WEEK 13 Dystopias: "Life As We Knew It" by Susan Beth Pfeffer

Pfeffer, Susan Beth. Harcourt Children's Books, 2006.
Pages [337 p.] [$10.99] ISBN [0152058265]

From Goodreads: "Miranda’s disbelief turns to fear in a split second when a meteor knocks the moon closer to the earth. How should her family prepare for the future when worldwide tsunamis wipe out the coasts, earthquakes rock the continents, and volcanic ash blocks out the sun? As summer turns to Arctic winter, Miranda, her two brothers, and their mother retreat to the unexpected safe haven of their sunroom, where they subsist on stockpiled food and limited water in the warmth of a wood-burning stove.

Told in journal entries, this is the heart-pounding story of Miranda’s struggle to hold on to the most important resource of all--hope--in an increasingly desperate and unfamiliar world."

At the time that I read this book I was also reading another book of a similar nature, Megan Crewe 's THE WAY WE FALL, and therefore I cannot help but compare the two. Both books were written in a similar format- that of a journal/ diary. While one of my largest complaints in THE WAY WE FALL was that I was unable to relate to much of the book as I found the writing to be quite flat and one-dimensional, that was anything but the case for this. If I had to describe this book in a few words it would be "a roller coaster of emotions"- I cannot even put to words all of the different emotions that I felt while reading it, one minute I was smiling, the next, I was sobbing.

Aside from the emotional-strength of this book, I think that its other biggest strength is its realism. While reading it I kept wondering to myself how my family and me would fare if something of this nature occurred. I don't think that it would be all that far-fetched for future generations to have to experience something of this nature (for instance, look at the flu endemics that much of our world faced this past winter).

All in all, I think that this is one of the best books of this nature that I had read in a far while- nature taking back the reigns of control, pushing mankind into the beginnings of an apocalyptic society- and, as such, I would highly recommend it to young adult patrons. That being said, on a personal note, I do not intend to continue on with this series (something that is almost unheard of for me), as I don't want my love of this book to be potentially altered/tarnished by any sequels (especially knowing that Miranda and her family are not a the forefront of the next book in the series, but a character named Alex).

WEEK 12 Conspicuous Consumption and Teen Markets Readings

Glenn, Wendy. 2008. “Gossiping Girls, Insider Boys, A-List Achievement: Examining and Exposing Young Adult Novels Consumed by Conspicuous Consumption.” Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy 52(1): 34-42.

After reading Glenn's article I found myself conflicted about a number of things. She writes, "Our possession-centric society tells young people that these fictional kids have acquired all that readers should desire", "Their wealth overcomes the more pathetic aspects of their lives", and that, "They might see themselves or someone they wish to emulate in the characters described on the page" (2008). I personally think that this is the furthest thing from the truth, at least in my instance (having read all of the Gossip Girl, a few books from its various spin-offs, the Au Pair books, and so forth, as a teen). As a teen, despite not perhaps being a "critical reader" (oftentimes only reading for the entertainment value and escapism), I found the aforementioned series to be so over the top and unrealistic that I never once considered that real people might live such lives or that I had to live a similar life (ie. pet monkeys, sleeping ones way into university, love octagons, and so forth). Furthermore, money never once overshadowed the characters/ lives for me- Dan's a chain-smoking/ chain-drinking poet who will most likely develop lung cancer before the age of thirty, Chuck will most likely end up in jail for sexual harassment, while Nate will for illegal substances, and so forth. I think, at times, that she doesn't give teen readers near as much credit as they deserve. 

That being said, I do agree with the four themes found within the literature that Glenn identifies: "1. Entitlement—Wealth leads to entitlement that is recognized and flaunted by those who hold it. 2.  Disparity of class and race—Those who hold this wealth are white or hold inherited title; those who serve the wealthy are members of an ethnic minority or come from nonpatrician family lines. 3.  Empty relationships—Wealth does not guarantee strong relationships with parents or genuine friendships—and that’s OK. Having money is worth these sacrifices. 4.  Conspicuous consumption—Outward displays of money and wealth are desirable, a game of sorts that bestows privilege and glory upon participants who can afford to play" (2008). However, I do believe that the television adaptation of Gossip Girl does help to combat this, to a degree (which would help to supplement those who may both read the series and watch the television show). For instance, in the Gossip Girl novels Cyrus Rose, Blair’s mother’s boyfriend (and eventual stepfather), is characterized as worthless, "He wears “tacky Italian loafers” (p. 7) and “one of those gold Cartier cuff bracelets that you screw on and never take off— very popular in the 1980s and not so popular now...” (2008). However, in the television adaptation he is portrayed as being a very caring individual, more present in Blair's life than her own father, and oftentimes as a source of advice for her. Furthermore, there is much more diversity in the characters than in the novels- with Vanessa being of mixed ethnicity (her mother is black), with Nelly Yuki being of Asian descent, and Penelope being Hispanic (and not just being, "...embodied as nothing more than sexual beings" 2008, as Glenn writes). Furthermore, many of the characters do struggle with finances (Nate especially), however they do not allow it to dictate their lives, rising above it and becoming better people for doing so. 

