Banned Books Week: Day #3

 Librarians don't have a lot to fear--we are strong, resilient, and incredibly amazing...But if Harry Potter opened up the trunk to reveal our greatest fear, this would be it:

 

Now, I just need to figure out what my Patronus would be to dispel this fear if it ever becomes a reality!

Banned Books Week Day 2!

Banned Books Week is one of my favorite theme weeks for libraries.  Teens are smart cookies--they know what is wrong or right--and they choose to act or not act on it regardless of the books they read.  I can't think of any time, in my own life, or watching others, where what they read directly affected their actions.  If you read The Hunger Games, I don't believe you are going to try to overthrow the government and kill your friends.  If you read Where the Wild Things Are, I don't believe you will succumb to witchcraft.  However, there are people who DO think that will happen. And those people challenge these books and try to get them taken out of schools and libraries.

Here are the most frequently challenged books of JUST last year, 2014:

1)      The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie
Reasons: anti-family, cultural insensitivity, drugs/alcohol/smoking, gambling, offensive language, sex education, sexually explicit, unsuited for age group, violence. Additional reasons: “depictions of bullying”

2)      Persepolis, by Marjane Satrapi
Reasons: gambling, offensive language, political viewpoint. Additional reasons: “politically, racially, and socially offensive,” “graphic depictions”

3)      And Tango Makes Three, Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell
Reasons: Anti-family, homosexuality, political viewpoint, religious viewpoint, unsuited for age group. Additional reasons: “promotes the homosexual agenda”

4)      The Bluest Eye, by Toni Morrison
Reasons: Sexually explicit, unsuited for age group. Additional reasons: “contains controversial issues”

5)      It’s Perfectly Normal, by Robie Harris
Reasons: Nudity, sex education, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group. Additional reasons: “alleges it child pornography”

6)      Saga, by Brian Vaughan and Fiona Staples
Reasons: Anti-Family, nudity, offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited for age group. Additional reasons:

7)      The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini
Reasons: Offensive language, unsuited to age group, violence

8)      The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky
Reasons: drugs/alcohol/smoking, homosexuality, offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited for age group. Additional reasons: “date rape and masturbation”

9)      A Stolen Life, Jaycee Dugard
Reasons: drugs/alcohol/smoking, offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited for age group

10)  Drama, by Raina Telgemeier
Reasons: sexually explicit

Teens, you are SO intuitive.  You can choose what you, personally, can handle in literature.  Choose wisely--don't just read crap to rebel, but find a book you will genuinely enjoy and soak up the words. 

I Like Banned Books and I Cannot Lie

Today starts off Banned Book Week...for those of you who don't know, Banned Book Week is 7 seven days where libraries can celebrate and encourage the freedom to read.  You may not be able to read certain books in school, like Twilight, The Hunger Games, To Kill a Mockingbird, Where's Waldo, and SOOO many more.  These books have been challenged for many reasons.  This week of posts will delve deeper into Banned Books Week and show you what censorship means and how it affects you.

ALA describes Banned Books Week as:
Banned Books Week is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read. Typically held during the last week of September, it highlights the value of free and open access to information. Banned Books Week brings together the entire book community –- librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers, and readers of all types –- in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas, even those some consider unorthodox or unpopular.
By focusing on efforts across the country to remove or restrict access to books, Banned Books Week draws national attention to the harms of censorship. Check out the frequently challenged books section to explore the issues and controversies around book challenges and book banning. The books featured during Banned Books Week have all been targeted with removal or restrictions in libraries and schools. While books have been and continue to be banned, part of the Banned Books Week celebration is the fact that, in a majority of cases, the books have remained available. This happens only thanks to the efforts of librarians, teachers, students, and community members who stand up and speak out for the freedom to read.


In the meantime, please head on down to the library and check out my fantastic display! Or cheat, and just look at the pictures below.

Marvel VS. DC?

How many of you prefer Marvel or DC Comics over the other?  How many of you know the difference?

