Barb, to build on your point, it also makes me mad because implies that the YA crowd cannot enjoy any of the books they read and discuss in school. To Kill A Mockingbird and Of Mice and Men, for example, are two books commonly read in middle school that students tend to love, but clearly any book they read in their free time has to be insipid and simple. Grr. Believe it or not, stupid article-writer, some of us English teachers don't just force literature down students' throats like bad medecine. Some of us try to help our students gain the skills to read complex and meaningful books and enjoy them.

Coffee: Oh dear lord, Fay, that video is awesome.

I read everything from picture books to adult

I remember YA from the time when I was a YA. There was very little -- and much of it was simple and had a moral lesson. It is way more varied now.

I am a librarian . I like to categorize books. But it is only fun because it is complex, not easy, to put a label on a book. Oddly, most books have multiple labels.

I just finished reading Molly Gloss's The Hearts of Horses and I LOVED it. So beautifully written, so moving, such insight into peoples' lives in the West in the early years of the 20th century. Golly, that was fabulous; I wanted it not to end.

Highly recommended if you like horses, or the West (it's set in eastern Oregon), or like books where women do things and nobody makes a fuss about it.

Wow, that was great.

I will make sure to buy Jackson Pearce's novel next year. That video rocked.

Molly Gloss's The Hearts of Horses

We've got this featured on our main aisle (it's in its own display). I was thinking about picking it up; now I know I will next time I go into work!

I will make sure to buy Jackson Pearce's novel next year.

I was thinking much the same thing

t random

So I was in a bookshop yesterday here in the UK, perusing biographies in search of something presentish for my dad, and I discovered that there is now a whole SECTION devoted to voyeuristic true life emoporn ( A Boy Called It, A Man Called Dave, Ma, He Sold Me For a Few Cigarettes etc etc) entitled 'Tragic Lives'.

A whole section with its own title.

I'm still gobsmacked.

I just found this -- and felt here was the place for it

zombie haiku

[link]

bloody, funny

One of the benefits of reconnecting with my blood sisters is unexpected Christmas presents. My oldest sister sent me this book: [link]

which pretty much tags many of my historical interests. I'm out of practice at this family thing. I keep waffling between "People who like me who send me things!" and "People who like me who I have to remember to do nice things for!"