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler (E.L. Konigsburg, 1967)

Take A Look...Borrow a Book

Because I wasn't too impressed with how my Printz display turned out -- I had envisioned something much different -- it came down a touch earlier than originally planned.

With the new school season starting, feelings of stress and angst amongst some students isn't uncommon and I wanted to do a display on the lighter side which might get even a few smiles and giggles.

Enter Pinterest.

With a few handy keywords, I was browsing thousands of library display ideas and found one that actually made me laugh out loud in the workroom. It's cheesy, yes, but definitely eye catching. *giggle*

The theme: all of the books feature eyes on the cover.

The idea came from Molly Wetta on Pinterest and was originally put together by Pamela McKirdy from Wellington East Girl's College.

Thank you, Lisa, for snapping the pictures at work and recommending the purple background!

A Mysterious List

Recently, I worked on pulling together a reading list for a mature "tween" patron who was interested in mysteries. The patron being a guy, I opted to build a list which consisted mainly of books featuring male protagonists. Age recommendations, from School Library Journal, are just that merely recommendations -- to be used loosely. On the original document, I also included the location of each book and had a separate list of items in which we could interloan from other libraries.

Want a copy of this list? Download here.

The Maze of Bones by Rick Riordan
First book in a series – 39 Clues
Recommended for grades 4 – 7
Summary: What would happen if you discovered that your family was one of the most powerful in human history? What if you were told that the source of the family's power was hidden around the world, in the form of 39 clues? What if you were given a choice - take a million dollars and walk away ... or get the first clue? If you're Amy and Dan Cahill, you take the clue - and begin a very dangerous race.

Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett
First book in a series – Chasing Vermeer
Recommended for grades 5 – 8
Summary: When seemingly unrelated and strange events start to happen and a precious Vermeer painting disappears, eleven-year-olds Petra and Calder combine their talents to solve an international art scandal.

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
Recommended for grades 4 – 9
Summary: Orphan, clock keeper, and thief. Hugo lives in the walls of a busy Paris train station, where his survival depends on secrets and anonymity. But when his world suddenly interlocks with an eccentric, bookish girl and a bitter old man who runs a toy booth in the station, undercover life, and his most precious secret, are put in jeopardy. A cryptic drawing, a treasured notebook, a stolen key, a mechanical man, and a hidden message from Hugo's dead father form the backbone of this intricate, tender, and spellbinding mystery.

The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shullman
First book in a series – Grimm Legacy
Recommended for grades 6 – 9
Summary: New York high school student Elizabeth gets an after-school job as a page at the "New-York Circulating Material Repository," and when she gains coveted access to its Grimm Collection of magical objects, she and the other pages are drawn into a series of frightening adventures involving mythical creatures and stolen goods.

Hoot by Carl Hiaasen
First book in a series
Recommended for grades 6 – 9
Summary: Roy, who is new to his small Florida community, becomes involved in another boy's attempt to save a colony of burrowing owls from a proposed construction site. From the bestselling mystery novelist comes this story for younger readers. New to Florida, Roy is on the school bus when he spots the running boy--running away from the bus, carrying no books or wearing no shoes. Sensing a mystery, Roy sets himself on the boy's trail, which leads him to potty-trained alligators, a fake-fart champion, and a renegade eco-avenger.

Heist Society by Ally Carter
First book in a series – Heist Society
Recommended for grades 6 – 10
Summary: A group of teenagers uses their combined talents to re-steal several priceless paintings and save fifteen-year-old Kat Bishop's father, himself an international art thief, from a vengeful collector.

Shelter by Harlan Coben
First book in a series – Mickey Bolitar
Recommended for grade 9 and up
Summary: After tragic events tear Mickey Bolitar away from his parents, he is forced to live with his estranged Uncle Myron and switch high schools, where he finds both friends and enemies, but when his new new girlfriend, Ashley, vanishes, he follows her trail into a seedy underworld that reveals she is not what she seems to be.

Down the Rabbit Hole: An Echo Falls Mystery by Peter Abrahams
First book in a series – Echo Falls
Recommended for grades 6 – 9
Summary: Like her idol Sherlock Holmes, eighth grader Ingrid Levin-Hill uses her intellect to solve a murder case in her home town of Echo Falls.

Acceleration by Graham McNamee
Recommended for grade 8 and up
Summary: Stuck working in the Lost and Found of the Toronto Transit Authority for the summer, seventeen-year-old Duncan finds the diary of a serial killer and sets out to stop him.

