@Cybils2018 Announces Judges!

The judges for @Cybilsawards @Cybils2018 were announced September 18 on the Cybils page.
You can see the lists here 

I am a 2018 Cybils YA Speculative Fiction Judge. The Cybils Awards recognize the best books in Children's and YA for the year. This year is the tenth anniversary of the Cybils Awards. Cybils judges are children's and YA bloggers who review books on their blogs and champion literacy in young readers. I am thrilled to represent this blog!

Pamela's Picks for Book Club Titles: Middle School to Adult

Every year, librarians and teachers ask about books for book clubs. I have made this list from the last two years of book club reads at our school:

Suggested Books for Book Clubs:
These are books are members have read over the two years. 

Grade 6: 

Barnhill, Kelly. The Girl Who Drank the Moon. Algonquin Young Readers
Bell, CeCe. El Deafo. Harry N. Abrams, 2014. 978-14197121732014. 
Collins, Suzanne. Gregor the Overlander. Scholastic Paperbacks, 2004. 978-0439678131

Giff, Patricia Reilly. Pictures of Hollis Woods. Yearling, 2004. 978-0312674854

Grisham, John. Skipping Christmas, Dell, 2010. 978-0440422969
Sunny Side Up, Holm, Jennifer L. GRAPHIX, 2015. 978-0545741668

Horowitz, Anthony. Skeleton Key, Puffin Books, 2006. Skeleton Key, 978-0142406144

Palacio, R.J. Wonder, Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2014. 978-0375869020

Pennypacker, Sara. Pax.  Balzer + Bray, 2016. 978-0062377012

Grade 7:

Bodeen, S.A. The Compound. Square Fish. 2009. 978-0312578602

Carter, Ally. Heist Society. Disney-Hyperian. 2011. 978-1423116615

       Deuker, Carl . Gym Candy. HMH Books for Young Readers. 2008. 978-0547076317

       Doctorow, Cory. Little Brother. Tor Teen. 2010. 978-0765323118

Falkner, Brian. Brain Jack. Ember, 2011. 978-0375843679

      Hirsch, Jeff. The Darkest Path. Scholastic Press. 2013. 978-0545630627

      Morris, Paula.  Ruined. Point, 2010. 978-0545042147

      Sloan, Goldberg Holly. Counting by 7s. Puffin, 2014. 978-0142422861

Stiefvater, Maggie. Shiver. Scholastic, Inc. 2014. 978-0545682787

Volk, Lauren. Wolf Hollow. Dutton Books for Young Readers, 2016. 978-1101994825

Grade 8:

       Charbonneau, Joelle. The Testing. HMH Books for Young Readers, 2015. 978-0544336230

Dashner, James. Maze Runner. Delacourte Press, 2010. 978-0385737951

Fukuda, Andrew. The Hunt. St. Martin’s Griffin, 2012. 978-1250005298

Henry, April. Girl, Stolen. Square Fish, 2012. 978-0312674755

Lu, Marie. Legend. Speak, 2013. 978-0142422076

      Michaels, Rune. Genesis Alpha. Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2011. 978-1416965008Henry,

Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Scholastic Paperbacks, 2000. 978-0439064873

Stand, Jeff. A Bad Day for Voodoo. Sourcebooks Fire, 2012. 978-1402266805

High School:

Arnold, David. Mosquitoland. Speak, 2016. 978-0147513656

Knudsen, Michelle. Evil Librarian. Candlewick, 2016. 978-0763676407

Kraus, Daniel. The Death and Life of Zebulon Finch . Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2016. 978-1481411400

Ohanesian, Iline. Orhan's Inheritance. Algonquin Books, 2016. 978-1616205300

Smith, Andrew. 100 Sideways Miles. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2015. 978-1442444966

Smith, Andrew. Grasshoppper Jungle, Speak, 2015. : 978-0142425008

Smith, Andrew. Winger, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2014. 978-1442444935

