Class+Notes

Here is where we'll post notes from class each week:

June 29, 2009

Name Where you are in the Pratt Program What you want to learn in the class

What you can bring to high school students? YA Lit stuff Tweens--step in for teen librarian--how to make teens think you're cool Get back into the swing of YA High school 13 y.o. brother--what do they read? Books they're reading Reflection on what's come out YA lit Bad YA lit Intrigued by teens--how you can relate to them

Best song you've heard in the last 2 weeks

A Well Respected Man--Kinks Whiter Shade of Pale--Procol Harum You Can't Put Your Arms Around a Memory. Pansy Division Adele--Right is Ready Sukhwinder Singh - Chaiyya Chaiyya Bill Callaghan Tori Amos I'm Yours--Jason Mraz MJ--Dirty Diana Sunny--Morrissey Phoenix--1901 Decemberists--Youth and Beauty Brigade Crash--Paul van Dyke Black and White--MJ Billie Jean-MJ X2 Andrew Bird--Anonanimal Fujiya & Miyagi (the whole album, //Transparent Things// is good)

Part Time Indian Maybe not more boys than girls? He's an Everyman Low income, low expectations== Humor Find an entry point Good pics drawn by a woman Girls are more open to reading about things they don't identify with right off the bat social justice multi cultural outsider

Diary of a Wimpy Kid Curius Incident of the Dog in the Night Time Freak Show Gregor the Overlander Tyrell Percy Jackson

Twlight: If you like twilight, you'll like this teenage girl love story forbidden love story ordinary girl/extraordinary circumstances sparkles everything real life except for him visceral--physical response to crush/love/etc dangerous outsider they saw bella differently than she saw herself small town thing

July 1, 2009

YA Collections:

Assignment books—classics (separate peace, catcher, etc, xxx Books published for YA—Fit for YA market—12 & Up, sometimes 14 & up xxxxxxx Graphic novels & Manga xxxxxx Superhero Series—garth nix, eragon, james patterson, Darren shan, jk, gossip girl, xx Urban fiction, street lit, triple crown, big pub houses have street lit x imprints (indie bands selling out?!?!) Magazines (many are now online only) Study guides, cliffsnotes, etc.xx Point counterpoint Audiobooks/playaways DVDs (tv shows, anime, movies)xx Video games Cds Computers and laptops xxxxxx Seating xxx Adult books—some interfile, some in both places Labels Movitational posters e-resources xxx non-fiction xxxxx

YA Lit History:

Bible—everyone read the bible 19C—Dickens/Brontes teenagers were adults in 19C-kid in a coalmine or a young mother Little Women Treasure Island Anne of Green Gables Little House Rudyard Kipling Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys/ Betsy Tacy Trixie Belden Archie Comics Cherry Ames: Student Nurse Beverly Cleary Judy Blume Catcher In the Rye Pigman—Zindel Seventeenth Summer SE Hinton Sweet Valley High Mr & Mrs Bo Jo Jones Go Ask Alice Kurt Vonnegut EL Konigsburg Robert Cormier—Chocolate War, I Am the Cheese Ray Bradbury ME Kerr Lois Duncan Lois Lowry VC Andrews RL Stine Stephen King Walter Dean Myers Mildred Taylor Go Ask Alice Julius Lester Rosa Guy Phyllis Reynolds Naylor Christopher Pike Anne Martin Sweet Dreams Lurlene Mc Daniel Franice Pascal Francesca Lia Block—Weetzie Bat Brett Easton Ellis Robert Lipsyte Cynthia Voigt Katherine Patterson Susan Cooper Madleine L’Engle Ursula LeGuin Mary Stuart Douglas Adams Robin McKinley Diana Wynne Jones Avi Tamora Pierce\ Sharon Draper Chris Crutcher Charles de Lint Patricia C. Wrede Jerry Spinelli JK Rowling Jackie Woodson Gordan Korman Terry Pratchett James Patterson Anne Brashares Virginia Euwer Wolff Gary Paulsen Neil Gaiman Sarah Dessen Kwan Meg Cabot Darren Shan E Lockhart Scott Westerfeld Ellen Wittlinger Garret Freymann Weyr Lauire HalseAnderson Mt Anderson Patricia McCormick Louise Rennison Carolyn Mackler Caroline B Cooney Jay Asher Cecily Von Z John Green Anthony Horowitz David Levithan Angela Johnson Jane Yolen Sharon Flake Stephenie Meyer Nancy Farmer Julia Alvarez Maureen Johnson Cassandra Claire Markus Zusak Holly Black Rachel Cohn Lauren Myracle Marc Aronson Melissa Marr Melissa de la Cruz Garth Nix Street Lit: Kwan Terry Woods Zane Kashamba Williams Treasure Hernandez Noire Iceberg Slim Push

Kids are not getting Catcher in the Rye

Freak Show Liked it—funny, over the top, Once plot got rolling was well constructed; hard to get into—annoying at first, voice, the ending, good ending Didn’t like it: hard to read, skipped pages, rants obnoxious, hard to keep track of, pop culture refs, mature side of pop culture, pretentious, shake Billy, couldn’t get into it, bad reviews from other people, who is this author? Billy was just being himself Couldn’t express himself outside of himself Who reads it? Sandy would kill for it—LGBTQ kids, plot won me over, outfits, Shadow kids—Blah Blah Blah Inner turmoil of the football player Flossie Positive family relationship Give it to a reading challenge Kids who feel like outsiders—new kids in town, kids who go to prep schools who are outsiders of the prep school cultures Kids who don’t fit in Kids who like funny books/sense of humor

Would pair with: levithan, twilight, fashion books,

Altar Ego Make themselves over Stereotype of the gamer Can be read lots of different ways Body image---huge realization for teens Women play as men so they don’t get hit on—strong, independence Pictures, cover Talks in tech speak—book speaks gamer language

Who would read: gamers, kidn of book that needs to be left of the table Would give to art students, outcasts Would pair with dramacon, cosplay, boy proof, fantasy

Bananafish

Hard to read Hard to follow plot—vietnam Not well written or drawn—look the same Stereotypical artwork—too many degrees of separation Give to guys—homosexuality

Booktalking

July 6, 2009

Feeling of camaraderie between close friends—friendship Playing in the pit orchestra of OK Learning how to pump gas from cute boy First kiss (boy or girl) Independence—not having to sit through a crap class Arrested for being at a party—parents fought for her—learned when its okay to question authority Safe zone for weird kids—parents would lie Bad teacher—changed majors—making decisions about future Revels in brother’s fallen grace National honor’s society—enjoyed your purple hair awesomeness/awareness Found friends outside of normal peer group—form friends around interests instead of scholastics— Achieved the course—motivated others to complete the course—made student council representative Helping a friend Had a cool dad who picked friends up from Rocky Horror Ditched by friends—made a new friend Storytelling festival—first internship in a public library—chain of events that led to a career

FB vs Myspace FB was for college Myspace—music

Myspace—seedy and gross? Can listen to music

Bar for entry to myspace is lower than FB

Hispanic kids don’t use FB?

Myspace now has feed

Cancelled myspace acct—

Girls have pics of themselves

Ban myspace in childrens room?

Use myspace just for music Creating a supercool persona for themselves

Created categories of friends

Authentic you may not be what you want the rest of the world to see

Alice Hoffman

Only friend people who you want to know Don’t use full name Make things friends only Ask yourself “will a job interviewer want to read this?” Helps work friendships—lets people at work know who you are Personal info can be beneficial to work life Risk to put yourself out there—almost no different from real life Can hide people on FB Beware of what you put into email No real contact information

Generation of teens now who are leaving high school—big presence on Internet

Media literacy

Living Dead Girl Horrible circumstances Gratuitious Evocative Intense Very negative Always people who will read those books It is appropriate Do teen books have to have hope? Scared straight Like law and order SVU Adult world can’t save youu

Before I die Go Ask Alice Messenger Giver Ptolemy’s gate Separate Peace Tears of a tiger Romeo and Julie

No hope Freewill

Who would you give it to? Kids who want to see something worse than what they live? A trigger? Kids who like dark books Embrace their experiences

Would pair with: Hard Candy Before I die The Missing Girl Sold Body of Christopher Creed Ellen Hopkins Water Wintergirls Speak Burn Journals You Know Where to Find Me Missing Abby Girl, INterrupted Feather Laura Kaschiscke Lovely Bones Oscar Wao Lucky Mysterious Skin The Forest of Hands and Teeth The Road

If I Stay I loved it Best parents, best BF, best everything Treasure your life Warm and cozy Sadder for people who were left alive Cathartic Popular with adult women Characters are so unflawed Feels like an outsider Relieved to have the parents die

Who would read: Girls who like to cry Musicians Romance—destiny/soulmate Teens with “adult relatonship” Adults Coming from a dysfunctional family—aspire to have this family

Would pair with: Living Dead Girl Neverwhere Graveyard Book Lovely Bones Sarah Dessen Books Say Goodnight Gracie Thirteen Reasons Why Flight

Frankie Landau Banks

Didn’t like main character Loved the main character Sister is a feminist All politics Didn’t like 3rd person narrative Narrator is affective of boarding school Banter between guys Going there for the education/not connections Loved everything but the end—seemed to be a different person But could be the ultimate infiltration More to gain by playing their game instead of quitting Vague ending