Don’t Turn Around by Michelle Gagnon
First book in a series -- PERSEF0NE
Recommended for grade 8 and up
Summary: After waking up on an operating table with no memory of how she got there, Noa must team up with computer hacker Peter to stop a corrupt corporation with a deadly secret.

Trash by Andy Mulligan
Recommended for grades 7 – 10
Summary: Fourteen-year-olds Raphael and Gardo team up with a younger boy, Rat, to figure out the mysteries surrounding a bag Raphael finds during their daily life of sorting through trash in a third-world country's dump.

Who Could That Be At This Hour? By Lemony Snicket
First book in a series 
Recommended for grades 4 – 7
Summary: Thirteen-year-old Lemony Snicket begins his apprenticeship with S. Theodora Markson of the secretive V.F.D. in the tiny dot of a town called Stain'd By The Sea, where he helps investigate the theft of a statue.

Mistakes Were Made by Stephan Pastis
First book in a series – Timmy Failure
Recommended for grades 3 – 8
Summary: Meet Timmy Failure, the founder, president, and CEO of the best detective agency in town, probably the nation. And his lazy sidekick, Total, a 1,500-pound polar bear.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s the Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Catherine Edwards Sadler
First book in a series
Recommended for grade 7 and up
Summary: Magnificently illustrated with 12 powerful watercolors by award-winning artist Moser, "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" features the complete text of the original collection of Doyle's short stories and is an ideal introduction to the fascinating world of this mesmerizing detective.

Hardy Boys series by Franklin Dixon

Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage
Recommended for grades 4 – 7
Summary: Washed ashore as a baby in tiny Tupelo Landing, North Carolina, Mo LoBeau, now eleven, and her best friend Dale turn detective when the amnesiac Colonel, owner of a café and co-parent of Mo with his cook, Miss Lana, seems implicated in a murder.

Code of Silence by Tim Shoemaker
First book in a series – Code of Silence
Recommended for grades 6 – 8
Summary: When thirteen-year-olds Cooper, Hiro, and Gordy witness a robbery that leaves a man in a coma, they find themselves tangled in a web of mystery and deceit that threatens their lives.

Shadowlands by Kate Brian
First book in a series – Shadowlands
Recommended for grade 8 and up
Summary: Rory Miller had one chance to fight back and she took it. Rory survived and the serial killer who attacked her escaped. Now that the infamous Steven Nell is on the loose, Rory must enter the witness protection with her father and sister, Darcy, leaving their friends and family without so much as a goodbye. Starting over in a new town with only each other is unimaginable for Rory and Darcy. They were inseparable as children, but now they can barely stand each other. As the sisters settle in to Juniper Landing, a picturesque vacation island, it seems like their new home may be just the fresh start they need. They fall in with a group of beautiful, carefree teens and spend their days surfing, partying on the beach, and hiking into endless sunsets. But just as theyre starting to feel safe again, one of their new friends goes missing. Is it a coincidence? Or is the nightmare beginning all over again?

The Christopher Killer by Alane Ferguson
First book in a series – Forensic Mysteries
Recommended for grade 9 and up
Summary: On the payroll as an assistant to her coroner father, seventeen-year-old Cameryn Mahoney uses her knowledge of forensic medicine to catch the killer of a friend while putting herself in terrible danger.

Shift by Jennifer Bradbury
Recommended for grade 8 and up
Summary: When best friends Chris and Win go on a cross country bicycle trek the summer after graduating and only one returns, the FBI wants to know what happened.

Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley
Recommended for grade 8 and up
Summary: Seventeen-year-old Cullen's summer in Lily, Arkansas, is marked by his cousin's death by overdose, an alleged spotting of a woodpecker thought to be extinct, failed romances, and his younger brother's sudden disappearance.

The Dragon’s Tooth by N.D. Wilson
First book in a series – Ashtown Burials
Recommended for grades 5 – 8
Summary: When their parents' seedy old motel burns down on the same night they are visited by a strange man covered in skeleton tattoos, Cyrus, Antigone, and their brother Daniel are introduced to an ancient secret society, and discover that they have an important role in keeping it alive.

The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey
First book in a series – Monstrumologist
Recommended for grades 8 – 10
Summary: In 1888, twelve-year-old Will Henry chronicles his apprenticeship with Dr. Warthrop, a New Escientist who hunts and studies real-life monsters, as they discover and attempt to destroy a pod of Anthropophagi.