Problems? Nope, Just Life

Today on her Tumblr, author Malinda Lo (an author who a number of us have discussed during our seminars) posted a reader question which I believe is quite relevant to this past week's discussion of "Problems? Nope, Just Life":

Malinda responded by directing the reader to a number of topics she has written on the topic including
Write from the gut, not from fear of prejudice, On agendas, social issues and real-life awkwardness,
What does “authentic” mean, anyway?, On avoiding the exotic in “Huntress”, Elements of (queer) romance, Writing about race in speculative fiction, Taking the homophobia out of fantasy, and Avoiding LGBTQ Stereotypes in YA Fiction.

Week 11 Problems? Nope, Just Life: "The Fault in Our Stars" by John Green

Green, John. Dutton Books, 2012.
Pages [313 p.] [$21.99] ISBN [0525478817]

From Goodreads: "Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 13, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now. 

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind."

While this book has been one of the most acclaimed YA books in recent history, even going so far to be named the Top Fiction Book of 2012, beating out such titles as "The Casual Vacancy", "Where'd You Go, Bernadette", and so forth, I must admit that I do have a number of issues with it. 

The first issue that I have with it is it's unofficial tagline, "Not another cancer book." Growing up I read more books about children/ teens with cancer than I can recount ("Breathless", "Six Months to Live", "As Long As We Both Shall Live", to name a few) and I must admit that I personally don't think that this book is all that different from those other titles. The characters all go through similar situations, experience the same thoughts, have the same outcomes, and so forth. 

Another issue that I have is on a number of occasions John Green has stated that he likes to, "Write about/ for smart people." Even in my twenties (outside of the target audience) while reading this book I struggled, at times, to determine exactly what the characters (Hazel and Gus, especially) were saying during their monologues, of sorts, discussions of existentialism, and so forth. I think that as a teen (the targeted audience) I would have been even more so confused by the concepts/ language used in this book and that learning that Green writes for/ about "smart people" would have lead me to believe that I wasn't "smart" because I didn't understand it 100% (something that I think that no teenager should ever feel like/ question, with all of the other stressors, emotions, etc. going on in their life during that time). Furthermore, as such, I think that as a teen I never would have been able to relate to Hazel and Gus, something that was (and still is) extremely important to me as a reader. 

Complaints aside, I did love the relationships in this book (between Hazel and Gus, between them and their parents, and so forth) and I did love when Hazel and Gus dropped the walls around them and just let themselves be teenagers. For instance, during this scene:

"He's not that smart," I said to Julie.
"She's right. It's just that most really good-looking people are stupid, so I exceed expectations."
"Right, it's primarily his hotness," I said.
"It can be sort of blinding," he said.
"It actually did blind our friend Isaac," I said.
"Terrible tragedy, that. But can I help my own deadly beauty?"
"You cannot."
"It is my burden, this beautiful face."
"Not to mention your body."
"Seriously, don't get me started on my hot bod. You don't want to see me naked, Dave. Seeing me naked actually took Hazel Grace's breath away," he said, nodding toward the oxygen tank.' (pg. 251).

Personal feelings aside, from a librarian point of view, I would still recommend this book to YA patrons as I do think that it is quite different from what is currently on the YA market (paranormal, dystopian, etc.), it introduces them to situations they may be unfamiliar with (disease and death), and so forth. 

Week 8 Sex in YA Lit: "Anatomy of a Boyfriend" by Daria Snadowsky

Snadowsky, Daria. Delacorte, 2007. 

Pages [272p.][$9.99] ISBN [0385733208]

From Goodreads: "Before this all happened, the closest I'd ever come to getting physical with a guy was playing the board game Operation. Okay, so maybe that sounds pathetic, but it's not like there were any guys at my high school who I cared to share more than three words with, let alone my body.

Then I met Wes, a track star senior from across town. Maybe it was his soulful blue eyes, or maybe my hormones just started raging. Either way, I was hooked. And after a while, he was too. I couldn't believe how intense my feelings became, or the fact that I was seeing—and touching—parts of the body I'd only read about in my Gray's Anatomy textbook. You could say Wes and I experienced a lot of firsts together that spring. It was scary. It was fun. It was love.

And then came the fall."

As a teenager I can recall reading this book (around it's release date, when I was 17 years of age). At the time I really did quite enjoy it as I was on a "Rom-Com kick" (primarily those romantic comedies written in Simon & Schuster's Simon Pulse Romantic Comedies imprint). That being said, reading it some 5 years later I must admit that I didn't enjoy it quite as much as I did the first time around (for a number of different reasons, one being that I can no longer relate to the high school-aged characters like I once could, another that I have read so many books of this nature since then that I can't help but compare them, and so forth). My personal opinions of the novel aside, I do appreciate the book quite a bit, namely due to it being such an instrumental book in the history of YA- introducing sex to young readers. 

At the time that I read this book I knew very little about the realm of sex, aside from what I had learned in school during sex ed. classes. Therefore, this book taught me a number of things, perhaps more than any of those classes did, for instance, not only about safe sex practices (Snadowsky makes explicit mention of what form of birth control is being used, and discusses those options which aren't being used, such as diaphragms), but also about the human body (Snadowsky also doesn't follow the trend in YA of authors "dumbing down" their content, namely in the form of medical jargon, Dom references her GRAY'S ANATOMY a number of times during the text) and sexuality. 

