Summer Reading Programs

Summer Reading was very successful this year. I issued a challenge to the local teens that if 500 of them signed up for the Summer Reading Program (SRP) I'd bleach my hair and dye it bright pink. To get the word out about SRP I went to all the local schools and the Boys and Girls Club and told them about the reading portion, the prizes, the programs portion, and my challenge. I also used the library Facebook group to promote it.

In the end we had 520 teens sign-up. This is our third summer doing a teen SRP, and we had 372 teens sign-up the first year, 368 the second, so you can see how big of a leap it was. Now, next year, I'll have some sort of challenge based on how many hours they read. My library board has suggested I jump out of a plane, which kinda makes me wonder if they are trying to replace me or something :) My main issue with the plane idea is that it is too hard to top the next year.

The programs were also very successful. I'm very pleased with the number of teens that came to the movies, crafts, and game days.
Movies: Twilight, The Clique, Paul Blart: Mall Cop, City of Ember, Hairspray, and Prince Caspian.
Crafts: Twilight crafts, bleaching t-shirts, fish print t-shirts, t-shirt tote bags, spa crafts, and marble magnets.

Youth Book Award predictions

I like trying to guess the books that will win the Caldecott, Newbery, and Printz awards. It lets me take a look at some of the titles from the year and be a little snarky. Snarky because of my feelings on the awards lately, and that like many others, I don't think they actually have much connection to what youth want to read. Back in May I talked about some of my feelings on the subject.

So my picks for the 2008 winners:
Caldecott: Always a tough category to call, especially for me. My favorites so far this year are Dinosaur vs. Bedtime by Bob Shea, Frankenstein Takes the Cake by Adam Rex, and Katie Loves the Kittens by John Himmelman. In the case of Dinosaur... and Katie Loves... I think the text and pictures match perfectly, which is the goal. Otherwise, I'm guessing it will be a title that's on SLJ's Best Books of 2008 list.

Newbery: I'm still going with The Underneath by Kathi Applet, which I admit I haven't read yet. I like her Bubba and Beau picture books, so I'll give Underneath a try.
I'd love to see a book like Diary of a Wimpy Kid win, something that is pure comedy. Or the new books by two of my favorite authors Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett could make the honor list for Newbery or Printz. Probably won't happen, but they are both making other lists at least.

Printz: Gotta say Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan, which I haven't read yet, but is getting lots of buzz lately. Other ones I think are likely: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart, Paper Towns by John Green, Little Brother by Cory Doctorow, or Graceling by Kristin Cashore. Pratchett's Nation has a chance for an honor at least I hope. The winner will probably be something no one would have guessed, if the last two years are anything to judge by.

What titles are you predicting? We'll find out in about a month. I'll be breaking in the new children's librarian at that point, so it'll be interesting to hear her views on the winners, and we'll have to try and find time to read them.

Duct Tape

Duct Tape is one of my favorite crafts to do with me teens, and one of their favorites as well. We usually do it 2-3 times a in year. This past summer one of the tweens in the group started up a business selling purses after learning how to make them at a program. Other teens have found duct tape items are a good gift. My teens seem to like it best if I leave it up to them what to make.

Supplies needed:
-Duct tape in a variety of colors. I usually get at least three or four rolls of the standard silver-grey and half a dozen in other colors. I encourage them to use the silver-grey as the base, and add decorations with the others.
-Some good scissors. Duct tape isn't hard to cut, but if they are using things like cardboard you'll need strong scissors. And yes, you can tear duct tape, but some teens have trouble with that, and cutting it leaves a cleaner edge.
-Patterns and directions. I use ones from the Duck Tape Club and books, such as Got Tape? Many of the teens are fine to figure out what they are making on their own, but the first time they usually want directions. Make extra copies of the basic ones.
-Rulers

Optional supplies:
-Paper punches of various shapes and sizes.
-Cardboard, to use as support in some projects
-Waxpaper. If you put a piece of duct tape on wax paper, it can then be cut into shape or put in a paper punch, and then peeled off to be stuck to something else.
-Add-ons, i.e. fake flowers, gems, fringe
-Hot glue gun


To start with, I give the teens a quick lesson in making duct tape fabric, show them the patterns, and mention a few words of caution about being patient and not taping themselves or each other to things. And then it is basically up to them, and walking around helping them.

Some things my teens have made: wallets, purses, roses, sculptures, hats, gloves, shirts, skirts, flip-flops, wings, and my personal favorite: a Guitar Hero style duct tape banjo.

