Freaks and Revelations

Freaks and Revelations
 
By Davida Willis Hurwin

Paperback: 240 pages

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2009

Subject Headings:

·         Gay & Lesbian

·         Homelessness & Poverty

·         Bullying

Appeal: True story, dark tones, fast-paced

Plot Summary:

            Based on the true story of Matthew Boger and Timothy Zaal, set in a fairly modern time period. Doug is a violent seventeen-year-old misfit who starts down a dark path in life. Jason is a gay thirteen-year-old boy who is cast out by his family and forced to hustle on the streets to survive. As Doug’s youthful anger becomes hate, and Jason struggles to make a living on the streets, their paths collide in a violent way. They meet again later in life and reflect on what they have been through and their struggles. This is a story of survival and forgiveness between these very polarized persons.

Similar Authors and Works:

3 Relevant Non-Fiction Works and Authors

When We Were Outlaws by Jeanne Cordova
A memoir of an activist torn between trying to end discrimination against gays and her own personal longings.
I am not Myself These Days by Josh Kilmer-Purcell
A memoir of a young New-Yorker leading a double life of an art director by day, and a drag-queen beauty pageant hopeful by night.
S/He by Minnie Bruce Pratt
A memoir of Pratt’s fight with traditional southern womanhood, coming out as a lesbian, and life with transgender activist Leslie Fienberg.


3 Relevant Fiction Works and Authors

Marriage of a Thousand Lies by S.J. Sindu
Lakshmi and her husband Krishna are a Sri Lankan-American couple who are both putting on a heterosexual front for their families, while seeing their homosexual partners on the side.

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

Simon Spier is a sixteen-year-old boy who is not openly gay. When an e-mail finds its way into the wrong hands, he finds himself being blackmailed into playing wingman or risk his sexuality becoming everyone’s’ business.

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

When disgraced prince Patroclus is exiled to the court of King Peleus and his son Achilles, he finds himself befriending Achilles and the grow up together into skilled young men. Their bond begins to develop into something deeper, much to the displeasure of Achilles’ mother Thetis, a cruel sea goddess.

Prompt #7

Though this week's group of "genres" all seem very different, they all have in common the fact that many people don't feel that they are legitimate literary choices and libraries shouldn't be spending money on them or promoting them to adults. The common belief is that adults still don't or shouldn't read that stuff. How can we as librarians, work to ensure that we are able to serve adults who enjoy YA literature or graphic novels? Or should we?

To prevent censorship, intentional or not, as librarian we should never exclude patrons from pursuing their reading. Adult patrons are free to read young adult or graphic novels. I personally enjoy both of those genres myself, and I don’t let the genre labels deter me. Turning the situation around, librarians should not exclude promoting these new “genres” to adults. As the younger generations grow up, they do not lose interest in the novels they enjoyed in their youth. They are sharing these novels with their peers and friends. Librarians should keep this in mind, and take the Library Bill of Rights to heart. The ALA Bill of Rights states, “Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.” They also state, “Libraries should cooperate with all persons and groups concerned with resisting abridgment of free expression and free access to ideas.”

Displays that hold graphic novels or young adult novels that sit between the youth and adult sections can help address the issue. Both groups would be able to see the displays, but they would not feel like they are age assigned. The most important factor is getting patrons books they will enjoy reading. We must also make sure that patrons never feel uncomfortable bringing books they love to librarians to check out, or bringing them up as examples for a reader’s advisory interview. Ensuring that everyone on staff understands that they need to respect patrons’ choices and not be judgmental. Many adults do like reading graphic novels and young adult books, and they should never feel like they are in the wrong for enjoying these popular genres.

Prompt #6

For your prompt this week, please complete the Readers' Advisory Matrix, found on the last page of the reading title RA Guide to Nonfiction in the Canvas files, about a non-fiction book you have read. If you have not read a non-fiction book recently, feel free to use some of the techniques on how to "read" a book in five minutes such as Mary Chelton's handouts or any others we have covered to get a feel for a non-fiction book.

Night by Elie Wiesel

1. Where is the book on the narrative continuum?

Highly narrative (reads like fiction)

2. What is the subject of the book?

Survival- The book is a story of survival of a young Jewish boy in the Nazi concentration camps.

3. What type of book is it?

A memoir.

4. Articulate Appeal

What is the pacing of the book?  This is a very fast paced book.

