Summer Love in SLJ

 

The most recent SLJ (School Librarian Journal) came out last week and inside includes an article I wrote about Summer Romances.

I LOVE summer romances and there have been so many great YA ones.

You can read my article here even if you don't get the magazine.

NaNoWriMo in SLJ

SLJ is talking about NaNoWriMo in libraries - including what we do at the library 

SLJ: Day of Dialog:

Last Wednesday, I was lucky enough to attend the SLJ Day of Dialog. It was my first time and it was amazing! It was a day filled with laughter, information, and best of all books! For more insight into the day, check out the official hashtag on Twitter: #sljdod13

Read more at the Hub

SLJ SummerTeen Celebration of YA Books: Wrap up

On Thursday several YA Librarians and I met at the Willimantic Service Center to participate in the celebration. It was great meeting with friends and talking about how are summer went (most of the SRPs are over). Plus it was great to hear about forthcoming titles and hear authors talk about their works, their thoughts, and their views on the market.

It was a virtual conference, which was really neat, but different with so many of us. We voted on the webinars we wanted to watch. I'm really looking forward to viewing the rest next week when they're archived.

Caroline B Cooney spoke first, as the keynote speaker. She was fabulous. She talked about her inspiration to the Janie books - and how her readers contacted her demanding certain plot points. Janie Face to Face comes out early next year. From her talk, I'm going to have to read the previous books so I can be ready in January. She also shared her favorite librarian story!

Next we listened to Who Will Mend The Broken Heart with Earl Sewell, Lurlene McDaniel, Miranda Kenneally and Katie Kacvinsky - moderated by Terri Clark.

Katie Kacvinsky spoke first sharing a high school memory when her teacher asked about love at first sight. She remembers two girls and their answers. Their answers along with her beliefs help her write about relationships that take time and work to create love. I'm adding her books to my TRB list

Lurlene McDaniel spoke about her views on the ultimate villain - death. Love can overcome death. She talked about how her life changed when her son became very ill - which shaped her writing. She also loves the topic of heart transplant. She has a new series coming out this fall about the definitions of love starting with Year of Luminous Love. She'll be updating her website with a brand new look to coincide to the book's release. I borrowed tons of her books from my high school BFF. I devoured them and was always happy when she had a new one!

Earl Sewell spoke about his unique writing approach - to teen romances written in the voice of a teen girl. His teen daughter helps him write authentically, but he jokes that he also channels his inner 16 year old girl too. He also does his research - reading Cosmo and teen magazines and social networking sites. He writes fiction that gives his readers a lot to think about and testing relationships to see if they're strong enough. I need to add his books to my TBR list.

Miranda Kenneally wanted to read more contemporary YA novels growing up. She was always changing herself to fit the guy she was crushing over. She feels badly now that she missed out on not being herself and other opportunities that came her way. She hopes that her books reflect her feelings and teens learn to be themselves. I can't wait to read her upcoming books!

In Classic Twists, the presenters were Marissa Meyers, Sean Michael Wilson, and Gareth Hinds - moderated by Leslie Bermel. Each presenter showcased their novels.

Marissa Meyers's Lunar Chronicles will have four titles: Scarlet (Red Riding Hood), Crest (Rapunzel), and Winter (Snow White). She fell into writing through fan-fiction for Sailor Moon - where teen princesses were always the main characters. I'll on the lookout for the other lunar Chronicles books

Sean Michael Wilson spoke about adapting classics in graphic novels. He showed pages of his work and talked about the art. He lives in Japan, but he's Scottish. He talked a little bit about working for books for Japan, the UK, and the US and the differences in styles. I must get some of these books for the library.

Gareth Hinds talked about working on his dream project - The Odyssey as well as his other books. He spoke about adapting Shakespeare in graphic novel form and how well it works out as Shakespeare adapts to the format as it's a work meant primarily to been seen.  I must get some of these books for the library.

In Rockin' Women of YA, we heard from Maggie Stiefvater, A.S. King, Jackie Kessler, and Nina LaCour.  They were moderated by Betsy Bird. This portion was different as it was done as a webcast. Betsy asked questions and each author responded.

All in all, there were lots of great titles shared. Many I will be adding to the library collection and several I will be reading myself. I love talking about Teen Literature!

Have you read these books?

So which of the Top 100 Children's Novels have you read? The ones I've read are in bold...and No, I don't think all of these are childrens's titles. I've read about half - not too shabby.

100. The Egypt Game - Snyder (1967)

99. The Indian in the Cupboard - Banks (1980)

98. Children of Green Knowe - Boston (1954)

97. The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane - DiCamillo (2006)

96. The Witches - Dahl (1983)

95. Pippi Longstocking - Lindgren (1950

94. Swallows and Amazons - Ransome (1930)

93. Caddie Woodlawn - Brink (1935)

92. Ella Enchanted - Levine (1997)

91. Sideways Stories from Wayside School - Sachar (1978)

90. Sarah, Plain and Tall - MacLachlan (1985)

89. Ramona and Her Father - Cleary (1977)

88. The High King - Alexander (1968)

87. The View from Saturday - Konigsburg (1996)

86. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - Rowling (1999)

85. On the Banks of Plum Creek - Wilder (1937)

84. The Little White Horse - Goudge (1946)

83. The Thief - Turner (1997)

82. The Book of Three - Alexander (1964)

81. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon - Lin (2009)

