Book Babble - March 2016

Hello and welcome to my March 'Book Babble' :-)

I can't believe we are already a quarter of the way through the year!!!!!!  Where is it going???

I was looking at what books I read last month and realised that most of them were in the paranormal genre, and adult reads to boot.  I thought to myself that if I was going to blog about books then I should really be more widely read, after all I DO work in a primary school, and I need to promote the books to our students.  Then I remembered that I am supposed to be reading for enjoyment this year with no pressure on quantity or quality:-

And my Goodreads goal is to read 100 books - chapter, picture, non-fiction & professional development - just books.  But books that I am going to savor. Books that I am going to devour. Books that I am going to treasure (and I already have a few of these lined up!). And books that I am going to remember and be able to talk about to anyone that wants to listen.

Sometimes we get into a 'groove' with our lives - no I'm not saying a 'rut'! - and our body, mind and soul craves what it craves and just wants to 'groove to its own beat'.  Reading is like that for me.  

I looked back over some of the 'phases' I've been going through.  I've done the crime thing,  I've done the realistic war thing.  I've done the paranormal things ... actually I keep revisiting this one!  I've done the romance thing.  I've tried the literature thing but that one just really doesn't sit well with my preferences.  I've done the biography thing.  I'm doing the YA thing.  And then I thought about the other things I was doing during these times - both personally and professionally.  

When we are so busy doing things, or our minds are occupied with certain details, we need a way to escape from all this - and the way that I escape is to read ... some people play computer games, some watch TV and others go out and 'pound the pavement'.  When I was studying  for my Level 5 ILS Diploma all I wanted to read was 'quick & easy crap'.  When I'm not so busy doing paperwork I love to get my teeth into a big 'meaty' read.  Most of the time I just love to escape to other worlds or galaxies and pretend that there is more out there than just us.

Escapism.  Expanding my mind.  Connections.  Acceptance of self.  Fantasies - yeah we all have fantasies, and reading is a very safe way of entering new 'realms'.  Understanding how others live.  Travel.  Relaxation.  Excitement.  Adventure.  Self-healing.  Understanding new situations. ....

This got me to thinking how this reflects what our children and students are reading.  We so often see them coming up to issue the same books or series again and again.  As a primary school librarian I am always hearing "how do I stop my child reading xxx" or teachers saying " 'Jane Doe' you need to try something different" or variations of these comments.  Why????  Why should they have to read something different because an adult says so?

Honestly though ... Have you seen some of the things our students are reading?  Ug!  

The Daisy Meadows Rainbow Fairies series,  and there is a new one ... Magic Animals.  The just as prolific Geronimo Stilton books of which there is now Hero Mice and Cave Mice not to mention Thea and her sisters.  Fly Guy, Zac Power, Sally Rippin's Billie B Brown and Horrid Henry are just a few of the really popular reads for our younger students.

Tom Gates, Captain Underpants and Diary of a Wimpy Kid are really popular with our older readers.  And it's not just the boys that love this style of writing!  Knife & Packer's Meet the Humansons, and new Wheelnuts series are bright and colourful and very popular.  Harry Potter, 39 Clues - currently in it's 4th or 5th series, and not to forget the old and still popular Babysitter Club and Goosebumps books.

Mills & Boon / Loveswept ... my mum wouldn't let me read these but I found a way as soon as I could buy them myself.   Her words if I recall - "rubbish" and "a waste of time".  'Realistic fiction' - you know ... those books about realistic life experiences of children being abandoned, 'hurt', dying, stuck in war-ravaged lands .... just heartbreaking and so sad .... and yet allowing our teens to understand that there are others in similar situations to them or worse-off situations.  This realistic fiction can enable our children to find their 'voice' and ask for help if they need it. 

The biggest thing these books all have in common ....... there are lots and lots and lots and lots of them for the students and children to read.  They know they can find more of the same kind of book to read.  They can connect with the characters, find their own sense of self  in the stories and move on when they are ready and have built their confidence.

When our students are ready to move on they will.  Until then let them get comfortable with what they are reading (it may be that they are coming to terms with their own situation), let them get confident enough to try something new, and be ready to offer them a variety of formats / platforms / options / suggestions so that they can choose where they want to travel next.  It may not be our 'cup of tea', but it is their choice.  

And in other news this month ... 

• HBPubrarians has had it's second catch-up, this time in Hastings - a time for a casual chat among librarians from all walks of life.

• Hawkes Bay Book Talk is having its first gathering for the year tonight, hosted by Gail at Parkvale School.  This is a book club for librarians (not just school librarians) where we can promote the amazing, fantastic, awesome books that pass through our reading piles.   See our blog for reviews, suggestions and dates for our 2016 gatherings.

So here is WIBR this month ....... Allrighty so this time I'm trying sorting them in alpha order AND by age category.   Gotta try thinking outside the square and come up with the process that works best.  Definitely typing my notes up as I read/finish a book is the easiest tho :) #cleverthinking

NOTE: ** Denotes sexual content (school librarians use your discretion)

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An Elephant & Piggie Book : Should I Share My Ice Cream? / Mo Willems [Paperback]

4 stars

Picture Book 0-6

I really love Mo Willems' books. They make great read-alouds and are awesome to share with a buddy. Because the story is told in speech bubbles it is easy to read as one character each. 

Particularly love this story as Elephant is having a conversation with himself as to whether his friend Piggie would also like an icecream or whether he should share. You can just see what's going to happen to the icecream as it slowly drips more and more in each image. I was drawn to keep reading faster and faster ... after all it's not a slow process when your thoughts are flying through your head. 

Goodnight Already! / Jory John [Paperback]

4 stars

Picture Book 0-6

This was my favourite pick in week 6 of all the books I had on display. 

