Realistic Boy Fiction

I have never been into reading realistic fiction where the boy is the main character...until now.  Authors like Jordan Sonnenblick, Gary D. Schmidt, and Mark Shulman (is it weird that their last initial is "s"?) have really nailed the genre. 

I read Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie a few weeks ago by Jodan Sonnenblick.  Who'd have thunk that I'd be reading a boy book and crying?  Or laughing so loudly that the kids in the library look at me funny?  (And have even "shushed" me!)  It's an amazing book.  Boys will get it, girls will get it, and it's pretty much an all around awesome novel.

I listened to Gary Schmidt's The Wednesday Wars on a recent car trip.  Also a powerful boy novel.  It just goes to show that boys have feelings too.  Even if they often punch people so they can feel the same emotion.  It made me smirk and laugh and gasp...especially when the rats fell out of the asbestos-tiled ceiling. 

I also read Okay for Now by Gary Schmidt.  Wow.  Just...wow!  This book talks about how a boy finds himself through art, the library, and some teachers/librarians who are willing to take their time with him.  It details the struggles kids can have when their families are "messed up," they're new to town, and they're teenagers.

I read Mark Shulman's Scrawl which is also a book on the LoneStar Award's Nominee list.  It was an interesting read from a bully's point of view.  It has a narrative that will open anyone's eyes to the fact that most bullies are bullied themselves.

I'd recommend any of these books to both genders...although I think boys will enjoy them the most.

BYOD in the library

So many worries about technology messing with the library or interfering with education.  I have to say I was super excited about it.  Here are some pictures to support how awesome this can be in the library.  Both of these happened this morning!

Chess Club Meeting

Chess club meeting #1 will be on Tuesday, October 4th.  (Not Wed, Oct 5.)  Sorry for moving it!  There's a meeting in the library.

Club Dates

Here are the dates that the clubs will be meeting.  We'll meet after school on Wednesdays for about an hour.

Book Club: 9/28, 10/26, 11/30, 12/14, 1/25, 2/22

Chess Club: 10/5, 11/2, 12/7, 1/4, 2/1

Digital Photography: 10/12, 11/9, 12/7, 1/11, 2/8

Manga/Anime Club: 10/19, 11/16, 12/14, 1/18, 2/15

See you then!

The 24/7 Library

Is anyone else out there a nerd, like me?  You know...getting up early on a Sunday and wondering why on Earth the library isn't open that early.  Or coming home from a late Varsity game and trying to do research only that the library is closed that late on a Friday night.

Well, I'd like to introduce to you the 24/7 library.  Students in my school can research, create, share, present, collaborate and even check out books any time they wish!  Between the district's adoption of Google Aps, the library's purchase of Overdrive, and the district's re-purchase of database (like Gale and Ebsco) students are free!

Wait!  What does this mean for the library?  Won't it drive away patrons?  Some patrons, perhaps.  But, let me ask you this...Even though the Wendy's drive through is open 24/7, don't you still stop in and purchase a meal during "normal hours?"  You can purchase shoes online, but don't you usually like to try them on in the store?  Truly, the library's job is to make information (and books) accessible to the kids, right?  Right!  If we can get them the information and make it easier and faster to work at school and at home, why wouldn't we? 

As of this moment, I still have students chomping at the bit to get into the library.  They're pretty upset we haven't opened before or after school yet.  I have students with devices come in every day and ask for help with the new system.  Even those that have been on our public library's system still come in and ask for physical books or suggestions for books.  In short, I'm as busy as ever!

I think the physical library and the e-library (or e-brary) can be good friends.

Also...I promise I've been reading!  I haven't had time to post reviews, though.  Soon!

BOOK FAIR!

Oh, excitement!  The new book smell!  It's all coming to Hunt!

Check out the Scholastic webpage and the online fair.
http://bookfairs.scholastic.com/homepage/hunthuskies

The Cozy Library

How do you keep kids in the library?  Make it someplace they want to be, right?

Recently, thanks to a grant from my PTA and money from a bookfair, I was able to afford four of the chairs below.  The kids LOVE them!  They're in here every morning and try to be first so they can claim the seats.  When they're sent here to catch up on reading for classes, they like sitting at the front of the library and putting their feet on the little tables. 

Oh!  Speaking of little tables...I got four of these $10 tables from IKEA.  They're easy to move, relatively durable, easy to wipe clean with some Clorox wipes, and very movable.  The kids have been moving them around so they have a place to put their binders, feet, work, whatever!  It's great that they're taking advantage of that flexibility.

I've even had a few teachers sneak in here during their conference period to relax for a minute.  Shhhh!  Don't tell anyone!

Having these chairs up here has also increased circulation of the "Smith's Picks" (which are my favs that I recommend constantly) and the LoneStar Award winners which are across from "Smith's Picks."



Thank you, PTA!  We could not have done this without you!!