That being said, as we made mention of last class during our graphic novel discussion I know that the question as to whether or not you would recommend this book to a YA may come up- some believing that it has questionable content. Personally, I was never monitored/ censored in what I read as a child and teenager and therefore I do not see myself ever posing those limits on someone.

WEEK 9: "Anna and the French Kiss" by Stephanie Perkins Booktalk

WEEK 7 Reading Across Media and Formats: "Smile" by Raina Telgemeier

Telgemeier, Raina. GRAPHIX, 2010.
Pages [232p.] [$9.95] ISBN [0545132053]

From Goodreads: "From the artist of BSC Graphix comes this humorous coming-of-age true story about the dental drama that ensues after a trip-and-fall mishap.

Raina just wants to be a normal sixth grader. But one night after Girl Scouts she trips and falls, severely injuring her two front teeth. What follows is a long and frustrating journey with on-again, off-again braces, surgery, embarrassing headgear, and even a retainer with fake teeth attached. And on top of all that, there's still more to deal with: a major earthquake, boy confusion, and friends who turn out to be not so friendly."

Raina Telgemeier is the author of a number of BSC GRAPHIX graphic novels including, but not limited to, SMILE, DRAMA, KRISTY'S GREAT IDEA, and AGNES QUILL: AN ANTHOLOGY OF MYSTERY. SMILE is a standalone, based upon Telgemeier's childhood. As Telgemeier writes, "It's all true. I was in sixth grade when I fell and knocked out my teeth, and I have been dealing with the consequences ever since. I had braces, a lot of surgery, and a lot of awkward smiles as a result. The comic SMILE was born out of a need to get the whole experience down on paper, since I spent so much time telling people about it" (Source). Smile was a 2010 New York Times Book Review Editor's Choice, a Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2010, a 2011 ALA Notable Children's Book, a 2011 YALSA Top 10 Great Graphic Novels for Teens pick, and a Children's Choice Book Award Finalist (Source).

Admittedly I had never thought that I would read a graphic novel, however, after having finished this I am kicking myself for having waited so long to do so. I believe that, while quite humorous, the content of the story is one in which many readers can relate to (I personally can having experienced a similar situation to Raina when I was also in grade six). I wish that I had had this novel at that time to reassure me that I was not alone during such a difficult and awkward time in my life.

I believe that this novel will appeal to readers of all ages with all that it has to offer- enchanting and appealing illustrations, the narrative which flows easily, relateable characters and situations, humor, and so forth.

Booktalking YA

I randomly stumbled across this Youtube (Booktalk with XTINEMAY) channel tonight and I couldn't help but be reminded of the booktalks that we have discussed in class (and the ones that we, ourselves, are making)- not professional in the slightest, but fun nonetheless (plus it gets the targeted audience, young adults, actually discussing why they enjoy the books that they do- or don't).

Here is just one sampling of her booktalks (and no, I didn't choose this one to further encourage y'all to read DIVERGENT, I picked it because it is one of her most popular):

Young Adult Heroine Infographic

BuzzFeed/ NextMovie created this great infographic about some of YA's most popular heroines and all of their attributes!

You can find a full version of the Infographic HERE.

WEEK 6 ORCA Soundings: "Hannah's Touch" by Laura Langston

Langston, Laura. Orca Book Publishers, 2009.
Pages [132p.] [$9.95] ISBN [978-1-55469-149-4]

From Goodreads: "When sixteen-year-old Hannah gets stung, she rises out of her body, where she's greeted by her dead boyfriend, Logan, and a loving but unseen presence. She wants to stay with them. They say no. She must go back. There's something she must do.

But Hannah can't figure out what it is. Nor can she make sense of the weird things happening around her. Since the sting, she seems to have the ability to heal. Hannah doesn't know what to think. And then she faces another challenge: Logan has a purpose in mind for her new gift. And it's a purpose Hannah can't bear to face."

Laura Langston is a Canadian author who has written a number of books for ORCA Soundings, including, but not limited to, LAST RIDE, EXIT POINT, and HANNAH'S TOUCH. Though all of her ORCA Soundings books are standalones they do share the commonality of that many of them touch upon the theme of death. 

My largest complaint about this book is also it's biggest strength- personally I found the book to be far too short for me to make any real connection to it, I didn't feel like the emotions were as ferreted out as they needed to be, that the characters were as developed as they could have been, etc. However, I do see how the length of the book would be beneficial to hesitant readers. In finishing this book many hesitant readers would most likely feel a sense of accomplishment (not unlike I do after finishing a 500 page book), encouraging them to pick up more books to try their hand at. 