Overall it is a decent priced craft to do. Duct tape is somewhat expensive, but it lasts awhile and is useful to have around.
Price: ~$25-$50 for 2-3 programs
Age range: 11 and up
Time: 1 hour or more

Teen Craft Resources online

While there's not a lot targeted at teen librarians, there are a tons of good craft websites on the net, some general and some specifically teen geared. Here's some of my favorite to sift through:
-Instructables - How to make cool DIY project. Instructions on how to make almost anything you can think of and lots that you never would. Some of it is pretty impractical for most library programs, i.e. too complicated and expensive.
-Not Martha - Not the sort of projects Martha Stewart would generally make. Not a ton of stuff, but fun, and has good links. Someday I will knit myself this wig.
-Cut Out + Keep - Sort of like a less tech heavy version of Instructables. Slightly more practical for library programs. Sadly, not all the projects actually have instructions. If you work with teens that sew, there's a good variety here to choose from
- Craftster - Crafting Community & Forums: Crafts, Patterns, Projects & Craft Ideas. Less instructions than I'd like, but lots of cool things to look at.
- Diary of a Crafty Chica - Blog and website with some really cool stuff. Some of it is way more complex than I'd get into with my teens, but there's some workable/adaptable ideas. She's also got a line of books and craft supplies. I really like her Crafty Diva books, and have used them with my teens.

Next time, some crafts and a book list.

Teen Crafts for Libraries

As a teen librarian, I've always got my eye out for good crafts to do with teens. And I have found that there aren't really that many resources out there targeted at crafts for teen librarians, not like what there is for children's librarians or teen book reviews. So, I've decided that that's something I can do. There is a book coming out, soon rumor has it, called, The Hipster Librarian's Guide to Teen Craft Projects, which promises to be most helpful.

Stay tuned, and if you have a good craft, please comment or contact me in some way.

Banned Books Week

It is the start of Banned Books Week, which raises awareness of challenged and banned books, and celebrates the freedom to read.

Public libraries are places for people of all walks of life to come together, and thus must cater to a wide range of interests, reading levels, and upbringings. What is right for one family might be offensive to another. The important thing is that public libraries do serve everyone and it is up to individuals to choose for themselves and their children what to read and watch, and not force their choices on the rest of population. To paraphase my father, if the library collection doesn't have some items that offend you and/or that you wouldn't want to read, then you aren't doing your job. Our freedom to choose what we want to read and to have access to it is one of the benefits of living in a democracy, and one that librarians continue to fight for.

From the ALA website here's the “10 Most Challenged Books of 2007” which reflect a range of themes, and consist of the following titles:

1) “And Tango Makes Three,” by Justin Richardson/Peter Parnell
Reasons: Anti-Ethnic, Sexism, Homosexuality, Anti-Family, Religious Viewpoint, Unsuited to Age Group

2) The Chocolate War,” by Robert Cormier
Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Violence

3) “Olive’s Ocean,” by Kevin Henkes
Reasons: Sexually Explicit and Offensive Language

4) “The Golden Compass,” by Philip Pullman
Reasons: Religious Viewpoint

5) “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” by Mark Twain
Reasons: Racism

6) “The Color Purple,” by Alice Walker
Reasons: Homosexuality, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language,

7) "TTYL,” by Lauren Myracle
Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group

8) "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” by Maya Angelou
Reasons: Sexually Explicit

9) “It’s Perfectly Normal,” by Robie Harris
Reasons: Sex Education, Sexually Explicit

10) "The Perks of Being A Wallflower,” by Stephen Chbosky
Reasons: Homosexuality, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group

The ten most frequently challenged authors of 2007:

1) Robert Cormier
2) Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson
3) Mark Twain
4) Toni Morrison
5) Philip Pullman
6) Kevin Henkes
7) Lois Lowry
8) Chris Crutcher
9) Lauren Myracle
10) Joann Sfar

Some authors and their books that didn't make the list this year that are frequently challenged that you may have read:

J.K. Rowling and Harry Potter

Madeline L'Engle and Wrinkle in Time

C.S. Lewis and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

Dav Pilkey and Captain Underpants

Katherine Paterson and Bridge to Terabithia and The Great Gilly Hopkins

Barbara Park and Junie B. Jones

Summer movie rundown

I've been going to see a movie every weekend lately. Which is nice (though expensive) as I saw like three movies in theaters last year.

Iron Man- Best superhero movie of the last year or two, though way more violent. Marvel is laying the groundwork for something big. Robert Downey Jr. is the perfect Tony Stark. Go for the theater if possible, and remember to stay through the credits.

Get Smart- A fun film, not great but funny. Steve Carell and Anne Hathaway make a nice team, though the chemistry isn't quite there. Dwayne Johnson and Masi Oka are fun. A good rental, but if you don't know the original show, you might not get some of the jokes.

WALL-E- Definitely the best of the bunch. Check out my full review. Go see this in theaters.

Wanted- I don't really like violent movies or movies with really stupid plot devices, and this movie unfortunately is both. Four words: Mystical loom of fate. It wants to be Kill Bill or the Matrix, but it would need better writing. Rent if you like mindless violence filled movies with Angelina Jolie. Rent Beowulf if you like Angelina Jolie, violent and intelligent movies.

Hellboy II- Good movie, fun characters, lots of action and humor, and a gaping plothole. However the huge fight happens so soon after the plothole that you won't have time to consider it. Great creatures throughout, though some appear to be Pan's Labyrinth leftovers. Del Toro is good at combining humor, action, and scary stuff, so I'm quite hopefully about the Hobbit. If you liked the first Hellboy go see this one in the theater, it deserves the big screen.

This weekend is The Dark Knight, which looks very promising.