London Free Press: Gritty books appeal to teens is a look at Canadian Annick Press which publishes amazing books like Secrets in the Fire. Their focus is on getting teens to read books that are more reflective and well-written but also speak to today’s serious issues. Knowing how great Secrets in the Fire is, I am happy to say that they are achieving their mission.
I must add that I do not agree with their premise that graphic novels are not literature and that we need to start fussing about WHAT kids are reading. I think that time and time again we have seen that the act of reading is what is important, especially for boys who will only read comics. Just let them read, but let us as children’s professionals make sure that when they are ready to try something deeper, it is right there waiting for them.
Kathleen Jeffrie Johnson
Kathleen Jeffrie Johnson, author of some wonderful psychological fiction for teens, including A Fast and Brutal Wing and Target, has a new website.
Via cynsations
Kenneth Oppel
Kenneth Oppel, author of Airborn, has now added the sequel, Skybreaker, to his amazing website. Visit the Skybreaker section to get a glimpse into what will happen in the sequel.
Wrecked
Wrecked by E. R. Frank will be published in October. Frank, author of Friction and America, has once again tapped into the teen psyche and created a real page-turner.
Anna is a teen who gets into a car accident where her best friend is hurt badly and another girl is killed. Anna believes that it is her fault, even though there is evidence that the girl who died was drunk and had swerved into Anna’s lane. The book compellingly reveals Anna’s past through her recovery from her accident and her post traumatic stress disorder. I enjoyed the fact that Anna and the other teens in the book were not perfect. They drink, lie and are really alive. Additionally, the adults in the book are complex and vivid. Both of Anna’s parents are wonderfully drawn.
All of this adds up to a book that kids will really enjoy. The book would work for reluctant readers, because the pace is fast and the story is riveting. Recommend this one to teens who enjoy reality-based fiction and they will find great writing too.
Science & Fantasy Bibliography
Science Fiction and Fantasy Bibliography is an online bibliography of books for children. Head directly to the advanced search section where you can search by title, author, or series. Even nicer, you can specify specific genre type, nationality, age level, grade level, and how highly recommended the books are. Only after you have done one of these searches will you realize how large the bibliography is! It has been compiled by Linda Day from the University of Guelph Library who has done an incredibly detailed job.
School and Public Library Partnerships
ALA | School & Public Library Cooperative Activities is an ALSC site that demonstrates best practices in school and public library cooperation. The site offers information on existing cooperative programs, a bibliography and a collection of exemplary web sites.
Read Aloud!
Read Aloud Virginia has a great website filled with information and inspiration for parents to read aloud to their children. “It’s the most important 20 minutes of your child’s day.” Hurrah!
The site offers links to read aloud information, tips on reading aloud, and several lists of great books to read aloud.
Classic Kid Games
Kidscape offers some great classic logic games online. Games include hangman, tetris, car jam, tic-tac-toe, and tile games.
Scholar's Blog
Scholar’s Blog is a new blog that focuses on fantasy fiction from Tolkien to Rowling.
Waking Brain Cells 