New-ish Release: Dear Fahrenheit 451

It says something about the quality of writing in Dear Fahrenheit 451: Love and Heartbreak in the Stacks (A Librarian's Love Letters and Breakup Notes to the Books in Her Life) that I could enjoy it even though I had only read a handful of the books that Annie Spence mentioned. Each of the letters that she wrote is funny and insightful and a fun look into the mind of a librarian and lifelong reader.  There are books that she always has and always will love. There are books that didn't age well for her. There are books that she wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole (literally). And there are books that she loves to recommend -- sometimes successfully!

Honestly, as I read this, I started ignoring many of the actual titles (usually because they were books I had ZERO interest in -- Spence and I do not overlap much in our bookish tastes) and just focusing on the feelings. I did add one book to my library list--The Fledgling by Jane Langton--and I look forward to exploring its ability to inspire a young Spence so much with its presentation of transcendentalism and Thoreau that she eventually named her son Walden. Because, though we all read and love different books, each loving reader experiences the same highs and lows. One day I may even write a few letters to books of my own that have affected me.

Which book would you write a love letter to?

Epistolarily,
K

Do Not Miss: The Great Library Series

I've spent a lot of this summer searching for fun, escapist reads and I stumbled across Rachel Caine's Great Library series. It's an alternate history YA dystopia full of forbidden knowledge and peril and a wee bit of romance.

The first book in the series is Ink and Bone, the story of Jess Brightwell, a book smuggler from London who earns a place in the newest group of Great Library trainees. The Great Library (in Alexandria -- it never burned) is the ruling force of the world, keeping books and knowledge under lock and key, doling out only what they deem safe and in the best interests of the Library. Shortly, Jess and some of his fellow postulants will discover that their best interests might not be those that the Library has always dictated to them.

Picking up right where the first book left off, Paper and Fire follows Jess and friends as they become scholars, soldiers, and captives. However, the more information that they are exposed to, the more they are determined to help the Library become what it should be--a beacon of light and knowledge--rather than a scary, totalitarian regime.

I sped through these books. Seriously. I couldn't read them fast enough. They're chock-full of excitement, but excitement that has secret depth and some important themes about why we should value free-flowing information and ideas. The relationships are complex and no character seems off-bounds for disaster. I've already been shocked a few times, both by current actions and about revelations from the past.

I don't know how long this series is going to be but I'm a bit bummed that this second book JUST came out because I'm dying to know what is going to happen next!

Feeling the burn,
K

Review Postponed: The Case of the Missing Books

Last week I read the first in Ian Sansom's Mobile Library Mystery series, The Case of the Missing Books.  I bought the first three books in the series (the fourth has just been released) because I thought it would be a sure fit for me.  Israel Armstrong, a young London librarian down on his luck, finds an opportunity in Northern Ireland that he doesn't think he can pass up -- until he arrives and finds that the library has been closed and he is expected to operate a mobile library instead.  Even worse, the books are nowhere to be found.  And it also doesn't help that he is a socially awkward Jewish-Irish hybrid who is having trouble understanding the language and ways of the small town he finds himself in.

I wanted to love this book but I didn't.  Some of the characters grew on me by the end of the book but sadly the main character never did.  And yet there was just enough in this book to make me curious enough to want to read the next one in the series.  I need to see if Israel grows into a character that I will want to keep following through more mysteries.  So I have decided to reserve judgment on the Mobile Library Mysteries until I have read at least one more book in the series.  The reviews seem to get slightly better as the series progresses and I hope my opinion improves as well!

Giving this series another try because I want to,
K


Support our site and buy The Case of the Missing Books on Amazon or find it at your local library. We bought our own copy.

Children's Summer Reading Programs

One of the things that Z and I accomplished last year was the local library's summer reading program. They had a nice version of it for preschoolers that included singing and taking walks. They release the new summer program today and I'm not sure if he will participate in the preschool program or the youth program.

