The official journal of The Young adulT librarY ServiceS aSSociaTion young adult library services

VOLUME 9 | NUMBER 4 SUMMER 2011 ISSN 1541-4302

School Library Perspectives 36 Funding Problems? Your Teens Can Make a Difference 4 Picturing Teen Read Week @ the By Barbara Klipper School Library By Paige Battle Literature Surveys and Research 38 Beyond Forever YALSA Perspectives The Next Generation of Young Women 7 Readers and Writers Protagonists’ Sexual Motivations in Three Alex Award Winners Contemporary Young Adult Novels By Karen Keys By Caroline McKinley 47 Getting It On: An Examination of How Contraceptives Are Best Practices Portrayed in Young Adult Literature 10 Out of School and In the Library By Jeanne T. McDermott Connecting With Resources in the Out of School Time (OST) Field By Maureen Hartman 13 Libraries Bridging the Borderlands Plus: Reaching Latino Tweens and Teens with 2 From the Editor Targeted Programming and Collections Sarah Flowers By Jamie Campbell Naidoo and Luis Francisco Vargas 3 From the President Kim Patton Hot Spot: Teen Read Week 46 Guidelines for Authors 21 The Movie Is (Sometimes) Better 46 Index to Advertisers Than the Book 54 The YALSA Update Adaptations as Literary Analysis By Mark Flowers 57 Index to Volume 9 24 Picture It The Diverse Possibilities of Graphic Novel Literature About This Cover By Francisca Goldsmith Picture It @ your libraryÒ is the official theme for 27 Now Is the Time Teen Read Weekä 2011, Oct. 16 – 22. Teen Read E-books, Teens, and Libraries Week offers libraries a chance to highlight the many By Linda W. Braun ways they connect teens with great reads. Design by 31 Picture It! Gareth Hinds. Ó 2011 American Library Novels To Fuel Imagination and Spark Creativity Association. Poster and other products available at By Julia K. Riley www.alastore.ala.org or by calling 1-800-746-7252. 33 Picture It: Where in the All proceeds support the nonprofit work of ALA World Is Your Librarian? and YALSA. A Bibliographic Experiment By Heather Blicher and Stephanie Bedell 2011–2012 YALSA Editorial Advisory Committee (performing referee duties and providing advisory input for the journal) Kimberly Bolan Cullin, chair, Indianapolis, Ind.; Sarah English, Omaha, Neb.; from the Laura Pearle, Carmel, N.Y.; Jessica Pollock, Greenfield, Mass.; Cindy Welch, Knoxville, Tenn.; and April Witteveen, Bend, Ore.

2011–2012 YALSA Publications Committee Sasha Matthews, chair, Chesapeake, Va.; Amy Barr, York, Neb.; Editor Heather Booth, Westmont, Ill.; Sarah Evans, Seattle, Wash.; Kathy Watson, Flemingsburg, Ky.; and Cassie Wilson, Rowlett, Texas. YALSA Executive Director Sarah Flowers Beth Yoke Editor-in-Chief Sarah Flowers een Read Weekä will be celebrated October 16–22 this Managing Editor year, and the theme is “Picture It @ Your Library.” Teen Stephanie Kuenn T Read Week is always about teens reading for the fun of it, Circulation and this year’s theme lends itself to some really fun ideas for Young Adult Library Services (ISSN 1541-4302) is published four times a year programs and displays. Movies are an obvious tie-in. You could by the American Library Association (ALA), 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611. It is the official publication of the Young Adult Library Services Asso- have a film festival, do a display pairing books with movies, have a ciation (YALSA), a division of ALA. Subscription price: members of YALSA, book and movie discussion, or have the teens make their own $25 per year, included in membership dues; nonmembers, $50 per year in the U.S.; $60 in Canada, Mexico, and other countries. Back issues within one year movies or book trailers. See Jesse Vieau’s article in the Winter issue of current issue, $15 each. Periodicals class postage paid at Chicago, Illinois of YALS for tips on how teens can make their own short films. In and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Young Adult Library Services, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611. Members: this issue, Mark Flowers gives us some examples of when the movie Address changes and inquiries should be sent to Membership Department, is better than the book it’s based on, and how to promote watching Changes to Young Adult Library Services, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611. Nonmember subscribers: Subscriptions, orders, changes of address, movies as a way of gaining better insight into the books they adapt. and inquiries should be sent to Changes to Young Adult Library Services, Art is another obvious tie-in to the Picture It theme. A Subscriptions, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611; 1-800-545-2433, press 5; fax: (312) 944-2641; [email protected]. partnership with a local museum can be the basis of a great Statement of Purpose art-related program, whether it is on art appreciation, art-related Young Adult Library Services is the official journal of the Young Adult careers, or a hands-on workshop. See Julia Riley’s article in this issue Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association. YALS primarily serves as a vehicle for continuing education for for some suggestions for a display of books relating to art and artists. librarians serving young adults, ages twelve through eighteen. It will include Graphic novel displays or workshops are surefire hits and a great tie-in articles of current interest to the profession, act as a showcase for best prac- tices, provide news from related fields, publish recent research related to YA to the theme. In this issue, Francisca Goldsmith shares some of the librarianship, and will spotlight significant events of the organization and diverse possibilities of using graphic novels with teens and, as an added offer in-depth reviews of professional literature. YALS will also serve as the official record of the organization. bonus, suggests some titles for picturing it with your ears—audio books that create strong mental images in the listener. Paige Battle has Production Cadmus Communications some great ideas of ways to celebrate Teen Read Week in your school. Barbara Klipper shares an experience of using a teen read-in as a Advertising Bill Spilman, Innovative Media Solutions; 1-877-878-3260; fax (309) library fundraiser, Karen Keys talks to three of this year’s Alex Award- 483-2371; e-mail [email protected]. YALS accepts advertis- winning authors, Maureen Hartman talks about the library’s role in ing for goods or services of interest to the library profession and librarians in service to youth in particular. It encourages advertising that informs readers serving teens outside of school hours, Jamie Naidoo and Francisco and provides clear communication between vendor and buyer. YALS adheres Vargas give us some really practical tips on serving Latino teens and to ethical and commonly accepted advertising practices and reserves the right to reject any advertisement not suited to the above purposes or not tweens, Linda Braun updates us on the current state of consistent with the aims and policies of ALA. Acceptance of advertising in e-books and libraries, and Heather Blicher and Stephanie Bedell YALS does not imply official endorsement by ALA of the products or services advertised. describe a unique summer activity for teens in the library. And, finally, Manuscripts we have two articles that focus on sexuality in young adult literature. Manuscripts and letters pertaining to editorial content should be sent to I hope you enjoy this issue of YALS, which is my last as YALSA, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611; e-mail: yalseditor@gmail. editor-in-chief. I’m not going away completely, though, since for the com. Manuscripts will be sent out for review according to YALS’s established referee procedures. Visit www.ala.org/yalsa for further information. next year I will be appearing in each issue as the author of the “From the Indexing, Abstracting, and Microfilm President” column. Editing YALS for the past two years has been a Young Adult Library Services is indexed in Library Literature, Library & truly gratifying experience. I’ve gotten to know a lot of YALSA Information Science Abstracts, and Current Index to Journals in Education. Microfilm copies of Journal of Youth Services in Libraries and its predecessor, members—if only virtually—and learned a lot about what is going on Top of the News, are available from ProQuest/Bell & Howell, 300 N. Zeeb nationwide in the world of teen services. The authors and reviewers Rd., Ann Arbor, MI 48106. who have contributed articles have been professional, responsive, and The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of enthusiastic, and I’m grateful to them—YALS simply couldn’t happen American National Standard for Information Sciences-Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI Z39.48-1992. 1 without member participation. Special thanks go to Stevie Kuenn, Ó2011 American Library Association YALSA’s web services manager, who hasgivenmemorehelp,guidance, All materials in this journal subject to copyright by the American Library Association may be photocopied for the noncommercial purpose of scien- and good advice than I can say. I’m very pleased to announce that the tific or educational advancement granted by Sections 107 and 108 of the new editor-in-chief of YALS will be Megan Honig. I’ll let Megan Copyright Revision Act of 1976. For other photocopying, reprinting, or trans- lating, address requests to the ALA Office of Rights and Permissions. introduce herself to you in the Fall issue, and I am looking forward to watching what she does with the journal in the coming years, including helping to create a real online presence for YALS. You can contact Megan with ideas for articles at [email protected]. YALS 2 YALS | Young Adult Library Services | Summer 2011 from the President Kim Patton

any library professionals and public libraries and other organizations out and engage typically use Teen Read providing services to teens. Public school and M WeekTM (TRW) as an excuse librarians can make contact with school library to get out of the library and pay a visit to librarians to do many activities together to administrators middle school and high school classes in bring books to teens, from scheduling in our events, their local area. It is a great way to break school visits to public libraries and not only by up the sometimes tedious talks about classroom visits for booktalking to joint using library databases, homework help, and programs and reading challenges to make information and statistics to advocate for research resources, and have some fun reading fun for all involved. materials and staffing to provide adequate talking to teens about just reading for the Themed programs not only are a library services to our teens but also by fun of it. TRW is one of the best tools we good way to spark interest and get teens encouraging administrators to actively have for engaging teens in reading and in the door of the library but also help participate and visibly model good reading encouraging them to spend time reading teens expand their reading choices and behavior themselves so that not only do for pleasure. explore reading about subjects that are they see first-hand the efforts of their As we celebrate fourteen years of new to them. Challenging them to read library staff but also teens see interested TRW, it is exciting to look back and see and vote in YALSA’s Teens’ Top Ten adults other than their parents and how much the initiative has grown in program engages them in reading and in caregivers engaged in the actions that we awareness. Gone are the scenarios we sharing their opinions about the books are advocating teens take. faced in those first few years of spending and their likes and dislikes in a However your library celebrates time explaining the purpose of TRW and meaningful manner. TRW with the teens you live and work why it is, in my eyes anyway, a vital Celebrating TRW gives us an with on a daily basis. I wish you success in component of the big picture of a teen’s opportunity to engage more than just the celebrating books, reading, and most of all, literary education. teens we work with in the joys and teens themselves as we share the love of TRW is also a great time to do some advantages of reading for pleasure. As we reading and all its benefits in our big-picture collaborating between school plan for TRW celebrations, we can reach communities during TRW. YALS

Summer 2011 | Young Adult Library Services | YALS 3 feature School Library Perspectives

page www.mymcpl.org/books-movies-music/ based-book. Picturing Teen Here are a few cinematic suggestions popular with teens in my library: Read Week @ the The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides. Farrar, Straus, Giroux, 1993. The Princess Bride by William School Library Goldman. Harcourt, 1973. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen, Algonquin Books. 2006. By Paige Battle What’s Eating Gilbert Grape? by Peter Hedges, Poseidon Press, 1991. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro. Knopf, 2005. Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones. Greenwillow Books, 1986. he beauty of this year’s Teen Read help of staff members interested in Different Seasons by Stephen King. Weekä theme, Picture It @ Your collaborating and members of the Viking, 1982. T Library, is that it can be community who are willing to work in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World by Bryan Lee interpreted in myriad ways and easily lends partnership on big events. When picturing O’Malley. Oni Press, 2004. itself to being integrated with other how to capitalize on this year’s theme, It’s Kind of a Funny Story by Ned celebrations throughout the entire school you can incorporate any or all of the Vizzini. Hyperion, 2006. year. In addition to placing young adult following suggestions. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee literature in the spotlight and arranging for Lippincott, 1960 (okay, this listing is fun library programming, Teen Read wishful thinking as it really represents Week (TRW) is the perfect time to paint a one of my favorite cinematic picture for all the members of your school Displays and Book Lists adaptations that I regularly exhort community of how a 21st century school students to watch at some point before library serves as a learning commons for Let’s All Go to the Library to they graduate from high school). not only reading advocacy, but also the Get Ourselves a Book incorporation of the latest technology For this display you can utilize images through information literacy instruction. reminiscent of the 1950s movie theater A Picture is Worth a By educating your community on the effect advertising that featured popcorn boxes Thousand Words (Or, How to your library has on the lives of your and soda cups parading toward the students, you have the opportunity to concession stand. Put up posters from Convince Your Teacher to Let create new advocates for your program—a movies based on novels along with a You Read a Graphic Novel for necessity in a time of shrinking marquee listing “Now Circulating” book Your Book Report) education budgets. titles. A great resource for developing a list With a mixture of series and stand alone The key to a successful TRW in the of novels made into films can be found on titles available, the graphic novel section of school library is to plan early and enlist the the Mid-Continent Public Library’s Web my library consistently has the highest number of checkouts on each month’s circulation statistics report. This collection has doubled in size for the last two school PAIGE BATTLE is the teacher librarian at Union High School in years. Because graphic novels have gained Vancouver, Washington. She is a member of the Teen Read Week more credibility, many classroom teachers committee. are willing to accept this literature for silent

4 YALS | Young Adult Library Services | Summer 2011 Battle

sustained reading and book report by Ann d’Arcy Hughes and Hebe cast their vote and have their picture taken assignments. Titles I have suggested to Vernon-Morris. Chronicle Books, 2008. holding their selection. With student reluctant and emerging readers and that Stitched Collage: Creative Effects on Paper permission, these photos can be highlighted also garner the nod of approval from and Fabric by Sherrill Khan. on your webpage or in library displays. The colleagues are: Martingale, 2008. Teens’ Top Ten winning titles will be Cover to Cover: Creative Techniques for announced during Teen Read Week. For a Houdini: The Handcuff King by Jason Making Beautiful Books, Journals and downloadble annotated list of nominees go to Lutes and Nick Bertozzi. Hyperion, 2007. Albums by Shereen LaPlantz. Lark www.ala.org/teenstopten. The Color of Earth by Kim Dong Books, 1995. Hwa. First Second, 2009. Pockets, Pull-outs, and Hiding Places: Programming Ideas Pinocchio, Vampire Slayer V. 1 & 2 Interactive Elements for Altered Books, written by Van Jensen; created and drawn Memory Art, and Collage by Jenn Lunchtime Cinema by Dusty Higgins. SLG Pub, 2009. Mason. Quarry Books, 2005. October is National Popcorn Month, the Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Altered Book Collage by Barbara perfect time to serve up some movie treats Shorty by G. Neri. Lee and Low, 2010. Matthiessen. Sterling, 2006. and show the short film All Summer in a A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge by Collage, Assemblage, and Altered Art: Creating Day based on the Ray Bradbury short story Josh Neufeld. Pantheon, 2009. Unique Images and Objects by Diane of the same name. To comply with Stitches: A Memoir by David Small. Maurer-Mathison. Potter Craft, 2008. copyright law make sure your school district Norton, 2009. Altered Art: Techniques for Creating has a public performance site license or Skim words by Mariko Tamaki and Altered Books, Boxes, Cards and More by factor in time for a face-to-face educational drawings by Jillian Tamaki. Terry Taylor. Lark Books, 2004. discussion before or after the film. Groundwood, 2008. Image Transfer on Clay: Screen, Relief, Ghostopolis by Doug TenNapel. Laser and Monoprint Techniques by Paul Photostrip Bookmarks GraphixScholastic, 2008. Andrew Wandless. Lark Books, 2006. If you saw the movie Amelie, you will Blankets by Craig Thompson. Top Handmade Graphics: Tools and Techniques remember that an integral part of the plot Shelf, 2003. Beyond the Mouse by Anna Wray. How, centered on a character collecting discarded The Eternal Smile: Three Stories by Gene 2009. photobooth pictures. You can easily create Luen Yang. First Second, 2009. photostrips without the bother of renting a Teens’ Top Ten photobooth by using the iPhone app Picturing Art in New Ways YALSA’s Teens’ Top Ten is a list of titles Incredibooth (http://incredibooth.com/). Perhaps the most obvious subject area nominated by teen members of preselected The app takes four pictures separated by that comes to mind for this year’s theme is public and school library book groups. two second intervals and there are four art. While there are many possible Nominations were announced on Support different retro effects to choose from (with subthemes for this category (painting, Teen Literature Day during National Library the Helga Lens setting most resembling the murals, metalwork, ceramics, street art, Week (NLW). Because voting is open to classic photostrip look from the French photography, cinematography, teens across the country, this book list is the film). You can also create three, four, or typography,graphicdesign,interior perfect resource to use in promoting a five-photo template photostrips of iPhone, design,etc.),Ienlistedtheaidofanart summer reading program. Allowing summer Facebook, Flickr, and Shutterfly photos and teacher at my school to compile a list of checkouts is a great way to encourage have them made into prints through Wink, books that focus on our shared students to continue reading while school is a service of Shutterfly. These photostrips appreciation for the art forms of collage not in session and also serves as a promotion can be turned into bookmarks by either and printmaking: tool to let parents and guardians know how purchasing 2 Â 6” bookmark sleeves or your library program promotes teen literacy using remainder bits of Kapco covers. Joseph Cornell: Navigating the year-round. With online voting taking place Imagination by Lynda Roscoe Hartigan. between August 22 and September 16, you Who’s Reading That Book? Yale Univ. Press, 2007. can incorporate a Back-to-School activity by Take a picture over the shoulder of a The Printmaking Bible: The Complete having students stop in the library during teacher reading a book on their break and Guide to Materials and Techniques registration to choose their favorite nominee, have students guess who’s who. You could

Summer 2011 | Young Adult Library Services | YALS 5 Picturing Teen Read Week @ the School Library

also solicit yearbooks photos from brave Put Your Stamp On It on writing resumes and cover letters; and staff members’ teenage years to see if For this stenciling activity, I am enlisting advice on goal-setting. students can match the right name with the the help of an art teacher because she owns right photo. most of the required materials: manila Publicity folder, scrap paper, fabric paints, Picture Book Memories repositionable adhesive, X-ACTO knife, Before students bolt out of the building on If you have a picture book collection in sponge or stenciling brush, hair dryer, or iron. the last day of school, let them know they can your library, have students come in to Students can bring in tote bags, t-shirts, card find reading recommendations and a link to record podcasts (a la NPR’s StoryCorps, stock (basically anything they want to put the annotated Teens’ Top Ten nomination www.npr.org/series/4516989/storycorps) their stamp on) to stencil. The five-step guide list on your library Web page. If you have a relating why a certain book was their I will be following to help students create and Twitter or Facebook account, post a link to favorite as a child. Let elementary librarians paint a stencil on the fabric of their choice can the recommendations as a reminder that in your district know that these podcasts be found at www.greenmagazinehawaii.com/ students can visit the library at the start of are available for their students to listen to; DIY_v3-1.html. school to vote for their favorite nominee. perhaps a younger student will be inspired When faculty members return for to read the book for themselves knowing What’s the Story? teacher planning days, make announcements that a teen has recommended it. Using panels from wordless books, have a about Teen Read Week events at staff contest to see which student can come up meetings. Classroom visits are also an with the best short story to accompany an effective means for welcoming staff back and You Can Judge a Book illustration. Books that would work well sharing updates on all the library program by Its Cover for this activity are: has to offer students for the current school Some readers might remember the classic year. Provide teachers with bookmarks that game show Concentration that challenged Window by Jeannie Baker. have dates and additional information for contestants to decipher a puzzle hidden Greenwillow, 1991. special events. A Back-to-School Open behind a series of cards. Challenge your Zoom by Istvan Banyai. Puffin, 1998. Houseisagreattimetocreatebookdisplays students to see who can be the first to Wave by Suzy Lee. Chronicle Books, 2008. that highlight the Teen Read Week theme guesswhatfamousYAnovelcoveris Museum Trip by Barbara Lehman. and also offer a presentation for parents and hiding underneath note cards. Remove Houghton Mifflin, 2006. students on special events you have planned. one card each day until the entire cover The Red Book, by Barbara Lehman. Ask freshman English teachers if you can is revealed. Houghton Mifflin, 2004. schedule a library orientation with their The Boy, the Bear, the Baron, the Bard by classes to share all the library has to offer Magnet Art Gregory Rogers. Roaring Brook, 2007. with new students. This craft will require purchasing a few The Arrival by Shaun Tan. Arthur A. For the school or local newspaper, have items from the craft store: clear marbles Levine Books, 2007. a student write an article about events (the kind with one flat side), small round Robot Dreams by Sara Varon. First scheduled for Teen Read Week and magnets, and clear craft glue. Scissors and Second, 2007. highlight the Teens’ Top Ten titles available old magazines will most likely be on hand Floatsam by David Wiesner. Clarion, for check out. For daily announcements, in your library. Having a craft punch the 2006. have students read PSAs they have written same size as the marbles speeds up the Sector 7 by David Wiesner. Clarion, 1999. or ones provided by YALSA (www.ala.org/ creative process but is not necessary. Put a ala/mgrps/divs/yalsa/teenreading/trw/ small drop of glue over the picture then Picture Your Future trw2011/publicity.cfm). adhere to the flat side of a marble (applying Through your school’s career center or At the beginning of the school year, a little pressure will help get rid of any counseling department, partner with staff contact your school district’s Public Relation bubbles). All that’s left to do is add a drop members to interpret the theme by way of department with dates for your special of glue to the magnet and adhere it to the picturing how students can reach their events. This will ensure publicity for your back of the picture. The same process can future goals. This could include setting up library program and bring public awareness be followed using push pins to create visits with representatives from local to the role school libraries play in promoting bulletin board accessories. colleges and vocational schools; workshops teenage literacy. YALS

6 YALS | Young Adult Library Services | Summer 2011 feature YALSA Perspectives

s the nine-member 2011 Alex Awards committee, we had Readers and A requested, read, and reviewed nearly 500 titles. December and early January had been a blur of words and punctuation, as we attempted to read Writers during spare moments: bus rides, grocery store lines, and lunch breaks. Our homes became obstacle courses and fire hazards of stacked books; our e-mail inboxes were Three Alex Award flooded with a mix of poignant reviews, tangential observations, and sleep-deprived ramblings. We pushed books into the Winners hands of teens, our plea-filled words running into each other, hey-could-you- pretty-please-look-at-this-book-and-let- By Karen Keys me-know-what-you-think? It all came down to this one moment. We walked back into the conference room, our eyes scanning the covers of the selected books. The committee chair, Beth Gallaway, and the administrative assistant, Harvard; Steve Hamilton, author of The Murray said, “My relationship with Scott Rader, had tabulated the votes that Lock Artist; and Joshua Gaylord, who books was because of my father.” Books committee members had scrawled earlier on wrote The Reapers Are the Angels under the showed Murray that “Life can be different.” hotel stationary. We cried “Yes!” for our pseudonym Alden Bell. Even when homeless as a teen, Murray beloved books that stood tall among the ten, continued her routine from childhood of and observed moments of silence for our visiting the library. She spent what she lonely favorites that did not make the cut. First Readers, Then called “countless hours” in branches of the “This year’s list runs the gamut of Writers New York Public Library, in Manhattan mystery, suspense, magical realism, and the Bronx, hanging out, reading, and adventure, and memoir,” said Gallaway, Over the course of my interviews, meticulously keeping a journal. It is where chair of the 2011 Alex Awards committee. something became clear: these three authors she began writing. “Our selections are accessible to a wide had childhoods and teen years marked by As a teen, Gaylord’s reading was range of ages, and feature a mute, a zombie voracious reading and library use. fueled by a fascination with horror fiction slayer, a family of vampires, a Chinese Murray grew up surrounded by library (Stephen King and Peter Straub) before American immigrant, a homeschooler, and books. Her father, an avid library fan, moving onto the more serious an insomniac—truly, there is something would often check out books and (despite recommendations of his teachers (James for everyone.” best intentions) neglect to return them. In Joyce, Franz Kafka, and William The Alex Awards recognize ten books addition to the perpetually borrowed Faulkner). Likewise, Hamilton read written for adults that have special appeal collection, Murray and her father also everything he could get his hands on. From to young adults, ages twelve through made frequent trips to the library. Lord of the Rings to crime stories and eighteen. In addition to the awards, the committee also releases a vetted KAREN KEYS is an Outreach Librarian with Queens Library in Long nominations list. Island City, N.Y. She is in the midst of her third year on the Alex I had the opportunity to speak with three of the winners: Liz Murray, author of Awards committee and is currently serving as the chair. Her Breaking Night: A Memoir of Forgiveness, favorite stories involve heists, humorous private investigators, or Survival, and My Journey from Homeless to anything written by Joan Didion.

Summer 2011 | Young Adult Library Services | YALS 7 Readers and Writers Three Alex Award Winners

mysteries, he read all the time. Hamilton Even after writing The Reapers Are the find it invigorating even in its darkness. said, “The library in Dearborn, Michigan, Angels, Gaylord said, “I am so not ready for I also love Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson. was Shangri-la for me.” He continued, “I the zombie apocalypse. I am not prepared I am drawn toward cyberpunk—because I would check out as many books as they for anything. Changes in weather mystify figure if I’m going to live in a brutal and would let me check out.” Responding to me.” The Reapers Are the Angels has been dark future, at least I want it to be filled the budget and staffing cuts so many compared to Cormac McCarthy’s The with smart machines and escapes into libraries face during these rough economic Road. Gaylord drew inspiration for his cyberspace.” times, he said, “It’s hard to imagine a world kickass, knife-wielding heroine from Buffy Gaylord is hard at work on several without libraries.” the Vampire Slayer. In Temple, Gaylord projects, including one under his name and In 2006, Hamilton was honored by evokes both fearlessness and vulnerability. others by Alden Bell. Fans of The Reapers the Michigan Library Association with the Gaylord said, “I admire her ability to Are the Angels can look forward to a Michigan Author Award. Recognized for survive. She’s tough.” prequel about the adventures of Moses and his books about Alex McKnight, a private Deceptive in size—a slim 225-page Abraham before either of the brothers ever investigator living in Paradise, Michigan, trade paperback—The Reapers Are the encountered a fierce girl named Temple. Hamilton has even had the distinction of Angels packs a literary punch. While having his novels be required reading for making use of horror conventions, the students. He said, “I’ve arrived, now that book is epic, thrilling, suspenseful, creepy, Wrong Side of the Law I’m homework.” uplifting, enthralling, and dark. Both the Libraries nurture readers, laying the novel and its heroine are a meditation on Michael, the narrator of The Lock Artist, foundation for the next generation of contradictions. Readers are forewarned: shares toughness with Temple. In the writers, from memoirists to dystopians to the ending might have you throwing the opening chapter, Michael tells us: “So hang crime writers. The teen that devours every book across the room. Without revealing on, because this is my story if you’re ready Agatha Christie mystery and Stephen King too much, Gaylord said, “I wanted a for it. I was the Miracle Boy, once upon a tale could grow up to be the next large-font heartbreaking ending.” time. Later on, the Milford Mute. The name on the book jacket. Gaylord, who has also written The Golden Boy. The Young Ghost. The Kid. Hummingbirds, teaches literature at a prep The Boxman. The Lock Artist. That was school in New York City. While some of all me.” Mike, the boy who can claim all Alden Bell Will Break his students have read his books, he said those names, writes from prison and Your Heart that the teens at his school are not fans of intrigued readers will immediately wonder horror, generally. Gaylord enjoys reading how he ended up there. Unable to speak Explaining his pen name, Gaylord shared, contemporary Southern Gothic writers, since a tragedy occurred at the age of eight, “The name Alden Bell was conjured up in a including Tom Franklin, William Gay, and he wants a chance to tell his story. fairly straightforward way: Alden is my Daniel Woodrell. He admits that The Initially, Mike attends a special school middle name, and Bell was the name the Reapers Are the Angels is more of a for deaf and mute kids, but it is when he Bronte sisters used as a pseudonym when Southern Gothic tale than zombie story. returns to public school for high school that they published under men’s names.” In The When questioned about his favorite he discovers two talents: lock picking and Reapers Are the Angels, Bell imagines a dystopian novels, Gaylord said, “There drawing. Both provide salvation and both bleak world where the arrival of zombies a always seems to be a fine line between eventually lead to trouble. Despite not quarter of a century earlier has halted dystopias and utopias—as though speaking, Mike opens up to a girl, Amelia, civilization. Zombie-slaying Temple dystopias were ultimately just an inch or and they communicate through drawing. wanders the abandoned, postapocalyptic two away from achieving their utopian The novel is well-plotted and contains many landscape, living day-to-day as she scours ideals (and maybe even still could). So elements appealing to teens: suspense, for supplies and attempts to find sanctuary. other than things like 1984 or A Clockwork romance, and adventure. Teens will relate to With the compelling character of Temple, Orange, it’s hard for me to know if what Mike’s struggles to both figure out who he is Gaylord draws readers in: “God is a slick I’m reading is really dystopian or not.” and to how to overcome his tragic God. Temple knows. She knows because Gaylord continued, “I love Neuromancer by childhood. Although no true tips are of all the crackerjack miracles still to be William Gibson—and I know a lot of revealed, the details about the craft of lock seen on this ruined globe.” people see it as a dystopian novel. But I picking will fascinate would-be safecrackers.