It's told in speech bubbles (similar to the Elaphant & Piggie books) and is great for two of you to read together - one can be Bear and one can be Duck. 

Poor Bear is sooooo tired. All he wants to do is sleep. 

Duck however is WIDE awake!!!  And he wants to do stuff with bear.  It's quite hilarious to see where he pops up next. 

OMG what an annoying neighbour!!!  I can think of a few people that have been like him during my lifetime - and yes ... I'm Bear!!!!

A fabulous read-aloud. 

How Many Legs? / Kes Gray [Paperback]

3 stars
Picture Book 0-6
This is a bright and colourful counting book with a difference. Try counting and adding the legs of all the different creatures on each page.  Trickier than it looks. 

I Yam A Donkey! / Cece Bell [Paperback]
5 stars
Picture Book 0-6
What a fantastically ridiculous read-aloud!

A Yam tries to teach a Donkey about correct grammar.  I am so not going to spoil the surprise by telling you any more!  You really truly HAVE to get a copy of this for your libraries!!!  Just DO IT!!!

Thanks to Kristen Clothier at our first HBPubrarians catch-up last month for recommending this one to us.  I was surprised when it arrived from Wardini Books the next week in a consignment for me to check out for school.  I snapped it up as quick as can be when I saw it!!!  

Star of Deltora Bk1 Shadows of the Master [Paperback]
0 stars
Children 7-12.  Fantasy.  DNF.
This is a new series set in the same world as Deltora Quest and the Three Doors Trilogy.

Unfortunately I just couldn't get into this book even though I am a huge fan of the other two series.  Hence I did not finish it :-(

Storm Horse / Nick Garlick [Paperback]

4 stars
Children 7-12. Animal stories. Coming of Age.     
What a truly lovely story. 

Set in a remote Dutch island this is a coming-of-age story about a young boy recently orphaned. 

When I read the blurb it seemed like a modern take on 'The Black Stallion'.  Ya know ... ship wreck, boy rescues horse, horse rescues boy, friendships are formed and bonds of family are strengthened.  Actually that pretty much sums up this story too ... but it is so much more. 

A must read for horse lovers, those that enjoy good prevailing over evil (otherwise known as bullies), and those that like coming-of-age stories with strong characters.  Aside from the bullies this is a good clean really enjoyable read. 

Running Girl / Simon Mason [Paperback]
4 stars

YA. Crime.

An interesting read with lots of twists and turns in the plot. Crime, maths, and not-so-good every-day kind of people.  It's got quite a few interviews throughout which gives it a 'first person' feel. 

Strong male characters. It's great to read a novel where the main characters are not the normal 'white male'. 

It has quite a slow start ... kind of like Garvie himself ... and then as more information about the murder comes to light and Garvie gets involved the story starts to get more 'energy', just like Garvie when a puzzle catches his attention.

Very keen to read the next one when it comes out.  

Shifter Squad Bk9 Hell Spawn** / J.C. Diem [eBook]

5 Star

YA. Paranormal. 

What a really great read for the final (???) book in the series. All the hardship and training that Lexi has been through in her life stands her on good stead for the trials & tribulations that are set to face her and her friends as the end of the world draws near.  An exciting read. 

There is only one sex scene towards the end of the book. Fathers and other supernatural creatures with super-hearing would definitely put a crimp in anyone's sex-life. 

The Dream Engine Volume 1 / Sean Platt & Johnny B Truant [eBook]

3 stars

YA. Steampunk.  Adventure. 

A very interesting read. Not sure if I want to read the next one -The Nightmare Factory ... at least not at this stage when I have so many other books to choose from.

Even though the main character is only 15 years old, this reads like a sophisticated YA novel rather than a younger YA read.  

Set in a world where everyone takes a tablet to stop them from dreaming and therefore going insane, Eila Doyle is employed by the Ministry of Manifestations to build things she sees in her mind.  Eila is different from everyone else as she does dream and in her imagination she sees a boy tempting her to find him.  

When she decides to listen to what her imagination is telling her she finds that her world is not what everyone has been led to believe, that there is another city below their own and that the mist surrounding her city is filled with monsters that imagination has brought to life! 

Country Calendar : Homestead Baking / Allyson Gofton [Paperback]

5 stars

Adult. Non-Fiction. Cook Book. 

This is so much more than just a cook book!  The stories of the family with some of the history of their homestead are just a joy to read. And the Recipes .... Mmmmm mmmmmm mmmmm!  Good old-fashioned style basic divine baking!  A delight to read and a fantastic idea for a gift.

Oh and the food is truly scrummy.  First weekend and three dishes made. Mmmmmmm mmmmmm mmmmm!  Especially the golden syrupie goodness of Ethel's Gingerbread!
Dark Bk29 Dark Promise** / Christine Feehan [eBook]

4 stars

Adult. Paranormal. 

* Warning : bit of a Christine Feehan fan here :-) *

This was a another great read in the Dark series. It follows two sets of lifemates  - Gabriella who was turned to save her life a number of years ago, but who has yet to embrace her Carpathian life.  And Trixie, a grandmother who came to the Carpathian Mountains searching for her granddaughter. 

I know, you think "a grandmother, really!"  But actually I'm really pleased that there is an older woman. Honestly, why would a Carpathian male who has lived for hundreds, if not thousands of years, want a young innocent woman who has not had any life experience!  Trixie is a strong woman in her 50s who has raised a daughter & 4 granddaughters and done everything she can to make sure they have the best life possible. Who said innocence must be a 'state of body' ... it is more a case of the sole being innocent, and Trixie may have lived a long life but she has a very innocent soul. 

The only thing I found disappointing was that the main focus of this book was on the budding relationship (read 'sex') of the two sets of lifemates. I would have loved to have seen more of the fight between the Carpathians and the Vampires & their puppets. 