Marvel is responsible for:

Wolverine

The Thing

Kitty Pryde

Magneto

Emma Frost

Beast

Captain America

Spider-man

Cyclops

Nick Fury

Angel

Hawkeye

Mr. Fantastic

Blob

Mystique

Hulk

Jean Grey

Iron Man

Professor X

Daredevil

Rogue

Storm

Venom

Quicksilver

Human Torch

Thor

Silver Surfer

NOTE: This is not ALL of them. You can see a better list for Marvel here

DC Comics is responsible for:

Batman

Cyclone

Superman

Lex Luthor

Joker

Green Arrow

Batwoman

Supergirl

Aquaman

Green Lantern

The Flash

Wonder Woman

Booster Gold

Blue Beetle

Harley Quinn

Poison Ivy

Catwoman

NOTE: This is not ALL of them. You can see a better list for DC here

NOW, do you have a favorite? I think I do...but I won't sway your opinion.  Instead, here's an amusing pin:

Faaaaalll!

I heart Fall.  I heart it so much, I just have to write a post about how much I love it! I especially enjoyed 3rd Friday last week where we did a ton of Fall crafts. Here are some pictures from that:

I love getting all bundled up and going for car rides to see the leaves change...sometimes I let my fiancee come, but he drives me nuts!

I love leaf piles, Halloween, APPLE CIDER! (I already went through a gallon of it), hot cocoa, crunchy leaf noises, pretty colors, and so much more. I could go on and on...

So, if you're like me, and you have those really rough days, days where you can't stand to talk to anyone, or go to school or work, and you have a rage going, remember just how wonderful Fall is, and enjoy the outdoors!

The Great Trouble

In a week in a half, we will be having our second Young Hoosier Book Club at the middle school! I'm super excited to share The Great Trouble with you, and I think you're going to enjoy the activity I have in mind for you.

Here's a little preview video that explains book club and what you might see at the next book club.  Hope to see you there! Make sure you sign up in the NMS library and get pass--remember you do NOT have to have read the book.  I promise.

During lunch October 5:

Uppercase

There are a ton of reasons why I love when teenagers come in to the library and talk to me.  The other night was a PERFECT example.  Heather came in to meet with me to figure out how to read E-books on her Kindle--which that right there is amazing! You guys are always more than welcome to come down and visit and get my help on anything.

As we chit-chatted, she told me about Uppercase.  It's a monthly subscription you pay and each month you receive, in the mail, a box of untold YA literature goodies!

Here is one example:

 Each box generally comes with one book--either signed by the author or a signed bookplate and some book-ish paraphernalia like what is pictured here!

It's about $23 a month, which may seem like a lot, but keep in mind that a hardcover book is typically $17-$20 a piece and when you add an autograph it's even more expensive. PLUS you get other goodies! 

If interested, I highly suggest checking their website out! www.uppercasebox.com

More Books to Movies!

Yesterday, I told you that Chloe Grace Moretz, from If I Stay, will be starring in the new YA book to movie adaptation, The 5th Wave:

  

                                     Book                                                                  Film

Now, I wasn't wholly impressed with the book, but the second book in the series improved on the story-line a LOT, and I'm excited to see this movie coming out this year!

You can go back and read MY blogpost about this book here: 

http://mcplteen.blogspot.com/search?q=5th+wave

And then check out the information about the new movie here:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2304933/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_3

The film will be released January 15, 2016!

If I Stay--If I Read the Book, If I Watch the Movie

MAAAANY of you have read the very popular book by Gayle Forman, If I Stay, about a teenage girl that has an out of body experience after being involved in a car crash that kills her parents and her little brother....

And she is left in a coma struggling with the possibilities IF she stays...or IF she goes.

Summary from Goodreads:

Choices. Seventeen-year-old Mia is faced with some tough ones: Stay true to her first love—music—even if it means losing her boyfriend and leaving her family and friends behind?