8 YALS | Young Adult Library Services | Summer 2011 Keys

Hamilton’s previous novels have been alternative high school with one credit. She now working on something that straightforward and entertaining detective then went on to attend Harvard. Murray’s continues her story. Murray would also novels, starring Alex McKnight. Comparing gripping memoir reads like fiction, and love to someday publish a work of Michael in The Lock Artist to his earlier teens will be drawn in by her honesty, fiction or poetry. protagonist, Hamilton said, “It really was a resilience, and straightforward language. One of her favorite authors is Wally big departure.” Michael is the first young Prior to Breaking Night, Murray’s life was Lamb, and Murray often makes time to re- character Hamilton has written, and unlike the subject of the Lifetime movie, Homeless read Their Eyes Were Watching God by McKnight, Michael quickly finds himself on to Harvard: the Liz Murray Story. Zora Neale Hurston. Her recent reading the wrong side of the law. Hamilton also “[There are] a ton of people who grow also includes pregnancy books (such as shared, “He is a fairly fantasized version of up in situations exactly like mine,” Murray Pushed: The Painful Truth About Childbirth myself at that age.” Michael feels like an says. She often hears from teens and and Modern Maternity Care) as she prepares alien, wondering if he’ll ever fit in anywhere. educators who say that her story gives for a baby with her husband, James. Hamilton said, “[Teens] can relate to feeling them hope. Murray wants teens to know: She juggles work with her like...nobody can ever get them.” “You can transform your life. There are organization, Manifest Living, and As one would expect, Hamilton enjoys things you can focus on.” speaking engagements, and still manages to reading crime fiction. Other favorites Murray spoke about the power of find time to write. She said, “I find these include Winter’s Bone by Daniel Woodrell making a distinction between things she quiet, little moments.” and anything by Cormac McCarthy. He could and could not control. In one column, cites Stephen King as a guilty pleasure. she included her parents, the weather, and Hamilton, who won Edgar Allan Poe her living situation. In the next column, she References Award for First Novel for A Cold Day in included her grades and the type of person Paradise also won the Edgar for Best Novel she was (someone who was kind, someone YALSA’s Alex Awards Web site. www.ala.org/ for The Lock Artist. who told the truth). She realized, “I get to ala/mgrps/divs/yalsa/booklistsawards/ choose the person I want to be.” alexawards/alexawards.cfm Readers will be inspired by what 2011 Alex Award Nominations List Web site. Homeless to Harvard to Murray has overcome, and be struck by the www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/yalsa/ Hopeful way she views the world and the people booklistsawards/alexawards/ around her. Murray said, “I’m inspired by 2011nominations.cfm As detailed in her memoir, Breaking Night, people...looking to make the lives of those Alden Bell Web site. www.joshuagaylord.com Liz Murray grew up with drug-addicted around them better.” She admires those (accessed May 26, 2011). parents in the Bronx, barely getting by on who have adopted a character of giving. Steve Hamilton Web site. www. her mother’s welfare checks. At fourteen When writing Breaking Night, authorstevehamilton.com (accessed May 26, she left home for the streets. After years of Murray realized, “I had two stories to 2011). ditching school, she decided to graduate tell.” She alluded to the possibility of Liz Murray Web site. http://manifestliving.com from high school. Homeless, she began an another memoir within her first, and is (accessed May 26, 2011). YALS

Summer 2011 | Young Adult Library Services | YALS 9 feature Best Practices

school. It’s time for libraries to claim the powerful role they have in their Out of School and community’s services to young people In the Library during OST. Background OST is usually defined as the hours young Connecting With people have each day that they are not in school. It includes afternoons, evenings, weekends, and school breaks. The terms Resources in the Out of “afterschool” and “out of school” are used somewhat interchangeably throughout the field, but out of school time (OST) now School Time (OST) Field tends to be used more—to focus on the many hours young people aren’t in school. According to a report from the By Maureen Hartman Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development, each year, on average, young people have a minimum of 1,900 hours of discretionary time.1 While anecdotally we often think that kids are overscheduled, research in the field has corroborated that t’s 3 p.m. and any minute now, young during the day—working with volunteers, youth who are overscheduled tend to be people will be entering the building in running programs, assisting with the exception rather than the rule. While I large numbers looking for available homework resources, and making sure you exact numbers differ greatly among computers, meeting friends, and have enough snacks. communities, it’s a safe bet that there are participating in programs that supplement Serving youth well during hours they more youth in your community who lack their formal education. This is the daily aren’t in school has always been critical to opportunities during the afterschool hours routine for many librarians, as well as for the success of the public library. In many than you know. the many other organizations in your communities across the United States and Communities have been talking about community that provide afterschool other countries, how young people are how young people use afterschool hours for programs and services for young people. spending the hours they aren’t in school is many years. References in the past (and For everyone in the out of school time increasingly recognized as a critical piece still today in some communities) often (OST) field, the hours after school has let in helping them develop skills, keeping focus on a deficit model of providing out are dramatically different from those them safe, and improving achievement in services to young people. Nationally, police and public safety officials have known since the 1990s that over half of all juvenile MAUREEN L. HARTMAN was part of the Afterschool Matters crime takes place between the hours of Practitioner’s Fellowship through the National Institute on Out of 2 and 8 P.M. A report to the United States School Time (NIOST) and the University of Minnesota in 2009–2010. Attorney General in 1997 argues for an She is the author, with Patrick Jones and Patricia Taylor, of increase in the number of afterschool programs to “keep kids off the street.”2 Reaching Reluctant Readers: Tools, Tips and Techniques (2006) For some communities, public safety is and a past chair of YALSA’s Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult still a strong factor in creating more Readers Committee. She is currently a Senior Librarian at the opportunities for young people but other Hennepin County Library outside of Minneapolis, Minnesota. communities are approaching OST from a

10 YALS | Young Adult Library Services | Summer 2011 Hartman

positive youth development perspective—that The Library’s Role profession are frequently part-time and young people are assets to be developed almost always underpaid. They most likely rather than problems to be solved—working Libraries are critical pieces in a do not know what resources or services you alongside young people to create community’s support for young people may already be providing. Promoting opportunities that are meaningful and during nonschool hours. While we are services like online homework assistance enjoyable to them. sensitive that our mission is not to replace and databases may be the first step in a While very separate from formal child care, we must also recognize that by longer partnership. education, the OST field is now also our very nature—we’re convenient, nearby, Connecting to others in the field is recognizing the important role informal free, and safe —we are place where young critical to ensuring that your services align programs have in academic achievement people are choosing to come. Even in with others in the community. If it’s a during the school day. Research has shown libraries that do very little formal priority for your city or county the that one factor in the achievement gap programming, we still have many elements connecting with other providers will be disparity is the difference in how youth that afterschool programs have—caring critical. In Chicago, St. Paul, Boston, spend their OST hours—the difference adults, access to technology, and Providence, and other cities, creation of between engagement in an afterschool opportunities to socialize with friends. For OST networks has already begun and program (whatever the focus)—and sitting libraries that do more programming, libraries have been involved to varying at home watching TV.3 we start to look even more similar to degrees. Communities across the world are high-quality programs: appropriate developing organized strategies to better structure paired with opportunities to Funding serve young people during the hours they make choices, learn new skills, build are not in school. Elected officials, the relationships, and make a difference—all Capitalizing on available funds will be public, and funders are also more aware of facilitated by a caring, trained adult. critical to your success in this area. The the impact OST services can have on Forassimilaraswearetoafterschool vast majority of afterschool programs rely young people and the community. programs, we have some big differences—there on grants to run their programs. Here’s a is no cost to join the library, but there is checklist for learning more: also no regular adult supervision. We don’t Variety of Opportunities keep track of attendance in the same way l Who are the local foundations— other programs do and we can never really corporate or private—involved in your Like libraries, OST programs offer a predict which kids will show up from day state’s afterschool network and what variety of ways for young people to to day. Some of these are very positive are their requirements for grantees? As engage—and learn—after school. From assets; others are more challenging when you network with other providers, ask recreation and gym programs to arts looking for funding to continue our work. them who funds their programs and programs and to field trips after school, follow up with those foundations each organization, like each library, focuses Advocating Locally directly. Many states have statewide on something different. Many afterschool afterschool networks, hosting training, programs offer young people choices of Libraries can successfully leverage our networking opportunities, and activities or change activity options important role during OST hours in a research dissemination. You can check periodically to keep them engaged. number of ways—from pursuing funding if your state has a network at Younger kids and teens tend to be the to running formal OST programs on our www.statewideafterschoolnet most active participants in OST programs, own or in partnership with other works.net (accessed Apirl 19, 2011). but the field, like libraries, continues to organizations to securing community l The 21st Century Learning Center pursue ways for older teens to stay resources—people, support, or money— funds are the only federal grants involved—including finding opportunities into ensuring that libraries continue to be dedicated exclusively to funding for them to mentor younger youth, open—and staffed appropriately—during afterschool programs and are developing paid opportunities, and critical OST hours. administered by each state. As of this thinking differently about how programs Libraries can also work directly with writing, 2011 reauthorization of these will be structured or run to meet the local afterschool providers to promote fundsbyCongressisunclear.Whilethe developmental needs of older youth. library services. Youth workers in the OST majority of these funds go directly to

Summer 2011 | Young Adult Library Services | YALS 11 Connecting With Resources in the Out of School Time (OST) Field

schools, some libraries have had success l Libraries have many different ways to With more of an academic in partnering with their school districts talk about the important work we do; focus, the Harvard Family Research or being part of a local collaborative. A connecting your work with youth to the Project has a huge database of listing of all 21st Century Learning broader OST field can energize your publications, research studies, and Centers can be found at www2.ed.gov/ services, make them even more measurement strategies for OST: programs/21stcclc/index.html (accessed successful, and ensure their continuation. www.hfrp.org/out-of-school-time Apirl 19, 2001), and a good summary For librarians working with youth, (accessed Apirl 19, 2011). of the 21st Century Learning Center there’s an added bonus—meetings are funds can be found at the Afterschool almost always in the morning! Alliance, www.afterschoolalliance.org/ References policy21stcclc.cfm (accessed Apirl 19, For More Information 2011). 1. Carnegie Council on Adolescent l Other federal funds can be used for Below are additional resources to learn Development. A Matter of Time: Risk afterschool opportunities, but be more about the OST field. and Opportunity in the Nonschool aware reporting requirements do not Afterschool Alliance, www.afterschool Hours. Task Force on Youth often work for the nature of library alliance.org (accessed Apirl 19, 2001), Development and Community programs. You can get more includes resources on advocacy, funding, Programs and Carnegie Council on information about federal funding for tool kits, and information on their national Adolescent Development. New York: afterschool programs at October initiative, Lights On Afterschool. Carnegie Council, 1992. www.afterschool.gov/xhtml/topic/ The Forum for Youth Investment, a 2. JamesAlanFoxandSanfordNewman. t_29.html (accessed Apirl 19, 2001), nonprofit “action tank” dedicated to making After-School Crime or After-School and the Finance Project has a helpful sure all young people are ready for college, Programs: Tuning In to the Prime Time for primer about using federal funds for work, and life. Their series of OST Policy Violent Juvenile Crime and Implications youth programs, Commentaries are helpful in understanding for National Policy. A. Report to the www.financeproject.org/publications/ issues in the field: http://forumfyi.org/pubs United States Attorney General. Finding_Funding_ (accessed Apirl 19, 2011). Washington DC: Fight Crime: Invest in PM.pdf (accessed Apirl 19, 2011). The National Institute on OST Kids, 1997. l Some statewide alliances have put publishes the journal Afterschool Matters, 3. The Quality Imperative: A State’s Guide to together their own resources for has also sponsored practitioner fellowship Achieving the Promise of Extended Learning securing funding. Minnesota has a new cohorts in New York, Philadelphia, San Opportunities. Council of Chief State Minnesota Youth Funders Database, Francisco, Minneapolis, and Seattle, is School Officers and the National Governor’s for example, that helps providers track expanding to Pittsburgh and New Orleans Association Center for Best Practices, down funding for their programs, in 2011 and welcomes librarians to apply: Washington, DC, 2009. Available online at www.accessphilanthropy.com/clients/ www.niost.org/Practitioner-Fellowship/ http://www.nga.org/Files/pdf/ youth-community-connections practitioner-fellowship-overview (accessed 0904ELOQUALITYIMPERATIVE.PDF (accessed Apirl 19, 2011). Apirl 19, 2011). Accessed May 31, 2011. YALS

12 YALS | Young Adult Library Services | Summer 2011 feature Best Practices

I’m a grafted flower that didn’t make, a Mexican without being one, an American without feeling like one ...a puppet jerked Libraries Bridging by the strings of two cultures that clash. I’m la mestiza la pocha, la Tex-Mex, la Mexican-American, la hyphenated who the Borderlands lacks identity and struggles to find it.1

pproximately 8.1 million Latino tweens and teens (ages 10–19) Reaching Latino Tweens A reside in the United States.2 These youth represent a myriad of cultural backgrounds, races, interests, linguistic and Teens with Targeted abilities (in English and Spanish), religious preferences, abilities, sexual identities, socioeconomic levels, and citizenship Programming and statuses. While it is difficult to make generalizations about this rapidly increasing, diverse, cultural group, there are Collections common characteristics apparent among significant portions of the Latino tween and teen populations in the United States. By Jamie Campbell Naidoo According to the Pew Hispanic Center, Latino youth exhibit a higher risk of and Luis Francisco Vargas becoming high-school dropouts and teenage parents when compared with other young adults in America.3 Similarly, they are “more likely than White and Asian youths to live in poverty” and “have high levels of exposure to gangs.”4 The report also notes that majority of Latino youth (two-thirds) are U.S. citizens, dispelling the misconception that many Latino teens JAMIE CAMPBELL NAIDOO is an assistant professor at The are immigrants (documented or otherwise). University of Alabama School of Library and Information Studies. As Sentıes expresses in the poem that A former youth services coordinator, he is serving as chair of the opened the article, many of these youth feel as if they are living in the borderlands of 2012 Pura Belpre Award committee and is director of the National society—not quite fitting into the overall Latino Children’s Literature Conference. He wrote Celebrating U.S. culture; yet not entirely comfortable Cuentos: Promoting Latino Children’s Literature and Literacy in with the culture of their parents, Classrooms & Libraries. grandparents, or other relatives who may FRANCISCO VARGAS is Colombian born and serves as the Youth have immigrated from one of over twenty Services Manager at the Yuma County Library District that is an different countries throughout Latin incredibly diverse area serving a border town community, military America. This borderland experience has base, winter visitors from as far as Canada, and a large Latino been described by numerous researchers and authors, one of the first being cultural agricultural community. He is currently the REFORMA president of theorist and scholar Gloria Anzaldua. Over the Central Arizona Chapter and is also serving on the 2012 Pura twenty-four years ago, Anzaldua suggested Belpre Award Committee.

Summer 2011 | Young Adult Library Services | YALS 13 Libraries Bridging the Borderlands

that Latinos reside not only in the physical foundation to developing his “Latino Teen songs. What’s the tie-in with literacy, a borderlands separating them from their Sense” that YA librarians must possess to skeptical librarian may ask? Besides the ancestral country of origin but also the strategize unusual and interesting obvious increase of circulation among the psychological, social, sexual, and spiritual programming ideas that are irresistible for music CDs, skate videos, and magazines, borderlands.5 Kevane also notes that to be a new wave of nonlibrary Latino teen users. there are absolutely no traditional literacy Latino is to be “a hybrid, bilingual, bicultural Today, Phoenix Public offers a large tie-ins and that is the point! individual who is sharing two worlds, variety of programs for teens and tweens. One strategy of targeted programming straddling the fence, belonging neither here The most memorable and successful of is for the library to attract nonlibrary users nor there, belonging to both here and there, these programs—such as Silk Screen by not appearing so conventional. The job being from two worlds, living in the T-shirt Design, Henna Decorations, of the YA librarian is to reinvent the library borderlands, living on the hyphen.”6 Comic Collab, Teen Zine, and Sk8 and as more than books housed in a building, to Borderland experiences are present Rock—involve teens creating, and allowing leave a great first impression that cool things throughout Latino young adult literature their personalities and culture to be do happen at the library, and to develop a and should be addressed within targeted showcased. Programs such as the t-shirt close, professional bond with teens. The library programming for Latino tweens and design offer a perfect fit for libraries serving success of targeted Latino youth teens. Examples of this type of groups of Latino teens. For this program, programming is anchored in teen feedback programming, where librarians specifically the YA staff contracted the services of a andinallowingthemtomaketheirideasa strategize to reach a particular Latino artist to teach a hands-on workshop reality. For example, the sequel to the skate demographic of tweens and teens, are where teens make and take home their own program at Phoenix Public was the idea of a covered in the following section, which t-shirt with a design that represents some teen who felt left out because she believed profiles selected targeted programs. aspect of their Latino culture. The the program’s focus was really for boys, so workshop had a two-fold purpose. First, it she helped retain the services of the local allows teens to feel like they and their roller derby association for a forty-five culture are valued in the library. Second, it minute demonstration. At one point, the Targeted Library creates a space where teens that are part of roller derby girls broke into the library in Programming for the Library Teen Council can design logos full attire on their skates, promoting the Latino Youth or images that brand their group. informational discussion or teen recruitment The SK8 and Rock program was occurring in the meeting room. How do librarians attract Latino tweens designed to engage a larger audience of Another successful series of programs and teens to the library? Once youth are nonlibrary Latino teens in telling them in Phoenix, as well as in Yuma County, was there what do librarians do with them? directly: “look: the library is a hip, centered around fashion: making fabulously One example of targeted programming for happening place.” The program also sends trendy skinny jeans from old baggy jeans, Latino youth can be observed in Arizona at out an obvious message that librarians do and turning regular t-shirts into modern, the Phoenix Public Library, another at the not believe skateboarders are delinquents; slim-cut shirts. Using a simple sewing Yuma County Libraries, where one of the rather skateboarders are welcome in the machine, the Latino teens had a chance to authors worked for several years. Another library doors to check out materials. For design their couture du jour.Thelibrary example of targeted Latino youth this program, the YA staff arranged for a wanted to lure nonlibrary users who might programming is at the Charlotte semi-pro skate team to teach basic and not have the money to buy designer jeans. Mecklenburg Library in North Carolina. intermediate level workshops for Latino The room setup intentionally had several Early in his career, Francisco was teens to develop their skate skills, appealing features as well, to draw even more fortunate to work with a rowdy group of concluding with a live demo in the library teens. For example, the YA staff had a radical teen librarians at the Teen Central parking lot with ramps, and a teen band laptop logged into the library’s Teen Blog space of the Burton Barr Central Library in hammering away classic rock cover songs. and teens could also post on Myspace or downtown Phoenix. The space opened in In a similar vein, one of the library’s Facebook; in addition the staff had music early 2001 and had an overwhelming talented pages taught a hip-hop DJ playing and the Wii console set up on a gravitational pull for inner city Latino workshop using two iPods and simple projector. The teens had enough activities to teens. This early exposure to raw public domain software. Latino teens be engaged the entire time and, as a result, nontraditional library teens was the key created their own remix of their favorite they began to mingle and bring their friends

14 YALS | Young Adult Library Services | Summer 2011 Naidoo and Vargas

to more programs. Eventually, the YA staff that engage them from day one: fun, businesses, in particular large Latino at the library had to include preregistration cultural incentives, and a positive social supermarket chains that donated orchata, for their programs because of the popularity. network. Fun, yet safe, age-appropriate pan dulce, churros, and 100-calorie snacks, Using popular culture and local Latino teens video games have been the staple to getting greatly benefited the library’s image in the as informants, Phoenix Public developed Latino teens in the library. At the Yuma Latino community. In hard economic program after program “for teens by teens” County Library District, YA librarians times, libraries cannot afford to purchase as the teen department’s mantra dictated. offer a variety of gaming options such as snacks for all their programs and local From state-of-the-art new facilities to Dungeons and Dragons, Card Captor collaborations with Latino supermarkets small community branches, targeted Sakura, Wii Tournaments, and Manga demonstrates to upper library management programming can work. Another example Gama Clubs, and are constantly looking that YA staff want to reach out to teens is the Ocotillo Library, in south Phoenix, for new games. By allowing Latino teens to but also want to cut library costs. which is notable for its high crime rate and suggest games and following through with After several months of engagement twice the national average in high school promised program times and equipment, and one-on-one coaching, YA librarians drop-out rates. In addition to gang activity, YA librarians can easily snag reluctant should have in place a positive social the two large high schools have suffered Latino tweens and teens who do not use network. At this time, YA staff can offer full-fledged race riots between African the library. Targeted programs such as more traditional educational enrichment Americans and Latinos. At one point, teens video gaming set the tone of your library programming for Latino teens such as the in South Phoenix were being banned from and let Latino youth know: this is not your Democratic book club, Skype author chats, public spaces, including libraries, and were abuela’s library! manga movie clubs, writer’s workshops, seen as a nuisance because their Unfortunately, many Latino teens and poetry slams. One of the strategies that disengagement and negative behavior. continue to get banned from libraries and works best is to pick punchy intelligent Targeted programming turned the culture YA librarians become the intermediaries books. For instance, Thirteen Reasons Why of the library around and within six between the administration and teens. To by Jay Asher is a great conversation starter months there was a functioning Library overcome some of the library’s old and attracts reluctant readers from all Teen Council. To gather support and stereotypes, we must advocate for our cultural backgrounds. However, it needs to energy for a constituency of teens, which in turns gives YA librarians be clear from the beginning that after an disenfranchised Latino teens with a very much-needed street credentials and initial recommendation teens can vote on few opportunities, YA librarians must use catapults them into being the Latino “face future selections, and they have the that “Latino Teen Sense” and offer tangible of the library” and creates a cultural responsibility to be ready for book initiatives. Once introduced to high-energy incentive for Latino teens to come to the discussions. Often, Latino teens may fun activities, the teens develop a thirst for library. In many libraries in the Yuma decide to drop out of the book clubs and more programming including the more County Library District, YA staff speak only participate in the fun gaming programs; traditional literature-based book clubs. Spanglish at the service desk. However, it’s however, building a positive social network Some of the local young adults, and now a delicate balance, making sure that in implies full participation. To enjoy the college graduates at the Ocotillo Library, doing so staff is respectful, natural, and snacks, gaming, and socializing, the Latino continue to submit book recommendations sincere, avoiding the use of stereotypical tweens and teens have to read! To help via Facebook and other social media to slang. In addition, the YA staff members them succeed, librarians can make the their YA librarians, even when those have tweaked their dress code to include discussions fun by providing structure but librarians are assigned to other libraries. the use of culturally appropriate accessories staying far away from anything resembling that teens notice immediately, while at the school busy work. same time keeping a professional look. A While book clubs can prove to be very How do you get there? simple checkered belt or wristband is difficult to continue past the third or enough. Another significant cultural fourth book, with the right partnerships How can you provide outreach to a group incentive—as with most other cultural and incentives teens will stay engaged and of racially divided teens? Basically targeting groups of teens—is food, which has proven actively suggest new books. One successful Latino teens in Phoenix, Yuma, or to be a great way to get Latino tweens and collaboration at the Yuma County Library anywhere else in the United States is teens into the libraries in Yuma. Being able is with the local Starbucks; teens who come grounded in three key significant elements to secure collaborations between local prepared for the book discussion receive a

Summer 2011 | Young Adult Library Services | YALS 15 Libraries Bridging the Borderlands

complimentary drink of their choice. Teens allow teens to showcase their artistic skills Latino and non-Latino authors; however, also enjoy other privileges for participating while also learning about the work of local Latino youth are also as interested in the in book clubs, such as having their fines Latino artists, storytellers, musicians, and next vampire, zombie, adventure, or sappy reduced $5 per book read, first pick at the so forth. This allows teens to make love story as any other teen or tween. new library DVDs, and unlimited access to cultural connections with local artists that Considering YALSA already publishes their teen librarian. Making the library a could serve as mentors in their future many lists of recommended books, this fun place for teens also significantly careers. section will focus on recommended increases teen involvement within the For additional suggestions of library books either in Spanish or about the organization; many teens both in Phoenix programming targeted for Latino tweens Latino cultures. and Yuma have successfully applied for and teens, consult the two chapters on The late Isabel Schon was a leading page jobs or volunteered during the serving middle grade and high school authority in selecting quality Spanish summer reading program. Latinos in Sharon Chickering Moller’s books for children, tweens, and teens. She Another example of targeted Library Service to Spanish Speaking Patrons: published numerous articles in professional programming for Latino teens can be seen A Practical Guide.7 Other sources include journals with recommended Spanish books through the work of Irania Patterson, a the section on Latino youth programs in for youth, wrote multiple books bilingual specialist at the Charlotte Susana G. Baumann’s ¡Hola, Amigos!: A recommending both Spanish and Mecklenburg Library. Each year the library Plan for Latino Outreach and the multiple Latino-themed titles, and directed the conducts targeted programming for various chapters on serving Latino young adults in Barahona Center for the Study of Books in cultural groups through their Dıa, Barbara Immroth and Kathleen de la Pena~ Spanish for Children and Adolescents.9 Celebrate the World, Noche de Cuentos, McCook’s Library Services to Youth of Her work is a good place to begin when and Con A de Arte programs. While these Hispanic Heritage.8 selecting tween and teen books either in programs are designed for all children, Spanish or about Latinos. teens, and families, various elements of the Another resource of youth books in programs hold appeal for Latino tweens Spanish is the “Essential Guide to Spanish and teens. One such program for Latina Choosing Books for Reading for Children and Young teens is focused on the Quinceanera—the~ Latino Tweens and Adults.”10 Published by America Reads coming-of-age birthday celebration for Teens Spanish, this free resource is available fifteen-year-old Latinas. Although many online and provides an extensive annotated libraries across the United States have Now that Latino tweens and teens are in bibliography of recommended books for developed programs focused on helping the library, what types of books should both tweens and teens. Two other similar Latinas plan for this special occasion, Irania librarians send their way? The answer to resources of recommended titles either in developed a program for the 15th this question depends upon the local Spanish or about Latino cultures are Alma Anniversary (Quince) of Dıa where Latina Latino tween and teen populations served Ramos-McDermott’s YALS article teens fifteen and above design mini- by your library. If you have mainly “REFORMA and YALSA: Working programs for groups of children. During Spanish-speaking youth, then books Together to Reach Latino Youth” and these mini-programs, Latinas wore their written in Spanish, representing both Jamie Campbell Naidoo’s Celebrating Quinceanera~ dresses, talked about their popular U.S., as well as Latin American Cuentos: Promoting Latino Children’s special party, and read one of their favorite authors for tweens and teens, are Literature and Literacy in Classrooms and childhood stories. Through this type of recommended. However, if many of your Libraries.11 targeted program, Latina teens were youth do not speak or read Spanish, then Naturally librarians tend to gravitate empowered to teach children about the English books would be the best towards award-winning books for their Quinceanera~ celebration while also sharing alternative. While it is tempting to push collections and a good source for young a love of reading. only culturally relevant books about Latino adult titles about Latino cultures is the Other programs at the Charlotte cultures, it is important to remember that Americas Book Award for Children’s and Mecklenburg Library include a Latino tweens and teens are no different Young Adult Literature.12 The first award renaissance of the arts, where the library than youth from other cultural groups. for Latino children’s literature in the works with various museums and art They do enjoy reading books about their United States, the Americas Award was organizations to develop programs that culture, quality books written by both created in 1993 and is sponsored by the

