Talk about Graphic Novels...

...is everywhere right now! And thank goodness :)

As a Collection Development Librarian I love purchasing material in this format because I know it circulates. Anytime I point out where the graphic novels are my kids get super pumped, which makes me very happy. There are a few series that I enjoy but as a reader graphic novels aren't my first choice so I am constantly asking fans for good picks. And with my budget getting smaller each  year, I have now started asking folks what are my must haves?

Last week in my inbox I got my GraphicNovelReporter.com Newsletter and not only was it full of good stuff, it also included a GNR Core List that you can see here. I find Graphic Novel Reporter to be a great resource and I would highly recommend subscribing to their mailing list. And then today I recieved my American Libraries Direct email and it was the press release for ALSC's Children's Graphic Novel Core Collection list. I'm going to compare lists, check my system, and then get to ordering!

P.S. I just finished Lunch Lady and the Field Trip Fiasco (and of course ordered it for the library)...
Don't you absolutely LOVE this series by Jarrett J. Krosoczka?

If you haven't had a chance to check out the Lunch Lady series website, do it today! With author and book sites I always click on "Teacher Resources" links because even though I'm not a teacher I find it provides different ways for me to promote the books. And this site has Lunch Lady paper dolls :) I gotta find a Lunch Lady lunch box...

Author not to miss: Jenny Downham

I have clearly been sleeping on British author Jenny Downham. I picked up You Against Me based purely on the stunning cover and then I could not put it down. Check out this cover...does it not pull you in?!

Mikey's sister claims a boy assaulted her, and of course things quickly go from bad to worse in his life. His mum can't cope, his sister won't leave the house, and his youngest sister is trapped in the middle.

Ellie's brother is accused of rape and suddenly nothing is the same. Her parents are going mad trying to prove his innocence and Ellie's left with a massive amount of emotions to try to sort out on her own.

Mikey and Ellie meet and their story is one of loyalty,  fear, loss, betrayal, and love.

This was an amazing novel and even though I had to look up some of the British word choices I loved it. Now I can't wait to read the author's other YA book Before I Die.

Happy Banned Books Week

Hopefully you and your libraries are celebrating Banned Books Week in some creative way. I hosted a book club meeting to discuss Robert Cormier's The Chocolate War. We talked about censorship, books challenges, and why some of their favorite books now appear on the Top 10 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 2010 list. We also had a Chocolate Trivia War and a chocolate tasting which, I'm not going to lie, were the most popular elements of the program.

Here's another creative way one cheeky British filmmaker has come up with to keep explain the dangers of censorship and the symbolic meaning of book burning.


Library of Burned Books Pitch from Alasdair Beckett-King on Vimeo.

You can support the creation of this film and even appear as a supporting artist in the production. This could be the perfect gift for those librarians on your holiday list!

Reforma National Conference 4

A few weeks ago I attended the 4th Reforma National Conference (RNC4) in Denver, Colorado. The theme was Elevation Latino Services to a Higher Level and celebrating 40 years of Reforma. I have to say, I've been to my share of library conferences, but this one was by far my favorite. The sessions were good and relevant to my work, the socials were entertaining and lively, the city was gorgeous, the conference committee and staff were organized and friendly, and the people I met were awesome! I also liked that it was a much more intimate conference than what I'm used to, by the last day I felt as though I' had interacted with the majority of the attendees. The vibe was relaxed and I didn't feel as though I had to rush to cram everything in, the earliest sessions started at 9:30am. Overall it was a good time and worth the investment.

Here's a list of what made RNC4 a worthwhile experience for me:

• Networked with other librarians serving similar populations and exchanged ideas.


• Promoted and recruited presenters for an upcoming workshop I'm hosting at my library.


• Learned about the history of Reforma and connected with some of the pioneers that paved the way in the organization for incoming librarians.


• Got inspired to better serve Spanish speaking communities and brought home two new program ideas to implement at my library.


• Learned about oral storytelling programs and listened to talented story tellers during the "Noche de Cunetos".


• Met several bilingual children's book authors and even booked some of them for upcoming library programs.


• Talked to Spanish book vendors and learned more about the Guadalajara book fair experience.


• Learned about YA book titles with Latino characters and attended a session where several of these authors Skyped in to talk about their work.


• Did a little site seeing and experienced the city culture.


• Met active inspiring library professionals and made new friends!

To learn more about Reforma and RNC4 check out their website: http://www.reforma.org/