That being said, I do think that the paranormal element of this novel (the ability to heal) is quite interesting, without being over the top/ unrealistic. Therefore I think that those who are hesitant about reading books of this nature (ie. paranormal/ sci-fi-ish) wouldn't have any difficulties with this (as Beth Revis writes of her book ACROSS THE UNIVERSE, "This sci-fi book is for those teenagers who don't like sci-fi"). Also, I think that the storyline of death, acceptance, and life beyond will appeal to many readers, especially fans of contemporary (after finishing it I couldn't help but be reminded of many of Lurlene McDaniel's books from the late 1990s and early 2000s). 

WEEK 5 Recent Award Winners: "Half Brother" by Kenneth Oppel

Oppel, Kenneth. Brilliance Corporation, September 1st 2010.

Pages [375p.] [$19.99] ISBN [1441871497]

From Goodreads: "For thirteen years, Ben Tomlin was an only child. But all that changes when his mother brings home Zan ? an eight-day-old chimpanzee. Ben's father, a renowned behavioral scientist, has uprooted the family to pursue his latest research project: a high-profile experiment to determine whether chimpanzees can acquire advanced language skills. Ben's parents tell him to treat Zan like a little brother. Ben reluctantly agrees. At least now he's not the only one his father's going to scrutinize. It isn't long before Ben is Zan's favorite, and Ben starts to see Zan as more than just an experiment. His father disagrees. Soon Ben is forced to make a critical choice between what he is told to believe and what he knows to be true ? between obeying his father or protecting his brother from an unimaginable fate. Half Brother isn't just a story about a boy and a chimp. It's about the way families are made, the way humanity is judged, the way easy choices become hard ones, and how you can't always do right by the people and animals you love. In the hands of master storyteller Kenneth Oppel, it's a novel you won't soon forget."

Kenneth Oppel is a highly celebrated Canadian children's and young adult author- his most famous series include his The Silverwing Saga series (Silverwing, Sunwing, Firewing, and Darkwing) and his Airborn series (Airborn, Skybreaker, and Starclimber). Half Brother is his a standalone written in 2010 featuring Ben Tomlin and his science-experiment-turned-little-brother Zan, the chimp.

While I cannot confirm as to whether or not the period in which this book is set in, the 1970's, is effectively reproduced, being quite unfamiliar with the decade, I can confirm that the narrative is overall quite interesting (in fact, this subject matter holds a very special place in my heart as during my undergrad, a B.A. in bioarchaeological anthropology, I specialized in primatology and had quite seriously considered attending graduate school for it- though for lemurs rather than chimpanzees). 

I wouldn't necessarily say that treatment of the narrative is imaginative, I think that if anything it is extremely true to real life- the situations, the emotions, the dialogue, and whatnot. Therefore, while at times it was extremely engaging, at others it did border on being dull (during those dull moments I couldn't help but groan at the length of it- I think that shaving 100 pages off of it would only strengthen it). I do not believe that the theme is artificially imposed upon the plot, I think that it and the moral/ commentary are extremely natural- seamlessly being interwoven into one another. 

I think that telling this book in first person was the best choice as it really allowed the reader to develop an understanding and connection with Ben that they might not otherwise have been able to had it been told in third person. I think that both the mood is sustained and that the narrative flows easily- the deeper into the story you read the more you fall for Zan and the more you care about his future, not unlike if he was your own half-brother, human or primate. 

Curiously, my library system's copy of this book was shelved in the juvenile section, while the London Public Library system has it shelved in the young adult section. I personally feel that it is best shelved in the juvenile section as I found that it read like a middle grade book (Ben, the main character, is 13 years old). I think that those in their middle grade years/ lower end of the YA spectrum (13-14 years old) will get more enjoyment from it more than those in the higher end of the YA spectrum (18-24 years old). 

That being said, I do believe that this book does have a wide appeal- that male readers and female readers will like it equally. Additionally, I appreciate the fact that it is fairly educational without feeling so. 

Overall I did enjoy it, however I will not be rereading it (strange for me, as I almost reread every book multiple times). 

YALSA's Great Graphic Novels of 2013

Alongside announcing their YALSA also announced their list of Great Graphic Novels of 2013. This list is composed of 55 titles divided by fiction and non-fiction. Included among the selected titles are DRAMA by Raina Telgemeier, STEVE JOBS: GENIUS BY DESIGN by Jason Quinn and Amit Tayal and A FLIGHT OF ANGELS by Alisa Kwitney, Rebecca Guay and others.

YA Cover Art: Part 2

After scouring the internet I have found some more interesting articles about YA cover art:

Trends in Young Adult Book Covers (anyone see anything problematic about these covers? How about the popularity of covers featuring dead girls?)
Magic Under Glass: The White-Washing Of Young Adult Fiction Continues

Book Cover Trends That Should Die Before 2013 (sadly I think that it will take a long, long time before we see the end of "Pretty girl in a dress") 

The Female Body in YA Fiction 

YALSA's 2013 Best Fiction for Young Adults

YALSA recently announced it's 2013 Best Fiction for Young Adults. Of the 102 books I have read 10- THE PLEDGE by Kimberly Derting, THE DIVINERS by Libbra Bray, CROAK by Gina Damico, THE FAULT IN OUR STARS by John Green, THE IMMORTAL RULES by Julie Kagawa, ENCHANTED by Alethea Kontis, THRONE OF GLASS by Sarah J. Maas, AU REVOIR CRAZY EUROPEAN CHICK by Joe Shreiber, and GRAVE MERCY by Robin LaFevers.

