I vacillate between not being able to concentrate enough to read and ONLY wanting to read so I can stay distracted from reality. Here are quick reviews of what I've been reading lately.
Thank goodness book mail is starting to appear again at the Minnesota branch of TLT!
You know who I appreciate? My public library and their curbside pickup. Check out these short reviews of recent titles.
A massive list of collection development resources
In spite of the fact that I didn't really want to have a whole conversation with Kate about owls' elongated eye tubes, that's the price you pay when you talk about Martin Waddell's best known book. But is it a "classic"?
A tween reviews several recent graphic novels including Click, Camp, The Breakaways, Snapdragon and Be Prepared
Hey, I think my reading slump is broken! Check out these great books to add to your TBR list.
It’s been pretty quiet on the book mail front, but here are a handful of new and forthcoming titles to get on your TBR lists.
So many great books coming our way, like an anthology of short stories by queer authors and new books from Roshani Chokshi and Bryan Bliss.
Those looking for a contemporary that successfully mixes romance with some rather serious issues will enjoy this character-driven book with wide appeal.
Pull out your TBR lists or get ready to add to the orders for books that stock your library or classroom shelves.
Suddenly I have more time to read than I've had in a very long time. Here are some new titles to order from your local indies!
Get out your TBR list because there are so many great books coming out between now and August! Here's a rundown of what I'm considering reading.
The 2019 Outstanding International Books list, developed by the United States Board on Books for Young People (USBBY), represents literature from every continent.
The kid likes one thing, the parent wants another. How should librarians proceed?
Looking for new titles to add to your Halloween-themed book displays and programming? Check out these recently reviewed spine-tingling works for tweens that will spook and terrify.
What should teens read after they’ve enjoyed the adaptations of The Hate U Give, To All the Boys, and more?
Civic responsibility, activism, and activists, are highlighted in this this list of recently published titles.
Children's literature scholar Debbie Reese highlights recent picture books, fiction and nonfiction, that celebrate American Indian heritage.
Can YA fantasy speak truth to power? Author Sayantani DasGupta addresses that question and more with Elana K. Arnold, Betsy Cornwell, Kiersten White, Anna-Marie McLemore, and Mimi Yu.
While classroom and school libraries share the larger goal of advancing literacy, they often serve different purposes—and compete for the same resources.
In a series of vignettes depicting the experiences of Syrians before and after they choose to flee that country, and information on the refusal of many countries to accept these victims of violence, Brown has created a heartbreaking global and personal story.
Boyd discusses the connection between street lit and challenged books, while Winner describes the frequently challenged LGBTQ-themed picture books that he shares with his elementary students.
When it comes to questions about climate change, it’s imperative that we urge children and teens to seek answers that enlighten, inspire, and stimulate them to get involved as responsible inhabitants of this planet.
Six recent titles that will entice even the most nonfiction-resistant readers.
Three titles with music-themes perfect for booktalking, displays, and programs.
More books are being adapted to graphic novels—and vice versa. These trends are expanding audiences and creating opportunities for creators. Here's what's hot right now.
Four fiction and nonfiction titles bring Jane Austen to children of all ages and reading levels.
Circulation numbers often jump after a weeding project—because students and teachers can more easily find the books that interest them.
Authors Angie Thomas and Alexandra Bracken, as well as actress Amandla Stenberg, offer hints about their upcoming films.
The smart and tough-minded screen adaptation of emily m. danforth’s acclaimed novel arrives this summer after premiering on the festival circuit. Here's our movie review.
Two big-screen extravaganzas by award-winning directors take on two popular novels with mostly with positive results, though one filmmaker had arguably a higher mountain to climb.
A picture book essential both for its counsel and for its representation of a family confronting police brutality with young children.
Writer Don McGregor redefined the "Black Panther" comic series in the 1970s with an all-black cast. He talks to SLJ about his work, returning to the character, and the upcoming film adaptation.
Author R.J. Palacio's voice is heard loud and clear in the exceptionally sharp movie version of her popular 2012 novel.
Fans of Brian Selznick's book will have little to complain about in this often enthralling adaptation.