Smith, Andrew. Standoff. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers , 2016. 978-1481418300

Weingarten, Lynn. Suicide Notes From Beautiful Girls. Simon Pulse, 2016. 978-1481418584

Adult Titles:

Bick, Ilse. Ashes. EgmontUSA, 2012. 978-1606843857
Goolrick, Robert. A Reliable Wife. Algonquin, 2010. 978-156512977

Eugenides, Jeffrey. Middlesex. Picador, 2002. 978-03124277331

Eugenides, Jeffrey. The Virgin Suicides. Picador, 2009. 978-0312428815
Hadon, Mark. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time. Vintage Contemporaries, 2004. 978-1400032716
Roorbach, Bill. Life Among Giants. Algonquin, 2013. 978-1616203245
Rindell, Suzanne. The Typist. G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2014. 978-0425268421

Sedaris, David. Naked.  Back Bay Books, 1998. 978-0316777735
Shapiro, B.A., The Art Forger. Algonquin, 2013. 978-1616203160
Zafon, Carlos Ruiz. The Shadow of the Wind. Penguin, 2005. 978-0143034902

Zevin, Gabrielle. The Storied Life of A.J. Fikrey. Algonquin, 2014. 978-1616204518

Picture Book Pick: Bad Guy

Bad Guy
by Hannah Barnaby
Illustrated by Mike Yamada
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
2017
32 pages
ISBN: 9781481460101


Devious, dastardly and devilish, Bad Guy is a delight! A young boy has great adventures being a bad guy. He is a pirate and treasure hunter, he captures superheroes, he goes to space and swallows astronauts and on Friday, he even eats his sister's brain! Bad Guys always get in trouble, and when Mom lays down the law, even a Bad Guy can turn Good.

Mom takes the children to the library where the Bad Guy gets books with all kinds of ideas and he begins to plot his Bad Guy strategy. But sometimes even Bad Guys are outsmarted! Readers will love the unexpected and fun plot twist. This is a book that both young boys and girls will cheer for!

Smart illustrations with inside jokes are sure to please adult readers. The book Alice is reading is titled Eat, Prey, Love (wink)! This author and illustrator team is a winning one!

Highly, highly recommended ages 1-up. Great fun and sure to be Audrey-approved! (Audrey is my 2 year old niece who KNOWS what she likes!)

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

Surviving/Thriving Your Book Conference or Book Festival--Tips,Tricks & Hacks

Surviving/Thriving Your State Library Conference or Book Festival

Texas Library Association   San Antonio 2017

B4 the Conference: 

1. Plan early! If your conference is in April (like Texas's), you need to begin planning in October.

2. Make sure and write down  the dates of the conference and plan your flight, drive or bus ride to the conference.

3. I have to travel over 9 hours (at least!) by car or fly the day before the conference to arrive in time for the kick-off day. Events on the first day start at 7:00 or 8:00 a.m.

4. Reserve your hotel room. I've always liked to have my own room, but if you don't mind, you can share with someone else. Make sure to find your roommate in advance and have a stand-by plan in case something falls through. If your roommate backs out, you are still on the hook for the cost of the entire room.

HELPFUL TIP: I don't like to stay at the Conference hotel that is right next to the event. There is so much foot traffic in and out of your hotel. Eating at the hotel is nearly impossible. Room service super slow. Elevators crowded and seem not to be in order. I stay at a hotel a bit further away for less traffic, quicker service, nicer eating experiences and instant elevators.

4. Get your travel request in. Every school district is different. Check what your district requires you to submit. Your district will probably pay for the conference fee, your plane ticket, hotel and per dium  for meals. Keep your meal receipts--make sure you have the itemized ones...not the credit card printed out fee. Your receipts can be turned in after you are home for payment to you. Be sure to turn in hotel itemized receipt as well. Your district may pay for Internet fees and parking fees if you used the garage.