Describe the characters of the book.  This is a very character driven story, with the main character being Elie Wiesel himself. He was a young Jewish teenager when his family was taken from their home and he was eventually taken to Auschwitz then Buchenwald.

How does the story feel?  Heart-breaking, painful, and dark.

What is the intent of the author?  To share his experiences and tell the world what happened in the concentration camps.

What is the focus of the story?  The build-up period of time right before the Wiesel family was taken and Elie’s struggle to survive to the liberation of the camps.

Does the language matter? Yes

Is the setting important and well described?  Yes the setting is key to the events occurring in the story, and the immediate setting in the camps is very well described.

Are there details, and if so, of what?  There are a lot of details about the conditions of the camps and the degenerating states of the prisoners there. There is also a lot of gruesome details of the deaths and torment suffered by prisoners.

Are there sufficient charts and other graphic materials? Are they useful and clear? None.

Does the book stress moments of learning, understanding, or experience? This novel stresses experience and understanding the most, as the author shares what he when through and what he came to understand. Learning is also stresses, but not like the other two factors.

5. Why would a reader enjoy this book (rank appeal)?

1. Experience              2. Detail                3.Tone

Stasiland

Stasiland: Stories from Behind the Berlin Wall

By Anna Funder

Paperback: 228 pages

Publisher: HarperCollins Books, 2002

Subject Headings:

·         Communism

·         East Berlin

·         Berlin Wall

Appeal: Nonfiction, Post WWII Germany, Communism in East Germany

Plot Summary:

            In 1989, the Berlin Wall fell and the city was reunited. Anna Funder, an Australian writer, brings to life in this novel some of the stories from behind the Wall. She tells the lives of real East Berlin citizens, and also the stories from ex-Stasi operatives and their work. Some of the stories include Miriam, who at sixteen tried to escape into West Berlin; Frau Paul, who was separated from her baby by the Wall; and the soldiers and officers who handled everything from surveillance, painted the line that would divide a city, and espionage. Every story draws the reader in and paints a more complete picture of what happened before, during and after the Berlin Wall. This novel won the Samuel Johnson Prize for nonfiction in the United Kingdoms.

Similar Authors and Works:

3 Relevant Non-Fiction Works and Authors

Night by Elie Wiesel
A short but intense story of survival of Elie Wiesel during his time as a Jew in Germany’s concentration camps.

The Berlin Wall: A World Divided, 1961-1989 by Frederick Taylor
The book weaves together the story of the Berlin Wall’s rise and fall from archives and personal accounts.

The Ghosts of Berlin: Confronting German History in the Urban Landscape by Brian Ladd
Brian Ladd examines the fusion of architecture, national identity, and history of the city of Berlin.

3 Relevant Fiction Works and Authors

Garden of Beasts Jeffery Deaver

Set in 1936, Paul Schumann is a mob hitman who finds himself less work and eventually gets himself caught. Army Intelligence offer him and alternative, go to jail or travel to Berlin and take out a high ranking official close to Hitler during the Olympics.

City of Women by David R. Gillham

In 1943 Berlin has become a city of women with all of the men away at the front.

Stasi Child (Karin Müller #1) by David Young

Karin Müller is a Stasi officer who is called in to investigate a body found at the foot of the Wall. However, this girl looks like she was trying to escape from the West. 

Prompt #5

Ebooks and audio-books are a part of our landscape. What does the change in medium mean for appeal factors? If you can't hold a book and feel the physical weight of it in your hands, how does that affect your knowledge of the genre? How about readers being able to change the font, line spacing, and color of text - how does that affect pacing and tone? How about audio-books? Track length, narrator choice, is there music?  For this week, I want you to think about how ebooks and audio-books affect appeal factors - also think about appeals that are unique to both mediums.

These three forms of media all allow us ways to enjoy great stories. Despite my own personal love for the feel of paper and ink in my hands, I have also enjoyed eBooks on my Kindle and audio-books in my car. The change of media does not change our knowledge of the genres we enjoy, just the ways we enjoy it. With eBooks, the ability to change font, line spacing, and color of the text allows us to give ourselves a personalized experience. This allows us to alter the normal pacing and tone and make it so we can read it faster and with more ease. Changing the color can also affect how we perceive the words written, as different colors invoke different emotions. Blue text could make a story calmer or more melancholy, and red could add anger or excitement. With audio books the story is a little different in this case. Because audio-books are narrated, the pacing and tone are set by who is reading the book. This makes narrator choice incredibly important, because they have the ability to make or break an otherwise great audio-book. Also the speed they read may be so different than your own it becomes distracting or hard to keep up with. Also, if the audio-book has included ambiance music that could really affect the tone or even be distracting as well. If the publisher decides to add music to an audio-book, they need to ensure that it matches the pacing of the book and the tone of the story at that moment.

