Review - The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

I began this book and was intrigued but a little bored at the slow pace. I happened to notice we had the audio book at my library and decided to go that route. It was much better in my opinion to listen to this story.


Stiefvater, Maggie. The Raven Boys. Scholastic Press, 2012
[408 p]. [$18.99]. 978-0545-42492-9

4Q 4P J,S

A long, winding tale, The Raven Boys builds it's story slowly. Despite the slow pace of action, the story is addicting. Readers will need to know what happens to Blue and her Raven Boys - the charming ring leader Gansey, the fighter Ronan, the quiet and sweet Adam, and the secretive Noah. They all have secrets, but the one that Noah holds beats them all. On the hunt for a king, the group follow the normal and paranormal clues they have discovered. Join in the search and get to know Blue and her Raven Boys in the first book of the Raven Cycle.

Teen Interviews

Recently I spoke with two teenage girls from a small Long Island community regarding their interests, social media preferences, and why they visit the library. Both teens are girls that have spent their entire lives in this community, one attending a Catholic high school (age 15), the other in public middle school (age 14). Some of their responses were similar though for the most part they differed enough to gain insight on the different interests of teens that may visit the teen department.

• Both girls frequent the library because it is not their home but feels enough like home for them to be comfortable. They come in to read, do school work, or just hang out. Comfort is a key factor in bringing in teens. If a teen feels uncomfortable or out of place they most likely will not return. Nice seating, an area just for them, a welcoming but not overbearing environment - these could assist in making teens feel more comfortable in a library, particularly if they have not visited frequently in the past. 
• A varied collection is a good collection. Each teen interviewed prefers to read different types of books for different reasons. 1 teen prefers realistic fiction with character she can love, while the other will read any genre so long as it challenges her mind. This is further proof that a teen collection must cover a range of genres and reading levels to both challenge teens and provide them with things they enjoy. 
• Multiple programs allow teens to pursue their interests, learn something new, and relax. 1 teen I spoke with likes to attend program with a specific end goal. She wants the structure, while the other girl would rather attend an unstructured program that permits her time to take a break from her rigid school and extra curricular activities. By offering multiple programs teens can find one that meets their needs or exposes them to something new. 
• Social media is an easy way to reach teens - but they don't use Facebook anymore! Neither teen has a Facebook account, but both use Instagram among other apps. Having a teen department or general library account on various social media accounts is a great way to promote programs and reach teens that may not be aware of what the library has to offer, plus it keeps teen regulars updated about any upcoming events. A good time to make posts is right before school lets out, many teens check their phones once class is done and they will see your updates.
• Teens of various stress levels and busy schedules visit the library. One of the girls I spoke to is very laid back an does not overwhelm herself schedule wise, rather she does a few sports and clubs and focuses solely on those. The other girl has something scheduled for every day after school plus Sundays. She has everything planned out and wants her life to follow a specific plan. Having a space where they can both do work and relax is important. Having materials they want to see and programs they want to attend will keep them coming back. 

Knowing what teens like is imperative to maintaining a good Young Adult Department. 

Eleanor and Park Playlist

If you enjoyed Eleanor and Park you may enjoy the following:

Books

• The Impossible Knife of Memory by Laurie Halse Anderson
• The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chobsky

Comics

• X-Men
• Watchmen

Movies

• Ferris Bueller
• The Labyrinth
• Pretty in Pink

TV

• Family Ties
• Growing Pains
• The Facts of Life

Music

• XTC 
• The Misfits 
• The Smiths
• Joy Division
• Echo and the Bunnymen
• The Beatles

I'm still not in love with this book.

Aronson - What is Real About Realism?

 "So the next time anyone asks you, "Is it realistic" or "What message does it send," answer, "No, it is profound, and because of that the teenagers who read it will find their own messages, which they will receive in their own ways." (Aronson, 2011).

Teenagers are smarter than we give them credit for.

If one is given a book that clearly defines its morals and its message, it is not a guarantee that the reader will agree with that message. Teenagers can form their own opinions regardless of what they are told they should think and believe. Of course, they are influenced by what they read, see on tv, read on the internet, hear their parents and teachers say. But if one believes that teenagers will only blindly repeat these things, one would be mistaken. Sure that many happen at times, but really what is happening is that the teen is forming their own views based upon those around them. They may repeat what they her the most and think that it is what they believe, but in reality they are just repeating someone else point of view. When a teen actually cares about and begins to think about a situation or idea, they will form their own opinion and may realize the opinion they repeated was not at all what they believe in.