Two book-to-screen adaptations recently premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Another crop of notable nonfiction featuring often unheard voices, from a title that unpacks myths about the transgender experience to a book on those who have been wrongfully convicted.
From the heroine of a retelling of The Tempest to a typically awkward seventh grader, the protagonists of these coming-of-age novels all face the trials and tribulations of the coming-of-age process.
This week, we explore a motley crew of fan favorites, from Alex Award winners to a legendary editor and more.
A popular high school senior relives the same day over and over again, caught in a repetitive time warp.
Sarah Hill looks back on the column to see just how many of the Alex Award winners were covered in AB4T and spotlights four can't-miss nonfiction titles.
Now more than ever in America, young girls, people of color, and LGBTQ people need stories relevant to their lives. The following titles highlight these voices.
Director J.A. Bayona unleashes the destructive, tough-talking, and tale-spinning colossal, based on author Patrick Ness’s 2011 novel.
Nineteen excellent adult books perfect for teen readers, selected by the Adult Books 4 Teens columnists and reviewers.
The film remarkably retains the book’s essence, even though the main character is a few years older on screen, as played by Canadian actress Sophie Nélisse.
Historical fiction may not be every teen’s idea of a gripping read, but these titles are bound to immerse readers—and may even please educators, too.
This is a quietly triumphant adaptation of Tim Crothers’s nonfiction account of a Ugandan teenage girl from the slums who becomes an international chess champion.
With Halloween right around the corner, Sarah Hill compiles a list of compelling titles that are grim and gritty, covering everything from an out-of-control infectious disease, a no-holds-barred look at the science of war, and the return of Typhoid Mary.
Librarian Amy Martin highlights a strong new crop of self-published children's books, including a middle grade family drama and several picture books about black hair.
You'll find something to entice your teen readers, whether they can't tear themselves away from coverage of the Olympics are jonesing for an immersive historical read.
Teens will appreciate this genre- and format-spanning assortment of tales about love gone wrong; included are Daniel Clowes’s romantic time-traveling adventure, a thriller about Mata Hari, and Rebecca Traister’s astute feminism perspective on marriage and relationships.
Mark Flowers pulls together an assortment of short story collections—some dealing with horror and the suspense, others taking on fantasy and myth—from Joyce Carol Oates, Helen Oyeyemi, Patricia A. McKillip, and David Schow.
Join Mark Flowers on a global literary voyage, as he surveys titles set in India, Lithuania, Finland, and Lebanon.
Whether nonfiction or novels, these selections highlight the stories of girls and young women who grapple with their sexuality, deal with issues such as immigration and sexism, and consider their own identities.
Check out SLJ's March 2016 starred titles, from Corinne Duyvis's sophomore effort, On the Edge of Gone, and Stonewall-winning Sex Is a Funny Word: A Book About Bodies, Feelings, and You.
In the inaugural Indie Voices column, librarian Amy Martin curates a strong list of self-published titles that depict and celebrate diversity.
Mark Flowers shares works in which the protagonists have an inescapable confrontation with the reality of becoming adult and making adult decisions, including Keija Parssinen's The Unraveling of Mercy Louis and Mitchell Hogan's A Crucible of Souls.
Adult Books 4 Teens features six debut novels for adults with teen appeal—with an emphasis on “novels,” since all of these first-time novelists have already established themselves in other forms or writing. These offerings range from a "Stephanie Plum" series read-alike by a Hollywood screenwriter to literary postapocalyptic titles.
Adult Books for Teens columnist Mark Flowers compares two recent biographies on the notorious baseball player, one of which has lots of appeal for teen readers.
Author Jesse Andrews judiciously prunes and adds some quirk to the smirk in his screen adaptation of his 2012 debut novel. The result is an amicable, lively enhancement of his book, which in numerous ways it surpasses.
While the setting for The Appetites of Girls is specifically Brown University in 1993, the emotions and issues explored throughout the book are universal. “AB4T” blogger Diane Colson goes behind-the-scenes with author Pamela Moses who is intimately familiar with this college environment.
Like a magic potion, the big budget, special effects extravaganza Seventh Son, based on Joseph Delaney’s The Last Apprentice takes a dash of this and a pinch of that for a concoction that’s more mild than potent. It’s the perfect formula for a B-movie on a wintry afternoon.
