Ghost Hunting

One of the things we've been working on at the library is creating programs where we use the library's tablets. For the teens, I knew that they probably know more about tablets and smartphones than me, so I wanted to try something that would be fun and entertaining. When one of my coworkers was talking about ghosts and ghost hunters, I thought - that's it! There's so many apps now, and there are so many ghost hunting and ghost detector apps to choose from.

Two apps were downloaded to each tablet: Ghost Observer and Ghost Radar. Ghost Observer allows you to view everything in a sort of grayscale and every so often a shape will appear and the voice will tell you a ghost has been detected. Ghost Radar looks similar to what you might imagine when you think of sonar images. 

I also wanted to download Ghost Sensor because it looks so much like the EMF meter Dean and Sam use on Supernatural, but it was not available on Android. 

The program took place after hours, so there was an extra layer of spookiness because everyone was gone and the library was empty except for the teens and two staff members. One of my coworkers had suggested she come in and make rattling noises and run around and spook the teens, which would have been tons of fun but she was not working that day. 

While the teens waited and ate Halloween cupcakes and cookies, I hid some ghost plushes around the library. Then they split up the tablets and went off using Ghost Observer. If they found a ghost plush they could keep it. After traveling around the library, we returned downstairs and tried Ghost Radar. We had some time at the end, so I'd planned a candy corn toss game where they tried to get candy corn into small cauldrons for a chance to take home some other Halloween prizes. 

This would also be a really fun activity with younger children since the apps are not too scary. My favorite moment of the night - when a teen looked at Ghost Radar and followed the red blob on the screen and paused before he said, "Wait...there's one on me!" 

I Know You, I Walked With You

Once Upon a Dream!

I've come across a few books in the past few months that have reminded me of actual events or of people or other books, and I wanted to post them up really quickly.

Enter Title Here
Rahul Kanakia
2016
Young Adult

"I'm your protagonist-Reshma Kapoor-and if you have the free time to read this book, then you're probably nothing like me.

Reshma is a college counselor's dream. She's the top-ranked senior at her ultra-competitive Silicon Valley high school, with a spotless academic record and a long roster of extracurriculars. But there are plenty of perfect students in the country, and if Reshma wants to get into Stanford, and into med school after that, she needs the hook to beat them all.

What's a habitual over-achiever to do? Land herself a literary agent, of course. Which is exactly what Reshma does after agent Linda Montrose spots an article she wrote for Huffington Post. Linda wants to represent Reshma, and, with her new agent's help scoring a book deal, Reshma knows she'll finally have the key to Stanford.

But she's convinced no one would want to read a novel about a study machine like her. To make herself a more relatable protagonist, she must start doing all the regular American girl stuff she normally ignores. For starters, she has to make a friend, then get a boyfriend. And she's already planned the perfect ending: after struggling for three hundred pages with her own perfectionism, Reshma will learn that meaningful relationships can be more important than success-a character arc librarians and critics alike will enjoy.

Of course, even with a mastermind like Reshma in charge, things can't always go as planned. And when the valedictorian spot begins to slip from her grasp, she'll have to decide just how far she'll go for that satisfying ending. (Note: It's pretty far.)

In this wholly unique, wickedly funny debut novel, Rahul Kanakia consciously uses the rules of storytelling-and then breaks them to pieces."

This book reminds me so much of the book How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got a Life by Kaavya Viswanathan, along with the course of events that led to the author having her novel published. Goodreads users once again have put it best:

Sing
Vivi Greene
2016
Young Adult
After getting her heart shattered for the thousandth time, multiplatinum pop icon Lily Ross is escaping her high-profile, crazy life and heading to an island in middle-of-nowhere Maine with her best friends. She has three months to focus on herself, her music, her new album—anything but guys. This summer is going to be different.


This book's cover reminded me a lot of Taylor Swift, and the story focuses on a pop icon.

With Malice
Eileen Cook
2016
Young Adult
Eighteen-year-old Jill Charron wakes up in a hospital, unable to remember the past six weeks, including the accident that killed her best friend, if it was, in fact, an accident.

The basic premise of this book reminds me a little bit of the case of the murder of Meredith Kercher, who was murdered in 2007 while studying in Italy as an exchange student from Italy.

The Couple Next Door
Shari Lapeña
2016
Fiction
"A dinner invitation from the couple next door changes the lives of Anne and Marco Conti. Neighbor Cynthia Stillwell asks the Contis not to bring their sometimes fussy six-month-old daughter, Cora, so when the babysitter cancels at the last minute, Marco comes up with an alternate plan. Since the Stillwell and Conti homes adjoin at a common wall, Marco suggests taking their baby monitor to dinner and checking on Cora in her crib every half hour, which works fine until after midnight. But when the Contis return home, tipsy from wine, their front door is open and Cora is gone. The couple is devastated..." Booklist Review

This book start reminds me so much of the case of Madeleine McCann, who disappeared in 2007. Her parents left Madeleine and her siblings asleep while they ate at a restaurant nearby, but on one occasion when they checked on them, Madeleine was gone.