Mercy Thompson Bk9 Fire Touched / Patricia Briggs [eBook]

5 stars

Adult. Paranormal. 

Awesome read. This is a fantastic paranormal series. There is a good storyline, Mercy is a strong character, there is lots of monsters and yummy werewolves. And there is little to no sex in these books - see it's really not necessary for a fabulous paranormal read to involve sex!!!

It does pay to read these in order, however in saying that you can quite easily read them as a stand-alone novel. You may just miss some of the deeper nuances from previous books. 

Riley Adamson Bk8.5 Stitched / Shannon Mayer [eBook]

4 stars

Riley Adamson Bk9 Rising Darkness

4 stars

Riley Adamson Bk10 Blood of the Lost

5 Stars

Adult. Paranormal. 

The final three books in this exciting series.  Riley Adamson is a Tracker - she can track the threads of a person and know where they are.  She used to use this skill for finding lost children.  Now however she is the prophesied savior and has to save the world from the demons!

Along with her family, friends and not-so-friends (a mixed bag of creatures she has met during her life) Riley must do her best to ensure that Orion - the biggest & baddest overlord of all - and his minions do not get the chance to take over the world!

You do need to read this series in order, however it really does help to follow all the threads. 

Warning ... The final book is a doozy!  Have tissues at the ready!

Shoegasm : An Explosion of Cutting-Edge Design / Clare Anthony [Hardback]

5 stars

Adult. Non-fiction. 

Shoes!  Shoes!  Spectacular Shoes!   

OMG drool!!!!!  This book is just a feast for the eyes ... well for those of us that love shoes. 

I was in Wellington mid-March and just happened to pop into Arty Bees bookshops after dinner and this and a number of other books were just begging to be taken home. It was open very late night on a Saturday - my wallet got a good work-out that night :-)

Did I mention that I really really really like Arty Bees bookshop?!?!?!?!

Virtual Library Tour

Thanks to Michelle Simms for this twist on the #EdBlogNZ February challenge. I thought it was such a great way for us to show-case our libraries.  And I figured we are closer to February than December so we can still get our library tours posted. 

I hope you enjoy the tour of Taradale Primary Schools library :-)

Where to start????  Ok ... This is one of the two main entrances to the library - I've got 5 doors in here!!!! My issues desk used to be the principals office desk. It's awesomely huge and the 'knobby' bit on the end makes for a great place to display new books. I keep these books here for the whole week so that ALL the kids and teachers can see what they are before they are issued. 

To the right is now my National Library S2S book area. I used to have a table here (temporarily around the corner) and it was my secondary display area where I promoted various books.  I wanted to have the NL S2S books in our library so that staff & students could access them whenever they needed. Also I didn't want them to get 'lost' amidst our other books. This way they are promoted as another resource, are easily locatable (catalogued in our ILS and searchable), and easy to re-shelve by myself or the student librarians. 

I re-aquired some of my old picture book bins, tipped them on their sides and voila - colourful book shelves!  I've added labels on the shelves to make it easier to differentiate the different topic & strand and reading engagement areas we requested. 

The clock above the door is one of my favourite things. It's visible from nearly anywhere in the library. I change it about 4 times a year - usually to fit in with our 'big topic'. I thought a 'how to tell the time' clock to start the year would be a good idea. Next up is a science theme. 

BlueTak, pencils and laminated images make for a quick-change crafty clock.  And keeping the clock 'faces' in plastic bags means there is always something to grab if I feel the need for a change. 

Moving around the corner is the main display wall. I've just had a TV installed so have lost space, however it will be a fantastic tool for library promotion and teaching use .... once I get myself sorted and the more urgent start-of-year tasks out of the way.  Oh ... and the teachers need to remember to use it. 

Usually there are a number of books on the (covered) platform, however my first display is promoting eBooks so it is looking a bit bare :(

Oh look ... another door!!! This one leads into a class-room - handy for the teacher!  Another place for displays for me - or to be more precise my yearly challenge.  Currently a scary life-size manga version of me complements of my son!

Love love love the pod seating. It gets moved around the library at will. So versatile. More of it around and about. 

These two tables ended up being made into 'tents' last year with some sheets I keep for tablecloths & my sons old super-hero sleeping bags. The students loved it - little hidy-holes of awesomeness - and they keep asking when I'm doing it again. 

Oh look ... another door!!! This is the other main entrance. At lunchtime there is usually a hoard of munchkins waiting to get into the library -yay!!!  Oh but wait, hiding around to the right you can just see my 3rd door to the outside world!

Usually I've got art-work hanging from fishing line but I just took it down to swap around so the library is looking sadly bare. 

The bay-ends on the shelves are such a great way of displaying books. These were new in 2013.  We did have a couple of breakages of the plastic shelving to start with but they are actually quite hardy. I had previously been using some cardboard 'book bins' that bookshops use to promote their books. Free and a really versatile way of displaying series of books. 

In 2014 there was a lot of discussion about genrefication. I didn't really see it working in our school but tossing around ideas with the awesome Steph Ellis we thought seriesificafion would be something to try in our libraries.  I was forever getting asked for book suggestions either for a series or for stand-alone titles. So after talking to a number of students I decided to give it a try ... and it has been really popular. I only seriesified our senior fiction (the shelves in the mid left) - oops the sign is upside down!!!

Moving this set of shelves into the middle-ish of the floor has given the library a multi-room feel which I quite like. 