Some of the corporate summer reading programs are:
Barnes & Noble - read eight books and get a coupon for a free book (grades 1-6)
Borders - read eight books and save 50% on various items (12 and under)
Half-Price Books - read 15 minutes per day and earn a $3 gift card (12 and under)
Scholastic Summer Challenge - log minutes read each day for chances to win prizes - also a younger kids' game

Feel free to leave any other children's summer reading programs or ideas in the comments section! We'll keep you updated on our progress through the local library program.

Building our summer reading list,
K and Z

A Call for School Library Preservation

I'm sure everyone can agree that a love of reading most often begins when one is young. And this love of reading cannot be nurtured without the availability of books to all children. Not all parents can afford to keep a wide variety of books in the home so the most important resource to children are libraries. And the most important libraries for children are those that they can access five days a week -- those at school.

Lucy Coats of An Awfully Big Blog Adventure wrote today about the shocking loss of school libraries in England. I encourage you to go read her author's-view post and then to find out what the situation is in your own neighborhood schools. I know that our district has reduced staff in the libraries to just one librarian in the past couple years. As they reassigned school nurses to two schools instead of one this year, I can only imagine what they will do with librarians. I know that I will be active in trying to save this important educational resource for my kid and yours.

Acknowledging the worth of libraries,
K

I Choose to Read Whatever I Choose

The American Library Association is celebrating Banned Books Week this week. This is the 27th year of celebrating the freedom to read any book that is written. They have a list of the 10 Most Challenged Books of 2007:

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

I haven't heard of six of these books but it seems that sexually explicit writing is particularly troublesome for those trying to keep books on the library shelves. I would argue though that it should be grouped in with the "Religious Viewpoint" complaint because I'm fairly sure that members of the religious demographic are the ones complaining about sex. And it's always surprising that Huck Finn is still being challenged after all this time. It is a relic of another era but necessary to understand another time. I'm glad that someone is out there defending my right to read it -- and any of these other books -- if I so choose.

Read what Sassymonkey wrote about banned books on BlogHer this past weekend.

Choosing to read and not judge what others read,
K

A New Adventure

I am starting something new this week. Z goes back to school on Monday and I will be going as well. I am going to be volunteering in the elementary school library! I will be helping on one afternoon a week with a class of first grade students. The last library experience I had was when I was 15 and I spent a summer putting an entire junior high school card catalog onto a new-fangled computer system they were going to start using. I thought it was fun to see every book that was in the entire library. Yes, I am a raging nerd.

I'm sure this will be much more fun than months of data entry and I can't wait to meet the kids. If it goes well, I might actually do a second day each week with some second graders. This is a chance to get some experience hours if I decide to get my master's degree in library science but I think the best part is just teaching kids to love books!

I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow night.

Excited and a little nervous,
K

Reading Program Accomplished

Our county libraries started a Preschool Reading Program (Catch the Reading Bug!) this year where the little ones get credit for being read to, spending time outdoors, going to the library and singing. Z finished his program this week. We cheated a little because he wasn't actually read to -- he reads his own books. But I think it was great for him to have a goal and to see his progress through the program.

Z ended up getting a toy, a piece of candy, a free kids meal at Ruby's Diner and, the best gift of all, a book. He got On Beyond Bugs: All About Insects from the Cat in the Hat Learning Library. It's a cute book that is chock full of insect information. I've actually noticed it at the bookstore and thought that Z would enjoy it. (Side story: The other day we went to the Insect exhibit at the Pacific Science Center and Z was thrilled to get to hold a Madagascar hissing cockroach. Not one of the "cutest" pictures I've ever taken of him but it'll be a fun time to remember!)

I don't think we will ever need a Reading Program to keep Z reading through the summers but I think it's great to let him know that reading is important and "rewarding". Too many kids end up thinking that books and reading are a punishment. But as we know, books are awesome!

Reading for fun,
K and Z