Assignment #2:
Book trailers aren't something I typically watch. Before this assignment, I had watched a few, but typically that was after I had read the book. I don't typically think to watch the trailer beforehand. However, I have seen websites like Earlyword start posting more book trailers, so maybe my habits will change as more book trailers are posted on websites I visit frequently.
Like the Chicago Tribune article said, many of the book trailers I've seen aren't high quality enough to really capture readers' attention. However, I think if they were better done, they might become more important in readers' advisory. I think particularly for teens, they could be a powerful tool.
Assignment #3:
This program has been very helpful. I've learned about a number of resources that I hadn't used before. I'm especially grateful to have learned about Stacked Books, which is now one of my favorite websites for finding new teen books!
I also found it useful to interact with other BCPL librarians and see what their thoughts were on the various assignments. I think more programs like this in the future would be great!
Saturday, June 29, 2013
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Week 8
Assignment #3:
Food--Found in the 640s, I would recommend Julie and Julia by Julie Powell.
Crime--Found in the 360s, I would recommend The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson.
Biography--Found in the biography secion, I would recommend Bossypants by Tina Fey.
Contemporary Social Issues--Found in 300s, I would recommend Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo.
Assignment #4:
Erik Larson's The Devil in the White City takes place in the years leading up to the 1893 Chicago World's Fair and tells the story of the architect behind the World's Fair, and the serial killer H.H. Holmes who used the Fair to find victims. Larson takes two true stories and pulls them together to create a suspenseful, captivating work. The Devil in the White City is both a crime story, and historical story surrounding an important event in American history. I would recommend this to someone who enjoys crime novels, or historical fiction.
Tina Fey's Bossypants is the actress's hilarious autobiography. Fey explains how she became involved in comedy, became the head writer for SNL and eventually wrote, directed, and starred in her own television show. Bossypants is at times a coming of age novel, showing Fey as she grows up, but also a comedy story, filled with laugh-out-loud incidents from her childhood, and the sets of SNL and 30 Rock. Very character focused, the story, has a distinct voice. I would recommend Bossypants to those who are looking for a funny, light book.
Food--Found in the 640s, I would recommend Julie and Julia by Julie Powell.
Crime--Found in the 360s, I would recommend The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson.
Biography--Found in the biography secion, I would recommend Bossypants by Tina Fey.
Contemporary Social Issues--Found in 300s, I would recommend Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo.
Assignment #4:
Erik Larson's The Devil in the White City takes place in the years leading up to the 1893 Chicago World's Fair and tells the story of the architect behind the World's Fair, and the serial killer H.H. Holmes who used the Fair to find victims. Larson takes two true stories and pulls them together to create a suspenseful, captivating work. The Devil in the White City is both a crime story, and historical story surrounding an important event in American history. I would recommend this to someone who enjoys crime novels, or historical fiction.
Tina Fey's Bossypants is the actress's hilarious autobiography. Fey explains how she became involved in comedy, became the head writer for SNL and eventually wrote, directed, and starred in her own television show. Bossypants is at times a coming of age novel, showing Fey as she grows up, but also a comedy story, filled with laugh-out-loud incidents from her childhood, and the sets of SNL and 30 Rock. Very character focused, the story, has a distinct voice. I would recommend Bossypants to those who are looking for a funny, light book.
Saturday, June 8, 2013
Week 7
When I was in my last semester of library school last year, I realized that I hadn't read any teen books since I was a teen, so I made it my goal to start reading teen books again, starting with the Hunger Games trilogy. What started as an attempt to ready myself for being a librarian, turned into a love for YA literature. I read other things, but YA books do make up the vast majority of what I read now, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Needless to say, I'm pretty excited about this week's assignments.
Assignment #1:
I really enjoyed this flowchart, and found that I agreed with a lot of the books that were on the chart. There were a few that I had never heard of before that sound awesome, so I've added those to my to-read list.
Assignment #2:
"The Next Big Thing: Adults Reading Teen Literature"--This article states that 55% of those who buy YA books are over 18, and 78% of those people say they are buying those books for themselves. This doesn't surprise me at all. I think a lot of the reasons they list for this change are probably accurate. I was particularly struck by reason two, "teen literature signifies coming of age," I hadn't put this together as a reason why adults enjoy YA, but it makes complete sense.
"YA Comes of Age"--This article quotes Alexandra Balzer, saying, “There are no more taboos; YA covers every category.” I think this is so true. It actually reminds me of an article that I found on Stacked from Chuck Wendig in which he says that "Young Adult is not a genre...Young Adult is a proposed age range for those who wish to read a particular book. It is a demographic rather than an agglomeration of people who like to read stories about, say, Swashbuckling Dinosaur Princesses or Space Manatee Antiheroes or whatever the cool kid genres are these days." I think this really shows that YA has as the PW article says, come of age, now that YA literature has many of the same genres that adult fiction does.
I posted comments for Diane S.'s and Zeke W.
Assignment #3:
John Green's tumblr is largely written by him, but he also reblogs things from other people. There was a particularly interesting post about why his YA books have taken off in comparison to others. Given Green's huge Internet popularity, his tumblr is very successful. It's a place where his readers, teens and adults alike can interact with him. It also has information about his books, and him as a writer, particularly why he writes YA.
Stacked is written by librarians. It is primarily reviews, but also posts about YA literature more generally. I've already found some new and upcoming titles that I hadn't seen before, so I find it to be a very useful resource. The labels on the side of the page are also helpful for looking for specific titles, or subsections of YA fiction.
Assignment #4:
Harper Teen seems very focused on Veronica Roth's Divergent trilogy, which makes sense, as the final book in the trilogy comes out in the fall! On that note, dystopian novels are definitely part of the trend at Harper. As well, there's a heavy focus on contemporary teen novels with a new book in the Pretty Little Liars series, and a new one by Lauren Conrad. There also is a trend of fantasy novels.
The trends at Penguin are a little different. First, I see a focus on teen romances, with a lot about Sarah Dessen and her new novel on the website (and some about Gayle Forman too!). There's again a heavy focus on dystopian novels, with advertisements for Khoury's Origin and the wonderful 5th Wave by Rick Yancey. Penguin also goes along with the fantasy trend.
Assignment #1:
I really enjoyed this flowchart, and found that I agreed with a lot of the books that were on the chart. There were a few that I had never heard of before that sound awesome, so I've added those to my to-read list.
Assignment #2:
"The Next Big Thing: Adults Reading Teen Literature"--This article states that 55% of those who buy YA books are over 18, and 78% of those people say they are buying those books for themselves. This doesn't surprise me at all. I think a lot of the reasons they list for this change are probably accurate. I was particularly struck by reason two, "teen literature signifies coming of age," I hadn't put this together as a reason why adults enjoy YA, but it makes complete sense.
"YA Comes of Age"--This article quotes Alexandra Balzer, saying, “There are no more taboos; YA covers every category.” I think this is so true. It actually reminds me of an article that I found on Stacked from Chuck Wendig in which he says that "Young Adult is not a genre...Young Adult is a proposed age range for those who wish to read a particular book. It is a demographic rather than an agglomeration of people who like to read stories about, say, Swashbuckling Dinosaur Princesses or Space Manatee Antiheroes or whatever the cool kid genres are these days." I think this really shows that YA has as the PW article says, come of age, now that YA literature has many of the same genres that adult fiction does.
I posted comments for Diane S.'s and Zeke W.
Assignment #3:
John Green's tumblr is largely written by him, but he also reblogs things from other people. There was a particularly interesting post about why his YA books have taken off in comparison to others. Given Green's huge Internet popularity, his tumblr is very successful. It's a place where his readers, teens and adults alike can interact with him. It also has information about his books, and him as a writer, particularly why he writes YA.
Stacked is written by librarians. It is primarily reviews, but also posts about YA literature more generally. I've already found some new and upcoming titles that I hadn't seen before, so I find it to be a very useful resource. The labels on the side of the page are also helpful for looking for specific titles, or subsections of YA fiction.
Assignment #4:
Harper Teen seems very focused on Veronica Roth's Divergent trilogy, which makes sense, as the final book in the trilogy comes out in the fall! On that note, dystopian novels are definitely part of the trend at Harper. As well, there's a heavy focus on contemporary teen novels with a new book in the Pretty Little Liars series, and a new one by Lauren Conrad. There also is a trend of fantasy novels.
The trends at Penguin are a little different. First, I see a focus on teen romances, with a lot about Sarah Dessen and her new novel on the website (and some about Gayle Forman too!). There's again a heavy focus on dystopian novels, with advertisements for Khoury's Origin and the wonderful 5th Wave by Rick Yancey. Penguin also goes along with the fantasy trend.
Monday, June 3, 2013
Week 6
Assignment # 1:
USA Today's Happy Ever After has a nice mix of author interviews, and recommendations. I liked that the reviewers came right out and said what they liked about each book they reviewed. For romance readers, this would also be a fascinating website since it has many interviews with popular romance authors. As someone who doesn't read romances, this helped me come to know some of the authors better.
Assignment #3:
Regency Romances--I looked at the fan site Risky Regencies, which I found through the Regency Chapter of the Romance Writers of America's website. This seems to be one that updates frequently. Many of the posts are from the authors themselves, allowing fans to comment and interact with their favorite authors. They also have a lot of helpful links for fans--some for websites about the Regency time period, others to review sites. This really intrigued me. I don't read regency romances like the ones on Risky Regencies, but I am a fan of books written during the Regency period, like Jane Austen. So I was fascinated to see how important information like Regency dress was to these readers.
Some noted Regency Romance writers are Julia Quinn, Georgette Heyer, and Mary Balogh. Appeal factors of the genre are the characterization and the setting. Much of the discussion on this website surrounds the heroes and heroines of the novels. As well, there is a heavy focus in terms of external links on the page about the Regency setting and learning more about it.
Medical Thrillers--I found the fan site Science Thrillers through a google search. The website has a number of reviews, as well as contests for fans to win copies of upcoming books.These fans seem to be excited about the medical science behind the books they're reading. There's a fair amount of discussion about the actual science on the website. The buzz seems to be divided between the science behind the books, and excitement for upcoming titles. There's also a lot of posts tagged under "like Michael Crichton," meaning fans like sharing the titles they find similar.
Three important authors in the subgenre are Michael Chrichton, Robin Cook, and James Rollins. Medical thrillers are appealing first because of their fast pace. Fans also enjoy them because they are filled with suspense. These readers also enjoy the medical details in the books.
Urban Fantasy--The fan site, All Things Urban Fantasy, is very excited about anything with a paranormal element to it. Their tag line is "Where para is normal." There are a lot of upcoming titles that they are excited about, they have frequent posts with titles, reviews, and giveaways for upcoming books. There really does seem to be a mix of things that these readers are excited about given the range of titles on the fan site. I found this website through a search for urban fantasy.
Three big authors in the urban fantasy subgenre are Patricia Briggs, Kim Harrison, and Nalini Singh.The hallmarks of this subgenre are elements of the paranormal, like vampires and werewolves, and fast-paced, action-packed plots.
Mash-ups--A series like Deborah Harkness All Souls Trilogy could be considered a mash-up of contemporary fantasy and time travel, though set in modern day, witch and vampire travel back in time find out the truth about a magical manuscript.
Diana Gabaldon's Outlander meanwhile could be seen as a mash-up of historical, historical romance and time travel. Claire Randall accidentally travels back in time, and ends up living in Scotland during the Jacobite Rebellion, where she meets Jamie Fraser, who eventually becomes her love interest.
USA Today's Happy Ever After has a nice mix of author interviews, and recommendations. I liked that the reviewers came right out and said what they liked about each book they reviewed. For romance readers, this would also be a fascinating website since it has many interviews with popular romance authors. As someone who doesn't read romances, this helped me come to know some of the authors better.
Assignment #3:
Regency Romances--I looked at the fan site Risky Regencies, which I found through the Regency Chapter of the Romance Writers of America's website. This seems to be one that updates frequently. Many of the posts are from the authors themselves, allowing fans to comment and interact with their favorite authors. They also have a lot of helpful links for fans--some for websites about the Regency time period, others to review sites. This really intrigued me. I don't read regency romances like the ones on Risky Regencies, but I am a fan of books written during the Regency period, like Jane Austen. So I was fascinated to see how important information like Regency dress was to these readers.
