I have been tracking my reading on Good Reads for the first time ever this year, and I’m obsessed! I hope to get to a point where he only social media app I use is Good Reads. Here’s a round up of the books I’ve reviewed lately – including some ARCs from NetGalley. Much Ado… Read More Spring 2019 Book Review Round Up
Promotion is a huge part of Teen Summer Reading Programs, and what better than a fun pop-up display during a program to grab their attention! Its easy to create a fun, attractive design with online design tools. When promoting books to teens, its important to be as “unlame” as possible. I created a few signs… Read More Teen Summer Reading Display
Happy June and Happy Gay Pride Month. What a better time to create a display celebrating teen LGBT fiction? I had two goals in mind when designing this display: 1) Introduce teens of all sexualities to well-written, entertaining, and positive representations of LGBT characters. 2) Draw attention to the fact that the library is a… Read More LGBT Teen Book Display in the Library
I recently wrote an article for the Teen section of the Cambridge Idea Exchange’s website entitled Why Poetry Is Way More Punk Than You Thought. It includes a short argument in favor of poetry as entertainment, highlighting some common misconceptions. It also includes a list of 4 ways to discover poems that will appeal to… Read More Poetry Reader’s Advisory: How To Find A Poem
I created a “Gateway Graphic Novels” display that will guide new teen graphic novel readers towards highly engaging items, and will likely spark a further interest in the genre. The target audience of my display is teens aged 15-19, however, many younger teens and adults will also benefit from it. Graphic novel collections are becoming… Read More Gateway Graphic Novels for Teens – The Creation of a Virtual Display
*This book review contains spoilers* In fast-paced gripping prose that will keep readers turning pages, Jo Knowles tells the story of an unplanned pregnancy from the alternating perspectives of 4 high school students. All Ellie wants is to be loved. All Josh wants is to lose his virginity. Their miscommunication introduces the novel, and results… Read More Book Review of Jumping Off Swings by Jo Knowles: Not Your Average Problem Novel
Welcome to suburban Seattle in the 70s: where a mutation based sexually transmitted disease is transforming teenagers into monsters. Although sometimes housed in the adult graphic novel section, Black Hole by Charles Burns is certainly a story for teens sixteen and up. Through the perspective of several high school students, the reader witnesses a sweeping… Read More YA Book Review: Black Hole by Charles Burns: a fast-paced sci-fi horror hybrid for the masses
Let’s just admit it: not everyone thinks poetry is as great as we do. Is poetry in danger of dying out? Not a chance. Poetry has stood the test of time, and remains one of the most powerful, evocative forms of communication. Poetry challenges the social norm, and helps people feel like they’re part of something… Read More 10 Poems That Teenagers Might Actually Love
Former Degrassi script writer, Susin Nielson, creates vivid and engaging characters in The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen. While older teens may be reluctant to read a story that focuses on a thirteen-year-old trying to restart his life after a tragedy, older children and younger teens (aged 11-14) will appreciate the depth of emotion… Read More Young teens with a soft spot for sarcasm will love The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen.
When I was a tweenager, I won a copy of Monster by Walter Dean Myers as part of a summer reading program at my local public library. A year later I donated it to Goodwill. Unread. Is this a good book for teens? Absolutely. It’s written in a uniquely captivating screenplay format, it has tense… Read More “A Good Book For Every Teen?”
Ontarian Librarian 