Once upon a time… (Last Night) I was at my favorite bookstore, Women and Children First in Chicago, picking up a book I had ordered through them. Before I did that, of course, I had to wander through the entire bookstore as if I hadn’t just been there 6 days earlier. Because, obviously. I was looking … More A Librarian is Never Off Duty
It’s that time of year again. While everyone else is buying presents for Hanukkah and Christmas and baking cookies and whatnot, the book/librarian-type people are curating our Best Books of the Year lists. It’s one of my very favorite parts of my job: reading a lot and talking about those books with insightful, intelligent people. … More Top Ten Queer YA books of 2015
Title: What We Left Behind Author: Robin Talley Published: Harelequin Teen, 2015, 405 pages Recommended if you like: Books with Diverse Characters, Books set in college, Character driven stories, LGBTQIA+, Gender Identity exploration Read-a-Like: I am J, Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda, Not Otherwise Specified Rating: 5 out of 5 Top Hat Pendents First Line: Even before I saw her, it was … More Book Review: What We Left Behind by Robin Talley
Sidewalk Dancing is a wonderful glimpse into a life that is both refreshingly different and utterly familiar. Rating: 4.75/5 expensive bottles of perfume … More You Should Read This: Sidewalk Dancing by Letitia Moffitt
Today one of my regular teens was waiting for me to open the teen space – like he usually is. And when I did he bounded in and said I’mma get a family this week and I won’t be in the shelter anymore! And after I blinked a few times I said That’s great! I’m excited … More Don’t Judge a Teen by their… Cover
[scene: library teen space] (a teen girl looks cautiously around, browsing the books and keeping to herself. Then she spots something on the wall, smiles and walks over to the teen librarian) Teen Girl: I LOVE your safe space sign! Me: Thanks!! I’m glad. Teen Girl: Can you help me find some good books … More Tales from the Teen Space: Happiest Lezbrarian Ever
Rarely do I claim that books actually change my life. Books frequently entertain me and make me think things; make me feel things. But when you read as much as I do, it takes a lot for a book to have a marked and lasting effect on me. Rarely do I say that a book … More Asking and Giving
So I have a teen, let’s call him R, who is a regular in the space. He’s a smart kid, and sensitive and adorable. Today he came to me asking why everything was so hard. Life in general, but especially dating. Because, let’s not sugar coat things, dating is hard. It really is. Especially when … More In Which I Give a Teen Some Dating Advice
Yesterday a bright, smiling, young teen (let’s call her M) came into the Teen Room for the first time. She was super excited about the space and the programs we offer, but was especially jazzed about the Gryffindor sweatshirt I was wearing, thus proving her excellent taste in life. I, of course, was quick to say that … More OUT in the Teen Space; See Also: Overthinking
So the internet blew up again because Andrew Smith said this: On the flip side, it sometimes seems like there isn’t much of a way into your books for female readers. Where are all the women in your work? I was raised in a family with four boys, and I absolutely did not know anything about … More Sexism, Anger, and Andrew Smith
Lezbrarian 