Some noted Regency Romance writers are Julia Quinn, Georgette Heyer, and Mary Balogh. Appeal factors of the genre are the characterization and the setting. Much of the discussion on this website surrounds the heroes and heroines of the novels. As well, there is a heavy focus in terms of external links on the page about the Regency setting and learning more about it.
Medical Thrillers--I found the fan site Science Thrillers through a google search. The website has a number of reviews, as well as contests for fans to win copies of upcoming books.These fans seem to be excited about the medical science behind the books they're reading. There's a fair amount of discussion about the actual science on the website. The buzz seems to be divided between the science behind the books, and excitement for upcoming titles. There's also a lot of posts tagged under "like Michael Crichton," meaning fans like sharing the titles they find similar.
Three important authors in the subgenre are Michael Chrichton, Robin Cook, and James Rollins. Medical thrillers are appealing first because of their fast pace. Fans also enjoy them because they are filled with suspense. These readers also enjoy the medical details in the books.
Urban Fantasy--The fan site, All Things Urban Fantasy, is very excited about anything with a paranormal element to it. Their tag line is "Where para is normal." There are a lot of upcoming titles that they are excited about, they have frequent posts with titles, reviews, and giveaways for upcoming books. There really does seem to be a mix of things that these readers are excited about given the range of titles on the fan site. I found this website through a search for urban fantasy.
Three big authors in the urban fantasy subgenre are Patricia Briggs, Kim Harrison, and Nalini Singh.The hallmarks of this subgenre are elements of the paranormal, like vampires and werewolves, and fast-paced, action-packed plots.
Mash-ups--A series like Deborah Harkness All Souls Trilogy could be considered a mash-up of contemporary fantasy and time travel, though set in modern day, witch and vampire travel back in time find out the truth about a magical manuscript.
Diana Gabaldon's Outlander meanwhile could be seen as a mash-up of historical, historical romance and time travel. Claire Randall accidentally travels back in time, and ends up living in Scotland during the Jacobite Rebellion, where she meets Jamie Fraser, who eventually becomes her love interest.
Friday, May 24, 2013
Week 5
Assignment #1:
I chose to follow NPR and USA Happy Ever After. I've found the NPR reviews to be very well-written, and incredibly detailed, which is really helpful since I'm not going to read every book. I feel like many of these would help me book talk with customers. I have also really enjoyed their book news wrap-ups, I end up learning something new with each article.
Assignment #2:
Earlyword is one of my favorite sources. When I first started in BCPL someone recommended that I check out Earlyword, and I've been using it ever since. I particularly find their lists of books being released the following week helpful. As well, I find the posts about books being made into movies very useful, so I can better anticipate what customers might want.
Assignment #3:
The Yonahlossee Riding Camp for Girls by Anton DiSclafani will appeal to fans of literary fiction. Publishers Weekly notes that it is "gorgeously written." So fans of books with beautiful language will surely enjoy this upcoming novel. As well, the novel has a vivid setting in both place and time, with an intriguing mystery underlying the plot of the novel. This mystery creates a sense of suspense that pervades the novel. This title is expected to be popular based on its wonderful pre-publication reviews.
I chose to follow NPR and USA Happy Ever After. I've found the NPR reviews to be very well-written, and incredibly detailed, which is really helpful since I'm not going to read every book. I feel like many of these would help me book talk with customers. I have also really enjoyed their book news wrap-ups, I end up learning something new with each article.
Assignment #2:
Earlyword is one of my favorite sources. When I first started in BCPL someone recommended that I check out Earlyword, and I've been using it ever since. I particularly find their lists of books being released the following week helpful. As well, I find the posts about books being made into movies very useful, so I can better anticipate what customers might want.
Assignment #3:
The Yonahlossee Riding Camp for Girls by Anton DiSclafani will appeal to fans of literary fiction. Publishers Weekly notes that it is "gorgeously written." So fans of books with beautiful language will surely enjoy this upcoming novel. As well, the novel has a vivid setting in both place and time, with an intriguing mystery underlying the plot of the novel. This mystery creates a sense of suspense that pervades the novel. This title is expected to be popular based on its wonderful pre-publication reviews.