By giving them books that push a moral but fake reality will not necessarily turn a teenager against adults as Aronson implies, because teenagers are smarter than many adults are willing to believe. They are not yet full fledged, responsible adults but they are not young, carefree children either. They have thoughts and beliefs of their own, even if they do not know how to vocalize or explain them well or at all.

Giving them access to books that make them think and come to their own moral beliefs is where I agree with Aronson. Teenagers will come to their own conclusions. however, I believe that they will do so no matter what book they are given. They can see through a fake reality that is being pushed upon them to press a moral belief into their mind. A good portion of their life is within a fake reality. There are reality television shows that are not all that "real" to begin with. Anyone can go on the internet and create a new image of themselves for show. So what is real for a teenager? That is for them to decide.

Sources

Aronson, M. What is real about realism? All the wrong questions about ya literature." Exploding
             the myths: The truth about teenagers and reading, 79-84. Latham, MD. Scarecrow Press,
             2001.

Thoughts on Eleanor and Park

After reading Eleanor and Park I texted a friend and I asked him if I was the only person in the world that did not completely love Eleanor and Park. This friend loves this book, and he informed me that no, he did know other that did not love it, but that I am definitely in the minority.

I'm really not sure how to feel about Eleanor and Park. I had not read this book prior to class, but it is a title that has been built up so much for me. I've seen many positive reviews and have heard both classmates and teens that frequent my library's YA section profess their love for the novel and the characters. Even the children's librarian at my library loves it and put the characters on our bulletin board for Literary Sweethearts for Valentine's Day. When I checked on it's circulation, it has an extremely high circulation rate in my department in comparison to some other books I have in the collection.

Because of all this I expected to love Eleanor and Park as much as everyone else does. Except that I do not. I agree that it was an intriguing read, and I breezed through it in two days. I find it to be well written and a good story in general. I just don't feel the draw to the characters that everyone else seems to feel. I'm not denying that it is a good book, I'm just not feeling the love that everyone else does. I can see why teens love it and how some can relate to the circumstances of the story, but I feel that overall they won't necessarily understand all the references. I know about cassette tapes and trying to tape songs from the radio and from my parents' records. But I was also born around the time this novel takes place. Teens today may have never seen a cassette tape, and only know iPhones and Androids. Are they understanding these references? Would they love this book even more if it had been set in a more modern time? Possibly, as they could relate to it even more. The time period is not why I do not love it. I can relate to the time.

One could say that it is because I do not relate to any character in the book. However, I've read many books that have characters I do not relate to, that I love much more than this book. I can love a story that I do not relate too. But it would seem that I cannot love a story that has been built up so highly and is so revered, only to find that it really is not all that great.

Could I have loved this book had so many people not told me that it was amazing? Maybe. But that is not something I will ever know, because it was built up so highly. And unfortunately I am unable to feel the same as everyone else does about this book.

YA Materials Resources

It is impossible to list only one resource for YA materials when there are so many that are valuable. It would also be impossible to use just one when working on creating a varied and useful teen collection. Each source will have its own spin or way of reviewing material and having a number of reviews for the same items (be it books, movies, or anything else) is a good idea. While one reviewer may find the work to be good everyone else could quite possibly find it to not to be worth ordering. Being able to have different points of view prior to spending budget money on a collection is a valuable option that could prevent wasting precious budget money. 

School Library Journal, Kirkus, and Voya are several sources that I typically use while at work for collection development purposes. Typically I use the print versions, as my library has subscriptions, though the online sources make nice additions to the print. These are the more scholarly sources and the ones that one could typically expect to find on the desk of any Young Adult or Children's librarian.

Other sources are used as well. They provide a bit more information or feedback on the various materials. some even cover materials other than books and movies, such as creating recaps of popular TV shows. Personally I find that useful as my library has a teen fandom club in which our teens get together once a month to discuss their favorite shows, movies, and sometimes books, as well as share their fan fiction. These are also sources that I had been reading prior to obtaining a job in which I was responsible for YA collection development. Most of these sources include various blogs and other websites, that while they make not be the professional and typical relied upon sources, are well composed and are generally fun to read, and quite a few are run and written by librarians. These sources are:

5 Minute Librarian

Forever Young Adult

Teen Librarian Toolbox


These are only a few of the many sources that one can find valuable in regards to YA materials. There are a number of others that I have used in the past, however the six listed are my most frequented websites and print magazines. Others may find different sources to be more useful, but these are my tried and true resources. 

#1000blackgirlbooks

Marley Dias, a student in New Jersey was sick of being assigned to read books about white boys and their dogs. So she began a book drive to gain 1000 books about black girls. A campaign that began in November has now reached its goal.

Upon reaching 700 books Marley appeared on the Ellen Show where she received a monetary donation from Shutterfly. She also received donations from Barnes and Noble. She has donated the books she has received to her own school, and plans to donate to other schools in New Jersey as well as a parish in Jamaica where her mother is from, as more books come in.

