Whether you prefer the printed or the spoken word, here are a few books that would make excellent gifts for readers and perhaps even some reluctant readers as well.

For Tweens:

THE 39 CLUES by Rick Riordan (and other authors for subsequent volumes in the series)
This new series from Scholastic is filled with action and adventure and espionageEach book will be penned by a different authorLook for the web site that supports the series and offers a treasure hunt for readers, too. (more…)

A great deal of thanks and praise needs to go to YALSA and to the folks who ran the YA Lit Symposium. I have never seen so much food in my life. There was always something to munch on as we went from session to session. There were tons of free materials including books. And then there were the sessions.

My colleague and friend Rosemary Chance and I presented a session on censorship this morning that was packed to the rafters. Julie Anne Peters, Barry Lyga, and Coe Booth wowed those assembled with funny, touching, and sometimes frightening stories about books not being made available to those who need them the most. (more…)

Quick update from Nashville and the YALSA Literature Institute while I am in between sessions. Last night at the Happy Hour hosted by Little Brown (and the ever charming Victoria Stapleton), the drinks (I stuck with Diet Coke) and the ARCs flowed. However, I elected not to join in the frenzy for the ARCs since I was fearful of losing a limb! There are going to be newbie librarians going back home having to pay horrendous fees for overweight luggage. Not me. I will wait until NCTE in San Antonio in just a few short days and pack them into the car for my drive home instead. Much cheaper, and more $$$ for margaritas. (more…)

Before I post about TTT, I just wanted to remind anyone who has not done so to register for midwinter and to secure housing. I plan to come early and stay over a day or so and get to see some of Denver since most of what I get to see are the insides of the meeting halls.

Now to the TTT:

Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling
Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
Maximum Ride: Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports by James Patterson
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray
Extras by Scott Westerfeld
Before I Die by Jenny Downham
Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson (more…)

How can it possibly be September already? Of course, it is always difficult to tell the time of year when one lives in Texas. However, today’s temps topped out at 90 degrees, so fall is definitely near! That means:

1.Registratoin for Midwinter and Annual is now open. Have you done the bundled registration? This is my second year to take advantage of this discount deal. While I was registering, I also had the chance to reserve my hotel room for midwinter. ALA has made this whole process as painless as it can be when you are spending money.

2.The  YALSA Literature Symposium is closer and closer. While early registration is over, there is still time to register and attend.

3. Banned Books Week is approaching as well. Have you ordered your kit? Mine arrived last week. I plan to hand out the bookmarks in my YA lit class this weekend to spark some discussion.

There is much more coming soon. What a terrific time to be associated with YA Literature.

Posted by Teri S. Lesesne

Like many of you, I suspect, I have been watching the Olympics into the wee small hours of the morning. Each time, I find myself sucked into the competitions and the people who are competing. In some ways, this is like going to ALA. Now, stick with me here. Twice each year, we gather to renew friendships, to talk about books and reading and teens. The competition? Our predictions about which books will receive the medals this time around. There always seems to be an air of excitement. That air is heightened by the “celebrity” spotting. In our case, the celebs are the authors and illustrators who create these world class books we have come to love. (more…)

As promised, the handouts from the preconference are now available. These are the starred review books for 2007 suitable for tweens and early teens. Many thanks to the Preconference Committee for putting these lists together for us all.

Teri Lesesne

While I did not spend much time at the exhibits due to other commitments, I did bring home some ARCs to read. I spent most of the flight back to Houston reading TENDER MORSELS. I hope to finish the book this weekend. However, more than books, I brought back with me some terrific memories and some valuable information. (more…)

Here are a handful of the photos from the preconference, GOT TWEENS AND TEENS? Authors, librarians, and others interested in services and books for the early teens and tweens shared a wonderful and informative day on Friday. See if you can spot Lisa Yee, Bruce Hale, Jon Scieszka, Ingrid Law, and Amy Goldman Koss. (more…)

My bags are packed. I mailed home a box of books yesterday, but somehow the suitcase seems just as heavy. The conference was incredible even though meetings kept me from seeing some of the other sessions I would have loved to attend. Now is the time to complete the Volunteer Forms for the various other committees of YALSA including some of the selection committees. The form is available on the YALSA site.
Posted by Teri Lesesne