Audio-books and eBooks offer their own unique appeals in the world of reading. With eBooks you can have a vast digital library available to you at almost any moment. Portable devices like tablets and smartphones make accessing this collection easy and fast. Their back-lit options also make is easy to read in low-light settings. Audio-books also prove to be very portable, but do require a device to play them off of. The narrators of audio-books themselves can also be a drawing factor. A very appealing voice that can really convey the intended emotions has the ability to really bring a novel to life. Another benefit to audio-books is that they leave your hands and eyes free to accomplish other tasks. This makes it easier to fit in the joy of a novel while accomplishing other tasks like cooking or exercising. It is also a great alternative for individuals with visual disabilities or who suffer from eye strain. As someone who is very near-sighted and prone to headaches, I can really relate to this appeal here. Each medium allows readers a distinctive experience with their own benefits and drawbacks. As readers, we should not exclude their values and appeals when making decisions.

What's a Witch to Do?

What’s a Witch to Do?

By Jennifer Harlow

A Midnight Magic Mystery

Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Midnight Ink, 2013

Subject Headings:

·         Witchcraft

·         Supernatural

·         Fantasy

Appeal: Fantasy Novel, Humorous, Magic, Mystery Elements

Plot Summary:
            Mona McGregor is the High Priestess of the witch coven living in Goodnight, Virginia. On top of being the leader of a large coven, Mona also owns and runs the Midnight Magic shop and is the guardian of her two young nieces. Her everyday life is a struggle to keep on top of her ever growing to do list, and potentially woo the handsome doctor who has taken an interest in her. However, all of that gets thrown for a loop when a wounded werewolf shows up on her doorstep with the ominous message that someone wants Mona out of the way, permanently. Combining elements of humor, heartache, romance, and mystery; this fantasy adventure is a thrill to read. The heroine, despite being a very powerful witch, is very relatable and her inner struggles and attempts to find balance in her life really help draw the reader in and keep the pages turning. Some adult themes are included throughout the novel.

Some Characteristics of Fantasy:

1. This story has societies of witches, werewolves, and vampires living hidden within the populace, and also a heavy theme of magic.
2. The story line features a battle of good vs evil as Mona and her friends try to stop her would-be, black-magic practicing assassin.
3. Throughout the novel, the tone switches from light and humorous to a more malevolent mood as the characters find themselves fighting for their safety and their lives.

Similar Authors and Works:

3 Relevant Non-Fiction Works and Authors

Wicca for Beginners: Fundamentals of Philosophy & Practice by Thea Sabin
This novel is an introduction into the spirituality and real-world practice of Wicca. This novel provides a solid foundation for readers to learn some of the mysteries of Wicca.

The Penguin Book of Witches by Katherine Howe
Author Katherine Howe takes a look at the darker side of witchcraft throughout English and North American history. It focuses on the accounts of real accused witches and shows some truth behind the legends.

Binding Passions: Tales of Magic, Marriage, and Power at the End of the Renaissance by Guido Ruggiero
Ruggiero brings forth several records found in Venice’s branch of the Roman Inquisition’s records on how passions were seen to be bound and how it was used in binding people. An unique look into the magic of passion in Italian history.

3 Relevant Fiction Works and Authors

Midnight poison by A.E. Kirk

Kiara Blackwood is several centuries old, and can’t remember exactly who she is. This in and of itself is an issue, but she has a few more problems on her plate. She is being hunted by an immortal serial killer, being held prisoner by the undead, must somehow find the Midnight Poison she apparently created, and her psych meds have stopped working.

Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K. Hamilton

In a world where supernatural creatures have been legalized, Anita Blake is an executioner for the United States Government part-time and her day job is raising the dead. This novel includes a mixture of romance and horror as Anita confronts a thousand-year old vampire and a host of the undead.

Mind Over Monsters by Jennifer Harlow

Beatrice Alexander has the ability to move objects with her mind, and draws the attention of the F.R.E.A.K.S. Squad when she saves her students by lifting a Hummer over their heads and later on almost offs her brother. The squad handles rouge monsters that threaten to expose all the supernatural societies in hiding, and is a fantasy thriller.