The Teacher Resource collection used to be hidden in my office when I started. It's now housed beside the issues desk (shelves on the right) and has grown from a handful of never-used books to two bays of well-used resources.  The teachers can choose to use these for curriculum needs, read-alouds or for students to use in the class - the students themselves don't issue from here (unless I am feeling generous  - it does happen - or the teacher requests it ) 

I really like this area. It houses our picture book and junior non-fiction collection. It used to be a very light and sunny area ... until the new MLE classroom got built onto the library - you can see them through the 'fish bowl' connecting window.  Usually the floor is strewn with pillows and students laying all over the place :-)

These are the new double-height book bins that we got at the end of 2014. The only problem is that they have very slippy bases - problem solved with anti-slip mats.  They are wheely wheely useful :-)

As part of my L5 ILS diploma one of the things we had to look at was an area or group of users in our library that wasn't catered to enough. So at the end of 2014 I re-worked the junior non-fiction. The books were already sort of grouped into different categories, however it was a nightmare to find anything and for myself & the student librarians to shelve the books. I genrefied the collection and created a set of icons to match. I figured if it works for our picture books, why won't it work for the junior non-fiction?  These icons go on the front of each book with a matching icon as part of the shelf sign. It makes re-shelving the books a breeze, teachers are easily able to find the resources they want and best of all the students are able to figure out where to look for books that interest them, and put them back in the correct shelf regardless of whether they can read or have just started school.

Over the 2014/2015 summer holidays one of my plans was to make this into a dedicated maker space. However I just don't have the room in the library to rearrange shelves etc to enable this to happen :-( Still dreaming & planning :-)

One of my smaller display areas - at the end of the non-fiction section. This display was popular with the students ... They got to vote for their favourite photo that participants of the Summer Reading 'Wild & Wacky' photo competition entered. 

Oh yeah speaking of SRPs... The carnage that was my desk on the first day back this year - about 40 bags of returned SRP books - Yay!  We had 169 students participate ... just under 2000 books issued ... Blimmin awesome ... but lots of work returning them all. Just waiting on 2 books to come back :-)

Part of our non-fiction collection ... This is one of the most popular shelving sections in the library .... straight behind the table, third shelf down. The books laying on their sides are my Minecraft, LEGO & Star Wars collection (actually not the Star Wars chapter books). The year 1 & 2's race to this shelf once the doors open - well those not racing up to issue iPads!  I've ended up keeping one set of Minecraft as Reference purely so there is always a copy in the library, and have purchased 3 more sets!!!  They are NEVER in! 

We used to shelve the Reference collection at end of NF (shelves on the right) but really, they were hardly used. So last year I put them all into the main NF section and now the pay get lots more use.  It gave me more room to 'play' with the layout of some of the shelves too although I really really have to do another weed :-(

I try and have activities out on a semi-regular basis for the students to do - games trolley, puzzles, colouring.  I'm in the process of making up some square cardboard connectors (in my spare few minutes) the pat the students will be able to build things with. Cost = FREE. It's just an issue of time to make it. 

And the last area in the library ... my office. The only downside to this is that there is no window in which to see the students (some may find that a good thing ;-0 )

I used to only have one desk in here, a whole heap of boxes (of stuff) and a large poster file - which never got used by staff. So I moved the poster file to the resource room, got rid of the 'junk' and fitted in another table. Which is super handy during Scholastic book fair week (x2), and enables me to continue with book processing etc while a grandmother of one of our families comes and helps me once a week npby doing repairs and finishing off the book covering. 

Currently it's super messy with lots of books in process and all my Lit Quiz books hiding in here ready for the display next week - we are nice to our students and display books that will direct their minds to what sorts of questions we (may) ask!

Oh you may notice the MOST IMPORTANT thing in my library ... A coffee machine & fridge. Mmmmm the smell of coffee :-)  I gave up and brought myself a Nespresso machine 'cause I can't stand the coffee at work, and it was costing me freaking heaps to go and buy 'real' coffee all the time. Now I can have a decent cuppa whenever I need.  Actually I may now be drinking more than I used to so it's likely costing the same as before :-o  And of course you need a fridge to store the milk, drinks and lunch in. 

Oh look .... my 5th door!!!  

I know it's only a tiny table with the computer on, but really it's perfect. It means I've got more space on my actual desk (not that you can tell!!!!) for my book processing or other stuff. 

Here is the last area in our tour ...

Our outdoor area got made into a more intimate outdoor room when the new MLE class got built. This area is shared with the class during the day and it makes for a great extra space for the library users on nice days. It's a bit if a 'heat trap' now so a shade sail was put up late 2015. It has an added benefit of shading my office. Unfortunately it's not rain-proof, and as the classes bags are all kept outside the class, they now take up half of the covered area which had lovely comfy chairs and cushions for our readers. Oh well, we must all accept change, and it's better to have the bags where they are now rather on the left where they were to start which was blocking the line of sight for students using the outdoor area. 

Thanks for joining me. I hope you will find something of interest in this rather long post. Sorry about that ... I didn't realise just how much there was to show. 

I'm looking forward to seeing some of your library spaces, either virtually or in person. 

Book Babble - February 2016

Hmmmm interesting!  On reviewing the books I read last month 9 were eBooks vs 4 paperbacks.  Actually of the 219 books I read in 2015 (72 being picture books I reviewed), 106 were eBooks .... making my physical book total 41!!!!  Wow, that's quite scary!  I'll be interested to see what the breakdown is this month.

Electronic devices give instant access to reading material making them a handy tool for those of us keen to keep up our reading - especially when we finish a book in a series and just can't wait till the book shop or library opens again on Monday morning.  I always thought that I'd read more physical books over eBooks  - I love the tactility of a physical book (smell, feel, page turning.... Mmmmmm books!).  I remember when eBooks & eReaders first became available I honestly thought they wouldn't ever really take over from 'real' books ... at least not in my own reading collection.  Now my TBR pile numbers in the hundreds ... in eBooks alone!!!!

