YALIT/Crit

American Library Association Best Picks for YA's

Here's their 2007 list. You'll see familiar titles but also a few "new" ones. I had considered including "Surrender." Read about this controversial title.

2007 Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults

Anderson, M.T. The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume 1: The Pox Party. Candlewick, 2006. $17.99. (0-7636-2402-0; 9780763624016).

Gratz, Alan. Samurai Shortstop. Penguin Group USA/Dial, 2006. $17.99. (0-8037-3075-6; 9780803730755).

Hartnett, Sonya. Surrender. Candlewick, 2006. $16.99. (0-7636-2768-2; 9780763627683).

McCormick, Patricia. Sold. Hyperion, 2006. $16.99. (0-7868-5171-6; 9780786851713).

Sayres, Meghan Nuttall. Anahita’s Woven Riddle. Abrams/Amulet, 2006. $16.95. (0-8109-5481-8; 9780810954816).

Smelcer, John. The Trap. Henry Holt, 2006. $15.95. (0-8050-7939-4; 9780805079395).

Turner, Megan Whalen. The King of Attolia. HarperCollins/Greenwillow, 2006. $16.99. (0-06-083577-X; 9780060835774).

Werlin, Nancy. The Rules of Survival. Penguin Group USA/Dial, 2006. $16.99. (0-8037-3001-2; 9780803730014).

Yang, Gene Luen. American Born Chinese. Roaring Brook/First Second, 2006. $16.95. (1-59643-152-0; 9781596431522).

Zusak, Markus. The Book Thief. Random House/Alfred A. Knopf, 2006. $16.95. (0-375-83100-2; 9780375831003).

For TWILIGHT Fans

I thought you'd be interested in this list from Florida Teens Read of favorite teen pics from the sunshine state. TWILIGHT was chosen as number 1!

READING?? in Public Schools? Say What?

I thought you would appreciate this sad comment There are so many things wrong here--let's make a list.

YALSA Discussion of YA Titles Featuring Lesbian Teens

YALSA (YA Library Services Association) post from its listserv--

I thought the JOE group would find these recent posts on titles for lesbian teens interesting:

"In response to the discussion about Maureen Johnson's The Bermudez Triangle, I would like to start a list of great teen lesbian novels. I know there is currently a list of queer-friendly titles, but I would love a specifically lesbian list.

Here is what I have off of the top of my head -

The Bermudez Triangle - Maureen Johnson
Keeping You a Secret - Julie Ann Peters
Far from Xanadu - Julie Ann Peters"

Many more titles have come on to the list from other posters.

Challenge to A NORTHERN LIGHT

Just wondering what you all thought about the most recent email regarding A NORTHERN LIGHT? We didn't have enough time at the end of class to talk about it tonight. I hope you will respond.

I'm glad I got to share a little bit about the censorship case I was at the center of some years ago.

I will continue the story next week if you are interested.

The articles/editorials/letters, etc. fill boxes in my cellar. It was an extremely painful time. I truly can emphathize with what this teacher is going through. There are so many issues in her email that we need to pay attention to including the dated curricular straight-jackets teachers find themselves in (same story I got last night from a different source), the suspicion of colleagues when a teacher steps up to make change, the absence of support from administrators and boards of education, the construction of teaching and teachers as a profession which or professionals who can be second-guessed, etc. etc.

Take a look at the resources NCTE provides for teachers who are struggling w/censorship issues.

Thanks! KES

KETURAH'S DESCRIPTION OF LORD DEATH

Each one of us is afraid of death to certain degree; but after we read these, we feel death is not a scary thing after all. :) I enjoy the description about Death in Keturah and Lord Death. KETURAH claims,"I had made friends with death, and it would no longer hold fears for me"(p.168). Lord Death, in her description, is the following: His face was craggy but noble, as if it were cut out of fine stone(p.15).He was beautiful, at once terrifying and irressistible(p.19).Lord Death turned in a flid, graceful motion ...he was tall and fine and strong, ...he was royal and commanding , and his terribel beauty made the humble cottage shine with nobility(p.93). [Lord Death] wished for a wife into whom he might pour his passion( p.100). His limbs were powerful, graceful, his movements almost a dance(p.134). He was air and wind and cloud and birds(p.164). I thought I could see the endless night sky in his eyes, and the stars too. Unspeakable sorrow was there, and matchless beauty(165). Hope you guys enjoy it as much as I do.

What Makes YOU Laugh?

For fun: Check this out.

Very Cool Blogging--Nancy Werlin and the LA Times Book Prizes Festival

I thought you'd enjoy the narrative and pictures at the WERLIN website. As you know, she was a finalist for the L.A. Times Book Prize that TYRELL won. Take a look and enjoy a bit of Ca. sunshine--although we've got our own today!!

LA Times Book Prizes for YA Lit

This prize always gets a lot of buzz in the field. Here are the finalists in the YA category:

YOUNG ADULT FICTION
M.T. Anderson, The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume 1: The Pox Party (Candlewick Press)
Coe Booth, Tyrell (Push/Scholastic)
John Green, An Abundance of Katherines (Dutton Books/Penguin Books for Young Readers)Meg Rosoff, Just in Case (Wendy Lamb Books/Random House)
Nancy Werlin, The Rules of Survival (Dial Books/Penguin Young Readers Group)

You'll see famliar authors and titles there.

THE WINNER--TYRELL Here's the review from School Library Journal (SLJ).

This one is on my summer reading list.

SALE at Barnes and Noble

This week is Barnes & Noble's teacher appreciation week -- 25% off. If you have a teacher ID, you can take advantage of this good sale.

If there's anything you want and do not yet have teacher ID, let me know and I will be happy to buy it for you if it's available here in Syr.

KES