16 YALS | Young Adult Library Services | Summer 2011 Naidoo and Vargas

national Consortium of Latin American Recommended Books Unfortunately, an ex-best friend, Devon, Studies Programs (CLASP), an Calcines, Eduardo F. Leaving Glorytown: who he knew from the home, shows up. organization of postsecondary Latin One Boy’s Struggle Under Castro. Farrar, Devon has decided rich people are the American Studies programs throughout Straus and Giroux, 2009. cause of problems in the world, and wants the United States devoted to teaching, In this gripping memoir arbitrary to kill all of them—especially Olivia. Kidd program development, and outreach about arrests, starvation and forced feels his only choice is to protect Olivia, Latin America and the Caribbean. separations are endured by Cuban even if it means confronting Devon for the Coordinated by Julie Kline at the people as the Communist regime became first time in his life. Age: 14+; Culture: University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee’s more oppressive. Readers gain an insight Mexican American. Center for Latin American and Caribbean into the loving closeness Calcines shared Ferrer, Caridad. When the Stars Go Studies, the Award is given annually to with friends and family, and understand Blue. St. Martin’s Press, 2010. U.S. picture books, novels (juvenile and his mixed emotions when his family was Soledad loves the feel of the dance young adult), poetry collections, folktales, finally granted their visa after ten years floor beneath her feet and the way music and nonfiction books published the of planning and waiting. Calcines opens makes her feel. She loses herself in her previous year, in English or Spanish, that the readers’ eyes to what is being roles, and only comes back to Earth with authentically and accurately depict the lives enduredinCubabythoselivingthere the sound of the audience’s applause. Into and experiences of people in Latin America now, and what was left behind by those this world comes Jonathan, an avid and the Caribbean, or of Latinos living in able to escape to America. Both middle musician who appears to share the same the United States. The award’s criteria for and high school readers will benefit from musical intensity. Together they embark winners, honors, and commended titles this knowledge and, hopefully, gain a on a romantic summer adventure include distinct literary quality in design fresh perspective on what it means to be performing with a competitive drum and and illustration, authentic cultural anAmerican.Age:12+;Culture: bugle corps, with Soledad playing the role representation of Latino cultures, and Cuban. of Carmen. As the summer draws to an applicability for use in classrooms. Cervantes, Jennifer. Tortilla Sun. end, another suitor vies for Soledad’s A useful source of biographical Chronicle Books, 2010. attention. The ensuing jealousy brings her information about Latino authors for When her mother signs on to do a stage role into reality, and her entire career young adults is Frances Ann Day’s Latina research project in Costa Rica for as a dancer is in jeopardy. Age: 14+; and Latino Voices in Literature.13 In graduate school, twelve-year-old Izzy Culture: Cuban American. addition to profiling thirty-five creators of Roybal must spend the summer with her Gonzalez, Christina Dıaz. The Red Latino young adult literature, the book maternal grandmother in New Mexico. Umbrella. HarperCollins, 2010. provides a synopsis of their major works as Kept from information about her After Fidel Castro’s Communist well as an extensive list of hands-on activity mother’s Mexican-American roots and revolution in Cuba, fourteen-year-old suggestions for tweens and teens that her Anglo father, who died before she Lucıa’s parents decide to send her and her extend Latino literature into various areas was born, Izzy is impatient to learn the younger brother Frankie alone to the of the school curriculum. truth. An enchanted baseball with United States until they can obtain exit Finally, the list below provides an missing words, a neighbor boy obsessed visas for themselves. The children are sent annotated list of recommended Latino with a treasure map, a six-year-old to a foster family in Nebraska and must tween and teen books published within orphan, and the village healer all offer adjust to a new climate, language, and the past few years. The list was compiled clues to Izzy’s past. Age: 11+; Culture: culture, as well as being without their and annotated by Alma Ramos- Mexican American, Biracial/Bicultural. parents for nearly a year. Age: 12+; McDermott and Lyn Miller-Lachmann De La Pena,~ Matt. I Will Save You. Culture: Cuban. from the Children’s and Young Adult Delacorte Press, 2010. Hijuelos, Oscar. Dark Dude. Services Committee (CAYASC) of Kidd’s mom killed his father and Atheneum Books, 2009. REFORMA (The National Association herself, so he was sent to live in a group Rico, growing up in the 1960s in to Promote Library and Information home. When he was seventeen years old, Harlem, is tired of being hassled for his Services to Latinos and the Spanish- he ran away and got a job working at a light hair and skin, of working multiple Speaking). The list below compiled by campsite near a beach. While there, he met jobs, and of the violence in his Jamie Campbell. a girl named Olivia and fell in love. neighborhood. To avoid military school, he

Summer 2011 | Young Adult Library Services | YALS 17 Libraries Bridging the Borderlands

runs away and hitchhikes to Wisconsin. As to attend college near him further meet these challenges and locate her he tries to adjust to living in a rural setting, complicates matters. Perez sets up a father—all while pining for friends, a Rico tries to find himself and, while doing seemingly intractable conflict between a pair of new shoes, and a Quinceanera.~ so, falls in love and becomes at peace with teenage girl’s loyalty to her family and her Age: 12+; Culture: Mexican. what life has to offer him. Age: 14+; quest for individual fulfillment and success, Ryan, Pam Munoz. The Dreamer. Culture: Cuban American. showing both sides of the values that have New York: Scholastic, 2010. Lopez, Diana. Confetti Girl. Little, kept Marisa’s impoverished family together Through vignettes real, embellished, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2009 and with the bare necessities at the same and imagined—for Ryan ventures Middle school is not going well for time as those values reduce the options of several times into the realm of pure Lina and her best friend Vanessa. Lina’s its most ambitious members. Age: 13+; fantasy—readers observe the twelve-year mom has unexpectedly died, so her father Culture: Mexican American. process in which young Neftalı Reyes, with buries himself in his books while Vanessa’s Resau, Laura and Maria Virginia the support of his siblings, Mamadre, Uncle mom, recently divorced, creates endless Farinango. The Queen of Water. Orlando, and other caring adults, resists his supplies of cascarones, confetti filled eggs. Delacorte, 2011. tyrannical father’s goals for him and grows The girls hatch a plan to set up their This collaboration is a novel based on into the world-famous poet Pablo Neruda. parents with each other and, in between Farinango’s childhood and adolescence as a He adopts the pen name to circumvent his Spanish dichos (sayings), the girls pursue servant in Ecuador. Like many indigenous father’s fear that his literary and political their own love interests with children, Virginia is sent at the age of seven pursuits will embarrass the family. Exquisite not-so-successful results. The angst of to a family that abuses her and breaks their illustrations and design enhance this adolescence comes through, making promise to pay her and give her an fictionalized childhood biography of the Confetti Girl true-to-life. Age: 10+; education. The lively and ambitious girl Nobel Prize winning poet from southern Culture: Mexican American. overcomes her feelings of inferiority and Chile. Age: 10+; Culture: Chilean. Miller-Lachmann, Lyn. Gringolandia. learns to read, then secretly borrows the Stork, Francisco X. Marcelo in the Real Curbstone Books, 2009. textbooks of her masters to teach herself World. Scholastic, 2009. During the political upheaval in science and history. Resisting the wife’s Sheltered in a special school for much 1980s Chile, Daniel’s family flees to the regular beatings and the husband’s sexual of his life, Marcelo Sandoval is told he must United States where he assimilates into advances, Virginia eventually escapes their spend the summer before his senior year of a new life playing guitar with a rock household, returns to her family, and high school working at his father’s law firm band and dating. He hopes to become a works her way through high school and to so he can learn about and get by in the “real citizen when he turns eighteen. Into his a better life. Age: 14+; Culture: Quichua, world.” At the firm, Marcelo is bullied and new life comes part of the old when his Ecuadorean. exploited by a fellow intern, finds himself in father is released from prison. After Restrepo, Bettina. Illegal. ethical dilemmas when he discovers his years of torture, his soccer and fun- HarperCollins Children’s Books, 2011. father has made improper advances to a loving father has been replaced by a When Nora’s father, Arturo leaves female employee and the firm has concealed paralyzed, bitter man. Daniel will have their home in Mexico to search for work evidence to assist a corporate client in a to face the demons his father has faced in the United States, Nora stays back liability suit, and learns about love, lust, and and make a decision for himself as to with her mother, Aurora and her the costs of making moral choices. This what he will do with his new knowledge. grandmother. Nora struggles to make book about a teen with Asperger’s Age: 14+; Culture: Chilean American. sense of her loss as the three women live Syndrome is a thoughtful multigenerational Perez, Ashley Hope. What Can’t in poverty awaiting Arturo’s return and (appeals to teens, their parents, and their Wait. Lerner/Carolrhoda, 2011. a better day. When the letters and grandparents) novel. It is one of the few Marisa, a high school senior with money stop coming, Nora decides she novels for teens depicting an upper middle dreams of studying engineering at the and Aurora must go to Texas to find class Mexican-American family. Equally University of Texas, struggles to balance Arturo. After a harrowing and valuable is the way Stork incorporates her schoolwork with family responsibilities dehumanizing border-crossing Marcelo’s “special interest,” world religions, that include babysitting her niece and experience, they find themselves alone in into the plot as he ultimately applies the working at a supermarket in her Houston a new place, unable to speak the lessons he absorbed from the holy books. neighborhood. A boyfriend who wants her language. Nora must find the strength to Age: 12+; Culture: Mexican American.

18 YALS | Young Adult Library Services | Summer 2011 Naidoo and Vargas

Serving LGBTQ Latino Youth Latino youth who see themselves LGBTQ Latino Youth represented in the literature that they Over 10 percent of today’s Latino youth identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. encounter, have a greater respect for their Add the percentage of Latino youth who question their sexuality and this number increases cultural heritage and a stronger sense of significantly. Many lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) Latino youth feel alienated in U.S. schools because of their cultural heritage as well as their sexual self that leads them to accept their sexual orientation. Unfortunately, these youth cannot turn to their family for support as many orientation. It is crucial for LGBTQ people within Latino communities reinforce negative cultural perceptions of homosexuality Latino youth to see representations of rather than helping their children reframe the stereotype as they would with racial themselves in the books they read. stereotyping These attitudes are predominantly attributed to Latino cultural traits and Unfortunately, there are relatively few beliefs, such as machismo, marianismo, and Catholicism, which condemn same-sex relationships.14 As a result of not feeling accepted in school or by their familia, LGBTQ U.S. young adult books featuring Latino youth are more likely than their Anglo counterparts to develop feelings of LGBTQ Latinos. Of the books that are worthlessness, engage in unsafe sexual practices, run away from home, or commit suicide. published, most are novels featuring gay male Latinos and many of these are not readily available in the collections of school and public libraries. Below is a l Rainbow High by Alex Sanchez. belong, loved and understood right down listing of the current youth novels, Simon and Schuster, 2003. to the bone.”15 available in English, with LGBTQ Latino l Rainbow Road by Alex Sanchez. To help create an environment where characters or written by LGBTQ Latinos: Simon and Schuster, 2005. youth feel accepted and understood, l Sammy and Juliana in Hollywood by librarians are encouraged to consult the l Bait by Alex Sanchez. Simon and Benjamin Saenz. Cinco Puntos following professional and Web resources Schuster, 2009. Press, 2004. that will assist with developing collections, l Boyfriends with Girlfriends by Alex l So Hard to Say by Alex Sanchez. programs, and services for LGBTQ Sanchez. Simon and Schuster, 2011. Simon and Schuster, 2004. Latino youth. l Butterfly Boy: Memories of a l The Straight Road to Kylie by Chicano Mariposa by Rigoberto Nico Medina. Simon and Gonzalez. University of Wisconsin Schuster, 2007. Concluding Thoughts Press, 2006 l Tommy Stands Alone by Gloria l Down to the Bone by Mayra Lazara Velasquez. Pinata~ Books, 1995. Latino tweens and teens have many of the Dole. HarperCollins, 2008. l What Night Brings by Carla Trujillo. same informational, recreational, l Fat Hoochie Prom Queen by Curbstone, 2003. educational, and literacy needs as tweens Nico Medina. Simon and l Who Framed Lorenzo Garcia? by and teens from other cultural groups. Schuster, 2008. R. J. Hamilton. Alyson Books, 1995. However, they often encounter borderland l Getting It by Alex Sanchez. Simon and It is critically important for school and experiences where they feel as if they Schuster, 2006. public libraries to circulate the few books do not completely belong to a single l The God Box by Alex Sanchez. Simon with LGBTQ Latino characters that are culture—the one defined by their ethnicity and Schuster, 2007. currently available. In light of the growing nor the one defined by the overall U.S. l Hard Love by Ellen Wittlinger. Simon Latino population in the United States, culture. Libraries can help Latino youth as and Schuster, 1999. libraries that overlook LGBTQ Latino they navigate the physical, social, and l Love and Lies: Marisol’s Story by youth miss an opportunity to serve an psychological borderlands in their life by Ellen Wittlinger. Simon and important strand within their local fabric. providing targeted programming and Schuster, 2008. Libraries can create welcoming collections that include both culturally l Meaning of Conseulo by Judith Ortiz environments that embrace diversity by relevancy as well popular culture Cofer. FSG, 2003. offering books and services reflecting the components. We hope that some of the l Pedro and Me by Judd Winick. Henry experiences of the LGBTQ Latino ideas for programs and collections Holt, 2000. community. Upon entering the library, we suggested in this article will assist you as l Rainbow Boys by Alex Sanchez. Simon want LGBTQ Latino youth to think, “I you jump-start your outreach to Latino and Schuster, 2001. feel warm and accepted. This is where I youth. ¡Buena suerte!

Summer 2011 | Young Adult Library Services | YALS 19 Libraries Bridging the Borderlands

Selected Professional online documents in Spanish and 7. Sharon Chickering Moeller, Library Service to Resources English addressing LGBTQ topics of Spanish Speaking Patrons: A Practical Guide. concern for Latino youth and their Englewood, Colo.: Libraries Unlimited, 2001. l Cart, Michael and Christine A. families (http://community.pflag.org/ 8. Susana G. Baumann, ¡Hola, Amigos!: A Jenkins. The Heart Has Its Reasons: NETCOMMUNITY/Page.aspx?pid= Plan for Latino Outreach. Santa Barbara, Young Adult Literature with Gay/ 467 and srcid=462). Calif.: Libraries Unlimited, 2011; Barbara Lesbian/Queer Content, 1969–2004. l Human Rights Campaign: “Resources Immroth and Kathleen de la Pena~ Scarecrow Press, 2006. for Latinas and Latinos.” Provides McCook, eds., Library Services to Youth of l Day, Frances Ann. Lesbian and Gay several links to Spanish and English Hispanic Heritage. Jefferson, N.C.: Voices: An Annotated Bibliography documents for LGBTQ Latinos McFarland & Company, 2000. and Guide to Literature for Children (www.hrc.org/issues/3579.htm). 9. Isabel Schon, Recommended Books in Spanish and Young Adults. Greenwood l Youth Resource and Advocates for for Children and Young Adults: 2004-2008. Press, 2000. Youth. Partner Web sites that provide Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow Press, 2009. Ibid, l Martin, Hillias J. and James R. information to LGBTQ youth and The Best of Latino Heritage: A Guide to the Murdock. Serving Lesbian, Gay, their advocates, portions have a Best Juvenile Books about Latino People and Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning particular emphasis on queer youth of Cultures: 1996–2002. Lanham, Md.: Teens. Neal-Schuman, 2007. color (www.advocatesforyouth.org/ Scarecrow Press, 2003; Barahona Center for l Rimpau, Ina. “Entendidos: Library about-us/programs-and-initiatives/ the Study of Books in Spanish for Children Services to Hispanic Gay Teens and 740?task=view and www.amplifyyourvoice. and Adolescents. http://public.csusm.edu/ Their Families.” In The Power of org/youthresource). YALS csb (accessed April 25, 2011). Language/El poder de la palabra: Selected 10. America Reads Spanish, “Essential Guide to Papers from the 2nd REFORMA Spanish Reading for Children and Young National Conference,editedbyLillian References Adults,” 2009. www.americareadsspanish.org Castillo-Speed. Libraries Unlimited, (accessed April 25, 2011). 2000; pp. 159–166. 1. Raquel Valle Sentıes, “I Am Who I Am, 11. Alma Ramos-McDermott, “REFORMA So What,” in Red Hot Salsa: Bilingual and YALSA: Working Together to Reach Latino Youth.” Young Adult Library Selected Web Resources Poems On Being Young and Latino in the United States, ed. Lori M. Carlson (New Service 7 (Fall 2008): 19-22, 42; Jamie l Ambiente Joven. Spanish-language York: Henry Holt, 2005), 16-21. Campbell Naidoo, Celebrating Cuentos: Web site for LGBTQ youth in the 2. U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Estimates of Promoting Latino Children’s Literature and United States and Latin America the Hispanic Resident Population by Sex and Literacy in Classroom and Libraries. Santa (www.AmbienteJoven.org) Age for the United States: April 1, 2000 to Barbara, Calif.: Libraries Unlimited, 2010. l GLSEN Report: School-Related July 1, 2009. www.census.gov/popest/ 12. Center for Latin American and Caribbean Experiences of LGBT Youth of Color. national/asrh/NC-EST2009-asrh.html Studies, “Americas Book Award for Discusses the social climate of schools (accessed April 25, 2011). Children’s and Young Adult Literature.” for LGBT students with diverse 3. Pew Hispanic Center, Between Two www4.uwm.edu/clacs/aa/index.cfm ethnic and racial heritages (www. Worlds: How Young Latinos Come of Age in (accessed April 25, 2011). glsen.org/binary-data/GLSEN_ America, December 11, 2009. http:// 13. Frances Ann Day, Latina and Latino ATTACHMENTS/file/474-2.pdf). pewhispanic.org/reports/report.php? Voices in Literature: Lives and Works: l 10 Ways to Fight Hate. Collection of ReportID=117 (accessed April 25, 2011). Updated and Expanded. Westport, Conn.: resources that address various issues 4. Ibid. Greenwood Press, 2003. related to hate and bias including 5. Gloria Anzaldua, Borderlands/La Frontera: 14. Girl’s Best Friend Foundation and topics related to LGBTQ Latinos The New Mestiza. San Francisco, Calif.: Advocates for Youth. Creating Safe Space (www.splcenter.org/get-informed/ Aunt Lute Books, 1987. for GLBTQ Youth: A Toolkit, 2005. publications/ten-ways-to-fight-hate-a- 6. Bridget Kevane, Latino Literature in www.advocatesforyouth.org/publications/ community-response-guide). America, Literature as Windows to World 608?task=view (accessed April 25, 2011). l LGBTQ Resources for Latino Families. Cultures. (Westport, Conn.: Greenwood 15. Mayra Lazara Dole, Down to the Bone. (New This Web site includes many links to Press, 2003), 9. York: HarperCollins, 2008), 351.

20 YALS | Young Adult Library Services | Summer 2011 feature Hot Spot: Teen Read Week

his Spring, I was in a Barnes & Noble and noticed a display titled The Movie Is T “Read the Book Before You See the Movie,” advertising the novels of various movie adaptations released this summer: Beastly, Jane Eyre, and Atlas (Sometimes) Better Shrugged. The one that caught my eye, though, was Red Riding Hood—not an edition of the Grimm fairy tale but a novelization of the movie.1 The absurdity Than the Book of asking customers to “read the book before seeing the movie,” when even the author of the book itself had not done so, got me thinking about what a bad name Adaptations as film adaptations get in our culture. We constantly hear that “the book is always Literary Analysis better than the movie” or that some particular movie didn’t “live up to” the book. So, in honor of this year’s Teen Read Weekä theme of “Picture It,” I thought I’d By Mark Flowers make a plea for movie adaptations of books, short stories, and other literature.

The Movie Is Better a few of these cases, but the general trend is claim, when audiences realize they Than the Book clear: novels and short stories which have are wrong. either been completely forgotten, or are This is all the more disheartening For the past year or so, I’ve been compiling remembered only because they inspired because, as I will attempt to show below, a list of movies I’ve seen which are better or film masterpieces. film adaptations, besides being entertaining equal to their literary source. The list is The premise that the literary source and artistic in their own right, also have the already at almost 150 titles. Tastes differ, of a film is more valid, important, or potential to act as a powerful critical lens and I don’t want to start an argument valuable than the film not only is patently through which to view their literary source, about specific movies or my own tastes, but false but also does an incredible disservice a lens which we forgo to our own detriment. I do think it is clear that Hollywood in to all parties involved. It shortchanges the particular, and filmmakers all over the artistry and critical thought of filmmakers. world as well, have a penchant for making It shortchanges the intelligence of the Adaptations as Critical great art out of relatively minor, or even people being fed the line, and especially in Commentaries trashy, material. Alfred Hitchcock, Fritz thecaseofteens,ithasthepotentialto Lang, David Cronenberg, Orson Welles, belittle them for preferring one art form Google “the movie was better than the and Roman Polanski, to name just a few over another. And ultimately, it backfires book” and you will find plenty of examples examples, each made many, many films on the cultural “guardians” (teachers, of people arguing that their favorite movie based on the works of such literary “giants” parents, and librarians) who make the surpassed its source. So rather than spend as Roland Topor, Norbert Jacques, Patrick McGrath, Georges de La Fouchardiere, Cornell Woolrich, Robert Bloch, MARK FLOWERS is a Young Adult Librarian in Vallejo, California. If Sherwood King, and Whit Masterson. a movie based on his life had been made prior to his birth, he Again, we could argue over the specifics of would have been played by Anthony Perkins.

Summer 2011 | Young Adult Library Services | YALS 21 The Movie Is (Sometimes) Better Than the Book Adaptations as Literary Analysis

this article ranting about how great some The traditional fairy tale of “Little narrator.6 She marshals forensic evidence Cronenberg picture is, I would rather write Red Riding Hood” is generally accepted to (the state of decomposition of the body) as about a somewhat different topic which I be about rape. Zipes, in particular, notes well as internal inconsistencies in his story think has not been given much attention: that “Perrault and the Grimm Brothers to determine what “really” happened: “the film adaptations which act as critical [the two most widely known versions of narrator murdered his wife, not impulsively commentaries on the works they are the tale]...transformed an oral folk tale on the cellar stairs as he asserts, but adapting (regardless of the artistic merits of about the social initiation of a young willfully and with malice aforethought at each). Filmic critiques are (at least) doubly woman into a narrative about rape in the very time he claims to have killed his interesting because they can not only be which the heroine is obliged to bear the cat; the supposed cat-killing is a fiction he great fun in and of themselves but also be responsibility for sexual violation.”4 To put invents to assuage his guilt,” because, of great pedagogic tools for teachers trying it simply, in the most well-known versions, course, “there are not two black cats; there to get their students to think critically the story is a cautionary tale for young is only Pluto: the black cat.”7 about literature.2 women—don’t stray from the path, or the Corman’s film, then, follows almost Below, I take a look at three wolf will rape you. Avery inverts this exactly the events which Amper, three adaptations: a short comic based on a fairy version into a feminist story: Red Hot decades later, deduced must have been the tale; a short film based on a short story, Riding Hood and Grandma are “real” story behind “The Black Cat.” and a feature film based on a novel. Each of self-empowered, sexually charged women, Corman provides a motive (adultery) and these offers separate ways of looking at the who consistently beat the wolf at his own an extra character (the wife’s lover), but the ways in which adaptations can illuminate game. No need for a woodcutter. main points are there: a drunken, unhinged their sources. I start with the fairy tale that Avery’s version, then, is a perfect way protagonist, the premeditated murder of began this article. to engage a whole host of issues his wife, and only one cat, who gives the surrounding the story: from the fact that it game away by mewing from behind the is about sexuality at all, to the way Perrault brick wall. In other words, a B-list director Red Hot Riding Hood and the Grimms moralized the story, to its provided a plausible and, in fact, continuing relevance in Avery’s hands, and exceptional close reading of Poe thirty In “Red Hot Riding Hood”, directed by much more. years ahead of literary criticism. cartoon genius Tex Avery, a narrator begins to tell the traditional story of “Little Red Riding Hood,” but gets only a The Black Cat Who Framed minuteorsoinbeforeallthreemain Roger Rabbit? characters object.3 Riding Hood, the Roger Corman’s Tales of Terror consists of Wolf, and Grandma declare that they are dramatizations of three Edgar Allan Poe Who Framed Roger Rabbit? was putatively bored with the normal story and demand stories, the middle of which is “The Black based on the novel Who Censored Roger a change. The narrator obliges, and we are Cat.”5 Corman directed a number of Poe Rabbit?8 In fact, though the characters, abruptly dropped into a parody of 1940s adaptations, most of which were heavily conception, and some plot points remain, Hollywood glamour picture. Riding Hood criticized for being extremely loose in their the plot of the film is very clearly derived is an exotic dancer, the wolf a man about interpretations. And indeed, except for the from the neo-noir film Chinatown (a town, and Grandma a high-class older final reveal of the cat behind the wall, detective hired for a seemingly woman out for a good time. The story Corman’s “The Black Cat” appears to straightforward case of exposing adultery follows the tradition loosely: the wolf, deviate completely from Poe: there is only becomes deeply embroiled in a plot to wishing to seduce Riding Hood, speeds one cat, there are extra characters, and utterly remake the landscape of Los ahead of her to get to Grandma’s house nothing supernatural at all happens in Angeles by sinister means; both films are first. At this point, all slapstick breaks the film. also loosely based on real events that loose: Grandma decides she wants the Here’s where things get interesting, occurred in Los Angeles).9 This double set wolf and tries to catch him. A series of though. In a fascinating and persuasive of influences is made more complex by the chases end with the wolf in great paper from 1992, Susan Amper argues that fact that both Chinatown and Who physical distress, vowing not to look at a the story related in Poe’s “The Black Cat” Censored are (in a way) adaptations of the woman again. is in fact an elaborate set of lies by the classic hard-boiled detective films and

22 YALS | Young Adult Library Services | Summer 2011 Flowers

novels of the 1930s and 1940s Why Is This Important librarians to use this year’s Teen Read (Who Censored, e.g., takes large portions of to Teens? Week to ignore claims that “the book is its plot from Dashiell Hammett’s—not always better than the movie” and to to mention John Huston’s—The The claim that the book is better than the promote watching movies as a way of Maltese Falcon). movie is one frequently tossed at children gaining better insight into the books The film’s critical commentary on this and teens, especially in the context of they adapt. YALS complex set of sources is deep and could reading assignments. Teens are assigned a probably fill a book, but the essential book, and expressly told by various adults message, like that of “Red Hot Riding not to watch the movie before reading the References Hood,” is one of thematic subversion. The book, or not to watch the movie at all. The hard-boiled detective novels and films objective of promoting reading and 1. Sarah Blakley-Cartwright and David Leslie generally held a relentlessly pessimistic enforcing assignments is laudable, but the Johnson, Red Riding Hood. ..., outlook on human nature, and their resulting condescension toward what is New York: Poppy, 2011. copiers tended to take that pessimism to probably the major art form of the 20th (ISBN: 978-0316190855). extremes. Chinatown in particular is one of century clearly has an impact on teens. 2. For a much more scholarly and detailed the bleakest films in the classic Hollywood What’s more, teens who are not cowed examination of the concept of adaptation canon. Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, into submission by these edicts are able to see as critique, see Stam, Robert. “Beyond however, parodies many of the standard for themselves that the claim is patently false. Fidelity: The Dialogics of Adaptation” in tropes of this genre to posit a To take the most obvious example, while I Film Adaptation, ed. James Naremore fundamentally opposite viewpoint—that yieldtonooneinmyenthusiasmfor (New Brunswick: Rutgers, 2000). The human nature, while flawed, is inherently Shakespeare’s (or rather, his printers’) written entire book is worth reading, but Stam’s good. This is not so much accomplished by words, I’d submit that, especially given that chapter is particularly illuminating. the happy ending (probably a requirement the plays were intended to be performed, 3. Red Hot Riding Hood, MGM, Dir. Tex of any kid friendly movie made in the late most viewers are able to understand much Avery, 1943. 1980s) as by the film’s treatment of the more of both the text and the subtext of 4. Jack Zipes, Why Fairy Tales Stick: The toons as embodiments of childlike wonder. Shakespeare by viewing an excellent version Evolution and Relevance of a Genre. In the novel, toons are merely actors, and (say, Polanski’s Macbeth) than in reading it on (New York: Routledge, 2006), 28. in fact create their own stunt doubles for the page. It is often only in viewing a play that (ISBN: 978-0-415-97781-4). dangerous scenes. The film pays this the written text begins to make sense. So too, 5. Tales of Terror, Alta Vista, Dir. Roger gimmick some heed—the toons offstage do for visual learners, it is often greatly to their Corman, 1962. not always live up to their on-screen advantage to see a filmed version of a book 6. Susan Amper, “Untold Story: The Lying personas—but the film is very clear that first, to understand the basic plot, and then go Narrator in The Black Cat.” Studies in toons exist essentially “to make people back to the source novel. Short Fiction 29 (1992): 475-485. laugh.” Add to this the much more As we’ve just seen, a good adaptation 7. Ibid., p. 476; p. 482. nuanced characterization of protagonist (or sometimes even not such a good 8. Who Framed Roger Rabbit? Touchstone, Eddie Valient—including his narrative arc adaptation—I make no claims for the great Dir. Robert Zemeckis, 1989; Gary Wolf, from jaded toon-hater, to savior of Toon artistry of Corman’s “The Black Cat”) can Who Censored Roger Rabbit? New York: Town—and you have a film that is very shed light on the themes, issues, and St. Martin’s, 1981. (ISBN: 0-312-87001-9). much at odds with the beliefs and themes unspoken assumptions of its source text. In 9. Chinatown, Paramount, Dir. Roman of its forebears. light of these important issues, I invite teen Polanski, 1974.