I read an interesting article recently re owning physical books vs leasing eBooks - yes it was aimed at Amazon, but in reality it is can relate to any provider of eBooks.  I hadn't actually given any thought to all those eBooks I've been buying but it got me thinking about the amount of money I've been spending on books (both physical & eBook) and the longevity of the use of these books.  Most of us assume that when we buy an eBook or app online we own it.  In actuality we are only leasing or renting long-term the use of this item.  We can't lend it out to anyone else.  We can't on-sell it.  And if the provider decides for some reason that they are no longer stocking that item it can be removed from our collection, or they may go out of business and cease to exist at all!!! 

On the plus side, you don't have to worry about the binding falling apart after one or two readings (sometimes during the first reading). It doesn't get misplaced among your many bookcases or packing boxes. It can't be damaged by excess moisture or the family pet. And if you are a library you don't have to chase overdue items!  At the end of the day we have to trust that the providers of our eBooks are going to be around for a very long time .... after all I honestly can't see our use of eBooks and the like reducing anytime soon (unless we all end up in a dystopian world where power and access to the Internet is no longer available - Nooooooooooo!).   We have to decide at the time of purchasing wether a physical book or an eBook is going to be the best fit for our need.

On a different topic .... For our PD teacher only day at the start of the term we had the pleasure of Mark Treadwell's company.  He has done a lot of research into how the brain works and he is a strong advocate of visual and oral language over the written and read.  His presentation was highly interesting and extremely thought provoking. For more information about Mark and his research visit his website.  

However at the end of the day it reiterated to me my belief that we need a variety of platforms to ensure our students (and actually anyone that wants to learn) are able to learn and gain knowledge in a way that best suits their needs. As part of this variety of platforms we should also be providing multiple formats of material enabling our learners to find the information they need in a way that continues to promote their lifelong learning. 

Whilst I love reading books not everyone gets the same pleasure from it. It could be that the font is too small, the size of the book may be off-putting, there are too many words, not enough visual clues, it's just plain boring ..... there are just so many reasons.  Providing multiple formats of 'reading' material ensures that our students can continue to grow their thirst for knowledge, gain a love of reading and set them firmly on their path as lifelong learners.  Formats of reading material are as varied as the genres that are available.  They can be physical books, eBooks, audio books, graphic novels, videos, oral retellings (either being read to, or like our traditional myths and legends, being handed down from generation to generation at social gatherings), magazines, Internet files ..... the list goes on. 

As a library our responsibility to our members (yep read an article recently that called library visitors members rather than users - sounds so much better) is to provide a space they feel comfortable in with a variety of 'areas' to cater to their different requirements; approachable staff that are willing and able to help with the many and varied needs of our members; a willingness of the library and staff to adapt to the constantly changing information landscape keeping them at the forefront of Information & Library Services; and above all else, a variety of appropriate resources to assist and tempt their curiosity.  'Appropriate' being that different libraries serve different communities and whilst we don't (or shouldn't) censor our resources we certainly need to be mindful of the special circumstances of each library community. 

So here is WIBR this month ....... Sorry it's a bit of a 'paranormal' joy ride!   Trying it in alphabetical order this time rather than the order in which I read them.  Next month I'll try sorting them in alpha order AND by age category.   Gotta try thinking outside the square and come up with the process that works best.  Definitely typing my notes up as I read/finish a book is the easiest tho :) #cleverthinking

NOTE: ** Denotes sexual content (school librarians use your discretion)

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3013 Bk 11 Genisis** / Laurie Roma [eBook]

4 stars

Adult. Paranormal. Erotica

If you like your romance of the Sci Fi / Alien variety then this is a really good series to get hooked on. The erotica component comes mostly from the fact that this series is about multiple partner relationships ... hence things get a bit 'racey' in the bedroom scenes.  In saying that there is really only one scene that is rather descriptive.  

The storylines are well written and are easy to follow if you are reading one of the series as a standalone.  However following the series in order gives you a better understanding of the whole concept of inter-alien race relations and how they are all trying to rebuild from a war that wiped out so many of them. 

A nice bit of escapism!

Crow / Leo Timmers [Paperback]
4 stars
Picture Book 0-6

Poor Crow!  He's all alone and really wants some friends.  But all the other birds are afraid of him because he's scary-black!  What's a poor crow to do?  ...... How about give himself a makeover!

A gorgeously simple story about trying to fit in.  Lots of bright illustrations.


My favourite line (purely for the adults) is .... "Now Crow looked like a tit!" (A bird of course .... what did you think I meant???)

Entwined Realms Bk 1 Stone Guardian** / Danielle Monsch [eBook]

4 Stars

Adult. Paranormal. 

You don't see many paranormal books with Gargoyles as the main characters. Whilst this is a romance at heart, it has a really decent storyline (and not much at all in the way of sex scenes). 

Larissa is a human woman, born on the day that Earth and a magical realm collided. She has lived her entire life in a human city protected by he father & brothers, with no contact with magic. That is until one night she is attacked by a group of Zombies. Watch out normal ... Hello world full of all sorts of magical creatures and beings wanting her for some unknown reason. 

A really enjoyable series starter. 

Entwined Realms Bk 2 Stone Embrace** : A a stone Guardian after-scene / Danielle Monsch [eBook]

4 Stars

Adult. Paranormal. 

Tying up the end of book one with meeting Larissa's overprotective family. A nice quick read. 

GhostWalker Bk 12 Spider Game** / Christine Feehan [eBook]

4 stars

Adult. Paranormal.  

I do love Christine Feehan's work and especially enjoy the concept of the GhostWalker series. I did however find there was a tad too much sex in this one - it nearly overrode the storyline :(   Almost verging on 'erotica'. 

Even though you can read these books as stand-alone stories it is much better to read them in order.  Especially as Trap and Ceyenne's story actually starts during the previous book, which gives you a bit more insight into much of this story. 

Making It Up As I Go Along / Marian Keys [eBook]

4 stars

Adult. Non-Fiction. Memoirs. 

OK, this book is completely 'left field' from my normal reading - which is quite eclectic already!

The blurb sounded interesting so I downloaded a sample to see if it stood up to the hype. Oh Boy!  Did it ever!  Keys had me hooked from the start with her 'Cast of Characters' and her 'Lexicon' of Irish words. I was having visions of 'Mrs Browns Boys' in my head as I was reading it.  I got to the end of the sample and there was no way in heck that I wasn't going to download and read the rest of it. I seriously considered buying a paperback copy so I could share it but I wasn't willing to wait for a trip to the shops or to find out they didn't have it yet as its only just been released!

A great book to dip in and out of at will!   

The Marvels / Brian Selznick [Hardback]

4 stars

YA. Adventure. Visual narrative. Text Free (approx 2/3 of book)

Breathtaking!  The first 380'ish pages are the visual story of Billy Marvel and his family over 5 generations. There is so much depth to the black & white images. Take the time to 'read' each page and tell yourself the story as it unfolds. Be prepared for surprises that take you back a number of scenes to reacquaint yourself with the 'new' storyline. There is terror, heartbreak, joy, love, anger and sadness imparted in the images. So awesome!

The rest of the book is the story of young Joseph Jervis after he runs away from school and goes looking for his uncle. It's intreaguing, heartwarming and heartbreaking in turns. And it will make you rethink the whole first part of the book. 

A truly awesome read. Be prepared to let your imagination take off!  Oooh .... and the page edges are GOLD!

This is more of a Tween / YA read than his previous two books. I would be happy giving it to our more sophisticated year 6 students, however there is so much depth to the book that I don't know how much of the story they will 'get'. 

A Max Starr Novel Bk 1 Dead to the Max** / Jasmine Haynes [eBook]

4 stars

Adult. Paranormal. Crime. Romance. 

Thirty'ish year old Max Starr is a down-on-her-luck accountant. Two years previously she witnessed her husbands murder and ever since she has been psychic - but don't let her hear anyone call her that ... she is quite happy to be crazy, not psychic!

This first book introduces us to Max who is very emotionally scarred, her ghost of a husband, the yummy Detective DeWitt Long and the first of the murder victims whose spirit is now inside Max. To help her exorcise this spirit Max must try and solve the case. 

Quite an interesting series although I found it rather uncomfortable at times - mostly with the detailed recall of Max & the victims abusive childhood memories.  It has a good storyline and really good character depth.  Be prepared for quite a few explicit sex scenes though - both of the ghostly and real type.

A Max Start Novel Bk 2 Evil to the Max** / Jasmine Haynes [eBook]

4 stars

Adult. Paranormal. Crime. Romance.

OK, if you are wanting a 'nice' crime novel where the details of the crime are glossed over, the process of solving it moves along logically and there is a 'happy' ending .... you're not going to get it by reading the Max Starr series.  After all, life's not all about what we see through our rose-coloured glasses!

This series is messy, violent, full of explicit sex scenes, twists and turns within the crime and although the victims 'killer' is apprehended, the really bad guy is still out there.  

I read this book because I wanted to see where the series was going.  I must admit I was a bit dubious about it and unsure if I would finish. It starts off with a quite graphic sex/murder scene. Whilst there are less sex scenes than the first book they seem to be more explicit. (I'm no prude, but I did find them a bit too much!). However the storyline moves along really well and it is a really intreaguing crime novel. The character depth and the scene building has been very well written. 

By the time I got to the end of the book I just wanted to start the next one. You are drawn into the details of Max's life, the possibility of her relationship with Witt and the hints that are coming out about the instigator of these crimes. Whilst the main crime is solved there is that need to follow the story to its ultimate (hopefully) conclusion. 

Muddle & Mo / Nikki Slade Robinson [Paperback]
4 stars
Picture Book 0-6.  New Zealand author
This is one of those really simple stories where the images DO make a difference.

Muddle (the duck) and Mo (the goat) are friends.  Unfortunately Muddle is a bit confused about the fact Mo doesn't look or act like him.


I absolutely love the look on Mo's face when Muddle informs him he is a "funny colour for a duck!".  And the look of horror on Muddle's face when he thinks that HE is a goat!  Brilliant!!!!

A great read for fans of 'Baa Baa Smart Sheep'.


Preposterous Rhinoceros / Tracey Gunaratnam [Paperback]
4 stars
Picture Book 0-6
I loved, loved, loved, loved, loved this book.  It's silly, it's colourful, and it's about reading books.

All the animals in the jungle love story time.  And the best person to read books to them is King Lion.  But oh the disaster ..... King Lion has lost his voice.  Who can the animals pick to read their favourite book?    Luckily Rhinoceros offers.  Unfortunately he doesn't actually know how to read.

The animals all offer suggestions of how Rhinoceros can learn to read, with much hilarity ensuing as he takes their ideas quite literally.


A fantastic read-aloud.  Great to use for prediction as well.

Wild Operatives Bk 1 The Right to Bear Arms** / Vivienne Savage [eBook]

3 stars

Adult. Paranormal. Romance. 

A light romantic read. 

Book Babble - January 2016

What I've Been Reading (WIBR) during this first month of the new year is a bit of an eclectic collection. 

There are so freaking many books in my TBR pile - both physical & digital :-/   I just HAVE TO buy books when I see them waving out to me to snag my attention. I don't necessarily read them all straight away ... hence my TBR pile numbers in the hundreds ... but it certainly helps feed my eclectic taste in reading material - yay!