Would give to: Private school kids Not into rich white people Fans of Private Challenging Boys who resent boys clubs Geek squad celebrity Body conscious Dream of geeky girl getting popular boys John Green Fans Mystery/intrigue

Would pair with:

John Green Jellicoe Road Wessex Papers London Eye Mystery Mean Girls Freak Show Heathers Gilmore Girls Dawsons Creek Wodehouse Panopticon—Foucault Secret Society stuff Dead Poet Society The Liar Secret History Old School Book I Am Charlotte History Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants Girl Overboard

July 8, 2009

MSCL:

Parents support—are passive aggressive; seem concerned that they don’t understand her Expectations about teenagers— Newer friends support more than old Everyone in high school has a friend their parents don’t approve of She’s not part of anything in the background Yearbrook group---cutting off old support Relationship doesn’t seem particularly anything—dad seemed lost Mother is very sarcastic Typical little sister Raynne—unstable; seems not to care what anyone thinks; has more fun Angela n eeds someone to help her push the envelope Hair is holding her back

Social competencies—making judgement calls Not satisfied with reality Doesn’t have positive identity Experimenting—feels free enough to get out of yearbook Body language Challenging

Superbad friends, mom Bullies—not really support Clear that they love each other— Verbal communication is limited—not talking about feelings—secret code communication—afraid of saying something that might not sound cool— Taboo to talk about feelings Takes the entire movie for them to verbalize their feelings for one another…and then they snuggle Talk like the boys in Order of the Bassett Hounds Pretend to be touch either when they’re being nice Characters in John Green OK in library; issues with the content Ask “would they talk like that in front of their siblings” Ok for them to whisper Address appropriateness of it in the space, not the appropriateness of the speech Make them aware of it—let them know they may not be able to talk like that in the library “I’m so glad you’re in love, but I need for you to be in love somewhere else.” Code switching—using the appropriate language in the appropriate place Give them a level of responsibility to do the right thing Seth more devoted to Evan than Evan is to Seth Evan defends the girl; takes higher more sophisiticated kid Want to get attention

If you’re telling the jokes, they’re less likey to be made at you Shut up in front of the mean guy Wrote it as kids Positive identity—seth is comfortable with himself? A cover up? He cries like a baby Seth bullies McLovin Evan is comfortable until he talks to a girl David Sedaris John Green Virgin Sex for Boys

Wintergirls Well written Not talking down to teens Like a problem novel— Magical realism, but not Felt disoriented, hallucinated Have to be careful of who you give the book to—incredibly triggering Horror could be intriguing I jight do this but I’m in better congrol Good book for friends and family—they can know why Kids are aware that suicide exists— Rawer Wrenching—at emotional extremes—head over heels in love Teens absorb messages easier Looking for things they can identify with Community of anorexic girls Extra layer of interpreting—crossed out words Adds to the tension Entertaining Can’tr always decide that what someone likes is who they are Many kids want to experience something they aren’t Mother attempts to support her—but is too busy Mom knew she needed to be monitored

13 Reasons Why: Had a lot of support Boy in story, parents, friends in school, Started off as a snotty it girl Leaves notes but no one sees them Tony was biggest support for the main character Paper Towns

Would read Wintergirls with: Everything we read on Monday Skin by Vrettos Guys on drugs Raiders knight—lipsyte Cut patty mccormick Body Drama—photography Post Secret Non-fiction Online resources about body image—flickr project—submit photos and height and weight Thin—Lauren Greenwald Staying Fat for Sarah Burns AM Jenkins—Damage

13 Reasons Why: Paper Towns Mysteries Love Story Sweethearts by Sarah Zarr Virgin Suicides As Simple as Snow Suicide The Earth My Butt and Other Big Things Inexcuseable What Happened to Lani Garver

Would give to: Teen girls Wide appeal Twisty plot Love story Depressing Narrators of both genders Read in Christian schools Mild read Universally relateable Misinterpretations of what happened I love you but you’re dead ☹( Zombie Love Story Generation Dead Forest of hands and Teeth

Class Notes July 15, 2009

Groups:

Little Brother

Support—from mom, teacher Social engagement Commitment to learning Motivation Civic values Creative activities Equity and social justice Reading for pleasure

Techies Rebgels Troublemakers Nerds Gamers Passionate kids Politically involved kids Kids in san Francisco Urban kids Sci fi fans Fans of the dystopic novel Rpgers Args

