Well I’ve finished my penultimate class towards my Masters degree in Library (and Information) Science. Next week begins the final and (happily) on-line class on Young Adult Literature. So a lot of my time right now is spent trying to visually or audibly gobble up the 30+ YA books I’ve been assigned for the semester! I will be glad to finish the course but anticipate a good time.
As for the blog I have a few thoughts rolling around for future posts.
- For one thing I’d like to dig out a few vegetarian recipes for Yorkie that I love to make and eat (mmm maybe I’ll do my simple “Broccoli & Noodles” one for Thursday this week…need pics though…)
- I just watched my first ever episode of “Glee” tonight and was completely drawn into the diverse cast, the pain of high-school reborn before my eyes, and the rather nice singing. (I have a strong feeling that high school would have been vastly improved with copious amounts of singing. Which makes me think I would probably like High School Musical too. But then again, maybe not since part of Glee’s charm thus far has been the fact that there are two non-thin girls in the club.) So there may be posts about that coming.
- I have some new outfits coming which might be the topic of my own amateur fashion posts (as fashion-y as I get at any rate)
- The music for the March concert is in and I’ll be tooting my trumpet to get those practiced
- Expect a review or two from some of the books I’m reading as I find YA lit I really enjoy
- I am going to order new, hopefully prescription, swim goggles and hope to review that here
On the suggestions end, are there things my few readers might hope to hear more of from me? Topics to cover, thoughts to probe, ideas to explore, books to read and review?
I AM in shape. ROUND is a shape. 
Oooyouuohhooo! YA lit! Yay!
Please more on that.
Many years ago, I used to work for the trade division of the biggest children’s publisher, and part of my gig was giving “Book Talks” to middle schools. I had to sucker those kids into buying lit by teasing them with a few cliffhanging excerpts at assembly. In preparation for which I had to read tons and tons of YA.
I got totally spoiled. I LOVE YA, and miss being up on the latest. For a long time, I had no patience at all for ‘adult’ fiction, as the best children’s writers can say an awful lot around 150 pages.
Hubby has just finished his 2nd YA novel, but we’re not having much luck getting him a writing group or support here in the boonies. All the writing groups here are focused on “getting published” in church magazines. Hard to do the peer review for that, I can tell ya! We’re soon to move back to the big city where we can take advantage of the SCBWI ( book writers and illustrators) groups. Can’t wait to be around functional authors and something of a literary and artistic scene.
I’d love to hear what’s shakin in your library program with YA. What are your favorites? Any critical stuff jumping out at you? One of the interesting issues with YA is shelf life. I mean, there is definitely a place for trendy fluff that works to draw in non-readers, but how much of a small library budget should go towards that? And what ARE the keepers anyway?
Are you doing anything with Graphic Novels? I did a panel presentation on them at a conference a few years ago, and wish I had more to do there again sometime soon. Our little library here has a surprisingly good selection. All because my swimming buddy is a great librarian and advocate for SOMETHING edgy for the poor kids around here.
May we have some MORE please?
Enquiring minds want to know!
Chutti, I’ll definitely get on more YA lit stuff. The class list has some amazing reads so far (Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour, Deathnote, Fables, Bad Apple…) with more to come. Already some graphic novels, which I enjoy. One critical thing I’ve noticed is that some of the darker novels (Tricks for example) I can’t tell if they are meant as a warning, just well-written dark imagery, schadenfreude or pieces with which you’re intended to commiserate…
I think choir is actually the only thing that kept me in high school for my last year. Without it, school would have held absolutely no attraction for me.
Congrats on starting your last course — I’m in the same boat right now with my bachelor’s. Just started my last class of the program, and it’s an online one. Although I wish part of my class was reading a bunch of YA novels 🙂
Michelle congrats on your last BA course too! I don’t think I would be good IN choir; but having random musical numbers break out in school might have made things better 😉
You’re a STAR…thank you so much! I have a lot of great cookbooks, but I am a real menace in the kitchen (seriously…I’ve melted things, caught them on fire, filled the house with smoke, ruined dinners in 5 minutes flat…) so things that are simple are GREAT…I need to move slowly…
I remember a section of YA literature when I was studying for my Bachelor’s in English Education. It was incredibly enlightening, and I had a fantastic teacher. We read “Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush”, “Johnny Tremaine”, and one other I can’t remember. We talked about the formulaic nature of so much YA literature. Really wonderful.