Eighth Grade Bites by Heather Brewer
First book in a series – Chronicles of Vladimir Todd
Recommended for grades 5 – 8
Summary: For thirteen years Vlad has kept secret that he is half-vampire, but when his missing teacher is replaced by a sinister substitute, he learns that there is more to being a vampire than he could have guessed.

The Body of Christopher Creed by Carol Plum-Ucci
First book in a series – Steepleton Chronicles
Recommended for grade 8 and up
Summary: Chris Creed grew up as the class freakthe bullies' punching bag. After he vanished, the weirdness that had once surrounded him began spreading. And it tore the town apart. Sixteen-year-old Torey Adams's search for answers opens his eyes to the lies, the pain, and the need to blame someone when tragedy strikes, and his once-safe world comes crashing down around him.

Rat Life by Tedd Arnold
Recommended for grades 6 – 10
Summary: After developing an unusual friendship with a young Vietnam War veteran in 1972, fourteen-year-old Todd discovers his writing talent and solves a murder mystery.

The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin by Josh Berk
Recommended for grade 8 and up
Summary: When Will Halpin transfers from his all-deaf school into a mainstream Pennsylvania high school, he faces discrimination and bullying, but still manages to solve a mystery surrounding the death of a popular football player in his class.

Paper Towns by John Green
Recommended for 9 and up
Summary: One month before graduating from his Central Florida high school, Quentin "Q" Jacobsen basks in the predictable boringness of his life until the beautiful and exciting Margo Roth Spiegelman, Q's neighbor and classmate, takes him on a midnight adventure and then mysteriously disappears.

Snatched by Pete Hautman
First book in a series – Bloodwater Mysteries
Recommended for grades 7 – 11
Summary: Too curious for her own good, Roni, crime reporter for her high school newspaper, teams up with Brian, freshman science geek, to investigate the beating and kidnapping of a classmate.

Getting the Girl: A Guide to Private Investigation, Surveillance, and Cookery by Susan Juby
Recommended for grade 9 and up
Summary: Ninth-grader Sherman Mack investigates the "Defilers," a secret group at his British Columbia high school that marks certain female students as pariahs, at first because he is trying to protect the girl he has a crush on, but later as a matter of principle.

The Boxer and the Spy by Robert G. Parker
Recommended for grades 9 – 11
Summary: Fifteen-year-old Terry, an aspiring boxer, uncovers the mystery behind the unexpected death of a classmate.

The Death Collector by Justin Richards
First book in a series – Department of Unclassified Artifacts
Recommended for grades 6 – 10
Summary: Three teens and a curator of unclassified artifacts at the British Museum match wits with a madman determined to use unorthodox methods to reanimate the dead, both humans and dinosaurs.

The Weirdo by Theodore Taylor
Recommended for grades 6 – 9
Summary: Chip Clewt, whom people have named the "weirdo," is determined to protect the Powhatan swamp from the local hunters. "An eloquent debate pitting human and animal rights against each other is both informative and moving as this murder mystery/love story/environmental thriller weaves its uncommon spell. Deftly drawn characterizations, from the admirable to the loathsome, and an engrossing journalistic format are two of the many strong points that make this timely and compelling novel a winner."—Publisher’s Weekly

Nobody by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Recommended for grade 7 and up
Summary: Fifteen-year-old Claire Ryan has always felt invisible, always lived beyond people's notice, which causes trouble when she instantly connects with seventeen-year-old Nix, who really can become invisible and has been sent to assassinate her.

SilverFin: A James Bond Adventure by Charlie Higson
First book in a series – Young James Bond
Recommended for grades 6 – 9
Summary: Prequel to the adventures of James Bond, 007, introduces the young James when he is just starting boarding school in England and is about to become involved in his first adventure.

Death Cloud by Andrew Lane
First book in a series – Young Sherlock Holmes
Recommended for grades 6 – 9
Summary: In 1868, with his army officer father suddenly posted to India, and his mother mysteriously "unwell," fourteen-year-old Sherlock Holmes is sent to stay with his eccentric uncle and aunt in their vast house in Hampshire, where he uncovers his first murder and a diabolical villain.

Guys Read: Thriller edited by Jon Scieszka
Summary: A collection of short mystery/thriller stories by various authors.

Breakwall

This summer, I have taken to reading atop the outermost breakwall in the Port Sanilac harbor:

1984 by George Orwell

A Clash of Kings by George R. R. Martin

Not Available for Check-Out

I've struggled on how to best write this post and have even kicked around the notion of not publishing it; however, since this is a blog about my observations experiences in the field...

Earlier this year I was hired at my practicum site, a public library, and have had several rather curious encounters with patrons over the past few months which have left me second-guessing myself. My conclusion, which subsequently resulted in me sharing the following statement with my fellow LIS-colleagues:

Please do not mistake my reference interview questions, can-do attitude, courteous and friendly demeanor as an indication of interest in starting a romantic or sexual relationship: I am merely doing my job as an information professional.

(Clarification: the above statement is just a rant.) I politely thanked the patron for his 'compliments' and redirected him to the task at hand...and kept redirecting the patron back to the reference interview. In other words, "Thank you, (insert name). Let's focus on finding you materials on (insert topic)."  

Perhaps, I should not have even said "thank you"?!

The notion 'she's nice to me; therefore, she must be interested or desire me' is incredibly frustrating. Has our society grown so accustomed to indifference and rude behavior that when kindness and politeness are shown it must really be considered something else?

When I receive assistance at Lowe's or Home Depot, I don't check out the team member who has helped me, tell him he's beautiful, and that his dark brown hair / green eyes plus tool belt are really my 'thing'...while oogling his package.

Completely inappropriate -- not mention: disgusting. It's not classy and certainly not ladylike.

It's downright uncivilized.

As a friend said, "Books are for checking out and taking home -- not the librarian." While it's funny, it's completely true.

And a colleague shared this image:

Keep it classy, people.

Printz Award Display

After being up for just over a month, I dismantled the A Game of Thrones Read-Alikes for Teens display (note: clean reads, of course) and replaced it with a Printz Award and Honor Book display. This time around, check-in notes were added to the materials via the ILS so that returning books to the display won't be such a chore.

Being interested in YA lit, I was aware of the Printz Award prior to the start of library school, but was pleased to learn much more about it through my classes with adjunct professor, Suzanne Todd.

In case you're not familiar...

Q: What is the Printz Award?

A: Each year, the Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature is awarded to one book for its literary merit. In addition to the award, the Printz committee also selects up to four "honor" books. The award and honors are announced at the American Library Association's mid-winter conference.

Q: Who is Michael L. Printz?

A: Michael Printz, an active member of the Young Adult Library Services Association, was a school media specialist at a high school in Topeka, Kansas. He passed away in 1996.

My favorite Printz books:
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, and Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein, 

Here's a complete list of the award and honor books by year:

2013
Award: In Darkness by Nick Lake
Honor Books: Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz; Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein; Dodger by Terry Pratchett; The White Bicycle by Beverley Brenna

2012
Award: Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley
Honor Books: Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler (artwork by Maira Kalman); The Returning by Christine Hinwood; Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey; The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

2011
Winner: Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi
Honor Books: Stolen by Lucy Christopher; Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King; Revolver by Marcus Sedgwick; Nothing by Janne Teller

2010
Award: Going Bovine by Libba Bray
Honor Books: Charles and Emma: The Darwins’ Leap of Faith by Deborah Heiligman; The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey; Punkzilla by Adam Rapp; Tales of the Madman Underground: An Historical Romance, 1973 by John Barnes

2009
Award: Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta
Honor Books: The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Vol. 2: The Kingdom on the Waves by M. T. Anderson; The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart; Nation by Terry Pratchett; Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan

2008
Award: The White Darkness by Geraldine McCaughrean
Honor Books: Dreamquake: Book Two of the Dreamhunter Duet by Elizabeth Knox;
One Whole and Perfect Day by Judith Clarke; Repossessed by A.M. Jenkins; Your Own, Sylvia: A Verse Portrait of Sylvia Plath by Stephanie Hemphill

2007
Award: American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang
Honor Books: The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation; v. 1: The Pox Party by M.T. Anderson; An Abundance of Katherines by John Green; Surrender by Sonya Hartnett; The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

2006
Award: Looking for Alaska by John Green
Honor Books: Black Juice by Margo Lanagan; I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak; John Lennon: All I Want Is the Truth, a Photographic Biography by Elizabeth Partridge; A Wreath for Emmett Till by Marilyn Nelson

2005
Award: how i live now by Meg Rosoff
Honor Books: Airborn by Kenneth Oppel; Chanda’s Secrets by Allan Stratton; Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy by Gary D. Schmidt

2004
Award: The First Part Last by Angela Johnson
Honor Books: A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly; Keesha’s House by Helen Frost;
Fat Kid Rules the World by K.L. Going; The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler

2003
Award: Postcards from No Man’s Land by Aidan Chambers
Honor Books: The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer; My Heartbeat by Garret Freymann-Weyr; Hole in My Life by Jack Gantos