Frankie landau banks Alter ego 1984 brave new world patriot act constitution ny times internet gaming great curriculum connection faherenheit 451 feed hunger games 9/11 gn v for vendetta uglies persepolis

how to hack don’t trust under 25 build your own computer tied to collection super cheap useful/could gt own computer understand freeware 3-4 sessions recycle/green program $2000.00 skulls

constructive use of time commitment to learning achievement motivation creativity reading for pleasure social engagment/civics

reluctant readers artistic types/crafters goth/rock stuff skull types street art/graffiti all ages

craft books—subervisive sewing stitch and bitch generation t hip craft books alt art day of the dead other books based on websites kittenwar stuff on my cat twilight ghostgirl generation dead bliss

crafts!!! Work with what you have Long term program Make skulls Make something else smiley faces Another image—replicate over time, host exhibition

Host author Collect garbage—scrap stuff, paper,

The eternal smile

Lack of assets Looking for escape from their reality because they have no assets Characterized by lack of assets Achievement motivation Family support Equity and social justice Responsibility Honesty Resistance

Kids who like GNs Rrs Boys and girls Choose different stories to read—variety of reading and age levels Religious cults Smart kids Artistic kids Wide readership—different genres—so pretty, more highbrow Still entertaining without understanding all the levels Rich material for discussion

Local gn creator—4 week program Use comic life

Graphic novels Matrix Truman show Ducktails Fantasy Little brother Fire and hemlock Golden compass, etc Hugo cabret unLondon coralline Pleasantville

Ricca—sex—safe and unsafe Lauren—abortion Leslie—biracial Body image—laura Teen depression—(body drama) Regan—breaking up Jill—punk rock Sandy—military—joining Emma—girl power Nina—wonderlands Dead pidgen—drug and alcohol abuse Susan song— God/existence Claire—non-american—kids with parents who aren’t American

July 27, 2009

teens don't read or buy magazines unless they're lying around boys--sports unwilling to read outside topical comfort zone no interest in GNs or manga boys like ogden nash and billy collins library bad==kids steal books rant over how much no one uses school library in middle and high school school librarires are great hang out spots but no one really uses them hard for teens to think of library as a place to come to a program if you don't like the staff; you're not going to use the library probably brooklyn teen volunteers at mulberry st branch jodi picoult child called it tuesdays with morrie asmimov girls like meg cabot and zombie books zeroed in on Tyrell and Kendra harry potter hsm3 haters! teens are better sequencers than us

deathnote:

would read: manga kids boys goth kids appearance based on pictures of demons sci fi fantasy

would pair with: artemis fowl amulet of samarkand "morally bankrupt" characters bananafish telenovela on youtube little brother charlies angels movies battle royale no choirboy

body drama: loved it very candid no nonsense show you the worse cases so you feel better about yourself asprin masks! no one is going to read this straight through read the parts that are interesting to you too muich emphasis on BMI doctors still use BMI how to deal with these feelings--too hetero-normative --maybe to keep it more technical--overly technical?

would read with gert garibaldis rants and raves boy toy wintergirls vagina monologues kids letters to judy earth my butt and other big round things fix uglies gossip girl twlight north of beautiful are you there god it's me margaret forever nobody's perfect body project its complicated alter ego looks frankie landau banks freak show grace after midnight

america's next top model:

TYRA not all one body type love the drama like the real world cast of supporting characters everybody finds somebody they can relate to...or they find someone they can hate what not to read creazy deals with lots of teen issues

August 3, 2009

freedom to be inrellectual right to receive info ist amendment bill of rights libraries allow access to info that's been published NYPL allows open access to all info after age 12 advertise and promote keep records private erase record once they return the book

patriot act allows gov't officials to see library records keep extra copies to give away instead of checking out having a clear selection policy collection development policy: legalese description for how you select and how you proceed when there is a challenge cultivate relationships with local authorities to garner suppport helps to have a form for people to challenge important to read entire work important to let people complain

families/parents afraid of their children find a way to engage challengers in a conversation Banned Books Week

more of a parenting issue than a library issue you don't have to agree with everything you read or recommend

No Choirboy:

for teens who ask for true stories fans of true crime fascination with prison reluctant readers short, chunked, high interest pictures

readalike:

green mile dead man walking monster grace after midnight Death Chamber jack gantos hole in my life luc sante juvenile Weegee trials of daryl hunt drown hunger games bloods and crips: made in america in cold blood little brother prison break oz the wire

antique bakery

straight girls obsessees of Japanese culture foodees lots of great details in the desserts fans of boxing

readalike: bananafish vegan cupcakes take over teh world hello cupcake play with your food book like water for chocolate sunshine at home at the end of the world boy meets boy teh waitress chocolat

True to the Game:

complex main character--comes across as a shallow golddigger--but all about plot great for reluctant readers