Summer 2011 | Young Adult Library Services | YALS 23 feature Hot Spot: Teen Read Week

experience under Nazism. The watercolor images throughout Jacobson and Colon’s Picture It work—which is a biography of Anne, not a retelling of her diary—are based purposefully on this photo archive. Because The Diverse Possibilities of that, the reader sees not just styles of the time, but the Frank family’s actual clothing, not just the artist’s interpretation of mood of Graphic Novel through posture, but the postures of the family members as they aged and became increasingly stressed. Literature Jacobson and Colon also use the format to an advantage that is both subtle and uniquely edifying: the sequential art By Francisca Goldsmith medium permits the writer or artist to present the personal as well as the public aspects of a historical moment as fully intertwined. Unlike a narrative text in which one reads one type of account and then possibly the other, or a film in which only hile comics and graphic novels Sid Jacobson and Ernie Colon have the splitting of a screen—which itself seem an easy format to couple been working in the comics industry for requires a visual stunning of thought in W with the 2011 Teen Read decades. More recently, they have been preference of action—the historically based Weekä theme of Picture It, the diversity collaborating on nonfiction projects in graphic novel text can move the reader from of viewpoints and genres the format which pictures are essential to the narrative the personal to the public within a small supports can be mined for something or provide key ways of understanding amount of page space, requiring the mind to deeper than simply offering the picture- events that mere words cannot. Their most attend to what the eye shows: the personal positive. The “picture” part of graphic recently published project, Anne Frank has a public context, the public has a literature involves creative expression, may (Hill and Wang, 2010), was sponsored by personal effect. In Anne Frank,thisis rely on other visual resources, can nimbly the Anne Frank House, an Amsterdam effected through the use of panels that show portray parody (a literary genre that museum that preserves and gives public what is going on outside the Secret Annex, resonates well with many teens), and allow display to the World War II hiding place cut between witnessing events as Anne and narratives told from one viewpoint to be Anne’s diary made famous. Anne’s father, her family experienced life while in hiding. retold from another. Otto Frank, was a lifelong amateur Picture it: we have our own lives, our Let’s look at some fine examples of photographer, and it is many of his own own expressions and styles, and yet we are these, each of which offers teen readers an candid snapshots of his family that are surrounded by a world that informs how invitation to read for the fun of it—and for among the thousands of images the we can express ourselves, where we can be the discovery of visual impact on museum has collected in pursuit of seen—and when we must remain hidden. storytelling as well. continuing scholarship on the Jewish Lynda Barry, whose often quirky comics do not use the medium of FRANCISCA GOLDSMITH has worked with and written extensively photography as a basis, shares what about graphic novels and readers, especially teens. Her most amounts to a rich course in learning how to picture for oneself, in Picture This (Drawn recent book is The Readers Advisory Guide to Graphic Novels and Quarterly, 2009). Barry gently taps the (ALA Editions, 2010). She regularly speaks to library associations reader’s creativity and encourages nascent and other regional groups about graphic novel collection visual expression through a series of development, advisory work, and enjoyment. nondogmatic exercises that feature a

24 YALS | Young Adult Library Services | Summer 2011 Goldsmith

Near-Sighted Monkey, the long- established Barry cartoon character of Picture It...with Your Ears Marlys, and Barry’s own exercise doodles. Connecting this year’s Teen Read Week theme with audiobooks provides another way to Even those with no desire to create the encourage the use of visual imagination. Just as oral literature predated our efforts to write visual will be engaged by her invitation to artfully, well performed audiobooks using well written source writings give the mind’s eye a lot to see. use one’s eyes to do more than simply look, Because well crafted audio provides instant access to character elements such as accent, but to also gaze, stare, and otherwise see. gender, age and even metabolic disposition, listening readers can have an easy and Picture it: finding your inner visual satisfying time seeing them and the action described. Audiobooks that include ambient artist can tap a supply of imagination such sounds from the stories’ described surroundings also offer the possibility to enter the world as you never realized you had. created byt the authors more fully. Here are some examples to discuss with listening teens: Before We Were Free. Book by Julia Alvarez, read by the author. (Listening Library, 2004, 5.3 hours). What happens when a contemporary The author’s story of Dominican life under the 1950’s dictator known infamously as El Jefe artist is given a venue for collaboration with includes many emotionally charged family discussions as well as descriptions, all readily those from the past? France’s great fine arts pictured as the author reads her own words. museum, the Louvre, contracted with The Jacky Faber saga. Books by L. M. Meyer, read by Katherine Kellgren. (Listen and Live, 2008 forward) comics publisher NBM for a series of By creating and maintaining a host of appropriate accents and personalities, Kellgren graphic novels featuring art within the brings the 18th century—at sea and on the streets of London, Boston and Jamaica—to life museum. The Glacial Period (Nicolas and makes it a breeze to picture Jacky and her cohorts. DeCrecy, English translation ComicsLit, Jerk, California. Book by Jonathan Friesen, read by Andy Paris. (Recorded Books, 2010, 9.5 2007) is the first in the series, juxtaposing hours) What better way to picture how Tourette’s syndrome can affect the sufferer than by futurist science fiction with an exploration listening to him tell you about it? of real art treasures from the past. Again, Just Tricking! Book by Andy Griffiths, read by Styg Wemyss. (Bolinda Audio, 2004, 3 hours) this eschews dogma, makes important use Younger adolescents will snort with laughter and have no trouble picturing—and perhaps of full color, and doesn’t outlast the story it replicating—the practical jokes described here. has to tell. Other titles in the brief series Night. Book by Elie Wiesel, read by Jeffery Rosenblatt. (Audio Bookshelf, 2000, 3.75 hours) Listening to this stark memoir of concentration camp life during the Holocaust boosts the horror allow readers to explore the might-be- even higher and makes it impossible to turn a blind mind’s eye from what the victims lived. creepy work of an archivist in The Museum Will Grayson, Will Grayson. Book by John Green and David Levithan, read by MacLeod Vaults (Marc-Antoine Mathieu, 2007), Andrews and Nick Podehl. (Brilliance Audio, 2010, 8 hours) and the most recent, The Sky Over the A performance featuring two different actors lends auditory truth and makes it even easier Louvre (Jean-Louis Carriere and Bernard to picture the relationship development between the two Wills. Yslaire, English translation 2011), in which the evidence of the French Revolution’s affect on painting is revealed before the colored and side-slapping remake as In a move opposite that of parody reader’s eyes. antiheroine Bleh-Bleh and her boy toy is the expanding and opening of a Picture it: fine art doesn’t have to be Fredward Sullen turn all the vampire and narrative text by way of presenting a approached without imagination on the romance tropes on their heads—or kick visually rich version of its story. Jane part of either the storyteller or the viewer. them in the belly. Because of teen Austen’s Sense and Sensibility,aclassic familiarity with the original—whether any prose novel, is written in epistolary form, Oral sarcasm’s literary cousin parody one teen has any taste for that—the puns requiring the original narrative to omit interprets nicely in sequential art form. In and over the top caricaturing that goes on details about landscape and body fact, the history of graphic novels’ ancestors in this parody will both make sense and language. In their conceptualization of hearkens back to 18th century caricature. show how clever a visual joke or three or Austen’s work, Sonny Liew’s manga- Most recently, the publisher Papercutz four hundred of them can be. tinted art works with Nancy Butler’s “Slices” series has been releasing spot-on Picture it: a series which has run its adaptation (Marvel, 2011) to give the and frighteningly funny parodies of popular course in terms of publishing and library reader the opportunity to see the world young adult series. In Breaking Down staff patience can be reborn with the simple in which the letters were written. To (Stefan Petrucha and Rick Parker, 2011), injection of fake blood and really bad twists achievethis,thenovelalsohadtobe the “Twilight” saga gets treated to a boldly on now tiresome characters. realized anew to include dialog that

Summer 2011 | Young Adult Library Services | YALS 25 Picture It: The Diverse Possibilities of Graphic Novel Literature

“outs” the characters’ formerly for the sake of making the character popular whowanttocreatetheirownWebcomics. inward thoughts. with some readers. Instead, these characters Michael Duggan’s Web Comics for Teens Picture it: what happens when we understand comics and, because they do, (Cengage, 2008) no longer holds the most speak aloud what we have before spoken readers who get to know them will come useful technology information, given all the only within our heads? away with some genuine sense of sequential changes that have occurred in the past few art’s strengths and attractions as well. years, but it still holds strength as a guide in While recent prose novels have Picture it: traditional text-only novels story development, character creation and included increasing numbers of references to in which the art and function of graphic maintenance, and teen friendly information comics and graphic novels as a way storytelling is revealed. about how to make gags work. of offering a suggestion of preferences Picture it: teens can launch their own (and thus traits) held by their fictional Web comics are not all created equal in ideas off the paper and around the world characters, a few of these narrative authors terms of how they exploit—or ignore—their by developing Web comics. actually offer readers a true understanding online medium. Some really good ones just of how sequential art works. Norma Howe sit in panels on the screen, as though the Creative expression, visual resonance, provided that in her “Blue Avenger” series Internet connection were a substitute for the literary stylings, and viewpoint flexibility (beginning with TheAdventuresofBlue paper page. Others, however, manage to walk have a lot to offer that’s fun, stimulating to Avenger, H. Holt, 1999), while Barry Lyga’s the tightrope between that and full mind and senses, and encouraging of The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and animation—motion on the screen—which adolescent development. Picture it: the Goth Girl (Houghton Mifflin, 2006) would take them out of the realm of graphic iceberg of options is way bigger than this includes much information about the lit and make them into video instead. More tip we’ve just explored. And that’s the qualities of a graphic novel and how one and more apps are being created for Web beauty of Teen Read Week: it’s the goes about creating a narrative based on comics reading on different devices, but more invitation to look inside and underneath visual imagery. Neither of these novelists to the point here is that there is an increasing and all around at the possibilities for has thrown “comics fan” at a character just amount of guidance for teens—and others— reading for the fun of it. YALS

26 YALS | Young Adult Library Services | Summer 2011 feature Hot Spot: Teen Read Week

-books, e-books, e-books; a day doesn’t go by when there isn’t a Now Is the Time E news story or library announcement related to this topic. It’s clear that e-books are not the wave of the future; they are the present, and will play E-books, Teens, an increasingly big role in the future of libraries. E-books are the present not just for a lucky few, but for the millions who and Libraries own an e-reader, a tablet, or a smartphone. As the devices capable of supporting e- reading proliferate, so too will the number of people (including teens) who have access By Linda W. Braun to materials available in e-formats. As e-reading evolves from a trend for libraries to be aware of to an established part of library services, it is critical for teen librarians to be aware of what’s going on in the world of e-books and how teens are any other format, including so clear is what teen librarians need to and will be using them. Teen librarians also paperbacks and hardcovers.”2 know and focus on to make sure they are need to become a part of the discussion l In the spring, Amazon made three able to build strong e-book collections. about successfully integrating e-books into announcements of interest: the Kindle Let’s look at the similarities between collection development, marketing, was available, with ads, at a lower physical book collection development and programming, and outreach. As we head price—$114, it is selling more Kindle e-book collection development. into Teen Read Weekä 2011, with its ebooks than print books, and Kindle What’s the same in collection focus on teens reading for the fun of it, it’s books will be available for library lending development no matter the format? The a good time to think about the present and via Overdrive sometime in 2011.3 teen librarian: future of teens, libraries, and e-books. These are just a few examples of l Must know the community and changes happening every day. Expect the constantly assess the needs and The Lay of the Land price of e-reading devices to continue to interests of teen customers; drop, and more and more titles of interest to l Has to regularly talk with teens to Consider the following recent news: be available to teens in e-formats. Teens will guarantee he or she knows what teens continue to gain access to devices and are looking for in the library collection l In February, The New York Times materials to take advantage of the format. in terms of formats, genres, and published an article entitled “E- subject matter; Readers Catch Younger Eyes and Go l Needs to use a variety of resources and in Backpacks,” which included this E-Reading and tools to locate materials for the information: “In 2010 young-adult e- Collection Development collection; books made up about six percent of l Has to continually assess the the total digital sales for titles This is big. That’s clear. This is changing collection, weeding titles that are no published by St. Martin’s Press, but so libraries. That’s clear. What might not be longer of value or interest; far in 2011, the number is up to twenty percent ...”1 LINDA W. BRAUN is a YALSA Past President and an Educational l In April the Association of American Publishers reported that as of Technology Consultant with LEO: Librarians & Educators Online. February 2011, “US publishers sold She is also an adjunct faculty member at Simmons College, more e-books than they did books in Graduate School of Library & Information Science.

Summer 2011 | Young Adult Library Services | YALS 27 Now Is the Time: E-books, Teens, and Libraries

l Needs to make sure there is money in materials as they do traditional trends; don’t just pay attention to the the budget to support the acquisition physical content. This means that current picture. Look at global and maintenance of a strong collection vendors and publishers have more statistics about the sales and use of e- of materials for teens. control over use and access. reading materials and devices and about the use of e-readers by teens and If the above are the constants, what While the above list might make teen adults. Even if you aren’t finding a are the differences and how do they librarians throw up their hands and say, “I huge amount of e-reading among teens figure into the equation when focusing on hate everything ‘e’,” it’s time to accept that today, it’s very likely that those digital formats? these materials are a part of collections and numbers will grow quickly over the acknowledge that now is the time to think next several months as the hardware, l In an e-reading world, the age of a about what teen librarians need to do to be apps, and content spread. collection, what is missing from a just as successful in building digital collections l Pay attention to the library e-catalog. collection, and where multiple copies are as they have been with the physical collection. Look at reports of what’s circulating and required is much less obvious. A Or, if there have been weaknesses, the new not circulating. Know what’s on hold and librarian doesn’t see materials as they are technologies could provide a golden how many holds there are on each item. circulated or are returned or when opportunity to renew capabilities, services, l Browse through the catalog yourself and walking through the stacks. As a result, and commitment to excellence. take a look at what’s available and how e-collections require a different type of teens need to search the catalog to find concerted effort than physical collections what they might be interested in reading. when it comes to assessment. How To Do It l Look at the collection in the e-catalog l In the early stages of e-reading just like you would the physical collection development, it is easy for l Make sure to be a part of the library’s collection. Look at different areas in the teen librarian to miss being part of collection development process. Don’t fiction and nonfiction and look to see the collection development process. In just assume teen e-books are being what is and isn’t available. Be resourceful; some libraries, e-collection building is added to the collection or that the don’t assume a hole isn’t pluggable. Cast occurring outside of a specific books that are being added are the a wide net to see what is possible. department or specific customer focus. ones in which teens are interested. That means the teen librarian may not l As licensing instead of ownership is Begin to think about how the print and e- be aware of what’s on order or even in the norm when it comes to e-content collections will live together. For example, as the collection because she doesn’t have for libraries, it’s important to the teen library collection grows on the e- any direct connection to developing it understand licensing agreements and side, what does that mean for maintaining and may not be searching for and keep abreast of when changes to titles in physical form? Is it necessary to checking out items on her own. licenses occur. The terms of these have all titles in both formats? Think about l Popularity of materials is not as easily agreements may even affect collection when it’s wise to have a title just in the e- determined because teens may not be development choices. version, when it’s necessary to have titles in asking for books inside the library but l Make sure an adequate and fair amount both e and physical format, or when the simply placing titles on hold virtually. is being spent on e-books for teens. only format needed is the physical one. This l New titles that might be of interest to l You might need some statistics to back isn’t so different than what has been a teen audience are less obvious as up what you say is required in an e- happening to reference collections. As more teens may search a catalog virtually, collection for teens. Get those and more materials become available and if a new title of interest is not statistics by finding out who in your electronically, physical reference collections found simply leave it at that. No community has the ability to read in e- shrink. The same is likely to happen to the asking the librarian face-to-face to buy formats. Don’t just look at who owns physical circulating book collection. Start the item or help access it via Kindles or Nooks or iPads. Also pay thinking about that now. interlibrary loan. attention to those who use Remember, it’s just as important to l As agreements with vendors stand smartphones since apps are available “walk through” the virtual stacks on a now, many libraries are licensing e- for reading library books on those regular basis as it has been to walk through materials and do not own the devices. Think long term and assess the physical stacks.

28 YALS | Young Adult Library Services | Summer 2011 Braun

Marketing and Outreach by Katherine Bowers, http:// software typically used to access most in the e-World katherinebowers.edu.glogster.com/ library books, which will change as the idea dystopian-ya. The titles Katherine of app-based social reading takes off. For It is important not only to walk through the included on the Glog are not e-format example, Amazon has already announced virtual stacks to find what is and isn’t specific; however, such a Glog could that when their materials are available for availabletoteensbutalsotowalkthrough easily be modified to focus just on e-titles. library lending, those checking out the virtual stacks to determine what needs to materials will be able to make annotations be marketed to the young adult audience. As more and more materials are added inside checked-out items. With a physical collection it’s possible to pull to the collection that are not in physical There are concerns within the library books off of the shelves and put them on form, it’s likely librarians will discover that community about user privacy with notes display, in the library or even somewhere else they are spending less time on the usual and highlighting within a book. However, in the community. What’s the equivalent, or physical collection chores—looking for the two apps already mentioned, Copia and new ways, for a teen librarian to promote e- materials, shelving materials, shelf reading, Inkling, have designed their software so that materials successfully? Some ideas: and so on. This means that more time will those taking notes and highlighting passages be available for improving teen outreach in an e-book can determine who gets to see l Use social networks to highlight great and collection development. the highlights and notes. A librarian can set titles. For example, post a compelling Teen librarians will be able to spend up an e-book discussion group so that only sentence from a new book for teens a few more time connecting with other youth- those taking part in the group are able to see times a week on Twitter. Remember to serving organizations to learn about their each other’s notes and highlights. add a link to the e-catalog in the tweet. needs and the needs of teens. More time will Think about the opportunities available l Have teens tweet and write Facebook also be available for learning more about when teens can take part in a discussion group posts about materials available in teens’ favorite e-content technologies, which while actually reading a book. For example, e-formats. Teens might review books will enhance collection development decision the ability to discuss with others something in they’ve read in e-format, on Twitter making. The time can also be spent talking abookatthetimeanideastrikes,nottwo or Facebook. directly to teens either in the library, in virtual weeks later, helps guarantee that a teen is able l Have teens create screencasts about spaces,inschools,orinothercommunity to articulate thoughts about a book how to use the e-catalog to find locations to learn what they specifically want successfully. This is just one example of the materials and place materials on hold. and need in library e-collections. kind of programming and interaction that will Teens might also create screencasts on be possible as e-books and e-book apps how to download an e-book and get it Programming in the become more commonly used. It’s time to get working on a device. These screencasts World of e familiar with the ideas of real-time social could be posted in multiple places reading so that when the technology comes to from the library Web site to YouTube Many libraries are already hosting virtual libraries, you’ll be ready to launch programs. to teen personal Facebook spaces. book discussion groups for teens using l Investigate whether or not it’s possible to blogs, Facebook, and Twitter. With new e- Teen Library Space, have new titles, or other titles that deserve reading apps such as Copia and Inkling, for the e-Collection, and extra attention, highlighted within the example, it is possible to interact with the Future library’s e-catalog. Whenever possible, use others while reading an e-book. In a book the pages of the e-catalog to act as a discussion group, as the librarian and teens Imagine the world in which e-books for display venue for the teen collection. read the book, they highlight passages that teens are the major part of the library l Use QR Codes in the library, on the are of interest and make notes about what collection. What happens to the teen space library Web site, on library e-catalog they like and don’t like. All those involved then? In an e-centric world, the space you pages, and so on to give teens easy access see these interactions in real time and can currently use for most physical materials— to lists of materials available in e-format. respond to the highlights and notes, books, magazines, tables, and chairs—is l Create a Glog that highlights e- participating in a conversation from right greatly diminished. That space can then materials that teens can access from inside each person’s digital copy of the book. become something newly interesting and their social spaces. A good example of This new form of book discussion is exciting. It’s a space in which you can this is the Dystopian YA Glog created not yet easily accomplished with the provide opportunities for teens to create

Summer 2011 | Young Adult Library Services | YALS 29 Now Is the Time: E-books, Teens, and Libraries

content using computers, movie making and e-format. Imagine what that would 2. Marjorie Kehe, “E-book sales overtake recording software, writing apps, and more. mean for your space, your outreach paperbacks in February” Christian It’s a space where teens can collaborate on and marketing, and your programming and Science Monitor, April 15, 2011, projects together, from homework to fan- collection development. Can you picture it? www.csmonitor.com/Books/ fiction. It’s a space in which teens can hang Does it seem exciting? I hope so. If not, chapter-and-verse/2011/0415/ out with digital devices—their own or the find a way to make it exciting. Otherwise, E-book-sales-overtake-paperbacks-in- library’s. Perhaps they’ll come to play a how will you serve teens as effectively February (accessed April 23, 2011). digital game, passing a device around to tomorrow as you do today? It can be done. 3. Laura Indvik, “Amazon Announces friends as each one takes a turn. Or perhaps Now is the time! YALS Cheaper, $114 Kindle With Ads,” a teen wants to read a library book on his Mashable, April 11, 2011, http:// own device, but wants some face-to-face Resources mashable.com/2011/04/11/kindle- contact while reading. He brings his device withspecial-offers/ (accessed April 23, to the library and reads while sitting with Copia 2011); Jason Kincaid, “That was Fast: friends in the teen area. A passage he reads www.thecopia.com Amazon’s Kindle eBook Sales Surpass Print cracks him up so he hands the device to a (accessed May 25, 2011). (It Only Took Four Years),” TechCrunch, friend to show what’s so funny. The screen Inkling May 19, 2011, http://techcrunch.com/ is large enough that they can both look at www.inkling.com 2011/05/19/that-was-fast-amazons- the passage together and point out their (accessed May 25, 2011) kindle-ebook-sales-surpass-print-it-only- favorite lines to each other. took-four-years/ (accessed May 25, 2011); As e-collections grow, teen librarians References Michael Kelley, “Librarians Hope for a will have great opportunities to imagine ‘Seamless Experience’ With Amazon s new ways to connect with and support 1. Julie Bosman, “E-Readers Catch Younger Kindle” Library Journal, April 22, 2011, young adult customers. Eyes and Go in Backpacks,” The New York www.libraryjournal.com/lj/home/ It might not hurt—as hokey as it Times, February 4, 2011, www.nytimes. 890302-264/librarians_hope_ sounds—to close your eyes and think com/2011/02/05/books/05ebooks.html for_a_seamless.html.csp about your entire collection being in (accessed April 23, 2011). (accessed April 23, 2011).

30 YALS | Young Adult Library Services | Summer 2011 feature Hot Spot: Teen Read Week

ach year, Teen Read Weekä encourages teens to pick up a book Picture It! E and read for the fun of it. Entice teens with an artistic and cinematic take on the 2011 Teen Read Week theme, Picture It! @ Your Library. Novels To Fuel Bryant, Jen. Pieces of Georgia. New York: Knopf, 2006; ISBN-13: 9780375832598; 166p; $15.60. Imagination and Georgia is an artist, just like her mother was, and seeing her with a sketchbook is painful for her father. An anonymous gift of Spark Creativity an art museum membership and the encouragement of her school counselor give Georgia the push she needs to explore art By Julia K. Riley and reach out to her father. Calonita, Jen. Secrets of My Hollywood Life: On Location. New York: Little, Brown, 2008; ISBN-13: 978-0316154406; 256p; $7.99. Media darling Kaitlin Burke is 2009; ISBN-13: 9781416960966; 432p; unimaginable accusation against Liz’s starring in a movie with her favorite $16.99. brother, her life is turned upside down. director and enjoying her new relationship Fresh from rehab, teen starlet Devon Noel, Alyson. Art Geeks and Prom with Austin Myers. But the return of an Dubroff is ready to restart her career. Queens. New York: St. Martin’s Griffin, old flame and a scheming publicist could Spending the summer working on the 2005; ISBN-13: 9780312336363; spell disaster. island of Saint-Tropez with unlikely allies 240p; $9.99. Carter, Ally. Heist Society. New York: Livia Romero and Casey West, Devon When Rio Jones is transplanted from Disney/Hyperion, 2010; ISBN-13: might have her ticket back to the top. New York City to southern California, 9781423116394; 287p; $16.99. Headley, Justina Chen. North of she’s content to befriend fellow art geeks Kat Bishop conned her way into an Beautiful. New York: Little, Brown, 2009; Mason and Jas in AP Art, until queen bee exclusive prep school to avoid being ISBN-13: 9780316025058; 373p; $16.99. Kristi offers her a chance at popularity. Rio involved in the family business (art theft). High-school senior Terra channels quickly discovers that life at the top isn’t all But now her father is being accused of her frustrations about her verbally that it seems. pulling off a heist Kat knows he didn’t abusive father, her complicated Runholt, Susan. The Mystery of do, and she has no choice but to try and relationship with new friend Jacob, and the Third Lucretia. New York: Viking, save him. the port-wine stain that dominates her 2008; ISBN-13: 9780670062522; Crawford, Brent. Carter’s Big Break. face into mixed-media art. 278p; $16.99. New York: Hyperion, 2010; ISBN-13: Marcus, Kimberly. Exposed. New High-school freshmen and artists Kari 9781423112433; 231p; $15.99. York: Random House, 2011; ISBN-13: and Lucas believe a Rembrandt recently 14-year-old Will Carter parlays his 9780375866937; 272p; $16.99. discovered in Amsterdam is actually a fake. success in a school production into a Photography is everything for Liz, but Getting to the bottom of the mystery will starring role in an independent film being when her best friend Kate raises an mean risking their lives. shot in his hometown. But a budding friendship with his co-star, superstar Hilary Idaho, may ruin his life before the JULIA K. RILEY is a Library Technician serving teens at Pflugerville film even wraps. (Texas) Community Library. She is currently a member of the de la Cruz, Melissa. Girl Stays in the Advocacy Task Force and blogs about youth services at Picture. New York: Simon and Schuster, juliakriley.com

Summer 2011 | Young Adult Library Services | YALS 31 Picture It! Novels To Fuel Imagination and Spark Creativity

Sandell, Lisa Ann. A Map of the she and her brother may have had more in explanation for her father’s last Known World. New York: Scholastic common than she thought. desperate act. Press, 2009; ISBN-13: 9780545069700; Summers, Courtney. Fall for Anything. Whelan, Gloria. See What I See. New 273p; $16.99. New York: St. Martin’s Griffin, 2010; York: HarperTeen, 2011; ISBN-13: Frustrated with life in her small town, ISBN-13: 9780312656737; 230p; $9.99. 9780061255458; 199p; $16.99. high-school freshman Cora copes with the Eddie’s father, a successful Kate Tapert is a talented artist with a devastating loss of her older brother, Nate, photographer, committed suicide scholarship to an art school in Detroit. All by drawing maps and imagining herself in without warning. While her mother is she needs is a place to stay, so she shows up various locales. She connects with Damian, consumed by grief, Eddie latches on to on the doorstep of her estranged and the boy who was in the car with her her father’s assistant, Culler Evans, in reclusive artist father, Dalton Quinn, in what brother the night he died, and discovers the hopes that he can provide an turns out to be a life-altering decision. YALS

32 YALS | Young Adult Library Services | Summer 2011 feature Hot Spot: Teen Read Week

his article describes a program created when Heather was Picture It: Where in T planning a trip during the summer months. However, it would be a great program to adapt as a Teen Read Weekä activity. The trip doesn’t even have to be a the World Is Your real one, like Heather’s was. You could pick a country or city, do your research, and ask the teens to use their imaginations to Picture It: Where in the World is Librarian? Your Librarian? Heather: I was ready to leave for a couple of weeks of traveling through India and Nepal. As the supervisor of the Youth A Bibliographic Services area at a busy public library, everything that could be done ahead of Experiment time was finished, schedules made, tasks assigned, and leave slips turned in almost six months before. Then it hit me. I was chatting with my colleague Stephanie, and By Heather Blicher and we joked about the questions she and the other Youth Services staff would get from Stephanie Bedell our tweens and teens about my missing status. Without question, when one of the Youth Services staff is away, it is noticed. Let me clarify—it is NOTICED. It becomes an onslaught several times each day—the questions—“Where is (name remember but also the teens would too— the teens on a search to specific library here)?” “When will they be back?” “What andgivestaffachancetotryan databases and public Web sites, all with are they doing?” The close relationship experiment in a different approach to the goal of exposing them to different we have with our tweens and teens is bibliographic instruction, normally resources they may have never used a definite. difficult to make entertaining for our before, but hopefully would use in The library is next door to a middle crowd, by introducing and instructing the future. school, the city’s Alternative school, and a them in the use (and existence) of library The rules for the “Where in the community center, and is down the street databases and other trusted Web sites. World Is Your Librarian?” contest were from a high school. Packed in neatly The plan became to create clues to guide quickly put together: among these youth-serving branches of the city, the library is conveniently located on this unofficial campus, serving a HEATHER BLICHER is a librarian located in Virginia Beach, Virginia. bustling community of youth, the majority She is a passionate advocate for teen services in libraries. She being teens, many of them at-risk teens. looks forward to her next travel adventure and finding ways to The Youth Services staff members are engage teens with library resources. more than just librarians to the youth in STEPHANIE BEDELL is a Library Assistant for Chesapeake Public our community. We are their advocates, after-school chatting partners, board- Library (Virginia). She will complete her Master’s Degree in game challengers, pep talkers, and even Library and Information Science this summer. She loves the friends. Why not turn my vacation into challenges and rewards of working with at-risk youth and hopes something that not only I would to continue advocating for young people for many years to come.