Of those that I have read I highly recommend CINDER, a book whose elements you wouldn't think would work together but do (cyborgs, aliens, futuristic society Cinderella), THE IMMORTAL RULES, a different sort of vampire tale, THE PLEDGE, a dystopian I can confidently say is like no other I have ever read before, and GRAVE MERCY, featuring a character who could give even Katniss Everdeen a run for her money.

Of those that I haven't read I am most curious about UNSPOKEN by Sarah Rees Brennan, TIGER LILY by Jodi Lynn Anderson (which I've had sitting on my shelves, untouched, since its release date), GRAFFITI MOON by Cath Crowley, SCARLET by A.C. Gaughen, INSIGNIA by S.J. Kincaid (again, another book I've had since its release date), I HUNT KILLERS by Barry Lyga, and THIS IS NOT A TEST by Courtney Summers.

Have you read any of the book included on the list? If so, thoughts?

WEEK 3 YA Firsts: Seminar Readings

Holley, Pam Spencer. ‘Best’ Book Selection Through the Years. Young Adult Library Services, 8(3): 32-37.

-"High school students were the intended audience, and adult titles formed the bulk of the final list of thirty new titles" (Holley, 2010). 

Similar to my thoughts about Anthony Bernier's paper I could help but wonder, who better but young adults to talk about what they want? As we have made note of in class we shouldn't try to compare our experiences as teens with teens today, as they are quite different, therefore why do adults librarians, reviewers and so forth think that they know any better than teens about what they want? 

McCoy, Karen. What Teens Are Really Reading. School Library Journal, 58(1): 32-34. 

-I agree wholeheartedly with McCoy's statement that, as of January 2012, "The sense is they're [vampire novels] are being replaced by books about supernatural beings, particularly zombies and angels, and, of course, there's a huge shift to steampunk and dystopian" (McCoy, 2012). I personally think that of the 110 books that I read last year anywhere from 80-90 of those books fell within one of these categories (if not a combination of them, for instance, Lia Habel's "Dearly, Departed", a zombie steampunk novel.

-On the note of McCoy's statement, "It's difficult to predict the next shift in YA and Middle Grade books" (2012). I personally feel that we are shifting away from the aforementioned paranormal/ dystopian novels and because of the rise of New Adult literature that contemporary will once again come to dominate YA. 

Melanie D. Koss and William H. Teale. What’s Happening in YA Literature? Trends in Books for Adolescents. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 52 (7): 563-572.

-Admittedly one of my pet peeves in the world of YA is the emphasis on, "YA literature considered to be high quality (award winners)..." (Koss and Teale, 2009), and on the idea that anything less than award winners aren't deserving of being read or are "inadequate". Add "Young Adult Literature-  Any young adult literature" into the following image and you have my opinion on the matter: 

-I was really taken aback by the finding that "Books were coded as to whether or not they had gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or questioning characters. The majority of the sample did not, but at least one GLBTQ character was found in six of the titles (10%)" (Koss and Teale, 2009). Since 2009, a mere 4 years ago, I do think that we have seen an uprise in the number of GLBTQ characters- especially with the inception of such authors as Malinda Lo (personally I can name 10 books off of the top of my head who features GLBTQ characters). 

YA Cover Art

Image Source: Kate Hart- Uncovering YA Covers 2011

As per our discussion in class today HERE is a great source for all things YA-cover related.

And here are some individual posts that might be of some interest to y'all!

Uncovering YA Covers: 2011
YA Covers and the Female Body
Why the Pretty White Girl YA Book Cover Trend Needs to End
Cover Matters: On Whitewashing
2013 Cover Trends: Part One
2013 Cover Trends: Part Two
2013 Cover Trends: Part Three

WEEK 3 YA Firsts: "The Outsiders" by S.E. Hinton

Hinton, S.E. Speak, 1967. 

Pages [180p.] [$8.99.] ISBN [014038572X]

From Goodreads: "According to Ponyboy, there are two kinds of people in the world: greasers and socs. A soc (short for "social") has money, can get away with just about anything, and has an attitude longer than a limousine. A greaser, on the other hand, always lives on the outside and needs to watch his back. Ponyboy is a greaser, and he's always been proud of it, even willing to rumble against a gang of socs for the sake of his fellow greasers--until one terrible night when his friend Johnny kills a soc. The murder gets under Ponyboy's skin, causing his bifurcated world to crumble and teaching him that pain feels the same whether a soc or a greaser."

Admittedly going into this book I was somewhat determined not to like it- for one reason, it's completely out of my comfort zone (that being YA pararnormal and dystopian/ post-apocalyptic), for another, I had to read it for school (I cannot recall having ever finished a novel for school in its entirely, especially during high school). However, all that effort to not like it was to was to no avail- when all is said and done, I really enjoyed this book and it's safe to say that it completely exceeded my expectations (that's not to say, however, that I believe that it's the "best" and "most popular young adult novel of all time" as the cover boasts).

After finishing this book the two elements which stick out to me most are the emotions and the relationships. In reading YA over the years I have grown so accustomed to the male characters being "bad boys"- cocky arrogant, and charming to the nth degree, however, despite all of that they have nothing on these boys. I've come to realize that those "bad boys" are fooling themselves, their "badness" (and all of the emotions surrounding it) is such a facade and superficial. These boys, from Soda, with a larger-than-life personality and who brings a smile to everyone's face, not unlike the beverage he derives his name from does, to Darry, stuck in a "between" state, due to putting his brothers before himself, to Dally, who isn't near as jaded as he lets himself come off of as, to Johnny, who, out of his death, inspires new life, to Ponyboy, a young man truly trying to find where he fits in the crazy world that he was born into, experience real and raw emotions- while they certainly have swagger, they aren't afraid to cry whenever need be (it was refreshing and I think that authors of the twenty-first century could certainly learn a thing or two from this author of the mid-twentieth-century). As for the relationship element, I can't remember the last time I read of such a strong family unit, despite many of these boys not being related by blood. These boys could always count on one another, even during those times when they may not deserve it.

I can understand how this book is a first in a number of ways, the first book written by Hinton, but also the firsts for many of the characters- the first time that Ponyboy truly understood how much he meant to his older brother Darry, the first time that the boys saw a different side of Dally, the first time that Johnny was able to not only stand up for himself, but for those around him, the first time that the Socs and the Greasers realized that they weren't all that different from one another, and the first time that the Greasers were able to become more.

WEEK 3 YA Firsts: Readings

Coats, Karen. “Young Adult Literature: Growing Up in Theory,” in Handbook of Research on Children’s and Young Adult Literature, eds. Shelby A. Wolf, Karen Coats, Patricia Enciso and Christine A. Jenkins, New York: Routledge, 2011: 315-29. IMS stack NO LOAN PS121.H22 2011

-"... there remains a sense that YA literature is a house you pass on the way, and not a destination in and of itself. It may be because YA literature is in fact the literature that I would prefer to read even if I didn't make a living doing so that I would argue strenuously for a shift in this perspective .. I would like to see more critical conversation emerge that treats YA literature as a destination literature, rather than an in-between phenomenon that is useful for pedagogical applications and/or diverting entertainment before readers enter into the more serious work of studying capital L literature" (Coats, 2011). 

I have read dozens, if not hundreds, of "adult" books over the years, however, I always find myself drawn back to YA. 

-"... and today's adult librarians and reviewers come to disdain the repetition of the same themes, characters types, and conflicts, looking instead for something fresh" (Coats, 2011).

While I do love YA I, as a reviewer, do realize that it does have its flaws. I would like to see fewer love triangles, less generic dystopians, and overdone paranormal beings (ie. vampires and werewolves) and more along the lines of CINDER by Marissa Meyer, THE UNBECOMING OF MARA DYER by Michelle Hodkin and THE SEA OF TRANQUILITY by Katja Millay. 

Zusak, Marcus. “Point of Departure,” in Handbook of Research on Children’s and Young Adult Literature, eds. Shelby A. Wolf, Karen Coats, Patricia Enciso and Christine A. Jenkins, New York: Routledge, 2011: 330. IMS stack NO LOAN PS121.H22 2011

-Being an avid YA reader, almost exclusively a YA reader, both of these papers resonated with me more than I could have ever imagined, Karen Coat's especially. Both authors were able to articulate ideas and thoughts that I have thought countless times over the years.

- I cannot even begin to tell you how many times over the years I have had to defend YA among not only my peers, but some of my best friends, many of them of the opinion that "YA doesn't count." 

-Some parts of the papers which really spoke to me were: 

-"I think I can safely say that without Young Adult literature, I wouldn't be a writer; I certainly wouldn't have written the books that I have- because as a teenager I was fairly typical in that I kept a lot of what I felt to myself. I didn't talk to a lot of people about what I truly wanted or believed, or how I wanted things to be. In the end, I had those conversations with books. And they were young adult books" (Zusak, 2011).

While I may not be a YA writer I can relate to Zusak's sentiments. For as long as I can remember I had wanted to become an anthropologist- get my masters, my doctrine, the whole nine yards. However, as I went further and further into my undergrad I realized that, while I loved anthropology, it wasn't my passion, that my passion was, in fact, YA literature. It was this passion that encouraged me to pursue a MLIS. 

WEEK 2 Teens, Reading and Libraries: Readings

Snowball, Claire. 2008. “Teenagers Talking about Reading and Libraries.”Australian Academic and Research Libraries 39(2): 106-18. Available via Western Libraries from EBSCOhost Academic Search Complete.

