Have you taken a look at SLJTeen, our new, free enewslettter?
The look and feel still need some work. (It’s weird how publishing online can be harder than print. Of course, we’ve been doing print for a million years.) But I’m enjoying the content. Latest issue here; subscribe here. Drop me a line with suggestions!
"Which one were you?" asks the trailer for American Teen, a new documentary attracting buzz ahead of its July 25 release. Winner of a Director's Award at this year's Sundance Film Festival, the film explores those familiar high school icons we all grew up with: "the jock," "the princess," "the geek," "the rebel," "the heartthrob." Just ahead of the film's New York Sundance Institute premiere May 29, the filmmaker Nanette Burstein (On the Ropes, The Kid Stays in the Picture) spoke with SLJ.
You've done one film about boxers and another about studio executive Robert Evans. What got you interested in teens? High school was a really tough time—but a really formative time—for me. It's amazing to me: there are so many movies and TV programs about teens, and [yet] I find them to be incredibly one-dimensional and often clichéd …So, [my goal was] to do something that was entertaining but could have a wide appeal to both high school kids and older [viewers], about the tough times of high school—the insecurities, the need to fit in, the search for identity, the heartbreak. read more...
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What Are They Reading for Fun?
Books for when “the living is easy.”
Lori A. Guenthner, Baltimore County Public Library, Randallstown, MD:
Last summer, two of the most requested books were J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Scholastic, 2007) and Stephenie Meyer’s Eclipse (Little, Brown, 2007). A close third was Ann Brashares’s Forever in Blue (Delacorte, 2007). The latter two will probably get a resurgence of interest this summer because of the upcoming movie releases. And Meyer’s Breaking Dawn, the last book in the “Twilight” series, is scheduled for August. Conn and Hal Iggulden’s The Dangerous Book for Boys (Collins, 2007) has been going strong since it was issued last year. Christopher Paolini’s Eragon (Knopf, 2003), Eoin Colfer’s “Artemis Fowl” books (Hyperion), and Melissa Marr’s Wicked
Lovely (HarperTeen, 2007) were hardly ever on the shelf. The same was true of James Patterson’s “Maximum Ride” (Little, Brown) and Anthony Horowitz’s “Alex Rider” (Philomel) series. Sara Shepard’s “Pretty Little Liars” books (HarperTempest) and Anne Schraff’s “Bluford High” series (Scholastic) have been popular, too. read more...
If you’re still defending the importance of graphic novels in your media center, take heart. The New York City Department of Education has launched a major campaign to embrace graphic novels as valuable reading and learning tools for libraries and classrooms.
With backing from Barbara Stripling, the director of New York City school libraries, Diamond Book Distributors is currently conducting in-service spring training sessions to hundreds of K–12 school librarians throughout the city’s five boroughs to talk about collection development, lesson plans, and how graphic novels appeal to all levels of readers, says John Shableski, sales manager at Diamond, the largest distributor of English-language comic books. read more...
In what's being called the most comprehensive analysis to date of gender-based educational achievement, a new study released on May 21 says the so-called "boys crisis" in education is, well, bunk. When girls from fourth grade through the end of college make gains, says the report, so do boys.
"A rising tide lifts all boats," says Linda Hallman, executive director of the AAUW, an organization (known by its initials) that promotes equity in education. "When girls perform better in school, we see improvements across gender, race, and income lines." read more...
If you think about how hard it is to eat the right things as an adult, imagine what it’s like for teenagers. The media promotes high-calorie, fat-loaded snacks and drinks, and until recently most school cafeterias had soda and candy machines. The titles here will get young people working on better ways to feed themselves and their friends—and maybe the adults in their lives, too!
CARLE, Megan & Jill Carle. College Cooking: Feed Yourself and Your Friends. Ten Speed. 2007. pap. $19.95. ISBN 978-1-58008-826-8 Gr 11 Up– While not every recipe in this title could be considered “healthy,” the author does an excellent job of outlining vegetarian options and recipe substitutions for young people just learning how to manage their own food shopping and cooking. read more...
On June 5, 1783, brothers Joseph and Etienne Montgolfier demonstrated to a crowd in France that man could indeed fly, thanks to the power of hot air to lift the balloon they built. Since then, many advances have been made in hot air balloon design and propulsion—and hot air ballooning is now a popular and amazingly beautiful summer hobby. But the physics of a hot air balloon trip remains the same and flying one is far from easy!
Kids and teens can try their hand at flying a virtual hot air balloon at PBS’s DragonflyTV Web site. Have kids stick with the “easy” version until they get the hang of it (I crashed 25 times before I could even finish the race) and make sure you have the sound on to experience the full effect. This June, celebrate the first balloon flight and the start of summer by holding a “Great Balloon Race” tournament at your library by posting the fastest finish times for each of the three versions (easy, medium, hard) of this supercool game. — Gail Junion-Metz
Are you looking for an opportunity to develop innovative library services? Is working in a beautiful area nestled between redwood forests and the California coast while just across the Golden Gate from San Francisco appealing? Are you a creative, customer-focused manager who values how libraries can energize their communities? If so, we could have the perfect job for you! read more...
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"Which one were you?" asks the trailer for American Teen, a new documentary attracting buzz ahead of its July 25 release. Winner of a Director's Award at this year's Sundance Film Festival, the film explores those familiar high school icons we all grew up with: "the jock," "the princess," "the geek," "the rebel," "the heartthrob." Just ahead of the film's New York Sundance Institute premiere May 29, the filmmaker Nanette Burstein (On the Ropes, The Kid Stays in the Picture) spoke with SLJ.