 

Paws Books 2015

There are always so many awesome book lists that come out every year, along with awards and other forms of recognition for books. I wanted to create a list of books that I thought were really incredible, my favorite for the year. These books get the "Paws" sticker just for fun.

The first is Extraordinary Jane by Hannah E. Harrison. This is my favorite picture book of 2015 and easily now one of my most favorite picture books. I loved it so much I bought a copy for myself, to share with anyone who will make time. Jane is a little dog whose family make up part of a circus. They all have special talents, and although Jane tries to find something she excels at, she is not very successful. The owner of the circus,  however, sees many beautiful qualities in Jane: she is loyal, a good friend, hard working. She is a good dog, and that is enough. This book always brings tears to my eyes and makes my heart knot up.

The Lightning Queen by Laura Resau. Everything about this book, from the language to the cover and layout, is magical. Please view  my full review at School Library Journal.

The Finishing School Series by Gail Carriger. This series finished up last year with Manners & Mutiny, and it is one of my most favorites. An alternate Victorian London, steampunk technology, spy academies, a quirky protagonist named Sophronia and her lovable mechanimal Bumbersnoot, and wit and cleverness are all part of this series. Highly recommended, especially for those who have read the Enola Holmes series and the Incorrigible Children series and loved them.

   

I am constantly looking for graphic novels my nieces would love, and these two are some of my absolute favorite from last year. Baba Yaga's Assistant is full of life and folklore, with beautiful artwork by Emily Carroll, who released Through the Woods in 2014. This graphic novel is perfect for fans of folklore and legends. Roller Girl, winner of the 2016 Newbery Honor, is bright and colorful and full of life. Astrid navigates the beginning of her life in roller derby as well as middle school, she finds herself growing apart from her best friend. A very fast and interesting read which (hopefully) will have a sequel! 

Another great 2015 graphic novel is Sunny Side Up by Jennifer Holm which, like Roller Girl, deals with problems children and teen face with humor and strength.

If I was choosing books for awards, these would definitely receive a Paws label.

More Interesting Articles

These were some very interesting articles from listservs I follow.

Salon: #WeNeedDiverseBooks goes viral

Lee and Low Books: Where Can I Find Great Diverse Children's Books?

New York Public Library: Celebrating Diverse Children's Books: These Stories Dazzle and Reflect

NPR - New Initiative Aims to Encourage Diversity in Kids' Publishing

Teen Librarian Toolbox: Dear Media: Let Me Help You Write That Article on YA Literature

Anne Ursu: On 'The John Green Effect,' Contemporary Realism, and Form as a Political Act

Zetta Elliott, The Huffington Post: It's Not Me, It's You: Letting Go of the Status Quo

There is also a great list of Native authors and illustrators by Debbie Reese at American Indians in Children's Literature, and this is the link to her WeNeedDiverseBooks post.

In the Margins

For the past year I have been a part of the In the Margins Book Review & Selection Committee, and I am so excited about the work the committee did, the books we found, and our final lists! The past year's work is featured now in School Library Journal!

Why yes, I did take a small screencap of the website.You can read the article here: Best Books for Teens Living in the 'Margins' | YA Underground. 

It was a really great experience and I am glad that these books are getting publicity! LSYC hosts all of the information and the lists we came up with.

"In the Margins strives to find the best books for teens living in poverty, on the streets, in custody - or a cycle of all three. For our 2014 list, we considered over 200 titles. 30 titles made our  ITM Official Nominations List 2014.  25 titles made our  ITM 2014 List.  We also chose a Top Ten!"

In the Margins Book Award & Selection Committee
2014 Founding Commitee

And here is our full list, with asterisks denoting top ten:

*Asante, M.K. Buck: A Memoir. Spiegel & Grau. August 2013. 272p. HC $25.00. ISBN 9780812993417. A broken family and community are where he's from; poetry and music get him to where he wants to be.

Coley, Liz. Pretty Girl 13. Katerine Tegen Books. March 2013. 352p.HC $17.99. ISBN 9780062127372. She's 16 but she can't remember what happened the last 3 years.

Gagnon, Michelle. Don’t Turn Around. HarperCollins. July 2013. 320p. PB $9.99 ISBN 9780062102911, HC $17.99. ISBN 9780062102904. If you run, they will find you.

