Wuthering Bites

Wuthering Bites is a delightfully dark mix of vampires and the classic, tragic love story of Cathy and Heathcliff, from Charlotte Bronte’s Wuthering Heights.

Significant parts of this new, twisted story match that of Wuthering Heights, with the simple addition of vampires in the mix. Heathcliff and Cathy’s bond begin when her father brings the orphan home and introduces him as her new brother, though Cathy’s blood brother Hindley is less than pleased. Heathcliff’s gypsy blood is apparent, but there is a much darker secret that he is hiding from his new family: the fact that he is a vampire. After Cathy’s betrayal, Heathcliff disappears to make his fortune and then returns to enact his revenge upon the evil Hindley and his family, all while mourning the death of Cathy, who dies soon after his return. This classic story envelopes the new vampire obsession with surprising ease, and is destined to leave readers with a deeper understanding of the story.

Secret Shopper

I went to a library in the Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library system to do some secret library shopping. In this particular library I wandered around the fiction stacks a bit before scoping out the librarians; there were two at a reference desk and they seemed to be answering quite a few questions, so I felt bad taking up their time. Anyway, I walked up to the desk and was greeted with a friendly smile (thankfully!) and asked how I could be helped….

Me: Hi! I’m looking for something to read...

Librarian: Ok, do you have a specific title or author that I could look up?

Me: No, I was kind of hoping you could give me a recommendation of some sort.

Librarian: Oh, ok! Well, do you have a specific author or book that you really like?

Me: Well…I just read the Hunger Games and really liked them, but I was hoping for something more for adults because I tend to read a lot of Young Adult stuff.

Librarian: Ok, so you’re trying to get out of the Young Adult area...let’s see what we can find

At this point, he is clearly searching something on the computer but I have no idea what it is…my gut instinct is that it was NoveList because I know they have a subscription to that database. He seemed to be struggling since I wanted to find a crossover from YA to Adult fiction.

Librarian: Well, what did you like about the Hunger Games?

Me: Ohhh, I really liked that it was in a different sort of world, I guess I kind of like fantasy books like that.

Librarian: Would you be interested in a series?

Me: Definitely!

Librarian: Ok, let me show you what I’ve found and we can see if it’s something that you would like…

He led me over to the Charlaine Harris series that True Blood is based on (which I’ve actually already read…but I didn’t want to tell him that) and told me to look at it and he would see if he could find the first book somewhere. They didn’t have it at that library so he let me know the other branches where it could be found (but never discussed putting a hold on it and getting it sent to this library) and when I seemed interested showed me to the second book in the series. Then he said that I shouldn’t blame him too much if I didn’t like it because he really had no idea with those books…which kind of made me question his assistance, though he was very friendly and helpful the entire time. Overall it was a much more positive experience than I expected to have.

Note: I'm sorry that this was posted late, my plan was to have this happen Thursday afternoon and my dentist appointment in the morning that was scheduled to be a simple teeth cleaning actually turned into two teeth being yanked, so I was busy spending quality time with a pillow and painkillers all day.

"The Higher Power of Lucky" -Susan Patron

Susan Patron’s The Higher Power of Lucky provides readers with a large list of possible topics that could be discussed one-on-one, or in a group setting. Addiction plays a large role in the community, as does unemployment. The wide variety of family situations present in Hard Pan offers a particularly strong base for conversations between younger readers and adults.

 Lucky’s personal life shows examples of divorce, abandonment, the grief of losing a parent, and the uncertainty that comes with having a guardian that (through Lucky’s point of view) does not seem fully invested in parenting a child. Each of these experiences alone can provide quite a bit of uncertainty for children; the combination of these situations in Lucky’s life help explain why she is so intent on finding her “Higher Power”. Miles’ family situation also provides discussion points, as many children likely have parents that are incarcerated for one reason or another. His obsession with the book Are You My Mother? is heartbreaking, and may be something that older readers pick up on. These unique family situations may jumpstart conversations about family structure that are necessary, as many children live in families that depart from the traditional nuclear model. Stories that highlight the many potential differences in family structure offer youth the opportunity to discuss differences without making it personal (which may discourage in depth and honest conversations).

Despite the many serious discussion points that are provided throughout the story, the author does manage to keep the book light. As Elissa Gershowitz says the “tale of a grieving, insecure girl is never heavy-handed or maudlin, due in part to quiet bursts of humor.” Lucky’s quirky personality and natural interest in a variety of subjects provide adequate distraction from the mature themes in the book.

Ultimately, I believe that the recommended age group seems a bit too young. However, I think that there is the potential for some very valuable discussions with teachers or parents regarding the more serious topics that arise in Lucky’s life.

References

Gershowitz, E. (2007). “The Higher Power of Lucky” The Horn Book, 83(1), Jan/Feb. Accessed through Wilson Web.