-After taking LIS 9004 I must say that it was nice to actually see the process of conducting a study in action, especially when conducting focus groups ("Focus groups were held with high school students in order to gather data on teenage reading habits and their views on reading, libraries, and graphic novels" pg. 107)- I would have liked to know what sorts of ethics were involved in carrying out such research with minors as this was something that we debated a fair bit with our LIS 9004 final project.
-I thought that it was interesting that Snowball made note that, "... research suggests encouragement by any significant adult in a child's life can replicate the above mentoring effect of a family's reading..." (pg. 109). While I have always been a reader (if you give me the opportunity I will consume a couple in a day) I can't really say that there was anyone growing up in my life who I may have inherited this from. I'd love to see more research as to where children may develop their love of reading from.
-I felt that Snowball was almost confused as to why school libraries are more often used than public libraries are, however, I can understand why. Prior to becoming a post-secondary student, especially as an elementary school student, my class would visit our school's library multiple times a week to check materials in and out. As such, I rarely needed to visit my public library as I already had all of the books that I needed when I went home each night (the only time that I frequented my public library was when I needed materials for school projects and, even then, oftentimes I could find this information from my school library).
-I can understand why the student participant were confused as to whether or not the internet equated with reading- I think that it's one of those things that many of us take for granted and give very little thought to.
-Finally, I thought it interesting how great of an impact graphic novels had on these students. Personally I have never felt any inclination to pick up a graphic novel, but after reading this study I think that that is something that I will have to rectify.

Bernier, Anthony. 2011. Representations of youth in local media: Implications for library service. Library & Information Science Research 33(2): 158–167

-When I first started reading this paper I must admit that I was initially flabbergasted- I didn't agree with the suggestion that youth are often negatively represented in the media. However, as I read further into the paper and began to process it more and more I came to realize that that is often the case. Watching the nightly news I can only think of rare instances where there is a positive news story about a London youth (for instance, a youth putting together a toy drive for needy children/ families at Christmastime), whereas I can think of countless instances of youth being represented in a negative light. As I have said before, all cannot be held responsible for the actions of a few.
-I was also flabbergasted by the finding that youth are very rarely given a voice in the media- after all, who better but a youth to talk about youths? As we discussed in class, we, as non-youths, should not talk about our teenage years to teenagers (ie. "Back when I was a teenager...") as we are no longer on the same level that they are and we can oftentimes come off as patronizing or condescending in doing so- so why does the media do this?
-Bernier mentions, "Young people may also avoid a library populated with librarians and other unfamiliar adults because they might feel that all adults regard them antagonistically and with distrust" (pg. 163) and unfortunately I do fall within those ranks. For instance, I very rarely visit libraries on campus as, time after time, I have had a negative interaction with the librarians, them treating me as if I were stupid/ talking down to me, as if I am being a nuisance by asking them a question, and so forth. However, I visit my public library quite frequently, being on friendly terms with all of the staff, having worked alongside them in the past. 

WEEK 2 Teens, Reading and Libraries: YA in the News

After reading Anthony Bernier's article, Representations of Youth in Local Media: Implications for Library Service I must admit that I was a bit apprehensive to see how London youth would be represented in the media. As Bernier states, "Thus a clear pattern emerges of the coverage of youth in these communities. One the one hand, poor behavior is exaggerated, frequently without evidence, and extrapolated across the entire demographic group, followed quickly by projections of public policy implications. One the other hand, socially positive behaviors and other factors that better contextualize social behaviors are ignored. Further, youth are nearly erased from the record as socially positive civic agents and sources" (Bernier, 2011). However, I am happy to see that the article that I chose, How, London? Downtown Needs More for Youth, looks at London youth in a quite positive light.

In this article author Randy Richmond suggests that the city of London would do well to "bulk" up its downtown, as it is where most youth instinctively congregate to, due to everything that it has to offer- culture, bus terminals, train stations, and its connection to university and college life. Richmond concludes his article by stating, "If we could have an ongoing replenishment of youth in this city, it would revitalize the entire city" (Richmond, 2012).

What I take from this article is that London youth play an instrumental role in not only in the city's downtown, but in the entire city. I think that this article is a nice contrast to Scott Taylor's Students Aren't Even Back in Town Yet... where Taylor explains that John Scott-Pearse, owner of Club Rouge on Piccadilly St., closed his doors last year to all London students- as Bernier would explain, blaming the whole for the actions of a few (Taylor, 2012).

What this article suggests to me is that it would perhaps be beneficial to the London Public Library (LPL) system to focus its attentions on catering to those youth who exploit downtown London. Currently London's largest library, the Central Public Library, is located downtown-ish (On Dundas). However, I am unsure of what this branch specifically  offers in the way of programming, if any, for this specific population. In catering to youth the LPL could perhaps notice an increase in patronage which may aid it in the way of funding(LPL recently announced that its budget was cut $500,000, leading to both hours and collection development cutbacks).

Sources

Bernier, Anthony. 2011. Representations of youth in local media: Implications for library service. Library & Information Science Research 33(2): 158–167. 

Richmond, Randy. "How, London? Downtown Needs More For Youth." London Free Press 26 September 2012. 

Taylor, Scott. "Students Aren't Even Back in Town Yet..." London Free Press 27 August 2012.

Week 2 Teens, Reading and Libraries: YA Book Review

The above is the Entertainment Weekly's review of DIVERGENT by author Veronica Roth (Brissey, 2011).