Goodman, Shawn. Kindness for Weakness. Delacorte. May 2013. 272p. HC $16.99. ISBN 9780385743242. Twelve months in lockup. Weakness is not an option.

Greene, Robert and 50 Cent. 50th Law. Smarter Comics. October 2012. 80p. PB $14.95. ISBN 9781610820066. Keys to power and words of wisdom.

Henry, April. The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die. Henry Holt and Co. June 2013. 224p. HC $16.99 ISBN 9780805095418. A race against time to solve the mystery of who she is and why two men are trying to kill her.

Jacobs, John Hornor. The Twelve-­Fingered Boy. Carolrhoda Books.February 2013. 280p. HC $17.95. ISBN 9780761390077. Jack's hands aren't the only things that hold secrets.

Johnson, Albert. H.N.I.C. Infamous Books. July 2013.128p. PB $11.95 ISBN 9781617752322, HC $19.95 ISBN 9781617752360. Will Black let Pappy get out alive?

*Jones, Marilyn Denise. From Crack to College and Vice Versa. Marilyn D. Jones. May 2013. 144p. PB $14.95. ISBN 9780989427401. The title says it all.

Kowalski, William. Just Gone. Raven Books. September 2013. 128p. PB $9.95 ISBN 9781459803275. Is someone or something mysterious taking care of homeless youth?

Langan, Paul. Promises to Keep. Townsend Press. January 2013. 151p. PB $5.95. ISBN 9781591943037. Keeping his promise just might save his life.

*Langan, Paul. Survivor. Townsend Press. January 2013. 138p. PB $5.95. ISBN 9781591943044. Avoiding the past is not an option.

*McKay, Sharon E. War Brothers: The Graphic Novel. Illustrated by Lafance, Daniel. Annick Press. February 2013. 176p. PB $18.95. ISBN 9781554514885. Kidnapped and forced to kill for the Lord’s Resistance Army in Africa.

*McVoy, Terra Elan. Criminal. Simon Pulse. May, 2013. 288p. HC $16.99. ISBN 9781442421622. Dee was everything to her. Until he killed a man for another girl.

*Medina, Meg. Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass. Candlewick. March 2013. 272p. HC $16.99. ISBN 9780763658595. It’s gonna happen.

*Nussbaum, Susan. Good Kings, Bad Kings. Algonquin Books. November 2013. 320p. PB $14.95. ISBN 9781616203252. Most of them could make it on their own ­ if they could get out of lockdown.

*Rivera, Jeff. No Matter What. CreateSpace. October 2013. 112p. PB $5.38. ISBN 9781493544141. Will Jennifer wait for Dio? Will Dio get it together?

*Ryan, Darlene. Pieces of Me. Orca. September 2012. 240p. PB $12.95. ISBN 9781459800809. Maddie knows how to survive on the streets alone, but when an abandoned child comes into her care, the rules Maddie has lived by start to change.

Shantz-­Hilkes, Chloe (ed.). Hooked: When Addiction Hits Home. Annick Press. March 2013. 120p. PB $12.95. 9781554514748, HC $21.95. ISBN 9781554514755. Living with addiction can be just as painful as suffering from one.

Stella, Leslie. Permanent Record. Skyscape. March 2013. 282p. HC $17.99. ISBN 9781477816394. New School. Will Badi revert to his destructive ways?

Terry, Chris L. Zero Fade. Curbside Splendor Publishing. September 2013. 294p. PB $12.00 ISBN 9780988480438. How's Kevin ever going to figure out his problems with girls, bullies, friends and the angst of seventh grade if his wise­assed mouth keeps getting him grounded?

Van Diepen, Allison. Takedown. Simon Pulse. September 2013. 288p. PB $9.99. ISBN 9781442463127, HC $16.99. ISBN 9781442463110. How many losses before Darren can takedown Diamond Tony's organization?

*Young, Pamela Samuels. Anybody’s Daughter. Goldman House Publishing. October 2013. 374p. PB $16.99. ISBN 9780989293501. When Brianna gets targeted and tricked into a sex trafficking ring, Uncle Dre, using his connections as a former drug dealer fights against time to save her.

Youth Communications. Rage: True Stories by Teens About Anger. Free Spirit. July 2013. 176p. PB $11.99 ISBN 9781575424149. Manage your anger, create a life of control and a future with possibilities.

Weyer, Hannah. On the Come Up: A Novel, Based on a True Story. Nan A. Talese. July 2013. 320p. HC $25.00 ISBN 9780385537322. Big dreams come true for a teen mom.

