Book List Spotlight: NPR

I love trolling for book lists on the internet.  I usually do this for book displays and book talks...and because I'm a glutton for finding more books that I'll NEVER have the time to read.  Maybe if I stopped daydreaming about all the books I want to read and actually read them...but that's for another time.  Anyhoo...I found three stellar lists today, all via your good friend and mine, N.  P.  R.

They Came, They Saw, They Cooked: Five Food Memoirs

Hmmm...food memoirs.  My weakness.  After recently viewing Spinning Plates (which is amazing, and I highly recommend it), a documentary about three VERY different restaurants in the US, I really want to read Grant Achatz's memoir, Life, On the Line (there IS a double meaning there, if you can't see it yourself after reading this quick blurb).  He created a 3 Star Michelin restaurant in Chicago and then got diagnosed with Stage 4 Tongue Cancer, and doctors said the only way to save his life was to cut out his tongue.  A chef.  Cutting.  Out.  His.  Tongue.  Could he find another option for survival?  Read his memoir to find out.  The other memoirs look awesome, too. 

Your Picks: Top 100 Science-Fiction, Fantasy Books

This one will cause me the most problems for my Want to Read List.  I've only read 16 of these...SIX.  TEEN.  Ridiculous I say!  I gotta get my hands on some of these ASAP.  So much Neil Gaiman.  Have to read more.  I've only read his picture books and YA stuff.  NEED to read Stardust.  And, I've never read 1984.  Never!  I don't know about Lord of the Rings, though.  I've never envisioned myself reading those, but they are #1. 

Your Favorites: 100 Best-Ever Teen Novels

Oh, I have thoughts about this list.  LOTS of them.  Like John Green having TWO in the Top 10?  He's so new!  We don't know if those will stand the test of time!  I should get over it, but still...I have only read 24 of these, which is even more shocking than the Sci-Fi List.  I thought for sure I would've read half of them, but there is a lot of repeat authors (Ursula K. LeGuin, Tamora Pierce, John Green) and new authors that I haven't read (ok, I've read ONE John Green, and it WASN'T The Fault in Our Stars).  I was pleasantly surprised to find that Francesca Lia Block's Weetzie Bat series, Dangerous Angels, made the cut.  About a group of misfits who find each other and make a family together in HollywoodLand, these beautifully lyrical stories weren't around when I was young, but I would have been crazy about them if they had been. 

Anyway, those are my lists for the day.  Very fun, full of excellent reads, and there's something for everyone.  Hope YOU have time to check a few of them out!

Yay! Social Media!

Oh, social media.  You are now a part of a librarian's world.  You must be embraced.  I'm working on it, social media...except for Twitter.  I still can't stand you, Twitter.

I've found a couple of cool New Year lists on various social media sites that I'd like to note.

Reading Challenge 2015
I am HORRIBLE at setting goals for myself, because I don't think I've ever actually accomplished anything I've set out to do (except graduate from college, marry a guy with an accent, and have super cute kids).  So, for me the idea of taking on a Reading Challenge is daunting.  I think this one, from Popsugar, needs to be my first attempt, though.  It comes with a handy dandy printable checklist, and even though the site's name is terrible, it's still a fine list.  The hardest one for most to accomplish will be "A book that takes place in your hometown."  Most will probably just have to settle on a book that takes place in the nearest big city (which for me means Chicago, St. Louis, or Indianapolis...oh, the options!).

27 of the Most Exciting New Books of 2015
Oh, Buzzfeed.  Usually you're just the perfect time waster, full of lists nobody needs to pay attention to, but every once in awhile you have a gem worth noting (and not just secretly reading while hoping no one else looks over your shoulder).  This list really does have some exciting and intriguing books coming out.   There are too many potential good reads from the list to go on about now, but seriously, if you love smart, biting, cutting edge contemporary fiction, check out this list.

Epic Reads Instagram
This is my favorite Instagram feed...and I follow Robbie Williams, Jordan Knight, AND Jamie Oliver.  It's total book porn.  The photos inspire me to make my displays bigger, better, and brighter.  It has made me view book photography as an art, and one that I want to do well.  It's a gorgeous feed, and if you have IG, you should totally think about following it.  (NOTE: They seem to have a mad crush on YA author Tahereh Mafi...like MAD CRUSH.  They feature her books ALL THE TIME.  Not complaining; just saying.)

Here is one of my faves before I go:

Winter Reads

All of a sudden it's winter in these here parts.  We're bundling up, most are cursing the light snowfall that's already occurred (not me!), and it's the perfect time to talk winter reads.  Cause, seriously, what is better than curling up with a good book, a hot cup of something, and a fleece blanket?  Not much, I can tell you that!  (I'm just sad I don't get to do that too much anymore.)