My preferred genre is Young Adult. It's so well written with themes that are designed to engage the reader - not so much of the boring ... Woops sorry ... I mean literature style of writing that a large selection of adult books are in.  I know I'm a 40-something adult, but no one should be limited in their reading by a label or 'age level' of the books they wish to read.  Or even their job alone ... If that were the case I'd be mostly reading young children's books (primary school librarian here!) or adult books. 

As a young teenager (and yes I know that there was very little to nothing in the YA genre back then) I was reading Leon Uris (historical fiction / war books) and Stephen R. Donaldson (my first foray into the fantasy genre). Definitely not something most teenagers were reading, and certainly none of my friends. Prior to this I had been reading Trixie Beldon (kids American sleuth mysteries ... and OMG I've just found out written 20yrs before I was born!!!), and lots of non-fiction and fiction horse books (yep ... brought up on a farm and quite horse mad). 

Kids, teens, and adults alike should be reading what they want - or should I say 'what they can'. Reading ability, time, the pressure of studying and the inclination to read all play a large part in this. 

- If someone chooses to read 'above their age'... let them ... within reason and as long as the content is appropriate! There is a lot of stuff out there that 'can' be read but shouldn't necessarily be read until the reader really is of a certain age!  They should not be limited to stick to what 'other people their age' are reading, especially if they are bored by the concepts or styles of writing aimed at our younger generation. 

- If someone chooses to read material that is aimed for a much younger audience ... let them! Don't give them grief or make fun of their style of reading. Some of us read 'younger' books as a way of relaxing before delving back into the more thought-provoking or heavier concentration of some adult books - or study books. Some of us read them for our jobs (yay!  This is an awesome reason to be a school librarian!). Some of us read them to learn how the younger generation thinks - after all for some of us it was quite a while ago ;-)  And some of us read them because we are not confident readers, or they are a stepping stone on the way to building a love of reading. 

Just let them read .... even if it is an electronic device with an IMGUR app!!!  It's still reading!  And you may be surprised with the conversations you end up having with your non-reading electronically-attached teenager :-o 

Anyway, here is WIBR this month ....... In the order I read it rather than alphabetically.  So much easier to make notes about the book as I am reading them, rather than at the end of the month like I had originally planned on doing #cleverthinking

NOTE: ** Denotes sexual content (school librarians use your discretion)

-------------

Shifter Squad Bk5 Corpse Thieves** / J.C. Diem [eBook]

4 stars

YA. Paranormal. 

Kind of an 'Anita Blake' for teens.  Kick arse heroine who has accidentally been changed into a werewolf, and is fighting off a vampirism change being forced upon her by her psycho vampire mother.  'Hot' boyfriend. Only one sex scene and no multiple partners (therefore moderately safe for high school libraries). Just lots of monsters and the bonds of her new 'family' of miss-fit were-creatures. 

Shifter Squad Bk6 Snake Charmer / J.C. Diem [eBook]

4 Stars

YA. Paranormal.

More monsters causing mayhem - this time of the snake variety - and the kidnapping of one of the team. Lexi grows into her alpha status. 

Hot boyfriend turns out to be a bit of an 'arse' as he decided to stay with his 'real' family and his 'true' mate. Lexi goes AWOL in her were form.  No sex scenes in this book. 

Shifter Squad Bk7 Vampire Matriarch** / J.C. Diem [eBook]

4 stars

YA. Paranormal. 

Lexi takes the 'bull by the horns' and goes in search of her mother as her vampirism curse gets worse.  Turning into a new hybrid and in need of revenge she goes after Reece to pay him back for leaving her.

One main sex scene towards the end of the book, and lots of 'heard' vampire sex.  

Shifter Squad Bk8 Web Master** / J.C. Diem [eBook]

4 stars

YA. Paranormal. 

Note to self: don't use these books to teach cooking .... "He put [the steaks] in a frying pan to cook then chopped up vegetables and set them to steam.” (ch. 29, Excerpt From: Diem, J.C. “Web Master.” Seize The Night Agency, 2016-01-02). Yeah, nah!  Were-creatures especially would prefer their meat under-cooked not burnt to a crisp!  

I started out thinking that "I just want to get this book done with so I can read the final one in the series".  I kind of felt 'ho-hum' about the storyline. Yeah ... Wow!  I was not expecting THAT to happen!  About halfway through the energy got really ramped up and I just didn't want to put it down. Then I finished it and found out I've got to wait nearly 2 months for the final installment.  Nooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!

The Great Zoo of China / Matthew Riley [Paperback]

5 stars

Adult. Fantasy. 

I've heard this book described as 'Jurassic Park with dragons'.  I actually purchased a paperback of it last year and it's been sitting on my TBR as a 'really gotta read'. 

I have got to admit I have not read any Matthew Riley books before. I was really tempted with 'Troll Mountain' but it was a three-part eBook release at that time. 

I was hooked with the introduction. It was a thought provoking look at China vs The rest of the world (well USA really) and how we 'see' the two countries. There are lots of little snippets of factual info throughout the book making it seem more realistic. 

What an exciting read right from the start! And yes it is a Jurassic Park with dragons ... however in saying that I actually enjoyed it more than JP.  One of my favourite quotes when CJ asks her brother what he thinks about the zoo ... 'It's all pretty cool and impressive ... if you never saw fucking Jurassic Park' (p. 80) - yup!

Keeping with the JP theme you know right from the start that something horrendous is going to happen, and that there is going to be lots of action-packed tense moments until the end. 

Wicked-Awesome!

Despite the hefty size of the book, it is actually a quick read - double-spacing and 'sketches' of the facility help with this. 

One Week Girlfriend Bk1** / Monica Murphy [eBook]

2 stars

YA (R18). Contemporary Romance. 

This is a mature YA read.  The two main characters are in their early 20s. 