As a fan of Veronica Roth's DIVERGENT I must admit that I was initially quite taken aback by this review, one reason being that it tells you little more about the book, that it is essentially a rehash of its its synopsis: 

"In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue--Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is--she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are--and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her"). (Source)

Additionally, I was taken aback as the reviewer gives the novel a B+, what could perhaps be considered an "average" rating, yet they only give two reasons as to why- that it's "... flimsier and less nuanced..." than THE HUNGER GAMES. As both a reader and a book reviewer myself I want more substance in a review. I find "flimsier" and "nuanced" to be both hollow words- how is it more flimsy than THE HUNGER GAMES? In the characters? In the world-building? In the overall writing? How is it more nuanced? Is Tris a mirror image of Katniss (she isn't, by the way, Katniss has always been bad-ass where Tris slowly develops into a physically and emotionally strong character)? Or in the world-building (I would personally consider THE HUNGER GAMES to be more so a post-apocalyptic novel, while DIVERGENT to be more so a dystopian  .Therefore it makes it difficult to compare the two, THE HUNGER GAMES takes place in a ravaged Panem, while DIVGERGENT takes place in a futuristic Chicago). 

Also, over the last year or so I have come to dislike the comparison of  any book to THE HUNGER GAMES (or TWILIGHT) as I have found that, time and time again, books which have no relevance or similarity to the two are compared to them, making the comparisons meaningless (for instance, Kiera Cass's recent debut, THE SELECTION, was marketed as "THE HUNGER GAMES meets the Bachelor"- yet the only similarity between the two books was that THE SELECTION was also a post-apocalyptic novel). Neither THE HUNGER GAMES, nor TWILIGHT, were unique and therefore I do not believe that they are books that we consider to be "exemplary YA".

I would have loved to have seen this book reviewed as how CANADIAN REVIEW OF MATERIALS suggests, with an eye to such detail as: "Is the book part of a series? Is the mood sustained? Does the narrative flow easily? Will it have a wide or limited appeal?) (1996)- not unlike that by Wendy Darling or Tatiana. 

That being said, I do appreciate how Entertainment Weekly generally followed VOYA'S Review Guidelines (albeit in a different order): "Author’s Last Name, First Name. Title. Publisher, publication date." However, I do think that it would have been useful had they also included information such as the book's price, page number, and ISBN.

Overall, I give Entertainment Weekly's review of DIVERGENT a C-.

Sources

Brissey, Breia. 2011. Divergent. Retrieved from http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20609141_20484977,00.html. 

Canadian Review of Materials. 1996. Considerations for Your Review. Retrieved from http://www.umanitoba.ca/cm/reviewers/considerations.html.

VOYA. 2012. Review Guidelines. Retrieved from http://www.voya.com/reviewers/review-guidelines/. 

"New Adult"? YA? What's in a Classification?

Right now there is a great conversation happening over on Twitter about the difference between "New Adult" lit (a newly emerging literary genre) and YA lit. Follow the hashtag #readadv to follow along (or check out Sophie Brookover's Sortify page for a transcript of the conversation)!

YA Dominates

TIME Entertainment recently named John Green's THE FAULT IN OUR STARS, a YA book about 16 year old Hazel, who is battling cancer (though which is not your "typical cancer book" according to the author), as the Top Fiction Book of 2012. TFiOS beat out such titles as THE CASUAL VACANCY by J.K. Rowling, WHERE'D YOU GO, BERNADETTE by Maria Semple and BRING UP THE BODIES by Hilary Mantel for the title.

You can add TFiOS on Goodreads HERE.

Fun Facts About YA

-In the summer of 2012 NPR Books undertook a survey to determine which are the best ever young adult books according to popular vote. Included in this list are THE FAULT IN OUR STARS by John Green, the DIVERGENT series by Veronica Roth and the PRINCESS DIARIES series by Meg Cabot
-According to Publisher's Weekly 55% of YA books are bought by those between the ages of 30 to 44 (78% of those in this age category buy the books for themselves rather than for a YA in their life)
-YA is the world's fastest growing genre (Fantasy and realistic-fiction are the most popular genres within the realm of YA)
-After J.K. Rowling's success with the genre many other big named authors decided to try their hand at it (for instance, Joyce Carol Oates)
-YA lit has the support of many big names behind it including TIME magazine book critic Lev Grossman
-A recent topic in the world of YA that has been both dominating blogs and Twitter has been on sex in YA (This topic has primarily stemmed from Simon Pulse announcing that they would be adding an additional 10,000 words to Abbi Glines' THE VINCENT BOYS series, 10,000 words which contain "explicit, adult sexual content"-For more thorough analysis of this topic visit STACKED)

Hi!

I just thought that I'd introduce myself and talk a bit about this blog.

I'm Avery. I'm a twenty-something year old Masters of Library and Information Science student (one semester down, two more to go!). While I love many things in life, like The Food Network, cats, and crafty stuff, my passion lies in young adult literature and, as such, I hope to work as a YA librarian in a public setting upon graduation.

This blog will be a communication tool about all things YA relating to a course that I will be starting this upcoming semester (one week!), Young Adult Matters: A Course Where YA Patrons Matter.

For a more readers advisory based YA blog you can check out my other blog, Avery's Book Nook, HERE.