Upon reaching her goal she appeared on Comedy Central's Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore to discuss the project and why she began in the first place.

It is great to see a child that goes out of her way to look for more diverse material to read and explore rather than simply read only what has been assigned. But to call upon a discussion in class last week, where were the librarians and/or teachers. Yes, Marley had the assistance of her mother who is a co-founder of a social action organization. But where were the other adults in the community, particularly the adults that should be promoting the materials that Marley sought in the first place? Libraries (both school and public) will never reach entire communities if they do not reach out to those who wish to be there. While Marley did an amazing job on her own, she states that there are tons of books for little kids because reading is pushed when you are young. However she seemed to be under the impression that there were very few types of books outside of what she was assigned to read once you outgrow picture books. Where was the librarian saying that there are so many more books to read and materials to explore? Or did they not come forward because they felt that their own collection was not diverse enough to step up? Whatever the reason, librarians and teachers need to be aware of the books in collections and begin to assign and recommend more diverse books.

Source: Girl's drive to find 1,000 'black girl books' hits target with outpouring of donations

Book Review: Monster by Walter Dean Myers

Myers, Walter Dean. Monster. Amistad Press, 1999.

[281 p]. [$6.95]. 9-780064-4047311

Told from the point of view of Steve Harmon, Monster plays out like a courtroom procedural screenplay, flashing back and forth between the script playing out court room events and the handwritten journal musings of Steve as he waits in jail. Prior to the events that have landed Steve in jail, he had dreams of being a filmmaker, hence his story being told in the form of a screenplay. The reader is never directly told whether or not he is innocent or guilty, despite him being acquitted of all charges. That decision is left up to the reader, even though it is clear that Steve’s own lawyer does not believe in his innocence, instead considering him a monster, which Steve at times believes himself to be. Since he has been put in jail, he is unable to see himself as the boy he once was, and those around him are unable to see him as the boy he was. His father in particular struggles with this, rarely coming to see him and all but ignoring Steve once he is home again, no longer truly knowing his child and how he could have become involved with people who would have brought him into such a troubled event.

Though not a big fan of the screenplay format, it is a fitting format for this story, particularly since Steve was and potentially still is an aspiring filmmaker. Knowing little of the story, but only of the honors and praise this book has received I can now say the story is worthy of the praise and awards. Monster is a well written an engaging story that draws readers in until the end. By not decisively stating whether or not Steve is innocent or guilty Myers allows the reader to draw their own conclusion based on the trial proceedings and history we are now aware of. The verdict is not directly clear, which speaks to many events that are seen in the media both today and in the past. There is always more than one side to the story and every person will have their own view an opinion on what the correct side really is. Overall Monster is a well written statement on the unfortunately true issues that many face.

Rating, based upon Voya's review codes:

3Q 3P S

Youth Portrayal in the Media

Though only tasked with finding one article about teens I have come prepared with two. However they are directly related to each other.

The first (found here http://bit.ly/1QhLUkt). discusses a program known as the Community Journalism Program, in which Journalism students from Hofstra University meet with students from the Hempstead High School Newspaper Club. The Hofstra students teach the Newspaper Club how to write feature articles and discuss the journalism profession. Both the university students and high school students benefit from this program. The university students are getting hands on mentoring and teaching experience, while the high school students are preparing for potential future careers.

One idea that this program is stressing is diversity, which is where article number two comes in (http://bit.ly/1NU7jhU). This article was written by one of the Hempstead High School students that is part of the Community Newspaper Program. She briefly describes her history, coming to this country as a child that spoke very little English, and how she now being bilingual and older, can understand how both new and returning students of Hempstead High School feel. She describes that new students, particularly those that have come here to make a better life for themselves, but speak limited English can feel stressed and neglected in a school that does not always have the ability to help them. Additionally, they also can be made to feel unwelcome by some of the returning students that see new, non-English speaking students as a hindrance to their own education because of the limited supplies that the district possess. Because she has been on both sides of this issue, the author works within her school to unite all students and makes a plea to those in power to help to unite her school community.  

These articles portray youth in both a positive and negative light. The Community Newspaper Program is greatly influencing students at both Hofstra University and Hempstead High School, to the point where a participant has had her own article published in a local paper. However it is this student’s article that begins to portray some youth in a negative light. There are students that make other feel uncomfortable because of their status as English language speakers, and the feeling that such students are taking supplies out of the hands of those that speak English as a native language that were born in the United States. Yet despite this there are students that work towards the greater good to unite the school community as one, which will greatly benefit the community as a whole.