Then one February morning Mia goes for a drive with her family, and in an instant, everything changes. Suddenly, all the choices are gone, except one. And it's the only one that matters.

If I Stay is a heartachingly beautiful book about the power of love, the true meaning of family, and the choices we all make.

Most of you know that a film was made from this book:

Most of the time, I am fairly skeptical of cinematic portrayals of books.  But over the weekend, I found it on NetFlix and decided it was worth a try--it couldn't be worse than the movie version of The Fault in Our Stars... 

I was actually blown away by this film! Yes, it's a chick flick, a sob story, but it is soooo much more than that.  The film really captures Mia's love of music and her determination to be a great cellist.  I absolutely love that it's the MUSIC and Julliard that really makes her consider life over death--not some high school romance.  

I also really like Chloe Grace Moretz--I think she's a terrific up and coming actress for all these teen movies.  I hope to see her in more...she's actually starring in the NEW TEEN book to movie, The 5th Wave that I read and reviewed! 

My Fiancee's Birthday!

Thank you, everyone, for reading my blog! Today, however, I am off work to celebrate the birthday of the man I'm going to marry in 9 months! It'll be full of games, food, and nerdery!

See you tomorrow!

 

   

October Teen Craft Night--CHANGED!

ANNOUNCEMENT!

Due to unforseeable events, Teen Craft Night for October has MOVED! Instead of the first Thursday, October 1, it will be the SECOND Thursday, October 7. 

I will be gone from the library October 1, so pleeeease don't show up expecting crafts. Please DO show up to check out books and hang out during Banned Books Week and see my sweet display.

So:

TEEN CRAFT NIGHT BEANIE HATS

OCTOBER 7, 4:30-5:30 PM!

How was 3rd Friday??

We had a GREAT turn out at 3rd Friday last night! The rain held off until we were finished, and we had nearly 60 people show up to make Fall crafts! This is one of my favorite programs--mostly because it's the teen I work with helping the little kids.  I think that speaks louder to children than their parents bringing them to the library--thought I ought not completely discredit parents who take the time to bring their kids to the library.

At any rate, here are some photos from the evening!

 

Acorn craft

 

Owl craft

 

Bird puppet craft

 

Fall Tree craft

 Fall Tree Wreath craft

Japan Museums are Better Than All the Other Museums...

My Bucket List:

Visit this Museum of Picture Books in

Iwaki, Fukushima, Japan

First Young Hoosier Book Club!

Well, thank you to NMS for such a GREAT First Young Hoosier Book Club for The Time Fetch.  I had a record number of 8th graders--usually they dwindle down to about 5, but I had a whopping 16!

6th graders--remember, you do NOT have to read the book to come to book club.  We do NOT have a sit down, quiet discussion.

We play games, we eat candy, we get free snacks--it's more of a party than a book club!

Here are some photos to prove it!

Trivia!

Harlie and her pfeffernusse

Mmmmm pepper cookies!

8th grade winter solstice ritual

8th grade ringing the bells for the new year

8th grade!

6th graders also love their tasty cookies!

Ring the bells to the skies

ring the bells to the East

6th Grade

Harsh and his bells

Ring the bells

Winter Solstice Light Ritual

Thankful for the winter solstice and lighting our candles

7th grade

You guys ROCK! I will see you next month for The Great Trouble!

More Than Professor McGonagal

Maggie Smith is a British actor--most of you probably know her best from playing Professor McGonagal in the Harry Potter movies or Downton Abbey.  She has been in TONS of movies...I remember her from Sister Act, Nanny McPhee, Becoming Jane, and so much more.  She is a strong, independent, powerhouse of a woman!  I recently found the following graphic online that shows even MORE awesomeness about Maggie Smith! Check it out...

You can also look her up on IMDb to see all the other movies you've seen but didn't realize she was in!

3rd Friday is Coming!

It is almost time for 3rd Friday again! We only have a few more months left that the teens are hosting crafts.  Next year, the library will stay open, but there will be NO activities--sad day!

Here is what you can expect from September Fall crafts: