Take 5: What's On the Menu Today? Dessert! Check out these sweet reads

Since earlier today we mentioned Lisa Schroeder's Cupcake Series, I suddenly have a craving for all things sweet.  Here is a look at what is on today's menu, book covers with cakes and cupcakes.  Nom nom nom.  Oh, and one slice of pie.  Know any sweet reads?  Share with us in the comments. 

MG Book Review: Frosting and Friendship by Lisa Schroeder (reviewed by Tween reviewer Ceci)

A review of Frosting and Friendship by Lisa Schroeder from tween reviewer Ceci

But first how I got an advanced reader copy of this book.

My class had an assignment to write a letter to a famous person. I chose Lisa Schroeder because I loved her books, It’s Raining Cupcakes and Sprinkles and Secrets. I GOT A LETTER BACK!!!!! Lisa Schroeder wrote back to me! That was REALLY exciting, the letter came to my school. Then I started to review books for TLT and asked my Auntie Karen if she could get an ARC from Lisa Schroeder and she could! A few days after talking to her a package came to my house with a ARC of Frosting and Friendship, a letter, and bookmarks to share with my friends! OH MY GOSH! I can’t even tell you how excited I was. I screamed, I was sooooooooo happy!(Karen's note: She did scream. They sent video footage. It was awesome that Lisa helped me make this moment happen for Ceci.)

Well here’s the review! You’ll have to wait until September to read the book though!

#bestYAdad

The #bestYAdad list is a present to my husband.  That's right, I'm super cheap - but creative.  You see, The Mr. is an excellent father.  I pick 'em good I tell ya.  But also, I was reading Eleanor and Park, which does make this list, and was so impressed with the dad I though to myself: "Self, what other great YA dads are out there?"  So I crowd sourced the answer.

Here are some of the nominees . . .

#bestYAdad Nominees

Kimberly Alberts: Meghan, Hans Huberman from The Book Thief is my favorite book dad.

Melinda Bruce: Luke isn't Clary's dad, in City of Bones, but he's close enough and he's great.

Richa Parande: Anna's dad in Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins

Friday Finds - June 14, 2013

The Friday Finds is your spot for a summary of topics we've covered this week. We will have a list of things you may have missed here on TLT, as well as an item or two from the archives you may want to revisit. Each week's recap will conclude with some links to interesting reading from the web.

This Week at TLT:

Karen writes about damaging stereotypes and the lack of diversity in YA literature.

Robin writes about her (rather disastrous) experience with this year’s World Book Night. 

Mermaids get the Teen Program in a Box treatment.

Karen reviews Thousand Words by Jennifer Brown and goes behind the scenes of reality TV with a look at two compelling reads.

Keeping track of sequels is an endless job. We have a list of popular YA sequels coming out soon.

Kicky (Karen’s tweenage daughter) recommends 5 audiobooktitles you should try. And June is Audio Book Month! Enter our audio book giveaway!

Everyone loves Top Ten lists! We have a chance for you to win a whole book of them.

Previously on TLT:

Summer is a time when teens have traditionally had more time to get involved in their communities. Teens can often feel disconnected and at loose ends (or have an excess of energy looking for an outlet.) Why not steer them towards one of these opportunities to get involved and make a difference?

Around the web:

Wondering where all the good teen female role models are? The Mary Sue has an awesome (and convenient) list of “9 Female Characters We Wish We’d Been More Like In High School” including some of my favorites!

Chuck Wendig runs down the basics of “25 Things You Should Know About Young Adult Fiction” over on his blog Terrible Minds.  The next time someone astounds you with a mindbogglingly incorrect assumption or a false claim to know ‘just what YA is,’ send them here.

Over at The Washington Post, Valerie Strauss discusses the biggest scandal in America – childhood poverty. She presents the current statistics and discusses poverty’s impact on student success in education and the failure of federal policy to address the problem.


Got a tip for some great Friday Finds? Email RobinReads at Bellsouth dot net or Tweet her @RobinReads

5 Audio Books My Tween Says You Should Listen To Right Now

If you follow me on Twitter (@tlt16), you know that the Tween and I are now audio book obsessed.  Even if we are just in the car for a five minute drive she asks me to turn on whatever book we are currently listening to.  We have gotten home and sat in the car for a few extra minutes to finish whatever scene or book we are listening to.  I don't forget to turn on the book because she won't let me, "Mom, turn the book on" she cries from the backseat of the car.  Here are 5 of her recent faves.


1.  Chomp by Carl Hiaasen

I won't talk a lot about this one, because I mentioned it in yesterday's post about reality TV. The tween wasn't interested in it though for the inside look at all the behind the scenes happenings of reality TV.  No, she just liked that it was funny, charming, and at times kept you on the edge of your seat.  She is also a huge animal lover and there is plenty of fun wildlife present.

Super Pop! : The Book, The Lists, The Giveaway

Lists are a glorious thing.  Yes, that's right, I am singing the praises of lists.  Dave Letterman has ridden on the coat tails of the Top 10 list for decades.  We put together book lists and lists of movies.  Each year radio stations count down the list of the best songs of the year.  We ask our friends, "If you were stranded on a desert island, which 5 books would you want with you?" (Answer this question in the comments and you'll be entered to win a copy of Super Pop! Read on)

Super Pop by Daniel Harmon is a celebration of all things listy.  It is a trip in the glories of listmania.  It is, in fact, listastic and listeriffic.  When you open the pages of Super Pop, you are taking a magical journey into the world of Listville, where the glory of the list reigns supreme.  But these are special lists, they are designed to hep you "be more interesting" (part 1), "get smarter" (part II), "stop doing it wrong" (part III), "find happiness" (part IV) and "survive the holidays" (part V).  And then, there is an appendix, the "Top 10 Resources for People Who Still Want More."

Want to gain some perspective?  Try reading a book and "try on another human being" Harmon advises.  Books included on the list?

Behind the Scenes of Reality TV

Take a moment and sit in front of your TV and flip channels.  Notice a pattern?  The channels are full of shows called "Reality TV".  Dance Moms, which makes my skin crawl and I can't figure out why children's services isn't involved.  Supernanny.  Wife Swap (seriously, who would do that?).  Honey Boo Boo.

If this is a slice of reality, I think we should be afraid.  Be very afraid.  Of course, most of us have figured out that it is NOT in fact reality.  These shows are edited, sometimes partially scripted, and manipulated in ways to meet standard formulas.  There must be drama.  And tears, tears are good (apparently).

I recently had a conversation with a dance instructor at a Dallas dance studio who gave me some inside scoop on Dance Moms.  The studio she works at was the first dance studio scouted to be on the Dance Moms program.  The owner met with the teachers and producers and discussed what kinds of roles they wanted to fill.  In the end, this particular dance studio chose not to be involved because they didn't want their friends and neighbors seeing them act like that on TV, even though they knew it would be fake.  Their reputations were more important to them then the money, fame and face time on TV.

Are Reality Shows Real?

Many of our kids, however, don't know how fake so called reality TV is.  But guess what, there is a book for that.  More than one, actually.

Coming Soon: The sequel is the thing

One of the hardest parts of collection development is keeping track of all of the series, trilogies, miniseries and more that are published in the YA world.  The very worst thing for a patron and a reader is to not get a new title in a timely manner.  I'm not gonna say that I have ever done that, I've just heard that it stinks.  I have been hard at work keeping track of when sequels to the popular series at my library are coming out, and I thought I would share.  You are welcome.  You were going to say thank you, right?  Know a title coming soon?  Add it in the comments.

 
Dance of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin
Sequel to Masque of the Red Death, out June 11, 2013
Great atmosphere, amazing covers, epidemics, plus - based on Poe.  All around win.

Book Review: Thousdand Words by Jennifer Brown (and a look at Sexting)

The summer before Ashleigh's boyfriend leaves for college, she fears she is going to lose him.  One night at a party, she sends him a picture.  Drunk and spurred on my a couple of friends at the party, she can't believe she is doing this - but it is one of THOSE pictures, a nude selfie.  It was supposed to be for his eyes only, but when Kaleb an Ashleigh have a bad breakup, he gets revenge by forwarding the picture on, which is why he is facing jail time and Ashleigh finds herself doing community service.

Jennifer Brown is well known for her spot on realistic fiction that touches on current issues.  With The Hate List, she presented a richly emotionally tale of school shootings.  In Perfect Escape she shared the complex life of a young girl's life who had been deeply touched by the struggles of a brother with OCD.  And in Thousand Words she is looking at the phenomenon of sexting, a very timely issue.

"Among 14- to 24-year-olds who admit to sexting, 29 percent send these messages to people they have never met, but know from the Internet." - Do Something

TPIB: Beneath the Sea: Mermaids

Summer is coming, and so is this year's SRP theme "Beneath the Surface".  Christie is going with a mermaid theme for one of her weeks because they are definitely beneath the surface.  And mermaids are hot right now in part thanks to Animal Planet's Mermaids: The New Evidence, which was its highest rated telecast ever (and is also a complete hoax, but that is another story).  Here are some great reads and programming ideas for you if you are looking to tap into the current hot topic: mermaids.

Books

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