At the beginning of the semester I saw a bulletin board on Pinterest with the title "I Read a Latte!"  Of course, I've had it in the back of mind to use once it got chilly.  I thought I'd save it for January, but it was just too good not to do now.

Here's the method...I found several lists of winter reads--Goodreads, other Pinterest boards, and my own mind (ETHAN FROME!  THE SHINING!  LITTLE WOMEN!).  I used these as a starting point.  After creating a list of chilly reads (that included MANY genres!), I made sure we had the books on the list in our Uni Library.  Then, the real fun began!  I hunted down book covers of the titles, and I got to make them into lil MUGS!  That's right: MUGS!  For lattes...GET IT!?!

Because I was too cheap to buy new border, I just used a book border I already had.  I justified this to myself, because the title is "I Read A LATTE," so a border with a lot of genres present makes sense.  (I do really wish I had a border with snowflakes, though.  But, like I said, not a lot of cash what with kids' birthdays and holidays coming up.)  The final touch was procuring Starbucks cups this morning for the board.  Those were free (as they should be with all the money I spend there). 

This is one of my favorite boards yet.  I hope you like it, too!

Celebrities Reading

I feel like I should start a weekly post with celebrities reading.  I like celebrities.  I LOVE reading.  Why not mix the two?  I don't know; we'll see if it catches on.

For now, I'd like to leave you with this BuzzFeed list, 25 Proper Ways to Read a Book, which features some of my favorite famous people.  IF you don't want to look through the list and read the wonderfully witty captions, I'll give you my Top Two.  My favorite one is actually NOT the David Tennant gif (a shocker to anyone who knows me).  It's actually this one:

This one of BFF's Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellan made me laugh out loud at the Circ Desk:

 Which means...Tennant is actually THIRD!  Now that IS a fascinating fact for your Thursday.  Again, only if you know me, though. 

NO TIME!

I think the biggest problem I have as a [future] librarian is TIME.  There's not enough of it.  It's bad enough fighting against time with my kids, who are growing up way too fast.  Now I'm constantly reminded...EVERYDAY...of how many great books are out there and how I'll never get to read all of them. 

How do you choose the perfect book to read?  How do you choose one that will be a good use of your time and one you won't regret reading when you're done?  Adult mystery-crime author, Tana French, put it perfectly on her official website:

There's one thing that no one I know, including me, ever has enough of: time. Everyone has at least three things they should be doing with every minute, and everyone could do with about six more hours in the day. So I'm very aware that when you take a chance on one of my books, it's not just your money that you're putting on the line; it's your time, which is probably even more precious. I want to thank you, so much, for taking that chance; for your wonderful support, which never stops taking my breath away. Here's to all of you. I'll do my absolute best not to waste your time.  (www.tanafrench.com/about.html).

Today I started compiling book lists to be on display at the library.  I took a cue from local uber librarian, Kim Anderson, for this project.  She has folders in her middle school media center of different genre lists, what to read next lists, subject lists, etc.  I want to try to incorporate those here at Uni High's Library.  My first list to tackle is Asian-American YA, and let me tell you, I've already come across at least 10 new books I want to read.  Here are just two:

Keeping Corner, by Kashmira Sheth

Jet Black and the Ninja Wind, by Shogo Oketani & Leza Lowitz (translator)

LIBRARIAN PROBLEMS!!!  I don't want to do my course work!  I want to sit in the corner and read some of these books!  Right now imagine me throwing a tantrum and stomping my feet with huge tears rolling down my frustrated, red-cheeked face.  Or, imagine...GRR ARGH.

Getting Ready for Banned Books Week

I've been planning for this since the first week of school.  It's the first big library even of the year.  I am too excited to celebrate the freedom to read in a couple of weeks.  Here are a few of websites to get you as excited as I am and to get you involved in the deviant behavior of reading banned books.

Banned Books Timeline -- Including banned/challenged books and why they were banned/challenged.  Perhaps my favorite on the list is Paolo Freire's Pedagogy of the Oppressed, which encourages an equal collaborative relationship between teacher and student.

About Banned and Challenged Books -- Always heard about Banned Books Week but haven't really looked too much into it?  If you want more information after viewing the timeline, check out this site from the American Library Association (ALA)

First Amendment Film Festival -- Get the masses pumped up for Banned Books Week by having a First Amendment Film Festival.  My favorite pick?  Show Christian Slater in Pump Up the Volume.  That sounds like an awesome time to me!

Frequently Challenged Books -- Here are the lists you need: all the banned books you can handle!  I challenge you to read at least one.

Banned & Challenged Comics List -- This year's focus for Banned Books Week is graphic novels.  Check out this list to read some deviant graphics!

Those are just five to get you started.  Tune in next week for some display and bulletin board ideas for your own Banned Books Week decor.  And, remember: you don't have to be a librarian to spread banned books awareness!