What Are They Reading for Fun?
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compiled by Marlene Charnizon -- School Library Journal, 09/24/2008
Goth this and that, skateboard art, and a few historical novels…
Chris Shoemaker, New York Public Library:
Teens at the Bronx Library Center have a dark twist to their reading, devouring Gothic graphic novel series such as M. Alice LeGrow’s “Bizenghast” (Tokyopop) as well as Kaori Yuki’s “Godchild” and “The Cain Saga” (both Viz Media). Nonfiction choices include Goth Craft: The Magickal Side of Dark Culture by Raven Digitalis (Llewellyn, 2007) and Gothic Lolita by Masayuki Yoshinaga (Phaidon). Books on vampires and monsters are requested every day, with Stephenie Meyer’s “Twilight” and Darren Shan’s “Demonata” series (both Little, Brown) at the top of that list. First-time teen author, and a teen himself, Isamu Fukui’s Truancy (Tor, 2008) has great appeal. Fashion-obsessed girls are loving Cheryl Diamond’s Model (S & S, 2008), while guys and girls both love Grace After Midnight (Warner, 2007) by Felicia “Snoop” Pearson and David Ritz, and Jamal Joseph’s Tupac Shakur Legacy (Atria, 2006).
Jane Henriksen Baird, Anchorage Public Library, AK:
Despite appearances to the contrary, it isn’t all about dragons and vampires. A few weeks ago, one of our regular patrons came up to the desk bemoaning the fact that Brisingr, the third book in Paolini’s “Inheritance” series (Knopf, 2008), still wasn’t out. I offered him Naomi Novik’s His Majesty’s Dragon (Subterranean, 2007), hoping that might provide a temporary fix. Not surprisingly, he loved it. But what did surprise me was that he asked for more books like it. He was not as interested in the fantasy aspect, but found the historical and military side of the story more intriguing. He wanted books outside his usual genre. How exciting. We loaded him down with Bernard Cornwell’s “Sharpe” series (HarperCollins), Steven Pressfield’s Gates of Fire (Bantam, 2005), and Patrick O’Brian’s novels of sea battles during the Napoleonic era.
Nichole King, Morgan Hill Library, CA:
In response to teen craft programs during the summer, both girls and boys have been borrowing Megan Nicolay’s Generation T: 108 Ways to Transform a T-Shirt (Workman, 2006), Faith Blakeney’s 99 Ways to Cut, Sew, Trim and Tie Your T-Shirt into Something Special (Potter Craft, 2006), and Sarah Sockit’s Tease: Inspired T-Shirt Transformations by Superstars of Art, Craft, & Design (Perigee, 2006). We had a great “plushy” program that jump-started interest in Kristen Rask’s Plush You!: Lovable Misfit Toys to Sew and Stuff (North Light, 2007) and Therese Laskey’s Softies: Simple Instructions for 25 Plush Pals (Chronicle, 2007). Other books that boys are reaching for right now are about skateboarding–not so much how to, but about the artwork. Two popular titles are Boards: The Art + Design of the Skateboard, edited by Jacob Hoye (Universe, 2003), and Jo Waterhouse and David Penhallow’s Concrete to Canvas: Skateboarders’ Art (Watson-Guptill, 2006).