5. Plan if you are attending any ticketed events. Texas offers all the colleges dinner nights, dinners with authors, Bluebonnet luncheon, several ticketed sessions, Texas tea with YA authors and other events. Payment is made in advance of conference. Make sure you have printed out your receipt of paid tickets. Take the receipts with you to events in case there is any mix-up.

6. If you have a blog or library web page, make sure that you print out business cards. Include your twitter handle on your cards and your website!

7. Take one extra rolling bag.  You will need it for free books that you take home! Not a problem if driving. If you are flying. Put your smaller bag inside your empty larger roller. Southwest allows two free bags.

8. Check shuttle bus schedules. If you are at a large state conference, shuttle buses may run a.m. and p.m. but shut down after 12 noon to 4. Make sure you are on the bus before noon or you're hoofing it back to your hotel. Not a problem unless you picked up too many free books!

9. Check downtown restaurants sites and menus. You want to have some idea of where to eat. Your hotel desk also has a map to downtown eateries and streets.

10. The city library or high school libraries may have events for visiting librarians. Check before you go.

11. Exchange phone numbers and email addresses with traveling buddies. It's important if you are staying in different hotels to text your friends and let them know of upcoming events. Sometimes tickets become available SUDDENLY and you can alert your friends. Last year, they let extra people in at one of the ticketed breakfast for FREE! 

Arrival: 

1. Check in at your hotel. Plan your conference if you have not already done so. Mark your program and download to app for your conference. Also check the Twitter feed to see news and tweets about the conference. Twitter can get you some great swag and you'll meet up with other librarians, bloggers, writers and publishers.

2. Visit the conference site and check in/register the day before the event. If you wait until the morning of the conference, lines are LONG and you may miss your first event standing in a line. In Texas and other states I'm sure, you can pick up your badges and ribbons that designate what round tables or events you belong to. Also, if you don't have it already, and you are with the press, make sure you pick up your press passes.

3. Check with your hotel to see if you can get Internet for free or free breakfast. Some hotels offer snacks at happy hour as well.

4. Figure out where/when you will eat breakfast. Snacks and breakfast are offered at the convention center, but lines are long (Starbucks lines impossible, of course!). Your hotel may offer complimentary breakfast. Eat something because your options are limited. The snacks and meals at convention centers are overpriced. 

Conference: 

1. Day one is usually the Keynote speaker. In Texas the Keynotes have been AMAZING! I always go the the Keynote event. Librarians will be tweeting about this! If you're a Twitter fan, make sure to look up from your phone! Don't miss the entire conference because you are too busy tweeting it for someone else to experience it!

2. Make sure to leave several hours open for shopping/visiting booths at the conference. Publishers are eager to GIVE away free books!

3. Check your program for giveaways and signings. If it's a "hot" title or author, you may have to get in line over an hour early to get a book signed or a free copy.

4. Watch the Twitter feed for freebies and author sightings.

5. If you are invited to any free breakfasts, lunches, dinners or happy hours, be sure and attend. Free food and authors. Cool!

6. Network!

7. Have business cards to hand out and get cards!

8. Check your empty rolling bag at bag check when you enter the convention center. Use a backpack or over shoulder bag to collect free books. If they get super heavy, go by bag check and empty your carry bag into the rolling bag. Go back for more free books.

9. Most convention centers have a mailing center. If you are flying, mail your free books home to yourself from the conference. Airlines charge for heavy bags. If driving, then no problem. Also, hotels may have a mailing center.

10. Most downtown conference centers have restaurants near the convention center. You should plan ahead and know where you will eat lunch.

11. Be sure and go  to the Welcome party and fun events. In Texas, there is a book cart drill (hilarious), artist sketch off, night parties and dinners. There is also a golf tourney and a fun run. Sometimes there are yoga events and walking tours. One of the greatest and most fun and FUNNY classes is laughing yoga! Downward dog, anyone?

