How We Read Now
There’s still time to register for the first ever YALSA Young Adult Literature Symposium. Check out YALSA’s new video ad for the event and find out from members why it’s worth attending.
Not Just for Teens Anymore?
Adults have been talking a lot about YA literature lately.
Author Margo Rabb (Cures for Heartbreak, 2007) was heartbroken herself to learn that her first novel would be published for young adults, though she soon resigned herself to the prospect.
Cory Doctorow, longtime adult science fiction writer and digital privacy advocate, learned from publishing his first novel for young adults (Little Brother, 2008) that writing for young people is really exciting.
When screenwriter and author Frank Cottrell Boyce compared the YA section of a bookstore to a literary “kids’ menu” in his review of The Knife of Never Letting Go (2008), he provoked a series of passionate responses from YA librarians and YA lit defenders. (more…)
Books to Watch Out For: Hero-Type by Barry Lyga
I admit it, I’m old school. I became a librarian because I like to read, and I became a teen librarian because YA is my favorite genre (and, y’know, I don’t think teens are half bad, either). So as my new project for the YALSA blog, I’ll be writing a regular mini-feature called “Books to watch out for,” which is…exactly what it sounds like. With Fall ‘08 releases just around the corner, I’m really excited to be starting these entries now. (more…)
Writing for Tweens: What the Authors Have to Say
What goes on in the mind of the authors that write for tweens? How do they approach the tween audience? During the YALSA preconference, Got Tweens? Serving Younger Teens and Tweens, the audience heard six tween authors share their thoughts. Below are some notes regarding their take on being a tween and writing for a younger audience. (more…)
Great Galleys - What Did You Pick Up?
I’m waiting for my flight back to my library from ALA, and trying to wind down from all of the great things I’ve learned and picked up at this conference. I’ve been talking to many Yalsa members here about the galley’s they picked up, and since I didn’t get to spend much time in the exhibit hall I wanted to ask if anyone picked up some great galleys that I should make sure get ordered when I get back.
Some Snapshots From the YALSA Preconference
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…)
2008 YALSA Author Coffee Klatch
In these two videos you’ll hear librarians talk about books and authors and get to listen in on what authors talked about during the 2008 YALSA Coffee Klatch.
This is the second year for the annual coffee klatch and for anyone who hasn’t been before this is how it works. Librarians sit at round tables of 10. One seat at every table is left open. At approximately 9:00 AM the authors sit down at the tables. At each table the author talks about his or her books and answers questions the librarians might have. After 5 minutes a whistle blows, the authors stand up (not in unison), and move on to the next table on their rotation. (more…)
Talking Books, Authors, and Teens
Throughout the conference YALSA members are recording audio and video. And, throughout the conference, as well as after, we’ll post that audio and video on the blog. This post is the start with two short videos in which librarians talk about books, booktalking, reading, authors, and teens. Check them out: (more…)
YA Authors
Authors are everywhere at ALA. Some are signing books, promoting an upcoming one, or speaking at programs on a variety of topics. Orson Scott Card is one of the authors here who spoke at a luncheon for the Margaret A. Edwards Award. He won this award for his lifetime contribution to young adult literature, and part of the process is to invite the winner to a luncheon to speak.
Since that luncheon I’ve heard many people say how great a speaker he is. The one thing many have taken is a that he didn’t write Ender’s Game or any of his books for children, but that they found it on their own.
I’ve heard other authors say this as well, including Stephanie Meyers and Scott Westerfeld. What so you think it is that makes a book YA or Teen?