A Wrinkle in Time is one of those books I read over and over as a child. Meg didn’t have magical abilities, or superhero strength. She was a girl, like me, who felt she didn’t belong. And in those pages I saw that my stubbornness and brain could be my biggest strengths. I believed, for … More Review: A Wrinkle in Time
This year is an uncontested garbage fire, y’all. From start to finish. I began the year by attending my grandfather’s funeral… on my birthday. And if I’d known that was a metaphor for how the whole 365 days were going to be I’d have gone back to bed. However. Here we are. Deep breaths. There were … More Top 10 YA books of 2016
Dear Superintendent Rheingans, Principal Kolker, Members of the School Board, and Members of the Review Committee: I am an alumna of Hempstead High School (‘02) who has spent my entire adult life working with youth. After finishing college I taught middle school for three years while completing my Masters in Education. I went on to … More An Open Letter to the Dubuque Community School District
I’ve never written about 9/11 before because it just sort of seemed superfluous. Everyone had a story, everyone had a perspective and mine didn’t seem to matter that much. Others had lost so much more, been changed so much more by what happened. What could I have to say? But now I work with teens … More The Day the Towers Fell
I’m frankly kind of exhausted just trying to decide which topic to rant about. … More Roundup: Literary Girls I Want to Be My BFF
“If I were in high school today, I would hate every minute of it.” A friend and fellow teen librarian said this to me a few days ago at an after-work gathering at the bar and I have never agreed with anything more in my life. We burst into conversation about how much we would … More In Defense of Introverts
Title: Exit, Pursued by a Bear Author: E.K. Johnston Published: Dutton Books 2016 Recommended if you like: Cheerleading, hopeful survivor stories, Shakespeare, Veronica Mars Read-a-Like: All the Rage, Speak, Open Road Summer Rating: 6 out of 5 Golden Bear Mascots First Line: I start running after school. Y’all, I LOVED this book. Like I LOOOOVED it. I read it the second I … More Book Review: Exit, Pursued by a Bear by E.K. Johnston
My Grandfather passed away on Friday. He was my last living grandparent, and while I fully realize it is rare to be my age and have any grandparents at all, I still feel the loss. In this brief calm before the storm of travel plans and work arrangements and ‘does my black dress still fit?’ I … More Sunday Reflections: The Importance of Being Earnest (About Books)
Leia ran a fucking planet and the rebellion. At 19 years old. Without a Jedi trainer, a lightsaber or a bra. … More Star Wars Women: Kicking Ass Since 1977
Yesterday was my first day back at work after a 10 day vacation. Literally within seconds of opening the teen space one of my favorites regular teens (we’re not supposed to have favorites, right?) flung the door open and proceeded to shout: MS. SARAH HAVE YOU SEEN STAR WARS YET? Have I seen Star Wars … More #NotSorry : A New Year’s Resolution
Lezbrarian 