Makerspaces are THE Buzzword across the landscape- and really, they can be anything WE want them to be, from free-form creation areas enabling tweens and teens to let their artistic talents fly to high tech areas with the latest gadgets and gizmos. It’s what we have the time, talent, inclination, and support from our administration, community, […]
Category: Book Things and Reviews
TLA: Graphic Novels
The Texas Library Association Annual Conference is next week in Austin, and I am so excited. There is always so much to do at the state conference, I never have enough time to do everything! This year is especially exciting as we’re headed back to Austin, the first city I ever lived in when That […]
Blog Tour Fairy Keeper
Today, I’m excited to be part of the blog tour for Fairy Keeper! Fairy Keeper is a middle grade fantasy book by Amy Bearce, put out by Curiosity Quills Press. Forget cute fairies in pretty dresses. In the world of Aluvia, most fairies are more like irritable, moody insects. Almost everyone in the world of Aluvia views the […]
Author Interview: J.E. Anckorn
Today, I’m part of the Untaken blog tour, and I got the chance to do an author interview with J.E. Anckorn. If you haven’t heard of Untaken, here’s your chance: It turns out that a real alien invasion is nothing like the Sci-fi shows 14-year-old Gracie loves. Not when it’s your own family who are swallowed whole by those […]
Cover Reveal: Balance Keepers The Pillars of Ponderay
If you haven’t started reading Lindsay Cummings yet, you really should. Her first series, The Murder Complex, is a massively intense dystopian mystery thriller that will keep you guessing. Her second series, The Balance Keepers, follows eleven-year-old Albert as he discovers he’s a Balance Keeper- one who has the magic to keep harmony between the […]
NTTBF: Bumps and Screams Panels
We’re counting down to the NTTBF (two days away) and today’s focus is what I call bumps and screams- the dystopias, horror, and paranormal panels and authors speaking on Saturday. Which ones are you interested in? 10AM HORROR IS THE NEW BLACK Find out if you scare easily Rachel Caine, A. G. Howard, Carrie Ryan, […]
NTTBF: Middle Grade Panels
One of the really wonderful things about the NTTBF is that it’s focusing not only on young adults but on the middle grades as well. For those that are bringing your middle grade readers, I’ve pulled together the panels that are focusing solely on the middle grade reader. 10 AM: TICKLE YOUR FUNNY BONE Share some […]
NTTBF: Action and Thrills
The NTTBF is this Saturday, and I could not be more excited- it’s going to be HUGE! Are you an action, mystery or thrill story lover? Then these are the panels you’re looking for! The complete list of panels with room lists is here, and the signing line information (because are you really going to […]
Introducing the Little Mavericks
In 2010, Texas became the first state to have a librarian created (and state library association sponsored) graphic novel list. The Texas Maverick graphic novel list is an annual bibliography that encourages kids in grades 6th through 12th to explore the graphic novel format, and as such the librarians on the committee search for […]
Trend: When the College Money is Gone
Here’s a couple of books that have popped up on my radar. Having worked my way through two college degrees and still paying off student loan debt, it may be more of a focal point for me, but a lot of the teens I work with are struggling to figure out how to pay for […]