12. Don't over schedule. If you plan to visit back-to-back events all day every day, you can't network and you'll be to busy to enjoy the books/authors.

13. If you chose a session and realize that it's not for you, don't be afraid to get up and walk out. It is not considered rude at all. I know it seems so, but it happens constantly throughout all the events. If it's not for you and it won't help you, find another session that will.

14. Sometimes sessions are billed as one thing, but then the content is something else. Maybe you were looking for elementary ideas and the presenter(s) are giving high school content only. Don't be afraid of leaving.

15. Twitter has opened the door to a lot of new learning and sharing. Use the app!

After the conference: 

1. Get home and relax!

2. Look at your loot! I regularly come home with 100+ books!

3. Turn in all receipts to your secretary.

4. Make a file on your computer for all email addresses from business cards you collected.

5.  Blog or tweet about conference. Help others in your district attend next year.

6. Present what you learned to your district or city.

7. Plan new events for your program.

8. Plan your next conference.

Kizoa Video Texas Library Convention

Texas Library Convention 2016

Check out this short Kizoa presentation of images from the Texas Library Convention in Houston, Texas, April 19-22, 2016. Free books, swag, awesome events and luncheons and authors, authors, authors!

This Is Why Libraries MATTER...This Is Why Reading MATTERS...This Is Why Books MATTER

I think it'd be great to have a moment for those who want to...reflect on one moment this year that they thought....this is why libraries MATTER....this is why reading MATTERS....this is why books MATTER....

Here's mine, just happened....

I just had a I Love Libraries moment.


2 of my super great readers were discussing Anna Carey's Eve series. One girl explaining to the other girl the cliffhanger at the end of book 2...conversation went on over ten minutes as I eavesdropped. They were both so into the book, they didn't notice me. When they looked over, I had my hands in a heart and said, "This is why libraries MATTER!"


I wish I had it on video...we may have to reenact it....pure gold....

Post your comments here or Tweet to #NLW16 #LibrariesTransform and #SISDheartsLibraries

I hope to hear your shares!

Memoir Pick: Dimestore: A Writer's Life

Dimestore: A Writer's Life
by Lee Smith
Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill
2016
200 pages
ISBN: 9781616205027


Lee Smith's collection of personal essays embeds her as  the voice of Appalachia. Her life story reads like a country song of religion, love, life, birth, death, pain, suffering, and joy. She grew up the only child of a hard working shopkeeper and his wife. Smith's town was full of kin: cousins, uncles, aunts, and twice removed more distant cousins. Everybody who wasn't related to each other at least knew each other. There were no secrets in town...at least no long kept secrets. Church was the center of their lives: revivals, services, church suppers, prayer meetings, funerals, and baptisms.

Children ran though the hills, swam in the river, caught fish in the stream, played up and down in  all the hollers, and came home with a hand full of wildflowers or a jar of lightning bugs. Smith conjures up the magic and wisdom of a time and  a place so distant that most of us can't recall. Folks went to church on Sunday or faced the rest of the town's scorn. People stood at attention for the pledge and celebrated being American and free.

Mothers cooked three meals a day, kids ate a lunch packed in a brown paper bag, fathers sometimes sat down to dinner late, but they always had their dinner at the table. Main street consisted of the dimestore, the post office, a movie theatre, a fire house and not much else. Some topics were never talked about. Mental illnesses were called by gentler terms, "a bout," "an episode," "kindly nervous."  When someone died, the whole town took notice and brought dishes of food. Think "Mayberry RFD" with Loretta Lynn thrown in. The town of Grundy doesn't exist anymore having been flooded by the Army Corps of Engineers, but Lee Smith's love letter to a bygone town and time live on as an endearing place of love and family.