Summer 2011 | Young Adult Library Services | YALS 33 Picture It: Where in the World Is Your Librarian? A Bibliographic Experiment

l You must follow the clue directions; Go to the middle of the page and click Report back to the Youth Services desk no shortcuts or cheating by getting the on “Travelers’ Heath” and tell them how Heather can say “I answer without completing the clue! In the “Destinations” box, scroll down lost my elephant” in Hindi. Youth Services staff will determine if to India and click “Go” you get a ticket. Scroll down to the section on “Malaria” Clue #8: Will Heather have l Every time you complete a clue and it Report back to the Youth Services desk good weather? is correct, you get a ticket to fill out. with one of the three best ways Heather Tomorrow, Heather is planning on l There will be a total of ten clues. can avoid getting sick with malaria. walking to a temple in Kathmandu and l You cannot backtrack and complete clues Answer: needs to know what the weather will be like. from previous days to get more tickets. l Three winners will be drawn at random l Take a prescription antimalarial drug Go to The Weather Channel Web site at the end of the contest. You can only l Use insect repellent and wear long www.weather.com winonce,butthemorecluesyouhave pants and sleeves to prevent mosquito In the search box, type “Kathmandu, completed, the more chances you have to bites Nepal” win. (The prizes would be various l Sleep in air-conditioned or well- Click “Find Weather” trinkets I brought back from the trip.) screened rooms or use bed nets Report back to the Youth Services desk l One clue will be given out per day what the weather will be like in (except weekends when one clue will Clue #6: Colorful City of Jaipur Kathmandu, Nepal tomorrow. be given out on Friday for the entire weekend). Go to the Lonely Planet travel Web site Clue #10: Welcome home Heather! www.lonelyplanet.com Before I left for my trip, I wrote up In the search box under the “Lonely Go to a Time Zone Converter/ the clues and Stephanie created bookmark- Planet” logo at the top of the page, type Calculator www.timedial.net/ size handouts with the clues ready for “Jaipur” and click “Go” world-time-difference-calculator distribution. Click on “Jaipur–Overview” Next to the house icon, scroll down to Examples of clues: Read the short article entitled choose “United States” and “Virginia” Clue #1: Where is Heather? “Introducing Jaipur” and report back to Next to the globe icon, scroll down to the Youth Services desk with what color choose “Nepal” Go to www.infopeake.org Heather will find this famous city to be Report to the Youth Services desk and Scroll over “Books and More” and click (Answer: Pink). tell them the time difference between on “Online Books, Magazines, Virginia and Nepal. How tired will Newspapers, and More” Clue #7: Help Heather find her Heather be when she gets back Scroll down to “World Culture” elephant! to Virginia? Find “CultureGrams Online” and click Heather was taking an elephant Answer: nine hours and forty-five on “search this database” ride to the Amber Fort and lost her minutes and VERY tired Click on “World Edition” elephant. The first country Heather is visiting Stephanie: While Heather started her includes the word “Republic.” Go to the Go to www.google.com twenty-four hour journey to reach Delhi, I search box and type in “republic.” Go to Scroll over the top of the Web site and set the contest in motion. To draw page three of the search results, #52. click on “more” attention to it, I set out a sign we had Report back to the Youth Services desk Click on “Translate” created listing the rules and placed it on the name and capital of this country. In the box, type “I lost my elephant.” top of the Youth Services desk, along with Answer: Republic of India and Delhi In the “Translate from” box, click on another sign to draw attention to the Clue #2: Stay healthy, Heather! “English” contest to encourage the tweens and teens In the “Translate into” box, click on to inquire about it at the Youth Services Go to the Web site for the Centers for “Hindi” desk. Since we know our young patrons Disease Control and Prevention Now click “Translate” and listen to the love winning prizes, I placed a large glass www.cdc.gov translation. bowl that contained the prize slips at a

34 YALS | Young Adult Library Services | Summer 2011 Blicher and Bedell

prominent place on top of the desk, hoping After the first day, the excitement use the databases available through the they would ask about it. wore off a bit, so I counted more on our library Web site. Many of the youth were I made each clue into a bookmark and regulars to keep up with the contest. A few largely unaware of the library’s databases. color-coded them according to the day they participants, in particular, excitedly Their difficulty gave library staff the would be used. I also made an answer guide requested a clue every day and diligently opportunity to go over the databases with to keep up at the Youth Services desk so followed the steps to get a prize ticket for them and show them how to use the search that any staff member at the desk could the bowl. To reach some of our quieter features available on the database. One of give out prize slips if necessary. I teens, or ones that do not normally the databases they searched was under our encouraged all library staff to help our willingly chat with staff, the Youth Services “Homework Help” category, which gave us patrons should they get stuck at various staff would roam around the children’s area the chance to covertly mention the reliability points in the clue, but stressed the and teen room with the clue bookmarks of the information on those databases. We importance of letting them find the answer. and talk up the program. We approached are hopeful that the next time they get stuck In other words, we told staff to make sure them with the contest in this way on the on a school assignment, they will turn to the they avoided taking over the search for day we had a clue leading to the Lonely library databases for resources. our patrons. Planet Web site as well as the day the clue Even though almost all the tweens and instructed our patrons to use Google’s teens we talked to about the contest were translate feature. The teens seemed to interested in Heather’s whereabouts, some The Results really enjoy the Lonely Planet Web site. were just too engrossed in games on the We noticed them clicking around different computer or checking their Facebook or Although our library has approximately parts of the Web site, which gave us the MySpace to be bothered with the contest. thirty to forty different youth of varying opportunity to discuss ways they might be We had difficulty trying to convince these ages in the youth space on each day able to use that particular Web site in the patrons that the clues were quick and throughout the summer, about fifteen or future. The teens were less interested in exceptionally easy. We did persuade a so show up every day to use the the Google Translate clue because it couple to try a clue, but for the most part, computer or hang out with their friends; involved potential embarrassment while they were far more interested in their own we call this group our “regulars.” For this trying to pronounce “I lost my elephant” in internet exploits. contest we targeted our regulars first, Hindi. However, the tweens loved learning Heather: In the end, the three prize simply because we chat with them daily about Google Translate. Initially, they slips were randomly selected. One young and knew they would be in the best were hesitant to try and pronounce the man was extremely excited to choose a position to participate fully in the phrase in Hindi, but once I showed them carved wooden elephant as his prize, contest. Most of our regulars knew about how to listen to a pronunciation, they were another a string of brightly painted Heather’s trip and tried to get us to practicing ways to say “I lost my elephant” elephants and bells to hang up for good reveal the location. Their curiosity in Hindi, Vietnamese, French, and many luck, and the last prize to a TAG member allowed us to pitch the contest to them other languages as well. I captured their who received an intricate bead necklace before it began while simultaneously pronunciation on video for Heather to bought from a man who was also selling sparking their interest even more by view when she got back; we knew she photographs of his monkeys. We hope all refusing to answer their questions. would enjoy it. of the participants of our “Where in the Therefore, I encountered very few A couple of the clues gave the teens World is your Librarian?” contest took away problems getting them to participate on some difficulty, but library staff willingly a broader knowledge of not only the the first day. Many of the tweens and stepped in and helped them find the informative, reliable databases the library teens, regardless of whether they were information in those cases. For the most offers but also a better understanding of regular visitors to the library, wanted to part, the clues which caused them to the myriad of resources at their disposal on know the location of Heather’s trip. struggle were the ones that required them to the Web. YALS

Summer 2011 | Young Adult Library Services | YALS 35 feature Hot Spot: Teen Read Week

began for the first ever Teen Read-In fundraiser to support The Ferguson Funding Problems? Library. Although this particular event took place in the Spring, it would be a natural fit with Teen Read Weekä, with Your Teens Can its focus on reading for the fun of it. Every year the library hosts a special end-of-year program for T-MAD. Called Make a Difference a “lock-in,” at this event the teens spend a Friday night in June, from 6 P.M.to midnight, eating and playing at one of the library branches. The teens love being the By Barbara Klipper only people in the building and the opportunity to stay until midnight makes the program even more appealing. In planning the Read-In, we borrowed from the lock-in format and scheduled the event on a Friday night from 6 P.M.to he library was closing, but as Enter T-MAD (Teens Making a midnight. At the suggestion of T-MAD, regular users checked out their Difference), which has been the library’s participants in the Read-In were given a T materials and started to leave, teen advisory board since 1998. Hearing choice of three reading times: 6 to 9 P.M., teens entered the building in ones and about the library’s financial situation, one 9 P.M. to midnight, and 6 P.M.tomidnight. twos. Some came by themselves while member suggested that the group hold a Having an optional early end time made it others were dropped off by parents who walkathon to raise money. Everyone easier for younger teens and those with would return at midnight to pick them up. jumped on the idea. They wanted to do busy schedules the following day All were clutching papers and envelopes of something to help the library through this to participate. money. They were there for the first ever difficult time. The T-MAD members took Teen Read-In fundraiser, prepared to After the T-MAD meeting, I looked ownership of the event, naming it Read a spend hours reading to help the library into the feasibility of a teen library Book, Save Our Library and sharing many they care so much about. fundraiser. A walkathon would involve ideas on how to structure and promote the Like many public libraries across the permits and access to the outdoors: a Read-In. They posed for photos for the country, The Ferguson Library in logistical challenge. Considering other flyer and other materials, which were Stamford, Connecticut, has faced budget types of pledge fundraisers, I thought a designed by library staff with T-MAD problems over the past few years. Funding Read-In might be just the thing. Teens input. The flyer explained the event and from the city decreased significantly for would collect sponsorships from family and promised a $50.00 gift card to the local mall fiscal year 2010-2011, necessitating cuts in friends and then spend a period of time to the teen who raised the most money. In branch and library hours. Staff agreed to reading at the library. The event would not addition to the flyer, we produced a furloughs and other draconian measures to be hard to plan or control. It would registration form, a pledge sheet for teens to avoid layoffs and branch closures. The highlight reading and could take place in keep track of their sponsors, and a library was told that it needed to look to the library building. I took the idea to my bookmark that explained why the library private citizens and organizations to make supervisor, the library’s administration, and needed money on one side and how to ask up the budget shortfall. T-MAD. Everyone liked it and planning for contributions on the other. As the Read-In approached, the community began to take notice. Several BARBARA KLIPPER is a Youth Services Librarian with The online local news sites posted articles about Ferguson Library in Stamford, Connecticut. She has had the the event. One reporter came to the regular privilege of working with the teens of T-MAD since the group’s monthly T-MAD meeting to talk to beginning in 1998. members about the Read-In. Another

36 YALS | Young Adult Library Services | Summer 2011 Klipper

reporter interviewed a librarian and a T- $1858.00 in contributions that evening, to their favorite reading spot in other parts MAD member on the telephone and then with more donated after the event. Since of the library. The one exception to the “no came to the event itself at 10:30 P.M. Her some of the attendees found out about the eating around the library policy” was a after-event online posting included video Read-In at the last minute and others who container of organic lollipops, which the interviews of teens who attended the were interested in competing for the gift teens could suck on anywhere in the Read-In. One adult user of the library was card wanted a chance to bring in more building. Several T-MAD members said so taken with the idea that she offered to money, the fundraising deadline was that the lollipops were one of their favorite bake cookies for the teens to eat during the extended to April 15. The total raised by parts of the evening. Go figure. Read-In. She brought homemade the teens exceeded $2000.00. At the April T-MAD meeting, chocolate chip cookies and Rice Krispie The fact that the teens were able to members talked about the Read-In after treats, which disappeared quickly. collect this amount of money was amazing, they watched themselves in the online Registrations were slow to arrive at the but equally important and inspiring is the video interviews. They shared what they library, and the librarians weren’t sure if goodwill the event generated and the liked about the event and what they felt many teens would choose to participate. But impact it had on the teens. They had fun, could be improved. They had ideas for new we saw teens we knew in the library and enjoyed the quiet and the chance to read and better ways to promote the Read-In. they assured us that they were coming, so for pleasure, and now feel even more They asked to write the thank you letter we began to relax, but only a little. Those of connected to the library. Each participant for the teens who participated, instead of us who work with teens know that they can did the Read-In in his or her own way. having acknowledgments produced by be impulsive and often change their plans at Some sat in comfortable chairs, while library staff. They enjoyed the event, felt the last minute if a better offer comes along. others sprawled on the floor as only proud of themselves, and are determined to We hoped this wouldn’t happen with the teenagers can do. Still others camped out in continue to support the library. When Read-In, and it didn’t. the branch’s story circle. Most, but not all, asked if they wanted to do the Read-In On March 25, 2011, thirty-one teens joined in the optional activity breaks, which again next year, their answer was a came to the Harry Bennett branch of The were held in the branch’s auditorium: a resounding and heartfelt “YES!” Ferguson Library for the Read-In. Some chance to stretch and burn off some energy Our response to these young people brought in $20.00, some $100.00 or more. after long hours of reading. The library’s is an equally heartfelt “Thank You.” One teen arrived with more than $400.00. President stopped by and made a point of Their actions made a difference and A teen who couldn’t come gave a donation speaking personally to each of the teens. demonstrated that they consider their in advance. All of the contributions were They were touched that he took the time public library an essential part of their significant, regardless of size, and the teens to do this, and his attention cemented community. They reminded us that the went outside their comfort zones to ask for these young people’s attachment to the work we do with and for teens and other donations. One teen got $1.00 from a library. young people not only makes a difference sibling, and another brought in a number Food was available all evening at the in their lives but also is recognized and of $1.00 gifts from friends. One boy asked “Cafe,” a conference room equipped with a appreciated. The thought of their his teachers. A girl collected $50.00 from a buffet of snacks, small tables, and chairs. support is something we can hold onto family that does not have a lot of Some of the teens set up shop in the “Cafe” as we continue to face hard times and disposable income, a serious and heartfelt so they could eat while they read. Others fight for the funding that our libraries donation. All together, the teens turned in left notes on half-eaten food and went back need to survive. YALS

Summer 2011 | Young Adult Library Services | YALS 37 YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE

Beyond Forever The Next Generation of Young Women Protagonists’ Sexual Motivations in Contemporary Young Adult Novels By Caroline McKinley

uring the last decade, young adult minds of thirteen fully developed Education Council of the United States literature has evolved. In the past, heterosexual female protagonists. Emotions (SIECUS) asks: “How do teens make D young women protagonists were can be hurt and goals unmet, but unwilling decisions about when and whether to often narrowly depicted as “fending off female participants no longer dominate have sex?” Their answer: “There is very boys’ advances,” lacking desire, or facing these storylines. Their reasons for sex are little research into what motivates young punitive consequences because of their as varied as life itself. people’s decisions regarding sexual sexual activity.1 Sex is a large component of teen life. behavior.”4 More recent professional studies and According to a 2007 survey conducted by Where scientific data has its limits, reviews have recognized authors for writing the Centers for Disease Control and thematic analysis of these novels might novels that enlighten teen readers because Prevention (CDC), 45.7 percent of high offer further insight beyond incomplete their stories mirror reality. Still, there school females and 47.9 percent of high responses such as: “ ‘met the right person hasn’t been enough thematic exploration to school males, age fifteen to nineteen, have ...the other person wanted to ...just uncover how teen women can see engaged in sexual intercourse.2 A 2002 curious ...hoped it would make the themselves in the narrative portrayals of CDC study revealed that fifty-five percent relationship closer’ and ‘many of their these sexual relationships. of teen boys and fifty-four percent of teen friends already had’ ” that the 2000 survey In examining twelve novels published women engage in oral sex.3 conducted by the Kaiser Family in the last ten years, old-fashioned In searching for the answers behind Foundation and Seventeen Magazine were stereotypes are refuted in the hearts and these numbers, the Sexuality Information able to uncover.5 In her insightful article, “The Secret Source: Sexually Explicit Young Adult CAROLINE MCKINLEY is a recent graduate from the Master’s in Literature as an Information Source,” Amy Library Science program at Queens College. As an actor in several Pattee states: “Young Adult literature that television movies dealing with teen issues, such as Girl Positive deals explicitly with adolescent sexuality and that situates discussions of sexuality and Fab Five: The Texas Cheerleader Scandal, she loves working with a developmentally and socially with teens and the real life stories that surround them. She is relevant context can become a valuable currently writing a fictional biography of Harriet Beecher Stowe source of information for teens” and in for YA readers. many cases, adults as well.6

38 YALS | Young Adult Library Services | Summer 2011 MCKINLEY

Beyond Forever looked like such a cow while I was going believe they do not measure up and down on him.12 “seventy-five percent ...reported engaging Michael Cart applauds the contributions of in negative and potentially harmful young adult author Judy Blume. Her Dom’s refreshing honesty helps teens behavior ....”15 groundbreaking novel Forever (1975) relate to her insecurity and heartache, a Ann Kearney-Cooke, a psychologist uncovered the possibility of teens enjoying reality for many teens when breakups and self-esteem expert, believes: the physical act of sex without obsessing occur. As Ed Sullivan states, this is why it over negative consequences.7 However, is important that: The new report from Dove confirms these later stories go farther in depicting the importance of healthy self-esteem the characters’ entire world and its affects Teens should see sex as both an and the dangerous consequences that on their sexual lives. Cart wrote, “in ... emotional and physical experience, and can arise when hang-ups about looks, earlier YA fiction, it is the issue of sex that one that is special and unique. To do academics, and popularity erode a girl’s drives the action and motivates the otherwise is to trivialize it. In the fiction sense of self worth and acceptance.16 character, not vice versa. The characters, in they read, teens should see that sex is a fact, are little more than cardboard serious business.13 Considering that 45.7 percent of high conveniences, bodies like [Forever’s] Sybil’s- school females have engaged in sexual that can be manipulated by the author to However, it is precisely because of the intercourse and 54 percent of teen women perform the obligatory acts.”8 fact that life circumstances are unique that have engaged in oral sex, it is important to Forever doesn’t dig into Sybil’s issues sex cannot always be special. To depict it examine the specifics of how this national of low self-esteem and its connection to her any other way is to trivialize a teen’s world. crisis of low self-esteem affects sexual sexual behavior. It merely has others In fact, Zoe, in Mary Pearson’s ARoomon activity.17 mention her heavy weight and its relation Lorelei Street, might agree by saying: “Yeah, Because these thirteen female to her need to feel loved. There isn’t sex is a serious business, but so too is protagonists have matured beyond Cart’s enough in the narrative revealing how putting food in your stomach and a clean, earlier criticism as being mere “cardboard Sybil feels from her own perspective. For safe, roof over your head.” In other words, conveniences,” an examination into the instance, why does Sybil announce from while it is difficult to endorse Zoe’s actions issue of self-esteem and other motivations her hospital bed in the maternity ward that of selling herself to pay the rent, it is equally of their sexual activity is possible. she is getting an IUD because she has “ ‘no difficult to judge her. Furthermore, it is possible to achieve a intention of giving up sex’ ”?9 This is an greater understanding of these well- important missing piece, which should be researched statistics by thematically addressed. Beth Younger writes: “in early Self-Esteem addressing the following ten questions. texts, like Judy Blume’s Forever, weight issues are deeply imbedded and barely Learning to love themselves and not seek acknowledged, in later texts, body image validation through sexual relations is a Do Any Female Protagonists becomes an acknowledged and often crucial valuable discovery for teens and witnessed aspect of the characters’ development.”10 quite often in life and in these stories. Ken Have Sex to Increase Their Daria Snadowsky reveals this Setterington, youth advocate of the Sense of Self-esteem or Gain development in her novel, Anatomy of a Toronto Public Library, believes that in Meaning in Their Lives? Boyfriend, when Dom thinks that her young adult novels, “It’s not just about sex Different degrees of enhancing self-esteem boyfriend, Wes, lost interest in her because but about being comfortable with who you motivate the sex lives of twelve out of of her “freshman fifteen.”11 Dom describes are, about exploring the emotional side of thirteen protagonists, or ninety-two her physical insecurity to her best friend: being involved with someone, where that percent of the sample. leads, whether you’re ready, the distress In Sarah Dessen’s Dreamland, Caitlin ‘Maybe I wasn’t as smart or interesting when a relationship doesn’t work out.”14 suffers from such an extreme case of low as his New York friends....Ohmy A 2008 study, Real Girls, Real self-esteem and lost identity that she makes God, do you think it was my freshman Pressure: A National Report on the State of extreme choices to find herself. She had fifteen?’ I think back to our Self-Esteem, surveyed girls (aged 8–17) always lived in the shadow of her Thanksgiving hookup. I must have nationwide. It revealed that seventy percent accomplished older sister, Cass. When that

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shadow is lifted, Caitlin feels the warm boyfriend or girlfriend.22 Yet shame, fear, using others to feed her self-worth unravels light in the wildly attractive Rogerson assumed guilt, low self-esteem and the a jealous ex, who in turn attempts a violent beaming down on her. The physical abuse need to feel loved keep many silent.23 sexual power trip over her.26 had not yet begun and Rogerson made Answering the question of why teen In Daria Snadowsky’s Anatomy Caitlin feel like “[she] was someone else. women stay in these relationships, the of a Boyfriend, Dom’s need to feed her Not Cass ...[she] took his wildness from study reports: moderately low self-esteem yields him and tried to fold it into [herself], filling instability in her behavior and up the empty spaces all those second-place Typically by the time the physical circumstances. She is an academic achiever, finishes had left behind.”18 The attention violence begins, her self-esteem is a biology whiz kid, has good friends, and a he pays her intensifies her love for him. seriously damaged. When she doesn’t great relationship with her parents. Caitlin believed: value herself, it is more likely that she’ll However, those successes soon take a accept and put up with the physical backseat to Wes, the great-looking track There were so many things I already abuse. Once her self-esteem has been star, who gives her life even more of a loved about him .... He was so broken down, it can be even harder for boost. The night before they have sex, attentive, with one eye on me regardless her to leave the relationship.24 Dom believes she has “discovered the of what else he was doing. Even with his meaning of life—to love and be loved.”27 back turned, he always seemed to know Holly in Nothing Like You, Ellie in She tells Wes why she wants to have exactly where I was.19 Jumping off Swings, Deanna in Story of a sex: “I just want to be as physically close to Girl, Zoe in A Room on Lorelei Street, you as I possibly can, you know? I want Beth Younger demonstrates how Audrey in Good Girls, Dom in Anatomy of nothing separating us.”28 “characters and readers internalize the gaze a Boyfriend and Nicolette in A Bad Boy Her once independent identity that reinforces female objectification.”20 Can Be Good for a Girl all face moderately becomes so defined by Wes that she Rogerson’s gaze is the source for Caitlin’s low self-esteem issues that they try to uncharacteristically considers rejecting a newfound identity and confidence, which enhance through their sexual activity. They full scholarship to Tulane to maintain this goes beyond the worth of her body. strive to be someone, to be wanted by physical closeness and be with him at It defines her worth as a person. someone and gain meaning in their lives NYU. Dom says, “He singlehandedly Caitlin’s sense of importance is so through their sexual relations. However, in screwed up my direction and priorities. intertwined with how Rogerson views her Ellen Wittlinger’s Sandpiper, Sandy’s high Because of him, I’m scared of change for that the bond cannot be broken even after frequency of oral sex with many different the first time in my life.”29 the physical abuse begins. After the first boys illustrates a borderline case that isn’t Aviva in A Bad Boy Can Be Good for a time he hit her, Caitlin understands: as extreme as Caitlin’s, but more serious Girl, Kylie in Played, and Tess in Lost It than the others. experience what are more mild self-esteem I could have gotten out of the car and By explaining how her oral sexual issues. For Aviva and Kylie it has mostly to walked up to my house, leaving him activity began, Sandy confirms the conflict do with their physical attractiveness. Tess, behind forever .... But the fact was that of sexual relationships feeding self-esteem however, faces an additional need to feel I loved Rogerson. It wasn’t just that I while devouring it at the same time. better about her paranoid personality, loved him, even: it was that I loved what which manifests itself into her doing and I was when I was with him.21 It all started in the eighth grade. believing strange things. That year all of a sudden you had to Ben, the love of her life, loves the Sadly, Caitlin is a fictional character have a boyfriend—you had to or you just outdoors. Therefore, to increase her worth that represents reality. The Liz Claiborne felt worthless ....TonyPhillipswasmy in his eyes, Tess battles her anxiety of wild and Family Violence Prevention Fund slave for two months. Some days I felt animals by losing her virginity under a canoe, Study discovered that partner violence has like a princess and some days I felt like a outside his family’s cabin in the middle of become increasingly prevalent in our prostitute, but every day I felt popular.25 the winter wilderness. She remembers: “I felt world, and that one out of three teenage dubious about losing my virginity outdoors. girlsinAmericahasbeenthevictimof As soon as Sandy gets bored or It seemed incongruent with who I was on so physical abuse or sexual abuse, or has becomes “anonymous” to these boys, she many levels.”30 ButtobewithBen,itiswho faced threats of physical abuse by a dumps all eleven of them. Her addiction of she believes she must become.

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fantastic ...the opposite of dead, what With Sandy in Sandpiper and Audrey Do Any Protagonists Have [she’d] been striving for.”32 in Good Girls, oral sex seems to replace Sex to Fill an Emotional Void Zoe in Mary Pearson’s ARoomon sexual intercourse for similar reasons. It is a or to Feel Alive? Lorelei Street ispummeledontwofronts:her little more complicated with Audrey Sometimes it is not ego and self esteem father’s death and, like Deanna and Ellie, an because she really loves Luke. This thematic that need to be fed, but an emotional void. emotionally withdrawn parent. Zoe’s struggle analysis answers some important questions Five out of thirteen protagonists, or thirty- for life-giving peace, away from her mother’s that scientific data regarding the CDC’s eight percent of these teens, need to replace morbid alcoholism, forces Zoe into making research on oral sex was unable to reveal. this emptiness with the physical sensation some tough sexual choices. Sex becomes a In her USA Today article, Sharon of sex. All have faced emotional loss, either replacement for her father’s love and life. Jayson highlights a report issued by the through parental death such as Holly in Because “...she looked for that recognition CDC in 2005. The federal agency polled Nothing Like You and Zoe in A Room on after he died .... She needed to hold it teens in the age range of 15–19 across the Lorelei Street or in their lack of together in some way. If she could just get a country and found that fifty-four percent demonstrated parental love or small part of him back.”33 of girls engaged in oral sex. The CDC also understanding at home as Ellie in Jumping learned that twenty-five percent of teens off Swings, Deanna in Story of a Girl, and, who have only had oral sex still consider 37 again, Zoe in A Room on Lorelei Street. Do Any Female Protagonists themselves virgins. They need to return to the land of the Have Oral Sex or Sexual Jayson illustrates how the CDC living, and their sexual activity is a source research was conducted: of vitality. But Tessa, in Jenny Downham’s Intercourse to Control or Before I Die, is facing her own mortality Assert Power and Reinforce The researchers did not ask about the and has an added emptiness to fill. Their Identities? circumstances in which oral sex Sixteen-year-old Tessa has leukemia The following four protagonists, or thirty- occurred, but the report does provide and hungers to feel alive. She finds this one percent of the sample, assert sexual the first federal data that offer a peek with her neighbor Adam. She desires him control in order to feel more powerful and into the sex lives of American physically and emotionally, describing him emotionally secure. teenagers.38 as the remedy for her emotional and Nicolette in Tanya Stone’s A Bad Boy physical pain: Can be Good for a Girl describes it best when However, by not asking about the she says: “It’s all about the power ....IfI “circumstances,” the researchers missed a Kissing Adam replaced it. Making love say who and I say when and I say what then large piece of the puzzle. In examining the replaced that.... I’ve been in hospital all I have It.”34 So she always makes sure she protagonists who engage in such activity, night. My head’s stuffed with cotton. has sex with guys from other high schools particularly stories like Ellen Wittlinger’s I’m clutching a bag full of antibiotics without any emotional connection. This Sandpiper and Laura Ruby’s Good Girls, and painkillers, and my arm aches from way, her promiscuous reputation never one begins to get a perspective of these two units of platelets ...And yet, it’s leaves her vulnerable on her own home turf. “circumstances” to fill in the unknowns extraordinary how happy I feel.31 But as soon as her heart gets involved with that the CDC researchers did not T.L., she questions herself: “I can feel my ‘I address. In delving into the fictional lives The sex that is an expression of their love say who and I say what’ slipping. Who’s got of Sandy and Audrey, one can get a better doesn’t feed her self-esteem. It feeds her life. the power now? Is it still me?”35 look than just a mere “peek” from the In Lauren Strasnick’s Nothing like You, In Nothing Like You, Holly’s outside. The narrative enables us to be Holly faces the reality of parental mortality, competitive edge is sharpened when Paul in their world and get inside their minds and ends up losing her virginity on the same tells her that his other, beautiful girl friend and emotions. beach she used to enjoy with her mother, Saskia, is frigid. When Holly learns that Jayson cites a study published in the her best friend, who has died after a struggle sex is so much better with her, she tells journal Pediatrics, “supporting the view that with breast cancer. This emotional void has herself: “I loved this,” not “I loved him.” adolescents believe oral sex is safer than made her numb, and the physical pain of Because she doesn’t love Paul, Holly just intercourse, with less risk to their physical first-time sex helps revive her senses. It loves how her sexual prowess makes her and emotional health.”39 It suggests, “teens feeds a hunger that makes her feel “really feel like the winner.36 have replaced sexual intercourse with sex.”40

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This is seen in greater detail in both Sandy But I want to do something. Make him feel and Audrey, who perceive it as a safe me. Make him beg me. Make him be the Do Any of the Protagonists emotional substitute. naked one.”43 Have Sex As An Act of The CDC researchers admit to the At the party where the goodbye took Economic Survival? limits of their statistical data because it place, someone used their cell phone and In order to keep her place of peace, Zoe in “doesn’t help them understand the role oral took a picture of Audrey performing oral A Room on Lorelei Street sells herself to the sex plays in the overall relationship; nor sex. The photo travels the social network high-tipping customer at Murray’s Diner. does it explain the fact that today’s teens and when her father, a believer in the She needs $90 for the rent, a rent that will are changing the sequence of sexual old-fashioned idea of male pursuit, sees it, take her away from the constant “owing” behaviors so that oral sex has skipped he cannot “understand” that this was his she has always given others. She represents ahead of intercourse.”41 own daughter’s decision, that she was not one out of thirteen protagonists, or eight Stephanie Sanders, associate director of the victim of male aggression, but of her percent of the sample.50 the Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, own ego’s power play and need to end Gender and Reproduction at Indiana things her way. “‘No Dad,’ she says, University, also confesses that the CDC oral ‘Nobody forced me.’”44 Do Any Female Protagonists sex statistics do not give a complete picture Audrey silences this old-fashioned Have Sex Out of Fear of of a teen’s mental and physical world. In an stereotype of the boy always pressuring the Losing Their Boyfriend? interview with Jayson, Sanders says: girl and, even her best friend, Ash, isn’t Kylie in Played demonstrates this fear to a comfortable with that and says: “You minimal degree. Once she learns her All of us in the field are still trying to should have said someone forced you.”45 relationship with Ian was based on a get a handle on how much of this is Like Audrey, Sandy in Sandpiper fraternity dare, she stops the relationship cold. going on and trying to understand it refers to her oral sexual activity as a “sexual At the young age of thirteen, Deanna from a young person’s point of view. power trip.”46 Yet, her need for dominance in Story of a Girl is so lonely at home that Clearly, we need more information is not affected by love or physical desire. It the moderate fear of losing Tommy as a about what young people think is is strictly a way to establish her self-worth. friend shapes her decision to have sex with appropriate behavior, under what As she says: “It makes me feel like I’m in him. Three years later, she realizes that she circumstances and with whom. Now we control. He needs me so much.”47 really just wanted the company when she know a little more about what they’re But Sandy’s need for making others was so lonely. “[The] sex part itself was just doing but not what they’re thinking.42 desire her can only be enhanced if is not a trade-off, something [she] felt [she] had done at the expense of losing her identity of to give to get the other part”.51 A better understanding “from a young “technical virginity,” her emotional safety Ellie in Jumping off Swings faces an person’s point of view” and a better idea of net; after all, she continuously emphasizes, extreme fear of losing any young man she “what they’re thinking” is enhanced when she’s only “the queen of blow jobs.”48 has slept with, so much so that she reading and discussing contemporary continues to have sex in the hope that young adult novels, such as these. It is a someone will stay around long enough to great way to visualize their world so Do Any Protagonists Have become her boyfriend. adults are not completely starting from a These three protagonists represent blank canvas. Sex to Keep the Peace in the 23 percent of the sample. After believing (incorrectly) that Luke Relationship or As An Act of has cheated on her, Audrey wants to shift Physical Safety? the dynamics and establish power in the In Dreamland, Caitlin’s extreme case of low Do Any Protagonists Have only way she thinks will keep him wanting self-esteem and identity survival turn into a Sex Because They Believe her. She lets him go by performing a final need to survive physically. “It got to be that ceremonial act of oral sex. She doesn’t have sex was the only time [she] could count on They are in Love and Their sexual intercourse this time because, as she being safe. And it never lasted long Sex is An Expression of says: “On the bed, he could work me up, enough.”49 She represents one out of that Love? peel off all the layers till there’s nothing left thirteen protagonists, or eight percent of Caitlin in Dreamland, Tessa in Before I Die, to cover me and it’s too hard to say no .... the sample. Zoe in A Room on Lorelei Street, both

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Nicolette and Aviva in A Bad Boy Can Be connection and asks her best friend Zoey: more important than her need to Good for a Girl, Audrey in Good Girls, Ellie “If I have sex with a boy I don’t even know, please others. in Jumping off Swings, Dom in Anatomy of a what does that make me? A slag?”55 Tessa’s In saying “no” to the nurse when asked Boyfriend, Tess in Lost It and Kylie in best friend could also be speaking for the if she is ready to have an abortion, Ellie Played all have sexual relations because they motivations of Nicolette, Deanna, Holly, finally gains courage in making her own were in love or believed they were in love. and Zoe, when she responds, “No, it makes decisions without seeking outside approval This represents ten out of thirteen you alive.”56 or attention in which sex was a huge protagonists, or 77 percent. component. This isn’t a political statement. Love is complicated. Even with all of It isn’t the fact that she is having the baby, Rogerson’s physical abuse, Caitlin still has Does Their Sexual Activity but the fact that it is her choice to do so. nightmares of trying to get to him while Make Any of the Protagonists No one is pressuring her anymore. More obstacles are being thrown in her way. important, she isn’t pressuring herself. This Now in therapy, her psychiatrist tells her, Feel Emotionally or new confidence gives her powerful insight “If you didn’t love him, this never would Psychologically Weakened or on how she will handle her future have happened. But you did.”52 Demeaned? relationships. Kylie also discovers that, even though Caitlin in Dreamland is the only one who is After Ellie has given her baby up for sex with Ian began as a fraternity dare, she psychologically weakened by her adoption, it is at her hospital bedside that knows he loved her as much as she loved relationship, in which sex obscured the her mother turns into the woman Ellie has him and has the confidence to tell him: problem, because “the pain didn’t linger, always needed her to be. “This time, she easily overshadowed by how good it felt to doesn’t turn away. She keeps hold of “What happened between us was special lie in his arms afterward.”57 However, this [Ellie’s] hand and doesn’t let go.”58 for me and for you .... Maybe you have doesn’t depict a negative consequence of Self-esteem expert Jess Weiner says, turned out to be this sick, mean person, sex. To the contrary, it reveals a dangerous “We cannot underestimate just how vital but the earlier stuff was true, too. You’re reality that can serve as a valuable vehicle wordsandactionsofparentsarein not that good an actor.”53 for discussion so teens are aware of this fostering positive self-esteem in girls.” In dynamic of denial. fact, “sixty-seven percent of girls ages 13–17 turn to their mothers as a resource 59 Do Any Female Protagonists when feeling badly about themselves.” Have Sex Out of Pure Do the Female Protagonists This is also witnessed in the no-nonsense Ever Grow or Learn Anything support and love Kylie in Played can Physical Need or Desire count on from her mother Jillian, who, Without An Emotional From Their Sexual Decisions from the very beginning of her daughter’s Connection? or Become Empowered relationship, accepts the reality of teen Nicolette (before she met T.L.), in A Bad Afterward? sexuality without judgment and offers Boy Can Be Good for a Girl describes it best Except for Caitlin, twelve out of thirteen herdaughtersoundadviceonstaying when she says, “Let’s just leave the rest of protagonists gain emotional maturity or emotionally and physically healthy. the lovey-dovey crap out of it” and “it become empowered after their sexual Kylie’s beautiful strength of character should be illegal for a body to feel this good relationships. This represents 92 percent, from her mother’s love outshines state of mind.”54 Also, Tessa in Before I which is quite the reverse from Ian’s cruelty. Die, Holly in Nothing Like You, Deanna in the criticism of earlier young adult This support can be as simple as Story of a Girl, and Zoe in A Room on literature depicting punitive fallout from Nicolette’s mother taking the day off: “ ‘A Lorelei Street have sexual experiences sexual activity. Mental Health Day. And we can talk,’ she without any emotional connection and Even for Ellie in Jumping off Swings, says.” Then Nicolette remembers: “I smile. pure physical need or desire. This it is literally when she feels the love of I nod. I guess for a while there I forgot. I represents five out of thirteen protagonists, her own baby growing inside her, a do have a friend in this world after all.”60 or thirty-eight percent. baby she decides not to abort, that she Interestingly for Zoe in A Room on Nevertheless, Tessa is troubled by realizes how love from within empowers. Lorelei Street, the power of motherly love having sex without any emotional Suddenlyherbaby’slifebecomes works in reverse. Zoe’s rejection of a

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selfish, unloving mother, and the love Zoe to have a good life. But a good book ... educational importance of these stories, has for her little brother Kyle, overpower offers the opportunity for discussion to which reveal a world beyond stereotypes. her shame in selling her body and prevent broach topics that might not otherwise her from killing herself. This love will help come up.63 her grow into the woman she can become. No Panacea The reason is that “young people are more likely to give credence to the These novels cannot serve as an inoculation Books Can Help decisions of an empathetic character than against being hurt. No one can be immune Build a Bridge to a parental lecture on, say, pregnancy from the reality of life. However, for teens risks and birth control.”64 Parents can making decisions about sex, these stories These thematic findings are by no means become impartial messengers, helping to can offer some clarity and perspective that intended to replace data from reputable deliver the insightful themes found in these can lessen the pain and enhance the joy and organizations that provide valuable stories. Other professional adults can help understanding of their relationships. education on sexuality and health. But as in this effort as well. After being dumped by Wes in the SIECUS states: Anatomy of a Boyfriend, Dom wants to understand how she got it all wrong. She is Unfortunately, there is a limited Teaming Up smart, driven, and thought their love would amount of scientific data on adolescent last. Through the tears, she wants to know: sexual behavior. Research designed to In attempting to solve the crisis in low self- examine this subject is often esteem, Dove has formed partnerships with How is it that mankind can engineer controversial, as adults seem to falsely the Girl Scouts of the USA and the Boys condoms to prevent pregnancy and fear that asking young people about sex and Girls Club of America to help build STDs and not be able to invent some is tantamount to giving them ideas and confidence in girls 8–17-years-old with sort of emotional safeguard? Is it even encouragement.61 workshops across the country.65 possible to abstain from falling in love?69 Another valuable partner is Girls This is why real-life situations Inc., a nonprofit organization that No, it isn’t. Dom’s words support depicted in young adult literature should “inspires all girls to be strong, smart, and Amy Pattee’s belief that biology class and be considered as an enhancement of bold.”66 One of the many resources sex education curriculums don’t have all knowledge. Moving beyond the “fear” of offered through Girls Inc. is “Media the answers.70 No one does. There are no asking questions about teen sexuality is Literacy.” It educates girls on how to “emotional safeguards.” But there is essential to gaining much needed critically analyze and differentiate between emotional insight gained through reading information. unhelpful stereotypes found in and discussing the messages of these stories Jess Weiner believes in the power of commercial messages and the truth that is with peers and adults. This is why Ken adults creating a steady “conversation of in their own lives.67 Setterington says: encouragement, honesty, and openness” Unfortunately, young adult novels and how “it can definitely help girls gain are not mentioned. They should be. There’s a lot of material out there that confidence and reach their full potential Young adult advocates need to pave the offer details about sex, but none of it .... However, it can be challenging because way for these well-written stories to talks about emotions. At the end of the adolescence is not typically a time when compete with the cloud of misinformation day, it’s the stories that will have an girls are reaching out to their parents and that “skinny is beautiful and that girls impact on young people, not the books speaking candidly.”62 have to be attractive to men; that sex is about the plumbing.71 So what is the solution to this fun and risk-free; and that most people roadblock? Ken Setterington believes that think about and have sex frequently, Aviva in A Bad Boy Can Be Good for a books can be a great start to bridging the without much concern for love or the Girl learns the supportive power of gap in communication. stability of the relationship.”68 Libraries knowledge found in these stories. She admits should be part of this team. They should toherdearfriendAmandathatsheshould That doesn’t mean you can leave a pile of reach out to the Dove Self-Esteem Fund have listened to her warnings about T.L.: books beside your kids’ beds and tell them and similar organizations to promote the “You pegged him right away, didn’t you,

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Amanda? You learn about boys like that page.viewpage&pageid=627&grandparentID= Girls.” PR Newswire, Dec. 9, 2008. http:// from all those books you read?” Accepting 477&parentID=620 (accessed Sept. www.proquest.com.queens.ezproxy. the reality of life, Amanda responds by 20, 2010). cuny.edu:2048/ (accessed March 5, 2011). saying, “I’m sure my time will come.” As 3. Sharon Jayson, “Teens Define Sex in New 16. Ibid. much as hearts can fall in love, they can be Ways,” USA Today, Nov. 19, 2005, 17. Sharon Jayson, “Teens Define Sex in New broken. Regardless of what happens, Aviva http://www.usatoday.com (accessed Ways.” USA Today, November 19, 2005, says, “I’ll be here. Count on it.”72 September 8, 2010). www.usatoday.com (accessed Sept. 8, With story in hand, let us all be. YALS 4. Sexuality Information and Education 2010); Council of the United States, Questions 18. Sarah Dessen, Dreamland (New York: and Answers. Adolescent Sexuality, http:// Penguin Group, 2000), 110. Works Consulted www.siecus.org/index.cfm?fuseaction= 19. Ibid. page.viewpage&pageid=627&grandparentID= 20. Younger, “Pleasure, Pain, and the Power Davidson, Dana. 2005. Played. New York: 477&parentID=620 (accessed Sept. 20, of Being Thin,” 47. Hyperion. 2010). 21. Dessen, Dreamland 146. Dessen, Sarah. 2000. Dreamland. New York: 5. Ibid. 22. Liz Claiborne Inc. and Family Violence Penguin Putnam Books. 6. Amy Pattee, “The Secret Source: Sexually Prevention Fund Study by Teenage Downham, Jenny. 2007. Before I Die. New Explicit Young Adult Literature as an Research Unlimited, Love is Not York: Thorndike Press. Information Source,” Young Adult Library Abuse, www.loveisnotabuse.com/web/guest/ Knowles, Jo. 2009. Jumping off Swings. Services 4, no. 2 (Winter 2006): 31. fast-facts (accessed Sept. 20, 2010). Somerville, Massachusetts: Candlewick Press. 7. Michael Cart, From Romance to Realism: 23. Ibid. Pearson, Mary. 2005. A Room on Lorelei Street. Fifty Years of Growth and Change in Young 24. Ibid. New York: Henry Holt. Adult Literature (New York: Harper 25. Ellen Wittlinger, Sandpiper (New York: Ruby, Laura. 2006. Good Girls. New York: Collins, 1996), 194. Simon and Schuster, 2005), 3. Harper Collins. 8. Ibid., 195. 26. Ibid., 2. Snadowsky, Daria. 2007. Anatomy of a 9. Judy Blume, Forever (New York: 27. Snadowsky, Anatomy of a Boyfriend 154. Boyfriend. New York: Delacorte Press. Bradbury, 1975), 179. 28. Ibid., 145. Stone, Tanya. 2006. A Bad Boy Can Be Good for 10. Beth Younger, “Pleasure, Pain, and the 29. Ibid., 138. a Girl. New York: Random House. Power of Being Thin: Female Sexuality in 30. Kristen Tracy, Lost It, (New York: Simon Strasnick, Lauren. 2009. Nothing Like You. Young Adult Literature,” National Pulse, 2007), 203. New York: Simon Pulse. Women’s Studies Association Journal 15, 31. Jenny Downham, Before I Die, (New York: Tracy, Kristen. 2007. Lost it. New York: Simon no. 2 (Summer 2003): 45. Thorndike Press, 2007), 282. Pulse. 11. Daria Snadowsky, Anatomy of a Boyfriend 32. Lauren Strasnick, Nothing Like You Wittlinger, Ellen. 2005. Sandpiper. New York: (New York: Delacorte Press, 2007), 233. (New York: Simon Pulse, 2009), 57. Simon and Schuster. 12. Ibid. 33. Mary Pearson, A Room on Lorelei Street Zarr, Sara. 2007. Story of a Girl. New York: 13. Ed Sullivan, “Going All the Way: First (New York: Henry Holt, 2005), 123. Little Brown and Company. Time Sexual Experiences of Teens in 34. Tanya Stone, A Bad Boy Can Be Good Fiction,” Voice of Youth Advocates 26, no. 6 for a Girl (New York: Random House, (Feb. 2004): 463. 2006), 82. References 14. Josey Vogels, “Sex and the Modern Teen; 35. Ibid., 103. A Slew of Fiction is Teaching Kids About 36. Strasnick, 58. 1. Amanda MacGregor, “Let’s Not Get it More Than The Plumbing—How to Deal 37. Jayson, “Teens Define Sex in New Ways.” On: Girls and Sex in Young Adult with the Heartbreak, Negotiations, and 38. Ibid. Literature,” Voice of Youth Advocates 26, Confusion,” The Globe and Mail, Aug. 24, 39. Ibid. no. 6 (Feb. 2004): 464. 2002. http://lexisnexis.com/. 40. Ibid. 2. Sexuality Information and Education 15. PR Newswire, “New National Report 41. Ibid. Council of the United States, Questions Reveals the High Price of Low Self- 42. Ibid. and Answers: Adolescent Sexuality, http:// Esteem: Dove(R) Addresses Self-Esteem 43. Ruby, Laura. Good Girls (New York: www.siecus.org/index.cfm?fuseaction= Crisis with Unprecedented Effort to Reach Harper Collins, 2006), 17.

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44. Ibid., 49. Addresses Self-Esteem Crisis with 65. Dove, Inc., Dove Self Esteem Fund, 45. Ibid., 56. Unprecedented Effort to Reach Girls.” http://dove.msn.com/#/cfrb/ 46. Wittlinger, 155. PR Newswire 9 December 2008 http:// selfesteem/bg_clubs.aspx 47. Ibid., 2. www.proquest.com.queens.ezproxy. (accessed Sept. 15, 2010). 48. Jayson, “Teens Define Sex in New Ways.”; cuny.edu:2048/ (accessed March 5, 66. Girls, Inc., About Girls, Inc., Wittlinger, 79. 2011). www.girlsinc.org/about/index.html 49. Dessen, 166. 60. Ibid. (accessed Sept. 20, 2010). 50. Pearson, 246. 61. Sexuality Information and Education 67. Girls, Inc., Media Literacy, 51. Sara Zarr, Story of a Girl (New York: Council of the United States, Questions www.girlsinc.org/about/programs/ Little Brown & Company, 2007), 79. and Answers. media-literacy.html (accessed Sept. 20, 52. Dessen, 242. 62. “New National Report Reveals the High 2010). 53. Dana Davidson, Played (New York: Price of Low Self-Esteem: Dove(R) 68. Girls, Inc., Fact Sheets: Girls and Media, Hyperion, 2005), 159. Addresses Self-Esteem Crisis with www.girlsinc.org/downloads/ 54. Stone, 82; Ibid., 84. Unprecedented Effort to Reach Girls.” GirlsandMedia.pdf (accessed Sept. 20, 55. Downham, 25. PR Newswire 9 December 2008 2010). 56. Ibid. http://www.proquest.com.queens. 69. Snadowsky, 231. 57. Dessen, 165. ezproxy.cuny.edu:2048/ (accessed 70. Pattee, “The Secret Source,” 31. 58. Ibid., 202. March 5, 2011). 71. Vogels, “Sex and the Modern 59. “New National Report Reveals the High 63. Vogels, “Sex and the Modern Teen.” Teen.” Price of Low Self-Esteem: Dove(R) 64. Ibid. 72. Ibid.

Guidelines for Authors

Young Adult Library Services is the official publication of the Young practice relating to teen services and spotlights significant activities Adult Library Services Association, a division of the American and programs of the division. Library Association. Young Adult Library Services is a vehicle for For submission and author guidelines, please visit www.ala continuing education of librarians working with young adults (ages .org/yalsa and click on “Publications.” twelve through eighteen) that showcases current research and

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46 YALS | Young Adult Library Services | Summer 2011 YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE

Getting It On: An Examination of How Contraceptives Are Portrayed in Young Adult Literature By Jeanne T. McDermott

orever (by Judy Blume, Bradbury, Bradburn had advocated the same, saying, rate of 26.7 per 1,000—the highest in all 1975) broke the silence about sex “perhaps the most effective messages about of Europe.9 The most recent data for F in young adult (YA) literature1 by AIDS and ‘safe’ sex come from children’s teen pregnancy rates in the U.S. puts the showing a teenage couple deciding to have and young adult fiction because they tend to number at approximately 72 pregnancies sex and behaving responsibly when it came to be the most subtle.”6 per 1,000.10 Fifteen percent of teens their sexual health. How has contraception But how does recently published YA have an STD—more females than been portrayed in YA fiction in the last fiction represent sexual responsibility when it males and more blacks than any other fifteen years? In particular, how much useful comes to contraception? Michele Gorman and race/ethnicity.11 information about contraception—badly Tricia Suellentrop find that “teen romance needed in light of teen sexual health novels with more than a hint of sex and no statistics—might teens pick up from their negative repercussions are becoming more Teens Need Information leisure reading? This is an examination of common.”7 One might hope that the reason contemporary YA fiction published between for no negative repercussions is that characters In addition to the proof provided by the 1995 and 2010 featuring protagonists who are portrayed as being sexually responsible and statistics, teens report a need for more are considering becoming or are sexually using contraception, but this is not specified. information. In a checklist of teens’ sexual active to gauge the quality of the information preparedness, The Henry J. Kaiser Family provided and the message teen readers are Foundation found that, of students who receiving about contraception. Teen Sexual Health had taken sexuality education, forty-six Statistics percent needed to know how to talk with a partner about birth control and STDs, Background A look at teen statistics shows the forty-three percent wanted information on importance of accurate information how to talk with their parents about birth Authors2 and librarians3 agree: it is about contraception. Although control, and forty percent needed to know important that teens see sex and sexuality preliminary data for 2009 touts a decline howtouseorwheretoobtainbirth represented in YA fiction. Ed Sullivan goes in the teen birth rate, the number control.12 In a more recent survey, the further, exhorting, “in the fiction they read, remains unacceptably high at 39.1 births National Campaign to Prevent Teen and teens should see that sex is a serious per1,000femalesbetweentheagesof15 Unplanned Pregnancy found that forty- business.”4 Some librarians have suggested and 19.8 In comparison, the U.K. has a nine percent of teens reported that they that these books are a source of information: Amy Pattee states “fictional texts should be considered as unique information sources JEANNE T. MCDERMOTT, formerly a children’s and young adult that can offer young readers both realistic publishing professional, recently completed her MLIS degree from and needed information about sex and the Queens College GSLIS and currently works at the Amagansett sex act.”5 Over a decade earlier, Frances (NY) Free Library.