2002
Award: A Step From Heaven by An Na
Honor Books: The Ropemaker by Peter Dickinson; Heart to Heart: New Poems Inspired by Twentieth-Century American Art by Jan Greenberg Abrams; Freewill by Chris Lynch; True Believer by Virginia Euwer Wolff

2001
Award: Kit’s Wilderness by David Almond
Honor Books: Many Stones by Carolyn Coman; The Body of Christopher Creed by Carol Plum-Ucci; Angus, Thongs, and Full Frontal Snogging: Confessions of Georgia Nicolson by Louise Rennison; Stuck in Neutral by Terry Trueman

2000
Award: Monster by Walter Dean Myers
Honor Books: Skellig by David Almond; Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson; Hard Love by Ellen Wittlinger

Review: Unspoken by Henry Cole

2012, Scholastic Press
New York, NY
Unpaged (40 pp), $12.23 (hardcover)
ISBN: 9780545399975; OCLC: 769141329

As a new addition to the children's collection at work, I couldn't resist taking a peek inside of Unspoken: A Story From the Underground Railroad by Henry Cole.

Synopsis
Unspoken, a wordless book, tells the story of a young farm girl, via illustrations, who discovers a former slave embarking on a northern trek towards freedom. An illustration depicts the girl looking curiously over her shoulder, towards shocks of corn drying in the barn, while completing her chores. On the next page, amidst a sea of corn, a single eye peers at the reader -- which startles the young girl. As the story progresses, the girl begins offering food to the slave and keeps their hiding place a secret when Confederate soldiers on horseback visit the farm with a "Wanted" poster. The story closes with the girl visiting the barn at night and finding a doll fashioned out of corn husks wearing a gingham dress -- a fabric napkin, which the girl had originally used to carefully wrap the food that she secreted the slave in hiding. 

Illustrations
Cole used Staedtler Mars 4B pencils on Canson charcoal paper. The illustrations were printed on beige paper which gives the book a vintage look reminiscent of the time and the use of brown endpapers pay homage to the earthy, farm setting. I'll admit: upon first glancing at the book, the cover illustration reminded me of Chris Van Allsburg's work...beautiful.

My Thoughts
Cole's exquisite and powerful illustrations did a phenomenal job of depicting a relatively deep and complex story without the use of words. Young readers are given ample opportunity to elaborate upon the panels by creating their own dialog between characters.

A lengthy author's note provides the reader with a brief historical synopsis as well as personal background information.

While the book typically shelved with children's picture books, I concur with a School Library Journal review that states this item is appropriate for grades 3 - 8.  Unspoken would be a great addition to any public library and school media center.

Tags: children's picture book, historical fiction, African-American history, Civil War, military history, slavery, Underground Railroad, wordless book

Judging

My favorite Newbery book

Loads of post ideas floating around in my gourd, but when it comes time to actually write them...I get squeamish. I have lots of drafts saved!

Fact: people judge books by their covers.

Especially children.

If a book is dirty, tattered-looking, visited the bindery for recovering, decked out in a dated-looking cover, and/or sporting tape on its the edges, chances are pretty high that a child isn't going to want anything to do with it. One of my projects at work: reviewing the Newbery Award collection and making recommendations as to which copies should be replaced and with what edition.

While working on this project, I have been disappointed by some of the newer editions with  their supposedly "improved" covers -- many of them are...well...unimproved. I was pleased when I stumbled upon Travis Jonker's blog, 100 Scope Notes -- specifically: Covering the Newbery. He went through and re-designed each Newbery book cover.

Simple. Timeless designs.

Brilliant idea... 

Zimt

stream of memories
tinkling like a piano
cinnamon murmurs

Do Good Anyway

Noted...

My Library World

At CADL, I've been busy gaining lots of experience by working the desk: circulation, readers' advisory, reference questions, and basic tech support. With the positive comes the negative: I've been lied to about library fines, experienced manipulation firsthand, and witnessed conniption fits (complete with colorful language) over a document not printing. It's all part of working with the public...

I enjoy my time the most when I am on-desk in the children's department! I love seeing the wonder and excitement on their little faces when they walk into the collection. Just hearing adults read to children gives me a bit more faith in humanity...

SRP game day at CADL

I've also been able to try my hand at two YA displays -- A Game of Thrones Read-Alikes for Teens (clean reads, of course) and MLA's Thumbs Up! Award. At the end of this month, I'll be replacing the AGoT display with a Printz Award display.