Halfway Home: Drawing My Way Through Japan By Christine Mari Inzer Naruhodo Press $11.95 ISBN: 978-0-9907014-0-8 Ages 12 and up On shelves now There’s been a lot of talk about the role of the reviewer when it comes to self-published books. Horn Book Magazine makes a point of not reviewing self-published fare of any sort. [...]
With the holiday season approaching, we present a handful of picks that give a new spin to the definition of family and offer plenty of food for thought. The full versions of these reviews originally appeared on the Adult Books 4 Teens blog.
Amy Cheney, YA Underground columnist, dreams of ghostwriters for gangsters, hopes for more diverse reads for her kids in the margins, and bemoans a recent cover redesign that "could be the death knell for reluctant readers."
BiblioBoard® and Library Journal (LJ) have partnered to launch SELF-e™, an ebook discovery service connecting self-published authors with public libraries and their patrons.
While wondering around Artists Alley at Wondercon 2014, I came across a table that had prints and playing cards of dragons. I love dragons, so I had to stop. Among the artwork for sale was a picture book about dragons and books, so I had to pick it up. Dragons in the Library By Jessica [...]
Morning, folks! I do believe my comments feature is busted at the moment, so please don’t be alarmed if you can’t get anything to go through. It’s frustrating for me as well. Feels like an echo chamber in here. Hm. Well, as you may have heard, A Chair, A Fireplace, and a Tea Cozy will [...]
After a successful first year, In the Margins Committee founder Amy Cheney highlights some of the recent must-have titles for libraries in urban areas that might not be on the radar of the library community at large.
When Janna Morishima, formerly of Graphix and Papercutz comics, introduced me to Hamster S.A.M., she described it as a “outrageously silly, slapstick humor” that any emerging reader will enjoy. And her take on the comic is very accurate. Hamster S.A.M. is a delightful read. To hear more about this self-published comic, which you may have [...]
As 2014 peeks around the corner, SLJ looks ahead to future releases in this latest installment of our roundup of the most highly anticipated franchise openers and long-awaited big screen versions of children’s classics.
Multiple beheadings, one impaling, and an omnipresent necromancer—these are just three indications that director Peter Jackson’s adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien’s 1937 adventure/fantasy The Hobbit has taken a dark turn. The short novel has been expanded into what might amount to a nearly nine-hour-long trilogy—turning what seems a fireside yarn in print into an overlong saga on the screen.
YALSA-Lockdown listserv founder Amy Cheney highlights self-published and mainstream book and movie titles. Many of her finds resonate with her incarcerated kids; sometimes it takes a little digging below the surface to uncover these.
While the jury is still out on the big screen adaptation of Cassandra Clare’s City of Bones, reviewers are raving about the surprise indie hit The Spectacular Now, based on Tim Tharp’s young adult novel. Children’s books continue to be Hollywood’s go-to source for inspiration, and librarians couldn’t be happier. As readers and movie fans await the book-to-film entries coming this fall, such as Suzanne Collins’s Catching Fire and Orson Scott Card’s Ender’s Game, SLJ looks ahead to future releases in this latest installment of Page to Screen.
The first movie adaptation of Cassandra Clare’s popular series, The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, is out in theaters on August 21. Lily Collins as Clarissa “Clary” Fray and Jamie Campbell Bower as Jace star in the action-fantasy, which provides the thrill of the chase and a sprinkling of the romance for its core audience.
Filmmaker Hannah Weyer based her novel on a true story and uses an authentic “urban vernacular” to keep it real. Teen readers will be rooting for her young protagonist from start to finish. Adult Books 4 Teens blogger Angela Carstensen speaks with the author about On the Come Up and the real teen that inspired the book.
On June 7, Tiger Eyes premiered in select theaters nationwide and was released simultaneously on Video On Demand and iTunes. Co-written by Judy and Lawrence, who also directed, this film is the first adaptation of one of the iconic author's novels. Actress Amy Jo Johnson joined the Blumes in a Q & A session with the audience at the movie's premiere at the AMC Theaters in Times Square, New York City.
Among the Stars: Historical fantasy fiction; World War II heroes; a memoir by a son about his CIA father
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