Summer 2011 | Young Adult Library Services | YALS 47 GETTING IT ON

did not really know how to use condoms are many reasons why the protagonists are Findings and thirty-four percent felt a certain considering becoming or are sexually active, fatalism about pregnancy: “it doesn’t this project does not include any books The books provide the opportunity to matter whether you use birth control or where the experience is due to sexual study the behavior of thirty-two not, when it is your time to get pregnant, violence or extreme circumstances such as protagonists—twenty female, twelve it will happen.”13 economic need, drug addiction, or male—in thirty-six relationships. The With nearly half of the teen emotional illness. numberofprotagonistsreflectsbooks population engaging in sex14 and the rest Titles discussed below were with multiple main characters. In these most likely considering it, what kind of recommended by librarians working in the cases, only those characters considering information about contraceptives will teens field or appeared in professional articles becoming or currently sexually active were pick up from their leisure reading? Is written about YA books and teens’ sexual included. In some books, narration was enough information provided that these behavior. Content was analyzed using a shared by a male and a female in a books can legitimately be described as an checklist composed of points of interest relationship. In these cases, each “information source” as well as an identified as a result of teen sexual health individual’s experience of the relationship entertaining story? statistics, the Henry J. Kaiser Family was examined. A few characters had more checklist of teens’ sexual preparedness, and than one relationship. Readers will find the National Campaign to Prevent Teen very few protagonists of color. Incidental Learning and Unplanned Pregnancy survey, as From six to eight of the books mentioned above. examined provide enough details to be It is not a stretch to theorize that discussions Thus, the questions were as follows: If helpful to a teen in need of information about and scenes including sexual activity the protagonist is sexually active or about contraception. The range is and sexual health in YA literature can considering becoming so, are contraceptives explained by whether or not, ultimately, inform and affect the behavior of teens. A mentioned? Who is the protagonist the contraceptive is portrayed in a positive survey conducted by Jessica Moyer with (female/male, race/ethnicity) and is s/he light. If a positive portrayal is among the adults regarding incidental information proactive about contraception? Does the criteria, then—even including the outlier seeking and leisure reading found that protagonist discuss contraception with her/ cases—the number is six. subjects all reported reading since childhood his partner? Does the protagonist discuss even though none had been asked about contraception with a family member, their early reading experiences: “A full one- friend, or another person such as a health Portrayals of hundred percent of the interview sample professional? Does the book provide teen Contraception stated that reading was an important part of readers with a social script for how to their life since childhood. ...When asked if discuss contraception? Is information In examining the kind of message readers they saw a connection between leisure included to indicate why contraception is are receiving about contraception in each of reading and learning, all respondents replied important and how it is acquired and used? the books examined, that is, whether the with an enthusiastic ‘yes!’”15 Jane Brown, in a Is contraception used consistently and portrayal is positive or negative, it was complementary study, finds that mass media correctly, is it effective, and how do determined that there are shades of gray. affects the behavior of and provides social protagonists view it? Some books get a neutral rating: they scripts for the sexually inexperienced, for Ultimately, what message are teens indicate that someone in the relationship is example, condom use.16 receiving about contraception when all prepared with contraception, but no other factors are taken into consideration? Will significant information is included. Then teen readers find contraceptives used there are outlier cases, those that do not Method responsibly by fictional peers who might easily fall into any category. be viewed as friends providing solid Because the most cited source, the information while also finding useful National Survey of Family Growth, limits social scripts for communication with Positive sexual experience to heterosexual vaginal partners and with family? In the YA A positive representation is determined intercourse the study was limited to the fiction they read, are any of teens’ by a seamless mention of contraception heterosexual experience.17 Although there informational needs met? as part of the teen experience: the

48 YALS | Young Adult Library Services | Summer 2011 MCDERMOTT

protagonist must be seen discussing gotten for her: “If you’re not planning on Callisto has made her decision (abortion) and/or acquiring contraception; it [sex] and it happens, you won’t be prepared and has moved into another relationship, must be viewed positively; and if the and then you’ll end up pregnant or diseased.” the author seems reluctant to bring protagonist is sexually active, the Carlos recounts a discussion with his contraception into the story. The closest the contraceptive must be effective. Only mother. When they both pull out condoms, author comes to representing contraception four books fall into this category. they are playful about it. is in the Epilogue: “At first, on Saturday In Things Change, Johanna has nights, when I was rushing off to Richard’s, prepared herself if not by actually Dad would say, ‘Have you got everything?’ in purchasing condoms herself then by Negative this really significant tone ...But he looking up birth control in the library and Eleven books warrant a negative rating for shouldn’t worry. Not about that, anyway. If talking with an experienced friend. It is a number of reasons: the book did not I get pregnant again, it will be because I indicated that Johanna has discussed mention contraception at all; showed really want to.” contraception with her partner beforehand contraceptives being used inconsistently or and that he is the one who will provide incorrectly; or the contraceptive failed. condoms (unfortunately, readers do not Also considered was how the contraceptive Method Fails witness the conversation). Johanna suffers is viewed by the protagonist including, in Contraception plays a big role in Someone no consequence due to failure or one case, a protagonist who refuses to Like You, but the book is a cautionary tale: inconsistent use, so readers infer that the discuss contraception. Halley’s best friend Scarlett is pregnant. condoms are effective. When Halley asks whether she and Megan (Unexpected Development)isat Michael used “protection,” Scarlett risk of being unprepared until her friend No Mention of Contraception responds: “Of course we did. But Jilly takes control. The range of information Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants does not something happened, I don’t know. It came provided is quite good. The girls giggle as mention contraception even though Bee is off. I didn’t realize it until it was over.” they purchase condoms, spermicide, and a actively planning to seduce Eric. There are Despite the fact that Halley knows enough birth control sponge. Jilly cautions Megan natural windows of opportunity to insert a to question Scarlett about her use of about condoms and shows her how to use discussion when Bee announces her plans contraception, when Halley decides to have one by rolling one over a banana. Megan to her camp friends. Afterwards, when Bee sex with Macon she is not proactive about does use them. spirals downward, no one asks about her contraception nor is she seen discussing it Alice (Intensely Alice) discusses physical health and whether or not she with Macon. Scarlett gives Halley condoms contraception with her friends. They talk used contraception. and forces her to talk to talk about it. about the myth that contraception is the You Just Can’t Get Enough falls into (Ultimately, Halley does not have sex.) male’s responsibility and conclude that this category as well: Rhys wants to have There is barely a mention of women must be responsible for their own sex with Kelsey and plans the evening but contraception in Hanging onto Max. When sexual health. As Alice’s friend Pam points no one mentions contraception, even Sam starts seeing Claire, another teen out, “Technically, the guy’s not the one though all the boys on swim team have parent, his father expresses concern, asking, who gets pregnant. My motto is: Be taken a vow of chastity until Rhys gets “Are you having sex with her, Sam?” His prepared.” Alice buys condoms and, even some action. After Rhys announces to the helpful advice? “You have to be careful, though she is nervous, carries them to team “It’s all going to happen. Soon,” his Sam.” Near the end of the book, condoms Chicago where she plans to meet Patrick. friend Hugh suggests “Let’s do an are finally mentioned when Sam is talking (She does not have sex.) emergency trip to Barneys’ lingerie with a friend about another sexually active Rules of Attraction shows readers the department. That’s where the ladies are.” couple. Sam wonders, “Why wasn’t male and female perspectives. Although they So a run to Barneys is in order but none to Melissa pregnant? Better condoms?” This do not discuss sex or contraception together, a drugstore for condoms. would lead readers to believe that the both protagonists have had a discussion with Borrowed Light is so oblique about the reason Sam’s first girlfriend Brittany someone in advance and are prepared. issue, it falls into this category. How Callisto became pregnant is because the condom Kiara’s friend is unusual in that he is a gay became pregnant seems to be unimportant; they used broke. male offering advice. Tuck is succinct when the plot focuses entirely on what she will do Tibby and Lena in Forever in Blue are he insists Kiara take the condoms he has about her pregnancy. Even at the end when both passive about contraception; their

Summer 2011 | Young Adult Library Services | YALS 49 GETTING IT ON

partners must provide it. Readers do not Dub has solicited information from her bad Lennie and readers do not benefit from witness any discussion or planning. Then older sister and has told Steve exactly what Gram’s advice. Tibby panics after the condom Brian uses to buy. However, the book does not breaks: “She could get pregnant. She provide a positive portrayal of methods. could be getting pregnant right now. When Steve and Dub discuss the pill, Dub Neutral What about STDs? Herpes? What says, “I’ll experience radical mood swings. Seven books contain protagonists who are about, God, AIDS?” I’ll get nauseous—probably gain weight.” considering becoming or are sexually active Slam is a cautionary—although None of the benefits are included. When where the portrayal of contraception is so funny—tale full of references to condoms Steve describes his sensations while having minimal, all one can say is that at least they that earns a negative rating on a few points. sex with a condom, it does not fare much contained a mention of it. In some books, it On a couple of occasions Sam and Alicia better: “The condom I was wearing was is indicated that condoms are bought in are unprepared for sex, taking condoms numbing most sensation coming from the anticipation of or used during sex. In some, from Alicia’s parents. Sam also indicates South Pole, but the peripheral stimulation it is acknowledged in retrospect that inconsistent use, describing how Alicia was electric ....” contraception should have been used. became pregnant: “We’d been messing The First Part Last is another In Gossip Girl, when Nate and Blair go about without putting anything on, information-rich book that earns inclusion to her room with the intention of having because she said she wanted to feel me in this category simply because readers sex for the first time, there is no mention of properly, and ...Oh, I can’t talk about this have no idea why Bobby chooses not to use either being prepared although their friend stuff. I’m blushing. But something contraception when he has been Chuck calls out “Don’t forget to use happened. Half-happened.” Even though thoroughly educated and provided with protection.” Nate and Blair are interrupted, Sam was not using a condom when they condoms. Bobby recalls telling his parents so Blair invites Nate over again. Gossip initiated sex, he becomes paranoid about that Nia is pregnant: “I waited to hear how Girl reports in Sightings: “B buying them. Among other things, he claims he’ll they’d been talking to me for years about condoms at Zitomer Pharmacy. Lifestyles never have sex again, then only if he uses this. How we all talked about respect and Extra-Long Super-Ribbed!” five condoms, giving readers the impression responsibility. How Fred and me had taken Four books portray sexually active that he blames the condom rather than the ferry out to Staten Island and talked protagonists who use contraception. Of inconsistent use. about sex, to and from the island. And these, two feature female protagonists didn’t we go together and get me some who have not taken steps to discuss or condoms? What the hell about those acquire contraception; they are simply Negative View of pamphlets Mary put beside my bed about lucky enough to have partners who use Contraception STDs and teenage pregnancy?” condoms: A Bad Boy Can be Good For a In Cosmos Coyote and William the Nice, The Sky is Everywhere features a Girl (in fact, this book features three Cosmos agrees to abstain from sex in protagonist edging towards sex with two female protagonists who all are passive) deference to his girlfriend’s religious beliefs. boys, yet she refuses to discuss or and The DUFF.Twofeaturemale However, Cosmos does not share these acknowledge the possible need for protagonists who are seen to use condoms beliefs and he has been sexually active in contraception. Gram is aware of both boys during sex: Doing It and The Lighter Side the past. Thus, as they progress toward in Lennie’s life and tries to initiate a of Life and Death. However, one may heavy petting, readers witness the couple in conversation about sex and contraception: argue the inclusion of Doing It in this sexual situations navigating their boundary. “We talked about birth control, diseases category when only one of three sexually But their ability to adhere to abstinence is and all that....” Lennie responds: “Gram, active main protagonists is portrayed as left untested. At the end of the book, there’s no need yet, okay?” But in fact, using contraception. Cherlyn chooses to put physical distance there is: Lennie and Toby are interrupted Books portraying protagonists who between them. just before they lose control. Lennie and realize they should have used contraception Rats Saw God contains a wealth of Joe are passionate and talk about having in retrospect include Runaway and What information; in fact, readers will find a sex yet do not mention contraception. Kind of Love?.InRunaway, the discussion between partners and a Given how close Lennie keeps coming, and protagonists lament that they did not use humorous scene of Steve buying condoms given the fact that her teenage sister was protection and the repeated refrain is that at the Piggly Wiggly. This takes place after pregnant at the time of her death, it is too they should have waited. What Kind of

50 YALS | Young Adult Library Services | Summer 2011 MCDERMOTT

Love is better; the basics are covered in a would still engage in sex with him. Nana Given these parameters, eight books few sentences. When Valerie realizes she finds out and sends Kendra to live with her may be considered information sources: Rats wants to continue having sex with Peter, mother who explains: “It’s time for you to Saw God, Cosmos Coyote and William the she forces a conversation about see a gynecologist.... You need to get a Nice, Gingerbread, Things Change, contraception, saying, “I’m afraid we’ll get checkup to make sure you don’t have any Unexpected Development, Kendra, Rich and AIDS or something.” When Peter scoffs, STDs and then you and the doctor can Mad,andRules of Attraction. she continues, “But I could get pregnant.” decide on a form of birth control. Being The number of informational books Peter decides to get condoms and wants sexually active requires a lot of is lower if a positive view of contraception Valerie to go on the pill. Of course, it is a responsibility, doesn’t it?” Kendra decides is among the requirements. If so, the moot point since Valerie is already to take a break from sexual activity but number of qualifying books is further pregnant. resolves to be responsible for her own reduced to six: Gingerbread, Things sexual health should she resume. Change, Unexpected Development, Kendra, Rich and Mad includes more useful Rich and Mad,andRules of Attraction. Outliers informationthanmost.Maddyknowsshe Even this number includes the outlier The outliers are information-rich books wants to fall in love and have sex so she goes cases. This is a mere twenty-four percent that do not fall easily into any category to the health center for the pill: “Thinking of the books examined. because they contain both positive and ahead, smart girl. So I suppose you know all negative portrayals: Gingerbread, Kendra, about STIs.” Maddy reflects on the statistics. and Rich and Mad. She also recounts, in detail, what taking the The Numbers Cyd (Gingerbread)iscurrently pill entails. Rich prepares to have sex, too: proactive about her sexual health but had “He had got himself a pack of three Responsible Protagonists been passive in the past. Readers see that condoms. He knew how to roll a condom on. In only thirty-nine percent of the she is still reeling, a year later, from the fact What entirely defeated him was the question relationships depicted do protagonists take that her first boyfriend Justin let her go to of timing.” Maddy tells Rich she is on the pill responsibility for contraception. In eight the clinic for an abortion alone. They had so he does not need to use a condom. He is percent of the relationships, protagonists sex without protection one time. Her relieved that he doesn’t have to deal with his do not take responsibility because it is absentee “real-dad” Frank paid for the feelings of awkwardness and, in fact, does not known in advance that the partner will. In abortion. When they finally spend time use one. So while the book provides good a couple of cases, contraceptives are used, together, Frank tries to talk with Cyd about information and scripts, it could have done but readers are uncertain whether the contraception, asking if she is “managing to better with the issue of the condom. protagonist was proactive or just lucky to stay out of trouble.” Cyd responds, “I have a responsible partner. This means realized that in his way Frank was trying to that, in the majority of relationships, make sure I was okay and part of me Sources of Information contraception is not being given due suspected that was probably the best I consideration. would ever get out of him. ‘Yup,’ I said. ‘I’m In determining whether books may be Even though readers will find nearly on the pill now.’” Frank pushes, telling her considered informational as well as twice the number of female protagonists as that the pill is not enough, a point Cyd entertaining, then, the following points male, only thirty-five percent of them take acknowledges. Later, Cyd describes the were considered: Is the protagonist seen responsibility for contraception as opposed contents of her bag, which include her birth taking responsibility for contraception; is to fifty percent of the male protagonists. The control prescription and a stash of condoms. contraception discussed with the partner or ethnic mix is so small it makes no impact. Kendra’s case is complicated because someone else before or after sexual activity; abstinence is forced on her by her is it indicated why contraceptives are used, grandmother. Since this is not a decision how they are acquired, and/or how they Discussions about Kendra makes, it is not effective. Kendra, are used; when protagonists are sexually Contraception in an effort to stay true to her active is contraceptive used (whether In seventeen percent of relationships, grandmother’s rule, has anal sex instead. provided by the protagonist or partner); if partners discuss contraception in advance. She is not proactive and readers sense that so, is it used consistently and correctly; and Only two percent of these discussions are even if Nashawn did not use condoms she last, is it effective? in-depth enough to potentially provide

Summer 2011 | Young Adult Library Services | YALS 51 GETTING IT ON

readers in a similar situation with a contraception fails. In seven relationships Booth, Coe. 2008. Kendra. New York: Push/ social script. (twenty-seven percent), contraception is not Scholastic. In twenty-five percent of relationships, used. In over half of these, it is a plot device Brashares, Ann. 2001. The Sisterhood of the the protagonist discusses contraception for unwanted pregnancy. Traveling Pants. New York: Random House. with someone else: a family member, a Brashares, Ann. 2007. Forever in Blue: The friend, or a professional, with the most Fourth Summer of the Sisterhood. New York: common being a friend. Conclusion Random House. In seventeen percent of relationships, a Melvin Burgess. 2003. Doing It. New York: protagonist engages in a conversation about There is a body of YA fiction that Henry Holt. contraception after her or his first sexual portrays teens considering becoming or Cohn, Rachel. 2002. Gingerbread. New York: encounter. currently engaging in sexual activity. Simon and Schuster. What appears to be lacking, though, are Cole, Sheila. 1995. What Kind of Love? The useful depictions of teens navigating the Diary of a Pregnant Teenager. New York: Information Provided question of contraception and positive Avon Books. In fifty percent of relationships, readers portrayals of contraception. It will come as Dessen, Sarah. 1998. Someone Like You. New will see at least one—or more—of three no surprise to those familiar with York: Penguin. points covered: why contraceptives are Forever...that it meets all criteria to be Elkeles, Simone. 2010. Rules of Attraction. New used; how it is acquired; and/or how it is considered an information source. Yet of York: Walker. used. In thirty-four percent, protagonists the twenty-five books examined that were Fienberg, Anna. 1999. Borrowed Light.NewYork: hear the message or indicate they published over the last fifteen years, only Delacorte Press/Random House. understand the importance of six to eight (twenty-four to thirty-two Heynen, Jim. 2000. Cosmos Coyote and William contraception. In fourteen percent, percent) of them provide enough details the Nice. New York: Henry Holt. information is provided about how that might helpful for a teen in need of Hornby, Nick. 2007. Slam. New York: contraception is acquired. In twenty-four information about contraception. Of Penguin, 2007. percent, readers find information on how these, only six books portrayed Johnson, Angela. 2003. The First Part Last. contraceptives are used. There is overlap contraception somewhat positively (for New York: Simon and Schuster. here. Given the fact that a book may even this number includes the outlier Jones, Patrick. 2004. Things Change. New York: feature multiple protagonists and/or cases). So while YA fiction may be, as Walker. multiple relationships, this information is author Tanya Lee Stone suggests, “the Keplinger, Kody. 2010. The DUFF (Designated only contained in fourteen of the twenty- safest place for [teens] to learn about Ugly Fat Friend). New York: Poppy/Little five books examined. sex,”18 teens and those who work with Brown Books for Young Readers. them will need to look elsewhere for Martin, C. K. Kelly. 2010. The Lighter Side helpful information about contraception. of Life and Death.NewYork:Random Contraceptive Use and It will be necessary to supplement the House. Effectiveness collection with appealing nonfiction, a Reynolds Naylor, Phyllis. 2009. Intensely Alice. Contraception is used on at least one subscription to a health database, and New York: Atheneum/Simon and Schuster. occasion in twenty (seventy-four percent) of links to reputable web sites chock-full of Nelson, Jandy. 2010. The Sky is Everywhere. the relationships that include sexual activity. information about sex, sexual health, and New York: Dial Books/Penguin. Of the relationships where readers see relationships. For ideas and resources, visit Nicholson, William. 2009. Rich and Mad. New contraception used, ninety percent show the Healthy Relationships for Teens page at York: Egmont. that contraception used consistently and http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/yalsa/ Perez, Marlene. 2004. Unexpected Development. correctly; ten percent indicate that profdev/healthyrelationships.cfm. YALS New York: Roaring Brook. contraception is not used consistently and/ Stone, Tanya Lee. 2006. A Bad Boy Can Be or correctly. Of the eighteen relationships Good for a Girl. New York: Random House. where contraception is used consistently/ The Books Thomas, Rob. 1996. Rats Saw God. New York: correctly, eighty-nine percent show the Simon and Schuster. contraceptive to be effective, meaning that in Bechard, Margaret. 2002. Hanging on to Max. Vestry, Annabelle. Created by Cecily von eleven percent of the cases, the method of New York: Roaring Brook. Ziegesar. 2008. You Just Can’t Get Enough.

52 YALS | Young Adult Library Services | Summer 2011 MCDERMOTT

Gossip Girl: The Carlyles. New York: Little, National Center for Health Statistics” Pregnancy. “With One Voice 2010: Brown and Company. (2010). http://www.thenationalcampaign. America’sAdultsandTeensSoundOff von Ziegesar, Cecily. 2002. Gossip Girl. New org/resources/pdf/FastFacts_NCHS About Teen Pregnancy” (2010): p. 5. York: Little, Brown and Company. BirthData2009.pdf (accessed January 15, http://www.thenationalcampaign.org/ Zach, Cheryl. 1995. Runaway. New York: Berkley. 2011). resources/pdf/pubs/wov_2010.pdf 9. The National Campaign to Prevent Teen (accessed January 15, 2011). and Unplanned Pregnancy. “Teen Birth 14. The National Campaign to Prevent Teen References Rates: How Does the United States and Unplanned Pregnancy. “Teen Sexual Compare?” (2011). http://www. Behavior and Contraceptive Use: Data 1. Cart, Michael. 1996. From Romance to thenationalcampaign.org/resources/pdf/ from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey” Realism: 50 Years of Growth and Change in TBR_InternationalComparison.pdf (2009). http://www.thenationalcampaign. Young Adult Literature. New York: (accessed January 15, 2011). org/resources/pdf/FastFacts_YRBS2009. HarperCollins; p. 201. 10. The National Campaign to Prevent Teen pdf (accessed January 15, 2011.). 2. See, for example, Perez, Marlene. 2006. and Unplanned Pregnancy. “National 15. Moyer, Jessica E. 2007. Learning from Going All the Way in Teen Literature. Pregnancy Rates for Teens, aged 15-19” Leisure Reading: A Study of Adult Young Adult Library Services 4, no. 2 (2011). http://www.thenationalcampaign. Public Library Patrons. Reference & User (Winter 2006): 20-21. org/national-data/NPR-teens-15-19.aspx Services Quarterly 46, no. 4 (Summer 3. See, for example, Campbell, Patty. 2007. (accessed January 15, 2011). 2007): 66-79. Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad ...?” Horn 11. Wildsmith, Elizabeth; Schelar, Erin; 16. Brown, Jane D. 2002. Mass Media Book Magazine 83, no. 5 (September/ Peterson, Kristen; & Manlove, Jennifer. Influences on Sexuality. The Journal of Sex October 2007): 483-487. 2010. Sexually Transmitted Diseases Research 39, no. 1 (February 2002): 42-25. 4. Sullivan, Ed. 2004. Going All the Way. among Young Adults: Prevalence, http://www.thenationalcampaign.org/ Voice of Youth Advocates 26, no. 6 PerceivedRisk,andRisk-Taking resources/pdf/pubs/WOV_2010.pdf (February 2004): 461-463. Behavior. Child Trends Fact Sheet. (accessed January 16, 2011). 5. Pattee, Amy. 2006. The Secret Source: Publication #2010-10 (May 2010): p. 2. 17. Abma, Joyce C.; Martinez, Gladys; & Sexually Explicit Young Adult Literature http://www.childtrends.org/Files// Copen, Casey E. 2010. Teenagers in the as an Information Source. Young Adult Child_Trends-2010_05_01_RB_STD.pdf United States: Sexual Activity, Library Services 4, no. 2 (Winter 2006): (accessed September 10, 2010). Contraceptive Use, and Childbearing. 30-38. Washington, DC. National Survey of Family Growth 2006- 6. Bradburn, Frances. 1990. Sex, Lies, and 12. Hoff, Tina; Greene, Liberty; McIntosh, 2008. National Center for Health Young Readers at Risk. Wilson Library Mary; Rawlings, Nicole; & D’Amico, Jean. Statistics. Vital and Health Statistics 23, Bulletin 65 (October 1990): 34-38. “Sex Education in America” (2000). The no. 3 (June 2010): p. 6. http:// 7. Gorman, Michele, & Suellentrop, Tricia. Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_23/ 2009. Connecting Young Adults and http://www.kff.org/youthhivstds/ sr23_030.pdf (accessed September 10, Libraries, Fourth Edition. New York: loader.cfm?url=/commonspot/security/ 2010). Neal-Schuman; p. 127. getfile.cfm&PageID=13531 (p. 60; accessed 18. Stone, Tanya Lee. 2006. Now and Forever: 8. The National Campaign to Prevent Teen September 27, 2010.). The Power of Sex in Young Adult and Unplanned Pregnancy. “Summary of 13. Albert, Bill, & The National Campaign Literature. Voice of Youth Advocates 28, 2009 Preliminary Birth Data from the to Prevent Teen and Unplanned no. 6 (February 2006): 463-465.

Summer 2011 | Young Adult Library Services | YALS 53 the YALSA update Association news

Find the latest YALSA news every Friday at the YALSA Blog, http://yalsa.ala.org/blog.

Teens’ Top Ten Voting YALSA 2011 Election and what the changes entail, see the Starts Aug. 15 Results YALSA Election Results webpage, http:// www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/yalsa/ Make sure your teens are up to speed for YALSA President electionresults.cfm. this year’s Teens’ Top Ten (TTT), in Jack Martin Interested in running for office or which teens across the world voice their want to nominate a colleague? Contact choice for their favorite books. Download YALSA Board of Directors Linda Braun, chair of the 2012 the 2011 Teens’ Top Ten nominations Sandra Hughes-Hassell Nominating Committee at and the Teens’ Top Ten Toolkit at Gail Tobin [email protected] www.ala.org/teenstopten to encourage Christian Zabriskie teens to read them before voting starts in August. Fiscal Officer Teens’ Top Ten voting begins Penny Johnson YALSA Announces August 15 and ends September 19. The New Book votes will determine the 2011 Teens’ Top Secretary Ten booklist, which will be announced Sarajo Wentling YALSA published Outstanding Books for online during Teen Read Week, the College Bound: Titles and Programs for a October 16-22. Edwards Award Committee New Generation in June through ALA Librarians seeking new titles for Charli Osborne Editions. Edited by YALSA member and readers’ advisory, collection development, Ed Spicer school librarian Angela Carstensen for or simply to give to their teens as part of Jamie Watson YALSA, this completely revamped guide is summer reading programming can see the a great collection development and readers’ 2011 nominations at the TTT Web site Printz Award Committee advisory tool for library staff. Listing over at www.ala.org/teenstopten. In addition, Louise Brueggemann 400 books deemed outstanding for the the Teens’ Top Ten toolkit offers Sharon Grover college bound by the YALSA, this customizable bookmarks and flyers, Sharon Rawlins indispensable resource provides annotated program ideas, and much more to Sarah Bean Thompson lists, ideas for library programs and a encourage teens at your library to read the variety of indexes. The title is available for nominated titles. Nonfiction Award Committee purchase at www.alastore.ala.org/ in print TTTisapartofYALSA’sYoung Ruth Allen or as an e-book. Adult (YA) Galley Project, which Angela Manfredi facilitates access to advance copies of Judy Nelson young adult books to national teen Laura Pearle book discussion groups. Fifteen public Network for Research libraries and school library media In addition, all proposals to amend on Libraries & Teens centers from across the country YALSA’s bylaws, create new reduced dues evaluate books from publishers and categories and increase dues passed by a Visit http://yaresearch.ning.com/ to nominate books for TTT. majority vote. For details on the proposals connect with fellow researchers, access a

54 YALS | Young Adult Library Services | Summer 2011 wealth of resources to support your Road Trip aims to assist those interested in starting a conversation about the research, share ideas and take part in an a career in teen services to have importance of a strong teen services active community dedicated to advancing opportunities to get together with others program. research in young adult librarianship. This who are passionate about working with Not every element of the rubric will resource was created by YALSA’s Research adolescents in libraries. Visit http:// apply to every library situation, but the tool Resources Clearinghouse Taskforce as part tinyurl.com/YALSAroadtrip11 to learn can serve as a place to begin the of an effort to achieve the research goal in more and download a free toolkit to help conversation about what constitutes YALSA’s Strategic Plan. Anyone you plan a successful visit. The toolkit excellent public library service for teens. interested in joining and participating in includes information about how to plan Thank you to Sarah Flowers and her Teen this free resource is welcome to do so. and implement activities, such as: Services Evaluation Tool Taskforce for developing this invaluable resource. l Host a social event, such as a happy For tools to evaluate school libraries, Show Off Your Library! hour or coffee klatch be sure to access AASL’s resources at l Host an educational event, such as a http://tinyurl.com/ykzvqg8. Help elected officials learn about your forum, speaker, panel discussion, etc. library by participating in District Days! l Write an article, column or blog post While our elected representatives are for a LIS newsletter or web site Stay Up to Date on working hard in Washington DC, YALSA l Feature YALSA at an existing LIS Developments members and their libraries are changing event, such as an open house or lives and enhancing communities back student chapter meeting Impacting Teen Services home. Policy makers will not know all the l Sponsor an outing, such as a library Archived Webinars are Free good we do unless we tell our story. tour to Members! District days – the time when our l Conduct an advocacy or public representatives are back in the home awareness activity, such as an email For those seeking short, interactive district – present a great opportunity to get campaign to Congress members or sessions, at a time that’s convenient for you, to know elected officials and to help them hosting a fundraiser for causes, such as YALSA’s hour-long webinars provide understand our important work. YALSA’s Books for Teens discussion on a variety of topics, led by Between Aug. 8 and Sept. 5 you can (www.facebook.com/booksforteens) content experts chosen by YALSA. These invite them into your library to see first- archived webinars are commercial free, and hand all the great work you do and what it are available 24/7 from YALSA’s web site. means to the teens in your community. If To access them, visit www.ala.org/yalsa bringing officials to your library isn’t Teen Services and click on the For Members Only tab. feasible, schedule a meeting with them at Evaluation Tool for There are over a dozen webinars available their local office. Members of Congress Public Libraries on a wide variety of topics, including need to see firsthand how libraries are reaching reluctant readers, passive having a positive impact on the lives of This is a new tool for evaluating a public programming, using mobile devices to teens so they understand how critical it is library’s overall level of success in providing reach teens, advocating for teen services that libraries receive support and funding services to teens, aged 12-18. Access the and more. from Congress. YALSA’s Legislation free tool and supplementary resources at For those of you looking for a real- Committee has created some great tips and http://tinyurl.com/4sqt3yh. Potential time, interactive learning experience, live resources to help libraries participate in users of this tool include library webinars are hosted the third Thursday of District Days at http://wikis.ala.org/yalsa/ administrators, library trustees, teen each month at 2pm, eastern. Registration index.php/District_Days. services librarians, and community costs $29 for students, $39 for YALSA members and job-seekers hoping to assess a members, $49 for individual nonmembers. library’s commitment to teen services. The Group registration is available for $195 by tool is not intended to be an evaluation of contacting Eve Gaus, YALSA’s program Bring YALSA to Your an individual teen services librarian, but officer for continuing education, at Community rather of an institution’s program; however, [email protected] or 1-800-545-2433, ext. of necessity some things will apply 5293. Upcoming webinars include: Help YALSA meet its goal of visiting every specifically to teen services staff. graduate school of library and information One page fact sheets geared toward l August 18, “From 140 Characters to science in 2011! Students or faculty at specific audiences, such as library 10 Pages: Teens, Social Media and library schools, or YALSA members who administrators and the general public, are Information Literacy.” Join Laura are near schools, are encouraged to host also available from the web site. Download Pearle for a discussion on how school events and activities to raise awareness and these free fact sheets and share them with and public librarians can help their teens connect with one another. The 2011 LIS your library constituents as a means of use social media for research projects.