Smith pays tribute to writing and the love of reading. She includes passages of fiction and poetry written by some of her adult students. She celebrates the life and poetry of Lou Crabtree and spoke at her funeral. Lou was an elderly lady when Smith met her at a writing workshop she was teaching. Lou had suitcases full of poems and fiction and she wrote to please herself never once thinking of publishing. She wrote to soothe herself, to calm herself, to see something on the page that made her happy. That is what writing should be! Later, Smith includes a quote from Anne Tyler who said, "I write because I want more than one life." Not to get rich, not to be famous, not to travel or to be on television. Writing for the people in Smith's essays is the essence of their being.

Thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining, this short read (200 pages) is satisfying for the soul. Smith presents a simpler way of life in the glowing halo of wistful nostalgia, but it's beautiful and ethereal.

Highly recommended for adult and mature readers and all book clubs. Anyone who loves small town America, the South, and Appalachia will love this book.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

Professional Pick: The Handbook for Storytellers

The Handbook for Storytellers
by Judy Freeman and Caroline Feller Bauer
ALA Editions
2015
394 pages with subject, author and title  indices
ISBN: 9780838911006

The Handbook for Storytellers is a must-have how to book for storytellers.

This handy how-to compendium is  for seasoned storytellers or beginning tale tellers and is bound to become the most highlighted, tagged, bookmarked, post-it noted, and dog-eared well-loved volume on the book shelf. Judy Freeman has left no stone unturned. She has included numerous well-loved and lesser known stories that can be used with children of all ages. Her helpful hints include ideas of using props including kites, textiles, dolls, puzzles and toys. Ideas for gifts for children to take away from an event  include uncooked pasta to remember Strega Nona, dried peas in remembrance of "The Princess and the Pea," or a piece of rope to remember  The Lion & the Mouse.

I was fortunate enough to attend a day-long session where  Freeman."presented" As a presenter, she came equipped with literally thousands of props, books, instruments, artifacts, and odds and ends. Out of seemingly magical trunks, she created an experience for the audience that this educator/librarian will never forget. A child lucky enough to see Freeman perform would be mesmerized. Storytelling is a time honored tradition that should be embraced and practiced in every library, classroom and children's program. There is nothing as magical as listening--truly listening-- to a wild tale and creating that "movie" in one's mind.

Folklore stories and trickster tales, myths, legends, fairy tales, and modern day versions of old tales are included in the book. Freeman also adds "Favorite Stories To Tell"--the favorites selected by Bauer and Freeman out of thousands of books and stories they both have read/learned. These are listed by subject for easier accessibility.  Stories are listed by title, author, and publication and contain a brief synopsis. The indices in the back of the book also allow storytellers to find what they need. The preface by Freeman is a beautiful testament to the two authors' friendship and collaboration. Freeman expresses her love and gratitude for the dynamo she knew as Caroline Feller Bauer. I never met Bauer, but I've seen Judy perform, and it's a gift. If you ever have a chance to attend one of her seminars, you will have a front row seat to something that will change your presentations forever.

I love this book! It will come in handy in any program. My copy already has tons of post-it notes sticking out of it. Post-it note inventor, thank you!

Highly, highly recommended for any librarian, teacher, minister, public speaker, presenter, counselor, well, just about everyone!

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Texas Library Conference: Taking Texas By Storm

 

Texas Library Conference

Austin, Texas

April 14-17, 2015

 

That's Naomi Bates (on right) and me, Pamela Thompson (on left) right before we sit down to interview the keynote speaker,  New York Times best-selling author David Baldacci! What a thrill!

You can find David's books at any bookseller and almost always on the Top Ten list. David has recently entered the YA market with the release of his first YA title, The Finisher. I reviewed it last year and interviewed David with a group of librarians and book sellers.

Naomi filmed the interview at TLA and  that I'll post it  to the blog soon.