My weeding projects have also been on-going. Currently, I am working my way through the 747s...

Checking circ stats...

In other library-related news:
The pink Chuckle roses were a huge hit and had lots of patrons asking about them...

I've also been volunteering at a small, rural public library and working at digitizing a scrapbook of obituaries a local genealogist collected over the years. OCR is new to me and I am learning a great deal through this experience!

Experimenting with OCR...

  ...and I love library coffee...

Librarians on Tour

I've been busy...

In mid-June, with my friend and LIS comrade, Jeanette Marks (a SLIS alumna), I toured Cheboygan Area Public Library and Mackinac Island Public Library! We refer to our road trip as: "Librarians on Tour."

Kim Schulz and I

Cheboygan Area Public Library

• Our guide was Kim Schulz, Assistant Library Director and fellow SLIS alumna.
• Quick facts from the 2011 - 2012 Library State Aid Report:
• Class 4 library -- serves populations between 12,000 - 25,999. 
• Population served: 13,993
• Operating expenditures: $484,660 
• Collection size: 64,998
• Separate YA area complete with two restaurant-style booths for group work
• Large basement houses the FoL book store, community rooms, pottery and craft rooms
• Beautifully landscaped outdoor garden with reading area
• Über-talented children's librarian, "Mr. King" created the following video for this year's summer reading program's theme, Dig Into Reading:

• Album of pictures from our visit...

Mackinac Island Public Library

• Our guide was Anne St. Onge, Library Director.
• Quick facts from the 2011 - 2012 Library State Aid Report:
•  Class 1 library -- serves populations 0 - 3,999
• Population served: 492
• Operating expenditures: $63,177
• Collection size: 13,826
• The library is open year-round for the residents whom live on the island
• Lovely teal interior with white trim gives a bright and fresh look
• They've been at their current location since 1992
• Due to lots of questions, the library has set up at FAQ page
• Water-front location complete with a rear deck and adirondack chairs
• Album of pictures from our visit...

City of Oceanside Public Library

On April 24, I met with Kristina Moralez, Community Outreach Coordinator, of the City of Oceanside Public Library and received a full behind-the-scenes tour!

Notes from my visit:

• First thought: I was impressed by how much free public parking was available! A parking garage was located next to the library (and City Hall) plus ample street parking.
• The building was bright and fresh looking! The color scheme: white and royal blue, made me think of a Vera Bradley pattern -- Mediterranean White.
• Two-stories with library administration, the adult and special collections housed upstairs. 
• At the time of my visit, the children's department had a craft going and it was quite busy! 
• The library has separate areas for tweens and teens. Loved this idea. 
• The Helen M. Nelson Heritage Room houses the library's special collections and is available to the public by permission. I've included a few pictures of this room in the slideshow embedded below.
• Very active Friends of the Library group with an on-site store that raises around $700-800 a month. Book sales are even at the Farmer's Market. 
• While visiting, I purchased an Everyman's Library edition of Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison that looked to be brand new!
• The library has a centralized phone system which does not route directly to the circulation desk -- everyone (including the director) takes a turn running it. 
• Morning briefings help keep everyone in the know.
• Ample staff areas for behind-the-scenes work. I especially loved the children's programming area with workbenches and storage totes.
• The library has a very rich history and in a variety of different locations -- lots of moving around, but yet continually serving the Oceanside community.
• While touring, I was introduced to Mayra Turchiano, Children's Department, and Monica Chapa-Domercq, Principal Librarian. Thoroughly enjoyed chatting with them!

Slideshow:

I'm Back...

After a month since my last post, I am pleased (and relieved) to write that peace has returned to both my personal and professional lives; therefore, it's safe to say: I'm back!

Blog:
Thanks to talented graphic artist Mallory Rock, I now have the perfect blog header! During my hiatus, I wrote a few blog posts. I'll share them here:

A Satisfying Day

Certification

Signature Line

Librarian Confession #1

Kicked to the Ditch

Library school:
On Thursday, May 9, alongside my SLIS colleagues, I participated in commencement at Wayne State University. It was a very memorable day as I've never before 'walked' for any of my commencements -- including high school. One of my favorite SLIS instructors, Sue Todd, was even present backstage while we waited for our names to be called.

After graduation, I had lunch at the Raven Cafe in Port Huron -- the perfect place for a bookish nerd to celebrate. Here are some pictures from the day...

Camille Chidsey and I

 

 

My "librarian" charm bracelet from Anne

Career:
I'm now a Library of Michigan certified Level 2 Public Librarian!