Under the Mesquite

Under the Mesquite
Guadalupe Garcia McCall
2011

Under the Mesquite is written as a novel-in-verse and follows Lupita, whose mother is ill with cancer. With her clear voice, Lupita tells us of her family: her hardworking father who saves every penny for their college funds; her mother who can revive even the most frail rose in her garden; and her siblings who, despite their bickering, love each other and are the strength and support Lupita needs to face the difficulties before her. Lupita finds an escape from the harsh reality in acting, and shines in UIL competitions. She tells us of the beauty of Mexico, a beauty she no longer sees since her mother became ill. There is a ray of hope when her mother undergoes treatment, but that hope is soon dashed. Lupita faces her mother's death and decides to leave to pursue higher education hours away from her heartbroken father, but she knows that she must move forward to live her life.

This book reminded me a little bit of The Tequila Worm by Viola Canales, especially when Lupita makes the difficult choice to leave home to pursue a higher education and a better life. Marissa from Ashley Hope Perez's What Can't Wait makes a similar difficult choice. Under the Mesquite is also a Pura Belpre Award winner, like The Tequila Worm.

Lotería

Lotería
Mario Alberto Zambrano
2013

Eleven-year-old Luz hasn't spoken since it happened; instead, she uses a deck of Lotería cards and writes a journal entry for each card (minus one, which is missing). The entries are related to the cards and slowly we come to find out more about Luz, her older sister Estrella, her mother and father, her aunt Tencha, and their family friends. We discover that Luz loves to sing with her father, who has a job at a plant but who has always wanted to be a painter. We learn that Estrella acts like a young lady even though she is not a teenager yet, that the family comes from Reynosa, Tamaulipas, where they still have family. The card for La Muerte foreshadows the destruction of the family, without even a death occurring in that chapter. Throughout the book you wonder why Estrella is in the hospital, why Luz is being kept at a center, why she hasn't spoken, why her father is in jail, and where her mother is. Some of the stories are too short and, I feel, should have been longer in order to include the symbol on the card more solidly in the story, but the book is very well written and the story is a heartbreaking one.

One a personal note, I was caught by surprise when I realized that the story takes place in the neighborhood where I grew up, and the family is from a region in Mexico near where my own family is from. At times, I thought I might have known the author, the story was so familiar.

Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass

Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass, 2013

Meg Medina

Piedad "Piddy" Sanchez and her mother move away from their apartments after the stars collapse. That is the last straw, according to her mother, and they pack up and move, forcing Piddy to switch schools in the process. Piddy feels that her world is crumbling around her and that she will fall down and through, just as the stairs in their old complex did. Not only is she forced to face the fact that her best friend Mitzi is forming a new life in her own new home, but that she will never be included in the Latina group at her new school. Yaqui, the head of the group, is jealous of Piddy's curves and sends one of her lackeys to tell Piddy that she better be ready, because Yaqui is going to kick her ass. At the same time, Piddy struggles to hide this from her mother, who works hard lifting televisions and other electronics. Piddy also wants to know more about the father that left her and her mother so long ago.

Yaqui's group hounds Piddy until they catch her, and it is such a heartbreaking scene. Piddy is conflicted with what she should do: should she go to her aunt, her mother, the administrators at school? Her fear over comes her, a very realistic portrayal of how it feels to be bullied, and she runs from it. This book has such an interesting array of characters, from those who love and care for Piddy at home and school, to those that don't. What I particularly love about this book is that it shows that even though one may have loving people to turn to, turning to them is not always easy. Fear is very real in this book, as it is in real life. Additionally, there is no excuse for Yaqui's behavior. Even though Yaqui lives in a rough neighborhood, the author does not use this to excuse her behavior towards Piddy. If anything, the fact that Yaqui and Piddy share similar characteristics shows the reader that it is possible to be like Piddy, to turn away from people like Yaqui who are mean just to be mean. And finally, there is no easy solution, just as in life. 

This book has already created some controversy, as reported by School Library Journal.

Happy Hispanic Heritage Month

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, I've decided make this post on September 15th. I hope that this will become a hearty blog full of recommendations and reviews of Hispanic literature.

I'd like to start off with one of my most favorite books: The Tequila Worm by Viola Canales. Reading this book, and her previous book, Orange Candy Slices and Other Secret Tales, was like stepping into my own past. Sofia's family, her relationships with them and her fears and concerns for her future, are all things that I can heavily relate to. The descriptions - everything from the cascarones to the sugar skulls to the relationship between Sofia and her father - are written beautifully.

The climax and ending of this book caught me completely by surprise. Reading the beginning I could not imagine what would happen, I never would have thought it. But then, life is this way sometimes. This is a very heartbreaking book that you will not easily get over, but with a beautiful message of hope and endurance. I can see why it won the Pura Belpre award; I only wish Viola Canales would write another. 

Further: Scholastic.com