80. The Graveyard Book - Gaiman (2008)

79. All-of-a-Kind-Family - Taylor (1951)

78. Johnny Tremain - Forbes (1943)

77. The City of Ember - DuPrau (2003)

76. Out of the Dust - Hesse (1997)

75. Love That Dog - Creech (2001)

74. The Borrowers - Norton (1953)

73. My Side of the Mountain - George (1959)

72. My Father's Dragon - Gannett (1948)

71. The Bad Beginning - Snicket (1999)

70. Betsy-Tacy - Lovelae (1940)

69. The Mysterious Benedict Society - Stewart ( 2007)

68. Walk Two Moons - Creech (1994)

67. Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher - Coville (1991)

66. Henry Huggins - Cleary (1950)

65. Ballet Shoes - Stratfeild (1936)

64. A Long Way from Chicago - Peck (1998)

63. Gone-Away Lake - Enright (1957)

62. The Secret of the Old Clock - Keene (1959)

61. Stargirl - Spinelli (2000)

60. The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle - Avi (1990)

59. Inkheart - Funke (2003)

58. The Wolves of Willoughby Chase - Aiken (1962)

57. Ramona Quimby, Age 8 - Cleary (1981)

56. Number the Stars - Lowry (1989)

55. The Great Gilly Hopkins - Paterson (1978)

54. The BFG - Dahl (1982)

53. Wind in the Willows - Grahame (1908)

52. The Invention of Hugo Cabret (2007)

51. The Saturdays - Enright (1941)

50. Island of the Blue Dolphins - O'Dell (1960)

49. Frindle - Clements (1996)

48. The Penderwicks - Birdsall (2005)

47. Bud, Not Buddy - Curtis (1999)

46. Where the Red Fern Grows - Rawls (1961)

45. The Golden Compass - Pullman (1995)

44. Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing - Blume (1972)

43. Ramona the Pest - Cleary (1968)

42. Little House on the Prairie - Wilder (1935)

41. The Witch of Blackbird Pond - Speare (1958)

40. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz - Baum (1900)

39. When You Reach Me - Stead (2009)

38. HP and the Order of the Phoenix - Rowling (2003)

37. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry - Taylor (1976)

36. Are You there, God? It's Me, Margaret - Blume (1970)

35. HP and the Goblet of Fire - Rowling (2000)

34. The Watson's Go to Birmingham - Curtis (1995)

33. James and the Giant Peach - Dahl (1961)

32. Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH - O'Brian (1971)

31. Half Magic - Eager (1954)

30. Winnie-the-Pooh - Milne (1926)

29. The Dark Is Rising - Cooper (1973)

28. A Little Princess - Burnett (1905)

27. Alice I and II - Carroll (1865/72)

26. Hatchet - Paulsen (1989)

25. Little Women - Alcott (1868/9)

24. HP and the Deathly Hallows - Rowling (2007)

23. Little House in the Big Woods - Wilder (1932)

22. The Tale of Despereaux - DiCamillo (2003)

21. The Lightening Thief - Riordan (2005)

20. Tuck Everlasting - Babbitt (1975)

19. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Dahl (1964)

18. Matilda - Dahl (1988)
17. Maniac Magee - Spinelli (1990)

16. Harriet the Spy - Fitzhugh (1964)

15. Because of Winn-Dixie - DiCamillo (2000)

14. HP and the Prisoner of Azkaban - Rowling (1999)

13. Bridge to Terabithia - Paterson (1977)

12. The Hobbit - Tolkien (1938)

11. The Westing Game - Raskin (1978)

10. The Phantom Tollbooth - Juster (1961)

9. Anne of Green Gables - Montgomery (1908)

8. The Secret Garden - Burnett (1911)

7. The Giver -Lowry (1993)

6. Holes - Sachar (1998)

5. From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler - Koningsburg (1967)

4. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe - Lewis (1950)

3. Harry Potter #1 - Rowling (1997)

2. A Wrinkle in Time - L'Engle (1962)

1. Charlotte's Web - White (1952)

Spotted: Joanna Philbin news

Joanna Philbin chats with SLJ about boys, her books, her life growing up and her writing. Read it here.

PLUS she answers three fan questions over at Poppy

Here's the first book cover.

You can read my review here.

I'm really looking forward to book 2: The Daughters Break the Rules out in November

What about you?

Kiss of Life

Phoebe's trying to adjust to life after Adam's death - and zombie return. She doesn't really know how to act around him, but she tries desperately to make him happy. He's having a hard time getting back his range of movements and talking normally again. Still, she wants to be there. Adam thinks differently, he wants her to live again - not to be consumed with the guilt she feels. But he can't find the words to express his thoughts.
Phoebe also feels guilty about Tommy. She knows he still has feelings for her, but she can't even wrap her head around her own emotions. All she knows is that she needs to be strong for Adam. When Tommy decides to leave and trek across the country educating people about zombies, Phoebe knows its for the best but she can't help feeling hurt by his actions. Can she find herself again and still be with Adam?

A love triangle becomes messy with 2 undead boys and one living girl, but it also equals a fabulous zombie romance. But there's much more to this book than romance. People are afraid of the undead and start attacking them. It's starting to happen in Oakville. Tensions are rising and it might be time for the Zombies to fight for their way of life - which makes for an interesting take on prejudice.

Dan Waters was featured in this month's SLJ (School Library Journal) in a freaky article "Blogging from Beyond the Grave". Find out how he does it....