Her - 'white trash'. Works in a bar to support both her and her 13yr old brother. Mum is a looser. 

Him - rich college football star. Dodgy family background. Pays her to be his girlfriend for Thanksgiving visit to family. 

Coming of age themes for early 20s. Themes of sexual abuse/molestation (during teen years - not current time period). 

The Steamborn Series Bk1 Steamborn / Eric R. Asher [eBook]

4 stars

YA. Steampunk. 

Great start to a new dystopia-style steampunk series for teens where bugs/insects are key to the storyline. I would be happy to issue it to our more sophisticated Year 6 readers at TPS. 

Josh & Alice are both strong main characters. Love the setting and the secondary characters. 

Looking forward to the next one in the series coming in 5 days. 

Claimed by the Dragon Bk1 / Meghan Spence [eBook]

2 stars

Adult. Paranormal. 

Gah! This is actually one book broken into parts. This first book introduces you to the main characters and sets the scene but ends very suddenly - just as you are getting into the story. 

Perfected Bk1 / Kate Jarvik Birch [eBook]

2 stars

YA. Dystopian. Sci-Fi. Romance(?)

This is a rather different premise. Humans being genetically engineered to be 'pets' for the rich and elderly. Not sure if I really enjoyed it!?!?!?  It is well written, is an intriguing concept and certainly makes you think about what humankind is capable of. However it just doesn't 'sit right' with me. It kind of has connotations of sex slaves :( ... but that is probably just me. 

Girls are raised in kennels (yes ... that is what they are called!) and taught all the important things about being a perfect pet - how to sit, smile, look beautiful, make conversation with adults and most importantly, learn two skills that their new owners can show off (dancing, singing, music ...). Nope, reading and other skills (that we would find important) are not taught. At age sixteen they are then auctioned off, going to their new home with only the dress on their backs and a number for a name ... because their new masters will provide everything they need including their new name.   The kennels aren't the only references comparing them to dogs :( 

Young Hank Zipzer Bk1 Bookmarks are People Too! / Henry Winkler & Lin Oliver [Paperback]

5 stars

Children 7-12. School Stories. Humour. Dyslexia friendly. 

Such a cool (and quick) read about a young boy who has learning difficulties. He is such a humorous and interesting boy. Students that don't like school or who have learning difficulties of their own will be able to relate to Hank who is in Grade 2. 

Written with quite short chapters and a number of black & white illustrations that help tell the story, these books also have widely spaced font and lines making it a really good book for our struggling readers.  Suit students in Year 2 to 4. 

Would also make a really good read-aloud. 

Great job Mr Winkler & Ms Oliver :)

Hank Zipzer the world's greatest underachiever Bk1 Niagra Falls, or Does It? / Henry Winkler & Lin Oliver [Paperback]

5 stars

Children 7-12. School Stories. Humour. 

This series follows Hank during his year in Grade 4. He's constantly getting into trouble even though he tries really hard at school.  It is told in a way that any student will enjoy, however those with learning difficulties can really relate to the problems (and solutions) that trip Hank up. 

It hooks readers right from the start ... with that dreaded call to the principals office ... over the loudspeaker so EVERYONE can hear!!!!  I really like 'Papa Pete' - Hank's grandpa - and the way he discusses things with Hank in a way that makes sense. 

This would be a really good read-aloud book - descriptive, humorous and something that will hold the students attention (both boys and girls). 

Whilst it is about a boy with learning difficulties it is not written in the same Dyslexia friendly way as the 'Young Hank Zipzer' series. 

Loveswept #213 Leprechaun / Joan Elliott Pickart [Paperback]

4 stars

Adult. Romance. Contemporary. 

OMG! Found this at my new favourite pre-loved book shop today (The Little BookShop). I've got to read it 'cause this is one of my first 'adult book authors' I ever read. So cool :)

The Steamborn Series Bk2 Steamforged / Eric R. Asher [eBook]

5 stars

YA. Steampunk. 

Fantastic!

Really like the characters. They all have so much depth to them. Shows the fallibility that is inherent in each of us regardless of age, especially around war and making choices that are right at the time but can have such horrendous repercussions later. 

Bloody awesome continuation to the series. Looking forward to the third book.

2015 - My Year in Books on Goodreads

Wow!  This is so cool .... Goodreads has a visual recap of what you have read over the last year. 

Here is my epic reading journey for 2015 - all 214 books :) 

Reflection on my 2015 goals & ideas for 2016

Well my attempt at reviewing #365PictureBooks in 2015 was an epic fail! With my Goodreads 2015 goal of 150 'chapter' books, study, SLANZA & work I just couldn't keep on top of reading and reviewing a picture book a day. 

With just under a week to go, my 2015 Goodreads goal will also not quite be achieved. Close, but not quite! If I had included my picture books in this quota I would have blown the goal out of the water months ago!  Oh well. Live & learn.  I found that I was rushing to achieve my goal and was not reading in depth or enjoying everything I read. I was reading for the sake of reading, not for enjoyment or to extend my knowledge. 

So my blog goal for the coming year is to post once a month with a recap of what I've been reading, including reviews, summaries and general thoughts on the books. 

And my Goodreads goal is to read 100 books - chapter, picture, non-fiction & professional development - just books.  But books that I am going to savor. Books that I am going to devour. Books that I am going to treasure (and I already have a few of these lined up!). And books that I am going to remember and be able to talk about to anyone that wants to listen.

Bring on another year full of fantastic books, great authors, interesting conversations and amazing reading :)

*Update : 28 Dec '15*

OK. I added my #365PictureBooks. I was right ... It blasted my goal of 150 books out of the water!  142 chapter books + my 72 #365PoctureBooks = 214 total books read. And that is not including all the other picture books I have read this year for school and not kept track of!  #awesome #overachiever