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Week 4
I've been on Goodreads for almost two years now. I find that it not only helps me to keep track of what I'm reading or what I've checked out and don't get around to reading, but that it helps me keep track of what other people are reading, and find new books to read and recommend. I am friends with a number of BCPL librarians, as well as classmates from library school. I think it's really helpful to see what my friends who work in different library systems are reading. I don't tend to use the recommendations that Goodreads gives out, but I have found the lists helpful.
I recommended City of Women by David Gillham to Miky Segall. I think she'd really enjoy City of Women since she enjoys historical fiction. As well, many of the books that she has rated have vivid European settings, like City of Women. Finally, it has compelling characters.
I recommended City of Women by David Gillham to Miky Segall. I think she'd really enjoy City of Women since she enjoys historical fiction. As well, many of the books that she has rated have vivid European settings, like City of Women. Finally, it has compelling characters.
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Week 3
Conversation 1:
Based on the first conversation, I gathered that the customer enjoyed that Eat, Pray, Love gave you access to the author's thoughts. As well, she seemed to enjoy the different settings, and learning about new places.
Based on that I would recommend Ann Patchett's State of Wonder. Much of the novel is set in the Amazon, where researcher Marina Singh goes in search of her missing colleague. Patchett's descriptions of Marina's time in the Amazon are vivid, and transport the reader there. The book is character driven, and readers learn a great deal about Marina and her thoughts, which I think this customer enjoys.
Conversation 2:
Customer number two seems to be interested in fiction about vampires, but not the current romantic vampire trend.
I would recommend Elizabeth Kostova's The Historian. The Historian follows a sixteen year-old girl who finds a mysterious book about Drakulya amongst her father's things. This sets her on a journey to discover the truth behind the Dracula legend. Extremely well-written, The Historian is a page-turner that goes beyond the typical vampire romance. Additionally, I might recommend one of the titles I discussed last week,The Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness. If I could determine if the customer was interested in other supernatural beings, this would be another vampire book that goes beyond the romance, exploring what the history of vampires, witches, and daemons.
Conversation 3:
Customer number three is looking for a non-fiction book that reads like fiction. The customer is looking for something that is fast-paced, maybe with some sort of adventure.
I would recommend Manhunt: the twelve-day chase for Lincoln's killer by James Swanson. This is another book about a president, that is fast-paced, and entirely true. The search for John Wilkes Booth is suspenseful, which should interest this customer who is looking for something fast-paced.
Based on the first conversation, I gathered that the customer enjoyed that Eat, Pray, Love gave you access to the author's thoughts. As well, she seemed to enjoy the different settings, and learning about new places.
Based on that I would recommend Ann Patchett's State of Wonder. Much of the novel is set in the Amazon, where researcher Marina Singh goes in search of her missing colleague. Patchett's descriptions of Marina's time in the Amazon are vivid, and transport the reader there. The book is character driven, and readers learn a great deal about Marina and her thoughts, which I think this customer enjoys.
Conversation 2:
Customer number two seems to be interested in fiction about vampires, but not the current romantic vampire trend.
I would recommend Elizabeth Kostova's The Historian. The Historian follows a sixteen year-old girl who finds a mysterious book about Drakulya amongst her father's things. This sets her on a journey to discover the truth behind the Dracula legend. Extremely well-written, The Historian is a page-turner that goes beyond the typical vampire romance. Additionally, I might recommend one of the titles I discussed last week,The Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness. If I could determine if the customer was interested in other supernatural beings, this would be another vampire book that goes beyond the romance, exploring what the history of vampires, witches, and daemons.
Conversation 3:
Customer number three is looking for a non-fiction book that reads like fiction. The customer is looking for something that is fast-paced, maybe with some sort of adventure.
I would recommend Manhunt: the twelve-day chase for Lincoln's killer by James Swanson. This is another book about a president, that is fast-paced, and entirely true. The search for John Wilkes Booth is suspenseful, which should interest this customer who is looking for something fast-paced.
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