Summer 2011 | Young Adult Library Services | YALS 55 l September 15, “Tweet, Like, Link: committees as well as taskforces that begin If you don’t indicate a few that you’re Creating a Social Media Policy for work on Feb. 1, 2012. If you are currently interested in, it is very difficult for the Your Library.” This webinar will be serving on a selection or award committee President-Elect to find the best fit for you. presented by Linda Braun, an and you are eligible to and interested in Also, please be sure to take the time to list Educational Technology Consultant serving for another term, you must fill out your qualifications. Forms are only kept on for Libraries and Educators Online. a volunteer form. This is the only way the file for one year, so you will need to fill one President-Elect knows for certain that out each year that you would like to serve To register, or learn more about you’re interested in continuing on the on a committee. YALSA’s webinars, visit www.ala.org/ committee. Once you complete and submit the yalsa/webinars. What to Know Before You online volunteer form, you’ll receive an Volunteer: automated email message saying your form Before you volunteer to serve on a has been received. YALSA’s President- committee or taskforce, you’ll want to learn Elect, Jack Martin, will not make the YALSA Seeks what the group does and what your appointments until after the deadline closes Volunteers for Selection responsibilities will be. YALSA has created for volunteer forms, so you will not hear Committees and Some a free webinar with information about back about the status of your form until Award Committees what it’s like to serve on a selection or November. and Taskforces award committee. Be sure to take the time The Fine Print: to view it at http://tinyurl.com/5s9g5uy. It l Appointments are for either one-year YALSA will be making appointments to is also recommended that you contact the or two-year terms, depending on the the following committees and taskforces chair directly to let him/her know you’re committee. Selection Committee during this latest round of appointments: interested in serving and to ask questions members must attend all committee about what your involvement will entail. meetings at the ALA Annual and Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults Names and contact information for all the Midwinter conferences, for the entire committee chairs are available from the term of their appointment. Upcoming Best Fiction for Young Adults “Governance” link on YALSA’s homepage. conference dates and locations can be Fabulous Films for Young Adults From the Get Involved link on YALSA’s found at http://tinyurl.com/l24t5h. Great Graphic Novels for Teens web site you’ll also find information about l Please be aware that there are no virtual Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults each of the committees’ functions, size, etc. members on YALSA’s selection Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Lastly, be sure to read through YALSA’s committees. YALSA does not pay travel Readers Handbook, especially the sections that list expenses for committee members. Alex Award responsibilities for committee members. l Some Selection Committees require a Morris Award It’s online at www.ala.org/yalsa. Just click heavy workload. For example, for the Odyssey Award on “Handbook” from the left menu. Best Fiction for Young Adults 2013 Midwinter Marketing & Local Completing the Committee Committee, members are expected to Arrangements Taskforce Volunteer Form: read over 300 books per year. 2013 Midwinter Paper Presentation Planning In order to be considered for a l Certain Selection Committees are very Taskforce selection or award committee, you need to popular and may receive dozens of Readers’ Choice List Taskforce fill out a Selection Committee Volunteer Volunteer Forms for just two or three Form by Sept. 30. It is online at: spots. If you’ve never served on a How Committee & Taskforce http://yalsa.ala.org/forms/ YALSA Committee before, it isn’t Appointments Work & When They’re selectionvolunteer.php reasonable then, to expect to be Made: If you’d like to be considered for one appointed to committees like Printz or To serve on a committee or taskforce, of the taskforces, please fill out this form: Best Fiction for Young Adults on your you must be officially appointed by http://yalsa.ala.org/forms/ first attempt. YALSA’s President-Elect, Jack Martin. process_com.php l As per YALSA policy, individuals YALSA is collecting volunteer forms from When you fill out the form, please be may not serve on more than one award now through Sept. 30 for members who sure to include the name of the or selection committee at the same would like to serve on selection and award committee(s) on which you’d like to serve. time. YALS

56 YALS | Young Adult Library Services | Summer 2011 YALS Index to Volume 9

A Massachusetts Teen Choice Book Award: Selling Risk to Administration and Our Partnership for Massachusetts Colleagues, Fa10:31–34 ADVOCACY Teens, Fa10:26–27 Advocacy Adventures, Fa10:10–12 Read YALSA’s 2010 Awards Speeches C The People in Your Neighborhood: (news), Fa10:44 CAREER EDUCATION Using Local Collaboration to YALSA Announces 2011 Award Career and Education Fair and Teen Advocate for Teen Patrons, Winners and Selected Booklists, Tech Week: A Collaborative Effort, Fa10:13–14 Sp11:14–29 W11:34–35 AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS. See OUT YALSA names 2011 Emerging Leaders Cavanaugh, Laurie. See Rogers, Mary Ann, OF SCHOOL TIME (News), W11:39 Sue-Ellen Szymanski, Laurie ALEX AWARDS See also specific awards, e.g., Printz Award Cavanaugh, and Mary Dunphy Readers and Writers: Three Alex Award COLLABORATION Winners, Su11:4–10 B Career and Education Fair and Teen YALSA Announces 2011 Award Tech Week: A Collaborative Effort, Winners and Selected Booklists, BACIGALUPI, PAOLO W11:34–35 Sp11:14 [Printz Award 2011], Sp11:16 Massachusetts Teen Choice Book Award: AMAZING AUDIOBOOKS FOR Battisti, Jerene Our Partnership for Massachusetts YOUNG ADULTS Mix and Mash @ Your Library (With Teens, Fa10:26–27 [2011 list], Sp11:16, 18 Books!), W11:22–23 The People in Your Neighborhood: AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION Battle, Paige Using Local Collaboration to "I Can Stand a Little Pain” or Why You Picturing Teen Read Week @ the School Advocate for Teen Patrons, Should Get Going in ALA, Fa10:4–5 Library, Su11:4–7 Fa10:13–14 AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION Bedell, Stephanie. See Blicher, Heather, and From the President, Fa10:3 CONFERENCES Stephanie Bedell YA Q&A (Best Practices), Fa10:15–16 Advocacy Adventures, Fa10:10–12 Benway, Natasha D. COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT Follow the Leaders, Part II: One Fine Art Programs, Teens, and Libraries: Libraries Bridging the Borderlands: Reaching Emerging Leader’s Experience at ALA Changing Lives One Program at a Latino Tweens and Teens with Annual 2010, Diary Style, Fa10:6–7 Time, Fa10:28–30 Targeted Programming and Collections YALSA’s Not So Silent Auction at [2011] BEST BOOKS FOR YOUNG ADULTS. (Best Practices), Su11:14–21 Midwinter Meeting, Sp11:8–9 See BEST FICTION FOR YOUNG Comito, Lauren AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION ADULTS Crafts for Teen Tech Week, W11:20–21 EMERGING LEADERS BEST FICTION FOR YOUNG ADULTS CONTESTS Follow the Leaders, Part II: One [2011 list], Sp11:16–17, 19–21 Fine Art Programs, Teens, and Libraries: Emerging Leader’s Experience at ALA Blicher, Heather, and Stephanie Bedell Changing Lives One Program at a Annual 2010, Diary Style, Fa10:6–7 Picture It: Where in the World Is Your Time, Fa10:28–30 ANGEL, ANN Librarian? A Bibliographic Experiment Picture It: Where in the World Is Your [Excellence in Nonfiction Award 2011], (Teen Read Week), Su11:34–36 Librarian? A Bibliographic Sp11:15 Block, Donna Experiment (Teen Read Week), ART No Photoshop? No Problem! Digital Su11:34–36 Fine Art Programs, Teens, and Libraries: Photography Programs on a Budget, CORE COMPETENCIES Changing Lives One Program at a W11:16–18 Leadership and Professionalism: Time, Fa10:28–30 Boling, Betsy Davis, Lisa McKnight-Ward, Competencies for Service Youth , Picture It! Novels to Fuel Imagination Deborah Marshall and Jennifer Lanz W11:10–15 and Spark Creativity [novels about Career and Education Fair and Teen CRAFT PROGRAMS artists] (Teen Read Week), Tech Week: A Collaborative Effort, Crafts for Teen Tech Week, W11:20–21 Su11:32–33 W11:34–35 Craig, Angela AUDIOBOOKS BOOK REVIEWS. See PROFESSIONAL High Impact Partnership: Serving Youth Picture It...with Your Ears, Su11:26 RESOURCES Offenders, Fa10:20–22 See also AMAZING AUDIOBOOKS Braun, Linda W. Cuyagan, Erica. See Squicciarini, Stephanie, FOR YOUNG ADULTS Get Involved in YALSA Virtual Maureen Hartman, and Erica Cuyagan AUTHORS Committees and Interest Groups, Readers and Writers: Three Alex Award Fa10:8–9 D Winners, Su11:4–10 Now Is the Time: E-books, Teens, and AWARDS Libraries (Teen Read Week), DANCE WORKSHOPS Called to Judge: How Our YALSA Su11:28–31 Fine Art Programs, Teens, and Libraries: Committee Experiences Prepped Us for Braun, Linda W., Hillias J. Martin, and Changing Lives One Program at a Non-ALA Jury Service, Sp11:30–32 Connie Urquhart Time, Fa10:28–30

Summer 2011 | Young Adult Library Services | YALS 57 Index Vol. 9

DELATTE, MONIQUE G I YALSA names 2011 Emerging Leaders (News), W11:39 GAY, LESBIAN, BISEXUAL, INFORMATION LITERACY DISABLED USERS TRANSGENDER ROUND TABLE Teens and Technology (From the Great Reads, Intriguing Characters: The The Stonewall Book Award for President), 3 Schneider Family Book Award Children’s and Young Adult Winners, Sp11:6–7 Literature Joins the ALA Youth J DIVERSITY Media Awards (View from ALA), Getting Diverse Books Into the Hands of Sp11:4–5 JOHN, ANTONY Teen Readers: How Do We Do It? GAYLORD, JOSHUA Great Reads, Intriguing Characters: The (Best Practices), Sp11:10–13 Readers and Writers: Three Alex Award Schneider Family Book Award DO, HOAN-VU Winners, Su11:4–10 Winners, Sp11:6–7 YALSA Names Spectrum Scholar GLBTQ YOUTH. See LGBTQ YOUTH Johnson, Lisa (news), Fa10:46 Goldsmith, Francisca The Stonewall Book Award for Dunphy, Mary. See Rogers, Mary Ann, Sue- Picture It: The Diverse Possibilities of Children’s and Young Adult Ellen Szymanski, Laurie Cavanaugh, Graphic Novel Literature (Teen Read Literature Joins the ALA Youth and Mary Dunphy Week), Su11:25–27 Media Awards (View from ALA), Sp11:4–5 E Goldsmith, Francisca, and Eva Violin Called to Judge: How Our YALSA JOSE, ERIC Committee Experiences Prepped Us YALSA, WWE Name WrestleMania E-BOOKS Reading Challenge Champions Now Is the Time: E-books, Teens, and for Non-ALA Jury Service, Sp11:30–32 (YALSA Update), Sp11:50–51 Libraries (Teen Read Week), JUVENILE DETENTION CENTERS Su11:28–31 GRAPHIC NOVELS Picture It: The Diverse Possibilities of High Impact Partnership: Serving Youth EDWARDS AWARD Offenders, Fa10:20–22 YALSA Announces 2011 Award Graphic Novel Literature (Teen Read Winners and Selected Booklists, Week), Su11:25–27 K Sp11:14–15 See also GREAT GRAPHIC NOVELS EGGLESTON, BRANDY FOR TEENS KATCHER, BRIAN YALSA, WWE Name WrestleMania GREAT GRAPHIC NOVELS FOR The Stonewall Book Award for Children’s Reading Challenge Champions TEENS, Sp11:17, 23–24 and Young Adult Literature Joins the (YALSA Update), Sp11:50–51 Gruenthal, Heather ALA Youth Media Awards (View EXCELLENCE IN NONFICTION FOR WARNING: This List Contains Drugs, from ALA), Sp11:4–5 YOUNG ADULTS AWARD Violence, Language, Sex, Abuse, and Keys, Karen [Angel 2011], Sp11:15 Some of the Most Amazing Things Readers and Writers: Three Alex Award on the Planet! YALSA’s Quick Picks Winners, Su11:4–10 F List, Sp11:36–39 Klipper, Barbara Funding Problems? Your Teens Can FABULOUS FILMS FOR YOUNG H Make a Difference (Teen Read ADULTS HAMILTON, STEVE Week), Su11:37–38 [2011 list], Sp11:17, 22 Great Reads, Intriguing Characters: The FILMMAKING PROGRAMS Readers and Writers: Three Alex Award Winners, Su11:4–10 Schneider Family Book Award Short Filmmakers, W11:28–30 Winners, Sp11:6–7 Flowers, Mark Hartman, Maureen Libraries Catch Up With the Twentieth Out of School and In the Library: L Century, Fa10:35–37 Connecting With Resources in the The Movie Is (Sometimes) Better Than Out of School Time (OST) Field Lanz, Jennifer. See Boling, Betsy Davis, Lisa the Book: Adaptations as Literary (Best Practices), Su11:11–13 McKnight-Ward, Deborah Marshall Analysis (Teen Read Week), See also Squicciarini, Stephanie, Maureen and Jennifer Lanz Su11:22–24 Hartman, and Erica Cuyagan LATINO YOUTH Flowers, Sarah HISTORICAL FICTION Libraries Bridging the Borderlands: Advocacy Adventures, Fa10:10–12 Historical Fiction Mash-Ups: Broadening Reaching Latino Tweens and Teens From the Editor, Fa10:2, W11:2, Appeal by Mixing Genres, with Targeted Programming and Sp11:2, Su11:2 Fa10:38–41 Collections (Best Practices), Leadership and Professionalism: Holley, Pam Spencer Su11:14–21 Competencies for Service Youth , Too Old? Too Young? Just Right? LEADERSHIP W11:10–15 YALSA Award Winners and Leadership and Professionalism: Frederick, Angela Selection List Possibilities for Middle Competencies for Service Youth , Discovering the Next Great YA Author: School Aged Library Users, W11:10–15 The William C. Morris YA Debut Sp11:40–44 LGBTQ YOUTH Award, Sp11:33–35 YALSA’s Not So Silent Auction at LGBTQ Latino Youth, Su11:20 FREEGAL Midwinter Meeting, Sp11:8–9 The Stonewall Book Award for Children’s Libraries Catch Up With the Twentieth Horn, Laura Peowski and Young Adult Literature Joins the Century, Fa10:35–37 Online Marketing Strategies for Reaching ALA Youth Media Awards (View from FUND RAISING Today’s Teens, W11:24–27 ALA), Sp11:4–5 Funding Problems? Your Teens Can Houston, Natalie LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION Make a Difference (Teen Read Building a Foundation for Teen Services, Selling Risk to Administration and Week), Su11:37–38 W11:6–9 Colleagues, Fa10:31–34

58 YALS | Young Adult Library Services | Summer 2011 Index Vol. 9

LISTENING LIBRARY MUSIC DOWNLOADING Mahood, K. Booktalking with Teen, W11:37 [Odyssey Award 2011], Sp11:15–16 Libraries Catch Up With the Twentieth Peck, P. Readers’ Advisory for Children and Ludwig, Sarah Century [Freegal], Fa10:35–37 ‘Tweens, Fa10:43 Teen Tech Camp, W11:31–33 Preddy, L. B. Social Readers, W11:36 YALSA’s New Readers’ Choice Booklist, N The Reader’s Advisor Online, Fa10:42 W11:4 Schall, L. Genre Talks for Teens, W11:36 Naidoo, Jamie Campbell, and Luis Francisco Webber, C.K.G. Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, M Vargas Fa10:42 Libraries Bridging the Borderlands: PROGRAMS MARKER, SAMANTHA Reaching Latino Tweens and Teens Fine Art Programs, Teens, and Libraries: YALSA names 2011 Emerging Leaders with Targeted Programming and Changing Lives One Program at a (News), W11:39 Collections (Best Practices), Time, Fa10:28–30 MARKETING AND PROMOTION Su11:14–21 Teen Tech Camp, W11:31–33 Online Marketing Strategies for Reaching NOVELS. See YOUNG ADULT See also CRAFT PROGRAMS; Today’s Teens, W11:24–27 LITERATURE FILMMAKING PROGRAMS; Marshall, Deborah. See Boling, Betsy Davis, PHOTOGRAPHY PROGRAMS; Lisa McKnight-Ward, Deborah O TEEN READ WEEK; TEEN Marshall and Jennifer Lanz TECH WEEK Martin, Hillias J. See Braun, Linda W., ODYSSEY AWARD PROMOTION. See MARKETING AND Hillias J. Martin, and Connie Urquhart [Listening Library 2011], Sp11:15–16 PROMOTION MASSACHUSETTS TEEN CHOICE OUT OF SCHOOL TIME BOOK AWARDS Out of School and In the Library: Q Massachusetts Teen Choice Book Award: Connecting With Resources in the Our Partnership for Massachusetts Out of School Time (OST) Field QUICK PICKS FOR RELUCTANT Teens, Fa10:26–27 (Best Practices), Su11:11–13 YOUNG ADULT READERS Matthews, Steve [2011 list], Sp11:17, 27–29 "I Can Stand a Little Pain” or Why You P WARNING: This List Contains Drugs, Should Get Going in ALA, Fa10:4–5 Violence, Language, Sex, Abuse, and McDermott, Jeanne T. PARTNERSHIPS Some of the Most Amazing Things Getting It On: An Examination of How Building Strong Community on the Planet!, Sp11:36–39 Contraceptives Are Portrayed in Partnerships: Sno-Isle Libraries and Young Adult Literature, Su11:48–54 the Teen Project, Fa10:23–25 R McKinley, Caroline High Impact Partnership: Serving Youth Beyond Forever: The Next Generation of Offenders, Fa10:20–22 Rabey, Melissa Young Women Protagonists’s Sexual Patton, Kim Historical Fiction Mash-Ups: Broadening Motivations in Contemporary Young From the President, Fa10:3, Sp11:3, Appeal by Mixing Genres, Fa10:38–41 Adult Novels, Su11:39–47 Su11:3 READERS’ ADVISORY McKnight-Ward, Lisa. See Boling, Betsy Teens and Technology (From the Getting Diverse Books Into the Hands of Davis, Lisa McKnight-Ward, Deborah President), 3 Teen Readers: How Do We Do It? Marshall and Jennifer Lanz PHOTOGRAPHY PROGRAMS (Best Practices), Sp11:10–13 Meminger, Neesha No Photoshop? No Problem! Digital Mix and Mash @ Your Library (With Getting Diverse Books Into the Hands of Photography Programs on a Budget, Books!), W11:22–23 Teen Readers: How Do We Do It? W11:16–18 From the President, Sp11:3 (Best Practices), Sp11:10–13 POPULAR PAPERBACKS FOR Too Old? Too Young? Just Right? YALSA MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS YOUNG ADULTS Award Winners and Selection List Libraries Bridging the Borderlands: [2011 list], Sp11:17, 25–26 Possibilities for Middle School Aged Reaching Latino Tweens and Teens PRATCHETT, TERRY Library Users, Sp11:40–44 with Targeted Programming and [Edwards Award, 2011], Sp11:14–15 READ-IN PROGRAMS Collections (Best Practices), PRINTZ AWARD Funding Problems? Your Teens Can Su11:14–21 [Bacigalupi 2011], Sp11:16 Make a Difference (Teen Read Too Old? Too Young? Just Right? PROFESSIONAL RESOURCES, Week), Su11:37–38 YALSA Award Winners and Fa10:42–43, W11:36–37, Sp11:45–46 RELUCTANT READERS. See QUICK Selection List Possibilities for Middle Carruth, D, A.Y. Goldsmith, and M. PICKS FOR RELUCTANT School Aged Library Users, Gross. HIV/AIDS in Young Adult YOUNG ADULT READERS; Sp11:40–44 Novels, Sp11:45 WRESTLEMANIA READING MORRIS AWARD Cvetkovic Bowman, V. and K. E. CHALLENGE Discovering the Next Great YA Author: Anderson. Stop Plagiarism, Sp11:46 Riley, Julia K. The William C. Morris YA Debut Fletcher-Spear, K. and M. Jenson- Picture It! Novels to Fuel Imagination Award, Sp11:33–35 Benjamin. Library Collections for and Spark Creativity (Teen Read [Woolston 2011], Sp11:15 Teens: Manga and Graphic Novels, Week), Su11:32–33 MOVIES Sp11:45 RISK The Movie Is (Sometimes) Better Than Gates, P. S. and Mark, D. L. Cultural Selling Risk to Administration and the Book: Adaptations as Literary Journeys, Sp11:45 Colleagues, Fa10:31–34 Analysis (Teen Read Week), Hauser, J. The Web and Parents, Fa10:42 Rogers, Mary Ann, Sue-Ellen Szymanski, Su11:22–24 Lupa, R. M. More Than MySpace, Laurie Cavanaugh, and Mary Dunphy MURRAY, Liz W11:36 Massachusetts Teen Choice Book Award: Readers and Writers: Three Alex Award Mackellar, P. H. and Gerding, P. Our Partnership for Massachusetts Winners, Su11:4–10 Winning Grants, Sp11:46 Teens, Fa10:26–27

Summer 2011 | Young Adult Library Services | YALS 59 Index Vol. 9

Rutherford, Dawn The Movie Is (Sometimes) Better Than W Building Strong Community the Book: Adaptations as Literary Partnerships: Sno-Isle Libraries and Analysis, Su11:22–24 WOOLSTON, BLYTHE the Teen Project, Fa10:23–25 Now Is the Time: E-books, Teens, and [Morris Award, 2011], Sp11:15 Libraries, Su11:28–31 S WRESTLEMANIA READING Picture It! Novels to Fuel Imagination CHALLENGE and Spark Creativity [novels about YALSA, WWE Name WrestleMania SCHNEIDER FAMILY BOOK artists], Su11:32–33 AWARDS Reading Challenge Champions Picture It: Where in the World Is Your (YALSA Update), Sp11:50–51 Great Reads, Intriguing Characters: The Librarian? A Bibliographic Schneider Family Book Award Experiment, Su11:34–36 Y Winners, Sp11:6–7 Picturing Teen Read Week @ the School SCHOOL LIBRARIES Library, Su11:4–7 Picturing Teen Read Week @ the School YALSA BOARD From the President, Su11:3 New Dues Structure Proposed, W11:5 Library, Su11:4–7 TEEN TECH WEEK SELECTED AUDIOBOOKS FOR YALSA Board of Directors Update Career and Education Fair and Teen [Midwinter 2011], Sp11:49–50 YOUNG ADULTS. See AMAZING Tech Week: A Collaborative Effort, AUDIOBOOKS FOR YOUNG YALSA Governance Update (news), W11:34–35 Fa10:47–48 ADULTS Crafts for Teen Tech Week, W11:20–21 SELECTED LISTS. See AWARDS; BEST YALSA COMMITTEES Mix and Mash @ Your Library (With Get Involved in YALSA Virtual FICTION FOR YOUNG ADULTS; Books!), W11:22–23 FABULOUS FILMS FOR YOUNG Committees and Interest Groups, No Photoshop? No Problem! Digital Fa10:8–9 ADULTS; GREAT GRAPHIC Photography Programs on a Budget, NOVELS FOR TEENS; POPULAR YALSA Seeks Volunteers for Selection W11:16–18 Committees and Some Award PAPERBACKS FOR YOUNG Online Marketing Strategies for Reaching ADULTS; QUICK PICKS FOR Committees and Taskforces (YALSA Today’s Teens, W11:24–27 News), Su11:57 RELUCTANT YOUNG ADULT Short Filmmakers, W11:28–30 READERS YALSA ELECTIONS Teen Tech Camp, W11:31–33 2011 ALA/YALSA Elections [nominees] SELECTED VIDEOS AND DVDs FOR TRAVEL PROGRAMS YOUNG ADULTS. See FABULOUS (YALSA Update), W11:38–39 Picture It: Where in the World Is Your YALSA 2011 Election Results (YALSA FILMS FOR YOUNG ADULTS Librarian? A Bibliographic SEXUALITY Update), Su11:55 Experiment (Teen Read Week), YALSA READERS’ CHOICE Beyond Forever: The Next Generation of Su11:34–36 Young Women Protagonists’s Sexual BOOKLIST TWEENS. See MIDDLE SCHOOL YALSA’s New Readers’ Choice Booklist, Motivations in Contemporary Young STUDENTS Adult Novels, Su11:39–47 W11:4 YALSA Update: Association News, Getting It On: An Examination of How U Contraceptives Are Portrayed in Fa10:44–48, W11:38–40, Sp11:49– Young Adult Literature, Su11:48–54 Urquhart, Connie. See Braun, Linda W., 51, Su11:55–57 SONNENBLICK, JORDAN Hillias J. Martin, and Connie Urquhart YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE Great Reads, Intriguing Characters: The Beyond Forever: The Next Generation of Schneider Family Book Award V Young Women Protagonists’s Sexual Winners, Sp11:6–7 Motivations in Contemporary Young SPECTRUM SCHOLAR PROGRAM Vargas, Luis Francisco. See Naidoo, Jamie Adult Novels, Su11:39–47 YALSA Names Spectrum Scholar [Do] Campbell, and Luis Francisco Vargas Getting It On: An Examination of How (news), Fa10:46 VELA, MARINNA Contraceptives Are Portrayed in Squicciarini, Stephanie, Maureen Hartman, YALSA, WWE Name WrestleMania Young Adult Literature, and Erica Cuyagan Reading Challenge Champions Su11:48–54 YA Q&A (Best Practices), Fa10:15–16 (YALSA Update), Sp11:50–51 Historical Fiction Mash-Ups: Broadening STONEWALL BOOK AWARD VIDEOS. See MOVIES Appeal by Mixing Genres, The Stonewall Book Award for Vieau, Jesse Fa10:38–41 Children’s and Young Adult Short Filmmakers, W11:28–30 The Movie Is (Sometimes) Better Than Literature Joins the ALA Youth Violin, Eva. See Goldsmith, Francisca, and the Book: Adaptations as Literary Media Awards (View from ALA), Eva Violin Analysis (Teen Read Week), Sp11:4–5 Vittek, Robyn E. Su11:22–24 SUMMER READING PROGRAMS Follow the Leaders, Part II: One Picture It! Novels to Fuel Imagination Teen Tech Camp, W11:31–33 Emerging Leader’s Experience at ALA and Spark Creativity [novels about Szymanski, Sue-Ellen. See Rogers, Mary Annual 2010, Diary Style, Fa10:6–7 artists] (Teen Read Week), Ann, Sue-Ellen Szymanski, Laurie The People in Your Neighborhood: Using Su11:32–33 Cavanaugh, and Mary Dunphy Local Collaboration to Advocate for See also READERS’ ADVISORY Teen Patrons, Fa10:13–14 YOUNG ADULT SERVICES T VOLUNTEERS Building a Foundation for Teen Services, YALSA Seeks Volunteers for Selection W11:6–9 TEEN READ WEEK Committees and Some Award Leadership and Professionalism: Funding Problems? Your Teens Can Committees and Taskforces (YALSA Competencies for Service Youth , Make a Difference, Su11:37–38 News), Su11:57 W11:10–15

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