David Baldacci is a practiced speaker. In the keynote, he was entertaining and witty. A crowd of 4,700 librarians attended the conference this year and everyone enjoyed the keynote. He talked about writing and being a famous author and how it's not that different from anything else. He admits he often wrote his finest fiction when practicing law (big laughs from the audience). A case of mistaken identity where a woman mistook him for the other lawyer turned writer, John Grisham, also got big laughs. Baldacci spends his time writing and in charity work. His charity "Wish You Well" donates books to food banks. Baldacci says we all need food to eat in order to survive, but "we can do better." Books are food for the soul.

As for the rest of the conference, it was equally entertaining. Whether networking with other Texas librarians or chatting up the authors, the conference was a blast! I stopped by to see Nikki Loftin, (author of Wish Girl)  and congratulate her on a fantastic book. She was Texas sweet. She jumped up and hugged me and thanked me for my review. Wish Girl is the BEST middle grade book I've read in years and I told Nikki that I see many awards in her future. Nikki said that she was turning the guest bedroom in her house into the "Pamela Thompson suite" and invited me to stay with her any time I'm in Austin. How Texan is that?!

A road  trip to Austin would never be complete without bluebonnets. They were blooming everywhere! The hill country sure came out for me. Bluebonnets as far as the eye could see! Like Wish Girl, the bluebonnets are a love letter for Texas.

Austin Teen Book Festival

I'm off to Austin for the Austin Teen Book Fair. More information and a list of authors.

It's huge attracting YA authors from around the country. We plan to see as many YA authors as possible. My daughter and I were able to get media badges and will be able to interview a couple of exciting authors. Then we plan to go on the Austin Duck Adventures. It's a tour that takes visitors all over downtown Austin including the capitol (in the background of the picture above) and the famous music venue, Sixth Street, where more musicians have been discovered that any place (well, almost), then the bus becomes a boat and takes tourists on Lake Austin! More information about the Duck tour

Later, we plan to eat at the world renowned Ruth's Chris Steak House. I've always wanted to eat there but never had the chance before. They are supposed to have the best steaks in the world. I will be the judge of that!

I'll post about the festival and all that was seen and heard upon our return.
Pamela

High School Pick: The Unbearable Book Club for Unsinkable Girls

The Unbearable Book Club for Unsinkable Girls
by Julie Schumacher
Delacourte Press
2012
227 pages

Forced into a mother-daughter book club, four very different girls have to spend time together. CeeCee would probably never talk to Adrienne or Jill, but because of a teeny tiny car accident, she’s being punished.

Adrienne feels as if she’s being punished by her mother. Her mother seems distant and argumentative. Adrienne has never known her father, and feels neglected by someone who’s never even seen her. When she tries to get answers out of her mother, her mother answers questions with other questions. Their household is entirely dysfunctional. Adrienne breaks a few rules and curfew, but she’s still a quiet girl with her head on straight. The same can’t be said for other members of the dysfunctional book club.

Wallis is an enigma to the other girls. She lives in the woods, but no one has ever been to her house. Her mother never attends the book club, and Wallis always has an excuse for her absence. The other mothers seem worried but it never occurs to them to investigate.

The book club decides to read only books by women authors and begin with a short story “The Yellow Wallpaper.” Then they read Frankenstein and question whether the monster is good or bad; they finish with The Left Hand of Darkness. No wonder the girls were bored, and confused! What a weird list of books/stories to read! No wonder they called the club Unbearable!

A few poignant moments when I almost loved CeeCee, and readers will probably like Adrienne and be stumped by Wallis’s “problems.” Jill is the most “normal” character of them all. Girls with mother problems will empathize with Adrienne.

Recommended grades 8-up. Some mature topics and talk. No details. The terms lesbian, slut and hermaphrodite are used in girls’ conversations. Not for younger readers.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I purchased this book for my library. Caution: I used Follett’s advice on grade level. Actually, I think grades 8 and up. Parents of middle school may not want to answer questions about hermaphrodites.

Cool Booklists for Teens

I have lists of Top Ten Young Adult Reads
100 Books for the College Bound Teen
Books for Girls
Books for Boys
Books for Teens
click here for lists of suggested books