Librarian Infographic

Our discussion in Reader's Advisory class tonight reminded me of something that I had pinned recently. If you go to the link below it has some interesting information regarding librarian gender, age, pay grade, etc. It only takes a moment to read. Enjoy!

http://dailyinfographic.com/anatomy-of-a-librarian-infographic

Personal Reading Profile

My personal reading profile is fairly consistent. I love fantasy and science fiction. I’m not much for robots and such, but if an author makes up a bunch of difficult to remember names that require me to create an index to keep them straight, I’ll probably be hooked. One of the first books I read and fell in love with was A Wrinkle in Time, and then quickly devoured anything else Madeline L’Engle that I could get my hands on (note: her adult fiction is not particularly appropriate for fourth graders). The Wheel of Time series enthralled me in middle school, as well as Tamara Pierce’s Lioness series. I was instantly hooked on the Hunger Games and absolutely adore anything and everything written by Scott Westerfeld. I’m particularly attached to anything young adult. I really love the feeling of adventure and diving into a completely different world; these books give me a chance to escape from an agreeable but monotonous Midwestern life.

In contrast, there was also a point in time in which I read only non-fiction. I am truly one of those nerds that loves to learn things, especially when I get the option to choose what I’m going to learn. As I was a sociology undergrad, I really enjoy anything that is sociologically or psychologically related. An autobiography that deals with some very strong mental health issues that the author’s mother suffers from that is dark, enthralling, and something that I would definitely recommend is Her Last Death. Another non-fiction book that I read recently and loved was The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, it was a nice combination of science and biography and truly read like fiction (the science was very well explained, which was necessary for me).  Snarky autobiographies also hold a place in my heart, and I will unabashedly laugh out loud when reading anything written by Jen Lancaster or Laurie Notaro.  Non-fiction needs to be filled with witty personal life stories or full of facts that can somehow relate to my life in order for me to find it interesting. I read non-fiction for pleasure rather than instruction.

I also loved Wuthering Heights and detested Pride & Prejudice. 

P.S. In books and movies I love to have a terrible, heartbreaking ending. One Day by David Nichols? Loved it. Also, The Departed and Sweeney Todd didn't end particularly well for anyone, but I also loved them. 

"Going Bovine" -Libba Bray

Going Bovine provides readers with a journey through the main character’s (Cameron) fight for his life when battling mad cow disease. As Cameron’s guide Dulcie says “everything’s connected Cameron. There are no accidents” (p.117) which becomes apparent throughout the adventure. Readers in the young adult age group may especially relate to the teen drinking, drug use and sex that is peppered throughout the novel, involved enough to make the characters seem real without being overwhelming.

Young adults reading this title will likely be left with two strong thoughts that may influence their behavior. First, not to take anything for granted. Cameron does not particularly enjoy his life prior to finding out he has mad cow disease, but is willing to go on a very long and strange journey to save it when he realizes he may die. Second, that everything is connected. The simple act of Cameron giving Keith the ’magic screw’  (p. 360)after Dulcie describes how Keith’s experiences on that day will lead him to drop out of school, go overseas and die in the war (p. 356-7), saves his life by making him the base for a television program (p. 390). The idea of connectedness is played out in many ways throughout the story, and will encourage young adults to think about how their actions may affect others. As this age group is generally short sighted in relation to the long term consequences of their actions, a gentle reminder to think about what they do will have a positive influence on readers.

The fast paced and odd story line is likely to encourage readers to follow along quickly, and be surprised with the messages given throughout the text. As Suzanne Gordon says in a School Library Journal review “many will enjoy asking themselves the questions both deep and shallow that pop up along the way.” Libba Bray’s writing allows the deeper questions to evolve over time and throughout the journey, which may encourage a deeper thought process for young adult readers.

References

Gordon, S. (2009). “Going Bovine.”  School Library Journal 55(9), 151. Accessed through WilsonWeb database.

"When You Reach Me" -Rebecca Stead

Rebecca Stead’s When You Reach Me is a gateway book into science fiction for middle school and junior high readers. As Deborah Stevenson states “that [science fiction] element never takes over the story”, which may be helpful for reluctant readers. The focus placed on the day-to-day activities and friendships of the main character, Miranda, allow readers to connect with her character and become involved in the mystery of the story before realizing the clear science fiction aspects present.

Miranda discusses her favorite book, A Wrinkle in Time, on numerous occasions throughout the story, often focusing on the time travel experienced by Meg, a foreshadowing of what will occur in Miranda’s life in future chapters. Consistent references to A Wrinkle in Time throughout When You Reach Me should naturally encourage readers to choose Madeleine L’Engle’s text after finishing the story of Miranda. James Blasingame says “reading A Wrinkle in Time is not necessary in order to enjoy the book, but it does make it more fun” which may be true, as it is easier to follow her discussions with Marcus regarding the time travel and the broccoli patch (most significantly on pages 49-52). However, after reading Miranda’s story it is likely that young minds will be sufficiently primed with the possibility of time travel and other science fiction themes to accurately comprehend and accept the writing of L’Engle, which has a much heavier emphasis on science.

Ultimately, each reader has unique personal experiences that allow different characters, plots, and themes to connect with them. The science fiction genre does not have to be so strongly based on science, or only involve robots and aliens, which may be the perception of younger readers. Fiction options, such as When You Reach Me, will allow readers a peek into the science fiction world, which can open an entirely new area of creativity for middle school and junior high readers.

References

Blasingame, J. (2011). “When you reach me” Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 54(6), 461, 464. Accessed August 30, 2011 through Wilson Web.

Stevenson, D. (2009). “When you reach me” Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books. 63(1). Accessed August 30, 2011 through Wilson Web.