What I’ve Been Reading

I really need to post these more often–I’m losing track of what I’ve read!

Funny Misshapen Body: A Memoir: I picked this one up when I wanted to kill some time at my public library branch. (Side note? Now that I work full-time, I visit this library so much less often. It makes me a little sad. But at least I finally made good on my overdue fines!) When I was about halfway done I loaned it to the head of our art department, which meant I didn’t get to finish it until this afternoon. Aesthetically I’m not a huge fan of the art, but I love the stories. Linear thinkers may have an issue with the way the narrative hops around in time.

Brutal: As part of my book club for two, I’m now trying to stay at least a book ahead of the 12th grader who plows through anything I recommend. I picked this one up because it seemed like it might be in line with some of the Bad Things Happen-themed books she’s enjoyed in the past. At first I had a lot of trouble getting into it–the narrator struck me as one of those gratingly precocious teens–but the plot drew me in and I finished it in a single sitting.

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Nonfiction Matters

[I’m such a geek when it comes to words with multiple meanings.]

After paying probably way too much attention to the changes to some of YALSA’s book lists, I’ve been thinking a lot about fiction and nonfiction. Am I marginalizing nonfiction in my library?

The evidence on both sides:

What I’ve Been Reading

I haven’t updated this in a while, so I might actually be missing titles!

Wintergirls – Have I mentioned lately how much I love Laurie Halse Anderson? This was a great read and I’m glad I have it in my collection, though it’s not seeing a ton of circulation lately. I didn’t think the end rang false, though I can see that other readers might have thought it was a lot of buildup for a sudden ending.

Cut – This one has been wildly popular everywhere I’ve worked, so I’m really glad I finally sat down and read it. I found myself identifying pretty strongly with the main character and I was pleased with what I saw as a pretty realistic depiction of self-injury and a spiraling mindset, though I can’t speak to the accuracy of life in a juvenile rehab center.

Take the Cannoli – I love Sarah Vowell from This American Life. Like David Sedaris, her voice now rings in my head when I’m reading her stories. I ended up giving this one to my dad for Christmas. I’d recommend her for Sedaris fans, This American Life fans, and anyone who loves a well-crafted memoir-y short story.

What I’ve Been Reading

My reading has become a bit haphazard these days, as I now drive for my commute (rather than taking public transportation) and don’t usually have time at work to read (which I sometimes had in the afternoons on slow days).

Nonetheless, I seem to be getting an interesting mix in, as I catch up on some newer adult titles and try to read some of the new (or new to us) YA titles I order for the library.

Boy Books and Girl Books

I have a pair of students I absolutely adore. They come into the library just about every day, always together, always taking their time to find the perfect book. They’re both in ninth grade, in that blissful period when friendships between boys and girls aren’t yet marred by the stunning Awkward that is puberty.

So far they’re my biggest readers–devouring books in a day or so, carrying off stacks of four and five when I have new books in, never shy about their feelings on any return.

And from the very first day, the male half of this dynamic duo has made it very clear what he doesn’t want to read: girl books.

How’s My Driving?

I almost got into a car accident yesterday.

Despite a spotless driving record, faithful adherence to the law and an almost neurotic observance to the speed limit just about wherever I go, I almost got into an accident.

After my thoughts finally moved on from “Holy crap!” to “Thank goodness no one was hurt” and “Good thing there wasn’t a cop around to see that,” it hit me: even good drivers can make bad decisions.

So what if the driver is a teenager, behind the wheel not of a car, but of their own education?

New Librarian on the Block

Hey, remember when I used to blog? Yeah, me neither.

Things I’ve learned since starting my new job: